Faculty Bios

 

CDR Chris Oden 

Military Faculty

CDR Oden is from Polson, Montana and currently serves as Seminar Four Team Lead, at the Joint Forces Staff College, Joint and Combined Warfighting School in Norfolk, Virginia. JCWS produces graduates capable of creatively and effectively planning operational level warfighting for joint and combined military forces while integrating the effects of the United States Government, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations to ensure the success of Combatant and Joint Task Force Commanders operating within an uncertain operating environment. He has over 29 years of military experience serving in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and the US Navy. Prior to JCWS, CDR Oden served as chief staff officer for the USS BATAAN Amphibious Ready Group; officer in charge and aviation planner for Tactical Air Control Squadron 22; experimentation planner and project lead at the Joint Forces Command Experimentation Directorate (J9); lead planner and airborne mine countermeasures expert for Mine Countermeasures Squadron Three during Operation Iraqi Freedom; instructor pilot at the Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapons Systems Training School; and maintenance department head/division officer for Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fifteen. He amassed over 1400 flight hours in the MH-53E Sea Dragon as an Aircraft Commander and Mission Commander. He has critical skills in interagency, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, project management, training development and liaison activities, operational/tactical level planning/execution, and budget administration. He is a Joint Qualified Officer with an extensive background in joint matters and acquisition processes. He received his commission through the University of Oklahoma’s Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) in 1992, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. CDR Oden has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Shining Hope, Unified Assistance, Hurricane Katrina/Rita and Continuing Promise.




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