Norwich University students support Operation Combined Endeavor

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Michael Simmons | Adam Wolfe, student at Norwich University, assists airmen from the 102nd Network Warfare Squadron, Rhode Island Air National Guard, with network security Sept. 10 in Grafenwoehr, Germany in support of Combined Endeavor. Combined Endeavor 2010 is the world's largest communications interoperability exercise, preparing international forces' command, control, communications and computer systems for multinational operations.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, GERMANY

09.15.2010

Story by Sgt. Michael Simmons 

110th Public Affairs Detachment

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Norwich University students taught a course in cyber-security, while assisting the 102nd Network Warfare Squadron of the Rhode Island Air National Guard in support of the largest military communications exercise in Europe, Combined Endeavor 2010.

The exercise hosted in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sept. 3-16, brought more than 40 nations and organizations to the Joint Multinational Simulations Center to test command and control systems, network operations and to ensure technological interoperability.

Combined Endeavor is the U.S. military's largest exercise of its kind anywhere in the world, enabling nations to communicate, collaborate and support each other, which allows the countries and non-government agencies to respond more rapidly and efficiently to crisis and natural disaster.

"Participation in Combined Endeavor gives us the opportunity to serve the global community," said Dr. Peter Stephenson, Director of Norwich University Advanced Computing Center.

This is the fifth year that Norwich University has joined and participated in the annual exercise.

Dr. Peter Stephenson, Director of Norwich University Advanced Computing Center said: "Participation in Combined Endeavor gives us the opportunity to serve the global community in an effort to streamline communications and share our cybersecurity expertise for the sake of a coordinated response to nations in need."

Cyber-terrorism threat is "real and rapidly expanding," said FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III in a recent Washington Post article, Al-Qaeda's online presence has become as potent as its physical presence" over the last decade, he said. Osama bin Laden long ago identified cyberspace as "a means to damage both our economy and our psyche -- and countless extremists have taken this to heart," he said.

The Norwich students Adam Wolfe of Wilton Maine, Nicholas Logan of Chatham Mass., Vincent Lally IV of Sparta N.J. and Amanda Brown of Barre, Vt., were accompanied by Mark Besch, a systems engineer from Norwich University Applied Research Institute arrived Aug. 29.

The students educated approximately 40 students from the participating nations on the importance of cyber-security. Participants created operating systems and connected remotely to Norwich University’s cyber-range. The cyber-range allows the machinery to be attacked in a virtual training atmosphere said Besch, which teaches participants to have safer operating condition by creating sturdier password, closing ports and closing leaks.

Adam Wolfe, a Norwich University senior said that his participation in Combined Endeavor has allowed him to apply his skills to real world situations. Wolfe also said that it was a great opportunity to be invited to work with military members from 40 different nations.

• Date Taken: 09.15.2010
• Date Posted: 09.15.2010 04:55
• Story ID: 56292
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE