Full Name
Francis Hoffman, Ph.D.
Job Title
Distinguished Research Fellow
Company
National Defense University
Description
Dr. Frank Hoffman serves as a Distinguished Research Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, DC where he has served since 2011. He is a retired U.S. Marine Reserve infantry officer with service in the 2d and 3rd Marine Divisions. Dr. Hoffman has a strong background in human resources, having served as Adjutant and Personnel officer at the School of Infantry, East and the 4th Marine Regiment, and was a manpower and force structure analyst at HQMC for a decade. His 44 years in the U.S. defense establishment includes 30 years with the U.S. Marines as an analyst and concept developer, two senior political appointments at the Department of Navy and DOD, and service on two Congressional commissions. He served at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab from 2001 to 2009. He was selected and confirmed to the Senior Executive Service in 2009 when he served at the Department of the Navy. During 2017-2018, Dr. Hoffman was a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and worked on the National Defense Strategy.
His research portfolio at INSS includes national and defense strategy, joint warfighting theory and concepts, future warfare, and military innovation. He also serves on the Board of Advisors at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, as well as a Visiting Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. He is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks.
Dr. Hoffman is an award-winning author and published over 200 articles in Orbis, Joint Force Quarterly, RUSI Journal, the Marine Corps Gazette, Parameters, and the Naval Institute Proceedings. He is one of six Marines ever designated by the Marine Corps Association as a Distinguished Author and was selected as the Naval Institute’s Author of the Year in 2016. He has authored/edited several books and numerous book chapters. His new book, Mars Adapting: Military Change During War, was published in 2021 by Naval Institute Press.
His decorations include the Marine Corps Civilian Service Commendation Medal, a Distinguished Civilian Service Medal from the Department of the Navy, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal from OSD.
Dr. Hoffman graduated from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 where he majored in personnel management. He holds Master’s degrees from George Mason University in human resources and the U.S. Naval War College (National Security Studies) from which he graduated with highest distinction. He earned his Ph.D. in War Studies from King’s College, London.
His research portfolio at INSS includes national and defense strategy, joint warfighting theory and concepts, future warfare, and military innovation. He also serves on the Board of Advisors at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, as well as a Visiting Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. He is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks.
Dr. Hoffman is an award-winning author and published over 200 articles in Orbis, Joint Force Quarterly, RUSI Journal, the Marine Corps Gazette, Parameters, and the Naval Institute Proceedings. He is one of six Marines ever designated by the Marine Corps Association as a Distinguished Author and was selected as the Naval Institute’s Author of the Year in 2016. He has authored/edited several books and numerous book chapters. His new book, Mars Adapting: Military Change During War, was published in 2021 by Naval Institute Press.
His decorations include the Marine Corps Civilian Service Commendation Medal, a Distinguished Civilian Service Medal from the Department of the Navy, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal from OSD.
Dr. Hoffman graduated from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 where he majored in personnel management. He holds Master’s degrees from George Mason University in human resources and the U.S. Naval War College (National Security Studies) from which he graduated with highest distinction. He earned his Ph.D. in War Studies from King’s College, London.
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