PhD

PhD Thesis Title: ‘The New Philosophy’: American Military Internationalism and European Stability, 1917-1920

PhD Supervisor: Davide Rodogno and Amalia Ribi Forclaz (Second Reader)

The traditional function of a nation’s military is warfighting in service of national security. My work investigates the unprecedented deployment of American military officers in an extraordinary range of non-combat international affairs assignments in the European theatre between America’s entry into World War I in 1917 and its definitive rejection of the Treaty of Versailles in 1920. Such assignments included coordinating and conducting a multilateral coalition war effort; supervising the Central Powers’ adherence to Armistice provisions; leading or serving in dozens of wartime and post-Armistice diplomatic missions; navigating the intricate problems of foreign occupation and military government; supporting and advising the American Commission to Negotiate Peace in Paris; and overseeing humanitarian relief operations of unprecedented scope across postwar Europe. The collective experience of such assignments gave rise by 1920 to what senior military circles came to call “the new philosophy,” namely that the new role of the American military would require its senior officers to be equally capable in international affairs as in warfighting. In enacting this “new philosophy” in support of efforts to stabilize wartime and postwar Europe, these officers at the same time instantiated the debut of American military internationalism.
 

Profile

In 2021, I retired from the US Department of Defense and Air Force Reserve with the rank of colonel. I began my career as an F-16 tactical fighter intelligence officer, but served the bulk of my career (19 years) in the Defense Attaché Service, including three tours as U.S. air attaché and civilian deputy defense attaché in Sub-Sahara Africa and South Asia. Other experience includes two combatant command tours, multiple deployments, and temporary duty in numerous other embassy-based Defense Attaché Offices around the world. I was a fully qualified USAF foreign area officer (FAO) in both Europe and Africa. My education includes a B.S. in Microbiology from Montana State University and an M.A. in European History from The University of Montana, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Africa Strategic Intelligence Studies from the National Intelligence University. I'm also a graduate of the U.S. Air War College, USAF Weapons School, and Joint Military Attaché School.