Military auxiliary organizations offer considerable but often neglected potential for improving the U.S. military’s cyber defense capabilities and growing the professional ecosystem. These auxiliaries include the Reserves, the National Guard, the Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary (MCCA), the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Auxiliary, and additional entities organized through state authorities. In addition, specialized exercises, such as “Cyber Yankee”, enable better use of these auxiliaries and thus they deserve increased support. International initiatives such as the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP) and the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers’ (CIOR) international cyber event also foster greater engagement and deliver benefits that cannot be achieved through active-duty military efforts alone. All of these capabilities, initiatives, and opportunities stand to improve the generation and use of cyber force by the armed services and U.S. Cyber Command.
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