John "Dak" Morton

John Morton
Spec Ops
Dak, Real Rogue:
Back-seater to Luke Skywalker

  • Name- John "Dak" Morton
  • Content Area- Spec Ops
  • Location- Washington, DC   USA
  • Twitter- @tapcaf



Bio

John is best known as Dak, Luke Skywalker's back-seater in the Battle of Hoth, The Empire Strikes Back. He also appeared in the film substituting for Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett on Bespin when Boba utters his famous line to Darth Vader, "He's no good to me dead." Currently, he is a regular contributor to the Official Star Wars Blog.

Beyond the Galaxy, fans know John from roles in epic films like A Bridge Too Far, Superman II and Flash Gordon and in the BBC television series Oppenheimer. A veteran performer, he appeared on London’s West End stage and New York’s Off-Off Broadway as an actor and musician. When not acting, singing or playing guitar, he was a lighting and sound technician affiliated with London’s White Light Electrics working on such classic productions as The Rocky Horror Show, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Nicholas Nickleby and thought-provoking plays by celebrated playwright David Hare.

A published author, John’s Backstory In Blue: Ellington At Newport ’56 is a behind-the-scenes look at a legendary moment in American cultural history when a performance of the great Duke Ellington Orchestra almost caused a riot at the third Newport Jazz Festival. John’s plays have been produced in New York and Washington, notably his award-winning Hubris.

In his current Washington reincarnation, John is a senior national security analyst with Gryphon Technologies under a contract supporting the Navy’s Aegis combat system modernization for the PEO Integrated Warfare Systems (IWS). He is also the strategic advisor to DomesticPreparedness.com and was a distinguished fellow and the homeland security lead for the Project on National Security Reform. With over 25 years experience in complex national and homeland security issues, he has consulted and conducted independent research and analyses for among others: BAE Systems/Detica, Technology Strategies & Alliances (under a contract with the OSD Office of Net Assessment), Lockheed Martin Government Electronics Group, United Defense, L.P., Business Executives for National Security, Forecast International/DMS, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the National Defense Industrial Association. John has been extensively published and has written for virtually every major defense publication.

A graduate of the George Washington University with a B.A. and M.A. in International Affairs, he completed his thesis research as a two-term student reader at the London School of Economics.

How Dak Uses Star Wars in the Classroom of Life

John is an honorary member of the 501st Garrison, Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs and the Dark Alliance. He also helps the 501st with various charity events, most recently supporting the Travis Manion Foundation. In his work with these groups and at convention appearances, he provides particular support and encouragement to active and reserve military, veterans and first responders who are serving or have served community and country.

Each semester, John gives the introductory lecture to the homeland security elective students at Washington’s National War College, a component of the National Defense University. These graduate-level students come from the military and other security-related Federal departments and agencies. He has also given homeland security presentations to a number of professional associations, most recently the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the Security Industry Association (SIA).

As a member of the Spec Ops Team, John hopes to partner and/or mentor research into the evolution of 20th century and next-generation American governance where he feels Star Wars Rebels will provide an accessible analogy. He plans to use his “Toward a Premise for Grand Strategy” in Sheila R. Ronis, ed. Economic Security: Neglected Dimension of National Security? (National Defense University Press, 2011), pp. 13-61, as his starting point.

Available Resources
Additional Photos


John and his fellow Rogues prep for the Battle of Hoth with Director Irvin Kershner

John as Boba Fett

**All information shared with permission.