Dick Hoffmann
Overview
Biography
Dick Hoffmann is a defense research analyst at the RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He retired in 2007 from the Navy after 20 years of service as a SEAL officer. He was the director of education at the Naval Special Warfare Center in San Diego, where he managed the curriculum for more than 50 courses in joint special operations tactics, techniques, and procedures. He also taught mission planning, ethics, and tactical leadership. Of note, he deployed to Iraq in 2003 and Africa in 2004 to assess and improve special operations planning, targeting, and combat operations. Hoffmann also served as a counterterrorism plans officer at the Special Operations Command, Pacific in Hawaii. He taught at the Naval Academy, served as a platoon commander at SEAL Team THREE, and as an assistant platoon commander at SEAL Team FIVE. He has worked in Australia and in countries throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Research Focus
Previous Positions
Navy SEAL Officer (Ret.); Director of Education, Naval Special Warfare Center, NAB Coronado; counterterrorism plans officer at the Special Operations Command, Pacific.Recent Projects
- Irregular warfare intelligence technology and methods
- Special operations submersibles
- Special operations maritime surface mobility
- Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency measures of effectiveness
- Homeland security threat analysis
Recent Media Appearances
Commentary: San Diego Union-Tribune
National Security
Biography
Dick Hoffmann is a defense research analyst at the RAND Corporation. He recently completed a case study of OEF-Philippines; an assessment of intelligence collection in the Horn of Africa; and a deployment to Afghanistan, where he provided analytical support for the Special Operations Component Commander. He retired in 2007 from the Navy after 20 years of service as a SEAL officer. He was the director of education at the Naval Special Warfare Center in San Diego, responsible for training and educating SEALs and combatant crewmen and their instructors. He deployed to Iraq in 2003 and Africa in 2004 to assess and improve special operations planning, targeting, and combat operations. Hoffmann also served as a counterterrorism plans officer at the Special Operations Command, Pacific in Hawaii. He taught at the Naval Academy, served as a platoon commander at SEAL Team THREE, and as an assistant platoon commander at SEAL Team FIVE. He has worked in Australia and in countries throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Recent Projects
- ISAF--Afghanistan Analytical Support
- OEF-Philippines Maritime Irregular Warfare Case Study
- OEF-Horn of Africa Operational Assessment of IW Technology
- Special Operations Undersea and Surface Mobility

Colonel Cardinal's Iceberg Theory — Jul 29, 2008