The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) was awarded the 2021 Secretary of Defense Award for Sustainment Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Military Forces for the third year in a row.
ISG’s Colombia Project Team, working side-by-side with the Colombian defense and security sector logistics enterprise, facilitated the development and ongoing implementation of the Ministry of National Defense’s logistics modernization plan, setting the conditions for enhanced Colombian logistics interoperability with the U.S. Department of Defense and with NATO. Colombia is now positioned to become a regional defense logistics leader. ISG’s collaborative approach and direct involvement with Colombia’s Ministry of National Defense, General Command of the Military Forces, Public Forces, and National Police logistics stakeholders is driving efforts to improve sector-wide logistics functions and increasing national sustainment capacity to produce a better return on investment for US Security Assistance and Cooperation. These extraordinary accomplishments reflect great credit upon the Institute for Security Governance Colombia Team, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
The ISG Colombia Team, headed by Regional Program Lead Darryl L. Long, also includes Denny Wetherald, Hal Laughlin, Dan Georgi, Kathy Conley, Michael Boomer, Gordon Grant, and Rick Powell. This award represents years of hard work and bilateral cooperation in support of the Colombian Ministry of National Defense that have significantly advanced the strategic interests of the United States.
ISG WELCOMES
New DSCU President
Dr. Celeste Gventer
On December 1, 2021, Dr. Celeste Ward Gventer assumed duties as the President of the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU). Dr. Gventer has been a national security professional for over two decades with service in government, academia, and the private sector, both in the United States and overseas. Notably, her most recent role prior to assuming the DSCU presidency was as a Europe Regional Program Lead at ISG. ISG wishes Dr. Gventer the best of luck in her new role and looks forward to her leadership and vision.
New ISG Personnel
David Manero
Carry O'Connell
Joel Kleehammer
Julie Birt
NON-RESIDENT ADVISING
ISG Helps Qatar Build Institutional Capacity Through FMS
The partnership between the United States and Qatar is rooted in “the common goal of a stable, secure, and prosperous Middle East.” The U.S. has been working with Qatar – as well as with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – “to increase cooperation on border security, maritime security, military preparedness, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism.” Effective cooperation in these realms hinges on enabling U.S. Partners and Allies to train, equip, absorb, employ, and sustain defense capabilities that are integral to Security Cooperation and interoperability.
As noted in the July 2021 “U.S. Security Cooperation with Qatar” Fact Sheet published by the U.S. Department of State, “The U.S. has over $26 billion in active government-to-government cases with Qatar under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, making Qatar the second largest FMS partner in the world.” Accordingly, the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) – the Department of Defense’s Center of Excellence for Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) – has recently begun supporting a Qatari FMS case focused on force development and defense management. This case is in service to a higher-level strategic goal meant to enable the Qatari Armed Forces to organize into a joint structure so that it is better able to meet shared threats. The successful start of the FMS ICB case with Qatar represents a new model for Security Cooperation capacity building with Partners and Allies.
The origins of ISG’s FMS support can be traced to initial touchpoints between Qatari defense personnel and ISG’s international defense and resource management experts. Having nominated and sent personnel to participate in ISG-delivered courses on defense procurement and resource management, Qatari change agents within its defense hierarchy then sought out additional ISG advising support to better understand the connections between defense acquisitions, larger doctrinal concepts, and strategic security objectives that directly address shared threats.
At present, ISG has engaged Qatar in the area of joint concepts and defense management using a three-pronged approach. First, ISG will provide a Resident Advisor, who will work with the Partner in-country over the course of 12-24 months. Second, the Resident Advisor will be complemented by a team of ISG subject matter experts, who will conduct engagements with the Qataris both in-country and virtually several times per year, including continuous intersessional touchpoints. In fact, the first in-country engagement since the signing of the case was completed in November, kicking off efforts to support the Qataris in developing their own strategic framework and strategy papers. Together, the combined advising efforts support Qatar in building adaptable ICB programs to meet shared bilateral Security Cooperation objectives. Finally, these first two prongs will be further augmented by a third, comprising of professional military education opportunities tailored to the Partner and aimed at specific functional areas related to the FMS case.
