Maryland Guard activates new intelligence and electronic warfare battalion

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Governor Wes Moore and Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, the 31st adjutant general of Maryland, hosted the Maryland National Guard’s activation ceremony for the 628th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion at historic Fort Washington Park, located along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, Sept. 13, 2026.

The 628th IEW Battalion provides multi-domain intelligence analysis and exploitation, targeting support, and collection capabilities to enable the 28th Infantry Division’s operations across the air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace domains.

“Maryland is leading the future of national defense, and the 628th is the first National Guard intelligence and electronic warfare battalion built entirely from the ground up,” said Moore. “You all are at the tip of the spear. This battalion is a prime example of a commitment to workforce development, because you truly represent our best and our brightest.”

Over the last 15 months, Lt. Col. Asa Coates, commander of the 628th IEW, Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan McGlone, and other Maryland Army National Guard leaders recruited talent and established the capabilities necessary to activate the battalion while still supporting real-world missions for combatant commanders and other large-scale exercises. During the ceremony, Coates and McGlone unfurled the battalion colors alongside the commanders and first sergeants representing the battalion’s four subordinate companies.

“Building the 628th IEW Battalion from scratch was demanding, but at the same time very rewarding,” said Coates. “We have some phenomenal soldiers in this battalion, and I cannot thank you all enough.”

The battalion’s size and composition are designed to adapt to the specific intelligence and targeting requirements of division operations, providing commanders with capabilities to understand the operational environment and support decisions across multiple domains.

The battalion adopted the nickname “The Blackjacks” and the motto “Own the Shadows,” connects to Maryland’s history and the origins of military intelligence during the Civil War. Maryland General Harriet Tubman served as a guide, spy, and scout, gathering and relaying intelligence to Union Army operations along with a clandestine network of free and formerly enslaved individuals, known as The Blackjacks.

The 628th IEW Battalion operates “in the shadows” across less visible domains, including the electromagnetic spectrum, cyberspace, and multidisciplinary intelligence networks, while providing intelligence that enables military operations.

“The landscape of large-scale combat operations is shifting rapidly, and you are positioned directly at the inflection point,” said Col. Kristie Roy, commander of the 58th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade. “In the conflicts of tomorrow, you will provide the 28th Infantry Division with the clarity needed to pierce the fog of war, enabling maneuver commanders to act decisively and win. The doctrinal footprint for future multi-domain warfare is being written right now. Because of your intellect, your discipline, and your dedication, this battalion is not just prepared to adapt to the future; you are leading it.”

The activation ceremony also recognized the “long-minded” Maryland National Guard leaders who helped establish the foundation for the state’s modern intelligence enterprise. Retired Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh, former adjutant general of Maryland, was recognized for “relentlessly pursuing a modernized force structure” during her tenure. Retired Maj. Gen. Edward Leacock, former senior intelligence officer for the Army National Guard, was also recognized as “the godfather” of Maryland’s military intelligence community and he continues to mentor senior intel professionals today.

The activation of the 629th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion in 2024 and its simultaneous changes to the organizational framework helped “fast-track” the 628th IEW’s expanding intelligence support to combatant commands around the world through lessons learned and sharing best practices.

“The establishment of this new unit sends a clear message that the Maryland National Guard is prepared to fight today and is preparing for what comes tomorrow with great urgency,” said Birckhead. “We're building a force that can respond to emergencies here in the homeland and are also ready to respond internationally with sophisticated capabilities when the nation needs us.”

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