At the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations (ADM Gary Roughead), Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (VADM Barry McCullough), assumed Service Cryptologic Element (SCE) authority and responsibility for the Navy on Friday, 19 February 2010. It is believed that this is the first time this authority has been borne by an unrestricted line officer outside the cryptologic/information warfare community.
This has been a common practice among other the services for years. Almost without exception cryptologic issues are poorly represented by these well meaning but unprepared flags. They are unable to articulate cryptologic issues with any depth within their services and they are like babes in woods around those NSA civilians who know the issues with much greater detail and unfortunately view the services as a cheap labor pool. VADM McCullough seems to be exceptional and I have high hopes for him. In reality the navy has been without an effective SCE commander for the past 8 years so he can do nothing but make it better.
ReplyDelete"It is believed"
ReplyDeleteWTF?? Who believes?
Can't you write plain English?
If you believe it, say so. Otherwise, STFU.
Wow! It's about time that a stand is taken against passive voice in the Navy. It comes down to integrity, really. ;)
ReplyDeleteCan't possibly be worst than the NNWC debacle.
ReplyDeleteThe obvious solution, nay, the only solution is to grant the cryptologic community their ancient heart's desire and transform them into URL officers, 21st C., Cyber-Samurai.
ReplyDeleteOr how about increasing the military cryppie pool and reducing the number of civilians at the Fort, particularly those in leadership positions?
ReplyDeleteCould take another tack here - not to nitpick on the first poster (whose statement I largely agree with), but I've seen situations where experienced 1610s have been assigned as wartime collections managers. They performed phenomenally with SIGINT issues were at stake, but failed miserably with the other disciplines. The learning curve is expected, but a bad attitude is not. Loosely analogous to the statement re NSA civilians (no, I'm not one of those either).
ReplyDeleteIncreasing the military pool at NSA is not really the issue of this posting. The subject is the SCE himself. We now have 4 admirals and one admiral select; yet no flag at NSA. What that does is turn NSA decisions, money, priorities, and emphasis over to the civilians, and the other services who are good patriotic people, but they aren't there to represent the Navy nor do they completely understand Navy issues. It is the job of the Navy to represent itself, and the Navy does not do that.
ReplyDelete1610 community has always been in a master-slave relationship to the higher military precedence 1630s and NSA civilians.
ReplyDeletePat them cryppies on the ass, tell 'em they do a great job, even increase their flag numbers, but do everything possible to keep 'em down on the farm, unable to exercise the real power even within their own community. Since WWII. Brilliant.