Elizabeth Will

Elizabeth Will. Elizabeth Will is a retired United States Army colonel renowned for her pioneering role in military intelligence and her subsequent advocacy for the integration of open-source intelligence (OSINT) into national security frameworks. Her distinguished thirty-year career included key assignments during the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Iraq War, where she leveraged innovative intelligence methodologies. Following her retirement, she became a leading voice in promoting the ethical use of publicly available information for security purposes, influencing policy within the United States Department of Defense and the broader intelligence community.

Early life and education

Will was born in New York City and developed an early interest in international affairs. She pursued higher education at Georgetown University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service. She later attended the National Intelligence University, where she focused on strategic intelligence, and also completed advanced studies at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Her academic foundation in geopolitics and security studies provided a critical base for her future work in military intelligence and analysis.

Military service

Commissioned into the United States Army in 1982, Will served in the Military Intelligence Corps. Her early postings included assignments with the United States European Command and the Defense Intelligence Agency. During the Gulf War, she was deployed to Saudi Arabia, where she contributed to battlefield preparation and analysis. She later held significant positions in Afghanistan and Iraq, often serving as a senior intelligence officer for tactical units and Combined Joint Task Forces. Throughout her service, she championed the systematic collection and analysis of open-source intelligence, arguing for its formal recognition alongside traditional classified methods within organizations like the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency.

Post-military career and advocacy

After retiring from active duty in 2012, Will became a prominent consultant and speaker on intelligence reform. She has worked with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, and private firms like Booz Allen Hamilton to develop OSINT training programs and doctrine. She is a frequent presenter at security conferences, including the International Studies Association annual meeting and events hosted by the RAND Corporation. Her advocacy focuses on the legal and ethical frameworks for using public data, a topic on which she has testified before the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She has also contributed to publications by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Personal life

Will maintains a private personal life. She is known to be an avid reader of history and strategic theory, with a particular interest in the works of Sun Tzu and Carl von Clausewitz. She resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and is involved with several veterans' service organizations, including the Military Officers Association of America and the American Legion. Her hobbies include marathon running and supporting historical preservation efforts related to the United States Armed Forces.

Legacy and honors

Will's legacy is defined by her transformational impact on modern intelligence practices, helping to legitimize OSINT as a critical discipline. Her military decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. In the civilian sector, she received the Intelligence and National Security Alliance award for achievement in open-source innovation. Her teachings and methodologies are incorporated into curricula at the National Defense University and the United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca. She is widely cited in professional journals and remains a respected figure among analysts within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.

Category:United States Army colonels Category:American military intelligence officers Category:Georgetown University alumni