The local chapter of a civilian Navy group is sponsoring a conference this month that the promoter hopes will open a dialogue between the defense industry and the military officers that use their products.
The Operational Commanders’ Assessment of Force Readiness is the second annual conference sponsored by the San Diego Council of the United States Navy League. It will feature nine senior military operations commanders on two panels.
“What these guys are going to be talking about is how industry can help them best live within their budget constraints,” said Jack Clark, organizer of the conference and a Navy League member for four years. “They’re going to say: Hey, we’ve only got this much money. You guys have to build us equipment that’s cheaper, that lasts longer, that doesn’t take as many people to operate and so on.”
The conference will follow the AFCEA/West 2001 conference Jan. 25 in the main hall of the San Diego Convention Center.
“Most of our speakers will be attending or speaking at West,” Clark said.
The purpose of the Navy League conference is to allow the operational commanders a chance to talk openly with the defense industry that builds the weapons and ships the military uses.
“A lot of times the operational community doesn’t get as much input into the process as they would like,” Clark said. “So this is kind of a no-holds barred chance for them.”
On the first panel will be a pair of three-star admirals from the Navy’s Pacific Fleet: Vice Adm. Edward Moore Jr., who is the commander of surface forces, and Vice Adm. John Nathman, the commander of the Navy’s air forces.
The second panel will include U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. James Battaglini, the deputy commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force; Rear Adm. David Nichols, commander of Carrier Group 1; Navy Capt. Joseph Maguire, deputy commander of Special Warfare Command (Spawar); and Coast Guard Commanding Officer Capt. Robert Allen.
Clark expects the conference will accommodate 700 attendees but, thus far, fewer than 100 tickets have been sold, he said.
The majority of tickets will be sold the week leading up to the event and during West 2001, Clark said.
Last year, the Navy League held its event in conjunction with the NDIA/Spawar Industry Days 2000 conference.
“We intended, on an annual basis, to conduct it in conjunction with that particular event,” Clark said. “This past year we were all set to go, but all our speakers we planned to invite were tied up in a conference that entire week, so we had to postpone our event.”
Ray Roth, the newly elected president of the San Diego Navy League, said the operational commanders meeting was something the civilian organization could do for the military.
“Generally, our meetings and our activities are more civilian-oriented,” Roth said. “With the operational commanders’ assessment we’ve got the key military leaders in San Diego talking about some of the goals and strategic issues they face in the real world.”
