The Department of State A 3D Perspective

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The Department of State A 3-D Perspective

• Steven Goodwin
• Director
• Strategy Operations Division
• Institute for National Strategic Studies
• Wednesday, July 15, 2009

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Diplomats Defined

• The function of a diplomatic envoy, since the
  18th century, has been twofold to observe and
  report to his government all which may concern
  it...and to affect the course of events in favor
  of his own country.
• A diplomat is a man who always remembers a
  woman's birthday but never remembers her age. 
  Robert Frost
• I must acknowledge, once and for all, that the
  purpose of diplomacy is to prolong a crisis. 
  Star Trek, Mr. Spock

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Agenda

• Overview of the Department of State (DOS)/USAID
• Department of State/USAID vs. Defense (Venus and
  Mars?)
• Overseas Operations
• Crisis Response

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DOS in a Snapshot

• U.S. maintains diplomatic relations with roughly
  180 countries in the world today (North Korea,
  Somalia, and Iran not included)
• U.S. has 260 diplomatic and consular missions
  abroad
• About 11,000 FSOs staff those missions overseas
  and fill slots in the State Department

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The Foreign Service Officer

• Tested
• Generalist
• Career-Oriented
• Dedicated
• Move every 2-3 years

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FSO Cones

• Management Officers supervise the administrative
  and operational aspects of embassies and
  consulates
• Consular Officers issue visas and protect
  Americans abroad
• Economic Officers promote U.S. economic and trade
  interests abroad
• Political Officers interpret events and
  situations related to U.S. interests
• Public Diplomacy Officers manage public affairs
  and broaden understanding of American values and
  policies

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The Foreign Service Specialist

• Untested
• Technical Specialist
• Security - RSO
• Engineering
• Office Management
• Administration
• Move every 2-3 years

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Civil Servants

• Untested
• Fettered to Washington
• Policy Expertise
• Institutional Knowledge
• Manage the Interagency Relationships in the Long
  Term

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DOS - Mission

• Advance freedom for the benefit of the American
  people and the international community by helping
  to build and sustain a more democratic, secure,
  and prosperous world composed of well-governed
  states that respond to the needs of their people,
  reduce widespread poverty, and act responsibly
  within the international system.

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DOS Strategic Goals

• Protect America
• Advance Global Interests
• Promote Mutual Understanding

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Protecting America

• Countering Terrorism
• Combating Proliferation
• Homeland Security
• Regional Stability
• Visas Immigration Security
• International Crime
• Economic Security
• Assisting American Citizens Abroad

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Advancing Global Interests

• Promote Freedom and Democracy
• Foreign Assistance
• Supporting Human Rights
• Sanctioning Rogue Nations
• Transnational Issues
• Health e.g., HIV/AIDS
• Environment, Science, Technology
• Refugees, Migration, Population

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Promoting Mutual Understanding

• Bilateral Diplomacy
• Multilateral Diplomacy

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USAID

• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
  is an independent federal government agency that
  receives overall foreign policy guidance from the
  Secretary of State.
• USAID supports long-term and equitable economic
  growth and advances U.S. foreign policy
  objectives by supporting
• economic growth, agriculture and trade
• global health and,
• democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian
  assistance.

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USAID DoD

• Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, Humanitarian
  Assistance
• Office of Military Affairs policy coordination
• Military Liaison Unit operational coordination
  (in the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
  OFDA)
• USAID field offices

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FY 2008 OFDA Disasters Declared Disasters
81 DOD Disaster Response 10 (12)
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State and Defense

• Is it Venus and Mars?

