CAP National Cyber Academy

The CAP National Cyber Academy (CNCA), the summer cyber NCSA, integrates cyber security certification standards into career exploration courses and dovetails with the Cadet Program Cyber Module.

The CNCA hosts six courses, Cyberspace Foundations, Cyberspace Advanced Administration, Cyberspace Networking and Digital Forensics, Cyberspace Operations Fundamentals and StellarXplorers, at four locations - Virginia Beach, VA, Colorado Springs, CO, San Antonio, TX and Dakota State University in Madison, SD.

Please visit the NCSAs page for this year's offerings.

The registration period for summer NCSAs is now opened. There are several opportunities in 4 different states for cadets and seniors to participate.  REGISTRATION CLOSES ON 15 JANUARY 2026, AND NO LATE REGISTRATIONS ARE PERMITTED.

Here are the offerings for Summer 2026.

Cyberspace Foundations

Our entry level course designed for cadets that have a desire to explore cyber careers and learn about securing Windows and Linux systems. If a cadet has already participated in CyberPatriot and achieved the Gold or Platinum tier, then this is not the course for them as it is a beginner level course.

Foundations will be offered in Texas, Virginia and South Dakota.

Cyberspace Advanced Administration

This is an advanced course that is designed to take a CyberPatriot cadet to the next level. As this course is heavy in the Linux area, we have the requirement that cadets have participated in CyberPatriot for at least two years (middle school teams count toward the years). One of those years must have been in the Platinum tier. If a cadet can show that they have Linux experience outside of CyberPatriot, that experience can be substituted for the prerequisite CyberPatriot team years.

In this course, cadets will learn about LAMP stacks, securing email servers, policies and configuration items for Linux and Windows systems including servers, and enterprise authentication methods like domain controllers and Linux enterprise authentication.

Advanced Admin will be offered in Colorado and Virginia.

Cyberspace Networking

This is an advanced course in configuring and securing networks. It will be based on Cisco technology and offer hands on lab time with actual hardware. There are course prerequisites to attend our networking offering. These courses are found on the Cisco Networking Academy page at cyber.cap.gov. Cadets will need to upload their completion certificates to Registration Zone so we know they have completed the required courses.

In this course, cadets will learn about the OSI model, IP addressing and subnetting, switching technologies, virtual LANS and trunking, access control lists, advanced routing protocols, VPNS, DHCP and NAT along with troubleshooting network issues.

Due to the way this course is taught, there are only 8 slots in each location for attending this course. To attend this course, cadets will need to have also previously attended one of our cyber NCSA/CSAs.

Networking will be offered in Colorado, Virginia and Texas

Digital Forensics

We have a brand new course offered this year in Digital Forensics. You will dive deep into this career path from the perspective of a Federal or DoD agent analyzing networks and devices for intrusions. You will conduct forensic examinations of victims devices, analyze network logs and analyze network traffic data and perform malware analysis to prepare a report on your findings.

To attend this course, cadets must have previously participated in the Cyberspace Advanced Administration, Cyberspace Networking or Cyberspace Operations Fundamentals course or provide documentation of equivalent education through school classes or certification preparation.

The Digital Forensics course will be offered in Virginia.

Cyberspace Operations Fundamentals

This course is taught by Air Force instructors and provides a similar experience to what an Air Force member encounters during mission qualification training. Cadets will learn how cyber protection teams hunt for issues and resolve issues while hardening systems and assets against attack.

Cadets will also gain practical experience with network and host analysis tools and procedures.

As this is our most advanced course, cadets must have previously attended either the Cyberspace Advanced Administration or Networking course or provide documentation of equivalent education through school classes or certification programs. A cover letter and resume is required to apply for this course.

Cyberspace Operations will be offered only in Texas this year.

StellarXplorers

Although this is not a cyber course, Maj Blatchley is the author of much of the material and the activity director of this course and two others in Colorado.

Cadets will learn the basics of orbital mechanics and how different orbital parameters are used to meet the mission requirements. Cadets will use the Systems Tooklit software to place satellites into the desired orbit and learn about ground coverage during each orbit, lighting for solar panels, communication chains, and launch parameters.

Cadets will also spend considerable time learning advanced spreadsheet techniques to analyze configuration options for satellite design and launch operations. Given 5 satellite sensors, 4 memory modules, 4 transmitters, 3 batteries, etc, they will analyze the options to meet the mission requirements.

This course prepares cadets to participate in the StellarXplorers competition and to learn about space careers.

StellarXplorers will be offered in Colorado.

Senior Staff

Each of these courses will need senior staff to put on a good activity for the cadets. Texas, Virginia and South Dakota will need the full complement of seniors for staff. This will include instructors as well as logistics, transportation, PAO, safety, health and finance.

As the Colorado event is under a larger activity umbrella, we won't be needing those secondary senior staff members. However, we are looking for instructors that are qualified to instruct the various classes.

If you are even remotely interested and available, please go ahead and register. The activity director will then be in touch with you to determine how best to use your skills.

The full list of NCSAs can be found at https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/activities/national-cadet-special-activities/explore-the-ncsas

There is a new activity course catalog that has the descriptions of all activities offered across CAP. You can find that catalog at https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/2026_NCSA_Course_Catalog_FINAL_12_babc67bca9d0a.pdf

Photos from past activities can be found here.