Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Thomas Mahnken will speak Thursday (Feb. 21) on “Defense Strategy for a Complex World” at the Scowcroft Institute in Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service.

The program will start at 5:15 p.m. in room 1110 of the Allen Building.

Mahnken’s presentation is part of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs’ monthly National Security Seminar series that attracts national-security scholars and practitioners from across the country and around the world. Dinner will be served at this event. To RSVP, email siia@bushschool.tamu.edu by Wednesday (Feb. 20).

Mahnken became the deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy planning in November 2006. Prior to his appointment, he was professor of strategy at the United States Naval War College, where he taught from 1997 to 2006. Along with his Naval College duties, he was also a fellow at the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He served as acting director of SAIS’ Strategic Studies Program in 2003 and 2004.

Mahnken has written numerous articles relating to national security and is the author of Uncovering Ways of War: U.S. Intelligence and Foreign Military Innovation, 1918-1941.

Mahnken’s participation in the National Security Seminar series continues a tradition of bringing high-profile participants to Texas A&M. Previous speakers have included Gen. David Petraeus, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Washington Post military correspondent Tom Ricks. The series, which is in its fourth year, is one of the Bush School programs now under the administration of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs.

Contact: Susan Robertson at (979) 862-8845, email srobertson@bushschool.tamu.edu or Kelli Levey at (979) 845-4645, email klevey@tamu.edu.