What to Expect at the SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium 2024

The Defense Strategies Institute is gearing up for its 13^th iteration of the SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium, scheduled for December 11-12 in Tampa, Florida. 

The 2024 Symposium will gather senior leaders and key decision-makers from across the SOF community, regional combatant commands, the Department of Defense, nonprofit organizations, and industry. The event will address the rapidly shifting landscape of irregular warfare, with an emphasis on innovation, adaptability, and readiness. 

This symposium will emphasize the integration of cutting-edge technologies into SOF operations, enhancing situational awareness, decision-making, and operational effectiveness. This includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. 

As state and non-state actors increasingly leverage hybrid warfare, cyber operations, and disinformation campaigns, the need for adaptable, well-equipped, and technologically advanced special operations forces is critical. 

Topics of Discussion

Topics of discussion for 2024 will include empowering special operations by harnessing the power of partnerships, countering hostile activities and advancing U.S. strategic objectives through SOF, and harnessing the power of information in modern warfare.

The agenda will also address accelerating SOF modernization through strategic acquisition and digital integration, navigating special operations in a volatile world while considering global operations and local impacts, and combating irregular aggression with capability coalitions in cooperation with international partners. 

Additionally, the symposium will focus on proactively addressing foreign adversaries’ attempts to undermine U.S. interests through irregular warfare, and optimizing the performance, lethality, and readiness of the Special Warfare Human Weapon System. 

The symposium will also discuss implementing the National Defense Strategy, focusing on conducting effective campaigning in support of integrated deterrence across special operations.

2024 Early Confirmed Speakers

• HON Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
• MG Jasper Jeffers III, USA, Commander, US Special Operations Command-Central
• Leslie Babich, Director, SOFWERX
• COL Anthony Whitfield, USA, Military Deputy, SOF AT&L, USSOCOM
• COL Marshall Straus Scantlin, USA, Commander, 350^th Civil Affairs Command
• Dr. Andrew Whiskeyman, COL (Ret.), Chair, Department of Cyber Strategy, National Defense University
• Dr. Jonathan Schroden, Principal Research Scientist, Center for Naval Analysis
• Tom Searle, Ph.D, Professor, Joint Special Operations University 
• LTC Michael Parrish, USA, Office of Irregular Warfare and Competition, Joint Staff J-7
• Moderator: LTG (Ret.) John Deedrick, USA, Former United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, Former Commanding General, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne)

DSI is now welcoming Sponsors and Exhibitors for the forum. Active military and government and state personnel attend complimentary. 

Learn more/register for the SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium >>