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Archived Events:
An archive of previous CCMR Events can be found here.
Conference Focuses on Globally Shared Spaces
Submitted by Prof. Scott Jasper
National Security Affairs Professor Sandra Leavitt addresses attendees of the Center for Civil-Military Relations sponsored 2010 Cooperation and Conflict in the Global Commons conference in Virginia Beach, Va. The conference explored the various actors in the Global Commons, with a focus on how U.S. military involvement in these areas can maintain security for U.S. and allied interests.
"Our goal at this conference is to better understand the nature and impact of cooperation and conflict dynamics within and among the commons, where competing interests and motivations potentially threaten security and prosperity," said NPS President retired Vice Adm. Dan Oliver, a guest speaker at the conference.
"The global commons are so diverse," said retired Lt. Gen. James Soligan, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability Development for NATO's Allied Command Transformation. "The real purpose of the conference is to talk about those common interface mechanisms that allow us to deal with our collective security dilemmas. How do we deal with places in which no one nation has territorial responsibilities?"
The need to tackle this complex issue is a growing concern as the global marketplace brings more actors, both good and bad, into the Global Commons. "We need to address the enemy's capabilities as they manifest, specifically in the commons," said Rear Adm. Lawrence Rice, U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) Director of Strategy and Policy. "Make no mistake that risks to the orderly flow of trade and information comprise fundamental national security threats."
The conference was held in partnership with the National Defense University Institute for National Strategic Studies, USJFCOM Joint Futures Group, and NATO Allied Command Transformation. NPS professors Dan Moran, Anne Clunan, Sandra Leavitt, and Susan Hocevar were part of a panel discussion, with the author of this article, Scott Jasper, acting as moderator.
CCMR and GCMC cooperate on National Security Concept assistance to the Republic of Georgia
From July 26-28, Elisabeth Wright, Program Manager of the Center for Civil Military Relations led a George C. Marshall Center sponsored workshop in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GE. Dr. Wright customized the content of the workshop to meet the needs of the Republic of Georgia in its efforts to develop a Whole of Government Approach to the development and implementation of its National Security Strategy.
In attendance were twenty-three Parliamentarians, members of the National Security Council and senior Ministerial civilian and military experts. Complementing Dr. Wright’s efforts were distinguished speakers who provided expert remarks in the plenary. Of those, Professor Trevor Taylor and Professor Michael Ruediger, both subject matters experts representing CCMR, participated in the workshop as plenary speakers and facilitators of working groups. Dr. Wright provided remarks focused on the Whole of Government approach to capabilities based strategy while Professor Taylor discussed the components of effective national security strategy and the challenges faced in the United Kingdom. Professor Ruediger offered strategic assessment and risk assessment tools which the Georgians are keen to utilize. Additionally he discussed Germany’s experiences in the area of national security reform.
This workshop was the second in a series of workshops planned throughout FY11. The next workshop is scheduled for January 2011 in Georgia. The success of the workshop, made possible through cooperation between GCMC and CCMR was evidenced in the laudatory remarks of Mr. Lasha Darlia senior member of the Georgian delegation.
CCMR Tackles Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security
Leaders from Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon attended a Regional Maritime Security conference in Cameroon. Full Story
LDESP Prepares KFOR 14 for their Mission in Kosovo
The Leader Development and Education for Sustained Peace (LDESP) program conducted
a seminar from 4-6 August at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey to prepare KFOR 14
for their mission to "maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for
all people in Kosovo."
The seminar provided the participants with an overview of the international community
in the country, and helped them understand how ethnicity, religion and demographics define
political realities and shape economic challenges in Kosovo today. Participants are provided
with the knowledge and tools to better interact with the people of Kosovo, assess the varied
facets of politics in Kosovo, predict expectations and reactions, adapt their mission to cultural
differences, partner with multinational forces and effectively engage in civil-military
activities in the KFOR area of operation.
