Marybeth Peterson Ulrich, Ph.D.

Chair Strategy and Policy Department
Col., U.S. Air Force, Retired
Marybeth Ulrich faculty photo

Biography

Dr. Ulrich is professor and chair of the Strategy and Policy Department. Her publications include a book, Democratizing Communist Militaries: The Cases of the Czech and Russian Armed Forces (University of Michigan Press). Her research focuses on strategic studies, democratization, Eurasian security, NATO, and civil-military relations. Appointments as Senior Fellow at the U.S. Air Force Academy and West Point’s Modern War Institute focus on education for military service in a democracy. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Illinois and is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Areas of Expertise

  • Civil-Military Relations
  • Europe
  • International Relations
  • Security Cooperation

Professional Highlights

2023

Professor and Chair, Strategy and Policy Department, U.S. Naval War College

Assumed duties as Professor and Chair, Strategy and Policy Department.
2020

Distinguished Visiting Professor of Political Science, U.S. Air Force Academy

Taught Civil-Military Relations, Politics of Eurasia, International Relations Theory, and International Security. Founded the Academy Oath Project to improve education on the Oath of Office and military service in a democracy.
1999

Professor of Government, U.S. Army War College

Promoted to full professor in the Department of National Security and Strategy, U.S. Army War College in 2005. Taught core course on Theory of War and Strategy, National Security Policy and Strategy, Comparative Civil-Military Relations, and Eurasian Security. Began service in Air Force Reserve.
1993

Assistant Professor of Political Science, U.S. Air Force Academy

Promoted to Associate Professor in 1998. Taught courses on American Government, International Relations, Civil-Military Relations, Politics of Eurasia, Research Methods, and Model NATO.
1990

Doctoral Student, University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana)

Earned PhD in Political Science in 1996. Dissertation studied the adaptation of postcommunist militaries to democracy. Dissertation was published as a book, "Democratizing Communist Militaries: The Cases of the Czech and Russian Armed Forces" (University of Michigan Press).
1985

Navigator, KC-135Q, 349th Air Refueling Squadron,

Served as a Navigator, Instructor Navigator, and Standardization and Evaluation Navigator in the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, CA.

Education

Ph.D., University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana)

B.S., U.S. Air Force Academy

Related Credentials

Standardization and Evaluation Navigator

Instructor Navigator

Airborne

Professional Tennis Registry Certified Teaching Professional

Research Contributions and Publications

“The All-Volunteer Force at 50: Implications for the Civil-Military Gap”
The All-Volunteer Force: 50 Years of History, Impacts, Challenges, and Implications
University of Kansas Press, 2023

“Integrating the Instruments of Power”
Military Strategy, Joint Operations, and Airpower, 2nd edition
Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2022

“The USAF at 75: Renewing our Democratic Ethos”
Aether: A Journal of Strategic Airpower and Spacepower, 2022

“The U.S. Civil-Military Gap and the Erosion of Historical Norms”
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, 2021

“Democratizing Civil-Military Relations in the Midst of Conflict: A Ukraine CaseStudy”
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Military in Politics, 2021

“What Norms are at Stake with a Retired General as Secretary of Defense?”
War Room, U.S. Army War College, 2021

“Women and Statecraft History: A Compilation of Personal Essays by WomenHistorians”
Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2020

“Civil-Military Relations Norms and Democracy: What Every Citizen ShouldKnow”
Blurred Lines: Examining Civil-Military Relations in an IncreasinglyComplex World, Oxford University Press, 2019

“The Politics of Oath Taking”
Parameters Special Issue Vol. 50, No. 2, 2020

“International Relations Theory for Strategists”
Carlisle Barracks: Department of National Security and Strategy, 2019

“Mind the Civil-Military Gap: The Republic Depends on All Citizens”
The Hill, 2019

Military-Civil Relations: A Handbook
Astana: Kazakh National DefenseUniversity, 2018

“Order, Welfare, and Legitimacy: The Case for adding OWL to the Strategist’sToolkit”
European Union Center Paper Series, Policy Insights – Governing Globalization, Vol. 1, Special Issue
University of Illinois, 2017

“The Visegrad Four in Afghanistan: Achieving Long Term Security throughAlliance Support”
Coalition Challenges in Afghanistan: The Politics of Alliance, Stanford University Press, 2015

