FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (Aug. 9, 2012) -- Leader development, training and education are critical to the Army cyberspace warfighting mission, said Lucas Kagel, chief of Concepts and Doctrine for U.S. Army Cyber Command.
"Cyber operations will be executed from various cyberspace warfighting platforms that people will build, operate and defend to support friendly mission command, and to exploit, attack, and influence adversary mission command," Kagel said.
"Army Cyber Command must provide Army leaders, staffs and Soldiers an increased understanding of cyberspace threats and capabilities, specifically those capabilities that are critical to enabling mission command, to achieve desired effects in support of the commander's objectives and intent."
Kagel said Army Cyber Command is working to identify what leaders need to know with regard to cyber threats to protect the force and maintain the freedom to operate and increase cyber awareness among senior leaders.
In addition, he said, Cyber Command is working to provide a cyber warrior training and leader development strategy that addresses the active-duty and Reserve forces and civilians with associated cost analysis in a fiscally constrained environment.
"The training ladder must include creation of cyber programs of instruction in schoolhouses at all levels of individual training," Kagel said. "That means we need to identify and manage the knowledge, skills and ability standards for current and future cyber professionals, nested with the U.S. Cyber Command, joint cyberspace training and certification standards."
Establishing and continuing to improve a world-class cyber opposing force to provide combat training center-quality, highly-realistic information warfare and cyberspace threat replication is essential, he said.
"For example, 1st Information Operations Command offers three cyberspace training courses for leaders and planners: the Basic Computer Network Operations Planners Course, the Executive CNO Planners Seminar and the Senior Leader CNO Awareness Seminar," Kagel said.
Underlying leader development and training efforts, education is fundamental, he said.
"We are developing an Army Cyber Warrior outreach program nested with a full range of initiatives to recruit and retain the required workforce," said Kagel. "We have developed initial cyber specific intern, scholar and fellowship opportunities."
Looking ahead, Kagel said it is important to stay focused on the future also.
"In the way of leader development, we want to incorporate cyberspace leader development at all levels of professional military and civilian education," he said. "This will ensure the Army has sufficient planners and leaders with knowledge to integrate cyber capabilities into the combatant commanders' operations and planning."
Similarly, said Kagel, the training aspect must develop the U.S. Army cyber workforce training strategy to identify current training efforts, what training needs to be modified to meet emerging requirements. Then, it must develop new training solutions and incorporate cyberspace training requirements within Army Training and Doctrine Command's "Revolution in Training and Learning Initiative" (home station and integrated training environment), Kagel said.
"We must plan to incorporate cyber specific training through the Mission Command Training Center and provide cyberspace 'digital awareness' training focused to leaders, staff and individuals," he said. "This will enhance knowledge, skills and abilities required for cyberspace professionals nested with the USCC joint cyberspace certification and training standards."
The long-range education venue for cyberspace operations is the foundation for leader development and training.
"The best way to do this is to organize cyber within Army e-Learning Program, within Army continuing education and to support one standard virtual educational institute tied to the technical careers, which connects all organizations involved with training and educating the workforce," Kagel said.
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