R 022007Z SEP 09
MARADMIN 0535/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CDI//
SUBJ/NEW CONCEPTUAL PAPER RELEASED//
POC/BAUM/MAJ/UNIT:G3G5/-/TEL:TEL/EMAIL: (703) 784-6245//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES PUBLICATION OF A NEW DOCUMENT INTENDED TO CLARIFY THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE CYBER DOMAIN. NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND GLOBAL NETWORKS THAT SERVE AS GREAT ENABLERS TO GLOBAL PROSPERITY AND SECURITY CAN ALSO BECOME GREAT VULNERABILITIES. THE MARINE CORPS MUST CLARIFY ITS ROLE IN SUPPORTING DOD CYBERSPACE EFFORTS AND DETERMINE ITS OWN OPTIMUM CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES. THIS NEW DOCUMENT, "USMC CYBERSPACE CONCEPT," IS INTENDED TO EXPLORE THESE OPERATIONS, IDENTIFY THEIR CHALLENGES, AND PROPOSE SOLUTIONS OR AREAS OF INTEREST FOR CONTINUED THOUGHT AND DEVELOPMENT.
2. THE FOUO DOCUMENT IS A CONCEPT PAPER THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE USMC DESIRE TO IMPROVE OUR KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS. WITHIN THE USMC, CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS ARE CURRENTLY TREATED AS SPECIAL PROGRAMS EFFECTIVELY SEGREGATING MOST PLANNERS AND OPERATORS FROM THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERTISE GAINED IN RECENT OPERATIONS. THE USMC NEEDS TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF POTENTIAL OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CYBERSPACE DOMAIN AND TO MINIMIZE THE ASYMMETRIC, CRITICAL VULNERABILITIES CREATED BY OUR RELIANCE ON NETWORKED COMMUNICATIONS. THE MARINE CORPS SHOULD DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING AND APPROACH TO CYBERSPACE OPERATIONS THAT FULLY INTEGRATES ALL ASPECTS OF COMPUTER NETWORK OPERATIONS, INFORMATION ASSURANCE AND NETWORK OPERATIONS UNDER A SINGLE COMMAND OR PROPONENT.
3. MARINE LEADERS AND PLANNERS SHOULD READ THIS DOCUMENT, THINK HARD ABOUT ITS IMPLICATIONS, AND DISCUSS IT AT PME SESSIONS. AS WE SEEK TO EXPAND OUR AWARENESS OF AND INSTITUTIONAL RELEVANCE FOR COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS OF THE FUTURE, THIS CONCEPT WILL PROVE VALUABLE IN HELPING TO ENSURE OUR CORPS REMAINS READY, RELEVANT, AND INSTITUTIONALLY EXCELLENT.
4. COPIES OF THE NEW FOUO DOCUMENT CAN BE OBTAINED BY CONTACTING MAJ GEOFF BAUM AT GEOFFREY.BAUM@USMC.MIL TEL: 703-784-6245 OR CAPT PARKER CONSAUL AT HARRY.CONSAUL@USMC.MIL TEL: 703-784-3610.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN GEORGE J. FLYNN, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION.//