Table Of ContentInformation Services Technician
Cyberspace content management
technician (MOS 255A)
By CW5 Todd M. Boudreau
To fully grasp the evolution and current
role of the Army’s cyberspace content man-
agement technicians you have to embrace
one significant fact that is often miscon-
strued. Signal warrant officers are not Sub-
ject Matter Experts. Instead they are Systems
Matter Experts.
Perhaps we should use SysME instead of
SME to alleviate confusion.
To clarify this point, consider the cur-
rent definition of a warrant officer from DA
Pamphlet 600-3 (February 2010): “The Army
warrant officer is a self aware and adaptive
technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and
advisor. Through progressive levels of exper-
tise in assignments, training, and education,
Diagram 1
the WO administers, manages, maintains, operates,
and integrates Army systems [underline added for
the turn. Other units, however, will find themselves
emphasis] and equipment across the full spectrum
further back in the formation and as such, the des-
of Army operations. Warrant officers are innovative
ignated 255A Soldier will still be performing duties
integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teach-
that are shifting to 255N (e.g., Local Area Network
ers, confident warfighters, and developers of special-
installation, operation, and maintenance).
ized teams of Soldiers. They support a wide range of
Finally, for the sake of clarity, I will categorize
Army missions throughout their career.”
three separate but related systems, one per element of
This point is significant. With the complex-
network operations. Above is the NetOps construct
ity of today’s communications systems, our Signal
that shows its three elements which I will simply
warrant officers cannot afford to limit themselves as
state as cyberspace content management, cyberspace
SMEs. That is the role of the junior NCO. One look at
network management, and cyberspace defense. See
a requirements document that lists a Signal warrant
diagram 1 above.
officer will reveal a number of enlisted positions that
Two more notations are necessary to frame this
function as SMEs. The warrant officer position is then
discussion. First, because these three are ‘elements’
required to be a SysME–-one who brings each related
and not ‘enablers,’ NetOps does not exist unless all
component (subject) and integrates it into the total–-
three are in play. Second, the purposed overlap indi-
the system. Indeed some Signal warrant officers are
cates higher level NetOps functions within an ele-
SMEs, but SysME more accurately describes their
ment that is either supported by or supports another
increased sphere of responsibility.
element. These concepts will be further defined in
Another important point to consider before we
later articles on MOS 255N, 255S, and 255Z.
move to the objective 225A is that we are like a for-
The MOS 255A technician, one of two future
mation in motion. By this I mean that there are still
enlisted-level accessions MOS (255S is a warrant offi-
legacy issues that our Signal warrant officers face in
cer-level, i.e., W3 accession MOS), is responsible for
their individual MOS. Due to doctrine, organizational
cyberspace content management. This is the Army’s
designs, current equipment, systems, and legacy
premier information systems and services technician
leadership ideology, the description of a 255A indi-
MOS. The 255A technician is charged with establish-
cated in the following narrative will not immediately
ing and maintaining the ability to collect, process,
materialize.
store, secure, search for and discover, retrieve, and
We can’t make an immediate right flank, march.
disseminate information utilizing the application
Instead, we are in the beginning of a column right in
layer environment of the Army’s portion of the cyber-
which you will have some units immediately receiv-
space domain. They administer and manage systems
ing newly trained 255A, N, and S and employing
which perform Information Dissemination Manage-
them as envisioned. These units have already made
24 Spring - 2011
Report Documentation Page Form Approved
OMB No. 0704-0188
Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
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does not display a currently valid OMB control number.
1. REPORT DATE 3. DATES COVERED
2011 2. REPORT TYPE 00-00-2011 to 00-00-2011
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
Cyberspace Content Manager Technician (MOS 255a)
5b. GRANT NUMBER
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER
5e. TASK NUMBER
5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER
7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
U.S. Army Signal Center,ATTN: ATZH-POM (Army REPORT NUMBER
Communicator),Bldg 29808A (Signal Towers), Room 713,Fort
Gordon,GA,30905
9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S)
11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT
NUMBER(S)
12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Approved for public release; distribution unlimited
13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
14. ABSTRACT
15. SUBJECT TERMS
16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF
ABSTRACT OF PAGES RESPONSIBLE PERSON
a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE Same as 6
unclassified unclassified unclassified Report (SAR)
Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)
Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18
currently, it was upside down for local area network administration,
ment/Content Staging in order to MOS 251A resulting in numerous and/or information assurance/
enable Information Management/ junior 251As filling more senior computer network defense. Nor
Knowledge Management functions 251A positions.” are they apprentice leaders since
supporting combat information su- the average grade at time of acces-
periority and decision dominance. Where We Are Heading sions as a Signal warrant officer is
Apprentice Cyberspace Content staff sergeant. As a minimum, they
Where We Were Managers must have at least 36 months of
In more than two decades, Junior 255A (i.e., W1 and documented rated time as a leader
MOS 251A, Information Systems W2) focus on acquiring and refin- as evidenced by official NCO
Technician, created in October ing technical and administrative evaluation reports.
