FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — Everything the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command does supports an Army Unified Network based on zero-trust principles.
NETCOM is a global organization, and it’s a 24/7/365 team effort incorporating continuous improvement strategies to support the Army’s digital modernization efforts. Regional Cyber Centers are game-changers around the command and hold the key to helping NETCOM and its customers, attain mission success.
During the inaugural Regional Cyber Center Summit held Oct. 23-27, 2023, RCC leadership from around the globe gathered at Greely Hall to collaborate with NETCOM senior leaders and subject matter experts. Leaders discussed the importance of streamlining future RCC operations and the organizational structure changes needed to enable better AUN operations and services, orchestrated under a Global Cyber Center.
Since their inception roughly ten years ago, Regional Cyber Centers have been crucial for the Army, NETCOM and the warfighter.
“Regional Cyber Centers are our most important asset in NETCOM,” said Patrick Dedham, NETCOM deputy to the commanding general. “Because they are securing, operating and maintaining the network day to day, and also improving it.”
RCCs are a critical part of the NETCOM enterprise and are key enablers to current operations, as well as continuous improvement of the Army Department of Defense Information Networks activities.
NETCOM must ensure RCCs are properly resourced and synchronized to support the Army’s priorities.
“Our number one priority when it comes to transformation is the network,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George at this year’s annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army.
Modernizing the network has been one of the Army’s top modernization priorities, and the RCC’s continuous improvement efforts will be crucial in shaping the Army of 2030.
The summit presented leaders with the opportunity to look at past practices to help shape future operations.
“I don’t think the mission set we gave you almost ten years ago is the same mission set you do today,” explained NETCOM Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Christopher Eubank.
With the role RCCs play in securing, operating and maintaining the network, having global representatives from all six unique centers in one place helped gain a shared understanding of how a Global Cyber Center concept can help better synchronize and streamline RCC operations and efforts.
“Every RCC is different across theaters,” said RCC-Continental United States Director, Lt. Col. Victor Yinh. “Getting all the directors together to talk RCC specifics helped us understand our differences to help standardize how we operate.”
Through leader breakout sessions, question and answer engagements with subject matter experts and engaging dialogues, those present were able to collectively set the conditions for increased efficiencies and effectiveness for 2023 and beyond.
“We got a shared understanding of where we want efforts to move to get us to our end state faster,” said RCC-C Sergeant Major, Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Davis. “This was great because the RCCs needed their own forum for securing, operating and maintaining the network on behalf of NETCOM.”
NETCOM is a two-star operational command with global responsibilities that is in competition, crisis, and conflict 24/7/365. The collective RCC missions are no-fail in nature. As they continue building off the success of the inaugural summit, their continued collaborations and collective efforts will be needed on a grand scale.
“The Army is relying on us,” Eubank said. “Let’s not let them down.”
Story by SFC Kelvin Ringold
U.S. Army graphic by Amanda Pearson
