Media Event: Journalist Roundtable on the Smith-Mundt Symposium

(I am not the organizer of this event, just a participant. If you are interested in attending this roundtable, appropriate contact information is below.)

AOC Journalist Series roundtable tomorrow, Tuesday, January 6, 2009, from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EST), in Alexandria, VA. Media interested in attending in person or via conference call, contact Ken Miller at kmiller@crows.org or (703) 549-1600.

The topic of discussion will be “Revisiting the Smith-Mundt Act.”  Our discussion panel will be led by Mr. Matt Armstrong, principal and co-founder of Armstrong Strategic Insights Group (ASIG).  The roundtable is a precursor to an upcoming symposium, chaired by Mr. Armstrong, entitled The Smith-Mundt Act of 1948: A Discourse to Shape America’s Discourse, on January 13, 2009, at the Reserve Officer’s Association in Washington, DC.  Mr. Armstrong will be joined on the roundtable panel by Mr. George Clack, Director of the Office of Publications in the State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs (DOS-IIP); RADM Greg Smith, US Central Command (CENTCOM); Mr. Jeff Grieco, US Agency for International Development (USAID); and Mr. David Firestein, Senior Advisor to the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act was originally written to ensure reliable and sufficient funding for public diplomacy efforts by the Department of State; however the perceived domestic conditions when the Act was passed no longer exist. Many believe that the Act inhibits United States information activities and cripples our ability to relay the truth outside the US.  Additionally, the act has been systematically and methodically misinterpreted, misapplied and misunderstood so badly that it even inhibits US military information activities globally.  Is it time to revisit Smith-Mundt to understand its intended purposes and consider revision or rescinding?  What reforms are necessary to enable the US government to engage in the global media environment?  How important are US government information and outreach programs to our national security?

The AOC – The Electronic Warfare and Information Operations Association is a non-profit international professional association dedicated to the science and practice of electronic warfare (EW), information operations (IO), and related disciplines.  The AOC Journalist Series is a quarterly forum designed to provide media the opportunity to engage leaders in EW and IO.  These forums offer participants and media on-the-record discussions, interviews, and conversations.  The roundtable on January 6 will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. with brief opening statements by each of our panelists.  We will then proceed with a period of Q&A and close with an opportunity for one-on-one follow-up and interviews.  Furthermore, the proceedings will be recorded and a transcript will be provided for participants following the event.

For more information, contact:

Ken Miller
Director, Government & Industry Affairs
AOC-The Electronic Warfare & Information Operations Association
(703) 549-1600 (p)
kmiller@crows.org