Erick Nyingi

Lieutenant Colonel Erick M. Nyingi is a National Security Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. He most recently served as the Commander of the 411th Engineer Battalion, headquartered at Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, which provides general engineering capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.

Erick began his Army career in 2001 as a Personnel Service Clerk in the U.S. Army Reserve and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in 2004. He entered the Army Reserve’s Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program in 2013 and transitioned to the Army Strategist Functional Area (FA59) in 2019.

Over two decades of service, he has held leadership and staff positions across tactical, operational, and strategic levels. His previous assignments include Strategy Branch Chief in the Strategy, Plans, and Policy Directorate (J5) at U.S. Southern Command; Theater Campaign Planner for U.S. Army Europe and Africa; Operations and Plans Officer for U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army Training Command; Engineer Plans Officer for the 926th Engineer Brigade; and multiple company-level staff and command positions. He has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

Erick holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from East Carolina University, a Master of Science in Geological Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, a Master of Military Science from Marine Corps University, and a Master of Arts in Military Operations from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies.