U.S. Air Force Academy combines USAFA Assembly, International Week
By Ray Bowden, Oct. 20, 2017
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Geopolitics was the hot topic this week when the Air Force Academy combined two high-level annual events.
Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria said the U.S. Air Force Academy Assembly and International Week were combined to benefit cadets.
“This is the first time we’ve brought all this together,” Silveria said to cadets, guest speakers and faculty, Oct. 18 in Exemplar Hall. “The combination allows for beneficial synergistic effects.”
One effect, Silveria said, is that officers from other countries attending International Week can take part in Assembly discussions.
“It’s a great opportunity for international collaboration and further developing a mutual understanding of our countries’ services,” he said.
The Academy Assembly is an annual conference at the Academy featuring academics, business leaders, government officials and nongovernmental organizations who led student discussions on this year’s Assembly topic, “The Future of American Defense Policy.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity to experience bureaucracy at its most basic level,” said Cadet 1st Class Joe Engelbrecht. “It will help me as an officer to understand the fundamentals of bureaucracy, and know how to pull strings and get answers to move my projects forward.”
International Week gives cadets and their colleagues a chance to discuss international policy issues.
“It provides an opportunity for cadets and their counterparts to build mutual understanding and trust that can be leveraged in the future in the face of common challenges,” said Lt. Col Daniel Szarke, director of the Academy’s International Programs.
In all, six international Olmsted scholars, Academy cadets, 200 international cadets and more than 50 undergraduate students from U.S. colleges attended the events.
“We’re learning about tomorrow’s problems today,” Silveria said. “This is what we need to do to remain the greatest nation of free people in the world.”