Newly appointed 10th Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Bernard McCullough, visited Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Whidbey Island Tuesday.

NIOC Sailors briefed their new boss on current mission and operations, and provided a tour of their workspaces. 

McCullough assumed the role as Commander of both the newly established U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and the re-established U.S. 10 Fleet Jan. 29 in Fort Meade, Md., in a ceremony presided over by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead. 

The last time 10th Fleet was in service was during World War II, when it was established by Adm. Ernest King to protect U.S. convoys in the Atlantic and defeat the German U-boat threat. 

According to McCullough, “10th Fleet overcame that problem by fusing information and intelligence and developing fleet tactics and operational capability. Today Tenth Fleet will sustain the operational legacy of innovation and excellence and set the operational standard for our networks, electronic warfare, space operations, information operations, and Signals Intelligence.”

NIOC, located in building 2700, deploys Sailors worldwide to provide operational commanders with highly adaptable electronic warfare solutions to achieve radio frequency spectrum superiority. After the January ceremony, they were realigned from under Naval Network Warfare Command to Fleet Cyber Command.

Master Chief Cryptologic Technician Samuel Olmstead, NIOC’s command master chief, was happy to see the three-star visit his command.

“This is great for my Sailors to see and hear from their fleet boss. It further demonstrates and reminds them that their service is critical to the security of both the Navy and the nation,” said Olmstead.

McCullough added, “I am honored to command Fleet Cyber Command-U.S. 10th Fleet and lead the force of 14,000 Sailors and Civilians who fill the ranks of the best cyber force in the world.  The CNO decision to establish a numbered fleet, harnessing the information, intelligence, communications and command and control fields, solidifies the Navy’s leading role in cyberspace operations in the Department of Defense.”