Director's Message

Two thousand twelve promises to be a most interesting year for all of us in the CHDS family! Clearly there will be some sobering challenges, as well as some intriguing opportunities. CHDS has requested approval to modify its name from the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies to the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies to honor the distinguished former Secretary of Defense, whose vision birthed the Center more than 14 years ago. During his tenure as Secretary of Defense (1994–1997), Dr. Perry oversaw force and program modernization, while at the same time coping with reduced military budgets. His vision, combined with a pledge to the region's ministries of defense to assist in their goals of developing a professional cadre of civilian managers and leaders, set the stage for the Center's creation in September 1997.

Along with the rest of the US government, CHDS is facing an austere fiscal environment at the same time regional security challenges pose increasingly serious threats around the hemisphere. Within this framework of austerity and challenge, CHDS remains committed to its primary mission of helping build institutional capacity and educating leaders in the region's defense and security sectors.

The maturing of the hemisphere's defense and security sectors over the last decade has been encouraging. It has also allowed CHDS to expand its programs while remaining the region's partner of choice for security and defense education. With this expansion, we are developing an increasing number of programs to bring the Center's expertise to audiences in the region. These cost-effective programs reach extensive, diverse groups and augment our Washington, D.C.–based programs.

An increasingly-popular in-region program is the NationLab simulation exercise, often hosted at a country's National War College. Secretary Perry once stated that "We live in an age that is driven by information. Technological breakthroughs…are changing … how we prepare." The NationLab computer simulation exercises are custom-designed to stimulate leaders' thinking in response to likely scenarios countries face when battling narco-trafficking or after a natural disaster befalls a nation.

Technology also increasingly allows CHDS professors to communicate to diverse audiences, using short, focused discussions that are extremely cost-effective. This flexibility increases CHDS's ability to support professional development within many communities of influence that relate to CHDS's diverse engagement programs.

CHDS will continue to regularly publish its flagship professional journal, the Security and Defense Studies Review. We are also growing our menu of publications, including an improved Regional Insights, plus the new Occasional Papers and Strategic Insights. Please consider these as venues for you to publish relevant and timely topics of mutual interest in the security and defense sectors.

CHDS is energized and ready for 2012! We are prepared to provide our faculty and staff's wealth of expertise in support of continued development within the security and defense sectors of the Western Hemisphere. We look forward to beginning, continuing, or renewing a meaningful and productive relationship with you in 2012.

Richard D. Downie, Ph.D.
Director, CHDS