Past Events

Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere is Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air Forces Strategic – Air, U.S. Strategic Command. Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence, global strike capability, and combat support to USSTRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33.700 professionals operating at
two numbered air forces; 11 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve wings; and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all U.S. Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft, UH-1N helicopters, E-48 National Airborne Operations Center aircraft, and the U.S. Air Force NC3 weapons system.

Gen. Bussiere is a 1985 distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC from Norwich University. He has held a variety of flying, staff andcommand assignments including the Deputy Director for Nuclear. Homeland Defense and Current Operations, Joint Staff; Inspector General, Headquarters, AFGSC; Advanced Programs Division, Headquarters, Air Combat Command and duty as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Multi•National Force·lraq, Camp Victory, Baghdad. He commanded the 325th Bomb Squadron. 13thBomb Squadron, 509th Operations Group and the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB. Missouri. He also served as the Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Northern Command; Commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and Commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Commander, Eighth Air Force; Commander. Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale AFB. Louisiana, and Commander, Joint Functional Component for Global Strike; Commander, Task Force 204, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Gen. Bussiere is a graduate of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies and the U.S. Army War College Advanced Strategic Arts Program. Prior to his current position. Gen. Bussiere served as Deputy Commander, USSTRATCOM.

Gen. Bussiere is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours in the T-38 Talon, F-1SC Eagle, B-2A Spirit, B-1B Lancer and F-22 Raptor. He led F- 1SC combat missions during operations Southern Watch and Vigilant Warrior and B-2 combat missions during operations Allied Force and Iraqi Freedom.

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Lt. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara is Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Virginia. The general is responsible to the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for strategic deterrence policy, including nuclear oversight. arms control and the Department of Defense foreign clearance program, as well as providing focus on the nuclear deterrence and countering weapons of mass destruction missions for the Air
Force.

Lt. Gen. Gebara entered the Air Force in 1991 after commissioning through the U.S. Naval Academy. His staff assignments include duty at the National Security Council, the Joint Staff, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Central Command, the International Security Assistance Force, Headquarters Air Force and Air Force Global Strike Command. A veteran of four campaigns. he has commanded at the squadron, wing, and numbered air force level and has served tours of duty with the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

Lt. Gen. Gebara is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flight hours, including 46 combat sorties in the A-1O and B-2 in support of operations Iraqi Freedom I, Allied Force, Joint Guard, and service both in the air and on the ground in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to his current position. Lt. Gen. Gebara led approximately 21,000 Airmen across six installations as Commander, Eighth Air Force, and Commander, Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

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Maj. Gen. Stacy Jo Huser is Commander, 20th Air Force. Air Force Global Strike Command, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. Wyoming. She is responsible for more than 12,000 Airmen providing nuclear global strike and nuclear weapons sustainment for the U.S. Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Huser commissioned through Officer Training School in 1996 after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Central College, Naperville. Illinois. She has extensive experience in space and missile operations. Maj. Gen. Huser has served as a space operations crew member, instructor and training manager, as well as an ICBM combat crew commander, evaluator and chief of emergency war order plans. She also completed staff tours in the Secretary of the Air Force’s Legislative Liaison Office and at United States Strategic Command. Maj. Gen. Huser commanded the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska; the 91st Missile Operations Group, Minot AFB, North Dakota; and the 90th Missile Wing at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.

Prior to her current assignment. Maj. Gen. Huser served as the Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. In that role, she assisted the Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs to maintain the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

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Maj. Gen. Jason R. Armagost is the Commander. Eighth Air Force, and Commander, Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. “The Mighty Eighth” is responsible for the service’s bomber force and airborne nuclear command and control assets, encompassing approximately 24,000 Airmen across six installations, and proudly operating more than 150 E-4. B-1. B-2. B-52 and T-38 aircraft. The J-GSOC serves as the central command and control node for all operations within Air Force Global Strike Command, orchestrating warfighting and readiness activities for the Commander, Air Forces Strategic.

