The U.S. military plans to consolidate personnel from its service branches into a joint cyber group in a move to counter cyber attacks and run military networks, Federal News Radio reported Friday.Jared Serbu writes U.S. Army Secretary John McHugh is looking to establish an Army branch of dedicated cyber personnel who will work to counter cyber threats, as well as three cyber mission teams who will run the military’s networks.
Col. Carmine Cicalese, Army branch chief for cyber and information operations, told the station that he believes a dedicated cyber branch could help establish a training and education course for cyber professionals to grow in their careers.
“They’ll be steeped in cyber with regard to Army and joint operations, and that formal track is what helps build the profession of arms,†Cicalese said.
Serbu writes a group of uniformed cyber professionals is going through cyber defense, offense and network operations training programs.
The Army also wants to integrate cyber operations into its traditional fields of work such as electronic warfare and electromagnetic spectrum manipulation at Fort Gordon under the Cyber Electromagnetic Activities initiative, according to the report.
“It’s not a final decision, but the Army is certainly contemplating the idea of collecting all of the cyberspace-related fields at the center of excellence,” Col. Jim Ekvall, the Army’s chief for electronic warfare, told Federal News Radio.