1987 which was previously coded skills as they directly plan, install, However, in their new realm,
MOS 741A, Data Processing Tech- administer, manage, maintain, they are apprentices. As such, the
nician, had only seen two signifi- operate, integrate, service, secure, junior CyCM begins to learn each
cant revisions during its lifetime. and troubleshoot information sys- and every ‘subject’ within their
Both occurred in September 2000 tems and services and supervise ‘system.’ Being an SysME does not
when all COMSEC functions were and train personnel at the brigade allow them to abdicate their re-
transferred to MOS 254A and all level. Their focus is mainly on sponsibility to be an expert in each
CW5 positions were transferred to the applications and systems and one of the subjects under their
MOS 255Z. how to leverage them to assist purview.
However, we are in the midst their commander to prosecute the The goal is that they fully real-
of its close out and most signifi- collective unit mission. They are ize their role as a “self aware and
cant revision. MOS 251A is com- concerned with the systems that adaptive technical expert, combat
bining with MOS 254A and subse- provide the capability to manage, leader, trainer, and advisor” which
quently will be converted to MOS manipulate, and disseminate infor- will only occur if they are the con-
255A, Information Services Tech- mation. summate experts over each sub-
nician. While MOS 254A, Signal The term ‘apprentice’ must ject assigned to them. In that, as a
Systems Support Technician, saw not be misunderstood. Newly ap- WO1/CW2, their “primary focus is
its inception in September 2000, it pointed CyCMs, while apprentices becoming proficient and working
has only been effective since April as warrant officers, are not new to on those systems linked directly to
2003. Less than a decade later, it information technology. They av- their AOC/MOS” (DA Pam 600-
too will be deleted as it is com- erage 10 years active Federal ser- 3), this is the time for them to lay
bined with MOS 251A and con- vice with a minimum of four years their foundational understanding
verted to MOS 255A as well. documented practical experience of the devices and applications
Two years ago, it was decided in IT administration, Army battle used in their system.
that these two MOS (251A and command system administration, (Continued on page 26)
254A), due to the forces of trans-
formation and technological ad-
vances which caused MOS 254A to
shift into a role it had not planned
to fill in its inception, had come to
mirror each other in most of the
critical skill-sets.
There were also a number of
other issues that required im-
mediate attention to include the
grade pyramid which ensures an
adequate base of junior positions
to support a smaller number of
senior positions as well as ad-
equate numbers of senior positions
to support future advancement
and promotion potential. In 2007,
the base of this pyramid for MOS
254A was grossly over the Army
standard resulting in little promo-
Diagram 2
tion potential for this MOS; con-
Army Communicator 25
(Continued from page 25) SEC custodial positions, but in- mander. The astute apprentice
stead will be placed in positions of CyCM uses this opportunity not
The WO1/CW2 255A focuses leadership over COMSEC sections. only to provide the foundational
on the install, maintain, and oper- Additionally, tactical radio com- training and experience in IT sys-
ate aspects of the system in which munications systems are network- tems that he/she will build upon
they are responsible. They are to able IP-enabled, node/PoP-self throughout his/her career, but he/
focus on the individual pieces of creating devices that inherently she also is ever cognizant of the
their system, many of which they create cyberspace transport as tactical purpose of these systems.
were trained on in their WOBC. they are operated. Thus they shift He/she begins learning how to
Examples of such devices and ap- under the responsibility of MOS converse in IT communities and
plications in today’s Army inven- 255N. However, IA activities have the tactics, techniques, procedures
tory includes (but are not limited not, nor will they ever, shift to and vernacular of the combat arms
to) servers, storage area networks, MOS 255S. MOS 255A Soldiers are community.
