Volunteer Effort Helps Instill Navy Pride in IWTC San Diego Sailors

SAN DIEGO – A group of 15 Sailors with Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) San Diego took time out on a Saturday to volunteer aboard the USS Midway, strengthening the bond between IWTC San Diego Sailors, the city of San Diego, and the USS Midway Museum, on Jan. 21, 2023.
 
The group assisted in cleaning out padeyes, to prevent rust and corrosion on the flight deck and aircraft elevators, maintaining ship spaces, to ensure a museum-quality experience for visitors, and clearing a berthing compartment of racks, lockers, and cabinets for future use.
 
This volunteer event served a way expose Sailors to an important piece of U.S. Navy history. The USS Midway, named for the Battle of Midway, is a decommissioned U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with 47 years of service including action during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. While volunteering, the IWTC San Diego Sailors interacted with museum volunteers, including veterans who served onboard Midway, who shared sea stories and instilled a sense of pride and naval heritage.

Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Romon Vanarsdale orchestrated the event to start the year off on a positive note.
 
“This event provided the command an opportunity to come together at the start of the New Year and give back to the community of San Diego,” said Vanarsdale. “It also provided Sailors an opportunity to learn about the history of the USS Midway and the importance of respecting and protecting U.S. naval heritage.”
 
“I am immensely proud of today’s volunteers, who graciously put aside their personal time to help preserve naval history,” remarked Cmdr. Jordan Adler, IWTC San Diego executive officer. “The event instilled camaraderie and sense of pride, all while getting a physical workout moving numerous pieces of berthing furniture up two decks and across many passageways. Within the berthing compartment, we discovered a late 1980’s carbon-copy special request chit, a basic damage control personnel qualification standard cover page, and a Maintenance and Material Management (3M) test--all programs and processes that link U.S. Navy Sailors across decades.”
 
IWTC San Diego, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel at sites across the Pacific Fleet 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.