U.S. Army Spc. Brenden Bryson, an information technology specialist, is the first soldier to perform a SkillBridge internship at Anniston Army Depot, Bynum, Ala. The SkillBridge Program connects separating or retiring service members with industry partners to gain civilian work experience. (Pachari Middleton/U.S. Army)
ANNISTON, Ala. (Tribune News Service) — When Spc. Brenden Bryson began planning his transition out of the Army, he didn’t expect to make depot history. But one year after first coming across the Defense Department’s SkillBridge Program, the Georgia native arrived at Anniston Army Depot as its first soldier to intern through the initiative — a milestone depot officials say reflects a growing commitment to workforce development.
Bryson, an information technology specialist, discovered SkillBridge in October 2024 while stationed in Germany and preparing to separate from the military. The program allows service members to spend their final months on active duty training with civilian employers, gaining experience that can ease the shift into post‑military life.
“This has been a really great opportunity for me and has made my transition much easier,” Bryson said in a recent news release from the Anniston Army Depot. “This program definitely helps with the transition process.”
For Bryson, the appeal was immediate: a chance to work in his field, gain exposure to systems not yet used in the active Army, and return closer to home. But when he reached out to his sister — a materials engineer at the depot — it appeared Anniston Army Depot didn’t yet offer SkillBridge placements.
“I was still going to try. The worst they can do is say no,” he recalled.
Using an Armywide help desk system, Bryson searched for the depot and eventually connected with its Directorate of Information Management. That inquiry set off a chain of conversations inside the organization.
Reginald McFadden, the depot’s SkillBridge manager, said officials quickly realized they could create a position to bring Bryson on board.
“We did not originally have DOIM [Directorate of Information Management] listed for SkillBridge opportunities, but we were quickly able to create one that allowed Spc. Bryson to participate,” McFadden said.
Exactly one year after discovering the program, Bryson arrived at Anniston Army Depot to begin his internship.
Col. Charles Moore, the depot’s commander, said he hopes Bryson is the first of many.
“I’m excited to have service members take advantage of SkillBridge as they transition from active service, and even more excited that they have chosen Anniston Army Depot as the organization to partner with,” Moore said.
Bryson was placed in the Directorate of Information Management — a natural fit for his military specialty and one of the career paths he had mapped out for himself. The assignment also gave him access to technologies and systems that civilian employers use but the Army has not yet adopted.
“A lot of the companies I was looking at, they work on systems that the Army doesn’t touch yet because they haven’t been vetted for the military,” he said. “So, working with these guys allows me to get hands‑on with more of the systems that aren’t used in the active Army. It helps.”
Depot officials say that benefit goes both ways. SkillBridge aligns with one of the top priorities of Brig. Gen. Beth A. Behn, commanding general of U.S. Army Tank‑automotive and Armaments Command: strengthening the civilian workforce pipeline.
The program gives depots and arsenals access to trained talent while supporting succession planning, knowledge transfer and long‑term readiness. It also offers a pathway for veterans to remain connected to the defense community if they choose to stay on after their internship.
“It provides an influx of highly qualified people who often have excellent leadership, teamwork, and problem‑solving skills, at a minimum cost to the organizations,” Moore said.
McFadden said the program is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for the depot.
“It helps prepare them for life after the uniform and builds a stronger bridge between the military and industry,” he said.
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