battle command common services, fully responsible to posture their It is important to note that
exchange, active directory, SQL, systems and ensure those systems the 255A MOS are not knowledge
SharePoint, Adobe Connect, vir- remain compliant to all IA poli- managers. Our 255A are techni-
tualization, video teleconference cies, practices, and governance. cal officers who operate in the art,
systems, information systems and The apprentice CyCM is skill, and physical realm. They use
services level Information assur- nominally assigned to a brigade practical aspects of physics [the
ance management, standard Army combat team where he/she has the physical technological devices that
management information systems, greatest ability to encounter the manipulate data elements] under
etc. See diagram 3. It is notewor- widest array of devices and appli- the purview of their skills within
thy that this repurposing of MOSs cations found within the breadth the art of IDM/CS. KMs operate
along with changes in technology of assigned systems. Having spent in the physiological and physics
has shifted various responsibilities approximately eight months in realm. They seek to understand
to other MOSs. For example, the WOBC, the BCT is not only the the cognitive reasoning patterns
repurposing of our various MOSs level where junior warrant officer of their principle and then lever-
has shifted COMSEC from MOS positions are most prevalent, but age the practical aspects of phys-
254A to enlisted Soldiers working also provides the best opportunity ics [the physical technological
in sections under the 255S. to see the system put to use by its devices that manipulate elements
MOS 255S will not fill COM- intended user – the combat com- of information] in order to present
the right actionable information to
the primary decision maker at the
right time.
For the KM, it is all about the
actionable information becoming
the correct knowledge. For the
255A, it is all about the systems
controlling such information for
manipulation by the KM. The 255A
enables the KM.
KMs mainly operate in the
cognitive domain while the 255A
operates in the cyberspace do-
main. KMs decide what needs to
be presented while 255As decide
how (and sometimes if) something
is presented. Most often success
hinges on expectation manage-
ment.
The best KM is attached to the
principle decision maker to ensure
they understand the decision mak-
er’s thought processing and get
the right information presented at
the right time in order to ensure
the decision maker is knowledge-
Diagram 3
able on what the full scope of the
26 Spring - 2011
through university courses and civilian certification
decision entails; to include second and third order ef-
programs.
fects. However, if the KM presents a plan to introduce
The journeymen CyCM is nominally assigned
either information that is not readily accessible or in
to a division or corps where he/she has the greatest
a manner that is not practical, it is the 255A who will
ability to focus on the bigger picture. Still remain-
feel the pressure. Accordingly, the best 255A supports
ing close to the devices and applications within
the principle decision maker’s KM and thus must un-
their systems of responsibility, they find themselves
derstand the KM’s plans in order to help shape what
moving past the install, maintain, and operate mis-
will be presented to the principle decision maker;
sion and becoming involved with the planning and
again, expectation management – and ensuring the
engineering of IDM/CS for large organizations. In
mission is accomplished.
preparation for the demands of such assignments,
There is much, much more to this, but this pro-
these CyCM will attend the 255A Warrant Officer
vides a basic understanding. (The next edition of the
Advance Course.
Army Communicator will address the KM subject in
Prior to WOAC attendance, enrollment into
depth.)
the Action Officer Development Course (131 P00)
Journeymen Cyberspace Content Managers
must occur after promotion to CW2 in order to
Mid-grade 255A (W3) focus past the individual
qualify for WOAC Prerequisite Studies credit. The
applications and devices to acquire skills in the indi-
AODC was adopted as the resource for this distance
vidual attributes of CyCM (i.e., the science of IDM/
learning WOAC Prerequisite Studies course. It is
CS) as well as the intricacies of the interrelationships
completed on-line via the Internet, and provides
with the other NetOps elements. This development
warrant officers serving in CW2 or higher duty po-
prepares them to be true experts in their craft and
sitions relevant training in organization and man-
advisors to senior leadership on complex and com-
agement techniques, communication skills, prepar-
plicated NetOps issues. In accordance with DA Pam
ing and staffing documents, conducting meetings
600-3, as a 255A becomes “more senior, their focus
and interviews, problem solving, time management,
becomes integrating branch systems into larger Army
writing, coordinating activities, and ethics. CW2s
systems.”
have the flexibility to enroll at any convenient time
Journeymen CyCM, as advanced-level technical
between 24 and 48 months of total warrant officer
and tactical experts, now step slightly away from the
service. Once enrolled, the course must be complet-
devices, applications, and even the system they over-
ed within one year. Journeymen 255As attending
see and begin to seek an in-depth understanding of
their resident WOAC will find project management
the principles and science behind their systems. See
and enterprise level systems integration two key
diagram 4. Having gained expert experience in how
technical components taught to prepare them to
these devices operate, they learn the deeper answer
fulfill their duties.
