Vice Adm. Jan E. Tighe smiles as she assumes command of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet on April 2, 2014. (Photo: U.S. Navy)The Navy yesterday named Vice Adm. Jan E. Tighe commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet, making her the first woman in U.S. naval history to take command of a numbered fleet.
Tighe relieved Adm. Michael S. Rogers, who takes over as commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service, pending Senate confirmation.
“It is an honor to take command of this outstanding warfighting organization and to be able to continue working with the tremendous team of uniformed and civilian professionals,” Tighe said during a change of command ceremony held at Ft. George G. Meade in Maryland.
Former NSA Director Gen. Keith B. Alexander, who retired March 28, presided over the change of command ceremony and called Tighe “one of the best people that our military has across all of the services.”
“You are exceptional in every category,” Alexander said, “and you will do great with Tenth Fleet, which I believe is just a stepping stone for future things for you.”
Tighe is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned in 1984. She attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., where she studied Russian. She also attended the Naval Postgraduate School, and in 2001 was awarded a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and an M.S. in applied mathematics.
U.S. Fleet Cyber Command serves as the Navy component command to U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Cyber Command, and the Navy’s Service Cryptologic Component to NSA. Fleet Cyber Command also reports directly to the chief of naval operations.
U.S. 10th Fleet is the operational arm of Fleet Cyber Command and executes its mission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders.
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