David Kieran

David Kieran serves as Associate Professor and Colonel Richard R. Hallock Distinguished Chair in Military History within Columbus State University's Department of History, Geography, and Philosophy. A specialist in war and society within contemporary U.S. culture, his work centers on the Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, and U.S. Army organizational culture.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. from George Washington University and a B.A. from Connecticut College.

Dr. Kieran's research synthesizes war memory, military mental health, and public history practices. His scholarship examines how Vietnam-era memorialization shaped perceptions of subsequent conflicts, with particular focus on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and suicide in 21st-century military contexts. Current projects analyze post-Vietnam Army transformation and Vietnam draft-resistance amnesty debates.

He holds the prestigious Colonel Richard R. Hallock Distinguished Chair in Military History, recognizing exceptional contributions to military history scholarship.

In teaching, Dr. Kieran develops community-engaged courses including Introduction to U.S. Military History, Vietnam War, Global Cold War, and War & Memory. His public history approach partners with community organizations to create digital and physical exhibitions extending student research beyond campus.