Commander, Naval Information Force Reserve (CNIFR) conducted CNIFR Annual Training Symposium (CATS) Feb 22-28, 2021, virtually due to COVID-19 social distancing measures.
Led by the CNIFR Training Department, the five-day event targeted CNIFR personnel assigned to headquarters, regions, and Joint Intelligence Reserve Center (JRIC) positions who are new to the Navy Reserve.
“There are no Full Time Support (FTS) Information Warfare (IW) personnel, so incoming active duty staff have to learn reserve processes and procedures quickly since they will have a role in making IW reserve policies,” explained Antonio Ochoa Jr., deputy chief of staff for training. “As a former Navy Operational Support Center commanding officer and Reserve Component Command Chief Staff Officer, we created a curriculum that bridges the Navy E-Learning course of Reserve Fundamentals and then expanded on the differences of Reserve Type Commanders.”
The CATS consisted of three NIFR Enlisted Professional Development Training courses, a CNIFR Prospective Commanding Officer course, an Officer in Charge (OIC) course, a Reserve IW Reserve 101 course and finished off the drill weekend with two days focused on training from each directorate and liaisons supporting each Navy Type Command (TYCOM), providing newly assigned personnel to CNIFR and its detachments with the latest initiatives and latest reserve guidance.
“It was obvious that considerable planning went into this event and it paid dividends, I particularly enjoyed Capt. Freidberg's N5 presentation on the new Strategic Plan,” said Capt. Theodore Cochran, incoming deputy N9 and strategic technology lead. “One of my first orders of business will be to understand and refine the flow-down of specific initiatives from the command's goals, objectives, and lines of effort.”
CNIFR, provides Navy and joint service customers with skilled, trained and ready Information Warfare Reserve professionals in support of mobilization, contingency and peacetime operations.