Author: F. Hall

Medina Valley High School
CyberPatriot Team

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July 2025
Volume 8, Issue 2

New Era of Innovation and Competition

Welcome back to another electrifying year of cyber excellence! This marks the fourteenth consecutive season of the Medina Valley TX-20009th AFJROTC’s thrilling participation in the CyberPatriot competition, and the eighth edition of our official newsletter, Bits and Bytes. Our journey through the digital battleground continues with three formidable squads, each consisting of five cadet members, passionately engaged in the CyberPatriot Youth Cyber Defense Competition. The collective strength of the Medina Valley TX-20009th AFJROTC CyberPatriot team proudly carries the name "The Cyber Vikings," a tribute to Coach Hall, known throughout the cyber realm as "The Cyber Viking."
As CyberPatriot XVII unfolds, our teams—comprised of eight returning veterans and seven new members—are primed for a challenging and exciting season. At the time of this writing, we have officially formed three teams of five, all set to take on the competition.
This season brought an unexpected twist as we had to adjust our training and competition space, affectionately known as Val-HALL-ah. Room renovations within Medina Valley ISD have temporarily displaced us, but thanks to the tremendous support of the district's I.T. Department, we’re not only moving to the inner sanctum of Val-HALL-ah, but also receiving a much-needed tech refresh. This upgrade will empower us to learn and compete with upgraded equipment throughout the season.
The Cyber Vikings are already making waves in both the local and national cybersecurity arenas. From cybersecurity conferences and Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions to teaming up with other CyberPatriot teams—like our recent collaboration with the Hondo Cyber Owls—we are building momentum. But this is just the beginning of our cyber adventure! We’re working closely with friends and colleagues to develop new and exciting cyber activities that will extend beyond the CyberPatriot season. Stay tuned for updates on these thrilling ventures!
Let’s sail into this cyber season, Viking style!
Cyber Like A Viking!
Coach Frank “The Cyber Viking” Hall

Inside this issue
New Era...1
MV AFJROTC and Hondo...2
Team pictures….2
CyberPatriot Info ...3
Congressman Gonzales..4-5
Team Info…..6

“Beyond the competition, it offered valuable opportunities for collaboration, learning, and growth. Both teams—Medina Valley and Hondo—united in their passion for cybersecurity, strengthening bonds and sharpening skills that will carry them into future”

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Medina Valley AFJROTC and Hondo Cyber Owls Gear Up for Space Grand Challenge Showdown

On April 27, 2024, the Medina Valley AFJROTC CyberPatriot team and the Hondo Cyber Owls teamed up for the pinnacle event of the 2023-2024 cyber season—the Cal Poly California Cybersecurity Institute Space Grand Challenge Capture the Flag Competition! This event marked a thrilling conclusion to the cyber competition season for both teams, filled with learning, camaraderie, and fierce competition in the digital realm.
The day began with a special guest appearance from Chip Thornsburg, Cyber Defense Professor at Northeast Lakeview College. Professor Thornsburg delivered invaluable insights on cyber defense strategies while highlighting the exciting educational pathways at Northeast Lakeview College, inspiring our cyber warriors as they look toward their future careers in cybersecurity.
As the competition commenced, both teams faced some early obstacles but quickly adapted and plunged into the exciting virtual space station environment. The challenges were intense, but the spirit of competition pushed everyone to their limits, and the teams relished the opportunity to test their skills in this unique and exhilarating setting.
We were also honored by the visit of Henry Niño, a former Team Captain of the Medina Valley AFJROTC CyberPatriot Team. His return was a powerful reminder of the legacy our program continues to build. Henry shared his own experiences and offered words of wisdom to our current competitors, inspiring them to carry forward the strong traditions of our team.
The day was a resounding success. Beyond the competition, it offered valuable opportunities for collaboration, learning, and growth. Both teams—Medina Valley and Hondo—united in their passion for cybersecurity, strengthening bonds and sharpening skills that will carry them into future challenges.

CyberPatriot XVII Competition schedule

Here is the complete CyberPatriot XVII Image Release and Competition Schedule. The AFJROTC CyberPatriot team(s) will compete on Fridays for each round, the second day of the competition. To prepare, we will hold practice sessions on Thursdays, the day before each competition.

Cyberpatriot team advancement:

The CyberPatriot competition consists of several rounds:
Round 1 & Round 2: Both rounds are qualification rounds open to all teams, regardless of prior participation.
State Round: All teams are eligible, but they must compete in their designated skill tier—Platinum (top 30%), Gold (middle 40%), or Silver (bottom 30%)—based on cumulative scores from Rounds 1 and 2. Tier placement is permanent for the rest of the season, and only the Platinum Tier can qualify for the National Finals.
Semifinals: The top 25% of teams in each tier, based on State Round scores, advance to the Semifinals. Wildcard entries are granted if fewer than six teams from any category qualify. Teams must score above zero to advance.
National Finals: The top 13 Platinum Tier teams from the All Service Division advance to the National Finals. This includes the top two teams from each category and one wildcard team with the highest national score that didn’t already qualify.

