An Airman Goes To Stanford

Events 1) Telecon with AFSPC/CD, AFSPC/CIO and DIUx in order to discuss possible DIUx support to AFSPC's approach to enterprise IT as a service. DIUx and AFSPC will continue coordination efforts. 2) Meeting with AMB Karl Eikenberry --Will support his Spring Quarter class at Stanford entitled Technology and National Security. Worked on curriculum development and have agreement for COMACC to come as a guest lecturer towards the end of the term. 3) Seminar with Dr. Elliot Cohen (former DoS Counselor) on civ-mil relationships. Large group session focused around jargon, training, and methods ---Followed by a small group with Dr. Cohen and the NSAF cohort. 4) Attended SecState discussion on Syria moderated by Dr. C. Rice. --Video can be found here:  https://www.hoover.org/ events/tillerson_11718 5) Private lunch with Ted Koppel and military members/veterans --Topic centered around cybersecurity of critical infrastructure and his book Lights Out 6) Attende...

Events 1) Guest lecture in the Stanford seminar on 3D printing of aerospace systems.  --The class was about the benefits of 3D printing in austere environments. Format was 15 minutes lecture on terrestrial environments. Dr.Senesky lectured for 15 minutes on space environments. Students then were assigned 5 environments: space, arid environment, underwater, city, arctic and provided pros and cons to the rest of the class. 2) Meeting with Army Chief of Staff --Talked about his concerns over the next 10-15 years 3) Attended two day Quantum Computing conference. https://www.q2b.us.  --Hosted by QCWare and supported by NASA and Google. Linked an Austin-based QC start-up with the Austin DIUx office. 3) Meeting with Mr. Mike Sellitto (https://www.cnas.org/people/michael-sellitto) --Works for DoS on the NSC on cyber policy --Discussed next steps in national cyber policy 4) One-on-One with Mr. Andy Grotto (https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/people/andrew-j...

Behind, so here is two months at once. 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/re...

Events 1) Meeting with Mr. Jim Baker (Office of Net Assessment) --We discussed issues that our fellows thought were national security concerns. 2) Discussion with Secretary Dr. Condoleezza Rice --We discussed our program and issues of international significance. 3) Attended a discussion on the Strategic Utility of Offensive Cyber Weapons with Dr. Max Smeets and Mr. Andy Grotto --Heavy emphasis on the value of OCO --Follow-on meetings with Dr. Smeets and Mr. Grotto in the future to discuss co-authorship 4) Discussion with MARFORPAC CG, Lt.Gen. Berger --Discussed his concerns in the Pacific and paralleled to the fellow's research 5) Tour of DIUx to include mission briefing --Genuine concern on their metrics of mission accomplishment and measures of success. Constant referring to the DoD entities as DIUx's "customers." 6) Discussion with 60th SecState George P. Schultz and ADM (ret) Jim Ellis (former CDR USSTRATCOM) --Discussed ou...

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 Meda...

Events 1) Held first-ever AF Birthday celebration at the Hoover Institution. With the other AF NSAF, we talked about AF operations of the past, present and the future. We watched a short video clip and had birthday cake. 2) Meeting with Toomas Hendrick Ilves (former Estonian President) --President Ilves was the newly elected President of Estonia when they were hacked. He walked us through the response, how his nation changed and recommendations for the U.S. going forward. 3) Meeting with Alice Hill (Hoover DC office and former NSC Climatologist) --Discussed at length the role of climate change and national security. Verifiable facts are that the sea level is rising and the overall temperature of the earth is rising. 4) Lecture series with ADM Jim Stravridis --One-on-one discussion before about the role of the sea in national strategy. Lecture focused on using the sea and understanding the role of the sea 5) Meeting with RADM Gautier (USCG Director of Governme...

September was a great month of learning. Wright Brothers , David McCullough. Deep history on the brothers that shaped the world. Interesting insight on the largest immoral technology creation of the late 1800s...the bicycle. National media at the time said the bicycle would bring down society because it enabled people to leave their local areas and travel more freely.  https://www.amazon. com/The-Wright-Brothers/dp/ B00TA5MPEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& qid=1505242282&sr=8-1& keywords=wright+brothers War Dogs,  Greg Bear. Fiction book that addresses how our current plans in development by Billionaires to move into space and ultimately will affect the world as to laws and government as well as wars. How will Earth feel when colonies on Mars no longer feel beholden to Earth? Will history repeat itself from American history. You have to get past the battling aliens piece. https://www.amazon.com/War- Dogs/dp/B00ODBIYQO/ref=sr_1_ 12?ie=UTF8&qid=1505242307&sr=...