CSP National Security Academy
The Center for Security Policy continues to ensure that American foreign and defense policies are guided by President Reagan’s time-tested philosophy of peace through strength. Yet pursuing this objective requires more than merely marshaling well-reasoned arguments and affecting policy on behalf of American security.
Victor Davis Hanson speaks at the Center’s National Security Academy. (CSP Photo)
Often ignored, ensuring American strength requires also the important practice of cadre-building, i.e., the identifying and training of young men and women to carry on the tradition of maintaining American strength and security well into the future. Indeed, this is a fundamental component of the what the Center does, as demonstrated by our prominent Internship Program, our Jackson/Tower Congressional Fellowship Program, and the creation of our Academic Councila diverse group of renowned scholars from colleges and universities across the country who share our convictions about America as well as the best way to protect her.
It was in this spirit, under the guidance of the Academic Council, that the Center created the National Security Academy, a two-day conference designed to facilitate interactions between members of the Academic Council, serving legislators and senior officials, and current or recent students pursuing careers in the foreign and defense policy fields.
Specifically, our goal was to provide an intimate forum for informal discussion as well as lectures by and Q&A with featured guests drawn from Capitol Hill, the top ranks of the Bush Administration, and academia. In the process, we hoped to generate intellectual exchanges that would not only educate interested students on the many threats facing our nation in this era, but would, in addition, expose national security officials to the most promising members of the rising class of young professionals. In the end, this networking opportunity wouldas we hope and believehelp restock the pool from which future security policy leaders can be drawn.
Students listen to NSC member John Rood at the inaugural National Security Academy.
Mr. Gaffney is the host of Secure Freedom Radio, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard weeknights throughout the country. He is an associate author of highly acclaimed Shariah: The Threat to America and the publisher of over a dozen other books and monographs from the Center for Security Policy Press.
In April 1987, Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving U.S.-USSR relations, nuclear forces, arms control, missile defense policy and U.S.-European defense ties. He acted in that capacity for seven months during which time, he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle.
From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by the late Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970’s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington) in the areas of defense and foreign policy.
Mr. Gaffney holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Mr. Gaffney’s leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations including: the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987), the U.S. Business and Industry Council’s Defender of the National Interest Award (1994), the Navy League of the United States’ Alfred Thayer Mahan Literary Achievement Award (1999), and the Zionist Organization of America’s “Louis Brandeis Award” (2003), the Western Conservative Summit’s Stephen H. Long Award (2015), the Council for National Policy’s George Washington Military Leadership Award (2016) and the IMPACT Award from Ginni Thomas and United in Purpose (2017).
Mr. Gaffney was born in 1953 and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
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