DEF 2026
Humans in the Loop
Annual Gathering June 24th
Alexandria VA
The Annual Gathering convenes the Virtuous Insurgency - entrepreneurs, operators, technologists, economists, artists, policymakers, and civic builders shaping the future of national security from the ground up.
In an era defined by artificial intelligence, autonomy, biotechnology, and exponential systems, the 2026 DEF Annual Gathering returns to a first principle:
Technology does not win wars. People do.
Humans in the Loop / The SOFT Side of Hard Power
This event is a recognition that every breakthrough—technical, operational, or strategic—depends on human judgment and cultural proclivities. As systems grow faster and more autonomous and global economic dynamics shift, the strategic edge belongs to those who deliberately adapt and design the underlying systemic operating system(s), be it social, economic, or technological.
This gathering is not a traditional conference. It is a working convening built around applied learning, lived experience, and cross-sector problem solving—where civil society, national security institutions, practitioners, policy architects, and entrepreneurs meet as collaborators rather than spectators.
What
The DEF Annual Gathering exists to strengthen the connective tissue between formal and informal actors seeking to positively impact national security.
When
June 24th 2026
Wednesday
0800 - 1600
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After Party
Where
Held with our partner, Building Momentum
a leader in teaching, training, and problem-solving.
5380 Eisenhower Ave Suite C, Alexandria, VA 22304
Schedule Summary
08:00 – 08:30 | The Grounding - Coffee & Chaos. No tables. No stages.
08:30 – 09:00 | The ROE from DEF Executive Director
09:00 – 10:00 | Opening Keynote: The Hard Realities of Economic Warfare
10:15 – 10:30 | Transition
10:30 – 12:00 | Block I:
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The Workshop (Hands-On): Wine & Welding: The Industrial Base
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The Concurrent Roundtable: The Mineral Mercenaries
12:00 – 1300: | Hit the Galley (Lunch)
13:00 – 14:00 | The Schism: Why We Are Still Exposed
14:00 – 14:15 | Transition
14:15 – 15:30 | Block II: The SOFT Edge of Malign Influence
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The Workshop (Hands-On): Narrative Archery.
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The Concurrent Roundtable: Civic Agency & Readiness
15:30 – 15:45 | Transition
15:45 – 16:45 | Block III: Biology & The Human Loop
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The Readiness Lab: Tactical Performance & Bio-Resilience
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Roundtable: The Future of Bio-Sovereignty
16:45 – 17:00 | Transition
17:00 – 17:30 | The Synthesis Circle Closing Keynote: "Outputs and Libations."
17:30 – 18:30 | Open Bar
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