Replacement for Rob Carey is a cyber expert who spent nearly a year as deputy commander for the Navy Cyber Forces.

Elizabeth Montalbano, Contributor

November 24, 2010

3 Min Read

Inside DHS' Classified Cyber-Coordination Headquarters

Inside DHS' Classified Cyber-Coordination Headquarters


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Slideshow: Inside DHS' Classified Cyber-Coordination Headquarters

The Navy has chosen a cyber expert as its new CIO, filling the post that recently appointed Department of Defense (DoD) Deputy CIO Rob Carey vacated in September.

Terry Halvorsen, fresh from an 11-month stint as deputy commander of the Navy Cyber Forces, became the Navy's CIO on Monday. Halvorsen replaces Carey, who left his post in September to join the Navy's Fleet Cyber Command but then last month was appointed to his position at the DoD.

As Navy CIO, Halvorsen confronts a considerable task. He is responsible for all Navy matters related to IT and cyberspace, including national-security systems; information management; and information resources management.

Those responsibilities include developing IT strategies, policies, plans, architectures, standards and guidance across the entire Department of Navy, as well as ensuring that the procurement and acquisition of IT systems are consistent with the Navy's planned IT objectives.

In addition, Halvorsen oversees the information management function of the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and the Headquarters Marine Corps.

The Navy CIO also serves as the department’s cyber/IT workforce community leader, critical infrastructure assurance officer and the senior military component official for privacy.

Halvorsen also has big shoes to fill. During his predecessor's nearly four years as Navy CIO, Carey worked diligently to modernize the Navy's IT network. His departure occurred just as the department prepares to transition from the Navy Marines Corps Intranet (NMCI), an existing intranet, to the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN).

Another major IT project that's now in Halvorsen's hands is the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprises Services (CANES) to replace legacy systems and outdated computers with a modern, common IP network across Navy ships and onshore operations centers.

Cybersecurity also was a chief concern of Carey's, as it is across the federal government's military and intelligence agencies. One of his final acts as CIO was to establish ground rules so the Navy's IT staff are well equipped to handle cybersecurity issues.

Halvorsen's previous position should serve him well in performing the IT multitasking duties ahead of him. As deputy commander of the Navy Cyber Forces, he was responsible for leading more than 16,000 military and civilian personnel and supporting more than 300 ships and about 800,000 globally dispersed computer network users.

He also oversaw the business performance of Navy network operations, space operations, information operations and knowledge management. In this role, Halvorsen had direct involvement in establishing governance structure and processes to use more than $8 billion in Navy resources.

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