ISG and its Qatari counterparts are hopeful that building out its force development and defense management capabilities will amplify Qatar’s ability to meet shared security objectives.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT & RESILIENCE
10th Annual Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE)
An Institute for Security Governance (ISG) team traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh in late October to participate in the 10th Annual Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE) in support of U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Embassy Dhaka, the Bangladesh Armed Forces Division, and the Bangladeshi Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. The event gathered approximately 300 participants from 23 countries for three days of presentations, expert exchanges, and a tabletop exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to validate and finalize the draft Bangladesh Disaster Incident Management Team (DIMT) Guideline.
Building upon the 10-year history of the Bangladesh DREE program, the 2021 theme was "Resilience Through Preparedness." Presentations and moderated panel sessions covered a range of topics from Bangladesh disaster management progress and experiences to international practices of Australia, Japan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United Nations World Food Program, and others including discussions on lessons learned and other considerations from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The tabletop exercise portion centered on a catastrophic earthquake scenario during a global pandemic, creating a “dual-disaster” scenario. Participants were organized across 13 functional cells in accordance with the draft DIMT Guideline.
EDUCATION
ISG Brings the Principles of Defense Acquisition to Latin America and the Caribbean
The United States has been working with Latin American and Caribbean Partner Nations to strengthen their defense capabilities; to enhance regional security; to build partner capacity to acquire, employ, and sustain defense articles; and to remain the partner of choice in an era of long-term strategic competition. In the 2021 U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) posture statement, USSOUTHCOM Commander Admiral Craig S. Faller highlighted the elevated threats in the region, citing the disproportionate impacts of the global pandemic that have compounded longstanding socioeconomic challenges and increased the region’s vulnerability to external state actors actively seeking “to exploit the region’s resources and proximity to the United States.” As a trusted partner and ally, the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) remains committed to partnering with the USSOUTHCOM J-5 and Department of State (DoS) to offer educational and advising Security Cooperation programs that enhance the region’s capability and capacity to effectively plan for and manage acquisition life cycle costs.
"As a trusted partner and ally, the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) remains committed to partnering with the USSOUTHCOM J-5 and Department of State (DoS) to offer educational and advising Security Cooperation programs that enhance the region’s capability and capacity to effectively plan for and manage acquisition life cycle costs."
For example, at the 2018 USSOUTHCOM / USNORTHCOM Security Cooperation Education and Training Working Group (SCETWG), DoS presented schoolhouse providers with an opportunity to propose education programs to Central American partners funded through the Central America Maritime Regional Initiative (CAMRI) Foreign Military Financing Case. ISG’s international defense acquisition and resource management experts seized upon the opportunity, recommending a progressive course series on defense acquisition for a cohort of students from Central America (including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama) over a period of two years. The proposal was welcomed by the partner nations, Security Cooperation Officers, DoS, and the USSOUTHCOM J-5 CAMRI Integrator.
The initial course series began in 2019, and primarily focused on an examination of the principles of defense acquisition management; contract management; supply chain and logistics management; and life cycle cost management. Project-based planning tools and program management strategies were provided to effectively plan for and respond to maritime maintenance challenges. Participants engaged in identifying challenges and opportunities to improve the logistics systems within their maritime forces. An overarching case study and working group exercises provided participants the opportunity to practically apply workshop concepts to a real-world scenario. Participants worked in small groups to exchange ideas and explore collaborative and innovative solutions, delivering presentations to highlight their accomplishments. An emphasis was placed on applying theoretical concepts to the national context of each participating nation in addition to identifying opportunities to overcome challenges and enhance regional collaboration.
Follow-on courses in 2020 were cancelled because of the global pandemic. However, ISG was able to reconfigure the program into a series of three-day, intensive, virtual workshops that would take place between June - September 2021. Twenty-four military participants from each of the CAMRI-eligible countries, including Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, were specifically selected to participate in this progressively tailored workshop series because of their current positions and ranks within their services.
