Rear Admiral Brett Heimbigner (Ret.)

Rear Admiral Brett Heimbigner (Ret.) is a Visiting Scholar in the Center for European Studies and 1987 graduate of the JSIS and the University of Washington’s Naval ROTC Unit. Admiral Heimbigner spent the majority of his 30-year military career as an intelligence officer deploying globally and living overseas mostly in Europe and the Middle East. His wide-ranging roles included extensive combat intelligence special operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and other Middle East and African terrorist concentrations. He also served three tours in Europe (London, Cambridge and Brussels) including one as the Director of Intelligence and Warning for the NATO Headquarters during the initial phase of Russian aggression against Ukraine from 2014-2016. The Admiral briefed the NATO North Atlantic Council (NAC) and supported the Secretary General directly on regular basis while chairing the Military Intelligence Committee which included over 70 Allied intelligence and security services. He also has significant U.S. national security and interagency experience gained from two U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and CIA headquarters detailed assignment. The Admiral is currently a Director for the Raytheon Company addressing North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) missile defense requirements in Colorado Springs, CO. He remains current on several European, NATO and Ukraine Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability requirements based on the close working relationship Ukraine and many of the Allies have formed with Raytheon, particularly since Russia’s most recent invasion. He is also an active mentor for JSIS students.

The Admiral also obtained a masters from the Naval War College in National Security Studies and has attended multiple business executive courses, including the Naval Post Graduate School and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Heimbigner’s awards include the CIA’s Donovan Award, Director Defense Intelligence Agency’s Award, Bronze Star, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation (two awards) and multiple Iraq and Afghanistan campaign medals in addition to several citations from NATO Allies.