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Department of Warfighting

  • Published
  • Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL

Department of Joint Warfighting

The Department of Joint Warfighting is made up of civilian and military faculty from across the joint force and includes officers from our nation's allies.  Faculty within the department are responsible for teaching, research, and service.  The Warfighting department is responsible for two core courses, Joint Air Operations Planning and Joint Warfighting. Joint Warfighting is designed to demonstrate, at the operational level, how the U.S. joint force organizes, deploys, employs, sustains, and redeploys military capabilities in support of national interest in order to prevail in war.

Dr. James D. Campbell is the Chair of the Joint Warfighting Department at the Air Command and Staff College. A retired US Army brigadier general, Dr. Campbell served as an Infantryman and Strategic Plans and Policy Officer for 30 years, with assignments at all levels of command and staff, in both the Regular Army and the National Guard. Most recently he served as the Deputy Chief, Operations Plans Division at US Central Command, and prior to his retirement served as the 39th Adjutant General of Maine with the state cabinet-level position of Commissioner of the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management. Dr. Campbell holds a M.A. in European History and a PhD in British History from the University of Maine. He is a graduate of the CAPSTONE course at the National Defense University, the US Army War College, and was an International Security Studies Fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Dr. Campbell has published works on subjects ranging from Homeland Defense, to Irregular Warfare, and 19th and early 20th century British Military History. His current research interests focus on British Imperial military operations and the Army in India.
Lt Col DJ Benzing is an Air University Instructor and Deputy Department Chair in the Joint Warfighting Department.  Lt Col Benzing is a Command Pilot with more than 3500 flight hours. His operational experience includes evaluating, instructing, and commanding missions in the C-17A in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, as well as Operations in and around the Horn of Africa to include numerous presidential support missions.Lt Col Benzing graduated with a BS in Biology from the Air Force Academy and holds Masters degrees from American Military University and Air University. Prior to this assignment he commanded the 31st Student Squadron, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
Dr. Brian R. Price is an Associate Professor in the Department of Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in political science, and holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas in military history. He has conducted research for the POW-MIA Accounting Agency, served as a Social Science SME serving special operations in Afghanistan, and has served a double tour as Senior Social Scientist in RC East, Afghanistan, 2011-12. He worked for ten years in Silicon Valley, rising to the level of Vice President, and ran his own publishing company before taking his doctorate. His research interests focus on the nexus between culture, technology and war, and his current research focuses on the development of post-Vietnam TACAIR, a project for which he has conducted extensive archival research along with oral histories on a number of senior officers. He is published in a number of journals, and has several books in his second field, medieval and early modern warfare. In his spare time he teaches historical swordsmanship and has been inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Dr. Robert (Bob) Mahoney is a Professor of Military and Security Studies in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. He has a PhD in History from the George Washington University, a MS in National Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University (NDU), a MS in Management from Webster University, and a BS in Engineering Sciences from the United States Air Force Academy. Prior to arriving at ACSC, Dr. Mahoney was the Dean of the Marine Corps War College and an Assistant Professor at the Eisenhower School at NDU. His book, The Mayaguez Incident, was published by Texas Tech Press. He is a retired USAF Colonel with over 27 years of service, commanded a KC-135 flying squadron, was on the AMC and CJCS staff, and was a command pilot with over 3500 hours in the T-37, T-38 and KC-135. His research interests include the US Constitution, Joint Warfighting, Joint Planning, Operational Design, Leadership, US Air Force History, Vietnam War era, WW II, Revolutionary War, and Civil War.
Lt Col Andrew Jasso is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. Lieutenant Colonel Jasso is a 1998 graduate of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where he received a BS in Criminal Justice and a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College in 2009. He has commanded an Infantry Company and Headquarters company, commanded a Basic Training Battalion, and has held staff positions as Chief of Plans at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California and US Army Central Command (USARCENT) as a J35 planner for CJTF Operation Inherent Resolve. His most recent assignment was as the Chief of Movement and Maneuver for Operations Group Charlie at the Mission Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Dr. Bradley F. Podliska is an Assistant Professor of Military and Security Studies in the Department of Joint Warfighting at Air University’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC). He has a Ph.D. in Political Science (International Relations major) from Texas A&M University, a M.A. in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, and a B.A. (with honors) in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Podliska is a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School. Prior to arriving at ACSC, Dr. Podliska worked as an intelligence analyst for the Department of Defense and as an investigator for the US House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi. His publications include a book, Acting Alone: A Scientific Study on American Hegemony and Unilateral Use-of-Force Decision Making (Lexington Books) as well as a book chapter and articles and on national security, military operations, and American institutions. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Air Force Reserves, serving as an intelligence officer with US Joint Forces Command and US European Command.
