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Chair Update - June 2025

Greetings Naval Intelligence Professionals, and a happy summer to you and yours!

No matter what your plans are for this season, I hope you’ll be able to spend some quality time with family and friends to recharge your batteries and create lasting memories.  Remember—tans fade, but the memories are forever…although as I continue logging laps around the sun, I’m not so sure that last part is completely true. 

You’ll note from the Summer Newsletter that NIP members were busy throughout the spring, continuing efforts to strengthen our community and educate others on the value derived from the women and men serving in our warfighting profession. Our largest event in the spring was our annual Red Tie Luncheon. My thanks to all those who came to the event! We were thrilled to honor CAPT (ret) Dale Rielage and Mr. Bob Wilson (posthumously) and to hear from VADM Trey Whitworth.  

Please take the time to read and enjoy all the Newsletter articles. Also, feel free to share this Newsletter with non-NIP members (aka potential-NIP members). Help us grow our membership.

When I reflect on this time of the year, as spring turns to summer, there are three things that always come to mind—PCS moves, graduations and planning for adventures. For this update I wanted to share some news and thoughts about all three.

PCS Moves

I wanted to start by highlighting five recent flag officer nomination announcements of note from the Secretary of Defense.

I worked closely with Admirals Caudle, Bradley and Cooper. All three are tremendous leaders—leaders of character and consequence. All three of them have a great understanding and appreciation of the importance and value of intelligence and information warfare. I’m pretty sure this is the first time that we have Navy officers nominated to command both SOCOM and CENTCOM (and INDOPACOM) at the same time. That ought to tell us something about how maritime perspective and experience is being valued. I’ve also worked closely with Admiral Henderschedt. He too is a tremendous leader, and one of our nation’s most experienced experts on the Indo-Pacific. Admiral Okano has been a driving force in delivering information warfare capabilities to the fleet, and I believe this will be the first time ever that the senior uniformed acquisition professional in the Navy is from NAVWAR instead of NAVAIR, NAVSEA or NAVSUB. Our community will be well served (and challenged) by these great leaders assuming these positions!

One other PCS change I wanted to highlight that may not be in the news—or quite as well-known, but is certainly near and dear—is that Lieutenant Commander Jon Hilzinger, our NIP Membership Committee Chair, just completed a successful one-year assignment at the White House Situation Room (WHSR) and is heading to Hawaii to join the team at PACFLT. Prior to his departure, Jon took the time to take me and my daughter on a tour of the West Wing. Naval Intelligence Professionals continue to play an important role in WHSR operations, as we have since its inception. (Note: If you haven’t read The Situation Room by George Stephanopoulos, I recommend you do. You’ll likely recognize some of the characters and certainly many of the stories).

For all those families moving this summer, we wish you safe travels and remind you to check in with your local NIP chapters as part of your transition. For the Hilzinger family, rest assured that our great Hawaii chapter will welcome you with Aloha spirit and make you part of their Ohana for life!

With LCDR Jon Hilzinger and my daughter Emily outside the White House after the tour Jon gave us
With Ally Wagner after her graduation from NDU
At the 2025 USNA Graduation, (L-R): CAPT (Ret) Bob Allen, ENS Vera Martinez, CAPT Francisco Martinez

Graduations

I had the opportunity to attend two graduations recently that were both precious and treasured. Just last week, I had the privilege of attending the National Defense University graduation ceremony and cheering for Ally Wagner, our NIP Outreach and Communication Committee Chair, as she received her master’s degree in national resource strategy (Distinguished Graduate) from the Eisenhower School. (I also just saw on social media that Master Chief Rob Morris from OPNAV, and one of our NIP Board members, completed a master’s degree in communication and information from the University of Tennessee.)

For those of you who remain committed to lifelong learning and are setting the example for others to emulate, we thank you for your leadership!

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2025 graduation. I received my commission through Officer Candidate School in Newport back in 1988 and although I served 34+ years in the Navy and was stationed in Washington D.C. my last seven years, I had never attended a graduation at Annapolis. My experience can be expressed in one word—wow! If you’re ever afforded the opportunity to attend a service academy graduation, do it. 

I was the guest of the Martinez family. Francisco Martinez and I first met and became lifelong friends back in the 90s when we were both assigned to carrier airwing TWO (CVW-2). At that time, Ensign Francisco Martinez was the CVW-2 imagery officer working with Lieutenant Sharp, the CVW-2 targeteer. Fast forward to last month, and I had the honor of watching newly commissioned Ensign Vera Martinez offer her first salute to her father, Captain Martinez. I don’t have the words to adequately describe the pride, joy, and love experienced at that moment. During the event, I was able to meet a number of the newly commissioned officers and those still in the pipeline. Ten of those commissioned went directly into Naval Intelligence and quite a number of others directly into other Information Warfare disciplines. I take the time to share this with you because I’m constantly asked if I’m worried about the challenges facing our nation, and I always reply “no.” I’m not concerned based on my trust and confidence in the quality of the people we have standing the watch, and our ability to recruit and retain our nation’s best and brightest.

For all those members who are helping to raise, mentor, and coach our next generations of leaders, we salute you!

Speaking of future leaders, the NIP Scholarship Committee just completed their selection of our next scholarship recipients. We are in the process of notifying the awardees and will be announcing the winners soon. We received 33 applications this year for our seven scholarships, and the feedback I received is that the talent is eye-watering and the competition was fierce. As we continue to expand our membership, we’ll be discussing the potential of expanding these programs as well. There’s a significant return on our collective investments. After all, these are individuals who will someday be running our planet.

Planning for Adventures

This brings me to summertime adventures. I hope that each and every one of you takes some time over the summer to be with loved ones and to explore the globe a bit (even if it’s in your own proximity). The nearest target on my personal scope is heading to San Diego next week for the grand opening of the CVIC spaces at the USS Midway Museum. As you’ll note from the Newsletter article and the information posted on our website, this project is something very special. I can’t wait to see it and all those who will be gathering next week to celebrate!

With the ongoing turmoil and conflict in the world, I want to close by offering personal prayers for all your loved ones that might be in harm’s way, and personal gratitude for all our Naval Intelligence Professionals continuing to serve our nation and take care of mission. 

Be well, and God’s Speed!

Best, Bob

NIP Chair