Military Wiki
Michael Rogers
2nd Commander of United States Cyber Command

In office
April 3, 2014 – May 4, 2018
President Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded by Keith B. Alexander
Succeeded by Paul M. Nakasone
17th Director of the National Security Agency

In office
April 3, 2014 – May 4, 2018
President Barack Obama
Donald Trump
Deputy George Barnes
Preceded by Keith B. Alexander
Succeeded by Paul M. Nakasone
Personal details
Born October 31, 1959(1959-10-31) (age 66)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party Independent[1]
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service 1981–2018
Rank Admiral
Commands United States Cyber Command
National Security Agency
Central Security Service
United States Fleet Cyber Command
United States Tenth Fleet
Battles/wars Invasion of Grenada
Multinational Force in Lebanon

Michael S. Rogers (born October 31, 1959) is a retired four-star admiral of the United States Navy. Rogers served as the second commander of the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) from April 2014 to May 2018 while concurrently serving as the 17th director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and as chief of the Central Security Service (CSS). During his tenure, he helped transform and elevate U.S. Cyber Command into a unified combatant command. Rogers relinquished command to General Paul M. Nakasone[2][3] on May 4, 2018 and retired from the Navy a few weeks later on June 1, 2018.

Prior to 2014, Rogers served as the Commander of the Tenth Fleet and Commander of the United States Fleet Cyber Command, with responsibility for all of the Navy's cyberwarfare efforts.[4] In 2009, he was the director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff after having been the director of intelligence for Pacific Command from 2007 onwards.

Early life and education[]

Rogers was born on October 31, 1959[5] and is a native of Chicago, Illinois. While in middle school Rogers joined the United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps and attended an international exchange with the cadets in Canada.[6] His time in Sea Cadet fueled his excitement about the Navy.[6] He graduated from New Trier High School in 1977.[7] He is a graduate of Auburn University (1981) and the Naval War College.[8]

Career[]

Rogers speaking to a group of sailors at the Center for Information Dominance in January 2012.

Rogers speaking to a group of sailors at the Center for Information Dominance in January 2012.

1980s[]

Rogers received his commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program and has served in the United States Navy since graduating from Auburn University in 1981. He started his career as a Surface Warfare Officer working in naval gunfire support operations off Grenada, Beirut, and maritime surveillance operations off El Salvador on board the USS Caron (DD-970).[9] In 1986, he was selected for transfer from unrestricted line officer to restricted line officer and re-designation as a cryptology officer.[10]

2000s[]

During the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, Rogers joined the military's Joint Staff, which works for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he specialized in computer network attacks. From 2007 onward he served as director of intelligence for the military's Pacific Command. In 2009, he became director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and was subsequently named commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and commander of the U.S. 10th Fleet, with responsibility for all of the Navy's cyberwarfare efforts.[9] As such, Rogers was the first restricted line officer to serve as a numbered fleet commander and the first Information Warfare Community (IWC) officer to achieve the rank of vice admiral.[11]

2010s[]

In January 2014, the Obama Administration announced Rogers' nomination as director of the National Security Agency and the commander of the United States offensive cyberoperations unit in the Department of Defense. Rogers succeeded General Keith B. Alexander, who served as the NSA director for almost nine years,[12][13][14] and became the first IWC officer to achieve the rank of admiral. Although the NSA directorship does not require Senate approval, Rogers had to be confirmed by the Senate to head United States Cyber Command,[15] for which the Senate unanimously confirmed him.

In his first public remarks as NSA director, Rogers stated that he believed that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden was "probably not" working for a foreign intelligence agency despite speculation to the contrary. Rogers added: "He clearly believes in what he's doing. I question that; I don't agree with it. I fundamentally disagree with what he did. I believe it was wrong; I believe it was illegal."[16]

In January 2018, Rogers announced he would be retiring from the NSA in the spring.[17][18][19]

In early 2019, Rogers became the chairman of the board of advisors of Claroty, a cybersecurity firm.[20]

2020s[]

In October 2022, Rogers joined the Council for Responsible Social Media project launched by Issue One to address the negative mental, civic, and public health impacts of social media in the United States. The council is co-chaired by former House Democratic Caucus Leader Dick Gephardt and former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey.[21][22]

In May 2022, Rogers was appointed to the Board of Advisors at Talon Cyber Security.[23][24]

Military decorations[]

Information dominance warfare officer device Navy Information Dominance Warfare Officer Pin
Surface Warfare Officer Insignia Navy Surface Warfare Officer Pin
Seal of the United States Cyber Command United States Cyber Command Badge
Seal of the U.S. National Security Agency National Security Agency Badge
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oakleaf-3dBronze oakleaf-3d Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
1 golden star1 golden star Meritorious Service Medal with two gold award stars
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Silver star
Navy Commendation Medal with silver award star
Bronze oakleaf-3dBronze oakleaf-3dBronze oakleaf-3d Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Navy Unit Commendation
Bronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vector Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars
National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal ribbon National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal
Navy "E" Ribbon
Bronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vector Navy Expeditionary Medal with three service stars
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal ribbon Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Bronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vector Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 2 service stars
Bronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vectorBronze-service-star-3d-vector Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with 4 service stars
AUS Order of Australia (military) BAR Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (military version), 17 September 2018[25]
U.S. Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon
U.S. Navy Expert Pistol Shot Ribbon Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal

References[]

  1. "DocumentCloud". https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6165820-Admiral-Mike-Rogers-Backgrounder.html. 
  2. U.S. Cyber Command Change of Command/Command Elevation Ceremony
  3. "Cyber Command Elevated to Combatant Command" (in en). Military.com. 2018-05-04. https://www.military.com/defensetech/2018/05/04/cyber-command-elevated-combatant-command.html. 
  4. "Navy cyber warfare chief is Obama's pick to lead NSA". Los Angeles Times. 27 January 2014. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nsa-chief-20140128,0,7074152.story#axzz2x8EEmnP6. 
  5. "Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Second Session, 113th Congress". Federation of American Scientists. https://fas.org/irp/congress/2014_hr/selva-rogers.pdf. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sea Cadet Quarterly, Volume 2, Issue 4, December 2015 Page 5 Retrieved 16 January 2024
  7. "New Trier's Rogers talks about U.S. Fleet Cyber Command". Chicago Sun-Times. http://www.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/11345589-417/new-triers-rogers-talks-about-us-fleet-cyber-command.html. 
  8. Peterson, Andrea (October 16, 2013). "Meet the man who could be next in line to control the NSA's spying apparatus". https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/10/16/meet-the-man-who-could-be-next-in-line-to-control-the-nsas-spying-apparatus/. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Sanger, David; Shanker, Thom (30 January 2014). "N.S.A. Choice Is Navy Expert on Cyberwar". https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/world/vice-admiral-to-be-named-nsa-director.html. 
  10. "U.S. Navy bio". U.S. Navy. http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=434. 
  11. Guimont, Nathan L. (2 June 2012). "10th Fleet Commander Visits Navy Linguists". U.S. Navy. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=65168. 
  12. Nakashima, Ellen (25 January 2014). "Obama signs off on nomination of Rogers as NSA director". https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-signs-off-on-nomination-of-rogers-as-nsa-director/2014/01/25/bc54378c-85f7-11e3-801f-e3ff2ca3fab6_story.html. 
  13. Sanger, David (30 January 2014). "Vice Admiral to Be Named N.S.A. Director". https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/world/vice-admiral-to-be-named-nsa-director.html?src=twr. 
  14. Hattem, Julian (30 January 2014). "Obama to name new NSA director". https://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/197024-report-obama-decided-on-new-nsa-chief/. 
  15. Ackerman, Spencer (30 January 2014). "Vice-admiral Michael Rogers to take command of embattled NSA". https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/30/nsa-michael-rogers-to-comman-keith-alexander. 
  16. Ackerman, Spencer (3 June 2014). "NSA chief Michael Rogers: Edward Snowden 'probably not' a foreign spy". https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/03/nsa-chief-michael-rogers-edward-snowden-probably-not-spy. 
  17. Raymond, Adam K.. "NSA Chief Mike Rogers's Classified Retirement Memo Leaks". http://amp.nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/01/nsa-chief-mike-rogerss-classified-retirement-memo-leaks.html. 
  18. "NSA's Rogers to retire this spring". 5 January 2018. https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/01/05/nsa-mike-rogers-to-retire-267634. 
  19. "NSA Chief Adm. Mike Rogers Expected to Retire this Spring; Leaves Complicated Legacy". February 2018. https://news.usni.org/2018/02/01/nsa-chief-adm-mike-rogers-expected-retire-spring-search-ongoing-replacement. 
  20. "U.S. Navy Admiral (Ret.) Michael S. Rogers named to Claroty Advisory Board" (in en). 13 February 2019. https://www.securityinfowatch.com/security-executives/press-release/21068445/claroty-appoints-former-head-of-nsa-and-us-cyber-command-to-lead-advisory-board-us-navy-admiral-ret-michael-s-rogers-named-to-claroty-advisory-board. 
  21. Feiner, Lauren (October 12, 2022). "Facebook whistleblower, former defense and intel officials form group to fix social media". CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/12/council-for-responsible-social-media-features-haugen-gephardt-hagel-.html. 
  22. "Council for Responsible Social Media – Issue One". https://issueone.org/projects/council-for-responsible-social-media/. 
  23. "Talon Cyber Security appoints Admiral Mike Rogers to its Board of Advisors" (in en-US). 2022. https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/05/20/talon-cyber-security-mike-rogers/. 
  24. "Talon Cyber Security appoints former NSA Director Mike Rogers to lead board of advisors" (in en). 2022-05-18. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bk00j0rfpc. 
  25. "ORDER OF AUSTRALIA". Governor General of Australia. https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/aaagazattes/Special/Honorary%20Appointment%20within%20the%20Military%20Division%20of%20the%20Order%20of%20Australia%2026%20June.pdf. 

External links[]

Government offices
Preceded by
Keith Alexander
NSA Director
2014–2018
Succeeded by
Paul M. Nakasone
Military offices
Preceded by
Michael Flynn
Director of Intelligence of the Joint Staff
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Elizabeth L. Train
Preceded by
Bernard J. McCullough, III
Commander of United States Tenth Fleet/Fleet Cyber Command
2011–2014
Succeeded by
Jan E. Tighe
Preceded by
Keith Alexander
Commander of the United States Cyber Command
2014–2018
Succeeded by
Paul M. Nakasone


All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Michael S. Rogers and the edit history here.