Special Agent Gregory A. Scovel, Jr. was appointed the acting Deputy Director of Operations (DDOA), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), in April 2024. He serves as the agency’s Chief Operations Officer with responsibility for eight directorates and primary activities: Atlantic Operations, Global Operations, Pacific Operations, National Security, Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense/Counterintelligence and Law Enforcement, Threat Directorate, and Cyber Operations. His responsibilities include biometrics, technical surveillance countermeasures, behavioral science, technical services, Regional Enforcement Action Capabilities Training, polygraph services, and forensics.
DDOA Scovel is a Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service appointee. He served formerly as the Executive Assistant Director (EAD) of the NCIS National Security Directorate (NSD) (2022-2024). He provided leadership, strategic direction, and management for global counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations and operations, including those involving espionage, terrorism, compromise, technology transfer, cyber operations, force protection activities, insider threat programs, and threats to research, development, and acquisition programs. He was previously the acting EAD with NSD (2021-2022), Assistant Director (2019-2020), and Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) for Operations (2018-2019).
DDOA Scovel was formerly as the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Norfolk Field Office (2020-2021), one of the largest NCIS field offices, and was responsible for identifying, disrupting, and defeating threats posed by foreign intelligence entities and criminal actors targeting the Department of the Navy (DON). He served previously as the DON Counterintelligence Coordinating Authority (CICA) (2018- 2019) and DAD for Counterintelligence Operations (2018), providing leadership for NCIS counterintelligence operations programs, as well as coordination and de-confliction of all DON counterintelligence activity. He was recalled to active duty in 2018 and served as the forward Joint Force Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Staff Element (J-2X), Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), Baghdad, Iraq. While in theater, he coordinated all OIR conventional forces’ CI and HUMINT activity.
DDOA Scovel served formerly as both the Assistant SAC of the NCIS Office of Special Projects (OSP) and Chief of the Virtual Operations Center (VOC) (2017-2018), where he led a multi-million-dollar cyber-based platform; and Supervisory Special Agent of the OSP VOC (2013-2016). After he established the VOC in 2013, the platform grew from a singular focus into a premier multi-faceted, joint operations platform, supporting the entire Department of Defense and protecting critical DON technologies and capabilities.
DDOA Scovel joined NCIS in 2007. His prior assignments include NCIS Resident Agent, U.S. Embassy, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2010-2013); NCIS Headquarters National Security Operations Division, Washington, DC (2009-2010); and the NCIS Carolinas Field Office, Camp Lejeune, NC (2007-2009). Prior to joining NCIS, he served for nine years as a U.S. Naval Aviator (1998-2007). During this period, he deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has completed over 1,000 hours as pilot-in-command and over 100 carrier-arrested landings in the C-2A Greyhound (COD). He is a retired Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer.
DDDOA Scovel is a graduate of James Madison University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a minor in Economics. He is also a graduate of Virginia Tech, where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree.
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