About
The US Army Cyber Corps Warrant Officer Scholarship was established by the Laurie Buckhout Foundation in August 2020 under the Association of Old Crows Education Foundation incorporated and registered as a Non-Profit status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Cyber Corps Warrant Officers Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support to US Army Cyber Corps (i.e., 170A, 170B, and 170D) warrant officers by providing them with the opportunity to apply for financial assistance in gaining various levels of formal higher education. Too many American military families must struggle from payday to payday to make ends meet. The Foundation’s goal, in partnership with the donor community, is to ensure that those who are devoting their lives to the defense of our country also have the opportunity to achieve formal higher education and therefore assist them in having the skills and resources they need to secure a sound financial future for themselves, their Army, and these United States.
To qualify, you must be a CW3 or under, demonstrate excellent promotion potential, be in the Cyber Warfare or EW workforce (i.e., 170A, 170B, and 170D), have a minimum of 2 years left on active duty, and be eligible and accepted to attend a Masters or PhD program.
How to Improve Your Chances of Winning the Scholarship
In preparation for the CyCWOS, I want to take this time to share some tips learned from similar programs. I encourage those associated with US Army Cyber Corps warrant officers (170A, 170B, and 170D) to share this with those who wish to submit the best application possible. There is a tremendous amount of paperwork and documentation; it benefits each applicant to provide ALL documentation identified on the checklist. Each scholarship will generally be awarded $1,500.00-3,000.00; opportunities may exist for greater awards. I encourage you to follow these tips to better your chances of being awarded a scholarship.
- Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application.
- Become familiar with the application process. If you do not understand something, call or email for answers to your questions
- Check your application for completeness. Recheck the following:
- Eliminate blank spaces
- Verify your application is grammatically correct and error free
- Include a word count on your essay
- Be sure to stick to the subject of your essay
- Sign the bottom of your essay
Please know that the CyCWOS is very competitive. Each scholarship will generally be awarded $1,500.00-3,000.00; however, opportunities may exist some years for greater awards. You are already a winner by making the decision to further your education! The Board of Directors wishes each applicant Good Luck!
How to Make Scholarship Sponsors Love You
Before you submit your scholarship application, check out these tips provided by scholarship sponsors nationwide.
- Apply only if you are eligible. Read all scholarship requirements and directions carefully to make sure you’re eligible before submitting your application.
- Complete the application in full. If a question does not apply, note that on the application. Don’t leave blanks. Provide all additional supporting material, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and essays.
- Follow directions. Provide everything that’s required, but don’t supply things that aren’t requested. You could be disqualified.
- Grammar counts. Always use correct grammar. Make a couple of photocopies of all forms before you fill them out. Use copies as working drafts as you develop your application packet.
- Write an essay that makes a strong impression. The key to writing an essay is to make it strong and passionate. We want to know about you and your future.
- Watch all deadlines. Keep yourself on track by imposing your own deadline that is at least two weeks prior to the official deadline. Use the buffer time to make sure everything is ready on time. There are no extensions!
- Make sure your application gets where it needs to go. Put your name on all uploaded pages of the application. Pieces of your application may get lost unless they are clearly identified.
- Keep a back up file in case anything goes wrong. Prior to filling out the online application, make a draft of the entire packet. If while online you get interrupted you will be able to reproduce it quickly.
- Give it a final “once over.” Proofread the entire application carefully before submission. Be on the lookout for misspelled words or grammatical errors, etc. Ask a friend, teacher or parents to proofread it as well.
- Ask for help if you need it. If you have problems with the application, do not hesitate to email or call the organization.
2022 Scholarship Winner
Douglas B. Price
Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Douglas B. Price is an Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) Research Scientist within the Cyberspace Operations Research Element (CORE) under the Army Cyber Institute (ACI) at West Point, NY where he is responsible for conducting basic and applied research on technical topics to advance Army’s body of knowledge and improve EW capabilities in support of key stakeholders such as the Department of the Army Management Office – Strategic Operation (DAMO-SO), the Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE), and the United States Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER). His previous assignments include senior EW planner, US Army Europe-Africa (USAREUR-AF) G-39, EW planner, ARCYBER G-39, and EW planner within the G-3 Fires Cell at the 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters. CW3 Price completed multiple combat tours in support of US Army Space and Missile Defense Command and 3rd Infantry Division supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
CW3 Price is scheduled to complete Warrant Officer Intermediate Level Education, Cyber Follow-On (WOILE-FO) in the summer of 2023. He completed the Information Operations Capabilities, Applications, and Planning (IOCAP) course, the Joint Network Attack Course (JNAC), and the Joint Electronic Warfare Theater Operations Course (JEWTOC).
