The Shield

The Shield is your personal certification visualization. It is a hexagonal display with 6 concentric rings, each divided into 6 segments, for a total of 36 segments plus a center Eagle.

How The Shield works: - Each ring represents a certification level (M0 through M5, inner to outer) - Each segment (column) represents a PDM domain (DPS, VSD, SPH, IAT, TID, RGA) - As you earn certifications, the corresponding segment illuminates in that domain's color - DPS segments glow blue (#2563EB) - VSD segments glow cyan (#0891B2) - SPH segments glow green (#16A34A) - IAT segments glow purple (#9333EA) - TID segments glow red (#DC2626) - RGA segments glow amber (#F59E0B)

The center Eagle: When you complete all six M5 Commander certifications (one per domain), the center of The Shield illuminates with the CDA Eagle. This is the Eagle Standard, the highest individual achievement in the CDA ecosystem.

Your Shield is visible on your Nexus profile page. Other users can see it when they view your profile. It is a visual proof of competence, not a purchased badge.

The Shield also appears on your C3 Command Post dashboard, showing your progress toward each domain's certification path.