MALAYSIA - Oregon National Guard represent partner nation, Vietnam, at the South East Asia Regional Forum
The Oregon National Guard (ORNG) State Partnership Program (SPP) helped represent their partner nation, Vietnam, at the South East Asia Regional Forum, hosted by the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) in Penang, Malaysia, September 23 to 27, 2024.
The goal of this weeklong forum, consisting of representatives for Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, is to strengthen cybersecurity in the region.
“We share information with our partners in the region, and some of that information might be classified,” said Col. Frank Theising, Chief of the Interoperability and Engagements Division for USINDOPACOM Joint Staff Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems. “So it's important for the United States that [the partners] we're sharing information with are able to protect it once it's on their indigenous networks.”
To help meet these countries’ cybersecurity needs, USINDOPACOM invited current government contracted cyber experts to offer resources including training, consultation, and equipment. The representatives met with the cyber experts in one-on-one sessions to build tailored plans to improve their defenses. Bringing the five countries together for the forum allows USINDOPACOM to accomplish in five days what would otherwise take five weeks going country to country.
Being able to openly discuss goals and short-comings requires good relations, something ORNG SPP Cyber Engagement lead for Vietnam, Lt. Col. Christopher Jenkins knows all about after working with Oregon’s partner nation for seven years. He said SPP builds long lasting relationships with their partner nations, laying a foundation of trust that makes events like the South East Asia Regional Forum possible.
“It’s very important to have the shared respect with the other partners,” said Jenkins. “We're here at their invitation and by strengthening the overall security of these partners, we raise the global level of defense.”
Jenkins and his team, comprised of Oregon Army National Guard (ORARNG) Defense Cyber Operations Element team lead Maj. Kyle Shield, ORARNG Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) Cyber Defense Warrant Officer William Hansen, and ORARNG JFHQ Cyber Operations Planner Sgt. Brandon Heinrichs, aided in representing Vietnam at the forum. Jenkins said he hopes to see even more participation within the region at future events.
The South East Asia Regional Forum began in 2022 and is part of a five-year plan to foster better cybersecurity in the region.
Date Taken: | 09.28.2024 |
Date Posted: | 11.03.2024 11:27 |
Story ID: | 484542 |
Location: | MY |
Web Views: | 137 |
Downloads: | 2 |
This work, South East Asia Regional Forum 2024, by SGT Emily Simonson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.