AMU Homeland Security Intelligence Original

INSS Conference Offers Education and Training Opportunities for Intelligence Professionals

By David E. Hubler
Contributor, In Homeland Security

In conjunction with National Security Month in September, approximately 850 military, U.S. government and civilian intelligence experts held a two-day unclassified Intelligence and National Security Summit (INSS) at National Harbor, Maryland earlier this month. The conference was co-hosted by the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA).

American Military University (AMU) was one of the event sponsors and has attended this event for many years.

INSS Conference Provides Both Education and Networking Opportunities

The Intelligence and National Security Summit (INSS) is an event well worth attending. It provided not only the chance to hear from senior leaders in the intelligence community, but also the opportunity for some great panel discussions that exemplify the positive aspects of the public-private partnership that helps protect our nation and our critical infrastructure.

In addition, the conference offered networking opportunities for attendees. Mike Harbert, AMU’s VP of Strategic Markets and Relationships, says, “INSA and AFCEA are great partners and put on a terrific conference every year. One of the best parts is who you meet. While the sessions are great, there is so much accomplished in the networking events and during the meals, where you can interact with leaders from government, industry and academia.”

Keynote Speaker at Conference Addresses Challenges in Intelligence Community

The 2018 summit included a keynote address by Director of National Security Dan Coats, who spoke of the pressing challenges of the intelligence community, including the threat of cyberattacks during the mid-term elections in November.

“Rest assured,” he told the conference, “We are not just standing by. Every day, we are collecting and integrating intelligence on our adversaries.”

Get started on your Global Security Doctoral Degree at American Military University.

Coats also discussed the intelligence community’s growing requirement for more economic intelligence. The need for this information is a result of the economic stagnation in Russia and Iran that has provoked widespread unrest in those countries.

Also on Coats’s list was China’s expansionist ambitions beyond its traditional sphere of influence in South Asia, North Korea’s nuclear disarmament program and the new phase of the global war on terrorism. “We are closely watching the development of biological weapons. We expect this to grow,” Coats warned.

AMU Professor Informs Intelligence Community Audience about New Doctoral Programs

Dr. Nicole Drumhiller, Program Director of Security & Global Studies, told the audience about American Military University’s two new applied doctoral degrees, the Doctor of Global Security (DGS) and the Doctor of Strategic Intelligence (DSI). AMU is a leading provider of graduate education programs for national security and intelligence professionals.

Dr. Drumhiller said that AMU doctoral students average 15 or more years of experience in military, government or civilian capacities. Prospective doctoral students should have a master’s degree in a relevant area, including business, marketing or economics.

Get started on your Strategic Intelligence Doctoral Degree at American Military University.

The students also need five years of experience in the intelligence field. “We basically are looking for individuals who are interested in moving the current body of knowledge forward in a productive and meaningful way,” Dr. Drumhiller explained. ”We consider our students to be scholar-practitioners.”

The INSS audience – many of them accomplished professionals – expressed a lot of interest in the new doctoral programs and the programs were well received. A program such as the Doctor of Strategic Intelligence fills a need for many of them in their education and professional development.

A Strong Start for the New Doctoral Degrees

The newly created doctoral program is off to a strong start, Dr. Drumhiller said. “I have seen a lot of comments from our students saying, “I took what I learned in class and applied at work the next day and my boss said, ‘Where did you learn that?’…That really gets me excited. It makes me recognize that we’re going in the right direction.”

AMU’s applied doctoral degrees are the only programs of their kind taught online by a regionally accredited university and backed by decades of experience by a highly credentialed faculty and staff. Classes start in January, May and September of each year.

After her remarks, Dr. Drumhiller said she noticed an increase in foot traffic at the AMU booth as well as interest in the internship program that is being created in the School of Security and Global Studies. She said some conference participants raised the possibility of a collaborative effort to find and train interns.

Other AMU faculty and staff who attended the conference were:

  • Heather Bloszinsky, Doctoral Admissions Coach
  • Kate Brannum, Program Director, Security & Global Studies
  • James Burch, Doctoral Faculty Member
  • Jennifer Douglas, Dean of Graduate Studies & Research
  • Mike Harbert, VP, Strategic Markets & Relationships
  • Keith Ludwick, Doctoral Faculty Member
  • Jose Rodriguez, Director of Doctoral Faculty & Research
  • Casey Skvorc, Doctoral Faculty Member

AMU strives to provide career-relevant, up-to-date education for adult learners. For more details about the doctoral programs at AMU, visit the Doctoral Programs page or call 877-755-2787.

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