Department of Strategy

Published Nov. 19, 2019
Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL

Department of Strategy

The Department of Strategy recruits, retains, and develops quality faculty and staff to develop and deliver current and relevant graduate-level curriculum; to conduct and advise research and publications that are relevant to national security; and, to perform service and outreach that results in mission accomplishment and enhances strategic communications in order to educate and develop critical-thinking leaders to better serve our nation and our interests. The Department of Strategy (DES) teaches the longest of the core courses, Foundations of Strategy (FS). DES Faculty also develop and offer elective courses each year on topics such as command, ethics, leading change, civil military relations, coercive airpower, coalition warfare, irregular warfare, genocide, and military privatization.

Dr. Stephen Renner, Colonel, USAF (ret), Department Chair
Degrees: PhD, History, University of Oxford; MIPP, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies; MA, Airpower, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies; MA, Military Operations, Air Command and Staff College; BA, Political Science, University of Louisville
Experience: Professor, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies; Vice Commander, 355th Fighter Wing; Commander, 25th Fighter Squadron; Olmsted Scholar, Budapest University of Economic Sciences. A-10 instructor/evaluator pilot. Deputy Joint Air Component Coordination Element, Erbil 2017; Deputy Director of Political Military Affairs, Kabul 2007-8.
Email: stephen.renner.5@au.af.edu

Dr. Paul J. Behringer, Assistant Professor
Advising Interests: U.S. diplomatic and military history (since 1898); Russia; Northeast Asia; military intervention and civil war; intelligence history
Research Interests: U.S. foreign relations; the Progressive Era; international history of World War I and the Interwar Period; World War II in Asia and the Pacific; the Japanese Empire; Late Imperial, Soviet, and post-Soviet Russia; perceptions, diplomacy, and warfare
Degrees: PhD, History, American University; MA, International Relations, University of Chicago; BA, History and East Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Experience: Ernest May Fellow in History and Policy, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School (2018-2020); Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Presidential History, Southern Methodist University (2020-2022); Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Research Partner Fellow, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2022-2023); Historian, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, in support of DPAA (2023-2024).
E-Mail: paul.behringer@au.af.edu

Lt Col Chris W. Best, USAF, Instructor and Seminar Director
Advising Interests: Military History, Great Power Conflict, World War II, Information Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Applications of Air Power, Pilot Training
Research Interests: Immersive Learning Systems, Russian Studies, Applications of Artificial Intelligence
Degrees: MS, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB; MS, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle, Daytona FL; BS, Criminal Justice, California State University, Sacramento
Experience: Action Officer, Current Actions Branch, USEUCOM J3; Commander, 47th Student Support Squadron, Laughlin AFB, TX; Inspector General, 7th AF Osan AB; Inspector General; Inspector General, 14th Flying Wing, Columbus AFB, MS
E-Mail: christopher.best.2@au.af.edu

Dr. Carl Forsberg, Assistant Professor
Advising Interests: US Foreign Policy; Middle Eastern regional politics; 20th Century international history; the formulation of national strategy; the US intervention in Afghanistan.
Research Interests: US-Middle East relations; the evolution of the Middle Eastern international system; the US intervention in Afghanistan; the global Cold War; presidential leadership.
Degrees: PhD, History, The University of Texas at Austin, BA in history, Yale University.
Experience: Henry Kissinger Postdoctoral Fellow, International Security Studies, Yale University (2020-21); Ernest May Postdoctoral Fellow, Belfer Center, Harvard University (2019-20); Minerva/Jennings Randolph Dissertation Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace (2018-19); Strategic Advisor, CJIATF-Shafafiyat, HQ ISAF, Afghanistan (2011-12).
E-Mail: carl.forsberg@au.af.edu

