SOF Symposium
Leveraging Global SOF to Increase Regional Stability and Enhance National Security
October 20-21, 2014, Alexandria, VA
DSI’s SOF Symposium is designed as an educational and training “Town Hall” forum, where thought leaders and key policy-makers across military and civilian organizations can come together for actionable discussions and debate. The symposium will focus on utilizing SOF to stabilize regions and networks that present a threat to US national security interests.
This Symposium will focus on 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.
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2014 Confirmed Symposium Speakers Include:
The Honorable Michael Lumpkin, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict
AMB James Jeffrey, Former Ambassador to Iraq and Deputy National Security Advisor
LTG Charles Cleveland, USA, Commander, US Army Special Operations Command
James ‘Hondo’ Geurts, Acquisition Executive, USSOCOM
Other Senior Confirmed Speakers Include
Lt Gen Thomas Trask, USAF Vice Commander, US Special Operations Command
LTG Frank Kearney, USA (Ret) Former Deputy Commander, US Special Operations Command
Maj Gen (Sel) J. Marcus Hicks, USAF, Director of Operations, US Air Forces Special Operations Command
Brigadier (Sel) Eirik Kristoffersen, Norwegian Special Operations Command
COL Stu Bradin, USA (Ret), CEO, Global SOF Foundation
CAPT Todd Veazie, Strategic Operational Planning Directorate, NCTC
At our Symposium you will have the ability to:
- Gain Education & Insight: Walk away with knowledge gained from our senior level speakers on some of the complex challenges facing special operations forces today.
- Build Partnerships: The agenda is designed to allow for ample networking opportunities and the ability to discover some of the latest technologies related to ISR, Anti-Terrorism, modeling and simulation, training, as well as fire support and multi-mission weapons systems.
- Influence: Help foster ideas! Share your own insight and knowledge during our interactive sessions. All attendees are given the opportunity to address our speaker faculty with their questions or comments and will receive a pre-Symposium questionnaire for precise questions and subject matters you would like our speakers to address.
- 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 in the SOF community from operational leaders, intelligence providers, key policy-makers, as well as solution providers from Industry and Academia. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all involved organizations bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers.
Key Areas this Symposium Will Address:
The 2014 Symposium will bring together senior level officials from the DoD, Department of State, the IC, Academia, and Industry to discuss policy, strategic goals, acquisition priorities, and partnerships to ensure US national security.
- 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
- COCOM collaborative efforts for the most effective use and placement of SOF
- Improved SOF Integration with the IC
- Capability requirements and acquisition priorities necessary to respond to current and future missions
- Enhancing partner nation capacity
As the role of SOF continues to be re-defined, it is important that forces benefit from the knowledge and experience of those deployed in disparate geographic locations.
This Symposium will focus on the importance of creating a global SOF network, whereby operators and support staff across geographic regions have access and connectivity with each other and with SOCOM in order to more effectively conduct operations in support of their discreet geographic Combatant Commands as well as between and among partner nations.
Initiatives include increasing interoperability, improving intelligence sharing between partners, and addressing the benefits of multinational standard tactics, techniques, and procedures for seamless integration with partner nation SOF.
This symposium will provide a forum for SOF, its partners including Combatant Commands, USAID, Department of State, the IC, Partner Nations, and numerous NGO’s and other critical organizations necessary to achieving National goals.
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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
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COMPLIANT:
The SOF 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:
*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
Supporters
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Advisory Board
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DSI strives to provide the most up to date, mission relevant, topics and discussion points for our meetings. In order to assure that we are providing the best subject content possible, our Advisory Board Members have volunteered to share their respective insight and expertise with us. We are truly grateful to have their support and guidance as we strive to continually create truly effective meetings and events for all. Learn more about our Advisory Board Members.
