John Spencer is an award-winning scholar, combat veteran, and internationally recognized expert on urban warfare, military strategy, and tactics. Renowned as one of the world’s leading authorities on urban warfare, Spencer has served as an advisor to top U.S. Army leaders, from four-star generals to senior Pentagon officials. Today, he is Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and the Madison Policy Forum, a New York-based think tank, the Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project, and the host of its podcast.

Spencer’s unmatched expertise enables him to break down the complexities of modern conflicts, offering nuanced perspectives on the war in Ukraine and the potential dynamics of warfare involving China or Russia. Drawing from firsthand research and decades of military strategy, he equips audiences with the insights needed to understand the geopolitical implications of these conflicts. His ability to connect military realities with broader strategic trends ensures his presentations resonate with leaders navigating global uncertainty.

With over a decade of research on military operations in dense urban environments, Spencer has conducted groundbreaking fieldwork on conflicts in regions like Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza. He conveys his insights in his three books: Understanding Urban Warfare (2022), Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War (2022), which earned the 2023 Gold Medal Award for Best Military History Memoir by the Military Writers Society of America, and The Mini-Manual for the Urban Defender (2022), which he authored to help Ukrainian citizens defend their cities.

Spencer’s prolific writing includes over 140 contributions to outlets such as Time Magazine, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Foreign Policy Magazine. A sought-after military analyst, he frequently appears on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, BBC, and other major networks.

A retired U.S. Army Major with over 25 years of service, Spencer held roles ranging from Infantry Platoon Leader to Company Commander, including assignments in elite units like the 75th Ranger Regiment and 173rd Airborne Brigade. He completed two combat deployments to Iraq and served as a Ranger Instructor, Strategic Planner, and Deputy Director of the Modern War Institute at West Point. His excellence in teaching earned him the prestigious West Point Apgar Award.

Spencer is a Colonel in the California State Guard, assigned to the 40th Infantry Division of the California Army National Guard, where he directs urban warfare training. He co-founded and instructs the world’s only course tailored for commanders and staff planning large-scale urban operations. Additionally, he is a founding member of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare.