Senior military cyber operator departs Russia task force

Updated 1/23/2026 at 12:35 p.m. with additional information from Jason Gargan.

A senior U.S. military cyber operator responsible for overseeing efforts against Russia recently retired.

Recorded Future News previously reported that Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Gargan, the commander of a joint task force within the Cyber National Mission Force aligned against Moscow, was “relieved for cause” due to disagreements over operations by the organization’s chief, Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock.

The report was based on multiple sources who had been granted anonymity to speak candidly.

In comments to Recorded Future News following the publication of that story, Gargan stated he left of his own accord.

“I was not relieved ‘for cause’ nor were there any arguments over operations,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, I had to retire for personal reasons but I know I left it in a better place and they are in good hands moving forward.”

“I’m forever thankful to have had the opportunity to not only lead a Cyber National Mission Force Joint Task Force, but elite people that were within my Joint Task Force.”

A CNMF spokesperson declined to comment.

The shakeup comes as Mahlock has been nominated to be Cyber Command’s next deputy chief. She most recently served as the first military deputy director for combat support at the National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Directorate and previously was the Marine Corps’ first female chief information officer.

Gargan’s departure is the latest change among the top ranks at Cyber Command, which has been without a Senate-confirmed leader for nearly ten months. President Donald Trump’s pick to helm the command, and the NSA, had his first confirmation hearing last week.

The CNMF is a sub-unified command under Cyber Command, with personnel coming from across the armed services. The CNMF itself is made up of 39 joint teams and features the Pentagon’s most talented digital operators, organized into task forces with specific missions or against specific threat actors — such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea — that serve as the linchpin of the command’s online activities.

The joint task force on Russia is one of the largest, with anywhere from 300 to 400 personnel.

In addition, the CNMF’s director of plans, partnerships and policy turned in his resignation, though the move was not linked to Gargan’s decision.