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VJ2 Provides Joint Perspective to Midshipmen at “Burn Bag” Lunch

On Friday, 1 March, Rear Admiral Joshua Himes, Vice Director for Intelligence on the Joint Staff, was the guest speaker for the USNA “Burn Bag Lunch” at Grace Hopper Hall. Hosted by Captain (Ret) Paul Tortora, Director of the Naval Academy Center for Cyber Security Studies (and a retired Naval Intelligence officer), the event was intended to provide the midshipmen and faculty (with proper TS/SCI clearance) a view into the operational intelligence activities of the Joint Staff. In addition to a review of current products for the Chairman, Rear Admiral Himes brought Lieutenants John Sutton and Taylor Jackson, both 1830s, to give similar insight into intelligence support to the Joint Staff J3, the Secretary of the Navy, and CNO. Lieutenant Sutton is in J23 on the Joint Staff supporting the J3 Deputy Director for Special Operations, and Lieutenant Jackson is a briefer on the CNO-IP staff.

Approximately 80 students and 30 staff/faculty enjoyed the 80-minute engagement, with an excellent question-and-answer session and discussion. Among the students, approximately fifty of the midshipmen are graduating/commissioning in May; 25 were juniors, many of whom are going to NSA or ONI this summer; and two were sophomores who will be going to NSA/CYBERCOM this summer. Rear Admiral Himes appreciated the opportunity to interact with the students, and said “Kudos to Captain Tortora for organizing the event, which exposed the midshipmen to the challenges of intelligence at the most senior levels of the Defense Department and will help prepare them for the challenges ahead in an increasingly complex and dynamic national security environment."

RDML Josh Himes with CAPT (Ret) Paul Tortora, LT Taylor Jackson and LT John Sutton on the USNA grounds.
CAPT (Ret) Tortora introduces RDML Himes.
RDML Himes reveals a USNA Jacket from under his black jacket.
CAPT (Ret) Paul Tortora, Samara Firebaugh (USNA Academic Dean and Provost), and RDML Josh Himes with the midshipmen at the "Burn Bag Lunch.”