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Air War College hosts 56th National Security Forum

  • Published
  • By Carl Bergquist
  • Air University Public Affairs
For the 56th consecutive year, civilians from across America ventured to Maxwell-Gunter for the National Security Forum during the week of May 18.

The forum, hosted by the Air University Spaatz Center for Officer Education's Air War College and sponsored by the Secretary of the Air Force, is designed to familiarize members of the private sector with what the Air Force is doing in terms of national security.

"Gen. Muir S. Fairchild started the NSF in 1947 with the purpose of the program being to gain the insight of prominent citizens," said Maj. Gen. Maurice Forsyth, Spaatz Center commander and Air War College commandant. "But, NSF has turned into a door that swings both ways. We have found that NSF attendees learn as much about the Air Force from the program as we learn from their insight, and that has really made NSF worthwhile."

The general said the NSF is also a great opportunity to showcase some "incredible speakers" who challenge the NSF attendees and AWC students by debating ideas about national security. He said a highlight of the week-long forum experience is the Wednesday aerial demonstration and static displays. That gives attendees the opportunity to see some of the Air Force's most impressive hardware in the air and on the ground.

One attenee, Norm Blake of Carmel, Ind., said he is semi-retired from a career in which he was CEO of several Fortune 500 companies, and today he serves on the board of "a couple of start-up companies."

He said the quality of personnel is the thing that most impressed him about the NSF and the Air Force.

"My favorite thing about coming to NSF is to see the quality and intelligence of the officers of the Air Force. I'm extremely proud of them," he said. "These are exceptional young men and women who are proud to represent their country and are very dedicated to doing their jobs. This has been a life-experience for me, and if there is one take-away from NSF it should be that attendees be proud of the Air Force."

He said the F-22 Raptor aerial demonstration was "phenomenal" and was very helpful to his understanding of the Air Force. He said if he was starting a company right now, he would want to have the type of leadership he has seen at NSF, and the command presence and communications skills the officers demonstrated.

Kerry Evers, a psychologist from Narragansett, R.I., said she learned a lot from attending the NSF, and the focus on national security issues in today's world has been "a really great experience."

"We had a discussion in the seminar on cyber security, and that is something everyone should be thinking about," she said. "I develop computer programs and do some work for the Department of Defense, so hearing the perspective of the officers has been really great."

Ms. Evers said the discussions were frank and open and came from so many different perspectives and sources. She said that has been one of the better things about attending the NSF.

"I'm not sure what I was expecting, but coming here has been enlightening, invigorating, has produced great discussions and has been fun," she said.

Wayne Alexander, with the Port Authority of San Antonio, Texas, said he was nominated to come to the NSF by a commander at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and he wanted to thank the Air Force and DoD for making the NSF available to citizens of the United States.

"This has been a phenomenal week, and it is only half over," he said May 20. "The quality of the discussions is mind-blowing, the speakers have been fantastic, and I'm totally reassured about the human capitol of the Air Force."

Mr. Alexander said there is a "general feeling" that the Air Force is under "financial duress," and people need to stand up and be heard on that subject.

"Because of NSF, I will become a more articulate and energetic spokesman for the Air Force," he said. "I will start letting my voice be heard that the importance of the Air Force is not just technology but in the people who serve."