Michael J. Kowal has over 20 years of military service and is currently a credentialed Federal Agent for the Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations. He has focused much of his work in defensive counterintelligence and is currently assigned as the operations superintendent at a critical counterintelligence location in the US. He has had assignments around the world and throughout the United States where he is tasked with working closely with sensitive government research and development programs to mitigate and neutralize the collection efforts of foreign actors.
Michael has also deployed three times. His most recent deployed assignment was to Afghanistan where he served on a unique task force which conducted counter threat operations throughout Kandahar Province by leveraging overt and covert human source operations to neutralize high level insurgents, Taliban members, insider threats, and other threat actors operating in the region.
Michael also retired as a Sergeant from the Connecticut State Police where he has worked within counter terrorism and intelligence programs for most of his career. Michael was an instrumental designer of the fusion center and its successful growth can be seen today. Michael retired as the intelligence fusion center senior intelligence officer and operations supervisor. He was also the strategic intelligence advisor to the Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Service and Public Protection and Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor.
Michael also spent two years on a governor initiated multi-agency task force which targeted violent offenders in the City of New Haven. During his tenure, the unit made dozens of arrests, seized a significant number of drugs and guns through the use of covert and overt human sources, which dramatically reduced violent crime in New Haven during that time period.
Michael has a passion for teaching. In addition to providing law enforcement professional development opportunities he is also an adjunct professor at the University of New Haven National Security School. He has developed courses which have been taught throughout the United States and around the world.