Texas National Guard to Activate New Cyber Units

"Texans Serving Texas"

MEDIA ADVISORY

Inquiries may be directed to the Texas Military Department’s State Public Affairs Office at 512-782-5620 or email at ng.tx.txarng.mbx.pao@mail.mil.

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:

Texas National Guard to Activate New Cyber Units

AUSTIN, Texas (Dec. 11, 2015) – As part of the ongoing growth of cyber forces throughout the Department of Defense, the Texas Army and Air National Guards will each activate a new cyber unit.

The plan for these new units was announced Dec. 9, 2015, by the National Guard Bureau, with 22 other state National Guards also working to activate new cyber units.

The Texas Army National Guard will partner with the Louisiana and Mississippi Army National Guards to stand up and host a 39 member cyber protection team while the Texas Air National Guard will stand up a Cyberspace Operations Squadron. Both are designed to address the emerging cyber threats facing the United States while leveraging the unique and critical skill sets found throughout the private sector employment of many National Guard personnel.

“Protecting Texas and the United States in the cyber domain is a complex and multifaceted journey,” said Maj. Gen. John F Nichols, the Adjutant General for Texas. “We are excited to be given such a robust role in protecting the state and nation’s critical cyber infrastructure.”

The National Guard’s Defensive Cyber Operations is an integral part of the DoD’s U.S. Cyber Command and support cyberspace operations in careful collaboration with other U.S. government departments and agencies and will be able to support both federal and state operations in cyber defense as needed.

Plans for standing up these units are currently underway. While the activation dates for these two units is unknown at this time, both are expected to be fully mission capable by October 2018.

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The mission of the Texas Military Department (TMD) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.

The Texas Military Department is commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor. The Texas Military Department includes the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).

For more information about the Texas Military Department visit our website at www.txmf.us.