Naval Strategist Symposium: 2016

Our keynote speaker is current Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Vice Admiral Frank Pandolfe. An accomplished surface warfare officer, as ACJCS he is the principal military advisor to the Secretary of State, giving him a unique perspective on interagency coordination and how to navigate the DOD and DOS relationship. He also served as Commander, SIXTH FLEET/Striking and Support Forces NATO, affording him the chance to work with allies and partners and understand how that interaction fits into the US Navy's goals.

The first panel, entitled "Strategy and the Role of the Strategist," will serve as a kick-off to the event, exploring macro-level strategic considerations in today's environment, the importance of strategic thinkers throughout the military, and how they can affect policy and decision-making. We are excited to have Dr. Barry Posen from MIT, Dr. Stephen Walt from Harvard University, and Dr. Harlan Ullman from the Atlantic Council to offer their perspectives.

The second panel is titled, "Weaving and Employing Strategic Communications into Strategy." As communications and perception continues to revolutionize the ability to achieve our objectives, understanding how to harness the narrative and influence the message becomes critical at all levels. A top-notch panel featuring Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, a current Harvard professor and long-time public diplomacy expert; Rear Admiral (retired) Jon Kirby, former Chief of Information and Pentagon spokesman and current State Department spokesman; and Commander BJ Armstrong, former speechwriter to the Secretary of the Navy, will take on this issue.

Our final panel is titled, "Ghost Fleet, Fatal Thunder, and the Future of Warfare." In this panel we'll shift from the real world to the fictional, and how the use of warfare storytelling can break paradigms and give strategists an opportunity to go outside the box when thinking of future potential conflict. We are delighted to bring in Mr. August Cole, co-author of Ghost Fleet; Mr. Larry Bond, author of Fatal Thunder and long-time collaborator with Tom Clancy; and Mr. Scott Cheney-Peters, founder and president of the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) and fictional writer, for this topic.

** Mr. Cole and Mr. Bond are happy to sign any copies of their novels past or present you bring after the panel. **

USN: Summer Whites (it's graduation week at NWC and the CSF is also SWs)

Civilian: Business Casual (coat & tie not required)

Directions & Gate Access

The Symposium is being held at NWC’s Wargaming headquarters, McCarty Little Hall (MLH). Directions to NWC from Boston, Providence, and from the south are located in the tabs to the left. GPS street addresses are included as well. Please use the addresses provided to ensure you aren't taken to a closed gate.

Attendees with current (please check!) DOD-issued Common Access Cards should have no problem entering the Naval Station with your valid rental car paperwork. Attendees without a CAC card will require an added level of communication and coordination. Feel free to contact CDR Brandon McCauley to facilitate this.

ALL attendees will need to be on an access list to gain entry to the NWC campus, which will be provided by the NSS coordinators prior to your arrival. If you have any trouble getting through the NWC gate, call the MLH Quarterdeck (401 841-2474).

Upon arrival on NWC’s campus, go directly to MLH’s parking lot; do NOT go to the main Naval War College Quarterdeck. There will be signs directing participants to designated parking areas. Parking directions for Distinguished Visitors will be provided separately. See the Directions page for greater detail.

Lodging

Lodging on Naval Station Newport can be a bit confusing. All reservations should be made through Navy Gateway Inn and Suites. The block of rooms for this event has rooms in the Navy Gateway Inn and Suites, as well as the Newport Chalet. Navy Gateway Inn and Suites handles reservations for both.

When making reservations, please be sure to mention that you are making a reservation in order to attend the Naval Strategist Symposium, Group # 30960012833

Upon check-in at MLH, we will collect $40 from each attendee to cover morning coffee service, lunch, and light hors d’oeuvres at the evening no-host social. Please bring cash. There is an ATM located near the Newport Chalet (about a 10 minute walk) but there is no ATM on the Naval War College campus.

This meal package is optional; however, given that there is no dedicated lunch break, there will not be time to leave the building to get food. We will be holding a working lunch as part of the Symposium’s workshop portion, to commence immediately after the Keynote Address. MLH has several vending machines and a coffee machine on the 2nd Deck; they accept cash or change only.

For those of you familiar with the College, the cafe that used to be in Hewitt Hall is closed for renovations.

If you prefer not to purchase the meal package, or if you have special dietary needs, please let CDR Brandon McCauley know by Monday,June 6.

MLH is a secure building. Personal electronic devices are prohibited. These include: cell phones, BlackBerries, laptops, iPads, iPods, Fit Bits, Google Watches, Smart Watches and all other similar devices. THIS INCLUDES GOVERNMENT-ISSUED DEVICES, EVEN IF THEY ARE APPROVED IN A SCIF AT YOUR HOME STATION. Aides and EAs are welcome to sit in the PED-approved area to monitor cell phones. MLH has cell phone and laptop storage lockers to store your devices. The locker area is approved for use of PEDs if you need to check email or use your phone during the Symposium. Due to the forum agenda there will be limited access to NIPR and SIPR. Please plan accordingly.

To ensure you can be reached if necessary, the phone number to MLH Quarterdeck is (401) 841-2474. If you need to be reached during your time in MLH, a watch stander will take a message and a faculty member of the War Gaming Department will ensure it is delivered promptly.