Norton takes over Pentagon’s network defense headquarters and DISA

On the same day U.S. Cyber Command’s network defense headquarters became fully operational, Navy Vice Adm. Nancy A. Norton assumed command of the Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-DODIN) and became director of of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) on Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn retired this week as director of DISA. Norton’s command began at a ceremony Fort Meade in Maryland, the home of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency and DISA among other agencies.

“I look at this audience and I think to myself, ‘Man, if you are doing anything in [information technology], networks, cyber … you are here today,” Adm. Mike Rogers, director of the NSA and Cyber Command, said at the opening of the ceremony.

Norton reports directly to Rogers. Rogers will retire this spring after a tumultuous four year command. Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, currently the head of U.S. Army Cyber Command, is expected to take over at NSA and U.S. Cyber Command.

The installment of Norton and the impending departure of Rogers signals a changing of the guard at the highest levels of the Pentagon’s most important cyber agencies.

JFHQ-DoDIN defends the Pentagon’s 15,000 networks and 3 million users as part of a directive to command and control Pentagon network operations worldwide.

A far larger agency by number of personnel, DISA’s mission overlaps as it provides and assures command and control, information sharing capabilities and information infrastructure to the Pentagon and allies.