Capt. Rose Kingham is a Marine Corps Infantry Officer currently assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School where she is pursuing graduate studies in Information Sciences and Applied Cyberspace Operations. She commissioned in January 2021 after earning a BS in Biochemistry from Metropolitan State University of Denver and completing the Platoon Leaders Course. Following graduation from The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course in 2022, she was assigned to 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion.
At 3d LAR, she commanded a line platoon and later served as Weapons Platoon Commander and Fire Support Team Leader, participating in major exercises including multiple iterations of Steel Knight, ITX, and MWX. She is a graduate of the Martial Arts Instructor Course, Army Reconnaissance Course, and Infantry Mortar Leaders Course. In 2024, she deployed to Japan with Company A in support of the Unit Deployment Program, serving as liaison to 4th Marine Regiment before assuming duties as Company Executive Officer and interim Company Commander. She was promoted to Captain in 2025. Her academic interests include cyberspace operations, information warfare, and the application of emerging technologies in joint operational environments.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my NPS experience has been how it serves as a forcing function for interoperability across the military branches. It creates opportunities for collaboration and problem-solving that I might not have encountered otherwise. In addition, the dedication of both the faculty and my peers throughout this program has been invaluable. Their commitment has generated a wealth of innovative ideas, one example being the NPS Research Farming Program. This initiative gives the Fleet Marine Force the ability to submit complex, real-world challenges and receive focused research and tangible solutions in return.
My operational experience in the Marine Corps has shaped my research interests around the needs of the Ground Combat Element, particularly in modernizing how we fight in areas such as C4ISR, CJADC2, and Contested Logistics. NPS provides a unique forum and research environment to translate these advanced concepts into practical applications at the battalion level and below, ensuring emerging technologies directly enhance effectiveness on the ground.
The research that Dr. Shives, my team, and I have been conducting with the Strategic Capabilities Office has helped us identify tangible gaps in proposed operational plans, scope projects to a level suitable for academic research, and develop potential solutions. One area of focus has been the role of the Marine Corps as the “Joint Force JTAC” and how a Joint Task Force integrates in support of large-scale exercises. The SCO plays a critical role in linking existing technology with emerging challenges, and our participation in this project has provided us with highly relevant and directly applicable research experience in these areas.
Joint Interagency Field Experimentation serves as a critical link between industry and the needs of the tactical environment. While many new ideas are proposed and tested, students contribute by bringing firsthand knowledge of the capability gaps they’ve experienced in the fleet. That combination ensures innovation is relevant, practical, and bridges specified gaps.
