Dr. Brian Selmeski

Dr. Brian R. Selmeski is the Deputy Director for Plans & Policies at

the US Air Force Culture & Language Center and an Assistant Professor

of Anthropology at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He

was born and raised in the New York metropolitan area, then studied

abroad before attending Bucknell University on a Reserve Officer

Training Corps scholarship. He graduated magna cum laude in Latin

American Studies, was commissioned as a Regular Army officer and

served in the United States, Honduras and Panama.

In 1996, he received a fellowship to pursue a doctorate in

anthropology from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

at Syracuse University. His dissertation, based on three years of

field research, examined the Ecuadorian Army’s doctrine of

multicultural nationalism, the conscription of indigenous men and

development programs for rural communities. This work was generously

funded by the Social Science Research Council, the J. William

Fulbright Scholar Program and the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Institute of

Global Affairs.

In 2003, he established the Military Anthropology Network, an on-line

community of practice dedicated to issues of security and culture,

which today has over 400 members residing in 19 different countries.

From 2003-2007, he served first as an Research Assistant Professor at

the Canadian Defence Academy, then as a Senior Research Fellow at the

Royal Military College of Canada, both in Kingston, Ontario. There, he

designed and directed an applied research project to assist the

Bolivian Army and Ministries of the Presidency, Defense and Government

design professional reforms, draft new policies and implement changes

to increase indigenous participation in the security sector.

In 2006, the US Air Force engaged him to carry out conceptual research

on how armed forces can systematically enhance members’ cross-cultural

competence through professional military education. In 2007, he joined

the faculty of Air University where he directed the Quality

Enhancement Plan, or QEP, on “Cross-Culturally Competent Airmen,”

which received high marks from the Southern Association of Colleges

and Schools. He then formed then led the Department of Cross-Cultural

Competence, an academic department responsible for carrying out the

QEP by infusing cultural learning across the curriculum at Air

University. In his current position, he is responsible for helping

integrate, harmonize and synchronize culture, region and language

learning (i.e., training, education and experience) across the US Air

Force through strategic planning and policy development.

He has taught civilian and military students at the graduate and

undergraduate levels in Bolivia, Canada, Ecuador and the United

States. He speaks fluent Spanish and passable Portuguese as well as

maintaining limited proficiency in French, Dutch and Quechua. His

ethnographic, archival and applied research has generated publications

in several anthologies on military diversity and indigenous peoples,

as well as two documentary videos. His work on military anthropology

has been published in a variety of professional fora and a forthcoming

book he is co-editing. His efforts in both realms have also received

significant media coverage, to include fora such as Air Force

Magazine, Air Force Times, Alabama Public Radio, Associated Press,

Boston Globe, Chronicle of Higher Education, Culture Matters, Inside

Higher Education, Montgomery Advertiser, Toronto Star and USA Today.

His two children live in Connecticut, where they attend a bilingual

school. In his free time, he runs and works with his Dutch spouse on

restoring their historical home in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dr. Brian SelmeskiDr. Brian R. Selmeski is the Deputy Director for Plans & Policies atthe US Air Force Culture & Language Center and an Assistant Professorof Anthropology at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Hewas born and raised in the New York metropolitan area, then studiedabroad before attending Bucknell University on a Reserve OfficerTraining Corps scholarship. He graduated magna cum laude in LatinAmerican Studies, was commissioned as a Regular Army officer andserved in the United States, Honduras and Panama.
In 1996, he received a fellowship to pursue a doctorate inanthropology from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairsat Syracuse University. His dissertation, based on three years offield research, examined the Ecuadorian Army’s doctrine ofmulticultural nationalism, the conscription of indigenous men anddevelopment programs for rural communities. This work was generouslyfunded by the Social Science Research Council, the J. WilliamFulbright Scholar Program and the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Institute ofGlobal Affairs.
In 2003, he established the Military Anthropology Network, an on-linecommunity of practice dedicated to issues of security and culture,which today has over 400 members residing in 19 different countries.From 2003-2007, he served first as an Research Assistant Professor atthe Canadian Defence Academy, then as a Senior Research Fellow at theRoyal Military College of Canada, both in Kingston, Ontario. There, hedesigned and directed an applied research project to assist theBolivian Army and Ministries of the Presidency, Defense and Governmentdesign professional reforms, draft new policies and implement changesto increase indigenous participation in the security sector.
In 2006, the US Air Force engaged him to carry out conceptual researchon how armed forces can systematically enhance members’ cross-culturalcompetence through professional military education. In 2007, he joinedthe faculty of Air University where he directed the QualityEnhancement Plan, or QEP, on “Cross-Culturally Competent Airmen,”which received high marks from the Southern Association of Collegesand Schools. He then formed then led the Department of Cross-CulturalCompetence, an academic department responsible for carrying out theQEP by infusing cultural learning across the curriculum at AirUniversity. In his current position, he is responsible for helpingintegrate, harmonize and synchronize culture, region and languagelearning (i.e., training, education and experience) across the US AirForce through strategic planning and policy development.He has taught civilian and military students at the graduate andundergraduate levels in Bolivia, Canada, Ecuador and the UnitedStates. He speaks fluent Spanish and passable Portuguese as well asmaintaining limited proficiency in French, Dutch and Quechua. Hisethnographic, archival and applied research has generated publicationsin several anthologies on military diversity and indigenous peoples,as well as two documentary videos. His work on military anthropologyhas been published in a variety of professional fora and a forthcomingbook he is co-editing. His efforts in both realms have also receivedsignificant media coverage, to include fora such as Air ForceMagazine, Air Force Times, Alabama Public Radio, Associated Press,Boston Globe, Chronicle of Higher Education, Culture Matters, InsideHigher Education, Montgomery Advertiser, Toronto Star and USA Today.
His two children live in Connecticut, where they attend a bilingualschool. In his free time, he runs and works with his Dutch spouse onrestoring their historical home in Montgomery, Alabama.