Civil Air Patrol cadets to participate in National Youth Cyber Defense Competition

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (Oct 22, 2021) – Around 450 Civil Air Patrol (CAP) teams across the nation are gearing up to put their cybersecurity skills to the test in CyberPatriot XIV—the fourteenth season of the Air Force Association’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.

Since 2009, CyberPatriot’s competition has challenged teams of students to harden simulated computer systems and resolve real-life cybersecurity situations faced by industry professionals. The competition provides students hands-on experience securing computer networks while exciting, educating, and motivating them toward careers in cybersecurity and other STEM fields.

The CAP teams will compete against other CAP units, JROTC units, and Naval Sea Cadet teams in the All Service Division, and the middle school teams will compete against other middle school teams.

CAP has participated in CyberPatriot since the very beginning. A CAP team was involved in the prototype competition in Florida for CyberPatriot season I. All CAP units were eligible to compete starting in season II.

Each team is guaranteed three rounds of live online competition. Round 1 of CyberPatriot XIV kicks off Oct. 22-24. Additional rounds are scheduled for November and December. Eliminations begin following the third round and only the top scoring teams advanced to the semifinals. Following the semifinals, only 28 teams advance to the in-person National Finals Competition in March, where the teams travel to Bethesda, MD with all expenses paid. CAP teams have won the overall All Service Division championship three times - 2011, 2012, and 2017; and the inaugural middle school division competition in 2014.

In addition to the competition, CyberPatriot offers a variety of programs aimed at educating the public about the importance of cybersecurity. These programs include AFA CyberCamps, an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative (ESCEI), a children’s literature series, CyberGenerations –a senior citizen cyber safety initiative, and a Tech Caregivers program designed to encourage cyber-savvy volunteers to give back to their communities.

CyberPatriot greatly benefits from the support and technical expertise of the program’s presenting sponsor, Northrop Grumman Foundation, along with Cyber Diamond sponsors AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, Boeing, Cisco, Microsoft, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Cyber Gold sponsors Air Force Reserve, BNY Mellon, Facebook, Symantec, and the USAA Foundation; and Cyber Silver sponsors the Air Force STEM, American Military University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Gannon University, Leidos, Mastercard, and University of Maryland Global Campus.

For more information about CyberPatriot, visit www.uscyberpatriot.org.

For more information about Civil Air Patrol’s cyber programs, visit cyber.cap.gov.