tion to occur. However constraining the environment may be,
the aforementioned understanding will inform how and with
whom actors can and should interact.
There was also an expressed concern that much of the progress
in terms of relationships, knowledge and interorganizational
cultural understanding built during operations conducted
in Iraq and Afghanistan was never institutionalized. Having
assumed that operations of that kind are unlikely to occur in
the near future, several participants feared that organizations
would focus less on effective coordination as a priority, causing
any progress made to eventually erode. With this, participants
noted the importance of developing sustainable knowledge
management mechanisms in order to preserve and strengthen
these ties.
Communication
Another area that garnered general agreement was the necessity of effective communication in a shared space. PSOTEW
participants noted the importance of identifying impediments
to effective communication and developing practical ways to
overcome them. For example, various lexicons used by different
organizations create gaps in understanding. Certain phrases in
common usage throughout the military such as “unity of effort”
have a negative connotation to other actors. The challenge of
different lexicons is not distinct to civilian and military entities.
Rather they complicate understanding across the whole spectrum of actors operating in shared spaces.
Leadership and Management
Certain leadership qualities are essential to operating more
effectively in an uncertain environment. Practitioners are not
only constrained by other actors in the environment, but also
by intra-agency operations. Sometimes organizations cannot
legally participate in certain activities. Lack of knowledge about
these restrictions can lead to tensions that poison personal
relations. The effective use of resources is rooted in a familiarity
with other actor’s roles, authorities, finances, and capabilities in
order to maximize efforts. In terms of helpful skillsets, building
a consensus and managing effective partnerships are critical
qualities for effective practitioners. Not only should they possess negotiation, mediation, and facilitation skills, but also the
awareness to assess, reassess, and adjust the implementation of
these skills depending on the situation.
Audience
As previously mentioned, the learner-centric course should
target mid-level practitioners with an ideal audience including
18
representatives from all relevant institutions and organizations.
Participants in the discussion anecdotally reported that middle management is often ignored in civ-mil relations training,
whereas many courses are offered for senior mission leaders and
entry-level professionals. A USIP civ-mil relations course with a
mid-level, cross-sector focus would address a category of actors
not previously targeted in most civ-mil courses.
Format
Given the audience, participants grappled with a variety of
formats for the course. Some argued for an online course citing
the proclivity of current practitioners to utilize technology in
many interactions, especially when coordinating efforts across
continents. Another benefit of an online course is the flexibility
it provides to the learner on when to engage and from where
they can engage. The challenge in any online course is providing a realistic forum in which to practice skills-based learning.
Several participants felt that in- person engagement is crucial to
facilitate learning through class discussions and provide course
instructors the opportunity to assess the learning as they are
teaching through direct observation of the students and their
interactions. Others recommended a combination of online
and in-person instruction, with the online component to serve
as an introductory basis for an in-person course. Regardless of
format, the importance of learning experientially was highlighted continually with emphasis on maximizing the use of simulations and case studies, providing participants the opportunity to
apply knowledge and for instructors to assess learning.
Looking Forward
Following the feedback and recommendations made during the
PSOTEW discussion, USIP has transitioned to a more structured content development phase. As a collaborative process,
the course design that began in the PSOTEW workgroup will
continue to involve the communities of interest going forward.
Ultimately, USIP aims to pilot a civ-mil relations course in the
fall of 2015. For further engagement to share comments or
thoughts please contact Kelly Mader at [email protected].