Bio
A proud native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, John T. Farquhar entered the United States Air Force as a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy in 1976. He graduated as a military history major and was named the Outstanding Cadet Group Commander.
Following graduation with the Class of 1980, Farquhar flew as a navigator in the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft with the 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Strategic Air Command. He amassed 4,600 flying hours in Cold War operational reconnaissance missions and in operations to monitor Iraq and Bosnia. He also served as Director of Wing Plans for the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska where he coordinated worldwide readiness, operational, and contingency planning for the largest flying wing in Air Combat Command. In 1999, Farquhar served as the US European Command Theater Reconnaissance Scheduler for Operation ALLIED FORCE, the air campaign against Serbia. In 2002, Lt Col Farquhar worked as a Strategic Plans Officer for the Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), a component of US Central Command, where he drafted, revised, and briefed long-range plans for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, the global war on terrorism.
With a Master’s Degree in U.S. Diplomatic History from Creighton University and a Ph. D. in American Military History from Ohio State, Lt Col Farquhar specialized in aviation history. He has taught courses in the history of air power, sea power, World War II, unconventional warfare, and general military history at the United States Air Force Academy. In 2004, Air University Press published his book, A Need to Know: The Role of Air Force Reconnaissance in War Planning, 1945-1953.
After retiring from the Air Force in 2002, Dr. Farquhar joined the Military and Strategic Studies Department where he created courses on air, space, and cyberspace power, military theory, strategy, a seminar capstone, and most recently the Russia and Ukraine crisis. In 2006, he co-authored The Armed Forces Officer published by the Joint Staff. More recently, Farquhar lectured on airpower and irregular war at Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Air Command and Staff College, and the Royal Military College of Canada. In 2013, he published two edited airpower textbooks: Ground Truths for Airmen: Core Readings in Military & Strategic Studies and Remove Before Flight: Core Readings in Air, Space, and Cyberspace Power. In 2018, he authored four chapters in Military Strategy, Joint Operations, and Airpower published by Georgetown University Press. In 2020, he contributed a chapter to Educating Air Forces: Global Perspectives on Airpower Learning that was named to the Chief of Staff, Royal Air Force reading list. His most recent work, Kick the Tires and Light the Fires: Foundations of American Airpower, was published by Air University Press in 2023. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Farquhar served on the Air Force Commissioning Training Education Committee (CTEC) coordinating curriculum issues for the Air Staff, the USAFA Basketball Eligibility Committee responsible for NCAA compliance issues, and Dean of Faculty’s Student Information System steering committee responsible for upgrading Air Force Academy academic software. In January 2024, the USAF Academy promoted Farquhar to full professor.
John’s happily married and the proud parents of three young adults: an Air Force intelligence officer, a doctor of pharmacy, and a special education instructor in the Cherry Creek School District, Colorado.
Note: Please spell out all states (no abbreviations) and do NOT include any PII such as children's names, etc.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Military History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (1980)
Master of Arts, U.S. Diplomatic History, Creighton University, Nebraska (1986)
Doctor of Philosophy, Military History, Ohio State University, Ohio (1991)
Professional Experience
Instructor and Assistant Professor, Department of History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (1986-1989)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Mershon Center for National Security Studies, Ohio State University, Ohio (1991)
Assistant and Associate Professor, Department of History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (1992-1995)
Associate Professor, Department of History, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (1998-2002)
Assistant Professor, Department of Military and Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2002-2004)
Adjunct Professor, Troy University, Western Region (2008-2011)
Associate Professor, Department of Military and Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2004-2024)
Professor, Department of Military and Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy (2024-Present)
Honors & Awards
Dean of Faculty Humanities Division Company Grade Officer of the Year, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, 1988
Colonel John F. Shiner Award for Teaching Excellence in Military History, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1993
50th Airmanship Training Squadron Staff Instructor of the Quarter, U.S. Air Force Academy, Oct-Dec 1993
34th Education Squadron, Quarterly Award—Senior Civilian, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1st Quarter 2003, 3rd Quarter 2003, 4th Quarter 2003
34th Education Group, Civilian of the Quarter, U.S. Air Force Academy, January-March 2003, July-September 2003, October-December 2003
34th Training Wing Quarterly Award—Senior Civilian, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1st Quarter 2003, 3rd Quarter 2003, 4th Quarter
USAF Academy, Professional Civilian of the Quarter, January-March 2003, October-December 2003, April-June 2005
Allan E. Dorn Award for the Military Strategic Studies Outstanding Researcher of the Year, U.S. Air Force Academy, 2002-2003, 2012-2013, 2022-2023
34th Education Group, Professional Civilian of the Year, U.S. Air Force Academy, 2003
USAF Academy Professional Civilian of the Year, 2003
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Professor of the Year, 2004, U.S. Air Force Academy nominee
Outstanding Academy Educator Award, U.S. Air Force Academy, 2005-2006
Erwin E. Bleckley & Harold E. Goettler Award, Outstanding Instructor in Military and Strategic Studies Majors Courses, U.S. Air Force Academy, 2007-2008, 2019-2020
Philip D. Caine Outstanding Instructor Award for Core Courses, Department of Military and Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy, 2013-2014, 2018-2019
Air Force Historical Foundation, Best Air Power History Article Award, 2014.
