If you have an interest in Africa or want to learn more, join DACOR members at the monthly Africa Discussion Group. Discussions are organized around theme, country, region or on a selected speaker’s interests.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Attendees have the option of participating in the Members' Lunch for $35, or joining the discussion group without eating (no charge). Registrations are required for all participants.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
We are about to sell out. Contact programs@dacorbacon.org to be put on a wait list for this event when we do!
The ever-popular Burns Night at DACOR Bacon House returns. Tickets are expected to sell quickly so reserve yours today! Special early bird pricing available through 12/11.
Our 2026 Robert Burns Birthday Supper will feature Scottish music, songs and poetry by Robert Burns, traditional toasts, delicious food, and fun and camaraderie. In addition, there will be a Scottish spirits tasting.
Dress code: Highland Evening/Black Tie more info...
The monthly get-together of our affinity group Unaccompanied DACORians, this luncheon gathers members who are widows, widowers, divorcees and other singletons together for camaraderie and discussion over lunch.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved area at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Lunch costs $35/person and includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. Registrations are required for all participants.
Unaccompanied DACORians provides members of DACOR, who are single, a group where they feel comfortable and valued as members. Anyone who is single can join, to find friendship, and feel comfortable as a DACOR member through varied activities at DACOR and elsewhere including a monthly luncheon on the 4th Tuesday of the month at DACOR. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Please note this is a hybrid event - you have the option to attend in person or virtually. Registrations are required for all attendees. For in-person attendees, the event will run from 12 - 2 pm and will include lunch. The live stream will begin around 1:10 pm (virtual attendees will be sent a link for the event via email).
In 2002 the Economist named Liberia, “the worst place in the world”. Not Iraq, not Afghanistan nor elsewhere— but warlord President Charles Taylor’s Liberia. In Liberia alone, about 250,000 had already died in its 13 year civil war. Further, Liberia was the epicenter of violence in West Africa, exporting terrifying slaughter to Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire. Whole countries, including Liberia, were decimated. And then, things deteriorated.
By 2003 two separate, ethnically distinct rebel armies were marching on Liberia’s capital of Monrovia. Their goals: kill Charles Taylor, sack the city, exact wholesale revenge and seize power. Hundreds of thousands of displaced had fled the fighting and were jammed into Monrovia; with around one and one-half million people surrounded and at risk of being massacred. By June all embassies excepting that of the United States had closed, most all foreigners had long departed, but Taylor clung to power despite repeated demands from African heads of states, President Bush and many others to step down and leave Liberia.
Meanwhile, the United States had just invaded Iraq and was at war in Afghanistan. The Pentagon, especially Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, was adamant U.S. Embassy Monrovia close down immediately and evacuate all personnel. Most in State Department concurred that it was hopeless. The rebels commenced bombarded of the entire city, and the embassy was hit repeated by both heavy mortar fire and thousands of stray rounds from nearby battles, with some directed fire as well. Embassy defenses were puny.
How was this conflict ended successfully, despite everything? How did a critical ceasefire and dreadful post-conflict situation get converted into a lasting peace of 22 years? What takeaways should be kept in mind when trying to end other complex conflict situations elsewhere?
Join Ambassador John Blaney at a fireside chat to discuss this remarkable 21st century victory, look for broader insights on conflict resolution, and how better to convert ceasefires into lasting peace.
Ambassador Blaney is best known for leading U.S. actions that were decisive in ending Liberia’s long civil war in 2003. With Washington divided on what to do, Blaney risked crossing no man’s land just as the rebel army LURD was about to storm Liberia’s capital city, successfully negotiating on the battlefield a crucial ceasefire, permissive deployment of peacekeepers and a withdrawal of the rebels. This rejuvenated formal peace negotiations in Ghana, and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was completed a few weeks later. Secretary Colin Powell awarded him The Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award for his actions. Blaney was also a principal architect and implementer of Liberia’s successful post-war strategy to ensure a lasting peace.
