 U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Edward Carpenter |
 U. S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sean Washington |
 U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jonathan Odom |
 U.S. Army Lt. Col. Thomas Matelski |
 U. S. Army Maj. Daniel Kent |
 U. S. Air Force Maj. Eric Gorney |
 U. S. Army Lt. Col. Gregory Ford |
 U. S. Army Maj. Dave Cho |
The Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies recently welcomed eight military officers as new members of its academic faculty. They are U.S. Army Lt. Col. Thomas Matelski, Lt. Col. Gregory Ford, Maj. Daniel Kent, Maj. Dave Cho, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Edward Carpenter, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jonathan Odom and Lt. Cmdr. Sean Washington, and Air Force Maj. Eric Gorney.
Each joins the Center to expand their strategic-level knowledge of security issues impacting the Asia-Pacific region and the world. As faculty members, they will serve as seminar leaders in APCSS courses that address socio-economic, military, political and cultural aspects of national security. The officers facilitate open and productive dialogue among course participants and guide them in completing course projects. Participants are comprised of security practitioners primarily from the Asia-Pacific region.
Matelski and Ford are Army War College Fellows on a one-year tour. In addition to their facilitator duties, each will craft two papers on strategic topics, one of which will be a civilian research document designed for journal publication.
Matelski has served with the Army since 1995, earning a commission after graduating at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a bachelor of science degree in microbiology. He also earned a master of arts degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army School for Advanced Military Studies. His previous assignment was at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as commander of the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne). He led a unit that is worldwide deployable and conducts civil support operations that aid local governments and populations in building and sustaining stability.
Ford earned his Army commission upon his 1995 graduation from Western Oregon State College, where he completed a bachelor of science degree in public policy and administration. He holds a master of arts degree in business and organizational security management from Webster University. Before his arrival at APCSS, Ford served as the deputy intelligence director for Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan in Kabul, where he assisted the JTF in its long-running counter-insurgency and peace-building efforts. Ford has been selected for promotion to colonel.
Kent is an Army Fellow who attended the University of Michigan where he graduated in 1999 with a bachelor of science degree in biology and an Army commission. He has a master of science degree in engineering management from the University of Missouri. Prior to his APCSS arrival, he served as brigade operations officer with the 2nd Engineer Brigade at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Kent has been selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel.
Cho is an Army Special Forces Fellow and comes to the Center after serving as a company commander and battalion operations officer for 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Cho earned his bachelor of arts degree in management information systems in 2001 from State University of New York at Buffalo. He was commissioned in 2001 via the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at New York’s Canisius College. He holds a master of science degree in defense analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Carpenter completed his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering at New Mexico State University in 1998 and received his commission upon graduation from the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in 1999. He holds a master of arts degree in national security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. Carpenter comes to APCSS after serving as executive officer and aviation supply officer for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C. He was recently selected to command Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC. Carpenter has been selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel.
Odom is a Navy attorney who recently served as the oceans policy advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, where he advised senior leaders on strategic initiatives and situations involving maritime and airspace policy, collaborated on U.S. policy development in the interagency system, and engaged internationally with his counterparts in foreign governments. Odom earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Duke University in 1993 and juris doctor from Wake Forest University in 1996. He also holds a master of laws degree from Georgetown University. He received his commission in 1995 while a law student at Wake Forest.
Washington earned a bachelor of science in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Memphis in 2001. He was commissioned in 2002 after completing Navy Officer Candidate School. He has a master of science in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to his arrival at APCSS, he was a student at the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA. During one of his most recent assignments, he served as the lead Joint Mission Planning System project officer for PMA-281 at Naval Air Weapons Station Point Mugu, Calif. He managed testing, evaluation and reporting of JMPS development for 53 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft types.
Gorney is the Center’s first U.S. Air Force Fellow and arrives after assignments at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and Shaw AFB, S.C. He is a pilot who earned his bachelor degree in operations research and his commission from the Air Force Academy. He holds a master’s degree in systems engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is a Department of Defense institute that addresses regional and global security issues. Military and civilian representatives, most from the United States and Asia-Pacific nations, participate in a comprehensive program of executive education, professional exchanges and outreach events, both in Hawaii and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The Center supports U.S. Pacific Command by developing and sustaining relationships among security practitioners and national security establishments throughout the region. APCSS’ mission is to build capacities and communities of interest by educating, connecting and empowering security practitioners to advance Asia-Pacific security. It is one of the Department of Defense’s five regional security studies centers.
Since opening in 1995, more than 9,400 alumni representing over 122 countries and territories have attended APCSS courses and workshops.
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