Dr. Howard M. Hensel, Henry H. Arnold Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies
Advising Interests: Soviet / Russian studies; Middle Eastern history; Indian Ocean history; American and European military history; military history of the American Civil War; “just war” theories; international humanitarian law.
Research Interests: Soviet history; Persian/Arabian Gulf history; Indian Ocean history; military history of the American Civil War; ancient, medieval, and early modern philosophy; “just war” theories; international humanitarian law.
Books Published: Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. Security Dynamics in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. Security Dynamics in the South China Sea. Naval Powers in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. Air Power in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. Global Media Perspectives on the Crisis in Panama. The Prism of Just War. The Legitimate Use of Military Force. The Law of Armed Conflict. Sovereignty and the Global Community. The United States and Europe. The Sword of the Union.
Monographs Published: The USSR and Outer Space. The Anatomy of Failure.
Degrees: PhD, Government, University of Virginia; MA, Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia; BA, History, Texas A&M University.
Experience: Air War College Experience - Director of Strategy (2006-2009); Academic Director, Electives Program (1997-2001); Director of Strategy (1994-1995); Director of International Security Studies (1990-1992); and Director of Soviet Studies (1988-1990). Faculty experience prior to joining Air War College - Air Command and Staff College; Monterey Institute of International Studies; Naval Postgraduate School; University of Virginia; Marine Command and Staff College.
E-Mail: howard.hensel@au.af.edu

Col Adam W. Hilburgh, USA, Instructor, Senior Army Advisor at Air University, Jim Thorpe Director
Advising Interests: U.S. Military History; Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD); Strategic/Operational Planning; Stoicism and Military Resilience.
Research Interests: Korean War; CWMD; Operational Planning.
Degrees: ABD, History, University of Kansas; 2 x MMAS, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, KS; MA in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, RI; MS, Environmental Management, Webster University, MO; BS, Education, Westfield University, MA.
Experience: Chief of Staff, Fort Leonard Wood and the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence; Assistant Commandant, United States Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; Commander, 3d Chemical Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Chief of Staff and G3, Operations Officer for the 20th CBRNE Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Battalion Commander, 23rd CBRNE Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea; deployments to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
E-Mail: adam.w.hilburgh.mil@au.af.edu

Col Scott Hoffman, USAF, Instructor, Combat Air Forces Chair at Air University, Deputy Department Chair
Degrees: MS, Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Tech; MA, National Security Studies, Naval Command and Staff College; MA, Airpower Art and Science, USAF School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, MA, Strategic Studies, USAF Air War College; MA, Military History, The Citadel.
Experience: Deputy Director, Strategy Plans, Programs & Requirements Directorate, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF A5/8), Division Chief, Strategy and Plans Division, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF A5X), Commander, 447th Air Expeditionary Group (Incirlik AB, Turkey); Commander, 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron (Bagram, AFG); Lead Strategic Planner, International Security Assistance Force – Afghanistan (CJ-5), Kabul, 2010-2011; A-10 Instructor/Evaluator, Command Pilot with over 3300 total flying hours, to include more than 2700 hours—and over 800 combat hours—in the A-10. Flown sorties in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.
E-Mail: scott.hoffman.1@au.af.edu

Dr. Alexander N. Lassner, Associate Professor, Academic Director for the Grand Strategy Program
Research/Advising Interests: Foreign affairs and international security policies in Europe during the Interwar Period (1920-1938).
Degrees: PhD and MA in history from The Ohio State University, specializing in modern military and central European history. Fulbright scholar in Austria, and Presidential Fellow at OSU.
Experience: Prior to coming to the Air War College, worked as a consultant to the Mershon Center for International Security and Foreign Policy Studies, and as an Assistant Professor of Comparative Military Studies at the Air Command and Staff College. During this period he published numerous articles and essays on modern military history, co-edited a book on the Dollfuss and Schuschnigg era in Austria, and undertook various research projects. Dr. Lassner has lectured at major conferences in the United States, and by invitation in Italy and Austria. During summer 2005 Dr. Lassner taught courses in modern military history while a Visiting Professor of History at the International Summer School in Innsbruck, Austria. He is currently revising his manuscript on European foreign and security policies in the 1930s for publication.
E-mail: alexander.lassner@au.af.edu

