Adam Hinds is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Operations Specialist (Surface Warfare) with 21 years of decorated service, now serving as an Assessments Analyst for the Joint Staff. He supports global integration, strategic planning, and wargaming efforts requiring Top Secret clearance. He is the founder of Upstairs Room Entertainment and co-creator of in.pencil, a multimedia platform for creative and philosophical content. Adam is an active civic leader involved in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Scouting America, HELP Inc., and other nonprofit and community-based organizations.
Branch: United States Navy (Retired Chief Operations Specialist)
Years of Service: 2002–2023
Clearance: Top Secret
Notable Roles:
Music Projects (Upstairs Room Entertainment): BAD (Buster, Adam, Donny), Aimless/Intellect, EMPTYADAM
Media Brand: in.pencil – podcast, YouTube, writing collective
Author: The Arcane Divide – a post-apocalyptic novel in development
from Pleasant View, Tennessee
Newsoms, Virginia
“To fuse strategic leadership with creative exploration, public service, and personal growth—bridging worlds between defense, nonprofit impact, and philosophical inquiry.”
The Linktree for Adam Hinds serves as a centralized hub for accessing my professional, creative, and civic endeavors. It offers a streamlined interface where visitors can explore all the different facets of my work and public identity.
The Linktree connects to:
It’s designed to reflect my multidimensional identity—as a military strategist, nonprofit leader, artist, thinker, and public servant—and to provide easy access to everything I publicly share in one place.
Email: adamwhinds@outlook.com | Phone: 615.243.5980 | LinkedIn: LINKEDIN
Strategic leader with a diverse background and skillset and a passion for developing people, streamlining processes, leading change within organizations, managing capital projects, and producing quality results. Proven record of achieving results through effective people management and relationship building. Experience serving as an advisor to senior executives.
Clearance: Top Secret; TWIC
MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Chief Operations Specialist (NEC for NCAGS Staff and GCCS-M; Qualified Battle Watch Captain and Officer of the Deck Underway)
United States Navy 08/2002-12/2023
USS STUMP, USS VANDEGRIFT, PC CREW JULIET, CTF-76, CJTF-HOA, ECRC FWD CENT, NAVY REGION HAWAII, CTF SENTINEL
Oversaw and managed operational and administrative functions of organizations to meet organizational goals. Managed 24-hour joint and multinational coalition watch teams, assisting in real-world and scenario-based training missions on a variety of scales.
Leadership, Management, and Training
Exercised judgment and decision-making in all employee relations and personnel actions (i.e., timely performance evaluations, conflict resolution handling, disciplinary actions, employee counseling, etc.) to develop attitudes of cooperation, enthusiasm, and professionalism.
Responsible for command-and-control training, qualification, and certification programs.
Composed personnel evaluations, fitness reports, awards, and recognitions.
Ensured the effective manning of watchfloors, including holding qualification boards to ensure personnel are suitably trained, qualified, and able to perform their required roles.
Tracked training and readiness requirements for over 1,000 deployed sailors.
Coordinated training to enhance skills, resulting in more proficient personnel.
Monitored the implementation of plans and Educational Lines of Effort (LOEs), primary objectives, supporting tasks, and enabling actions.
Established professional development activities to drive performance and to improve business services.
Utilized Navy and Joint systems in execution of missions: JOPES, DRRS-N, GCCS-J/M.
Operations and Planning
Utilized Joint Operation Planning Execution System (JOPES) to reserve seats on aircraft traveling into, around, and out of the theater for Navy passengers, including at one point the Chief of Naval Reserve and his staff, along with monitoring real-world logistics in support of Navy personnel deployed across the region.
Led the shipboard transition to and implementation of Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS-N) for PC Crew Juliet and provided training for use of the system to operations personnel onboard USS Germantown, allowing for streamlined consolidation of readiness reporting to the upper echelon to assist the mobilization decision-making process.
Assisted in the development, coordination, preparation, and execution of Navy, Joint, and Coalition exercises.
Developed training scenarios, message scripts, mission threads, operations guidance, and threat environments.
Worked with stakeholders to develop plans for international exercises, including 3 Sentinel Shield exercises and the 2020 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, among others.
Assisted in the execution and control of exercises.
Developed an overall exercise assessment program with data collection techniques unique to the scenario.
