The #BruteCast

In this fourth episode of our "Regaining the Strategic Initiative" series, our esteemed panel examines different aspects of operation energy in support of deterrence in the South China Sea, and elsewhere. Our panelists are:   Erik Limpaecher - Erik leads the Energy Systems Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a Department of Defense Federally Funded R&D Center. His team focuses on contested fuel logistics solutions and the energy resilience of DoD installations. Erik’s team has engineered advanced fuels for ground and undersea platforms, hybrid power system for remote bases, and performs power outage exercises of large defense installations. His teams have won three R&D 100 awards for transitioning technology to industry. Prior to coming to MIT, Erik was co-founder and CTO of two profitable companies—backed by investors such as Gates, Khosla, and Olsen—that built some of the first microgrids in the U.S. Erik holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Finance from Princeton University and is a Senior Member of the IEEE.  Benjamin Richardson - Ben is  the  Director  of  the  Advanced  Energy  and Materials  (AE&M)  Portfolio  at  the  Defense  Innovation  Unit  (DIU). Ben and  his  team  are  responsible for  delivering  strategic  energy  and materials  capabilities  to  the  military  by  accelerating  the  adoption of commercial  technology  and  strengthening  the  national  security innovation base.  The  AE&M  Portfolio  is  focused  on three  primary lines  of  effort: Advanced  Energy  &  Storage, Alternative  Storage  & Mobility,  and  Materials  &  Sustainment. Prior  to  joining  DIU,  Ben served  in various  senior  positions  in the  Pentagon to  include  the  Director  of Critical  Technology  Protection in the  Office  of  the  Under  Secretary  of  Defense for  Intelligence and the Director  of  Global  Markets  and  Investments  in  the Office of  the Under  Secretary  of  Defense for Acquisition,  Technology,  and  Logistics.    In  these roles,  he developed  and  promulgated  policies  to protect  critical  Department  of  Defense  technologies,  through oversight  of  Industrial  Base  Policy, Supply  Chain Risk  Management,  Industrial  Security,  Information  Security,  and  the  Joint  Acquisition Protection and  Exploitation Cell.  In addition,  Ben served  as  the  DoD  lead  on the  Committee  on Foreign Investment  in the  United  States. James Caley - Jim was appointed as the Director for Operational Energy in September 2016.  He serves as the Secretary of the Navy’s focal point on all matters pertaining to Operational Energy. A former Marine colonel, he served in the transportation, logistics, and communications fields since 1989. He is an experienced operational and strategic planner on issues relating to the Asia-Pacific, South Asia, and the Middle East. His current focus is on fuel distribution in contested environments, power and energy for directed energy weapons systems, advanced batteries, advanced propulsion, persistent intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com)

In this episode, #TeamKrulak is excited to bring back the very first guest we had on the #BruteCast series: Dr. Christopher C. Harmon, the Krulak Center’s Donald Bren Chair of Great Power Competition for Marine Corps University and its Foundation. He is lead author or editor of seven books, and his research into two British archives is reflected in his essay about Churchill called “Vision of Victory” in World War II magazine (2005). He has written on the Allies’ coalition warfare and done a study of area bombing entitled “Are We Beasts?”—the title being a question Churchill put to himself. This month Dr. Harmon concluded an elective course at Expeditionary Warfare School on “Churchill and WWII” and he has taught many related classes at Marine Corps University’s Command & Staff College and War College. He serves on the board of academic advisors for the International Churchill Society and has published essays with “The Churchill Project” at Hillsdale College. He is also on the board of advisors for the website “Classics of Strategy and Diplomacy.” Dr. Harmon joins us on this episode because March 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the Fulton Missouri address by Winston S. Churchill, where Churchill invoked the clattering down of a communist “iron curtain” across Europe. The British statesman voiced many themes and broad hopes in that address, as he did in speeches and state papers of the years 1944, 1945, and 1946. As examples, he advocated a “World Organization” for international security, a formally-unified Europe, and a summit with the Soviet Union. In this episode, Dr. Harmon explores what we can learn from those themes in today’s world of renewed great power competition. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekrulakcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

