RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,165189,00.html

We're talking about Congress--with some, the only thing they know about cyberspace is that they don't have to pay postage on email.

What we are talking about is the Armed Forces being to rigid in its recruiting policies. Most people who are in this field are older(above 37) or vastly younger. The older crowd brings in years of experience and would most likely want a Commission or Warrnt Officer status, and the younger crowd just wants to wreak havoc. I know of a group of us, fomrer military, older age group folks, who would jump at the opportunity. However, mixture of both would be cool.
So until at the very least that comes about this goes no where.
And when does the Army get on board with this thinking?

Why do they have to be 'uniformed personnel'? We seem to be quite happy with using contractors for everything else.

Thats a good point and quite rational. But thats why we are not in the public sector. I also wonder about the international law aspect of it too. You have the uniformed personnel doing this stuff, does it constitute a military action or war. When a contractor from a private agency does it, who does the responsibility fall on when they piss someone in China off. Is it defensive or offensive capabilities we are/have developing? Both I am sure, but again if its offensive and we strike first, and we have, how is it work when nations want to retaliate.

Being nearly 50years old I don't think that that I'm someone that the military would be currently interested in. But now, with a doctorate level education, reasonably good heath, and a lot of experience, I believe that I have much more to offer the military now than I did half a lifetime ago when I was "in". There is nothing wrong with my eyes, brain, or my trigger finger. I currently work for the Veterans Administration and have had many heart-to-heart discussions with older warriors that would leap at the chance to contribute a significant difference in the current war effort. We are still rabid patriots. Many have told me that they would love to contribute and you would not even have to pay them. Is there a place for us? Technical Sergeant or Warrent Officer grades are acceptable. Why just be a Cyberwarrior? Why not a Predator pilot?

Finally, the military services are starting to think outside of the blinders they have been using for the last 25+ years. Not all of the jobs in the military require the need to run, do push-ups and sit-ups in a timed event.

After a year in Iraq none of that mattered. What mattered was my ability to support my unit's mission out on patrols. I witnessed plenty of people that were certainly well beyond the military weight control limits, but they were certainly capable of serving their nation in a hostile combat zone.

It is past time for the services to make changes that are consistent with industry practices and hire the talent we need to fight the globel threats we face on a daily basis.

This is in response to toooldtosoldier and KWathor. Thank you for your responses and exactly my point. I just told our oldest son that I can do more for the government on this front by not wearing a uniform(and get paid more), but offered the opportunity to serve, even in a Reserve capacity, would jump at the opportunity. I served honorably, and would do it again. This is the face of things to come.
Thanks guys!!!

I say if you are going to use other then military personel at least stay with americans, I know that we have some money hungrey or benadict arnold types out there that are american.but it also seems that a lot of foreign people get hired by the goverment. I don't quiet understand why that is unless we have some one up there in a high goverment office that is either a subverive individual.are just likes hiring foreign people.and doe's not care if they have the welfare of the american people at heart.I know that if we really try we can make this country safe and secure from cyber theft and terrorist attacks.the one thing we as a nation do not need to do is let some other country steal from us. or sneak in to this country and blow up or kill a bunch of americans. just like any good father or mother protect your own first. then help others.

Just knock the Chinese Olympic site off the web a couple times...and they'll scream bloody murder. Maybe they'll back off (until the Olympics are over...lol.)

Allegedly the Chinese have a 1,000 man cyber task force using a server that links to a slave in S.Korea (Read "TITAN RAIN," a news magazine article and that'll frighten u. Basically about a Los Alamos scientist who came across a flood of attempted (and successful) penetrations of many key computer sites. He began tracking them and it became an obsession. At the time, the US Gov't was clueless of the extent. Go to ANY major US campus and stick your head into any science or math class: significant number of Asians, many Chinese students THAT WE ARE TRAINING. The guy who told me about Titan Rain said in his small GRADUATE level computer S-E-C-U-R-I-T-Y class at the Univ. of Maryland, he was at the time, the ONLY naturalized US Citizen that he was aware of.

This is true. Not to mention online Jihadist movements, recruiting, call to arms, etc. Not to mention cyber thugs for hire, Eastern Europeans, Russians, Koreans, AND people who we feel, think, or acknowledge as our friends. Factor in cyberwarfare in Estonia, Tibet, China. I don't need to continue.
Just a small list of things to keep you up at night too. However once the idea of cyberwarfare comes to the forfront and mainstream media, the other services wanting a piece of the pie. SecDef Gates said it well, one of these days missions in Afghanistan, and Iraq will end, and we'll be looking at a different world. Well I don't have to be the SecDef to tell you, its already here.

As a leading user of computer and satellite technology we are also the most vulnerable to such attacks. The susceptibility of the military and defense sectors are just the tip of the iceberg. Our entire economy and service infrastructure could be devastated by a concentrated attack. Look how a single glitch has shut down the power grid across several states in the past. Now magnify it to encompass a directed attack nationwide. It would cost billions.

Some of the best Computer nerds in the world are 16 years old,to young for service,but old enough to cause havoc.

Two stories:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...AR2008040203952.html

and
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003920.html?wh=wh

Hopefully you can pull them up.
Enjoy!

Wait - I have one more.
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL33123.pdf

Anyone Armed Service want to recruit a has been?

quote:

"How do you attract the brains of some of this crowd that you might not want to wire up to a polygraph, but yet use their ... wonderful innovative ability? But they're not the same kind of folks that perhaps you want to march to breakfast in the morning," Lord said March 31.

Why sir, that's what we have the Air Force for... why would we need a bunch of nerds trying to carry 249 SAWs with an extra barrel and anywhere between 2 and 8 drums of ammunition? Because they might be able to mark the perfect aim spot for a tango sitting in the bushes? Doubt it.
~Ollie; 88H00Y

What AFSC would be responsible for preventing/responding to such attacks?