Maj. Gen. Armagost graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned in 1992. He has served in multiple operational and training assignments and logged more than 2,900 hours in the B·2A, F·16CJ, F· 16CG, B-1B, B·S2H and T·38A. His notable educational and staff assignments include a fellowship at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, California, Chief of Nuclear Operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. and Director of Strategic Plans. Programs. and Requirements at Air Force Global Strike Command.

Maj. Gen. Armagost commanded the 13th Bomb Squadron at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. His operational assignments supported contingency operations during operations Desert Strike, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Freedom’s Sentinel and Deliberate Resolve. He also served as the Deputy Commanding General for Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, where he led coordination of the DoD’s historic security assistance support effort to the Ukrainian government. Further, he has flown numerous combat missions in the F-16CJ, B-2A. B-1Band the B- 52H.

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Brig. Gen. Christopher E. Menuey is the Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application, National Nuclear Security Administration. Department of Energy, Washington. D.C. He assists the Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs to maintain the safety, security, and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

Brig. Gen. Menuey received his commission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 1996. He has held a variety of operational, staff and command assignments. He commanded the 90th Operations Support Squadron, 341st Operations Group and 91 st Missile Wing. His staff assignments included the Joint Staff, U.S. Strategic Command and Air Force Space Command. Brigadier General Menuey is a School of Advanced Air and Space Studies graduate and was a National Defense Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Menuey was the Director, Commander’s Action Group, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where he led a joint team to develop and implement the Commander’s vision. engagements, and communication.

Adm (R) Chas Richard completed a distinguished career of over 41 years in service to the nation. His final assignment was as Commander, US Strategic Command, from November 2019 to December 2022, responsible for one of 11 Unified Commands under the Department of Defense. At STRATCOM Richard was directly responsible for the global command and control of all the nation’s nuclear forces to achieve the national security objective of strategic deterrence. At STRATCOM Richard was responsible for over 150,000 people conducting strategic deterrence and nuclear operations, nuclear command and control, global strike, missile defense, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and analysis and targeting.

Admiral Richard has a unique breadth and depth of operational and policy experience in undersea and strategic warfare. His flag assignments include commander, Submarine Forces, Norfolk, Virginia, deputy commander, U.S. Strategic Command, director of Undersea Warfare (OPNAV N97) at the Pentagon, deputy commander of Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike at U.S. Strategic Command, and command of Submarine Group 10. Kings Bay, Georgia.

His operational assignments were in submarines focusing on special missions including command of USS Parche (SSN 683) and Submarine NR-1, then the U.S. Navy’s only nuclear-powered, deep-submergence submarine. He also served aboard USS Portsmouth (SSN 707),USS Asheville (SSN 758), and USS Scranton (SSN 756).

Richard’s staff assignments include service as the executive assistant and naval aide to the Under Secretary of the Navy; chief of staff, Submarine Force Atlantic; and command of Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 17. Bangor. Washington. Other staff assignments include director of resources on the staff of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy); squadron engineer on the staff of SUBRON-8 and duty on the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations

(Submarine Warfare) staff. Hehasalso served as a member of Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group XXVIII, studying the integration of unmanned systems intonaval force structure.

Richard is a native of Decatur, Alabama and a 1982 graduate with honors from the University of Alabama. He earned master’s degrees with honors from the Catholic University of America and the Naval War College. He retired from active duty in January 2023. He currently serves as the James R. Schlesinger Distinguished Professor at the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.

Captain Mark Parrella, originally from Arlington, VA, attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated with merit in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. He also holds a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

After completing nuclear power and submarine training, Captain Parrella served aboard USS TOLEDO (SSN769), deploying in support of both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He also served as a submarine intelligence analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence.

Captain Parrella has served at both the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Newport News. VA as an Assistant Project Officer for VIRGINIA Class Construction. and at the Supervisor of Shipbuilding. Groton, CT as the VIRGINIA Class Project Officer and Program Manager’s Representative. In these tours, he has led teams delivering 6 VIRGINIA-Class Submarines to the Fleet.

Captain Parrella has served as the Deputy Assistant Program Manager for New Acquisitions in the Advanced Undersea Systems Program Office (PMS-394), and as the Principal Assistant Program Manager for Construction and Test for the COLUMBIA Class Program Office (PMS-397).

Captain Parrella served as the Program Manager for Undersea Weapons (PMS-404) from August 2020 to April 2022. In this role, he was responsible for all acquisition and life cycle support of all Navy undersea weapons programs, including two Joint Programs with the Commonwealth of Australia.

Captain Parrella reported as the Program Manager of the COLUMBIA Class Submarine Program (PMS-397) in May 2022.

Mr. James R. Howe is currently President, Strategic Concepts and Analysis for Vision Centric, Inc., a SETA to US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO). He is also a consultant to National Security Research Institute (NSRI) (UARC to STRATCOM) and principal investigator on a study for OSD/NA to conduct open-source research into the future military utility and feasibility of space offensive warfare, and its impact on future warfare as a continuance of the revolution in military affairs. He was co-developer of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept. helped keep AHW concept sold and expanded the program (Now being developed and produced as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon).

Mr. Howe developed a concept for destroying threat hypersonic vehicles using long-range high power microwave beams which has been briefed to STRATCOM, MDA, AFRL and OSD, as wellas using the same HPM beam technology for a ground-based ASAT system which was briefed to USSF, USSC, AFRL and SMDC. Mr. Howe conducted studies for OSD/NA on future warfare, space warfare, future world orders, intercontinental conventional warfare (briefed 8 of Sec Def direct reports). and US/China counter-space 2040; DIA/MSIC on future missile threats; DTRA on advanced technology nuclear weapons and SMDC on Army future space force structure. From 2001-2005 he was Director, Threats and Future Requirements for Boeing, Missile Defense Division, and has over 40 years’ experience researching US/adversary strategic nuclear forces, strategic defenses. and space issues and as Executive Secretary of Rockwell/Boeing Strategy Working Group where his research developed new business opportunities and influenced national policy and threat decisions and was a win factor in Boeing capture of GMO contract.

Briefed Rumsfeld commission on long range missile threat to CONUS that provided engineering proof, resulting in approval of GMO program and revision of NIE 95-19. Conducted extensive two-sided strategic nuclear campaign analysis to develop requirements for B-1B bomber.

Mr. Howe is a Former US Army Armor Officer with command and intelligence assignments (25 years active and reserve). Mr. Howe earned a MS in International Economics from Oregon State University and MA in International Relations from University of Southern California.

Ms. Kelly Lee currently serves as the Director, Plans and Programs at Strategic Systems Programs (SSP). In this capacity, Ms. Lee provides executive leadership to SSP enterprise for the development and execution of the program plans and $4+ Billion annual budget for the Navy Strategic Weapons Systems and the joint Navy/Army Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program. Ms. Lee leads the professionals acquiring strategic weapon systems and the operations of the strategic weapons processing facilities providing the nation with 70% of its deployed nuclear weapons as well as 100% of the United Kingdom’s strategic deterrent capability.

Ms. Lee started her Navy career as an Engineer in Training at NAVSEA 05 where she gained Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems experiences. Ms. Leemoved to SSP when she was selected to serve as the Strategic Weapons Facility Operations Engineer in 1990. Prior to her current assignment. Ms. Lee served as the Branch Head for TRIDENT (05) Missile Systems responsible for design, development. production, technical services, operations, logistics and disposal of the D5 missile systems to include flight test instrumentation and special support equipment for United States and United Kingdom. Prior to her Missile branch head assignment, Ms. Lee served as an Assistant of Missile Production, Assembly and Operations of the Strategic Systems Programs.

Ms. Lee earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Master’s Degree in Public Administrations from American University.

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Madelyn Creedon had a long career in federal service; she served most recently as Principal Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) within the Department of Energy, a position she held from 2014 to 2017. She also served in the Pentagon as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs from 2011 to 2014, overseeing policy development in the areas of missile defense, nuclear security, combatting WMD, cybersecurity, and space.

She served as counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services for many years,beginning in 1990; assignments and focus areas included the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces as well as threat reduction and nuclear nonproliferation. During that time, she also served as Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the NNSA, Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy, and General Counsel for the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. She started her career as a trial attorney at the Department of Energy.

