Women and Leadership in National Security

More than 2.7 million service members have deployed over the past 13 years to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters of war. Women represent the fastest growing demographic segment within this cohort and the U.S. veterans community as a whole, making up approximately 12 percent of the deployed force, a higher proportion than during any previous American war. The challenges of integrating men and women in the force go far beyond issues of criminal justice and accountability; these challenges raise significant cultural, leadership, and institutional issues as well that cut to the core of what it means to sustain the All-Volunteer Force in war and peace. The Center for a New American Security hosted a half-day conference with two panels and a keynote speech focusing on the issue of women’s leadership in the national security sector.

Media coverage from the event included:

• The Wall Street Journal - Air Force Seeks More Female Pilots, Aims to Retain, Promote Women and Minorities
• Reuters - U.S. Air Force launches push to recruit more women and minorities
• Air Force Times - Air Force secretary announces bold moves to boost women, minorities
• Task and Purpose - Opinion: The Argument For Women In Combat Should Be About Mission Effectiveness

Conference Agenda

Opening Remarks

Panel One: Women's Leadership
in the Military and Private Sector

LTG David W. Barno, USA (Ret.)
Distinguished Practitioner in Residence
School of International Service
American University

RADM Peg Klein
Special Advisor to the Secretary of Defense
for Military Professionalism

Heather Penney
Co-Founder and Director
DC Airpower Working Group

Lewis Runnion
Senior Vice President and Director, Military Affairs
Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Phillip Carter (moderator)
Senior Fellow, Counsel and Director
Military, Veterans, and Society Program
Center for a New American Security

Keynote Address
The Hon. Deborah Lee James
Secretary of the Air Force

Panel Two: The Social and Political Imperative

Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)

Representative Martha McSally (R-AZ)

Tom Bowman (moderator)
Pentagon Correspondent
NPR

Date & Time
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Guest registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Location
The Capital Hilton
Presidential Ballroom
1001 16th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20036