House Points to Defense Failure to Utilize National Guard, Reserves for Cyber

The House Armed Services Committee said the Department of Defense and the military services have not made meaningful changes in maximizing the expertise of the military’s reserve component and the National Guard when it comes to cyber operations.

The matter was noted under an item of special interest in the Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation subcommittee mark for the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, DefenseScoop reported.

Items of special interest include issues that could lead to future legislation but still require DOD action through the submission of a report.

The CITI subcommittee mark directs the assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy and the commander of U.S. Cyber Command to submit a report by the end of May 2024 that would include specific actions and institutional obstacles preventing changes as directed by provisions in the 2017, 2019 and 2021 NDAA.

The Department of Defense has yet to fill the position of assistant secretary for cyber policy.