2012 Annual Report

Annual Report FY2012 1

Director

Richard D. Downie, Ph.D.

Deputy Director

Ken LaPlante

Dean of Academic Affairs

Luis Bitencourt, Ph.D.

Dean of Students, Administration, and Outreach

John Thompson, MG, USA (Ret.)

Associate Director, Research and Publications

Howard Wiarda, Ph.D.

Strategic Program Manager

Michael Mann

Managing Editor

Yamile Kahn

Assistant Editor

Patricia Kehoe

Layout, Design, and Cover

Vitmary Rodríguez (Vivian)

Graphics and Photos

NDU and CHDS Multimedia

OUR MISSION

To conduct educational activities for civilians and the military in the 

Western Hemisphere with the goal of enhancing partner capacity and fostering trust, 

mutual understanding, and regional cooperation.

Table of Contents

History 2 

Message from the Director 4

Education 6

Outreach 14

Research 21

Measures of Effectiveness 24

Special Recognition 27
2 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

Inscribed on the CHDS seal are the words mens et fides mutua, which 

in Latin means understanding and mutual trust. It was in the spirit of 

these two important end states for regional cooperation that CHDS 

was established in the second half of the 1990s as the U.S. Defense Department’s primary educational institution for leaders in Hemispheric 

security and defense. 

The need for a responsive U.S. mechanism to strengthen democratic civil-military relations emerged from the first-ever Defense 

Ministerial of the Americas (DMA) in July 1995. Ministers from 34 

democracies came together in Williamsburg, Virginia, to discuss 

topics of concern, among which was the common lack of civilian officials prepared for security and defense issues facing their respective 

nations. The Pentagon’s movement to meet this need stemmed from 

Secretary William J. Perry’s August visit to the George C. Marshall 

Center in Germany, which recently had been reorganized to bolster 

democratic defense establishments in the former Warsaw Pact countries. Secretary Perry recognized that a regional center could work for 

the Americas, and his office began to solicit and analyze concepts. At 

the October 1996 DMA in Argentina, Secretary Perry stated his intention to establish a regional education center tailored to the needs of 

the Western Hemisphere defense ministers and to provide education 

about defense for a broad civilian community. 

Over the following year, the Department of Defense moved to 

implement the concept proposed by the National Defense University’s 

Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) which became the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. In developing its concept, INSS 

maintained close contact with defense ministries and civilian academics from many partner nations. As a result of close collaboration more 

than 25 suggestions were incorporated. The conceptual and operational foundations of CHDS were designed by the CHDS originating 

Director John “Jay” Cope, a lifetime scholar and retired Army Colonel 

with vast experience with the region, including service at the State Department Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, U.S. Southern Command, 

and the U.S. Army War College. 

The inauguration of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies and ribbon cutting at its new facility took place on September 

17, 1997, the culmination of a three-day Hemispheric Conference on 

Education and Defense. Near the close of 1997, the National Defense 

University, with OSD concurrence, hired Director Margaret Daly 

Hayes, who would serve for six years. Dr. Daly Hayes developed the 

Center’s curriculum and worked with defense ministries, parliamentary defense committees, and other government agencies to promote 

the important mission of CHDS. In March 1998, CHDS conducted its 

first three-week course, the Defense Planning and Resource Management Course. That year the Center also began a program of in-region 

seminars, the first of which was held in Bolivia.

HISTORY
Annual Report FY2012 3

At the 2003 DMA V meeting in Santiago, the government of Chile gave official recognition to CHDS for 

its contribution to matters of Hemispheric Defense and Security. When Dr. Richard Downie became the 

Center’s director in March 2004, he immediately undertook a strategic reassessment of the Center in consultation with his faculty, staff, and U.S. and regional stakeholders. Under Dr. Downie’s leadership, CHDS 

has continued to grow and to develop new programs, particularly in the fields of alumni outreach and 

coordination with partner institutions. In 2007, CHDS introduced advanced courses and in 2011, specialized courses.

At the 2010 DMA IX in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates pledged two scholarships to each Minister of Defense for future CHDS courses and supported the offering of CHDS seminars 

to those ministers so desiring. In 2010, CHDS also began an ambitious expansion plan for research and 

publications. Several new types of outlets for publications by CHDS faculty and staff, alumni, and members of our community of interest were created to better facilitate education and discussion about the 

most prescient issues affecting the Hemisphere.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of CHDS’s founding this year, the Center faculty and staff undertook many new educational initiatives and outreach events, which are detailed in the following pages. 

In 2012, CHDS continued to expand its network of partners and alumni in the Western Hemisphere and 

incorporated blended learning as the standard for all course offerings.

CHDS works with its partners to facilitate engagement 

in the Western Hemisphere and to:

• Strengthen sustainable individual and institutional capacity 

at the national and transnational level to enhance national, 

regional, and international security consistent with the norms 

of democratic governance and civil-military relations;

• Enhance regional security through the creation of 

collaborative communities of interest among military and 

civilian officials from States of the Western Hemisphere and 

examining fundamental causes of relevant security challenges 

and the most effective means to counter them;

• Foster defense support to civil authorities in dealing with 

disasters in a manner consistent with each country’s legal, 

historical, and cultural norms and the proper role of the 

military in democratic societies; and

• Promote critical thinking on global security issues, as related 

to the Western Hemisphere.

From Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s January 2012 Defense Budget Priorities 

and Choices:

“Across the globe we will seek to be the security partner of choice, pursuing new partnerships 

with a growing number of nations including those in Africa and Latin America. . . . We will 

preserve our key partnership development efforts, [such as] Five Regional Centers for Strategic 

Study that provide relationship-building opportunities to international students.”
4 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

MESSAGE 

FROM 

THE DIRECTOR In September 2012, we at CHDS 

celebrated the 15th anniversary 

of our founding in 1997. It has 

been my honor to preside over 

both the 10th and 15th organizational anniversary celebrations 

during my nine-year tenure as 

Director. After 10 years in existence, CHDS had settled firmly 

into its role as the pre-eminent 

security and defense teaching institution focused on the Americas. Now, after 15 years, I can 

safely say that we have achieved 

our most ambitious programming goals and continue to be 

the region’s partner of choice for 

security and defense education. 

This was a landmark year for 

CHDS, due in large part our 15th 

anniversary, but also due to the 

implementation of several new 

modes of outreach and education that have revolutionized 

the CHDS operational model. 

For years, CHDS has regularly 

received requests from partner 

institutions and governments 

to conduct courses in-region. 

This year, CHDS has collaborated with institutional partners throughout the Americas 

to design these new in-region 

courses. In August, for example, 

CHDS faculty worked with U.S. 

Northern Command, the Royal 

Bahamas Defence Force, and 

the Royal Bahamas Police Force 

to offer a five-day course on 

combating transnational organized crime. In May, two professors worked with students and 

faculty of Paraguay’s Institute of 

High Strategic Studies (IAEE) for 

several weeks before traveling to 

Asunción, where they presented 

an intensive one-week course on 

leadership and defense planning. 

As CHDS continues to 

improve the quality of our 

academic and engagement programs, we also find that we are 

blessed with a broad and robust 

community of alumni that have 

maintained connections with 

the Center. We often receive 

requests from alumni to participate in events and seminars they 

host in-region, and are proud of 

our many alumni who have gone 

on to shape the defense and 

security policymaking processes 

in their own countries. 

In March, faculty members, 

staff, and students of the National Autonomous University of 

Mexico (UNAM), the University 

of Guadalajara (UDG), and the 

Collective of Analysis of Security with Democracy (CASEDE) 

welcomed CHDS professors for a 

series of discussions and events. 

Faculty 

and staff 

then 

traveled 

to Guatemala City 

and San 

Salvador in May for a series of 

programs dealing with transnational organized crime, money 

laundering, and U.S. national security strategy. Perhaps most fulfilling for the CHDS team, however, is supporting those programs 

organized entirely by alumni, 

such as the third annual conference sponsored by the Peruvian 

Alumni Association in August, as 

well as an October conference in 

Guayaquil co-sponsored by our 

alumni and the U.S. Embassy in 

Quito.

