Berkley Center

This past February I sat up in the balcony seating of the Camden Opera House in Camden, Maine and listened as a series of speakers lay out their analysis of the state of the nation and the challenges we face in the 21st century. The conference’s theme was America: Do We Have What It Takes? The idea was that we live in a globalized world that is becoming increasingly interconnected in every way imaginable. Connectivity, in this context, also leads to increased competition among rising international actors and an increasingly complex security environment. When looking at the formidable economic, environmental and social issues America faces today, it is understandable why some are inclined to wonder whether we are still up to the job.

For many whose global outlook is dominated by threat and risk, it appears that the U.S. is in a precarious situation going forward. U.S. officials have recently made statements that U.S. military forces will be pivoting back to the Pacific. These statements are clear evidence that America is adapting its strategy to deal with the changing conditions of the 21st century. In light of this news and the uncertain future security environment, I wonder what type of world my generation would find itself in by the time members of our ranks enter political office and positions of power.

I found myself reflecting on one of the presentations given at the Camden Conference. Two military officers, Marine Colonel Mark Mykleby (now retired) and U.S. Navy Captain Wayne Porter gave a presentation on a paper they wrote in 2011 entitled A National Strategic Narrative. The paper was a response to a request from Admiral Mullen, who had tasked the two men with providing him with a “national security strategy”. Instead of another strategy – of which the two officers claimed we had too many to begin with – they provided Admiral Mullen with a story, a narrative which I believe is applicable to Americans at home as well as our strategy abroad. Mykleby and Porter suggest that in the 21st century, the U.S. needs to shift away from containment-dominated strategies and institutions and move towards strategic influence. The two officers emphasize that our grand strategy must be one of security, prosperity and qualitative (distinct from quantitative) growth in a world where we closely interact and influence other countries by our actions, not just by our combat power. This sort of influence requires a holistic approach that involves virtually every aspect of our society; influence, which will demand comprehensive engagement with the international community. The National Strategic Narrative provides the framework needed for the U.S. to remain the strongest competitor while simultaneously prospering from sustainable development domestically and through interconnection with countries abroad. This story is a realization of the changing globalized world; it is refreshingly devoid of partisanship or ideology.

As carrier groups set sail for the Pacific I contemplate the future and its opportunities and challenges. It won’t be long before the millennial generation takes the wheel and begins navigating our respective nations through uncertain territory. The Era of Containment and its strategies might be out, but I believe that Professor Slaughter makes a good point when she says that it provided a narrative, which fit the facts of the world at that time and created a bipartisan consensus which lasted for over four decades. If we, as Millennials, truly believe that we will be the ones to “change the world” (and hopefully for the better) we need a rallying point – some sort of established consensus that unites us regardless of race, religion, or political ideology.

What Porter and Mykleby accomplished with the National Strategic Narrative was provide a blueprint for what should be a national conversation about the direction we head in as a country. The Millennial Generation, who will execute our national strategy in the coming years, needs to be well represented in this discussion. The decisions we make, guided by the values that we choose to embrace, will determine the way our story turns out.