Following retirement from Federal Service in 2017, Madelyn established Green Marble Group, LLC, a consulting company and currently serves on several advisory and other boardsrelated to national security. She is also a non-resident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. a research professor at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs and was the chair of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States.

She holds a J.D. from St. Louis University School of law, anda B.A. from the University of Evansville.

Gordon G. Chang is the author of the recently published China Is Going to War.

His other works include The Coming Collapse of China and The Great U.S.-China Tech War.

He lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for almost two decades as a lawyer, most recently in Shanghai, as Counsel to the American law firm Paul Weiss and earlier in Hong Kong as Partner in the international law firm Baker & McKenzie.

He is a columnist at Newsweek and writes regularly for The Hill and other publications.

Mr. Chang has given briefings at the National Intelligence Council, Central Intelligence Agency, State Department, and the Pentagon. Chang has appeared before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs andthe U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

He appears on Fox News, Newsmax TV, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox Business.

He served two terms as a trustee of Cornell University.

Follow him on X @GordonGChang.

Dr. Matthew Kroenig is Vice President and Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. In these roles. he manages the Scowcroft Center’s bipartisan team of more than thirty resident staff andoversees the Council’s extensive network of nonresident fellows. His own research focuses on US national security strategy, strategic competition with China and Russia, and strategic deterrence and weapons nonproliferation.

Kroenig is currently a commissioner on the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States. He previously served in the Department of Defense and the intelligence community during the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations. He received the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. He was a national security adviser on the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney (2012) and Marco Rubio (2016).

Kroenig is also a tenured professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University. A 2019 study in Perspectives on Politics ranked him one of the top twenty-five most cited political scientists of his generation. He is the author or editor of eight books, including The Return of Great Power Rivalry: Democracy versus Autocracy from the Ancient World to the US and China (Oxford University Press, 2020) and The Logic of American Nuclear Strategy: Why Strategic Superiority Matters (Oxford University Press, 2018). Kroenig co-authors the bimonthly-it’s Debatable” column at Foreign Policy. His articles and commentary regularly appear in major media outlets, including: the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Politico, CBS, BBC, CNN, Fox News, and NPR.

He has held fellowships at the Council on Foreign Relations, Harvard University, and Stanford University. He is a life member of the Council on

Foreign Relations and holds an MA and PhD in political science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Senator John Hoeven was sworn in as North Dakota’s 22nd U.S. Senator, following ten years of service as the state’s governor. He is a member of the Defenser Subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations which is tasked with writing the legislation that allocates federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments, and organizations on an annual basis. He also serves on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and Committee on Indian Affairs.

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Senator Kevin Cramer was elected to the United States Senate on November 6, 2018 after serving three terms as North Dakota’s At-Large Member of the United States House of Representatives. He is the first Republican to hold this Senate seat in his lifetime. He serves on the Armed Services, Environment and Public Works, Veterans Affairs, Banking. Housing and Urban Affairs and Budget Committees.

Senator Cramer is the first ever North Dakotan to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Seapower. He is also on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

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Kelly Armstrong is a lifelong, devoted North Dakotan and a tireless advocate for making North Dakota a better place to live and work. With his background in business, his love for the outdoors and his volunteer and public service experience, Kelly is fighting for our North Dakota values in Washington and working to advance positive changes to benefit our state andcountry. Kelly serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government for the 118th Congress. Kelly was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives representing the entire state of North Dakota in 2018.

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Lt. Gen. Michael J. Lutton is the Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Deputy Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air,U.S. Strategic Command. Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence. global strike capability, and combat support to USSTRATCOM and the geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two numbered air forces; 11 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve wings; and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft, UH-1N helicopters, E-48 National Airborne Operations Center aircraft and the Air Force NC3 weapons system.

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Colonel Tytonia ly” Moore is the Deputy Director of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Modernization. Site Activation Task Force at Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. In this position, he assists the Director of ICBM Modernization in overseeing and coordinating the activities of the Air Force in support of the deployment of the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM weapon system and the retirement of the LGM-30G Minuteman Ill ICBM weapon system.

