Military eyes taking on civilian 'cyber warriors'

Military eyes taking on civilian 'cyber warriors'

The Defence Ministry is considering recruiting both civilians and military reserve force members to work as so-called "cyber warriors" to counter cyber threats.

The armed forces has a plan to form a unit equipped with knowledge in cyber affairs, Lt Gen Ritthi Intharawut, head of the Defence Ministry's cyber team said Thursday after a meeting on cyber security.

Discussions in the meeting included a plan this year to hire civilian cyber experts and members of the military reserve force skilled in cyber affairs to work together in a special unit to counter cyber threats, he said.

No age limit nor gender preference will be imposed on civilian applicants who will be employed temporarily as military officers as allowed under the 1978 Act on regulations on military civil servants, he said.

The 2015 Act on the military reserve force will apply to the recruitment of cyber experts from this sector and who will be hired on a four-year contract that can be renewed twice, he said.

Applicants who are members of the military reserve force are, however, required not to be older than 35 years of age. When they are employed as a cyber expert, which is a temporary position, their military reserve force member status will automatically end, he went on to add.

"During the Cold War era, the military reserve force was seen as a militia that was very important to the armed forces. But now in the era of cyber warfare, 'cyber warriors' are an important asset for the nation," he said.

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