Wednesday, July 20, 2011

News from the Fleet

20 July 2011
At sea

CAPT

I wanted to take a moment and send you a quick update on a recent development here on staff that also impacts the IDC.

Recently SEVENTH Fleet (staff) developed our own Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialist (EIDWS) program. Since this staff has at least one Sailor from each rate that makes up the enlisted component of the IDC it seemed to make sense that the program be opened up to make room Sailors assigned here.

Once we gained approval to attempt this process, we (beginning in AUG 2010) developed and coordinated with the other numbered fleets to draft a "Numbered Fleet Platform Specific" PQS. Followed by the drafting of the required "Unit Specific" PQS for Sailors assigned to this staff.

After almost eleven months of work, we were certified in June 2011 by a CYBERFOR representative and then the subsequent boarding/qualification of our initial set of SMEs. I was lucky enough to be among those in that first group.

SEVENTH Fleet is now the first afloat command to have this program. From now on Sailors, in the IDC reporting for duty to SEVENTH Fleet staff, will have the opportunity to qualify as both ESWS and EIDWS.

I wanted to send you a photo, but haven't had luck yet getting the pictures from the pinning ceremony from the PAO (they are busy during the current exercise). I can tell you that a certain 'young man' you may know, CDR Boz Offord, did the honors and placed the Navy's newest warfare pin on my uniform.

Best Regards and Very Respectfully,

CTRC(SW/SG/IDW) Dennis W. Hunt
Assistant Cryptologic Resource Coordinator
Commander SEVENTH Fleet

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