Military Writers Symposium Newsletter 2022

ICH UNIVERSI RW TY O N

MILITARY WRITERS’ SYMPOSIUM

A S S O C I AT E S

Newsletter S P R IN G 202 2

Chairman’s Message

R. Pierce Reid

I

n the months since our last newsletter we have achieved some new and significant milestones for the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium.

students in Norwich campus and alumni activities. With more than 1000 Military History Masters alumni, many of whom are military writers or aspiring military writers, what could be a better match?

The symposium’s continuing close relationship with the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) is hugely beneficial, I believe, for everyone. So, in large part, this column is dedicated to our CGCS alumni for all you have done.

I hope you will continue to support the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium, the Showalter Fellowship and other campus activities.

In 2020, the NUMWS was one of the first Norwich events to transition online.

We followed that up with a successful on-campus event with the timely theme of Arctic security. 2021’s Symposium attracted a who’s who of policymakers, strategists and warfighters who are dealing with cold weather warfare.

Coming on the heels of the Presidential Inauguration and the high-profile International Symposium of Military Academies (ISOMA) Conference at Norwich, the Symposium was part of an active and exciting fall.

I also want to take a moment and recognize last year’s William E. Colby Award recipient, Mark Treanor. His book, A Quiet Cadence, is a superbly moving account of combat and its aftermath, resonating with combat veterans of all wars. There is another poignant aspect to Mark’s award, which is that more than 25 years ago, he attended the first Military Writers’ Symposium at Norwich. He has returned often and it is fair to say that his book is, in part, a testament to the program’s ability to inspire military writers of all generations.

Congratulations, Mark!

We are also advancing forward with meaningful fundraising opportunities.

First, the Dennis E. Showalter Research Fellowship. From my earliest involvement with the symposium, I have envisioned the NUMWS as an opportunity to involve my fellow graduate and online

The organizers of the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium struggle each year to come up with a topic. It has always been one of the goals that the symposium not “follow the herd,” but to instead get out in front of the issues. We don’t want to be timely. We

Save the Date October 12-13, 2022*

want to be on the leading edge. With that in mind, in 2022 the symposium will focus on robotics, artificial intelligence and remote warfare. We will look at the opportunities but also the threats these new technologies pose if misused or misunderstood.

I will end by introducing a new team member, who has already taken steps to bring the symposium and Colby Award forward and position it for growth.

Megan Liptak M’09 joins us as Assistant Director of NU’s research centers. Megan was one of the very first members of the Associates, is a longtime supporter, and has attended the NUMWS each year for more than a decade. She has presented as a guest speaker at the symposium and was one of the first to work with the faculty director to host special CGCS Military History capstone presentations during the event.

Megan represents another link to our graduate community and last year helped organize the International Symposium of Military Academies conference. My fellow alumni will recognize Megan’s organizational skills and leadership abilities and we are privileged to have her on our team!

R. Pierce Reid M ’14 Chairman NU Military Writers’ Symposium Associates rpreid@pshift.com

2022 Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium

“Robots Rising: Arming Artificial Intelligence” *Event updates including registration and livestreaming information will be available on Norwich.edu/PAWC

A Note from the President When I arrived in Northfield in June of 2020 to become the 24th president of Norwich University, our campus community was facing unprecedented challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization, and cultural stresses in our nation and the world. Our top priority quickly became the health and well-being of Norwich students and employees in a safe learning and living environment. State and local public health rules necessitated the cancellation of events and disruption to traditions that are integral to the Norwich experience. We had to find ways to quickly adapt, and I was determined that we would drive forward through the challenges and not surrender. We were determined to live our “I Will Try” motto.

One of the first major events of the fall 2020 semester was the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium (NUMWS). While it would have been practical to postpone or cancel the symposium, the Peace and War Center team with the support of you, the Military Writers’ Associates, delivered one of the most successful events in our history. The event was well-attended by representatives from our global community and showed the world that Norwich was up to any challenge.

