ARLINGTON, Va. – Leading experts from the military, technology industry, academic and media communities came together here on the U.S. Army’s 248th birthday to discuss operations, innovations, and partnerships in the cyberspace domain.
The June 14 event, “Building the Army of 2030: Maturing the Cyber Domain,” hosted by U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) and the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), consisted of four cyber-focused panels as part of AUSA’s “Hot Topics” series. More than 200 professionals and senior executives from the U.S. Army and cyber-related partner organizations attended the event.
AUSA president Gen. (Ret.) Robert Brown opened the day’s discussions by acknowledging the significance of hosting a Hot Topic event on Army Cyber on the U.S. Army birthday.
“I never had to worry about cyber when I was young, and it is clearly the domain of the greatest potential – also, its greatest challenges,” said Brown. “The theme, ‘Building the Army of 2030: Maturing the Cyber Domain’, is perfect timing, with everything going on in cyber.”
In introducing ARCYBER commander Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, Brown noted ARCYBER’s five operational capabilities -- Operate, Defend, Attack, Influence, and Inform – noting that “each one of those is complex,” and that the day’s panel discussions would focus on those capabilities and Army Cyber’s core capacities of people and platforms.
In her opening remarks Barrett said the dialogue generated by the panels and the participants’ networking and involvement in the discussions would be the measure of the event’s success.
“We’ve done our part with assembling some really phenomenal people from across the spectrum that deal with or touch upon cyber. But your questions (are vital); I’m going to take just as much today away from what you are digging into, as what’s going to be presented here. And so, I’m going to thank you in advance.”
In discussing the purpose of the event, Barrett also reemphasized the day’s theme and noted how rapidly operations in the information dimension have grown since Cyber became the Army’s newest branch in 2014.
“We have gone from an organization that when it was birthed, focused simply on cyberspace operations – offensive and defensive – and has now matured that across the entire information dimension. … That competition space in cyber is 24/7, 365. And I would probably say that the competition space in the information dimension -- the inform and influence piece -- is very real and constant,” she said.
Barrett went on to describe the vital synergy between operating networks, offensive and defensive cyberspace operations, information operations, and electromagnetic warfare.
“Across all of these areas…there’s a core aspect of this, which is data-centric operations,” the general said. “Regardless of what the mission is that we’re doing, there’s a core component of this which comes down to data -- moving data, understanding data, analyzing data.”
Barrett said it was a challenge for the ARCYBER team to narrow the event down to four panel topics, and described the intent of those panels.
Panel one was, “Defending Army Operational Technology and Critical Infrastructure.”
“What does it mean to defend the nation?” she asked in outlining the panel’s aim. “What does it mean to start taking a look at some of the things that our forces really need to move from fort to port, to mobilize? And now we’re starting to talk about sustainment and critical infrastructure,” said Barrett. “And if you’re talking about sustainment and critical infrastructure, well you’re talking about operational technology and platforms.”
Panel two was “Optimizing Opportunities in a Modern Workforce.”
“When I start thinking about capability and capacity, that capacity ends up being the people. And as I tell people about how we think about talent management in cyber, there is no single silver bullet for how you do talent management,” said Barrett. “It is a cradle-to-grave endeavor. How are you bringing them in? How are you identifying them? Military and civilian. The civilians on some of our Cyber Mission Force teams are some of the most valuable and experienced people that we have on our teams, bar none. And experience matters in this domain. Let me say that again. Experience matters in this domain.”
Panel three was “Applying Artificial Intelligence for Information Advantage.”
“(We’re) leveraging this within Army Cyber, mostly in the defense of our networks, but also in the information dimension,” the general said. “What does it mean to bring in all sorts of different needs and really understand the information baseline of a particular environment so you can understand when it changes, and how it’s changing, and where it’s changing. All of this is tremendously helpful to us. And I only see this expanding.”
The final panel was “Maturing for Modern War: Lessons Learned from Crisis in Ukraine.”
“What we are witnessing in the Ukraine is very much a land battle. It is holding terrain. It’s exchanging terrain. But I don't think we can divorce … what is going on in the information dimension from this conversation,” she said. “At the essence, it is a land battle. We can’t dismiss the contest in the environment from the electromagnetic spectrum, to attacks on critical infrastructure, to, ‘Why did the Russian narrative not stick in Ukraine?’”
In her closing comments for the event, Barrett thanked the panelists, moderators, hosts and participants, saying there was “so much to take away” from the day’s panels, discussions and questions. She concluded by referring back to the Army’s birthday and heritage.
In the American Revolution our Army drew upon its will to fight and adapted and overcame its many challenges, she said, and it continues to do so today.
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ABOUT ARCYBER: United States Army Cyber Command directs and conducts integrated electronic warfare, information and cyberspace operations as authorized, or directed, to ensure freedom of action in and through cyberspace and the information environment, and to deny the same to our adversaries.
ARCYBER on the web: https://www.arcyber.army.mil
ARCYBER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arcyber
ARCYBER on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/us-army-cyber-command
Army.mil cyber page: https://www.army.mil/armycyber
ABOUT 780th MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BRIGADE:
The 780th conducts cyberspace operations to deliver effects in support of Army and Joint requirements.
780th on the web: https://www.inscom.army.mil/msc/780mib/index.html
780th on Twitter: https://twitter.com/780thC
780th on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/780th-military-intelligence-brigade-cyber/
780th on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/780MIBDE
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
Members of the Army Reserve and Army National Guard in the Signal, Cyber, Military Intelligence, Information Operations, Electronic Warfare, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations fields interested in tours with Army Cyber Command can get more information at https://www.arcyber.army.mil/Careers/Reserve-Component-Tours-with-Army-Cyber/
The Army Cyber Direct Commissioning Program allows qualified service members and civilians with cyber-related qualifications and/or experience to join the Army’s Cyber Corps with a direct appointment as a commissioned officer? To learn more, check out our fact sheet at https://www.arcyber.army.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article/2060387/army-cyber-direct-commissioning-program/
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