The men and women of the Office of Naval Intelligence gathered to celebrate the historic accomplishments of the Command at the 132nd anniversary ceremony in the NMIC auditorium March 20.
Vice Adm. Ted Branch, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance and Director of Naval Intelligence, was the event's honored guest and featured speaker. As he surveyed some of the geopolitical and maritime challenges confronting the nation, he called ONI "a national treasure."
"Never before in our history, I think it’s safe to say, has intelligence been as critical as it is today,” he said. “Our country has been at war for the past 13 years and naval intelligence has been at the forefront driving operations. In the face of these challenges and especially as we wind down from those years of ground wars in the Middle East and Asia, the Navy will assume a central role,” Branch said.
With the rapidly evolving information age warfare, he said, intelligence must also change along with the times “enhancing the depth of expertise of naval intelligence professionals with a new and different perspective.”
Rear Adm. Elizabeth Train, ONI Commander, presided over the ceremony, acknowledging the legacy of America's longest serving intelligence agency and the contributions of the people who serve in it. Rear Adm. Train, who made history herself as the first woman to command ONI, also shared some of her family’s personal history.
“When the forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, my grandfather was then a captain and chief of staff to the commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet embarked on USS California,” she said. “He witnessed the sinking of USS Arizona, the battleship he had commanded just 10 months prior.”
Harold D. Train became Director of Naval Intelligence in July 1942. "We are all members of a larger family, the community of naval intelligence professionals, military and civilian," Train said.
Seventeen military and civilian members of ONI were presented awards at the ceremony. They were honored for their outstanding contributions to the success of naval intelligence.
“The individuals we are recognizing today exemplify the best aspects of both our tradition and our future,” Train said. "As we have in the past, the men and women of naval intelligence have worked together to overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and build relationships to better support our Navy and the nation.”
The capacity audience included distinguished guests, present and former leaders of ONI and naval intelligence, and members of the workforce.
Following the ceremony, the admirals were joined by retired Director of Naval Intelligence Rear Adm. Thomas Brooks and ITSA Megan Saul, the newest member of the command, in the traditional cutting of the ONI birthday cake.