Partnering with the USSOUTHCOM J-5 CAMRI Integrator to provide educational opportunities in Central America via CAMRI not only expanded ISG, Institutional Capacity Building (ICB), and Security Cooperation exposure within the region, but it also enabled our valued partners to access much needed educational opportunities in defense acquisition, contracting, and logistics management. Apart from Belize, most partner nations participating in the workshop indicated an interest in programs that do not have an English Comprehension Level (ECL) requirement due to limited professional English language skills. Accordingly, for this workshop series, ISG’s international defense acquisition and resource management experts incorporated simultaneous interpretation in English/Spanish and Spanish-translated written course materials so that partners could exchange ideas and fully participate in this educational opportunity in their native language. Positive participant feedback coupled with strong support from our partners at DoS and USSOUTHCOM highlight the continued demand and desire for educational programs that fulfill Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s (DSCA) ICB objectives in defense acquisition management and decision-making.
"Partnering with the USSOUTHCOM J-5 CAMRI Integrator to provide educational opportunities in Central America via CAMRI not only expanded ISG, Institutional Capacity Building (ICB), and Security Cooperation exposure within the region, but it has also enabled our valued partners to access much needed educational opportunities in defense acquisition, contracting, and logistics management."
ISG’s International Defense Acquisition Resource Management (IDARM) program will continue to support USSOUTHCOM and DoS by tailoring programs to meet the needs of the region and incorporate other annual professional development opportunities. These programs include regionally specific defense acquisition management in-residence courses for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Additionally, in partnership with the ISG's Western Hemisphere Regional Program Lead, IDARM will support the development and implementation of a pilot bilateral program with El Salvador to support Resource Management and Capability Cost Estimation. Together, these multilateral education programs and bilateral advising efforts are designed to complement and reinforce fundamental operations and sustainment considerations to support DSCA’s overarching mission of strengthening partnerships and institutional capacity with our valued Partners.
For more information on IDARM programs within Latin America and the Caribbean, contact Course Director, Ms. Brooke Love Adame.
For more information on the functional areas covered in the CAMRI program, ISG has developed a series of concise papers designed to inform USG stakeholders and Partners known as ICB Smart Sheets. These primers, linked below, discuss the specific challenge faced; the current state of the field; the role ICB plays in resolving these challenges; and ICB best practice recommendations related to Defense Acquisition and Building Enduring Logistics Institutions.
FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS
Eric Leyde
Mr. Eric Leyde was the Southeast Europe Regional Project Lead (RPL) for the Advising & Consulting Division of the Institute for Security Governance from August 2014 through November 2021. In this capacity, he developed, facilitated, oversaw, instructed, and assessed holistic Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) programs for countries in Southeast Europe that focused on supporting Partner Nation efforts to strengthen core Ministry of Defense and related defense and security institution functions.
Mr. Leyde was first introduced to ISG – then known as the Defense Management Team – while working at the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy (OSD-P). While collaborating on country projects in Albania and Kosovo with a number of current ISG colleagues, he realized the importance of defense institution building to Security Cooperation, and soon welcomed the opportunity to join the effort.
Mr. Leyde joined ISG with an impressive resume. Mr. Leyde was a career Army Foreign Area Officer (FAO) with experience in Southeastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Central Asia. He was a subject matter expert in defense policy formulation and execution for both regional and functional portfolios.
Specifically, Mr. Leyde worked in support of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), where he advised the J-5 in the development of strategic plans and policy with regard to European Command and Africa Command. As an active-duty FAO, he was a Regional Policy Advisor for Balkans Affairs in OSD-P, and advised senior Pentagon decision-makers on defense-related international strategies specific to the Balkans and the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR). Prior to that, he worked directly for the Secretary of Defense Special Representative as member of team that negotiated the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the Russian Federation, where he leveraged his previous experience as a nuclear arms inspection team commander.
