CPT Nathan Thomas ‘17, Infantry

Nathan, an Army captain transitioning out of service, was a CHGS stalwart during his time as a cadet. He has been awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship to better assist those impacted by conflict and displacement. His research and experiences at CHGS, time in the Middle East, and his professional and volunteer work with those impacted by war and displacement, left him with a strong passion for helping these individuals. He will be one of ten fellows at the International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan selected for their dedication to conflict prevention and resolution and capacity to become catalysts for peace.

Nathan believes his time at CHGS, which included traveling to Auschwitz-Birkenau, visiting the killing fields of Cambodia, and volunteering with refugees in Jordan, to have been crucial to his development as an officer, his understanding of conflict, and preparing him for a role assisting those affected by war. As a History and Arabic major, he researched the Armenian diaspora following the mass killings and forced migrations of 1915 on which he presented at the Joint Service Academies Mass Atrocity Prevention Symposium and for which he was awarded a Fulbright grant in Jordan to continue this research. After commissioning from West Point, Nathan completed Ranger School, served as a platoon leader, and led a team of multinational liaison officers which culminated in his position as the assistant to the commander of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany.

Nathan spent over four years of his time in the military overseas, where he helped build relationships with international partners and gained a deep appreciation of the importance of understanding different cultures and finding common ground as the chief multinational liaison officer for JMRC’s opposition forces. His proficiency in Arabic, French, and German not only enabled him to communicate with and understand partners from across Europe and the Middle East, but also to effectively volunteer during his free time where he assisted refugees from North Africa and the Middle East by teaching English, helping to organize cultural events, and helping them to build a new community and home. His volunteer work in while in Germany has been remarkable.

Nathan will study in the department of Public Policy with a focus on Peace Studies under renowned experts in international law and global institutions. His experiences in the military and as a volunteer have given him knowledge in the fields of conflict and displacement which he plans to use to help those displaced to integrate and to find stability and security. He is a passionate advocate of those who have been affected by conflict and knows that he has found his life’s calling in this work. He is an example of how the CHGS can support and build on the passions of the incredible cadets who attend West Point.