Rhode Island Army National Guard
Richard Valera possesses extensive experience in cybersecurity and information systems, having served in various roles within the Rhode Island Army National Guard since March 2008, including 255A Information System Technician and 25U Signal Support Systems Specialist. Valera has held positions such as Security Expert II at Alaska Northstar Resources and Systems Administrator for the United States Department of Defense. Previous roles include Cyber Security Technician at AMERICAN SYSTEMS and Network Operations Controller at TEKsystems, among others. Valera is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance at Western Governors University, building on a Bachelor of Science in the same field obtained in June 2023.
Rhode Island Army National Guard
The Rhode Island Army National Guard is the nation's oldest military branch which consists of more that 2,200 members serving both state and federal governments. The Rhode Island Army National Guard has served and remains as an active force in the Global War on Terrorism, with units that have deployed worldwide in direct support of national security objectives. In times of local emergencies and natural disasters, the Rhode Island Guard is called upon to provide military support to civil authorities. Despite being the smallest state, Rhode Island is the only state with a Special Forces Unit, a Special Operations Detachment unit, and an Airborne Infantry.