The cadre of faculty presenting at the program included notable experts such as Dr. Bob Donia,
author of three books on former Yugoslavia, who served as an expert historical witness at the trial
of former Yugoslav President Milosovic at the Hague, Dr. Alfred Boll, Second Secretary,
Political-Economics Section, US Embassy, Pristina, Dr. Jens Bastian, Senior Economic Research
Fellow at ELIAMEP in Athens, Greece, and UK Army MG Drewienkiewicz who also testified at the Hague
and served as the Military Advisor to Lord Ashdown, the former High Representative in Bosnia.
On the second and third day of the seminar, the LDESP faculty oriented participants to the challenges
that KFOR faces in the country, the establishment of the Kosovo Police and ways to influence the attitudes
and behavior of internal and external partners in the country.
The panel discussion focused on key issues including the implications of statehood for Kosovo,
the challenges of operating within the politics of differences between "status committed" and
"status neutral" organizations, the recent ICJ ruling, EU integration and the future of Kosovo.
One of the main objectives of the LDESP program is to prepare participants to exercise good judgment
in a complex and ambiguous environment in ways that allow KFOR to be effective partners in the efforts
to build a sustained peace in Kosovo.
Combating terrorism in Bangladesh: Developing a national counter-terrorism strategy
| The Defense Institution Reform Initiative (DIRI) in association with the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organized a 2 day workshop titled 'Combating terrorism in Bangladesh: Developing a national counter-terrorism strategy' |
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| CCMR Counter Terrorism Program Manager Paul Shemella facilitated discussions during the workshop. |
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Upcoming CSRS Program
Building Capacities for Cross‐Cultural Communication
The Center for Stabilization and Reconstruction Studies (CSRS) is offering
a four‐day workshop in cross‐cultural communication with emphasis on peace and
conflict issues 15-19 August 2010. The purpose of the workshop is to create an
interactive forum in which practitioners of diverse backgrounds can jointly explore
how to work with cultural differences in volatile social contexts. Cultural issues
to be explored include ideological, religious and ethno political factors shaping
and reshaping social behavior at the communal, national and international levels.
This workshop will be particularly valuable to engaged practitioners with hands‐on
experience in peace operations, security sector reform, interfaith relations,
gender mainstreaming, humanitarian assistance and sustainable development.
For more information about this and future CSRS course offerings, please
visit the CSRS website at: www.csrs-nps.org.
CCMR Program Educates International Leaders on Balance Between Defense and Democracy
Article by Kate Lamar, Photos by Javier Chagoya
The Center for Civil-Military Relations conducted an Executive Program in Defense
Decision-Making at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), June 7-18th for a group
of international government and military officials that came from Africa, Asia,
Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South and Central America.
"This session brings people together from four continents, people who are senior leaders
and who can share similar experiences and insights," said Dr. Thomas Bruneau,
the course director and a faculty member with the National Security Affairs department
in NPS' School of International Graduate Studies.
The center has run the program once a year for the past decade and works in partnership
with the Offices of Defense Cooperation in U.S. embassies to select suitable candidates
for the program. Typically, participants come from countries that have a recent history
of political conflict or civil war and are transitioning to a democratic state.
Read more.
Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Commanders Course
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The Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR) has just conducted a Global Peace Operations
Initiative training course entitled "Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Commanders Course".
The aim of the course is to prepare future commanders in complex peacekeeping operations, both for
United Nations operations and other multinational operations. The course lasted ten working days
and there were 22 participants in the ranks of Major through Brigadier General, from such countries
as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Georgia, Latvia, and Mongolia. After completing the course, participants
are more knowledgeable about what is expected of them as contingent commanders and more skilled in
leading contingents, battalions and sector formations in complex peacekeeping missions. An observer
from the United Nations Integrated Training Service office also attended. The schedule of events
also included an evening reception at Vice Admiral Oliver's quarters ("Stanley House") and a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Top Photo: Stein Ellingsen, (MAJ; retired, Norwegian Army), Course Director for the CCMR Peacekeeping Contingent Commanders Course, lays out the upcoming course curriculum to the students during his class introduction.
Bottom Photo: Patrick Commert, (MG retired; Netherlands Marines) former Military Advisor to the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Course Instructor, CCMR Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Commanders' Course, begins his class lecture on mission area tasks for the military component of a UN mission.
