FY-17 NDAA Security Cooperation Excerpt and More

Below is an executive summary of the Security Cooperation portion of the FY-17 NDAA that I received from a GS Foreign Affairs Specialist.

I also also linked to the whole document here (please let me know if the link doesn't work--Blogger makes it difficult to embed PDFs).    Additionally, I've previously posted a broader FY-17 NDAA summary here.

EXECSUM:

1. Section 1208 Authorities are now codified under Section 127e; funds are

appropriated in the amount of up to USD $100 million; there is a 15 day

Congressional Notification period.

2. Section 1204 directs DoD to enter into an agreement with a federally

funded research and development center or another independent entity with

expertise in security cooperation to conduct an evaluation of the

implementation of the strategic framework  for DoD Security Cooperation as

directed by Section 1202 of the FY-16 NDAA.

3. The FY-17 NDAA, Chapter 16 is the Chapter covering Security Cooperation

Reform:

                a. Subchapter I, Section 301 addresses General Matters (including

the definition of National Military/Security Forces and First Responders).

                b. Subchapter II, Section 311 addresses Mil-Mil Engagements

(including the exchange of personnel between the U.S and friendly foreign

countries); Section 312 covers payment of personnel expenses necessary for

theater security cooperation.

                c. Subchapter III, Section 321 addresses Training with Foreign

Forces; and, payment of training and exercise expmilienses.

 

                d. Subchapter IV, Section 331 addresses Support for Operations and

Capacity Building. Types of support authorized include: log support,

supplies and services to forces of a friendly foreign country participating

in -an operation with U.S. Armed Forces; and, military or stability

operations benefiting U.S. national security. Small Scale Construction is

also covered under this proviso. There is a 15 day congressional

notification requirement as well.  Section 333 specifically addresses

security cooperation Building Partner Capacity efforts and authorizes DoD to

conduct or support a program or programs to provide training and equipment

to the national security forces of one or more foreign countries for the

purpose of building partner capacity of such forces to conduct one or more

of the following: CT operations, CWMD operations, Counter Illicit

Trafficking (CIT) operations, Counter-Transnational Organized (CTO) Crime

operations, maritime and border security operations, military intelligence

operations, and operations or activities that contribute to and

international coalition operation that is determined by the Secretary (of

Defense) to be in the national interest. Again, there is a 15 day

congressional notification requirement.

                e. Subchapter V, Section 341 addresses Educational and Training

Activities (including the State Partnership Program and associated Leahy

Vetting requirements).

                f. Subchapter VI, Section 361 addresses Limitations on the Use of

Defense Funds.

                g. Subchapter VII, Section 385 addresses Administrative and

Miscellaneous Matters including authorization for DoD to transfer of up to

USD $75M (at the end of 30 days following Congressional Notification) to

other (Executive)  Departments/Agencies that advance DoD security

cooperation objectives.

Other authorities included in the FY-17 NDAA also address the development of

a (professional) security cooperation work-force; and, the requirement to

provide a report to Congress on current security cooperation programs by 31

January 2018; with additional reporting quadrennially thereafter (through

2034). Also, execution of the aforementioned programs requires approval by

both SECDEF and SECSTATE.

FY-17 NDAA General Summary Here With Good Links

Below are links to three good documents on the FY17 NDAA that Congress passed.  I've also include a brief summary put together by an AFRICOM Foreign Affairs Specialist.  Finally, I've included a link here to a post on the Security Cooperation specific portions of the act.

FY17 NDAA Bill Summary
CRS R4497 Fact Sheet FY17 NDAA Highlights
Mercy Corps Press Release Praising NDAA USAID Funding Transfer Authority

In an effort to respond to the complaints of our military commanders and the

Department more broadly, the the FY-17 NDAA contains a major reform designed

to modernize and streamline DOD's security cooperation enterprise.

Specifically, the bill consolidates security cooperation authorities from

Title 10 and elsewhere in public law into a single chapter of U.S. code

(Chapter 16, Section 333) . Of note, the bill repeals numerous existing

so-called "train and equip" authorities and replaces them with one authority

that incorporates all of the Department's existing "train and equip"

authorized activities, greatly enhancing DOD's ability to address the

wide-ranging and evolving nature of global threats.

Additionally, the NDAA consolidates more than $2.0 billion in associated

security cooperation funding into a new fund (Security Cooperation

Enhancement Fund), enhancing transparency, flexibility, transparency, and

congressional oversight. For too long, the Department's activities in this

area have been diffuse and have lacked strategic coordination - both

regionally and functionally. A central fund will allow the Department's

senior civilian and military leaders to make strategic choices with respect

to the allocation of security cooperation resources against strategic

priorities rather than being forced to patch together disparate funding

sources to achieve objectives. The bill also requires the Secretary of

Defense to submit an annual consolidated budget justification for its

security cooperation activities.

