Officials stand up enlisted cyberspace defense operations career field Published Nov. 3, 2010 By Master Sgt. Raheem Moore Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials added a new enlisted career field for cyberspace defense operators Nov. 1. The new specialty code, 1B4X1, is a retrain-in only specialty focused on computer network operations. The initial 1B4X1 cadre will comprise Airmen who are retraining from intelligence and cyberspace support specialties. "The 1B4X1 cadre will solidify and strengthen our ability to establish, control, defend and leverage cyberspace," said Lt. Gen. William T. Lord, the chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer. Their expertise is vital to achieving information dominance in the cyber domain." Air Force officials are investing in its cyberspace professionals, cultivating career fields that are trained and equipped as robustly as air and space forces, and this restructuring helps with that process. "Individuals were identified by their major commands based on current or past duties, special experience identifiers and training courses they attended such as undergraduate network warfare training," said Senior Master Sgt. Williamenia Shaw, the cyberspace assistant career field manager. The first enlisted course of undergraduate cyberspace training starts in January 2011 at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and will comprise 12 students retraining into the 1B4X1 career field. Fifty Airmen per year are scheduled to attend UCT in fiscal 2011 and 2012. The officer cyberspace defense operator AFSC stood up in May and the first class of 16 officers will graduate from officer UCT in December. Airmen in the 1B4X1 career field will also have the opportunity to attend professional continuing education for cyberspace. Officials will release guidance shortly on how Airmen can crosstrain into the 1B4X1 AFSC. Major command officials will have to complete the identification and conversion process of enlisted members to the 1B4X1 career field by Nov. 30.