ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Mount Union will be hosting an open panel discussion on Thursday, January 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Chapman Hall room 202. The discussion will be on “Old and New Threats Facing the U.S. in the 21^st Century.”

Mount Union students will moderate the event, with the panel consisting of four officers from the U.S. Army War College: Col. Eric S. Crider, Commander Brett W. Holdiman, Lt. Col. Johnathan A. Shine and Col. Mark McPherson.

Crider is an Army Armor Officer who currently serves as the Director of Public Administration Studies at the United States Army War College. A few of his previous assignments include serving as the Cavalry Squadron Commander conducting North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) peace support operations in Kosovo, Executive Officer for the U.S. Security Assistants and Management Organization. Crider received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in business form Georgia College and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Holdiman received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999. In his time serving, he has over 2,300 flight hours with over 450 arrested landings. Holdiman is entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/ Flight Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various campaign, unit, personal and service awards.

Shine graduated from Princeton University’s Army ROTC program in 1998. His service includes a number of command and staff position in the Republic of Korea, Fort Bragg, NC, Fort Stewart, GA, the Pentagon, Fort Bliss, TX and Fort Irwin, CA. He has served three tours in Iraq and one deployment in Afghanistan. Shine graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor’s of Art degree in political economics and a Master’s Degree in public policy administration from Georgetown University.

McPherson was commissioned from the Citadel, Military College of South Carolina in 1991. He has served in various line and academic positions during his career and he has been deployed as a field surgeon. Primarily, his academic work has focused on Safety, Aviation, Accident Investigation and the study of human error. McPherson received a Medical Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina and a Master’s of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Following the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to speak individually with the panelists.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit mountunion.edu/political-science