Courtesy Photo | 210708-N-BQ121-0078 PENSACOLA, Fla. (July 8, 2021) Cmdr. Meredith K. Schley (left)...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Kenneth J. Stanford, Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Cmdr. Meredith Schley relieved Cmdr. Zach D. McKeehan as commanding officer of Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station in a Change of Command Ceremony held at the National Naval Aviation Museum on Naval Air Station Pensacola, July 8.
Change of Command is a time-honored ceremony that represents the transfer of authority, responsibility, and accountability from one commander to another. It is a privilege that is hard earned on its recipient a sacred trust. Command is the pinnacle of a naval officer’s career and something that every officer aspire.
Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Denver Cain served as the guest speaker during the ceremony and Capt. Mark W. Ratkus, commanding officer of the Center of Information Warfare Training (CIWT), was the presiding officer.
“I saw the unlimited potential and growth of this young Sailor throughout his enlisted career and when he commissioned as cryptologic warfare officer, I mentored and challenged Cmdr. McKeehan to take care of his Sailors,” shared Cain.
Ratkus thanked the all the families, friends and shipmates for their continued support and sacrifices throughout the journey of McKeehan and Schley.
“It’s great to have all the guests here to bear witness to these two great officers as they change of charge, assume responsibilities, and move on to their next phase of their careers, said Ratkus. “No naval officer navigates an arduous, successful career, and achieves command without the steadfast support of their family, friends and shipmates.”
McKeehan was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal signed by Rear Adm. Peter A. Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command.
As cited in the award, McKeehan led the largest command in Information Warfare Training Domain. IWTC Corry Station has a staff of over 300 and is responsible for the development and training of a daily average of 2,450 students across 36 courses of instruction (COIs) at Corry Station and two COIs at Information Warfare Training Site Keesler. Those students who graduate from those courses will provide critical signals intelligence, electronic warfare, information technology, and cyberspace operations to deftly answer national and fleet requirements.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, IWTC Corry Station maintained continual training operations with minimal impact, maintaining the integrity of the joint service force development supply chain. With a total throughput of 11,681 students and 15,825 individual course enrollments since March 2020, zero classes were cancelled. Over 10,000 facemasks were distributed and daily wellness checks were conducted for staff and students affected by COVID-19. Policies and procedures executed under McKeehan’s guidance successfully insulated Corry Station from the COVID-19 threat. As a result, no training was cancelled with only .5% positive rate of infection that set the gold standard for the rest of the Navy to follow.
McKeehan shared, “This team certainly made me proud by keeping a close eye out for each other, but we did not stand alone. This could’ve had a deeply devastating effect on our staff and students alike, but we persevered. Our mission success and well being at Corry Station are built on partnerships with numerous others from across the Pensacola Navy team. As mentioned, the Navy League, Fleet and Family Support Center, USO and MWR – all impacted by Covid-19 – continued to show support. We are the cradle of Navy Cytological and Cyber Warfare …. We are in a state of strategic competition that exist between our nation and primarily China and Russia to name a few.”
As for his successor, Cmdr. Meredith Schley, McKeehan mentioned, “I don’t have much advice, because I know that you are more than ready and will do great. Just remember when you are a commanding officer – people stop talking and stand when you enter the room, most importantly they trust you with their lives and their families.”
Schley thanked all the remarkable leaders who prepared her for this amazing day. She especially thanked her mother, Cynthia, who has been her loudest cheerleader for 19 years and supported her throughout her career.
“I look forward in continuing Cmdr. McKeehan’s work, with CIWT’s help, to elevate the outstanding structure in place at IWTC Corry station – to teach mentor and mold warriors who progress through our walls,” said Schley. “During my last duty station, I was fortunate to receive graduates from IWTC Corry Station, and they consistently brought great effort and unwavering courage. Their purpose and direction in our Navy was imparted, cultivated and sharpened here at Corry under the unparalleled leadership of Cmdr. McKeehan. Our Navy’s newest generation is ready for today’s challenges because of him. I take command with a full understanding of the standards that he has set and I relish the opportunity of what he has done to make the better, the best.”
IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains approximately 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.
For more news from the Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/CIWT, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2021 03:46 |
| Story ID: | 400771 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 715 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, IWTC Corry Station Holds Change of Command, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT