Cyber is an invisible threat that it is capable of unleashing real damage to America. Adversaries are more sophisticated and the number of cyber events are never-ending. Cybersecurity is a crucial component of a strong national defense. NSA helps educate, train, and test the cyber skills of U.S. service academy cadets and midshipmen teams from the senior military colleges to become future cyber warriors and leaders through its annual NSA Cyber Exercise (NCX). We help ensure both future military active duty, reserve force members, and senior military college civilians, are aware of cyber issues; are prepared to sharpen America's competitive edge for the future; and ready to protect national security. By investing in the future, we are ensuring our national defense in the public-private partnership.
NCX is a year-round education, training and exercise program that culminates in a three-day cyber competition that challenges participating academy and military service college students in near full-spectrum cyber operations. This culminating cyberspace training exercise helps to develop and test cybersecurity skills, teamwork, planning, communication, critical thinking, and decision-making. NCX helps prepare the nation’s next generation of cyber leaders and warriors in defending the nation from an ever-increasing number of cyber threats. The winning school receives the coveted NCX trophy.