Military Science
LTC Eric Polk is a career Army Intelligence Officer. His seventeen years of Active-Duty service began with his commission through ROTC at the University of Southern California in 2006. Immediately following, he was assigned to a Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion, to support counternarcotic and hostage rescue activities in South America. Following this assignment, LTC Polk volunteered for a combat deployment to Iraq as a Combat Advisor. Upon return, he completed the MI Captain’s Career Course and the Counterintelligence Special Agent Course. LTC Polk volunteered for an Airborne assignment and served with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in multiple intelligence leadership positions.
LTC Polk then became a Strategic Intelligence Officer and attended the National Intelligence University for graduate school in Washington DC where he studied Russian leadership use of elements of national power to influence and invade former soviet states. Following the receipt of his masters, he headed to Europe and served in US Army Europe Headquarters in the G2. During this assignment he supported US and NATO operations and Eastern European partner nations to include a rotation to Ukraine to advise and support planning activities. Upon return to the United States LTC Polk served at the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington DC followed by several years as a key leader within a Special Operations unit as an operations officer and leading a Troop. While in the National Capital Region, he deployed to Iraq for a second time as a Task Force J2. His most recent assignment was at United States Central Command as a Joint Intelligence Planner & Executive Officer supporting contingency planning and crisis response operations.
LTC Polk is a graduate of the Army’s Airborne and Air Assault schools, Command and General Staff College- Officer Course, and the Joint Forces Staff College Joint and Combined Warfighting Course. He is also a Badge & Credentialed Counterintelligence Agent, USDI-I&S certified Joint Intelligence Planner, DOD Strategic Debriefer, and graduate of the US Army War College Defense Strategy Course. He holds dual undergraduate degrees in History and East Asian Studies from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree from the American Military University in Intelligence Studies, and a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence (MSSI) from National Intelligence University with a Eurasia Concentration. Some of his awards and decorations include the Combat Action Badge, Airborne and Air Assault badge, Bronze Star 1OLC, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and Joint Service Achievement Awards.