Interagency Planning/Coordination

A conversation with:

Nathaniel Fick
CEO of Center for a New American Security

Michael Corbin
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq

Dr. Colin Kahl
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East

RSVP online here.   President Obama’s speech in early August heralded the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, but U.S. engagement in the country is far from over. As the military draws down, our nation’s diplomats are preparing to expand their role and take the lead in providing guidance and assistance to Iraqis as they build a stable future for their country. However, the transition of responsibility from the Department of Defense to the Department of State in a resource-constrained environment presents challenges for the government in meeting U.S. foreign policy objectives and managing the thousands of contractors needed to provide security and other services necessary for State to operate in Iraq.

Next Tuesday, August 17, 2010, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) will host a moderated discussion that will address these questions with two leading Administration officials on Iraq: Michael Corbin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, and Dr. Colin Kahl, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. CNAS Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel Fick, a national security expert and veteran of the Iraq war, will moderate the conversation.
 

Please note the event will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m.   RSVP:
RSVP online here.
Or, call 202.457.9427 ###
 The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is an independent and nonpartisan research institution that develops strong, pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies that promote and protect American interests and values. CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow.

Executive Order 13434, issued in direct response to lessons learned from 9/11, Katrina and other disasters that have threatened our national security, calls for the establishment of a corps of National Security Professionals (NSPs); leaders who will be called upon to work across the interagency in response to various domestic and international crises.  Past responses have proven that working across departmental boundaries requires leadership capabilities derived from an interagency perspective.  To effectively serve in this capacity, NSPs must be prepared - trained, educated, and experienced.  They must be able to work together to respond quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

To aid in readiness, the DoD NSPD Implementation Office is conducting the first National Security Professional Development symposium, hosted by the National Defense University August 4 – 5, 2010.  The symposium, entitled, "National Security Professionals: Forming an Interagency Community," is intended to lay the foundation towards the development of a community of National Security Professionals. Enhanced awareness, expanded cultural acuity, collaboration and developed networks are critical characteristics demonstrating readiness and key outcomes of this symposium.

The DoD NSPD Implementation Office formed an interagency symposium working group responsible for developing the content.  Representatives on the working group are from participating agencies including Department of State, Energy, Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, National Defense University, Defense, NSPD Integration Office, and the United States Institute of Peace.

See link for more details.

Target Audiences

• National Security Professionals
• Organizational Leadership

Learning Objectives

• Meet NSPs from various agencies
• Enhance their interagency partnerships
• Increase their awareness of the criticality of collaboration, and
• Initiate and  sustain collaboration across government and between NSPs
• Gain an understanding of partnering agency cultures
• Learn strategies to build and develop interagency networks
• Develop awareness of challenges hindering collaboration and ways to mitigate them, and
• Form interagency alliances