The Foreign Service Journal, May 2007

Forging a Common Civilian-Military Vision For this unique civilian-military joint effort to work, however, certain- ly requires the forging of a common vision of what the PRTs are trying to accomplish. Through a robust intera- gency lessons-learned process, we are narrowing the “vision gap,” conduct- ing an honest appraisal of our short- comings and making the necessary adjustments to provide maximum support to the PRTs and ensure the success of their mission. Toward that end, on Feb. 22 State and the Department of Defense sign- ed a Memorandum of Agreement that codifies the civilian-military partner- ship, clarifies responsibilities for securi- ty and command and control arrange- ments, and sets forth the purpose of the PRTs. The MOA directly address- es the support challenges that we have faced since the teams first rolled out. That will greatly enhance effective exe- cution of PRT programs, with “State and DOD shar[ing] a common under- standing of their respective roles and responsibilities,” as called for by the report of the Office of the Special In- spector General for Iraq Reconstruc- tion. This is of particular salience as brigade commanders and PRT leaders work together in designing and imple- menting a common plan of action under which they will target their com- bined resources. Now we must go beyond words on paper and bridge the interagency cul- tural divide if we are to effectively operationalize “unity of mission” be- tween civilians and the military out in the field. We are tackling this task head-on. In March, over 40 new PRT offi- cers — civilian and military — partici- pated in the first PRT training course at the Foreign Service Institute. Part of a monthlong effort to prepare PRT personnel prior to reporting to their posts in Iraq, the course includes such topics as civil-military relations, agency perspectives, U.S. strategy, public diplomacy and other relevant training modules. Specifically designed for Iraq PRT members, this training was delivered by experts with previous experience serving there, who helped give the new PRT members the “ground truth” as to what they will face on the job. As a result of such joint pre- deployment training, incoming PRT members will now have a fuller understanding of the U.S. mission in Iraq, lessons learned, resources avail- able to them, and the critical impor- tance of teamwork. The process will also forge stronger bonds of intera- gency collaboration that will carry over into the field. In addition, several months ago an interagency working group — com- prised of representatives from State, USAID and the Departments of Defense, Justice, Agriculture and Commerce — began meeting regu- larly to address PRT policy issues and oversee the rollout of the enhanced PRT plan proposed by President Bush in January. Issues relayed from the field (whether about policy, staffing, funding, training or equipment) are more immediately digested, and their resolution prioritized, as the mission has adapted institutionally. The civilian dimension is essential to the success of the President’s New Way Forward in Iraq. Indeed, the FSOs and our other civilian partners bring the ingenuity, special skill sets and relevant experience that will re- main key determinants in transitioning the country to self-reliance. Those joining the PRT program now will find that they are increasingly better pre- pared, supported and resourced than those who pioneered the program. Ambassador Lawrence E. Butler is a deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. M A Y 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 17 I N R E S P O N S E