Unit certification a key accomplishment during Cyber Shield

Col. Rusty McGuire, commander of the Fort Belvoir- based 91st Cyber Brigade, greets Lt. Gen. Kari Nisula, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations for the Finnish Defense Forces June 12, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As National Guard and Reserve Soldiers and Airmen joined civilian cyber professionals and international partners for Cyber Shield 24 from May 31 to June 15, 2024, the Virginia National Guard’s 91st Cyber Brigade conducted CERTEX 24 to validate multiple units for future Title 10 active-duty federal mobilizations. The senior leaders and staff of the 91st hosted a delegation of senior Finnish military officers and provided a capabilities briefing to help them gain a better understanding of VNG cyber capabilities. The Virginia National Guard and Finland recently joined together in the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, and Finnish troops will participate in future cyber exercises. (U.S. National Guard photo by A.J. Coyne)