to why they are developed and how they are lever-
The journeymen CyCM’s credibility is very
aged to enable knowledge management. Virtualiza-
high in assigned organizations and the influence
tion, meta-tagging, etc. become the realm in which the
they have cannot be underestimated. Mentorship
journeyman 255A begins to operate. It is the intel-
of apprentice CyCM becomes an inherent part of
lectual capital of the master 255A that will help the
their duty description. They also begin to gain more
Army move forward in optimizing and securing its
uniformity in the supporting and supported roles of
data elements in the future.
their peer Signal warrant officers, the 255N Cyber-
The saying that ‘information is power,’ is an in-
space Network Management Technicians and the
complete truth. It is more accurate to say ‘information
255S Cyberspace Defense Technicians. No longer do
enables power.’ And subsequently, if not properly
they focus their duties and responsibilities on their
managed, it may disable power as well. A command-
systems solely. Now they begin to fully understand
er’s inability to quickly locate specific actionable
that the data and information they are entrusted
data has the effect of disabling the power that can
to manage is meaningless if it fails to reach its
be brought into the fight. Journeymen CyCM seek to
intended destination and/or becomes exploited or
sharpen their skills in the art and science of Informa-
manipulated by a cyberspace adversary.
tion Dissemination Management and Content Stag-
Finally, some journeymen CyCM may feel a pull to-
ing to ensure their warfighting commander is fully
ward the cyberspace defense arena. It is at the beginning
enabled through their KM. They find and leverage the
stages of his journeymenship (senior CW2 or junior CW3)
newest technologies and techniques and thus enable
where he may make the decision to move from the CyCM
their KM to empower their commander. They seek out
realm to the CyD realm. The decision point will normally
professional forums to ensure they remain informed
be just prior to WOAC attendance. The expect
on technology advancements and trends as well as
opportunities to further their educational training
(Continued on page 28)
Army Communicator 27
(Continued from page 27)
ed prerequisites for such a transition
along with the planned board process
are addressed in list article on page
whatever.
Master Cyberspace
Content Managers
Senior 255A (W4), having mas-
tered applications, systems, and
CyCM attributes move from the
outer edges of the CyCM circle in the
NetOps venn diagram, toward the
center (See diagrams 1 and 2 on pages
24 and 25). They are now moving
from mastery of one element toward
the goal of W5 – mastery of NetOps
in total. In accordance with DA Pam
600-3, the senior level 255A now adds
such functions as “technical leader,
sustainer, and advisor” to their list of Diagram 4
duties and responsibilities.
Master CyCMs, as senior-level ment system (web-based) designed to warrant officer corps. Because
technical and tactical experts in their be completed over a 90-day period. It a warrant officer is authorized
chosen field, have also gained famil- is designed to prepare future resident 30 years of service as a warrant
iarity with the other two elements students for the core curriculum officer, and should attend their
of NetOps (i.e., CyNM and CyD). of the WOSC. The WOSC resident Professional Military Education
As they continue to develop as CW4 course provides instruction on tac- as early as possible, it was noted
255A, they go beyond understanding tical and operational scenarios in that with nominal WOAC atten-
the basic concepts of assured informa- a joint, interagency, intergovern- dance somewhere around the 5-6
tion delivery and assured informa- mental, and multinational environ- year mark as a warrant officer, no
tion protection ensuring that these ment with a strategic overview. further institutional branch/tech-
attributes of NetOps are obtained. History and battle analysis nical training would be provided
While there is never an expectation provides in-depth understand- for the remaining 24-25 years of
of finger-pointing between the three ing of both the military decision WOS. Not willing to accept this,
associated skill-sets, the master CyCM making process and staff systems branches have been given approv-
takes ownership of these concepts and integrator-manager skills train- al to add such a functional branch
relationships (as do each of our Signal ing and education. Knowledge training course subsequent to the
warrant officer MOSs) and in the ab- management and project manage- WOSC. We are also investigating
sence of each sister MOS, takes charge. ment with associated PEs are also the necessity of a similar course
When all three MOSs are present, the introduced to reinforce the learn- following the Warrant Officer Se-
conscious shared desire for synergy is ing objectives. Assigned read- nior Staff Course.
the goal. ings, an observation, insights and The currently planned WOSC
The master CyCMs are nominally lessons learned paper as well as an follow-on course will be conduct-
assigned to a corps, ASCC, or higher MOS briefing must be completed ed similar to the Pre-Command
level organization where their train- to round out the course require- Course. This five-week course
ing and experience has its greatest ments. A recent decision to add will include as its foundation the
impact. To prepare the CW4 255A for functional branch training during Information Technology Infra-
the duties and responsibilities encoun- this point in a warrant officer’s structure Library which is a set of
tered at these levels of organization, career ensures maintenance of a concepts and practices for infor-
attendance at the Warrant Officer Staff solid tether to the advancements in mation technology services man-
Course is crucial. the warrant officer’s area of exper- agement, information technology
The current WOSC includes a 41- tise. development and IT operations.
