Lieutenant Colonel James Koeppen joins the Saltzman Institute as the inaugural United States Army War College Fellow. Prior to his arrival at Columbia, LTC Koeppen served as the Commander, 2d Engineer Battalion, 3rd BCT, 1st Armored Division.

His previous assignments include: Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in the 23rd Engineer Company, Fort Richardson Alaska; Commander Bravo Company, 70th Engineer Battalion; Observer / Controller at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; Plans Officer and later Battalion S3 of the 365th Engineer Battalion (AC/RC), Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania; Staff Officer ARCENT/CFLCC, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Brigade Engineer, 1st Sustainment Brigade, Fort Riley, Kansas and Baghdad, Iraq; Battalion Executive Officer, 168th Brigade Support Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Battalion S3, 1st Engineer Battalion, Fort Riley, Kansas and Tikrit, Iraq. Military Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Allied Joint Force Command (NATO) Naples, Italy

LTC Koeppen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Fairmont State University, Fairmont, West Virginia and a Masters Degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the US Air Force Air Command and Staff College. He is also a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

LTC Koeppen’s military awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary and Service medals, NATO Medal for Libya, and the Air Assault Badge.