CAPT Mike Tiefel Receives 2025 Layton Leadership Award

From left to right: LTG (Ret) Mary Legere, Ms. Jen Edgin, CAPT Mike Tiefel, AGCS Melissa Ortiz and COL (Ret) Stephen Iwicki

The National Military Intelligence Foundation (NMIF) hosted its annual Night of Heroes Intelligence Gala on January 29, 2026. In partnership with the Intelligence Community, NMIF recognizes exceptional performance each year by civilian, enlisted, and officer intelligence professionals.

This year, the Foundation honored 19 civilian and military professionals from every service branch and across key national intelligence agencies. Among the honorees, fellow NIP member CAPT Michael Tiefel received the 2025 VADM Rufus L. Taylor Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership and service. CAPT Tiefel’s award read in part: “A superb analyst and leader with a deep understanding of the complex security landscape of the Indo-Pacific region….Leading a diverse team of over 100 intelligence and information warfare professionals, he anticipated, analyzed and produced exceptional intelligence to enable decisions, support operations and inform defense strategy in the region.”

Acting OPNAV N2N6, Ms. Jen Edgin, and the N2N6 Senior Enlisted Advisor, AGCS Melissa Ortiz, represented Naval Intelligence and presented CAPT Tiefel with the award. CAPT Tiefel currently serves as the commanding officer of Navy Geospatial Intelligence Warfare Activity at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.