Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration CIO, US Department of Defense John Grimes joins UAE based Cyber Advisory Board

The Defense Services Marketing Council (DSMC) has announced that the Honorable John G. Grimes has been appointed to the Cyber Education Center of Academic Excellence (CECOAE) Board of Advisors.

John Grimes offers the UAE based and internationally focused CECOAE his extensive knowledge and strategic planning and analysis in national security, homeland security, and international security matters relating to information assurance, cyber security technology and command, control intelligence systems.

From Washington, D.C. where Grimes was named the 2013 inductee into the US National Defense University (NDU) iCollege Hall of Fame for his continued and ongoing support of the NDU iCollege - both nationally and internationally - Grimes said: “The time is now to take the immediate steps in educating our allied countries leadership on how to defend and assure the integration of cyber initiatives across all industrial and government network systems. This must be done in the international global arena with the goal of raising awareness about cyber security and increasing the resiliency of every peaceful nation in the event of a cyber incident from cyber attack. The Defense Services Marketing Council, by establishing the CECOAE, is working closely with internationally recognized groups, both government and commercial, to align efforts globally.”

Grimes was sworn in as the US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration and Department of Defense Chief Information Officer on November 14, 2005 and served in this capacity until 30 April 2009.

His public service also included five years on the White House National Security Council Staff as Director for National Security Telecommunications Policy, Director of Defense Command, Control and Communications Programs, and Senior Director White House Situation Support Staff.

Grimes has also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Defense-wide Command, Control and Communications and was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counterintelligence and Security Countermeasures.

The DSMC’s CECOAE Board of Advisors is co-founded by Matthew Cochran, Chairman of the Defense Services Marketing Council. On the sidelines last week in the UAE of GISEC, Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference, Cochran said: “We thank the Honorable John G. Grimes for joining our Advisory Board at such an important time in the future of cyber leadership education. With John’s guidance and leadership we plan to deliver a Cyber Education Center of Academic Excellence in as many countries as will work with us to create a sovereign national curriculum with internationally recognized standards for leadership development in cyberspace.”

The CECOAE Board consists of members representing experience across government, military, defense, space and security companies, cyber security and education, and critical national infrastructure organizations. The Board meets quarterly to provide strategic direction to the Council and its partners.