PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station began a major revision and modernization of the Afloat Cryptologic Management (ACM) Course to align with the demands of the fleet and improve afloat cryptology.

“The revision makes the course training ready and relevant,” shared Lt. Richard Schroyer, N71 department head responsible for the ACM course. “The curriculum is flexing to Great Power Competition mindset with direct reach-back to warfare tactic instructor community for change inputs to tailor more practical training to meet demands and requirements.”

The ACM course provides instruction on leading and executing the duties as a division officer and a leading chief petty officer in cryptologic warfare, electronic warfare, and intelligence operations afloat.

The requirement for modernization efforts led to changing the general course format to incorporate more real-world operations scenarios and discussions building on specific areas of responsibility that the students will be leading at their respective platforms.

“The new curriculum will include the new cryptologic operations employment guide, updated instructions, concept of operations, techniques, tactics and procedures, and doctrine,” said Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collections) Raymond Donato, leading chief petty officer of the ACM Course. “Revising the capstone to prepare for information warfare operation highlights manning, training, equipment shortfalls and mitigation, reach-back support, leadership responsibilities, equipment optimization, and end-to-end cryptologic process.”

The course will now connect students directly to the fleet reach-back support organizations using video telecommunication conferencing (VTC) and shifts from instructor lectures to facilitation of guided-scenario discussions.

“Course instructors bring fleet experience to prepare the attending leaders in a positive successful direction,” added Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) Michael Jarrell, department leading chief petty officer. “Using video conferencing directly links the future leaders with real-world contacts in their prospective operating and deploying AORs.”

VTC with cryptologic reach-back to organizations also develop the students’ networking skills before assuming the role as afloat cryptologic managers at sea.

The course will give prospective information warfare officers and Ship’s Signal Exploitation Space chiefs familiarization with cryptologic warfare systems. VTCs provide points of contact for fleet readiness training program cycle and support references during the deployment of cryptologic operations.

“The course will continue to build emphasis on equipment familiarization and maintenance to improve readiness and optimize systems for deployment requirements,” said Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) 1st Class Corbin Powell, ACM course leading petty officer. “Course updates more closely reflect the position’s duties and responsibilities in the fleet.”

“I’m truly excited about the direction we are taking ACM to prepare our warfighters to fight and win in the entire electromagnetic spectrum,” said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Bebber, IWTC Corry Station executive officer. “The N71 team is doing fantastic work updating and revising curriculum to prepare future division officers and division chiefs to conduct cutting-edge information warfare.”

IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains approximately 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 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.