Slider, Carter, and Conklin Highlight Symposium Agenda

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

37th Commanding General of the U.S. Army JFK Special Warfare Center & School Major General Jason C. Slider, U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) Commanding General Major General Andrée G. Carter, and USACAPOC(A) Command Sergeant Major George H. Conklin are the featured speakers at this year’s Civil Affairs Symposium at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA on “Redefining Civil Affairs,” 14-15 November 2025.

As the Symposium keynote speaker that Saturday, Maj. Gen. Slider will provide Civil Affairs proponent institutional context and guidance in discussing “The Future of Civil Affairs.” Maj. Gen. Carter will follow up with her own take on “The Future of USACAPOC(A)” while CSM Conklin will talk about “The Future of the Civil Affairs NCO.”

Prior to those plenary presentations, they will get a chance to glean the findings and recommendations in the reports of the four workshop that will have taken place the day before. This will help enrich the plenary presentations and enrich the value-added of the general discussion of CA force and professional development that Association events like the fall Symposium and spring Roundtable enable.

The first workshop, facilitated by USAJFKSWCS Civil Affairs Branch Proponent Director Lt. Col. Ryan Middlemiss, will obtain the perspectives of the Joint, Army, and Marine CA proponents, as well as the U.S. Army Security Force Assistance and Stability Integration Directorate and Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. This will be followed up by a detailed discussion of the future of UASCAPOC(A) from the perspectives of the CA commands supporting the geographic regions.

That Friday afternoon, the workshops continue with a look at the question: “With the dissolution of USAID, how can Civil Affairs lead Department of War efforts to maintain strategic access, placement, and relationships to counter our adversaries? Facilitating this interagency and international discussion will be former ASD (SO/LIC) Director of Irregular Warfare Mick Crnkovich.

The final workshop will take a look at “how Civil Affairs contributes to lethality,” with a presentation fresh from Syria by Operation Inherent Resolve Combined Joint Task Force Director of Strategic Plans, Col. Michael R. Hanneken, Ph.D.

The last Friday event will be when Association members convene for the 78th Civil Affairs Association Board Meeting.

As always, the Symposium closes on Saturday afternoon with authors who present papers selected for Vol. 12 of the Civil Affairs Issue Papers.

In addition to the Symposium, the nearby 358th Civil Affairs Brigade has invited Symposium participants including the members of the Civil Affairs Corps and Association to recognize outstanding civil-military professionals, enjoy camaraderie, and build esprit de corps at the Gala Dinner, also at the Presidential Library and Museum.

To find out more about the Symposium, view and download the full agenda, and register for the event and sign up for the Gala Dinner, go to the events page on the Association website.

Click here for the Symposium agenda. A final version of the agenda will appear shortly before the Symposium.