Lt. Cmdr. Clinton M. Woods

Executive Officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) San Diego, California

29 April 2021

   Lt. Cmdr. Clinton M. Woods commissioned through Officer Candidate School at Newport, Rhode Island, and designated as an Information Warfare (now Cryptologic Warfare) Officer in April 2009.  A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, he attended Texas A&M University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Education.

Upon completion of Information Warfare Basic Course, he reported for his first tour at Navy Information Operations Command, Georgia, where he served as a subsurface Direct Support Officer, leading cryptologic direct support missions on five SSN and SSGNs in the FIFTH and SIXTH Fleet areas of responsibility.  He earned his Shellback on the USS FLORIDA (SSGN-728) in November 2012, having been found worthy by King Neptune.

In March of 2013, he began coursework at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.  He obtained a Master of Science in Computer Science in March 2015.  His thesis studied the use of cyberspace operations to target military supply chains for the purpose of coercion.

From April 2015 to October 2017, he was a member of 21 National Mission Team, part of the Cyber National Mission Force, at Fort Meade, Maryland.  He served as an Analysis and Product Sub-Element Lead, managing the production and release of intelligence reports.  Reports put out by his cell enabled operations and informed national decision makers, including being used in the Presidential Daily Briefing.  He also operated as a Mission Commander, overseeing cyber operations in support of national objectives.  While there, he helped stand up Cyber Strike Activity SIXTY THREE, a plank owner for the new command within a new model of command organization for the Navy cryptologic community under Cryptologic Warfare Group SIX.

He then transferred to US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain to serve as an Information Operations (IO) planner.  Leading the IO planning cell, he coordinated the development of IO plans supporting combat and contingency operations and long-term IO campaign plans to support national objectives in the region.  He detached in November 2018 after 14 months in Bahrain.

In December 2018, he reported to Cryptologic Warfare Activity SIXTY SEVEN at Fort Meade.  At the command, he served as a Department Head.  Operationally, he worked as a Counter Cyber Operations Planner and Cyber Strategist.

From May to November 2020, he served as the Officer-in-Charge of Cyber Expeditionary Task Element – Alpha, leading afloat operations in support of TENTH Fleet tasking.  He operated in SIXTH Fleet area of responsibility, forging new techniques and tactics.

He reported to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station San Diego as the Executive Officer in April 2021.

He has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal (four awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards).