CPT Travis Salley

Instructor

History

travis.salley [at] westpoint.edu

CPT Travis Salley grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2010, he enlisted in the Nevada National Guard as a 12B, Combat Engineer. In 2013, he commissioned into the US Army Reserves as a Signal Officer through ROTC. His reserve assignments included Battalion S6 at the 382nd Military Police Battalion and Aide-de-Camp at the 81st Regional Support Command. In 2017, CPT Salley transitioned to active duty. He served as a Platoon Leader at the 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion and deployed with ARNORTH to Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria Response Operations. He later served as Battalion S6 with 3rd Infantry Division’s 9-month tour in Korea. He later commanded Company A and HHC, 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion at Fort Huachuca. CPT Salley’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Nevada-Reno, a Master of Music, Music History degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is currently ABD (All but Dissertation) for his PhD in War and Society. CPT Salley is married to his wife of seven years, Rachel, and have three children: Jack (6), Mason (4), and Wesley (1.5).

M.A. in History - University of Southern Mississippi

M.Mus. in Music History - University of Massachusetts-Amherst

B.A. in Music - University of Nevada-Reno

Research Interests

U.S. Army history, War and Society

Current Research

Marching Cadences

Selected Publications

“Drafting Dissent: Queer Subversion of the GI Underground Press” in War and Society, to be published August 2025.

“Marching Cadences [jody calls]” in Grove Music, Oxford University Press, September 2024.

Reviewed Fighting Napoleon at Home: The Real Story of a Nation at War With Itself. Journal of Military History by Paul L. Dawson. Casemate Publishers. Appeared in Journal of Military History, April 2024.

Reviewed Service Above Self: Women Veterans in American Politics by Erika Cornelius Smith. University of Kansas Press. Appeared in Journal of Military History, July 2023.