Rachel Tecott is an assistant professor in the Strategic and Operational Research Department at the Naval War College. Her research focuses on U.S. military strategy and operations, alliance and partnership dynamics, and civil-military relations. Her current book project examines U.S. efforts to build militaries in partner states. Dr. Tecott holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was a member of the Security Studies Program. Her research has appeared in International Security, The Washington Post, and War on the Rocks, among other publications.