Naval War College Professors Attend Colombia Intelligence Summit
By Professor Derek Reveron
At the request of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), four Naval War College (NWC) faculty members attended a two-day US-Colombia intelligence summit in Bogota Sept. 22 to 25.
National Security Decision Making (NSDM) Department Chair Dr. Joan Johnson-Freese led the NWC delegation, which included professors Larry McCabe, Derek Reveron, and John Schindler. The professors presented lectures and facilitated bilateral discussions on security, strategy, technology, and the future of the US-Colombian intelligence partnership.
According to SOUTHCOM Vice Director for Security and Intelligence Rear Adm. Tom Meek, Naval War College class of 1995, the NWC contribution was central to the success of the summit, a view echoed by Colombia's Chief of Joint Military Intelligence Vice Adm. Alvaro Echandia, who hosted the intelligence summit.
Echandia, a member of NWC’s Naval Command College class of 1995, said the professors contributed "fresh ideas that helped illuminate thinking on common problems to enable sharing as true partners."
According to NSDM outreach coordinator Professor Larry McCabe, "We're glad that we could help SOUTHCOM and the U.S. embassy country team in Bogota assist the Colombian military in thinking beyond the counterinsurgency."
This delegation was NSDM's fourth visit to Colombia during the past two years with a focus on strengthening professional military education ties and supporting SOUTHCOM's initiatives in Colombia.
Visits such as this are significant examples of how the Naval War College fulfills one of its four missions, to strengthen maritime security cooperation. The desired effect is to build more robust and productive international maritime relationships, to improve the ability to operate effectively with partner nations, and to improve maritime security cooperation.
The intelligence summit supports a key goal of the National Intelligence Strategy, which is to bolster the growth of democracy and sustain peaceful democratic states like Colombia.
After the summit, Professors McCabe, Reveron, and Schindler presented a series of lectures designed to enhance mid-level Colombian civilians and officers thinking about intelligence and strategy. This provided 50 civilians and officers an opportunity to engage with NWC professors on security and strategy issues.
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