The Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of the Army visits NETCOM to review global network, cyber operations and readiness

FORT HUACHUCA, AZ — Brandon Pugh, Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, visited the United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) headquarters at Fort Huachuca to assess NETCOM’s role in modernizing the Army’s network, strengthening cyber defenses and ensuring force readiness. NETCOM leaders Major General Jacqueline D. McPhail, Deputy to the Commanding General Patrick Dedham and Command Sergeant Major Michael J. Runk led briefings and demonstrations.

NETCOM described its function as the Voice of the Army and the global integrator delivering theater-focused, unified IT and cyber effects from National to tactical levels. The command supports more than one million A365 users, about 200,000 SIPR accounts, a workforce of roughly 10,000 cyber and IT professionals, and thousands of brigade and command nodes across 24 countries, enabling commanders to retain decision advantage and exceptional command and control.

Key topics included the Global Unified Network, a software-defined transport fabric that brings data-driven decision making to the edge; Army Unified Directory Services (AUDS) and the Global Secure Network for resilient SIPR and NIPR connectivity; and the Army Enterprise Security Services and AUDS for endpoint hardening and zero-trust operations. NETCOM detailed its scheme of maneuver to verify every user and device, secure every resource, and operationalize unified services from Comply-to-Connect and Intune to persistent cyber operations.

Officials outlined the NETCOM’s Global Cyber Center (GCC) as the Army enterprise hub securing, operating and defending the Army’s portion of the Department of War Information Network (DOWIN), correlating telemetry from tens of thousands of sensors and executing millions of automated defenses daily to preserve freedom of maneuver and deliver digital overmatch.

The visit emphasized workforce development, automation, cloud interoperability, hybrid transport solutions and interaction with joint and coalition partners. Demonstrations illustrated how NETCOM’s unified services and GCC defensive cycles sustain mission command in contested environments and accelerate delivery of timely data and services to warfighters.

During the visit, Pugh also visited the Cove of Remembrance within Greely Hall to honor the fallen Signaleers from conflicts since 2001.

Pugh’s engagement reinforced the importance of aligning policy, resourcing and operational priorities to ensure the Army’s enterprise network remains mission-ready, resilient and optimized for decisive action. NETCOM’s modernization efforts were framed as integral to Army readiness, directly empowering commanders and warfighters with the connectivity, security and decision advantage required for future conflicts.