Event Overview
Whether you serve in uniform, shape policy, study history, support the defense industrial base, or simply care about America's security, this conference offers valuable insights into the enduring challenges of readiness and strategic competition. Join active-duty military, defense professionals, national security scholars, historians, policymakers, industry leaders, and informed citizens for this one-of-a-kind event—available both in person and online.
What does readiness really require? It demands more than advanced platforms—it requires integrated capabilities, rigorous training, and sailors prepared to operate in the world's most contested environments. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and F/A-18 exemplify how information, teamwork, and combat power come together to deter conflict and, if necessary, fight and win.
AUDIENCE
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Who This Is For
Designed for active-duty military, defense professionals, national security practitioners, historians, scholars, policymakers, industry leaders, and engaged citizens, this conference is for anyone seeking to better understand how democracies prepare—or fail to prepare—for strategic conflict. Available both in person and online, this is a timely conversation you won't want to miss.
MISSION
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Why This Conference Exists
History is most valuable when it informs the decisions we make today. Through the practice of applied history, this conference explores why wars arrive faster than societies expect, what history teaches about preparing for future conflict, and what genuine readiness requires of leaders before a crisis becomes obvious.
FORMAT
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One-Day, One-Track Experience
Designed as a fully integrated experience, this one-day conference brings every attendee together for a shared conversation. Each keynote and panel builds on the last, creating a continuous exploration that connects historical lessons to today's strategic challenges and the future of military readiness. All sessions will be recorded for continued learning and reflection.
Featured Speakers
Eliot A. Cohen, Ph.D.
Arleigh A Burke Chair in Strategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
(Confirmed)
CAPT Charlie Plumb, USN (Ret.)
Naval Aviator, Vietnam Veteran, Former Prisoner of War,Authorand Speaker (Confirmed)
ADM Charles “Brad”Cooper II, USN
Commander,U.S. Central Command (Invited)
Why Wars Come Faster Than We Expect and What Readiness Really Requires.
Event Venue
Jack C. Taylor Conference Center
U.S. Naval Institute 291 Wood Road Annapolis, MD 21402
Set in the heart of Annapolis, the Jack C. Taylor Conference Center at the U.S. Naval Institute provides a distinguished setting for History Conference. With its strong connection to naval heritage and strategic thought, the venue offers the ideal backdrop for a program focused on why wars come faster than we expect and what readiness truly requires. Designed for a professional in-person experience, the space brings together history, mission, and modern convening in a way that feels both credible and memorable.
Countdown to the Event
- Days5454
- Hours19181918
- Minutes26252625
- Seconds15141514