Released: 25 Feb 1999
The team, called the Joint Web Risk Assessment Cell, will comprise two full-time Reservists and 20 drilling Reserve and National Guard personnel. The Defense Information Systems Agency will start the cell March 1.
"Technology has extended America's reach around the world, and it has extended the reach of those who seek to threaten Americans at home," Cohen said. "In joining this new mission area for the Reserve and Guard, the JWRAC will help us defend against those who would turn our technological superiority against us."
The JWRAC will scour defense Web sites for information and trends of data that could be used to breach security or pose a threat to defense operations and personnel. In addition, team members will evaluate web-site content to ensure compliance with departmental policies, procedures and best practices.
The new organization is a result of a Sep. 24 directive from Dr. John J. Hamre, deputy secretary of defense, to Charles L. Cragin, acting assistant secretary of defense for Reserve Affairs, and Gen. Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hamre directed they jointly develop a plan that uses reserve forces personnel to conduct operations security and threat assessments of DefenseLINK and other official military web sites.
"This initiative represents both a new model and a total force solution for managing operations security in an environment of rapidly changing technology," Hamre said. "It is essential that each of the military components and agencies get on board so that we can expedite the implementation of JWRAC and help it fulfill its important mission."
"With the battlefields of tomorrow moving increasingly into cyberspace, this is a significant advancement in our efforts to assess risks and reduce our exposure to cyberterrorism," Cragin said. "The Reserve and National Guard are ideally suited for this task, because they have a large pool of talented personnel who in their civilian careers are highly adept at using computer systems and information technology."
The military services will recruit personnel for the JWRAC who have a broad range of combat and non-combat specialties, in addition to high-tech civilian skills. The two full-time staff members will provide day-to-day administrative support, perform operational scheduling and ensure that training and technical proficiency is maintained.
RELATED SITES
* Air Force Reserve Command
* Air National Guard
* Defense Information Systems Agency
* Department of Defense
* Gen. Henry Shelton
* Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
* The National Guard
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