We then were all rocked by the loss of Carlo D’Este ’58. The outpouring of emotion in response to Carlo’s passing further crystalized my understanding of the symposium’s value and the importance of the William E. Colby Award to our students, alumni, and community. The empathy and reflections on Carlo’s life and legacy were moving beyond words, demonstrating the impact that events like this and individuals like Carlo have in our lives, and our wonderful institution.

A year later, in 2021, the NUMWS led the way and returned to campus as one of our first major hybrid events. That same year, the Pritzker Military Foundation announced a challenge for us – to create the Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment and raise $500,000 – a goal we will meet. This endowment will fund the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium in perpetuity and ensure it thrives at Norwich, where it belongs. I had the privilege to attend the 2021 symposium in person and experience all that the writers, policymakers, and lecturers bring to campus. I also heard presentations from our students of their original undergraduate research, including Richard S. Schultz ’60 Fellow Larenz Simpkins ’23, and shared in the energy of the event. I was also appreciative for and impressed by the close ties between the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies and the symposium. NUMWS is helping to build strong bonds, particularly among our history and military history graduate alumni. The creation of the Dennis E. Showalter Research Fellowship for graduate students will help to further grow and cement those ties.

The single moment that solidified my appreciation for the symposium occurred a few weeks before the event, during the presidential inauguration. After the formal ceremonies and dinner, a fireworks show was provided for the campus community. My viewing partner for the fireworks was Shirley D’Este, Carlo’s widow. As we watched the show, Shirley shared with me how much Norwich had shaped her and Carlo’s lives, and Carlo’s career as a military officer and historian.

She told me, too, how dedicated Carlo was, throughout his life, to giving back to Norwich and our students. She was clear that Norwich inspired and molded one of the great military historians of the 20th century. Carlo returned to us to shape and mold an event unique to Norwich University that continues to contribute to the world of literature and the study of history. One cannot envision a greater legacy.

We must meet the Pritzker Challenge and establish the Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment. With the support of our alumni, faculty, corporate partners, and private donors, we can do so and will ensure the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium and the William E. Colby Award will be part of the Norwich University legacy long into our shared future.

Norwich Together, Norwich Forever!

Mark Anarumo, PhD Maj Gen (VSM) President

2021 Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium

Global Conflict or Cooperation?

Evolving Arctic Security • Five (5) guest authors & subject matter experts.

• More than 1,000 students, faculty and staff engaged with authors during individual presentations in Mack Auditorium.

• More than 800 students attended the moderated panel discussion.

• Five (5) expert presentations • Forty-five (45) students dined with guest authors and VIPS at the Meet the Authors Dinner • 1,500 miles between Northfield, Vermont and the Arctic Circle • One (1) Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellow presentation “Chilling Relations: An Examination of Potential Spheres of Conflicting Sino-Russian Interests in the Arctic”

by Larenz Simpkins.

• One (1) Military Writers’ Symposium Fellow presentation “Wind Turbine Blade Design for Arctic Region Applications” by Will Helterbran.

2022 Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellows Gabriel Williams | Political Science | Class of 2023 Project Topic: Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) and warfare.

Learning Goal: From this potential project I intend to gain a stronger understanding of how AI has been and will be used to further develop the capacity of EMS operations and the overall efficiency of those operations. EMS operations are very diverse regarding the range of military and civilian activities they cover, and AI enhancement can only improve them. Moreover, I will learn how AI and EMS operations integrate with cyber and Information warfare operations as the intersection between all 4 will change the future of warfare. Understanding and moreover educating Norwich University on the importance of that intersection will only better prepare us to be better military and government leaders in a rapidly changing world.

Elaina Latino | Computer Security & Information Assurance | Class of 2024 Project Topic: Artificial Intelligence Forensics Learning Goal: I expect to learn about: advancements of artificial intelligence and its current and future use in the modern “battlefield”; the forensic evaluation of AI, AI weapon systems, and the events involving them, and the possible gaps in current forensic abilities to perform those evaluations. Speaking with civilian and military experts at the forefront of these areas would help me shape an informed opinion on the most pressing current and future issues in AI and AI-weapon-systems forensics.