In this episode, #TeamKrulak was fortunate to host two distinguished guests to talk about the challenges facing the United States and its allies in the South China Sea. Dr. James R. Holmes is a professor of strategy, the inaugural holder of the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy, and a two-time visiting professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College. He has published over 25 book chapters and 350 scholarly essays, along with hundreds of opinion columns, think-tank analyses, and other works. Dr. Holmes has been quoted or cited in outlets ranging from The Economist to Xinhua and appeared on such broadcast outlets as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, NPR, and the BBC. His most recent books are A Brief Guide to Maritime Strategy and a second edition of Red Star Over the Pacific: China's Rise and the Challenge to U.S. Maritime Strategy. Red Star Over the Pacific was named to the Navy Professional Reading List as Advanced Reading and was also selected for the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Professional Reading Lists. Dr. Holmes is also a former U.S. Navy surface-warfare officer and combat veteran of the first Gulf War, where served as a weapons and engineering officer in the battleship Wisconsin. In this billet he held the distinction of being the last gunnery officer in history to fire a battleship’s big guns in anger.  Hunter Stires is a Fellow with the John B. Hattendorf Center for Maritime Historical Research at the U.S. Naval War College and is a Strategy and Policy Professional at Cydecor supporting the OPNAV N522 Navy Warfare Group. His area of inquiry centers on strategy and logistics in the Western Pacific and maritime irregular warfare. Mr. Stires has been recognized twice in the U.S. Naval Institute’s General Prize Essay Contest.  His 1st prize winning entry is published as “The South China Sea Needs a ‘COIN’ Toss” in the May 2019 issue of Proceedings alongside a companion piece, “Why We Defend Free Seas,” and his 2nd prize entry, “Win Without Fighting,” is published in the June 2020 issue.  His related article, “’They Were Playing Chicken:’ The U.S. Asiatic Fleet’s Gray-Zone Deterrence Campaign against Japan, 1937-40,” is featured in the Summer 2019 issue of the Naval War College Review. His most recent Proceedings piece,  “Littoral Combat Ships for Maritime COIN,” coauthored with Captain Dan Straub, Ph.D, is published in the January 2021 issue. Mr. Stires is a graduate of Columbia University.  Finally, our moderator is Dr. Lesley Wilhelm, from the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy – Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, who chaired our previous panel on the South China Sea on February 4. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekrulakcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

In this episode, we're excited to host four contributors to the newly released volume "On Contested Shores: The Evolving Role of Amphibious Operations in the History of Warfare," now available from Marine Corps University Press (MCUP). Co-editors Timothy Heck and B.A. Friedman, and chapter authors Sulakshana Komerath and Ellen Ahlness, discuss the role of naval special warfare in great power competition, Russian operations in the Arctic, what lessons Marine Corps readers should take from this volume, and much more!   Free copies of "On Contested Shores" are available via email from MCUP at mcu_press@usmcu.edu, and you can download the PDF here. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekrulakcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

This was a fantastic episode, featuring two guests who talked about the Women's Initiative Team (WIT) project, but more than that, how to do common-sense barrier analysis to remove impediments to full and purposeful service for everyone in uniform. "That's how we've always done it" is not the answer!  Major Alea Nadeem, United States Air Force, is a Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management & Comptroller at the Pentagon. She also chairs the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiative Team.   Major Sharon Sisbarro, United States Marine Corps, currently serves as a Communications Strategy Officer in the Information Plans and Strategy office of the Deputy Commandant for Information. She recently provided executive support to the Department of Defense Board on Diversity and Inclusion for its six-month sprint. She is also the host of the “Marine WIT” podcast, available on SoundCloud here. Our guests also referenced this piece on the impact of COVID-19 on military families. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekrulakcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Col Art Corbett, USMC (Ret.). Semper fidelis. The Krulak Center was pleased to present the first #BruteCast panel event of 2021, on the South China Sea. The panel was facilitated by Dr. Lesley Wilhelm (office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy – Research, Development, Test & Evaluation). The panel referenced two documents: the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy "Advantage at Sea," and MCDP 1-4 "Competing." Ms. Bich Tran - How Vietnam Uses Comprehensive and Strategic Partnerships to Advance its Interests in the SCS - Ms. Bich T. Tran is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and a visiting research fellow at the Global Affairs Research Center (Japan). Previously, she was an Asian Studies visiting fellow at the East-West Center in Washington. Her research interests include Vietnam’s foreign policy, Southeast Asian states’ relations with major powers, and political leadership. Dr. Carlyle Thayer - Code of Conduct - Dr. Carlyle Thayer is an Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, in Canberra. His academic career includes PME at all levels including the Australian Command and Staff College, Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, and coordinator of Australia's most senior defence course at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Australian Defence College. He has served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Southeast Asian Studies at Ohio and Johns Hopkins Universities. He is currently the Director of Thayer Consultancy, providing political analysis of current regional security issues for select clients. Mr. Drake Long - Legal (Chinese and International) Developments and non-Code of Conduct Diplomatic Developments (EU, India, Australian approaches) Over the Past Year - Mr. Drake Long is the former South China Sea Correspondent for Radio Free Asia, covering South East Asia and the South China Sea. He was a 2020 Asia Pacific Fellow for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. He has written extensively on conflict studies, interstate negotiations, China’s foreign policy, territorial conflicts, and international legitimacy. He was previously the co-host of the South-China Sea Currents podcast. Mr. Greg Poling - China’s Continued Militarization amid COVID and Opportunities for Policy Shifts Under the New Administration - Mr. Greg Poling is a senior fellow for Southeast Asia and director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS. He oversees research on U.S. foreign policy in the Asia Pacific, with particular focus on the maritime domain and the countries of Southeast Asia. His research interests include the SCS disputes, democratization in Southeast Asia, and Asian multilateralism. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekrulakcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g  Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

