PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station graduated its first ever all United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cryptologic Technicians (Collection) (CTR) Communication Signals Collection Course class, Oct. 27.

“This all Coast Guard 460 class is a first for Corry Station,” said Lt. Shaun Stirrat, department head at IWTC Corry Station. “It is a positive milestone in joint-service cooperation and cryptologic warfare. What makes this class even more special is the lead instructor was also a Coast Guardsman, Chief Intelligence Specialist Richard Reyes.”

The CTR “A” School 1460 course was established in January 2020, and it’s the predecessor of Communication Signals Collection and Processing Course. It focuses on providing E1-E6 service cryptologic element personnel of the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard the knowledge and skills necessary to function as a communications signals collection operator with little supervision. Specifically, in the areas of signals collection, reporting formats and for matriculation into more advance courses.

“I was beyond proud to be the instructor of the first ever all Coast Guard course,” said Reyes. “I wasn’t surprised that the class had a high grade point average since being a Coast Guardsman is all about ‘Semper Paratus’ which is more than just a saying. It’s what we live by it’s a way of life.”

The class consisted of 16 Coast Guardsmen with a 95% class average that managed to maintain this incredibly high average while dealing with Hurricane Sally and other obstacles during their time here.

“I really enjoyed being in the course,” said Coast Guardsman Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Kiraly, class honor graduate. “The friendly competition to be the best was fierce and something that I truly enjoyed because nobody let up, and everybody showed up. Making this the best course had ever been a part of. The competition was high all the way through the entirety of the course.”

Over 85% of the class graduated with scores high enough to graduate with honors, a feat that is established by not failing any topics and completing the course with at least a 95% average.

“I embraced the role of being the class leader,” said Coast Guardsman Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Clayton Pelath, class leader. “Even though this was my first time in a leadership role as a first class, it felt natural. These Coast Guardsmen made being in charge easy because they all had the focus to compete at high level and try to come out on top as the honor graduate.”

Coast Guard Liaison Officer Lt. Meghan Daieden onboard Corry Station also shared with the class how important of a role the class played to the future of the Coast Guard by reminding them that they play a critical role of the overall mission success of the multitude of mission they may encounter within their careers.

“These Coast Guardsmen will be in a key position to contribute and be a deciding factor to the U.S. maintaining our place in Great Power Competition in the world,” said Cmdr. Chris Johnson, executive officer of IWTC Corry Station.

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.

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