Written by Colonel Erik K. Rundquist
As a proud alumnus of the Syracuse University Maxwell School’s Master of Social Science (MSSc) program, I had the pleasure of studying under a faculty that was highly engaged, diverse in thought, and extremely responsive to my needs. While these are characteristics that exemplify most academic programs, I am no ordinary student. Syracuse University professors have stayed joined at my hip while on combat deployments throughout the world. I was deployed several times to the Balkans and Iraq as a squadron commander (leading 300 people) and to Afghanistan as a Group Commander (leading 2,500 people). In all environments, I had extremely narrow windows of opportunity where I could access my computer, engage with a Syracuse instructor or staff member, and then proceed with my paper-writing and research. In fact, Professor Stephen Webb and Ms. Lydia Wasylenko were literally helping me conduct academic research as my base in Afghanistan was getting rocketed by insurgents! The responsiveness and flexibility of the staff is absolutely second to none.
The Maxwell School has both personally and professionally prepared me to operate in extremely high levels of government service. For instance, I was on the Secretary of Defense staff as a senior military antiterrorism officer where I regularly engaged with the Department of State, ambassador staffs, Congressional liaisons, and senior officers. In addition, I was selected as a National Defense Fellow to Boston University where I researched and published articles on the Russian military, plus I was recently published a chapter in a book centered on defending airfields in a counterinsurgency environment. In all cases, I directly attribute the positive academic feedback I received from Professors Deborah Pellow and David Bennett on how to structure arguments, conduct effective research, and present information at the postgraduate level to my success.
Finally, when one examines Maxwell’s MSSc program – it truly attracts members of the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, and Homeland Security, not to mention a wide array of international students, non-governmental employees, educators, and businessmen. These were my colleagues and fellow students and we all shared a bond of being fully engaged in socially vital areas, while learning together through Maxwell’s program. I am absolutely convinced this program has been critical to my personal success, and the dedication and example set by both Syracuse University and its instructors have instilled a desire for me to teach after my active military service has come to an end. I am proud to be associated with this important academic program!
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force.
Colonel Erik K. Rundquist is Chief of Security Forces, Headquarters, Air Combat Command. In this position, he is responsible for security, law enforcement, antiterrorism, force protection and integrated defense across the Major Command. Colonel Rundquist was born at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri and received a regular commission upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in May 1991. He has served in various duty positions to include group commander, squadron commander, MAJCOM division chief, joint staff officer, operations officer, and ground combat instructor. He has deployed on several contingencies to include supporting the United Nations Protection Force in the Balkans, Operations ALLIED FORCE and SHINING HOPE in Albania and Kosovo, DETERMINED RESPONSE (USS Cole) in Yemen, ENDURING FREEDOM in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, and IRAQI FREEDOM where he conducted an operational combat jump into Bashur, Iraq with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He commanded security forces at Tallil, Iraq, was the J7 for the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component Command at Balad, Iraq, and commanded the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group and Joint Task Force 1/455 at Bagram and Parwan Province, Afghanistan.