Russell Badowski

Colonel Russell Badowski serves as an Assistant Professor at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC. A command pilot with over 2,300 flight hours in advanced aircraft like the F-22 and F-15C/D, he brings extensive operational and staff experience from deployments in INDOPACOM and CENTCOM, including squadron command and strategic planning roles at Headquarters Air Force and Pacific Air Forces.

• Education:
  • B.A. in Economics, University of Chicago
  • MBA, Duke University
  • Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College (2015)
  • Distinguished graduate, Eisenhower School (2024)

His research focuses on national security strategy, resource allocation, and strategic competition, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. He has contributed to Air Force planning, programming, and budgeting processes, with expertise in operational planning against peer adversaries like the People’s Republic of China.

Colonel Badowski’s career bridges military aviation, strategic leadership, and academic instruction, emphasizing the integration of economics, business principles, and defense policy.