780th Military Intelligence Brigade (United States)
The 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade conducts cyberspace operations to deliver e ects in
suppo of Army and Joint requirements. The 780th MI BDE is the only o ensive cyberspace
operations brigade in the U.S. Army. The organization actively ghts alongside its pa ners to
achieve U.S. supremacy in cyberspace and in the electromagnetic spectrum.[3]
780th Milita Intelligence Brigade
Active
Count
Branch
Type
Role
Size
Pa of
Headqua ers
Nickname(s)
Website
2011
United States
United States Army
Milita intelligence
Cyberwa are
Cyber Operations
Brigade[1]
INSCOM
Fo Meade, Ma land
Praetorians
780th MI BDE website (http://www.inscom.army.
mil/MSC/780MIB/index.html)
Commanders
Current Commander
Command Sergeant Major
Distinctive Unit Insignia
Colonel Benjamin Sangster[2]
Command Sergeant Major Ronald Krause[2]
Insignia
History
Our Sto : 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade[4]
The 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade (MI BDE) (Cyber) was activated on October 1, 2011,
as a Major Subordinate Command under the U.S. Army Intelligence & Security Command
(INSCOM), while also se ing under the operational control of U.S. Army Cyber Command
(ARCYBER). The 780th MI BDE is the only o ensive cyberspace operations brigade in the
U.S. Army and we actively ght alongside our Joint pa ners to achieve U.S. supremacy in
an increasingly contested cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum.
The histo of the 780th MI Brigade dates back to 1995 when the Technical Analysis Activity
(TAA) was created within the Army Technical Control and Analysis Element (ATCAE). In the
ensuing years, the 704th MI Brigade was tasked to develop a computer network operations
force for the Army and in June 1998, B Company, 742nd MI Battalion evolved out of the
TAA and answered the call.
In June 2000, Detachment Meade, 742nd MI Battalion was established to sustain the
growing need for an Army computer network operations force. Detachment Meade was redesignated as the Army Network Wa are Detachment in 2007, and in June 2008 the Task
Force was again re-designated as the Army Network Wa are Battalion (Provisional). The
following year the battalion moved beyond its provisional status and was designated the
744th MI Battalion (Army Network Wa are Battalion).
In December 2010, the Army approved the establishment of a cyberspace operations
brigade, and on October 1, 2011, the 780th MI BDE was organized. Subsequently, the 744th
MI Battalion was re-designated as the 781st MI Battalion and re-organized under the new
brigade. The 780th MI BDE o cially unfurled its colors for the rst time during a ceremony
at Fo Meade, Ma land on December 1, 2011.
The brigade began building a second battalion headqua ered at Fo Gordon, Georgia in
2011 culminating with the stand-up and designation of the 782nd MI Battalion on June 7,
2013. Detachments Texas and Hawaii were organized as pa of the 782nd MI Battalion in
2013 and 2014, respectively, giving the brigade a footprint in four states in suppo of
multiple operational headqua ers.
In May 2014, the 780th MI BDE became the operational arm for the ARCYBER Cyber
Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) Suppo to Corps and Below (CSCB) program to
integrate cyberspace operations at the Army's combat training centers. Since then, the
brigade has pioneered the Army's e o for cyberspace operations in suppo of maneuver
forces and shaped the future of how the Army will ght and win in cyberspace.[5][6][7][8]
Since August 15, 2017, U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers have been mobilized and
assigned to Task Force Echo, an organization conducting cyberspace operations in suppo
of U.S. Cyber Command and the Cyber National Mission Force. The Task Force is aligned
under the 780th MI Brigade, which falls under the operational control of U.S. Army Cyber
Command.
On June 6, 2018, the Depa ment of the Army directed U.S. Army Cyber Command to
activate the 915th Cyber Wa are Battalion (915 CWB). Subsequently, ARCYBER directed
the 780 MI Brigade assume Command Authority and administrative control of the 915th
CWB. The 915 CWB is the rst scalable organic expeditiona capability to meet the Army’s
current and projected tactical cyberspace requirements, including the integration of cyber
and electronic wa are.
Since the brigade's inception, the 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade's mission has increased
in scope, scale, and complexity. The unit is known among ARCYBER, U.S. Cyber Command
(USCYBERCOM), and senior Army leaders as a world-class cyberspace operations force
capable of providing a ready force, developing capabilities required to meet expanding
requirements, and delivering e ects at the time and place of the operational commanders'
choosing.
Vision
According to the 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade's commander Colonel Brian D. Vile, "We
are America's most innovative cyberspace operations force, deterring, and when directed,
defeating our nation's adversaries in and through cyberspace".
