31
October 2023
Past Event
Preparing the Department of Defense for Irregular and Special Warfare

Event will also air live on this page.

 

Inquiries: mdewitt@hudson.org

Preparing the Department of Defense for Irregular and Special Warfare

Past Event
Hudson Institute
October 31, 2023
Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict
Caption
Sailors assigned to various naval special warfare commands operate a diver propulsion device during high-altitude dive training. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Perlman/Released)
31
October 2023
Past Event

Event will also air live on this page.

 

Inquiries: mdewitt@hudson.org

Speakers:
Ezra Cohen

Adjunct Fellow

Chris Miller
Chris Miller

Former Acting Secretary of Defense

Mark Mitchell
Mark Mitchell

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

Listen to Event Audio

Over the past 22 years, the United States Department of Defense has optimized the American Special Operations Forces (SOF) for the Global War on Terror. While terrorist threats remain—especially from Iranian proxies—the DoD is now calling upon SOF to return to its irregular warfare roots to counter nation-states. Civilian control and leadership of special operations is key to expediting this transformation, and Congress has elevated the role of assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict (ASD SO/LIC) to include acting as the service secretary for special operations.

Hudson Adjunct Fellow Ezra Cohen, who served as ASD SO/LIC, will be joined by two other previous ASD SO/LICs, Mark Mitchell and former Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, to discuss civil-military relations within the special operations community, the transition from counterterrorism to irregular warfare, and how to optimize intelligence forces and SOF for the next generation of challenges.

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