This research would also provide me the opportunity to closely examine and evaluate an important part of my field of study for my future career.

2022 Military Writers’ Symposium Fellow Wesley Dewey | Business Management | Class of 2023 Project Topic: Echo Chambers Learning Goal: I expect to learn how to push myself to create an above average body of work. I also expect to hone my research paper skills through the creation and revisions of the final copy. I will learn how to conduct research more professionally, and lastly, but most importantly, I will get to put my heart and soul into a large project that I am interested in. I am very excited by this opportunity, and while I am aware it will present unique challenges that I have not faced before, I am more than confident that I will push through them.

Dennis E. Showalter Research Fellowship The Dennis E. Showalter Research Fellowship at the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies recognizes Professor Dennis Showalter’s contributions to the military history field, its junior scholars, and especially to our M.A. in Military History (MMH) program. The Fellowship, an endowed fund of Norwich University, was named in his memory as one of the founding faculty members for the Norwich Master’s in Military History Program. Showalter was renowned author, engaging lecturer and professor, and wise mentor over a 50-year career until his passing in 2019.

The Fellowship will support the research efforts and recognize academic excellence of one or more students in the MMH program at Norwich. The student(s) selected will have the opportunity to highlight their scholarly contribution of a completed capstone or thesis, if topically appropriate, during a presentation at Norwich’s CGCS Residency. The student(s) selected will receive a cash award for research and travel expenses to the annual Norwich University Writers’ Symposium to present graduate research. To learn more or donate, visit: https://alumni.norwich.edu/give/dennisshowalterfellowship

Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment Aims to Raise $500,000 Through Matching Gift Challenge Last year, the Pritzker Military Foundation (PMF), on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago, committed $650,000 to the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium.

PMF also posed a $500,000 matching gift challenge through 2025 to grow the symposium’s endowment, which has been renamed the Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment to honor the legacy of beloved symposium co-founder Carlo D’Este. Should Norwich meet this challenge, the endowment will reach over $1,000,000, thus generating enough income annually to fund the symposium in perpetuity. In addition to supporting the symposium’s operating costs, the endowment will continue to fund the William E. Colby Award and year-round student enrichment opportunities on military history and current affairs. To learn more or to help us meet the challenge, visit: alumni.norwich.edu/deste PMF provides support aimed at deepening public understanding of military history and protecting the health and well-being of service members and veterans. For over 20 years, it has been a dedicated supporter of the symposium, among numerous other Norwich initiatives. The PMF’s latest gift will provide valuable operating funds for the symposium and help grow its endowment. Scan the QR Code below to donate.

Help us meet our goal!

2022 Colby Award Winner Wesley Morgan has won the 2022 William E. Colby Award for his book, The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley. The Colby Award is given annually to a first solo work of fiction or nonfiction that has made a major contribution to the understanding of military history, intelligence operations, or international affairs.

The winner receives a $5,000 author honorarium provided through the generosity of the Chicago-based Pritzker Military Foundation, on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.

The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley, (Random House, 2021), draws on reporting trips, hundreds of interviews, and documentary research to reveal the history of the war in Afghanistan in the iconic region of the Pech valley through both American and Afghan eyes. It is the story of one of the twenty-first century’s most unforgiving battlefields and a portrait of the American military that fought there.

Wesley Morgan has covered the U.S. military and its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2007, when he began embedding with combat units as a 19-year-old freelancer. From 2017 to 2020 he covered the Pentagon for Politico, and his reporting has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Atlantic, and other outlets as well as in Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor’s book The Endgame, on which he worked in Iraq and the U.S. as a researcher.

He is a native of the Boston area and a graduate of Princeton University.

“I’m excited to receive this award for military and intelligence coverage, since using the lens of Kunar province’s Pech valley to illustrate how those two subjects blended together at key points during the twenty-year U.S. war in the Afghan east was one of my goals with THE HARDEST PLACE. It’s also an honor to join the company of past award recipients, including an Army Ranger who served in Kunar, Paul Scharre; a Marine Harrier pilot who flew missions over the Pech, Michael Franzak; Bing West, who covered the war in the Pech and the Korengal; and Karl Marlantes, whose Vietnam novel MATTERHORN I read just before my first trip to the Pech and was reminded of when the battalion commander in the valley turned out to be reading it as well.”

