Tag Archive for: navy

The Navy is offering some sailors $100,000 to reenlist

/in


The good news for sailors looking for a nice cash bonus to reenlist is that those in one rating — cyber warfare technicians — are seeing a major increase in reenlistment bonuses and are now eligible for a whopping $100,000.

The not-so-good news is that there are only 22 of those sailors in the Navy who are eligible.

But across the fleet, bonuses are up or at least stayed flat for many ratings that were eligible in Fiscal Year 2023, Navy officials told Task & Purpose, as part of the most recent adjustments to the service’s Selective Reenlistment Bonuses, or SRBs. Some, though not all, Hospital Corpsman can also get $100,000, up from $90,000.

“SRBs are used to manage manning in specific ratings and NECs [Navy Enlisted Classifications], said Navy Capt. Jodie Cornell, a spokeswoman for the Chief of Naval Personnel. “SRBs incentivize experienced Sailors with critical skills to stay Navy. SRB award levels are continually adjusted to manage the real-time needs of the Navy and specific community retention goals.”

No bonuses were reduced nor were any ratings removed from the eligibility list as part of the latest changes, which became effective on April 15, Cornell told Task & Purpose.

The bonuses are awarded to sailors in three categories based on how long they have been in the Navy: Zone A refers to sailors with between one month and six years of service; Zone B includes sailors with between six and 10 years of service; and Zone C refers to sailors with between 10 and 14 years of service.

Cyber warfare technicians, or CWTs, saw the largest jump, with an increase to $100,000 in Zones A, B, and C. Prior to the changes, CWTs and Zones A and C were eligible for $60,000 and sailors in Zone B could collect a $75,000 reenlistment bonus.

Subscribe to Task & Purpose today. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.

The Navy created the CWT rating in response to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which required the Navy to separate the job from cryptologic technicians, officials said.

The CWT community is small, and only 11 sailors in Zone A, seven sailors in Zone B, and four in Zone C are eligible for the…

Source…

Navy looking to increase cyber partnerships with foreign nations

/in


The Navy wants to increase its collaboration in the cyber domain with allies and other international partners to improve interoperability and the sharing of tactics.

The department’s first cyber strategy, released in November, calls for greater cooperation between the organization and foreign countries.

“We will engage with Allied and friendly nations to exchange best practices, share appropriate information, and coordinate our efforts in cyberspace,” it states.

Officials noted that there is a lot to be gained, in terms of tactics and tools, through greater partnership.

“We share our tools, we share the intelligence — and so the better integrated we are, the more successful we will be. A big part of this, again, is learning from each other. We learn as much from them as they learned from us,” Scott St. Pierre, the Department of the Navy’s acting principal cyber advisor, told reporters during a media call Friday. “Our allied coalition partners bring intelligence, they bring unique ways of looking at both defensive cyber operations as well as offensive cyber operations.”

Officials in the past have noted that in many cases, allies and partners may have certain capabilities, access and even authorities that are not immediately available to the U.S. Teaming up with these nations to understand capabilities, accesses and targets improves operations because in some cases these countries can act when the U.S. might not be able to.

St. Pierre noted that this push for greater international cooperation is in line with efforts by U.S. Cyber Command.

“That integrated approach is one of the key elements that U.S. Cyber Command is working, as well as each of the component cyber commands,” he said. “They work with joint and allied partners every single day in a cooperative fashion. It’s been tremendously beneficial to help moving us forward not only on establishing the right defensive postures, but also learning from what they know in terms of the intel they collected and how they actually execute offensive cyber operations.”

In fact, Cybercom’s leader Gen. Paul Nakasone has made international partnerships a key pillar of the…

Source…

DVIDS – News – Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group Host Commemoration For Rosemary S. Wenchel

/in



Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group (NCWDG) hosted a commemoration ceremony for Rosemary S. Wenchel on December 20 at Fort Meade, Md.

During the ceremony Capt. Michael Herlands, commanding officer of NCWDG, presented a portrait of Wenchel to her family that will hang in the lobby of the NCWDG Cyber Foundry, a research and development command for some of the U.S. Navy’s cyber-warfare capabilities.

Friends and family of Wenchel talked about the impact she had on their lives and how she brought out the best in everyone around her.

“Rosemary was an unsung pioneer of naval cryptology and a trailblazer for the cyber discipline within the U.S. National Security establishment,” said Herlands. “She was a prominent member of our NCWDG family for decades and a true inspiration for many of us who continue carrying on her legacy.”

Wenchel’s service to the Navy cyber community began in 1989 as a computer systems programmer at the Naval Security Group. She would spend the rest of her career ensuring the Navy was the dominant force in the cyberspace and information environment.

Between 1995 and 2005 she worked at Naval Information Warfare Activity, finishing her time there as the chief scientist. She would go on to direct cyber capabilities at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

She joined DHS in 2012 and became the assistant secretary for the Office of Cyber, Infrastructure and Resilience Policy to ensure the U.S. cyber workforce had the tools needed to succeed.

In 2016, she returned to NCWDG as the chief technology officer, providing technical leadership and strategic guidance for the research, development and operational delivery of cyber warfare capabilities. She passed away May 11, 2019.

George Wenchel, husband of Rosemary, expressed how his wife’s deep dedication to the Navy and her strong commitment to her cryptologic and cyber colleagues throughout her career, left the world a better place.

NCWDG serves as the Navy’s Center for Cyber Warfare innovation. For over 30 years, NCWDG has conducted technical research and development to…

Source…

Navy Petty Officer Jamica Ballard: From Maryland to Norfolk, Serving with Pride Aboard USS Kearsarge

/in


Credit: Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Patricia Elkins, Navy Office of Community Outreach

NORFOLK, Va. – Petty Officer 1st Class Jamica Ballard, hailing from Fort Washington, Maryland, is a dedicated member of the United States Navy, stationed aboard a warship docked in Norfolk, Virginia. Ballard’s journey from Friendly High School in 2008 to the USS Kearsarge today is a testament to her unwavering commitment to serve her country.

Ballard’s experiences in Fort Washington have played a significant role in shaping her outlook on her Navy career. She shared a valuable lesson she learned from her mother, saying, “The main lesson I carry with me is from my mom. She always told me to never take things personally when I’m doing a job. That lesson helps me adapt to various environments and work with people with different personalities because I may not always get along with everyone, but I can’t take it to heart.”

Joining the Navy 14 years ago, Ballard’s journey began during the throes of the economic recession. She reflected on her decision, stating, “I was working at Blockbuster when the recession started. The economy was going through a hard time, and Blockbuster got phased out, so I lost my job. My older brother was interested in joining the Navy, and I went with him when he was being recruited. I ended up going, but he didn’t.”

Today, Ballard serves as a mass communication specialist aboard the USS Kearsarge, a formidable vessel with a crew of approximately 1,200 members capable of accommodating up to 1,800 Marines. USS Kearsarge is part of the Wasp class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships, carrying out critical missions that involve the transfer of Marines, equipment, supplies, and air support capabilities.

The role of the Navy and sailors like Ballard in America’s defense strategy cannot be understated. As the nation focuses on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in line with the National Defense Strategy, Ballard emphasizes the Navy’s significance. “I think the Navy is important to national defense, especially for what we represent…

Source…