In a larger effort, including other states, to protect the country's cyber interests, 35 Soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard’s 177th Cyber Protection Team (CPT) will mobilize to Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, as part of a larger task force aligned under the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) to conduct cyberspace operations in support of U.S. Cyber Command and the Cyber National Mission Force.

“This mobilization is the culmination of years of hard work by our highly-trained and specialized cyber soldiers and officers,” stated Maj. Brian Morgan, the 177th CPT Commander. “We look forward to putting this training to the test as we work alongside our counterparts from across the nation.”

The 177th Cyber Protection Team was created in 2017 as one of 11 similar units across the National Guard. The unit conducts threat-focused, intelligence-driven defensive cyber operations in response to ongoing or imminent threats as directed. Minnesota is one of only three states to have a full Cyber Protection Team, other units are split between several states. This will be the unit’s first federal mobilization.