VermontBiz Norwich University’s John and Mary Frances Patton Peace and War Center (PAWC) hosted the 2025 Strategic Security Seminar this past weekend, bringing NATO officers, senior enlisted leaders, alumni, and scholars to The Hill for a high-level examination of NATO’s reserve forces in times of crisis and war. With the theme “NATO and its Reserves in Times of Crisis and War,” the seminar reflected Norwich’s enduring mission to educate leaders prepared to confront the most urgent challenges of their time.
The event was held in coordination with the 30th VdRBw-ROA Partnership Seminar, an annual initiative jointly organized by the Reserve Organization of America (RoA) and the Association of the German Armed Forces Reservists (VdRBw). For three decades, the program has provided a platform for American and German reserve organizations to assess defense challenges, strengthen NATO ties, and build lasting professional relationships.
As the oldest of the six senior military colleges in the United States, and recognized as the birthplace of ROTC, Norwich was a fitting venue for such a milestone gathering. “Norwich has been known as an exceptional institution for over two hundred years,” said Director of the Peace and War Center Dr. Travis Morris. “We are also contributing to strategic conversations at the national and international levels. We were honored to host this Seminar and all of our distinguished guests.”
Photo: BG McCollough (uniform center) and Dr Travis Morris (far left) engage in conversations. Courtesy photo.
The seminar featured Norwich alumni who shared their expertise and mentored current students. Colonel William “Bill” Lyons, U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.), Class of 1990, addressed NATO’s evolving posture in response to hybrid threats and prolonged crises. A veteran with 31 years of service and a defense policy specialist focused on NATO readiness, Lyons currently serves as Vice President for Distance Education at Norwich’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
Annette Redmon, Class of 1983, a career intelligence and security professional, spoke on crisis reconstitution and the enduring challenges of multinational interoperability. Her career has spanned senior counterintelligence and homeland security policy roles, with a focus on information-sharing initiatives across allied nations.
The seminar also benefited from the presence of senior military leaders. Major General Peggy Wilmoth, U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.), National President-Elect of the Reserve Organization of America and the first nurse and woman to serve as Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S. Army Reserve, spoke on the importance of medical readiness and women in military leadership. Brigadier General Mark Kalin, Assistant
Adjutant General of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, contributed his perspective on the Guard’s vital role in NATO partnerships through the State Partnership Program.
Norwich University President LtGen John J. Broadmeadow, USMC (Ret.), Class of 1983, played an active role throughout the seminar. He welcomed participants, met with attendees, and underscored the importance of the event to Norwich’s mission. Guests were also welcomed into the President’s Box during the weekend’s football game, where they experienced the camaraderie of Norwich athletics and the Corps of Cadets.
Photo: LtGen Broadmeadow (R), Mrs. Broadmeadow enjoy the game with guests. Courtesy photo.
Sessions explored crisis reconstitution, multinational interoperability, and the evolving role of reserves in a security environment defined by hybrid threats and cyber vulnerabilities. The Peace and War Center, founded to foster dialogue about the costs and consequences of conflict, proved uniquely suited to convene the discussion at this critical moment.
The seminar also served as a showcase for Norwich’s educational value. Students engaged directly with NATO officers, alumni, and senior leaders while gaining mentorship and professional insights that connected classroom theory with real-world application.
The 2025 Strategic Security Seminar continued Norwich’s trajectory of transatlantic engagement, following its hosting of the German-American Seminar in 2017 and participation in the 2023 and 2024 editions in Germany.
About Norwich University
Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge of the U.S. Army and is the oldest private military college in the United States of America. Norwich is one of our nation's six senior military colleges and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu
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