The U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade (CPB) activated its newest detachment in a ceremony at Fort Gordon, Ga., April 15, 2021.
CPB commander Col. John Popiak hosted the brief event. Popiak joined detachment commander 1st Lt. Stephen Yonke and detachment first sergeant Sgt. 1st Class Britney Byrd to uncase and unfurl the Raptor Detachment’s colors before its assembled Soldiers for the first time, as the official orders activating the detachment were read.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Popiak talked about the difficulties of making transitions in Army life, and said his brigade is making an investment in eliminating those difficulties for its new Soldiers, civilians and their families.
“Arrival here should be a warm, welcome and challenging environment,” he said, where families get world-class care and new unit members quickly become part of the team “prepared to immediately join our defensive cyber maneuver units to apply their skills in support of strategic competition as members of a cohesive and well-trained force.
“The Raptor Detachment is a purposeful manifestation of that desire.”
The CPB’s mission is to defend key terrain in cyberspace to deter threats and deliver effects that ensure freedom of action for friendly forces while denying the same to adversaries. The “Hunter” brigade mans, trains and equips Cyber Protection Teams that deploy worldwide to support network defenders safeguarding systems and data; provides defensive readiness assessments and assistance; hardens friendly networks; and conducts defensive cyber operations.
