Lieutenant Colonel Frank Baez is originally from North Carolina, though he grew up in an Army family and spent much of his childhood overseas. Frank entered the Army through enlistment in the South Carolina National Guard. After completing his bachelor’s degree at the Citadel, he commissioned as an Ordnance officer and subsequently transitioned to become an infantry officer. After being wounded, he medically reclassified to the military intelligence branch in 2010. Frank spent 15 years in Army special operations units, and he has served his nation in multiple theaters. Frank earned a Master of Business Administration from Grantham University and a Certificate in Leadership Performance Coaching from Brown University’s School of Professional Studies. Frank and his wife Maria have three children. Frank’s research interests include Organizational Leadership and Development, National Security Policy, and National Crisis Response.
LTC(P) John “Jens” Boehnert is originally from Rhode Island. After earning a degree in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire in 2004, Jens commissioned as an Army armor officer. He subsequently transitioned to the Psychological Operations branch and has worked within the U.S. Army Special Operations Command for both command and staff assignments. Jens has broad experience working with interagency, and international partners and has deployed multiple times throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Jens earned a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the Army Command and General Staff College. Jens and his wife Amy have two children. Jens’ research interests include national security policy, information operations, and influence operations.
COL Anthony F. Heisler is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the George Washington University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and German Language. After graduation, Anthony was commissioned through the Georgetown University ROTC program as a Field Artillery officer. He later transitioned to Army Special Forces and has extensive operational experience in Afghanistan, Iraq, Western Africa, and Europe—particularly along NATO’s Eastern Flank. In 2014, he earned a Master of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. From 2018-2021, Anthony served on Capitol Hill as a legislative liaison for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Anthony and his wife, Stacey, have two children. Anthony’s research interests include the relationship between time and national security decision-making, strategic and policy-level risk analysis, and leader development.
Chaplain (Colonel) Eric Leetch is originally from Cheshire, CT. He received his commission as an Infantry Officer in 1995 after graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 2000, Eric transitioned from Infantry to Special Forces. After the 9/11 attacks, Eric completed three combat deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedomafter which he served as an Unconventional Warfare Instructor. Eric left active duty in 2005 to attend Knox Theological Seminary. Upon graduation and ordination in the Presbyterian Church in America, Eric returned to active duty as an Army Chaplain in 2008. He has since served with numerous Special Operations and Conventional units, with his most recent assignment being a staff officer in the Office of the Chief of Chaplains. Eric’s other deployment experiences include Bosnia, Panama, Kuwait, Iraq, and Niger. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Knox, a Master of Military Art and Science Degree from the US Army Command and General Staff College, and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is happily married to his wife Karen and is the father of four children. His research interests include measures to protect soldiers from the traumatic psychological and spiritual effects of combat.
Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Roett is an Army Logistics Officer originally from Vienna, Virginia. He commissioned upon graduation from the Ohio State University in 2004 where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and international business. Bruce has served in multiple command and staff positions and has completed several operational deployments to Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and eastern Europe. Bruce earned a master’s degree in organizational psychology from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in military art and science from the School of Advanced Military Studies. Bruce and his wife Teghan have been married for 21 years and have two children in high school. Bruce’s research interests include national security policy, the military-industrial complex, and leader development and education.
Lawrence E. Woody is originally from San Diego, California and completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at California State University, San Bernardino. In 1998, he was commissioned as a Naval Officer after graduating from Officer Candidate School at Yorktown,Virginia. Lawrence’s Naval career included multiple overseas and combat tours within Naval Special Warfare, Naval Fleets, Combatant Commands and the Defense Intelligence Agency. In 2002, he began his foreign service career and will be departing his post at Maputo, Mozambique to attend the program at Duke. He has previously served in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Mexico, and Pakistan. He holds a Master of Science degree in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Arts from Norwich University with a concentration in conflict Prevention and Resolution. Heparticipated in the State Department’s Harvard Executive Education Program. Lawrence speaks Bulgarian, Croatian, Portuguese, Serbian, and Spanish. As a California native, he enjoys surfing, scuba diving, mountain biking, traveling, podcasting, foreign cultures, and spending time with wife, Iliyana, and their family. His research interests involve the Postcolonial Analysis of Military Histories and Legacies in the Lusophone World.