Military Writers’ Symposium
Celebrating three decades of exceptional military writing.
The Shadow Front: Unconventional Approaches to Warfare
ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Northfield, Vermont
October 27 to 28, 2025
The only program of its kind at an American university, the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Military Writers’ Symposium convenes authors and experts in the fields of military history, intelligence, and current affairs to offer important perspectives on pressing global concerns.
This year's theme explores the murky, often hidden dimensions of conflict where traditional rules of engagement are abandoned in favor of subversion, innovation, and psychological manipulation. This theme delves into the evolving landscape of warfare — where espionage, cyber attacks, guerrilla tactics, disinformation campaigns, proxy wars, and asymmetric strategies redefine the battlefield.
Rather than focusing on brute strength or conventional military might, The Shadow Front highlights the power of intelligence, influence, and disruption. It examines how state and non-state actors alike exploit shadows — political ambiguity, technological gaps, cultural divides, and societal unrest — to undermine adversaries from within and without.
The theme invites discussion and analysis of historical precedents, present-day conflicts, and speculative futures where unconventional warfare is not the exception, but the norm. Whether through silent sabotage, digital battlefields, or ideological insurgency, The Shadow Front reveals a world where victory belongs not always to the strongest, but to the most adaptable and unseen.
Meet the Authors Dinner
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The symposium will conclude with this not-to-be-missed dinner. Ask any former attendee, and they will tell you that this dinner is a one-of-a-kind experience. Join ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ leadership, our special guests, alumni, and students as we eat great food, engage in exciting conversation, and make lasting connections.
Give Now
The Carlo D’Este ’58 Military Writers’ Endowment provides funding in perpetuity to support the operating costs of the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Military Writers' Symposium, the William E. Colby Award, and year-round student enrichment opportunities on military history and current affairs. It also honors the legacy of Carlo D’Este, a 1958 ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ graduate, beloved co-founder of the Military Writers’ Symposium, decorated U.S. Army colonel and renowned military historian. Carlo passed away on November 21, 2020 at the age of 84.
Agenda
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Monday
9-9:50 a.m. | Setting the Stage: The Definition of Irregular
Welcome Remarks: Dr. Travis Morris, Director, NU Peace & War Center
Keynote Speaker: Lieutenant General Michael S. Groen, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)10-10:50 a.m. | The New Rules of War
Student Moderators: Elizabeth Kim and Leslie Malin
Authors: Jill Goldenziel, Ph.D., College of Information and Cyberspace, National Defense University, and Lt. Col. Walter "Rick" Landgraf, Ph.D., Commentary Editor, War on the Rocks, Co-host, Soldier Pulse11-11:50 a.m. | Unconventional Units and the US Special Operations Command
Student Moderators:
Speaker: Capt. Wade Ishimoto, U.S. Army (Ret.)1-1:50 p.m. | Irregular Warfare: The Future Military Strategy
Student Moderators: Sawyer Hernandez and Blythe McQuade
Authors: Sandor Fabian, Ph.D., Deputy Regional Advisor for Europe and Africa, Irregular Warfare Center; and Janna Mantua, Ph.D., Senior Analyst and Interviewer, Afghanistan War Commission2-2:50 p.m. | Richard S. Schultz '60 Fellowship Research Presentations
Discussion Moderator: Kelli Sutton-Bosley, Lead Research Analyst - Information Warfare, NU Peace & War Center
Presentations by: Jayden LaVecchia, Richard Conlon, and Samriddhi Manandhar7-8:30 p.m. | The Shadow Front: Unconventional Approaches to Leadership
Discussion Moderator: LTC Chris Cadigan, U.S. (Ret.), '95
Panelists: Kerry Chavez, Sandor Fabian, Janna Mantua, and Simon ShusterOur featured evening panel explores how innovative, adaptive, and often unorthodox leadership emerges in complex and uncertain environments. Drawing on experiences from military, intelligence, and hybrid domains, panelists examine how unconventional approaches are shaped by ambiguity, creativity, and moral courage. These challenging spaces of leadership can redefine command and effectiveness in modern conflict. The Shadow Front leadership panel invites reflection from experts on the evolving nature of leadership when success depends as much on agility and insight as on authority and rank.
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Tuesday
9:30-10:45 a.m. | Modern Warfare in Context: Forces That Shaped the Current Battlespace
Moderator: Steven Sodergren, Ph.D., ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ
Author: Wayne E. Lee, Ph.D. President, Society for Military History11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Understanding War Zones
Student Moderators: Andrew Sforza and Brett Carlson
Authors: Kerry Chavez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Military and Strategic Studies, U.S. Air Force Academy1-1:50 p.m. | Colby Award Book Presentation "The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelenskyy"
Moderator: Rodion Pedyuk, '25
Student Moderator: Forrester Belanger
Author: Simon Shuster, TIME Magazine Correspondent2-2:50 p.m. | Dennis E. Showalter Research Fellowship Presentation
Discussion Moderators: John "Doc" Broom, Ph.D.
Presenter: Oliver Groom, M'256-9 p.m. | Meet the Authors Reception & Dinner (by invitation)
Dinner Remarks: Lea Williams, Ph.D., Interim Provost & Dean of the Faculty, ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ
Author: Simon Shuster, TIME Magazine Correspondent
Past Programs
For three decades, the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Military Writers’ Symposium has brought well over 100 military writers, historians, journalists and biographers to campus, giving NU residential and online students the opportunity to meet some of the most prominent military writers and historians of our time, and to gain a better understanding of the world through their eyes.
