Home About Sosh Faculty Faculty Resouces Alumni

 

 

 

   

Major Jim Walker lectures

at the Afghan Military

Academy, Jul 05

 

 

   

Majors Steven Carroll and

Jason Dempsey in

Iraq with Sosh Alum

LTG David Petraeus, Jul 05

 

 

Col Rob Gordon
with USMA faculty
in Iraq. Jan 04.


 

Col Mike Meese serving with the 101st in Iraq. July 03
 



 

Col Mike Meese in Bosnia. Spring 02
 

Maj Chris Chambers in Afghanistan. Jan 02

 

 

An addition to executing its primary mission of educating and inspiring cadets, the Department of Social Sciences has made significant, meaningful contributions to the Army's world-wide mission, especially in the active war against terrorism. Individually and in groups, the faculty has made lasting impacts through deployments to combat areas world-wide, a broad range of special projects, and most recently, the creation of the Combating Terrorism Center. Listed below are some highlights of recent activities.

 

Development in Iraq ̶ Baghdad University. In early January 2004, USMA dispatched eight professors and the Dean to Baghdad University to expose Iraqi students and professors to recent trends in education. The professors, including COL Rob Gordon, Sosh's Director of American Politics, taught courses in political science, engineering, technology, physics, and a host of other disciplines. The group spent a week in Iraq and stayed in downtown Baghdad with units from the 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division.

 

Deployments. The Department of Social Sciences has actively supported the Army operations world-wide by having its members serve in the field with units actively engaged in combat operations.  Listed below are those members of the Department who have deployed and where.

 

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom.

MAJ Steven Carroll and MAJ Jason Dempsey in support of Multi-National Forces- Iraq, Poltical Military and Economic Assessments -- May-August 2005

COL Michael Meese, in support of the 101st Airborne Division, June – August 2003.

MAJ John Basso and MAJ Sean Morgan, in support of the 4th Infantry Division, May – August 2003.

 

  • Operation Enduring Freedom.

MAJ Jim Walker in support of Office of Security Cooperation -- Afghanistan -- May-August 2005.

MAJ Chris Chambers and SFC Mark Frey, in support of CJTF 180, September – December 2002.

MAJ Mike Eastman and MAJ Shannon Lyerly, in support of the Office of Military Cooperation, June – August 2003.

 

  • Kosovo.

MAJ Joanne Moore, MAJ Beth Robbins and MAJ Tania Chacho all deployed to Kosovo from June – August 2002 in support of ongoing operations. 

 

  • Bosnia.

COL Michael Meese deployed to Bosnia from January – July of 2002 in support of  ongoing operations.

 

 

Creation of the Terrorism Center.  In February of 2003, the Department of Social Sciences was instrumental in standing up the United States Military Academy’s Combating Terrorism Center (CTC).  The CTC has been actively involved in supporting the Global War on Terrorism through education, outreach and policy analysis.  Some examples of work the CTC has done since its inception include the following:

 

  • Education. Provided numerous undergraduate institutions with syllabi, course materials and reference materials; conducted seminars for Columbia University and Texas A&M.

 

  • Outreach. Engaged in outreach opportunities to numerous US government agencies such as: DOD (Joint Staff, CENTCOM,  NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, TRADOC, SOCOM), Department of Homeland Security, CIA, FBI; state governments of Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Connecticut and Rhode Island; conducted work with the foreign governments of: Taiwan, Romania, the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland; hosted a conference for the Partnership for Peace’s Defense Consortium.

 

  • Policy Analysis.  Coordinated multiple USMA Departments’ efforts to provide support to the Department of Homeland Security, the NY Fire Department, the NY-NJ Port Authority, the J5 Staff, Picatinny Arsenal and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. 

 

 

Special Projects.  The Department of Social Sciences has been called upon to support various DOD and government agencies through participation in numerous special outreach projects.  Listed below are just a few of them.

 

  • Army War Plans Staff.

COL Mike Meese and LTC Al Willner were instrumental in standing up a stability operations planning cell on the Army G-3 staff.

MAJ Sonya Finley served in that planning cell, helping G-3 to coordinate post-conflict stability operations in Iraq in support of DoD from March – May 2003.

CPT Chris McGowan served in the planning cell from May - June 2003.

 

  • Department of Homeland Security.

MAJ Ed Ackerman served on the DHS staff from December 2001 – January 2002, helping to develop the Homeland Security Advisory System.

MAJ Dave Filer provided additional support to DHS in January 2003.

 

  • Picatinny Arsenal, January – September 2003.  MAJ Mike Arnold and MAJ Tina Schweiss helped the Arsenal develop the Security and Emergency Response Information System (SERIS) from January – September 2003. Their involvement included planning, coordinating and conducting test exercises of the system at West Point and Morris County, New Jersey. This project has developed into an on-going relationship between the Department of Social Sciences and Picatinny Arsenal, in which members of USMA continue to do research, and assist the Arsenal in its efforts to test, evaluate and apply new technologies to first responders.

 

  • Economic Analysis for the Campaign Support Group, USSOCOM, October 2002 – February 2003.  The Economics Division (approximately 15 officers and 4 civilians) of the Department performed country economic analysis with the goal of helping to answer the question of how economic tools (both incentives and punitive measures) could be employed to further the GWOT.  This team developed the format for the Economic Annex to the OPLAN for Operation Enduring Freedom .  In coordination with JSOC, worked  with the following agencies during the development of the Economic Annex: all DoD agencies, Department of the Treasury and Department of State.  

 

  • Economic Impact of the Next Terrorist Attack, April-May 2002.  LTC Dick Hewitt, MAJ Todd Wasmund and Dr. Dean Dudley, worked on a project in coordination with The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, designed to provide strategic analysis of terrorist intent, targeting methodology and development of  coordinated government response procedures. Their results were briefed to the Department of Homeland Security.

 

  • Army Recruiting Support, September 2001 – September 2003.  The Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis (OEMA) within the Department of Social Sciences supported Army recruiting through the conception, design, development and implementation of the Army Game Project.  By developing the computer-based game called “America’s Army,” OEMA has helped the Army recruiting effort tremendously by creating positive awareness about soldiering in America’s youth.  The game has consistently ranked among the top 10 PC action games worldwide, has more than 2 million registered players and over 23 million hours of game play.

 

  • USSOCOM, January – September 2003.  On-going support provided by OEMA to support the expansion of Special Forces including  analysis of the effects of new officer selection board procedures on the yield of officers graduating from SFAS and analytic support of Special Forces in-service recruiting.

 


©2003 Department of Social Sciences. Website was designed by JaRa Publishing/Charyl Calfina (914) 388-7733
Department of Social Sciences, West Point, N.Y. 10996, Phone: (845) 938-3554 DSN: 688-3554
Contact Webmaster