IWTC Corry Station Joins Escambia High School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Taylor Jackson | 170919-N-FI568-019 PENSACOLA, Fla. (Sept. 19, 2017) Lt. Cmdr. Phil Hickman, executive officer of Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station, speaks with members of the Escambia High School Naval JROTC program during the grand opening ceremony for the school's Quarterdeck room. The Quarterdeck serves as a place for military children to connect with each other and video chat with their deployed family members. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor L. Jackson/Released)  

PENSACOLA, FL, UNITED STATES

09.19.2017

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor Jackson 

Center for Information Warfare Training

Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station’s executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. Phil Hickman, served as the keynote speaker for the grand opening of Escambia High School’s quarterdeck lounge.

The quarterdeck serves as a place for students whose parents are currently serving in the military to connect with their deployed family members. The room includes computers that the students can use to video chat during school hours.

“I applaud the effort of our district, in partnership with our military, for putting together this project,” said Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “This quarterdeck is a celebration of our military-dependent children. These students have parents who are thousands of miles away serving our country, and we believe this effort will help relieve some of the pressure that comes with that separation.”

The quarterdeck is the result of the DoD Education Activity Smooth Sailing Grant. Escambia High School is the first school in the district to open a quarterdeck, and four other local schools are expected to build their own spaces for military children.

“As a parent myself, I think the quarterdeck is a great thing for every kid who has an opportunity to be a part of this,” said Hickman. “This is going to be a wonderful program, and I’m grateful for everyone who could make this happen.” Two of Hickman’s children are students at Escambia High School.

Principal Frank Murphy said that the ceremony served as an opportunity to celebrate the partnership and support shared between the local community and the military.

IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare (IW) across the full spectrum of military operations.

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training organization, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cid/, http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ciwt/, http://www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or http://www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.

• Date Taken: 09.19.2017
• Date Posted: 09.21.2017 15:50
• Story ID: 249131
• Location: PENSACOLA, FL, US