“'Cashing In' Stars: Does the Professional Military Ethic Apply in Retirement?”
Strategic Studies Quarterly, Vol. 9, Issue 3, 2015

“The Counterproductive Sea of Sameness in Professional Military Education”
Joint Forces Quarterly, 2014

"American Values, Interests, and Purpose: Perspectives on the Roots of AmericanPolitical and Strategic Culture”
U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol. II: National Security Policy and Strategy
Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2012

“The General Stanley McChrystal Affair: A Case Study in Civil-Military Relations”
Parameters, vol. 41, no. 1, 2011

“Developing Civil-Military Relations Competencies Among Senior National Security Practitioners in Democratizing Latin America”
USAF Institute of National SecurityStudies Research Paper Series, 2009

“Challenges Educating U.S. Officers in Democratic Civil-Military Relations”
Armed Forces and Society: New Challenges and Environments
Santiago, Chile: Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones Militaries, 2009

“NATO at 60”
International Affairs Forum, 2009

“A Primer on Civil-Military Relations for Senior Leaders”
U.S. Army WarCollege Guide to National Security Issues, Vol. II: National Security Policy and Strategy
Carlisle Barracks PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2008

“Retooling U.S. Public Diplomacy as a Strategic Instrument of Foreign Policy”
U.S Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol. II: National Security Policy and Strategy
Carlisle Barracks PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2008

“Transformation at Last? Achieving Radical Military Reform in the Czech Republic andSlovakia”
Handbook of Military Administration, (Boca Raton, FL: Taylor and Francis) 2008

Ukraine’s Military Between East and WestCarlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic StudiesInstitute, 2007

“U.S. Civil-Military Relations Since 9/11: Issues and PolicyDevelopment”
The Journal of Military Ethics, vol. 5, no. 3. 2006

“National Security Powers: Are the Checks in Balance?”
U.S.Army War College Guide to National Security Policy and Strategy, 2nd Edition
Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2006

“Infusing Civil-Military Relations Norms in the Officer Corps”
American Defense Policy, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005

“Infusing Normative Civil-Military Relations Principles in the Officer Corps”
The Future of the Army Profession, 2nd ed., McGraw Hill, 2005

“European Security and the Transitional States”
Foreign and Security Policy in the New Europe, Ashgate Press, 2005

“Military Multinationality and Defense Reform in Central and Eastern Europe”
Handbook on Military and Social Sciences, Verlag fur Sozialwissenschaft, 2004

“Presidential Leadership and National Security Policymaking”
The U.S. Army War College Guide to Strategy
Carlisle Barracks, PA: Department of National Security and Strategy, 2004

“The Army and Society in the Slovak Republic”
The Military andSociety in Central and Eastern Europe: Legitimacy and Change, Palgrave-Macmillan, 2003

Promoting Professionalism Through Security Cooperation: A Look at the Europeanand Latin American Regions
Association of the United States Army, 2003

“The New NATO and Central and Eastern Europe: Managing European Security in the 21st Century”
Almost NATO: Partners and Players in Central and Eastern European Security
Rowman and Littlefield, 2002

“Infusing Civil-Military Relations Norms in the Officer Corps”
The Future of the Army Profession, McGraw-Hill, 2002

“Professionalisation of the Armed Forces in Slovakia”
Professionalisation of Armed Forces in Central and Eastern Europe
Palgrave Press, 2002

“Developing Mature National Security Systems in Post-communist States: The Cases of the Czech Republic and Slovakia”
Armed Forces and Society, special edition, 2002

“Potential Changes in U.S. Civil-Military Relations”
Defeating Terrorism:Strategic Issue Analysis Series (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2001

“The Czech Republic – Negotiating Obstacles on the Way to Integration”
Brassey’s Eurasian & East European Security Yearbook, Brassey’s, 2001

“Czech Republic: Integrated, Yet Still in Transition”
Brassey’s Eurasian & East European Security Yearbook, Inaugural Edition, 2000

“Russian-Civil Military Relations and the Wars in Chechnya”
The Russian Armed Forces at the Dawn of the Millennium, Carlisle, PA: Center for Strategic Leadership, 2000

Nato Since Kosovo: The Impact Of The War In Kosovo On The EuroAtlantic Security Community
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) 2000

“The New Allies: Approaching NATO Political and Military Standards”
NATO and Europe in the 21st Century: New Roles for a Changing Partnership, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, 2000

