James Griffith

Director, MASINT, GEOINT and Special Programs, OUSDI

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Mr. James L. Griffith is on a Joint Duty Assignment as the Director for MASINT, GEOINT, and Special Programs under the Director for Defense Intelligence, Technical Collection and Special Programs, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence (OUSD[I]). In this position, Mr. Griffith serves as the OUSD(I) focal point for MASINT, GEOINT, and special technical programs and activities. In addition, Mr. Griffith directs the Department of Defense (DoD) Foreign Material Program as well as provides technical support to operations to include capabilities in Special Communications; Tracking, Tagging and Locating capabilities; and biometrics.

Prior to this assignment, Mr. Griffith was the Deputy Director of Operations, National Geospatial-lntelligence Agency (NGA). In this capacity, Mr. Griffith assisted in exercising an exceptionally wide and complex range of responsibilities, including oversight for the execution of mission and operations for NGA across the Intelligence Community (IC), DoD, alliances, and partnerships. Mr. Griffith also served as the Director of the NGA Operations Center. In this position, Mr. Griffith led a diverse team of civilian, military, and contractor personnel to provide global situational awareness and time-sensitive GEOINT to support continuous operations and enable decision-advantage for NGA leadership and mission partners with a focus on actions that address crisis issues.

Mr. Griffith served in a number of other leadership positions across NGA, to include Deputy Director, Service Implementation Group, IT Services Directorate, where he assisted in the management, development, procurement, and deployment of integrated IT capabilities and services for the GEOINT community, to include international partners; Deputy Director, Vision Integration Team, supporting the Director in facilitating the coordination, integration, and synchronization of activities realizing the NGA Vision and Strategic Objectives; Director, Office of Special Programs, Analysis and Production Directorate, where he oversaw acquisition and operations programs to deliver sensitive GEOINT to the IC; and Deputy Director, Office of Geospatial Intelligence Management, where he led the Functional Management staff for the Director of NGA, chaired a multiple-agency board to provide guidance on the development of strategic plans and programs for the GEOINT community, and led Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence studies to evaluate programs and technologies to improve capabilities in support of DoD and IC requirements.

Before entering Federal Service, Mr. Griffith spent 24 years in the United States Air Force, where he served in various operations, acquisition, intelligence, and joint duty positions.

His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Commendation Medal, and Achievement Medal. In 2010, Mr. Griffith was recognized as part of a team effort by the Deputy Director, Science and Technology, Central Intelligence Agency with a McCone Award.

Mr. Griffith graduated from the Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Military History. He also earned postgraduate degrees from the University of Phoenix, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the United States Air War College.

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