ISG RESIDENT ADVISORS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HUMAN CAPITAL PLAN IN ROMANIA - Defense Security Cooperation University

In 2019, the Institute for Security Governance first deployed Resident Advisors to Romania in support of its efforts to reform its human resource management systems.  Romania seeks to fully retire its communist-legacy practices and implement a modern system consistent with an all-volunteer force that is operationally integrated with its capability development process.  To do this effectively, Romania must increase capacity to generate, develop, and sustain forces in alignment with its strategic modernization objectives.  This effort supports broader NATO and bilateral security goals to improve interoperability between partners and enhance deterrence in Southeastern Europe and the Black Sea region.  

In a recent speech, Romanian Air Force Chief of Staff General Viorel Pana advised that the greatest challenge in modernizing its fighter program from the Vietnam-era MIG-21 to three fully operational F-16 squadrons by 2024 is preparing the pilots, technicians, and engineers to operate them.  Romania has announced an aggressive twenty-year strategic transformation plan – Armed Forces 2040 – which calls for modernization, innovation, and reorganization.  Human Resources Management reform is a specific priority under this plan for Romania’s Chief of Defense, General Daniel Petrescu.  ISG’s Resident Advisor is working with the Ministry of Defense (MoD) Directorate General for Human Resources to build a strategically-driven, problem-focused, and partner-centric enterprise human capital plan. The plan will serve as a framework to connect the constellation of people-based programs that support the Chief of Defense’s directive to put “the soldier at the center of strategy.”  This includes implementing a new military career guide – an interactive career management system to guide professional development – and curriculum redesign to link training outcomes to distinctly classified positions and occupational standards.  Upon this foundation, Romania will build a long-range planning capacity that operationalizes human resources, and forecasts long-range organizational needs to provide personnel capabilities required for a lethal, ready force required to meet its strategic modernization objectives.  

ISG Resident Advisors – also known as Ministry of Defense Advisors (MoDAs) – work with Partner Nations to improve management and efficiency of defense institutions.  A trained and deployed Resident Advisor is a subject matter expert who enables enduring, local solutions that build partner institutional capacity. Finding tailored solutions to local problems is the primary objective of DSCA’s 31 Resident Advisor serving in 18 Partner Nations around the world. To learn more about these exciting positions and how to apply, check out the ISG Resident Advising primer as well as current openings listed at https://instituteforsecuritygovernance.org/working-with-us.