BENS Honors Sens. Levin and Warner
It was a celebration of bipartisan accomplishment on May 
13, as BENS honored Democratic Senator Carl Levin and former Republican Senator John Warner with its highest recognition—the Eisenhower Award—in front of the largest Washington dinner audience in BENS’ history. Master ofCeremonies and Wall Street Journal columnist PeggyNoonan called the two longtime Senate Armed Services Committee colleagues “leaders of good faith, good will and high intent.” To view photos from the dinner, click here.
Annual Forum: Energy Security
BENS hosted its 20th annual Washington Forum on May 13, which featured a diverse lineup of experts to discuss energy security. Over 200 attendees listened to National Security Advisor Gen. Jim Jones, former CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden, BENS member and FedEx CEO Fred Smith and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Ash Carter address the intersection of energy and national security. To view photos from the forum, click here.
Cyber Security Collaboration
With the Obama Administration's review of government cyber security policy set to be released later in the week, BENS argues in a Washington Times opinion piece that any successful cyber security effort must include collaboration between the public and private sectors. To read the column, authored by Rep. James Langevin, BENS Board Member and Booz Allen Hamilton VP Mark Gerencser and BENS President and CEO Chuck Boyd, click here.
BENS Visits USS Harry S. Truman
The roar of F-18 Hornets highlighted two days aboard the USS Truman for a small group of BENS members in April. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that played 
key roles in the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina relief hosted the nine-member group for an extensive tour, breakfast with sailors and the always thrilling jet take-offs and landings on the flight deck. To view pictures from the visit, click here.
BENS On The Air
BENS took to the airwaves recently when Lynne Kidder, Senior Vice President, Regional Partnerships, discussed BENS' evolving partnerships work on Homeland Security Inside & Out, a weekly public radio program. To listen to the program online, click here.
BENS Earns Another Four-Star Rating
For the second year in a row, BENS has received a four-star
rating from Charity Navigator, a leading evaluator of non-profit organizations. In a message to BENS, the organization noted that our second consecutive four-star rating for effective financial management is “an exceptional feat, especially given the economic challenges many charities have had to face in the last year.” BENS’ latest Charity Navigator rating can be viewed here.
Gen. Jones, Sens. Levin and Warner Headline May Events
If it’s May, it’s time for the BENS Eisenhower Award Dinner and Annual Forum in Washington, D.C. This year’s forum, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Building on May 13, turns to a new area of focus for BENS—energy security—and will feature as keynote speaker current National Security Adviser retired Gen. Jim Jones. In the evening, our black-tie Eisenhower Award gala will honor Sen. Carl Levin and former Sen. John Warner for their bipartisan leadership on national security. To register on-line click here. For more information, contact Jennie Moonis at 202-296-2125 or jmoonis@bens.org
BENS Achieves WMD Milestone
In the latest achievement of BENS’ efforts to strengthen non-proliferation programs, a new chemical weapons disposal facility is now up and running in Russia. BENS worked closely with Sen. Richard Lugar—cosponsor of the U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction program—to build the facility in Shchuchye, 1,000 miles southeast of Moscow and home to nearly 2 million deadly chemical shells. Every shell destroyed means one less weapon at risk of falling into the wrong hands. To read more, click here.
Business Leaders in Action, Results for America – BENS Leadership Report 2009 - A report, summarizing our major activities: recent, ongoing and planned initiatives, their impact on our national security, the places we’ve visited, the leaders we’ve met and our never-ending effort to grow our membership and remain a good steward of our resources. Click here for the report.
Cyber Security Inquiry 2008 – After Action Report from Strategic Simulation
On December 17-18, 2008, BENS, in cooperation with Booz Allen Hamilton, held a two-day cyber simulation event including the participation of 230 leaders from government, industry and civil society, as well as many BENS members. The After Action Report summarizes the elements of the simulation, followed by the insights and recommendations that grew out of the gathering on matters including leadership, governance, resilience and public awareness. Click here for the report.
Defense Acquisition Law & Oversight Task Force
In preparation for its final meeting on Feb. 3, the BENS Task Force on Defense Acquisition Law & Oversight put finishing touches on its work in late January in a series of meetings in Washington, DC. Chairman Norm Augustine led a gathering of Task Force principals, while one of three focus groups, led by former Air Force General Speedy Martin, pounded out its findings over two days. The final report—an unprecedented slate of defense acquisition reform recommendations—is scheduled to be presented to Congress and the defense community in March. To view photos of the meetings, click here.
As the BENS Defense Acquisition Law & Oversight Task Force continues its work, one of its three focus groups met in Washington, DC, on Jan. 14 to discuss how military requirements for new systems and services are developed. Chaired by BENS Board Member Frank Sica, the group formulated findings and recommendations for the final report, due in March. To view photos from the meeting, click here.
Petraeus Thanks BENS at Eisenhower Award Dinner
BENS honored Gen. David Petraeus with the Eisenhower Award in November aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York. “It has been enormously heartening that all of our citizens have stood united in support of those who have served in harm’s way for our country, and I thank this group in particular for leading the way in doing just that,” Gen. Petraeus said to a group of over 700 BENS members and guests. To view a transcript of Gen. Petraeus’ remarks, click here. To view photos from the dinner, click here.
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