MDAA is honored and excited to announce our principal engagement with the Executive Program in Global Space and Defense as a joint program with the University of Southern California’s Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering. This 8-month program is designed to educate aspiring senior leaders from the military, government, and innovation technological communities about the intersection of public policy and engineering. It is designed to close the widening gap between theory and the practical application of National Security constructs.

Program Schedule

Week 1: September 24-25, 2021 (Online Interactive)

• Guest Speakers:
  • September 24th:
    • John Rood, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
    • Vice Admiral Jon A. Hill, Director of the Missile Defense Agency
  • September 25th:
    • Lt. Gen L. Neil Thurgood, U.S. Army, Director of Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space, and Rapid Acquisition

Week 2: October 29-30, 2021 (Online Interactive)

• Guest Speakers:
  • October 29th:
    • Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, U.S. Navy, Director of Operations (J3) at U. S. Pacific Command
    • Lt. Gen Stephen Sklenka, USMC, Deputy Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

Week 3: November 18-20, 2021 (Fall USC Residency)

• Guest Speakers:
  • November 18th:
    • Lt. General Michael Guetlein, U.S. Air Force, Commander of Space Systems Command
  • November 19th:
    • Rear Adm. (Ret.) Victorino Mercado, U.S. Navy, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities
    • Lt. Gen. (Ret) Jon Thomas, U.S. Air Force, Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
    • Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, U.S. Navy, Director of Operations (J3) at U. S. Pacific Command
  • November 20th:
    • Field Trip: Vandenberg Space Force Base

Week 4: January 21-22, 2022 (Online Interactive)

• Guest Speakers:
  • January 21st:
    • Lt. Gen. (Ret) Jon Thomas, U.S. Air Force, Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
    • Rear Admiral Dan Cheever, Director of Plans, Policy and Strategy, North American Aerospace Defense Command/Director of Plans, Policy and Strategy, U.S. Northern Command
    • Maj. Gen. Kevin Huyck, Director of Operations for headquarters, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Week 5: February 25-26, 2022 (Online Interactive)

• Guest Speakers:
  • February 25th
    • John Rood, Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
    • Wes Kremer, president, Raytheon Missiles & Defense

Week 6: March 25-26, 2022 (Online Interactive)

• Guest Speakers
  • March 25th
    • (Ret.) Gen. John E. Hyten, U.S.A.F, Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
    • Patrick M. Shanahan, Former Deputy Secretary of Defense

Week 7: April 28-30, 2022 (Spring USC Residency)

• Guest Speakers and events
  • April 28th
    • Site Visit: Space Systems Command at Los Angeles Space Force Base
  • April 30th
    • BG Shane Reeves, Dean of the United States Military Academy
    • Riki Ellison, Chairman & Founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance
    • Lt. Gen. (Ret) Jon Thomas, U.S. Air Force, Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the Deputy Theater Air Component Commander to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
    • Rear Adm. (Ret.) Victorino Mercado, U.S. Navy, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities
    • Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, U.S. Navy, Director of Operations (J3) at U. S. Pacific Command

Guest Speakers