Honor the Fallen

The day that was famously dubbed by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a “date which will live in infamy” was 75 years ago today. The Japanese took everyone by surprise as they bombed the United States Naval stronghold at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. In total, 18 ships were sunk or run aground, 188 American planes were destroyed, and 2,403 American lives were lost.

My grandfather, who just turned 99 last month, was a radar operator in World War II. He shipped out of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 6, 1941 and said that there was no way anyone could have known what was going to happen the next day. Those on his ship didn’t even receive all the details of the attack until they reached the California coast days later. The Japanese were able to pull off total surprise in an era where mass communication and detection were not as advanced as they are today.

Our nation’s defense may not face the same threats in 2017 as it did in 1941, but threats still exist. Cyber threats are alive and thriving. The government faces cyber threats on a regular basis, and they are coming from outside the nation, as well as from within our borders. This is why the United States government is asking government and military employees to adhere to the DoD initiative.

The DoD initiative mandates that anyone who works in government or does business with the government must meet certain information assurance and information security requirements. Training needed to fulfil these requirements includes CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications. This training is designed to help anyone learn how to keep valuable information secure. These certifications are a stepping stone toward innovative cybersecurity ideas that could help prevent future attacks.

The lessons learned on this fateful day 75 years ago have led the nation’s defense to where it is today, protecting its physical borders as well as its cyber borders. Cybersecurity has become essential, and could prevent absolute disaster. Let’s take time today to remember our nation’s fallen heroes, and brainstorm ways that we can keep more from falling.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake is barely old enough to remember Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor, let alone the real thing.