LTG John H. Moellering Hall of Honor, Concordia Lutheran High School JROTC Cadet Battalion, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 2017.
Finalist, William H. Heiser Award for Teaching Excellence, U.S. Air Force Academy 2016, 2022
Robert F. McDermott Award for Research Excellence in the Humanities, Dean of Faculty, United States Air Force Academy, 2022-2023
Research and Scholarly Interests
Airpower History
Cold War History
Russia and Eastern Europe
Military Strategy
Strategic Studies
Publications
“Northern Sentry, Polar Scout: Alaska’s Role in Air Force Reconnaissance Efforts, 1946-1948,” In Alaska at War: Proceedings of Alaska’s World War II Commemoration. Anchorage, Alaska, 1994.
A Need to Know: The Role of Air Force Reconnaissance in War Planning, 1945-1953. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 2004.
The Armed Forces Officer. Washington D. C.: US Government Printing Office, 2006 (co-author with. Richard Swain, Albert C. Pierce, Daniel R. Moy, and Robyn M. King); reprinted by Brassey’s Press, 2007.
“America’s Heritage of Air and Space Power,” in Airman. Washington: US Government Printing Office, 2006, 18-94.
Ground Truths for Airmen: Core Readings in Military & Strategic Studies. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013.
Remove Before Flight: Core Readings in Air, Space, and Cyberspace Power. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2013.
“Arctic Linchpin: The Polar Concept in American Air Strategy, 1946-1948.” Air Power History, 61, no. 4(winter 2014): 34-45.
“Aerial Reconnaissance, the Press, and American Foreign Policy, 1950-54.” Air Power History, 62, no. 4(Winter 2015): 38-51.
“Airpower and Irregular Warfare: A Battle of Ideas.” Air & Space Power Journal. 31, no.1 (Spring 2017): 51-60.
“Building Air Force Intellectual Capacity: An Innovative Look at Creating Air University and the Air Force Academy, 1918-1955.” Air Power History 64, no. 4(Winter 2017): 29-36.
“Strategic Foundations,” “Airpower for Strategic Effect: Classic to Contemporary Airpower Theory,” and “Airpower and Irregular Warfare: A Battle of Ideas.” In Military Strategy, Joint Operations, and Airpower: An Introduction, edited by Ryan Burke, Michael Fowler, and Kevin McCaskey. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2018.
“Sustaining Disruption: The Creation of Air University and the Air Force Academy, 1918-1955.” In Educating Air Forces: Global Perspectives on Airpower Learning, edited by Randall Wakelam, David Varey, and Emanuele Sica. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2020.
“Professional Perseverance: Changing Service Culture the Ben Davis Way.” JCLD: Journal of Character & Leadership. 8, no. 2 (Summer 2021): 95-99.
“Strategic Foundations and National Security Interests,” “Theory, Doctrine, and Application of Strategic Air War,” “Contemporary Air Theory Strives for Strategic Effect,” “The Paradox of Irregular Warfare,” and “Airpower’s Irregular Warfare Challenge.” In Military Strategy, Joint Operations, and Airpower: An Introduction, 2nd ed., edited by Ryan Burke, Michael Fowler, and Jahara Matisek. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2022.
Kick the Tires and Light the Fires: Foundations of American Airpower. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 2023.
“Better a Footnote than a Blast: Airpower Shapes the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, 1958,” Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation, 70, no. 4(Winter 2023): 7-14.