Interacting with our alumni 

A landmark year, 

due in large part to our 

15th 

anniversary 
Annual Report FY2012 5

communities and partner institutions has never been easier; with the help of video teleconference (VTC) 

technology, we can easily conduct discussions, seminars, and presentations remotely. Cost-effective VTC 

technology has become a cornerstone of CHDS programming, and in 2012 our faculty and staff participated in more than 45 VTC sessions, reaching audiences throughout the region and the world. Many 

partners, like the Peruvian Strategic Leadership for Defense and Crisis Management Course (CEDEYAC) 

and El Salvador’s alumni association, conduct regular sessions in which CHDS faculty members present 

and engage with audiences thousands of miles away. Leveraging the power of multi-point VTC technology, 

one CHDS professor conducted an online program in February to an audience in Mexico that totaled more 

than 400, including a broad range of security and defense professionals and scholars.

CHDS continues to be a leading venue for research into security and defense in the Americas. In recent years, our publication program, highlighted by the flagship Security and Defense Studies Review, has 

matured into a forum for vibrant discourse and collaboration. In addition to the Review, CHDS publishes 

“Regional Insights,” “Occasional Papers,” and faculty papers, and we are currently working on a book project titled From the Abyss to Democratic Security, a reflection on Colombia’s transformation from the depth 

of a crisis to a viable State. 

I am also pleased to commend the recipients of this year’s William J. Perry Awards for Excellence in 

Defense and Security Education: the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), 

the Regional Security System (RSS), and the Honorable Peter MacKay, Canada’s Minister of Defence. Our 

recipients are emblematic of the commitment to education in topics of security and defense that we aspire to at CHDS.

While I will be moving on from CHDS in 2013, I will happily continue to remain a part of the broad 

and deeply connected CHDS community of staff, alumni, and friends. CHDS fulfills a unique and necessary component of defense and security relations with our closest neighbors, and in an era of increasing 

international cooperation, the future for CHDS and partnership-building is very bright. I am proud of all 

we accomplished in 2012, especially the creative and cost-effective improvements to our educational offerings that you will read more about throughout this report.

Dr. Richard D. Downie
6 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

 EDUCATION 

In FY 2012, CHDS continued to enhance the content and 

organization of our educational programs in order to maintain 

our status as the premier DOD teaching institution for defense 

and security issues of the Western Hemisphere. Led by our Dean 

of Academic Affairs, Dr. Luis Bitencourt, the CHDS faculty and staff 

redesigned our academic offerings in 2012 in order to reflect the 

evolving needs of our stakeholders while maintaining the core 

theoretical and historical underpinnings for all of our educational 

activities. 

This year has been exceptional for CHDS in terms of efficient 

and creative course organization. The implementation of a two-tothree-week distance learning phase as part of all courses allows 

all Fellows to enter the resident phase familiar with the concepts 

and theories to be discussed in class. Both CHDS faculty and 

course participants have found that the institution of the distance 

learning phase has greatly enriched the courses in the resident 

phase. In addition to online distance learning, the CHDS faculty has 

also implemented new in-region courses and expanded the use of 

VTC technology, which simultaneously allow us to reach broader 

audiences and reduce costs for CHDS and our partners. 

Through its exemplary educational programs and outreach 

activities, CHDS has successfully promoted stronger 

partnerships, closer professional ties with U.S. defense and 

security counterparts, and more capable defense and security 

professionals from partner nations throughout the Western 

Hemisphere. 

—GEN Douglas M. Fraser, USAF 

(USSOUTHCOM Commander)
Annual Report FY2012 7

Resident

Courses

The course offerings at CHDS have evolved over the 15 years since 

our founding in order to bolster the stability and security of our 

partner nations. Our faculty includes professional academics and 

prominent practitioners from the highest levels of government, all of 

whom work together to develop a robust and challenging curriculum 

that addresses a wide range of topics from a theoretical framework 

and based on a nuanced (and, often, firsthand) appreciation for the 

regional historical context faced by our partner nations. 

Our 2012 courses were split among four levels: Foundational, an 

introduction to political theory and strategy; Specialized, which are 

thematically focused on security and whole-of-government topics; 

Advanced, which are graduate level and take advantage of the subjectarea expertise and backgrounds of our faculty and explore high-level 

policymaking and organization in depth; and Strategic, which are 

short-term, intensive educational events for senior executives to 

sharpen their specific and actionable policy management skills and 

analyze lessons learned from former ministers and presidents (all 

of which can be immediately applied upon return to the individual’s 

home nation.) In addition to the traditional CHDS-based courses, we 

have also rolled out new in-region courses, explained in detail on 

page 12. 

The addition of the online phase to many courses in 2012 has 

drastically enriched the experience of students upon arrival in D.C. for 

the residence phase. By initiating coursework up to three weeks prior 

to the students’ arrival at CHDS, they are well-prepared to begin the 

work of class participation, modeling, and simulations right away. The 

(virtually costless) benefit of the pre-residence online phase has been 

noted by professors, and in post-course surveys by students, to be 

evident in the richness of classroom participation as well as the high 

quality of final projects, as students are able to begin examining the 

course topics while still in their home countries. 

Mr. Mark Wells, CTOC and TCI 

graduation speaker
8 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

Resident Courses: 

Foundational Level

Strategy and Defense Policy (SDP)

Feb. 6–Mar. 30

• 63 Participants

20 Nations Represented:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, 

Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, 

Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, 

Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

Issues examined: defense and security policy 

formulation and implementation; resource 

management; civilian-military and law 

enforcement cooperation; defense economics; 

interagency and international coordination; 

and control and oversight. Exercises, lectures, 

individual studies, and CHDS’s unique “table 

top simulations,” help students to apply class 

concepts to a realistic (yet hypothetical) 

scenario.

Caribbean Defense and Security Course 

(CDSC)

Jun. 18–Jul. 27

• 56 Participants

21 Nations Represented:

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, 

Brazil, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, 

El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, 

Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint 

Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and 

Tobago, United States

Issues examined: international and national 

security environments and processes; 

defense and security policy formulation and 

implementation; resource management; civilianmilitary and law enforcement cooperation; 

defense economics; transnational security 

issues; and interagency and international 

coordination in order to produce more effective 

national security and defense policies.
Annual Report FY2012 9

Resident Courses: Specialized Level

Combating Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Networks (CTOC)

Oct. 24–Nov. 4

• 20 Participants 

11 Nations Represented:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States

Sep. 10–21 

• 32 Participants 

13 Nations Represented:

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, 

Paraguay, Peru, United States

Issues examined: transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and strategies, mechanisms, and 

processes that can be used to evaluate and address the threats posed by TCOs for government 

and non-government officials directly involved with issues of national security and defense, law 

enforcement, and illicit trafficking.

Perspectives on Homeland Security and Defense (PHSD)

Apr. 16–27

• 39 Participants

14 Nations Represented:

Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, 

Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States

Issues examined: international models of homeland security and defense, and regional cooperation in 

response to natural and man-made threats throughout the Western Hemisphere. The first week of the 

course takes place in Washington, D.C., and the second week is held at NORTHCOM Headquarters in 

Colorado Springs, Colo.
10 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

Resident Courses: Advanced Level

Governance, Governability, and Security in 

the Americas (GGSA)

Oct. 17–Nov. 4

• 18 Participants 

12 Nations Represented:

Barbados, Colombia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, 

Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the 

Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United 

States

Issues examined: processes and mechanisms 

that contribute to socio-political and economic 

stability; and contemporary issues of 

governance and governability from national, 

regional, and global perspectives.

