Approved for Public Release, OCC-U-2024-00691

 Michael Benson 

Director of the Office of Geography 

Mr. Michael “Mike” Benson serves as the Director of the Office of 

Geography (SFG) in the Source Directorate. In this capacity, he provides 

oversight and guidance for NGA’s topographic, political and human 

geography missions, managing the provision of integrated data, products, 

and services in support of the military, Intelligence Community, and 

international partners, enabling them to make informed decisions and 

execute successful operations. 

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Benson served as the Deputy 

Director for the Office of Targeting and Transnational Issues (AOR) in 

the Analysis Directorate. He was responsible for leading NGA’s 

geospatial intelligence analysis and production mission on tailored 

GEOINT in support of US operational planning and functional issues related to economic 

security and threat finance, cyber, C4ISR, and underground facility issues. 

Mr. Benson’s prior assignments at NGA include, Deputy Director for the Data Integration and 

Automation Office; Senior Source Liaison to the Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automation, and 

Augmentation (AAA) Technology and Tradecraft Office; SFG Current Operations Chief; and 

Deputy Division Chief for SFG’s topographic mission. Mr. Benson deployed three times in 

support of the NGA Volunteer Deployment Team. While in Djibouti, Africa he received the 

Joint Civilian Service Achievement medal for meritorious service as the NGA site lead and 

Senior Intelligence Officer supporting the CJ-2 Combined JTF-Horn of Africa. While deployed 

to Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, Mr. Benson received the Joint Civilian Service Commendation 

medal for his exceptionally meritorious service as the Northern Regional Command Coordinator 

supporting Joint Command, Fusion Center, Camp Marmal. Additionally, Mr. Benson returned to 

Afghanistan in 2014 as the Senior Intelligence Officer supporting Special Operations forces at 

Camp Montrond, Bagram, Afghanistan, where he earned his second Joint Civilian Service 

Commendation medal for meritorious service. 

Mr. Benson began his intelligence career in 1998 as an Imagery Analyst in the United States 

Army after graduating college. He served in a variety of roles, including Foreign Weapons 

Specialist at the National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, VA; Senior Army 

Liaison to the Air Force U2 Mission at Osan AFB, South Korea; and GIS Instructor at Ft. Riley, 

KS. In 2004, Mr. Benson joined NGA as a civilian and spent eight years serving as an Imagery 

Scientist. In this capacity, Mr. Benson integrated technology into analytical workflows and 

helped NGA hone its tradecraft by adopting advanced techniques. He was recalled into the Army 

in 2005 to serve with the 10th Special Forces Group Airborne in Fort Carson, CO. He deployed 

as the Senior GEOINT Officer to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian 

Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP) in Balad, Iraq and earned a Bronze Star for exceptional leadership and 

technical ability. 
Approved for Public Release, OCC-U-2024-00691

Mr. Benson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Wayne State University, a Master’s 

Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a Master’s 

Degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University.