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Major General William A. Chambers, USAF (retired) served in uniform for 35 years, culminating in duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U. S. Air Force, Washington D.C. In that role, he directed the policy, planning, advocacy, and assessment for Air Force nuclear weapon systems.

Since retirement from active duty in 2013. he has been employed by the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), a Federally-funded Research and Development Center, which provides analyses for the Department of Defense on a full range of national security issues. At IOA, he leads research teams focused on nuclear weapons policy and strategy as well as strategic force structure modernization. regional conflict. conventional-nuclear integration, operational planning, nuclear command and control, and Nuclear Enterprise infrastructure. His team provides analyses of potential changes to US nuclear policy, conducts research into risks to the Nation’s nuclear deterrent capabilities, performs studies that inform the Nuclear Posture Review and its implementation, and leads congressionally-mandated studies of the DoD and DOE nuclear security enterprises. General Chambers also serves as Executive Director of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, Co-Chair of the Defense Science Board’s Permanent Subcommittee on Nuclear Weapons Surety, and as a member of CDRUSSTRATCOM’s Strategic Advisory Group where he leads the Bomber Task Force.

The Hon. David L. Norquist is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). He joined NDIA on May 1, 2022 bringing with him more than 30 years of public and private sector experience in national security and federal financial management.

Mr. Norquist previously served as the 34th Deputy Secretary of Defense from 2019 to 2021 and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Department of Defense (DoD), including managing the Pentagon’s budget and personnel. He led reforms in DoD business processes and realigned investments toward the challenges of multi-domain warfare. At the request of the Biden Administration, Mr. Norquist served as Acting Secretary of Defense and continued as Deputy Secretary until the Senate confirmed Secretary Lloyd Austin and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks. 

From 2017 until 2019 as the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer, he supported the National Defense Strategy (NDS) through the development and execution of the DoD’s annual budget of more than $680 billion. Mr. Norquist strengthened accountability to the taxpayer by implementing DoD’s first department-wide financial statement audit. 

Mr. Norquist began his career in 1989 as a Presidential Management Fellow supporting Army intelligence as a program and budget analyst with assignments on the Army staff, a major command, a defense agency, and at an overseas field site. 

Following his time with the Army, Mr. Norquist served for six years with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense as a professional staff member, where he focused on Air Force aircraft, munitions, ballistic missile defense and information assurance. 

From 2002 to 2006, he served as a deputy undersecretary of defense in the Office of the Comptroller. In 2006, President George W. Bush selected him as the first Senate-confirmed Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.  

Between his stints in government service, Mr. Norquist was a partner with Kearney and Company, a certified public accounting firm. 

Mr. Norquist was born in Concord, MA. He is a 1989 graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received a BA in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Policy. He also holds an MA in National Security Studies from Georgetown University.  

An Ohio native, Phil Wisecup graduated from the US Naval Academy at Annapolis spending 36 years in the Navy. rising to the rank of 3-star Admiral. Since participating in the “Third Taiwan Straits Crisis” in 1996 as a destroyer commanding officer, later head of the White House Situation Room, and as carrier strike group commander, he has been a keen China observer. Phil has spent years operating in the Pacific, and lived with his family in Seoul, Korea, where he commanded us Naval Forces there. As 52nd President of the US Naval War College he was responsible for extensive war gaming, research. and exercises of all kinds, and his last active-duty assignment was Naval Inspector General. Most recently he ran the CNO Strategic Studies Group, and then served as Vice Chancellor for strategy and strategic engagement for the North Dakota University System. He lives in Bismarck, where he is an independent investor and analyst.

Anna Batta is Associate Professor in the Department of International Security Studies at the Air War College. Her teaching and research interests include Russian politics and foreign policy, Eastern European politics, and the politics of authoritarian states. Her book, The Russian Minorities in the former Soviet Republics: Secession, Integration, and Homeland, was published in 2022 with Routledge. Further, she has published in academic journals, such as Ethnopolitics, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Civil Wars, and Party Politics. Dr Batta holds a PhD in Political Science in Conflict Studies from the University of North Texas. She grew up in Hungary during the Cold War. 

