Contact Information
Bio
Dr. Chuck Steele is a Professor of History at the United States Air Force Academy. He has served as the course chair for USAFA’s offerings in naval history, military thought, technology and warfare, the core and scholar’s courses in modern military history, and the history of the First World War. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (BA, History 1987), King’s College, the University of London (MA, War Studies 1990), and West Virginia University (Ph.D., History 2000). Chuck served as the first Defense Editor of Rotor and Wing magazine and subsequently worked as an Assistant Professor of History at the United States Military Academy (fall 2002-summer 2006). He is the book review editor for the International Journal of Naval History. He has written on naval affairs for Naval History, the Journal of the Australian Naval Institute, and the UK’s Naval Review. Chuck is also a PADI certified Divemaster with elementary training in Nautical Archeology from Britain’s Nautical Archeology Society.
Education
Ph.D. History, West Virginia University (2000)
M.A. War Studies, University of London (1990)
B.A. History, University of California, Berkeley (1987)
Professional Experience
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY (July 2006 – Present)
Course Chair, World War II at Sea
Course Chair, Sea Power and Modern Warfare
Course Chair, History of Modern Russia
Course Chair, History of Modern Europe
Course Chair, History of Military Thought and Strategy
Course Chair, History of the First World War
Course Chair, History of Technology and Warfare
Course Chair, Modern Military History
Course Chair, Modern Military History (Scholars)
Course Chair, Historiography and Methodology
Adjunct SCUBA Instructor, Department of Physical Education
Book Review Editor, International Journal of Naval History, (2011-present)
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (July 2002 – June 2006)
Instructor, History of the Military Art 1600-1871
Instructor, History of the Military Art 1900-Present
Instructor, History of Ancient and Medieval World Civilizations
Instructor, History of Modern World Civilizations
Instructor, Colloquium: Topics in German Military History
Honors & Awards
Recipient Department of the Air Force Civilian Achievement Medal
Recipient 2017 United States Air Force Academy William H. Heiser Award to the “USAFA Outstanding Senior Faculty Educator”
Recipient/Participant 2016 NEH/Munson Institute Fellowship in American Maritime Studies
Recipient 2009-2010 United States Air Force Academy Department of History John F. Shiner Award “for Teaching Excellence in Military History”
Recipient Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
Recipient 2005 United States Military Academy Department of History Excellence in Teaching Award
Member Phi Alpha Theta (National History Honor Society)
Recipient 1986 Frank Storment Award (University of California Football award to the “Most Outstanding Student-Athlete from S. California”)
Research and Scholarly Interests
History of Warfare
Naval History
Russian History
European History
Publications
EDITOR/CONTRIBUTOR:
The Worst Military Leaders in History (co-editor and contributing author) University of Chicago Press/Reaktion Books, UK, 2022
Harmon Memorial Lectures Volume II (Section editor) Air University Press, 2020
AUTHOR:
International Journal of Naval History
“David Beatty: The Royal Navy Incarnate,” International Journal of Naval History, vol. 16 no. 2 (December 2021/January 2022)
Naval History, USNI
“William S. Sims: The Greatest of America’s Great War Flag Officers,” Naval History 27, no. 3 (June 2013)
“A Brave Band of Britons,” Naval History 11, no.2 (March/April 1997)
Naval Review, UK
“In Praise of Naval History (again),” Naval Review 105, no. 1(February 2017)
“Don’t Give up the Ship: The Continuing Need for Naval History in the Education of Young Leaders of Character (an American’s Perspective),” Naval Review 99, no. 1(February 2011)
Headmark (Journal of the Royal Australian Naval Institute)
“The War of 1812: What it Means to the United States” Journal of the Australian Naval Institute (June 2014)
“The Influence of History Upon Sea Power,” Journal of the Australian Naval Institute (March 2009)
Journal of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Science Tidskrift i Sjöväsendet
“Sea Power: The Missing Dimension” Journal of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Science Tidskrift i Sjöväsendet N:r 3 (June 2020)
Journal of the Royal United Service Institute, UK
“Remembering the Creation of Germany’s Army of Unity,” Journal of the Royal United Service Institute 152, no. 2 (April 2007)
Other
“A Matter of Life and Death: Studying the History of Warfare” Academia Letters, July 2021
“Problems with the Past,” Pull Together 50, no. 2 (Spring/Summer 2011)
Editor, 2006 USMA Officer’s Professional Reading Guide (responsible for updating entries to include a greater emphasis on conflict in the Middle East and providing an updated introduction)
(as Defense Editor)
“Restocking the Arsenal” defense outlook for 1999 (Rotor & Wing January 1999), “Breaking the Technology Barrier” discussion of emerging rotorcraft technologies (Rotor & Wing February 1999),”Maritime Marvels” review of naval helicopters (Rotor & Wing March 1999),”A Tale of Two Cities: Los Angeles” in depth analysis of L.A.P.D. air operations (Rotor & Wing July 1999), “Special Report: Airborne Law Enforcement” (Rotor & Wing July 1999),”Weekend Warriors No More” in depth analysis of Army National Guard Aviation (Rotor & Wing September 1999), “General Warning” interview with retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Gordon Sullivan (Rotor & Wing October 1999), Editor and principal writer for over 50 editions of Helicopter News, authored or coauthored 48 articles for Defense Daily