U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock officially took command of the Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF) – the U.S. military’s joint cyber force tasked with defending the U.S. in cyberspace – at a military ceremony on Jan. 5.
She succeeds U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William J. Hartman as CNMF commander. Hartman will become U.S. Cyber Command deputy commander.
As the new commander of the force, Mahlock will be responsible for more than 2,000 joint service military and civilian personnel across 39 cyber teams organized into six task forces to advance the mission and goals of the CNMF.
“It is an honor to be selected as the next commander of the Cyber National Mission Force,” said Mahlock.
“I have had the opportunity to observe you from afar and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve alongside you. You are our nation’s elite cyber warriors, competing daily against a threat that is very real, but which few can comprehend, quantify or see,” added Mahlock.
Prior to taking command at the CNMF, Mahlock was Deputy Director for Combat Support at the Cybersecurity Directorate within the National Security Agency. Before that, she served through deployments supporting Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom, and served as G3 Land Operation Lead and Division Executive Officer for Headquarters European Command, Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs, USMC Deputy Director for Operations, Plans Policy and Operations (PP&O), Chief Information Officer and C4 Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps.
“CNMF has always been the ‘go-to’ force when our Nation has a challenge in the cyber domain,” said Gen. Paul Nakasone, who heads U.S. Cyber Command. “These joint cyber operators are a powerhouse that punch above their weight against some of the world’s most reckless and determined foreign malicious cyber actors.”
“You have proven you are up to the challenge of defending our nation in cyberspace,” Mahlock said. “I look forward to building upon the great work you have done.”
