"USMC Cyber-Warrior destined to be a new MOS?" Topic

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I think it is a little late, actually, but glad to see it appears to be gaining momentum.

Despite the USMC culture being less culturally geared towards recognizing or awarding specializations, I see this as a good thing.

Really? Seems to me if you're never going to deploy, you don't need to be in uniform. A DoD civilian can do the job cheaper: yes, the pay is higher, which helps in recruitment and retention; but the overall costs of civilian personel are less, and they don't count against end strength. They also don't get called away from work to clean the barracks, take PT tests, participate in change of command ceremonies, go to the range, etc., etc.

You better listen to them, though. Since congressmen are using "Die Hard" as an intelligence source, remember that Timothy Olyphant's character got bent out of shape because his warnings were ignored.

Alleb

All great points, Allen. Maybe my rush for the bandwagon was premature.

(Although in my defense, I have not seen the latest "Die Hard" offering, so I am lacking the benefit that Congress has regarding that intel source.)

So 40 years from now the VA hospital wards will be filled with carpal tunnel victims?

I just think back to the Army, and would expect every female soldier who got pregnant, and every other soldier who received a permanent profile, would be a candidate for involuntary reclassification to the "cyber" MOSs, regardless of aptitude. Maybe Marines would take the threat, and the job, more seriously. I dunno.

Cyber attacks on our infrastructure (air control, rail, utilities) are definitely a threat. I remember touring Southern California Edison facilities with their security guys in 1999, because the FBI was convinced that utilities would be Y2K target (see note). But if I were in a position to comment on it, I think I might refer to something other than a aging Bruce Willis flick, is all.

Note: Then suddenly, hackers, A-rab terrorists, and home-grown bombers were forgotten in the real panic, which was that everyone in LA would decide to drive to Vegas for New Years' Eve, and I-15 would become a 200-mile long parking lot from the south end of The Strip to Cajon Pass. In the end, the story was picked up by the press, and people were worried enough that they all stayed home, so nothing happened. But in the meantime, the San Bernardino sheriff's department and BLM spent a lot of time checking and clearing alternate off-road routes for emergency vehicles; while at Fort Irwin, we made plans to take water trailers out to the freeway, and made sure there were going to be plenty of MEDEVAC crews available over the holidays.

That was enough for me; I hung up my spurs. We're too… "unfocused", I guess, would be the polite word, to ever see the next real threat coming.

Allen

I don't see a drastic difference between me who could only go to:
MCAS Cherry Point, or
on deployment,
or a tour as a recruiter, or
go to be a drill instructor
unless I changed my MOS

and these guys, who can go to:
whatever base they set up USMC cyberops at, or
recruiting duty, or
drill instructor duty
unless they change their MOS.

The only big change is that they can deploy without leaving the confines of MCAS or MCB Back Yard…

I've said it before I'll say it again you don't need legs in the military a good man or woman who knows computers but is confined to wheelchair can do this job and still have the pride of serving their country like everyone else.

Good point, Irish.

You can serve, and do good work, without legs, without arms, without sight, without hearing, with ALS, or in many other situations. But is a service with a central principle that every member is a combat rifleman really prepared to be that inclusive?

I'm completely in favor of *universal* service, but there need to be appropriate places for those of varying abilities, be they physical or mental. And once you open that door, there's a big old ugly can of worms that I don't think many are prepared to deal with.

Allen

I'd be happy to see disabled civilian cyberoperators but I agree with allen that it doesn't fit the "Every Marine is a rifleman first (and janitor second) and then whatever their MOS is…" that my drill instructors taught me… I was already pushing that to the limit with my 8x12-foot van full of test benches as my primary weapon… though I still did qualify and requalify with my M-16 when required to.