Photo By Staff Sgt. Erick Yates | U.S. soldiers assigned to the Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (ARCPB), assemble...... read more read more
CAMP PARKS, Calif. – Soldiers assigned to what is officially the only Army Reserve cyber brigade held a patching ceremony honoring the dedication, hard work, talent and service of its soldiers, March 7.
The journey for the Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (ARCPB), which is administratively supported by the 335th Signal Command (Theater), and under the operational control of Army Cyber Command, worked through many validation milestones to become fully operational capable. Celebrating the patching ceremony is a mere reflection of the long hours of technical training, planning and support the talented soldiers assigned here have been working toward since 2016 when ARCPB was formed as the Army Reserve Cyber Operations Group (ARCOG).
Becoming an operational cyber protection brigade began with the first cyber protection teams reaching initial operational capable status (IOC) in 2018, and fully operational capable status (FOC) in 2019. By the summer of 2019, the ARCOG was rebranded as the ARCPB, and the IOC/FOC status for all cyber protection teams became final in 2022.
The ceremony commenced on the final day of the Brigade Annual Training brief (ATB), with battalions in the ARCPB assembled in formation on the parade field, featuring remarks from Col. Dane Sandersen, the brigade commander.
He emphasized the importance of the Brigade’s growth and essential efforts. “This Brigade is doubling in size, adding sophisticated new capabilities, and strengthening partnerships across services, components, and even with multinational allies. These efforts ensure that we remain at the forefront of defending our nation's networks and countering cyber threats in an increasingly complex operational environment.”
Distinguished guests gathered to witness the ceremony, demonstrating strong support for the soldiers. In attendance were Brig. Gen. Marlene Markotan, Deputy Commanding General-Cyber for the 335th, Col. Benjamin Bourgoyne (Retired), former ARCPB commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Eddy, former senior enlisted advisor for the Brigade. Other special guests were also in attendance, to include Chief Warrant Officer 4 Marcus Fife, formerly assigned as the senior IT and operations technical advisor.
The patching ceremony is a time-honored tradition in the military, symbolizing the soldiers’ commitment to their duties and the responsibilities they’re about to undertake. Each soldier received their brigade patch, a badge of honor that represents their specialized training in cyber operations.
“This story began in 2016,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Adewale Akerele, ARCPB senior enlisted advisor. “To see the patching ceremony happen was a huge effort on the part of a lot of personnel both past and present.”
Seeing the smiles on the soldiers’ faces once they arrived at the parade field gave a sense of accomplishment to the occasion, he added.
“It's an honor to be here today and to be a part of the transformation of the ARCPB. As mentioned earlier, the unit patch is a powerful emblem that embodies a soldier's dedication to their unit's heritage, values, and mission. It’s a visual representation of their commitment to a shared purpose and their place within the larger Army Reserve family,” said Markotan in her remarks.
After both the ATB and ceremony, Sandersen shared a few additional thoughts on accomplishments that took place during both events.
“The ATB was very successful – it included an AI/Cloud security guest speaker, briefs from the Office of the Chief Army Reserve - General Officer Management Office and Senior Leader Development Office, problem solving breakouts, a team building event, and highly-focused training plan presentations and discussions.”
As for the ceremony, Sandersen said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the patching ceremony. It was inspiring and well executed. It’s not every day that a brigade receives a new unit patch!”
“I’m very proud of the soldiers in the ARCPB – they’re incredibly bright and hard-working people that bring their specialized skills to bear in the global cyber fight. The soldiers of the ARCPB are cybersecurity subject matter experts who selflessly leave their civilian jobs to conduct defensive cyber operations throughout the world.”
| Date Taken: | 04.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.11.2025 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 495123 |
| Location: | CAMP PARKS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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