Distinguished Speaker Series features presentation on the ethics of war

The CGSC Foundation and its Simons Center hosted the first lecture of the 2025 Distinguished Speaker Series at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kansas on April 2, 2025. In this installment of the series, Dr. Paul D. Miller, CGSC Foundation’s General Hugh Shelton Distinguished Visiting Chair of Ethics, and Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Derek M. Pottinger, instructor of ethics and world religions at CGSC, conducted a presentation and discussion of Miller’s latest book, Ethics of War: A Short Companion.

(Top photo and above) Paul David Miller, Ph.D., CGSC Foundation’s General Hugh Shelton Distinguished Visiting Chair of Ethics, left, and Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Derek M. Pottinger, an ethics and world religions instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, present a discussion on “The Ethics of War” during the Distinguished Speaker Series event hosted by the CGSC Foundation and its Simons Center at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kansas on April 2, 2025.

Both Pottinger and Miller were coming into this event having completed the CGSC Military Ethics Symposium and Combined Arms Center Ethicist Training on Fort Leavenworth April 1-2. Miller was the keynote speaker for the symposium and Chaplain Pottinger was the coordinator and emcee.

Click the cover image to purchase the book

The evening began with a reception, followed by Simons Center Director John Nelson welcoming the attendees and recognizing the sponsors. Toward the end of the dinner period Nelson introduced the presenters to the gathered audience from Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth and the Kansas City metro.

Pottinger and Miller conducted an open fireside style discussion about ethics and ethics in wartime situations after which there was a lively Q&A period from the assembled guests.

After the presentation and Q&A period, CGSC Foundation President/CEO Lora Morgan presented both speakers with a gift in appreciation for their participation in the Distinguished Speaker Series. The Foundation also offered copies of Miller’s book for sale during the evening.

The CGSC Foundation extends a special thank you to all the sponsors of the 2025 series. The next lecture is scheduled for May 8.

For more photos see the CGSC Foundation Flickr album

Dr. Paul David Miller, Ph.D., is a scholar and public servant devoted to ordered liberty at home and abroad. He is a political theorist and political scientist focusing on international affairs, the American experiment, and America’s role in the world. He is a professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He serves as co-chair of the Global Politics and Security concentration in the Master of Science in the Foreign Service program. He is also a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. He assumed the role of the CGSC Foundation’s General Hugh Shelton Distinguished Visiting Chair of Ethics in February 2025. As a practitioner, Dr. Miller served as director for Afghanistan and Pakistan on the National Security Council staff; worked as an intelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency; and served as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army. Miller has authored several books, has been published in multiple journals, and is a contributing editor of Providence: A Journal of Christianity and American Foreign Policy. Miller holds a doctorate in international relations and a bachelor’s in government from Georgetown University, and a master in public policy from Harvard University.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Derek M. Pottinger is an ethics and world religions instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He has served 19 years as an active duty Army chaplain. Since 2006, he’s served as battalion chaplain for infantry, support, combined arms, and engineer battalions (including two deployments to Iraq 2007-2009 and 2010-2011); brigade chaplain for 3rd Recruiting Brigade (2014-2015); the ethics instructor/curriculum writer at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence’s Field Artillery School (2016-2020); group chaplain for the 10th Support Group, Okinawa, Japan (2020-2022); and garrison chaplain, Fort Riley, Kansas (2022-2024). Pottinger holds a Master of Theology in ethics and public policy fro, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity in General Ministries from Lincoln Christian University, and a master’s in theology, and a bachelor’s in Christian ministries from Cincinnati Christian University). He is endorsed by the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ’s Chaplaincy Endorsement Commission.

The CGSC Foundation through its Simons Center conducts the Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) program to offer extracurricular, educational lectures intended to help enrich the Command and General Staff School curriculum and provide opportunities for outreach to the public. Topics covered in the Distinguished Speaker Series of lectures span the gamut of leadership and ethics, organizational effectiveness, collaboration, as well as current events and issues in business, government and the military. Programs are made possible in part by sponsors.

~Thank you to our 2025 Distinguished Speakers Series Sponsors~

~Five Stars~

Pritzker Military Foundation
The Tim and Karen Carlin Family Foundation

~Four Stars~

Julius Kaaz Construction

~Three Stars~

Col. (Ret.) Bill and Marge Eckhardt
First Command
Robert and Clare Powell

~Two Stars~

Armada Corporate Intelligence
Demaranville & Associate, CPAs
University of Kansas
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Rich and Mary Ann Keller
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Bill West

~One Star~

Advantage Printing
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stan Cherrie
Lt. Col. (Ret.) William and Kathleen Connor, Sr.
Col. (Ret.) Tom and Candy Dials
Art Fillmore
Geiger Ready Mix
Col. (Ret.) Bob and Terri Ulin