Plan coming for DOD networks

Officials in the new organization that oversees operation and protection of the military's computer networks will unveil a plan in early December that sets network priorities through 2006.

The 500-day plan for the Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations coincides with another initiative that leaders of the new group are preparing. It identifies officials from the military services and Defense Department agencies to participate in the initiative to achieve structure and discipline. The two efforts prepare the task force to work at full capacity beginning Dec. 1, said Army Brig. Gen. Dennis Via, deputy commander for the task force. He spoke Oct. 26 at a media briefing at the Association of the U.S. Army's 2004 Annual Meeting.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Harry Raduege, task force commander and director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, will implement the 500-day plan to establish priorities for the task force and to help focus personnel, Via said. Raduege used a similar management process when he assumed command of DISA in 2000.

Defense Department Secretary Donald Rumsfeld created the joint task force in June and named the DISA director to command it to achieve a more cohesive operation and protection of the military's networks.

Task force officials said they have found gradual increases in the number of attempted intrusions on the military's networks during the past three years. They reported 40,076 incidents in 2001, 43,086 in 2002, 54,488 in 2003, and 24,745 as of June. The task force falls under Strategic Command, one of the military's nine unified combatant commands that either oversee the use of combat forces in a geographic region or provide a capability and develop doctrine for them.