Is it time for a Cyber Military Branch

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 23:25:07 -0400

With the increases in online threats and attacks from both foreign governments and hacktivists, is it time to create a separate military service that is specially funded, and equipped for this? Or is are the cyber security branches that already exist in the 5 services sufficient?

What would this service look like? Would it fall under DOD, or DHS?

Will we call it NetForce and pay Tom Clancy royalties for the name?

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 11:26 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 23:26:57 -0400

Coming soon to a force near you...
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Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 24 at 2015 11:52 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 23:52:14 -0400

We have the best and the brightest. We need a cyber security corps who can deter threats and neutralize those who try to penetrate our internet based facilities.

Response by SGT Darryl Allen made Jul 25 at 2015 1:30 AM

SGT Darryl Allen — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 01:30:16 -0400

But will they be held to the same PT standards?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 25 at 2015 6:15 AM

PO1 John Miller — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 06:15:16 -0400

Maybe some type of consolidation of the military's cyber security forces? And I would think that because of things like the Posse Comitatus Act that it would have to be overseen by DHS.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 25 at 2015 7:29 AM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 07:29:56 -0400

It's coming...

Response by Cpl Andrew O'Neill made Jul 25 at 2015 7:35 AM

Cpl Andrew O'Neill — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 07:35:18 -0400

The DOD has a cyber threat division, just like every other agency within the government. I think that it would be more effective if all of the cyber threat divisions came together under one agency. That way you have all of these individual agency resources pooled together working to detect threats on all systems. Similar to the Joint terrorism task force

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Jul 25 at 2015 9:00 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 09:00:37 -0400

There already is one if I'm not Mistaken. It is called the Navy's 10th Fleet.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 25 at 2015 1:18 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 13:18:20 -0400

I'm inclined to vote Yes for a Cyber Military Branch inasmuch as cyber security is so critical not only to an effective military but also safeguarding the economy and infrastructure of the nation.

DOD or DHS? No question there. DOD. To be honest, I believe that DHS should be disbanded immediately. It is becoming little more than the foundation of a secret police - an organization dedicated to protecting the government rather than the nation.

Now, let me tell you a story... I once was contracted to teach a course in network administration to employees of Southern California Edison. Before the class began, I examined there network (despite the fact that I hadn't been granted access). Obviously it was not secure and anyone could do serious damage, disrupt the power distribution grid, with little difficulty. When I mentioned this to the network administrators there, they denied my findings. Shortly thereafter (a week or two) a story appeared in the LA Times wherein it was reported that a federal agency had been testing power distribution companies around the nation and discovered the same thing, specifically mentioning SoCalEd. Wouldn't you know that they became upset with me and I was never invited to return. And, no, I wasn't the one who ratted them out...

Response by SGT Aaron Barbee made Jul 25 at 2015 1:40 PM

SGT Aaron Barbee — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 13:40:26 -0400

I thought the CIA and NSA were supposed to be doing that *sarcasm*

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 25 at 2015 7:10 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 19:10:50 -0400

NSA