Doug Burgum took office as the 33rd governor of North Dakota on Dec. 15, 2016. Doug brings a business leader’s approach to diversifying the economy. creating 21st century jobs, and revitalizing our main streets. Today, North Dakota has the nation’s fifth-highest GDP per capita, ranks second in energy production per capita and boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

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Tom Ross was elected mayor of Minot in June 2022 after serving as a member of the Minot City Council since Jun 2020. He was born and raised in Minot, attending Bishop Ryan High School, and Minot State University. He has 20 years’ experience in the television broadcasting industry. He is currently the Workforce Development Coordinator for Quentin Burdick Job Corp. Tom is a member of the Minot State University Board of Regents, Minot Area Chamber EDC, Task Force 21, has served on: Beaver Booster Board of Directors, the Minot Public School Ag Advisory Committee, and he is and FFA alumni.

Mark J. Jantzer is a resident of Minot, North Dakota, and the long-time Chair of Task Force 21, Minot’s base retention and future military missions organization. As a Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Air Force Global Strike Command Civic Leader, Jantzer advises the commanders, and advocates and educates on issues affecting airmen. Appointed by the Governor to Task Force Military Issues North Dakota, Jantzer works to make North Dakota a desirable location for the military. Jantzer is a founding board member of the Strategic Deterrent Coalition, a nonprofit organizations that seeks to insure a robust strategic deterrent. Elected to the Minot City Council in 2008, Jantzer has served continuously and is currently Council President.

Brekka Kramer is the President I CEO of the Minot Area Chamber EDC and member of Task Force 21 (TF21). TF21 is an activity of the Minot Area Chamber EDC that educates the local community, ND officials, member of Congress, the public on national security issues, particularly ones that affect Minot Air Force Base, the U.S. Air Force and nuclear deterrence. Kramer serves on Governor Burgum’s Task Force for Military Issues in North Dakota executive committee and was appointed to the Air Force Global Strike Command Civic Leader group in 2015. Kramer has over twenty years of experience leading initiatives and moving public policy forward using vast networks of local, state and national connections prior to joining the Minot Area Chamber EDC in May 2022.

STEPHEN BLANK is an internationally recognized expert on Russian foreign and defense policies and international relations across the former Soviet Union. He is also a leading expert on European and Asian security, including energy issues. Since 2020 he has been a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute www.fpri.org. In 2020-21 he also was a Senior Expert for Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace From 2013-2020 he was a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, www.afpc.org From 1989-2013 he was a Professor of Russian National Security Studies at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Blank has been Professor of National Security Affairs at the Strategic Studies Institute since 1989. In 1998-2001 he was Douglas MacArthur Professor of Research at the War College.

Dr. Blank has consulted for the CIA, major think tanks and foundations, chaired major international conferences in the USA and abroad In Florence, Prague, and London, and has been a commentator on foreign affairs in the media in the United States and abroad. He has also advised major corporations on investing in Russia and is a consultant for the Gerson Lehrmann Group. He has published over 1300 articles and monographs on Soviet/Russian, U.S., Asian, and European military and foreign policies, including publishing or editing 15 books, testified frequently before Congress on Russia, China, and Central Asia for business, government, and professional think tanks here and abroad on these issues. He has also appeared on CNN, BBC, Deutsche Welle, CNBC Asia, and is a regular guest on VOA.

Prior to his appointment at the Army War College in 1989 Dr. Blank was Associate Professor for Soviet Studies at the Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education of Air University at Maxwell AFB. He also held the position of 1980-86: Assistant Professor of Russian History, University of Texas, San Antonio, 1980-86, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian history, University of California, Riverside, 1979-80.

Dr. Blank’s M.A. and Ph.D. are in Russian History from the University of Chicago. His B.A is in History from the University of Pennsylvania.

Senior Fellow, China Strategy, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation. He is the author of a national best-selling book on China, “The Hundred Year Marathon” and is considered one of the top scholars on China in the United States. He was previously Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute specializing in China’s relationship with the United States.  

