Faculty and Staff
FACULTY
James Craig
Associate Teaching Professor and Department Chair
574b Clark Hall
314-516-6370
craigjr@umsl.edu
Education:
Master of Military Arts and Sciences, US Army Command and General Staff College 2006
Master of Public Administration, Harvard University 2003
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, United States Military Academy 2003
Research Interests:
-The history and evolution of veteran support programs in America
-Military culture and professionalism
-The concept of trust in the practice of leadership
-The role of literature in the veteran healing process
Biography:
Professor Craig served for over 24 years as a soldier, as a cadet, and as an officer in the U.S. Army. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after spending the past 3 years as the commander for all officer education and commissioning programs in the St. Louis area.
He is a combat-infantryman whose operational assignments include command and staff positions in Light, Airborne and Stryker Infantry units. In combat, he served as the operations officer for the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division during its 15-month surge deployment to Baghdad, Saladin and Anbar Provinces of Iraq. His non-operational assignments include positions as an deputy chief of infantry officer assignments at Army Human Resources Command, as a strategist on the Department of the Army staff in the Pentagon and as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
He has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Military Arts and Sciences (MMAS) focused in History from the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and a Master in Public Administration (MPA) in Security Policy from Harvard University.
While in service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and he is a 6-time recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal. He is a Senior Parachutist, a Jumpmaster, and a Ranger.
Aaron Dyke
Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force
Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Studies
Commander of Detachment 207 (Air Force ROTC)
(314) 977-8227 (Main office is at St. Louis University)
afrotc@slu.edu
Lt. Col. Aaron B. Dyke is the Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 207. He is responsible for recruiting, training, and educating officer candidates from 9 universities in 2 states centered at St. Louis University, and manages over $2M of scholarship, subsistence, and recruiting funds.
Lt. Col. Dyke received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Colorado in May, 1993. As a career space and missile operator, he was certified mission ready in the Minuteman III ICBM and Ultrahigh Frequency Follow-On satellite systems, as an Air Force Launch Director for the Minotaur I and IV rockets, and was an operational tester for the Delta IV rocket. He has served as an instructor, an evaluator, flight commander, operations officer, and on the MAJCOM and Numbered Air Force staff. Prior to arriving at Detachment 207, Lt Col Dyke was the Chief of Current Operations for the 14th Air Force Commander, responsible for the deployment, employment, modernization, and sustainment of 18 space and ground systems providing space superiority, strategic missile warning, satellite network operations, and assured access to space.
David Waters,Lieutenant Colonel, US Army
Adjunct Professor of Military Science
Commander of the Gateway Army ROTC Battalion
(314) 935-5537 (main office is at Washington University)
rotc@wustl.edu
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Dave Waters was born and raised in Tinley Park, Illinois. Upon graduation from The University of Illinois, he received a Regular Army Commission as an Infantry Officer. Significant career assignments include leadership positions in mechanized, ranger, air assault, and pathfinder units. Additionally, he served as an assistant professor at the United States Military Academy, West Point. He and his family recently moved to Missouri from Colorado where LTC Waters served as the Deputy Brigade Commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team. He has a B.A. from The University of Illinois, a M.P.A from Harvard University, and a Master of Military Art and Science from the School of Advanced Military Studies at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. He served two combat tours in Iraq and one combat tour in Afghanistan. LTC Waters is currently the Chair of the Military Science Department at Washington University and an Adjunct Professor of Military Science at UMSL.
STAFF
Ryan Barrett, PhD Candidate in Political Science
Interim Director of the UMSL Student Veterans Center
211 Clark Hall
314-516-5705
VeteransOffice@umsl.edu
Ryan Barrett was born and raised in Saint Louis, leaving for the Washington DC metro area after graduating high school. He first attended George Mason University in Fairfax, VA then transferred to American University’s School of International Service, earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. During his undergraduate studies Ryan served as a cadet in Air Force ROTC and as an intern at the Department of State. Immediately after graduating he earned his commission and entered active duty. His five years of military service included an assignment to Joint Base Andrews, MD and one deployment to Iraq and another to Afghanistan. Furthermore, he completed his Master of Arts in International Relations from Webster University while on active duty. He is currently a full-time graduate student in the Department of Political Science and the Interim Director of the Veterans Center.
Scott Tamme, CPT, US Army Reserves
UMSL Officer in Charge of Gateway Battalion Army ROTC and Army ROTC Advisor
212 Clark Hall
314 516 7861
tames@umsl.edu
Scott Tamme is a native of St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Missouri State University in 2002 with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Information Systems. Scott Currently serves with the Defense Information Systems Agency Continental US (DISA CONUS) at Scott Air Force Base, Il as a Net Operations Officer and Army Reserve Section Commander.
Scott enlisted in Active Duty Army in 2003 as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Maintainer and was stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas with the 4th Battalion 5th Air Defense Artillery, 1st Calvary Division between 2003 and 2006. While serving with the 1st Calvary Division, he deployed to Iraq in 2004 in support of an Airport Defense Mission with the 4/5 ADA.
Scott joined the Army Reserves in 2006 and was stationed in St. Louis with the 354th MP Company. He commissioned in 2007 through the Army Reserves Direct Commissioning Program as a Military Police Officer. He deployed to Iraq from December 2009 to September 2010 as a Platoon Leader in support of a Police Transition Team Mission with the 354th MP Company.
Scott served as a Company Commander with the 2nd Battalion 334th Infantry Regiment (Initial Entry Training) out of Granite City, Illinois. He is currently a Signal Officer and was promoted to Captain in July 2011.
Mr. Tamme joined the Gateway Battalion in August 2012 as Contracted Military Science Instructor. He instructs the Military Science I Course at UMSL and is also the Army ROTC Outreach Coordinator for UMSL and Webster University.
Scott’s Military Education includes Bradley Fighting Vehicle Maintainer One Station Unit Training, Basic Officer Leadership Course II, MP Basic Officer Leadership Course, Unit Movement Officer Course, Police Transition Team Trainer Course, and Signal Captains Career Course. His awards include Army Commendation Medal (w/ two Oak Leaf Clusters), Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal(w/ three Campaign Stars), Global War on Terror Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and a Combat Action Badge.
In June 2008 He married his wife Shannon in Lake Tahoe California. They are currently expecting a baby boy this fall.