I am writing to the larger community to discuss the opportunities presented by the179th ANG’s new Cyberspace mission and encourage you to consider how you can help the mission.
I can appreciate the mixed feelings some in the community may have due to no longer flying C130s. As a Veteran of the U.S. Army, I empathize with those of you who faced difficult decisions on how to transition your military careers.
I understand the lack of connection some in the community may feel towards the new Cyberspace mission.
An aircraft you can see, touch and feel; but how do you even represent “cyberspace?” A globe with some circuitry and lightning bolts?
As someone who has worked in classified cyberspace environments for over 15 years, I see great economic potential for this community.
I wanted to share why I am excited and why I think you should get excited as well.
I own and operate the only IT Asset Disposition company in Ohio which can destroy classified IT hardware.
While we serve all customers who want their sensitive IT hardware shredded, due to our unique capabilities we have many National Security customers.
When hiring, the number one problem defense contractors, military units, and intelligence agencies face is finding staff with security clearances.
They also struggle finding staff who have technical skills. As an employer, you can rarely find an individual with both.
Do you hire technical staff and pay for security clearances, or do you find individuals who have security clearances and train them in new technical careers?
I have watched organizations struggle with this issue for years trying both methods with limited results. Members of our community who choose to join the 179th and get trained in technical roles will immediately become a rare resource.
This new developing talent pool will eventually attract the attention of large defense contractors.
We live in a new age of Piracy. I am a descendant of Edward J. Meyer; he was one of Canton’s original land moguls.
When the war of 1812 broke out, Edward Meyer bought and outfitted two ships.
These ships were operated under a privateer license with permission from the U.S. Government to raid British shipping. When the war ended, the U.S. Government rewarded Edward Meyer handsomely in land, thousands of acres of what is known today as Canton, Ohio.
Cyber “criminals” operate under the exact same idea, except instead of ships raiding distant trade lanes, they raid computers and bitcoin is their booty.
It is not a coincidence that Ransomware attacks hit a new high in 2022 after the West imposed economic sanctions on the Russian government.
Russia has built an entire ecosystem of hackers targeting the West. China uses their hackers to steal intellectual property and industrial secrets.
These nations along with others have cyber privateers.
We are in the early stages of Cyber Mobilization. New military units such as the 179th , the Ohio Cyber Reserve, expansion of Intel agencies such as the NSA, and countless cyber security updates to Federal Regulations in many different industries are evidence of this.
If you look, the signs are everywhere.
We also appear to be re-Industrializing as a nation; Intel’s new chip plant and Andruil’s new weaponized drone factory are local examples.
We appear to be moving into a new era of Great Power conflict; I don’t see the geopolitical conditions motivating these cyber pirates changing soon.
Where there are problems, there are also opportunities. With a developing technically trained and security cleared workforce growing in Mansfield, we now have the right ingredients to add a whole new industry to our region.
If you can join the 179th or encourage the young people in your life to join, the world of cyber security and information technology can be very rewarding and fulfilling.
If you are an entrepreneur or business owner, consider market opportunities in IT or cyber security.
If you are a local elected official or in community development, please support additional investment in infrastructure which supports National Security industries.
If we all do our part, as a community we can grow our local economy, fight 21st-century pirates, and help secure the world from Mansfield.
Chris McDevitt
Lexington, Ohio
Chris McDevitt is the founder and CEO of Mansfield Technologies, a high security IT recycling company. Prior to that he served in the U.S. Army as an IT professional for 10 years and worked for Amazon Web Services for 7 years. He lives in Lexington with his wife Lisa and 3 daughters.