Mr. Troyano is a Vice President and Nuclear Modernization Fellow at Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA), where his responsibilities include leading and supporting business strategies and concepts across the nuclear enterprise, reviewing technical products in the nuclear modernization domain; promoting dialogue on nuclear modernization and arms control issues, and developing the next generation of nuclear enterprise experts. Prior to joining SPA, Mr Troyano served 28 years in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including 22 years in the Senior Executive Service (SES) and two years as an Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD). His recent experience includes having led Milestone B approval by the Defense Acquisition Board for two critical Air Force Nuclear modernization programs – the Sentinel (GBSD) ICBM program and the Long-Range Stand-Off (LRSO) missile. Mr Troyano also led the DoD-wide process for the SecDef portfolio reviews of the nuclear Triad, including sustainment and modernization programs. His experience includes involvement with nuclear weapons systems and programs, nuclear strategy, capability, and risk reviews, Nuclear Posture Reviews (NPR), strategic planning, roadmap development, risk mitigation, budget/PPBE/resource advocacy, and collaborations with DoE/NNSA, State Dept, DHS, NSC staff. Mr. Troyano also served in numerous arms control positions since 1994 within OSD(AT&L), including as Director for Treaty Compliance, with responsibilities to ensure DoD programs comply with treaty obligations. He chaired the New START Treaty (NST) Compliance Review Group (CRG), which developed cost-effective, treaty compliant solutions, served on U.S. delegations, and advised leadership on negotiation and ratification of treaties including NST. Mr. Troyano has twice received the Presidential Rank Award, the DoD Exceptional Civilian Service Medal, and the DoD Meritorious Civilian Service Medal. He holds a Master of Arts in Security Policy Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Washington University.

Maj Gen John J. Nichols is the Deputy Director of Global Operations, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. As Director, he serves as the principal advisor to the USSTRATCOM Commander on nuclear operations and is responsible for the day-to-day readiness of U.S. nuclear command and control and strategic deterrent forces. He is also responsible for synchronizing component, joint and coalition operations and directing assigned forces to achieve USSTRATCOM and national objectives.

Maj Gen Nichols received his commission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1992. Following graduation, he served as an Intelligence Officer for seven years. Maj Gen Nichols then attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, and served in multiple flying assignments in the B-1. Maj. Gen Nichols commanded the squadron, group, and wing levels to include the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus AFB, Mississippi and the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri.

Frank Miller is a Principal at The Scowcroft Group in Washington, D.C. He joined The Scowcroft Group in August 2010, after five years as a member of the Cohen Group, first as a Vice President and then as a Senior Counselor. He had joined the Cohen Group in March 2005 from the White House, where he had served since January 2001 as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and as Senior Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council staff. At the White House he was responsible for a wide range of Presidential policy in the fields of nuclear deterrence policy, strategic arms reductions, national space policy, defense trade reform, land-mines, transforming the American and NATO militaries, and coordinating interagency support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Matthew Costlow is a Senior Analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy. His areas of expertise are in nuclear deterrence, missile defense policy, arms control, and Russian and Chinese nuclear doctrine. His work has been published by Comparative Strategy, Strategic Studies Quarterly, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He has also published numerous opinion pieces in the Institutes Information Series as well as the Wall Street Journal, War on the Rocks, Defense News, and Defense One. Previously, Matt served as a Special Assistant in the office of Nuclear and Missile Defense policy, Department of Defense.

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Gen. Anthony Cotton is the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command and Commander, Air Forces Strategic-Air, U.S. Strategic Command. AFGSC provides strategic deterrence, global strike capability, and combat support to STRATCOM and other geographic combatant commands. The command is comprised of more than 33,700 professionals operating at two numbered air forces; 11 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve wings; and the Joint Global Strike Operations Center and the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center. Weapons systems assigned to AFGSC include all Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and bomber aircraft, UH-1N helicopters, E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft, and the Air Force NC3 weapons system.

Gen Cotton commanded the squadron, group, and wing levels. He served as the Deputy Director of the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, as the Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office. He was also the Vice Commander and Commander of the 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and the Commander of the 45th Space Wing and Director of the Eastern Range, Patrick AFB, Florida. Prior to his current assignment, Gen. Cotton served as the Commander and President, Air University, Air Education and Training Command.