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The Numbers Game Part 1Personnel

• Defense
• Active 1,400,000
• Reserve 844,000
• Civilian 623,000
• TOTAL 2,867,000

• State/USAID
• Foreign Service 11,000
• Civil Service 8,000
• FSNs (Local) 10,000
• TOTAL 29,000

OR 99 1
Does Not Include Contractors
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Numbers Game Part 2 Operating Budgets

• Defense
• 664 Billion

• State/USAID
• 17 Billion
• (additional 37 Billion for assistance programs)

OR 39 1
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Venus and Mars

• Defense
• Does Things
• Plans in Great Detail
• Redundant Staffing
• Strong Constituency
• Long Term View

• State
• Talks About Doing
• Plans
• Understaffed
• No Constituency
• Tyranny of the Urgent

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Support Networks

• Defense
• Overseas Base
• Small Town
• Gated Community
• Hospital
• Spouse Network
• Injury
• Medevac
• Walter Reed (or akin)
• Medical Retirement

• State
• Diplomatic Mission
• A group of buildings
• Guards at the Embassy
• Nurse
• ?
• Injury
• Medevac
• Your HMO
• Medical Profile

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U.S. Diplomatic Missions

• Civilian Agency Operations Abroad

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Embassy Missions

• Manage diplomatic relations
• Implement foreign policy goals treaties
  agreements programs
• Promote trade ties, U.S. exports
• Assist U.S. citizens overseas
• Confront global challenges (thugs, drugs,
  environment, WMD)
• Report on analyze POL/ECON events

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Organization

• Embassy Ambassador, represents the President
  (COM, Charge dAffaires)
• DCM (XO)
• POL/ECON - COM
• CONSULAR
• ADMIN RSO, Personnel, BF
• PD PAO
• MILGRP/DATT Security Assistance, Intelligence
• Others DEA, INS, AID, AGR, Legatt

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Subordinate Missions

• Consulate General Consul General
• Consulate Principal Officer, Consul
• Accountable to the Ambassador, but are
  independent in reporting to Washington

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DOS Crisis Response
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State-DOD Crisis Cooperation

• Conflict Resolution
• Stability Operations
• Peacekeeping Operations
• Noncombatant Evacuation Operations
• Humanitarian Crises (w/ USAID)
• Terrorism Incidents

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Department of State USG Overseas Crisis Manager

• Department of State has primary responsibility
  for coordinating the USG response to non-military
  incidents that could have an adverse impact on
  the conduct of U.S. foreign relations

-- Presidential Directive/NSC-27
(PD-27) January 19, 1978
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DOS Crisis Response Process
Crisis
Assistant Secretary
State Operations Center
Executive Secretary
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Task Force Creation
Executive Secretary
Assistant Secretary (Regional Bureau)
Task Force
Decision
Director, Ops Center
TF Director (DAS - Level) Participating Bureaus
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TYPICAL STATE DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE STRUCTURE
TF DIRECTOR (REGIONAL DAS )
TF COORDINATOR
DEPUTY COORDINATOR
POLICY SUPERVISION
(REGIONAL BUREAU)
FAMILY LIAISON
CONSULAR AFFAIRS
MGT
POL-MIL
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
DIPLOMATIC SECURITY
STATE INTEL
TF Mission Expedite Communication
TASK FORCE STAFF AUGMENTED BASED ON NATURE OF
CRISIS
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INTERACTION BETWEEN CRISIS CENTERS
STATE DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE
OTHER AGENCIES (JUSTICE, DHS, CIA, USAID)
NMCC - DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
EACH AGENCY COMMAND CENTER HAS A CRISIS TASK
FORCE
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Task Force Coordination
NMCC
GCC
Decision Makers
DOS Task Force
The Embassy
Other Agencies
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Civilian Response Corps

• Mission To lead, coordinate and institutionalize
  U.S. Government civilian capacity to prevent or
  prepare for post-conflict situations, and to help
  stabilize and reconstruct societies in transition
  from conflict or civil strife, so they can reach
  a sustainable path toward peace, democracy and a
  market economy.
• Active Component 250 48 hr string
• Standby Component (Federal) 2,000 30 day
  string
• Reserve Component (Private Sector) TBD 45-60
  day string

DOS, USAID, DOC, HHS, DOJ, DHS, USDA, Treasury
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The Diplomat The Warrior

• Whats the difference between the diplomat and
  the warrior?
• They both do nothing, but the warrior gets up
  very early in the morning to do it with great
  discipline, while diplomats do it late in the
  afternoon, in utter confusion.
• LTG(ret.) Vernon Walters
• former Ambassador to the UN Germany

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Recommended Reading

• Defense is from Mars
• State is from Venus,
• Col. Rickey L. Rife
• Army War College, 1998

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END