The following is a partial list of subject matter experts supporting Operational Studies:
Mark V. Lonsdale – Director of Operational Studies
Mark has over two decades experience in military and law enforcement operations and training, operational research, and security assessments. Mark has taught instructor level programs for federal law enforcement and the Department of Defense; lectured at the University level in both the US and Europe; written several books, dozens of articles and academic papers; and has been a frequent speaker at various academic conferences and industry trade shows. Mark has worked in over thirty countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East. He has worked as a military and security advisor in the Afghan theater of operations; as a DoD security contractor in Iraq; and is actively involved in the pre-deployment training of US military intelligence and special forces personnel. Mark is currently focused on a number of research projects related to post conflict stability and reconstruction (S&R), security sector reform (SSR), and the role of armed security contractors in future stability operations.
Tom Hunter – Intelligence & Terrorism Analyst
Following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, Tom worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Washington, DC, where his duties included intelligence analysis focusing on terrorist threats to the U.S. Homeland as well as in Central and South America. He also served as intelligence officer focusing on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism worldwide, terrorist tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP), and specific threat scenarios in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a civilian intelligence officer with the US Coast Guard, Tom was responsible for counter-drug and counterterrorism intelligence analysis and research for Central and South America, the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. eastern seaboard. Prior to serving with DIA, Tom published more than seventy-five articles for national and international publications such as Jane’s Intelligence Review and Jane’s International Police Review. Tom earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American Literature from the University of Southern California, a Masters degree in National Security (Unconventional Warfare) from American Military University (Virginia, USA) a Masters degree in International Security Studies from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, as well as graduate level work at Old Dominion University (Virginia, USA) and the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, DC.
Dan O'Shea – Director of Daniel Risk Mitigation (www.DanielRisk.com)
Dan established and served two years as the Coordinator of the Hostage Working Group (HWG) at the US Embassy in Iraq. HWG was the primary planning facilitator, intelligence fusion node, and coordinating element for all hostage-taking incidents in Iraq. Recognized as the subject matter expert on the emerging Jihadist kidnapping threat; Dan is a published author and sought after speaker on the issue. Dan is a qualified Navy SEAL officer and recently promoted to Commander in the US Naval Reserves. He voluntarily returned to active duty following 9/11 and served at Special Operations Command CENTRAL (SOCCENT) as a staff planning and SOF Liaison officer to US CENTRAL Command headquarters during the wartime planning and execution of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He continues to brief USG organizations engaged in hostage recovery and survival and to deploying military personnel on the kidnapping threat in high-risk environments. CDR O’Shea is the Executive Officer of SOCCENT’s Naval Reserve unit. He is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and has a Masters in Executive
Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is a series lecturer for the Joint Special Operations University - Dynamics of International Terrorism.
Russ Hutchings – Director of Global Training Associates (GTA)
Russ has 28 years experience within Australia's Special Operations fraternity; 21 years of which he was an operational member of the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). During such time, he was involved at both the strategic and tactical response levels. He was a senior SAS Patrol Commander of an SAS Air and Mountaineering Troop. In addition to the conventional SF Green Roles within the Regiment, he also commanded a Covert Operations Team in support of Counter-Terrorist Operations. He has held command positions and has instructed widely on both “Green and Black” roles. Russ was the 2IC of the Special Warfare Detachment, where he commanded operations abroad in support of Australian interests. He was the senior instructor and lectured extensively on Guerrilla Warfare Training Team (GWTT) operations. He authored the “Military Advisor and Regional Training Assistance” program for the Australian Defense Force (ADF) and provided training to the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade on matters relating to operations in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, Russ specializes in Tactical Training Operations, particularly those tradecraft skills represented in the SAS and other Special Operations. He also provides Crisis Management services and High-Risk security operations, particularly in the recovery and Emergency Response sectors.