Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Cortez

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Cortez is a native of Houston, Texas.  He enlisted in the Navy as a cryptologic technician technical (CTT) in February 1996.  He received his commission through the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program in October 2009.  In April 2016, he redesignated to the Restricted Line, Cryptologic Warfare Officer (1810) Community.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts from Excelsior College and a Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
 

His operational tours include direct support airborne electronic intelligence (ELINT) supervisor, Naval Security Group Detachment Barbers Point/Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, accumulating over 1,750 flight hours in support of U.S. 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet operations; electronic/cryptologic division leading chief petty officer (LCPO), USS Cape St. George (CG-71), completing a U.S. 5th Fleet deployment; special evaluator on the EP-3E ARIES II, Navy Information Operations Command Georgia, deploying for over 500 days accumulating 1,750 flight hours on 190 combat-support missions supporting Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya operations; troop commander and operations officer, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Virginia Beach, Viginia.; cryptologic resource coordinator, Carrier Strike Group 5 embarked on USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) for the 2020 U.S. 7th Fleet  deployment and 2021 U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet deployment.

His shore tours include military ELINT signals analysis program intern, Naval Security Group Activity Maryland; ELINT signals analysis lab LCPO and directorate senior enlisted leader, Office of Naval Intelligence; cryptologic warfare limited duty officer/chief warrant officer, new accessions, cyber warfare engineer and cyber warrant officer detailer, Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee; student, Naval War College and Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, Newport, Rhode Island; cryptologic resource coordinator instructor, Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station.

He became the executive officer for IWTC Corry Station in May 2023.

Cortez has been awarded various personal, campaign, unit and service awards. He received the 2021 Captain Joseph Rochefort Information Warfare Officer Distinguished Leadership Award and the 2022 Copernicus Award.

Last Updated: 9 August 2023

 
 
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