Lt Col Jesse R. Humpal, Ph.D., joined the U.S. Air Force Academy faculty as an Assistant Professor of Political Science in 2025. His research focuses on the policy implications of national security spending, with particular emphasis on critical infrastructure resilience and power dynamics.

Before arriving at the Academy, Lt Col Humpal served in the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Strategic Studies Group. He previously served as Director for Resilience on the National Security Council staff, leading interagency efforts on Position, Navigation, and Timing policy, National Security Memorandum implementation, and critical infrastructure security. Other assignments included Strategy Advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Division Chief and Director of Research at Joint Special Operations Command, Assistant Director of Operations and Evaluator Pilot at the 27th Special Operations Wing, and a variety of operational roles at the 55th Wing.

Born in Lincoln, Neb., Lt Col Humpal earned his commission through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science and an M.P.P.A. from Northwestern University and a B.S. from the University of Nebraska. He is a remotely piloted aircraft evaluator pilot and combat systems officer with more than 2,000 total flight hours, including over 500 combat and combat support hours.