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Cyber warriors could see less time at sea

Navy leadership has plans in the works for more specialized computer-warfare careers, the fleet’s top cyber boss told Congress on Sept. 23, including the creation of what he called “cyber engineers and cyber warrant officers.”

Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, head of 10th Fleet, told House lawmakers that the Navy faces a problem in recruiting and keeping the qualified sailors it needs for the oft-heralded new era of cyber-warfare, because it is competing not only against the other Defense Department services and the rest of the federal government, but also a high-paying private sector.

“There is no way DoD can compete with industry in the area of monetary compensation — or salary, if you will — but we can provide our people with opportunity for education and give them experience as leaders that cannot be matched elsewhere,” he said.

McCullough said he thinks the Navy can combine incentives, training and the appeal of joining a global good-doing force to get its new generation of cyber specialists.

He did not give sailor-specific details about the bonuses or benefits the Navy might use to build its cyber cadre, although he cited the $75,000 selective re-enlistment bonuses that have been available to cryptologic technicians.

New structure to face new enemy

The bottom line is that Big Navy has to decide what special arrangements and compromises it will make for cyber specialists, whose careers could look very different from that of a traditional sailor. McCullough’s mention of “cyber warrants” for example, suggests that the Navy might copy the Army model of building a community of warrant officer helicopter pilots, or the Marine Corps’ warrant officer infantry weapon experts, within its cyberwarfare structure. Officials have also mused that “cyber sailors” could get less sea duty and have different physical fitness standards — an acknowledgement that the Navy might try to be slightly less military for the computer enthusiasts it says it needs.

In another part of the hearing, McCullough acknowledged that naval bases are “very vulnerable” to computer attacks that could target the power plants or water works that serve them, but he vowed that Pentagon and fleet officials are coming up with a solution. He was responding to a question from Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., who said that the U.S. electrical grid itself was generally vulnerable to cyber attacks.

“These systems you discuss are very vulnerable to attack,” McCullough said. So far, Navy commanders have begun to ask Navy Installations Command to pick out critical points in base support networks. “Do we have a plan for an alternative power source, water source?” McCullough said. “A lot of this is single-source into a base, and if you take that away, while you have some limited backup power generation, it’s very limited for things such as water, sewer and so forth.”

McCullough said he and his counterparts — he appeared with the top cyber commanders of the other three military services — were aware of the vulnerabilities, and he said they work with the Department of Homeland Security Department “to get at the root issue, and we’re working in that direction.”