Author Bio

A graduate of Minneapolis Washburn High School, Jon Olson was commissioned in May 1990 from the US Naval Academy with a BS in History. He spent 21 years on active duty with over three years at sea aboard aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships. He served in Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, Operation RESTORE HOPE, Operation JOINT FORGE, supported UNAMET in East Timor, and deployed in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM—Afghanistan. Along the way, he earned an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies at the US Naval War College, as well as logged 35 jumps as a US Navy Parachutist. His final assignment before retirement was as the US Naval Attaché at the US Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. During his career, Jon was trained by the CIA to serve as a case officer for the Department of Defense, recruiting spies for America through strategic-level clandestine human intelligence (HUMINT) operations. He served a pivotal role in rebuilding Navy HUMINT.

After retiring from the navy in 2011, Jon returned home to Minnesota and earned a Master of Public Affairs at the Humphrey School while also teaching national security courses at Carleton College and Metropolitan State University. His core courses include: The US Intelligence Community, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Studies in Weapons of Mass Destruction, Intelligence Methods in National Security, and the team-taught course Statecraft: The Tools of National Power. Jon also leads the annual International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise (ISCNE), supported by the US Army War College, at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. On occasion, Jon also leads courses within the Cannon Valley Elder Collegium to meet the needs of lifelong learners. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Jon will be the Visiting SIT Investment Chair for Asian Policy and Political Science at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. 

Jon co-authors national security thrillers with his fellow Annapolis graduate David Bruns. The two co-authors regularly speak to groups about their co-writing experiences and publishing novels. Together, they’ve published nine books and four novellas. Their 10th novel releases in early 2025. They are already hard at work on a new four-book deal to author a new series of national security thrillers. To find out more about their books, visit www.davidbruns.com.

Jon hosted the show National Security This Week from 2021-2023 on KYMN Radio in Northfield, Minnesota. Some 150+ shows remain available on podcast services or the KYMN Radio website. The hourlong shows cover a wide range of national security topics with expert guests in a non-partisan format designed to educate listeners on critical issues impacting America.

Jon and his wife, Melissa, turned their home into an assisted living facility for elderly, abandoned dogs, and they love every minute of the chaos that has ensued for the past decade. He spends what little remaining time he has serving as Dogwalker-in-Chief, Landscape Maintenance Technician, and as Chief Housekeeper.