Army Cyber capabilities increasing to include Guard, Reserve

By Jacqueline M. HamesOctober 28, 2014

AUSA Cyber Panel
Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, commander of the United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (left), and Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commander of the United States Army Cyber Command, discuss the Army's increasing cyber capabilities at a foru... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 17, 2014) -- The Army's top cyberspace experts said increasing digital capabilities of the force include 11 cyber protection brigades in the National Guard, and 400 more cyber Soldiers in the Army Reserve.

During the "Increasing Cyber Capabilities for the Army" panel discussion Wednesday, at the Association of the United States Army's Annual Meeting and Exposition, leaders detailed how the Army is working toward network modernization through the new Cyber Center of Excellence and cyber protection brigades.

The Cyber Center of Excellence encompasses the U.S. Army Signal School, the Cyber School, and electronic warfare, Maj. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander of the Cyber Center of Excellence, at Fort Gordon, Georgia, said during the panel. His priorities for modernization include filling the Army's Cyber University by writing and publishing doctrine for cyber that will be operationally informed.

Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commander of the United States Army Cyber Command, moderated the panel.

Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, commanding general of the Army's Network Enterprise Technology Command, said there are three parts of network modernization: increasing capacity at posts, camps, and stations; modernizing installation structure by providing net connectivity "all the way down to the desktop;" and building a single security architecture.

"If you buy into a single security architecture, you're going to have three organizations working off the same box," Morrison said. "That should make everybody a little uncomfortable because it's a completely different construct than we ever had in the past."

Cyber protection teams, in concert with regional cyber centers, will also be key in defending the network, Morrison said.

The National Guard and Reserve are working hard to develop their own cyber protection brigades, in a joint effort with the entire force to ensure network protection.

"The Army National Guard is currently adding 11 cyber protection teams," said Col. Mark C. DiTrolio, commander, Army Reserve Cyber Operations Group. "The cyber protection team is one of the three organizations and services providing cyberspace operations under the direction of CYBERCOM."

Ten of those Guard teams will be traditional National Guard teams, he said. They will be trained by CYBERCOM and be available for state and federal missions. The other National Guard teams are already undergoing training.

The Army Reserve, which provides support to a number of different organizations, including the Defense Information Systems Agency and the 335th Signal Command (Theater) in southwest Asia, is in the process of adding 400 Soldiers to various units to increase support of cyberspace operations, DiTrolio explained.

The increase includes Soldiers to form an Army Reserve intelligence capability for cyberspace operations, he said.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence

Army News Service

Army Guard's first cyber protection team activated; receives new shoulder sleeve insignia

More Army News

Army.mil: Professional Development toolkit

STAND-TO!: Army's Cyber Electromagnetic Branch

STAND-TO!: Cyber Shield '14