FMSO Graduate Research Assistantship

The Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) at Fort Leavenworth researches threat and security issues within the operational environment using unclassified materials that reflect a foreign perspective.

FMSO has a long history of producing research related to Eurasian security (Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus). Among the users of FMSO's research products are U.S. and foreign universities and organizations, the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), and the Combatant Commands.

The FMSO-CREES Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) is a cooperative project of FMSO and the KU Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (CREES). KU students, most especially REES-area students, in either Humanities or Social Sciences who are interested in gaining a better understanding of how the U.S. military analyzes the Eurasian security environment are encouraged to apply.

To be eligible for a FMSO-CREES GRA, KU students must be in academic good standing and making satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree. They must also possess advanced foreign language skills in their target area of research.

Program Description

In meeting and collaborating with analysts at FMSO (once per month; likely at KU), GRAs will be able to expand and deepen their research base and develop analysis for publication. Besides having the opportunity to work with experienced Eurasian analysts on their research topic, students will attend special guest lectures and have the possibility of their finished research product published by FMSO. The GRA is a great opportunity to learn more about Eurasian security and military operational environment analysis and discover how open-source foreign language materials are used in developing informative research products.

Specific duties:

• Commit to 20 hours per week of research time.
• Complete brief biweekly written reports to Mr. Ray Finch (FMSO) with a copy to the director of CREES.
• Conduct English and target-language research on multiple subjects in Russia and the region, to include social and cultural issues, current events, military capabilities, economic, and other issues as they relate to security and defense topics.
• Assist in maintaining a blog dedicated to unclassified research on Eurasian security issues.
• Complete two publishablebook reviews (no less than 500 words) on a topic related to the stated research question.
• Make a 20-25-minute presentation (either at CREES brownbag or special lecture) to describe the results of their research effort
• Complete an essay (1000-2500 words) describing how the GRA furthered professional and research goals.

Application Process

A full application includes the following:

• An up-to-date curriculum vitae.
• Written evidence of advanced-level skill in reading one of the REES area languages (for example, the results of a test or a letter from a professor who will attest to the student's advanced-level reading skills).
• A 500-word description of a relevant research question (developed perhaps for the REES MA capstone seminar or other seminar), making clear its relevance to security issues, broadly understood.
• Graduate transcripts (an unofficial copy is allowable).
• A 500-word statement expressing the relevance of this experience to the student's academic and professional goals.

Send application materials to CREES (crees@ku.edu). Please state your last name and use "FMSO Application" in the subject heading. For example: "Smith FMSO Application."

For more information on the internship and FMSO, please contact Prof. Mariya Omelicheva, Prof. Renee Perelmutter (rperel@ku.edu), or Mr. Ray Finch (rayfin3@ku.edu) 785-843-7806.