Cadre and Staff

LTC Frank Sperl

Chair and Professor of Military Science

Contact

fsperl@iastate.edu

515-294-0310

0132 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Lieutenant Colonel Frank Sperl enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard in December 1996 and later commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps following graduation from the United States Military Academy in 2002. LTC Sperl has served in Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Company Commander, and various staff and instructor assignments across the United States, Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, and Iraq. He now serves as the Professor of Military Science at Iowa State University.

LTC Sperl has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III and 07-09 as well as Operation Inherent Resolve. He holds a BS in Economics from the United States Military Academy as well as a MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

He is happily married to Sarah Elizabeth Latham Sperl and refers to himself as “dad” when talking to his four-year-old puppy.

Major Stephen Yaffe

Executive Officer and Military Science Instructor

Contact

syaffe@iastate.edu

515-294-4213

0132 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 4

MAJ Jeremy White

Operations Officer and Assistant Professor of Military Science

Contact

jeremydw@iastate.edu

515-294-0313

0124 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Major White is an Army Infantry Officer and joins us following an assignment as the Operations Officer for the 1-168th Infantry Battalion for the Iowa Army National Guard. He holds a BS in Microbiology from Iowa State University. He has deployed to Kuwait, Afghanistan and Qutar in support of the Global War On Terrorism Campaigns.

Contact for questions about:

• ROTC Alumni Engagement
• Athletics and ROTC
• Training and Operations

CPT Mason Lockey

Assistant Professor of Military Science

Contact

mrlock@iastate.edu

515-294-9028

0106 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Captain Lockey is a Military Intelligence officer who most recently served as the Alpha Company Commander for the 717th Military Intelligence Battalion, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. He served as an enlisted Soldier for 12 years before commissioning through the Army’s Green to Gold program. CPT Lockey holds a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership from Black Hills State University. He has deployed on three occasions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. CPT Lockey has been married to his beautiful wife Vanessa for 20 years and together they have three daughters: Brenna (17), Alexia (15), and Macie (12).

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 2
• Drake University
• Grand View University

SGT Joseph Nicholas

Admin NCO

Contact

josephn1@iastate.edu

515-294-3158

0122 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Sergeant Nicholas joins us following an assignment as the Human Resources Sergeant in the 8th Military Police Brigade. He is a graduate of the Basic Leader and Master Educator Courses.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Awards
• Military Evaluations
• Communications

Master Sargent Joshua Boone

Military Science Instructor

Contact

jaboone@iastate.edu,

515-294-0304

0122 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Master Sergeant (MSG) Boone joins us following his most recent assignment as a First Sergeant with 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. He is an active-duty Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Army, bringing over 17 years of leadership and operational experience.

MSG Boone has held a variety of key leadership positions, including Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Operations Sergeant Major, Observer Coach/Trainer with Operations Group Tarantula, and as an Instructor. His assignments have taken him across the United States and abroad, including deployments to the Republic of Korea, Poland, Lithuania, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

MSG Boone is proudly married to his wife, Keshia. Together, they have five children: Hunter (15), Rylee (15), Landen (14), Kambry (12), and Lexxy (11).

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 3

Captain Michelle Brown

Military Science Instructor

Contact

mdbrown1@iastate.edu,

515-294-9028

0122 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

CPT Michelle Brown most recently commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. She was commissioned as an Engineer Officer in 2017 through Officer Candidate School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. CPT Brown served as Platoon Leader, Executive Officer and various staff positions throughout the Asian continent to the United States Pacific and Midwest regions. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at Iowa State University.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 3
• Iowa State University

Captain Bradley Fitzpatrick

Military Science Instructor

Contact

bradleyf@iastate.edu,

515-294-9282

0122 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Captain Fitzpatrick is a Military Police Officer serving most recently as Company Commander of the 551st Military Police Company “Hooligans, 716th Military Police Battalion and then Commander of the Fort Campbell Law Enforcement Company, “Eagle Enforcers,” 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, KY. CPT Fitzpatrick holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and History as well as a Master of Arts degree in Business Organizational Security Management.

CPT Fitzpatrick has been married to his beautiful wife Kaitlynne for 7 years and together they have two children; their daughter Harper (5) and Asher (2), as well as expecting their third child in March 2026.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 2

SFC Brandon North

Military Science Instructor

Contact

benorth@iastate.edu,

515-294-6300

0122 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Sergeant First Class North joins us following an assignment as a First Sergeant in the 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment. He is an active duty Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Army with over twenty years of experience in leadership, tactics and military education. He is a former Drill Sergeant and has deployed on four occasions to Iraq, once to Djibouti, and once to Kuwait.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 3
• Leadership Labs

SFC Chad Salcido

Military Science Instructor

Contact

csalcido@iastate.edu

515-294-7704

0136 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Sergeant First Class Salcido joins us following an assignment as a Platoon Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment. He is an active duty Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Army and has served for over 12 years in positions including: Tank commander, Equal Opportunity Leader, and recruiter in Los Angeles California. Sergeant First Class Salcido graduated from centennial high school in Corona California.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 3
• Leadership Labs

Mr. John Nosbish

Recruiting Operations Officer

Contact

jwn@iastate.edu

515-294-0308

0142 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Mr. Nosbisch is a former Army Cavalry Scout and graduated from ISU with a Bachelor of Sciences in Ag Studies in 2020. He is now a Department of the Army Civilian officer continuing to serve as the Cyclone Battalion’s Recruiting Operations Officer.

Contact for questions about:

• Recruiting
• Scholarships
• Outreach

Ms. Jill Tehan

Human Resources Assistant

Contact

jgoodale@iastate.edu

515-294-0311

0132 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Ms Tehan is a retired Army Human Resources noncommissioned officer who reached the rank of Master Sergeant. She earned her MBA from Touro University International. She continues to serve as a Department of the Army Civilian officer and the Cyclone Battalion’s Human Resources Assistant.

Contact for questions about:

• Enrollment
• Contracting
• Medical Screening
• Cadet Actions

Mrs. Traci Stewart

Department Secretary

Contact

stewartt@iastate.edu

515-294-1852

0132 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Mrs Traci Stewart has been an employee with Iowa State University for over 25 years and currently serves as the primary liaison between Army ROTC and the University.

Contact for questions about:

• Scheduling
• University relations
• Communications

Mr. Joel Soenksen

Contracted Military Science Instructor

Contact

jsoenkse@iastate.edu

515-294-2431

0140 Armory
2519 Osborn Dr.
Ames IA
50011-1049

Mr Soenksen retired from the military with decades of experience in leadership and sustainment. He shares his depth and breadth of experience through teaching new cadets in the Cyclone Battalion.

Contact for questions about:

• Military Science Level 1