DSCA Director Visits ISG - Defense Security Cooperation University

The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) was honored to host Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Director Heidi Grant and a delegation from DSCA last week (22-24 June 2021) at ISG headquarters in Monterey, CA. The Director was accompanied by Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) Acting President David Sobyra, as well as DSCA Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Director CMSgt Daniel Simpson and DSCA Senior Military Assistant to the Director Col Malcolm Pharr. This trip—Director Grant’s first to ISG’s campus since her appointment in August 2020—was aimed at learning more about the Department of Defense’s premier institutional capacity implementer and key international military education and training schoolhouse.

The timing of the delegation’s visit was bookended by ISG’s first in-person activities since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: 1) A 2-week non-resident advising engagement in Amman, Jordan with the Jordan Armed Forces Joint Staff and the Royal Jordanian Air Force; and 2) A 2-week resident education course on Strategies & Capabilities for Cyber Challenges in Monterey. During the visit, Director Grant’s delegation toured ISG’s facilities; met with senior leaders to discuss the ISG mission, Institutional Capacity Building, and full-spectrum Security Cooperation; and held a Town Hall with ISG’s faculty and staff.

During the Town Hall, which was attended both in-person and virtually by ISG’s +80 personnel, Director Grant began by acknowledging the innovations and successes that the education and advising teams achieved within the virtual environment, and praised the passion shown by ISG personnel and the DSCA workforce at large. Directly referencing DSCA’s 2025 Vision goals, Director Grant stressed the importance of strategy, collaboration, and communication as DSCA and ISG continue to transform and work toward the larger Security Cooperation mission together.

As the Department of Defense’s Center of Excellence for Institutional Capacity Building, Director Grant stressed the importance of ISG “getting out there and telling your story, and making sure people are aware of what you’re doing.” Director Grant praised the talent and diversity of experience represented at DSCA and ISG. Throughout the discussion, she reiterated her role as a story-teller for the organization, assuring faculty that “You have no better advocate or translator. I’m it!”

At the close of the Town Hall, Director Grant presented longevity awards to 13 ISG faculty members, whose service spanned 10 - 40 years! ISG Director Steven Peterson also took the opportunity to recognize three faculty and staff members for their exceptional support to the Institute, and to this visit in particular.