Cheston Heldman

Cheston Heldman is a Ph.D. candidate at the RAND School of Public Policy and an Assistant Policy Researcher at RAND, specializing in strategic competition, global integration, simultaneity, and alliance dynamics with geographic focus on Trans-Atlantic (Arctic-Baltic and Eastern Mediterranean Littorals) and Indo-Pacific security regions.

His educational background includes:

• B.A. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania
• M.Sc. in International Politics from Trinity College Dublin
• Graduate work at the University of Oxford

Heldman's research spans Geopolitical Strategic Competition, NATO dynamics, Military Strategy, Joint Operations, U.S. Department of Defense frameworks, U.S.-European Relations, Major Combat Operations, Asymmetric Warfare, East Asia security, and Policy Gaming. His doctoral work develops an analytic framework for U.S.-led coalition formation during Indo-Pacific crises, bridging policymaking and military planning under uncertainty. Prior professional roles include Action Officer with Joint Staff J5 Operational War Plans (focusing on USEUCOM & USINDOPACOM integration) and Tabletop Exercise developer for OUSD(P), Joint Staff J7, and U.S. Interagency initiatives.

As an Assistant Policy Researcher, Heldman contributes to RAND's policy analysis ecosystem through structured research on alliance cohesion and crisis response mechanisms.