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New Marine Corps 1st Network Battalion Fights In Cyberspace
by U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Charles McKelvey
July 1,
2020
An impactful change to Marine Corps cyberspace and information
technology modernization occurred on June 4, 2020 aboard Marine
Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, with the activation of 1st
Network Battalion, which marked the beginning of the Marine Corps
Enterprise Network (MCEN) Command and Control (C2) modernization
implementation plan.
During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Juliet H.
Calvin took command of the Marine Corps’ newest battalion and made
history as the first Marine to command a unit of this type, which
will ensure a resilient network that enables mission execution in
the face of persistent cyber threats.
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U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Juliet Calvin, center right, the commanding officer of 1st Network Battalion, Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group, speaks to Marines at their workstations during a walkthrough at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 4, 2020. 1st Network Bn., the first of six new Marine Corps network units, was created to improve oversight, command, and control of the Marine Corps enterprise network while managing building and local area networks around base. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck)
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The MCEN is the Marine Corps’ communications backbone that
connects computers, people, and related devices. The network
provides robust, seamless and secure end‐to‐end communications for
all Marines; from the supporting establishment to forward deployed
forces.
“MCEN C2 has been discussed for years, but now we are
taking the first critical step to make this a reality,” said Col.
Edward J. Debish, the commanding
officer of Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group. “This decision
creates unity of command for the security, defense, and operation of
the Marine Corps Enterprise Networks.”
“Lt. Col. Calvin’s
battalion is empowered to decisively take action at the lowest level
to quickly respond to the warfighter’s needs,” said Debish. “Her
battalion will work closely with I Marine Expeditionary Force (I
MEF), Marine Corps Installations West, and the training commands to
seamlessly deliver enterprise services to our Marines.”
1st
Network Battalion provides visibility down to the individual user’s
desktop device and enhances the Marine Corps’ ability to report,
monitor, and improve the readiness of its network.
“1st
Network Battalion is the unit responsible for providing all aspects
of security, operations, and protection for Department of Defense
Information Network from the enterprise at the service level, down
to each individual warfighter throughout the entire Western Region,”
said Calvin.
In today’s technology filled information
environment, Marines rely on their workstations and the ability to
connect to the MCEN in any clime and any place. 1st Network
Battalion is the first step in ensuring the warfighter has this
access and leads the way to further innovation and successful
defense of the MCEN.
“In this era of communication and
technology, each Marine, Civilian, and Sailor uses their respective
C2 system or laptop as a key enabler of coordination and mission
performance,” said Calvin. “Providing operationalized unified
command and control will enable resilience, agility, and
responsiveness, down to the tactical edge.”
In order to
provide a technical advantage, the battalion relies on highly
skilled Marines and civilians who work together to operate and
defend the network capability. They equally share the common goal of
creating agility through increased situational awareness and
integration of cyber capabilities into the full spectrum of military
operations.
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Terence Adams, left, the deputy of 1st Network Battalion, Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group, speaks to Marines and civilians during a meeting at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 4, 2020. 1st Network Bn., the first of six new Marine Corps network units, was created to improve oversight, command, and control of the Marine Corps enterprise network while managing building and local area networks around base. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck)
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“1st Network Battalion conducts Department of
Defense Information Network operations and defensive cyberspace
operations in general support of I MEF, MCI West, and other tenant
activities in order to enhance freedom of action across warfighting
domains, while denying the efforts of adversaries to degrade or
disrupt this advantage through cyberspace,” said Calvin. “Our daily
posture in cyber must be up to task for the modern adversarial
threats in cyber.”
The battalion’s activation is the first
step in a two-year process for MCEN C2 modernization. Later this
year, two Network Activities are slated to stand up: National
Capitol Region and Europe/Africa Region. In 2021, MCCOG plans to
stand up additional network battalions in Camp Lejeune and Camp
Foster; as well as a Network Activity for Marine Force Reserve in
New Orleans.
The end state is a seamless command and control
construct from U.S. Cyber Command, through Marine Corps Forces
Cyberspace Command and Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group to
the three network battalions and three network activities. This
empowers commanders with the permissions they need to respond in a
way the Marine Corps has not been able to do in the past.
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