Defense Writers Group
12 April 2023
Moderator: Just to remind everyone of the ground rules which you know, starting at this minute the conversation is on the record, but there is no rebroadcast of audio or video of today’s discussion. I’ll ask the first question and then Ryan Lovelace of the Washington Times is here. He’ll ask, then we’ll go around the table and we’ll give Ambassador Fick a couple of minutes before 9:00 o’clock for any wrap-up comments. He does have an absolute hard stop a couple of minutes before 9 and since we’re starting on time we’ll be able to do that.
He’s truly a man who needs no introduction, but I’ll do it anyway. Nathaniel C. Fick is the State Department’s very first Ambassador at Large for Cybersecurity. If you read his bio, he served with distinction as a Marine Corps officer in both Iraq and Afghanistan and his book One Bullet Away is truly one of the best memoirs of the forever wars. If you want to read a great book that will take you there, what it felt like, I highly recommend that.
He was a founding father at the think tank CNAS. In full disclosure, I was a writing fellow there, so I’m also biased in that regard. He founded a cybersecurity firm. As I mentioned earlier, he hands out donuts to parents at his alma mater’s graduation.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you for being here. We are honored to have you.
Ambassador Fick: It’s a pleasure, Thom.
Defense Writers Group
8 March 2023
Moderator: Welcome to this Defense Writers Group with Governor of Okinawa Denny Tamaki. Sir, we are very honored to have you here.
As always, our ground rules, this is on the record, but there is no reposting of audio or video. Still photographs for your web sites are absolutely fine.
I’ll ask the first question as always. Seven or eight of you emailed in advance to get on the questioners list. When we go through those we’ll take questions from the floor.
Governor, welcome sir.
You’re in Washington at a very dynamic time as the United States is reaching out to Japan, Australia, the Philippines to help bolster America’s defense against China. There’s much discussion about more or new troop deployments to Okinawa, a place that many of us have visited and feel very fond about.
Sir, I’d like to ask you, what is your message to Washington at this time?
Governor Tamaki: It’s going to be a little long answer.
Moderator: The floor is yours.
Governor Tamaki: Good morning. How are you? I came from Okinawa, Japan. I am Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture. It is my pleasure to be here. Thank you for hosting me this morning. It’s a great pleasure to meet you all. I will do my very best to make today’s session beneficial to all of you.
Defense Writers Group
28 February 2023
Moderator: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this session of the Defense Writers Group with John F. Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. He is truly someone who needs no introduction. Since I’m no longer a journalist and can express opinions for the first time in 40 years, I think that Mr. Sopko’s work at SIGAR is some of the most important work that the US government is doing right now to safeguard American money and American lives.
As always, this session is on the record, but there is no rebroadcast of audio or video. I’ll ask the first question, and then about half a dozen of you have emailed in advance to get on the list, but we’ll have time, I’m sure, for just about everybody.
Mr. Sopko, welcome and thank you for your time, sir.
Mr. Sopko: It’s a pleasure to be here, and a pleasure to meet you all.
Defense Writers Group
24 February 2023
Moderator: Good morning, everybody, and welcome everyone to this Defense Writers Group conversation with a guest that we have not had before in my memory, so we’re really honored to have Jessica Lewis, the Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The ground rules as always, this is on the record, but there is no rebroadcast of either audio or video. I’ll ask the first question, and then we’ll go around the table. Ten of you already emailed in advance to get on the list. When we go through those I’ll certainly call on others. This is an incredibly auspicious and tragic day for the world, the one-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s illegal aggressive invasion of Ukraine. You’ve spoken about it often, Madame Secretary, and I’d like to play back to you a very very powerful quote. Not long ago you said, “This war has really created a tectonic shift as the entire world is looking at what defense and security systems is going to need moving forward and as countries reassess their own security needs.” So I’ll ask you, ma’am, what does that mean? What specifically do we need to do? What are the lessons from Ukraine that you and your office will be trying to press on the government and the allies moving ahead?
A/S Lewis: First of all I’d really like to start by saying thank you to you for hosting me, and thank you to everybody for being here today.
Defense Writers Group
23 February 2023
Moderator: Welcome to this special Defense Writers Group. We have all three senior leaders of one of the armed forces. Of course I’ll introduce them, but they truly need no introduction. We have the Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Christine Wormuth; we have the Army Chief of Staff, General James McConville; and the Sergeant Major of the Army, Command Sergeant Major Michael Grinston. Our ground rules are the same as always. This is on the record, but there is no rebroadcast of either audio or video. I’ll ask the first question, and then I’ll go to a list of those who emailed me in advance. If we get through those, and it’s a long list already, I will go to the floor. So to all of you, thank you so much for the great honor of being with us here today. Whether we’re entering a new Cold War or just a very very complicated new age of danger, I’d really love for each of you to describe for us what is your number one priority over the coming year and why. Madame Secretary?
Secretary Wormuth: First of all, thanks everybody for being here this morning.
Defense Writers Group
7 February 2023
Moderator: Welcome everyone to this Defense Writers Group with Senator Jack Reed who we all know is Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Reed’s meetings with us are really one of the highlights of the year. The ground rules are as always. This meeting is on the record, but there’s no rebroadcast of audio or video. I’ll ask the first question. A number of you have already emailed in advance to ask for questions. I’ll go through those first. If anyone else wants to ask a question please drop a note in direct chat to let me know. With that, Senator Reed, one note. More than 45 reporters RSVP’d, one of our biggest groups ever which shows the great interest in your comments today, sir. So thank you for joining us.
Senator Reed: My pleasure, Thom. Thank you.
