Program Director, Leadership Development Education for Sustained Peace Program

Colonel (Ret) Bob Tomasovic is the Program Director of the Leadership Development and Educational Program (LDESP) and a Senior Lecturer at the Center for Civil-Military Relations, Naval Postgraduate School. He conceptualized and developed the LDESP program following his yearlong tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000 after determining that, while training provided to soldiers deploying for full spectrum operations was excellent, it did not address the need for senior leaders and officers to develop the cultural and regional skill sets now identified as critical for enabling host nations to build institutional capacity and establish a self-sustaining peace. Since 2001, COL (R) Tomasovic has conducted programs for US Brigade, Division, and Corps units deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Africa and other regions and educated over 76,000 leaders to gain an understanding of the historical, socio-political and cultural environment of the country/region that they are deploying to. He has conducted seminars in Southeast Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa for civilian and military audiences developing capacity in emerging State Ministries of Defense and General Staffs and multinational partners for strategic General Officer development and participation in Peace Support Operations. Prior to joining the faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School, he served as a Colonel from the US Army for over 31 years. During his military service, Colonel Tomasovic served as Chief, Office of the Inspector General, Armed Forces of the Entities of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Deputy Brigade Commander of the 41st Separate Infantry Brigade, deployed to JTF Bravo, served as a member of the Army Training and Leader Development Blue Ribbon and the FORSCOM Process Action Team developing the US Integrated Divisions, numerous Bi-Lateral exercises in South East Asia and Central America, Command and staff positions at Brigade, Battalion, Company, and Platoon. Mr. Tomasovic is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American from the State of Oregon.