On August 30, 2016, the Perry Center hosted a delegation of military officials from the Colombian National War College’s (ESDEGUE) Military Information Course (CIM). Led by Colonel Méndez Parra Eduardo, Chief of Planning for ESDEGUE, and Colonel Juan Carlos Rueda Cartagena, Colombia’s air attaché to the United States, the delegation included 12 service and support officers. During their stay in Washington, ESDEGUE’s CIM students will visit the Inter-American Defense College, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and Defense Logistics Agency.

Professor Guillermo Pacheco described the history, mission, and organization of the Perry Center while highlighting those courses and academic programs that support stronger, more transparent defense governance in the Americas. Subsequently, Dr. David Spencer presented on the military’s role in responding to natural disasters. He described the procedures and differing responsibilities of local, state, and federal authorities in the US system, and how military units fit into this framework. Dr. Spencer and participants examined the US response to Hurricane Katrina as a case study and discussed how lessons learned might be applied in different national contexts.