Change has been the single constant in Maj. Gen. Paul Stanton’s three years as commander of the Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Eisenhower.
From a $1.2 billion campus modernization effort to the installation’s renaming to adapting to changes in the fundamental structure of the Signal Corps itself, Stanton has been at the helm during a pivotal time in history, but there’s more work to be done.
“We have achieved a position from which we can’t revert; however, in order to get all the way – in military terms – to our objective, we’ve got a long way to go,” said Stanton, who on Aug. 2, will turn over the command to Maj. Gen. Ryan Janovic.
The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. on Barton Field. The ceremony will also be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/share/qJGDsEnrQYEXRvnn/.
Stanton was no stranger to Fort Eisenhower when he became its commanding general in June 2021. It was the third post he’d held there. He also served as commander of the U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade and as Deputy Commanding General (Operations), U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Eisenhower.
One of the most visible changes was the demolition of the iconic Signal Towers that once dominated the landscape to make way for a new campus.
“It was time. I had the privilege and honor of officiating the commemoration ceremony for the Signal Towers. During the speech, I talked about the Signal Towers — it was not a mistake that there was an ‘s’ on it — dates back to the lineage in our history, the highest places on the battlefield where we could — using our red and white flags — signal to each other across the battlefield. There’s not a single soldier that I want standing on a battlefield waving red flags in today’s world,” he said. “The world has changed; we have evolved.”
Read more: Signal Towers demolition to make way for new campus
He sees the future of warfare as even taking a different shape than the counterinsurgency fights in Iraq and Afghanistan in the most recent conflicts. The modern-day communications soldier must be less conspicuous than those red flagbearers of previous centuries. In a datacentric battlefield, that takes a different shape.
“We need to be more discreet. We don’t need to be waving red flags. What we need to be doing is passing data in a way that blends into the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum,” he said.
Training of those warfighters will come in the new campus. Construction of one of the buildings is underway, but Stanton said it will be another two years before it will be occupied. Once construction is finished, it must be outfitted with IT equipment and readied for use. Three additional building should be finished in the next three to four years.
Besides the construction on a main portion of the installation, there have been other projects including the current construction of 150 new homes, renovations of 1967 housing and a new $11 million troop store, all of which contribute to the quality of life.
Read More: Fort Eisenhower Exchange unveils $11 million troop store
Stanton said what’s really important with the new troop store is that it’s right across the street from the barracks. Previously, soldiers would have to walk a mile to buy basic needs.
And certainly not the least of changes was the renaming of the installation from Fort Gordon to Fort Eisenhower in honor of President Dwight David Eisenhower.
Read More: Fort Eisenhower renaming ceremony
Stanton said the choice was 100%, the correct one for many reasons. Eisenhower was a visionary leader and set into motion the paths that led to today’s military.
“Things that we do on this installation. We have military intelligence. We have cyber. If President Eisenhower hadn’t promoted those technological advances, then the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines on this installation wouldn’t have a job,” Stanton said.
Stanton said the renaming caused him to learn more about Eisenhower – the man as well as the leader. He read about 15 books including an autobiography and “How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower’s Biggest Decisions” by Eisenhower’s granddaughter, Susan Eisenhower, with whom Stanton has forged a friendship.
“She looks at Gen. Eisenhower’s decision-making process and how he applied reason, purposeful thought, multiple perspectives then made a decision. We could really benefit from leaders who would follow a similar model,” he said.
As he leaves Fort Eisenhower, Stanton said he’s most proud of the team he’s worked with. Its members have been uprooted and shifted multiple times over the past three years. Stanton, himself, has worked in four different offices since first being named commanding general.
They’ve done their jobs with excellence and with no complaints.
Read more: Stantons lead life of service
Stanton and his wife, Nomi, have been heavily involved in the community outside the gates. Their three children are all Lakeside High School alumni.
Stanton said he and Fort Eisenhower have received tremendous support from the community through a variety of organizations such as the area’s chambers of commerce, Alliance for Fort Eisenhower, area school districts and AUSA among others.
Stanton said he’s had the opportunity to ease the transition by working with Janovic over the past few weeks to bring him up to speed on the changes that have taken place.
As for Stanton, he’s been recommended for a promotion to lieutenant general and will serve as the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of the Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network at Fort Meade, Md.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
