Tomorrow Commander James L. “Thor” Hammersla will be relieved by Commander Nicholas Cole as the Commanding Officer, Cryptologic Warfare Activity SIXTY SIX.   Commander Hammersla’s biography follows:

Commander James L. “Thor” Hammersla
Commanding Officer, Cryptologic Warfare Activity SIXTY SIX

CDR Hammersla is a native of Bossier, Louisiana and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in June of 1991. While in the Marine Corps he served as an Infantryman and Reconnaissance Marine and was honorably discharged as a Gunnery Sergeant and commissioned via Officer Candidate School in 2003. His education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Intelligence & National Security Policy and Master of Arts in Ancient & Classical History from American Military University.

CDR Hammersla currently commands Cryptologic Warfare Activity SIXTY SIX providing Signals Intelligence and Cyber Warfare support and personnel to the National Security Agency/Central Security Service. His operational assignments include Carrier Strike Group EIGHT as the Deputy Information Warfare Commander, USS MASON (DDG-87) as the Signals Warfare Officer and Operations Officer, Navy Information Operations Command Georgia as an Airborne Direct Support Officer aboard the EP-3E aircraft, and Naval Security Group Activity Fort Meade, Maryland as a Subsurface Direct Support Officer. While in the Marine Corps, he served in various Fleet Marine Force units. CDR Hammersla has participated in combat operations in Operations GOTHIC SERPENT, JOINT FORGE, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM and supported Operations RESTORE HOPE, JOINT ENDEAVOR, and ALLIED FORCE.

CDR Hammersla’s shore and staff assignments include the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Assured Command & Control as a Deputy Branch Head and Requirements Officer, Nimitz Operational Intelligence Center, Office of Naval Intelligence as the Director of the Global Maritime Collaboration Center and USCYBERCOM as a Cyber Battle Captain. He also served as a Defense Legislative Fellow on the staff of Senator Barbara Mikulski.


CDR Hammersla is a qualified Information Warfare Officer, Surface Warfare Officer, Naval Aviation Observer, Navy & Marine Corps Parachutist and Combatant SCUBA Diver. He is a graduate of the Marine Corps’ Amphibious Reconnaissance School, Army Ranger School and the Pathfinder’s Course. He is authorized to wear the Presidential Service Badge, Distinguished Marksman Badge, British Parachute Regiment and French Foreign Legion Parachutist Insignias.

Congratulations on a successful command tour!