Ferrell takes the reins as Army CIO

Army Maj. Gen. Robert Ferrell took over Jan. 6 as the new chief information officer/G6 in the Office of the Secretary of the Army, the service announced. Along with the new position, Ferrell, who had been commanding general of the Army’s Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is to be promoted to lieutenant general.

He was confirmed by the Senate Dec. 20 to replace Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, who retired in October 2013 after 41 years of service.

Ferrell had served as commander of CECOM since February 2012, following a stint as the CIO and J6 director at the U.S. Africa Command, based in Stuttgart, Germany.

As Army CIO, he will be responsible for strategy and supervision of all Army Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and IT functions, including leading the service’s LandWarNet transition, according to the Army’s G6 CIO website.

LandWarNet is the Army’s slice of the Global Information Grid, and although it’s been in use for more than a decade, the Army is modernizing its infrastructure — replacing copper switches to increase bandwidth and moving to a cloud environment, for example — as part of the LandWarNet 2020 initiative. The goals of the initiative include integrating systems, improving network defense, making networks more efficient and enabling joint operability with other services and partners, the Army says.