St. Mary's College to Host Conference on Future of US Navy


Expert Panels to Examine the Navy's Future Roles and Missions in the Post-9/11 World

(St. Mary's City, MD) May 25, 2006 - The American response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the War in Iraq presented the U.S. Navy with new challenges in nation-building, strengthening democracy, and homeland security. As military experts begin to radically reshape the armed forces, what is the 21st century U.S. Navy going to look like?

The inaugural Patuxent Summer Institute spotlights cutting-edge ideas and analysis from leading academics, highly ranked military officers, key government employees, and important contractors. The Future Roles of the U.S. Navy is a three-day conference coordinated by the College's Center for the Study of Democracy and the Center for Strategic Planning, a division of The Patuxent Partnership. It will be held from June 5-7, 2006 at St. Mary's College of Maryland.

"We are pleased that our collaboration with The Patuxent Partnership has produced the inaugural Patuxent Summer Institute," said Maggie O'Brien, president of St. Mary's College. "It is critical that liberal arts colleges create a dialogue to share ideas and opinions with the community. This is particularly true because of the importance of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in St. Mary's County, the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the changing national security environment."

St. Mary's College is located less than five miles from the NASPR, which is the Navy's principal research, development, test, evaluation, engineering and fleet support activity for naval aircraft, engines, avionics, aircraft support systems and ship/shore/air operations. The facility has one of the largest airfields on the east coast and is home to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). In addition, the nearby Webster Field Annex hosts unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations.

The Institute will host expert panelists from across the world who will speak on topics which include the role of the Navy in a post-Iraq/Global War on Terror world, the Navy's changing missions and capabilities, and the state of military procurement. Please see the end of this release for a full list of panelists.

"The Patuxent Summer Institute will provide participants an unprecedented opportunity to actively con-sider matters of national interest," said Don McErlean, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic Analysis. "The Navy / Marine Corps team leads humanitarian responses, evacuates citizens from danger, enforces the "Freedom of the Seas", protects our mercantile interests, hunts for pirates, and is a visible arm of the president's foreign policy. Do these roles continue into the 21st century and beyond?"

The Patuxent Summer Institute is open to the public with a registration fee of $150 for members of The Patuxent Partnership and $275 for non-members. Registration fees cover all receptions and meals during the three days, accommodations if needed, and an evening cruise on the St. Mary's River. Registration, sponsorship opportunities, and the full schedule are available at http://www.paxriver.org/.

Panel 1: The U.S. Navy in a Post-Iraq, GWOT World

- RADM Timothy Heely, Patuxent River Naval Air Station

- Theodore Caplow, University of Virginia
"Nuclear Deterrence and Naval Strategy"

- Thomas Huff, CPT, USN, Test Pilot School, Patuxent River Naval Air Station

- Martin N. Murphy, University of Reading
"Suppression of Piracy and Terrorism: A Suitable Role for a Navy?"

- Scott C. Truver, Anteon Corporation

- Moderator: Michael Cain, Associate Professor of Political Science,
St. Mary's College of Maryland

Panel 2: The U.S. Navy and the Evolution of the Spectrum of U.S. Military Capabilities

- CPT Sam Tangredi, USN
"Realizing the 1000-Ship Navy"

- Edward A. Smith. Jr., Effects-based Operations, Boeing
"A Complex, Changing World: What Does it Mean for the Navy?"

- Ian Roxborough, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey
"Future Naval Forces: After the Global War on Terrorism, What?"

- Christopher Preble, CATO Institute

- Thomas Mahnken, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

- Moderator: Louis Hicks, Professor of Sociology, St. Mary's College of Maryland

Panel 3: The Future of Military Contracting: Privatization, Consolidation, and Innovation

- Chris Demchak, University of Arizona

- CDR Stephen Trainor, USN, U.S. Naval Academy

- Christine Grafton, Center for Naval Analyses
"Non-military Views on Innovation"

- Ryan Kelty, United States Military Academy
"Integrating Sailors and Civilian Mariners: Social-Psychological Costs and Benefits"

- CDR Michael McMaster, USN (Ret.), U.S. Naval War College, Monterey Program
"The U.S. Navy since Ronald Reagan: The Demise of 'The Maritime Strategy' and the Search for a Replacement"

- Moderator: Anne Daugherty Miles, LTC (Ret.), USAF, Joint Military Intelligence College and Ad-junct
Professor of Political Science, St. Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's College of Maryland is ranked one of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Kiplinger's. With roots going back to 1840, SMCM is the state's only public honors college, offering the academic excellence of a top private college with the openness and af-fordability of public education.

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