US Army Futures Forum

On December 6, 2017 the Atlantic Council hosted a day of expert panels that explored different approaches to envisioning and understanding the future and their application to preparing the US Army for tomorrow’s challenges. 
As disruptive geopolitical, demographic, and technological trends converge, the task of envisioning the future has never been more difficult or important. Understanding and preparing for tomorrow’s challenges have always been a fraught task. But today its complexity is greater than ever. To be prepared for tomorrow’s military challenges requires forethought, agility, and adaptability. This is best achieved by harnessing diverse perspectives and robust discourse. To this end, the Atlantic Council’s Emergent Futures Lab teamed up with the US Army’s Future Studies Group and Training and Doctrine Command to bring together a diverse range of experts to explore different approaches to thinking about the future, discuss the likely characteristics of the future operating environment, and analyze the implications for future Army force development. 
 

Panel discussions included:

  • Agile or Divergent Thinking of the Future
  • Introduction to the Future Operational Environment
  • Application of Futures Study for Army Purposes
  • Benefits and Risks of Future Forecasting Methodologies