District 1
Dr. James F. Holden-Rhodes

About Commissioner Dr James F. Holden-Rhodes

He has 20+ years of seasoned experience in Intelligence, Intelligence Operations, and operations issues in the national security arena. He is a combat-tested USMC Infantry/ Reconnaissance Officer thrice decorated for actions under fire. As the first non-traditional Post Doctoral Fellow at LANL [Joint appointment: Center for National Security Studies & Military Systems Analysis and Simulation Group, A-5]. he worked on unconventional nuclear issues, terrorism/counterterrorism, special operations, command and control, and force projection.

Involved in the world of terrorism/counter-terrorism long before terror was recognized as a primary threat to this country, he served as the Team Chief, Latin America, 9001st Military Intelligence Detachment [Terrorism Counteraction]. [It was this group that coined the term “narco-terrorism”]. This experience led to a “boots on the ground” assignment at Quarry Heights, Panama as the Counter Drug Intelligence Team Leader for LANL/US Southern Command; and, the identification and tracking of coca growing and cocaine production sites, and, transshipment routes to the United States.

A pioneer in the development and application of Open Source Intelligence [OSINT] he is the author of the award-winning book, Sharing the Secrets-Open Source Intelligence and the War on Drugs. An accomplished, frequently published writer/author he also wrote and co-edited the Intelligence in Terrorism Counteraction Manual/ Course for the US Army Intelligence Center and School. He is the author of Smart and Faithful Force-Henry Clay Cochrane and the United States Marine Corps, 1861-1905.

Dr. Holden-Rhodes has lectured and taught at the National Drug Intelligence Center, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Western European Union, Paris, France, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University, New Mexico State University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He created and served as the Director, Intelligence Studies, NMSU. There, students were trained at the undergraduate and graduate level in analytical techniques prior to joining the US Intelligence Community. He was selected as the 2009 Outstanding Intelligence Studies Teacher by the International Association for Intelligence Education [IAFIE].

He led contractual work as a Project Manager for US Army Intelligence and Security Command [INSCOM] dealing with the monitoring, collection, and analysis/synthesis of OSINT production dealing with the policies and actions of nine Middle Eastern countries vis-à-vis their responses to United States operations in Iraq. He also served as the Senior OSINT Analyst for the Food and Drug Administration/New Mexico State University project for food safety and bio-terrorism issues.

Dr. Holden-Rhodes serves as a Blue & Gold Officer, United States Naval Academy, working with young men and women who are aspiring to attend a military service academy. He serves on the Congressional Service Academy Nomination Boards for Senator Tom Udall and Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham.

District #1