Previous diplomatic assignments include: Chief of Mission in South Africa, (where Blaney worked with Nelson Mandela on issues like conflict resolution, South Africa’s response to terrorism following 9/11, and HIV/AIDs); Director for Southern African Affairs at the State Department; presidential designation as U.S. Deputy Representative at the ECOSOC and head of sanctions at the United Nations; Minister-Counselor at U.S. Embassy Moscow (as the Soviet Union was disintegrating); positions working on several nuclear arms control negotiations with the Soviet Union (including principal drafter and a negotiator of the U.S.-USSR Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers Agreement); Legislative Assistant to the Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee (and in the Senate), and as an economist at State Department and the U.S. Treasury. He has received numerous presidential, State Department and other agency awards as well as foreign decorations, including Liberia’s Order of Redemption Knight Great Band.
Blaney is the author/editor of Successor States to the USSR (CQ Books, 1995) and several journal articles including “The Art of Strategy Creation for Complex Situations” (NDU’s PRISM 5-3, and elsewhere). Blaney began his career as a U.S. Army officer in 1971. He holds an MSFS Degree from Georgetown University.
After retiring from government, Blaney was a country risk briefer on Wall Street and was Co-Chairman of Deloitte’s Luminary Board. Currently, he is the CEO of Bridge of Gold Entertainment, LLC. He is married to Robin-Suppe Blaney.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Interested in keeping up with your French? Join the French Conversation Group!
Formed to help French-speaking members maintain their proficiency, the group meets monthly for lunchtime conversation involving foreign relations, diplomatic history, cultural activities, travel, and - of course! - French food and wine.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Only French is spoken during lunch. Attendees have the option of participating in the Members' Lunch for $35, or joining the conversation group without eating (no charge). Registrations are required for all participants.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Our member favorite Cocktail evenings continue on first Thursday's in the cooler month's. Please confirm dates through the calendar.
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on the first Thursday of the month. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie in our beautiful historic home.
Cocktails in the House does not require reservations. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Our member favorite Cocktail evenings continue on first Thursday's in the cooler month's. Please confirm dates through the calendar.
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on the first Thursday of the month. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie in our beautiful historic home.
Cocktails in the House does not require reservations. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Join DACOR for a networking breakfast reception for foreign affairs professionals. This informal networking opportunity is perfect for those who are actively seeking employment, are curious about what opportunities currently exist, want to make business connections, or wish to recruit and/or do some casual mentoring. All are welcome.
A light continental breakfast and coffee/tea are included. The attendance fee is complimentary for members of DACOR and those with “Privileges of the House” benefits, and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, as it will help us prepare the appropriate space and amount of food and drink.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Need the perfect spot for a romantic Valentine’s Day evening? Look no further! We will be holding a Candlelit Dinner on Valentine’s Day at the historic DACOR Bacon House.
The dinner will feature a three-course gourmet meal with the option of adding a drink package (includes a choice of wine/digestif per course). Please indicate your meal selections when registering (menu below).
Please register parties together so we can set up the correct number of tables. Please register by February 8th.
If you have an interest in Africa or want to learn more, join DACOR members at the monthly Africa Discussion Group. Discussions are organized around theme, country, region or on a selected speaker’s interests.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Attendees have the option of participating in the Members' Lunch for $35, or joining the discussion group without eating (no charge). Registrations are required for all participants.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
On the third Thursday of the month, we hold a Welcome to DACOR lunch for new members. All members are encouraged to come and meet the newest members of our community over a communal lunch.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (starting in 2024, a glass of wine is not included; wine and other drinks may be purchased). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancellations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Join us for our next Salon which will focus mainly on U.S. economic diplomacy and policy. To begin with more broadly, however: What is this or any diplomacy for? And what is the role of statecraft (read: the State Department) in the conduct of diplomacy?
Transactional negotiation is the name often given the Trump regime’s unprecedented way of carrying out tariff and trade negotiations. These are seen as deal-making, a form of trading calculable gains and losses. Is this model, as such, applicable to trade relations among states? Does it cover all pertinent aspects of trade relations among states, alliances, and multilateral groupings? Is the actual practice of Trump’s tariff negotiations successful by its own standards and other relevant measures?
