About
AT A GLANCE:
Deputy Director of the Army G-3/5/7 Special Operations Division (G3 SOD) in support
of U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).
RESEARCH AREAS:
- Leadership in Special Operations
- Population-Centric Warfare
- Ethical Decision Making
- Leader Development
BIOGRAPHY:
Dr. Joseph Long is a retired Green Beret officer, leadership scholar, author, and
public speaker with over two decades of Special Operations, government, and academic
leadership experience. Dr. Long sits on the Board of Directors for the Leader Transition
Institute (LTI), serves as the Director of the Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI)
SOF Program, and is an Advisory Board Member for the Special Operations Association
of America (SOAA). He is a former Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Joint
Special Operations University (JSOU), a leadership coach with The Honor Foundation
(THF), and a 2025 IWI Non-Resident Fellow.
Dr. Long鈥檚 academic and professional focus centers on preparing SOF leaders for population-centric and Irregular Warfare, with particular emphasis on partner-force development, ethical decision-making in complex SOF environments, and promoting relational and cross-cultural leadership styles. His current research focuses on developing a model for leading indigenous partner forces and populations in highly complex combat environments.
During his military career, Dr. Long commanded a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha (SFODA) in the 1st Special Forces Group, developed doctrine for the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC), and served as Director of Personnel Policy for the Special Forces Regiment. His awards include the Special Forces Tab, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal with 鈥淰鈥 Device.
Dr. Long is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds a master鈥檚 degree from the Naval Postgraduate School and a doctorate degree from the University of Charleston, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on leading guerrilla forces in combat, emphasizing relational and cross-cultural leadership styles. He lives with his family in Old Town, Alexandria, and is an avid cyclist, swimmer, and traveler.
PUBLICATIONS:
Irregular Warfare Initiative-SOF Program, (2026).
Irregular Warfare Initiative-SOF Program, (2026).
Irregular Warfare Initiative-SOF Program, (2026).
Journal of Strategic Competition, (2026).
Journal of Strategic Competition, (2026).
Irregular Warfare Initiative, (2026).
Global and National Security Institute, (2026).
Inter Populum: The Journal of Irregular Warfare and Special Operations, (2024).
JSOU Press, (2024).
Irregular Warfare Initiative, (2023).
Special Warfare Magazine, (2022).
Small Wars Journal, (2019).
. Journal of Values-Based Leadership, (2017).
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