Russell Rumbaugh is a recognized expert on the institutions, processes, and budgets of US national security. He has both participated in US national security resourcing and studied it. He served as the Department of the Navy’s Chief Financial Officer, responsible for converting strategy into budgets for the US Navy and US Marine Corps. He previously served twice in OSD/CAPE, which runs the entire Defense Department’s resourcing process. Finally, he has served as professional staff in the Senate and personal staff in the House giving him an end-to-end view of how US national security is resourced. 

Besides these practical experiences, he has also studied these processes. He’s currently an adjunct research staff member in the Strategy, Forces, and Resources Division of IDA, his fourth think tank after also serving at the Aerospace Corporation, the Congressional Research Service, and the Stimson Center. He has taught graduate level courses at Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program, George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, and the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. He has published widely, including in the Journal of Strategic Studies, Foreign Affairs, Joint Force Quarterly and the New York Times.