FDD sponsors educational opportunities for mid-career U.S. national security professionals. Alumni of these
programs are not FDD employees and join FDD’s National Security Network (NSN).
National Security Network Participant
FDD’s National Security Fellow
2025
2025
National Security Network Participant
Will Smethers
U.S. Department of Defense
Biography
Last updated: Jan 15, 2025
Will Smethers works as an analyst doing economic security at the Department of Defense, including providing legislative support to the Office of Strategic Capital (OSD R&E). Prior to joining DoD, Will worked for seven years in Congress, including two years for former Rep. Mike Gallagher. He has lived in Israel and Honduras and speaks Hebrew, Spanish, and French. He holds a master’s degree in international policy from Texas A&M University and a master’s in religious studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.