IW Officer onboard IWTC Corry Station Qualifies as Command’s First IW Warfare Tactics Instructor

23 October 2020

From Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Lt. Richard Schroyer recently earned a level 4 warfare tactics instructor (WTI) designation and patch, alongside 20 other information warfare (IW) professionals, becoming Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station’s first qualified WTI.

Schroyer, a native of Orlando, Florida, has served in the Navy for nine years. A couple past assignments include serving aboard USS Farragut (DDG 99) as both the electronic warfare officer and the IW officer, and attending the Naval Postgraduate School, where he earned a master’s degree in electronic warfare.

IW WTIs are IW community officers, senior enlisted, and civilians who complete advanced training and developed tactical expertise across all IW mission areas – command and control/cyberspace operations, electronic warfare, intelligence operations, information operations, space, and meteorology and oceanography.

The newly qualified WTIs completed a rigorous course that consisted of an initial three-week baseline, followed by seven weeks of core training on current and near-future IW related topics focused through the pillars of battlespace awareness, assured command and control, and integrated fires.

Schroyer wishes to serve on a carrier strike group next and hopes his expertise and experience, paired with his new WTI qualification, will help usher in the next generation of electronic warfare to the units with the highest demand for it.

Schroyer, who helps instruct the Afloat Cryptologic Manager (ACM) and Cryptologic Warfare Officer Basic Course (CWOBC) classes at IWTC Corry Station, says that he is now set up better tailor training to Great Power Competition and will hopefully push others to the WTI qualification.

“Ultimately, it will help with Great Power Competition out in the fleet,” said Schroyer. “The more electronic warfare subject matter experts on flag staffs, the better the information warfare community will be.”

Schroyer also believes having the WTI program will help immensely in developing and standardization of the IW doctrine.

“IWTC Corry Station is the cradle of Navy cryptologic and cyber warfare, and our imperative mission is to cultivate operationally-focused warriors ready to synchronize and drive the innovative advantages of the Navy to stay ahead of competent adversaries,” said Cmdr. Zachary McKeehan, commanding officer of IWTC Corry Station. “The WTI program is the next evolutionary step in advancing the development of fleet-ready, high performing IW professionals by integrating exquisite weaponeering expertise across our curriculum and tactical training environments.”

The information warfare WTI program is open to commissioned officers O2 (but must be promoted to 03 before the completion of level 4) through O4, and chief warrant officers 2 through 4 who have already earned an IW officer designation pin; senior enlisted paygrades E7 through E9 who have earned an enlisted IW specialist designator pin; and GS/GG 11 through 14 civilians assigned to IW commands.

“Through the continued investment and development of a cadre of integrated WTIs, IWTC Corry Station will ensure our IW professionals achieve and maintain a lethal advantage in a rapidly evolving and high-tech profession,” added McKeehan.

IWTC Corry Station is a part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT). With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 22,000 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 Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/ciwt/, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.