COL Rick Nelson, USA, Instructor
Advising Interests: Human Resources Policy, Military History.
Research Interests: Military History, European History, Asian History, Presidential War Powers.
Degrees: MS Strategic Studies, AWC; MA Military Studies, AMU; BA, History with a Museum Studies Minor, Beloit College.
Experience: G1, U.S. Army Contracting Command; G1 Eighth Army; Chief of Staff, Joint Staff J1; Chief, Human Capital Division, Joint Staff J1; Executive Assistant to the Director, Joint Staff J1; Chief, Operations and Individual Augmentation Branch, Joint Staff J1; Chief, Strength Management Branch, U.S. Army Forces Command; G1, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) with deployment to Afghanistan as the CJ1, CJTF-10/Regional Command-South; G1, United States Military Academy; Chief Plans and Operations, Chief Plans & Operations, G1 and later Deputy G1, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) with deployments to Afghanistan as the Chief, PLOPS, J1, CJTF-76 and Iraq as the Deputy G1, Multinational Division Center; S1 and later Battalion Executive Officer, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion-Harrisburg; Personnel Staff Officer, Operations Branch, J1, U.S. Central Command; Chief, Plans & Operations, G1, 1st Corps Support Command; Commander, HHC, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and FT Monroe; Assistant S1, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade; Company Executive Officer, U.S. Army Element Allied Forces Central Europe with deployment to Croatia as Chief, Forward Area Support Team-Zagreb; Strength Manager, S1, 32nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade (Separate), WIARNG; Mechanized Infantry Platoon Leader and later Battalion Chemical Officer, 2-127th Infantry (Mechanized), WIARNG; Chief, Records Branch, 232d Personnel Services Company, WIARNG; Anti-Army Infantry Platoon Leader, Company A, 2-128th Infantry (TOW Light Anti-Tank) (Separate), WIARNG; Unit Level Communications Maintainer Company E, 2-128th Infantry (TLAT) (Separate), WIARNG and HHC, 1-167 Infantry (Mechanized), ALARNG.
Email: richard.nelson.27@au.af.edu

Dr. David D. Palkki, Associate Professor of Strategy
Advising Interests: Nuclear/Chem/Bio, Deterrence/Coercion, Arms Control, Middle East, US Foreign Policy, and Grand Strategy.
Research Interests: Nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, deterrence/coercion, and Iraq.
Degrees: PhD and MA, Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles; BA, Political Science, Brigham Young University
Analytical/Policy Experience: Council on Foreign Relations, Institute for Defense Analyses, Institute for National Strategic Studies, House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, and USG.
Teaching Experience: Texas A&M University, UCLA, and Brigham Young University.
Email: david.palkki@au.af.edu

Dr. Douglas Peifer, Professor, Professor of Strategy and History
Advising Interests: European Security Issues, NATO, Germany, Northern Europe and the High North, Arctic Security Issues, the EU.
Research Interests: Dr. Peifer's research interests are centered around diplomatic and military history; strategy; European security issues; Arctic Security; and NATO and the European Union. Some of Dr. Peifer's publications include Choosing War (Oxford University Press, 2016); Genocide, Airpower, and Intervention (Air University Press, 2008); The Three German Navies (University Press of Florida, 2002); Hitler’s Deserters: Breaking Ranks with the Wehrmacht (Oxford University Press, 2024); and over twenty chapters and articles in edited books and peer reviewed journals.
Degrees: PhD, Modern European and German History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1996; MA, Modern European and German History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1991; BA, History and Economics, Miami University of Ohio, 1985.
Experience: Joined Air War College in 2006; has served as course director, department chair, and deputy chair in the Department of Strategy; has advised over 75 masters level professional studies papers; invited lecturer at the George C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies; academic lead for regional studies courses to Europe's High North (2022, 2023, 2024); Norway, Denmark, and Germany (2021); UK, France, and Germany (2019); Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland (2017); the UK, France, and Germany (2016); Germany, Poland, Sweden (2015 & 2010); the UK and France (2013 & 2012); Italy, France, Belgium (2008); and the UK, France, and Belgium (2007).
Email: douglas.peifer@au.af.edu

