Jennifer Smith-Heys

Colonel Jennifer Smith-Heys is a strategic intelligence officer who has served in a myriad of Army, joint, and interagency positions. Her expertise is in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, joint targeting, geospatial intelligence, and collection management. Her teaching and curriculum development experience include Instructor and Course Developer at the US Army Military Intelligence Basic Course (MIOBC), Assistant Professor at the National Intelligence University (NIU), and General Michael V. Hayden’s Teaching Assistant at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University (GMU).  Jennifer is a PhD candidate in public policy at GMU; her work focuses on intelligence oversight and reform.   Jennifer was the US Army War College Fellow at the Center for Security and International Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University.

COL Smith-Heys’ assignments include:

2018-2019 – Deputy Director for Intelligence, Joint Staff J2, National Military Command Center (NMCC),

Pentagon, VA

2016-2018 – Assistant Professor, Collections and Analysis Department, School of Strategic Intelligence,

National Intelligence University, Washington DC

2012-2013 - Deputy Military Executive to the Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA),

Springfield, VA

2011-2012 - Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Collection Manager, International Security Assistance

Forces (ISAF) Joint Command (IJC), Kabul, Afghanistan

2009-2001 - Airborne Operations Division Chief, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)

Representative at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

2007-2009 - Chief, I Corps/Overseas Continental United States (OCONUS) Branch, US Army Human

Resources Command. Also served as the lead planner for EPMD’s move to Fort Knox, KY.

2004-2006 - Company Commander, U.S. Army Akron-Canton Recruiting Company, Canton, OH

2002-2004 - Instructor and Course Developer, US Army Military Intelligence Basic Officer Course and 35C

Geospatial Officer Training, US Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, Fort Huachuca, AZ

2001-2003 - Company Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Support Company, 306 th Military

Intelligence Battalion, Fort Huachuca, AZ

1997-2000 – Company Executive Officer, Company Commander, and Targeting Officer, 513th Military

Intelligence Brigade, Fort Gordon, GA

1989-1993 - Russian Electronic Warfare/Signals Intelligence Voice Interceptor, Field Station Kunia,

Schofield Barracks, HI and Fort Huachuca, AZ

Her awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Throughout her career, she has been recognized as Instructor of the Year, Soldier of the Year, and received NGA’s Woman of the Year award.

COL Smith-Heys is active in the Michael V. Hayden Center for Policy, Intelligence, and International Security, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Arlington, VA. She has volunteered for over a decade with the Boy Scouts of America and is the proud mother of two Eagle Scouts, Dylan and Heydn.