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New CENTCOM Intelligence Center Honors Fallen Navy Intel Officer

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090829-02
Release Date: 8/29/2009 3:18:00 PM

From U.S. Central Command Public Affairs

TAMPA, Fla. (NNS) -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 26 marked the opening of Central Command's (CENTCOM) new Joint Intelligence Operations Center nicknamed "The Vince,"

The center was named in honor of Lt. Cmdr. Otis Vincent Tolbert, a Navy intelligence officer who died at the Pentagon during the September 11th attacks. Tolbert had been assigned to CENTCOM from 1996 to 2000 where he served as the senior maritime analyst and imagery collection manager.

"The facility we are gathered in today will be invaluable in the endeavor into which Vince Tolbert poured his energy: providing the best and most timely intelligence possible to support some of our nation's most critical military operations," Gen. David Petraeus, CENTCOM commander, told the audience, which included members of the Tolbert family; U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez and U.S. Rep. Bill Young; James Clapper, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence; Letitia Long, Deputy Director, Defense Intelligence Agency; CENTCOM leadership and staff; and Tampa area dignitaries.

"Nearly 235,000 U.S. military personnel and tens of thousands of civilians are currently deployed in the Central Command Area of Responsibility, conducting operations to thwart terrorism, combat insurgencies, interdict weapons proliferation, counterpiracy, and reduce the illegal narcotics industry, as well as to conduct a variety of other operations," Petraeus said.

Members of the Tolbert family who attended the ceremony included his wife, their three children, and his parents and brothers. Tolbert is survived by his three children and wife Shari.

"I stand here on this amazing occasion, and I want to represent Vince. We as a family want to express our sincere gratitude for the demanding and critical nature of your work; for the sacrifices that you and your families make every day and for continuing on," said Shari. "I want you to know how much Vince loved his job. He loved what he did, and he would be so humbled by all of this."

Vince was from Lemoore, Calif. and was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy in 1985, after graduating from California State University, Fresno. He proudly carried on the legacy of his father, who retired as a naval aviator, after serving for more than 20 years in the military.

The new four-story "Vince" building is a state-of-the-art facility, sized at approximately 270,000 square feet. It provides space for about 1,300 workers and centralizes intelligence functions which previously were spread throughout several facilities on base.

In addition to CENTCOM personnel, the new facility brings aboard partners from other U.S. government intelligence agencies, such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. Besides supporting the intelligence needs associated with operations in CENTCOM's Area of Responsibility in the Middle East and Central and South Asia, the new facility provides enhanced training capability for intelligence personnel.

Construction on the new building began in 2006 and concluded earlier this year.

For more news from U.S. Central Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/uscentcom/.