LTC Jimmy Isakson

LTC Jimmy Isakson is an instructor of Portuguese in the Department of English & World Languages at the United States Military Academy (USMA)  in West Point, New York. He serves as the department's Portuguese desk chief. 

He began his assignment - his second - as a Portuguese instructor at USMA in July 2025. He served in the same position at USMA from 2020 to 2022. 

LTC Isakson is a 2006 graduate of USMA and received a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Utah in 2015. He is an aviation officer specializing in the functional area of foreign area officer.

He served in the 25th Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade in Hawaii from November 2008 to February 2013. His duties included platoon leader in the maintenance company of the General Support Aviation Battalion, platoon leader in the CH-47 Chinook helicopter company, and 3-25 GSAB rear detachment commander during the brigade’s deployment to Afghanistan in 2012. From September 2009 to July 2010, he deployed with the brigade to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Isakson has extensive experience with the Brazilian military. As a cadet, he participated in a semester exchange at the Brazilian Army Military Academy (Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras). In 2013-14, he served at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia as a foreign area officer, where he worked closely with the Brazilian Army to coordinate Brazilian and U.S. Army activities. From August 2015 to July 2018, he served as a political-military affairs officer at U.S. Army South, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. While there, he served as the Brazil desk officer for two years and a Central America desk officer for one year. 

From August 2018 to June 2020, he worked as an exchange officer at the Brazilian Army Command and Staff School in Rio de Janeiro as an instructor in the Doctrine Division. His previous assignment was operations officer in the Military Liaison Office of the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia. 

He is a graduate of Airborne School, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Aviation Officer Basic Course, the Aviation Captains Career Course, and the Command and General Staff Course. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (three), the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Aviator Badge, and the Basic Parachutist Badge.

LTC Isakson is married to Melissa Isakson, and they have five children: Madeline, Lucas, Jonas, Gunnar, and Quinton.