Subordinate units
The 780th Milita Intelligence (MI) Brigade (Praetorians) consists of the Headqua ers and
Headqua ers Company (Hastati), 781st MI Battalion, and the 782nd MI Battalion.[5]
The 781st Milita Intelligence Battalion (Vanguard), o cially activated on July 2, 2008,
under the former name of the Army Network Wa are Battalion, is headqua ered at Fo
Meade, Ma land. In October 2011, the battalion was re-designated the 781st MI Battalion
and assigned to the newly activated 780th MI Brigade in the culmination of over ten years
of work to establish the Army's cyberspace operations capability.[5]
The 782nd Milita Intelligence Battalion (Cyber Legion), o cially activated on June 7,
2013, is headqua ered at Fo Gordon, Georgia, and works in collaboration with the 706th
Milita Intelligence Group. Under the command of the 782nd MI Battalion, operational
detachments are employed in Texas and Hawaii.[5]
The Cyber Solutions Development Detachment was established on July 25, 2017. The
Detachment focuses on innovative solutions across the spectrum of cyberspace
operations.[9]
Task Force Echo (TFE), a unit composed of U.S. Army National Guard (ARNG) Soldiers, was
established on August 15, 2017, when they o cially began their training to become an
integral pa of ARCYBER under the 780th MI Brigade. In the past two years, more than 300
ARNG Soldiers have been assigned to TFE and have worked with the 780th MI BDE to
conduct cyberspace operations in suppo of USCYBERCOM and the Cyber National
Mission Force.[10]
The 915th Cyber Wa are Battalion (CWB) was o cially activated and assigned under
ARCYBER on Janua 1, 2019, and is headqua ered at Fo Gordon, Georgia. The 915 CWB
is the rst scalable organic expeditiona capability to meet the Army’s current and
projected tactical cyberspace requirements, including the integration of cyber and
electronic wa are. 915th CWB Soldiers wear the ARCYBER patch. B Company, 915 CWB,
activated on Janua 29, 2021 at Fo Gordon, Ga. to eld initial command and control
capabilities.
[11]
See also
Milita Intelligence Corps (United States Army)
United States Army Intelligence and Security Command
United States Army Cyber Command
Battle eld su eillance brigades in the United States Army – the United States Army is
currently reorganizing its intelligence formations into Battle eld Su eillance Brigades
(BfSB).
[12]
References
1. Tina Miles, 780th MI Brigade (9 Dec 2011). "Army activates rst-of-its-kind Cyber Brigade" (http://w
ww.army.mil/a icle/70611/Army_activates_ rst_of_its_kind_Cyber_Brigade/) . www.army.mil.
Retrieved 11 Feb 2012.
2. "Welcome to the 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade" (https://www.inscom.army.mil/MSC/780MIB/co
mmand.html) . www.inscom.army.mil.
3. "Welcome to the 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade" (https://www.inscom.army.mil/MSC/780MIB/in
dex.html) . www.inscom.army.mil.
4. "Log into Facebook" (https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.co
m%2F780th-Milita -Intelligence-Brigade-266435183467875%2F) . Facebook. {{cite web}}:
Cite uses generic title (help)
5. "Welcome to the 780th Milita Intelligence Brigade" (https://www.inscom.army.mil/MSC/780MIB/un
its.html) . www.inscom.army.mil.
6. "Army Developing Expeditiona Cyber-Electromagnetic Teams to Suppo Tactical Commanders" (h
ttps://www.dvidshub.net/news/265143/army-developing-expeditiona -cyber-electromagnetic-tea
ms-suppo -tactical-commanders) . DVIDS.
7. "Cyber Activities at the National Training Center Suppo Real World Operations" (https://www.dvids
hub.net/news/265149/cyber-activities-national-training-center-suppo -real-world-operations) .
DVIDS.
8. "Program continues operational development of Army information wa are capabilities" (https://ww
w.army.mil/a icle/216872/program_continues_operational_development_of_army_information_wa ar
e_capabilities) . www.army.mil.
9. "Army Establishes Cyber Solutions Development Capability" (https://www.dvidshub.net/news/24337
2/army-establishes-cyber-solutions-development-capability) . DVIDS.
10. "Task Force Echo mission and transition is critical to American cybersecurity" (https://www.dvidshu
b.net/news/314125/task-force-echo-mission-and-transition-critical-american-cybersecurity) .
DVIDS.
11. "ARMY CYBER FACT SHEET: The 915th Cyberspace Wa are Battalion" (https://www.arcyber.army.mi
l/Info/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheet-View-Page/A icle/1849040/army-cyber-fact-sheet-the-915th-cyb
erspace-wa are-battalion/) . U.S. Army Cyber Command.
12. "Army National Guard transitions cyber task force mission" (https://www.dvidshub.net/news/38827
3/army-national-guard-transitions-cyber-task-force-mission) . DVIDS.