On September 6th, the International Security Program convened the defense attachés from NATO member countries and other key partners along with selected experts for an off-the-record roundtable discussion with Major General Peter Bayer, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and policy at Allied Command Transformation.

Major General Bayer presented an overview on NATO’s partnerships, the Smart Defense initiative-including the way ahead for NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative-as well as an overview of the early stages of ACT’s NATO Futures Concept 2030. His presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion on a number of key themes, including the perceived US strategic “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific region, challenges and successes in implementing the Smart Defense initiative, and participation in the NATO Response Force.

General Bayer is a US Army armor officer by trade and has served in a variety of command and staff positions in the United States, Germany, and the Middle East, and recently took up his current duties as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Policy at Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation, NATO.