BENS member Brigadier General Rob Palmer retired from the Air Force Reserve after 34.5 years of service on February 3rd. Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, presided over the ceremony in Mark Clark Hall on the campus of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.
BENS Member Daniel Kurtenbach
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue has appointed BENS member Daniel Kurtenbach as its first Chief Growth Officer. Mr. Kurtenbach joins the Institute from DataRobot, where he served as Director of the company’s defense and intelligence portfolio.
Washington D.C. Metro Members Tour Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
On February 8, 2023, BENS Washington D.C. Metro Members visited the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Innovation Lab for exposure of relevant threats, innovative solutions, and an enhanced awareness of their mission.
PODCASTS
Frank Finelli, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group
In Episode 21 of the BENS’ Building the Base podcast Mr. Finelli’s varied experiences in the military, on Capitol Hill, and in the private sector have given him a unique lens through which to view the future industrial network and a thorough grasp of the processes of the industrial base. He emphasizes the constraints the DoD is under due to its extensive Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process.
A question from the BENS Programs Team: Are you familiar with designerly thinking or ‘wicked problems’ methodology? BENS may have an opportunity to assist a government partner with defining, analyzing, and measuring how to address a complex issue in their Agency. We’d welcome an opportunity to learn more and hear your insights.
Please contact James Whitaker (jwhitaker@bens.org) for more information.
ADVISORIES AND EXTERNAL EVENTS
Middle East Research Institute (MEMRI) Report: Deflating China’s Aggression
The recent Chinese violation of U.S. airspace and territorial integrity by directing a surveillance balloon over almost the entire length of the continental United States is the latest example of China’s aggressive actions against the international rules-based order.
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Frances F. Townsend and and Michael J. Morell Op-ed: Ensuring America Wins Tech Innovation Race Against China (Washington Times)
Contact Hannah Beitler, Policy Associate, to submit content for consideration in this newsletter: HBeitler@bens.org
BENS EVENTS
February 21 | Virtual Event: Microsoft Teams Please join BENS President and CEO, retired Army General Joseph Votel, as he hosts a virtual discussion with BENS New York member Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 on upcoming space mission Polaris Dawn.
Multiple Dates, Locations: Discussion on Information Warfare Please join BENS members and guests for a luncheon discussion on information warfare with Brian Murphy, former Acting Under Secretary for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, and currently Vice President for Strategic Operations at Logically.
February 23 | Washington, D.C. Please join D.C. Member Sam Meek, CEO & Co-Founder, Sandboxx for a coffee/breakfast discussion with Assistant DNI, Strategic Communications, Timothy Barrett. In this discussion, we will focus on strategic communication and information challenges for the intelligence community.
Multiple Dates, Locations BENS Texas luncheon discussion on America’s Nuclear Triad with Patty-Jane Geller, Senior Policy Analyst for Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense.
BENS-Chicago earlier this month was privileged to speak with Vice Admiral Doug Perry, Commander of Joint Force Command Norfolk and the U.S. 2nd Fleet. The discussion centered on rebuilding the…
SpaceX is preparing to launch its next private mission by the end of the month, featuring the first attempt to have the astronauts step out into space. The Polaris Dawn…
The summer of 2024 is making a run for one of the most tumultuous in American political and stock market history. One presidential candidate dramatically stepped down, another barely dodged an assassin’s…
