Military leaders seek more clout for Pentagon’s Cyber Command
Gen. Martin Dempsey will recommend the change to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the Post said, citing officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Move would signal the United States is serious about defending its networks.
Military leaders are pushing for the Pentagon’s two-year-old cyberwarfare unit to be elevated to full combatant command status, a move that would give it more access to resources and the Pentagon’s top brass, the Washington Post reported.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will recommend the change to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the Post said, citing officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Cyber Command currently reports to the U.S. Strategic Command. Bringing its status on par with commands protecting entire regions and continents would provide a signal that the U.S. is serious about defending its networks. It would also give more clout to the organization, just two years old and composed of a relatively modest team of 750 staff, the article notes. The report offered no timeline for when a decision will be made.