Introduction
For a third year in a row , the Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance ( JCISFA ) had the privilege to host a PSOTEW working group ( WG ) with this year ’ s WG 6 topic , “ Training for Senior Leaders Going into an Advisory Role – Is there a training & education gap ?” As US military efforts in Afghanistan extend beyond 16 years , the WG considered whether our training and education efforts to prepare senior level advisors could be refined , and if so , what adjustments should be made . Harnessing the theme for PSOTEW 2017 , “ Preparing Leaders to Thrive in a Complex World ,” the group considered the issue against the backdrop of two recent events that would bring greater scrutiny to US advising efforts . First , President Trump ’ s inauguration comments seemed to cast a shadow upon security cooperation efforts that depleted resources for domestic policy and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 that demonstrated increasing Congressional oversight . As the Administration and Congress monitors US government and military advising efforts more closely , the question is whether a proposed solution should simply include more training , or be more institutional in nature .
Issue
To identify a training and education gap for senior leaders , the WG expanded its aperture from the tactical level or operating function of organizational structure to a wider “ whole of government ” view . Using the Executive-Generating-Operating ( EGO ) Function construct as a guide , the WG reviewed the alignment of the general advisor mission to determine if there was : 1 ) a clear US diplomatic , development , defense mission / end state ; 2 ) a clear task review of the mission to determine the required capability and capacity for US defense efforts ; and 3 ) a clear review of interagency / international support that may inform the effectiveness of US defense efforts . By organizing the group ’ s thinking around these principles , the group began to identify training and education gaps and sought to develop the following products :
-a proposed advisor framework to understand interagency coordination gaps ;
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Workgroup 6 guest speaker Dr . Nadia Gerspacher ( USIP )
-a recommended structure , policy , procedure for advisor implementation ; - and senior leader advisory training and education requirements to be implemented by particular organizations
Background
In 2016 , the Joint Staff J7 Force Development , Vice-Director ( Suffolk ) Major General John W . Charlton , recommended JCISFA look into the possible training and education gap for senior leader advisors . He noted senior leaders did not seem to receive the preparation necessary to excel readily in advising missions and tasks . JCISFA began a “ Deep Dive ” project to study the issue , collect engagements within the stakeholder community of advisors , and develop recommendations . The project highlighted the need for institutional-level changes . The seemingly clear solution of additional training replete with specialized classes , from specialized organizations would not resolve the problem . From an institutional perspective , any proposed solution requires more than “ just in time ” training and leads to the fundamental question of , what is the problem , and are we addressing the problem or the symptom ?