Place National Guard at frontlines of nation’s cyber defense

The National Guard is uniquely poised to confront cyber attacks, one of the most significant threats facing our nation today and into the foreseeable future, and our Armed Forces partners have an opportunity to make strategic use of this valuable resource in every state. 

The Guard is critical to cyber security for many of the same reasons its military contributions are essential in other areas, including invaluable expertise honed in guardsmen’s full-time civilian jobs. But in the cyber realm, it is the Guard’s dual state and federal roles that enable it to accomplish missions its active component counterparts simply cannot undertake in the same way, by law. 

{mosads}Guardsmen serving under a governor’s orders, known as Title 32 status, can provide a flexible supporting effort to state and federal law enforcement agencies as they aren’t bound by the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of federal (active duty) troops for law enforcement. That flexibility enables the Guard’s cyber experts to take a more active role in supporting criminal investigations than active component units, particularly in the early stages following a cyber crime. The benefits of Title 32 status for law enforcement activities have been proven through Guard initiatives time and again, perhaps most notably in its counterdrug task forces, which work closely with law enforcement in all 54 states and territories. 

Guard cyber security initiatives would be a natural area for intergovernmental coordination, and the Guard’s established relationships with civilian agencies would provide a strong coalition to counter these threats. It is part of the Guard’s very fabric that it is interwoven with local, state and federal partners in every community in the United States. Government agencies know and trust the Guard, and they regularly integrate with our forces to complement each other’s strengths and capabilities. 

The Guard also offers talented technology professionals the ability to serve their country while continuing to pursue career objectives in the private sector. Recruiting and retaining top technology talent for full-time positions can be difficult because of the high demand in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, but the Guard’s unique structure provides an avenue for patriotic service concurrent with private sector ambitions. 

Our global battlefield is changing rapidly, and the importance of cyber initiatives for domestic security cannot be overstated. Successfully countering this emerging threat in the years and decades to come will require a commitment that maximizes the contributions of each military component. The National Guard stands ready to be a significant part of the U.S. Total Force effort, encompassing both active and reserve components. 

This is no time for delay. Our enemies are taking the cyber fight to us, and we should begin standing up cyber security units of the National Guard’s uniquely capable service members today. 

Baldwin serves as Adjutant General for the California Military Department, headquarters for the 22,000 soldiers and airmen of the California Army and Air National Guard.