Col Travis Ruhl is a military instructor and lead faculty for the Electromagnetic Warfare Industry Study at The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. Prior to his time at Eisenhower, he served as Director, Office of Program Management Activities, Joint Force Development Directorate (J7) on the Joint Staff, Washington D.C. Col Ruhl’s team was responsible for program and training policy management for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the $700M+ Joint Training Exercise and Evaluation program and the Department of Defense training enterprise in support of joint readiness.
Prior to the Joint Staff, Colonel Ruhl commanded the 353d Combat Training Squadron responsible for planning and executing the Pacific Air Force’s premier multi-national large force combat training exercises, RED FLAG-Alaska and NORTHERN EDGE. Additionally, he led the development, operations and maintenance of the Department of Defense’s largest overland, instrumented aerial training range, the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC). As an F-16 command pilot, Col Ruhl served in a variety of operational assignments in both Europe and the Pacific. During contingency operations, he flew combat sorties in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and later, served in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the Executive Officer to the Director, Air Component Coordination Element – Afghanistan.
Col Ruhl graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Engineering and received his commission as an Air Force ROTC Distinguished Graduate. He’s earned Master of Science degrees from the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and Air Force Command and Staff College. Most recently, he graduated from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy as a Distinguished Graduate with a concentration in Long Term Strategy.
Col Ruhl hails from Spokane, Washington and is supported by his wife, Theresa and their four children, Luke, Louis, Abigail, and Noble.