News

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 26, 2022) — The U.S. Army’s Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center welcomed back retired Gen. Richard A. Cody, former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, during a recent visit to the Center’s Fort Belvoir campus.

Though retired from service for more than 13 years, Cody continues to serve as a senior mentor to members of the Army community.

“Gen. Cody is a longtime friend of the former Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate labs and the broader C5ISR Center,” said Joseph Welch, the Center’s director. “We were happy to welcome him up, last year, to the Joint Systems Integration Laboratory in the communications exercise environment; seeing a lot of assistance as we were getting ready for Project Convergence 21.”

During his visit, Cody met with senior leadership, engineers and scientists to learn about the changes within the Center, including the detailed breakdown of the recent reorganization structure. He also received overviews and demonstrations of novel sensor technologies for dismounts, aviation and ground platforms.

Cody concluded the visit by sharing his appreciation to the C5ISR Center workforce in a virtual address where he thanked those who provided him with Center and technology overviews.

“The thing that impressed me the most, quite frankly, is the integration – not just of what you are doing here – but integration with the Cross Functional Teams, with the Soldier touchpoints and going out to find out what is easier.”

He also expanded on the importance of being ready as the Army prepares for a new age of warfare. He emphasized the changes that have occurred in technologies, especially sensor capabilities, and how the threat of technology warfare is constantly growing.

“Twenty years ago we owned the night against all competitors. Against our pacing threats, we share the night. We also share space. We got to get to where we own it again and dominate it at the right place and the right time of choosing for us and that is what our Soldiers need.”

Cody concluded the event by providing a message to new staff members, including those who have joined the workforce via the many science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) opportunities the Center has available.

“This is important work. For young people who just came onboard and working here, as well as in Aberdeen and other places in DEVCOM, I want to thank you for making that transition. This is going to be exciting for you, because you are going to help us go up against the best and brightest of our enemies and that should challenge you every day,” Cody said.

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The C5ISR Center is the Army’s applied research and advanced technology development center for C5ISR capabilities. As the Army’s primary integrator of C5ISR technologies and systems, the center develops and matures capabilities that support all six Army modernization priorities, enabling information dominance and tactical overmatch for the joint warfighter.

The C5ISR Center is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM). Through collaboration across the command’s core technical competencies, DEVCOM leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more lethal to win our nation’s wars and come home safely. DEVCOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command.