COL Chris Martinez and his family returned to National Defense University in June 2025. Since graduating the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy in 2020, he commanded the 650th Military Intelligence (MI) Group, Allied Command Counterintelligence (ACCI), in Mons, Belgium and served as the Senior Planner of the Strategic Initiatives Group for the U.S. Army G-2 at the Pentagon.
COL Martinez was born in Temple, TX. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Syracuse University in 1998 with a Masters of Business Administration. He commissioned through the Army ROTC program in 1998 as a Second Lieutenant in the MI Corps.
COL Martinez has had four NATO assignments. Prior to Group command, he previously served as a Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in Mons, Belgium; the Human Intelligence (HUMINT)/Counterintelligence (CI) Officer (J2X) for the International Security and Assistance Force, Regional Command South, in Afghanistan; and as a HUMINT Collector for the Allied MI Battalion in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
COL Martinez has held several CI and HUMINT positions in his career. He served as the Commander of the 308th MI Battalion (BN) at Ft. Meade, MD; the 8th Army Theater CI Coordinating Authority in Seoul, Korea; the Brigade (BDE) S2X for the 506th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) “Currahee” at Ft. Campbell, KY; the Executive Officer for Bravo Company of the 308th MI BN at Red Stone Arsenal, AL; and a Special Agent attached the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Huntsville, AL.
His foundational and broadening assignments include serving as the Professor of Military Science at the University of Texas San Antonio; Speechwriter to the Commander of U.S. Forces Korea; Secretary of the Joint Staff and Intelligence Planner within Joint Task Force (JTF) North at Ft. Bliss, TX; Headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander, BDE Military Transition Team Intelligence Advisor, and 1-61 Cavalry Squadron S2 within the 506th RCT in Iraq; and BN S2 for the 75th Exploitation TF in Kuwait.
COL Martinez’ military education includes the Command and General Staff College and the MI Captain’s Career and Officer Basic Courses. He is also a graduate of the Joint CI Training Academy, Advanced Foreign CI Course; and the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Defense Strategic Debriefer and Advanced Source Operations Courses. COL Martinez has been published in the Military Review; New York Times; Army Times; Army Magazine; and The Air Force Journal of European, Middle Eastern, and African Affairs. COL Martinez has received various personal and campaign awards, but considers those associated with unit performance most representative of his Army service.
COL Martinez has a strong lineage of military service in his family. Both of his grandfathers, father, brother, and wife all served in the U.S. Army. His family has accumulated over 145 years of military service, with members having served during World War II, in the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
COL Martinez is married to Chief Warrant Officer Five Desirae Martinez. They have three children: Austin (24), Preston (14), and Riley Rose (9) and reside in Chesapeake Beach, MD.