If you want to know what roles are played by various designators then go straight to the source...the Detailers and the Community managers.
http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/Pers44/InformationWarfare/NewAccessions.htm
Welcome to the Information Warfare Officer New Accessions page. Should you have any questions, please contact PERS-4410C at (901) 874-4079, DSN 882.
Each year the IWO community accesses roughly 50 new officers. Accession sources are: OCS, Lateral Transfer/Redesignation, USNA, ROTC and recall. For lateral transfer/redesignation, officers who are at the top of their peer group based on their fitness reports, and in their fourth or fifth year of service are typical examples of applicants for change of designator to 161X. Warfare qualification, technical background, prior service with the Naval Security Group as an enlisted Cryptologic Technician are all helpful, but do not replace professional performance in the present designator as the primary yardstick for selection.
Minimum Qualifications
Major: Technical fields (scientific and engineering disciplines; computer science; systems management; foreign policy and area studies; language (especially Middle and Far Eastern languages); or any science with a good GPA.
Character: Potential IWO Officers undergo a Single Scope Background Investigation during a screening process to determine eligibility for a security clearance which allows access to Special Intelligence. In addition to an actual interview, checks with local and national law enforcement agencies are conducted. IWO officers MUST maintain eligibility for access to sensitive and highly classified information.
Current News:
Some required instructional courses for Information Warfare new accession officers have recently undergone a name change. Personnel being issued PCS orders will begin to see the new course name listed on their orders, if attending enroute to their ultimate duty station.
Seaborne Information Warfare Course (SIWC) - formerly Information Warfare Afloat Course (IWAC)
Information Warfare Basic Course (IWBC) - formerly Entry Level Information Warfare Officer Course (ELIWOC)
Information Warfare Senior Course (IWSC) - formerly Intermediate Level Information Warfare Officer Course (ILIWOC)
Information Warfare Basic Course (IWBC) E-Learning
The Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) courses below are requirements for eventually completing the 161X qualification. Computer-Based Training (CBT) courses are currently being worked as pre-requisites or homework for the course. Students will be responsible for completing the courses during the five weeks in attendance. It is highly recommended the courses are completed prior to arrival at Pensacola, FL. This ensures that students get the most out of the five weeks.
Upon completion of the e-learning courses, students are to save the completion certificates. The NKO site is located at
https://www.nko.navy.mil/.
The following are highly recommended e-learning courses to be completed prior to arrival in Pensacola for the IWBC course:
Networking Foundations I (12754)
Networking Foundations II (12755)
Network + Part I Media & Topologies (14181)
Network + Part II Protocols (14182)
Network + Part III Implementation (14183)
Speed Technologies I (12901)
High-Speed Technologies II (12902)
Website Security Mgmt (85105)
Website Security Messaging (85106)
IO/IW (002IO01)
SSO Administration
