U.S. service members participate in defensive cyber operations during exercise Southern Defender 25
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Ben Opel, cyberspace officer, Defensive Cyberspace Operations Internal Defensive Measures, acts as the oppositional force during exercise Southern Defender 25 in Augusta, Georgia, May 6, 2025. The oppositional force emulates adversary tactics, firing scenario-based challenges at 28 teams in 15 locations consisting of 20 participating countries in real time. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel Qin)