PENSACOLA, Fla. – Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station bid farewell to Command Master Chief (CMC) Jodi Gibson, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, who commemorated the end of her naval career with a retirement ceremony held at the National Naval Aviation Museum on Naval Air Station Pensacola, June 25.
Friends, family and fellow Sailors recognized her accomplishments throughout a career that spanned 28 years of dedicated and honorable service.
“To make a successful career is all about support from family, friends, and relying on a strong leadership triad of the CO, XO, and CMC,” said retired Navy Senior Chief Walt Turner, guest speaker. “When she assumed the role as CMC, she always was completely dedicated to her command and crew.”
Cmdr, Zachary McKeehan, commanding officer of IWTC Corry Station presented CMC Gibson with the Meritorious Service Medal (gold star in lieu of second award) signed by Rear Adm. Peter A. Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command.
“CMC Gibson superbly performed at a level only found among the very best and most experienced command master chiefs in the Navy,” said Mckeehan. “I have had the distinct privilege to work closely with CMC and know the tremendous contributions that she made to the well-being and professional development of our Sailors.”
As cited in the award, CMC Gibson led the largest command in information warfare training domain; advising on 37 instruction courses encompassing 350 supporting staff and 2,400 students daily. Her positive impact was highlighted by the 33,000 graduates produced during her tenure, who will provide critical signals intelligence, electronic warfare, information technology, and cyberspace operations to deftly answer National and fleet requirements.
“As a direct result of her leadership and dedication, IWTC Corry Station was able to continue our vital training mission with student throughput, not only maintained, but increased to over 2,500 students daily through the COVID-19 pandemic,” added McKeehan. “Policies and procedures executed under her guidance successfully insulated Corry Station from the COVID-19 threat. As a result, no training was cancelled with only .5% positive rate of infection that set the gold standard for the rest of the Navy to follow.”
The IWTC Corry Station’s Chief Petty Officer’s Mess also presented CMC Gibson a shadow box to commemorate her years of service.
“Seeing the career CMC Gibson has had, and all the Sailors she has had a direct impact on makes you look at your past, present, and future and reminds you this is more than a job and paycheck,” said Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) Michael Jarrell, retirement sponsor. “What we do impacts Sailors and their families for life.”
Gibson shared, “Having the foundation that my family and friends gives me has driven my success I have today. Few things that must happen for success in the Navy beyond family is you cannot be successful without the support of the Sailors around you. Support from your peers, your leadership, and as you make rank the sailors whom work for you.”
She continued, “Good leaders accept change, moving forward with the changes in technology, culture, and communication methods. We need to embrace change and always find the positive in every change we are leading. If you do not embrace change, you accept failure rather than success.”
Gibson holds a bachelor’s in music therapy from St. Mary of the Woods College in 1983 and enlisted in the Navy in 1993. She first served at Ft. Mead as direct support. While there she completed her first deployment on the USS Ashland (LSD 48) and earned her surface warfare specialist designation. Her qualifications also include information and air warfare specialist, along with master training specialist.
Significant afloat and operational assignments include leading petty officer an aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4); promoted to chief petty officer aboard Center for Information Dominance Corry Station while instructing Combat Direction Finding course; selected for senior chief aboard USS Chaffee (DDG 90); selected for Master Chief at Fleet Forces Command; and selected as a command master chief at Navy Information Operations Command Georgia. Her first CMC assignment was aboard USS Ft McHenry (LSD 43).
With five operational tours, an instructor tour, two CMC tours, and multiple fleet deployments, CMC Gibson went above and beyond, serving her country with honor, courage, and commitment.
IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains approximately 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.
For more news from the Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/CIWT, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.