By Rae D. DeShong.
Ohio and Louisiana may take different approaches to building volunteer cybersecurity corps, but both programs also share some common approaches as they work to deploy cyber professionals to support public-sector needs.Indeed, leaders of both programs said they sustain volunteer cyber corps through clear legal authority, reliable volunteers and ongoing engagement. This is true for the Ohio Cyber Reserve — created through legislation in 2019 — as well as for Louisiana’s Cyber Reserve, which is part of the Louisiana State Guard and will mark its third anniversary in January 2027.Program Administrator Craig Baker of the Ohio Cyber Reserve and Deputy Commander Joshua Copeland of the Louisiana State Guard Cyber Reserve discussed their programs’ organization, operations and volunteer management during a a recent cybersecurity summit. While both operate under state military agencies, Ohio relies more on civilian cybersecurity professionals while Louisiana draws from state guard members.Baker said that in Ohio it is imperative leaders understand the authority under which these organizations work. Budgets, hiring authority and volunteer support all flow from that framework. The Ohio Cyber Reserve is established state code, which created it as a civilian cyber security reserve force in the Adjutant General’s Department. Volunteers are cybersecurity practitioners from the private and public sector.Louisiana’s cyber reserve, meanwhile, is a special unit of the Louisiana State Guard also under the Adjutant General. The reserve is guided by state code and a military framework. Its members range from college students to long-time cybersecurity professionals, Copeland said.“It’s an opportunity [for students] to actually get into an organization where they’re able to develop real skills and then also make real connections in the industry,” he said during the October panel. “I think everyone in this room can agree that the job market is pretty rough out there. And if you really want to get a job, you probably need to know somebody somewhere.”Copeland said the reserve includes senior engineers, CISOs, cybersecurity directors and other seasoned professionals with decades of experience. The mix provides younger and midcareer professionals opportunities to learn and network while giving experienced members a chance to mentor others and return to hands-on cybersecurity work.Although the corps isn’t constantly responding to incidents, they regularly provide cybersecurity advising, planning and education, including outreach to public schools in Ohio. Maintaining enough volunteers is crucial because members have professional and personal responsibilities that may limit their availability. Baker said he makes sure at least two volunteers are available for each role, providing backup when one cannot participate.Both leaders believe that regularly recognizing volunteers helps keep them motivated to show up. Funding and compensation for volunteer cyber programs, however, vary by state. In Louisiana, volunteers activated under state active-duty orders are paid according to their organizational rank. Ohio volunteers have state protections allowing them to take time off for missions, although employers are not required to pay them during that time. Some choose to do so. Ohio’s $1.15 million program budget covers five staff members and other operating costs.According to UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity’s research, there were at least nine states with either established or developing corps. Washington and New Jersey announced plans to add volunteer corps in 2025, and Indiana began recruitment for one this summer. Names may vary, such as the Texas Volunteer Incident Response Team, or VIRT.Baker emphasized the importance of legislative support in establishing state volunteer cyber programs, saying that states need a legislative sponsor to introduce legislation granting the necessary authorities and securing funding. Baker also shares mission statistics and estimated savings with state leadership and lawmakers to demonstrate the program’s value and maintain support for its operations.Copeland echoed that advice, encouraging states to work with legislators to establish volunteer cyber programs or activate existing state defense forces.“Most states have a state defense force somewhere on their books. Get them to activate it. Put the work in,” Copeland said.
Rae D. DeShong is a Texas-based staff writer for Government Technology and a former staff writer for Industry Insider — Texas. She has worked at The Dallas Morning News and as a community college administrator.
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