{"693472":{"#nid":"693472","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Diplomacy, Development, and Defense: A General\u0027s Experience in Afghanistan and AFRICOM","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe Sam Nunn School of International Affairs is hosting \u003Cstrong\u003E\u201cDiplomacy, Development, and Defense: A General\u2019s Experience in Afghanistan and AFRICOM,\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E a conversation with retired Gen. David Rodriguez. The event is generously supported by the Colonel Leslie Callahan Memorial Fund.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ERodriguez served more than 40 years in the U.S. Army. His final assignment was as commander of U.S. Africa Command.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Rodriguez earned his commission from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1976. He commanded at every level, including as commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command; commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan; commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan; commander of Multi-National Force Northwest in Iraq; commander of the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division; and commander of the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ERodriguez also commanded companies in the 75th Ranger Regiment and 1st Armored Division. His assignments included four years in combat at the two- and three-star levels. He also served as senior military adviser to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESince retiring from the U.S. Army, Rodriguez has operated DMR Consulting LLC, a strategic consulting business. He continues to support the U.S. Army through strategic leadership training at the Army War College for two- and three-star Army leaders.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ERodriguez serves on three boards: as president of the Angel Wings for Veterans board, as a member of the Creative Associates International Global Advisory Board, and as a member of the Leadworthy Foundation Advisory Board. He also provides strategic consulting services to McChrystal Group LLC and Odell International LLC. He has contributed his expertise to Harvard University, Indiana University, RAND Corporation, and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoin the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs for a conversation with General (ret.) David Rodriguez.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Join the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs for a conversation with General (ret.) David Rodriguez."}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2026-10-26 14:49:45","changed_gmt":"2026-10-26 14:53:32","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-11-04T09:30:00-05:00","event_time_end":"2026-11-04T10:45:00-05:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-11-04T10:45:00-05:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-11-04 14:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-11-04 15:45:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-11-04 15:45:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Alumni House, Griffin Ballroom","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1285","name":"Sam Nunn School of International Affairs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"78771","name":"Public"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEric Koob\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ekoob3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eekoob3@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}