hour self-paced course taught in the A needed continuing educa- ITIL gives detailed descriptions of
Blackboard learning content manage- tion gap is being closed in the a number of important IT prac-
28 Spring - 2011
tices and provides comprehensive ment of Defense expert support to provides senior CW4s or new CW5s
checklists, tasks and procedures the ever critical IT systems which with the master-level education,
that any IT organization can tailor house and/or enable our nation’s knowledge, and influential leadership
to its needs. ITIL is published in a most lethal weapon systems. Just skills necessary to apply their techni-
series of books, each of which cov- prior to promotion to CW5, the cal expertise in support of leaders
ers an IT management topic. Also master CyCM is scheduled to on strategic level JIIM staffs during
addressed are topics such as Army attend the WOSSC. The current full spectrum operations. The cur-
transformation, future Signal sys- WOSSC includes a 47-hour course riculum focuses on topics relevant
tems, LandWarNet architecture, taught asynchronously in the Black- to today’s Army such as staff skills,
enlisted MOS training, branch board learning content management training doctrine, force integration,
25A and Functional Area 24A and system (web-based) over a 60-day leader development, contemporary
53A training. Since many of these period. This course is not self-paced. operational environment, insurgency,
officers will either arrive from or Phase 1 (DL) asynchronous train- counterinsurgency, creative thinking,
transfer to joint organizations, an ing consists of assigned professional and critical thinking techniques.
up-to-date understanding of where readings, submission of two written Subsequent to promotion to
the Army and the Signal Regiment papers, and participation in student CW5, the master CyCM becomes part
is heading is absolutely necessary to student, and student to instruc- of an ever smaller, elite group of Sig-
for the master CyCM to be fully tor discussions. It is designed to nal warrant officers, the Cyberspace
successful. prepare future resident students for Network Operations Technician,
The master CyCM continues the core curriculum of the WOSSC. MOS 255Z. For further information
to learn and grow in an area that Phase 1 (DL) must be completed on MOS 255Z, see the article on page
never reaches a plateau. They, prior to attending the Phase 2 resi- 48 in this issue of the Army Communi-
through their six-to-ten years of dent course. The four-week Phase cator summarizing their career paths
warrant officer service, continue 2 (resident) course attended by the and describing their skills, attributes,
to provide the Army and Depart- Army’s most senior warrant officers duties, and responsibilities.
ACRONYM QuickScan
ABCS – Army Battle Command System ITSM – Information Technology Services Management
AGDM – Average Grade Distribution Matrix JIIM – Joint interagency intergovernmental and multina-
AOC – Area of Concentration tional
AODC – Action Officer Development Course KM – Knowledge Management
ASCC – Army Service Component Command LAN – Local Area Network
BCCS – Battle Command Common Services MOS – Military Occupational Specialty
BCT – Brigade Combat Team NCO – Noncommissioned Officer
CNA – Computer Network Attack NCOER – Noncommissioned Officer Evaluation Report
CND – Computer Network Defense NetOps – Network operations
CNE – Computer Network Exploitation OIL – Observation, Insights and Lessons Learned
CNO – Computer Network Operations PE – Practical Exercise
COMSEC – Communications Security PME – Professional Military Education
CyCM – Cyberspace Content Management PoP – Point of Presence
CyD – Cyberspace Defense SME – Subject Matter Expert
CyNM – Cyberspace Network Management SQL – Structured Query Language
CyNOT – Cyberspace Network Operations Technician STAMIS – Standard Army Management Information
DL – Distributive Learning System
IA/CND – Information Assurance/Computer Network SysSME – Systems Matter Expert
Defense TTP – Tactics, Techniques, Procedures
IDM/CS – Information Dissemination Management/Con- TWOS – Total Warrant Officer System
tent Staging WOAC – Warrant Officer Advance Course
IM/KM – Information Management/Knowledge Manage- WOBC – Warrant Officer Basic Course
ment WOS – Warrant Officer Service
IP – Internet Protocol WOSC – Warrant Officer Staff Course
IT – Information Technology WOSSC – Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course
ITIL – Information Technology Infrastructure Library
Army Communicator 29