Can transactional diplomacy, deal-making, be applied across the range of US relations with foreign states and alliances? Does it advance broad US interests and foundational values? shared goals of peace, prosperity, and freedom? How does transaction diplomacy align with US strategic objectives?
The exclusive application of transactional diplomacy to peacemaking raises serious and complex questions. According the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian War shows that ending wars requires an adept mix of coercion, willingness to engage adversaries … and managed expectations.”
The Salon offers all participants a chance for “thinking aloud together.” We ask that members and their guests to this dinner discussion identify trade and other agreements they find successful diplomatic accomplishments. Also we ask that they share with the group aspects of foreign relations other than negotiation and deal-making (e.g., soft diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and public diplomacy) that advance U.S. values and interests.
Our special presenter for this Salon Dinner Discussion is Barbara Bowie-Whitman. Dr. Barbara Bowie-Whitman is an economist and a retired Foreign Service Officer. She was educated at the College of William and Mary and Southern Methodist University and earned her doctorate in economics from the George Washington University.
Dr Bowie-Whitman was a Fulbright Scholar to Guatemala following the completion of her first master’s degree. She served in US Embassies in Mexico, Bogota and London, and was Economic Counselor to the US Mission to the Organization of American States. Her last position in government was as Trade Policy Coordinator for the Western Hemisphere in the US Department of State, where she served as the senior State Department negotiator on free trade agreements with 9 countries.
Barbara has been active in politics and community service and leadership for over six decades, beginning as an eleven year old who wrote a campaign song for Dwight Eisenhower. She was Miss National Young Republican in 1971. She is the widow of Lt.Col. John Whitman, an Army Airborne Ranger and military historian.
Barbara resides in Alexandria, Virginia, and represented Virginia as a delegate to the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The monthly get-together of our affinity group Unaccompanied DACORians, this luncheon gathers members who are widows, widowers, divorcees and other singletons together for camaraderie and discussion over lunch.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved area at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Lunch costs $35/person and includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. Registrations are required for all participants.
Unaccompanied DACORians provides members of DACOR, who are single, a group where they feel comfortable and valued as members. Anyone who is single can join, to find friendship, and feel comfortable as a DACOR member through varied activities at DACOR and elsewhere including a monthly luncheon on the 4th Tuesday of the month at DACOR. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
This is a virtual event. While there is no fee, registration is required. Registrants will be emailed join information before the event. DACOR is currently taking member-only registrations.
Join us for our next TransAtlantic Dialogue with the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Association, the Canadian Ambassadors Alumni Network, and the Canadian Foreign Service Alumni Forum, our counterparts in the United Kingdom and Canada.
The program will be moderated by Alexandra Bugailiskis, Canadian Foreign Service, retired. The panel will be comprised of Ambassador Ron Neumann, President of the American Academy of Diplomacy, Dame Menna Rawlings, former U.K. ambassador to France, and Ambassador Bob Rae, former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York.
Alexandra Bugailiskis, who acted as moderator for this event in 2023, has agreed to do it again. After a 39-year diplomatic career ending with the position of Canadian Ambassador to Italy, Alex received this year the Order of Canada for her contributions in shaping Canada's foreign policies and her mentoring of Canadian diplomats.
Ambassador Ron Neumann is currently President of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Ron served three times as ambassador: to Algeria, Bahrain, and Afghanistan. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, he also served as Embassy Baghdad's liaison with the Multinational Command. An Army infantry officer in Viet Nam, he was awarded a Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal. Ron earned a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science from the University of California at Riverdale and is a graduate of the National War College.
Now President of Queen’s College, Cambridge, Dame Menna Rawlings was appointed the UK ambassador to France in 2021, a post she occupied until July this year. Her appointment marked a historic milestone, forming a first-ever all-female cohort of heads of mission to G7 missions. Before Paris, Menna served as the FCDO’s Director-General for Economic and Global Issues from 2019-20. Prior to that she was head of mission to Australia from 2015-19. Earlier postings included Washington, Ghana, Israel, Kenya and Brussels.
