Alan R . Lynn U . S . Army Major General Alan R . Lynn is the Vice Director , Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade , MD . Education . In 1979 , Major General Lynn graduated from the California University of Pennsylvania , California , PA , earning a bachelor ' s degree in English . He also holds a master ' s degree in National Resource Management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces ( ICAF ) . His other military education includes the Air Defense Artillery Basic and Advanced Courses , the Signal Officer Advanced Course , the United States Air Force Information Systems Officer ’ s Course where he became a Network Engineer , the Command and General Staff College and the Defense Language Institute for Italian . Military career . Major General Lynn commissioned into the United States Army in 1979 as an Air Defense Artillery Officer . His first assignment was with the 1 - 51st Air Defense Artillery Battalion , 7th Infantry Division , Ft . Ord , CA , where he served as a Chaparral and Stinger Platoon Leader , Air Defense Fire Support Officer , and C Company Executive Officer . Following the Air Defense Artillery Advance Course , he attended the Defense Language Institute to learn Italian . In 1984 , he commanded the 1 - 34th United States Army Artillery Detachment , a Nike Hercules missile special weapons warhead team , in Ceggia , Italy . Major General Lynn branch transferred to the Signal Corps , and served as the Training Officer for the 5th Signal Command in Worms , Germany . In 1986 , he took command of the 324th Signal Company , 72d Signal Battalion , Karlsruhe , Germany , in support of the US Army Europe ( USAREUR ) Main Command Post . Following his second company level command , Major General Lynn attended the Signal Officer Advance Course at Ft . Gordon , GA , and the Air Force Information Systems Officer ’ s Course at Keesler Air Force Base , MS where he was awarded a new Military Occupational Specialty ( MOS ) of 25E , Network Engineer . He was then assigned as the Division Radio Officer for the 101st Airborne Division . In 1990 , he served as the Brigade Signal Officer for the 1st Infantry Brigade , 101st Airborne Division , during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm . In June 1992 , he graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , KS , and returned to Europe where he served as the S - 3 ( Network Design , Management , and Operations ) for the 97th Signal Battalion in Mannheim , Germany . Following his time as the Battalion S3 , he was selected to command the newly formed 414th Signal Company as a Field Grade Officer , supporting Land Forces Central Europe ( LANDCENT ) . From June 1994 to April 1997 , Major General Lynn served as the Signal Branch Lieutenant Colonel ’ s Assignment Officer and the Lieutenant Colonel Command Program Manager in PERSCOM ( now Human Resources Command ) . While serving at PERSCOM , he helped digitize the command ' s manual slating process . In 1997 , Major General Lynn assumed command of the 13th Signal Battalion , 1st Cavalry Division , at Fort Hood , TX . He deployed the battalion for Operation JOINT FORGE between 1998 and 1999 . While deployed , the battalion supported Task Force Eagle , Multi - Nation Division ( North ) , in Tuzla , Bosnia - Herzegovina . In 2000 , he was assigned as an Action Officer in the Network Management Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , J6 , at the Pentagon . Following the September 11th attack on the Pentagon , he was selected as the Division Chief for the Commander - in - Chief ( CINC ) Operations and Support Division of the J6 . Major General Lynn took command of the 3d Signal Brigade , Fort Hood , TX , in 2002 . In January 2004 , he deployed the brigade to 66 locations across Iraq , creating the world ' s largest combat communications network at the time . In 2005 , Major General Lynn was assigned to the Department of the Army Chief Information Officer / G6 Office as the Division Chief for LandWarNet Integration Division . He was later selected to serve as the Executive Officer to the Army CIO / G6 . In 2007 , Major General Lynn became the Chief of Staff for the Defense Information Systems Agency , Arlington , VA . DISA provides command , control , and combat support systems for the President , Secretary of Defense , Combatant Commanders , Joint Staff , military departments , and combat support agencies . As the Chief of Staff , Major General Lynn was responsible for coordinating the efforts of a 6 , 600 - member organization and managing a $ 6 - billion yearly budget . In 2008 , Major General Lynn took command of the 311th Signal Command ( Theater ) , Fort Shafter , Hawaii . In 2010 , Major General Lynn was selected to command the U . S . Army Signal Center of Excellence ( SIGCoE ) ( The Army ' s IT University ) and Fort Gordon , Georgia and assumed responsibility as the Army ’ s 35th Chief of Signal Major General Lynn was in command of Army Network Enterprise Technology Command ( NETCOM ) at Fort Huachuca , AZ on August 9 , 2012 . Major General Lynn took upon the responsibilities of Vice Director , Defense Information Systems Agency on September 30 , 2013 . Contributions . Directed the III Corps G6 and the CTSF Staff to develop the Combined Information Data Network Exchange ( CIDNE ) which was developed to be the primary bridge between disparate communities to share data . Still used in CENTCOM as a primary SIGACT and Counter - IED tool . Recognized by Congress for creating the largest tactical communication network in history during OIF 2 . BG - Created a paperless work environment in DISA , 311th Signal Command , and the United States Army Signal Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon . MG - Worked to redesign the doctrine and education for Officers , Warrant Officers , NCO ' s and Soldiers . Redesigned all enlisted signal MOS ' s , redesigned the future equipment being used by the Army that was coined microcyber or " μcyber " , and refocused the acquisition process to streamline system upgrades . Graduated the first class of Signal Cyber Professionals ( MOS 255S , Cyber Warrant Officer ) .