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Please meet, Captain Jacob Shepherd, United States Army, the new Program Manager hired through the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program at NSI. Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship Program is an innovative program that provides transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce. 

Q: Hi, Jacob. Thank you for chatting with us.

A: Hi, Julie. Thanks for the interview, I’m excited to be here.

Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from, etc.?

A: My name is Jacob Shepherd, I’m 28 years old, and I’m currently a Captain in the US Army. I was born and raised in Boulder, CO then went on to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. At West Point, I majored in Engineering Management and participated as a member of the ‘Black Knights’ Parachute Team, where I performed over 500 freefall skydives as a part of collegiate competitions and demonstrations into various sporting events, parades, and air shows.

In 2017, I graduated from West Point and was commissioned as an Infantry Officer. I then underwent a year of training, graduating from the Infantry Officer’s Course and the US Army’s Ranger School. My first assignment was to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where I served as a Rifle Platoon Leader and a Mortar Platoon Leader. In Hawaii, I also attended and graduated from the Marksmanship Instructors course and the Jungle Operations Training Center. After an additional year of professional military education I was promoted to the rank of Captain.

My final assignment in the Army is to Fort Carson, CO with the 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade, which is a unit focused on military advising. While at Fort Carson, I deployed to the Republic of Georgia in 2022 with my 12-soldier advisor team. Our mission was to deter aggression in Europe while building interoperability between the US military and the Georgian Defense Forces.

I am now slated to end my service in June 2023, which is how I became involved in the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program with NSI.

Q: Can you tell us about the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program? How did you get involved in it?

A: The Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program provides transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce. Fellowship candidates are matched with participating companies based on specific skills of the candidate and the preferences of both the candidate and the host company.

I got involved with Hiring Our Heroes because I believe my experience as a combat arms Officer has provided me with valuable skills from once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, but I had a lack of understanding on how to translate them to meaningful civilian employment. Although I am just beginning my program, the mentorship I have already received from the Hiring Our Heroes staff and the staff at NSI has helped me tremendously to gain the confidence and ability to articulate my skills to potential future employers. I am so grateful for this opportunity and would recommend it to any veteran preparing to end their service, and to host companies seeking to access future employees with talent, motivation, and proven leadership.

Q: What drew you to working with NSI?

A: While my time on active duty comes to a close, I still hold dear my oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I believe the research performed by the amazingly gifted people at NSI will enable our defense and intelligence communities to maintain their advantages over our adversaries and ensure a better future of a free, open, secure, and prosperous world.

The research being performed at NSI is essential to the objectives of the 2022 National Security Strategy. I am already blown away by the talent of the entire team here. While I had opportunities to work with other great companies, NSI had a particular appeal to me because of the cutting-edge research that is performed and the enduring legacy it will create.

Q: What do you hope to get out of your fellowship?

A: The two goals I have for my fellowship are to learn as much as possible about the research and program management done at NSI and to help the team however I can as a program management fellow.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your current work?

A: [Not sure if you are referring to my current work at NSI or in the Army, so I will provide a blurb explaining each.]

At NSI, I’m working closely with Mr. Tim Clarke and Ms. Emily CoBabe-Ammann on the Program Management side of things. While I haven’t had an opportunity to fully dive into my work yet, I am already learning a lot about what it takes to meet cost, schedule, and performance objectives on research projects. The various types of contracts the government awards to NSI have their own unique requirements and with time and experience I hope to help either preclude or solve problems in order to allow the researchers to continue their important work without interruption or distraction.

In the Army, I work as the Senior Operations Advisor on a multidisciplinary advisor team. The most important part of my job is to take care of my soldiers. Professionally, I work with my commander to develop the technical expertise and cross-cultural fluency of my team to rapidly deploy anywhere in the European theater to train and fight alongside our partners and allies. President Biden has emphasized the need for exceptional American leadership and partnership to meet today’s security challenges and my team and I are doing our part to accomplish that mission. Personally, I try to help my soldiers and their families handle various challenges including: separation due to deployments, physical and mental health, and the personal struggles that all humans face. The Army’s most valuable resource is its people, so the team and I place a huge emphasis on taking care of each other.

Q: Thank you. Do you have anything else to add about NSI or your current goals or work?

A: Thank you so much. I’m very excited to be a part of the team at NSI. I hope that I have the opportunity to continue our professional partnership after the conclusion of my service.