Colonel Stephen “Steve” Flanagan, a native of Massachusetts, earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He was commissioned as an Infantry officer through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in May 2001 and graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Following completion of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger School, and the Infantry Mortar Leader Course, Flanagan served as an airborne rifle platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. He was subsequently selected as a Ranger platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deploying in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2007, Flanagan commanded Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 0324 (Military Free Fall), leading the detachment through two combat deployments to Iraq and operational deployments to Israel and Mali. He later earned master’s degrees in psychology and public administration from Harvard University and served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at the United States Military Academy.
Flanagan subsequently commanded Company C, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), leading a six-month deployment to West Africa as Advanced Operations Base-Niger commander in support of Operation Juniper Shield, and later served as the battalion operations officer. From 2016 to 2019, he served at Special Operations Command South as Chief of the Caribbean and South America Regional Fusion Divisions within the J3 Operations Directorate, synchronizing joint, interagency, and multinational operations supporting counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and partner-nation security efforts throughout the region.
From 2019 to 2021, Flanagan commanded Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, United States Army Central, at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and Camp Arifjan, Kuwait He subsequently commanded 2nd Battalion, 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, leading two force package deployments in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Mongolia to strengthen partner-force capability and regional security cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific. In 2023, Flanagan was selected for an Army War College fellowship in International Security Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. From 2024 to 2026, Colonel Flanagan served as Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. In August 2026, he became Director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
Colonel Flanagan’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award), Army Commendation Medal (5th Award), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and Master Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge.
Colonel Flanagan is married to the former Carolina Pupo Van-Strahlen of Colombia. They have three children.
