Prof. John Melkon

Mr. John Melkon is an assistant professor at the United States Military Academy and has led the Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations (CSCMO) at West Point since 2012. In this role, he facilitates the coordination, planning, and execution of the Center’s strategic vision and mission to educate faculty, cadets, and the broader community of practice. He also teaches seminars on Sub-Saharan African geography and the geography of the Middle East and North Africa.

He is an extraordinary professor of practice at North-West University in South Africa. He co-authored a chapter in the textbook Effective Civil-Military Interaction in Peace Operations and has appeared on panels at Princeton University, U.S. Africa Command, the United States Institute of Peace, and the U.S. Naval War College. He serves on the board for the Alumni and Friends of Princeton ROTC.

Prior to joining CSCMO, Mr. Melkon served as a senior operations advisor to U.S. Army Africa in Vicenza, Italy, from 2009 to 2012, where he provided strategic liaison to interagency and multinational partners and advised the command on critical operational planning. During that time, he supported Operation Odyssey Dawn. He previously served as a strategic operations officer for the Department of Defense from 2006 to 2009 with service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Before returning to public service, Mr. Melkon worked as an international banking associate for Credit Suisse First Boston in Frankfurt, Germany. Earlier, he served more than 13 years as an Army Special Forces officer with operational experience on five continents and in dozens of countries. Over a national security career spanning more than 25 years, he gained extensive operational and combat experience in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia. His expertise includes civil-military operations, unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and foreign internal defense.

Since 9/11, Mr. Melkon has completed multiple combat tours in Afghanistan in both uniformed and civilian roles. He planned and executed combat operations with Joint Special Operations Task Forces and other Special Operations Forces against elements of al-Qaida, the Taliban, and other terrorist organizations. His awards include the French Medal for National Defense, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism, and the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award from a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He is Special Forces, Ranger, and Airborne qualified.

Mr. Melkon is a graduate of the National Senior Intelligence Course and an FBI-certified crisis negotiator. He received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Princeton University, where he played football, lacrosse, and rugby. He is currently a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He holds a Master of Arts in European politics and history and a Certificate of Professional Achievement in risk management from Columbia University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the Lowry Mays School of Business and a Master of Public International Affairs with honors from the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He is a Harvard Kennedy School senior executive in national and international security.

Mr. Melkon has lived or deployed overseas for nearly 14 years and maintains proficiency in several languages, including French, Korean, and German.