Defense Strategies Institute professional educational forum: SOF Symposium ~ Leveraging Global SOF to Increase Regional Stability and Enhance National Security~ October 20-21, 2014: Mary M. Gates Learning Center, Alexandria, VA
The symposium will focus on utilizing SOF to stabilize regions and networks that present a threat to US national security interests. DSI s 2014 SOF Symposium will provide a forum for SOF, its partners including regional combatant commands, USAID, Department of State, the IC, partner nations, industry, and academia as well as other critical organizations to discuss strategic priorities and operational needs to meet national goals. Program Design & Goal: This Symposium will emphasize the critical role of globally connected SOF, whereby operators and support staff can provide more effective support to regions of interest. SOF must build trust with allies and partner nations to ensure stability and to protect US interests. SOF s multi-faceted mission set will be discussed with an emphasis on training, readiness, and materiel to stabilize regions in conflict as well as conduct COIN and counter terrorism operations to protect US and partner interests. DSI s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Summits' content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds involved in SOF policy and operations. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers. How You Will Benefit? Hear from SOCOM and SO/LIC leadership on critical capability requirements Learn how your organization can support SOF priorities Hear US Government priorities to enhance regional stability to support US national security Network and dialogue with your colleagues and leaders from SOF, the Foreign Service, and partner nations This Symposium is compliant with Department of Defense operating guidelines, and adheres to the most recent standards of the Office of General Counsel, Standards of Conduct Office: COMPLIANT Operating Guidelines: *Currently, SOCO advisory 09-03: 7.(a) purposes of jer 3-211 (a)(7) the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), OGE standards of ethical conduct for employees of the executive branch: currently 5 cfr part 2635 and 31 u.s.c. 1353 as it pertains to OGE standards *Qualifies as training in compliance with 5 U.S.C. Chapter 41 and is compliant with The Office of Government Ethics, Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch: currently 5 CFR part 2635 and 31 U.S.C. 1353 as it pertains to OGE Standards. *The SOF Symposium is open to all DoD and Federal employees and is considered a compliant education and training forum. *There is no fee for Active military and government employees to attend this symposium * This Summit further meets the guidelines per USD(Comptroller) Memorandum dated 3/ 05/ 2013 titled Additional Guidance for Handling Budget Uncertainty in Fiscal year 2013
THIS EVENT IS CLOSED TO MEDIA Intelligence officers and support Capability developers Operations leads Procurement officers Program managers General Target Audience: Business development leads Operational planners and researchers Weapons systems operators and support staff Lightweight power systems developers Contracted security support Training Modeling and simulation Specific topics to be discussed include: Specific topics to be discussed include: Enhancing the Global SOF Network to ensure regional stability Interagency operations to disrupt terrorist networks Utilizing TSOC's to create force multipliers through partnerships in regions of interest Training and Delivery of Highly Capable SOF from All Services in Support of National Security Interests Improving SOF Integration with the IC Capability requirements and acquisition priorities necessary to respond to current and future missions Enhancing partner nation capacity Opportunities for Industry Partnerships within SOF organizations to accelerate development and fielding of initiatives focused on operational needs
Monday October 20, 2014 8:00-8:45 Registration and Light Breakfast Reception Open 8:45-9:00 Chairman Opening Remarks 9:00-9:45 OSD Keynote Remarks: Policy Defining Global SOF Utilization to Support US National Security Interests This session will focus on SOF policy and utilization as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan come to an end. Important topics include: How will SOF adapt to an era without Overseas Contingency Operations funding? Re-allocating SOF into other theaters of operations Policy guiding legal authority against armed adversaries The Honorable Michael Lumpkin (Confirmed) Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict 9:45 10:30 USSOCOM Keynote Remarks: Strategic Goals to Achieve Maximum Value from Special Operations Forces This presentation will address the current and future challenges to SOF and the specific efforts USSOCOM leadership is taking to address them. Issues include: Maintaining readiness through critical initiatives such as the Preservation of the Force and Family Initiative Creating friendly networks of SOF to outpace enemy networks Utilization of technology modernization to offset resource decline The role of SOF in Afghanistan after 2015 LTG(P) Joseph Votel, USA (Invited) Incoming Commander United States Special Operations Command 10:30 11:00 Networking Break 11:00 11:45 Ensuring Readiness and Delivering Capable US Army SOF in a Period of Persistent Conflict Presentations from the Service Components of USSOCOM will focus on the Commanders efforts to ensure the delivery of highly capable special operations forces from each branch of the military to meet the needs of Commander, USSOCOM. Component Commands have continuously provided highly trained and well equipped forces that have been activated constantly during the past 13 years of conflict. As Commands face budget reductions, what are the plans and policies to ensure SOF will maintain readiness and operate effectively in de-centralized global conflicts? LTG Charles Cleveland, USA (Confirmed) Commander US Army Special Operations Command 11:45-12:30 Providing Superior Air Force SOF to Achieve Global Mission Success Maj Gen (Sel) J. Marcus Hicks, USAF (Confirmed) Director of Operations US Air Force Special Operations Command 12:30-1:30 Networking Lunch
1:30 2:15 Overcoming the Challenges of Irregular Warfare and Combatting Non-State Armed Groups Dr. Andrea Dew (Confirmed) Co-Director, Center for Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups Naval War College 2:15 3:00 SOCOM Acquisition Update: Capability Requirements and Acquisition Priorities Necessary to Respond to Current and Future SOF Missions Special Operations Forces rely on the most advanced capabilities and materiel available to successfully achieve mission success in diverse environments and threats. Acquisition for SOF must be agile and deliver capabilities quickly to operational commands. This session will focus on current SOCOM capability requirements as well as updates on specific PEO s within SORDAC. James Hondo Geurts (Confirmed) Acquisition Executive USSOCOM 3:00-3:15 Networking Break 3:15 4:30 Panel: Intergovernmental Cooperative Efforts to Stabilize Regions in Conflict, Disrupt Terrorist Networks, and Ensure the Security of US Interests This panel brings together senior leaders with tremendous experience operating in the Middle East and Africa. Current and former State and DoD officials will address current conflicts and provide critical takeaways to the delegation on next steps in US foreign policy. This frank discussion will feature differing viewpoints on topics that range from steps the US must take in Iraq and Syria against the ISIS threat to the level of US intervention in humanitarian crises in Nigeria and Somalia. Moderator: Jane Harman (Invited) President and CEO Woodrow Wilson International Center Panelists: AMB James Jeffrey (Confirmed) Philip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Washington Institute Former Ambassador to Iraq (2010-2012) Dr. Colin Kahl (Confirmed) Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Security Program Center for New American Security Mr. Andrew Tabler (Tentative) Senior Fellow The Washington Institute Elissa Slotkin (Invited) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Performing the Duties of Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy 4:30 End of Symposium Day One
Tuesday October 21, 2014 8:00-8:45 Registration and Light Breakfast Reception Open 8:45-9:00 Chairman Opening Remarks 9:00-9:45 Keynote Remarks: JSOC Initiatives to Maintain Force Readiness and Provide Global Presence in Support of National Security Objectives LTG Raymond Tony Thomas, USA (Invited) Commander Joint Special Operations Command 9:45-10:30 Combating Violent Extremism in the CENTCOM AOR This presentation will focus on the specific needs of the SOF operational commander in the CENTCOM AOR. Learn about the challenges SOF in the CENTCOM AOR have and what they need from industry and force providers to accomplish the extraordinarily difficult mission of combating violent extremism. MG Michael Nagata, USA (Confirmed) Commander, Special Operations Command Central USCENTCOM 10:30-11:00 Networking Break 11:00-11:45 Activity Based Intelligence in Support of Global SOF Mission Success Supporting special operations requires new methods for rapidly collecting, processing, analyzing and disseminating detailed information regarding terrorists and insurgents including their personal and operational networks and patterns of life. Rather than casting for specific signatures of specific targets, all information available from all sources is ingested and combed for tips and cues. This session will focus on this new paradigm that places the analyst and the operator as the center of the action and strives to break down firewalls between collector and user, between platforms, between INTs and between classified and unclassified data as source materials. RDML Robert Sharp, USN (Invited) Director of Intelligence, J2 USSOCOM 11:45-12:30 Panel: Establishing and Prioritizing a Joint SOF Headquarters Moderator: COL Stuart Bradin, USA (Ret) (Confirmed) CEO Global SOF Foundation Panelists: Brigadier (Sel) Eirik Kristoffersen (Confirmed) NORSOCOM LTCOL Magnus Lindstrom (Tentative) Swedish LNO to USSOCOM
CDR Pierre Roty (Tentative) French LNO to USSOCOM 12:30-1:30 Networking Lunch 1:30 2:15 USAID and SOF Partnerships to Achieve Development Mission Goals Beth Cole (Confirmed) Director, Office of Civilian-Military Cooperation USAID 2:15-3:00 Closing Remarks: Utilizing Special Operations Forces to Support the National Security Strategy Brig Gen Scott Howell, USAF (Confirmed) Deputy Director for Special Operations/Counterrorism Joint Staff J3 3:00 End of Symposium Premiere Media Supporter: Media Supporters: