A Digital Forensics Cyberinfrastructure Workforce Training Initiative for America’s Veterans

ABSTRACT

The objective of this project is to provide training in the field of digital forensics to members of the US Armed Forces who are being forced to make unexpected career changes due to injuries and medical conditions. To date, Auburn has completed sixteen courses and taught approximately 500 students.

The original CI-TEAM proposal stated that Auburn would work with the Veterans Administration (VA) to provide this training. One of the built-in advantages of working with the VA is the ability to track and follow-up with course participants. The ability to track students over time is crucial to evaluating the overall impact of the training initiative. It proved infeasible to offer these courses through the VA.

Instead, by offering these courses through individual Warrior Transition Battalions around the US we were able to reach a much broader population of wounded servicemen. Warrior Transition Battalions do not track their members (i.e. the soldiers) as a routine procedure. This has made long-term follow-up with the students difficult.

Auburn University’s focus has been on retraining veterans who have been wounded in action. We believe additional efforts focused on this specific underserved population (wounded veterans) is warranted.

Award ID: 0753305