Engaging the Private Sector

Military security assistance as it is currently applied is an outdated, myopic approach. It is characterized by ambiguous funding timelines, stove piped information, and the lack of unified resource application.  The U.S. can significantly increase the efficacy of security assistance resourcing through a holistic approach, integrating private and federal programs.  

One of my greatest challenges as a security assistance officer (SCO) is an unpredictable budget. It is extremely difficult to plan long-term engagement, institution building, or funding transitions with a partner when we don’t have a long-term budget. Unpredictable budgets equal unpredictable plans. The vast majority of the resources that the U.S. provides partner nations are on an annual authorization cycle: Foreign Military Financing, International Military Education and Training, Counter Terrorism Partnership Fund, and section 1206 funding (Train and Equip). Annual funding and the absence of assessments (tied to future funding) create an environment where the objective becomes the expenditure of resources instead of the achievement of a sustainable capacity.