Team HocNet
Team HocNet
Indiana University
Bridging the Communication Gap in Military Training
The Team
Joseph Scavone
Joseph’s goal in coming back to school has been to help as many people as possible, which is why he chose to study cybersecurity. Joseph believes that, by contributing to the capacity for our warfighters to communicate, we can improve their chances in mission success. He understands the importance of asking for help because no one has ever made it in this world alone, and he stands on the shoulders of giants who sacrificed for him to be able to have this opportunity.
Henery Cash
Henery is a cybersecurity and global policies professional with a love for teaching and innovation. Henery is an enlisted service member of the National Guard, after serving four years active duty. He is an advocate for open ended thinking and abstract discussions.
Overview
JMRC Hohenfels - U.S. Army
Problem Sponsor
Original Problem Statement
Number of Interviews
Operational Environment senior leaders need a way to communicate with civilian role players during training exercises in order to create a more realistic and efficient training experience.
51
Problem
During the Fall 2024 Hacking for Defense (H4D) course at Indiana University, Team HocNet set out to address a persistent and complex challenge in the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Germany: unreliable communications during high-stakes training exercises. The core issue, senior leaders’ inability to consistently communicate with civilian role players, was significantly limiting the realism, responsiveness, and psychological effectiveness of these simulations.
“When we first got the problem, we realized the Army already had a solution,” shared Joseph Scavone. “But it was tied up in policy and funding and was delayed until 2028 at the earliest.” That solution, a static infrastructure network called IC3NS, would install a collection of permanent cell towers across the training environment. However, because of the funding delay and topography challenges, the Army needed an interim solution.
The Innovation
HocNet’s discovery process quickly uncovered that the communication challenges at JMRC were felt by more than just the training team; commanders and other teams also suffered from radio degradation due to the hilly, forested terrain and dense infrastructure. With 51 interviews conducted across stakeholders and technical experts, the team identified a clear need for a flexible, terrain-resilient solution that could be deployed today.
The team’s field work and beneficiary discovery were exhaustive and essential. “I tried to disprove my own idea. I talked to professors, radio frequency experts, and electronics engineers,” he recalled. “But nobody told me it wouldn’t work. Everyone said, ‘Go build it.’ So we did.”
Team HocNet designed a modular, rapidly deployable ad hoc communication device capable of supporting training environments with degraded signal conditions. The Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which remains confidential due to intellectual property protections, creatively combines existing commercial radio technology in a new configuration.
“At a high level, it’s a radio communication device that leverages existing technologies in a unique way,” Scavone explained. “It’s based on commercial components but structured to work around terrain obstacles using flexible, adaptive networks.” The solution supports deployment on both iOS and Android, integrates easily into military loadouts, and enables resilient data propagation even in signal-hostile environments.
The name HocNet derives from the concept of ad hoc networks, or flexible communication webs that can self-organize and reroute to avoid interference or topographical obstructions. “That variability is where our product excels,” said Scavone. “Instead of needing a straight line from point A to point B, it can hop through other devices to get where it needs to go.”
This modular network approach proved especially useful for environments like the JMRC, where terrain hinders traditional communication tools and where civilian role-players need to simulate realistic online and social media reactions to military operations.
Bringing in the Right Teammate
Although Henery Cash wasn’t originally part of the HocNet project, Scavone saw an opportunity to bring him in. “Cash and I were both in the same iteration of H4D, though he was working on a different problem at the time,” said Scavone. “Because he had been following the progress I’d made throughout the course, I felt confident bringing him on board.”
Their connection extended beyond the classroom. “We both graduated from Indiana University in May 2025 with degrees in Cybersecurity and Global Policy,” Scavone added. “So we had a shared academic foundation and often discussed our respective projects. I would bounce ideas off him, not just for HocNet, but sometimes for other teams as well.”
It was that combination of shared background, mutual trust, and aligned skill sets that made Cash the right addition to the team. “I knew he was a good man with a strong work ethic. We’d both been prepared by IU and our experiences to enter the cybersecurity field, and I knew he would bring dedication and insight to the mission.”
Team Hocnet’s Hacking for Defense Experience
For Scavone, the H4D course was both a professional accelerator and a platform to apply his deep industry experience. “I came back to school after over a decade of working, with five years in telecommunications,” he said. “This project aligned perfectly with my background, but it also taught me an entirely new way to solve problems.”
Henery Cash echoed the transformative impact of the program. “Working through the H4D methodology really guided HocNet in polishing our thinking, outlining our goals, and navigating our progress,” he said. “This helped us become more secure in our project and really helped light the way for the product we have now.”
This wasn’t Cash’s first time taking H4D; but it was the most impactful. “This is my second H4D project,” he explained. “My first was focused on maintenance scheduling for military vehicles. But this project with HocNet has allowed me to really dig into radio communications and come closer to deploying an actual solution. The idea that I will be able to make a change for my brothers and sisters in arms is what has solidified my interest.”
His advice to future students? “DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. There will be weeks when everything is going well and weeks where it seems like nothing is working as planned. That’s okay, look for ways to find small wins. If you can’t find a small win, you’re overlooking something. Always remain flexible and communicate with your mentors. They are there to help.”
Presentation
What’s Next
For now, Team HocNet is working on the construction aspects of building the solution. “Right now we’re developing what I call V0.5, a functional test version,” said Scavone. With the design, testing, and coding underway, the team is preparing to approach potential capital investors and DoD innovation pathways.
Multiple military stakeholders have expressed interest, including units from both the Army and Navy. Their first deployable version (V1) is intended for training environments, but the team is already eyeing broader applications.
“This technology could work for search and rescue, infrastructure monitoring, and even commercial uses,” Scavone said. “We’re laser-focused on serving military needs first, but the potential is much wider.”
Their next steps include securing functional validation, identifying dual-use pathways, and transitioning toward limited deployment. With curiosity, technical know-how, and mission focus, Team HocNet is bridging the gap between military necessity and innovative execution.