CTT2 Thomas Elling, U.S. Navy – Deploying to Two Theaters as a Navy Cryptologic Technician

The active duty and reserve Navy consists of over 435,000 officers and enlisted sailors all doing their part to make the U.S. Navy the most powerful maritime force the world has ever seen. Most of the active and reserve sailors have traditional jobs, manning the ships, submarines, and aircraft that patrol on, under, and above the world’s oceans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Others, like Cryptologic Technician Technical Second Class (CTT2) Thomas Elling, provide niche warfare services critical to the success of the more traditional operating forces. Whether part of the active or reserve forces, they are highly trained, technologically advanced, and must always be ready to fill high-priority billets. Thomas Elling made two critical deployments, providing signals intelligence to U.S. Navy and Special Operations forces, helping project U.S. military power and resolve abroad. This is his story.