On Tuesday 7 October, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and United States Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM) presented “A Conversation on Emerging Challenges in the Western Hemisphere” in Lincoln Auditorium at National Defense University. The event featured a rare discussion between two four-star leaders; Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant, USCG, and General John F. Kelley, Commander, US SOUTHCOM, both of whom highlighted the importance of the inter-agency approach to Western Hemisphere challenges.
Both leaders possess broad career experience coordinating across government. General Kelly comes to United States Southern Command from his previous position as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense from March 2011 to October 2012. In 2010, Admiral Zukunft served as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Deepwater Horizon Spill of National Significance where he directed more than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessels and 120 aircraft during the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
Following the discussion between Admiral Zukunft and General Kelly, a panel discussion on the same topic was held featuring Michael A. Braun, Managing Partner, SGI Global, LLC and Former Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Douglas Farah, Senior Fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center & Adjunct Fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies; and Celina B. Realuyo, Professor of Practice, William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University.