FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Virginia National Guard direct-commissioned Robert M. Lee to the rank of lieutenant colonel - a first in the Army National Guard cybersecurity field - in an appointment ceremony March 1, 2025, at the 91st Cyber Brigade headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Lee’s role as executive officer of the Information Operations Support Center will focus on organizing and facilitating cybersecurity operations, specifically in the operational technology realm. His primary responsibility will be collaborating with federal, state, private sector and international partners to develop a strategy that enhances both national security and the safety of Virginia’s citizens. This means working directly with critical infrastructure sectors’—such as water and wastewater systems and the energy sector—cybersecurity defenses, ultimately ensuring resilience against any potential threats.
Lee is also the chief executive officer and co-founder of a global technology leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems and OT environments. He routinely testifies to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee and U.S. Senate to advise on policy issues related to critical infrastructure cyber threats.
“He’s a national treasure,” said Maj. Gen. Teri D. Williams, vice director of cyber operations for the National Guard Bureau. “This catapults us many years ahead of where we’ve been in the operational technology space.”
He previously worked in ICS/OT cybersecurity as a U.S. Air Force cyber warfare operations officer tasked to the National Security Agency, where he built a first-of-its-kind mission, analyzing national threats to industrial infrastructure. Lee helped lead investigations into several cybersecurity attacks by foreign adversaries.
He attributes his motivation to serve to securing the wellbeing of his children’s future and continuing his family’s legacy of service. Lee’s parents are both retired Air Force senior master sergeants.
“I have three kids,” Lee said. “I want them to have lights and water when they grow up.”
Lee’s commissioning highlights how civilians with specialized expertise can leverage their skills to mutually benefit themselves, their state and the country.
“I think the National Guard is the right place for this mission set,” he said. “It provides the right balance for me to have my day job and still contribute to a national security mission that impacts the state. If I can find the time to balance it to contribute, so can you.”
Cybersecurity professionals in the National Guard work alongside state and local officials as well as international partners to inform them of risk levels, build coalitions to promote information sharing and strengthen collaborative efforts in reducing threats to critical infrastructure.
Virginia now has an unparalleled cybersecurity asset in its ranks, Williams said. She elaborated by saying how this will set Virginia apart, helping to advance the cybersecurity response to critical infrastructure and model the way for other states and nations.
“I can’t even stop smiling,” Williams said. “It is just amazing that we were able to snag him.”
This historic appointment highlights how civilians with specialized expertise can leverage their civilian expertise to benefit their community, state and nation.
“One of the great things about the direct commission program is how it values real-world expertise,” Lee said. “I founded and still run the largest industrial cybersecurity company in the world. Your experience counts here.”