Advanced Civil/Political/ Military Relations 

and Democratic Leadership (ACPMR)

Oct. 17–Nov. 4

• 15 Participants 

9 Nations Represented:

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, 

Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Issues examined: civil-military relations within 

the context of the democratic process; and 

models of political/military cooperation in the 

region.

Strategy and International Security (SIS)

Oct. 17–Nov. 4

• 17 Participants

8 Nations Represented:

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, 

United States, Venezuela

Issues examined: international security 

strategies, including management of 

information and the use of force, in the context 

of international relations theory.
Annual Report FY2012 11

Advanced Level (continued)

Terrorism and Counterinsurgency (TCI)

Oct. 17–Nov. 4

• 16 Participants 

9 Nations Represented:

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, 

Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela

Sep. 5–21

• 18 Participants

8 Nations Represented:

Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, 

Spain, United States

Issues examined: conflicts dominated by 

insurgency and terrorism; reasons for the 

emergence of insurgency and terrorism; the 

comparative political and theoretical approaches 

to insurgent strategy, mobilization, operations; 

and organization and countermeasures. 

Advanced Defense Policy (ADP) Special Course 

for the Inter-American Defense College

Apr. 9–27

• 62 Participants

13 Nations Represented:

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, 

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, 

Panama, Peru, United States

Issues examined: international relations 

theory, strategy, defense policy, and defense 

analysis. Focus on conception, formulation, 

implementation, and evaluation skills with 

regard to defense policy. 
12 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

The 2012 Resident and 

In-Region Course Participants 

Represent the Diversity of Our 

Partner Nations:

Argentina

Antigua and Barbuda

The Bahamas 

Barbados

Belize

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Grenada

Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Spain

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

Turks and Caicos

United States

Uruguay

Venezuela

In-Region Courses

This was a landmark year for CHDS educational programs, 

exemplified by the development and implementation of inregion courses. This year, CHDS designed four courses, which 

were entirely conducted on-site at partner institutions in the 

region. Aside from the dramatic cost reduction and increase 

in efficiency gained by bringing CHDS faculty members to 

their students rather than arranging for course students 

to travel to Washington, D.C., these in-region courses also 

increase CHDS visibility in our partner nations and shorten 

the distance between classroom discussions and the defense 

policy considerations of our students. The following in-region 

courses from 2012 show how CHDS continues to adapt and 

improve our course offerings to best meet the needs of our 

regional partners and prospective students:

Executive Police Seminar

Oct. 18–23 

Bogotá, Colombia

• 49 participants

Senior Leadership 

Planning Course with IAEE

Apr. 30–May 5

Paraguay

• 69 participants

Countering Transnational 

Organized Crime (CTOC)

Aug. 13–17

The Bahamas

• 52 participants

Executive Course for 

Jamaican 

Constabulary

Aug. 27–30

Jamaica

• 88 participants
Annual Report FY2012 13

NationLab

Command and General 

Staff College (ECEM), 

Honduras 

Oct. 17–21

• Topic: natural disaster 

preparedness and 

response

• Participants: 56

Ministry of Public 

Security, Panama

Oct. 17–21

• Topic: natural disaster 

preparedness and 

response

• Participants: 32

NationLab is an interactive educational 

event that provides hands-on 

experience in the formulation of 

strategy and policy with respect to 

timely and relevant security and 

defense issues in the Hemisphere. Each 

NationLab is customized by CHDS with 

a specific partner institution and the 

U.S. Embassy Country Team. A typical 

NationLab lasts one week and involves 

intensive problem-solving role playing 

with a national security challenge 

(e.g., narcotrafficking, terrorism, or 

multinational operations in contexts 

such as disaster relief).

Strategic Studies College 

(CAEE), El Salvador

Jun. 26–28

• Topic: decisionmaking process 

during national disasters

• Participants: 69

Mexican Navy War College 

(CESNAV)

Nov. 14–18

• Topic: complex operations 

(interagency and international 

response to transnational organized crime, natural disaster 

response)

• Participants: 127 (including 

individuals from Canada, 

Guatemala, and NORTHCOM)

NationLabs are an effective engagement 

platform, and the relationship 

between CHDS efforts and outcomes is 

exemplified with Mexico. In 2009, we 

developed the first NationLab for the 

Mexican Navy War College (CESNAV), 

which resulted in the first-ever 

simulation exercise with CESNAV, and 

included considerable senior officer 

visibility within the Mexican Armed 

Forces. The cooperation between 

the Mexican Army and Navy was a 

major achievement for the NationLab 

program. Since that first event, CHDS 

has conducted NationLabs for both the 

Army and Navy war colleges, including 

214 senior officers in 2012.

Center for Advanced National 

Studies (CAEN), Peru

Sep. 24–28

• Topic: complex interagency 

response to transnational 

organized crime with an added 

national disaster response 

component

• Participants: 128, including 

CAEN students, faculty, and 

outside observers (the largest 

and most sophisticated 

NationLab exercise to date)

Mexican National Defense College (CDN)

Jun. 11–15

• Topic: decisionmaking 

and coordination during 

a natural disaster, specifically an earthquake

• First ever NationLab 

with SEDENA 

• Participants: 120, including 50 Mexican Army 

flag officers
14 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

OUTREACH

In FY 2012, CHDS was able to reach a wider audience than ever with our programs and events, 

while still maintaining an ambitious schedule of 

smaller strategic meetings and workshops that 

make the CHDS environment unique and soughtafter. 

Our staff works closely with foreign partners and the U.S. Embassy Country Team in each 

country to develop targeted academic exchange 

programs that deliver appropriate and timely 

content to emerging leaders in the region, to 

learn about the initiatives of regional institutions, and to reinforce America’s role as the 

international partner of choice for security and 

defense collaboration—both strategic and academic. CHDS faculty and staff traveled throughout the Hemisphere in 2012 to communicate 

with alumni, partner institutions, and prospective students about programs and opportunities 

at the Center. 

Through the use of video conferencing technology and live-streaming applications, CHDS is 

able to broadcast our D.C.-based programming to 

a worldwide audience, and the ongoing digitization of our publications has also provided a 

cost-effective way for us to call attention to the 

important research and writing that our worldclass faculty and students undertake throughout 

the year. 

“[CHDS provides] critical and cost-effective “smart power” 

tools which have improved regional relations, developed unified efforts to counter transnational criminal networks and 

provided support to democratic governance, human rights, 

rule of law, and senior-level partnerships.”

—GEN Charles H. Jacoby Jr., 

USA (USNORTHCOM Commander)

and GEN Douglas M. Fraser, USAF 

(USSOUTHCOM Commander)
Annual Report FY2012 15

Partner Visits and Strategic Interaction

CHDS fulfills its mission by building and maintaining longstanding 

relationships with our partner institutions in other countries of the 

Western Hemisphere. In the spirit of academic exchange and collaboration, 

CHDS and its partners organize many educational visits and special 

lectures throughout the year. In addition to CHDS in-region activities, the 

Center invites and accepts requests from many partner institutions and 

policymakers to make a stop at CHDS during their visits to Washington, 

D.C. In 2012, CHDS hosted 33 official visiting delegations comprising 905 

individuals. 

These visits, whether they be a CHDS professor lecturing to students 

at military education centers in our partner nations or strategic dialogues 

between high-level military or civil officials with our subject-matter 

experts, benefit both CHDS and our regional partners through the topics 

broached and lessons presented. 

From April 29 to June 18, CHDS and the Chilean National Academy 

of Political and Strategic Studies (ANEPE-Chile) held their first academic 

exchange in a program coordinated by both institutions. During the threeweek period, students and professors from ANEPE-Chile shared readings, 

lectures, and ideas with CHDS professors. Initially using VTC sessions, the 

two parties engaged in discussions on civilian control over the military in 

democratic countries, peace operations, and political decision making in 

general. From June 18 to June 21, CHDS hosted a group from ANEPE-Chile 

for more in-depth dialogue. The foundation for the academic exchange can 

be traced to an institutional agreement signed between CHDS and ANEPEChile in 1999. 

