Defense Writers Group
June 1, 2022
Moderator: I always love introducing people who need no introductions. Most of you have known and worked with Ambassador Smith for years. She’s currently, of course, the U.S. Perm Rep to NATO but she has vast experience -- White House, Pentagon, elsewhere. I consider her basically this nation’s premier expert on Transatlantic relations.
As always, this is on the record. As I said, we’ll have one question from those who are asking. Let’s please not do follow-ups just so more people can get to questions in the half hour available to us. I’ll ask the opening question and then I’ll go to our list.
Ambassador Smith, we are truly honored to have you today. Thank you so much.
I’d like for you to say a few words, if you would, about the upcoming NATO Summit in Madrid. Clearly the Alliance will unveil its new Strategic Concept. That’s the blueprint for the Alliance going ahead. But there’s lots of big questions, how the Alliance will address Russia’s war in Ukraine, the significance of Finland and Sweden membership applications. So what are the administration’s goals heading into this important Alliance Summit?
Ambassador Smith: First of all, thank you for the invitation. It’s great to see some familiar faces and meet some new folks around the table.
Defense Writers Group
May 19, 2022
Moderator: Good afternoon and welcome to this Defense Writers Group. I’m Thom Shanker, the Director of the Project for Media and National Security, part of GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs. I’m incredibly honored to have with us a guest speaker on one of the most dynamic themes underway in the Pentagon today. Lieutenant General B. Chance Saltzman, who’s Deputy Chief for Operations, Cyber and Nuclear, United States Space Force. As always, this is on the record, but no aspects of it can be rebroadcast, either audio or video. I’ll open with the first question and then forward your email first to get on the list of questioners, then we’ll go around the table afterwards for the rest of the hour. General, my first question is this, sir. In the recent posture hearings we heard both Secretary Kendall and General Raymond talk about how the need to transform to a resilient architecture in space. Can you help us understand what a resilient architecture means both to the base force and to the joint force? And the obvious question, resilient against what and against who?
Saltzman: First let me just say thanks. This is a great opportunity. I’m excited to be here. This is my first time at
the Defense Writers Group. It’s an honor to be with this distinguished group. I’ve read most all of your work at some point, and I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me.
Defense Writers Group
April 25, 2022
Moderator: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this Defense Writers Group conversation with General Glen D. VanHerck, Commander, United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command.
General, greetings and we’re really honored to have you today.
General VanHerck: I’m honored to be here with you, Thom, and I look forward to our discussion.
Defense Writers Group
April 12, 2022
Moderator: Greetings everyone, good morning and welcome to this very exciting Defense Writers Group. Our special guest is the Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks who is joining us at just a fantastic, interesting, important time in our history. Your timing today, Madame Secretary, is really terrific. The new budget is out. Not many days ago you delivered the classified National Defense Strategy to Congress and released the bullet points. If you could, as a strategic level leader of the department, talk about what priorities that sets and how you will move ahead fulfilling the National Defense Strategy.
DSD Hicks: Sure, first of all I am masked because I had a close contact six days ago, so so far, so good.
Defense Writers Group
March 31, 2022
Moderator: Welcome to this Defense Writers Group. We’re so honored to have General McConville, the Army Chief of Staff. As always I’ll ask the opening question and then we’ll go around the floor. As always, this session is on the record, but neither audio nor video can be rebroadcast.
General McConville, sir, thank you for joining us.
General McConville: Thank you for having me.
Defense Writers Group
March 23, 2022
Moderator: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this session of the Defense Writers Group. I’m incredibly honored to host Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
As always, this session is on the record but no audio or video may be rebroadcast. And as always, I’ll ask the first question and then turn it over to the floor.
Once again, Senator, we are so honored to have you with us. Thank you for your time, sir.
Senator Reed: Thanks very much.
Defense Writers Group
February 28, 2022
Moderator: Good afternoon. Welcome to the Defense Writers Group. We’re honored to have Dr. Derek Tournear, Director of the Space Development Agency with us. I’m Thom Shanker, Director of the Project for Media and National Security here at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. As always, this discussion will be on the record, but it’s not for rebroadcast in any way, either audio or video. And again as always, I’ll ask the first question and then call on any of you who have questions of your own.
Again, Dr. Tournear, thank you for joining us today.
Dr. Tournear: Thank you. My pleasure.
Defense Writers Group
February 1, 2022
Moderator: Good morning everyone. I’m Thom Shanker. I’m the Director of the Project for Media and National Security at George Washington University and I’m really, really honored to welcome you all to this Defense Writers Group with General Edward Daly, Commander of the Army Materiel Command. As always, this conversation is on the record but it’s not for rebroadcast, either audio or video. And as always per our protocols I’ll ask the first question of the General before I go around the room asking for questions from the Defense Writers Group.
General, good morning to you, sir, and thanks for joining us today.
General Daly: Thanks so much for having me. I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with all of you and appreciate your time. I really look forward to the discussion. Thank you.
Defense Writers Group
January 13, 2022
Moderator: Thank you all so much for joining us. I’m Thom Shanker, the Director of the Project for Media and National Security. Welcome to this Defense Writers Group. We have a terrific guest today, Heidi Shyu who’s the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and by the number of people who signed up I can tell there’s great interest in the topic. We have a strong turnout in this COVID-safe session.
As always, this discussion is on the record, but no rebroadcast of audio or video is allowed per our standing rules. I’ll open with the first question and then open the floor, reserving the final minutes for Ms. Shyu to give us a comment. Ms. Shyu, welcome. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Shyu: Happy to be here.
Cyber Media Forum
January 5, 2022
Moderator: Good morning. I’m Thom Shanker, Director of the Project for Media and National Security. I’m happy to welcome all of you to this Cyber Media Forum discussion.
These focused cyber discussions within the Defense Writers Group format are conducted in partnership with the Howard Baker Forum and I want to thank them for their continued support.
Our guest day is David Spirk, Chief Data Officer of the Department of Defense who has a wide and critically important portfolio.
We have a very large terrific turnout today and I’m only sorry that the current pandemic protocols prevent us from meeting in person and offering Mr. Spirk our famous bacon and eggs hotel breakfast.
As always, this discussion is on the record. Once again, thank you, Mr. Spirk, for joining us today.
Mr. Spirk: Thanks for having me, and thanks to everybody for taking the time.