Col Jeremy Reeves, PhD, USAF; Instructor, MAF Chair
Advising and Research Interests: US Military History, Napoleonic Europe, First and Second World Wars, Holocaust
Degrees: PhD, History, University of North Texas; MA, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College; MA Security Studies with an emphasis in Homeland Security and Defense, Naval Postgraduate School
Experience: Vice Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing; Staff officer at US Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command; Commander, 6th Air Refueling Squadron; KC-10/C-21 Instructor Pilot
Email: jeremy.reeves@au.af.edu

Dr. Nicholas Michael Sambaluk, Associate Professor
Advising Interests: Military History, Technology and Innovation in Warfare, Conflict In & Through Cyberspace.
Research Interests: Dr. Sambaluk’s research interests deal with 20th century military history and strategy, the use of technology in warfare, and cybersecurity issues. The College’s AY24 Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft Chair of Strategy and winner of the Air Force Association’s 2020 defense writing award and the Air Force Historical Foundation’s 2016 Airpower book award, he is author or editor of five books: Weaponizing Cyberspace: Inside Russia's Hostile Activities (hardback PSI, 2022; paperback Bloomsbury Academic, 2024); Myths and Realities of Cyber Warfare: Conflict in the Digital Realm (hardback PSI, 2020; paperback Bloomsbury Academic, 2023); Conflict in the 21st Century (ABC-Clio, 2019); Paths of Innovation in Warfare from the Twelfth Century to the Present (Lexington, 2018); The Other Space Race: Eisenhower and the Quest for Aerospace Security (Naval Institute, 2015).
Degrees: PhD, US and Military History, University of Kansas; Masters, History, University of North Texas; Bachelors, History, Texas Christian University.
Experience: Joined Air War College in 2022; previously Associate Research Professor, Air Force Cyber College; Director of Research, eSchool of Graduate PME; Assistant Professor, Purdue University: Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy.
Email: nicholas.sambaluk@au.af.edu

Dr. Will Waddell, Course Director for Joint Warrior and Associate Professor of Strategy
Advising Interests: Historical and contemporary Great Power War, historical campaigning, irregular warfare, campaign design, European history, European Union, NATO, Vietnam War
Research Interests: First Indochina War, French army, irregular warfare, wars of decolonization and empire, French history, European history
Degrees: PhD in Military History, the Ohio State University
Experience: 2016-Present, Faculty at Air War College
Email: william.waddell.2@au.af.edu

Dr. Corbin Williamson, Associate Professor
Advising Interests:Military history, Congressional relations, acquisition history, nuclear weapons, coalitions and alliance warfare, World War II, Korean War, logistics, training, doctrine.
Research Interests: 20th century American naval and marine history, Anglo-American military relations, nuclear history.
Degrees: PhD, History, Ohio State University, MA, History, Texas Tech University, BA, History, Texas A&M University.
Experience: Historian, Historical Office of the Secretary of Defense (2014-2016), Fleet Professor, College of Distance Education, U.S. Naval War College (2015-2016).
Email: corbin.williamson@au.af.edu

Col David Woodley, USAF, Instructor and Wargaming Director
Advising Interests: Military History, Great Power Conflict, World War II, Japanese and British History, International Relations (Northeast Asia), Air Traffic Management.
Research Interests: British History (19th/20th Century) World War II (Pacific War, Japanese Navy), Japanese History (Early Modern and Modern), Military Readiness and Global Force Management, The Space Race, International Relations (Northeast Asia), Counter Factual history.
Degrees: MS, Strategic Studies, Air War College; MA, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College; MA, Aeronautical Science (Airfield Management Focus), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University; BA, History, University of California Los Angeles.
Experience: Commander, Air Force Flight Standards Agency; Division Chief, Operations Support Division PACAF/HQ; Division Chief, Joint Readiness Division, Joint Staff/J3; Commander, 71st Operations Support Squadron, Vance AFB, OK.
Email: david.woodley@us.af.edu