Increasingly, CHDS has used VTC technology to deliver presentations 

to an international audience, further expanding our reach while remaining 

mindful of the realities of our fiscal resources. 

2012 Visitors of 

Note

• Peruvian Army War 

College

• Alas Peruanas University Ph.D. 

candidates

• Chilean Minister of Defense 

and Vice-Minister of Defense

• Guatemalan Minister 

of Defense

• Former Colombian 

President Álvaro Uribe

• Mexican Naval War 

College (CESNAV)

• Peruvian Congressional 

and Ministry of Defense 

Delegation

• Advanced Military Studies 

Course (CAEM)

• Colombian Advanced School of 

War (ESDEGUE)

• Academic Exchange with 

National Academy of Political 

and Strategic Studies (ANEPE), 

Chile

• Inter-American Air Forces 

Academy (IAAFA)

• Graduate School of 

Advanced Studies (EGAE), 

Dominican Republic

• U.S. Marine Corps War College 

(MCWAR)

• Guatemalan High Strategic 

Studies Course (COSEDE)

• Strategic Superior Studies 

College (CAEE), 

El Salvador

• Western Hemipshere Institute 

for Security Cooperation 

(WHINSEC)

Guatemalan Brigadier General Ulises 

Noé Anzueto Girón signs CHDS’s 

guestbook.

CHDS Director and Leadership meet 

with Former Colombian President 

Álvaro Uribe.
16 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

Senior Executive Dialogue (SED)

A Forum on National and Sub-Regional Strategies for 

Citizen Security in Central America, facilitated at CHDS 

in Washington, D.C. 

June 20–22, 2012

The 2012 SED resulted from a stakeholder request to facilitate a dialogue on 

emerging security threats in Central America and the promotion of better 

bilateral and regional defense and security cooperation. Bringing together 

Central American Vice-Ministers of Defense and their U.S. government 

counterparts, the CHDS faculty moderated a robust and frank dialogue on 

topics such as national strategies, policies, and processes aimed at promoting citizen security at the national and sub-regional level. Due to the unique 

academic nature of CHDS and the off-the-record setting, participants in this 

three-day SED compared and contrasted their perceptions and priorities regarding common threats, and came to better understand the areas of policy 

and strategy that require international cooperation to be effective. Following 

the conclusion of the SED, participants communicated to the CHDS director the phenomenal substantive, informative, and candid nature of this SED 

format and venue. Given the unique position CHDS holds at the intersection 

between policymaking and academia, it continues to serve as the academic 

institutional partner of choice for teaching, research, and outreach on defense and security issues, by building trust and confidence and displaying a 

commitment to long-term engagement with our hemispheric partners at all 

levels of government. 
Annual Report FY2012 17

Workshops and Seminars

National Security Planning Workshops (NSPW)

In 2004, CHDS developed the NSPW event as a tool for partner nation 

governments to more efficiently and effectively approach the process of 

developing a national security strategy. The event usually lasts two-to-three 

days in the partner nation and brings together senior national security 

policymakers (presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, legislators, 

military commanders, and national police chiefs) for a workshop facilitated 

by CHDS faculty that results in a draft document, timeline, or outline 

pertaining to national security strategy for that nation. In 2012 CHDS 

conducted two NSPW events:

• Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 19–24

At the request of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, CHDS facilitated a 

NSPW that resulted in a National Dialogue on that nation’s security needs.

• Guatemala, May 25–26

At the request of Guatemala’s President, and in coordination with his 

National Security/Technology Team (composed of many CHDS course 

graduates), the CHDS team, in conjunction with DOD’s Defense Institutional 

Reform Initiative (DIRI) Program, supported the drafting of documents 

that became that country’s National Security Strategy and National Defense 

Strategy, published in September and December 2012, respectively. 

CTOC Seminar

May 21–23 

El Salvador

• 75 participants, comprising members of the 

National Civil Police, 

the Salvadoran Armed 

Forces, and government 

and private sector civilians. 

For busy civil and 

military policy 

professionals, CHDS 

faculty-facilitated 

seminars range in 

duration from 2 to 5 

days and are tailored 

to specific and timely 

issues in hemispheric 

defense. The most 

popular seminar topic 

in 2012 was Combating 

Transnational Organized 

Crime and Illicit 

Networks (CTOC), a 

topic proven to be a 

persistent threat to 

security and governance 

in the hemisphere and 

of great importance and 

high visibility among 

our stakeholders and 

regional partners.

Along with the 

seminars designed for 

partner institutions and 

defense academies in 

the region, seminars on 

emerging transnational 

threats and interagency 

coordination taught by 

CHDS experts remain in 

high demand throughout 

the region.

Counter Illicit Trafficking Senior Executive Workshop

June 18–21

CHDS, in cooperation with three other U.S. Department of Defense 

Regional Centers—the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), the 

Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA), and the George 

C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (GCMC)—cosponsored 

a four-day workshop on “Countering Narcotics and the Illicit Commons.” 

The workshop convened 60 senior-level government officials 

from the United States, Latin America, West Africa, North Africa, Europe, 

and international organizations, and focused primarily on efforts to 

disrupt the increased flow of cocaine from South America, through West 

and North Africa, into Europe. These transnational threats have grave 

implications for the health, governance, security, and stability of all 

regions concerned, and they directly challenge U.S. interests. 

To support U.S. policies to combat narcotics trafficking and illicit 

networks and build partnership capacity, the workshop included panel 

and discussion group sessions moderated by regional center faculty and 

was conducted in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. 
18 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

The Hemispheric Forum

In 2011, CHDS designed a new educational and outreach initiative called the Hemispheric Forum. The 

Forum was instituted in order to take advantage of the abundance of subject-matter experts and the 

community of interest in Western Hemisphere affairs in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The Forum 

follows a standard panel discussion format centered on a timely and important topic, with panelists 

representing the top of the field from government, think tanks, and academia. Each Forum event is 

open to the public and recorded for our web archive so that it can reach the widest possible audience. 

So far, the Hemispheric Forum has been a standout success in CHDS’s repertoire of educational tools, 

and the transcripts and papers produced by both panelists and Forum attendees have been published 

both within CHDS and in other prestigious outlets. CHDS hosted five Hemispheric Forum events in 

2012, and plans to expand the offering in 2013. 

Nicaragua’s Presidential 

Election

October 19, 2011

Panelists:

• Amb. Robert J. Callahan

U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua

• Amb. (Ret.) Basco Matamoros

Advisor to Nicaraguan opposition 

party

• Manuel Orozco

Senior Associate at 

Inter-American Dialogue

• Amb. (Ret.) Cresencio Arcos

Senior Advisor to 

CHDS Director

2012 Election in Mexico

January 18, 2012

Panelists:

• Richard Downie

Director, CHDS

• Patricia Escamilla-Hamm

CHDS Assistant Professor

• Celina Realuyo

CHDS Assistant Professor

• Amb. (Ret.) Cresencio Arcos

Senior Advisor to 

CHDS Director

Current Perspectives on 

Illicit Drug Policies

May 11, 2012

Panelists :

• Marilyn Quagliotti

Deputy Director for Supply 

Reduction, Office on National Drug 

Control Policy

• Craig Deare

Dean of Administration, Center for 

International Security Studies

• Peter Hakim

President Emeritus, 

Inter-American Dialogue

• Tim Lynch

Director of the Project on Criminal 

Justice, CATO

• General (Ret.) Barry McCaffrey

CEO, McCaffrey Associates, LLC

Iran in the Americas

March 13, 2012

Panelists:

• Stephen Johnson

Director, Americas Program at CSIS

• Judith Yaphe

Distinguished Middle East Fellow at 

INSS

• Douglas Farah

Adjunct Fellow of Americas Program 

at CSIS

• Celina Realuyo

CHDS Assistant Professor

Venezuela’s Presidential 

Election: Strategic Implications 

September 27, 2012

Panelists:

