AFCEA Supports Cybersecurity Certification Maintenance

Since 2012, AFCEA has provided courses and event sessions that support continuing education for cybersecurity certification maintenance. One certifying organization supporting AFCEA is CompTIA, which reviews sessions for continuing education units (CEUs) for A+, Network+, Security+, Linux+, Cloud+, PenTest+, CySA+ and CASP+. In addition, GIAC reviews event material that may qualify as continuing professional education (CPE) for GIAC certifications, and CertNexus reviews material for continuing education credits (CECs) for CFR and CIoTP.

As a benefit of membership, AFCEA members are eligible for formal attendance documentation for many of the AFCEA International and chapter event sessions. Documentation has been coordinated to ensure it meets CompTIA, GIAC and CertNexus requirements. In addition, members may receive discounts on CompTIA and CertNexus certification testing.

Examples of AFCEA’s 2019 events with CompTIA, GIAC and/or CertNexus approved sessions include:

• Homeland Security Symposium: 8 sessions

• TechNet Cyber: 18 sessions

• AFCEA Classified Cyber Forum: 5 sessions

• AFCEA/GMU Critical Issues in C4I Symposium: 3 sessions

• TechNet Augusta: 25 sessions

• Intelligence and National Security Summit: 5 sessions

• Identity Management Summit: 8 sessions

• MILCOM: 20 sessions

• TechNet Indo-Pacific and Coalition Interoperability Forum: 14 sessions

At several AFCEA International events, CompTIA offers mini boot camps. These are based on CompTIA’s recent certifications and provide an overview of the key topics those certifications address. CompTIA held a boot camp at WEST 2020 and plans to have mini boot camps at TechNet Augusta 2020 and TechNet Cyber 2020.

Many AFCEA chapters also offer sessions approved as continuing education. Chapters work with AFCEA International to submit session descriptions for continuing education review. Last year, 64 sessions were approved to support chapter members’ continuing education needs.

AFCEA’s Professional Development Center offers on-site courses led by instructors who are experts in their field. Instructors travel to the client site or provide virtual sessions, depending on the needs of the client. Two of AFCEA’s on-site courses have been approved as continuing education.

AFCEA is grateful for CompTIA, GIAC and CertNexus’ support in evaluating session abstracts to determine whether they qualify for certification maintenance. The endorsement of these professional certification associations is an important indication of the value that AFCEA delivers through its content.

Another way AFCEA supports continuing education is with online courses through MindEdge. Association members are eligible for discounted MindEdge training which includes courses qualifying as continuing education credit that meet PMI, HRCI and IACET requirements. Also, AFCEA’s preferred providers offer tuition discounts for degrees and certification programs. Preferred providers include American Public University System, Montreat College and SANS Institute, and feature online offerings, which provide flexibility for busy professionals.

For more information about AFCEA’s continuing education program, contact Sheila McCoy at smccoy@afcea.org, and for information about preferred providers, on-site classes and MindEdge, contact Susan Fofi at pdc@afcea.org.