3,000 communications officers are now cyberspace officers

3,000 officers switch to cyberspace specialty

By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 17, 2010 8:59:31 EDT

About 3,000 communications officers are now cyberspace officers.

In all, 30,000 airmen have been shifted to the front lines of cyber warfare. The officers made the switch in April; the changeover for 27,000 enlisted airmen happened in November.

The Air Force Specialty Code for officers is now 17D. It had been 33S. For enlisted, the 2E, 3A and 3C AFSCs — communications and electronic maintenance jobs — have been merged into the 3DX category

With the standing up of 17D, the officers face stiffer educational requirements and the expectation to see their job as operational and not strictly mission support.

“It’s not just spray paint, it’s a new mindset,” said Brig. Gen. David Cotton, director of cyberspace transformation and strategy at the Air Staff.

Communications officers often saw themselves as others saw them: airmen who made sure the base computer network worked, said Cotton, who began his career a computer programmer.

Cyberspace officers will continue to provide support but they also will be the go-to experts on how a computer or communication network can improve war-fighting capabilities.
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3000 communications officers are now cyberspace officers