Northern Initiative 11-13 May 2022: Future Military Leaders

Day 1

NLT 15.00 Travel/Checking in at Hotel
17.30-18.30 VADM Lisa Franchetti, Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, J5, US JS (at the Swedish Defence University)
19.30-21.00 Ice Breaker at hotel Clarion Skanstull

Day 2, Theme 1 Military thinking

This part of the conference is dedicated to discussing Military Thinking and how a changing environment for military operations affects the application of military power. The increasing competition between nation-states and the risk of military conflict has shifted the focus for many countries’ armed forces from international stabilization operations to large joint operations within the framework of national defence. Rapid development of technology and the requirement to hasten the implementation of these new technologies, especially disruptive innovations, for armed forces affects our military thinking in fundamental ways.

The effects of these changes on policy, doctrine and application of military power have just started to emerge.

07:50 Opening remarks by Swedish Minister of Defence, Mr. Peter Hultqvist and Finnish Minister of Defence, Mr. Antti Kaikkonen

GEN (R) Sir Richard Shirreff, British Army, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) of NATO

LTG (R) Ben Hodges, US Army, former commander US Army Europe (USAREUR)

Break

Panel Discussion

The aim of the panel discussion is to define the most important timeless and novel aspects of Military Thinking and determine how these perspectives affect military education.

Panelists:

Dr Rob Johnson, CCW, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Dr Thomas Hammes, National Defense University, USA
MG Karl Engelbrektson, Chief of Swedish Army
COL Jyri Raitasalo, Finnish Army, Head of Strategic Planning Sector, Plans and Policy Division, Defence Command Finland

MG Karl Engelbrektson, Chief of Swedish Army

12:00 Lunch

Day 2, Theme 2 Leadership

Leadership is the cornerstone for military leaders and some aspects are timeless; the fundamental ability for humans to lead other humans in combat. Other qualities of leadership are dependent on and reflective of the environment and the circumstances of a given moment and must be adapted to changing societies, technology, types of military operations, and requirements. These changes will challenge the important concepts of military leadership like mission tactic, the scope of military creativity, discipline and independence, and a holistic military understanding. Theme 2 of the conference aims to discuss the requirements and conditions for military leadership, both the constant and fluid aspects.

13:00 LTG Dennis Gyllensporre, Swedish Defence University, former Force Commander UN MINUSMA

MG Andre Bodemann, Bundeswehr, Zentrum Innere Furung

Break

Panel Discussion
The aim of the panel discussion is to define the most important timeless and fluid aspects of Military Leadership and how these aspects can, or should, influence military education.

Panelists:

MAJ Johanna Jungwallius, student Swedish Defence University
CAPT Silvia Haas, US Marine Corps, student Swedish Defence University
CAPT Jussi-Pekka Niemelä, student Finnish National Defence University
BG Vahur Karus, Estonian Armed Forces, Commandant Estonian Military Academy

Break/Coffee/Snacks

15:00 Workshops for all participants (break out rooms)

17:00 End of conference day 2

19:00 Official Dinner at hotel Clarion Skanstull
Speaker at the Dinner: COL Dariusz Majchrzak, Vice-Rector for Military Affairs, Polish War Studies University

Day 3, Synthesis

The final day of the conference is dedicated to defining and discussing the most important factors that have emerged from the previous days’ work on Military Thinking and Leadership. The impact of these factors and the future of military education will be discussed as a part of concluding the conference.

08:30 Conference photo

09:00 Briefings from Workshop groups

10:15 Break

10:30 Synthesis by Finnish National Defense university

LTC Aki-Mauri Huhtinen, Finnish National Defence University, Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy

MAJ Mika Penttinen, Finnish National Defence University, Student of the Doctoral Programme in Military Sciences

11:30 Hand-over Northern Initiative 2023 and Closure
Hand-over by Swedish Defence University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, BG Fredrik Ståhlberg, to Finland National Defence University, Rector, BG Mika Kalliomaa.

11:30 Closure
GEN Timo Kivinen, Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces
GEN Micael Bydén, Swedish Supreme Commander and

NLT 12.30 End of Northern Initiative 2022