Geeks in the Marine Corps: Bridging a Generational and Cultural Gap for the Cyber Workforce
Abstract
A generational and cultural gap between Marine Corps Cyber leaders and future cyber warriors exists that stems from the rapid growth of technology and the Marine Corps force generation model failing to keep pace. Millennials have grown through rapid changes in technology, which has aided in their predisposition and intuitive understanding of that technology. Some of the millennials specifically sought to understand that technology intimately by pursuing hobbies and studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and have immersed themselves in science fiction for diversion and inspiration. The resulting science fiction-based culture that penetrates and grows around them is geeky. Geeks do not typify a poster Marine, yet these future employees are leading the cyber industry. Millennial geeks are the future cyber professionals both in the commercial and military workforce. The Marine Corps needs the best cyber warriors to fight the future fight. The Marine Corps needs to adopt a force generation model that screens, assesses, and selects future candidates for cyber-operations. Those individuals, selected through assessment and undergraduate study, like that of naval aviators, should then undergo training that prepares them to execute warfighting and cyberspace operations in support of the Marine Corps.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175929
Entities
People
- Joshua Mayoral
Organizations
- Marine Corps University