NDIA: Safety top priority in canceling 2020 SOFIC
ARLINGTON, VA – Following directives to avoid mass gatherings for public safety amid the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) is canceled, the National Defense Industrial Association announces today.
NDIA manages SOFIC for U.S. Special Operations Command; its annual event draws thousands of people from around the world to Tampa, Florida. The rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus and national efforts to stop it led NDIA and USSOCOM to decide not to hold this year’s event.
“NDIA and USSOCOM fully agree the safety and wellness of attendees and participants always are our utmost priority,” said Hawk Carlisle, NDIA’s president and CEO. “We look forward to this important annual gathering of the special operations community and the people and businesses that support them, surrounded by the warm welcome of Tampa. We will look forward to this gathering next year.”
This year’s SOFIC was scheduled for May 11-14 at the Tampa Convention Center and would have featured the biennial capabilities demonstration of international Special Operations Forces.
Further details on SOFIC are available on SOFIC.org and will be updated frequently.
NDIA and USSOCOM thank everyone for their interest in this year’s event. “We wish you good health and safety during this uncertain time so we may see you at the 2021 SOFIC,” Carlisle said. Please stay abreast of Coronavirus developments and directions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the Department of Defense, and your particular state and local governments.
A list of FAQs is available for SOFIC and will be updated frequently.