Every year, SOFCON brings together academics, government officials, military leaders, and industry professionals to discuss emerging challenges and opportunities within the broader Special Operations Forces community. Since the conference was launched in 2018, it has become the premier forum for the civilian-military exchange of ideas on special operations.

Previous speakers and attendees have included General Stan McChrystal, General Scott Miller, Vice Admiral Mitch Bradley, Lieutenant General Michael Nagata, Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, National Security Council Legal Advisor Joshua Geltzer, Assistant Secretary of Defense Chris Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense Owen West, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Erin Logan, and others.

The conference is organized by the Petraeus-Recanati-Kaplan Fellows and is sponsored by the Blue Center for Strategic Assessment. The PRK Fellowship enables experienced, carefully selected military special operators to gain a deeper understanding of global affairs; to engage intellectually with different perspectives; to develop relationships with future leaders across the diplomatic, development, defense and civil society communities; and to expand international networks in order to deliver more comprehensive responses to global challenges. The fellows study for a one-year Master of Advanced Study in Global Affairs at the Yale Jackson School.