From April 6 to 9, 2026, Professor of Practice Eric Driggs represented the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies as a senior advisor at the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC) in Annapolis, Maryland. Hosted annually by the US Naval Academy, the Midshipmen-led, multiday conference convened undergraduate delegates from US and international military academies, as well as ROTC cadets to examine pressing foreign policy and security challenges. This year’s conference brought together participants from Australia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

The 2026 conference theme, “Winning the Strategic Terrain: Countering PRC Influence in Warfighting Domains,” guided plenary sessions and roundtable discussions focused on contemporary strategic competition. Plenary sessions addressed topics including intelligence and information sharing to counter PLA sea control, congressional support for allied interoperability, industry’s role in allied resilience, coalitions in the cyber domain, cooperation with emerging space powers, and operationalizing US strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

Professor Driggs supported a roundtable titled “PRC in Latin America,” during which Midshipmen facilitated discussions under the guidance of senior advisors. His engagement showcased the Perry Center’s regional expertise and contributed to dialogue on the implications of PRC activity in the Western Hemisphere. In doing so, he reinforced the Center’s mission of supporting the warfighter and educating the warfighter through direct engagement with future military and civilian leaders.

The conference strengthened civil-military dialogue by fostering collaboration among future military and civilian leaders. Professor Driggs’ participation reinforced the Perry Center’s outreach to emerging decision-makers and supported the development of a pipeline of leaders prepared to address strategic competition and evolving global security challenges.