Lieutenant General Edward L. Soyster (Ret.) is a retired United States Army officer with a distinguished career in military intelligence and counterterrorism. Born on September 9, 1939, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Soyster graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1962, earning a Bachelor of Science in engineering. He later obtained a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Southern California in 1977. Commissioned as an infantry officer, Soyster served in various command and staff positions, including deployments during the Vietnam War. He commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from 1986 to 1988 and held key intelligence roles before being appointed Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in 1991, a position he held until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure at the DIA, Soyster emphasized counterterrorism efforts amid rising global threats. Post-retirement, Soyster has remained active in national security policy circles. He served as Vice President for National Security Affairs at the Heritage Foundation from 1994 to 2000 and has been a fellow at the Center for Security Policy, where he contributes to discussions on defense and intelligence matters. Soyster has testified before Congress on military and intelligence issues and authored articles on counterterrorism strategies. His career reflects a focus on enhancing U.S. intelligence capabilities against asymmetric threats, and he continues to influence policy through advisory roles and public commentary.