More than 370 Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Monterey Sailors, guests and community members gathered to commemorate the birthday of the United States Navy during an official ceremony, October 5.

October 13 marks the 243rd birthday of the Navy. Across the fleet, the theme for this anniversary is “Forged by the Sea”. Connecting this generation of Sailors to their maritime heritage, this commemoration recognizes the sea as the greatest force on earth for its power to transform Sailors and enable them to go beyond what they thought possible.

"Sailors need to understand their history,” said Cmdr. Michael Salehi, commanding officer of IWTC Monterey. “They can leverage these lessons for future endeavors. “

The 243rd Navy Birthday Ball commemoration was hosted by the IWTC Monterey Navy Ball Committee, who spent the last year raising funds and planning the event which included a social hour, dinner, official ceremony and entertainment.

The ceremony included military honors such as parading the colors and the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action remembrance ceremony as well as time honored naval traditions such as the piping aboard of distinguished guests by the honor boatswain.

With its large population of new accession Sailors, this year's ceremony was the first for many IWTC Monterey students. 

"It is so exciting to be here with fellow shipmates and our senior leaders,” said Seaman Alyssa Decker, an IWTC Monterey student at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). “I am humbled by this experience; seeing everyone dressed up, enjoying this important night. I feel now that I have an even greater respect and understanding of the Navy."

The guest speaker for the ceremony was Captain James Adkisson III. As a prior enlisted Sailor, Adkisson served as a cryptologic technician interpretive (CTI), graduating from DLIFLC as a Russian linguist. He later returned to the school as an instructor before receiving his commission. During his speech, he recalled how his experience as a CTI shaped his approach to leadership.

"Being a CTI has given me a better appreciation and understanding of other cultures,” said Adkisson. “This understanding is what lends to our Navy's diversity. I have served in Europe, Asia and Africa, and the melding of technology, culture and diversity is what truly brings the strength of diversity to our Navy."

IWTC Monterey, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, provides a continuum of foreign language training to Navy personnel, which prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more on Information Warfare Training Command Monterey, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ciwt/IWTCmonterey/ and http://www.monterey.army.mil/Service_Units/IWTC_Monterey.html, or find them on Facebook.

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training, visit www.navy.mil/, http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ciwt/, http://www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or http://www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter.