Today, Commander Brian Harding will be relieved by Commander Scott L. Cone as Commanding Officer, Navy Information Operations Command Whidbey Island.  Commander Cone’s biography follows:

Commander Scott L. Cone
Commanding Officer
Navy Information Operations Command Whidbey Island

Commander Cone, a native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, began his military career by enlisting in the U.S. Navy in July 1988. As a Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive), he distinguished himself in a wide array of assignments with the Naval Security Group and National Security Agency, including duties as a Senior Analyst/Reporter, Operations Supervisor, Subsurface/Airborne Mission Supervisor and Foreign Language Instructor/Technical Curriculum Developer. His extensive tactical cryptologic background provided a solid professional foundation, opportunities to qualify Naval Aircrewman (EP-3E ARIES II and ES-3A SHADOW aircraft) and Submarines (USS BILLFISH) and contributed to his selection to Chief Petty Officer in 1998.

Following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 2000, he was commissioned an Ensign (Special Duty-Cryptology; subsequently re-designated Cryptologic Warfare). His first assignment was Naval Security Group Activity, Fort George G. Meade, where he served as a Direct Support Element Officer in support of CNO-directed special operations. Subsequent assignments have included Senior Watch Officer and Chief of Enterprise Engineering at the Aerospace Data Facility (Buckley AFB, Colorado), Mission Director and Deputy Division Chief at the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (Alice Springs, Australia) and Branch Chief and Joint Military Planner at the National Security Agency.

His senior leadership and staff assignments have included Flag Cryptologist/Cryptologic Resource Coordinator for Commander, Carrier Strike Group ELEVEN (USS NIMITZ), Officer-in-Charge, U.S. Navy Information Operations Detachment Alice Springs, Australia, Officer in Charge, U.S. Navy Information Operations Detachment Digby, United Kingdom and Director for Information Operations and Special Activities/N39 for Commander Naval Forces-Europe, Commander Naval Forces-Africa, Commander SIXTH Fleet.

His most recent assignment was Executive Officer, Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command/Deputy Commander Task Force 1020, in Suffolk, Virginia.

Commander Cone’s decorations include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards) and various personal, unit, and campaign medals. He is entitled to wear the Information Dominance Warfare device, is designated a Joint Qualified Officer and holds Masters Degrees in Public Administration (Bowie State University) and Systems Engineering (Naval Postgraduate School).

Commander Cone is married to the former Ms. Erica Alger of Newport, Vermont, and they have three children.