The Navy provides the nation with continuous, adaptable, and active instruments of security, promoting stability and projecting maritime power. Forward-deployed, combat-credible forces are vital to shaping the global security environment, helping to assure access to regions of strategic interest and permitting a timely response from the sea.

The DoD Directive 8570.1 provides the basis for an enterprise-wide solution to train, certify, and manage the DoD Information Assurance (IA) workforce. The directive requires IA Technical, IA Management, IA System Architect and Engineer, and Computer Network Defense-Service Provider personnel to be trained and certified to a DoD baseline requirement within six months of assignment to the position. However, the US Navy's operational role on the oceans of the world over extended periods of time makes it difficult for sailors to train in the newest technology and prepare for certification. An "anytime, anywhere" training solution afloat and subsequent testing was needed to facilitate compliance with the 8570.1 requirements for the Navy's IA workforce currently at sea.

The US Navy needed to train their personnel quickly without compromising their mission at sea. We took an "all hands on deck" approach and provided a rapid response to their request. Within one month of the initial request, we developed a training solution that placed one of our instructors and computer lab equipment aboard their ship. Our instructor, a former military officer experienced in teaching in unique military environments, flew halfway around the world and was airlifted, along with the course lab equipment, to a US Navy ship. For two months, he was at sea with sailors in the IA workforce, teaching Microsoft custom-tailored courses and CompTIA Security+ courses. Three to four class sessions were delivered each day, with some being at night and early morning, to accommodate the sailors' long workday. Each student was provided their own lab equipment giving them the capability to practice real-world scenarios right in the high seas classroom.

Upon reaching homeport, the instructor provided power hour training as a course refresher prior to the exams. To fulfill the 8570.1 Directive requirements, the ship's IA personnel rotated through a mobile testing classroom that we set up ashore for final certification testing.

With the strictures inherent in underway naval operations, just as with our instructor, getting to class meant an airlift for some of the sailors to the "classroom" ship. Our instructor trained more than 200 IA sailors in the 8570-required classes during the two months at sea. From that group, nearly half took the certification exams and achieved an 81% pass rate for their first exam sitting. Bravo Zulu! (US Navy signal for "Good job!")