NATO’s challenges topic of latest Distinguished Speaker Series presentation

The CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association and its Simons Center hosted the first lecture of the 2026 Distinguished Speaker Series at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kansas on April 15, 2026. In this installment of the series, retired Maj. Gen. William B. Hickman, the former NATO Allied Command Transformation director of strategic plans and policy, conducted a presentation entitle “NATO’s Ambitious Agenda and Challenges – Preparing for the Future.”

The evening began with a reception, followed by Simons Center Director Todd Schmidt welcoming the attendees and recognizing sponsors. Toward the end of the dinner period Schmidt introduced Hickman.

(Top photo and above) Maj. Gen. (Ret.) William Hickman, a veteran with extensive NATO experience, conducts a presentation and discussion about NATO during 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 15, 2026.

Hickman led a discussion on NATO’s evolution since the Cold War, its current 360-degree approach to deterrence and defense, and emerging challenges to alliance cohesion. He based his presentation on his personal experience in NATO where he assisted in drafting NATO’s first military strategy since the Cold War, initiated work on NATO’s Warfighting Capstone Concept, and represented Allied Command Transformation at NATO’s Defense Planning, which focused on long-term military capabilities.

In his presentation Hickman discussed how NATO is at an inflection point in its history. It was built to secure peace, but today it must manage persistent competition in which military, economic and technology tools are integrated and crises now unfold across multiple domains simultaneously. He addressed the inherent core tensions amongst NATO members which include maintaining alliance unity and credible deterrence while serving their own national interests. He also discussed how the current NATO secretary general has been speaking about the alliance’s unhealthy dependence on the U.S., supporting the U.S. position that NATO members need to contribute more to their own armies versus trying to establish some new “European Army.” He concluded with the thoughts that geopolitics now shape capital decisions and security risks are now direct, not distant business risks, and the NATO alliance provides economic stability. He said NATO’s future will take one of two routes: one where each country pays their way and the alliance continues, or the alliance will transition into a “treaty of guarantee” to which the U.S. signs on to guarantee the safety of Europe, which is not a desirable path.

After the presentation and a Q&A period, CGSC Foundation and Alumni Association President/CEO Lora Morgan presented Hickman with a small gift in appreciation for his participation in the Distinguished Speaker Series.

For more photos see the CGSC Foundation Flickr album

Major General William B. Hickman, U.S. Army, Retired, brings decades of military leadership and strategic insight to his role as a commentator on defense and security issues.

As a former director of Strategic Plans and Policy for NATO Allied Command Transformation, Hickman is well-versed in alliance dynamics and global security challenges. His distinguished career underscores his commitment to advancing international security cooperation and readiness.

Today, Hickman advises executives, boards, and nonprofit leaders on strategy, leadership development, and crisis management. He is also a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University and co-editor of Understanding the U.S. Military, an interdisciplinary overview of America’s armed forces.

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 2026 Distinguished Speakers Series Sponsors~

~Five Stars~

Pritzker Military Foundation
The Tim and Karen Carlin Family Foundation

~Four Stars~

Armed Forces Insurance

~Three Stars~

Col. (Ret.) Bill and Marge Eckhardt
First Command
Col. (Ret.) Bob and Terri Ulin

~Two Stars~

Demaranville & Associate, CPAs
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Rich and Mary Ann Keller

~One Star~

Advantage Printing
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stan Cherrie
Col. (Ret.) Tom and Candy Dials
Col. (Ret.) Todd and Leslie Schmidt