On May 5, 2025, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies launched the resident phase of its Caribbean Security and Defense (CSD) and Governance and Strategy for Security and Defense (GSSD) courses, welcoming 105 participants from 25 countries to Washington, DC. “By strengthening our institutions from within, we are also supporting those at the forefront – ensuring that the warfighter has well-informed decisions, clear rules, timely resources, and a structure that enables them to operate with confidence, credibility, and purpose,” Perry Center Director Paul Angelo noted in his welcome remarks. “The United States is – and has always been – bound to the Caribbean, not only by geography, but by history, purpose, and partnership. But it is through relationships like those being forged in this very room that those bonds are renewed – not in treaties or texts, but in trust, dialogue, and shared vision.”

The Governance and Strategy for Security and Defense course, led by Professor David Spencer, stands as the Perry Center’s flagship program and gets to the heart of the Center’s mission to strengthen defense governance in the Western Hemisphere. Tailored for both civilian and military leaders, the course covers critical areas such as strategic planning, policy development, and resource management. Through expert-led sessions, a group policy exercise, and peer-to-peer exchanges, participants will delve into the role of security and defense institutions in democratic societies, while also building lasting professional networks to promote cooperation and regional security.

The Caribbean Security and Defense course, led by Dean of Academic Affairs William Godnick and Associate Dean Pat Paterson, brings together civilian, military, and law enforcement professionals from across the Caribbean Basin to address the region’s evolving security and defense challenges – ranging from transnational organized crime and trafficking activities to security hazards linked to natural disasters. Participants engage with US policy frameworks, regional best practices for countering shared threats, and the risks posed by extra-regional actors in the Western Hemisphere through lectures, breakout discussions, and group policy exercises. The course also examines key themes such as maritime security, cyberdefense, strategic planning, and regional cooperation mechanisms.