Maj Kaylee Bazzell is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. As an AF Intelligence Officer, she has served in support of multiple AF platforms both operationally and for test. She is a qualified instructor and security specialist with experience in electronic warfare. She has served as a National Security Agency liaison and has deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as an Air Advisor. Maj Bazzell received a Bachelor of Science in Humanities from the United States Air Force Academy in 2008 and has a Masters in Strategic Communications from National University as well as a Masters from Air Command and Staff College. Her most recent assignment was as the Senior Intelligence Officer for the 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Fl.
Major Brian Carpenter is an Air University Instructor in the Joint Warfighting Department.  Major Carpenter is a Senior Navigator with more than 2000 flight hours. His operational experience includes evaluating and instructing in the MC-130J, MC-130H, and C-130H in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and numerous contingency deployments in the European and Pacific theaters. Major Carpenter graduated with a BA in History from the University of Oklahoma and holds a Masters degrees from American Military University and Air University. Prior to this assignment he was an Assistant Operations Officer, 67th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, UK.
Maj Adam Pohl is an instructor in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College.  Maj Pohl is a career intelligence officer with experience supporting mobility operations, intelligence exploitation and dissemination missions, and space operations.  He has deployed three times to the Middle East supporting the fielding of new intelligence aircraft, space effects integration, and as a combat air advisor to the Iraqi Air Force.  Maj Pohl has led intelligence missions at the squadron, numbered air force and combatant command levels.  He graduated with a BA in Political Science from the University of Iowa in 2008 and holds a MA from Air University.  Prior to this assignment, Maj Pohl was the executive officer to the Director of Intelligence, United States Space Command, Schriever AFB, CO.
Dr. Jon Hendrickson is an Associate Professor of Military and Security Studies in the Joint Warfighting Department. After being awarded a Tyng Scholarship to Williams College, he earned his PhD in military history from The Ohio State University, where he was awarded a Mershon Center Fellowship to conduct research in Vienna, Rome, Paris, and London. This research led to the publication of Crisis in the Mediterranean, a book on the shifting alliances and naval races in the Mediterranean before World War I. After graduating from Ohio State, he was awarded the Class of 1957 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Naval History at the US Naval Academy, and taught at Coastal Carolina University. He has published and presented several papers on naval and military history, ancient history, and diplomatic history.
LTC Walter L. Ivory Jr. is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a 2005 graduate of Southern University at New Orleans where he received a BS in Business Administration. He also has an MBA from Trident University International. LTC Ivory completed US Army Command and General Staff College in 2016. An Army Logistics Officer, he has served in multiple command and staff assignments from the Tactical to Strategic echelons. He has deployed three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation New Dawn. In his most recent assignment was as the Executive Officer for the Headquarters Department of the Army, Deputy G-4 at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Major Karan Bansal is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College.  Major Bansal is a Senior Pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours. His operational experience includes evaluating, instructing, and commanding missions in the MC-12, C-130H and the KC-135R in support of numerous military missions around the world. Major Bansal graduated with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Academy and holds a master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air University. His most recent assignment was as the Wing Weapons Officer at the 92d Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, WA.
Dr. Robert M. Kerr is an Associate Professor in the Joint Warfighting Department. He also previously served as Course Director for International Security 2: The Use of Armed Force. He holds a PhD in Political Geography from the University of Oregon, and an MA in Geosciences from the University of South Carolina. His BA is in History with an emphasis on the Islamic World from Grand Valley State University. In addition to teaching at ACSC, Dr. Kerr has worked at the Air Force Culture and Language Center, and taught courses at the US Air Force Special Operations School, the Senior NCO Academy, and the Air Advisor Academy. In 2008-2009 he spent 15 months in NE Baghdad with the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division as an embedded political/cultural advisor.
Lt Col Bradley J. Pogue is an Instructor and Academic Advisor in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. Within ACSC he previously served as Associate Dean of Education Operations and as the Department of Joint Warfighting’s Director of Staff. Lt Col Pogue is a USAF Force Support Officer with Space Operations experience. His space operations experience is in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance and satellite command and control. He was commissioned in 2004 after receiving his B.A. in History from Berry College, and he subsequently earned a M.A. in Government/International Politics from Regent University in 2009. Lt Col Pogue is an ACSC in-residence graduate, where he earned a Master of Military Operational Art and Science in 2016.  Prior to his arrival at ACSC, he was the Director of Operations for the National Reconnaissance Office Space Operations Squadron located in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Lt Col Tyronda “Ty” Kelly is a Joint Warfighting Instructor at Air Command and Staff College, responsible for training 500+ operational and air-minded officers and interagency professionals per year.  Ty is a 2008 Kent State University graduate where she earned both her Bachelor's and Master of Architecture and Environmental Design degrees.  She also holds an additional Master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University.  Ty has served at the tactical and operational levels as a Civil Engineer (CE) Operations Flight Commander x2, Squadron Section Commander, HQ USAFE-AFAFRICA A4 Operational Planner and CE Functional Area Manager, and USAFCENT Air Advisor.  Additionally, she has completed USCENTCOM deployments in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and Resolute Support.  Prior to her current assignment, she served as an Officer Training School Instructor with the 217th Training Squadron at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, responsible for educating, training, and commissioning 2.4K officers of character per year.
