Lt. Col. Brandon A. Pye COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare, Project Manager Defensive Cyber Operations TITLE: Product manager, Cyber Analytics and Detection YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW: 10 MILITARY OR CIVILIAN: Military YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 19 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Advanced in program management EDUCATION: Ph.D. in management information systems, University of Georgia; MBA, Naval Postgraduate School; B.S. in management, University of Florida
When Lt. Col. Brandon A. Pye began his first acquisition assignment with the Army Contracting Writing System, in Project Manager General Fund Enterprise System, under the Capability Program Executive Enterprise Software and Services (CPE ES2, formerly Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems), he didn’t expect it to shape his career in such a profound way. Surrounded by a dedicated team, strong leadership and mentors who became close friends, he quickly found support and guidance that exceeded his expectations. This experience laid the groundwork for his professional development and prepared him for his current role as product manager (PdM) for Cyber Analytics and Detection, under the Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare (CPE ISW)—where he now pays it forward by leading with the same sense of purpose and collaboration.
“My first acquisition assignment with the Army Contract Writing System was number 35 on my preference list, but an assignment that changed the course of my life,” Pye said. Coming out of the infantry he was expecting to go to PAE Maneuver Ground, but this was not the case. “Showing up at Army Contract Writing System, I was completely out of my element. I was an infantry guy in a contracting software program. However, it was one of the best teams I have had the pleasure to be a part of. I had amazing leaders and friends at the PEO, PM and PdM level that mentored me. The PEO EIS [now CPE ES2] team became my Army home and family.”
Pye transitioned to his current role as product manager for the Project Manager Defensive Cyber Operations (PM DCO), Cyber Analytics and Detection Product Office in June 2024. The role requires the delivery of defensive cyber warfighting capabilities through a large data platform, Gabriel Nimbus, and numerous defensive cyber applications and analytics. “Our office provides the required tools for the Army’s cyber protection teams and defensive cyber warfighters to defend the network and provide long range forensic analysis on the Army’s networks,” he explained.
“I find value and satisfaction in the strategic relevance of the acquisition corps,” Pye said. “Our job is hard, but it is up to the acquisition workforce to maneuver around and within the bureaucracy to quickly deliver innovative and operationally relevant technology to ensure our Soldiers are equipped to maintain a competitive advantage over our adversaries.”
Pye said he had been planning to get out of the Army after company command to get an MBA. “I had a friend ask me why I was not going into acquisition if I wanted to stay in the Army. I had never heard of the acquisition corps before. So, I called the acquisition branch, and they told me that I could do what I was planning to do in industry, in the Army. So, I applied and was accepted.”
Pye said his previous career as an infantry officer helped in two main ways. First, preparing him with the ability to plan and manage complex operations, and second, by providing the motivation to keep fighting and attack problems when things get hard.
“Serving as product manager of the PM Defensive Cyber Operations Cyber Analytics and Detection Product Office is amazing, and I love the mission,” he said. “My main goals were to help the team become more mature in our agile processes and build deeper relationships with our stakeholders and mission partners. We have made a ton of headway on the agile transition and increasing stakeholder relationships.”
Relationships, he said, are the most important part of the acquisition workforce. “This is a team sport. Not just your internal team, but the broader community across the Army and joint force. Building friendships in the acquisition community is invaluable. ‘Phone a friend’ is a real thing and in most cases how hard problems are solved.”
Training is also extremely important. The most recent Director, Acquisition Career Management-sponsored career program Pye took was Advanced Civil Schooling (ACS) – Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) where he earned an MBA. After that, he earned a Ph.D. in management information systems.
“NPS gave me the right training and perspective to be successful as an APM [assistant product manager] with the Army Contract Writing System. The largest benefit was meeting both current and new acquisition professionals,” he said. The Ph.D. was a completely different experience. “Ph.D. programs teach people how to research and think critically about phenomena. My research focused on failed and successful software development programs using Army case studies. It fits perfectly with my current job managing the Army Cyber Command’s Big Data Platform, Gabriel Nimbus. I get to use my past research on program success, as well as my training on data analytics.”
Pye said he would recommend anyone get a Ph.D., if it aligns with their personal and professional goals. “It’s worked out great for me,” he explained. “The Army leveraged my education and expertise well by putting me in PM DCO as PdM Cyber Analytics and Detection.”
If junior acquisition personnel have the opportunity for a career pivot, he recommends they “take what made you a good Army officer and not lose that military bearing when coming to a civilian workforce. We can use the same problem-solving techniques, planning processes and sense of urgency to attack the problems we face in our program offices.”
Outside of work, Pye said overall, he and his family love Jesus, surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, hiking and wakesurfing.
“This job is not about stabilizing family and making money when you get out of the Army,” said Pye. “I had a senior officer tell me as a 2nd Lieutenant, ‘The Army gives you more rank not for self-glorification, but to serve Soldiers better.’ We are in the Acquisition Corps to serve Soldiers. This should be our daily focus.”
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