• Amb. (Ret.) Virginia Contreras 

Former Venezuelan Ambassador to 

the OAS

• Stephen Johnson

Director, Americas Program at CSIS

• Boris Saavedra

Assistant Professor of National 

Security, CHDS
Annual Report FY2012 19

Alumni Network 

CHDS 

Alumni Associations

Argentina

Belize**

Bolivia

Brazil**

Caribbean Region

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica**

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti**

Honduras*

Jamaica

Panama*

Paraguay

Peru

Trinidad and Tobago*

Uruguay

Venezuela

United States

*New in 2012

**Forming

The CHDS Alumni network continued to 

expand and develop as a vibrant community of defense and security professionals, 

leading innovative academic efforts and 

promoting partnerships throughout the 

region. The Peruvian Alumni Association 

held its third annual conference in August 

2012, and CHDS faculty members were 

again invited to attend and make presentations to the 200+ participants. In May 

the El Salvador Alumni Association offered 

its second three-day workshop, which 

was attended by 60 civilian, military, and 

national civil police professionals. CHDS 

professors and an alumnus provided 

timely presentations on transnational crime to the workshop participants. 

In addition to regional events, sectors of the alumni community actively sought out 

opportunities for further interaction with CHDS. Associations in Trinidad and Tobago 

and El Salvador as well as alumni networks in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico 

utilized videoconferencing to hold unique events and regular lecture series on a variety 

of topics. The videoconferences were well attended by alumni as well as the greater security and defense community. Video recordings of the lectures available on the CHDS 

website further expand the Center’s reach. 

Additional alumni interaction and collaboration is made possible through the 

CHDS Regional Outreach Seminar program. This was the second year for this program, 

which consisted of trips to Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In support of the CHDS 

mission to foster partnerships, build and strengthen existing relationships, support 

collaborative communities of interest, and strengthen sustainable institutional capacity, a four-person CHDS team, in collaboration with the Office of Security Cooperation 

and the local alumni community, conducted meetings, forums, roundtable discussions, 

and topical workshops with partner institutions and alumni in each country, meeting 

with a total of over 400 participants. Likewise, CHDS activities in the Bahamas, Colombia, Honduras, Jamaica, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago offered opportunities for 

additional alumni gatherings and networking.

CHDS maintains an active social media presence, supporting and interacting with 

the extensive alumni community through Facebook , Blogger, Flickr, Twitter, and AdobeConnect via GlobalNet.
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies 20

Technology and Online Resources

CHDSNET 

http://chdsnet.org 

• dynamic and secure online community for CHDS faculty, 

staff, students, alumni, and participants to maintain contact

Blackboard 

http://ndu.blackboard.com

• Class announcements, assignments, and reading material 

are posted through blackboard

• For 12 courses in 2012, 340 students participated in 

online distance learning programs using blackboard and 

Adobe Connect

CHDS Website and Digital Resources 

http://www.ndu.edu/chds/ and 

https://digitalndulibrary.ndu.edu/cdm4/search_chdspub.php

• all CHDS digital publications

• 12,306 documents have been viewed/downloaded 

by online users since Digital Resources was created in 

November 2010

• NEW Video Library (utilizing Adobe Connnect, 

Streamhoster, and Live Stream) now contains recordings of 

20+ events with 1,122 participants viewing live and ondemand since its creation in July 2012

Daily News Roundup 

• free multi-language daily news article aggregator compiled 

by CHDS publications department

• 365 new subscribers since June 2011; total non-CHDS 

readership 3,019

VTC Programs

CHDS utilizes video-teleconferencing (VTC) technology (including web-based programs such as Adobe 

Connect) as both part of larger academic programs and also stand-alone events. Through coordination 

with regional audiences and partner institutions, CHDS can participate in many types of outreach with 

distant audiences, increasing the visibility of CHDS professors while also taking advantage of technology 

to reduce costs of time and travel of our in-residence faculty. 

In 2012, CHDS faculty members used VTC technology to participate remotely in regional conferences, 

to guest-lecture in courses taking place at our partner institutions, to participate in strategic dialogue 

with government leaders from throughout the Hemisphere, and to collaborate with CHDS alumni 

organizations. VTC programs are quickly becoming one of the primary teaching tools of CHDS professors, 

and have become integral pieces of larger academic exchanges, including our resident courses, which 

now often include a VTC component in the distance-learning phase prior to the students’ arrival on 

campus at CHDS.

VTC programs bring new meaning to the concept of face-to-face interaction, allowing CHDS faculty 

and staff greater opportunities to participate in important academic exchanges with partner institutions 

and our alumni across the region. 
Annual Report FY2012 21

In FY 2012, CHDS continued to develop a culture of research 

and to consolidate its goal of developing a preeminent 

research program for security and defense issues in the 

Western Hemisphere. A robust program of research satisfies 

multiple objectives, including support for the interests and 

policy questions of our stakeholders and clients and professional development of the faculty, which keeps them on the 

cutting edge of security and defense topics pertinent to the 

region. This in turn contributes to the improvement of our 

courses and outreach activities through increased subject 

matter expertise and publication. CHDS research advertises 

the knowledge and capabilities to a wide audience, beyond 

those with which we interact through the course of typical 

education and outreach activities. It not only helps to cement existing relationships with a diverse community, but 

also to reach out to attract new members and associates.

In this sense, the research program supports the fundamental mission of the Defense Department Regional 

Centers: to develop, strengthen, and maintain communities 

of shared interest on defense and security topics in each 

region. The unique nature of CHDS research comes from its 

network of alumni and its special relationships with defense 

and security related officials, military, police, academics, and 

journalists throughout the region. This gives CHDS professors special access to primary-source data, thereby increasing the strength of scholarly analysis. 

The security of all of the nations in our hemisphere is immensely 

improved because of [CHDS’s] pursuit of excellence in defense 

education. And all of our children will live in a safer world because 

of the creative ways in which [CHDS facilitates] face-to-face 

meetings of defense officials in the hemisphere. 

—former U.S. Secretary of Defense

 William J. Perry

RESEARCH
22 Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

CENTER FOR HEMISPHERIC DEFENSE STUDIES

2012 Edition, no. 1 (April)

Regional Insights

Lat i n am e r i c a n Ou t LO O k 2017

By R. Evan Ellis 

CHDS Associate Professor of National Security Affairs

Abstract: This article addresses the major themes and pivot points of the defense and security environment of Latin America 

through the next five years. This analysis begins with the projection of nine major ongoing themes in the region: the rise of an 

Asia-oriented political economy; the expansion of Chinese defense engagement; a transformation from Bolivarianism to Chinese 

Clientelism; indigenous resistance to development and integration; the deepening of the Central American crisis; new technologies 

and patterns in drug trafficking; emerging Asia–Latin America criminal flows; and the competing concepts of regional integration, all themes that will play out throughout Latin America. The article then lists several issues that could change the direction 

in which the region is heading, including a catastrophic natural disaster, a significant external economic shock, and a terrorist 

attack or sustained U.S. military action in the region. Regarding emerging important actors, over the next five years several 

states will increase their economic and political ties to Latin America, including China, India, Russia, and Iran, while within 

the region Brazil will assume a central role. Latin American militaries will also continue to play an important role in combating 

transnational organized crime and internal security issues, and responding to natural disasters. 

The defense and security environment in Latin America is undergoing a significant transition. This article analyzes 

some of the current trends and how they might affect the region over the next five years, with a focus on four 

questions:

• What will be the major themes/trends in the region in 2012 and through 2017?

• What major issues/events could change the direction in which the region is heading?

• Who will be the major actors in the region over the next five years?

• What role will the military play in the region over the next five years?

Because the forecast period is fairly close in, most of the trends that will impact the region during this time have their 

roots in dynamics that are playing out at the present time.

