Community of Practice
Honorary Members
Ben Zweibelson
Ben Zweibelson is the Director for the U.S. Space Command’s (USSPACECOM) Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG) located at Colorado Springs, Colorado as of February 2022.
Previously, Ben was the lead design educator/facilitator for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) through the Joint Special Operations University as a full-time contractor from January 2015 through February 2022 (7 years). During that period, Ben provided design education and real-world facilitation across USSOCOM, the Department of Defense and the U.S. Government, academia and industry as well as internationally and at numerous war colleges and military programs/units.
A retired U.S. Army Infantry officer and veteran of multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben has an undergraduate degree (BA in Fine Arts) in Graphic Design from the University of Connecticut, three different master’s degrees (Louisiana State University, Air Command and Staff College, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies) and a doctorate in Philosophy from Lancaster University (UK).
While in the Army, he earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Ranger Tab. He was awarded four Bronze Star Medals during combat deployments in addition to numerous other awards and citations.
The Ignorant Counterinsurgent Rethinking the Traditional Teacher-Student Relationship in Conflicts
Introduction: Over the past thirteen years, no greater debate has raged among military circles than…
The Times they Are Changing, Are We?
Abstract: These three military authors offer a unique perspective into design thinking and military sense-making. They…
Preferring Copies with No Originals: Does the Army Training Strategy Train to Fail?
Author: Ben Zweibelson Download PDF
Three Design Concepts Introduced for Strategic and Operational Applications
Author: Ben Zweibelson Introduction Excerpt: Many discussions on design theory applications within military contexts often revolve around…
Frame Reflection: A Critical Review of US Military Approaches to Complex Situations
Authors: Ben Zweibelson, Grant Martin, & Christopher Paparone Download PDF
Does Design Help or Hurt Military Planning: How NTM-A Designed a Plausible Afghan Security Force in an Uncertain Future, Part I
Author: Ben Zweibelson Author’s Note: Many military professionals and academics ask for tangible examples in a…