When asked what accomplishments he was most proud of during his time at ISG, Mr. Leyde pointed to both professional and personal achievements. For example, having worked with Kosovar Partners for much of his career, Mr. Leyde was very proud that, in 2018, Kosovo was finally realizing its ambition of achieving a territorial defense force. He noted that ISG had been the most significant supporter of Kosovo’s efforts in this regard since the 2011 Deputies Committee decision to authorize support. On a personal note, Mr. Leyde pointed to his son’s earning his Eagle Scout rank in 2020, and safely leading his Eagle Project with over 30 adults and Scouts at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a tremendous source of pride.
Mr. Leyde was also asked to impart a few pearls of wisdom to his colleagues before embarking on the next chapter of his professional career. He offered the following:
- ICB is a great and important mission, even if stakeholders don’t quite understand it yet
- For the new RPLs: Reach out to other RPLs; they will be gracious with their time to get you up to speed. Also, leverage the knowledge of your Country Program Coordinators.
- Get a sturdy suitcase, Global Pass, and make sure to switch your personal cell to “wifi only” when you head overseas!
Wise and practical words. ISG is grateful to Mr. Eric Leyde for his contributions to the mission and wish him fair winds and following seas.
PRIMERS
Introduction to ISG
The Introduction to ISG Primer provides a brief introduction to ISG as a leader and integrator in global Institutional Capacity Building and includes information about what drives us, how we are organized, our approach to advising and education, and the areas in which we work.
Non-Resident Advising
The Non-Resident Advising Primer provides a brief introduction to Non-Resident Advising – ISG’s primary tool for fostering long-term Security Cooperation relationships that support the development of bilateral military capability priorities and fulfill Congressionally-mandated Institutional Capacity Building requirements.
Resident & Mobile Education
The Resident & Mobile Education Primer provides a brief introduction to ISG’s adaptable, scalable, and tailored education programming, which is offered in a variety of delivery formats, across a wide array of functional areas to address U.S. and Partner Nation security objectives.
RESIDENT ADVISING
ISG Resident Advisors Assists in One of Estonia’s Largest Security Reforms
In 2020, the Institute for Security Governance (ISG) – U.S. Department of Defense’s lead implementer for Institutional Capacity Building – deployed a Resident Advisor to Estonia to support efforts by its Ministry of Defense (MoD) to improve national Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). This effort was part of the larger bilateral security objective to ensure Estonia’s borders remain sovereign and secure through the use of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and data-sharing.
The Government of Estonia (GoE) has been working to improve its maritime capabilities over the course of many years. In June 2021, the GoE formed a new inter-ministerial Maritime Security Working Group to implement a merger of the Police and Border Guard Board fleet with the Navy. The GoE specifically requested the MoD to include ISG’s Resident Advisor in the process so as to provide technical assistance and advice at the national level. Estonia’s MoD employed this total team approach to study the issues and form recommendations to include the consolidation of Estonia's various maritime fleet capabilities. This merger was envisioned to enable Estonia’s MDA operations and to improve its ability to gather and analyze information necessary for planning a rapid maritime response to emergent threats.
In November 2021, the Government of Estonia agreed to merge the Police and Border Guard Board – nested within the Ministry of Interior – and the Defense Forces Fleets. Estonian Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet heralded this change as “the biggest state reform in the near future.” The integration of these two bodies is intended to increase Estonia’s security, and as Laanet emphasized, Estonia’s readiness “to intervene in case of danger.” It also creates “the preconditions for the Allies to respond to the conflicts in the region.” This development is seen as a great step forward for the Government of Estonia. It also demonstrates how the deployment of Resident Advisors can be a powerful tool within the Security Cooperation toolbox, helping Partners develop institutional capacity to achieve shared security goals.
ISG Resident Advisors, also known as Ministry of Defense Advisors (MoDAs), work with international partners to improve management and efficiency of defense institutions. A trained and deployed Resident Advisor is a subject matter expert who enables enduring, local solutions that build partner institutional capacity. Finding tailored solutions to local problems is the primary objective of any resident advisor serving in a Partner Nation. To learn more about these positions and how to apply, check out the ISG Resident Advising primer as well as these current openings.
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