Military Writers’ Symposium

Welcome to the Symposium!

Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a crucial role in modern military operations, making them of paramount importance. These highly trained and skilled units are designed to operate in unconventional warfare scenarios, where adaptability, and agility are critical. Special operations forces possess a unique set of capabilities that allow them to conduct missions with extraordinary precision, such as counterterrorism, hostage rescue, intelligence gathering, and unconventional warfare. Their expertise in small-unit tactics, specialized equipment, and cross-cultural awareness makes them invaluable assets in combating asymmetric and hybrid threats to overcome and win. By operating in high-risk environments and executing missions that require extreme precision and discretion, special operations forces serve as a force multiplier and a potent deterrent against both state and non-state actors. Their contributions often remain unseen and unrecognized in the public domain, but their impact on national security and global stability cannot be overstated.

Invited Authors & Speakers

Schedule

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

9:25 AM to 10:40 AM | Setting the Stage: The Quiet Professional       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Introductions by: Dr. Travis Morris, Director, NU Peace & War Center       
Keynote Address: LT Gen Michael K. Nagata, US Army (Ret.), Strategic Advisor & Senior Vice President, CACI International In       
Keynote Address: Dave Maxwell, Editor-in-Chief, Small Wars Journal

10:50 AM to 12:05 PM | Inside the World of US Special Forces: Crafting Compelling Fictional Narratives       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderator: Dennis Koonce & Teresia Mwema      
Authors: Don Bentley, Author and James Stejskal, Author & Historian

The world of Special Operations often remains unsee and unrecognized in the public domain. This can make crafting compelling and readable fictional accounts difficult. How do you ensure your writing is based in fact first, before adding fictionalized elements? Join our two fiction authors as they discuss how they craft a compelling narrative through their own experiences and the experiences of their subjects.

1:00 PM to 1:50 PM | SOF Leadership: Tried and Tested in Combat       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderator: Toni Adipietro & Ethan Trask      
Author: LTC (Ret.) Jeff Tiegs, Special Forces, Creator & President of Skull Games

SOF Leadership: Tried and Tested in Combat- LTC (Ret.) Tiegs shares personal experiences from his life in Special Operations, inviting everyone to join him on a journey behind the front lines of war, where his faith, cunning, and resilience were continually tested. This is not a theoretical discussion about leadership, these are real stories of triumph and tragedy in battles fought far away and some that followed him home.

2:00 PM to 2:50 PM | Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellow        
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderator: William McCollough, Vice President of Student Affairs & Commandant of Cadets, Norwich University        
Presentation by: Amrutaa Vibho, Richard S. Schultz ‘60 Symposium Fellow

Cadet Vibho will be reporting out on her study and modeling of the ballistics capabilities of the USMC V-22 Osprey. She used Applied and Computational Mathematics to create a primitive, enhanced flight navigation system.

5:00 PM to 5:50 PM | T.E. Lawrence and the Early Development of Psychological Warfare       
VIRTUAL SESSION or South Instruction Room, Kreitzberg Library 

Discussion Moderator: Dr. David Ulbrich, Associate Dean, Arts & Sciences Division, College of Graduate & Continuing Studies 
Presentation by: R. Pierce Reid, MMH ‘14 

Pierce has published and presented papers in the US and UK on T.E. Lawrence, and he has worked as a contractor in psychological warfare.

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7:00 PM to 8:30 PM | Train & Fight to Win: An Exploration of Global Special Operation Forces        
Plumley Armory 

Discussion Moderator: CSM Dennis “Matt” Kitchin, Commandant, Enlisted Academy, JSOU, USSOCOM        
Panelists: Lieutenant General Michael K. Nagata, US Army (Ret.), Strategic Advisor & Senior Vice President, CACI International Inc.; Former Capt. Allison MacDonald ’10, Threat Manager, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Dr. Joan Johnson-Freese, Adjunct Professor, Harvard University; LTC  (Ret.) Chris Cadigan

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

9:00 AM to 9:50 AM | Know Your Enemy, The Future of Global Competition        
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderator: Dave Maxwell, Editor-in-Chief, Small Wars Journal        
Author: Lieutenant General In-Bum Chun, Republic of Korea Army (Retired); Dmitri Beliakov, Photojournalist; Dr. Lyle Goldstein, Director of Asia Engagement, Defense Priorities 

A critical component to success in warfare is knowing and understanding enemy capabilities and thought processes. This session brings together experts in North Korean, Chinese and Russian special operations units to discuss how we might counter future engagements with these countries should the need arise.

