ALCOAST 034/18 - FEB 2018 2017 COPERNICUS AWARDS SELECTIONS

R 020911 FEB 18
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-6//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 034/18
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ:  2017 COPERNICUS AWARDS SELECTIONS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 221456 AUG 17/ALCOAST 252/17
1. This message recognizes the winners of the 2017 Armed Forces
Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA)/U.S. Naval
Institute (USNI) Copernicus Awards program outlined in REF (A).
The Copernicus Awards were established to recognize individual
contributions to operations and mission support within the cyberspace
domain. The members below made exemplary contributions within the Coast
Guard Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, and Intelligence
(C5I) community during 2017.
2. I am honored to announce the Coast Guard recipients of the 2017
Copernicus Awards:
   a. LT Gabriella M. Smyth, U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command. LT Smyth
excelled as the lead intelligence officer in the CG who provided
operational cyber intelligence to CG Flag/SES leadership, including DHS
and DoD counterparts. She flawlessly executed mission requirements in
an unpredictable cyber threat environment. She ensured the integration
of watch floor technology specialists and intelligence professionals,
thus enabling confidentiality, integrity, and availability of mission
relevant key terrain in cyberspace. This extraordinary vision became
critical to the operations and functions of the CG Enterprise Mission
Platform (EMP) and Maritime Transportation System (MTS). She also
enabled her department’s first ever access to more than 10 cybersecurity
network tools and applications for the fusion of threat and operational
reporting, which resulted in the deployment of defensive measures to
protect over 15,000 CG computer systems. Based on her specific threat
actor knowledge, she submitted threat based advisories that resulted in
more than 50 blocked malicious indicators which effectively shaped and
hardened the defensive posture of the CG EMP. She created and delivered
more than 60 cyber intelligence briefs for CG senior leaders which
highlighted threats to the CG EMP, and resulted in more than 30
vulnerabilities patched. Most notably, LT Smyth paired with Coast Guard
Network Operations Security Center (NOSC) personnel and the CGCYBER
vulnerability assessment team to craft 15 risk based assessments of CG
critical systems. These efforts emphasized threats and vulnerabilities
and were the catalyst for targeted defensive actions that protected
more than $165M in personally identifiable information data. She
developed a groundbreaking threat-based vulnerability analysis method
which has been shared with DoD cyber components and DHS cyber threat
intelligence branches; both have expressed their intent to implement
this innovative method within their respective commands. Within the unit,
LT Smyth is considered the inherent expert in cyber intelligence. She
was sought out by multiple CG communities for assistance and support of
key cyber initiatives such as training for the CG Intelligence Officer
Course and assisting four commands in briefs to the maritime industry
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on cyber threats to the MTS.
LT Smyth’s dedication to the support of cyber operations is unparalleled
and she continually works to be an integral member of the cyber
intelligence community.
   b. CWO Stephen Schmid, U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center.
In addition to his aviation duties, CWO Schmid also serves as the Aviation
Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) and acts as the TISCOM System
Support Agent for all Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft. Additionally, he
is the cybersecurity requirement technical authority for all Aviation
Mission Systems. CWO Schmid was instrumental in creating an aviation
trusted agent network by standardizing the aviation SIPR Net account
request and token issue process for all fixed-wing air stations which
ensured compliance with TISCOM policy. CWO Schmid flawlessly protected
a $2.1B inventory of aircraft, mission systems, and system support
laptops from cyber attack and improved overall aviation cybersecurity
compliance by over 45%. CWO Schmid championed standardization of 270+
operational and maintenance computer assets in support of 25 air stations,
which significantly reduced security program lifecycle management costs,
and eliminated over $720k in unnecessary IT acquisitions. He also
identified critical gaps in the Aviation C4ISR enterprise in sustainment
support and funding, he then expertly collaborated with C3CEN to create
the Aviation C4ISR Integrated Project Team (IPT) charter to address
possible solutions. CWO Schmid worked seamlessly with Coast Guard
Headquarters acquisition offices to smoothly transition accreditation,
authorization, and support efforts of the Minotaur Aircraft Mission System
from acquisition to sustainment. CWO Schmid proactively sought additional
opportunities to develop the future of Coast Guard aviation by mentoring
over 100 military members from two Student Engineering Officer classes,
three Aviation Maintenance Officer classes, and two Avionics Electrical
Technician “A” school classes. CWO Schmid’s commitment to inter-agency
partnerships solidified critical working relationships between the Coast
Guard aviation community, TISCOM, C3CEN, and Acquisitions, thus promoting
the support and security of computers and Aviation Mission Systems fleet-wide.
   c. Mr. Travis D. Gibson, U. S. Coast Guard C3CEN. Mr. Gibson exhibited
exceptional performance as the Systems Architect within C3Cen’s Product Line
Division. He initiated the “Virtual Command Center” initiative to map
requirements from the Office of Shore Forces’ Command Center Manual into
Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DODAF) artifacts, highlighting
how C3Cen’s Command Center Product Line systems are delivering the functional
capabilities necessary to fulfill the shore-side command center missions.
Mr. Gibson’s efforts helped identify a command center solution to track
afloat units while executing Search and Rescue patterns. Utilizing DODAF
artifacts, Mr. Gibson mapped the system interfaces and event flows to take
SAR pattern directly from the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS),
display the SAR pattern into the Shore Command Center C2 tool, WatchKeeper,
and transmit the pattern to an afloat asset’s Scalable Integrated Navigation
System (SINS) utilizing the Nationwide AIS infrastructure. Once implemented,
using his three phase approach, this solution will enhance execution of SAR
patterns, and provide the actual search trackline performed back to SAROPS to
improve the Probability of Success. Additionally, Mr. Gibson helped lead the
Coast’s Guard implementation and integration efforts of Ozone Widget
Framework (OWF), called CG One View (CG1V), within the Command Centers
Product Line. Mr. Gibson presented a comprehensive brief to C4IT leadership,
detailing design decisions and presenting a strategic path forward. He
demonstrated exceptional peer leadership by working closely with the system
engineers from WatchKeeper, UCOP, SAROPS, and CG1V to align requirements,
produce an integrated master schedule, and develop system design artifacts
to allow for the integration of these multiple, disparate systems. Mr. Gibson's
efforts have furthered the development of OWF within the Coast Guard and
likely will provide DoD with additional capability through OWF’s Government
Open Source Software. Mr. Gibson’s exceptional initiative, leadership, and
insight continue to have a significant positive impact on critical command
and control initiatives.
3. I congratulate the award recipients as well as all those nominated on their
contributions and success. This DoD wide recognition is a testament to the
tremendous effort the Coast Guard is making at all levels of the Command,
Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I), Cyber Operations
and Information Warfare communities. 
4. All Copernicus Award winners will receive an invitation from AFCEA and
USNI inviting them, their spouse/guest, and their Commanding Officer to
attend an awards reception and presentation ceremony held 6 February 2018 at
the AFCEA/USNI WEST 2018 conference in San Diego, CA at the San Diego
Convention Center. 
5. COMDT (CG-6) will fund awardees travel expenses plus one invitee.
Please contact Mr. Gerry Liukkonen at 202-475-5109 or via email at
Gerald.W.Liukkonen@uscg.mil for more info. 
6. COMDT (CG-6) POC for the award is CAPT Joe Sundland. If you have any
additional questions contact CAPT Sundland, COMDT (CG-6EA), at 202-475-3503
or via email Joseph.J.Sundland@uscg.mil.
7. RADM Kevin Lunday, Commander, CG CYBER, and Assistant Commandant for C4IT, sends.
8. Internet release authorized.