The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has commissioned a New Orleans-based group as part of a larger effort to consolidate the service branch’s cyber operations. Network Activity Reserve (NetAct-Res) stood up on Monday to address a growing range of cyber threats for USMC’s reserve component across 158 home training centers, the service branch said Tuesday.
Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER) established the new unit, which will directly report to the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group.
“When the unit is initially staffed it will consist of a combination of 43 active duty MARFORCYBER Marines, 23 Government Service civilians and 118 contractors,” said Maj. Vincent Sapeda, executive officer of NetAct-Res.
NetAct-Res is the last of six network units that USMC created to support the service’s cyber needs. Three of the units will generally support marine expeditionary forces, and the other three will serve USMC establishments based on geography.