Full authority for the Army's only active-duty information operations (IO) unit -- the 1st IO Command (Land) -- was reassigned to U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) in a transition of authority ceremony at Fort Belvoir, Va., Oct. 1, 2021.
ARCYBER commander Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Fogarty; Maj. Gen. Michele H. Bredenkamp, commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM); and 1st IO commander Col. Matthew J. Sheiffer, presided at the ceremony.
The event was conducted in full compliance with all applicable health protection and safety standards for COVID-19.
1st IO was activated Oct. 28, 2002 and initially placed under operational control of the Headquarters Department of the Army operations directorate (G3/5/7) and administrative control of INSCOM. On Feb. 2, 2011, operational control of 1st IO was reassigned to ARCYBER, while INSCOM retained administrative control.
The Oct. 1 transition ceremony celebrated the end of 1st IO's 26-year history with INSCOM, which began with the inception of the Land Information Warfare Activity in May 1995. As this chapter ends, a new one opens with reassignment of full authority of 1st IO to ARCYBER.
“We are entering a new era as a single command – U.S. Army Cyber – assumes responsibility for both our administration and our operations,” Sheiffer said.
All three commanders stressed that the transition is part of that new era and a natural evolution in Army operations in the information dimension and the decades-long relationship between 1st IO, Army Cyber and INSCOM. All thanked each other for the exceptional support that has come from that relationship and said they look forward to continuing to work together closely in the future.
“The Army changed its doctrine many times over those 26 years, but through all of that change, it has continued to rely on 1st IO Command and all of you to provide essential support to our deployed forces – and this is a trend that is unlikely to change as the Army transforms to its Waypoint 2028 and endpoint 2035 forces,” Sheiffer told the 1st IO team at the event.
“You all are one of a kind,” Bredenkamp added. “You have a remarkable reputation and you’ve earned that with hard work and support over the years from extremely talented and professional personnel within the 1st IO team. 1st IO Command is known as the best in what you do at information operations within the domain, and as you transition from INSCOM we know you’re going to continue your legacy of enabling the warfighter and also providing information advantage.”
“There are two things that allow us to conduct information advantage activities. One is robust, resilient networks (and) the other is intelligence, because intelligence drives all operations. Not just in the traditional physical domain, but also in space, also in cyber. And if we look ahead to the information dimension and the activities that we’re going to conduct together, really, this is just part of an evolution,” Fogarty said.
Fogarty explained that ARCYBER and INSCOM commanders have discussed a 1st IO transition for years, but wanted to make the move when they were certain that the still relatively young ARCYBER (which also celebrated its 11th anniversary on Oct. 1, 2021) had matured enough to take on the proper care of the unit, its people, and its mission. Now, following completion of the move of ARCYBER’s headquarters from Fort Belvoir to Fort Gordon, Ga., last year, that time has come, he said.
“So we’re going to make, not a split, we’re going to make a transition,” he added. “And that really is what this is. We’ve got to remain best friends, INSCOM and Army Cyber, because that’s what’s best for the Army, it’s what’s best for the nation, it’s what’s best for this workforce.”
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ABOUT ARCYBER: U.S. Army Cyber Command integrates and conducts cyberspace operations, electromagnetic warfare, and information operations, ensuring decision dominance and freedom of action for friendly forces in and through the cyber domain and the information dimension, while denying the same to our adversaries.
ARCYBER ON THE WEB: https://www.arcyber.army.mil
ARCYBER TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ARCYBER
ARCYBER LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/us-army-cyber-command
ARMY CYBER ON THE U.S. ARMY WEBSITE: https://www.army.mil/armycyber
Interested in the challenge of joining the Army Cyber team? Check out military and civilian cyber career and employment opportunities by clicking on the "Careers" tab at www.arcyber.army.mil
ABOUT INSCOM: U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command executes mission command of operational intelligence and security forces; conducts, synchronizes, and integrates worldwide multi-discipline and all-source intelligence and security operations; and delivers linguist support and intelligence related advanced skills training, acquisition support, logistics, communications and other specialized capabilities in support of Army, Joint, and Coalition commands and the U.S. Intelligence Community.
INSCOM ON THE WEB: https://www.inscom.army.mil
INSCOM ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ARMYINSCOM/
ABOUT 1ST IO: 1st Information Operation Command’s mission is to provide IO support to the Army and other military forces through deployable IO support teams; IO planning, analysis, and reachback support; and specialized IO training.
1ST IO ON THE WEB: https://www.1stiocmd.army.mil/ and https://www.arcyber.army.mil/Organization/1st-IO-Command
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