Announcing Defense Strategies Institute’s 14th SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium

Tampa, FL, October 23, 2025 --(PR.com)-- As state and non-state adversaries increasingly leverage disinformation, asymmetric threats, and emerging technologies, the need for agile, interoperable, and forward-thinking special operations forces has never been more critical. To this end, Defense Strategies Institute is excited to announce its 14th iteration of the SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium on December 10-11, in Tampa, Florida.

The 2025 symposium will gather senior leaders and decision-makers from across USSOCOM, the military services, regional combatant commands, international partners, government agencies, industry innovators, and academic experts to address the rapidly evolving nature of global conflict. This symposium will emphasize the importance of equipping SOF with next-generation capabilities through strategic acquisition, innovation acceleration, and integration of transformational technologies.

· Col. John Wilcox, USA, Chief of Information Operations, USSOCOM
· Col. Anthony Whitfield, USA Military Deputy, SOF AT&L, USSOCOM
· Jonathan Schroden, Chief Research Officer, Center for Naval Analyses
· David S. Maxwell, Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
· BG (Ret.) Christopher M. Burns, USA, Senior Advisor & Deputy Advisor for the Northern Hemisphere and Homeland Defense, IWC
· Col. (Ret) David Brown, USA, Co-Director, Center on Irregular Warfare & Armed Groups, USNWC
· Dr. Joshua Hastey, Deputy Regional Advisor for U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Irregular Warfare Center
· Megan Katt, Director, Special Operations Program, Center for Naval Analyses
· Dr. Robert Burrell, Senior Research Fellow, Global and National Security Institute, USF
· Dr. Tom Searle, Irregular Warfare Center

2025 Topics of Discussion Will Include:
· Advising on SOF Program Fielding and Sustainment for Total Force Lethality
· Leading Global Air Force Special Operations Force Deployments for Advanced Combat Command Lethality
· Advancing Next-Gen SOF Capabilities through Strategic Acquisition
· Shaping the Battlespace: Past, Present, and Future of Irregular Warfare in the Indo-Pacific
· Advancing US Foreign Relations Strategy and National Security Objectives through SOF
· Leading Elite Special Operations Forces to Thwart Foreign Adversaries Across Global Battlespaces
· The Critical Nexus: Looking to the Future SOF Convergence of Space, Cyber, and Strategic Commands

DSI is now welcoming Sponsors and Exhibitors for the forum. To learn more please contact Amanda Delgado at adelgado@dsigroup.org or (201) 940-6680.

Active military and government and state personnel attend complimentary. Those interested in participating in the SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium can visit Defense Strategies Institute’s website at https://sof.dsigroup.org/. Anyone interested in learning more or sending questions please contact Jessica Joaquim at jjoaquim@dsigroup.org or (201) 824-0077.