You can learn more about this topic from this piece, published by the presenters, in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists on Ukraine environmental issues in late 2018: https://thebulletin.org/2018/10/war-related-environmental-disaster-in-ukraine/ Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center’s activities below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brute.krulak.39 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

Live from New Zealand! This was the first of our #BruteCasts featuring an allied nation Non-Resident Fellow - Sgt Chris Elles of the New Zealand Army (Reserves) discusses "Move, Shoot, Communicate, Innovate: How Might We Enhance Innovation and Innovative Thinking in the Military?"   Chris can be found on Twitter at @InnovatorHB. Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center’s activities below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brute.krulak.39 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

Dr. Chris Anzalone is the new Research Assistant Professor at Middle East Studies. Dr. Anzalone studied at George Mason University completing a B.A. double major in History and Religious Studies. He did graduate work at Indiana University, Bloomington, completing an M.A. in Near Eastern studies, and earned his doctorate through McGill University in Islamic Studies with a primary geographical focus on the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa (particularly East Africa), and additional research on South Asia. His main research focuses broadly on contemporary Islam and Muslim societies with a particular interest on Islamic political thought and different Muslim social and political movements. Dr. Anzalone has special interest in radical and militant Islamist movements and organizations, both Sunni and Shi'ite, and issues of sectarianism in Islam. His dissertation and ongoing early stage first book project looks at the use of symbols and symbolic power as a tool of soft power by Islamist rebel/insurgent groups that seek to set up proto-states/territorial governance (for example, Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL). He has published on these topics and most of his publications can be freely viewed and downloaded here: https://gmu.academia.edu/ChristopherAnzalone. In this episode, Dr. Anzalone examines the advent of Islamist rebel governing projects in different regions of the world as an opportunity to link the empirical study of these groups with the broader, emerging academic literature on rebel governance as well as studies of political Islam(s) and religion and violence. He considers how Al-Shabaab as a governing organization uses symbols as a form of soft power to complement their military forces, examining, where appropriate, the Somali group alongside other Sunni Islamist rebel proto-state actors including Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center’s activities below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brute.krulak.39 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic

Mr. Art Corbett is a retired Marine infantry officer with 31 years commissioned service who commanded at every rank and retired in 2009. He is a graduate of the Navy War College, Army War College and the Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting. He currently serves as a concept developer at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab where he develops future operating concepts for the Marine Corps and the Naval Service. His current focus areas are Expeditionary Advance Base Operations and Stand-in Forces, and Logistics Subsidiarity Concepts. Today he’ll be discussing an area near and dear to our work here at the Krulak Center: “The Military Innovator’s Dilemma.” Intro/outro music is "Evolution" from BenSound.com (https://www.bensound.com) Follow the Krulak Center’s activities below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brute.krulak.39 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekrulakcenter/ Twitter: @TheKrulakCenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIYZ84VMuP8bDw0T9K8S3g Krulak Center homepage on The Landing: https://unum.nsin.us/kcic