Colonel Jacob D. Portaro serves as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group (MCCYWG) and Force Headquarters Group Commander for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER), U.S. Marine Corps Forces Space Command (MARFORSPACE), Marine Corps Information Command (MCIC), Joint Force Headquarters – Cyber (Marines) (JFHQ-C(M)), and Joint Task Force ARES.
Col Portaro is a native of Durham, NC. He entered the United States Marine Corps in 2001 as an Honors Graduate of the United States Naval Academy, with a Bachelors in Computer Science. He started his Marine Corps Career as a Naval Aviator, flying the F/A-18 Hornet, completing two tours on the U.S.S. NIMITZ. At the midpoint of his career, he informally transitioned into Cyberspace Operations in 2011 and provided the catalyst for many of the early advances of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Cyberspace Forces to include: the initial concepts for a Cyberspace Occupational field, the first exploration of cyberspace operations at the tactical edge within the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF), deploying with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) on the USS BOXER amphibious readiness group; and later, he played a critical role in the standup of the Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group and all of the Marine Corps’ Cyber Mission Force teams.
Col Portaro transitioned as one of the first Cyberspace Officers (1702) in 2018 after the establishment of the 17XX occupational field. He has held command, operational, and staff positions in the cyber community to include: Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation Officer (G59), U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER); Assistant Operations Officer (Cyberspace Operations) and Fires and Effect Coordination Cell OIC, 13th MEU; Concepts and Assessments Branch Head (G58), MARFORCYBER; Commanders Action Group Deputy, MARFORCYBER; Operations Officer (S-3), U.S. Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group (MCCYWG); Commander, Combat Mission Team – 2, MCCYWG; Deputy Division Chief, Fires and Effects Division (J38), U.S. Cyber Command; Military Deputy, Joint Cyber Product Group, National Security Agency; and, prior to taking command of the Warfare Group served as Director of Operations (J3), Joint Force Headquarters Cyber – Marines and Joint Task Force ARES.
He is an honors graduate from the Naval Postgraduate School with a masters in Information Warfare Systems Engineering, and is a distinguished graduate of National Defense University, College of Information and Cyberspace, with a masters in Government Information Leadership. He has earned a number of professional and industry certifications in the fields of Cybersecurity, National Security Studies, and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Col Portaro’s personal awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.