Major General Patrick W. Burden is the Deputy Commander of the Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A), Headquarters Resolute Support. He grew up in Ozark, Alabama and is a 1987 graduate of Alabama A&M University where he was commissioned in the U.S. Army Field Artillery. He served in tactical and operational assignments in Kirchgoen, Germany, Southwest Asia (Operations Desert Shield/Storm), and Fort Lewis, Washington.

MG Burden transitioned to the Army Acquisition Corps in 1994 where he has served in acquisition assignments at all levels including: Assistant Project Manager for the Aviation Electronic Combat and Comanche Program Management Offices, at the Program Executive Office Aviation; Product Manager for Global Transportation Network at the United States Transportation Command; Product Manager for Joint Automatic Identification Technology and Project Manager for the General Fund Enterprise Business System at the Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems; Deputy Program Executive Officer for Ammunition and Senior Command Picatinny Arsenal New Jersey; and Program Executive Officer for Enterprise Information Systems.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Alabama A&M University and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from Florida Institute of Technology. His military education includes: the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Advanced Program Management College, and the U.S. Army Senior Service College Fellowship Program at the University of Austin Texas.

His awards and decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the U.S. Army Parachutist Badge.