When: Thursday, November 16, 2017, 9:30 — 11:00 a.m.
Where: The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC
What:
As the nation’s 16th consecutive year of war draws to a close, service members and their families continue to serve in uncertain and challenging times. Less than 0.5 percent of the American public comprise the active duty force; as a result, service members and their families are experiencing an unprecedented period of high operational tempos while familiarity with the military among the broader U.S. society declines. This presents significant challenges for the future of defense.
Effective military support requires a modern understanding of 21st century military families and an increase in civilian-military engagement. It is critical to inform policymakers about the unique challenges faced by modern service members and their families, and the centrality of civilian support, for the health and viability of the all-volunteer force.
Participants will include Cristin Orr Shiffer, senior advisor for research and policy at Blue Star Families; Anthony Kurta, Performing the Duties of Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness), Rosalinda Vasquez Maury, Director of Applied Research and Analytics at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, and Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon of Brookings will join them. Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow and director of the Center for Effective Public Management at Brookings, will moderate the panel.
On November 16, the Center on 21st Century Security and Intelligence will convene a panel of experts to discuss these issues. Following the conversation, panelists will take audience questions. There will also be a short reception following the event. Learn more by visiting http://bluestarfam.org/survey.
Join the conversation on Twitter using #BSFSurvey.