A Reserve Component Initiative to Defend DoD and National Cyberspace
Abstract
The United States is under increasing threat from both nation state and non-nation state cyberspace domain aggressors. An effective attack against vulnerable elements of our critical infrastructure could produce major and lasting damage to our national economy, military capability, and our cultural way of life. The military approach to defending the cyberspace domain is still fragmented, unorganized, and not under effective command and control. It requires integrated individual and collective training and lacks effective interagency national policy to achieve full effectiveness. The establishment of U.S. Cyberspace Command (USCYBERCOM) is a very effective start toward resolving many of these shortfalls. Another shortfall is that the extensive capabilities of the military's Reserve Components are not effectively utilized to conduct and support cyberspace domain operations. One initiative that could be utilized to defend the nation, mitigate serious threats, and provide cyberspace domain units for theater warfighting/overseas deployment is a synchronized national approach leveraging the Defense Department's Reserve Component (RC) forces to secure the country's critical infrastructure from growing cyber threats. Thousands of military Reservists, many of whom have professional civilian careers in Information Technology (IT), cyberspace operations, and in related fields, could rapidly be organized into a focused Joint RC Command, subordinated to USCYBERCOM, and responsive to national homeland security. This command (the Joint Reserve Cyberspace Command, or JRCC) could be organized both regionally and by IT functional area, and be rapidly employed to increase the security of America's most critical cyberspace domain infrastructure in both the government and private sectors. USCYBERCOM and the JRCC would provide command and control (C2) of Joint Reserve Cyberspace Brigades (JRCBs) with geographic and/or functional areas of responsibilities (AOR).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 10, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA553352
Entities
People
- David M. Hollis
Organizations
- Office Of The Under Secretary Of Defense