VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – On Apr. 19, 2022, Information Warfare Training Command Virginia Beach (IWTCVB) Commanding Officer, Cmdr. James Brennan, meritoriously advanced Electronics Technician (ET), 2nd Class Andrew Dean to the rate of 1st class petty officer under the Navy's Meritorious Advancement Program.
 
The program provides a way for command leadership to advance their most qualified Sailors ahead of each of the semi-annual Navy-wide Advancement Cycles.
 
“As a commanding officer, it is always a tremendous privilege to recognize and advance our most outstanding Sailors to the next paygrade,” said Brennan. “Our selection process is rigorous, but it allows the command to highlight the numerous accomplishments that now ET1 Dean has accomplished throughout his tenure at IWTC Virginia Beach.”
 
Dean reported onboard IWTC Virginia Beach in Dec. 2019, to serve as a command system administrator technician. Shortly after his arrival, he became the department Leading Petty Officer and served as Leading Chief Petty Officer for three months. Dean led eight personnel to complete over 800 trouble tickets totaling 2,080 man-hours and obtained a 100 percent inventory rating of classroom-related materials totaling over 2.9 million dollars. During that time, Dean's mentorship of his Sailors also proved to be excellent, resulting in two promotions and two Junior Sailor of the Quarter selections. On Apr. 8, 2022, Dean was named IWTC Virginia Beach's Junior Sailor of the Year for 2021.
 
“There aren't any words I can say right now other than thank you to all of my Sailors,” said Dean. “I learned a lot about myself because of them, and if not for them, I wouldn't be standing here as a first class.”
 
Dean, originally from Joaquin, Texas, enlisted in the Navy in June 2012 following his high school graduation, attending recruit training and Electronics Technician "A" School in Great Lakes, Ill.
 
Prior to his position at IWTC Virginia Beach, Dean completed two operational deployments onboard USS Arlington (LPD-24), where he served as combat electronics, navigation, and radar division work center supervisor. During that time he was promoted to petty officer third class, and graduated from Electronics Technician "C" School. While deployed he earned his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification and was promoted to petty officer second class. He also served as communications department work center supervisor onboard Coastal Riverine Group 1, detachment Guam, where he obtained his Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare Specialist qualification.
 
IWTC Virginia Beach currently offers 56 courses of instruction in information technology, cryptology, and intelligence with an instructor and support staff of 278 military, civilian, and contract members who train over 6,600 students every year at five training sites in the Hampton Roads area. It is one of four schoolhouses for the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) and also oversees learning sites at Jacksonville and Mayport, Florida; Kings Bay, Georgia; and Groton, Connecticut to continue aligning information warfare community training.