War generals talk on foreign policy & national security

Learning from the Generals: As Americans find themselves with even more questions about our role in the world, the New Albany Community Foundation is working hard to give local residents access to the answers

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As Americans find themselves with even more questions about our role in the world, the New Albany Community Foundation is working hard to give local residents access to the answers. For the first lecture of 2018, the Jefferson Series brings a firsthand look at some of the highest-ranking members of the U.S. military.

In December, the foundation brought General Colin Powell to headline the Remarkable Evening. Continuing with that theme, on Feb. 1, three prominent war generals take the stage of the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts. Generals Michael Hayden, Stanley McChrystal and Peter Pace will take part in a stimulating discussion, and will offer rare insight into trends both domestic and international.

“National security and foreign policy are important matters right now in our country,” says Craig Mohre, president of the foundation. “These generals have served in critical posts during their careers, so we thought they would bring unique insights to our audience.”

The night brings to the same stage a former CIA director, director of the NSA and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – each with high-ranking commands in the military.

This is not the first time a decorated war general has been part of the Jefferson Series. General David H. Petraeus visited this past April, and the audience looked to Petraeus to predict how the newly-elected President Trump might lead, and how he might act on foreign policy.

“What is great about bringing in these generals (is) we can now hear them assess the Trump presidency and foreign policy a year later,” Mohre says. “All three generals have served other presidents in key roles, so they have unique perspectives, insights and access.”

General Michael Hayden

Hayden is a retired four-star general and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Hayden was on the forefront of geopolitics, the War on Terror and the continually-growing cyber challenge. He served more almost 40 years in the Air Force and became the longest-tenured NSA director and No. 1 military intelligence officer in the country, allowing him to oversee the entire security community. He currently serves as principal of the Chertoff Group and acts as a visiting professor at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government in Washington, D.C.

General Stanley McChrystal

McChrystal is a four-star general, former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which oversees the most sensitive counter-terrorism units. While leading JSOC, he is credited with the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein, then in 2006 with the locating and killing of then-leader of al-Qaeda Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. McChrystal is the son and grandson of Army officers. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1976 and would go on to train at the Special Forces School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In January 2011, McChrystal co-founded the McChrystal Group, which delivers leadership solutions to organizations, helping them strive in dynamic working environments.

General Peter Pace

General Peter Pace served more than 40 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring in 2007. Pace was commissioned in June 1967 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. He received a master’s degree in business administration from George Washington University, attended Harvard University’s Senior Executives in National and International Security program, and is a graduate of the National War College. Pace was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in June 2008 by President Bush. Throughout his illustrious career, Pace commanded at every level, beginning as a rifle platoon leader in the Vietnam War. Since his retirement from service, Pace has been associated with charities focused on supporting troops and their families. He is also the chairman of the board for Wall Street Warfighters, an organization set on providing training support and job placement services for disabled vets seeking careers in the financial services industry.

Rocco Falleti is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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