Building Better Generals

On October 28, the Center for a New American Security held an event marking the release of a major new CNAS report, Building Better Generals. This event featured: Brigadier General Paula Thornhill, USAF (Ret.), Director, Strategy and Doctrine Program (PAF), RAND; Dr. Tim Kane, Chief Economist, Hudson Institute; Lieutenant General David W. Barno, USA (Ret.), CNAS Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow; and Dr. Nora Bensahel, CNAS Deputy Director of Studies. The panel discussed the findings and recommendations in the report regarding the strengthening the U.S. flag officer corps through reforms in officer assignment, education, selection and evaluation.

Date & Time
Monday, October 28, 2013
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
5:30-6:15 p.m.: Registration and Cocktail Reception
6:15-7:00 p.m.: Remarks and Panel Discussion
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Audience Q&A

Location
The Willard InterContinental Hotel's Crystal Room
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

RSVP
RSVP online here
Or, RSVP by phone: (202) 457-9427

Building Better Generals was written by the CNAS Responsible Defense (RD) Program team of Senior Fellow and Director of the RD Program LTG David W. Barno, USA (Ret.), Deputy Director of Studies Dr. Nora Bensahel, Research Associate Kelley Sayler and Research Associate Katherine Kidder. In their report, the authors note that in the years ahead, the U.S. military will confront a number of strategic challenges – including a rapidly changing security environment and a massive and increasingly complex defense enterprise – that will require innovative, forward thinking at the highest levels of uniformed leadership.  However, they add, for the last 12 years the demands of two wars have left many of the nation’s rising military leaders with less full-time professional military education (PME) and broadening assignments than many of their predecessors. If left unaddressed, General Barno, Dr. Bensahel, Ms. Sayler and Ms. Kidder caution, the divergence between current senior military leadership skills and the demands of the future security environment could result in a U.S. military led by generals and admirals who are unprepared for the uncertainty that lays ahead.

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The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is an independent and nonpartisan research institution that develops strong, pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies. CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow.