This Spring 2009, the Masters program I direct at Regent University has offered a new course online, entitled "Defense Futures," appropriate for any mid-career professional interested in working in national security policy or defense planning as a consultant. The course is being by Dr. Dennis Walters, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Army, including eight years as a Special Forces officer.

This course explores how futures methods are used by military intelligence services to pinpoint future national threats, generate a range of possible security related futures, and transform defense planning in view of the next generation of conflict. Students use anticipatory techniques as military contractors, mid-career field grade officers or civilians in government to help policy makers grapple with an evolving national security landscape. I have been involved for two years in this course development, and I highly recommend it.

The course will use a collection of national security scenarios, plus two textbooks:

• Hammes, T. X. (2004). The Sling and the Stone: On war in the 21st century. St. Paul, MN: Zenith.
• Robb, John. (2007) Brave New War: The next stage of terrorism and the end of globalization. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Regent's School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship intends to offer this course on an annual basis each Spring, from January to March. For more information, see the news release, or the Master of Strategic Foresight.