DETERRENCE SCHOOL

DSS doctoral student Melissa Galazin talks with Derek Licina, Adjunct Professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and President of Health Security Catalyst. Licina is an internationally recognized expert in global health, medical services, and security cooperation. His executive-level experience in consulting and addressing health and security challenges has contributed to building partner capacity across Asia and the Middle East. In this episode, Galazin and Licina discuss global health as a critical component of national security, focusing on the strategic competition between the United States and China. They analyze the fundamentals of global health, its use as a form of soft power, and the challenges and opportunities facing the United States as it navigates strategic competition with China. Join us to explore one of the most underreported topics in national security.

Some of Licina’s recent primary or co-authored writings:
* “Progress Without Programs: Reforming U.S. Department of Defense Global Health Engagement for Economic and Strategic Advantage“ at
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/06/20/progress-without-programs/
* “International Trauma Capacity Building Programs: Modernizing
Capabilities, Enhancing Lethality, Supporting Alliances, Building
Partnerships, and Implementing Reform” at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35104338/
* “The Implications of the New Security Environment on the National Health Systems Enterprise“ at https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/joint-force-quarterly/vol115/iss3/4/


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Paul Schecklman, DSS Doctotal Student at Missouri State, sits down for a discussion with Wilson Rickerson from Converge Strategies. Paul and Wilson talk through the issues facing the grid, generation, and future demands or issues. Much of today's attention is focused on the defense industrial base to supply the war materiel necessary to deter and defend American interests. Less attention is spent on powering such effort in parallel with increasing electricity demand from compute, reshoring, and general electrification. Tune in to hear more about how the U.S. needs to ensure it can power a future fight.
Wilson Rickerson is the President and Co-Founder of Converge Strategies, where he leads efforts to strengthen the resilience and security of America’s energy systems. He works across the military, government, utilities, and emergency management communities to address risks ranging from cyber threats and extreme weather to aging infrastructure and geopolitical disruption, and has supported resilience planning for more than 100 military installations. Previously, Wilson served as CEO of Meister Consultants Group, shaping energy and resilience strategies across all 50 states and in over 40 countries.
About Converge Strategies- Converge Strategies provides consulting services focused on the intersection of energy resilience and national security. Our mission is to connect and align the people and organizations required to strengthen the resilience of our communities and infrastructure.

Check out more from Rickerson and Converge Strategies-
Converge Strategies LinkedInRickerson’s LinkedInWebsiteNewsletter

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As artificial intelligence transforms the information environment, doctoral candidate Adam Shusterman sits down with cyber threat intelligence and OSINT expert Glenn Borsky to explore the real world security risks of AI-generated content. From deepfakes and AI-driven influence campaigns to the emerging phenomenon of companion bots and the psychological vulnerabilities they may expose, this episode examines how adversaries are experimenting with new tools and what it means for national security in an era where the line between human and machine interaction is increasingly blurred.

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- 2022 National Strategy for the Arctic Region
- U.S. Department of Defense 2024 Arctic Strategy
- Implementation Report for the 2022 National Strategy for the Arctic Region 


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Additional Details on the Fall of Saigon–
The Story Behind the Fall of Saigon’s Most Iconic Photo 
https://www.history.com/articles/fall-of-saigon-photo-helicopter-evacuation-rooftop-1975  
 
The Fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975: The end of the Vietnam War 
https://apimagesblog.com/historical/2020/4/24/the-fall-of-saigon-april-30-1975-the-end-of-the-vietnam-war  
 
Nguyen Nguyen’s Book Recommendations–
Nguyen Book Recommendation 1: The Vietnam War, by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33512518-the-vietnam-war  
 
Nguyen Book Recommendation 2: The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57007687-the-bomber-mafia  
 
Nguyen Book Recommendation 3: Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis, Bing West 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46037714-call-sign-chaos  


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsstestaccount.substack.com