Melissa Horvath is a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Instructor and Curriculum Developer supporting DoD's Security Cooperation (SC) education and training efforts. She has over 25 years of defense planning, logistics, training, and SC experience. Melissa possesses exceptional Middle East expertise, including multiple deployments, multinational exercises, and partner engagements in the region.
Her interest in security cooperation between the U.S. and Middle East partners began in 2006, while serving as part of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq. Later, as an Assistant Professor and Deputy Director at the Defense Institute of Security Cooperation Studies (now Defense Security Cooperation University), she developed and delivered an SC curriculum to professionalize the U.S. workforce and enhance partner capabilities. Before retiring from active duty, Melissa served as a Strategic Logistics Planner and J4 Iran Branch Chief with U.S. Central Command, leading J4’s efforts for the Iran Problem Set and routinely engaging with partner nations through bilateral and multilateral conferences, wargaming, and exercises in support of crises and contingencies.
Education
B.S., Military History, United States Air Force Academy
M.P.A., Troy University
Countries/regions of expertise
Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran
Issues of expertise
Security Cooperation (SC), Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Building Partner Capacity (BPC) programs, International Logistics, Contingency Planning
Contact Information
Please contact media@mei.edu or call 202-785-1141 ext. 241 for assistance contacting this expert.
