Update 5 - 30 Oct 17


Events
1) Meeting with former Ambassador to Afghanistan LTG (ret) Karl Eikenberry
--Discussed his role hear at Stanford and what he misses about national service. He teaches a class at Stanford in the spring on the role of Technology and National Security. I will serve as a guest lecturer for the class.

2) Attended session on Countering Information Warfare with Dr. Paul Stockton (formed ASD/HD)
--Excellent discussion on the value of information warfare and how we can improve national security to deal with increased adversarial use of information warfare.

3) Attended two day conference on the Role of Military History in Contemporary Conflict
--Some of the topics discussed: Turkey's continued membership in NATO, New categories of conservative foreign policy, Status of US Naval readiness, When do we leave Afghanistan (with a former AFG AMB to US) and North Korea. Phenomenal couple of days lead by historical authors and educators.

4) Attended a Congressional Medal of Honor panel with MAJ William Swenson (AFG), MAJ James Taylor (Vietnam) and MG Patrick Brady (Vietnam).
--Deep insights into their lives after military life, although MAJ Swenson is still active duty. Discussed how the use the CMOH group to continue to help others.

5) Attended two and half day Hoover Institution Retreat on Restoring Economic Prosperity
--Opening event was a conversation between POTUS 43 and Secretary Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Two day event dealt with improving the economy, tax changes and the history of economic impacts.

6) Attended discussion with John Brennan (former Dir CIA) and Avril Haines (former Deputy NSA) on current national security environment. 

Upcoming

- NSAF sit down with Dr. Condoleezza Rice

- Meeting with Dr. Senesky to discuss the topic for my guest lecture in a class on 3D Printing of Aerospace Systems.

- Meeting to discuss Cyber National Policy with Mr. Grotto (former Cyber at NSC) and Stanford Cyber Initiative Leaders at Hoover and CISAC.

- Planning planning conference between USSOCOM/USCYBERCOM planners. Goal is to leverage strengths from both commands. Dr. Herb Lin, Stanford CISAC, is trying to set this up for the spring.

Readings from this period:

Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? Graham Allison. Allison walks the reader through historical conflicts dealing with the rise of national powers. This often led to the larger power waging war to limit the expansion of a rising power. https://www.amazon.com/Destined-War-America-Escape-Thucydidess/dp/B06ZZPQNT5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509402211&sr=8-1&keywords=destined+for+war

Kissinger: Volume I: 1923-1968: The Idealist, Niall Ferguson. The most thorough biography I have ever read. Ferguson was asked by Dr. Kissinger to do his biography and it does not disappoint. The book follows Dr. Kissinger through his formative years in Europe to his immigration to the US, back to Europe for WWII as an Army enlisted Counterintelligence agent and up to his selection by President Nixon as the NSA. Well worth the time. https://www.amazon.com/Kissinger-I-1923-1968-Idealist/dp/B0149GRQQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509402368&sr=1-1&keywords=Kissinger+volume+1

The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, Peter Senge. Book that uses examples to example concepts of learning organizations and the pros of cons of multiple methods of shaping an organization. https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Discipline-Practice-Learning-Organization/dp/B0000640E9/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509402597&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fifth+discipline+the+art+%26+practice+of+the+learning+organization

Writings from this period:

OpEd (Military Times) -- What to do after a suicide. How can we improve our response.

Stages of Learning (Doctoral requirement). This paper addresses how a student goes through the cognitive, associative and autonomous phases of learning in graduate education.

PEST Analysis of the 85 EIS (Doctoral requirement). This paper addresses how the men and women of the 85 EIS dealt with the political, economic, social and technological factors during organizational development.

Proposed Research:

OpEd: Learning a lesson from the Cold War for Cyber. Politico requested a 1500 word piece for publishing. Should complete this week or next.

OpEd: How ignoring the requirements of NDAA 2001 continues to hurt the military.

Air Force: Four historical strategists take on cyber. Plan is to assess how Thucydides, Jomini, A.J. Mahan, Herman Kahn would approach cyber strategy. Thucydides (Nov), Jomini (Dec), Mahan (Jan), Kahn (Feb). Each will also have a smaller OpEd possible for The Hill.

Doctoral: The role of private foundations in high school. Plan is assess the positive benefits of private foundations and what happens in school districts that do not have private foundations.



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