Kevin D. Stringer, PhD

ABOUT ME

As a defense studies scholar and retired U.S. Army Colonel specializing in contemporary conflict, I am a Lecturer in Strategy and Leadership at the University of Northwestern Switzerland, a Research Professor of Security Studies at the Mykolas Romeris University Public Security Academy in Lithuania, and adjunct faculty at the Baltic Defence College in Estonia. I am also an Associate Editor of PRISM: The Journal of Complex Operations.

With 30 years of commissioned military service, I served as a Eurasian foreign area officer and strategist in the U.S. special operations community. As an academic‑practitioner, my research and teaching bridge policy, theory, and operational application, with a focus on special operations, hybrid warfare, Russian indirect action, and multinational operations.

profile

Ph.D., International Affairs, University of Zurich,

Zurich 

M.S.S., Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College,

Carlisle, PA, (Distinguished Graduate)

M.A., International Relations, Boston University,

Boston, MA, (Distinguished Graduate)

B.Sc., Military History, U.S. Military Academy,

West Point, NY, (Distinguished Graduate)

As featured in

Modern Warfare Institute
Small Wars Journal
Irregular Warfare Initiative
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Business Insider
Partnership for Peace Consortium
CNN
JSOU
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The KCIS

Must-Reads

A Gray Zone Option for Integrated Deterrence: Special Operations Forces
 
An understudied and under-researched element of the integrated deterrence concept is the role of special operations forces (SOF) as an essential component of a multi-layer set of deterrence options for a nation-state. The inclusion of SOF in deterrence derives from its utility operating in the gray zone. This article provides a brief theoretical foundation and working definition for deterrence before delving into the practical application of SOF for deterrence using North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SOF doctrine as a framing mechanism. The examination offers examples of SOF deterrence activities carried out within the three NATO SOF missions of military assistance (MA), special reconnaissance (SR), and direct action (DA). It then considers the risks and opportunities of using SOF for deterrence efforts. The objective of the article is to deliver a contribution to national security policymakers and military leadership that stimulates their practical thinking on the application of SOF in a field with sparse literature and minimal research.
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Competing in the Arctic through Indigenous Group Engagement and Special Reconnaissance Activities
 
US Army Special Forces will better compete with near-peer adversaries in the polar regions by concentrating on regular engagement with Arctic indigenous peoples and focusing on special reconnaissance. Regular and persistent engagement with the indigenous peoples of the Arctic will enhance Special Forces capabilities. Reciprocally, these local partners can benefit from skills imparted through close collaboration. Likewise, focus on enduring special reconnaissance missions will reinforce American and allied sovereignty, while improving understanding of Arctic ecosystems through physical presence.
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Jomini and Naval Special Operations Forces—An Applied-Competition Approach to Russia
 
A version of Jomini’s campaigning theory, in combination with maritime special-operations capabilities, offers a convincing maritime approach for contesting Russia’s malign activity in Europe while remaining below the level of armed conflict and supporting a broader conventional effort to prepare a war-fighting environment by using irregular warfare to secure advantages prior to conflicts.
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To explore additional articles on defense, security, and diplomacy that I have written, simply click on  "Read More" .

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Books

Military Organizations for Homeland Defense and Smaller-Scale Contingencies: A Comparative Approach

History has often confirmed that it is not superior weapons but superior organizations that are the most effective factor in achieving military success. In light of this consideration, Kevin D. Stringer’s book proposes how the U.S. military can best be restructured and transformed to conduct hybrid or irregular operations below the threshold of war.

Swiss-Made Heroes

Swiss-Made Heroes provides a biographical array of nine military officers, all with Swiss roots, in a single volume that covers a period from the Middle Ages to World War II. This unique set of leaders had an enduring impact on military history, and their deeds proved critical to the development and survival of nations, institutions, and armies.

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