Ryan J. Bulger is a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense program of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Bulger is also the director of growth for future land systems at Saab, Inc., where he leads business development across the company’s US ground systems portfolio, with a focus on counter-unmanned aerial systems and maneuver short-range air defense.
Bulger most recently served as chief of staff and director of operations and planning at United States Central Command, where he was principal advisor to a four-star combatant commander on strategic, operational, and policy matters spanning a twenty-one-nation theater. In that capacity, he prepared the commander for engagements with the president, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, members of Congress, and foreign heads of state; authored congressional posture statements; and led development of the command’s unfunded priority list, identifying more than $200 million in critical operational requirements for congressional consideration. His earlier assignments include division-level operations leadership at the 7th Infantry Division, squadron command with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, and senior planning roles supporting multinational campaign development at US Central Command.
He previously held a fellowship in national security policy research at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, where he authored research on Indo-Pacific security cooperation and US Middle East strategy. Bulger holds a master’s degree in strategy and planning from the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies, a master’s degree in adult and continuing education from Kansas State University, and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Louisiana State University. He holds an active TS/SCI clearance.