LTC Benjamin Gillespie
Professor of Military Science
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin J. Gillespie serves as the Professor of Military Science overseeing Army ROTC programs supporting Weber State University, Utah State University, and Idaho State University. He leads battalion-level operations responsible for the training, mentorship, and development of cadets preparing to commission as officers in the US Army. With more than 20 years of military leadership experience, LTC Gillespie has served in a variety of operational and strategic roles focused on leadership development, strategic coordination, and organizational effectiveness. In this role, he works closely with ROTC cadre and university leadership across partner institutions to strengthen leadership education, support cadet success, and develop the next generation of Army officers. LTC Gillespie holds a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from The Ohio State University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration at the University of Louisville, with a focus on governance, leadership, and institutional effectiveness.
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin J. Gillespie serves as the Professor of Military Science (PMS) for the Army ROTC program supporting Weber State University, Utah State University, and Idaho State University. In this role, he provides senior leadership and oversight for battalion-level operations responsible for developing and commissioning future Army officers while fostering leadership development among university students.
As PMS, LTC Gillespie oversees the planning and execution of training, mentorship, and professional development for cadets across the partnered universities. He works closely with ROTC cadre and university leadership to ensure the program supports both the Army’s leadership development mission and the academic goals of the institutions it serves. At Idaho State University, he collaborates with the Army ROTC cadre and campus leadership to strengthen the program’s integration with the university community and expand opportunities for students interested in leadership and public service.
LTC Gillespie brings more than two decades of leadership experience in complex operational and organizational environments. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Military-to-Military Engagements Chief for Eighth U.S. Army in the Republic of Korea, where he coordinated strategic engagement initiatives with allied partners and supported multinational leadership development and professional education programs.
Earlier assignments include service at the Pentagon on the Joint Staff as Program Manager and Executive Assistant (J-39), where he supported senior leaders through program management, policy development, and strategic coordination. He also served as Information Operations Chief with U.S. Special Operations Command Korea, directing teams responsible for planning strategic communication initiatives and collaborating with interagency and international partners.
Additional leadership assignments include positions with the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), and the 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), where he led training, professional development, and operational planning efforts.
LTC Gillespie holds a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from The Ohio State University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration at the University of Louisville, focusing on higher education governance, leadership, and institutional effectiveness.
Through his work in Army ROTC and higher education, LTC Gillespie is committed to developing principled leaders prepared to serve their communities, their nation, and the organizations they will lead.