VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A 25-year veteran of the United States Army, including eight years as a Special Forces officer with four combat tours from the Balkans to the Middle East, Dr. Dennis Walters has first-hand experience in defense planning and how slow moving it can actually be, especially when it's tied to the procurement process, which, according to Walters, can take 10 years or more.

"Foresight methodologies offer a different approach to defense planning, which, if done properly, offers policy makers a more holistic model of emerging missions," stated Walters.

That is just one reason why Walters is eager to begin teaching his new Defense Futures course in the Master of Strategic Foresight program at Regent University in January 2009.

While pursuing his Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree in Regent's School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship, Walters focused his studies on strategic foresight and developed a graduate level futures course that applies foresight skills to the defense industry.

"The Defense Futures course offers students a unique opportunity to delve into the national security arena surveying the evolution of warfare and the corresponding defense transformations," said Walters.

He continued, "Students will forecast future security concerns and craft appropriate defense postures to meet them. Any student interested in national security policy or defense planning will find this an intriguing and challenging course."

Walters' goal is to expose students to national security planning and "to plant the seed in future generations that these methods can help us better prepare for a changing world."

While there are no prerequisites for this course, students outside of the strategic foresight major will need to read a short primer on foresight methodology to have the necessary background to complete the course.

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About the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship

The School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship (GLE) is one of seven graduate schools within Regent University and is located in Virginia Beach, Va. Offering fully-accredited master's and doctoral degrees in a flexible online format, GLE provides rigorous, yet innovative academic programs that can accommodate even the busiest professionals. For more information, visit www.regent.edu/global.