Arkansas National Guard Exercises Cybersecurity Response Capabilities

The Arkansas National Guard partnered with federal, state, local, and private-sector organizations during Operation Aqua Guardian, a multiagency cybersecurity exercise designed to strengthen coordination and response capabilities in the face of emerging cyber threats to critical infrastructure.

The exercise brought together participants from across Arkansas to simulate a cyber incident affecting a wastewater treatment facility, requiring coordinated response efforts to restore essential services and protect public safety.

“Today’s exercise had two major objectives,” said Col. Tommy Edwards, director of military support for the Arkansas National Guard and exercise director. “The first was to build partnerships in critical infrastructure. The second was to focus on and build our technical expertise in cyberspace.”

Participants worked through a cyber incident scenario designed to test their ability to respond to disruptions affecting critical infrastructure.

“Today’s training scenario was based on a pump malfunction at a wastewater treatment facility triggered by a cyber threat actor,” Edwards said. “What we want to do is prepare our capabilities for what the state of Arkansas needs.”

Leaders emphasized that coordination between agencies is critical to ensuring an effective response during cyber incidents and other emergencies.

“Partners engaging in interagency, collaborative training is a necessity for the Arkansas National Guard,” Edwards said. “It is very important that we bring our partners in, understand how they operate, and understand how we can provide our citizens with stability and support.”

Edwards added that preparedness at the local level remains a top priority.

“Disaster happens locally, whether a snowstorm, severe flooding or cybersecurity threats, we want to be ready to restore essential services,” he said.

The exercise also focused on building relationships with critical infrastructure operators and improving response speed during emergencies.

“Our goal is to build partner capacity with our end users, in this case, our state’s wastewater treatment plants; and we did that,” Edwards said. “The more we understand how our local communities operate enhances our ability to respond faster, and in a disaster, we want to respond as quickly as possible.”

Cybersecurity professionals highlighted the growing importance of preparing for digital threats alongside traditional disaster response.

“Cybersecurity has become a priority,” said Capt. T.J. Van Dorple, director of cyber operations support. “As our state faces threats from adversaries, we have to be able to respond, and we are building the capacity to do that.”

Van Dorple said the Arkansas National Guard brings unique capabilities to support the state during cyber incidents.

“We have a lot of capability in the Arkansas National Guard to provide cybersecurity support in an emergency situation,” he said. “We need to exercise those capabilities and build relationships with our critical stakeholders in the state so that we are prepared to respond if asked.”

He added that the Guard’s connection to the community strengthens its mission.

“The Guard is unique. We’re Arkansans. We care about our state,” Van Dorple said. “This motivates us. We want to serve, and when we do, we bring a diverse set of expertise to any scenario.”

The collaborative nature of the exercise provided opportunities for agencies to share knowledge and improve coordination.

“Any time you can get professionals in the same room who care about Arkansas and the services they provide, there is a lot of opportunity to solve problems,” Van Dorple said.

State emergency management officials emphasized the importance of partnerships in preparing for future incidents.

“We’re always honored to work alongside our Arkansas National Guard partners to strengthen our preparedness for future disasters and protect the people of Arkansas,” said Michelle Earnhart, watch office branch manager with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. “Collaboration between local, state and federal agencies, along with our private-sector partners, is essential to improving coordination, response timing and overall readiness before an incident occurs.”

Earnhart noted that cyber incidents can have far-reaching impacts on communities.

“A cyberattack could disrupt essential services that Arkansans rely on every day, affecting daily life and critical operations across the state,” she said.

Senior leaders also highlighted the long-term value of building strong partnerships through exercises like Operation Aqua Guardian.

“What is important during this exercise is the relationships we are going to build,” said Brig. Gen. Chad Bridges, adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard. “This is the first of many. I appreciate the leadership and vision that made this possible. What we are doing here matters, and our citizens deserve it. We are going to fill a gap to make life better for the people of Arkansas.”

As cyber threats continue to evolve, exercises like Operation Aqua Guardian help ensure the Arkansas National Guard remains prepared to defend critical infrastructure and respond quickly to protect the communities it serves.