Oversaw the planning and conduct of After-Action Reports using appropriate regulation, policy, and command guidance.
Reviewed and recommended changes or additions to existing plans.
Produced staff action products (e.g., information papers, staff estimates, point papers, information briefings, decision briefings, routine reports, etc.) to support the mission.
Developed presentations for the management and stakeholders on business operations.
Analyzed Operations Plans and Orders, coordinated with higher headquarters in the implementation of the plans and/or other planning documents.
Analyzed and evaluated diverse data and formulated them into coherent, practical operation plans, processes, and procedures.
Developed plans, orders, and policy. Wrote and implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs), instructions, guides, and policies, providing clarity of leadership intentions.
Supported business planning functions for new and existing strategic partnerships and alliances.
Provided training to US and coalition military on watchstanding, joint and coalition exercises, and maritime law and customs.
Provided integral training in support of professional development, qualifications, and watch team proficiency.
Watch Officer / Battle Watch Captain
Led watch teams monitoring military activities in dynamic areas of responsibility.
Provided in-depth training plans for US Navy/Joint and coalition officer and enlisted watch-floor watchstanders.
Presented daily briefs on Special Intelligence Communication Center operations to department heads, Flag and senior officers, enlisted personnel, and other government employees. Conducted formal and informal briefs and tour presentations as required. Prepared clear, concise, accurate, and effective reports, correspondence, informational packets, and other written materials associated with Special Intelligence Communications Center operations.
Maintained overall responsibility of daily-integrated intelligence support, to include any alert, crisis, and Force Protection situations. Ensures the Intelligence function maintains a capability to provide timely and accurate operational intelligence support and fully trained intelligence personnel during peacetime and contingency operations.
CIVILIAN EXPERIENCE
Assessments Analyst
Knight Federal Solutions supporting The Joint Staff, J7, Suffolk, VA 12/2024-Present
Conducts in-depth assessments of global force posture, readiness, and operational effectiveness by leveraging interviews and information collection to provide senior leaders with insights for optimizing Joint Force integration across all combatant commands.
Facilitates cross-combatant command collaboration by synthesizing intelligence, operational data, and strategic priorities to improve decision-making and mission synchronization.
Leverages analytical tools and modeling techniques to assess risk, anticipate emerging threats, and recommend force allocation adjustments to support global operations.
Produces actionable insights and briefings for senior DoD leadership, ensuring assessments drive policy, resource allocation, and operational planning for integrated deterrence and warfighting effectiveness.
Operations Specialist / Joint Exercise Planner
T-Solutions/ANALYGENCE, INC supporting US Fleet Forces, Norfolk, VA 02/2024-11/2024
Assisted in developing and maintaining exercise plans, programs, policies, and processes in support of joint and service operational plans affecting all aspects of Navy service and functional maritime component responsibilities.
Developed, facilitated the execution, and assessed the outcome of Joint and Service exercises to include: HURREX, Citadel Gale, Ardent Sentry, Vigilant Shield, Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield, Global Lightning, and Global Thunder.
Coordinated with NORTHCOM, CNIC, ALCOM, and various Component, Region, and Fleet exercise planners to develop exercise concepts and objectives in support of Maritime Homeland Defense, Defense Support of Civil Authorities, Strategic Deterrence, and All Hazards plans.
JTIMS/JTT coordinator for USFF N35 responsible for USNAVNORTH MTA and TPA updates. Serve as JTIMS/JTT Manager responsible for maintaining user access and permissions.
Developed After Action Reports and Lessons Learned inputs as well as produced Flag Officer level staff briefs, presentations, and products for Flag review
Directly managed 4 personnel updating the readiness status of NAVNORTH in the Defense Readiness Reporting System
Lead JTIMS/JTT coordinator for USFF N35, responsible for USNAVNORTH MTA and TPA updates.
Director of Operations
Center for Nonprofit Management, Nashville, TN 05/2023-07/2024
Served as a departmental and organizational leader, directly managing safety, facilities, technology, administration, reception, special and capital projects, and events.
Managed all aspects of safety and security, including inspections, drills, incident response, and other critical events.
Managed campus, technology and facility improvement projects, including the renovation of new buildings, improvements to existing properties, and space allocation.
Managed technology operations, providing recommendations for IT suite upgrades, technical advice, and guidance for the creation of IT security policies.
Managed budget and finances, accounts receivable and payable for the organization.
Operations Manager
Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, Houston, TX 08/2022-05/2023
Served as a departmental and organizational leader, directly managing safety, facilities, technology, administration, reception, special and capital projects, and events.
Managed all aspects of safety and security, including inspections, drills, incident response, and other critical events.
Managed campus, technology, and facility improvement projects, including the renovation of new buildings, improvements to existing properties, and space allocation.
Managed technology operations, providing recommendations for IT suite upgrades, technical advice, and guidance for the creation of IT security policies.
Oversaw building administrations including general administrative operations, procurement, data management, and vendor relations.
Managed the Operations team, providing high-touch support to staff and volunteers, issue resolution, and conflict management.
Built a strong culture of accountability, respect, teamwork, stewardship, and quantifiable results.
Developed productive and trusting relationships with peer managers across the organization and led cross-functional working groups to address operational issues.
District Executive
Boy Scouts of America, Greater St. Louis Area Council, Farmington, MO 09/2018-09/2019
Worked with a volunteer board of directors and other community and business leaders to identify, recruit, train, guide, and inspire people to become involved in youth programs. Achieved progress towards specific goals and objectives, which included program development through collaborative relationships, volunteer recruitment and training, fundraising, membership recruitment, and retention.
Actively extended BSA programs to religious, civic, fraternal, educational, and other community-based organizations through volunteers.
Responsible for the selection and training of area Scout leaders and volunteers.
Monitored the behavior of all volunteers by regularly attending activities sponsored by each unit to ensure their conduct is always aligned with the standards of the organization.
Met with top volunteers regularly to plan activities for local troops and create initiatives to entice youth to join the organization.
Secured a combined $150k in funding through fundraising and product sales to achieve net income and participation objectives for assigned camps, programs, and activities.
Recruited leadership for finance campaign efforts to meet the organization's financial needs.
Created and maintained meaningful programs, enriching the lives of youth and contributing to the community.
EDUCATION
Master of Arts in Christian Practice (Theology/Ministry) & Conflict Management
Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, August 2016
Bachelor of Science in International Relations (with minors in Global Studies and Religion)
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, August 2014
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Board of Directors, Quality of Life Inc.
Virginia Beach, VA, 2025-Present
Volunteer Firefighter, Newsoms Volunteer Fire Department
Newsoms, VA, 2024-Present
Operational Auxiliarist, US Coast Guard Auxiliary
Nashville, TN and Portsmouth, VA, 2023-Present
Commander, Norman L. Rigdon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5896
Farmington, MO, 2019
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS
COMPTIA: Project+
RBLP: Resilience-Building Leadership Professional–T (RBLP-T)
COAST GUARD AUXILIARY: Auxiliary Leadership and Management School; Public Affairs Specialist 3; Vessel Examiner
SCOUTING AMERICA: District Operations; Introduction to Outdoor Leadership; Commissioners’ College
NRA: Range Safety Officer
AHA: Basic Life Support (CPR/AED)
DOD/NAVY: Defense Readiness Reporting System; Defense Support of Civil Authorities; Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education 1 & 2; Naval Control and Guidance of Shipping; Command Navy Leader Development Facilitator
NONPROFIT TRAINING: Board Fundamentals; Volunteer Management; Development & Fundraising; Grant Writing
Adam is introspective, driven, and conceptually fluid. He blends practical leadership with a philosophical mindset rooted in perennialism, theosophy, and libertarian-socialist ethics. He distrusts centralized authority but deeply values order, structure, and personal responsibility. A lifelong learner, he engages seriously with spirituality, UFO research, esotericism, and systems theory.
His communication style is clear, confident, and direct—favoring active voice, precision, and minimal fluff. He avoids performative self-promotion, prefers thoughtful conversation over ideology, and uses dry humor as both shield and scalpel. He’s committed to servant leadership, cultural literacy, and meaning-making in the face of institutional and spiritual decay.
Adam operates at the intersection of strategy and soul—equally comfortable planning defense exercises, leading community service projects, or writing rap lyrics about metaphysics and bureaucracy. He sees himself as a realist and a seeker, a protector and a provocateur.
veteran, strategist, podcaster, musician, nonprofit, public servant, freemason, analyst, paranormal, leader, resilience, philosopher, Tennessee, Virginia, liberty, storytelling, systems thinking, futurist, mystic