CHIPS Articles: CNO and MCPON Visit U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet

During the visit, CNO and MCPON received briefings on various aspects of Navy Cyberspace Operations and support to Department of Defense Information Networks.

Richardson's visit was an opportunity to recognize the often unseen and unheard contributions of the FCC/C10F warfighting team. In particular, he praised their work providing tailored signals intelligence, operating and defending the Navy's networks, delivering warfighting effects through cyberspace and serving as the Navy's component for space.

"Today I had the opportunity to watch operations in progress and it was truly stunning," said Richardson. "You're doing tremendously important work here for the entire Navy and you couldn't be doing it at a more important time."

Stevens spoke to those assembled about the growing Information Warfare community and the need for each generation of Sailors to leave behind a solid legacy upon which their successors can grow.

"Our job is to ensure that we leave a legacy for the next generation of Sailors in which the path forward is clearer and the light is a little bit brighter," said Stevens.

Richardson and Stevens also used the occasion to recognize the Sailors of the year from both FCC/C10F and Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Maryland.

"I felt very honored and humbled to be recognized by the CNO and the MCPON. I didn't expect it, but if felt great," said Chief (select) Yeoman Demetrius Martinez, a native of Oakland, Calif. and Sailor of the year for FCC/C10F. "Most importantly, I had my shipmates beside me and also cheering me in the crowd and that felt good."

CNO and MCPON spent the majority of the time interacting with the group and answering questions from the Sailors and civilians in the audience on a wide range of topics, from the manning and uniforms to information assurance for fleet-wide communities.

After receiving a question about information assurance, both leaders addressed the Navy's effort to introduce technology, computer literacy and cyber security from the bottom up, along with other requisite knowledge expected of a Sailor out of boot camp. They both cited the Navy's new "E-Sailor Initiative," a program in which Sailors receive mobile devices at recruit training and use them for training purposes and communication with family members. Stevens stressed that just as new recruits are taught the basics necessary to become well-rounded Sailors, so to must the importance of cyber security be ingrained in them from the beginning and reinforced throughout their careers.

U.S. Fleet Cyber Command serves as the Navy component command to U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and the Navy's Service Cryptologic Component commander under the National Security Agency/Central Security Service. Fleet Cyber Command also reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations as an Echelon II command.

U.S. 10th Fleet is the operational arm of Fleet Cyber Command and executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders. In this role, C10F provides operational direction through its Maritime Operations Center located at Fort George Meade Md., executing command and control over assigned forces in support of Navy or joint missions in cyber/networks, information operations, electronic warfare, cryptologic/signals intelligence and space.

For more information, visit www.fcc.navy.mil.

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