oversight mechanisms , contract synchronization was absent , which led to numerous problems .
OCS specifically offers DOD support to all branches of the USG . But for OCS to be an effective tool , the entire process must be coordinated between all involved branches of the government . Coordinating OCS activities across all agencies is an enormous challenge .
Afghanistan was a prime example of the challenges of coordinating OCS across multiple agencies , not only in regard to US to US contracts , but also coalition and local security contracts as well . The contractual objective in Afghanistan was the procurement of Afghan security . Even though immediate operational input was achieved in the war era , after Karzai departed office , Ghani ’ s refusal of contracts led to operational problems . Foreign Vendor Vetting aims to mitigate threat by identifying potential illicit groups and personnel in the vetting process . The problem this poses in many cases is that the locals are only told to refuse the offer of a specific vendor , often without specific reason , which not only creates mistrust , but also makes the locals feel like the US is simply dictating its will .
Clearly defined priorities greatly facilitates operational merit , as was noted during hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean , where the foremost priority was rebuilding infrastructure . Operation United Assistance ( OUA ), which was AFRICOM ’ s response to the Ebola outbreak , was an entirely different OCS dynamic , which ended faster than estimates because of a more benign and less hostile environment . This dynamic occurred because the entire operation was largely civilian contractor-led with a limited military support package , giving the entire operation a more friendly appearance . This made the local population more willing to engage and lowered barriers . members were : Mr . Mark Swayne ( Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs ), Mr . Patrick Dulin ( Executive Director of the Mission Support Directorate , Defense Logistics Agency ), BG David Glaser ( Commanding General , U . S . Army Corrections Command , and Deputy Commanding General , U . S . Army Criminal Investigation Command ), BG William B . Mason III ( Deputy Commanding General Director , Institute for Military Support to Governance ).
The PSOTEW concluded with observations and guidance from Mr . Mark Swayne and closing remarks by COL Greg Dewitt , the PKSOI Director . While Mr . Swayne lauded the efforts of all participants , he focused his guidance on those groups that he felt had moved their efforts far enough forward for his office to provide support for continued work . Those groups were WG3 Identify characteristics of sustainable stability curricula , WG4 Transitional Public Security and WG5 Women , Peace , and Security . COL Dewitt recognized the members of the Outbrief panel for taking time from their schedules to provide insights to the PSOTEWefforts , and then challenged the audience to move forward with Mr . Swayne ’ s guidance , while also providing critical feedback to increase the 2018 effectiveness !
Abdullah Rumman from Pakistan is an intern at PKSOI at USAWC in Carlisle , PA . He is entering his sophomore year at Dickinson College , where he is majoring in International Studies with a focus on International Development . He hopes to work of an International or Non-Governmental Organization in the future .
Flexible , commercial support contracts are essential for successfully achieving objectives in Crisis Response and Stability Operations .
Out Brief Panels
During the final day of the PSOTEW , the WG leaders briefed a panel of selected senior leaders on their group ’ s efforts , conclusions , and recommendations . The out briefs allowed the panel members to ask questions and provide immediate feedback to the WG leads . At the same time , these interactions elicited further questions and discussion from the entire audience . The dialogue created during the out briefs is one of the key components to learning that occurs during the PSOTEW . The panel members are invited based on their areas of expertise nesting with the focus of the working groups . This year ’ s panel
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