Tobias RJ. Bowen
Vass,nc
Summary
Senior Communications Sergeant (18E), former Embassy Advisor under the Defense Attaché Team (DAT), and Cyber Operations NCOIC with nearly a decade of combined experience across Special Forces communications, partner-nation advising, and modern cyber defense/offense. Proven ability to translate complex cyber, networking, and OPSEC principles into practical, field-ready instruction for joint, interagency, and foreign partners. Blends deep technical expertise in digital force protection, wireless exploitation, threat emulation, and secure communications architecture with real-world advisory experience supporting AFRICOM, SOCOM, and Department of State missions across multiple continents. Recognized for delivering high-impact training, strengthening partner force capability, and ensuring secure communications in dynamic and austere environments.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
NCOIC, Cyber Detachment
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- Lead NCO for 3rd Group’s Cyber Detachment, overseeing operator development, technical standards, and digital force protection training.
- Designed and delivered cyber readiness programs across networking, Linux, wireless security, OPSEC tooling, threat identification, VPN architecture, and digital hygiene for operational teams.
- Manage and maintain enterprise-grade home lab environments used to train new operators on cyber fundamentals, remote access devices, Kismet, AngryOxide, Wi-Fi exploitation, and digital signature management.
- Conduct interagency coordination with SOCOM, AFRICOM, and Department of State elements for cyber and communications planning.
Senior Communications Sergeant (18E)
U.S. Army Special Forces
01.2016
- Graduated the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) as an 18E in 2016; served as senior communicator on ODA 3124 for 5 years before transferring to 4th as a D5R.
- Provided secure communications, SIGINT awareness, digital threat protection, and cyber vulnerability mitigation for Special Forces teams forward deployed.
- Developed and implemented TTPs for secure digital practices during operations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
- Conducted both red-team reconnaissance and blue-team defensive measures during partner force training, assessments, and mission support.
- Notable Deployments: Afghanistan (Bronze Star), Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Mauritania, Qatar
Advisor – Department of State / Defense Attaché Team (DAT)
U.S. Embassy Assignments
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Advised the U.S. Embassy Country Team and the Defense Attaché Team (DAT) on intelligence considerations.
- Supported and enabled Key Leader Engagements (KLEs) by preparing senior leaders, partner forces, and embassy personnel on operational risk, information security posture, and communication vulnerabilities.
- Supported high-level movements and engagements for AFRICOM and SOCOM, ensuring secure communications and situational awareness across multiple regions.
Education
B.S. - Sociology (Family Development), Minor in Chinese
Appalachian State University
Skills
- Digital Force Protection (DFP) & Secure Communications
- Cybersecurity Instruction & Curriculum Development
- Network Security, Infrastructure Hardening, Wireless Operations
- Red & Blue Team Operations
- Linux Administration, Scripting, Docker, Virtualization
- Threat Modeling, OPSEC, and Field-Ready Cyber TTPs
- Advisory Operations, Partner Force Development
- Mature Leadership, Technical Mentorship, NCOIC-Level Management
- Cyber: Threat emulation, DFP, Wi-Fi reconnaissance, wireless exploitation, secure configuration, vulnerability analysis
- Networking: Routing, switching, VPNs (WireGuard), firewalling, NAT rules, Zero-trust concepts
- Systems: Linux (Ubuntu, Debian), Windows AD basics, containerization (Docker), virtualization (Proxmox, VMs, LXC)
- Tools: Kismet, AngryOxide, Wireshark, Nmap, Hashcat, Metasploit, Frida, binwalk, EMBA, firmware analysis tools
- Scripting & Automation: Bash, Python (working), Ansible, Git version control
- Hardware: Home lab infrastructure, Raspberry Pi deployments, wireless antenna systems, router exploitation labs
Websites
Certification
CompTIA Security+
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
Bronze Star Medal, Multiple Joint/AFRICOM/SOCOM commendations and deployment ribbons, Senior Communications Sergeant, Special Forces, Recognized technical instructor and subject-matter expert in cyber operations
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS
- Experienced instructor with ability to simplify complex cyber concepts
- Strong communicator; patient, structured, and effective with beginners
- Operates well in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
- Trusted agent for sensitive missions; disciplined OPSEC mindset
Languages
French
Limited Working
Timeline
Advisor – Department of State / Defense Attaché Team (DAT)
U.S. Embassy Assignments
01.2020 - 01.2024
Senior Communications Sergeant (18E)
U.S. Army Special Forces
01.2016
NCOIC, Cyber Detachment
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
B.S. - Sociology (Family Development), Minor in Chinese
Appalachian State University