Brendan Rettberg is a first-year graduate student at the University of Chicago pursuing an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies. He joined CPOST as a Research Assistant in the fall of 2023. Brendan graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a B.A. in History in 2023. In addition to working for CPOST, Brendan is a virtual intern for the United States Central Command, where he conducts research and analyzes developments in the Middle East.