Today, Commander Mitch Finke was relieved by Commander Bernard T. O’Neill as Commanding Officer, Cryptologic Warfare Maritime Activity SIXTY ONE.

Commander O’Neill biography follows: Commander Bernard T. O’Neill, USN
Commanding Officer
Cryptologic Warfare Maritime Activity SIXTY ONE

Commander “Tom” O’Neill is a native of Florida and commissioned in 1999 through the Officer Candidate School Program after graduating from Excelsior College with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and a concentration in Asian Studies. He completed a Master of Science in International Relations with Troy University and a Master of Science in Cyber Security with Liberty University. He is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.

After enlisting in 1989 as a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive, he studied Vietnamese and Thai at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. His initial enlisted assignments include Naval Security Group Activities in the Philippines, Hawaii, and Maryland. He was designated Naval Aircrew and served in EP-3, ES-3, and special projects aircraft. He also qualified in submarines on USS LA JOLLA (SSN 701) and was authorized to wear silver dolphins.

After commissioning in 1999, he returned to Naval Security Group Activity Hawaii as an Operations Watch Officer and deployed as a Subsurface Cryptologic Direct Support Officer. His next tour, he was the Electronic Warfare Officer in USS OKANE (DDG 77) and qualified Officer of the Deck (Underway). He was designated Master Training Specialist and selected Officer Instructor of the Year during his next assignment at Center for Information Dominance. While at Corry Station, he deployed to Iraq in 2007 on individual augmentation in support of Joint CREW Composite Squadron One. As a Counter-Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device expert, he was a Battalion Electronic Warfare Officer embedded with the Army’s 115th Brigade Support Battalion and 1st of the 14th Infantry Regiment.

In 2009, he led Navy Information Operations Detachment Groton as the Officer in Charge. He was assigned to the Pentagon from 2011 – 2014 and led a Resources and Technological Assessment Section in support of the Chief of Naval Operations N2/N6F21 Operational Support Branch. The following assignment, he served as the command Special Access Program Control Officer at U.S. Cyber Command for six months. In 2016, he completed a milestone tour as CTF 1050 Operations Officer at Ft. Gordon, followed by a leadership tour as Deputy CTF 1030 and Executive Officer at Navy Information Operations Command Norfolk in 2017. His last assignment, he served as the Deputy, Unconventional Access Capabilities, at the National Security Agency.

Commander O’Neill was awarded the Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and five Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals.