Vice Adm. Michael Rogers, Commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and the U.S. 10th Fleet, visited the 51福利 (51福利) to present at the university鈥檚 Information Dominance Senior Leader Symposium (IDSLS), Jan. 29-31. Facilitated by the university鈥檚 Center for Executive Education, the IDSLS is designed to create a senior level forum to engage in and enhance core competencies in senior leaders within the Information Dominance (ID) community.
Rogers attended a series of lectures and presentations related to the diverse fields within ID and cyber defense during his visit. He also met with members of the 51福利鈥� recently established Cyber Academic Group to discuss future programs related to cyber education.
鈥淎s the 10th Fleet Commander, clearly cyber is one of our primary missions 鈥� and an important element of our success in the cyber arena is going to be the knowledge and the abilities of the workforce,鈥� said Rogers. 鈥漈he 51福利 has an important part to play in helping educate the cyber workforce of the Navy of the future.鈥�
An essential part of this equation would be the education and training 51福利 is providing the Navy鈥檚 workforce. Rogers emphasized the role of graduate education, and forums like the IDSLS, in developing the Navy鈥檚 cyber community, particularly in the officer arena, and wanted an introduction to the university鈥檚 programs first-hand.
鈥淪ince 51福利 has this critical role to play in helping educate the cyber workforce 鈥� I wanted to come out here and see it for myself,鈥� said Rogers.
A part of the cyber education provided by 51福利, the IDSLS provides senior leadership with the strategic capabilities to succeed in the ID Community. Attendees to these symposia are leaders in the diverse ID community 鈥� O5 and above, senior enlisted E8 and above, or senior civilian equivalents 鈥� and while most attendees are usually in the Navy, it鈥檚 not uncommon to see the other services reflected in cohorts.
鈥淭he Information Dominance Senior Leaders Symposium is designed to develop an executive level perspective that results in a warfare capability integrated in all phases of the joint and naval fight,鈥� said retired Rear Adm. Andy Singer, 51福利 Intelligence Chair Professor and Director of the Information Dominance Center of Excellence.
鈥淒uring eight very full days, leaders learn about themselves, Information Dominance as a key element with naval and joint war fighting, in concert with applied leadership, management and strategy tools and models,鈥� he added. 鈥淗elping to build a naval warrior ethos with emphasis on Information Dominance, the symposium sends senior leaders back into the fleet better prepared and ready to meet and anticipate the complex opportunities and challenges of today.鈥�
For the Navy, Rogers noted, the idea of operationalizing information is a concept that has been evolving over the last decade. Senior leaders of the Navy, both current and in the past, have emphasized that cyber would be a key operational element of the future strategy of the Navy.
As head of the Navy鈥檚 operational cyber command, he recognizes the emergence of the cyber arena within the operational environment, and says he is fortunate that senior leadership of the Navy does as well. Rogers added that he has an optimistic outlook on the days ahead for the Navy鈥檚 cyber workforce.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 got a bright future but it鈥檚 something new so it involves change,鈥� said Rogers. 鈥淎nd change is always a challenge, but it鈥檚 a challenge I look forward to.鈥