(Photo by USAR Public Affairs)
Click here to download the agenda for the 2024 Civil Affairs Symposium.
U.S. Agency for International Development Deputy Administrator Ciara Knudsen, Brown University Fellow Stanislava Mladenova, DPhil, and 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) Commander Colonel Christian A. Carr are the featured speakers at this year’s Civil Affairs Symposium. Please join us at Bucks County Community College near Philadelphia, PA, on 15-16 November to learn about “Teaming Civil Affairs: Lessons from the Field.”
As the Symposium keynote speaker on that Saturday morning, Ms. Knudsen will provide national strategic context in discussing “Civil-Military Teaming, Partnering, and Integration in a New Era of Competition.” Previously Director of Policy and Plans for the Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition, she covered counterterrorism, conflict and stabilization operations, and fragile states. A former Director for Strategic Planning on the National Security Staff, she draws from extensive experience in civilian-military campaign planning for the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization in Afghanistan.
Immediately afterward, Dr. Mladenova will talk about her highly impactful new book, When Rambo Meets the Red Cross: Civil-Military Engagement in Fragile States, copies of which she will gladly sign after her presentation. Also a Fellow at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY and previously a Program Officer at the U.S. Institute of Peace Justice and Security Dialogue Program, she appeared at the 2023 Roundtable and in Episode 105 of the One CA podcast. For those who do not yet have a copy of her book, the Association has purchased copies at a 40% discount off the publisher’s price for sale at the Symposium.
As the featured command speaker, Col. Carr – as Commander of the last remaining Army active component Civil Affairs unit – will discuss “Teaming Civil Affairs and the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (SO) (A) Command Vision” during lunchtime on Saturday. A graduate of both the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY and with an M.B.A. from Central Michigan University, Col. Carr will leverage his storied military career in regions throughout the world as well as his close connections with both CA’s Special Operations and Army proponent offices to lend perspective on the many changes afoot in Civil Affairs.
In addition to the Symposium speakers, at the nearby 304th Civil Affairs Brigade 75th Anniversary Dining Out, new commander of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command Colonel Clifton C. Kyle will provide his command vision that Saturday evening.
To find out more about the Symposium, view and download the full agenda, and register, go to the registration page on the Association website. For more information and to sign up directly for the Dining Out, go to the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade Dining Out page or use the QR code below.