Regional Insights is a publication of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. The views represented are those of the author and do not necessarily 

reflect those of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Copies of CHDS publications can 

be obtained on the CHDS website at http://www.ndu.edu/chds.

CHDS Occasional Paper, May 2012 1

May 2012 Volume 2 Number 1

Strategic Issues in US/Latin American Relations

Lessons from Colombia’s Road to Recovery, 1982–2010

David E. Spencer

Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

National Defense University

CHDS Occasional Paper

Research Program

CHDS faculty members undertake research projects at the request of our stakeholders and regional 

partners, and the collaborative efforts of our in-residence faculty ensure that each of our research 

products represents the high level of expertise and critical thinking for which CHDS has received 

acclaim. CHDS faculty members examine a broad range of topics, including: strategy, policy, how to 

better organize ministries of defense, defense education, multilateral defense cooperation to combat 

terrorism, insurgency, and transnational organized crime. 

Faculty members first and foremost take advantage of the wonderful resources available in the 

Washington, D.C., area, including the wide network of think tanks, international delegations, and research institutions. In addition, they also have access to a diverse array of colleagues, CHDS alumni, 

and friends throughout the region, which allows the faculty an unparralled view into current events 

and issues at work in the Hemisphere. Whether through international travel (often accomplished in 

conjunction with outreach activities, academic event participation, or in-region courses) or through 

correspondence or VTC technology, CHDS faculty members make the most of each opportunity to 

gain insight for their ongoing research projects. 

CHDS supports its faculty research by offering several outlets for prestigious publication (outlined on the following page.) Many faculty members also often contribute original works in internationally renowned policy journals, think tank publications, and textbooks. CHDS also encourages our 

students, alumni, and associates to contribute to the research program by conducting investigations 

of their own, which are then evaluated and published. Incorporating our network into the research 

program is one of the key ways that the Center fulfills the Secretary of Defense’s guidance to engage 

more with partner nations, and to leverage our partners’ capabilities in a climate of austerity and 

diminishing resources.
Annual Report FY2012 23

CENTER FOR HEMISPHERIC DEFENSE STUDIES

2012 Edition, no. 2

Regional Insights

Labels and designations come and go like passing storms; a few years ago the term used to designate the up-and-coming developing 

countries was “BEM” or Big Emerging Markets. Today the term of usage, invented by Goldman-Sachs, is “BRIC,” which stands for Brazil, 

Russia, India, and China.

 Brazil is on both lists, along with India and China, a reflection of the fact that over a forty-five year period, Brazil has been 

one of the highest and most consistent performers among developing nations, and is widely recognized as a future global, or 

at least regional, power. Brazil has not reached the growth levels of the East Asian countries, but it is not far behind either. 

 There’s an old adage about Brazil: “Brazil is the land of the future—and always will be!” Meaning that Brazil has great potential but 

will never fully realize it. And even now there are many Brazilians who, on social, economic, civilizational, or even racial grounds, believe it 

will never quite make it as a global force.

Emphasizing the Positive

However, Brazil is on its way. Never before have so many been so optimistic about Brazil’s future. Of course there are many hurdles 

(described below), but here let us briefly enumerate the many reasons to be hopeful about Brazil. We also need to consider Brazil in the light 

of other BRICs or BEMs. The treatment has major implications for U.S. foreign policy.

1. Economic Growth. Brazil has maintained high growth levels for more than four decades. Not quite at the levels of Japan, South 

Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and now China, but, at 6 percent or more a year for long periods, impressive nonetheless. 

Currently Brazil’s economy is in the doldrums, along with the rest of the world’s economies, but it hasn’t fallen as far as the United 

States, and, with its vast resources and recent petroleum finds, everyone expects a rapid turnaround. Brazil’s GNP is among the 

top ten in the world. 

2. Society. Brazil is now, officially, a middle class society—more than 50 percent. If W.W. Rostow, S.M. Lipset, Karl Deutsch, and 

much of the development literature have any validity at all, Brazil should have a stable and democratic future. 

3. Inequality. Like many developing countries, Brazil has vast social and economic gaps between rich and poor—among the worst in 

the world. But with the recent, imaginative bolsa familia (literally, “family purse”), which gives aid to the poor in a social contract 

that forces them to look for work, improve themselves, and get education and health care for their children, Brazil is one of the few 

Brazil as a BRIC by Howard Wiarda

An earlier version of this article appeared in two parts in Howard J. Wiarda (ed.) Issues in Foreign Policy, Comparative Politics and International Affairs, vol. 

II, no. 10, and vol. V, no. 1. These reports were based on two research trips to Brazil in Summer 2010 and Summer 2011. Howard J. Wiarda is CHDS 

Associate Director for Research and Publications at CHDS.

Regional Insights is a publication of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. The views represented are those of the author and do not necessarily 

reflect those of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Copies of CHDS publications can be 

obtained on the CHDS website at http://www.ndu.edu/chds.

CENTER FOR HEMISPHERIC DEFENSE STUDIES

2011 Edition, no. 2 (octobEr 1)

Regional Insights

Abstracto: En todos los países los recursos humanos que nutren a las fuerzas de seguridad son el elemento esencial de la seguridad misma, 

tienen que provenir de la misma sociedad que sufre la inseguridad, y son parte importante de la solución buscada. Sin la participación activa de 

la sociedad, con un énfasis particular en la entrega de los recursos humanos necesarios y el apoyo a la labor infaltable y eficiente, la seguridad 

que se reclama enfrentará problemas cada vez más graves. 

EN ESPAÑOL

CHDS Regional Insights en español publica información original sobre defensa y seguridad en el Hemisferio Occidental. Las opiniones, conclusiones 

y recomendaciones expresadas o implícitas en esta publicación son las de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente los puntos de vista o políticas del 

Departamento de Defensa ni de ninguna otra agencia del gobierno de EE.UU. Las publicaciones del CHDS no están sujetas a derecho de autor: las 

copias se publican en el sitio web del CHDS y están disponibles en forma gratuita en dicho sitio: http://www.ndu.edu/chds.

EL FACTOR HUMANO EN LAS FUERZAS DE SEGURIDAD

Por Julio Hang, CHDS profesor visitante. 

Introducción 

Es ampliamente conocido que la principal demanda común de los pueblos latinoamericanos es la motivada por la inseguridad.1 Inseguridad 

que se manifiesta en mayor grado en las grandes ciudades, pero que no está ausente de las pequeñas y medianas ciudades, en particular 

en las zonas fronterizas y sobre los corredores de la acción criminal. Este reclamo que pudiera dirigirse a los gobiernos, responsables del 

ejercicio del monopolio de la violencia y de la imposición de la ley, encuentra a las fuerzas de seguridad como las responsables sobre las que 

pesa la angustia, el enojo, la sospecha o la acusación directa por la falta de acción, por los errores en la represión, por la corrupción, por la 

participación criminal, en fin por muchas de las razones que evidencian la falta de eficacia en la seguridad. La participación de la sociedad 

en la búsqueda de la solución a estos problemas toma diversas formas, en general de organización para el reclamo de justicia, en casos de 

supervisión y control de las fuerzas de seguridad y, en muy pocos, de activa participación en cooperación con ellas. Pero en todos los casos 

los recursos humanos que nutren a las fuerzas de seguridad son el elemento esencial de la seguridad, provienen de la misma sociedad que 

sufre la inseguridad y son parte importante de la solución que se anhela. Dice Andersen: “Es imposible hablar de seguridad pública en una 

sociedad democrática sin poder contar con la policía como aliado infaltable y seguro.”2

1 OEA. Declaración de San Salvador sobre Seguridad en las Américas (Proyecto), Art. 1, 2, Pág. 1, marzo 2011.

2 Andersen, Martin E. ”La Policía,” Ed. Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, 2002; Pág. 360.

Publications

CHDS continues to produce publications that highlight both 

the expertise of our faculty and the community of scholars of 

Western Hemisphere security affairs. The CHDS publications 

team ably produces all our products in-house, from editing to 

layout and graphic design. In addition to publishing the projects 

of CHDS faculty members, the publications staff also provides 

original content for the website and produces each CHDS Annual 

Report. 

