Space Force’s top enlisted leader highlights cyber Guardians’ role in joint decision advantage

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna used his keynote at the Air and Space Forces Association’s 2026 Air, Space and Cyber Conference to lay out a data-centric vision for warfighting and a three-step blueprint to elevate the service’s cyber talent. “The future will be data-dense,” he said, framing a push to build what he called a decision architecture at the core of Space Force operations.

“The Space Force is arming and growing Guardians with a decision architecture to underpin the lethality of the Joint Force,” he said. “Sensing what is happening, connecting the right users and sensors, understanding the environment, and deciding with confidence. But data only becomes combat power when we can collect it, move it, protect it, authenticate it, process it, understand it, and act on it in time.”

He underscored that the system’s effectiveness hinges on the Guardians who will secure data, safeguard networks, and guarantee the integrity of information the Joint Force relies on in crisis. “Cyber is operations,” Bentivegna said. “It is part of the operational terrain and a cross-cutting enterprise function for the Space Force.”

To prepare for that responsibility, Bentivegna outlined a “train, test and trust” approach that has reshaped how the service develops cyber professionals.

On training, the Space Force has consolidated related career specialties, refreshed schoolhouse curricula, and revamped entry-level instruction through the 533rd Training Squadron. The Officer Training Course now introduces cyber operations and emphasizes understanding “cyber terrain”—the networks, systems, and digital infrastructure that underpin space missions. “These efforts ensure that our cyber Guardians enter the force with the technical foundation, operational mindset, and mission context needed for the environment that they will defend,” Bentivegna said.

Once in the field, Guardians gain experience against realistic threats through an expanding Operational Test and Training Infrastructure. Bentivegna pointed to recent major exercises to illustrate the shift. During RED FLAG, cyber Guardians detected key indicators of compromise and supported mission planning in ways that blunted red-team actions and kept air and space operations on track. In SPACE FLAG 26-1, they fused live cyber threat intelligence to steer crew-level engagements in a contested, degraded environment, defending critical space weapon systems.

The service is also leaning on competitive venues to sharpen skills. A Space Force team finished third at the SANS Institute Services Cup—an invitation-only cyber range event for military teams—earning a berth at the SANS International Services Cup. On the international stage, the Guardians tackled challenges spanning large language model exploitation, web app vulnerabilities, and digital forensics, placing third among 38 teams from 19 nations.

“After training and testing have occurred comes the most important step in a Guardian’s development: we trust them to execute their mission,” Bentivegna said, introducing a series of examples he described as proof of concept for the model.

He cited Sgt. Alahia Mejia of the 262nd Cyber Squadron, who during the NROL-69 launch protected five critical network nodes from hostile activity while sustaining mission infrastructure. Mejia also built artificial intelligence-enabled tools that boosted her team’s threat detection and response.

Spc. Jakob Boyko of the 68th Cyberspace Squadron was recognized for ensuring protected military satellite communications while helping grow the next generation of cyber operators. As an incident responder and crew chief, he certified six new operators and took part in a pilot to assess advanced cyber training for a broader set of Guardians. He later applied that experience in planning for Ulchi Freedom Shield alongside joint and allied partners, underscoring the cross-service and coalition value of cyber expertise.

Master Sgt. David Aguilar of the 64th Cyberspace Squadron led a defensive cyberwarfare quick reaction team tasked to safeguard a $1 billion Upgraded Early Warning Radar. The unit deployed within nine hours of notification and, within 72 hours on site, ruled out malicious cyber activity—enabling restoration that brought the radar back online. The mission, Bentivegna noted, validated rapid-response tactics for wider use, informed maintenance and sustainment needs, and helped set standards for cyber-enabled power projection.

“These stories demonstrate that this is not a future capability waiting to arrive,” Bentivegna said. “We do not simply operate satellites. We do not simply move data. We interpret the data, protect the networks, understand the domain, and integrate Guardian power at scale. We build and defend the architecture that helps the Joint Force see sooner, understand better, decide faster and act with confidence.”