The Army general in charge of U.S. Special Operations Command says military leaders need to think of cyber commandos as a different breed of warrior, with a different skill set, and even a different physique.
Speaking to members of the Association of the U.S. Army Wednesday, Army Gen. Raymond Thomas cited as an example a pilot program that allows the Army to commission cyber experts directly into its ranks.
“This is the type of innovative model we must use to get the right experts into our force, and it recognizes the right people, the right team members will not always come out of traditional recruiting and commission programs,” Thomas said.
And he cautioned that could mean some of the new cyber warriors may not fit the rugged mold popularized in Army recruiting ads.
“It is somewhat heretical but we need to resist our institutional tendency to disincentivize these experts by imposing the same requirements we have for our maneuver forces,” Thomas said.
Translation: Some new soldiers may look a little pudgy or flunk the obstacle course, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have your back.
“The best person may not be a marathon runner or a cross-fit fanatic,” said Thomas, who at one point in his career commanded a squadron belonging to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta. “We have to be OK with this, because the most effective manning of our cyber force will ensure that SOF and other maneuver forces conduct their mission more effectively with less loss of life and less collateral damage.”
