FORT GORDON, Ga. (Aug. 4, 2017) -- The Cyber School for the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence welcomed their new commandant during a change-of-responsibility ceremony held Aug. 4 at Alexander Hall.
Col. Kenneth A. Rector passed his responsibilities as the commandant of the Cyber School for the Cyber Center of Excellence to Brig. Gen. Neil S. Hersey, becoming the first commandant who is a general officer.
"As I reflected on Ken's time as Cyber School commandant I was struck at how far he has brought the branch in such a short period of time. He was exactly the right leader at exactly the right time.
Think about all the accomplishments that have happened on his watch." Said Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison, U.S. Army CoE commanding general.
Ken had the drive, leadership, vision to take the school from concept and make it into and operational reality for the Army, according to Morrison.
The Cyber School has completed the first warrant officers basic and advance course, the first military occupational specialty 17C Cyberspace Operations specialist course, which the first graduating class that graduated Tuesday.
"Fifteen months ago I assumed responsibility as the second commandant of the Cyber School. At that ceremony I pledged to continue to grow and build upon the exceptional work already accomplished and to continue to work diligently to move the Cyber School forward as it matured," said Rector.
Today, that responsibility is passed on to an exceptional officer, Brigadier General Neil S. Hersey, he said. "Upon reviewing general Hersey's biography it's clear that his previous assignments, in particular his recent assignments in the operational cyber force, making him the absolute right officer to lead the Cyber School for our next chapter of our cyber journey."
"The stakes are high and I know we have the right teams to make this happen. Whether cyber, or electronic warfare, Soldier or civilians, we must embrace change, drive change and lead change. Our nation's security depends on it," said Hersey.
Hersey is a military graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, as a military intelligence officer. He holds a Master's Degree in National Security Strategy and Military Applied Arts and Science from the National Defense University and the Air University, Washington, D.C.
"It's wonderful to be in the Central Savanah River Area," said Hersey. "To the Cyber School, the Army has asked much of us in such a short amount of time and you have answered the call. While cyber is a complex and challenging operational domain, you have shown a willingness to rapidly learn, adapt and innovate. I look forward to leading both our Army and sister service's efforts to train and educate our cyber warriors. There is work to be done; in a domain where the conditions change almost daily our processes must be adaptive and innovative. Our training must be adaptive and innovative. And our personnel acquisition and management must be adaptive and innovative."
Among his many assignments, he commanded the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Germany. He deployed multiple times to various countries in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and a host of other contingency missions.
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