Photo By Dylan Smith | Lt. Col. Emily Bulger, U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Management assistance...... read more read more
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Whether commanding a finance squadron or leading cadets through business simulations, Lt. Col. Emily Bulger brings strategic depth and operational competency to everything she does.
As an assistant professor of management in the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Department of Management, she blends real-world leadership with research-backed teaching practices to prepare the next generation of officers to think critically, communicate clearly, and lead with character.
A 2005 Academy graduate, Bulger considers her return to the Academy as a professor a natural continuation of her journey in leadership and service. As a cadet, she gained confidence through the Academy’s parachute program, participated in a summer language immersion program that broadened her global perspective, and developed resilience as an intercollegiate athlete.
“These experiences shaped my understanding of the Academy's unique role in developing leaders of character,” she said. “As a professor, I create that same transformative environment by getting to know each cadet personally, learning their names, stories, and aspirations from day one. This personal connection helps build trust and encourages them to engage more deeply with the material, just as my Academy mentors did for me.”
Real-World Leadership, Real-Time Impact
Bulger’s leadership background spans NATO budget management, deployed comptrollership, squadron command, and academic strategy. Her wide-ranging experience brings credibility and relevance to the classroom.
“My leadership roles have reinforced the importance of adaptability, clear communication, and collaborative learning,” Bulger said. “These lessons directly inform my teaching, where I emphasize practical decision-making and problem-solving, oftentimes requiring them to do so in group projects.”
She also incorporates innovative tools to create inclusive learning environments where cadets can exchange ideas, give peer feedback, and find their voice. This approach mirrors Bulger’s operational experience, where success depended on leveraging diverse perspectives from enlisted members, civilian experts, and peer officers.
“Whether she’s helping cadets think through ethical decision-making, mission alignment, or navigating the demands of leadership under pressure, she is constantly connecting their classroom experiences to the kinds of challenges they will face in uniform,” said Col. Daniel White III, Department of Management head. “She doesn’t teach abstractly—she teaches with clarity, purpose, and credibility that comes from having led teams through complexity and change.”
Championing Strategy and Innovation
Bulger’s expertise in strategic management is at the core of her teaching and research.
“I introduce cadets to the power of strategic language by analyzing case studies and examples of leaders who successfully use narratives to align teams and drive innovation,” Bulger said. “For example, we examine how military leaders use strategic communication to build coalition support or how commercial leaders articulate vision during organizational transformation.”
In her capstone course, cadets are challenged with real-world scenarios involving “conflicting stakeholder priorities and competitive dynamics,” including cases on how commercial space companies disrupt traditional defense capabilities. This hands-on approach helps them develop critical and creative thinking skills essential for employing a strategic perspective in modern warfare.
Her innovative approach recently received institutional recognition.
“She co-authored a project titled A Design Cognition Approach: Tools to Develop Strategic Thinkers, which won the Academy’s Greatest Impact Research Award—an honor given to projects with the highest potential to improve cadet learning across disciplines,” White said.
Academic Leadership Across the Department
Beyond the classroom, Bulger plays a key role in shaping the department’s long-term vision.
“Lt. Col. Bulger is a cornerstone of the Department of Management,” White said. “As director of strategy and personnel, she has played a vital role in shaping the long-term trajectory of the department. She led the most comprehensive overhaul of our strategic plan in over a decade, an effort that improved internal operations and became a model for departments across the Academy.”
Bulger was also instrumental in the department’s successful reaffirmation of the Academy’s Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, an achievement that places it among the top 5% of business schools globally.
“Her leadership helped align department efforts with AACSB's rigorous standards and ensured that we not only met the requirements but told our story in a way that highlighted our unique mission to develop warfighters, critical thinkers, and leaders of character and quality,” added White.
Mentorship That Sticks
Bulger mentors more than two dozen cadets each year and has earned some of the department's highest instructional effectiveness ratings.
“Beyond the numbers, she’s the kind of mentor cadets seek out,” White said. “They trust her because she’s honest, invested, and genuinely committed to their development as officers and people.”
Through programs like the Cadet Summer Research Program and her capstone course, Bulger offers cadets meaningful, real-world learning experiences.
“One significant example from capstone occurred when cadets, inspired by our classroom discussions, chose to conduct a strategic analysis of the Academy for their final project,” Bulger said. “Their enthusiasm for improving their institution… led to innovative recommendations while deepening their understanding of organizational complexity.”
Preparing the Force for the Future
Bulger also contributes to a curriculum working group that aligns course offerings with operational priorities.
“We recently established an internal curriculum working group developing mission-focused pathways that align with officer promotion, ensuring our management curriculum directly supports our graduates' future roles in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force,” Bulger said.
White added that this curriculum working group focuses on sharpening the Academy’s warfighter relevance, helping the department align more intentionally with the superintendent’s priorities and ensuring the management program prepares cadets for leadership.
Advice to the Next Generation
As cadets prepare for active duty, Bulger offers advice grounded in her operational experience.
“I advise cadets to invest time in building relationships across all ranks and specialties. From my operational experience, I learned that success often depends on creating informal networks and understanding different perspectives,” she said. “Whether they're managing resources or leading teams, these relationships will be crucial for their effectiveness as officers.”
Above all, she hopes cadets carry forward the mindset that has shaped her journey: to commit to lifelong learning as they step into their roles as officers.
“I am continually inspired by the cadets’ dedication and resilience and remain committed to helping them realize their full potential as leaders of character,” Bulger concluded.
| Date Taken: | 04.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2025 12:15 |
| Story ID: | 495351 |
| Location: | U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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