Dr. Craig L. Symonds to receive the PMML’s 2023 Literature Award at Symposium

CHICAGO, IL (March 2, 2023) The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (PMML) will host its annual “On War Military History Symposium” on April 13-14, 2023, at its headquarters located at 104 S. Michigan Avenue. The PMML will also present Craig L. Symonds, Ph.D. with the 2023 PMML Literature Award. The Symposium will examine the history, health, and future of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF) under the theme of “The All-Volunteer Force Turns Fifty: Past Successes, Future Challenges.”

The Symposium kicks off on Thursday, April 13, at 3:00 p.m. with a discussion of the theme, “Those Who Serve in Today’s All-Volunteer Force.” Panelists will touch on the social, cultural, and economic implications, past and present, associated with the draft and AVF. Panelists include Colonel (USA) Jaron Wharton, Ph.D., Military Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Kenneth O. Preston, 13th Sergeant Major of the Army; Adrian R. Lewis, Ph.D.; David B. Pittaway, Professor of Military History, University of Kansas; and Major General (USA Ret.) Dennis Laich, author of “Skin in the Game: Poor Kids and Patriots.”

Following the panel discussion, Dr. Symonds will be presented with the Pritzker Military Museum & Library’s 2023 Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. The Literature Award serves to recognize a living author who has made a significant contribution to the understanding of military history, including military affairs. Dr. Symonds is a Professor Emeritus of History at the United States Naval Academy where he taught for 30 years, including a four-year term as History Department Chair, and is the author of 17 books. He is decorated with many awards, including the Academy’s Teacher of the Year Award, Navy Meritorious Service Award, and Researcher of the Year Award.

“We are proud to award the Pritzker Military Museum & Library’s Literature Award to Dr. Symonds,“ said Pritzker Military Museum & Library Founder, Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired). “While he is deservingly decorated with many awards, Dr. Symonds’ profound collection of books merits recognition from the PMML. His distinguished work and dedication to not only examining history but also to teaching it to the next generation must be acknowledged.”

Presentation of the Literature Award will be followed by a cocktail reception and seated dinner. Keynote speaker, Major General Johnny K. Davis, will discuss the transformation of the army’s recruitment process and how the Army is leveraging its greatest asset: its people.

On Friday, April 14, attendees will enjoy three panel discussions, along with a continental breakfast and lunch. The first session begins at 9 a.m. and covers civil-military relations and civic engagement in the AVF environment. Panelists will address the influence of the civil-military gap on democracy and America’s ability to maintain national security. Panelists include Isaiah “Ike” Wilson III, Ph.D., President of the Joint Special Operations University; Colonel (USMC) Eric Reid, Director of the Marine Corps Talent Management Strategy Group; Carrie A. Lee, Ph.D., U.S. Army War College, Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy; and Risa Brooks, Ph.D., Allis Chalmers Professor of Political Science at Marquette University.

The second session, “National Security in an Increasingly Technology-Dominated World: Populating the Military Forces,” will begin at 10:40 a.m. This group of panelists will explore how modernization and technology have impacted the force structure and those who serve in an all-volunteer environment. This session’s panelists are Krewasky A. Salter, Ph.D., President of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library; Colonel (USA Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson, Past Distinguished Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary; Lieutenant Colonel (USA) Keith Carter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the US Military Academy & Director of the Defense and Strategic Studies Program; and Jackie Schneider, Ph.D. (USAF Res.), Hoover Fellow and an affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation.

The final session begins at 1:25 p.m. and addresses “Partner Perspectives: How America’s Allies Man Their Militaries.” This panel will explore how universal service, selective conscription, and other recruitment systems address the contemporary security environment, alongside the implications and applicability of these models for the United States. Panelists include Gil Barndollar, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at the Catholic University of America’s Center for the Study of Statesmanship; Hitoshi Kawano, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology at the Department of Public Policy at National Defense Academy, Yokosuka, Japan; and Max Z. Margulies, Ph.D., U.S. Military Academy, Director of Research at the Modern War Institute and the Defense and Strategic Studies Thesis Program Director.

“This All-Volunteer Force (AVF) On War Symposium is significant because it will help further a long overdue discussion about the way we man of our national military force at a time when our national security is challenged,” said Pritzker Military Museum & Library President, Dr. Krewasky A. Salter. “To maintain our nation’s security we must maintain a strong military force. What is the best way to do that has been debated almost from the beginning of the AVF 50 years ago this year. To help us all be better informed as American citizens, this symposium will cover all angles and viewpoints from how should we recruitment, to manning high tech 21st century systems, to discussions associated with how allied countries approach this same challenge.”   

The Symposium will take on a hybrid format, welcoming in-person and virtual participants. Tickets are available for both attendance options. Learn more about each panelist and register by visiting the Museum & Library’s website.