NSRT program focuses on China, North Korea

The U.S. Army Command and General Staff College’s Department of Joint, Interagency and Multinational Operations (DJIMO) and the CGSC Foundation cohosted a National Security Roundtable program Oct. 24-25 at the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The focus of this program was on the relationships and issues with China and North Korea.

On the first day of the program, Foundation CEO Doug Tystad and CGSC Deputy Commandant Brig. Gen. Scott Efflandt provided welcoming remarks to the 15 civilian guests for the program. Following those remarks the attendees were treated to a special presentation from Admiral Michael S. Rogers, commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service, who joined the opening session via video teleconference from his office in Washington, D.C.

After the VTC with Adm. Rogers, the special guest speaker for the opening day was retired Ambassador David Lambertson who has extensive experience in the Pacific region, most notably as the ambassador to Thailand. The first day of the program concluded with a reception in the atrium of the Lewis and Clark Center.

On day two of the NSRT, members of the DJIMO faculty presented two panel discussions. The first on China entitled “Awakening the Dragon” was presented by Dr. John Modinger who briefed the group on China’s politics, economy and military reform; Dr. Geoff Babb briefed on China’s security challenges; Lt. Col. David Lopes spoke about China’s relations with South Asia; and finally, the exchange instructor from Australia, Lt. Col. Arran Hassell, spoke about China’s relations with Southeast Asia. (View/download the panel’s briefing slides) After this first panel, the NSRT guests had the opportunity to sit in their student escorts’ classrooms to witness firsthand the regular instruction at CGSC.

During the lunch period Foundation CEO Doug Tystad provided an overview of the CGSC Foundation and how it supports the College, after which the second panel entitled “North Korea: “A Tense Time on the Peninsula” was introduced. During this panel Mr. Ralph M. Erwin, Senior Geospatial Intelligence Officer and NGA Liaison to the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, spoke about North Korea’s physical environment; Mr. Gary Hanson briefed on the politics and economy of the country; Lt. Col. John Reynolds compared/contrasted North and South Korea’s militaries; and South Korean Liaison Officer to Fort Leavenworth, Lt. Col. Kyunghwan Jung, spoke about North Korea’s missile and nuclear capabilities and its possible strategic intentions. (View/download the panel’s briefing slides.)

After the final Q&A, Col Robert Ault, director of the Command and General Staff Officer School, and Foundation trustee Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Richard Keller presented the attendees with their NSRT graduation certificates. Tystad also presented each NSRT grad with a challenge coin.

Attendees at this NSRT program:

Mr. Michael Avery, President, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc.
Mr. Marlin Cone, Co-Owner, The Cone Team
Professor William Eckhardt (COL, Ret), Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Missouri, Kansas City
Mr. Calvin Emig, President, Wildcat Property Management
Mr. Calvin Johnson (COL, Ret), Deputy, Mission Command Battle Lab
Mr. Andrew Kaplan, Exec Vice President, Commerce Trust Company
Mr. Bill Lawson, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Park University
Mr. Patrick Leis, Vice President, JE Dunn Construction Company
Mr. Tom Madsen, Vice President, AVI
Mr. John Martin, Office Managing Partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP
Mr. Paul Oltmanns, Jr., Hotel Manager, IHG
Dr. James Pasley, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Park University
Mr. Richard Rue, Sr. Vice President & CFO (Retired), ITA Group, Inc.
Reverend Tim Soule, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
Mr. Brian Suhl, Prsident/Owner, Sandstrom Products, Inc.