Call for papers for the Annual conference of the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society and the Canadian Army Combat Training Centre 6-7 February 2019 Wu Conference Centre, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada by OCTOBER 30th, 2018.

The theme for our 2019 conference focuses on the Canadian Army’s immediate and near future. The nature of warfare, threats, and operating environments are evolving rapidly. While Western armed forces develop new technologies, capabilities, and doctrine for the future battlefield, members of today’s Canadian and allied armed forces must stand ready to meet any demand using the people, equipment, and doctrine available at hand. This conference will explore how new missions involve compromise and innovation to assess the ground reality and then adapt the available force to the task and may include a decision-making exercise. Participants will have the opportunity to add their voice and experience regarding best practices and challenges when adapting to new missions.

The conference audience includes both UNB Gregg Centre students as well as instructors and staff from the Canadian Army’s Combat Training Centre (CTC) schools and units. The CTC delivers training for non-commissioned and commissioned members from private soldier to senior officer levels, making this conference an excellent opportunity to disseminate ideas, promote discussion and enhance intellectual readiness across the Canadian Army community. This annual conference brings together CTC, Base Gagetown, and lodger units from both regular force and reserve components, civilian practitioners, academics and students to discuss issues that matter to Canadian Army readiness and national security. Selected papers may be published.

CAF members of all ranks and trades, as well as DND civilian employees, are invited to submit paper or panel proposals for our annual conference. Papers or a short abstract (150-200 words) of the proposed paper covering your constructive thoughts and ideas on the conference theme must be submitted no later than 30 October 2018. Inquiries and proposals should be directed to the Gregg Centre-CTC Conference Committee c/o Prof. Lee Windsor at [email protected].

Due to event and hospitality policy limitations, restrictions on participation are in place. Submission of proposal does not imply authority to attend the conference. Approval authority for conference attendance rests with the Commandant of the CTC Tactics School.

Panel topics this year include but are not limited to:

• Potential new missions and operating environments;
• Command and leadership flexibility;
• Plugging into Allied formations;
• The evolving challenge of international terrorism;
• New trends in stability operations;
• Balancing conventional and special operations forces;
• Applying doctrine and training flexibly based on mission realities;
• Translating national interest & strategic intent into operational plans & tactical activities;
• Recent experience standing up new missions;
• The role of SOF in theatre-shaping;
• The bridge between corps and theatre-mission specific training;
• Acquiring knowledge and intelligence of the new space and opponent; and
• Adapting in-theatre to emerging technologies, threats and trends.