NIP Holds Annual General Meeting and Fall Luncheon

Joint Staff Director for Intelligence Updates Audience on Intelligence Initiatives  

ARMY NAVY COUNTRY CLUB, 31 October 2025.  NIP’s annual membership meeting and Fall luncheon at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia fell on Halloween this year. It was another great reunion of Naval Intelligence professionals, during which the audience was treated to remarks by Vice Admiral Tom Henderschedt, the Joint Staff Director for Intelligence. 

In his comments, Henderschedt provided a comprehensive overview of joint intelligence initiatives for supporting the joint force to achieve mission success in the rapidly changing environment of warfare driven by automation, artificial intelligence, and professional development. Specifically, he spent time discussing the Joint Concept for Intelligence (JCI), which encompasses the intelligence capabilities that need to be developed to ensure the Joint Warfighting Concept can be implemented.

In his off-script comments, he warned that both in government and across the domestic population, there continues to be an alarming underappreciation concerning the challenges China poses for the United States. He added, however, that he's committed to ensuring appreciation and awareness grows. Furthermore, he pointed out that today’s Intelligence Community (IC) is still working to achieve the deep knowledge of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) that Naval Intelligence attained regarding the Soviet Navy during the Cold War.

During the luncheon, retired Captains Bill Hamblet and Bill Bray, representing USNI, recognized the USNI/NIP Intelligence Essay contest winners. They awarded the first prize to Lieutenant Commander Saungwon Ko, who had flown in from Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy to receive his award in person. Ko’s winning essay is titled “Beyond the GI-UK Gap: Naval Intelligence and China’s Arctic Submarine Threat” and will be published in the December issue of Proceedings.

Diana Guglielmo was also on hand to present a $4,000 check from NIP Chapter San Diego to NIP National. The money was raised during San Diego’s annual charity golf tournament in September and brings the total amount of donations the chapter has provided NIP over the last 18 years to an impressive $65,500. It’s worth noting that longtime members and chapter plankowners Master Chief (Ret) Stan Kowalski and Commander (Ret) Phil Easkin deserve much of the credit for the continued success of the golf tournament as they are the ones who drive many of the efforts behind the scenes.

General Meeting. Chair Vice Admiral (Ret) Bob Sharp led the general meeting that took place before the luncheon, providing an overview of NIP’s initiatives and status. He spoke about our continued efforts to reach our goal of growing our membership to over 1000 members and integrate our Marine Corps intelligence professionals to make the organization truly “naval.” NIP is in great shape financially, as Captain (Ret) Jim Biggs discussed. Captain (Ret) Mark Greer provided an overview of Foundation activities, to include the recognition of the 2025 scholarship awardees and NIP award recipients. Ally Wagner talked about NIP’s social media platforms (Facebook, a closed page, and Linkedin, an open page), soliciting members to join both pages and help spread the messages by liking and sharing posts. Captain (Ret) Stephanie Leung spoke to the members about the Naval Intelligence History Project. She and Captain (Ret) Maureen Fox are collecting oral histories from those who witnessed or participated in intelligence-related operations. They are seeking both self-nominees and names of others who can provide valuable memories which illuminate our shared history.  

During Admiral Sharp’s overview, he mentioned the Midway CVIC opening and brought Diana Guglielmo up to talk about how it has been going. Diana highlighted the overwhelmingly positive feedback the museum has received from the 30,811 visitors to the exhibit to date (since it opened in June). Additionally, she added that the Midway Museum is also available for private functions and offers private tours of some areas of the ship as part of the service. CVIC has now been established as a private paid tour option for night events and is getting several requests from customer events. The intel docents (of which Diana is one) wrote a tour guide for the team to allow for more details than the public visitors get during the day. This includes some details on the original spaces, exhibit development and plans for future projects. 

VADM Henderschedt, Joint Staff J2, was the guest speaker for this year’s Fall luncheon.

USNI/Proceedings editors CAPT (Ret) Bill Hamblet (left) and CAPT (Ret) Bill Bray (right) presented LCDR Saungwon Ko with his first prize award in the Intelligence Essay contest.

Diana Guglielmo, from San Diego, was on hand to present NIP National with a $4,000 check from NIP’s San Diego chapter. The money was raised during the chapter’s annual charity golf tournament in September.

NIP Chair VADM (Ret) Bob Sharp served as Master of Ceremony for the luncheon.

CAPT Tiefel, CO of NGIWA, and his deputy CDR Mike Bonocorsa, brought four NGA sailors to the luncheon to give them an opportunity to mingle with the NIP members: IS3 Matthew DeLahaba, IS3 Robert Burns, IS2 Brayden Chancey, and IS1 Steven Majewski. CAPT (Ret) Dave Dallas (on left) and VADM Sharp (on right) are standing with the group.

NIP Board members at the luncheon, with VADM Tom Henderschedt (center): CAPT (Ret) Bob Allen, VADM (Ret) Bob Sharp, CAPT (Ret) Mark Greer, CAPT (Ret) Stephanie Leung, Ally Wagner, CDR (Ret) Sue Himes, CAPT (Ret) Steve Horrell, and Chris Demi.

The J2, VADM Tom Henderschedt, with LCDR Saungwon Ko, DDNI Steve Parode and ADDNI Sandy Brown

Anthony Wells, Doug Cupo and Glenn Yeck.

VADM (Ret) Bob Sharp’s and RADM (Ret) Paul Becker’s ties captured the event and the day perfectly: NIP function on Halloween! With CDR (Ret) Sue Himes

CDR (Ret) Diana Guglielmo and CAPT (Ret) Val Ormond.

RDML Josh Himes and CDR (Ret) Sue Himes.

Retired Captains Jaime Navarro and Val Ormond brought LT Edwin Zerwick (an Information Warfare officer), who was one of the midshipmen they sponsored at the Naval Academy.

VADM (Ret) Sharp highlighted the Midway CVIC opening during the board meeting.

CAPT (Ret) Mark Greer provided an update on Foundation activities.

CAPT (Ret) Jim Biggs discussed NIP’s financial status.

Ally Wagner updated the NIP members on the social platforms (LinkedIn and Facebook).