Scott Moreland, who has served more than 20 years with the Army Criminal Investigation Division, became the agency’s new director Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Army CID)
An Air Force veteran with more than 20 years working with Army Criminal Investigation Division stepped in to lead the agency Monday — only the second civilian to be named its director.
Scott Moreland, who first joined Army CID in June 2004, has worked his way through various departments and leadership roles over his two decades, according to Army CID.
“I am truly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead Army CID,” Moreland said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to support the professionals who conduct and enable our critical felony-level criminal investigative and executive protection mission.”
Gregory Ford, the first civilian to lead the agency, retired in August after about four years leading Army CID through a significant transformation that included converting from military leadership to civilian, expanding jurisdiction and restructuring the force to employ more civilian agents while incorporating a more modern- and technology-focused approach to investigating crimes.
The overhaul followed a 2020 outside review sparked by the disappearance and death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen from Fort Hood, Texas, on April 22, 2020. Another soldier in Guillen’s unit is believed to have killed her with a hammer, then moved her body. Her remains were found off post more than two months later, and questions arose during the search about the conditions of the base and division.
The outside review committee’s report described the workforce of the base’s CID office as “unstable, under-experienced, over-assigned and under-resourced.” Those issues led to “inefficiencies that had an adverse impact on investigations, especially complex cases involving sex crimes and soldier deaths.”
When Ford stepped in as director, he came from a long career with Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Peter J. Tolentino, acting director of CID after Ford left, also had decades with NCIS. Tolentino will remain at CID as the deputy director.
Moreland will be the first civilian director who built his career moving up the ranks of the organization, bringing an insider’s perspective to the top job. He led the Fraud Field Office and most recently served as the executive assistant director of the Investigations and Operations Directorate, where he was responsible for overseeing the agency’s criminal investigations and operations, including death, sexual assault, narcotics, economic crimes and national security criminal investigations. In that role he also oversaw the manning, training and equipping of personnel, as well as the execution of major criminal investigative activities, proactive and reactive, for the Army.
Before joining CID, he served nine years in the Air Force, the last four as a special agent with the Air Force Office of Investigations.
“Director Moreland’s leadership and vast experience position him well to guide Army CID in its commitment to investigative excellence and service to the Army community,” CID said in a statement.
