Cmdr. Sarah M. Quemada

Commanding Officer, NAVAL INFORMATION WARFARE TRAINING GROUP (NIWTG) Norfolk

11 August 2023 Cmdr. Sarah M. Quemada, a native of Washington state, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2005.  Upon completion of recruit training and Information Systems Technician ‘A’ school, she reported to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Detachment Hampton Roads.  She was commissioned as an ensign in 2007 after completing Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. 
 
She attended Cryptologic Officer training and then proceeded to Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC), Texas for duties as a Cryptologist.  At NIOC Texas she volunteered for a 390-day Individual Augmentation to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan and performed intelligence support to village stability operations. 
 
She served as the Tactical Information Warfare Officer aboard USS McFaul (DDG-74), where she completed a nine-month Scaneagle deployment to the Indian Ocean area of operation in support of Joint Task Force operations.  She also served as the Deputy Information Warfare Commander for COMPHIBRON FOUR, where she completed a COMFIFTHFLT deployment, and completed a tour as the Assistant Chief of Staff- Information Operations / Integrated Fires for COMCARSTRKGRU TWO.  Ashore, she served as the Assistant Branch Chief to Cyber Pursuit and Exploitation at NSA / CSS Threat Operations Center, Hawaii, as the COMTHIRDFLT Cryptologic Resource Coordinator, and as Officer-in-Charge for Cryptologic Warfare Group SIX Detachment, Digby.
 
Cmdr. Quemada earned a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance from Western Washington University, Bellingham, Wa., has a M.S. in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland, University College, and an M.A. in Defense and Strategic Studies with a concentration in Middle East Studies from the Naval War College. 
 
Cmdr. Quemada’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards).