Distinguished Speaker Series: Implementing U.S. Arms Control Agreements

You are invited to a Distinguished Speaker Series dinner event on Sept. 24, 2025, at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kansas (123 S Esplanade St.). A reception begins at 5:30 p.m., the buffet dinner starts at 6 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

Verification of arms control agreements has become a major topic in international relations. Although violations of such agreements properly command significant attention at the highest levels, the successful implementation of these often complex and intrusive verification regimes frequently goes unnoticed. In this installment of our Distinguished Speaker Series, Gil Bernabe, Ph.D., will discuss his recent book, Implementing U.S. Arms Control Agreements, published through the Simons Center book program.

Told by some of the world’s leading experts on the subject — men and women who labored on the front lines of the on-site inspections (OSI) and related activities – the book documents the story of one of the key organizations in this historic struggle to constrain and, where possible, eliminate the weapons that continue to plague the human race and the world environment — the United States (U.S.) Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and its legacy organization, the U.S. Department of Defense On-Site Inspection Agency (OSIA).

Tickets are $35/person in advance or $40/person at the door

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

Gilbert A. Bernabe, Ph.D. (Lt. Col., U.S. Army, Ret.) is a former treaty planner/analyst and inspector for the On-Site Inspection Agency (OSIA) and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). He retired from government service after 43 years. He spent 26 years in the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer and 17 years as a civil servant for the On-Site Inspection and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Bernabe supported the INF and START Treaties as a planner and treaty analyst and participated in inspection and escort missions. He also served with the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and participated in UNSCOM missile inspections in Iraq. He also supported U.S. Central Command in the areas of combating weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and interdiction and border security.

During his military career, he served on the Army staff at the Pentagon, where he briefed the Army leadership on strategic nuclear issues, and prepared the Army Chief of Staff on arms control issues selected for presentation to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Bernabe graduated from the University of Santa Clara with a history degree. He earned a master’s degree and doctorate in international relations from Claremont Graduate School. He also earned a master’s degree in National Security Studies from the Naval War College. His awards include the OSIA Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the DTRA Exceptional Civilian Service Medal and an UNSCOM commendation for leadership and dedicated service to UNSCOM.

The CGSC Foundation through its Simons Center conducts the Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) program to offer extracurricular, educational lectures intended to help enrich the Command and General Staff School curriculum and provide opportunities for outreach to the public. Topics covered in the Distinguished Speaker Series of lectures span the gamut of leadership and ethics, organizational effectiveness, collaboration, as well as current events and issues in business, government and the military.  

Thank you to our 2025 DSS Sponsors

~5 Stars~

Pritzker Military Foundation
The Tim and Karen Carlin Family Foundation

~4 Stars~

Julius Kaaz Construction

~3 Stars~

Col. (Ret.) Bill and Marge Eckhardt
First Command
Robert and Clare Powell

~2 Stars~

Armada Corporate Intelligence
Demaranville & Associate, CPAs
University of Kansas
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Rich and Mary Ann Keller
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Bill West

~1 Star~

Advantage Printing
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stan Cherrie
Lt. Col. (Ret.) William and Kathleen Connor, Sr.
Col. (Ret.) Tom and Candy Dials
Art Fillmore
Geiger Ready Mix
Col. (Ret.) Bob and Terri Ulin