— Wesley Morgan

Author! Author!

Students and instructors in Norwich University’s online graduate programs in history and military history are publishing books. The scholarship expands our understanding of the causes, conduct, and consequences of military conflicts, whether in recent history or the distant past. Congratulations to both authors.

Eugene Procknow is graduating with his Master of Arts in History in June 2022. He also has another reason to celebrate this year. His book – William Hunter Finding Free Speech: A British Soldier’s Son Who Became an Early American – was also published this year. As a child, William Hunter accompanied his father when his father’s unit fought the American Revolutionary forces. Both father and son experienced combat and endured captivity as prisoners of war. Later as a newspaper editor in the 1790s, William Hunter published the first denouncement of President John Adams’ Alien and Sedition Acts. Hunter believed that these acts challenged the new republic’s sacred principle of free speech. According to Eugene Procknow, “William Hunter lived an extraordinary life spanning the War of Independence, through the Early Republic, and ending just a few years before the American Civil War,” and “William’s life story exemplifies the major social and political changes of the period.”

An online military history instructor, Dr. Lisa Mundey has published her second book Fighting the Forever War: The U.S. Service Member Experience in Afghanistan, 2001-2014.

Dr. Mundey draws on his research while working as a civilian historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in the early 2000s. She also blends letters between deployed Americans and their loved ones at home. Dr. Mundey puts readers on the ground with the American men and women in pre-deployment training, combat operations, and humanitarian efforts by bringing interactions with the Afghan people to life. Dr. Mundy contextualizes the conflict in Afghanistan in the post-9/11 era. She writes that: “Where it is relevant, I also point out the elements of the Afghan deployments that echo American’s earlier twentieth-century wars, particularly the one in Vietnam.”

2021 Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellow Larenz Simpkins ’23 Chilling Relations: An Examination of Potential Spheres of Conflicting Sino-Russian Interests in the Arctic The great norther expanse of melting tundra, permafrost, and iceberg-laden territory known as the arctic, is an area of the earth which covers 5.5 million square miles. That is approximately 1 million square miles longer than Europe, the United States, and China. Possessing a complexity commensurate with its size, its unforgiving climate and unique amalgamation of regional players has historically been a region of both conflict and cooperation for different nations at different times. Resources, territory, and strategic positioning have impelled great powers to act in this part of the world. In the 21st Century, the region has become a junction of the interests of regional actors, and those of extraregional ones. Prominent among these non-regional actors is China, whose ascendancy has been steady and global since the 1990’s as a part of its “peaceful rise”. The positioning of China as an interested party in the affairs of the arctic, and its investments have increased the Chinese profile in the Arctic, a region which Russia has historically had a dominant presence in. What is the extent of the conflict in the interests of China and Russia in the Arctic? What are the options moving forward for the United States in a region which has only recently been reprioritized?

2021 Military Writers’ Symposium Fellow

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Richard S. Schultz ’60 Symposium Fellowship

Chilling Relations:

An Examination of Potential Spheres of Conflicting Sino-Russian Interests in the Arctic Larenz Simpkins ’23

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Military Writers’ Symposium Fellowship

Will Helterbran ’21 Wind Turbine Blade Design for Arctic Region Applications Less than a decade ago, many geopolitical analysts warned that the Arctic had all the making for great-power rivalry comparable to the Cold War. However, movement has gone a more peaceful route, and the overwhelming majority of Arctic resources fall within accepted national boundaries. Regardless of current geopolitical standing, measures are currently being taken to expand Arctic capabilities in defense of the United States regional interests. This expansion involves the development and adaptation of new and existing technology to Arctic conditions.

The goal of this project was to apply a mathematical modeling method to streamline the development of wind turbine blade geometry for application in these Arctic conditions.

Wind Turbine Blade Design for Arctic Region Applications Will Helterbran ’21