DVIDS – News – NETC force master chief touts fleet readiness in IWTC San Diego visit

By Chief Petty Officer James Yamilao
Information Warfare Training Command San Diego

SAN DIEGO – On August 19, the force master chief of Naval Education and Training Command met with Sailors from Information Warfare Training Command San Diego.

Master Chief Petty Officer Ben Hodges expressed his intent to acknowledge the staff for their exceptional dedication to fleet readiness. He also urged Sailors to uphold their standards of excellence as Navy recruitment continues to flourish.

“I want to extend my gratitude to IWTC San Diego for their unwavering dedication to fleet readiness and their relentless pursuit of professionalism, which not only sets the benchmark but continuously raises it,” said Hodges.

As of June, the Navy had enlisted 40,600 future Sailors, sufficient to achieve the fiscal year shipping target. With this recruiting achievement, NETC leaders are focused on providing battle-ready warfighters to the fleet as efficiently as possible.

Since taking on his role as NETC FORCM in July, Hodges aims to ensure the quality and readiness of all follow-on schools, assessing what is “working” for broader application across fleet distribution. His operational insights have already surfaced areas for collective improvement within the Navy, while his transparent approach sets a clear pathway toward upcoming goals, including information warfare’s role in addressing emerging threats and developing the next generation of warfighters.

“The visit from Force Master Chief Hodges was outstanding,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Barber, an electronics technician at IWTC San Diego. “He was open and straightforward about the future and discussed merit-based improvements.”

This visit inspired additional Sailors on the team.

“Force Master Chief (Hodges) motivated me significantly to strive for success in my naval career,” remarked Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Hill, an IWTC San Diego instructor.

Naval Education and Training Command is the largest shore command in the Navy and spearheads its “street to fleet” process—recruiting America’s sons and daughters and transforming them through world-class training into highly skilled, combat-ready warfighters.

As part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, IWTC San Diego offers a comprehensive training pathway for Navy and joint service personnel at various locations across the Pacific, equipping them to execute information warfare throughout all military operations.

With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites across the United States and Japan, CIWT instructs over 26,000 Navy and joint service students annually. It also provides more than 200 courses for cryptologic, information systems, and electronics technicians; intelligence specialists; and officers within the information warfare community.