LTC R. Boone Gilbreath, Ph.D

LTC R. Boone Gilbreath hails from Greenwood, Arkansas. He was commissioned as an ordnance officer through the Army ROTC program upon graduating from Arkansas Tech University in 2008.

Most recently, LTC Gilbreath served as the chief of nuclear effects modeling and simulation in the Plans and Policy Directorate (J5) at United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. His other field-grade assignments include duty as guest scientist in the Radiation Transport Applications Group (XCP-7) at Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, and a previous tour as assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (PANE) at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point from 2017 to 2020.

As a company-grade officer, LTC Gilbreath served in a variety of operational assignments, including company commander, maintenance control officer, executive officer and maintenance platoon leader in 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and assistant director of training at the United States Army Transportation School. He deployed from 2010 to 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as maintenance control officer (later executive officer) with Forward Support Troop D, 7th Squadron, 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, to Camp Stone, Herat Province, Afghanistan.

LTC Gilbreath's military education includes the Basic Officer Leader Course (Phase II), the Ordnance Basic Officer Leader Course (Phase III), the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, the Command and General Staff Officer Course and the Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Officer Qualification Course. He also holds qualifications as a nuclear target effects analyst and CWMD adviser. His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster) and Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster). He is a member of the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe, the Order of the (Silver) Spur and Order of the Combat (Gold) Spur.

Gilbreath holds a doctorate and a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and an associate degree in nuclear technology from Arkansas Tech University. His research interests include system-of-systems vulnerability analyses in nuclear weapon environments, computational methods for nuclear weapon effects modeling and simulations, nuclear science and engineering education, nuclear weapons history and post-detonation nuclear forensics. He is a member of the Alpha Nu Sigma (ANΣ) National Honor Society, the Phi Eta Sigma (ΦHΣ) National Honor Society and the Order of the Engineer.

LTC Gilbreath is married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica (née Carter). They have two sons, Thomas and Samuel.