Excellent panel and were start off with heather. Thank you so much. I think the arctic is the best place to talk about the intersection of climate stress and security. In many ways, the arctic is telling us, both polar regions are telling us theyre under the most stress as the arctic is warming two to three times faster than anyplace on the planet. In many ways, were now dealing with a very new ocean. In fact our former coast guard commandant called the arctic americas fourth coast. I thought that was a powerful way of thinking about it because Many Americans do not know the United States as an arctic nation to bring it home, this is homeland security. We now have a new coast that requires our protection. That is what in many ways the nexus between the rapid diminishment of the arctic polar ice cap is now creating new borders, new coasts to protect. Which is why we need enhanced coast guard presence. Certainly thats through the enhanced ice breaker component, what we call a polar secur
From other countrys militaries. Its about two hours and 20 minutes. Good morning, everybody. Good morning. All right. Well, good morning. And, maam, im honored to be able to moderate you this morning, so as she just mentioned, were going to be talking about secretary james new book. Ive read it, ive listened to it. Its absolutely amazing. I will tell you today, thats what were going to talk about. So, maam, first and foremost, just to kind of break the ice, what inspired you to tell your story. Well, throughout my life, and as you heard, be i have been at this business of our National Security for actually closer to 40 years. Time goes by since that bio was written. Ive been always a civilian and i have worked in congress. Ive been in the pentagon for several tours and ive been in private industry. Always working on defense issues. As i was making my way up and trying to figure out my career next moves through the ups and downs of life, i would always look up to the people above me and
We will be talking about secretary james new book. I have read it and listened to it. That is what we are going to talk about. Maam, first and foremost, to break the ice, what inspired you to tell your story . , i wore debra throughout my life i have been active in the business of our National Security closer to 40 years. I have always been a civilian and i have worked in congress, worked in the pentagon for my several tours and been in private industry always working on defense issues. While i was making my way up, i would always look up to the people above me and there were very few women at that point to look up to but there were a couple. And some men. I would wonder to myself about how their lives must be perfect. And how they were able to attain these high. And here was my life which had some successes but plenty of failures and i felt like a hot mess compared to these role models. I know now that was not true. That everybody has something. I wanted for the next generation of wom
I am honored to be here because the secretary has been involved in the foundation for about 15 years now and it was hard for us when she became secretary of the army because she had to step off the board but now that shes no longer secretary of the r. Air force. Im going to say to introduce debbie and she will be formally introduced by allison of the National Press club, she has been a friend for many years and set the example when she was at scic she was leaving people and was president of the Technical Division of the Largest Division and she doesnt mince words. Shes always there and when she became secretary of the air force, i used to stay up at night watching cspan and she with a decisive leader. She always made decisions quickly and i look forward to being here today where i dont have to watch on tv but have had the opportunity to learn about her leadership style and shes been a role model the last decade. I would like to introduce Alison Fitzgerald kodjak who has been so kind to