Virtual Discussion

Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army (Ret): A Discussion With ASU's New Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab

This program will feature Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army (Ret), Arizona State University's Distinguished University Fellow, together with ASU's Ambassador-in-Residence Michael C. Polt for a discussion regarding global issues and the U.S. response. Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley, U.S. Army (Ret) will provide an overview of the new ASU Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab, which seeks to advance character-driven leadership, diplomacy, and national security education and training in support of the full range of Arizona State University’s enterprises. The Lab dedicates itself to learner-centered solutions and thought leadership through a global network of partners employing state of the art learning tools.

Registration

FREE for PCFR Members

$10 for Non-Members 

REGISTER HERE

Schedule

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Venue

Zoom Meeting

Meeting link and instructions will be included in the registration confirmation and reminder email sent prior to the event.

Speakers

Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster

U.S. Army (Ret)

H. R. McMaster is Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University. He is also the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University and the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 26th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.

From 2014 to 2017 McMaster designed the future army as the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and the deputy commanding general of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). As commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, he oversaw all training and education for the army’s infantry, armor, and cavalry force. His has extensive experience leading soldiers and organizations in wartime including Commander, Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force—Shafafiyat in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012; Commander, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq from 2005 to 2006; and Commander, Eagle Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Operation Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991. McMaster also served overseas as advisor to the most senior commanders in the Middle East, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

McMaster holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He was an assistant professor of history at the United States Military Academy from 1994 to 1996. He is author of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World and the award-winning Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam.  He was a contributing editor for Survival: Global Politics and Strategy from 2010 to 2017. His many essays, articles, and book reviews on leadership, history, and the future of warfare have appeared in The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, Survival, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.

Lieutenant General Benjamin C. Freakley

U.S. Army (Ret)

LTG Benjamin C. Freakley serves as the Professor of practice of Leadership for Arizona State University and as a Special Advisor to ASU President Michael Crow for Leadership Initiatives. Additionally, he serves as the Executive Director of the ASU Decision Theater Network and is a Co-Founder of the ASU Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab. He retired from the U. S Army after more than 36 years of active military service, and was serving as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command, at the time of his retirement. General Freakley was responsible for world wide recruiting for the Active Duty and Reserve components as well as overseeing the Nation’s Junior and College ROTC programs. He led U.S. and international forces in combat three times. As an infantry officer, General Freakley commanded at all levels through division and combined joint task force. His operations assignments began with 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart, Georgia in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia, first as the Executive officer, 3rd Battalion-7th Infantry then as the S-3 (Operations), 1st Brigade. From March 2003 to June 2003, he served as Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. From 2003 to 2006 he commanded the Army’s largest training institute, the Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

In January 2006, as the Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division (Light) and Fort Drum he led the division in Afghanistan serving as the Commanding General Combined Joint Task Force-76, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, where he served until February 2007.

General Freakley was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry through the U.S. Military Academy in 1975. He later earned a Master of Military Art and Science degree from the School of Advanced Military Studies. Additional military schooling includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, British Long Armor/Infantry Course, the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. General Freakley’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star for Valor and ARCOM for Valor. He is an Eagle Scout and in 2010 was named the Education Policy Leader of the Year for the National Association for State Board Educators. In 2020 the Voices for National Service recognized him with the Citizen Service Award for investing in the civic health of our Nation though support of national service.

General Freakley holds a Master of Military Art and Science degree from the School of Advanced Military Studies.

Moderator

Ambassador Michael C. Polt

ASU Ambassador-in-Residence

ASU Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab

Ambassador Polt assumed his new position as ASU Ambassador-in-Residence in The College's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab on October 1, 2020. Prior to that he had served as Senior Director at the University's McCain Institute for International Leadership after concluding his 35-year diplomatic career in 2012. The Ambassador held assignments as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia and to Serbia and Montenegro. Prior to his ambassadorial missions, Ambassador Polt was Principal Deputy and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs in the Powell and Clinton State Departments. During his three decades as a career diplomat, Ambassador Polt served as U.S. Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany and Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge’ d’ Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland. He has also served as Senior Advisor to the Director General of the Foreign Service for Management Reform and was a key member of the Senior Management Steering Board directing the State Department’s 2003-2005 multi-million dollar reinvention of its Diplomatic Communications System. Ambassador Polt has held other senior positions in the Department of State, as Deputy Director for European Security and Arms Control issues, and in Panama City as Political Counselor of the U.S. Embassy during the time leading up to the U.S. military action against the Noriega regime in 1989. During his earlier career, Ambassador Polt was assigned to Embassies in Bonn, Mexico City, and Copenhagen, as well as the U.S. Consulate in Bremen, Germany. The Ambassador has been the repeated recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Service Award and numerous Department of State Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards for Outstanding Policy Leadership, Management, Crisis Performance, and Political Analysis. He has been awarded the Thomas Jefferson Award for Service to U.S. Citizens Overseas by American Citizens Abroad.

Ambassador Polt was born in Austria. He holds a bachelor’s degree and an honorary doctorate from American International College in Springfield, Mass., and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife Hallie live in suburban northern Virginia. They have two grown children, Nicholas and Lindsay. The Polts enjoy sailing and skiing for relaxation and a good cup of coffee with time to savor it.