Brig. Gen. Linda J. Riedel with the South Carolina National Guard, who currently serves as assistant adjutant general for the Army, has been selected as the incoming deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence.
She is expected to begin the dual-role assignment in January 2026.
Riedel has more than three decades of experience as a Signal Officer. She is also South Carolina’s first commander of the 125th Cyber Protection Battalion.
In addition to her military service, Riedel is the deputy director of the Department of Defense (DOD) – which the Trump Administration has rebranded the Department of War – Cyber Institute at The Citadel, where she has also served as an associate professor of military science and the South Carolina National Guard cyber project manager.
Her connection to The Citadel – a public senior military college – was recognized in April 2024 with her induction into the Citadel Academy of Engineers, reflecting her commitment to cyber innovation and technical leadership.
“Brig. Gen. Riedel’s proven leadership and expertise in cyber operations will be invaluable to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence,” South Carolina’s Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Robin B. Stilwell said in a release. “Riedel is a strategic thinker who truly understands the complexities of the cyber environment.”
Riedel is a graduate of the National Defense University’s College of Information and Cyberspace, where she earned a Master of Science degree in government information leadership with a focus on strategic cyberspace and information warfare. She also holds a Master of Science degree in project management and a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Her operational experience includes deployments to Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, and service under the U.S. Army Cyber Command. She commanded Task Force Echo II in 2018 and served as Deputy G6 Forward for U.S. Army Central during Operation Spartan Shield in 2023.