The Irregular Warfare Center Celebrates Second Anniversary Showcasing Growth & Continuous Commitment to Excellence

October marked the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC)’s second anniversary since establishing full operating capacity in October 2022. Over the past 730 days, the IWC has generated significant accomplishments and partnerships that are in line with the Center’s overall mission and supporting lines of effort. The IWC was established to serve as the central mechanism for developing the Department of Defense’s (DoD) irregular warfare (IW) knowledge and advancing the Department’s understanding of concepts and doctrine in collaboration with key allies and partners. The initiatives developed by the Center follow three lines of effort: Amplify, Illuminate, and Address.

The Center has strived to amplify and collaborate to build an innovative and adaptable global networked IW community of interest, holding successful events with key partners. “The IWC has leveraged conferences and in-person engagements as a way to bolster our community of interest,” said Lori Leffler, IWC Chief of Staff and Deputy Director. In October 2024, the Center partnered with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to host the inaugural Intelligence Support to Irregular Warfare Symposium.

In September, the IWC and the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) held the Irregular Warfare Lessons Learned Since 9/11 at the U.S. Naval Institute. The conference engaged a community of experts, military professionals, scholars, and policymakers to explore lessons learned from IW operations conducted by the U.S., allied nations, and non-state actors over the past two decades. Another significant event from 2024 was IWC’s Community of Interest Symposium that brought together IW practitioners, industry leaders, and experts from across sectors to strengthen the global network. This three-day event in March featured a keynote by Ms. Maren Brooks, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism, along with expert speakers to discuss IW challenges and opportunities.

The IWC convenes Irregular Warfare Forums in collaboration with institutions such as the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs (CISA) and the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS). In May 2024, the IWC co-hosted the Spring IW Forum at Ft. Liberty, NC, highlighting advancements in education, research, and practice. The forum also showcased research presentations from CISA students, connecting academic research with practice. This joint event followed the December 2023 IW Forum in Arlington, VA, which was focused on policy, doctrine, training, and education in the context of strategic competition.

In addition to the Center’s events, the IW Global Network serves as a mechanism for collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders in irregular warfare. The IW Global Network, strategically aligned with ASD SO/LIC priorities and integrated with global partners, leverages its Functional Area Networks (FANs) to address a dynamic range of irregular warfare challenges, enabling an adaptive response that evolves with emerging threats. Since 2022, the IWC has launched seven FANs, each with a cohesive framework to enhance capabilities across the DoD, Interagency, private sector, and international stakeholders, fostering a unified, whole-of-government approach. Through focused efforts in knowledge sharing, resource mobilization, awareness and education, and collective problem-solving, FANs are focused on Contested Logistics, Mission Assurance, Medical Resilience, Intelligence, Operations in the Information Environment (OIE), Emerging Technology, and the Student Working Group (SWG). This structure not only ensures strategic alignment and capability optimization but also underscores the IWC’s commitment to fostering expertise, resilience, and readiness in confronting complex, unconventional threats.

The IWC illuminates current and future irregular threats, crises, and obstacles through publications and academic initiatives. Over the past two years, the IWC has released insights and perspectives on a range of security topics associated with irregular warfare: military, diplomatic, economic, social, cultural, and more. In conjunction with our original articles, the Center has also published book reviews, research reports, and translations. The Center has made strides in fostering research and academic development of IW through PRISM and the release of its book. The IWC assumed publishing of PRISM: The Journal of Complex Operations in September 2024. This peer-reviewed journal has been a key platform for discussing irregular warfare and complex operations since its inception in 2011. Under the IWC’s stewardship, PRISM will continue to provide critical insights into IW and threats in the modern security environment. In July 2024, the Center published its inaugural book, The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century. This edited volume features essays from prominent scholars and practitioners, exploring key trends in irregular warfare, including lawfare and economic warfare, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. With contributions from key figures in the field of IW like LTG (R) Michael Nagata and Dr. Sean McFate, the book enhances understanding of IW and inspires future scholars in the field.

Tab D was created to support the Center’s Operational Information Environment (OIE) efforts and empower the U.S. with information advantage. Tab D is named after the PSYOP tab traditionally required in joint DoD plans. This newsletter employs expert analytic research techniques, bolstered by machine learning and original-language, opensource information, to identify vulnerabilities in global competitors’ narratives. Serving as a potent force multiplier, the OIE FAN facilitates education and problem-solving within the realm of information operations. There have been 18 editions of Tab D released to the OIE fan since its inception in January 2024.

Irregular Warfare 101 (IW101) was launched in February 2024 through Defense Security Cooperation University. This 90-minute course provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of Irregular Warfare, covering strategic competition, the nature of IW, operational activities, and global practitioners. It was designed by IWC experts for military personnel and civilians across all ranks, as well as international partners and allies. IW 101 marked the beginning of a series of IW courses aimed at enhancing DoD knowledge.

The Center successfully facilitated two Irregular Warfare Colloquiums designed to foster collaboration between junior and senior scholars with expertise in IW topics. These events, both held in Arlington, VA, provided a platform for emerging researchers to present their projects and engage in discussions with other scholars and practitioners. The IWC hosted students from U.S. and international academic institutions, expanding the community of interest through collaboration.

The IWC addresses current and future irregular threats to the U.S., Allies, and partners by providing optionality. A significant accomplishment that addresses IW threats is the Transformational Irregular Warfare Leaders Thought Course (TILT-C), aimed at enhancing the strategic thinking of interagency leaders and practitioners. This initiative includes sessions tailored to various U.S. government departments and international partners, fostering collaborative learning on irregular warfare challenges. TILT-C emphasizes innovative strategies and interdisciplinary approaches to address contemporary security issues. The Center has conducted TILT-C for stakeholders in the DoD, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the intelligence community, and other interagency partners.

In collaboration with the West Virginia National Guard (WVNG), the IWC has held irregular warfare exercises Ridge Runner and Ridge Healer at Camp Dawson, Kingwood, West Virginia. In April 2024, the Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the WVNG, marking a significant step in enhancing joint efforts to counter irregular warfare threats. This year, the partners conducted three Ridge Runner and Ridge Healer events, reinforcing the National Defense Strategy to work together with Allies and partners to increase interoperability and improve resilience.

The IWC’s second anniversary marks a critical period of advancement for U.S. understanding and capabilities in irregular warfare. Dr. Dennis Walters, IWC Director, said, “The IWC’s second anniversary is not just a recognition of our achievements over the past two years; it reflects our dedication to advancing the understanding, policy, and doctrine of irregular warfare.”

As the Center celebrates its second anniversary, it looks forward to expanding its strategy to strengthen U.S. and allied capabilities in addressing irregular warfare challenges. The IWC’s dedication to hosting regular forums, symposia, and events will drive its mission to enable a cohesive and adaptable community of interest, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and doctrines across the DoD and partner organizations. In line with its mission, the Center will focus on amplifying its network through the 2025 Irregular Warfare forums and symposia. Building on the success of its foundational course, IW 101, the IWC will launch IW 201, an intermediate course that examines strategic irregular warfare concepts, methodologies, and case studies, further illuminating modern threats. With close collaboration from our key partners, the Center anticipates the continuation of irregular warfare exercises, Ridge Runner and Ridge Healer, addressing irregular threats to the U.S., our Allies, and our partners. Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, the IWC will advance its lines of effort—Amplify, Illuminate, and Address—through continued partner engagements, exercises, and educational programs.