CWO5 Michael E. Sill, the senior warrant officer in the Cryptologic Warfare Officer community, will be retiring after 33 years of naval service.  His bio follows:
Chief Warrant Officer Five Michael E. Sill is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enlisted and entered in the Navy in January 1984, attending Boot Camp in Orlando, Florida.

After completing CTR “A” School, he reported to NSGA, Misawa, Japan as a Manual Morse Collection operator, and then to NSGA Hawaii. From there, he attended AN/WLQ-4 subsurface training and reported to Rota, Spain as a CDSE operator. He deployed onboard 6 submarines and onboard the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-65) during DESERT SHIELD. During DESERT STORM, he earned his Enlisted Submarines Qualification onboard the USS FINBACK (SSN-670).

Following completion of the Cryptologic Senior Traffic Analyst Course (CK-155), he was assigned to CSG SIXTHFLT, Rota, Spain.  Afterwards, he was selected for participation in the NSA Middle Enlisted Cryptologic Career Advancement Program, where he promoted to Chief Petty Officer and graduated in 1997.

Next, he reported onboard the USS CAPE ST. GEORGE (CG-71) as the OT Division LCPO. In addition to deployments to the Baltic Sea and Arabian Gulf, he earned his Enlisted Surface Warfare Qualification and was nominated for the “Association of Old Crows” award for EW excellence. In 1999, he was commissioned to Chief Warrant Officer/7441.

CWO2 Sill reported to Fleet Information Warfare Center, Norfolk in 1999.  He was shortly thereafter assigned to COMPHIBRON-4 as the Information Warfare Commander Detachment Officer in Charge and deployed onboard the USS SAIPAN (LHA-2) in 2000. He also served onboard C6F, C2F, and PHIBGRU-2 as an IO Planner during this tour.

In 2003, he reported to USJFCOM Joint War Fighting Center while assigned to the Joint Forces Intelligence Command as the Exercise Intelligence Production Chief and then as the NSA JFCOM Exercise Branch Chief.  Serving as Division Officer over Joint Enlisted personnel, he supported numerous COCOM and Service level events, to include the Joint Staff directed Army Corps and Division OIF/OEF Mission Rehearsal Exercises.

He reported to NAVSPECWARGRU-TWO in 2007 where he was responsible for Tactical Information Operations, Special Technical Operations, Focal Point Primary Control, and Global Force Management. Additionally, he executed two combat deployments to OIF in support of SOF Task Force operations.

In 2010, he reported to US Fleet Forces Command in the Intelligence and Information Operations Directorate.  Serving as the Cryptologic Carry-on Program (CCOP) Functional Manager and Fleet Cryptologic Requirements Officer, he oversaw a budget of 18.3M annually towards the procurement, integration, training, and deployment of 21 major CCOP systems, encompassing over 300 items of inventory, on every deploying combatant in the fleet.

Finally, CWO5 Sill is about to complete 33 years of Naval Cryptologic Service at Naval Information Forces where he is the Program Manager for SIGINT/IO Fleet Synthetic Training and Senior Cryptologic Warfare Chief Warrant Officer and Readiness Sponsor.

He is married to Denise, who also served as a Cryptologic Technician from 1986-1997. He has two children; daughter, Kaity and son, Corey. Corey currently serves as a Gunner’s Mate in the Navy.

Your exceptional professional ability, initiative and loyal dedication to the United States Navy and Cryptologic Warfare community reflected great credit upon you and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval service.  Your positive influence will last for years to come.

Fair winds and following seas shipmate!  We have the watch.