Senate quietly confirms new Army Cyber Command leader

Maj. Gen. Stephen Fogarty has been confirmed as Army Cyber Command’s next commander.

Fogarty has been the chief of staff for U.S. Cyber Command since 2016. Before then, he was the commanding general for the Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon in Georgia.

Fogarty’s confirmation was quietly and swiftly pushed through the Senate, moving from an April 9 nomination to confirmation by voice vote on April 26. During his confirmation, the Senate also approved Fogarty’s promotion to lieutenant general. A start date hasn’t yet been determined.

Fogarty will replace Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, who became the director of the National Security Agency and head of Cyber Command. Nakasone took over command from Navy Adm. Michael Rogers, who is set to retire, during a May 4 ceremony -- the same day Cyber Command was officially elevated to a full combatant command.

“This change of command is noteworthy because it signifies the elevation of Cyber Command as our 10th combatant command,” Defense Department spokesperson Dana White told reporters during the weekly briefing May 3.

“The cyber domain will define the next century of warfare," White said. "Just as our military must be prepared to defend our nation against hostile acts from land, air and sea, we must also be prepared to deter, and if necessary, respond to hostile acts in cyberspace.”