Network Systems Engineer 26A

Course Information 

  • Course Title: : Network Systems Engineer
  • Course Number: 4C-FA26A (CP)
  • College: Signal Leader Development College (SLDC)
  • OPR: Functional Area Division
  • Training site: CCoE & Fort Eisenhower, GA
  • Length: 30 weeks
  • Managed: Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS)

Purpose

To prepare qualified Captains and Field Grade officers, designated Functional Area 26A, for technically demanding assignments that require expertise in the engineering, validating, monitoring, restoration and integration of Army/Joint networks that include: Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) transmission, switching, encryption, and network management systems.

Course Scope 

This course prepares students with educational knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience in planning, developing, and evaluating DOD strategic and tactical system networks through engineering, integration, security and optimization. Students will gain an advanced working knowledge of telecommunications, data communications, cryptography, network security, network management, network architecture, network design, and project management. Students will receive approximately 400 hours of conference and 300 hours of hands-on exercises and independent study as module topics are discussed in great depth. Students are expected to complete comprehensive written and hands-on examinations as well as written research reports, homework assignments, and computer simulations for each module. Students that graduate will have the requisite skills to engineer, validate, monitor, and restore enterprise-wide networks while working together with Signal Operations Officers (BR25), Information Systems Engineer (AOC 26B) officers, Signal Warrant Officers, Signal Soldiers, and within the Cyberspace Operations community ( i.e. Intelligence Community, Information Operations, Electromagnetic Warfare, Fires and Effects, etc.) to provide the communications networks and information services necessary for unified land operations in an Army and the Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) environment. Also, this accredited graduate level program of instruction will enable higher education learning opportunities via three cooperative agreement colleges: University of Colorado, Boulder; University of Maryland, University College; and Syracuse University. Additional institutions of higher education may give equivalent masters level credit on a case by case basis.

Pre-requisites

Completion of undergraduate degree in engineering, telecommunications, mathematics, physics or a related technical discipline, or demonstrated undergraduate level science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) aptitude with a Graduate Record Examination Quantitative score of 153 or higher While no security clearance is required for attending, IAW DA Pam 600-3, Network Systems Engineer officers must have a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information access (TS/SCI). AOC 26A officers must initiate procedures to obtain the proper level of clearance immediately upon notification of the AOC 26A functional designation.

Special Information

Incoming students are strongly encouraged to visit the webpage at (https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/tsec-course-page-fa24) to find more information on course descriptions, syllabi, videos of classroom lectures, recommended readings, and up-to-date lesson's learned from recent course graduates. Contact your S2 prior to arrival to initiate your TS-SCI clearance.

Course Structure

This course is structured as a single course with no phases. The course is Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) intensive and reflects the most current information technology, communications equipment, software, hardware, automated data processing (ADP), and methods of data networking, security and information assurance management procedures currently employed within operational units.

Modules

A: Administrative
B: Common Signal Overview
C: Introduction to Networks
D: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials (SRWE)
E: Enterprise Networking Security and Automation (ENSA)
F: Intermediate Routing and Switching
G: Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
H: Telecommunications Engineering Mathematics
I: Engineering Project Management
J: Telecommunications Systems
K: Programming for Network Engineers
L: Data Communications
M: Database Analytics
N: Cryptography and Cyber Security
O: Network Management and Operations
P: Computer Information System Security (CISS)
Q: Network Design: Strategic and Tactical
R: Mission Command Tactical Networks (MCTN)
S: Network Engineering Practicum

POC

usarmyftgordonsignalschllistsldc-fad@army.mil