Bellevue University Announces Gen. Jack Keane as Featured Speaker for 2026 Signature Event
Bellevue University will welcome retired four-star General Jack Keane, one of the nation’s foremost voices on national security and foreign policy, as the featured speaker for its 2026 Signature Event on October 5. The annual event brings together community leaders, partners, and supporters to explore timely topics of national interest and importance.
Key Facts
- Speaker: General Jack Keane, United States Army (Ret.); Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; FOX News Sr. Strategic Analyst
- Topic: “America’s National Defense Strategy”
- Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
- Location: Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St., Omaha, Nebraska 68102
- Format: Hybrid event featuring keynote remarks and moderated Q&A
- Free and open to the public; RSVP required
Gen. Jack Keane Announced as 2026 Signature Event Speaker
Bellevue University has announced that Gen. Jack Keane, one of America's most respected and influential voices on national security and foreign policy, will be the featured speaker at its annual Signature Event set for Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, 7 p.m.
The event will be held at the Holland Performing Arts Center located at 13th and Douglas streets in downtown Omaha. Admission is free, but attendees must RSVP.
In a time of real global uncertainty, Americans deserve clear, experienced voices on national defense. General Keane has spent a lifetime helping shape the decisions that protect our country, and he brings a practical understanding of how those decisions affect our security, our economy, and our role in the world.
About General John M. “Jack” Keane, United States Army (Ret.)
General Jack Keane is widely recognized as one of our nation’s foremost authorities on foreign policy and national security. A distinguished military leader, accomplished strategist, and trusted voice on matters of global defense, he has devoted his life to the service of the United States and to the advancement of American security interests at home and abroad.
General Keane serves as Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and has been a longtime member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board, advising four Secretaries of Defense over the course of his career. He has also served an unprecedented three times on the Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy, including the 2018, 2022, and 2026 commissions, underscoring the continued confidence placed in his judgment and experience. He also serves as a senior strategic analyst and commentator for FOX News.
A four-star general, General Keane completed 37 years of public service in December 2003, culminating in his appointment as Acting Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. In that role, he served as the Army’s chief operating officer, responsible for the leadership of 1.5 million soldiers and civilians across 120 countries and oversight of a $110 billion annual operating budget.
General Keane was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and played a significant role in supporting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. During the 9/11 wars General Keane conducted frequent trips to Iraq and Afghanistan on behalf of senior military and civilian defense officials. In 2006, he was invited to the Oval Office by President George W. Bush to discuss the war in Iraq, where he presented a strategic concept that became known as the troop surge and helped reshape American strategy.
A career infantry paratrooper and combat veteran of the Vietnam War, General Keane commanded the 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) and the XVIII Airborne Corps, among the most distinguished formations in the United States Army. He was decorated for valor and distinguished throughout his career for leadership, courage, and excellence in command.
General Keane was commissioned through Army ROTC as a Distinguished Military Graduate at Fordham University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He later received a Master of Arts degree from Western Kentucky University and is a graduate of the Army War College and the Army Command and General Staff College.
General Keane has numerous awards reflecting his decades of distinguished public service to include over 30 civilian honors and awards. Among these, he was the first military leader to receive the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award, presented in 2018 at The Reagan Library. In 2020, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime service to the nation. General Keane’s numerous military service medals and citations include two Defense and two Army Distinguished Service Medals, five Legions of Merit, the Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Vietnam Service medals, Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, Master Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab, to list a few.
Founded in 1966, Bellevue University is a non-profit university with more than 70,000 graduates worldwide. The University is a recognized national leader in preparing students for lifelong success with career-relevant knowledge and skills, while making college affordable. Routinely ranked among the nation’s top military and accessible institutions, the University serves residential students at its main campus in Bellevue, Nebraska, and everywhere online with more than 85 degree programs uniquely designed for working adults. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).