Bio
Col Wilson is Head, Department of Political Science and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy. Over his time at USAFA, he has taught American Government, Causes of War and Conflict Resolution, Regime Change and Democratization, and Politics of Religion. Col Wilson is a career intelligence officer, with 22 years of operational experience and considerable experience across the National Intelligence Community. He is a graduated squadron commander with time leading space intelligence, cryptologic analysis and reporting, deliberate cyber planning, targeting campaigns, national-tactical integration efforts, and airborne intelligence operations worldwide. Col Wilson will serve as 17th Training Wing, Deputy Commander, starting summer 2024. Col Wilson earned his PhD in Political Science from Indiana University in 2020. His PhD dissertation focused on the impact of power-sharing in electoral authoritarian regimes on levels of conflict and cooperation in strategic rivalries. His Master's thesis centered on the evolution of thought within Shi'a Islam and the prospects for reform in Iran. He has been married for 22 years, has two teenage daughters, and enjoys baseball, basketball, and jazz in his free time.
Education
Ph.D., Political Science, Indiana University (2020)
Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College (2014)
Master of Arts, International Relations, Creighton University (2009)
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, History, and Secondary Education, University of Michigan (2001)
Professional Experience
Political Science Instructor (USAFA) 2022-current
Assistant Director of Intelligence, Joint Task Force-Space Defense (Schriever SFB, Colorado) 2020-2022
Commander, 29th Intelligence Squadron (Fort Meade, Maryland) 2018-2020
Chief, CENTCOM/NORTHCOM Deliberate Plans, USCYBERCOM (Fort Meade, Maryland) 2017-2018
PhD Student, Political Science Department, Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) 2014-2017
IDE Student, Air Command and Staff College (Maxwell AFB, Alabama) 2013-2014
Director of Operations, 566th Intelligence Squadron (Buckley AFB, Colorado) 2011-2013
Chief of Targets, Combined Air Operations Center (Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar) 2010-2011
Cryptologic Analyst, National Security Agency (Fort Meade, Maryland) 2007-2010
Chief, National-Tactical Intel Integration, Group Executive (Lackland AFB, Texas) 2004-2007
Chief, Scheduling Operations, Airborne Training (Offutt AFB, Nebraska) 2002-2004
Intelligence Student, (Goodfellow AFB, Texas) 2001-2002
Secondary Education Teacher (Southgate, Michigan) 2000-2001
Data Analyst, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (Detroit, Michigan) 1998-2000
Law Clerk, Plunkett & Cooney PPC (Detroit, Michigan) 1994-1997
Research and Scholarly Interests
Interstate conflict: strategic rivalry maintenance and termination
Regime studies: electoral authoritarianism/hybrid systems, democratization, democratic back-sliding
Military sociology: the impact of domestic politics on military readiness, unity of purpose
Middle Eastern politics: domestic politics interaction with regional security arrangements
Religion in politics: political Islam