FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS FIRST PLATOON NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN CHARGE OF DEFENSIVE CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS-INTERNAL DEFENSIVE MEASURES COMPANY, 7TH COMMUNICATIONS BATTALION, III MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (MEF) INFORMATION GROUP (MIG) FROM JUNE 2021 TO MARCH 2023. DURING THIS PERIOD, GUNNERY SERGEANT HERNANDEZ PROVIDED EXTRAORDINARY TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO III MIG AND ITS SUBORDINATE COMMANDS. HE MANAGED THE DEVELOPMENT, TESTING, AND DEPLOYMENT OF SEVERAL ANDROID TEAM AWARENESS KIT (ATAK) SERVERS IN SUPPORT OF TWELVE TRAINING EXERCISES THROUGHOUT III MEF, GREATLY INCREASING THE COMMAND AND CONTROL OF TROOPS IN THE US INDOPACOM AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY. ADDITIONALLY, HE PIONEERED THE NEW DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECT'S AGENCY BACKPACKABLE ELECTRONIC ATTACK MODULE (BEAM) CAPABILITY, ADDING A COUNTER UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS) TACTICAL ABILITY TO THE GROUND FORCES. MOREOVER, GUNNERY SERGEANT HERNANDEZ SELFLESSLY TRAINED SIX UNITS ON THE PROPER EMPLOYMENT OF ATAK AND BEAM SYSTEMS, INCREASING SECURITY AWARENESS EXPONENTIALLY. BY HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND RELENTLESS PERSEVERANCE, GUNNERY SERGEANT HERNANDEZ REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
Meritorious service while serving as Offensive Cyber Operations Planner, Cyber Operations Integrated Planning Element, Headquarters, U.S. Southern Command, Doral, Florida, from XXXXXXXX to XXXXXXXXX. During this period, Major Blank deployed to South America to support the assessment and development of Partner Nations. He developed one Base Plan, three Concept Plans, one Operations Plan, and four large scale exercise cyber scenarios in support of USSOUTHCOM key objectives. In addition, he integrated cyberspace operations into USSOUTHCOM's battle rhythm to drive requirements and produce intelligence to satisfy the commander's critical information requirements. Finally, Major Blank assessed USSOUTHCOM's cyber requirements and generated fiscal years 23 and 25 cyber priority effect lists and cyber force management process inputs for submission to USCYBERCOM, realigning cyber forces to support USSOUTHCOM commander's intent and desired end state. Major Blank's extraordinary efforts and accomplishments during this period reflect credit upon himself, United States Cyber Command and the United States Army.
