American Forces Press Service – FORT MEADE, Md., Sept. 27, 2011 – Recognizing there’s no cookie-cutter formula for a “cyber warrior,” the outgoing chief of staff at U.S. Cyber Command said the strong, diverse capabilities already in place will provide the foundation for the military’s professional cyber corps.
After his pivotal role in standing up U.S. Cyber Command and helping to mold its initial cyber force, Air Force Maj. Gen. David N. Senty noted the array of skill sets it brings to the mission of defending vital military networks.
The cyber force includes experts not only in information technology, but also in signals intelligence, communications and military operations. Combat-arms forces among their ranks bring an operational mindset and military judgment to the equation, Senty said.
Many of the members, like Senty, a mobilized Air Force reservist, come from the reserves and National Guard and bring civilian-acquired expertise to the mission, he noted. Together, he said, they provide a capability critical to defending the Defense Department global infrastructure grid and the networks military forces depend on to operate.
“They are really awesome folks,” Senty said. “We have a great number of them at the command who are motivated, excited by what they are doing, and encouraging and bringing others into the command with a growing recognition of the importance – the daily importance – of what we are doing.”
A month shy of Cyber Command’s first year at full operational capability, Senty said the force already has demonstrated its ability to change with the operational environment. “The way we have adjusted our tactics, techniques and procedures has been very agile,” he said. That agility, the general explained, is the strength of the cyber force as it deals with an evolving threat that takes advantage of the opportunity to operate freely and anonymously in cyberspace.
