Military Fellows

Lieutenant Colonel James E. Breck, Jr., USAF  is the Deputy Commander of the 58th Operations Group, 58th Special Operations Wing, Air Education and Training Command, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The 58th Operations Group trains mission-ready special operations, combat search and rescue (CSAR), and airlift aircrews in the TH/UH-1H/N, HH-60G, HC-130P, MC-130P, MC-130H, CV-22B, and corresponding simulators; provides Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training-Helicopter; conducts special operations and CSAR intelligence training; and responds to contingencies and humanitarian missions.

Lieutenant Colonel Breck is a 1989 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.  He completed pilot training at Williams AFB, Mesa, AZ, and remained at Williams as a T-38 Instructor Pilot.  In 1994, Lieutenant Colonel Breck cross-trained to special operations helicopters at Kirtland AFB, NM.  Following rotary-wing training, Lieutenant Colonel Breck flew the MH-53J PAVELOW at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, where he participated in special operations in Africa and the Balkans.  Following his overseas tour, Lieutenant Colonel Breck served as an instructor pilot in the 551st SOS at Kirtland AFB, NM.  In June 2000, Lieutenant Colonel Breck was assigned to Detachment 1, 58th Operations Group at MCAS New River, NC.  In 2002, he attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL.  He remained at Maxwell another year to earn a master’s degree at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies.  Following graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Breck was assigned to Headquarters, Joint Special Operations Command, where he served as an Exercise Branch Chief and Operations Plans Chief.  In 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Breck transitioned to the CV-22 Osprey, and served as the Operations Officer and Commander of the 71st Special Operations Squadron at Kirtland AFB, NM.  

Lieutenant Colonel Breck has served throughout the world, conducting special operations in Europe, Africa, South America, and South West Asia.  A Command Pilot, he has logged more than 3,200 flying hours, primarily in special operations vertical lift aircraft.

Email: James.Breck@tufts.edu

Colonel James C. Brown, USA  is the Deputy Commander for the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  He supervises the brigade staff to support the training, resourcing, equipping, and deployment of regionally-oriented, language-trained CA teams/elements to assist Combatant Commanders, Ambassadors, and the interagency to monitor and execute Civil Affairs operations in support of U.S. objectives through the United States Special Operations Command.

Colonel Brown’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Lynchburg College and a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy State University.  
His prior military experience includes Platoon Leader in Korea, Aide-de-Camp and Company Command with US Army Recruiting Command, and combat experience on General H. Norman Schwarzkopf's personal staff in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM.   

While serving as a Civil Affairs Officer he has served as a team leader, operations officer, theater plans officer and Commander of C Company of the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne).  He led his company to provide Civil Affairs support into Afghanistan as part of Joint Special Operations Task Force – Dagger, during the initial phase of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from October 2001 through April 2002.  He was also assigned to the Third US Army as the Chief of Plans for the Civil and International Military Operations Directorate—contributing to the plan for comprehensive operations in Iraq.  During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Colonel Brown advised the Kuwaiti Government in running their Humanitarian Operations Center in an effort to coordinate the International humanitarian community’s response and limit the effects of combat operations on the people of Iraq.  He was then assigned to the US Army's Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute where he contributed to US Government strategic and interagency stability operations planning initiatives.  His most recent assignment was as the Commander of the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) where he focused Special Operation's Civil Affairs support to mitigate and prevent conflict within USPACOM.  

He is married to the former Tonna Haines from Wichita, Kansas. They have two children Robert Patrick, born in October of 2000 and Payton Elizabeth, born in March of 2002. 

Email: James.Brown@tufts.edu

Lieutenant Colonel Timothy A. Gosnell, USAF  is the Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, 388th Operations Group; 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.  The 421st Fighter Squadron conducts flying operations to maintain combat readiness of an F-16CG squadron consisting of approximately 40 personnel and more than $600 million in assets.

Lieutenant Colonel Gosnell entered the Air Force in 1991, receiving his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.  He graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering.  Lieutenant Colonel Gosnell attended undergraduate pilot training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, followed by lead-in fighter training at Randolph ABF, Texas, and F-16 training at Luke AFB, Ariz.

Lieutenant Colonel Gosnell is a senior pilot with more than 2,900 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, and F-16C/D.  During his F-16 career, he has deployed five times in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ALLIED FORCE, IRAQI FREEDOM, and ENDURING FREEDOM, flying more than 600 combat hours.  Most recently, the 421st Fighter Squadron deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan as the first US F-16s to fly combat missions from that country.

Email: Timothy.Gosnell@tufts.edu

COL Bentley Nettles, ARNG  received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Texas A&M University in 1985, a Jurist Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1987 and a Masters in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School.  He received his military commission as an Infantry Officer, 2nd Lieutenant, 5 May 1985, as a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.

COL Nettles’ military service spans over 24 years as a Commissioned Officer. His service with troops includes: LRS Platoon Leader, LRS Executive Officer, HHC Company Commander.  71st Troop Command Assistant G3.

COL Nettles also is a qualified Information Operations Officer (IO), Functional Area 30.  In the Information Operations arena, COL Nettles has served as the IO Team Chief for Field Information Support Teams deployed in support of CJTF 180 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (2003-2004) and III Corps in support Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005-2005). 

COL Nettles is a qualified JAG Officer who has served in Bosnia as the Operational Law Officer for SFOR 7 (2000) and the American Representative on the International Claims Tribunal in Sarajevo.  As a JAG Officer COL Nettles has served as the Chief of the Criminal Law Division, 49th Armored Division; Administrative Law Officer for the 49th Theater Information Operations Group, and the Staff Judge Advocate for the 36th Infantry Division. 

In 2006, COL Nettles graduated from the Red Team Leader’s Course and lead the first Red Team in support of XVIII ABC.  COL Nettles also deployed as the Deputy Red Team Chief for Multi-National Corps, Iraq. (2007-2008). 

COL Nettles is married to the former Tracy Peters and they have two sons, Peter Bentley Nettles and Henry Marshall Nettles.

Email: Bentley.Nettles@tufts.edu

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas R. Rasmussen, ARNG  P.E. received a B.S. Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University in 1986 and an M.S. in Arctic Engineering from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 1997.  Following his undergraduate work, he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force through Officers Training School at Lackland AFB, TX.  His first assignment was as a Research and Development Engineer in the F-15 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.   In 1990, he transferred to Elmendorf AFB, AK as a Mechanical Facilities Engineer responsible for the Cold War era radar sites and forward launch bases.  He left the Air Force in 1992 and returned to his home state of Idaho.  There he joined the Idaho Army National Guard where he is currently assigned.  Positions he has held with the Idaho Guard are Detachment Commander of the Installation Support Unit, Assistant Brigade Engineer for the 116th Cavalry Brigade, Operations Officer and then Executive Officer for the 116th Engineer Battalion, Commander, 116th Special Troops Battalion and Inspector General for the 116th Cavalry Brigade.  

Other notable assignments have been as Task Force Commander in support of the 2009 Winter Special Olympics, a combat tour in Iraq while serving with the 116th Engineer Battalion in 2005, and Liaison Officer to the III Corps VRS (Serb) in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2002,   Lieutenant Colonel Rasmussen has been an Environmental Professional for 20 years and is currently Chief of the Environmental Management Office for the Idaho Army National Guard.  His primary environmental experience has primarily been with laws such as the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, National Environmental Protection Act and most recently with tribal consultation.

Other pertinent military education includes the Army Engineer Officer Advanced Course, Army Combined Arms Staff Service School, and Army Command and General Staff College.

Lieutenant Colonel Rasmussen is married to the former Jeanie L. Walker from Idaho.  They have six children, Chris (28), Shiloh (26), Jessie (24), Antje (22), Fontanna (22) and William (14).  They also have seven grandchildren.

