Brig. Gen. Linda R. Medler is the Director, Capability and Resource Integration (J8), U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md. She is responsible for acquiring resources to satisfy the Command’s requirements, and engages in the Defense Department’s requirements, and planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) processes to do so. She leads an organization that maps cyber requirements to capabilities, identifies and resources emerging cyberspace capabilities, develops the cyber component of the future year’s defense plan, and oversees yearly execution of U.S. Cyber Command’s budget for the Department of Defense. To meet the growing demand for offensive and defensive cyberspace operations, she led the development of, and has oversight for, the Cyber Mission Force integrated master plan and schedule. This comprehensive plan addresses the cyber manpower, facilities, equipment and training required to establish the Department of Defense’s Cyber Mission Forces, covering three mission areas: Defend the Nation in Cyberspace, Provide Support to Combatant Commands, and Protect the DoD Information Networks.
General Medler initially entered active duty as a U.S. Marine. After graduating from boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., she served as an administrative specialist at Camp Elmore, Va. and then transitioned to civilian life and served in the Marine Corps Reserve. General Medler was commissioned in 1987 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Officer Training School. She has served in a variety of communications positions in the Air Force and in joint and coalition commands.
Her commands include a communications squadron, mission support group, and an air base wing. She was selected as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow and has served as the Chief of Staff, Air Force Materiel Command. In 2005 she commanded the 97th Air Expeditionary Group to provide humanitarian relief operations across the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She also deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, from August 2004 to January 2005 where she led more than 100 coalition personnel responsible for a $7 billion program to field the 70,000-person Afghan National Army. Prior to her current position, General Medler was the Assistant Deputy Director for Communications and Networks, Directorate of Force Structure, Resources and Assessments (J-8), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, DC.
EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor of Business Administration degree in management and computer information systems, magna cum laude, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
1993 Master of Business Administration degree in management information systems, Air Force Institute of Technology, Civilian Institution Program, University of Arizona, Tucson
1994 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1999 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2000 Air War College, by correspondence
2002 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Oracle Corporation, Reston, Va.
2006 Joint and Coalition Warfighting School, JPME Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2007 Program for Senior Managers in National Security, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2008 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2009 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2010 Senior Executive Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1987 - October 1987, student, basic communications officer training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2. October 1987 - July 1989, information systems management officer and executive officer, 1912th Computer Systems Group, Langley AFB, Va.
3. July 1989 - July 1991, Fighter Systems Program Manager and Mission Software Policy Manager, Communications-Computer Systems Directorate, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
4. July 1991 - May 1993, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Civilian Institution Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
5. May 1993 - August 1996, Chief, Theater Air Control System Communications, 612th Air Operations Group; Chief, Air Operations Center Computer Systems Branch, 612th Air Communications Squadron, Headquarters 12th Air Force, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
6. September 1996 - August 1998, Presidential communications officer and Chief, Program Planning Division, White House Communications Agency, Washington, D.C.
7. August 1998 - June 1999, student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
8. July 1999 - June 2001, Commander, 436th Communications Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
9. July 2001 - July 2002, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Oracle Corporation, Reston, Va.
10. July 2002 - June 2004, military secretary, Military Communications Electronics Board; Chief, International Branch, Directorate for Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (J6), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2004 - February 2006, Commander, 97th Mission Support Group, Altus AFB, Okla., and Deputy Director, Defense Resources Sector, Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kabul, Afghanistan
12. February 2006 - January 2008, Vice Commander, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
13. January 2008 - April 2009, Commander, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
14. May 2009 - June 2010, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. June 2010 - March 2011, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. April 2011 - December 2011, Assistant Deputy Director for Communications and Networks, Directorate of Force Structure, Resources and Assessments (J-8), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. January 2012 - present, Director, Capability and Resource Integration, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1996 - August 1998, Presidential communications officer and Chief, Program Planning Division, White House Communications Agency, Washington, D.C., as a captain and major
2. July 2002 - June 2004, military secretary, Military Communications Electronics Board; Chief, International Branch, Directorate for Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (J6), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. August 2004 - January 2005, Deputy Director, Defense Resources Sector, Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan, Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a colonel
4. June 2010 - March 2011, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
5. April 2011 - December 2011, Assistant Deputy Director for Communications and Networks, Directorate of Force Structure, Resources and Assessments (J-8), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a brigadier general
6. January 2012 - present, Director, Capability and Resource Integration, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md., as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1987 Top honor graduate and distinguished graduate, Air Force Officer Training School
1987 Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Award, basic communications officer training
1993 Dean's list of distinction, University of Arizona
1994 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 12th Air Force and Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
1995 C4 Professional of the Year, Air Combat Command
1999 Top Air Force graduate, College of Naval Command and Staff
2000 Air Force Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Communications-Electronics Field Grade Manager of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1987
First Lieutenant June 5, 1989
Captain June 5, 1991
Major Sept. 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel Aug. 1, 2004
Brigadier General April 1, 2011
(Current as of December 2013)