John Gordon IV

John Gordon IV
Adjunct Policy Researcher
Off Site Office

Education

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

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

John Gordon IV is an adjunct policy researcher 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.

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

Selected Publications

John Gordon IV, Brett Andrew Wallace, Daniel Tremblay, John Hollywood, Keeping Law Enforcement Connected: Information Technology Needs from State and Local Agencies, RAND Corporation (TR-1165), 2012

Christopher G. Pernin, Elliot Axelband, Jeffrey A. Drezner, Brian B. Dille, John Gordon IV, Bruce J. Held, K. Scott McMahon, Walter L. Perry, Christopher Rizzi, Akhil R. Shah, Peter A. Wilson, Jerry M. Sollinger, Lessons from the Army's Future Combat Systems Program, RAND Corporation (MG-1206), 2012

F. Stephen Larrabee, Stuart E. Johnson, John Gordon IV, Peter A. Wilson, Caroline Baxter, Deborah Lai, Calin Trenkov-Wermuth, NATO and the Challenges of Austerity, RAND Corporation (MG-1196), 2012

John Gordon, Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines, Naval Institute Press, 2011

Angel Rabasa, John Gordon IV, Peter Chalk, Christopher S. Chivvis, Audra K. Grant, K. Scott McMahon, Laurel E. Miller, Marco Overhaus, Stephanie Pezard, From Insurgency to Stability: Volume I: Key Capabilities and Practices, RAND Corporation (MG-1111/1), 2011

Angel Rabasa, John Gordon IV, Peter Chalk, Audra K. Grant, K. Scott McMahon, Stephanie Pezard, Caroline Reilly, David Ucko, S. Rebecca Zimmerman, From Insurgency to Stability: Volume II: Insights from Selected Case Studies, RAND Corporation (MG-1111/2), 2011

Robert W. Button, John Gordon IV, Dick Hoffmann, Jessie Riposo, Peter A. Wilson, Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future) Capability Assessment: Planned and Alternative Structures, RAND Corporation (MG-943), 2010

John Gordon IV, John Matsumura, The Army's Role in Overcoming Anti-Access and Area Denial Challenges, RAND Corporation (RR-229), 2013

Honors & Awards

  • Teaching Award, George Mason University
  • Legion of Merit, US Army
  • Silver Medal Award, RAND

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Federal News Radio; Inside the Pentagon; Technology Review

Commentary

  • Military Strategy

    David E. Johnson: A Remembrance

    On October 30th, David E. Johnson, Col U.S. Army (retired), a principal researcher at RAND and a leading intellectual in national defense and military history, passed away following a long illness. His deep knowledge of military history provided a perspective to analyze problems and make sound policy recommendations that were valued by senior decisionmakers in the Army and elsewhere.

    Nov 10, 2022

    The RAND Blog

  • Military Force Planning

    Reimagining and Modernizing U.S. Airborne Forces for the 21st Century

    Many of the challenges the U.S. will face in the coming years across the range of military operations could be deep inland and require rapid response. Airborne forcible entry — with reimagined and modernized airborne forces — would offer decisionmakers options in crises that they do not possess today.

    Apr 20, 2016

    War on the Rocks

  • Flagging Ally: Pakistan's Lapses Are Hurting the War on Terror

    Published commentary by RAND staff: Flagging Ally: Pakistan's Lapses Are Hurting the War on Terror, in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

    Mar 18, 2007

    San Diego Union-Tribune

Publications