July 2019

Conference: The High North and NATO

The changing Arctic environment, the resurgence of Russian military posture throughout Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, and the emergence of "near-Arctic" nations, such as China, seeking to expand their presence and influence in the High North are new strategic realities in international security. A DOCA delegation met June 16 - 21, 2019, in Oslo and Brussels for an in-depth examination of these issues, the interests of the United States, and the role of Norway as a key allied nation. The response of the United States to these developments over a brief period of time include a focused development of an Arctic strategy, the reestablishment in 2018 of the Second Fleet by the United States Navy as well as additional investment by the Department of Defense in antisubmarine warfare systems, and enhanced rotational presence for the Marine Corps in Norway. The United States was also a key participant in NATO’s Trident Juncture exercise in 2018, the largest NATO military exercise in Norway since the 1980s. In Oslo, DOCA engaged senior officials of the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, a senior member of the Norwegian parliament, and leading independent experts from key research organizations and think tanks. To understand U.S. regional interests and policy priorities, and the state of the bilateral relationship with Oslo, DOCA met with a number of senior officials at the United States Embassy in Norway. For a broader perspective on the role of NATO, DOCA held extensive meetings in Brussels at NATO Headquarters. The delegation had productive discussions with the Norwegian Ambassador to NATO and met with a senior NATO official from the NATO Communication and Information Agency on technology innovation and information assurance. Sweden has a Mission in Brussels responsible for Sweden's cooperation with NATO within the framework of the Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. The delegation met with the Swedish Ambassador to discuss Stockholm's perspective on Northern European security. DOCA also met with a senior officer from the United States Mission to NATO and held a roundtable with U.S. military planners.

DOCA members gather outside NATO Headquarters, June 21, 2019.

Program Update

Japan

The conference tentatively scheduled for Japan in September 2019 will be deferred for operational reasons. This conference, the third phase of DOCA's examination of defense and security issues in North East Asia, will be rescheduled for the first half of 2020. The revised schedule will be announced at a later date.

Annual Meeting: Newport, Rhode Island

The 68th Annual Meeting will be held in Newport, Rhode Island, October 20 - 23, 2019. The theme of the Annual Meeting is "American Maritime Power". Planning for the conference is underway and is expected to include engagements at the U.S. Naval War College, Naval Submarine Base New London, and the United States Coast Guard Academy. Further information on the program and confirmed speakers will be announced. DOCA is pleased to announce the venue for the Annual Meeting is the Hotel Viking , a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America located in the heart of Newport. Registration packets and conference background information will be available in mid-August.

In Memoriam - Walter Jorgensen

Tom Brokaw famously dubbed them the “greatest generation”. They were Americans who were called upon to defend the Nation and the world against tyranny. They endured unimaginable battlefield horrors so that liberty survived. Sadly, Walter Jorgensen, a part of that greatest generation and a DOCA member since 1995, recently passed away. He was among the oldest living Marines. Walter fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific Theater during the island-hopping campaign of the Allies. Guadalcanal. Tarawa. Saipan. Okinawa. Fellow DOCA member and Head Editor at Resignation Media, Rick Phillipp, attended a DOCA conference in San Diego in September 2016 along with Walter. Rick wrote a story for The Chive about Walter’s experience in war and his return after 77 years to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego where his military service began. The story is a tale of service, dedication, bravery, and humility. It is the story of one Marine whom we remember fondly, forever grateful for the sacrifices made for us all.

Go to the Story at The Chive

Member Spotlight - Thomas Tierney

On April 29, Flag Is Up Foundation and Join-Up International hosted a benefit dinner honoring Thomas Tierney and his wife, Elizabeth, for their long-standing philanthropic work benefiting a number of important causes, including support for military veterans and their families. The Tierney Center for Veteran Services, founded in Orange County, California, provides job empowerment and career assistance for veterans as well as guidance in accessing services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Center is considered a model for growth among Goodwill Industries regions throughout the United States. The Tierneys also provide veterans scholarship and family support funds at the University of California, Irvine, where Tom is an Emeritus Trustee. He is also active with Higher Ground, a unique recreational therapy program for disabled veterans and their families. A veteran of the Air Force with experience as a logistics planner during the Tet Offensive, Tierney joined DOCA in 2008.

From the Notebook

China's Growth Slows... China recently reported its weakest economic growth in nearly three decades at 6.2 percent annually.

...But, Size Matters Even with slower growth, at that rate, the scale of the Chinese economy and the ramifications of steady growth are significant and a continuing strategic challenge.

Recommended from the DOCA Bookshelf

Like War: The Weaponization of Social Media P.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking Social media has opened a new front in the battlespace. In this rapidly changing environment, ISIS mimics the Instagram tactics of Taylor Swift and internet trolls, backed by state and non-state actors, shape political perception throughout the West. War and politics and the internet are locked in a mutual web of influence with significant implications for the conduct of politics, diplomacy, and war. Singer and Brooking offer a provocative examination of the information revolution, the rise of social media, and the accelerant of artificial intelligence. Who polices the internet? Can secrets be kept? What, in this new reality, constitutes winning a conflict, especially one you cannot see? Enduring Alliance: A History of NATO and the Postwar Global Order Timothy Andrews Sayle Sayle offers a timely work on the origins of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its role over 70 years as an integral component of Western defense and global order. Sayle highlights the reality that disagreements between the Allies has long been a feature of NATO. Burdensharing and domestic support for the Alliance is a perennial issue that has played out in surprising ways. Europe worried in the 1960s that the United States had outgrown NATO; in the next decade, Washington worried the Europeans might be tempted to cut separate deals with Moscow. Despite disagreements, NATO has served both sides of the Atlantic in shaping the international environment with lessons for today.

New DOCA Website Coming Soon

In the coming weeks, DOCA will relaunch the website. We are excited to bring you a new platform to support DOCA's mission and to provide enhanced services to members. The new website will provide a more dynamic view of the association for the general public and our partners which will better explain who we are and DOCA's educational and charitable activities. For members, we will add new educational features, make the directory available in a more secure environment, and provide for online conference registration and membership renewal.

Editor's Note

We hope you find this newsletter useful. Our aim is to keep you better informed about DOCA, our programs and initiatives, and the noteworthy activities of our friends and colleagues. We also will strive to provide brief insight into significant trends in U.S. defense and foreign policy as well as international politics. Our efforts are enhanced by your active engagement. Drop us a line if you speak to a civic organization, business, or student group about DOCA and your experience at a conference. We also welcome the opportunity to recognize the efforts of members to support military personnel, their families, and veterans. Sharing information, experience, and ideas is a core value of DOCA. We look forward to collaborating with you to advance our shared educational mission and our support for those on the front lines of freedom.

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