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Military Writers’ Symposium
The Military Writers’ Symposium is a signature event of the Norwich University Peace and War Center. This Symposium is the only program of its kind in existence at an American university and has brought some of the most prominent military, intelligence, and international affairs writers of our time to central Vermont and educates, enlightens, challenges and inspires all who participate. The Symposium is designed to be relevant and has never avoided hard issues central to the public’s understanding. In the past, we have focused on varied subjects that include cyber warfare, PTSD, the role of the media in war, war’s effect on families, the impact of WWI, Iraq, cyber warfare, and Afghanistan. The 2019 topic “Warfare in the 21st Century: Future Battlegrounds” was addressed by visiting authors Benedetta Berti, Peter Warren Singer, Ian Brown, and Paul Scharre before an audience of 1200 and streamed live online. This year we devote our attention to the topic, “Weaponizing Water” https://www.norwich.edu/military-writers-symposium
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Norwich University awards the “Colby Award,” now in its 20th year, annually to a first solo work of fiction or nonfiction that has made a significant contribution to the understanding of military history, intelligence operations, or international affairs. Colby Award winners receive a $5,000 author honorarium provided through the generosity of the Chicago-based Pritzker Military Foundation. The award and honorarium are presented annually at the Norwich University Military Writers’ Symposium. In April 2020, author Adam Higginbotham captured the 2019 William E. Colby Award for his book, Midnight in Chernobyl. https://www.norwich.edu/news/2433-norwich-university-adam-higginbotham-wins-colby-award-for-midnight-in-chernobyl
NORWICH UNIVERSITY MILITARY WRITERS’
SYMPOSIUM
William E. Colby Award
On September 25, 2019 at 4:00 a.m., retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia arrived to campus, accompanied by Colby Symposium cofounder and longtime Norwich supporter Ed Tracy. Distinguished author, Medal of Honor recipient, and previous Colby Symposium panelist, SSG Bellavia was preparing to address a morning formation of the Corps of Cadets and civilian student attendees. The event, closed to all but students with only a few special guests, was recorded by Ed Tracy as an episode in his podcast series, “Conversations with Ed Tracy” and posted on National Medal of Honor Day, March 25, 2020. Listen to the podcast here: https://www.conversationswithedtracy.com/deusuris/2020/3/25/david-bellavia-medal-of-honorrecipient-live-at-norwich-university
