Dr. Bittner has served as a professor at the Command and Staff College since July 1975: 1975-1989 as a serving Marine Corps officer; 1989-2012 as a civilian Professor of Military History. Since retiring in 2012 and being awarded Professor Emeritus status, he has taught annually in the Master of Military Studies program and offering the American Indian Wars elective.
He served 28 years in both the regular and reserve establishments (21 years active), which included assignments with: 2nd Field Artillery Group; Marine Barracks, Keflavik, Iceland; Marine Barracks, Long Beach, CA; 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines; Landing Force Training Command-Atlantic; USS Talladega (APA-208); and Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
Service
President, Marine Corps University Faculty Council, 2000-2012
Secretary-General, United States Commission on Military History, 2012-2020
Editorial Board, Marine Corps Gazette, 1980s
Member, and Chairman, Nominating Committee, U.S. Commission on Military History, 1997-2003
Member, Nominating and Tellers Committee, Society for Military History, 1980s
Chairman and Program Chairman, 1992 meeting of the Society for Military History (1990-1992)
Member, Historians Advisory Committee, U.S. Naval Doctrine Command, early 1990
Member, Committee to establish and then revise the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading List, 1980s and 1990s
Areas of Expertise
General Military History
U.S. Military History
British Military History
Marine Corps History
Research Methodology, General
Historical Amphibious Issues
History of Professional Military Education
Leadership
Education
Ph.D., History, University of Missouri
M.A., History, University of Missouri
B.S., Education, University of Missouri
Professional Memberships
Society for Military History, United States Commission on Military History, Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society, Royal United Services Institute, Royal Marines Historical Society, Society for French Historical Studies, Marine Corps Association