Michael Linick

Michael Linick is a Senior Defense and Political Science Researcher at The RAND Corporation, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Georgetown University’s Strategic Studies Program, where he teaches a core course on “Strategy, Policy, and Military Operations” and an elective on “Insurgency and Counterinsurgency.”

      A retired Army Colonel, with over 30 years as an Infantry and Force Management officer, Michael’s research has focused on finding ways for the Army to function more effectively and efficiently across all of its functional areas, on Active Component/Reserve Component integration issues, on personnel policy, and on how to best tailor the Army to meet current and emerging strategic challenges. He has also worked with the Offices of the Secretary of Defense on a variety of personnel policy issues, on developing new ways to measure strategic readiness, and by providing advice and counsel to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense on how to restructure their department to better meet Iraqi security needs. In recent years he has expanded his portfolio to include work on USAF and USSF personnel management issues, and in working with both DHS HQ and the US Coast Guard.

    Michael has extensive experience with wargames, as a hobbyist, as a Soldier, and at RAND. Most recently, Michael was one of the lead designers for a game called “Hedgemony: A Game of Strategic Choices”, RAND’s first ever policy game published for sale to the general public. This game, which was designed to support development of the 2018 National Security Strategy, exposes players to the difficulty of balancing a constrained budget with the demands of a wide variety of world crises, and the need to look to both near term and long term readiness; balancing the size, readiness, posture, and modernization of the force to achieve strategic goals.

   During his military career, Michael served in a variety of Infantry positions in Korea, Germany, Kosovo, and across the United States. As a Force Management officer, Michael was the Chief of Force Management for both the CFLCC (OEF 1, 2001-2) and for MNF-I/USF-I (OIF, 2009-10). He developed and wrote the Army’s first equipping strategy in 2008, and coordinated the Total Army Analysis process for the Army from 2010-2013.

    Michael is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz (BA in Politics, 1983), Georgetown University (MA in National Security Studies, 1996), Catholic University (MA and PhD. Candidacy in World Politics, 2005) and the Army War College (MA in Security Studies, 2006), as well as a wide variety of military schools. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.

Michael and his wife Debbie live in Springfield, VA. He has five children, ranging in age from 23-41, and two young grandchildren. He has previously served on the board at congregation Kol Ami in several capacities and is a trustee of the Junior Statesmen of America (JSA).