Benjamin Rich

A U.S. Army officer combines military service with Fulbright to strengthen bilateral relations in trade and security.

Benjamin Rich
Army Veteran, Reservist and Graduate Student
Fulbright U.S. Student to South Korea

Benjamin Rich in military uniform smiling in an office setting.

Benjamin Rich shows what can be accomplished when military experience and academic exchange are combined. On completing his undergraduate degree from Purdue University, Rich commissioned through their Army ROTC program and served for six years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as platoon leader and operations officer, before embarking on a Fulbright U.S. Student award to South Korea. He participated in Fulbright while still pursuing his military career, giving him skills in language and foreign policy that have informed his subsequent service.

“Military service members and veterans are well equipped to excel as cultural ambassadors abroad due to their training, experience, and core values,” Rich explains. “Their ability to adapt to diverse environments, communicate effectively, and demonstrate respect and integrity” aid their ability to advance the Fulbright mission of mutual understanding. “Military service also requires flexibility and resilience—qualities essential for navigating complex international settings. These qualities make servicemembers and veterans well-suited to represent the U.S. abroad, to bridge cultural divides and strengthen diplomatic and global partnerships.”

Prior to his Fulbright, Rich’s role in the Army included mitigating natural disaster risks affecting navigable waterways, helping to ensure the safe transport of resources that are vital to the U.S. economy and national security. “This experience introduced me to the importance of commercial interests, trade, and transnational issues.” This work sparked an interest in political economy and trade, and led him to Fulbright so he could continue to study international trade, and build intercultural competence while continuing his military service.

Two people shaking hands in front of blue buildings at the DMZ, one in a suit and the other in military uniform. — During his Fulbright in South Korea, Rich had an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He accompanied a visiting U.S. Congressional Delegation to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea (left). Rich earned a master’s degree at Yonsei University (right).

Benjamin Rich standing in front of a Yonsei University sign with gold lettering and a round seal. — During his Fulbright in South Korea, Rich had an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He accompanied a visiting U.S. Congressional Delegation to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea (left). Rich earned a master’s degree at Yonsei University (right).

Through the Fulbright Program, he pursued a master’s degree in global economy and strategy at Yonsei University in South Korea. He studied international trade and its relationship with Korean foreign policy while also learning the Korean language. During his award, Rich continued his military service through the Individual Mobilization Augmentee Program, serving as a reservist with an U.S. Army unit in South Korea, and interned at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

“My Fulbright experience allowed me to meet a lot of amazing people from around the world, gain new perspectives, and create mutual understanding.”

Rich says that “this experience proved invaluable to my professional career in supporting national security objectives, working in multicultural settings and alongside foreign militaries.”

Group of individuals in military and civilian attire fitting harnesses near a pool. — *After his Fulbright, Rich, as a subject matter expert representing the U.S. Army Engineers, took part in a humanitarian assistance and disaster response exchange with the Thai Army.*

A group of people in orange life jackets on a red inflatable boat near the shore. — *After his Fulbright, Rich, as a subject matter expert representing the U.S. Army Engineers, took part in a humanitarian assistance and disaster response exchange with the Thai Army.*

After Fulbright, he served on active duty in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Pacific Ocean Division in Hawaii. During this time, he deployed to Japan to support and evaluate emergency response operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Japan Engineer District and to Thailand, where he trained with the Royal Thai Army to promote security cooperation between Thailand and the United States as part of the U.S. Army State Partnership program.

Later, he returned to South Korea as a military planner, working directly with U.S. and South Korean forces to lead, develop, and implement real-world armistice, contingency, and military exercise plans.

Now, as a veteran and a reservist, he will use his working knowledge of how to build trusting, bilateral relations in the next phase of his career as a graduate student at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service.