New Navy command established
Published 10:36 pm Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Cutting the ribbon to officially establish the Navy Information Dominance Forces Command in North Suffolk are Calvin J. Lewis, senior sailor of the year; John Hope, senior civilian of the year; Adm. Philip S. Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command; Rear Adm. Matthew J. Kohler, commander of Navy Information Dominance Forces; Linda Johnson, mayor of Suffolk; David Dickerson, junior civilian for October; and Amber M. Kochishan, junior sailor of the year.
A new command now officially established at Lake View Technology Park is tasked with preparing the U.S. Navy to carry out its mission in the information age, defense officials say.
About 700 personnel work at Navy Information Dominance Forces at the North Suffolk defense complex off College Drive, including military, civilians and contractors, according to Navy public affairs officer Matthew Klee.
During an establishment ceremony Wednesday, Rear Adm. Matthew J. Kohler, its commander, said Navy Information Dominance Forces is unique in being a “type command” formed around a capability.
Officer covers line a table at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Navy Information Dominance forces.
Its mission, according to Kohler: “The development and advancement of the Navy’s newest fighting discipline: information dominance.”
According to Klee, the command will achieve its mission by supporting “combatant commanders and Navy commanders ashore and afloat by providing forward, deployable, sustainable, combat-ready information dominance forces.”
It will be responsible for manning, training and equipping “all information dominance forces afloat and ashore across the Navy to generate required levels of current and future readiness to execute desired missions.”
Since the beginning of October, Klee added, the command has been consolidating and aligning the missions, functions and tasks previously managed by the separate information dominance commands of Navy Cyber Forces, Fleet Cyber, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Intelligence.
George D. Bieber, editor in chief of the Navy’s “Info DOMAIN” magazine, said, “It made common sense to bring all of the information folks under the one umbrella.”
Guest speaker at Wednesday’s ceremony was Adm. Philip S. Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command/Naval Forces U.S. Northern Forces Command.
“The Navy and our joint partners here in this facility have enjoyed an excellent relationship with the city of Suffolk,” Davidson said.
Davidson recounted Hampton Roads’ long military history as a prelude to using The Battle of Midway as an example of how information dominance is essential in winning.
The decisive World War II naval battle, regarded as a major turning point in the Pacific campaign, involved major advances in code breaking.
Information dominance “turned the tide in the Pacific in World War II,” Davison said.
“Over the decades, naval warfare has evolved,” he added. “But the demand for understanding the environment and the adversary … has not changed.”
“Information dominance warriors” have extended the Navy’s reach, Davidson said, adding, “Once again, we have a new advantage.”
“Great things — naval things, in particular — have their beginnings in Hampton Roads,” he said.
“Navy Information Dominance Forces is just the latest example. This is a new beginning in Hampton Roads (and) I look forward to working with you to make the fleet ready to fight and win.”
A City Council delegation — Mayor Linda T. Johnson and councilmen Tim Johnson, Roger Fawcett, Lue Ward and Mike Duman — attended the ceremony.
After helping cut the ribbon and the celebratory cake with Navy officials and sailors, Johnson said it was a “wonderful day for Suffolk.”
“It’s the future of the military and it’s the future of all of us as well,” she added.