Ambassador Bob Rae was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York from 2020 - 2025 and was elected to the Presidency of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2024-25. He served as Premier of Ontario from 1990-1995, interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011-2013 and was appointed as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar (2017) and Canada’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues (2020). Bob Rae is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, and a member of the Order of Ontario.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Interested in keeping up with your French? Join the French Conversation Group!
Formed to help French-speaking members maintain their proficiency, the group meets monthly for lunchtime conversation involving foreign relations, diplomatic history, cultural activities, travel, and - of course! - French food and wine.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Only French is spoken during lunch. Attendees have the option of participating in the Members' Lunch for $35, or joining the conversation group without eating (no charge). Registrations are required for all participants.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Our member favorite Cocktail evenings continue on first Thursday's in the cooler month's. Please confirm dates through the calendar.
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on the first Thursday of the month. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie in our beautiful historic home.
Cocktails in the House does not require reservations. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
A year into the second Trump administration, we have an overall playbook for U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy. In substance and form, it is unlike many such strategies in the past. As a strategy, we should expect it to state U.S. objectives and give a road map for reaching those objectives. But we should not expect policy substance to match earlier strategies. On substance, we may expect debate.
The generic questions informing this Salon’s reading of the Strategy include:
Does the Strategy clearly state its goals?
What are the challenges and opportunities that affect success in achieving its goals?
And, how will policies and diplomacy work to secure a desired end state?
The underlying logic of the Strategy will set the stage for assessing the truth claims and value judgements written into the document. How does the Strategy define and refine America First? What place do we take in the world? Who counts as allies and who are our adversaries? How do borders and national sovereignty determine inter-state behavior? What weight does the Strategy give to International Law? When do we go to war and how do we make peace? In the risk/cost/benefit calculation that seems to govern decision making, what are the risks in switching from the post-Cold war paradigm that previous Strategies have followed to something largely new and untested?
The agenda for this Salon is ambitious, but the course of discussion itself will sort out the topics of highest priority to participants in the Salon. In this way, it should identify policy priorities among participants and, possibly, “course corrections” in approaches laid out in the Strategy.
Our guest presenter to the Salon is no stranger to its discussions. Colonel (Ret) John Agoglia led discussion at the Salon of October 28 on "Military Power and the Way of War in Our Time." He’s back for more, and brief bio notes follow:
Colonel (Ret) John Agoglia’s 30 years of experience comprise operations management, war gaming, strategic planning, and multinational negotiations aimed at developing and implementing strategic policies to influence bilateral, multilateral and intra-governmental civilian-military processes and relationships in the Asian-Pacific, Middle Eastern and European regions.
Colonel Agoglia 30 years as a career officer in the U.S. Army extends to critical work in Iraq and Afhangistan. In Iraq, he was involved in developing CENTCOM plans for the invasion of Afghanistan and the Global War on Terror. In May of 2003, Colonel Agoglia served as CENTCOM liaison officer to the U.S. Civil Ambassador in Iraq, Paul Bremer. Earlier he was Director of the Counterinsurgency (COIN) Training Center-Afghanistan, during a 29-month deployment from 2008-2010.
Colonel Agoglia has recently worked with and lead a four-person team at the National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C., designing and facilitating table top exercises for the Office of The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OSD-P) that focus on emerging complex national security strategic-policy issues. He is a 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds a master’s degree in Strategic Planning from the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS).
If you have an interest in Africa or want to learn more, join DACOR members at the monthly Africa Discussion Group. Discussions are organized around theme, country, region or on a selected speaker’s interests.
The DACOR cash bar opens at 12 noon and the group moves to a reserved table at Members' Lunch at 12:30 pm. Attendees have the option of participating in the Members' Lunch for $35, or joining the discussion group without eating (no charge). Registrations are required for all participants.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (please note that starting in 2024 a glass of wine is no longer included; wine and other drinks may be purchased at the bar). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