Through outlets such as the Security and Defense Studies 

Review academic journal, “Regional Insights,” and “Occasional 

Papers,” CHDS offers compelling analysis and unique 

perspectives on events and trends in the Hemisphere, security 

strategies, and the regional and country-specific specialties 

of our authors. Cognizant of the international nature of our 

audience and the current budgetary environment, we have begun 

publishing primarily in digital format, and all of our publications 

are available online in our digital archives in order to reach the 

widest circulation possible. 

Published in 2012

Regional Insights

Julio Hang, El Factor Humano en las 

Fuerzas de Seguridad 

R. Evan Ellis, Latin America Outlook 

2017

Howard Wiarda, Brazil as a BRIC

Occasional Paper Series

David Spencer, Strategic Issues in US/

Latin American Relations: Lessons 

from Colombia’s Road to Recovery, 

1982–2010

Security and Defense Studies 

Review

Various Contributors, 

Volume 12, Nos. 1 and 2

2011 Fall-Winter Issue / Volume 12 1

Policy StatementS

Cresencio Arcos, “U.S.–Latin American Security 

Ties: Episodic Relationships”

María Luisa Parraguez Kobek, “Securing 

Defense and Cooperation in South America: 

Geopolitical Changes, UNASUR, and the SDC”

R. Evan Ellis, “The United States and China in 

Latin America: Cooperation and Competition”

country and regional iSSueS

Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, “Political Acumen and 

Geopolitical Anxiety in Suriname”

David Spencer, “The Evolution and 

Implementation of FARC Strategy: Insights from Its 

Internal documents”

Sérgio Luiz Cruz Aguilar, “A Particição SulAmericana Nas Operações de Paz da ONU: 

Algumas Consideracões”

Strategic and Security iSSueS

Jaime García Covarrubias, “Liderazgo 

Estrategico en Defensa”

W. Alejandro Sánchez, “Sangre Joven: 

Understanding the new wave of Armed Groups in 

Latin America”

Vicente Torrijos, “La Legítima Defensa en 

Perspectiva” 

Juan Carlos Gómez, “La Utilización de las 

Fuerzas Militares en un Ambiente Criminal y no de 

Guerra: Desafíos del Siglo XXI”

cooPeration and controverSy

Kevin Newmeyer, "The Honduran 

Coup of 2009 and the Inter-American 

Democratic Charter"

Howard J. Wiarda and Hilary 

Collins, "Constitutional Coups? 

Military Intervention in Latin America"

Hernán Castillo,"Cultura Política y 

Fuerzas Armadas en Venezuela"

Luis Hernández, "El Control Civil de 

las Fuerzas Armadas en el Ecuador. 

¿Intento Fallido?"

Book reviewS

Matthew Finger: Review of Jodi 

Vittori, Terrorist Financing and 

Resourcing

Joanna Gillia: Review of Cristina 

Marcano and Alberto Barrera Tyszka, 

Hugo Chávez

Patricia Kehoe: Review of Hal 

Brands, Latin America’s Cold War

Celina Realuyo: Review of Joseph 

Nye, The Future of Power 

Richard W. Taylor: Review of Jorge 

G. Castañeda, Mañana Forever: 

Mexico and the Mexicans

Volume 12, Numbers 1 & 2

Fall – Winter 2011

ISSN: 1533-2535
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies 24

Measures of Effectiveness

The CHDS philosophy on learning presumes that it is a lifelong 

activity for participants as well as our faculty and staff. The 

broad range of activities included in the annual CHDS academic 

offering and the diversity of our participants requires an 

adaptive approach. Deepening the appreciation for cooperative 

approaches to security issues in an atmosphere of trust, mutual 

respect, transparency, academic freedom, and non-attribution 

is at the core of all of the Center’s educational activities, and our 

success in accomplishing that goal is found in a comprehensive 

analysis of each year’s activities. Policy guidance itself serves 

as the benchmark or “performance standard” for determining 

whether CHDS’s programs have successfully contributed 

to the achievement of the strategic ends envisioned by our 

stakeholders.

We measure the extent to which CHDS programs widen 

perspectives and enhance critical thinking throughout the region 

as well as improve U.S. policy deliberations by providing regional 

insights. Owing to the evolutionary nature of U.S. strategic 

priorities and the priorities of our regional partners, assessments 

are not singular events but rather a continuous process focused 

on the interconnectedness of CHDS programs and the needs of 

our stakeholders. 
Annual Report FY2012 25

Data and Analysis

According to a March-August 

2012 Course Graduate Survey*:

97.9% of respondents feel more qualified to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate 

subjects related to security and defense as 

a result of their experiences at CHDS.

91% of respondents are more confident 

in their comprehension of U.S. defense and 

security and policy (and as a result, are 

more knowledgeable about working collaboratively with the U.S. government on 

issues of defense and security policy).

96.5% of respondents are more confident 

in their comprehension of the benefits 

of international cooperation and interinstitutional coordination in order to face 

common challenges.

*146 total respondents

By analyzing course graduate surveys, feedback from 

stakeholders and partner nation governments, alumni 

community activities and outreach, and internal assessments, 

the CHDS faculty and staff is able to measure our effectiveness 

at meeting the following mission requirements:

• Enhancing regional security through the creation of 

collaborative communities of interest among military and civilian 

officials from States of the Western Hemisphere and examining 

fundamental causes of relevant security challenges and the most 

effective means to counter them;

• Strengthening sustainable individual and institutional capacity 

at the national and transnational level to enhance national, 

regional, and international security consistent with the norms of 

democratic governance and civil-military relations;

• Fostering defense support to civil authorities in dealing with 

disasters in a manner consistent with each country’s legal, 

historical, and cultural norms and the proper role of the military 

in democratic societies; and

• Promoting critical thinking on global security issues, as related 

to the Western Hemisphere.

Indicators of CHDS effectiveness can be found throughout this 

Annual Report, and the following assessment highlights the 

success of the educational programs detailed elsewhere in this 

report. 

In 2012, submissions from seven former CHDS course participants were selected for publication in 

CHDS outlets, including the Security and Defense Studies Review Journal, and twenty have published 

works in prestigious regional and international outlets. 

This chart represents the diversity of the CHDS 

student body, drawing from a survey of 146 2012 

course graduates
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies 26

CHDS courses and events are highly regarded, not 

just by international partners and alumni, but also 

by U.S. government and military participants. Chief 

Warrant Officer 2 Mark Roland, a graduate of the 

March 2012 SDP course, described the benefits of the 

CHDS program in the October 2012 issue of Special 

Warfare Magazine:

“[CHDS] provided a world-class education in 

defense and security strategy, [Spanish] language 

immersion, and interaction with military and 

civilian leadership from more than 26 countries 

in Central and South America... With a group of 

educated, concerned leaders frankly discussing 

the issues they face, many walls can be broken 

down in a short time.”

FY2012 

By the Numbers

303 total events

866 total Fellows

13,950 total participants

33 official visits, comprising a 

total of 905 official visitors

45 VTC Programs (300%

increase from 15 in FY 2011)

75% of courses with a distance 

learning phase (100% of D.C.-

based courses)

23 alumni associations 

throughout the Western 

Hemisphere

3,166 CHDS Daily News Roundup 

subscribers, with 

315 new subscribers in 2012

Total reach of Facebook (English)

69,155

Total reach of Facebook (Spanish)

28,869

23 partner nation requests for 

assistance

15 Successful Years of Service 

to the U.S. Government and Our 

Regional Partners

From Left : NDU Vice President AMB Nancy McEldowney; Chief of 

Defense Staff, Canadian Forces, Gen. Walt Natynczyk; Dr. Downie; and 

Canadian Defense Attaché RADM Richard Greenwood
Annual Report FY2012 27

Special Recognition

CHDS had much to celebrate in 2012, from the successful completion of 

our ambitious program of courses, events, and publications, to our 15th 

anniversary this September. 

