Colonel Benjamin Sangster assumed his present duties as Cyber National Mission Force Deputy Commander for Operations in Nov 2024.
A native of South Carolina, Colonel Benjamin F. Sangster entered active duty in June 1992 as an Airborne 31C-Single Channel Radio Operator and spent over two years with 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He received his commission as a Signal Corps Officer from Clemson University in May 1999, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. After completing Signal Officer Basic Course in December 1999, COL Sangster was assigned to the 3rd Signal Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas where he served as a platoon leader in the 57th and 16th Signal Battalions. He completed the Signal Captain’s Career Course in 2002 and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy as the Battalion Signal Officer for 1/508th Infantry Battalion (Airborne), deploying in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. From 2003-2005, COL Sangster commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment for the 509th Signal Battalion.
After receiving his Master of Science in Computer Science from Clemson University in 2007, COL Sangster served as an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Following his assignment at West Point, he served as the Battalion Operations Officer for the 54th Signal Battalion at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
From 2011-2015, COL Sangster was assigned to United States Cyber Command. While there, he served in the J3 as a Mission Lead in the Joint Operations Center, Executive Officer to the J3, and Branch Chief in the Combat Plans Division. He also spent time as a Division Chief in the J9, Advanced Capabilities Directorate. Following his time with United States Cyber Command, COL Sangster served for one year as the Team Leader for 23 National Cyber Protection Team with the Cyber National Mission Force. COL Sangster took command of the Cyber Training Battalion at Fort Gordon, Georgia in August 2016. He officially activated the battalion in October 2016. After command, he served as the Information Dominance Branch Chief at Human Resources Command from 2018-2019. As branch chief, he was responsible for overseeing the careers of all Cyber, Electronic Warfare, and Information Operations officers. He was also responsible for the careers of all Cyber and Electronic Warfare enlisted Soldiers. COL Sangster served as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) at Fort Meade, Maryland from July 2020 to May 2021. He then moved on to become the Director of Operations (J3) for the Cyber National Mission Force. COL Sangster most recently served as the brigade commander of the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade (Cyber) until June 2024.
COL Sangster is a graduate of the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University (class of 2020). His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2 awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards), Army Commendation Medal (3 awards), Army Achievement Medal (3 awards), the Iraq Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars and the Arrowhead Device. He earned the Combat Parachutist Badge (first award) and the Venezuelan Parachutist Badge. He is also a recipient of the Signal Corps Regimental Association (SCRA) Bronze Order of Mercury and the Order of Saint Isidore Silver Medallion.