Biography - John P Patch

Mr. Patch became an instructor at American Military University in March of 2010 as an adjunct faculty member. He is also currently a member of the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings Editorial Board. He has published widely in defense journals, including the USNI Proceedings, Armed Forces Journal, Joint Forces Quarterly, Naval War College Review, and Marine Corps Gazette. John completed undergraduate and graduate work in political science/international relations and national security affairs, including a BA and MA from Villanova University and a Graduate Certificate in Strategy and Policy from Old Dominion University. He is a graduate of the Naval War College and Joint Forces Staff College and is a designated Joint Specialty Officer and National Security Professional.

Mr. Patch serves at the U.S. Army War College as an Associate Professor of Strategic Intelligence, acting as the senior strategic intelligence subject matter expert for the Army War College Center for Strategic Leadership, directing the design, preparation, and conduct of intelligence curriculum in strategic war gaming and long-term threat assessments.

He recently served at the Defense Intelligence Agency as the Chief of the Acquisition Threat Support Division for the Defense Warning Office in the Directorate for Analysis from May-December 2009. He led and managed a large group of scientific and technical intelligence analysts focused on future threat assessments for Defense and policy acquisition decision-makers. Previous to that, he served from March 2008-May 2009 at the U.S. Army War College as an Associate Professor of Strategic Intelligence.

Mr. Patch retired from the Navy after a 20-year career as a surface warfare and intelligence officer. His most recent military assignment was as the Director of the National Maritime Intelligence Watch at the Office of Naval Intelligence in Suitland, MD, a joint global watch floor manned by Navy and Coast Guard personnel providing 24-hour strategic indications and warning and all-source maritime intelligence assessments to the U.S. Government, Intelligence Community, and Defense customers.

From 2002 to 2005, he served at the Joint Intelligence Center, U.S. Central Command, in both Tampa, FL and the forward headquarters in Qatar as an analytical section chief and later as the Chief of Targets Branch, providing strategic advice to the J2 and Commander, U.S. Central Command on targeting plans, policy, and operations during a period of significant combat operations.

From 2000 to 2002, he served aboard the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) as the Aircraft Carrier Intelligence Center Officer, directing 100 personnel in daily intelligence center threat warning and strike support operations for the carrier strike group and a twenty-ship Navy Carrier Strike Force during active combat operations in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

From 1997 to 2000, while assigned as a Senior Analyst and Team Chief on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a DIA analyst, he led watch team analysis and production of daily Balkans regional briefings for the JCS and the Secretary of Defense during a period of combat operations in Yugoslavia; he also deployed to Bosnia on a National Intelligense Support Team.

From 1988 to 1997, Commander Patch served on amphibious warships supporting amphibious readiness group deployments, including a tour as an LCAC Detachment Officer-in-Charge. He also taught Naval Science as undergraduate faculty at the Villanova University NROTC Unit. Commander Patch was commissioned from NROTC Unit Villanova. John lives in PA with his wife and three boys and spends his free time reading, researching, and writing on maritime and defense issues.