It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral (lower half) Danelle Marie Barrett on 26 August 2024 at age 57. Rear Admiral Barrett entered the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at Boston University and was commissioned an ensign in August 1989, serving as an information professional until her retirement in October 2019 as the director of the Navy Cyber Security Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV). Her commands and major assignments included commanding officer of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Norfolk, and as deputy director for operations (J3), U.S. Cyber Command. She served as deputy knowledge manager for Multi-National Force–Iraq in 2004–2005.
Danelle Barrett graduated from Boston University in 1989 with a bachelor of arts degree in history and after completing the requirements for the school’s NROTC program. She was commissioned an ensign on 28 August 1989 in a ceremony aboard the USS
Constitution in Boston. In October 1989, Ensign Barrett reported to Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island, as a student. In November 1989, she was then assigned as the officer-in-charge of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Jacksonville, Florida. She was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) in August 1991.
In September 1992, Lieutenant (j.g.) Barrett reported to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, as communications officer. During this period, she earned two master of arts degrees from Webster University, one in management and the other in human resource development. She was promoted to lieutenant in September 1993.
In November 1995, Lieutenant Barrett was assigned to the newly formed U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain as mobile C4I systems division officer. In December 1997, she was a senior Navy fellow with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). In December 1998, she reported to U.S. Second Fleet as information systems officer. She was promoted to lieutenant commander in September 2000.
In November 2000, Lieutenant Commander Barrett reported to NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic in Norfolk as network domain requirements officer. In November 2001, she was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) in Washington, DC, as team lead, Task Force Web (N09W). During this period, she earned a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College as well as designation as a chief information officer via the Information Assurance Certification Program from National Defense University.
In October 2003, Barrett reported to Carrier Strike Group TWELVE as flag communications officer as the flagship
Enterprise (CVN-65) deployed from Norfolk in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon the staff’s return from deployment, Lieutenant Commander Barrett deployed to Iraq as an individual augmentee, serving as deputy knowledge manager for Multinational Force–Iraq from October 2004 to March 2005. During this period, she earned a master of science degree in information management from Syracuse University. She was promoted to commander in July 2001.
In November 2005, Commander Barrett reported to U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii as information operations officer and computer network specialist. In 2006, she earned designation as a joint information operations planner from the Joint Forces Staff College.
In December 2007, Barrett was assigned to Carrier Strike Group TWO in Norfolk as assistant chief of staff for command and control, communications, computers, and combat systems, deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008–2009 embarked on aircraft carrier
Theodore Roosevelt (CV-71) for strike operations in Afghanistan, as well as the first U.S. carrier visit to Cape Town, South Africa, since 1967. In 2010, the staff and ship participated in Operation Unified Response following the devastating earthquake in Haiti. In 2008, she was designated a joint specialty officer and a space cadre officer. She was promoted to captain in September 2009. In 2010, she was designated in the Information Warfare Dominance Corps.
In February 2010, Captain Barrett reported to Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee, as information professional assignments and placement branch head (PERS 47). In August 2011, she assumed duty as commanding officer of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Norfolk, leading the largest communications station in the Navy, responsible for 2,700 people in 15 subordinate organizations worldwide. In September 2013, she reported as chief of staff for Navy Cyber Forces at Fort Meade, Maryland. She was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) on 10 July 2015.
In July 2015, Rear Admiral Barrett assumed duty as deputy director, operations, J3 (serving as current operations) at U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. She attended CAPSTONE 2016-2. In March 2017, Barrett assumed duty in OPNAV as director of Navy Cyber Security Division with additional duty as deputy chief information officer. In this assignment, she led the Navy’s strategic development and execution of digital and cyber security efforts, enterprise information technology improvements, and cloud policy and governance for 700,000 personnel across a global network.
Rear Admiral Barrett’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit (at least two awards); Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal (three awards); Joint Service Commendation Medal; Navy Commendation Medal (four awards); Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy Achievement Medal (five awards); Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendation (four awards); National Defense Service Medal (two awards); Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Southwest Asia Service Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terror Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (two awards); Overseas Service Ribbon (three awards); and Expert Rifle Medal.
Other awards included Copernicus Awards in 1998, 2000, and 2005; a U.S. Naval Institute writing award; the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Award, first place in the individual category, 2006; Federal 100 winner, 2010; AFCEA women in leadership award, 2014; Women in Technology Leadership Award, 2017; and the Executive Women’s Forum Women of Influence Award, 2019. She also earned the National Defense University chief information officer and information security certifications and published 35 articles.
After retiring from active duty she engaged in consulting, public speaking, and writing, and she was on the corporate boards of KVH Industries and the Protego Trust Company.
Whenever junior intelligence officers would complain about how hard things were, I would tell them to try living in the N6’s world for a new definition of pain. Well, Danelle lived in that world for her entire career and thrived in it, earning a stellar reputation for being able to make command and control, communications, combat systems, and cyber work whenever and wherever needed. She did it all: Navy C3 ashore, deployed afloat, and overseas; Joint C3; NATO C3; and multi-national C3 in a war zone (Iraq). Besides technical prowess, she displayed extraordinary leadership, starting as an ensign in charge of a telecommunications facility and continuing through command of the largest computer telecommunications master area station in the Navy. She was an innovator, implementing visionary digital transformation to modernize with unprecedented speed, significantly improving Navy information warfare capabilities. Somehow through it all she managed to earn four master’s degrees and numerous accolades. She finished as one of DoD’s leading cyber experts at Fleet Cyber and then at U.S. Cyber Command (in a position normally held by an information warfare officer—and formerly held by cryptologists), using some of the most sensitive intelligence in an extremely fast-paced warfare area. In the end, she lost a battle with a rare form of brain cancer, but she fought it with dignity, courage, and a fighting spirit that should inspire any warfighter and will no doubt help the medical profession devise better treatments. Several flag officers offered to write Danelle’s obituary if I didn’t have time—that is how much she was respected in the information warfare community, where she had earned near-legendary status. We, along with the rest of the Navy, mourn the passing of this officer taken from our wardroom far too early and express our gratitude and condolences to her family for the immense sacrifices they made that enabled Danelle to serve our country so well.
Rest in Peace, Admiral Barrett