Army Cyber Protection Brigade Activates at Fort Gordon

A new Army Cyber Protection Brigade officially activated Friday [Sept.5, 2014] during a ceremony at Fort Gordon's Barton Field Reviewing Stand Parade Field. Colonel Donald Bray assumed command of the unit from Lt. Col. Philippe Persaud, the unit's interim commander, during the ceremony.

"Today is about the team and teamwork. Units that perform at a high level like this brigade, do so because of a daily commitment to each other and to the mission," said Brig. Gen. John W. Baker, commanding general, 7th Signal Command (Theater). "I can tell you that the Cyber Protection Brigade is clearly committed and intently focused on the mission."

The CPB is aggressively manning, training, and equipping cyber mission teams in support of the Army and U.S. Cyber Command.

Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commanding general, U.S. Army Cyber Command and Second Army, said the activation of this brigade represents a deeper Army investment into cyberspace capabilities.

"This brigade adds incredible capability and capacity to our cyber mission force," he said. "For Fort Gordon, this brigade adds to the growing synergy between the operational and institutional Army."

The CPB is the first of its kind in the Army. Its Cyber Protection Teams, often referred to as CPTs, are part of a larger Cyber Mission Force, manned by active duty military and civilians. The Army National Guard and Army Reserve are also building CPTs to support the Army and Joint Force. All CPTs are trained to a common joint standard to perform primarily defensive cyber space operations.

The CPB comprised of its headquarters and 20 CPTs of approximately 39 civilian and military personnel each, will conduct defense cyber space operations in support of joint and service missions.

"For the Army and the joint force, this unit represents another giant step toward fully operationalizing cyberspace, bringing more and more capabilities to our joint force to our combatant and Army commanders," said Cardon.

Baker praised the unit's accomplishments and set sights on the future of the CPB.

"As we continue to build out the Army's Cyber Protection Teams, we must be cognitive of the fact that the days are gone where we operated with the belief that we possessed complete superiority in the cyber domain," he said. "Increasingly, we must be prepared to defeat more sophisticated adversaries who are relentless in their desire to disrupt or deny our advantage in Cyberspace."