Information Warfare Training Command, Corry Station student Information Systems Technician (IT) 3rd Class John A. Watkins II was recently selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS).

Officer candidates are selected from a wide variety of applicants with diverse backgrounds, both military and civilian, with the major requirement for consideration being that they possess a college degree.

During the 13 week course, OCS instills within its candidates the qualities of professional naval officers; qualities that include: honesty, integrity, work ethic, military bearing, character, dependability, initiative, accountability, toughness and teamwork. The OCS program seeks to develop officer candidates who will perform capably under pressure and in adverse conditions, while also testing and strengthening their time management skills and confidence.

A native of San Diego, Calif., Watkins graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in economics and subsequently enlisted in the Navy in May of 2019. He intended to join his best friend in the fleet as a Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land). However, due to medical reasons, he was dropped from BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School) training and entered the IT training pipeline.

“My father is an active duty (Navy) information professional (IP) and he has provided me a lot of guidance on what the career field does for the fleet,” said Watkins. “So, I applied for OCS during my time in IT ‘A’ school. If given the opportunity, I would like to work with the SPECWAR (special warfare) community.”
The grandson of a retired Navy Captain, Watkins is a third-generation Navy family.

“I want to lead at an exceptional level like my family has,” said Watkins. “I want to take care of Sailors because they are our biggest asset.”

Watkins’ plan is to be a career Navy officer. He would like to become an Afloat Network Security Initiative (ANSI) officer, attend Navy Postgraduate School (NPS), and eventually be selected for command. When asked why he ultimately chose the IP program, he said it was because of something his father repeated throughout his Naval career, “He who knows the information first wins the fight.”
Watkins continued, “I want to help solve that problem. My grandfather shared his experience, and ultimately, the IP field appealed to me more.”

During his off-duty hours, Watkins is an avid golfer, plays chess, and reads novels. He also enjoys spending time with his family. He will tentatively report to Newport, R. I., to begin OCS this July.

IWTC Corry Station is a part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT). With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT is recognized as Naval Education and Training Command’s top learning center for the past three years. Training over 21,000 students every year, CIWT delivers 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.