The U.S. Army’s Network Cross-Functional Team is set for a leadership shakeup. Maj. Gen. Jeth Rey, the current director, will be succeeded by Brig. Gen. Patrick Ellis. Rey has led the team at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, since 2021. Ellis is expected to take over this summer, while Rey will move to a new role within the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6.
The Network Cross-Functional Team is part of Army Futures Command, established in 2018 to address modernization needs. It works closely with the Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, or PEO C3T. Other foundational cross-functional teams include Long-Range Precision Fires, Next-Generation Combat Vehicles, Future Vertical Lift, and Synthetic Training Environment.
The leadership change coincides with the Army’s increased focus on connectivity and digital security. Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George highlighted the importance of upgrading networks at the Association of the U.S. Army convention in October, emphasizing that technology should facilitate soldiers’ core tasks, not impede them.
