John Gordon, IV

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Manager, Policy Sciences Group; Senior Policy Analyst
Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in public policy, George Mason University; M.A. in international relations, St. Mary's University; M.B.A., Marymount University; B.A. in history, The Citadel

Overview

Biography

John Gordon IV is a senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation. He joined RAND in 1997 after a 20-year U.S. Army career and has since participated in and led numerous studies for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Departments of the Army and Navy. Gordon has authored or coauthored several RAND studies on counterinsurgency and irregular warfare. He has led or participated in RAND research projects for the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, and Germany. Gordon is also an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown and George Mason universities, where he teaches graduate-level courses on counterinsurgency and military operations. He has written numerous articles on military subjects that have appeared in a variety of professional journals. Gordon received his Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University.

Research Focus

Previous Positions

Army officer for 20 years; served on Army Staff in Pentagon; led the doctrine team within Concepts, Doctrine, and Force Policy Division

Recent Projects

  • Counterinsurgency theory and operations
  • Future coalition operations
  • The role of land forces in future conflicts
  • Strategic options for the Italian military
  • U.S. Navy studies

Selected Publications

Robert W. Button et al., A Preliminary Investigation of Ship Acquisition Options for Joint Forcible Entry Operations, RAND Corporation (MG-179), 2005

John Gordon et al., Assessment of Navy Heavy-Lift Aircraft Options, RAND Corporation (DB-472), 2005

Walt L. Perry et al., Network-Based Operations for the Swedish Defence Forces: An Assessment Methodology, RAND Corporation (TR-119), 2005

Lynn E. Davis et al., The U.S. Army and the New National Security Strategy, RAND Corporation (MR-1657), 2004

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Inside the Pentagon; Technology Review

Commentary

Flagging Ally: Pakistan's Lapses Are Hurting the War on Terror — Mar 18, 2007

  • San Diego Union-Tribune

Publications

From Insurgency to Stability: Volume I: Key Capabilities and Practices - 2011

From Insurgency to Stability: Volume II: Insights from Selected Case Studies - 2011

Perspectives on the Battle of Wanat: Challenges Facing Small Unit Operations in Afghanistan - 2011

Alternatives for the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future) - 2010

Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future) Capability Assessment: Planned and Alternative Structures - 2010

Observations on Recent Trends in Armored Forces - 2010

Underkill: Scalable Capabilities for Military Operations amid Populations - 2009

Withdrawing from Iraq: Alternative Schedules, Associated Risks, and Mitigating Strategies - 2009

Analytic Support to Intelligence in Counterinsurgencies - 2008

Countering Insurgency in the Muslim World: Rethinking U.S. Priorities and Capabilities - 2008

Domestic Trends in the United States, China, and Iran: Implications for U.S. Navy Strategic Planning - 2008

War by Other Means -- Building Complete and Balanced Capabilities for Counterinsurgency: RAND Counterinsurgency Study -- Final Report - 2008

Stealing the Sword: Limiting Terrorist Use of Advanced Conventional Weapons - 2007

Warfighting and Logistic Support of Joint Forces from the Joint Sea Base - 2007

Leveraging America’s Aircraft Carrier Capabilities: Exploring New Combat and Noncombat Roles and Missions for the U.S. Carrier Fleet - 2006

New Combat and Noncombat Roles for U.S. Aircraft Carriers - 2006

A Preliminary Investigation of Ship Acquisition Options for Joint Forcible Entry Operations - 2005

Assessment of Navy Heavy-Lift Aircraft Options - 2005

Network-Based Operations for the Swedish Defence Forces: An Assessment Methodology - 2004

The Right Stuff: Defense Planning Challenges for A New Century - 2004

Alternative Futures and Their Implications for Army Modernization - 2003

The U.S. Army and the New National Security Strategy - 2003

Analysis of Air-Based Mechanization and Vertical Envelopment Concepts and Technologies - 2002

Disjointed War: Military Operations in Kosovo, 1999 - 2002

Exploring Advanced Technologies for the Future Combat Systems Program - 2002

Improving Joint Operations: Lessons from Kosovo, 1999 - 2002

A Report on the Army Transformation Wargame 2000 - 2001

Issues and Insights from the Army Technology Seminar Game - 2001

Lightning Over Water: Sharpening America's Light Forces for Rapid-Reaction Missions — Executive Summary - 2001

Measures of Effectiveness for the Information-Age Army - 2001

The Future of Warfare: Issues from the 1999 Army After Next Study Cycle - 2001

Lightning Over Water: Assessing Options for Future Light Forces - 2000

Lightning Over Water: Sharpening America's Light Forces for Rapid Reaction Missions - 2000

Issues Raised During the Army After Next Spring Wargame - 1999

Joint Operations Superiority in the 21st Century: Analytic Support to the 1998 Defense Science Board - 1999

The Army After Next: Exploring New Concepts and Technologies for the Light Battle Force - 1999

Assessment of Crusader: The Army's Next Self-Propelled Howitzer and Resupply Vehicle - 1998

Denying the Widow-Maker: Summary of Proceedings of the RAND-DBBL Conference on Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain - 1998