CW3 Price is a graduate of Western Governors University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance. He holds CySA+, SEC+, NET+, and Project+ professional certifications from CompTIA; and the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) certification from ISC^2.
CW3 Price’s personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) with 4 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters.
CW3 Price is pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from Western Governors University.
2021 Scholarship Winner
WO1 Mykel S. Perry
SSG Mykel Perry was born on 22 October 1989 in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in Virginia, where he would enlist in the United States Army in 2011 as an Infantryman and attend Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. There he would attend One Station Unit Training (OSUT), undergoing 14 weeks of training specifically designed to train and develop the service member to be a subject matter expert in weapon utilization and combat tactics.
SSG Perry’s first duty station was Fort Benning, Georgia. His service as a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) gunner, and Assistant Gunner (AG), assigned to deploy with Bravo Company, 75th Ranger Regiment under Task Force 3-10 to Afghanistan, exhibited competencies and traditions worthy of the Ranger Tab resulting in his continued service in the role of Fire Team Leader among the premier direct-action unit of the United States military’s corps of Rangers. SSG Perry extended his service to the Signal Corps in 2016, reclassing as a 25B Information Specialist and serving as the battalion Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of 3rd Special Forces Group’s Sensitive Activities Battalion. There he was tasked to develop unique solution sets for specialized entities using the combined capabilities of military and commercial technologies to enhance a non-standard communications program designed to address the asymmetric requirements of sensitive activities and the Special Forces Operator. SSG Perry answered the Army’s call once more, reclassing to 25D in 2019 to serve the Army as a Cyber Network Defender within the Airborne 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) 25th Infantry Division, as an Infrastructure Support enabler responsible for policy creation and safeguard of all tactical real-estate within the IBCT digital battlespace. SSG Perry extended beyond his technical position, developed a deeper relationship with soldiers, and increased his presence in the unit serving as a Company Retention Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) and a Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention Victim Advocate (SHARP VA) for the Brigade footprint.
SSG Perry’s military training exhibits an aptitude for organizational, technical, and tactical competencies to include Sexual Harassment Response Prevention (SHARP), the Department of Army Retention Program (DART), Cyber Network Defense, Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Network +(Plus) certification, CompTIA Security + certification, Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), GIAC Certified Enterprise Defender (GCED), GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC), Special Operations Communication Systems Course, Introduction of Networks and Computer Hardware, Basic Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course, Bus Driver Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), Advanced Individual Training (AIT), Basic Airborne School, and Ranger School.
SSG Perry’s awards include the Certificate of Achievement (3rd Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Number 2), the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), the Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab.
SSG Perry has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and has elected to serve in the United States Army Warrant Officer Corps as a 170A Cyber Operations Technician.
2020 Scholarship Winner
CW3 Eric T. Colon
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric T. Colon is the senior Electronic Warfare Technician at Army Cyber Command, G-39 Information Operations at Fort Gordon, Georgia. ARCYBER G-39 is responsible for the coordination and integration of EW Training strategies and managing the Army Cyber Operations Training Strategy, the 915th Cyber Warfare Battalion, and the Multi Domain Task Force. Prior to this assignment, he was the Officer in Charge of the Electronic Warfare Warrant Officer Advanced Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
CW3 Colon graduated from Cameron University with a degree in Communications in 1999 and was commissioned through the Warrant Officer Procurement Program. After completing Warrant Officer Candidate School, and the EW Warrant Officer Basic Course, he deployed to Iraq with the 2ndBrigade, 1st Infantry Division Fort Riley, Kansas. From 2010 through 2011, CW3 Colon served in numerous echelons below Corps. He has completed multiple deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, including duties as Brigade and Division Electronic Warfare Technician.
CW3 Colon’s personal decorations and awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak Leaf Clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters. He is qualified to wear the Expert Field Medical Badge.
CW3 Colon is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Arts in communications and the National Intelligence University with a Master of Science in Technology Intelligence with a concentration in data analytics. CW3 Colon has also attended the EW Warrant Officer Advanced Course, the Joint Network Attack Course, the Army Cyber Operations Course and the Joint Advanced Cyber Warfare Course, Georgia. His research interests includes quantum computing and quantum cryptography.
Eric is currently pursuing his PhD in Information Technology with a concentration in Block chain and cryptography from the University of the Cumberland’s.