Senior leaders from across the US Navy Reserve Information Warfare (IW) community gathered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth for the annual Naval Information Force Reserve (NAVIFORES) Commander’s Conference, June 6–8, 2025. This event is an essential forum for charting the future of the Navy’s IW Reserve Force.
 
The three-day event brought together nearly 80 leaders, including Vice Adm. Mike Vernazza, Commander, Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR); Rear Adm. Greg Emery, Commander, NAVIFORES; and NAVIFOR Force Master Chief Augustine Cooper to focus on key priorities: warfighter readiness and modernization across the IW enterprise. These align with NAVIFORES’ motto: “Train Smart. Mobilize Fast. Win the Fight.”
 
Leaders also reinforced their commitment to Chief of Naval Reserve’s “Get Real, Get Better” which emphasizes self-assessment, accountability, and continuous improvement as pillars of operational excellence.
 
“This gathering of our most senior reserve IW leaders is a critical opportunity to assess where we are, where we need to go, and how we get there,” said Rear Adm. Emery. “The collaboration and strategic alignment fostered here will directly impact the Fleet’s ability to compete and win.”
 
Strengthening Active-Reserve Integration
 
Day One featured a leadership panel composed of commanding officers and senior enlisted leaders from all Reserve Naval Information Force Readiness Centers (REDCENs). The discussion emphasized the importance of communication and coordination between active and reserve components to build mission-focused teams.
 
“Build and empower your team, you’ll need them. You can’t do it all,” said Capt. Heather Bothwell, REDCEN Norfolk Commanding Officer. “Being a leader in the Naval Information Force Reserve is demanding, especially for those balancing challenging civilian careers. Building strong relationships with your Sailors is the only way to get after the mission.”
 
Panelists also highlighted the need for cross-designator awareness and improved access to facilities and resources. Leaders contributed perspectives to help shape a unified strategy for overcoming challenges.

 
Preparing for the Future Fight
 
Day Two shifted toward NAVIFORES' role in generating combat-credible IW Sailors. Working groups addressed mobilization readiness and innovation to ensure the reserve IW force is prepared for all contingencies.
 
“Tomorrow’s fight requires new thinking,” said Vice Adm. Vernazza. “Our reserve component brings indispensable expertise and flexibility. Integration between the active and reserve forces is essential. I commend Rear Adm. Emery and the IW reserve team for their unwavering commitment to warfighting excellence.”
 
Vice Adm. Vernazza reaffirmed that the reserve force is a vital element in delivering scalable, cost-effective, and strategically impactful IW capabilities across the Fleet.
 
Investing in Warfighter Readiness
 
A key theme throughout the conference was NAVIFORES’ sustained investment in Sailor training and professional development. Discussions centered on initiatives like Ready Relevant Learning, qualification pathway enhancements, and fleet-standardized competencies.
 
“We’ve got to keep our cutlass sharp,” said FORCM Cooper. “That means building depth on the bench and investing in Sailor qualifications. How we train today determines how we fight tomorrow.”
 
NAVIFORES Senior Enlisted Leader Robert Tolliver added, “Warfighter readiness is the most important thing we do. With proper preparation and training, our reserve warfighters will meet the moment when called upon.”
 
Enhancing Strategic Depth and Mobilization
 
Rear Adm. Emery underscored the importance of building a resilient, rapidly deployable Reserve force: “Mobilization readiness is more than planning, it’s about being able to deliver the right force at the right time. From training to administrative readiness, everything we do must contribute to that goal.”
 
The final day focused on the future of IW operations, including Joint Reserve Intelligence Centers (JRICs) as warfighting platforms, in a high-end and maritime-based conflict.
 
IW Officer Line Transition: A Strategic Evolution
 
The conference also addressed the recent transition of Information Warfare Officers from restricted line to “IW Line”, a milestone that reinforces IW’s status as a core war fighting discipline. This change enables IW officers to be eligible for command at sea and acknowledges IW is integral across all domains of naval warfare, from seabed to space.
 
Reserve IW officers continue to provide expertise in intelligence, cyber, cryptology, electronic warfare, oceanography, meteorology, and space. With expanded command opportunities, they are also charged with delivering operationalized warfighting effects across the Fleet.
 
A Unified Path Forward
 
Throughout the conference, the importance of collaboration, communication, and coordination was reinforced. Strategic alignment between NAVIFOR and NAVIFORES ensures reserve IW professionals remain fully integrated and combat-ready.
 
“This is about building a community committed to strategic impact. Our strength lies in our innovation and dedication to the mission,” said Rear Adm. Emery.
 
The 2025 Commander’s Conference reaffirmed the COMNAVIFORES commitment to building a flexible, capable, and ready force, prepared to lead across the maritime domain and beyond.