Email: Thomas.Rasmussen@tufts.edu

Lieutenant Colonel Steven R. Schweichler, USAR  completed the Transportation Officers Basic Course in 1988 and was assigned to Active Duty as a Platoon Leader with the 60th Transportation Company, 46th Transportation Battalion, Camp Humphreys, Korea. After one year in Korea, he was assigned as the Executive Officer for the 84th Transportation Company, Detachment Commander of the 51st Transportation Detachment, and the Battalion Motor Officer, all in the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. 

During this assignment, he was deployed in support of Operation Desert/Shield Storm.  Upon completion of his assignment in Savannah, Georgia, LTC Schweichler joined the Reserve Component as a Platoon Leader for the 413th Chemical Company, Florence, South Carolina.  After promotion to Captain, he was appointed the Detachment Commander of the 416th Chemical Detachment, Greenville, South Carolina, and later moved to Virginia where he assumed Command of the 424th Transportation Company, Galax, Virginia.  LTC Schweichler completed three years as a Company Commander, then reapplied for Active Duty and was accepted into the Active Guard Reserve program in 1997.  His first assignment after returning to Active Duty was as the Operations Officer for the 1174th Transportation Terminal Battalion, Fort Totten, New York. After leaving Fort Totten, he moved on to complete the Transportation Officers Advance Course, then assumed duties as the Executive Officer of the Reserve Officers Training Corps Spider Battalion at the University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia.  While assigned to the Spider Battalion, LTC Schweichler was selected for the resident Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, which he completed in 2002.  He then moved to Fort Eustis, Virginia where he worked as a Total Force Integration Officer for the Office of the Chief of Transportation.  He moved in 2005 to take over as the Deputy Commander of the 1186th Transportation Terminal Brigade, Jacksonville, Florida, where he worked for three years.  LTC Schweichler deployed for one year in 2008 in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom as the Deputy Commander of the 595th Transportation Terminal Group, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.  After deployment in 2009, LTC Schweichler moved to Washington DC and became a Plans Officer for the Office of the Chief of the Army Reserve. While assigned in Washington DC, LTC Schweichler was selected for and is currently attending a one year Senior Service College Fellowship at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts. LTC Schweichler is a graduate of the Transportation Officers Basic Course, the Transportation Officers Advance Course, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Logistics Executive Development Course, and the Army Command and General Staff College.  A native of Jamestown, New York, he graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, has a Master of Business Administration Degree in Business Management from Touro University and has completed Post Graduate Studies towards a Doctorate Degree in Education from Touro University.  

LTC Schweichler is married to the former Melissa K. Goggins of Lynchburg, Virginia.  The Schweichler’s have three children, Breanna (13), Brendan (10), and Dean (7).

Email: Steven.Schweichler@tufts.edu

LTC Paul Shelton, USAR  is an Active Army Reserve Logistics Officer who most recently served as the Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion, 349th Regiment, Logistics Support Battalion at Fort Stewart, GA.  His previous assignments include:  Deputy Director for Mobilization in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs at the Pentagon, Strategic Plans Action Officer in the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve, Force Management Officer at the United States Army Reserve Command at Fort McPherson, GA, Operations Officer, J4, Special Operations Command Central, Assistant Professor of Military Science at the University of Texas at Austin, Company Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 704th Main Support Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas, Support Operations Maintenance Officer, 502nd Forward Support Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas, S3 Training Officer, Company D Executive Officer and Company E Bradley Fighting Vehicle Platoon Leader in the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry at Fort Benning, GA, Rifle Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry and Motor Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.  He has deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM and just completed his 28th year of service.  LTC Shelton is a graduate of the Air War College, the Army Command and General Staff College and holds a BA in Political Science from East Stroudsburg University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs.

Email: Paul.Shelton@tufts.edu