John C. Pope, Technical Director
Naval Information Warfare Training Group (IWTG) Gulfport
17 January 2024
John is a native of Florida and spent a significant portion of his childhood living throughout the Florida panhandle to include Panama City and Pensacola. He relocated to Mississippi in 1991, where he attended Long Beach High School and the University of Southern Mississippi. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in 2004, he pursued opportunities in federal service and was selected for employment by the Department of the Navy.
In June 2005, he was selected for the Navy’s Financial Management Trainee Program. The 28-month program exposed him to various roles within the Department of the Navy to include rotational assignments at DFAS, the Pentagon, and other financial institutions. After graduating from the trainee program in 2007, he began his financial management career with Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. While at CNMOC he oversaw the staff budget, managed travel funds, and assisted with Financial Assessment Visits (FAV) to lower echelon commands. He used his time on staff to learn the complexities of Navy finance and utilized senior personnel who were willing to mentor him and foster his growth.
In 2009, John was selected to work as a financial analyst for Naval Oceanography Operations Command (NOOC). During his time at the NOOC he was selected to participate in United States Fleet Forces Command’s Civilian Professional Development Program (CPDP), the Graduate School’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP), and the highly competitive Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP). He also successfully completed his Financial Management Level II Certification and passed all tests to receive the designation of Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM). As the lead financial analyst, he conducted numerous FAVs, assisted NOOC leadership with establishing a Requirements Department, and assisted the Operations Officer with operational requirements.
John accepted his next position with Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) in March 2019 and served as the Program Manager for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) and Operational Oceanography. This position allowed him the opportunity to work closely with multiple Echelon IV commands across the METOC community and to serve as an advocate for the resources necessary to achieve their mission objectives. During his time at NAVIFOR, Mr. Pope earned the Meritorious Civilian Service Award for providing superior support to the PNT and Operational Oceanography programs.
In February 2022, John was selected to serve as the Technical Director for Naval Information Warfare Training Group Gulfport (NIWTG-G). He serves as the senior civilian on staff and works closely with personnel across all levels of the command to develop naval warfighters that are capable of achieving our nation’s military objectives, in and from the maritime domain, through tailored education and operational training of Information Warfare.
John enjoys giving back to the community by serving as a fireman for the Pass Christian Volunteer Fire Department and as a reserve police officer for the Pass Christian Police Department.