Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau | 240203-N-GF955-1012 US 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Feb. 3, 2024) The guided-missile...... read more read more
As global threats evolve, Naval Information Force Reserve (NAVIFORES) isn’t waiting on the sidelines—it’s stepping up to be prepared for the fight. With the Navy’s renewed emphasis on readiness to ensure success at the Operational Level of War (OLW), NAVIFORES is focused on ensuring Sailors in the Information Warfare Line (IWL) are ready to support active, real-world missions. Their goal is to answer the call in the Navy’s most critical moments.
“Information Warfare is critical to our Fleet’s Maritime Operations Centers (MOC) and our reserve force must be trained and ready,” said Rear Adm. Greg Emery, Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.
For NAVIFORES, readiness is no longer a distant goal—it’s a daily reality.
As 17 percent of the U.S. Navy’s total reserve force, NAVIFORES is expected to remain fully operational and immediately responsive to national requirements. The reserve’s mission is no longer about simply preparing for future conflicts. Now, reservists are integrating into active-duty operations, providing critical skills in intelligence, oceanographic analysis, cyber warfare, cryptology, space warfare, and information technology.
In recent years, the IWL has transitioned from a support role to a central player in Fleet operations, a shift exemplified by the establishment of the IWL Afloat Warfare Commander within Carrier Strike Groups.
“These new leadership roles are crucial to ensuring NAVIFORES continues to provide well-trained and highly operational Sailors,” said Adm. Emery. “This strategic growth and adaptation is essential for NAVIFORES to meet the evolving requirements of the Fleet.”
NAVIFORES Sailors have played key roles in recent high-priority operations, standing alongside their active-duty counterparts. The Israel-Hamas conflict and Houthi threats in the Red Sea increased personnel requirements at Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. Fifth Fleet, prompting the need for reservist support.
Thirteen reservists were called to Bahrain, some with less than 30 days’ notice, to bolster intelligence support for ongoing operations. Offering competencies in collection, analysis, and other information warfare disciplines, these supported the MOC, enhancing the 5th Fleet Commander’s maritime domain awareness and decision-making. Reflecting on their indispensable contributions, Vice Commander of Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet Rear Adm. Jeffrey Jurgemeyer stated, “We could not do what we do without reservists.”
This deployment underscores NAVIFORES initiatives to use innovative strategies to accomplish its manning, training, and equipping mission as an Echelon III command. Recruiting skilled Sailors and civilians remains a vital part of that mission, and according to Adm. Emery, the IWL maintains a robust force due to its recruitment strategy, including direct accession programs for both officer and enlisted personnel, training and unit placement. These efforts ensure its more than 8,000 Sailors can respond quickly to the Navy’s needs.
“The IWL reserve force employs a unique recruitment strategy that includes the direct commissioning of officers,” said Capt. Pete Madson, Deputy Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve.
Their integration and training play a pivotal role in ensuring the mission readiness of NAVIFORES Sailors, enabling their capability to seamlessly step onto the MOC floor. “We integrate the reserve Sailors into the regular training pipeline and make sure the forces are trained,” said Capt. Katherine Mueller, Deputy Chief of Staff, Warfighting Readiness and Integration. “We get all the schoolhouse quotas and make sure the units professionally develop the reservists to the same standards as the active component to provide support to their supported commands.”
Madson and Mueller also emphasize the importance of enlisted Sailors who are essential to NAVIFORES's success.
“There are several different ratings and communities with key roles in OLW,” Capt. Madson explained. “The largest one for officers is Intelligence, but there is also Cryptology, Cyber Warfare, Maritime Space, Information Professionals, and Oceanography Officers. These are directly tied to Information Warfare enlisted ratings like Intelligence Specialist, Cryptological Technician, Cyber Warfare Technician, Information Systems Technician, and Aerographer's Mate.”
Enlisted personnel undergo extensive training to ensure operational readiness at NAVIFORES. Community leaders develop professional development plans to include trainings and relevant transferable certifications that ensure their Sailors are always prepared to meet the demands of OLW billets.
Looking ahead, Adm. Emery sees NAVIFORES playing an increasingly critical role as OLW becomes further embedded into the Fleet. As operations rely more on MOCs, NAVIFORES will continue expanding its coordination with numbered fleets and other Navy components to ensure the force stays ahead of future challenges.
“Integrated Information Warfare is integral to MOCs,” said Adm. Emery. “The readiness of our IW reserve force to deliver the capacity required to win must be our intense focus.”
This integration is key as NAVIFORES stands as the Navy’s bulwark against adversaries who increasingly leverage non-kinetic methods to threaten American interests. Guided by Adm. Emery’s charge that “status quo is unacceptable,” the reserve IWL continually refines training pipelines and explores new ways to innovate—all while ensuring reservists are mission ready from day one.
By expanding collaboration with numbered fleets, fortifying Reserve IWL command and control, while broadening its depth of IWL expertise, NAVIFORES remains the vanguard for modern warfighting.
This forward-leaning posture not only guarantees reserve Sailors can seamlessly join their active-duty counterparts but highlights the critical role the IWL plays in shaping the Navy’s future operational success.
| Date Taken: | 09.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2025 13:26 |
| Story ID: | 549711 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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