PENSACOLA, Fla. – Capt. Bryan Braswell, commander, Naval Information Warfighting Development Center (NIWDC), visited the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) and Information Warfare Training Center (IWTC) Corry Station to discuss Information Warfare (IW) training and attend the graduation of the Cryptologic Warfare Officer Basic Course (CWOBC) at Corry Station, Apr. 3, 2024.
Braswell was provided an overview of CIWT and IWTC Corry Station training operations as well as an in-depth discussion of the CIWT domain’s efforts to train Cyber Warfare officers and enlisted personnel as well as those assigned to the Information Systems Technician rating.
During the conversation, Braswell related one of the challenges the Navy has faced is the speed at which technology is delivered in some cases outpacing the Navy’s ability to train to it.
Capt. Chris Bryant, commanding officer of CIWT, explained that CIWT is constantly searching for ways to be agile and flexible, so training can be updated and adjusted to meet the ever-shifting needs of the Navy. One of the initiatives CIWT has created to address this discrepancy is its Curriculum Development Branch, which was built to allow CIWT to make critical curriculum updates in a timelier manner while avoiding some of the obstacles inherent with the traditional update process.
While addressing the graduating CWOBC students, Braswell described the evolution of the Warfighting Development Centers, and detailed some of the current global IW threat framework.
“There is going to be a lot of change throughout your career in the IW community,” said Braswell. “I encourage you to take the path the Navy has for you…You’re in interesting times.”
After the CWOBC graduation, Braswell spoke with CIWT and IWTC Corry Station officers during a wardroom lunch. He explained the role of NIWDC, some of their current training focuses, as well as their lines of effort which include: Assured Command and Control (AC2); Long-Range Fires; Counter C5ISR (command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance); Terminal Defense; and Operations in the Information Environment. He also answered questions relating to his current role, and the career path for a Navy IW officer.
With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 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 IW community.