Cyber unit still in plans at air base

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James notified Arkansas' congressional delegation last week that the National Guard would maintain a specialized facility at Little Rock Air Force Base for possible use by one of the Guard's coveted cyber-protection teams.

The Guard announced last year that the state's Army National Guard would operate one of the nation's 11 Army Guard cyber teams by the end of fiscal year 2019.

The state's Air National Guard, however, was not chosen for a cyber team at that time.

The Department of Defense's cyber mission is threefold: to defend its own networks, to defend the U.S. against cyberattacks and to provide cyber support to military operational and contingency plans. The department wants to install 133 teams by 2019.

The Guard's cyber teams consist of 39 members: seven officers, 16 warrant officers and 16 enlisted men and women.

Arkansas Guard leadership and the congressional delegation lobbied military officials over the past eight months to activate a team at Little Rock Air Force Base after the 123rd Intelligence Squadron relocated to Fort Smith. The squadron vacated a SCIF, or sensitive compartmentalized information facility, which officials said would easily transition into a permanent home for a cyber protection team.

James' announcement Thursday doesn't guarantee the state's Air Guard will receive a cyber mission, but she hinted that it was a step in that direction.

"However, until the Fiscal Year 2018 budget approval process is complete, any mission announcements would be premature," she said in the letter, which was obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "The planned near-term effort to retain an accredited SCIF, coupled with the proximity to the National Guard Professional Education Center, has definite benefits which will be closely considered in the placement of future cyber mission sets.

"We understand this is an important issue and will work hard to ensure there is a follow-on mission."

Arkansas is uniquely positioned to add another cyber protection team, the state's four U.S. representatives and two senators argued in a June letter to Gen. Frank Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau. By using the existing SCIF at the Jacksonville base, the Guard would save $4.5 million required to construct a new secure facility elsewhere, the letter said.

Additionally, the Army National Guard's Professional Education Center, located at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, already provides a wide range of technological training. The base houses the U.S. Department of Defense cyber operations range, which is used for training by the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force.

The delegation also mentioned Camp Robinson's proximity to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, both of which are accredited by the National Security Agency as centers of academic excellence in information assurance. The Guard would benefit from the recruiting pool generated by both schools and companies like Acxiom Corp., Fidelity National Information Systems and Windstream.

Last year, Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commander of the U.S. Army Cyber Command, said the Guard benefits from the ability to draw on private-sector experience.

"Citizen soldiers are already an essential part of the total army, so these cyber professionals, many of whom bring private sector experience, will enhance the Army's cyberspace capabilities and capacities," Cardon said in a news release.

Maj. Gen. Mark Berry, adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard, was not available for comment on Monday.

For now, the Guard will staff the cyber center with a small, full-time crew to prevent the facility from losing its Defense Intelligence Agency security accreditation, which is mandatory for a cyber team. The facility will also be a valuable asset for the Army Guard's cyber team, the delegation's letter said.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., stressed the importance of cybersecurity, adding he was glad Little Rock would be at the forefront.

"Little Rock Air Force Base has been an integral part of our Nation's military success for decades," Hill said. "The addition of a cyber training center to Arkansas will bring a new and important challenge for the men and women of our National Guard. There is an obvious demand for cyber training in our military, and I can think of no better place to train our cyber warfighters than in Little Rock. I will continue to work with my Arkansas colleagues to finalize this crucial addition to our base."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., of Dardanelle and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., of Rogers, both said they were pleased the cyber center would be maintained, adding they were committed to getting a cyber mission for the Arkansas Air National Guard.

"I'm pleased that Secretary James recognizes the importance of leveraging the unique capabilities of Little Rock Air Force Base and the community," Boozman said. "I'm proud that Arkansas will continue to play an important role in preserving our national security. I look forward to working with the Air Force to ensure participation in a future operational cyber mission."

Metro on 05/24/2016

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