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Focus group participants said that training content and methods could be improved

• Comments included that training is inapplicable or irrelevant, current instructional methods are ineffective, and there is a lack of or poor quality of training resources.
• Participants also noted that training does not capture the "why"—i.e., personnel are not taught the overarching mission, the operational focus of their future jobs, or the importance of their work.
• Some also mentioned a lack of simulations and hands-on practice, such as capture the flag and exercises that use live red forces.

Participants said that timely access to and currency of training is an issue

• Comments included that there is a lack of access to existing training, certain necessary training does not exist, and training and resources do not evolve quickly enough.
• Some also noted that administrative red tape was a limiting factor in improving course design and approval.

Participants said utilization of personnel could be improved

• They noted that personnel prefer to stay in technical roles rather than be promoted to leadership positions.
• Some also said that personnel are misutilized or ineffectively utilized.

Participants said length of training and the training pipeline needs to change

• Comments included that the length of training and the training pipeline is not appropriate, skills atrophy after training, training is redundant, and breadth of training is a problem.

Training ownership presents challenges.

• Comments included that squadrons are designing unit training, which is a problem, and USAF does not have ownership of some needed training.

The U.S. military's success in cyberwarfare depends on the capabilities of the cyber personnel who are brought to the fight. Because cyberwarfare is considered a core element of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) mission, USAF has been looking for ways to revamp the training of its offensive and defensive cyberwarfare workforce to develop the best fighting force possible. USAF has also sought to better understand some of the drivers that attract and retain personnel in the cyber field.

To this end, researchers at the RAND Corporation conducted 30 focus groups and interviews to collect the viewpoints of enlisted and civilian cyber personnel on training, recruiting, and retention in the cyber field. The researchers also spoke with subject-matter experts at several USAF bases. The authors summarize cyber personnel's insights in two volumes of this report: Volume I presents findings related to training, and Volume II presents findings related to recruiting and retention.

• Chapter One

  Introduction

• Chapter Two

  Participants Report that Training Needs to Change

• Chapter Three

  Training Content and Methods

• Chapter Four

  Timely Access to Training and the Currency of Training Resources

• Chapter Five

  Appropriateness and Length of the Training Pipeline

• Chapter Six

  Training Ownership and Utilization of Personnel

• Chapter Seven

  Other Suggestions for Improvement

• Chapter Eight

  Recommended Next Steps

• Appendix A

  Additional Information About the Focus Groups and the Questionnaire

• Appendix B

  Questionnaire Write-In Responses About Ways to Improve Training

• Appendix C

  Other Comments from the Focus Group Discussions and the Questionnaire

• Appendix D

  Focus Group Results, by Specialty

• Appendix E

  Insights from Cyber Training Stakeholders and Subject-Matter Experts

• Appendix F

  Examples of How Training Does Not Adequately Prepare Personnel for Their Unit Assignments

• Appendix G

  1B4 and 1N4A Training Courses, Their Owners, and Their Locations in the Training Pipeline