Lessons in Execution: Alignment in the Asymmetric Environment

Service That Evolves

Service doesn’t stop when the mission ends — it evolves. For centuries, military service has formed the bedrock of national security, yet the nature of defense is constantly changing. Today, the same essential discipline required to secure national interests is now essential on the new frontier of cyber defense.

At Foresite, our appreciation is not symbolic; it is operational. Effective security is not solely about technology; it's about strategic clarity and disciplined execution, honed by those who have operated in high-stakes environments. The transition from military defense to cyber defense is a natural evolution of purpose, demanding vigilance, adaptability, and the willingness to take ownership when it matters most.

NFO-to-Mission Translation: Operating at the Point of Impact

Across my 21 years of service in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, culminating as a Lieutenant Commander Command Staff Officer, fundamentally cemented one truth: all efforts must be executed and communicatedat the tactical, operational, or strategic tier of the mission.

Whether serving as a US Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) staff officer or advising enterprise leadership today, the challenge remains the same:

Ensure every action contributes to the ultimate objective — and ensure every tier has what it needs to execute.

Cybersecurity, like a joint operation, relies on three distinct tiers of execution, based on this core principle.

Strategic Tier — vCISO Function

• Communicate vision, intent, and risk to the C-suite and management. Translate complex cyber risk into business language that influences continuity, investment, and the balance sheet.
  
  

Operational Tier — GRC Advisor

• Convert strategic intent into structured, repeatable programs. Implement policy, assess readiness, manage resources, and ensure alignment with frameworks such as CMMC, SOC 2, and ISO 27001.
  
  

Tactical Tier — SOC Analyst

• Deliver the specific outcomes: detection, response, remediation, and threat-informed decision making. Operate with precision and situational awareness at the point of impact.

Cybersecurity succeeds only when all three tiers communicate clearly and execute consistently.

Richard Moormann is a Senior Cybersecurity Advisor at Foresite Cybersecurity and a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve

Lessons Learned: The Imperative of Crisis Execution

This model was tested most severely during my activation as the Crisis Action Team (CAT) Assistant Chief for USFFC, directing communications and decision support during three weeks of non-stop disaster recovery operations.

The environment crystallized the core principle:

Communication must be accurate and tailored to the crisis level.

My role required immedate translation of the Strategic Commander's intent into executable steps for the entire staff. That meant:

• Providing the Strategic Commander with summarized, actionable risk assessments and clear decision options.
• Simultaneously delivering tactical teams the precise intelligence and resource movements they needed to act immediately.

Maintaining situational awareness demanded rigorous discipline. The same rigor I bring to incident response planning and every vCISO engagement. It ensures the C-suite receives strategic clarity while security teams receive tactical precision, transforming cybersecurity from a barrier into a catalyst for business success.

Call to Execution: The Sustained Effort of GRC

Operating effectively across strategic, operational, and tactical spectrums is what defines a veteran's contribution to modern cyber defense.

Veterans know though experience that discipline, integrity, structure, and teamwork are the non-negotiable qualities that power effective cybersecurity operations.

The work of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is no different. It is the sustained, disciplined effort that aligns vision with execution and enables organizations to build programs that can meaningfully withstand pressure.

A Shared Mission: Lessons in Execution

As part of Veterans Month, we are proud to spotlight teammates across Foresite who have served — and continue to serve today. Their leadership, humility, and adaptability reflect what our company stands for: transforming cybersecurity from a barrier into a catalyst for business success.

Their clarity of purpose shapes our mission. And their lessons continue to guide how we approach modern defense — strategically, operationally, and tactically.