Organized as part of the Georgia Tech Initiative on Strategy, Technology, and the US Military, which aims to strengthen Georgia Tech’s partnerships with the US military and to further research and educational programs on critical security-related topics, the panel addressed short-term and long-term challenges of bridging complex strategic and technical concepts with operational needs and objectives for the US military.

The speakers highlighted the roles and complex inter-dependencies among changing geostrategic environments, domestic and adversarial technological pursuits, lessons learned (or taken) from past and recent conflicts, domestic budgetary pressures, and organizational aspects of different institutions. The need to identify clearly and articulate strategic interests and desired policy outcomes when employing the military was emphasized.

The speakers also met with undergraduate students as part of INTA Senior Capstone course on “21^st Century Security Challenges” affording Nunn school students, who have spent the semester exploring the creation, implementation, and execution of security strategies, policy, and operations effectively in the 21st Century, to further the conversation.

LTC Reese, an Infantry officer who has served with the 82^nd Airborne Division, the 101^st Airborne, and the 6^th Ranger Training Battalion; and Major Pauls, an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot with 350 combat hours in Iraq and Afghanistan, stressed the importance of continued education, including advanced schooling at both military and civilian institutions, for leadership development of military officers. Both military officers served on the Chief of Staff of the Army’s inaugural Strategic Studies Group (SSG), along with Nunn School Assistant Professor Margaret E. Kosal.

In national and international security, science and technology can be independent, intervening, or dependent factors. Better understanding of the often complex and interdependent relationships among strategy and technology as they relate to the US military is needed. GT’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, its students, faculty, and collaborating researchers are well-positioned to conduct research directed at explaining how these phenomena intersect and potentially impact US policy and national security. Events like the panel discussion help enable better understanding of the multi-faceted ways that education, geopolitics, and technology affect security strategy and the future of the armed forces.

Both speakers were speaking on their own behalf and their views do not necessarily reflect those of the Army, the Air Force, the DoD, or any other office or organization with which they both are or have been jointly or individually associated. The event was hosted by the Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy (CISTP).