Each year, in the final week of instruction at the U.S. Army War College there is a four-day event that takes place known as the National Security Seminar (NSS). The resident seminars grow by six to seven members apiece as approximately 160 invited guests from many walks of life across the country join the students to engage in candid dialogue about national security issues, the U.S. military and the viewpoints of the citizenry of the nation. The new seminar members typically have no close association with the military and are invited via a nomination process.
The four-day itinerary includes distinguished speakers covering topics of civil-military relations, globalization, foreign policy, international security issues and the role of the United States in the world. The guests are able to attend several social events where the conversation is less formal and they close their week with a staff ride tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield.
In 2022 one of those guests was John Roderick, a musician, singer, songwriter, podcaster and politician. He was in podcast editor Ron Granieri’s seminar and he’s in the studio today to share his experiences during his four days in Carlisle.
This is part one of a two-part episode.
During what would have been my peak military years I was sitting around in cafes writing plays no one would ever see and arguing politics with a bunch of long hairs. So I come from a community of people that don’t have very much exposure to the military unless it’s through their parents.
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John Roderick cohosts the podcasts The Omnibus Project with Jeopardy host Ken Jennings, and Roderick on the Line with pundit Merlin Mann. He’s also the frontman of indie band The Long Winters. He lives in Seattle.
Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
Photo Description: When John Roderick attended the National Security Seminar in June 2022 he posted thoughts about his experience to several of his social media accounts.
Photo Credit: Screencaps courtesy of John Roderick’s personal Instagram account.