Great Decisions 2019 provides unique opportunity to learn about issues of today

“Great Decisions” is America's largest discussion program on world affairs.Locally, Great Decisions features Army War College faculty’s expert insights in a weekly series of presentations with question-answer opportunities for the eight most critical issues facing America each year.

The presentation series is free and open to the military and civilian community, scheduled for Friday afternoons at the United States Army Heritage and Education Center, 950 Soldiers Drive, Carlisle.

State to the State Dept. and Diplomacy Friday, Feb 01, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Mr. Sherwood McGinnis, Dr. Sherwood is a Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Army War College and at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Dr. McGinnis teaches courses on national security and the foreign policy process.Sherwood retired from the Senior Foreign Service with extensive experience in the political, economic development and stabilization fields.He served in Afghanistan, Mexico. the Middle East and Europe, coordinating with multilateral organizations including the UN, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, NATO, and the Conference on Disarmament as a negotiator and spokesperson for U.S. policies.

Decoding U.S. – China Trade Friday, Feb 8, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Prof. John Troxell. Retired Col. Troxell served as Research Professor of National Security and Military Strategy, with the Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. In addition to his research activities with SSI, for the past fourteen years he has taught an elective course on the Economics of National Security and has widely lectured on related topics. He earned a Bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy in 1974 and a Master's degree from the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University in 1982, and is a 1997 graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

The Middle East: regional disorder Friday, Feb. 15, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Chris Bolan, Dr. Bolan is a Professor of Middle East Security Studies at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College. Researches and teaches graduate-level courses on contemporary national security issues and the Middle East. Six years as senior foreign policy advisor and analyst on Middle Eastern and South Asian affairs for Vice Presidents Gore and Cheney. Participated in senior interagency deliberations at the level of Assistant Secretary regularly attending Principals and Deputies Committee meetings of the National Security Council and preparing hundreds of policy briefings/papers for senior officials at the White House, Pentagon, Congress, and U.S. embassies overseas.

Refugees and Global Migration Friday, Feb. 22, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Mr. Alex Deprez. Mr. Deprez is a Senior Foreign Service Officer serving as the U.S. Agency for Internation Development (USAID) Advisor to the U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute. His most recent posting was in Accra, Ghana as USAID's West Africa Regional Mission Director. Prior to this assignment he served as the Deputy Mission Director in Juba, South Sudan and Baghdad, Iraq. Mr. Deprez also served in senior management roles implementing foreign assistance programs in East Africa. DRCongo, Haiti, Russia and Egypt

The Rise of Populism in Europe, Thursday March 7, 1 – 3 p.m.

Panel members: Col. Darrell Driver, German Col. Martin Wernecke and Ms. Mary Foster.

Col. Driver is Professor of National Security Studies and Director of European Studies at the U.S. Army War College. Prior to his arrival at Carlisle Barracks, he served as the Deputy Chief of Strategy for U.S. European Command's Directorate for Strategy and Policy (J5/8), during which time he led the command's support efforts to NATO. Col. Martin Werneke joined the German Army in 1991. He is a distinguished graduate of the Resident Course AY17 U.S. Army War College, a graduate of the University of the German Armed Forces Master of Business Administration, and the German Command and General Staff College. Ms. Forster is an instructor in the Army War College’s European Regional Studies program.

Cyber Conflicts and Geopolitics Friday, March 15, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Col Mickey Evans, - Col. Evans is a Faculty Instructor in the Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations at the U.S. Army War College.He has spent 28 years in the U.S. Air Force as a practitioner in Information Technology and Cyber and served in various assignments to include squadron command, DIA, NSA and NATO.Colonel Evans holds a B.S. in Computer Science and graduate degrees in Computer Resources & Information Management and Cyber Warfare.

Nuclear Negotiations: back to the future, Friday, March 22, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Frank Jones. - Dr. Jones is Professor of Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College and holds the General George C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies at the Army War College. He served in several high-level positions of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Policy and Support, and principal Director for Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance .

The United States and Mexico: partnership tested Friday, March 29, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Evan Ellis, Dr. Ellis is a research professor of Latin American Studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute with a research focus on the region's relationships with China and other non-Western Hemisphere actors. He has published over 180 works, including the 2009 book China in Latin America: The Whats and Wherefores, the 2013 book The Strategic Dimension of Chinese Engagement with Latin America, and the 2014 book, China on the Ground in Latin America. He has given testimony on Chinese activities in Latin America to the US Congress on multiple occasions, and has discussed his work regarding China and other external actors in Latin America on a broad range of radio and television programs. Dr. Ellis is cited regularly in the print media in both the US and Latin America for his work in this area.

India and its Neighbors Friday, Jan. 18, 1 – 3 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Pat Bratton, Dr. Bratton is an Associate Professor of National Security and Strategy Studies. He graduated with a BA in History from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. He then went on to complete graduate studies at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (UK), the Université de Rennes 2 (France), and received his PhD from The Catholic University of America. He is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. In the fall of 2009 and in summer 2011, he was a Visiting International Fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysesin New Delhi, India. His research focuses on strategic studies (particularly on coercive diplomacy and foreign policy decision-making), Indian foreign and security policy, and maritime issues