The U.S. Army announced yesterday (Dec. 19, 2013) that the Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) Headquarters will be located at Fort Gordon, near Augusta, Georgia. The move consolidates and coordinates Army cyber and network operations under one commander for the first time in its history.
“Cyber threats are real, sophisticated, growing, and evolving,” said ARCYBER’s commanding general, Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon. “The Army’s decision demonstrates support for unity of command and the importance of cyber to our Army and our nation,” he explained.
The Army selected Fort Gordon as the permanent location for ARCYBER Headquarters for operational and cost reasons. Since its establishment in 2010, ARCYBER has been temporarily split-located in seven government buildings and leased space across the national capital region. The move to Fort Gordon will co-locate ARCYBER Headquarters with the Army’s Joint Forces Headquarters-Cyber and NSA-Georgia, placing the Army’s operational cyber headquarters with the majority its cyber mission forces. It will require 150 fewer personnel than other potential sites, as well as reduce military construction requirements and costs by 23 percent less than other considered options.
Establishing the Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon will begin by aligning Army cyber proponency within the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, creating institutional unity and a focal point for cyber doctrine and capabilities development, training and innovation.
Before selecting Fort Gordon, the Army evaluated its ability to support U.S. Cyber Command-directed missions and other operational factors such as installation capacity, environmental impacts, and human resource considerations. Community input was also solicited and considered through an environmental assessment public comment period conducted in the fall.
ARCYBER will continue to have a command liaison element co-located with U.S. Cyber Command at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
Additional information about ARCYBER is available at the command website: http://www.arcyber.army.mil/
