U.S. Cyber Command appointed Rear Adm. Ronzelle Green as its Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer on September 15, 2026. The command announced the leadership change in a statement confirming Green’s assumption of the role.

Green succeeded Brig. Gen. Reid Novotny as U.S. Cyber Command's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. A U.S. Cyber Command representative stated that the organization welcomes Green and thanks Novotny for his leadership and service.

The appointment establishes Green as U.S. Cyber Command's second Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. Novotny was the first to hold the title, having been appointed in November 2025.

Novotny served in a dual role as the chief artificial intelligence officer and cyber force generation lead for the Pentagon. During his tenure, he addressed the operational requirements for integrating artificial intelligence into military infrastructure.

Green brings more than 30 years of IT experience in the private sector and within intelligence community agencies to the position. Her professional background includes service across multiple defense and intelligence entities.

Most recently, Green worked at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency for approximately three years prior to this appointment. She served as the agency's director of geospatial intelligence innovation and research.

Green also served as the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency’s chief information officer from 2020 until 2022. Her career includes holding roles within the Pentagon and National Counterterrorism Center.

In addition to her federal service, Green is a senior officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. The leadership transition occurs under the command of Gen. Joshua Rudd.

Rudd leads U.S. Cyber Command and serves as head of the National Security Agency in a dual-hatted leadership role. The organizational structure places both entities under his direction.

Timeline

In January 2025, Brig. Gen. Novotny stated that part of his role is embracing AI because like anything new, it is not the technology but yet the culture that is difficult to change. Novotny was the first U.S. Cyber Command Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, appointed in November 2025.

In April 2026, Novotny said that to survive anywhere, just in case our operators want an open-source, made-in-China model or something very boutique, we have to create the infrastructure and that ability to be agile — no politics. On September 15, 2026, U.S. Cyber Command welcomed Rear Adm. Ronzelle Green as the Command’s new Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and thanks Brig. Gen. Novotny for his leadership and service.

Why It Matters

The appointment of Rear Adm. Ronzelle Green marks the second time U.S. Cyber Command has filled the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer position, following the establishment of the role in November 2025. This transition reflects the ongoing integration of artificial intelligence capabilities within the Department of Defense's cyber operations.

Gen. Joshua Rudd oversees both U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, linking the cyber mission with broader national security intelligence efforts. Green’s background in geospatial intelligence innovation and counterintelligence security adds diverse technical expertise to the command’s leadership structure.