Hackathon VI – A cyber and computer challenge outreach event for young people
ODENTON, Md. – The 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) hosted the first of three cyber and computer challenge events for young people, known as Hackathon VI, to encourage teen interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) at the Odenton Library, Anne Arundel County Public Library, on September 29.
The September event attracted 39 young people, and not including their parents, it was the most the brigade has ever hosted since the unit started the computer challenge event in 2019.
“As an offensive cyberspace operations unit, we spend most of our time indoors, heads down at our individual computer screens, so getting the chance to interact with kids in our community is an opportunity I can’t turn down,” said 1st Lt. Nathan Vowinkel, a Cyberspace Capability Developer and the Hackathon VI lead. “Getting them interested and passionate about cyber topics is how we steward the next generation of cyber professionals, who will work across many industries to defend our nation into the 21st century. A lot of the kids and parents who show up don’t even know careers like our exist in the military, so for many of them, the event is truly eye opening.”
This is the sixth year the Praetorian Soldiers and Civilians are hosting the Hackathon event where the young people can participate in a CTF (capture-the-flag) competition where they search for flags, using a variety of techniques including reverse engineering, decryption, netcat, and ssh keys; and at five other stations, the young people can complete other challenges which contribute to their overall CTF score.
Other stations staffed by the Praetorians include a Python table where participants complete python programming challenges, varying in difficulty from basic to advanced; a Logic Games table where participants practice binary number systems, modulo operations, and Boolean algebra; and a Password Cracking table where participants learn principles of password security and the challenge concludes with a password cracking demonstration.
“Our mission remains focused on inspiring youth interest in cyberspace operations, one hackathon challenge at a time,” said 1st Lt. Akinola Vaughan, a Cyber Warfare Officer assigned to A Co., 781st MI Battalion (Cyber), Vanguard.
The other two stations at Hackathon VI are staffed by our community partners from Locksport and the Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club. At the Locksport table young people learn and practice the art of defeating locking mechanisms, and at an adjacent table, the Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club have hands on equipment to spark participant’s curiosity in wireless communication and amateur radio.
There are prizes for the 1st and 2d place finishers in the Hackathon CTF competition, and other items are given out at each station for each Hackathon participant; and something new this year, participants will get a PCB badge and earn pins for completing each station.
For other attendees, including cyberspace operations job seekers, college students, and parents of the participants, the 780th MI Brigade is also there to discuss job opportunities and the hiring process for government civilians. There is no requirement to register for this opportunity.
To register for the next Hackathon VI event at the Odenton Regional Library visit the October 29, 2026 Hackathon AACPL site at https://www.aacpl.net/event/hackathon-vi-237446; or the November 16, 2026 Hackathon VI AACPL site at https://www.aacpl.net/event/hackathon-vi-237447.
Although a relatively small event, the volunteers have never turned away a walk-in participant, and young people will benefit from this personalized event. However, priority for the CTF event will go, first, to those who pre-register.
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The 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) generates, trains, and sustains the Army’s offensive cyberspace operations teams and Cyber Warfare Battalions to deliver effects in support of Army and joint requirements.
The Brigade motto is “Ubique Et Semper In Pugna” which in Latin means “Everywhere and always fighting” – We don’t talk about what we do nor who we are in a cyber ‘knife fight’ with; however, we are “Everywhere and Always...In the Fight!” We are the only offensive cyberspace operations brigade in the U.S. Army.
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