Paul Nakasone

Paul Nakasone
3rd Commander of United States Cyber Command
In office
May 4, 2018 – February 2, 2024
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byMichael S. Rogers
Succeeded byTimothy D. Haugh
18th Director of the National Security Agency
In office
May 4, 2018 – February 2, 2024
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
DeputyGeorge Barnes
Preceded byMichael S. Rogers
Succeeded byTimothy D. Haugh
Personal details
Born
Paul Miki Nakasone

(1963-11-19) November 19, 1963 (age 60)
White Bear Lake, Minnesota, U.S.
SpouseSusan Nakasone
Children4
EducationSaint John's University (BA)
University of Southern California (MA)
National Intelligence University (MA)
United States Army War College (MA)
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1986–2024
RankGeneral
CommandsUnited States Army Cyber Command
Second United States Army
Director of Intelligence, J2
International Security Assistance Force
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
Iraq War
AwardsDefense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
George Washington Spymaster Award[1]
Paul M. Nakasone's voice
Nakasone's opening statement at his confirmation hearing to be director of the National Security Agency
Recorded March 15, 2018

Paul Miki Nakasone (Japanese: 仲宗根ミキ Nakasone Miki, born November 19, 1963)[2]: 2 [3][4] is a retired general in the United States Army who served as the commander of United States Cyber Command. He concurrently served as the director of the National Security Agency[5][6] and as chief of the Central Security Service. Nakasone took command of the United States Second Army and Army Cyber Command in October 2016,[7] until the Second Army's inactivation in March 2017.[8] In May 2018, he became head of the National Security Agency, the Central Security Service and the United States Cyber Command.[9]

Early life and education

Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.[10][11] He is the son of Edwin M. Nakasone,[12] a second-generation Japanese American[13] and a retired United States Army colonel who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II, and Mary Anne Nakasone (née Costello).[3][4][14][15] His paternal grandparents came from Misato village in the Nakagami District, Okinawa.[16]

Nakasone grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and attended White Bear High School.[17][18][19] He is married to Susan S. (née Sternberg),[2]: 2  and has four (4) children.[3][17] Nakasone attended St. John's University, where he received a commission as military intelligence officer in 1986[20] through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.[3][18] Nakasone also attended the University of Southern California earning a M.S. in Systems Management,[21] the National Defense Intelligence College, and the United States Army War College, earning Master's degrees from those institutions as well.[3][17][18][22] He also is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College.[7]

Military career

Nakasone casing the Second Army's colors in 2017 at its inactivation ceremony

Nakasone has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade levels.[17] He also served in foreign assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea, and has served as a senior intelligence officer at the battalion, division, and corps levels.[17] Nakasone served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as deputy director for trans-regional policy in 2012 when he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and previously served as a staff officer for General Keith B. Alexander.[3][23]

Prior to promotion to lieutenant general in 2016, Nakasone was the deputy commanding general of United States Army Cyber Command and later commander of the Cyber National Mission Force at Cyber Command.[17][7][24][25][26] Nakasone has twice served as a staff officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was the director of intelligence, J2, for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.[17] On October 14, 2016, he took command of the United States Second Army and United States Army Cyber Command.[17][7] Nakasone was also given control of United States Cyber Command's Joint Task Force-ARES, a task-force designed to coordinate electronic counter-terrorist activities against the Islamic State.[7][27] He served as commander of the Second Army until it was inactivated for the fourth time in its history on March 31, 2017, and continued to serve as commander of United States Army Cyber Command.[8]

In January 2018, it was reported that Nakasone was on the list of potential replacements for outgoing NSA Director Michael S. Rogers.[28] In February 2018, he was nominated for promotion to general.[29] In April 2018, Nakasone was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as director of the National Security Agency and head of the United States Cyber Command.[30] He was also promoted to the rank of general. In May 2022, Nakasone was asked to remain as the head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency until 2023.[31] In those roles, he has attracted attention for disclosing that the U.S. government took unspecified cyber offensive action against ransomware gangs operating outside the United States that targeted American infrastructure,[32] as well as against Russian targets associated with the invasion of Ukraine.[33]

Awards and decorations

Other awards
Overseas Service Bar (x4)
National Security Agency Badge
United States Cyber Command Badge