CCMR Participation in the International Studies Association (ISA) Convention, New Orleans, LA, 16-20 February 2010
With the support of CCMR, Thomas C. Bruneau, Cristiana (Cris) Matei, Timothy Doorey
and Bob Springborg participated in the Annual Convention of the ISA in New Orleans, 17-20
February 2010. Thomas Bruneau chaired, presented, and was the discussant on a panel
"New Approaches to the Analysis of Civil – Military Relations and Security Sector Reform"
which he had proposed and organized. Of the five presenters within the panel, Bob Springborg
from the National Security Affairs Department participated in the panel by contributing and
presenting a paper on "The Challenge of Civilian Control of Arab Armed Forces." Cris Matei
proposed and chaired a panel on "Challenges to Intelligence Effectiveness in the Current
Security Landscape: From Supporting Policy, to Peace Operations and Counter – Terrorism
Endeavors." Cris's idea to organize a panel on "effectiveness" came as a reaction to the
heavy literature focus on accountability and transparency, which leaves effectiveness on
a secondary position. The panel had four presenters and a discussant. Timothy Doorey participated
in the panel by contributing and presenting a paper on "Dealing with Cyber Threats: Challenges
for Intelligence." The presentations in both panels were extremely good, and the audience responded
very positively. During the ISA, the CCMR participants also attended and participated in other panels
on CMR, Intelligence, and CT. At the end of the panels, CCMR participants in the ISA were requested
to participate and contribute papers to the 2011 ISA, or various journals, as well as to participate
in civil-military relations/intelligence - related activities in other countries.
Polish Defense Delegation Visits NPS
Polish Army Brig. Gen. Grzegorz Soldolski (far right) was one
of nine military and civilians from the Polish Ministry of National
Defense and Military (MOND) visiting NPS Feb. 8-9. The delegation was
here to gain exposure to the U.S. defense, acquisition and logistics
centers, and to learn about U.S. training and management procedures.
International Defense Acquisition Resource Management Program Manager
Dr. Elisabeth Wright and the School of International Graduate Studies
Dean, Dr. Jim Wirtz, provided curriculum briefs and course methodologies
to the visiting guests.
Pictured in the photo:
The Polish Delegation, from left to right, were
Deputy Chief of Engineering Services and Chief Engineer of the Air Force
Col. Adam Baginski; Deputy Plenipotentiary of the Minister of National
Defense F-16 Program Col. Tadeusz Pieciukiewicz; Director, Budget
Department, MOND BG Soldolski; Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S.
Embassy in Poland Dr. Richard Olesinski; Chief of Armaments and
Electronics Col. Kazimierz Wojciechowski; International Student
Management Office, MOND Kara Johnson; Deputy Director Procurement
Department, MOND Col. Pawal Jozefack; Chief of the Marines Capt.
Grzegorz Kultys; and, Director Infrastructure Department, MOND Col.
Andrzej Petrulewicz.
CSRS Conducts "An Expansive Approach to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)" Course
The Center for Stabilizations and Reconstruction Studies will offer the second iteration of
a course titled "An Expansive Approach to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)"
21-26 February, 2010.
This course is based on the Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards
(IDDRS) and provides specialized DDR training on how to effectively incorporate special needs groups
into DDR programs in countries emerging from conflict.
The course has 45 enrolled participants from the full spectrum of actors in involved in
post-conflict reconstruction activities, and DDR operations, specifically: US and foreign
armed forces, government civilian agencies, non-governmental organizations, and inter-governmental
organizations.
Throughout the course participants will:
- Review the existing IDDRS guidance on the special needs of women, youth, children and
the disabled as well as identify gaps in guidance.
- Discuss how guidance has been applied/is being applied within or outside DDR programs
through various country studies and examples of best practices.
- Problem-solve collectively with practitioners to identify innovative ways to overcome
the endemic challenges that pressure DDR programs into a narrow, male combatant focus.
- Expand their professional network among the other communities involved in DDR activities.
For more information about this and future CSRS course offerings, please visit the CSRS website at:
www.csrs-nps.org.
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