Interagency Transformation Education & Analysis - Washington Symposium Summer 2008: Interagency Coordination Symposium

On May 20-22, 2008, the Interagency Transformation, Education, and Analysis (ITEA) program will host its next Interagency Coordination Symposium at the National Defense University. These symposia provide a forum for interagency community members--government employees (GS-13 through GS-15, O-5/O-6, and equivalents) and representatives from non-governmental organizations, industry, and academia in policy or planning positions--to interact and learn about each other's roles, responsibilities, and organizational capabilities. Panel presentations, discussions, and exercises illustrate the importance of coordination and collaboration in crisis planning and response. To register click here, for more information click here.


Institute for National Strategic Studies - 2008 Joint Operations Symposium: Strategic Re-Assessment: From Long-Range Planning to Future Strategy and Forces

On June 4-5, 2008, the Institute for National Strategic Studies, in cooperation with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and U.S. Joint Forces Command, will host a symposium, Strategic Re-Assessment: From Long-Range Planning to Future Strategy and Forces, at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C. Fundamental to the development and implementation of a successful future defense posture is a foundation comprised of a well-reasoned assessment of the future security environment, a clear understanding of the "realm of the possible" for and limitations of military forces, and an understanding of the nation's security objectives. There is no shortage of assessments. The objectives of this symposium are to examine some of these strategic assessments, to review our success at incorporating their key elements into strategic and operational plans, and to propose ways to institutionalize best practices into the process for future force development and joint force planning. We will explore these issues through a series of panel discussions and keynote addresses. Featured speakers will include military officers, government officials, and experts from research institutesConfirmed speakers include both the Commander and Deputy Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command.

The program is open to the public. Participants are expected from government, business, universities, and research institutes from the United States and abroad. Register online at Joint Symposium Registration, (http://www.ndu.edu/inss/symposia/joint2008/index.htm) where you will also find the agenda and other information. There is a registration fee which increases after May 19, 2008. NDU staff, faculty, and students should register through the NDU Intranet web page.

Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) – Symposium 2008:  “WMD Proliferation and Use:  Have We Been Effective, Lucky, or Overly Concerned?”

The Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, National Defense University, held its eighth annual two-day symposium May 7-8, 2008, at the National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. This symposium examined why our worst fears about WMD proliferation and use have not beed realized to date. WMD-armed rogue states and terrorists have been identified as a grave threat to the nation's security and a great effort has been made to combat this threat. Against this backdrop of acute concern and robust activity, WMD proliferation has retreated in some areas even as it has advanced in others, and incidents of WMD use have been rare and of limited consequence. Has this resulted primarily from the effectiveness of our efforts to combat a threat that is as serious as we fear? Or has it been more a matter of luck than skill - and is it just a matter of time before the inadequacy of our efforts to deter and defeat this serious threat will be exposed? Or, have we been overly-concerned about the threat - and over-reacted to it to the detriment of other interests? These questions were addressed by distinguished speakers representing multiple viewpoints, from both inside and outside government. For more information about these symposiums, go to the WMD website. or email WMDCenter_Symposium@ndu.edu .

Virtual Worlds Expo to be held at National Defense University

The Information Resources Management (IRM) College is spearheading the newly-formed Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds, organized by the IRM College's Assistant Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, Dr. Paulette Robinson. The Consortium consists of representatives from over 200 government, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations who have come together to explore the use of online 3D virtual worlds and avatar communities. A world-wide Virtual Worlds Expo on the "Federal Virtual Worlds Expo: Implementing the Future" was held April 24-25, 2008, at the National Defense University's Marshall Hall. For more information and registration please go to http://www.ndu.edu/irmc/fedconsortium.html.

National War College Presents “Empires Series” Program

The next event in this Academic Year’s National War College “Empires Series”  is scheduled for March 23, 2008, when medieval historian Jeanne Rutenburg from the University of Maryland, College Park, will speak on “Religion and Empire:  Constantine’s Strategic Decision to Embrace Christianity.”  These programs are held at Roosevelt Hall (Building 61, National War College), at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC, from 1700 to 1900 hours.  An informal social hour begins at 1700, with the presentation beginning at 1730; formal discussions will end promptly at 1900 after a question and answer session; however, the speaker will be available for further informal discussions with attendees.  These events are open to the public, although it is normally advertised only to members of the National Defense University community, alumni, and other interested members of the Washington area national security community.  For further information, contact NDUWebmaster@ndu.edu

The purpose of the Empires series is simply to take a look at the experience of past imperial powers, always with an eye towards the United States' current "imperial" issues. This year, the focus is entirely on Rome.  Topics in the series in previous years have included "The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power," by Niall Ferguson (Stern Business School, NYU, and Jesus College, Oxford University); "The Empire of the Roman Republic" by University of Maryland historian Arthur Eckstein; "The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation: Invalid or Incubator?" and "The Austro-Hungarian Empire: Decline, Fall & Disaggregation, 1815-2000," by Purdue University historian Charles Ingrao; "The Ottoman Empire and Its Legacy in the Arab World," by Faruk Birtek (Bogazici University, Istanbul); "Empire and Coalition:The Delian League," by Jennie Kiesling (USMA); "U.S. Special Operations Forces and the Problem of Imperial Policing," by journalist Robert Kaplan; "American Empire" by Boston University's Andrew Bacevich;  "American Empire: Past and Future," by Yale historian John Lewis Gaddis, and Roman historian Professor Jon E. (Ted) Lendon, of the University of Virginia, who addressed "Counter-Insurgency in the Middle East: Rome and the Jewish Wars."