About
AUSA’s Thought Leaders webinar series—an extension of our Thought Leaders podcast—focuses on contemporary military authors and senior military leaders. Thought Leaders seeks to educate the public on critical issues affecting land forces and strategy.

Please join us on Tuesday, 16 November 2021, at 1400 EDT, to hear a presentation by James Kitfield, author of In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America’s Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Soldiers who have volunteered to fight in the two decades since the 9/11 terrorist attacks have been called The Next Greatest Generation. Mr. Kitfield will share stories of twenty-five of these servicemen who have been recognized with the nation’s highest military honor for their courageous and selfless actions during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WEBINAR ENDED
Presenters
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James Kitfield
James Kitfield is currently a Senior Fellow and Journalist-in-Residence at the Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress, and contributing writer and former senior national security correspondent for the Atlantic Media Company and National Journal. Mr. Kitfield’s articles on defense, national security, intelligence and foreign policy issues have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, National Journal, Bloomberg View, Yahoo News, Breaking Defense, Defense One, the National Interest, Daily Beast, the Hill, Newsday and other print and online publications. He is the only three-time recipient of the prestigious Gerald R. Ford Award for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense, most recently for his first-hand reporting on the Afghan War. The Military Reporters and Editors Association (MRE) and the Medill School of Journalism have awarded Mr. Kitfield their top prize for excellence in reporting an unprecedented six times, most recently in 2016 in the “Online Journalism” category for his articles in POLITICO Magazine, Yahoo News and Breaking Defense, and the National Press Club has honored him with its Edwin Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence. Mr. Kitfield is the author of three earlier books, including “Prodigal Soldiers,” “War & Destiny,” and “Twilight Warriors: The Soldiers, Spies and Special Agents Who are Revolutionizing the American Way of War.” He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
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LTG Guy Swan III, U.S. Army Retired
AUSA Vice President, Education
Lieutenant General Guy C. Swan III currently serves as an AUSA Vice President. During more than 35 years of active service he commanded at every level through Army Service Component Command. A career armor/cavalry officer, his general officer assignments included Commanding General, United States Army North/Fifth Army; Commanding General, United States Army Military District of Washington and Commander, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region; Commanding General, 7th Army Training Command, United States Army Europe/Seventh Army; Chief of Staff and Director of Operations, Multi-National Force-Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom; Director of Operations, United States Northern Command; and Chief of Army Legislative Liaison.

General Swan's other key assignments included Commander, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; Assistant Deputy Director for Strategy and Policy for the Joint Staff; and Deputy Operations Officer for the 1st Armored Division during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

A 1976 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, General Swan holds a Master of Military Art and Science degree from the United States Army's School of Advanced Military Studies. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and was a National Security Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

General Swan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Group, and the FEMA National Advisory Council. He is also a Certified Emergency Manager(CEM) and a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), board certified in security management.

General Swan is married to the former Melanie Taylor Curry of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They have two children: Ryan, a US Army lieutenant, and Melissa, a college junior.
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David G. Perkins
GEN, U.S. Army Retired
General (R) David Perkins served as the 15th Commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) which is responsible for designing, acquiring, building and constantly improving the US Army which is one of the largest and most complex organizations in the world. Under his leadership TRADOC developed the Army’s concept of Multi Domain Operations which has become a driver for future change not only in the US Military, but around the world. He also served as the Chancellor of Army University, one of the largest university systems in the United States. Prior to commanding TRADOC he commanded the United States Army Combined Arms Center where he was the lead for synchronizing leader development across the Army, the management of the Army’s training support and training development enterprises, and the development and integration of the doctrine the Army uses around the world.

Previously General (R) Perkins commanded at all levels in the US Army from CPT to Major Army Command at the four-star level. He has multiple combat tours to include commanding a Brigade and later an Infantry Division in Iraq. As a Brigade Commander he led the historical “Thunder Run” into Baghdad that led to the fall of the regime. He also served as the Special Assistant to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. He has advanced degrees in Mechanical Engineering, National Security and Strategic Studies, and Military Studies.
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