Dr. Joan Johnson-Freese returns to the Sandhills to speak to the English-Speaking Union on the present "U.S. Soft Power Diplomacy."

She will discuss the purpose, goals and the implementation of this timely topic.

The program and dinner will be presented at the Country Club of North Carolina Wednesday, Nov. 11. The evening begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The program follows the dinner. A question-and-answer period will be held.

Johnson-Freese is the chairwoman of the Department of National Security Decision Making, (N.S.D.M.), at the Naval War College.

From 1998 to 2002, she held the position of chairwoman of the Transitional Studies Department at the Asia-Pacific Center for Securities Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. She served on the faculty staff at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1993-1998. From 1980-1993, Johnson-Freese served as director of the Center for Space Policy and Law at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla. She is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Space and Astronomical Science in Sagamihara, Japan, and earned a doctorate in political science from Kent State University.

She teaches security, strategy and forces, and decision making and implementation, in the N.S.D.M. Department. Within the realm of international and national security studies, her research and writing focuses on globalization and international technology programs and policies.

Johnson-Freese has been a consultant for agencies such as the State Department, U.S.A.F. Space Tactic School, I.C.A.F., Army War College and the Air Force Academy, Center for Defense Information, National Space Society and NASA. She has testified before the U.S. Congress concerning U.S.-Sino security issues and The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Johnson/Freese has written several books examining space policy and its ramifications for foreign policy, and she has had over 100 articles published on these topics. She lives in Newport, R.I., and in the summer teaches a course in globalization and terrorism at Harvard University.

The English-Speaking Union is a worldwide organization whose mission is "drawing together the English-speaking peoples of the world." Its commitment is promoting scholarship and the advancement of knowledge through the effective use of English in an expanding global community. The local branch of the English-Speaking Union approaches this mission with a monthly program of informative and entertaining speakers on topics ranging from literary to the geopolitical stage.

In addition, the Sandhills Branch of the E-SU sponsors the Shakespeare competition for students in Moore and surrounding counties, the Walter Hines Page Scholarship for teachers, and this year, for the first time, a middle school debate competition.

For information, call Martha O'Connor at (910) 235-0635 or e-mail Phil Hinsley at p.hinsley@gmail.com.