This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. Guest: Justus Marks

What happens when you trade mastery for the challenge of starting over? Chief Warrant Officer Justus Marks did exactly that in 2015, leaving behind fifteen years of IT expertise to enter the Coast Guard's newly formed cyber field. Starting as a fireman in 2001 (thanks to a neighbor's recommendation), Marks climbed through telecommunications and IT roles before facing his biggest professional challenge: becoming a student again in cybersecurity. Listen now to hear how adaptability and continuous learning shaped one officer's remarkable career path.

The transition wasn't about technical difficulty—it was about mindset. After a quarter-century in service, Marks found himself surrounded by colleagues with strong cyber knowledge, his own technical and leadership skills once again put to the test. He embraced the learning opportunities. He discovered that red team work demands constant evolution, as patches and updates continuously remediate vulnerabilities and nullify exploits. The demanding nature of staying current requires balancing professional development with personal life to avoid burnout.

Justus shares insights on:

• Does mastery need to be surrendered for advancement

• Warrant officers as strategic translators, not just technical experts

• Career pivots demand humility and external validation

Resources Mentioned

• ⁠2024 CTIME report⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. Guest: Nicholas Frederickson In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Lieutenant Commander Nick Frederickson, Commanding Officer of one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Cyber Protection Teams and co-author of the 2024 Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment (CTIME) report.

Nick walks us through his journey from Coast Guard officer to cyber leader, reflecting on the leadership challenges of commanding a CPT and the lessons learned building the Coast Guard’s flagship maritime cyber threat product. We also talk about DEFCON, ZPMC cranes, mentorship, and what the future holds for both the Coast Guard and the marine cyber landscape.

Nick shares insights on:

• Why CTIME matters and how it’s built

• What it’s like speaking on the DEFCON main stage

• The operational side of cyber leadership

• The future of the CPTs and talent development in maritime cyber

Resources Mentioned

• 2024 CTIME report

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. Guest: Kaitlyn Devalk-HammondToday’s episode is about service, skill, and cyber excellence. We’re thrilled to introduce the first Executive Officer of the West Coast Cyber Protection Team, a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, former member of the cadet Cyber Team, ShmooCon presenter, and this year’s AFCEA Copernicus Award recipient. We’ll trace her path from cadet competitions to leading cyber defense on the operational edge, to show how cyber leadership is forged while also spotlighting what the Copernicus Award really says about emerging talent in the maritime cyber domain.

Kaitlyn shares crucial insights on:

- The decision to serve in the Coast Guard

- How teamwork and camaraderie are features of cyber work in the Coast Guard

- Which experiences make someone well prepared for the challenge of being a unit Executive Officer

- Bringing technical knowledge to an operational team leadership role

- How to get involved in presenting at conferences

Resources Mentioned

• • ⁠⁠⁠⁠U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command⁠⁠⁠⁠

  • ShmooCon

• • US Coast Guard Academy CyBears Cyber Team

  • AFCEA Copernicus Award

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

  This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.

Guest: Stephen Fink

In this episode of The Yoke Report, get ready to discover how maritime safety is evolving in the digital age! Listen to this eye-opening episode on the specialists that bridge the gap between traditional marine science and modern cybersecurity challenges. Dive into the fascinating world of maritime cybersecurity with Stephen Fink, Chief Marine Science Technician with the U.S. Coast Guard, as he reveals how a traditional pollution response expert transformed into a cyber defense specialist. His unique perspective highlights the critical need for comprehensive security approaches in the maritime industry, especially for smaller operations that may not realize their cyber vulnerabilities. The discussion emphasizes practical steps facilities can take to enhance their security posture, from basic password management to backup systems.

Steven shares crucial insights on:

- Integrating cybersecurity into maritime facility security plans

- Supporting smaller "mom and pop" facilities with limited resources

- Balancing prevention and response paradigms for safety

- Building bridges between physical security and cybersecurity

- Developing practical solutions for real-world maritime cyber threats

Resources Mentioned

• ⁠⁠U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command⁠⁠

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

  This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.

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.

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. All views expressed are our own.

Guests: Chief Petty Officers Levi & Michael

In this episode ofThe Yoke Report, two Chief Petty Officers take us through their unique paths into cyber operations within the U.S. Coast Guard. Levi shares how a cryptologic assignment sparked his journey into cyber operations, while Michael highlights the evolving challenges of securing critical maritime infrastructure. Together, they discuss the importance of adaptability, mentorship, and cross-agency collaboration in tackling modern cyber threats.

Highlights
🔹Partnerships and exchanges: "The main reason I was sent over there was to come back with that knowledge. While you're there, you get to share a little bit about what we do with them, to kind of strengthen that partnership." - Mike
🔹Leading the team: "There is some leniency on letting people kind of go down that rabbit hole. But you gotta stay focused and know what each of your operators are doing. If there hasn't been a whole lot of movement, then I'll refocus and push them in a particular direction." - Levi🔹Exciting job opportunities: "Whether you're going cyber mission specialist, the warrant officer path or the officer path, anybody that's interested in Cyber understands the uniqueness of the Coast Guard. This is the place to be." - Frank

Resources & Mentions

• ⁠Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit⁠
• ⁠U.S. Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity
• ⁠USCG Cyber Command⁠
• 2023 Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment (CTIME) Report

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization. All views expressed are our own.

This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.Guest: Kenny Miltenberger

In this episode, Coast Guard officer Kenny Miltenberger takes us through his fascinating journey from electrical engineering to leading groundbreaking cybersecurity initiatives within the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Defense. Kenny shares unique insights into building and commanding the Coast Guard Cyber Red Team, leading Cyber Flag exercises, and addressing challenges in maritime cybersecurity.

Highlights:

• Early Inspiration: "And our gyro died day one on the Kukui. That was a big whoopsy, so we had to trick the system into forwarding magnetic compass heading to the radar as if it were a gyro heading—just to navigate and acquire radar contacts!"

• Career Path: Kenny’s transition from ship assignments to cyber roles demonstrates the importance of adaptability. “I went from running a blue team to helping found the Coast Guard’s red team.”

• Building Teams: "Executive leadership is so important here. It's vital that IT and cybersecurity advocates aren't buried in the organization. They're the ones championing changes and aligning priorities with leadership."

• Emerging Threats: “AI is a double-edged sword. It can empower individuals by automating complex tasks, but it also makes things like phishing and malware creation much easier and more effective.”

• Maritime Cyber Trends: Kenny reflects on the evolution of cybersecurity threats in the maritime sector and the growing importance of partnership and collaboration.

Resources:

• Coast Guard Cyber Program 101: The Coast Guard's cyber operating forces

• Cyber Systems Internships at USCGA

• 2023 Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment

• CISA Cybersecurity Best Practices

• Investigation by House Homeland, Select Committee on the CCP Finds Potential Chinese Threats to U.S. Port Infrastructure Security

  
  

  This is not an official podcast affiliated with any organization.