Dr. Kerry Evers, Senior Vice President of Research and Product Development at Pro-Change, was one of 130 civilian leaders in business, education, and government from across the country to receive a personal invitation from the Secretary of the Air Force to attend the 56th Annual National Security Forum (NSF) at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama earlier this year. The purpose of NSF is to expose influential citizens to senior U.S. and international officers and civilian equivalents in order to engage each other’s ideas and perspectives on Air Force, national, and international security issues.
This year’s forum included discussions of cybersecurity, the robotics revolution and conflict in the 21st century, diplomacy and security challenges in the broader Middle East, unwrapping the mysteries of Iran, and North Korea’s nuclear diplomacy. Speakers included Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq; Dr. Peter Singer, Director, 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institute; and The Honorable Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the Air Force.
Dr. Evers commented, “The week was a remarkable opportunity to engage with senior military leaders for in-depth discussions of current and future issues facing the Air Force and the other branches of the military. It was an incredible follow-up to my experience in the European Command last fall.” In 2008, Kerry was selected by the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense as one of 50 leaders from across the country to participate in the 76th Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC). This prestigious conference provided a forum of free exchange among influential citizens, Department of Defense officials, and military leadership while touring military installations throughout Europe.