Philippines Alumni Workshop on Strategic Scenarios and Signals
DKI APCSS hosts a successful alumni workshop in the Philippines on strategic scenarios, strengthening partnerships and discussing Indo-Pacific security with key officials.
Kathmandu Visit Highlights Nepal’s Strategic Role in Regional Stability
DKI APCSS recently conducted key leader engagements in Kathmandu, Nepal, highlighting the nation’s strategic role in regional stability. DKI APCSS Director Suzanne Vares-Lum joined Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to meet with senior Nepali leaders and U.S. Embassy partners. Discussions focused on shared security priorities, including disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance, and Nepal’s contributions to peacekeeping operations. The visit also celebrated the impactful work of DKI APCSS alumni, showcasing the program’s role in fostering education, connection, and empowerment across the Indo-Pacific region.
Forging the Future of Indo-Pacific Defense: The Inaugural Multinational Armaments Resilience Seminar (MARS)
DKI APCSS concludes its inaugural Multinational Armaments Resilience Seminar, strengthening Indo-Pacific defense industrial base resilience through multinational collaboration and partnerships.
Enhancing Decision-Making with AI: Start Human, End Human
A new Security Nexus Perspective by Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan Moyer examines the strategic application of large language models in Indo-Pacific security operations while addressing technology competition and sovereignty concerns. Moyer, a DKI APCSS fellow and major in the U.S. Air Force, tackles the urgent challenge facing security professionals: leveraging artificial intelligence for enhanced decision-making without compromising critical thinking or accountability. The analysis emphasizes a key argument: organizations that embrace experimentation with imperfect technology will gain significant advantages over those waiting for ideal solutions.
DKI APCSS Strengthens Ties with Thai Partners During July Visit
During a visit to Thailand in July, Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) Director Suzanne Vares-Lum met with key Thai defense leaders, alumni and U.S. Embassy officials, reinforcing long-standing partnerships and advancing shared regional security goals.
Roundtable with Senior DKI APCSS Thai Alumni
While visiting Thailand in July, DKI APCSS Director Suzanne Vares-Lum conducted a senior alumni roundtable. Nine alumni attended the meeting which focused on DKI APCSS programs such as Fellows projects and a new mentoring program. Three alumni have offered to be mentors for future Fellows, and the Thai Alumni Association offered to take an active role in future Alumni mentor recruiting and matching with Fellows. Participants also shared their reflections on the current security situation in Thailand.
DKI APCSS Supports Thai Senior Security Program Focused on Regional Security Challenges
The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies joined Thailand’s sixth Senior Security Studies Program, fostering strategic dialogue and leadership skills to address Indo-Pacific security challenges with senior Thai officials.
Karakoa Forum Launched in Manila
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) hosted a two-day Karakoa Forum in Manila on April 25 and 28, 2025, in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS). A team of five DKI APCSS faculty members — Dr. Ginnie Watson, Professor Mike Burgoyne, Dr. Sam Mullins, Col. Matt Kent, and Maj. Kyle Brown — traveled to the Philippines at the invitation of the government to support the launch of the inaugural forum.
Security Nexus Paper Explores How Non-Warfighters Can Support U.S. Military Lethality
The Security Nexus paper examines how civilian and support personnel within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) can contribute to Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth’s renewed emphasis on military lethality. The paper highlights the critical role of non-warfighters—including resource managers, logisticians, academics, economists, and cybersecurity professionals—in optimizing processes, streamlining decision-making, and supporting operational forces. It emphasizes that lethality is not solely about combat but also about strategy, logistics, innovation, and partnerships.
New Security Nexus Paper Explores the Defense Industrial Base’s Role in Indo-Pacific Security
A new Security Nexus paper, “The Strategic Role of the Defense Industrial Base in Advancing U.S. Lethality, Soft Power, and Indo-Pacific Security,” by Deon Canyon, Associate Dean of Academics and Professor, and Carleton Cramer, Captain (Ret.), U.S. Navy, Dean of Academics for the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, examines how the United States Defense Industrial Base (DIB) serves as both a military and strategic asset, enhancing deterrence, innovation, and regional partnerships. It highlights the DIB’s role in strengthening alliances, supporting economic resilience, and integrating emerging defense technologies in response to increasing geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.