“Once in the Club: Continuing Reform in the Czech Military and NATO”
East European Studies Newsletter, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 1999

“The Democratization of Civil-Military Relations in the Czech Republic”
The Military and Society in the Former Eastern Bloc, Westview Press, 1999

“US Assistance and Military Democratization in the Czech Republic”
Problems of Post-Communism, vol. 45, no. 2, 1998

“Political-Military Affairs Officers and the Air Force: Continued Turbulence in a Vital Career Specialty”
U.S. Air Force Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), Occasional Paper 13, 1997

Proceedings Editor, U.S. Foreign Policy and the U.N. System
38th AcademyAssembly, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO, 1996

“Democracy and Russian Military Professionalism: Why Full NATO Partnership is Still a Long Way Off”
Airpower Journal, Special Edition, 1996

“When East Meets West: Fostering Democracy in Postcommunist States”
Airpower Journal, Special Edition, 1995

“International Security and the National Security Policy Maker”
TheEncyclopedia of Policy Studies, Marcel Dekker Press, 1994

“Inside the Enigma”
Swords and Ploughshares: The Bulletin of the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security, vol. 7, no. 1 University of Illinois, 1992

Awards and Decorations

U.S. Army Superior Civilian Service Award
2023

Baltic Defense College Medal of Merit Silver
For outstanding contribution to the development of the education and research process of the Baltic Defense College
2005-2017

Defense Meritorious Service Medal
2014

Meritorious Service Medal
4 Medals

Air Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

AF Outstanding Unit-1, AF

Organizational Excellence
2 Awards

Combat Readiness Medal
2 Medals

Air Force Recognition Ribbon

National Defense Service Medal
2 Medals

Humanitarian Service Medal

AF Longevity
8 Awards

AF Training

Global War on Terrorism

Joint Organizational Excellence

Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Academy
Awarded to 7% in the Overall Order of Merit
May 1984

Named "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities"
Awarded to top 5% of graduates
May 1984

Other Honors

Inaugural Scowcroft National Security Senior Fellow
U.S. Air Force Academy, 2022

Senior Fellow
Modern War Institute at U.S. Military Academy, 2021

General Maxwell D. Taylor Chair of the Profession of Arms
U.S. Army WarCollege, 2018

Re-elected as President and Chair of International Political Science Association (IPSA) Research Committee 24
Armed Forces and Society, 2016

Madigan Award
Won 9 awards for outstanding publications by faculty member at U.S. Army War College, 2001-2012

General Dwight D. Eisenhower Chair of National Security Studies
U.S. ArmyWar College, 2007

Council on Foreign Relations
Life Member, 2000

Lt. Colonel Charles R. Coble Award
Awarded for the most outstanding research in the academic year by a member of the Department of Political Science at the U.S. Air ForceAcademy, 1998 and 1999

Air Force Association’s Citation of Honor
Given to 4 individuals nation-wide “in recognition of outstanding research which made an impact on critical Department of Defense policies” for dissertation on democratization of national security institutions in the former Eastern bloc, 1997

Aaron Wildavsky Book Award
Policy Studies Organization
Awarded for an outstanding chapter author for the best policy studies book, 1994

Council on Foreign Relations
Elected to a five-year term membership, 1994

External Memberships and Associations

Council on Foreign Relations
Life Member, 2000-present

Council on Foreign Relations
Term Member, 1994-1999

Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society (IUS)
Member

Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society (IUS)
Executive Council
Elected to 5 year term in 2003, renewed through 2022

International Political Science Association (IPSA)
Member

IPSA Research Committee #24 on Armed Forces and Society
Member, Advisory Board, 2002-present

IPSA Research Committee #24 on Armed Forces and Society
Vice President, 2008-2011

IPSA Research Committee #24 on Armed Forces and Society
President, June 2011-2018

IPSA Research Committee #24 on Armed Forces and Society
Executive Director, 2018-2021

IPSA Research Committee #24 on Armed Forces and Society
President and Chair, 2021-2023

American Political Science Association (APSA)
Member

International Studies Association (ISA)
Member

Women in International Security Studies (WIIS)
Member

Women Military Aviators
Member

AcademyWomen
Member

USAFA Association of Graduates (AOG)
Life Member

U.S. Army War College Alumni Association
Member

Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Teaching Professional
Member

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