A new practitioner community takes security conversations outside of Washington, D.C. and into communities, emphasizing accountability to the people it serves.
WASHINGTON, DC – November 9, 2026 – The Watchfire National Security Network 501(c)(4) launched today as a community of national security practitioners committed to principled, accountable American power. Members come from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and include military veterans, diplomats, development professionals, intelligence officers, policy leaders, government civilians, and civic leaders. Watchfire was founded on the premise that national security leaders across every level of government are accountable to the people they serve – and that security policy is only effective if citizens and residents trust government institutions. The network is nonpartisan; membership requires no party affiliation, only a shared standard of competence, integrity, and accountability as well as shared values and principles.
“Watchfire is not just another think tank or a policy shop,” said Bishop Garrison, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s a community of principled national security professionals dedicated to service in many forms, at all levels — in support of all people. They serve despite the myriad of hardships they face in the current climate.”
Watchfire organizes its work around five imperatives: defense, democracy, diplomacy, development, and domestic resilience. The Network’s flagship program, CIVIC Table (Convening Invested Voices In Community), supports “Members of the Watch” as they bring together leaders in their communities, from government, business, law enforcement, faith institutions, nonprofits, and the military. These convenings meet outside the Beltway, to work through specific national security issues affecting residents at the local level, such as the closing of a military base, the opening of a data center, a power grid under adversary attack, or farmers facing the loss of an export market. The goals are to build trust between leaders (who might not otherwise connect) before a crisis, not during one – and to listen and learn how to rebuild trust in American national security institutions.
“Last week's results don't change the job.” said Angelic Young, Board Chair and co-founder. “Whoever holds office, Americans should be able to see what their national security institutions are doing for them and who's responsible. Trust gets built in rooms where people actually know each other. We're building those rooms now, outside the Beltway.”
The organization draws its name from Julia Ward Howe, who in 1861 witnessed the watchfires ringing Washington and wrote of them in the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Those fires were kept alight by ordinary citizens who stood guard to defend against Confederate attack, upholding the idea that the young Republic with all its flaws — and our fledgling democracy — were worth defending.
Government, business, and nonprofit leaders interested in joining the membership, sponsoring a CIVIC Table, or partnering with Watchfire can visit www.watchfirenatsec.org to learn more.
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About Watchfire National Security Network: Watchfire builds and supports a practitioner community of national security professionals who work with federal, state, and local leaders to build security solutions that work for all Americans. Our members hold impactful roles across defense, democracy, diplomacy, development, and domestic policy – and are committed to principled, accountable American power.
For media inquiries, please contact info@watchfirenatsec.org
