Month: September 2022

Source: United States Navy

Although Pensacola has long been known as the “cradle of naval aviation,” Corry Station is thought of by the Navy’s cryptologic community as the “cradle of cryptology.” Corry Station is also starting to gain recognition within the Navy as the “cradle of Navy cyber,” explained Garvin.

Coppinger expressed interest in Navy plans to split cryptology and cyber into separate ratings and was told that Navy senior leaders continue discussions on the future of the rating. Currently, the cryptologic technician rating has five specialty fields, including interpretive, maintenance, networks, collection, and technical; all support critical roles within the Navy’s information warfare community.

The leaders also discussed the future growth of cyber student throughput at Corry Station. Bryant noted CIWT is in the process of expanding curricula to meet the growing needs of the military for cyber operators as well as ensuring base resources keep pace with the increased student population on board.

Training standardization to promote integration between services and support manning requirements is one of the issues Coppinger said that he is actively looking into in an effort to create efficiencies.

Garvin shared how the Navy’s Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) program is changing when the Navy provides training, where and how it is delivered, and how that training is kept as relevant as possible to the real-world needs of the fleet. NETC and its learning centers, like CIWT, are in the process of modernizing training delivery for many of the Navy’s enlisted ratings to include aspects such as more hands-on virtual and augmented reality in curricula, while also incorporating advances in the science of learning,

During a tour of several of Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station’s cryptologic training classrooms, Coppinger engaged with staff, instructors and students about course work and their backgrounds. Coppinger observed an intermediate signals analysis course class, received a demonstration of the cutting-edge Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE) and interacted with Joint Cyber Analysis Course (JCAC) Extended Training Collection students. After the presentation, he said that systems like the PCTE are a huge change from the way training was conducted in the past and are truly the way of the future.

While speaking to students in a JCAC class, Coppinger told them that he had joined the Air Force for the same reasons that many of them had for enlisting. He encouraged students to remain focused on their academic work, which will ensure a secure future in their chosen profession and keep our national security networks secure.

With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, Center for Information Warfare Training trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. Center for Information Warfare Training also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.

Source: United States Navy

From July to September, Mohawk conducted maritime security and law enforcement operations as well as continued building valued relationships with allies and partners from Cabo Verde, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Spain.

“I am extremely proud of this crew and all they have accomplished over the last three months,” said Cmdr. Andrew Pate, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk. “We are operating in a global Coast Guard and Mohawk’s ability to deploy across the Atlantic Ocean, and work alongside our European and African partners to combat piracy and Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported fishing drives home the United States’ commitment to security, stability, and prosperity in the region.”

Mohawk’s deployment also demonstrated the United States’ longstanding commitment of supporting African partners with addressing their security challenges in the maritime domain. The U.S. maritime services routinely work with allied and partner nations to foster a united, global effort to safeguard free and open access to international waterways.

“The successful deployment of USCGC Mohawk to the Gulf of Guinea highlights our continued commitment to our West African partners,” said Vice Adm. Kevin Lunday, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. “The U.S. Coast Guard is a valued member of the Joint Force, providing unique authorities and capabilities to aid partner nations as they address security and prosperity challenges. Our collaboration and sharing of best practices with our West African counterparts allows us to assist in combating narcotics smuggling, promoting freedom of commerce, and deterring illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in their waters.”

Mohawk was forward-deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVAF) area of operations, and employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet. This is the latest of several U.S. Coast Guard cutter deployments to the region.

NAVAF’s ongoing maritime security cooperation with African partners focuses on maritime safety and security through increased maritime awareness, response capabilities, and infrastructure. It also includes various exercises and operations conducted by U.S., European, and African partners and allies throughout the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility.

“Maritime security and law enforcement is critical for our coastal African partners, whose economies are tied to seaborne trade,” said Cmdr. Derek Cromwell, USCG liaison officer to NAVAF. “Together with our partners, Mohawk was able to increase opportunities for prosperity and global stability through presence operations and meaningful discussions with regional leaders about protecting maritime trade and governance.”

The U.S. shares a common interest with African partner nations in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation on the waters surrounding the continent, because these waters are critical for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.

Mohawk is the 13th and last of the Famous-class cutters. It is named for the Algonquin tribe of Iroquoian Indians who lived in the Mohawk Valley of New York, and is the third cutter to bear the name. Mohawk’s parent command is U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.

U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf, spanning across five Coast Guard districts and 40 states.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability. 

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.