Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Rich L. Stitzer comes to the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy from the Office of the Army National Guard Chief Surgeon, National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia. Over the last 4 years, he served as the Chief of Medical Operations for the Army National Guard. His next position will be the senior National Guard Advisor at the Army Medical Center and School at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas starting June 1, 2015.

Before 2010, LTC Stitzer served as a medical operations officer for the U.S. Army Forces Command Surgeon and as the Senior National Guard Medical Advisor for the Northern Regional Medical Command as Walter Reed Army Hospital. He served with the 18th Airborne Corps and 1st Infantry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom. LTC Stitzer served in both U.S. Army Reserve Components as a platoon leader, company commander, and battalion staff officer before joining the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program in February 3, 1999. Before active duty in 1999, LTC Stitzer served as a traditional National Guardsman and worked for two mental health companies as an in-home family counselor. Before becoming an officer, LTC Stitzer enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1985 and earned the rank of Sergeant in the Missouri Army National Guard.

LTC Stitzer received his United States Army commission upon graduation from Ozark Christian College and the Missouri Southern State College Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1992. LTC Stitzer received his Masters degree in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School in Massachusetts.

His research interests are global health engagements and the evolving social, mental health, and public health threats to military manpower.

LTC Stitzer is married to the former Chiara V. Rocha, Attorney at Law in Washington D.C. The couple, along with their foster daughter Lara Galvao, resides in Alexandria, Virginia.