Naval Information Forces Commander Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach is already preparing for her next role.
Unlike her current role overseeing the Navy’s cyber type command, her next one does not require an alarm clock, time on a ship or sitting at a desk. Instead, Aeschbach plans to take some time off following her retirement from the Navy. She plans to travel with her husband around the country and to London, Aeschbach told reporters Wednesday ahead of her retirement.
Aeschbach took over as commander of NAVIFOR in May 2021. Over her three years in the role, she oversaw the creation of a new cyber designator, a cyber-focused pilot program with submarines and a streamlining of the units in her command.
“We’ve accomplished quite a bit in terms of the form and function of the type command, and I’m reflecting on the word streamlining, but I do think that we are organized in a way now in terms of how we’re trying to deliver readiness and man, train, equip, support,” she told reporters. “It’s more more effective than when I first came in, and we’ve really expanded the scope and scale of what we’re doing on the afloat side for our ships and platforms that are getting ready to go on deployment.”
When Aeschbach first took over the role, she noticed there was an issue with training, she told USNI News at the 2023 West conference. Now training happens before a sailor shows up at an assignment so they can focus on operations once they are at the command, she said.
In 2023, Aeschbach announced a pilot program where USS New Mexico (SSN-779) and USS Washington (SSN-787) would each have an information warfare junior officer and three sailors – two cryptologic technicians and one intelligence specialist. The pilot was successful, Aeschbach said Wednesday, adding the submarine force will keep the three sailor billets and is looking to find the resources to keep the officer one as well.
Aeschbach also previewed the introduction of a cyber designator at West, with the cyber warfare technician established in June 2023.
In the fall of 2023, NAVIFOR was able to bring over 150 officers for the cyber designator through a process similar to lateral transfers, Aeschbach said Wednesday. Through that process, there are now four captains who are part of the maritime cyber officers. The lateral transfers continued with 60 more officers in early 2024.
The goal is to grow to about 300, Aeschbach said, with the ability to offer promotions. The designator also took in direct accessions this year from ROTC programs and the Naval Academy, she said.
Eventually, the cyber designator to grow to have between 400 to 500 billets, Aeschbach said.
