Robert T. Raffel JD

Associate Professor

Specialty: Law & Policy, Strategy, Risk analysis

Professor Raffel is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law. He was a 10-year member of the Maryland state police force serving as a trooper, a criminal investigator, and finally as a member of the legal counsel unit.

In 1985, Raffel joined the U.S. Department of State’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATAP). While there, he developed and presented training in police and aviation security operations to students from a variety of countries.

He later left ATAP for a position as a Special Agent with the FAA’s Office of Civil Aviation Security, where he was assigned to FAA Security’s Europe, Africa and Middle East Office in Brussels, Belgium. During his tenure in Belgium, Bob participated in the post-incident investigation of the Pan American Airlines flight 103 tragedy (bomb-caused crash over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988).

Following his overseas tour, he was assigned to FAA Headquarters, Office of Foreign Operations, where he developed and managed a foreign airport technical assistance program. He also acted as a subject-matter expert for the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program and worked in several countries, notably in Eastern Europe.

Professor Raffel’s foreign experience includes work assignments in Asia and East Asia, the Middle East, Near East, West and Central Africa, Eastern and Central Europe and Central and South America. While at FAA Headquarters, he went on to manage foreign airport assessment activity in various areas of the world and helped develop and produce the FAA’s first Foreign Airport Assessment Course.

In 2002, Professor Raffel became senior director of public safety with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. As senior director, he conducted management oversight of the Orlando Police Department’s Airport Division, the Airport Rescue Firefighter Department, and the Security Division at Orlando International Airport. He also managed the FAA-FBI Joint Vulnerability Assessment Program after his transfer to Orlando International Airport as the airports’ Federal Security Manager.

Professor Raffel's military career includes service in the Marine Corps, the Army Reserve (Special Forces, Transportation Command, Airborne Civil Affairs Battalion) and the Maryland National Guard (Tactical Intelligence Officer). He attained the rank of Colonel.

• Colonel, USAR (Ret.), with over 31 years of experience.
• Security Specialist, U.S. Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program.
• 17 years U.S. government experience with FAA's Office of Civil Aviation Security, Federal Security Manager, Program management at national and international levels.
• Senior Director of Public Safety, Orlando International Airport.
• Recipient, Studies in Intelligence Award, Central Intelligence Agency, 2007.