In addition to these milestones that represent the hard work and 

collaboration of our entire staff and faculty, CHDS also presented the 

annual Dr. William J. Perry Award for Excellence in Security and Defense 

Education to two institutions and one individual. Each year since 2007, 

when it was first created, the Perry Award has honored institutions and 

individuals for outstanding work in the field of security and defense 

education. This year’s recognized parties are listed below: 

The Honorable Peter MacKay

The Honorable Peter MacKay, Canada’s Minister of Defense, was 

selected for the 2012 Perry Award, individual category, as a result 

of his active promotion of Canadian participation in multinational 

organizations that strengthen hemispheric security, with particular 

emphasis on regional emergency relief capacity. Minister MacKay 

has promoted cooperation and collaboration at the highest levels of 

government and remains an integral supporter of the Conference of 

the Defense Ministers of the Americas and the Inter-American Defense 

Board.

Regional Security System (RSS)

The Regional Security System, based at the Paragon Centre in 

Barbados, was awarded the 2012 Perry Award, institutional category, 

for its important role in advancing an environment of collaborative 

security and stability in the Caribbean. The RSS counts Antigua and 

Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint 

Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as members, and works 

in concert with several other regional and multilateral security 

cooperative efforts. The Perry Award was accepted by Mr. Grantley 

Wilson, Coordinator of the RSS. 

Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation 

(WHINSEC)

WHINSEC was also awarded the Perry Award in 2012 for its consistent 

and significant contributions in the fields of defense and security 

education. Additionally, WHINSEC’s faculty and staff have worked 

tirelessly to develop a cooperative environment to share best practices 

in pursuit of improved security cooperation among all nations of the 

Western Hemisphere. The award was accepted by Col. Glenn Huber, 

WHINSEC Commandant; Dr. Johanna Mendelson Forman, WHINSEC 

Board of Visitors Chair; and Colombian Army Col. Alberto Sepulveda, 

WHINSEC Assistant Commandant. 
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies 28

Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

as of September 30, 2012

Office of the Director

Director Dr. Richard D. Downie

Deputy Director Mr. Kenneth LaPlante

SOUTHCOM Executive LNO Mr. Steven A. Meyer

NORTHCOM Executive LNO Mr. Rick Taylor

Executive Assistant to the Director Ms. Maritza Monteverde

Executive Administrative Assistant Ms. Denise Alvarez

Associate Director, Research and Publications Dr. Howard Wiarda

Managing Editor Ms. Yamile Kahn

Strategic Program Manager Mr. Michael Mann

Assistant Editor Ms. Patricia Kehoe

Dean, Academic Affairs

Dean Dr. Luis Bitencourt

Education Outreach and Research

Associate Dean RADM (Ret.) Manuel Lora Associate Dean Dr. Scott D. Tollefson

Professor Dr. Jaime García Professor Dr. Luis Kun

Professor Dr. Michael Gold-Biss Professor Dr. Salvador Raza

Associate Professor Dr. Patricia Escamilla-Hamm Associate Professor Dr. Isidro Sepúlveda

Chief of Defense Chair GEN (Ret.) Carlos Ospina Associate Professor Dr. R. Evan Ellis

Assistant Professor Mr. Guillermo Pacheco Assistant Professor Mr. Kevin Newmeyer

Assistant Professor Ms. Celina Realuyo Assistant Professor Mr. Boris Saavedra

Assistant Profesor Mr. Pat Paterson Assistant Professor RADM (Ret.) Pedro 

Assitant Professor Dr. Alejandro Arbeláez De La Fuente

Assistant Professor Dr. David Spencer

Management Analyst Ms. Suzanne Heist

Research Analyst Ms. Andrea Moreno* 

 

Dean, Students, Administration, and Outreach

Dean MG (Ret.) John Thompson

Operations Registrar

Chief Mr. Michael Borders Chief Registrar Mr. Van Beall

Coordinator Ms. Linda Denning Assistant Registrar Ms. Georgina Crovetto

Coordinator Mr. Chris Hannigan Assistant Registrar Mr. Henry Tweddle

Coordinator Mr. Michael Patykula* Institutional Relations Coordinator Ms. Kara O’Ryan

Educational Support PM Mr. Frank McGurk* Assistant Alumni Coordinator Ms. Faith Pippin

Student Support Ms. Audete Ramos* Multimedia Specialist Ms. Vivian Rodríguez

Student Support Ms. Lourdes Wilson*

Student Support Ms. Alzira Fernandes*

 

Management Services Information Technology

Assistant Dean for Management Chief CTO/CIO Mr. Raul Neine

 and Education Mr. Jeffrey Murphy Web Technician Mr. Alex Podpoly

Protocol Ms. Maria Martinez Database Specialist Ms. Alicia Beall*

Protocol Ms. Monica Stapleton* 

Program Specialist Ms. Alicia Torres-Ferrer 

Resource Manager Ms. Rosalind Green

Budget Specialist Ms. Mildred Belton*

* indicates that employee is an Educational Support Contractor
Inter-Agency Coordination and Combating Terrorism (ICCT)

2004–2011

• 515 graduates

• 27 countries 

Perspectives on Homeland Security and Defense (PHSD)

2009–2012

• 156 graduates

• 20 countries 

Senior Executive Dialogue (SED) 2004–2012

• 116 graduates

• Ministers, Vice-Ministers, Chiefs of Defense

Combating Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC) 2011–2012

• 95 graduates

• 18 countries

Washington Security and Defense Seminar (WSDS) 

for the Washington D.C., diplomatic community 1998–2011

• 588 graduates

• 34 countries

2012 Publications

Regional Insights

• Julio Hang, El Factor Humano en las Fuerzas de

Seguridad 

• R. Evan Ellis, Latin America Outlook 2017

• Howard Wiarda, Brazil as a BRIC

Occasional Paper Series

• David Spencer, Strategic Issues in US/Latin 

American Relations: Lessons from Colombia’s 

Road to Recovery, 1982–2010

Security and Defense Studies Review

• Various Contributors, 

Volume 12, Nos. 1 and 2

OUTREACH

Education in Defense Seminars (EDS) and Research and 

Education in Defense Security Studies Seminars (REDES) 1998–

2003

• 1,274 participants

• 39 countries

Sub-Regional Conferences (SRC) 2005–2011

• 1,028 participants

• 24 countries

Advanced Policymaking Seminars (APS) 2004–2011

• 442 participants

• 33 countries

NationLabs 2008–2012

• Computer simulation exercises with partner institution 

(National War Colleges, universities, and the Inter-American 

Defense College) 

• 22 countries

• 2,495 participants 

National Security Planning Workshops (NSPW) 2004–2012 

• 14 events in 10 countries

• 500 senior leaders in attendance

ALUMNI

PUBLICATIONS

Alumni Associations (23)

Strategy and Defense Policy (SDP) course (1998–2012)

• 1,675 graduates

• 36 countries 

Caribbean Defense and Security 

Course (CDSC) 1998–2012

• 458 graduates

• 36 countries 

Advanced Courses (six topics) 2007–2012

• 329 graduates

• 34 countries

Amistad—“Defense Transformation” course

with Inter-American Defense College (IADC) 2001–2009

• 547 graduates

• 22 countries

FACT SHEET

RESIDENT COURSES

Argentina

Belize *

Bolivia

Brazil *

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica *

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti *

Honduras

Jamaica

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Trinidad & Tobago 

Uruguay

Venezuela

United States

Caribbean Regional 

Association* 

*forming association
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies 30

Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies

National Defense University

Abraham Lincoln Hall

260 5th Ave. Bldg. 64

Washington, DC 20319-5066