Peter Huessy is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, where he focuses on nuclear deterrence and modernization, arms control, and defense policy. Mr. Huessy has spent the past four decades laying out the requirements for nuclear deterrence and modernization, arms control, and defense policy, as well as the companion efforts on missile defense, space, non- and counterproliferation, particularly using public diplomacy to further US policy. His work has also focused on the threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.

Rear Adm. Scott W. Pappano serves as Program Executive Officer at Strategic Submarines.

At sea, Pappano served onboard USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705), USS Albuquerque (SSN 706), USS Michigan (SSBN 727 Gold), and USS Ohio (SSGN 726). He commanded USS Buffalo (SSN 715) while forward-deployed in Guam.

Assignments ashore include duty with Commander, Submarine Development Squadron 12 Tactical Action Group; onboard X-Daniel Webster (MTS 626) at Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit Charleston, South Carolina military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy; and executive assistant to the Director, Programming Division (N80) on the Navy Staff.

After selection as an acquisition professional, Pappano served in the Special Operations Forces Mobility Program Office (PMS 399); as executive assistant to Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command; and as major program manager for the Strategic and Attack Submarine Program Office (PMS 392). Pappano was assigned as program executive officer, strategic submarines in October 2021. His previous flag assignments include commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Director, Comprehensive Test Facility and program executive officer, Columbia.

Dr. Brooke Taylor is founder and CEO of Defending Our Country, and a distinguished faculty for Missouri State University’s Defense and Strategic Studies Program. In addition, Dr. Taylor is the creator and research lead for Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) National Nuclear Strategy and Global Security Workshop for Practitioners. Dr. Taylor was a U.S. Congressional Nuclear Security Fellow where she led appropriation portfolios for defense, energy and water, and military construction and veteran’s affairs; managed the Congressional Nuclear Security Working Group and was a Military Legislative Assistant to USSTRATCOM.

Prior to this, Dr. Taylor managed AFGSC’s near-peer competition program where she developed and facilitated scenario planning table-top exercises. She designed a novel top-secret Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications environmental scan table-top exercise utilized in executive education for senior military leaders. Dr. Taylor is a former United States House of Representatives Congressional Candidate and has published additional research on these topics in Wild Blue Yonder, the United States Air Force Academy Space and Defense Journal, the Marine Corps University Press Forging Wargamers, and The Hill, among others. Dr. Taylor is distinguished faculty for the Defense and Strategic Studies Program at Missouri State University and serves on the Board of Directors for various projects in her community and areas of interest.

Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolf is US Navy Vice Admiral and serves as Director, Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) to which he assumed duties in 2018. SSP provides safe and secure sea-based strategic deterrent solutions.

At sea and on deployment, he served as the assistant weapons officer on USS Lewis and Clark (SSBN 644) from 1988 to 1992 and was part of a forward-based team that led the rebuilding of courthouses and prisons in Iraq in 2007. In 1994 he was assigned as the lead systems engineer on a Ballistic Missile Defense Office (BMDO) joint skunkworks project ran by the U.S. Air Force at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

From 1995 to 1996, he was assigned to Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) as the liaison to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Command Control Communications Computers & Intelligence (C4I). From 1996 to 2000, he served as the assistant section head for fire control and guidance at SSP. In July 2000, Wolfe was assigned to the Program Management Office, Strategic Systems Programs (PMOSSP), Sunnyvale, California, where he served as the technical division head. During this tour, he was assigned additional temporary duties as a technical investigator for the Columbia Accident Investigation Board where he served as a lead for foam loss testing and orbit impact analysis. From 2003 to 2014, Wolfe was assigned back to SSP Headquarters. While at SSP he served in many positions, including the deputy chief engineer, branch head for Fire Control and Guidance Branch, the nuclear weapons security coordinator and SSGN coordinator, and branch head for Missile Branch.

In 2012, Wolfe assumed duties as the technical director and deputy director reporting program manager for Strategic Systems Programs. Prior to his current position, Wolfe was promoted to Rear Admiral October 1, 2014, and assigned as the program executive for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Missile Defense Agency.