This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. Guest: Connor Fulbright

In this episode of The Yoke Report, team captain of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Cyber Team, shares how a former baseball recruit from Houston found his calling in cybersecurity. Connor takes us inside the Academy's elite Cyber Team, where cadets hack systems, reverse engineer hardware, and build leadership skills alongside technical expertise. He discusses intense national competitions like NCX and the National Cyber League, mentorship models within the team, and how cadets are preparing to support the Coast Guard’s broader cyber mission. From exploring quantum-resistant cryptography to developing custom ransomware in capstone projects, Connor paints a picture of a new generation of cyber warriors — disciplined, collaborative, and mission-focused.

HighlightsCadet Ethos: “We’re supposed to be leaders in this — and we want to get rid of that ‘nerd’ stigma… We exercise every day and post our cyber and lifting accomplishments in our Discord.”Resilience & Leadership: “I told them: stand up, go touch grass. They laid back in their chairs, breathed, and then cracked the hardest reverse engineering challenge. We placed 8th out of 5,000 teams.”Paying It Forward: “My cadre spent weekends teaching us. They didn’t have to — and now it’s our job to do the same for the next class. That’s how the Cyber Team has lasted a decade strong.”

Resources Mentioned

• ⁠National Cyber League (NCL)⁠

• ⁠NSA Cyber Exercise (NCX)⁠

• ⁠TryHackMe⁠

• ⁠OverTheWire: Bandit⁠

• ⁠SANS Courses⁠

• ⁠U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command⁠

• Email: ⁠yoke(dot)report@gmail(dot)com⁠

  
  

  This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.