Joint Promotion on USS Nimitz Highlights the Power of the Personnel Force Innovation Program

Joint Promotion on USS Nimitz Highlights the Power of the Personnel Force Innovation Program

By 2LT Anya Tewari NUWC Division, Keyport

On Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, Airman 1st Class Jorge Prado of the Texas Air National Guard was promoted to the rank of Senior Airman in a setting few service members experience-on the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

The ceremony was more than a personal milestone. Conducted by an Army chain of command aboard a Navy asset, it served as a visible example of the joint cooperation made possible through the Personnel Force Innovation program.

Senior Airman Prado is currently serving on Active-Duty Operational Support orders at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport through the PFI program, which places National Guard and Reserve members with relevant civilian skillsets into government agencies in need of specialized expertise. While assigned to NUWC Division, Keyport, Prado works in the Information Technology Division as a Software Development Operator, supporting mission-critical IT efforts alongside Keyport civilians.

"Working jointly with other branches has given me experience on other methods and systems that are currently being used by these other branches," Prado said. "It's broadened my perspective and helped me grow professionally."

Although Prado reports to a Navy chain of command for daily operations, his administrative oversight is shared between Army and Air Force leadership, a structure that reflects the unique joint nature of the PFI program.

Major Brendan Johnson, the Officer in Charge for PFIs assigned to NUWC Division, Keyport, emphasized how uncommon and valuable that structure is.

"It is a very unique opportunity to have a member of the Army promote a member of the Air Force, all under Navy command," Johnson said. "You don't typically see that outside of a higher-echelon joint environment."

While the ceremony highlighted inter-service collaboration, the benefits of the PFI program extend far beyond symbolic moments. According to Nichol Williams, the department head overseeing the majority of PFI personnel at NUWC Division, Keyport, the program has delivered measurable operational improvements.

"The PFI program has been instrumental in driving significant improvements, including a 50 percent reduction in IT response times, a 27 percent reduction in change request processing time, and a 90 percent reduction in incident age," Williams said. "These gains are critical for supporting rapid technological advancements and warfighter needs."

Williams also emphasized that PFI personnel provide more than technical output. By embedding Guard and Reserve members from different branches into Navy commands, the program builds cross-service understanding and strengthens multi-domain integration.

"[The PFI program] provides invaluable organic cross-service exposure, fostering capabilities essential for modern warfare," Williams said. "Reducing participation may limit our ability to cultivate a force prepared for complex, integrated operations."

James Wenke, Enterprises Services Branch Head, echoed those sentiments while underscoring the program's efficiency.

"The Personnel Force Innovation program has been a game-changer for our IT Division," Wenke said. "It allows us to tap into a talented pool of Guard and Reserve members to fill critical IT roles. We get the exact military and civilian expertise we need with greater flexibility and at a lower cost than traditional contracting."

For service members like Prado, the program offers hands-on experience, career development, and exposure to joint operations. For NUWC Division, Keyport, it provides a highly capable, adaptable workforce aligned with mission demands. And for the Department of War, it represents a cost-effective model that strengthens readiness across services.

-KPT-

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.