Cyber expert to lead military spy office

A cyber expert has been tapped to be the next head of the Pentagon’s military spy shop.

Maj. Gen. Vincent Stewart, the head of the Marine Forces’ Cyber Command, will take command as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) later this month, the agency said on Tuesday.

The move puts the first ever Marine and African-American atop the Defense Department intelligence agency, and adds new cyber expertise in one of the nation’s top spy offices.

“This is a position I know well, and Vincent is exceptionally qualified to serve in this important intelligence community and Department of Defense post,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement. “Vincent’s temperament, professional background, leadership skills and integrity make him eminently suited to be the next DIA director.”

The DIA is one of the 17 American intelligence agencies, and is responsible for tracking and analyzing foreign militaries’ and terrorist groups’ movements and capabilities. Its 16,500 workers operate as a part of the Defense Department and help to support U.S. military missions around the globe.

Stewart will replace Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who was reportedly forced out of the job last summer after trying to shakeup the agency’s operations and more closely align military and intelligence work.

Before his current post, Stewart served as the head of intelligence for the Marines.

He will become the director of the DIA in a ceremony on Jan. 23.