The reform package also directs the Secretary of Defense to create a DOD

security cooperation workforce program to oversee the development and

management of a professional workforce supporting security cooperation

programs of the DOD, as well as the execution of security assistance

programs and activities under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms

Control Act by the DOD. While DOD strategic guidance has increased the

emphasis on security cooperation programs and activities in furtherance of

its security objectives, it has not devoted sufficient attention and

resources to the development, management, and sustainment of the DOD's

security cooperation workforce. Building security capabilities of a partner

nation through security cooperation requires a specialized set of skills and

the current system neither develops those skills among its workforce nor

rationally assigns its workforce to match appropriate skills with requirements. Increased

attention and resourcing must be focused on the recruitment, training,

certification, assignment, and career development of the security

cooperation workforce in order to ensure the effective planning, monitoring,

execution, and evaluation of security cooperation programs and activities

In addition to the aforementioned T10, Chapter 16, Section 333 Security

Cooperation authorities, a new authority under Section 385 of the NDAA

allows the Secretary of Defense to transfer up to $75 million to agencies

like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the

Department of State to implement foreign assistance programs, such as

community-led conflict mitigation, good governance and peacebuilding, to

address the root causes of violence. The desired goal with the addition of

this provision in the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is to

enable the U.S. government to more effectively tackle drivers of violence

and violent extremism.

Weekly Reading: Deep thoughts on Security Cooperation from CNAS, in Africa and on the Sea

Some lengthy documents to dive into:

Security Cooperation and Assistance: Rethinking the Return on Investment

Maritime Security and Multilateral Cooperation: A Japanese Perspective

Security Cooperation Missions in Africa: Is the United States Conducting the Correct Types of Security Cooperation Missions on the African Continent?

Security Assistance and Cooperation: Shared Responsibility of the Departments of State and Defense

SIPRI Global Military Spending since 1988 report (database)  

Weekly Reading: Spooks, Buchanan!, Loss, Sanctuary cites, Mada's Legal Morass, FAOs and I am 2nd

How an obscure adviser to Pat Buchanan predicted the wild Trump campaign in 1996
Well this is an interesting article...but who could have really predicted Trump...

On Flying, and Who We Lost
A beautiful heartbreaking post about aviation, friendship and loss.

I Am Second
Then who's first, you will have to see for yourself.  Some incredible videos and stories.

The Struggle With Sanctuary Cities in Iowa
I am learning new things about our crazy political/electoral system all the time.

Eyewash: How the CIA deceives its own workforce about operations
The CIA, of course, denies any knowledge...between articles like these and watching Homeland...

UPDATE: Law and Legal Systems in Madagascar: A Political Siege
A good primer on the pol-legal systems of Madagascar.  I've been here two years and there were quite a few things that I learned.  It's difficult to find much political analysis on Madagascar in English so this was nice to run across.  One quote in particular caught my attention: "Montesquieu recommended that “power should be a check to power” to avoid abuses. However, Madagascar which wishes to be a democratic regime views the legislature and judiciary subordinated to the executive. Further, the Constitution appears to be an instrument used to legitimate and strengthen its supremacy."

IS THE UNITED STATES CONDUCTING THE CORRECT TYPES OF SECURITY COOPERATION MISSIONS IN THE AFRICAN CONTINENT?

This links auto-downloads the PDF--a bit annoying but so far a good 50 pages thesis that I am reading through.    His short answer is yes but AFRICOM needs a more balanced approached in Phase Zero ENCAP, MEDCAP and SC/SA activities.  You can just skip to page 48 to read his conclusions.

Foreign Area Officers learn from the experts at Monterey language school
Nothing I love more than a little FAO propaganda!

"Every FAO is an expert on political-military issues in a particular region of the world, is knowledgeable of security cooperation, highly trained in language skills and interpersonal skills, and is an experienced officer."

We definitely are not trained in 'interpersonal skills' but it's not a bad idea...although I am not sure what that would look like

CRS (R41957) The National Guard State Partnership Program (Kapp and Serafino)

The National Guard State Partnership Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress by Kapp and Serafino

This is a pretty cool program that not many people know about.  Basically state guard units pair up with other foreign countries.  

"The State Partnership Program (SPP) is a Department of Defense (DOD) security cooperation 

program run by the National Guard. It also serves as a mechanism for training National Guard 

personnel. Since the program began in 1992, it has expanded to the point where nearly every state 

National Guard participates, as do the National Guard of Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, and the District of Columbia."

Link to Report.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4BE1_xKfeEUQ2RoMHFnMFZnSFE/edit?usp=sharing