Jacob Graham

Hometown: State College, PA

PSU Connection: Employee

School: College of Information Sciences and Technology

Department: N/A

Position: Professor of Practice

Memorable moment in your Penn State career: Having my daughter Meghan in three of my classes; being part of Penn State Men’s Volleyball during our EIVA Championship; and being able to commission one of my former students as a United States Marine Corps Officer.

Active Duty or Veteran: Veteran

Branch: Marine Corps

Rank: Colonel

Rate/MOS: Pilot

Where/when did you serve: Various; 1980 – 2007

Awards: Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Metal, Defense Meritorious Service Metal, Joint Commendation Metal, Joint Service Achievement Metal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Metal, Global War on Terrorism Service Metal, Korean Defense Service Metal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Metal, National Defense Service Metal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Presidential Service Badge, Naval Aviator Insignia, Rifle Expert Badge, Pistol Expert Badge

What was your favorite military assignment/duty station and why? Presidential Helicopter Squadron. Having the opportunity to fly for two Presidents, and two Vice Presidents, plus numerous foreign dignitaries and Heads of State was an experience of a lifetime. Flying across the vast expanse of the United States and Europe in support of the President was a fantastic personal and family experience.

Jacob L. Graham, Marine Corps, Colonel (ret), is a Professor of Practice at The Pennsylvania State University College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) and Director of the Red Cell Analytics Lab (RCAL). He has extensive operational experience at all levels of warfare (tactical to strategic). Jake has operated across the globe as an attack helicopter commander, mission commander and Aviation Weapons and Tactics Instructor and has served in various other roles throughout his military career.  Of note, he served a 4-1/2 year White House flying tour piloting Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton. He retired from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy where he was the President of the Naval Discharge Review Board.  His passion is writing and facilitating Analytic Decision Games, teaching analytic methods, and mentoring students. Jake teaches Security and Risk Analysis with a concentration on Intelligence Analysis and Modeling. He is married to Dr. Kim Graham, a Penn State Graduate and retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. Together they have two children, Meghan, 25, a Penn State, and SRA graduate who lives in Washington, DC, and works as an Analyst. Brett, 22, is a University of Connecticut graduate and current grad-transfer football player at the University of Tennessee.