Curriculum for Truman Project Partners

Orientation to the Truman Project

• Our mission
• Our staff and structure
• Our community, its resources, and its benefits

The Progressive National Security Legacy

• The history and status of the "progressive security gap"
• What the 5 main schools of National Security theory believe
• The philosophical traditions of our national security political values
• How the average American decides to trust you on national security
• What are the common emotional responses tied to national security
• The progressive legacy of strong National Security and core values that unite most progressives

Military 101

• Military demographics and rank structure
• The distinct roles of the services and combatant commands
• How to avoid common mistakes when talking with the military community
• Core military values – where they clash with progressive values, and where they agree
• Hot debates within the Military community
• How to connect with veterans, military families, and active duty personnel

Demystifying the National Security Apparatus

• What you need to know about the State Department
• What you need to know about the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security
• What you need to know about the NSC and the Executive Branch

National Security Communications – Messaging

• The conservative security narrative vs. the progressive security story. Who wins? How progressives mess up
• The mental shortcuts people use when thinking about national security
• How to avoid major mistakes
• Easy and memorable ways to connect when communicating about national security

National Security Communications – Interactive

• The national security message matrix
• The "connect and lead" process
• The surprising importance of nonverbal communication vs. verbal communication
• Being instantly recognized as a "warm and strong" leader
• How progressives start in a national security hole, and how to climb out

National Security in the New Political Environment

• The Millennial Generation’s National Security values and viewpoints
• 3 stunning fundamental political demographic shifts and their effect on policy and communications
• What the end of the broadcast era means for the future of communicating policy ideas
• What the “active voter model” means for foreign affairs
• Why a progressive liberal internationalist coalition can dominate American politics for the next 30 years, and how to engage now