2023 On War Military History Symposium

Gil Barndollar is a Senior Research Fellow at the Catholic University of America’s Center for the Study of Statesmanship and a Senior Fellow at Defense Priorities.  From 2009 to 2016, Gil served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. He is working on a book examining America’s All Volunteer Force, conscription, and future national security threats. 

Risa Brooks is Allis Chalmers Professor of Political Science at Marquette University where she researches issues related to civil-military relations, political violence and national security affairs. She also currently serves as a Senior Fellow at West Point’s Modern War Institute and as a non-resident senior associate in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.   

Lieutenant Colonel Keith L. Carter is an infantry officer currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Military Academy where he directs the Defense and Strategic Studies Program. He is a Senior Fellow at Cornell Tech Policy Institute and his research focuses on technological innovation and future war concepts, civil-military relations, and the international arms trade. Keith holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Major General Johnny K. Davis serves as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Recruiting Command and Fort Knox, Kentucky. He is an ROTC graduate and career Infantryman. During his 33-year career, Davis has served at all echelons of command, both at home and abroad, including tours in Kuwait, Egypt, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is a native of Wisconsin and a proud husband, father and grandfather. 

Colonel Juha Helle, of Finland, currently serves as a Defense, Military, Naval and Air Attaché to the U.S. and Canada. He has a background in the Army Combat Engineer Corps, having his last position as Inspector of the Corps. Before that, he commanded the Military Academy in Helsinki. He also participated in operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Lebanon and Afghanistan, and served in NATO Headquarters for three years in the Operations Division.

Hitoshi Kawano is a Professor of Sociology at the National Defense Academy of Japan, where he served as Director of Center for International Exchange, and Dean of Graduate School of Security Studies. His research interests include military history, sociology of combat and peacekeeping, mental health, gender mainstreaming and diversity management in the Self-Defense Forces. He earned his Ph.D. from Northwestern University (a Fulbright scholar).

Major General Dennis Laich retired from the United States Army in 2006 after thirty-five years of service.  He served in Honduras, Germany, Netherlands, Iraq, and Kuwait.  Laich is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security at Harvard University.  He is the author of Skin in the Game...Poor Kids and Patriots.

Carrie A. Lee is an associate professor at the U.S. Army War College, where she serves as the Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy and co-director of the USAWC Center on Civil-Military Relations. She received her Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University in 2015, and a B.S. from MIT in 2010. 

Adrian R. Lewis is the David B. Pittaway Professor of Military History, University of Kansas. Lewis’ publications include The American Culture of War: The History of U.S. Military Force from World War II to Operation Enduring Freedom, now in its third edition, published 2018 and Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory. Lewis earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago.

Max Z. Margulies is an Assistant Professor at the US Military Academy, where he serves as the Director of Research at the Modern War Institute and the Defense and Strategic Studies Thesis Program Director. His research and writing focus on military personnel policies, civil-military relations, strategy, and conflict. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.  

Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston served as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army. He entered the Army on June 30, 1975, spending 36 years serving in every enlisted leadership position. After retiring from the Army, he served as the co-chair of the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Retired Soldier Council and as the vice-chair for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS).   

Eric Reid is a Marine infantry officer. He serves as Director of the Marine Corps' Talent Management Strategy Group and also as head of the Manpower Plans, Programs, and Budget Branch within Headquarters, Marine Corps.

Krewasky A. Salter is President of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, having previously served as Executive Director of the First Division Museum, and as (Guest) Associate Curator at the Smithsonian, NMAAHC. He has curated national level exhibitions, is a published author, a Congressional Gold Medal historian, and retired U.S. Army Colonel.

Dr. Jacquelyn Schneider is a Hoover Fellow and affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation, both at Stanford University. Her work on national security and technology has published widely, including in Foreign Affairs, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. She previously served as an active duty Air Force officer and is currently a reservist.  

Colonel Jaron S. Wharton is an infantry officer and military fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is also a research fellow at West Point’s Modern War Institute. Jaron previously served on the National Security Council staff and is a former White House fellow. He is a West Point graduate and holds advanced degrees from Harvard and Duke, where he earned his Ph.D

Until 2021, Lawrence Wilkerson was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary. Before that he was chief of staff to secretary of state Colin Powell at the U.S. Department of State. He served 31 years in the US Army and along with MG Dennis Laich founded the All-Volunteer Force Forum. 

Dr. Isaiah "Ike" Wilson III (Colonel, U.S. Army, Ret.) is President of the Joint Special Operations University, having previously served as Director of the U.S. Army’s Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press. He is an innovative soldier-scholar, decorated combat veteran, and published author. A West Point graduate, Ike subsequently earned his Ph.D. in political science (Government) from Cornell University.