Ms. Brenda Crutchfield assumed her current position as the Deputy Director of Future Operations, United States Army Cyber Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in February 2015.A native of Camden, Alabama, Crutchfield graduated from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1979 with Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. She was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Signal Corps and in 1989 earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from North Carolina State University. In 2000, she earned a Master’s Degree in National Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.Crutchfield served twenty-six years in the United States Army in varying positions of increasing responsibility. Her key assignments include Platoon Leader in Darmstadt, Germany; Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Executive Officer at United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Battalion Executive Officer and Brigade Chief of Staff, again at Fort Bragg. In 1997, Crutchfield became the first woman to assume command of the 121st Signal Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, at the time, deployed to Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Her battalion provided tactical communications support to Multi-National Division North organizations including elements of the Russian and Turkish Brigades. Following command, Crutchfield attended the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she was recognized by the Chief of Staff of the Army as a member of the Turbulence Study Committee, chartered to analyze turbulence factors that impact units, individuals and families. The committee provided a clear range of options to reduce turbulence throughout the Army, some of which were adopted and implemented. After graduation from the Army War College, she was assigned to NETCOM/9th Army Signal Command at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. She was designated as the first director of the Army Network Operations and Security Center, an organization created to provide near real time situational awareness of the Army’s networks across six theaters of operation, including South West Asia, Europe, and Korea. That organization is now the Current Operations Division of the newly established United States Army Cyber Command. Crutchfield later became the Chief of the Knowledge Management Division for the Army Chief Information Office, and then following retirement from the Army, served as a program manager for a defense contractor supporting Army Knowledge Online. She returned to the government in 2009 as the Deputy Director, Army Global Network Operations and Security Center, and later the Deputy Director of Compliance, NETCOM/9th Army Signal Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.Crutchfield’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Overseas Service Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge.Crutchfield is married to William Crutchfield. They have one daughter, Candice Nicole.