ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- Vice Adm. Mike Gilday relieved Vice Adm. Jan E. Tighe as commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F) during a change of command ceremony held July 14 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.
Gilday, who was most recently the director of operations, J3, for U.S. Cyber Command, takes the reins of FCC/C10F from Tighe, who will assume duties as the deputy chief of naval operations (DCNO) for information warfare (N2N6) and director of naval intelligence (DNI).
Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran, the ceremony's guest speaker and presiding officer, presented Tighe with the Distinguished Service Medal and commended her exceptional work.
"Across the globe today, Adm. Tighe and her teams are living up to the legacy of the [original] 10th Fleet," said Moran. "I would argue that the best measure of Adm. Tighe's success in this tour is her legacy of warfighters that she leaves behind. Everywhere the Navy operates there is a cyber warrior on watch today rapidly becoming an intrinsic part of how we operate around the world. Thanks for your leadership at a critical juncture during the growth of this community and more importantly this warfare community."
Tighe praised the exceptional work of the Sailors and civilians of FCC/C10F.
"I am so proud of the progress we have made as a team and with our partners ... and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for them with [Vice Adm. Gilday] at the helm," said Tighe. "I have 16,000 teammates that deserve my thanks. While, I won't be able to thank each of you personally, I want to show you my appreciation through my continued commitment to our shared mission."
Gilday is now the fourth flag officer selected to command the Navy's newest fleet, which serves as central operational authority for networks, cryptologic/signals intelligence, information operations, cyber, electronic warfare, and space capabilities in support of forces afloat and ashore.
"To the women and men of Fleet Cyber Command, I am absolutely thrilled to be in this position as your commander," said Gilday. "During this past week with you as I spent time with you, it was so uplifting to be that much closer to the tactical edge of cyber. Probably the most important thing I can say to you as I take command and as we move forward, is that the basis of our success is going to come from your creativity in this space, just like 10th Fleet's contribution in World War II. Your creativity is absolutely key to our delivering outcomes across the spectrum of cyberspace."
A surface warfare officer, Gilday is a 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has served in a diverse range of Navy and joint assignments at sea and ashore. He commanded multiple units and ships at sea including destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) during the initial combat operations of Iraqi Freedom and most recently Carrier Strike Group 8 embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). He has also served in high-level posts in joint commands including at the White House as the naval aide to the president and as executive assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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, Maryland, 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 news from Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/FCCC10F/.