The Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) is the U.S. Army's institute for strategic and national security research and analysis

Strategic studies

Strategic studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning the relationship between politics, geography and natural resources, economics, and military power, such as the role of intelligence, diplomacy and threats in the preparation and use of force...

. It is part of the U.S. Army War College

U.S. Army War College

The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...

. SSI conducts strategic research and analysis to support the U.S. Army War College curricula, provides direct analysis for Army and Department of Defense leadership, and serves as a bridge to the wider strategic community. It is located at Carlisle Barracks

Carlisle Barracks

Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...

, Pennsylvania.

Organization

SSI is composed of civilian research professors, uniformed military officers, and a professional support staff. SSI is divided into three components: the Art of War Department focuses on global, transregional, and functional issues, particularly those dealing with Army transformation; the Regional Strategy and Planning Department focuses on regional strategic issues; and the Academic Engagement Program creates and sustains partnerships with the global strategic community. In addition to its organic resources, SSI has a web of partnerships with strategic analysts around the world, including the foremost thinkers in the field of security and military strategy.

Products

SSI's major product are studies published by the Institute and distributed to key strategic leaders in the Army and Department of Defense, the military educational system, Congress, the media, other think tanks and defense institutes, and major colleges and universities. SSI studies use history and current political, economic, and military factors to develop strategic recommendations. These studies often influence the formulation of U.S. military strategy, national security policy, and even the strategies of allies and friends. SSI analysts have contributed to major U.S. national security strategy documents and to U.S. Army doctrine. SSI also hosts a major annual strategy conference at Carlisle Barracks.

Staff

National security experts such as Harry Summers, Sherifa Zuhur

Sherifa Zuhur

Sherifa Zuhur is an academic and national security expert on the Middle East and is currently the Director of the Institute of Middle Eastern, Islamic, and Strategic Studies, an international think tank. She holds a Ph.D...

, Jeffrey Record, Phil Williams, Sheila Jager, Douglas MacDonald, Thomas-Durrell Young, Andrew Scobell, Cori Dauber, and Stephen Biddle

Stephen Biddle

Stephen Biddle is an American author, historian, columnist, and pundit whose work concentrates on U.S. foreign policy. He is perhaps best known for his award-winning 2004 book Military Power: Explaining Victory and Defeat in Modern Battle, published through Princeton University Press. He also has...

 have been faculty members or associated with SSI in the past. Strategic thinkers such as Michael Howard, Colin Gray, Daniel Byman, Thomas Marks, Dennis Ippolito, Amit Gupta, Leonid I. Polyakov, Williamson Murray, John White, John Deutch and Eliot Cohen  have written SSI studies. The current director of SSI is Douglas Lovelace. Colonel Louis Jordan is Deputy Director. Antulio Echevarria is Director of Research. Colonel Richard J. McConoughey is Director of Academic Engagement and Lieutenant Colonel Ernest A. Szabo Deputy Director. SSI's analytical staff includes Stephen Blank, Steven Metz

Steven Metz

Steven Kent Metz is an American author, Chairman of the Regional Strategy Department, and Research Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S...

, Dallas Owens, Don Snider, Andrew Terrill, Trey Braun, David Lai, Max Manwaring, Robert (Robin) Dorff, Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Cuccia, and Leonard Wong

Leonard Wong

Leonard Wong is a Research Professor of Military Strategy in the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College, who focuses on the human and organizational dimensions of the military, and is a published author on leadership strategy...

. Lawrence Kaplan holds a visiting position. In addition to their work for SSI, the Institute's staff analysts are well known experts in their fields with multiple publications, congressional testimony, and many media interviews.

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