“All teams are eligible, but they must compete in their designated skill tier—Platinum (top 30%), Gold (middle 40%), or Silver (bottom 30%)—based on cumulative scores from Rounds 1 and 2”

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“He then shifted the discussion to the topics of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing their profound impact on our lives. He referenced the recent CrowdStrike incident, where a critical system shutdown led to widespread disruptions across various industries globally. “

The Cyber Viking syslogs
Team Kicks Off Season with Congressman Tony Gonzales: Inspiring Tales, Cybersecurity Insights, and a Touch of Humor

On August 22, 2024, the Medina Valley TX-20009th AFJROTC CyberPatriot Team held a fantastic kickoff event, featuring a special guest speaker: United States Representative for Texas23rd Congressional District, Congressman Tony Gonzales. This marks the second time Congressman Tony Gonzales has visited the team at the start of the cyber season.
He began by sharing stories of his childhood, being raised by a single mother, and growing up in San Antonio, as well as in Devine and Camp Wood. He emphasized that his upbringing in small towns is why he feels at home in communities like these.
Congressman Gonzales expressed his excitement about visiting Medina Valley High School and the AFJROTC CyberPatriot team, noting that many small Texas towns don't have the opportunity to offer such programs.
Congressman Gonzales also discussed his decision to join the U.S. Navy and the opportunities it provided. He recounted how he had initially considered joining the U.S. Army, but a Navy recruiter convinced him otherwise, telling him that he was "too smart to join the Army." This comment led to a humorous moment as Coach Hall, who is a retired Army veteran, turned with a confused look and said, "What?" before both of them burst into laughter, along with the team members.
He went on to talk about his career in the U.S. Navy as a Cryptologist, explaining the role of a Navy Cryptologist in helping to plan and form strategies that provide guidance to naval commands in hostile regions around the world.
He then shifted the discussion to the topics of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing their profound impact on our lives. He referenced the recent CrowdStrike incident, where a critical system shutdown led to widespread disruptions across various industries globally. He clarified that this outage was not the result of a cyber attack, but rather due to a line of missing code in an update that was pushed to the CrowdStrike platform.

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He referenced the recent CrowdStrike incident, where a critical system shutdown led to widespread disruptions across various industries globally. He clarified that this outage was not the result of a cyber attack, but rather due to a line of missing code in an update that was pushed to the CrowdStrike platform.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation by presenting a hypothetical scenario: What if a malicious actor had launched a large-scale cyber attack? He questioned the potential countermeasures that could have been employed to thwart such an attack and whether the integration of AI might have prevented the attack from occurring in the first place. Congressman Gonzales further elaborated that the skills and knowledge each team member is acquiring through their participation in the team are invaluable. These experiences are not only critical in defending against future cyber threats but also in empowering each individual to carve out their own unique path within the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.
During the question-and-answer session of the visit, when a team member asked Congressman Gonzales about his career journey, he shared a valuable piece of advice. He stated, "Don't be so rigid and stuck on following just one path. Instead, be flexible and open to opportunities as they arise. If something interests you or if it can help you on your journey toward your career or life goals, don't hesitate to take it."
After the question-and-answer session, Coach Hall presented Congressman Gonzales with an official Medina Valley AFJROTC TX-20009 CyberPatriot team baseball cap, signed by the entire team, as a token of appreciation for taking the time out of his busy schedule to inspire them and wish them good luck in the upcoming cyber season. Additionally, Coach Hall gifted him a "Cyber Like A Viking" lanyard.
Congressman Gonzales mentioned that he would proudly display the cap in his Washington, D.C. office. The team eagerly looks forward to seeing the cap featured in a photo of his office.
Thank you, Congressman Gonzales, for speaking to the TX-20009th AFJROTC CyberPatriot team and inspiring them to achieve greatness not only in this season but also in their academic and personal lives. Remember to "Cyber Like A Viking!"

“Don't be so rigid and stuck on following just one path. Instead, be flexible and open to opportunities as they arise. If something interests you or if it can help you on your journey toward your career or life goals, don't hesitate to take it.“

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Medina Valley High School
CyberPatriot Team
We are the Medina Valley CyberPatriots!! We are the cyber warriors that relentlessly defend networks from attack. Our cyber hunting skills cannot be matched. We find threats, eliminate them, and strategically launch counter attacks against our cyber enemies. We are CyberPatriots!!

About the MVHS CyberPatriot Team

The Vision
The vision of the Medina Valley CyberPatriots program is to promote cyber awareness, computer security practices, and cyber ethics. All of these are essential attributes for creating a secure network infrastructure, teaching the students how to detect threats, and how to defend against cyber-attacks in a safe virtual environment. The skills and knowledge the students will gain from participating in this program will give them an advantage to obtain information technology certifications, scholarships in computer related fields of study, and ultimately provide an opportunity to start a great career in information technology and cyber security.
The Mission
The mission of the Medina Valley CyberPatriot program is the proper instruction and implementation of information technology principals and cyber security practices. All students will be taught how to use various operating systems, interconnecting network devices, and how to secure the entire infrastructure. The students will also be taught how to properly use tools and methodologies to assess and troubleshoot problems that range from inoperable workstations to misconfigured networking equipment. These are the skills that will be necessary to compete in the CyberPatriot competitions and will enable us to advance to each round and ultimately to the national finals.

Medina Valley High School
CyberPatriot Team
Facebook Page Address:
www.facebook.com/tx20009MVCPTeam/
Team E-mail:
mvhscpteam@
gmail.com
Coach’s E-mail: fredrick.f.hall@
hotmail.com
Angela M. Hall—Chief Editor

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The Cyber Viking syslogs
BY Frank Hall

Team picture
before the start of round 1

Team picture After the end of round 2

The Cyber berserker CTF team