Foundations in Peace Through Networking
By Cadet Isaac Lerner '24, Fall 2023 Regimental Commander
“Have you heard that your friend is the BNOC?” said a female cadet from the Royal Navy.
“What’s a BNOC?” I replied.
“Big name on campus. Everyone is talking about the Space Force cadet from Virginia Tech!” She was talking about Cadet Nicholas Dominique, and she wasn’t kidding; everyone WAS talking about him.
In March, Cadet Nicholas Dominique, Capt. Jamie McGrath, and I traveled to Palermo, Italy to attend the 4th International Forum for Peace, Security, and Prosperity (IFPSP). This event brought together over 200 in-person attendees from 87 academies, universities, and training units from 38 different countries around the world. The forum's purpose was to discuss the peace process and instill in young leaders an appreciation for positive peace.
But why was everyone talking about Cadet Dominique? The early portions of the event focused exclusively on networking, which became a theme for the forum. The idea was that hundreds of young people would make connections and develop an appreciation for other countries’ militaries. We, as officer cadets, will inevitably work with one another throughout our careers and will have this forum to fall back on as a foundation for working with foreign military leaders. During these social gatherings, we would typically discuss what branch of the military we were in, what our job would be, and the basic structure of our program. Through these conversations, word quickly spread that there was a Space Force cadet in attendance. Not only is the United States the only country with an independent force dedicated to space, but Virginia Tech was also the only delegation to bring a Space Force cadet.
Cadets from other countries were eager to learn about Virginia Tech and our unique Corps of Cadets model. Their interest in space and its role as a warfighting domain drew them to Cadet Dominique, which was the perfect lead up to his presentation. Cadet Dominique participated in a panel titled “How Regional Conflicts and Global Tensions are Shaping the World Order” in which he presented his paper on “The New Age Space Race: Why ‘World’ Peace Is Not Enough.” His presentation was given in English and translated to French and Italian. Out of the many panels we listened to throughout the conference, this panel was highly regarded as the best and most engaging, certainly due in part to Cadet Dominique’s unique and compelling presentation on space and its implications for peace.
While Cadet Dominique’s presentation was a highlight of the trip, we appreciated many other aspects of the Forum. Networking and relationship-building was the most impactful for Cadet Dominique and myself. We spoke to cadets from Hungary, Kosovo, Canada, the UK, Italy, and many more. We also worked with these cadets during a model United Nations simulation executed by Ph.D. students at the University of Palermo. The connections we built led to deep appreciations for each other's programs and a better understanding of how other countries and their militaries operate.
We also spent time hearing from a wide range of people on panels. These panels were titled “Women, Peace & Security,” “Resiliency and Leadership in Peace,” “The Evolving World: What is going on at the international level,” “Is the UN still relevant?” and the “Impact of the Current International Situation on NATO and the EU.” We also participated in the Walk for Remembrance & Peace through the streets of Palermo which attracted over 2,000 participants.