Author: Jonathan G. Odom

Jonathan G. Odom is an active-duty attorney in the U.S. Navy. Currently, he serves as a Military Professor of International Law at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Previously, he has served as the Oceans Policy Adviser in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the U.S. Government, the U.S. Department of Defense or any of its components.

Effort to Discredit U.S. Freedom of Navigation Report Falls Short

By Jonathan G. Odom | August 20, 2020 | Categories: AMTI Update

The China-based South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative recently published a commentary, which criticized the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Freedom of Navigation (FON) Report for 2019. This commentary was authored by Ching Chang, a research fellow at the Society for Strategic Studies in Taipei. It attempts to discredit the DOD FON Report, alleging […]

How the U.S. FON Program Is Lawful and Legitimate

By Jonathan G. Odom | October 30, 2015 | Categories: China, Freedom of Navigation, South China Sea, United States

The U.S. Freedom of Navigation (FON) Program has recently drawn significant attention in the United States and abroad. An argument could be made that the program has received more attention in 2015 than in its preceding 35 years combined. This recent focus arose as the world witnessed China engage in reclamation (enhancement of naturally-formed areas […]