Lt Col Thomas A. Smicklas is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. Lieutenant Colonel Smicklas is a 1998 graduate of the University of Cincinnati where he received a BS in Hospital Administration. He also has a MBA from the University of Maryland and a MS in Military Operational Art and Science from Air Command and Staff College. A space and missile operator and financial manager, he has served in a variety of operational assignments to include squadron command and deployed to Amman, Jordan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  He served two staff tours at Air Force Space Command and most recently served as a Course Director in the Department of Military and Strategic Studies and Deputy Director of the Department of Homeland Security Center of Innovation at the US Air Force Academy.
Mr. Brent Lawniczak is an Assistant Professor of Military and Security Studies at Air University’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC).  A retired Marine aviator (UH-1N/UC-12), he has served in multiple theaters in various capacities. He served as the Senior Marine Corps Advisor to the Commandant of ACSC from 2008-2012. Additionally, Brent was qualified as a Command Pilot, Forward Air Controller (Airborne) (FAC(A)), Forward Air Controller (FAC)/Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), and Weapons and Tactics Instructor. His interests and expertise include Joint planning, operational design, joint fires, maritime and amphibious operations, aviation operations, policy formulation, American politics, and international relations.
Dr. Christopher Weimar is an Assistant Professor of National Security Studies in the Joint Warfighting Department at the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC). He holds an M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, a M.A. in International Relations from Boston University, and a B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Fordham University. Prior to his arrival at ACSC, Dr. Weimar has taught in various public college and university political science programs. A retired US Air Force Colonel, Dr. Weimar served in both Active and Reserve status in Communications-Information Systems Management, Cyberspace Operations, and Logistics Readiness. He has served at all levels from flight to Combatant Command, and has deployed to the African theater, Kuwait, and Iraq. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Director of Logistics and Engineering at North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. He is a graduate of both ACSC and AWC by correspondence and completed the Joint and Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid Program.
Dr. Joe Osborne is an Assistant Professor of Military and Security Studies in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. He is also a retired Army Special Forces Colonel who has served in Command and Staff positions at every level. His culminating assignment was as the J3, Director of Operations, at Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) where he also served as the J5, Director of Plans, Policy and Strategy. He has a PhD in International Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University and a Master’s in National Security Affairs from the Naval Post Graduate School. He holds a Bachelor’s in Criminology from Florida State University where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate. He was also the Distinguished Officer Graduate from the Special Forces Qualification Course. His recent publications include an examination of the 2014 Syria Train and Equip initiative, an examination of early counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan, and a case study on the Rojava Kurds and the Battle of Kobani. His military assignments have included operations and deployments throughout Africa, South and Central America, Asia, and the Middle East. He served as a Special Forces Operational Detachment - Alpha Commander and Company Commander in 1st Special Forces Group and as a Company Commander, Battalion S3 and Deputy Group Commander in the 3d Special Forces Group.
Commander Chris Bradshaw serves as a course instructor in the Department of Joint Warfighting. He holds a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master’s in Defense and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He has deployed to the Arabian Gulf and the Somali Basin as an anti-submarine/anti-surface-ship helicopter pilot and to the western Pacific as Officer-in-Charge of a helicopter detachment. His shore assignments include working as an Operational Planning Team Leader for US Naval Forces Europe and as Future Plans Center Director for US Naval Forces Central Command. His personal decorations include the 2 awards of the Air Medal for operations against Somali pirates.
LTC La Fran Marks is an instructor of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. He is a 1998 graduate of Miles College where he received a BS in Political Science. LTC Marks is a graduate of both the US Army Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College. He holds Master Degrees in Public Administration (Troy University) and Strategic Studies (Army War College). LTC Marks has commanded a Personnel Service Detachment, two Infantry Companies, and an Infantry Battalion. He has served at the tactical, operational, and strategic level. His former Staff Officer positions include: Joint Planner, Executive Officer, Career Manager, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Deputy J3. His most recent assignment was as the Deputy Commander for the 199th Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia.
Dr. Christopher M. Stamper is an Assistant Professor of Military and Security Studies in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. A retired U.S. Navy Commander, he has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from Capella University, specializing in East African Affairs. He has been a flight instructor and taught at the US Naval Academy and the Air War College.
Dr. Ann Mezzell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Joint Warfighting at the Air Command and Staff College. She earned her PhD in Political Science from the University of Georgia as well as an MA from the same field from the University of Alabama. Her fields of concentration include international relations and comparative politics. In addition to teaching core curriculum, she is an instructor for electives covering the topics of state fragility and peacekeeping operations. Her research interests center on American foreign policy, human security, and military strategy. Her recent publications appear in Strategic Studies Quarterly and Parameters.