10:00 AM to 10:50 AM | Colby Award Book Presentation – Lost Airmen       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderator: Dr. David Ulbrich, Associate Dean, Arts & Sciences Division, College of Graduate & Continuing Studies        
Author: Charles E. Stanley Jr., 2023 William E. Colby Military Writers’ Award Winner

In Lost Airmen: The Epic Rescue of WWII U.S. Bomber Crews Stranded Behind Enemy Lines, Charles Stanley Jr., unveils the shocking true story of his father, Charles Stanley-and the eighteen brave soldiers that he served alongside. Drawing on over twenty years of research, dozens of interviews, and previously unpublished letters, diaries, and memoirs written by the airmen, Stanley recounts the deadly journey across the blizzard-swept Dinaric Alps during the worst winter of the Twentieth Century-and the heroic men who fought impossible odds to keep their brothers in arms alive.

11:00 AM to 11:50 AM | Game Changers: How Women Influenced Spec Op Missions in OIF and OEF       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Discussion Moderators: Zoha Alam & Oluwapelumi P. Adefarakan      
Presentation by: Former Capt. Allison MacDonald, ’10, Threat Manager, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Major Tahina Montoya, ’08; Dr. Joan Johnson-Freese, Adjunct Professor, Harvard University, Capt. Rebekah “Rose” Bernheim, US Army Special Operations Command.       

Women have supported, shaped, and influenced Special Operations well before they were formally allowed into combat roles in 2015. Using Female Engagement Teams (FETs) and Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) as examples, this panel discusses how gender-perspectives contribute to Special Operation Forces mission success.

1:00 PM to 1:50 PM | Resilient Bodies: Elite Athleticism in SOF       
Mack Hall Auditorium 

Presentation by: Dr. Rachele Pojednic, Associate Prof. & Program Director of Exercise Science, Dept. of Health & Human Performance, Norwich University. In partnership with the Center for Global Resilience & Security at Norwich University.       
Speaker: Capt. Rebekah “Rose” Bernheim, US Army Special Operations Command.

4:00 PM to 4:50 PM | HUMINT and Special Operations: Historical Contexts       
VIRTUAL SESSION or South Instruction Room, Kreitzberg Library

Discussion Moderator: Dr. David Ulbrich, Associate Dean, Arts & Sciences Division, College of Graduate & Continuing Studies       
Presentation by: Michael Taylor, MAH ‘19

Michael served for 12 years in the USMC, and he is currently teaching HUMINT courses to military personnel.       

Register to Join       
 

6 PM to 9 PM | Meet the Authors Reception & Dinner | Ticketed Event 
National Guard Readiness and Regional Technology Center (161 University Drive, Northfield, Vermont) 

The 29th annual Military Writers’ Symposium will conclude with the not-to-be-missed Meet the Authors Dinner. Ask any former attendee and they will tell you that this dinner is a one-of-a-kind experience. Join Norwich University leadership, our special guests, alums, and our fabulous students as we eat great food, engage in exciting conversation, and make lasting connections. Space is limited – click to register and purchase your tickets early.

SOLD OUT

Table Sponsors

The Friends of the Kreitzberg Library provide support for the Kreitzberg Library and Archives & Special Collections to enrich and enhance the intellectual and cultural climate of Norwich University. They are committed to preserving Norwich history and traditions, including preserving archives and rare materials.

For more than 60 years, First Command has been helping service members and their families plan for and pursue financial security.  

Please consider making a gift to the Carlo D’Este Endowment to help us carry on this excellent programming into the future.