Kristofer Goldsmith Email & Phone Number

The mission of Task Force Butler is to engage veterans in the hobby of maintaining a democracy. It also provides online and in-person training to help everyday Americans respond to activity by hate groups in their neighborhoods.Many veterans felt helpless and ashamed as they watched other radicalized veterans carry American flags and symbols of military service as they attacked the nation’s capital on January 6, 2021.We give these veterans the opportunity to fight back, to work to reclaim the meaning of patriotism, and to reshape the role they play in America’s political landscape.We help veterans impose legal, social, and economic costs on extremist actors who the government has failed to take action against.As founder and CEO, I built a team of staff and volunteers dedicated to gathering evidence of criminality by extremist organizations using open-source intelligence methods. I designed reports that were used by prosecutors to convict members of hate groups, and by civil litigants to support three federal lawsuits against extremist organizations, and by states attorneys general to initiate civil rights actions against neo-Nazis. As the Task Force Butler’s chief spokesperson, I led public education campaigns to help communities learn to protect themselves, and to build campaigns to encourage elected officials and law enforcement to hold accountable hate groups that have terrorized vulnerable populations throughout the country.

Sparverius is a veteran-owned open-source intelligence and consulting firm specializing in the detection and disruption of disinformation campaigns and domestic extremism. We help organizations build programs to engage members in research and operations to counter the growing rise in hate. Applying our knowledge of the strategic goals and tactical capabilities of extremist groups, we develop realistic training scenarios and play critical roles in war games to aid government entities and nonprofit organizations prepare for and overcome real-world threats to our democratic institutions.

High Ground Veterans Advocacy was a nonprofit that trained veterans and military family members to become policy advocates at the local, state and national level.As founder and president, I developed a unique and highly competitive fellowship program that trained veterans and military family members to leverage their experiences toward building social movements and influencing policymakers.Through this program, High Ground provided fellows with in-person training in Washington, D.C., focused on policy advocacy, op-ed writing, strategic communications, and effective engagement with decision-makers. Ninetween fellows completed the program.High Ground fellows have succeeded in inspiring or drafting federal and state legislation that was signed into law within their first year, including: a requirement for the Defense Department to automatically provide the V.A. with education transcripts, improvements to the military’s transition program, and expansion of Connecticut veterans’ access to state benefits.I have also advised senior leaders and electoral candidates on veterans policy issues that became critical to their campaign platforms, including Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and Beto O’Rourke.

Silver Spring, Md, Us

Vietnam Veterans of America is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated to supporting former service members of all generations. Some of my achievements as chief investigator include: -Investigated and exposed hundreds of online entities from 32 countries targeting troops and veterans with disinformation on social media platforms with the intent of interfering in the 2016 election.-Authored a 191-page report that revealed the Russian Internet Research Agency’s targeting of veterans and veterans organizations, foreign entities’ impersonation of veterans organizations to spread divisive propaganda, and the first-known 2020 election interference and foreign-born campaign meddling.-Testified before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs alongside representatives from Facebook and Twitter’s policy and security teams on the risks posed to troops and veterans by foreign entities who are misusing those platforms.-This testimony and the accompanying report led the committee to engage in its own investigation and a congressional, a member of Congress to propose a bill to require the Government Accountability Office to prepare a report on the risks of social media to the military community. It also led , and a bipartisan group of veterans in Congress to call on the FBI to begin an investigation into hostile foreign entities operating on social media platforms.-Developed guidance and training material for congressional committees and federal agencies on reforms necessary to protect Americans against cyber espionage and foreign-born social and political interference.-Successfully lobbied the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to develop programs to counteract the effect of foreign-born online threats against troops, veterans, and military families.-Advised Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit on ways to improve their platforms’ resilience against foreign-born campaign meddling.

Silver Spring, Md, Us

​​Managed a large and diverse portfolio that included healthcare, education, justice, and Department of Defense personnel policy specific to the post-9/11 veterans and their families.Served as a founding member of the Forever G.I. Bill Coalition, which worked to update and expand G.I. Bill benefits in 2017.Responsible for the change to the G.I. Bill that removed the 15-year expiration of educational benefits for all current and future service members.Leading advocate behind several laws and policy reforms to improve access to benefits and healthcare for veterans with less-than-honorable discharges as a result of mental-health disorders, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma, including:-The 2014 Military Mental Health Review Board Improvement Act-The 2016 Fairness for Veterans Act-The expansion of VA eligibility for at-risk veterans in 2017 by the V.A. Secretary-The 2018 Honor Our Commitment Act

Arlington, Virginia, Us

Personally accountable for the training and well-being of up to eight junior soldiers. Gathered and analyzed personnel reports, weapons inventory, and tracked patrols of four Iraqi Police Stations. Documented and responded to the needs of two hospitals, two local markets, nineteen primary schools and the local religious leaders for over one million people while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Bachelor'S Degree, Political Science And Government

Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities

Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development, Enlisted Leadership