References

  1. ^ Garamone, Jim (2024-02-03). "Cyber Command Flag Passed to Air Force General at Fort Meade Ceremony". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  2. ^ a b "Questionnaire for Completion by Presidential Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Kuroda, Janelle (February 10, 2012). "Japanese American Promoted To Rank Of Brigadier General, Continuing Family Legacy Of Service". Japanese American Veterans Association. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Person Details for Paul Miki Nakasone, "Minnesota Birth Index, 1935–2002"". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  5. ^ Nakashima, Ellen (24 April 2018). "Senate confirms Paul Nakasone to lead the NSA, U.S. Cyber Command". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ "Senate Confirms Nakasone to Head NSA, Cyber Command". 24 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Army Cyber welcomes new commander". United States Army. October 14, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  8. ^ a b Todd Lopez, C. (April 3, 2017). "Second Army cases colors for fourth time". United States Army. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  9. ^ U.S. Cyber Command Change of Command/Command Elevation Ceremony
  10. ^ Nakashima, Ellen (2018-04-01). "Incoming NSA chief has a reputation for winning 'all the important fights.' Russia will be his biggest test yet". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  11. ^ "Minutes Regular Meetings of the City Council of the City of White Bear Lake, Minnesota" (PDF). whitebearlake.org. 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  12. ^ Graff, Garrett M. (2020-10-13). "The Man Who Speaks Softly—and Commands a Big Cyber Army". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  13. ^ "Son of WWII nisei receives promotion at Pentagon". Honolulu Star Advertiser. April 27, 2013.
  14. ^ "Army general (and White Bear grad) leads cyber command". White Bear Press. November 2, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Paul Nakasone Promoted to Major General as Commander of Cyber Mission Force". Rafu Shimpo. June 16, 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  16. ^ Ryunosuke Megumi (2018). "米軍と沖縄移民の絆：ナカソネ大将" [Bond between the United States Armed Forces and Okinawan immigrants: General Nakasone] (PDF). Gekkan Hanada (Monthly Hanada). p. 275. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command" (PDF). US Army Cyber Command. October 6, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-25. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  18. ^ a b c "White Bear native earns elite military post". White Bear Press. March 6, 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Army to promote son of Hawaii-born WWII vet". Stars and Stripes. September 17, 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  20. ^ https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/q-pnakasone-031518.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  21. ^ "Commencement program, USC (106th: 1989: Alumni Memorial Park)". United States Army. Retrieved 20 Nov 2023.
  22. ^ "USAWC in the news March 27". United States Army. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  23. ^ Kimball, Joe (June 7, 2011). "White Bear native Col. Paul Nakasone awaiting Senate confirmation as Army general". Minneapolis Post. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  24. ^ Killeen, Mike (December 11, 2015). "Cyberspace watchdog – SJU graduate heads up important military command". Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  25. ^ "PN1618 – Nomination of Maj. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone for Army, 114th Congress (2015–2016)". United States Congress. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  26. ^ "Nakasone Assigned to Cyber National Mission Force". Afcea International. Signal Magazine. June 19, 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  27. ^ Hoffman, Mary-Louise (October 19, 2016). "Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone Takes Charge of Army Cyber Command". ExecutiveGov. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  28. ^ Martin Matishak; Cory Bennet (January 5, 2018). "NSA's Rogers to retire this spring". Politico.
  29. ^ "PN1594 – Nomination of Lt. Gen. Paul M. Nakasone for Army, 115th Congress (2017–2018)". United States Congress. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  30. ^ Martin Matishak (April 24, 2018). "Senate confirms Trump's pick for NSA, Cyber Command". Politico.
  31. ^ Matichak, Martin; Temple-Raston, Dina (2022-05-05). "Nakasone has been asked to remain at helm of NSA, Cyber Command". The Record by Recorded Future. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  32. ^ Barnes, Julian E. (2021-12-05). "U.S. Military Has Acted Against Ransomware Groups, General Acknowledges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
  33. ^ Kagubare, Ines (2022-06-01). "Cyber Command chief confirms US took part in offensive cyber operations". The Hill. Retrieved 2022-06-11.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul M. Nakasone.
Military offices
New unit Commander of the Cyber National Mission Force
2014–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding General of the Second United States Army
2016–2017 		Position abolished
Commanding General of the United States Army Cyber Command
2016–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the United States Cyber Command, Director of the National Security Agency, and Chief of the Central Security Service
2018–2024 		Succeeded by
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