MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- The 184th Cyberspace Operations Group conducted simulated cyber warfare on the information network during Exercise Any Given Monday 2025 (AGM 25), June 7-10, 2025. The exercise blended mission accomplishment with valuable training opportunities for its Airmen.
AGM 25’s purpose was straightforward but high stakes: test the 184th COG’s ability to defend critical Air Force networks and infrastructure from real-world cyber threats.
The 184th COG is made up of the 127th Cyberspace Operations Squadron (COS), the 299th Network Operations Squadron (NOS), and the 177th Information Aggressor Squadron (IAS).
During the exercise, the 177th IAS Red Team emulated adversarial threats in a way that would challenge the 127th COS and 299 NOS while still meeting internal training and certification goals.
Master Sgt. Tanner O’Meara, who served as both a White Cell member and planner for the 177th IAS, said the exercise offered a rare win-win.
“While we did this during AGM 25, we also took advantage of the opportunity to operate on a live network over drill weekend to meet internal objectives without having to spend annual training resources,” he explained.
The approach paid off — six drill status Guardsmen earned new certifications or recertifications, and every cyberspace operations team crew position checked off multiple training tasks.
Harmonizing those internal objectives with the exercise’s primary mission proved to be O’Meara’s greatest challenge.
“The biggest challenge was finding the right balance in helping plan an exercise from the Red Team’s perspective that allowed us to successfully test internal objectives, while also ensuring the network defenders participating in AGM 25 could be evaluated effectively,” he said.
Strong communication across teams made it possible to maintain that balance, and those lessons are already shaping the unit’s planning for AGM 26.
The 127th COS had the task of helping secure the network, hunting for adversaries and clearing them from the network.
For Master Sgt. Heath Wilson, who played a major role on the planning team for the 127th COS, AGM 25 underscored how much value adaptability and cohesion bring to mission success.
“My biggest take away from the event is that all the work we have been putting into training, adjusting our training over the last months is paying off.” Wilson said. “We are moving in the right direction and are able to start fine tuning the methods we are implementing to make us more effective.”
The exercise also became a proving ground for newer members. O’Meara pointed to Tech. Sgt. Adam Hardin of the 177th IAS as a standout.
“A relatively new member of our unit, he transferred from the 127th Cyberspace Operations Squadron and successfully completed his cyber operations team member evaluation during AGM 25 with an excellent score,” he noted. “With his background and experience in defensive cyber operations, he provided his team with insight on the defensive side of operations and played a key role in achieving mission objectives.”
Though O’Meara doesn’t claim AGM 25 sharpened a specific technical skill for him, it did serve as a professional reset.
“I hadn’t been involved in an exercise, either as a Wing Inspection Team member or planner, since 2021,” he said. “AGM 25 gave me a chance to shake the rust off a little and learn a lot from the more experienced White Cell members.”
The Red Team’s adaptability emerged as one of the squadron’s strongest assets. Rather than sticking to a standard attack path, they adjusted tactics on the fly to help the 184th COG meet its evaluation objectives. This required operators to work in unconventional ways, starting and stopping operations as needed, without losing sight of their mission goals.
“It was really cool to see the Red Team’s ability to adapt and remain flexible,” O’Meara said.
Wilson agreed, adding that the constant changes kept everyone sharp.
“Those dynamic adjustments made it clear just how critical teamwork and communication are in cyber operations,” he said.
In total, AGM 25 saw the 177th IAS refine five new tactics, techniques, and procedures; complete three initial team position evaluations and conduct three bi-annual re-evaluations.
Collaboration with partner units, such as the 33rd Cyberspace Operations Squadron, helped resolve technical roadblocks faster than in previous exercises, proving the value of relationship-building beyond the scenario itself.
Looking ahead, the squadrons assigned to the 184th COG plan to build on the lessons learned at AGM 25, refining their processes and strengthening partnerships.
“Our approach with the teammates is that all the expertise we can glean from people leads to the accomplishment of the mission,” Wilson said. “I could really see how we all wanted the other units to succeed, and information sharing was the most I had ever seen.”