On March 13, 2013 the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted its fourth annual Military and Federal Fellow Research Symposium, featuring the independent research produced by the members of each military service and the federal agencies who have spent the last year serving at think tanks and universities across the nation. Organized by the fellows themselves, the symposium provides a platform for building greater awareness of the cutting-edge work that America’s military and governmental leaders are producing on key policy issues.

The theme of this symposium was “Security Challenges During a Time of Transition,” reflecting the war drawdowns, new fiscal realities, and upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review. Panel discussions focused on fellows’ independent research findings in the areas of military leadership, the composition and structure of military forces, an increasing reliance on technology, and emerging maritime challenges. Thomas E. Ricks, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, delivered opening remarks, and Dr. Arati Prabhakar, director of the Defense Advanced Research Agency, gave a keynote address.

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