The speech was followed by a panel of defense analysts and thinkers from CSIS, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, the National Defense University and the American Enterprise Institute.

Joint Force Development, or J7 as it's known, is relatively new directorate for the joint staff, Flynn said. J7 was stood up in August 2011 following the disestablishment of the Joint Forces Command.

J7's three areas of focus are:

• Training combatant commanders
• Concept development and experimentation
• Oversight of professional military education.

Click here to view the panel discussion.

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