Policy Meet-Up

The Defense Policy Board plans to hold its quarterly meeting at the end of this month, according to a Federal Register notice.

During the meeting, the board will swear in its new members, which include Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state; Jamie Gorelick, former deputy attorney general; Jane Harman, former congresswoman (D-CA); retired Gen. James Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and retired Adm. Gary Roughead, former chief of naval operations. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced their membership on Oct. 4.

According to the Nov. 14 Federal Register notice, published today due to the Veterans Day holiday, the purpose of the meeting is as follows:

To obtain, review and evaluate classified information related to the DPB's mission to advise on: (a) Issues central to strategic DoD planning; (b) policy implications of U.S. force structure and force modernization and on DoD's ability to execute U.S. defense strategy; (c) U.S. regional defense policies; and (d) other research and analysis of topics raised by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary or the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

As for the meeting's agenda:

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on November 29 through the end of the meeting on November 30, the DPB will have secret level discussions on national security matters that will deal with U.S., and Allied force structure, potential threats and broad national security issues within the Pacific Rim, the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO, and nuclear deterrence.