News Archive - Defense Security Cooperation University

BLACK SEA MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS SYMPOSIUM

ISG’s Maritime Security Functional Lead and several Subject Matter Experts were pleased to support the Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR)/Naval Postgraduate School's Inaugural Black Sea Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Symposium at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre in Souda Bay, Crete. 

Twenty-two mid- to senior-level officers from seven partner nations participated in this important gathering meant to enhance MDA to counter a persistent regional threats.

Read more here.

FY23 INTELLECTUAL SPEAKING & PUBLISHING REPORT

The ISG Team is comprised of over 110 civilian government faculty and staff, and a robust contract support team. Drawing from their experience at ISG and their backgrounds in military, government, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations, ISG personnel consistently bring to bear their subject matter expertise in both formal ISG mission work as well as in external intellectual presentations and publications. 

In FY23, ISG experts engaged in +20 speaking and media activities, and published half a dozen articles and thought pieces, in venues aimed at academic, government, military, industry, and general public audiences. 

ISG AND DRMI HOST DSCU PRESIDENT, DR. CELESTE GVENTER

DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance (ISG) and Defense Resources Management Institute (DRMI) were honored to host Defense Security Cooperation University President Dr. Celeste W. Gventer at Naval Support Activity Monterey this week.

She shared insights on the University's vital initiatives, including the most recent Security Cooperation Conference; Security Cooperation Certification; and the Advising, Training, and Education Mission.

SECURING THE STATE COURSE POST

Congratulations to the latest cohort of participants to attend the ISG Resident Course, SECURING THE STATE: BUILDING INSTITUTIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY!

This four-week resident course equips participants with the skills needed to utilize capabilities-based assessments to identify capability gaps in security and defense arenas. The course uses a mix of lecture, interactive small-group sessions, simulation exercises, and discussions with subject matter experts to explore how to prepare national security institutions to address national security threats. The course offers approaches to establish healthy civil-military relations and interagency coordination to ensure effective, whole-of-government responses to national security challenges.

THE INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY GOVERNANCE (ISG) CERTIFIES 22 MEMBERS OF THE THAI MARITIME ENFORCEMENT COMMAND CENTER (MECC) AND ROYAL THAI NAVY

In a recent engagement, The Institute for Security Governance certified 22 members of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center (MECC) and Royal Thai Navy as “Maritime Information Analysts” in Bangkok, Thailand.

Certification followed three separate 10-day workshops involving instruction and tabletop exercises aligned to the MECC’s Maritime Domain Awareness-related missions.

U.S. AND ROMANIA INITIATE A FIVE-YEAR EFFORT TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND NATO COLLECTIVE DEFENSE

U.S. and Romania Initiate a Five-Year Effort to Build Capacity for Crisis Management and NATO Collective Defense: The Institute of Security Governance (ISG), in cooperation with the United States European Command EUCOM, and Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted a five-day workshop dedicated to building resilience and capacities for crisis management and NATO collective defense. The workshop focused on Institutional Capacity Building planning and implementation in support of bilateral Security Cooperation efforts. Click here to view the workshop details.

ISG PANAMA TEAM LEADS STRATEGIC WORKSHOP

The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) Panama Team recently conducted its third quarterly workshop with the Ministry of Public Security (MINSEG)-led partner force working group. 

The workshop focused on building MINSEG’s institutional capacity for long-term strategic and force planning. At Minister Pino’s request, the cross-service strategy working group is developing MINSEG strategic guidance in the form of a Joint Operating Concept (JOC) and completed its initial JOC assessment of the future security environment, priority security tasks, and a central challenge and premise for the partner force’s future design and operations. 

ISG’S SANDRA O’HERN PUBLISHED IN THE JAG REPORTER

Congratulations to ISG Europe Regional Program Lead Ms. Sandra O’Hern on her latest article published in the AFJAG Reporter. 

The article, “Operational Legal Advisors as Champions of Legal Resiliency in the Fight Against Hybrid Threats,” examines how increasingly the law is being used as an instrument of power and its own operational domain, particularly within the context of hybrid warfare and as an element of strategic power competition.

Full Article Link

ISG HERON OCTOBER ISSUE

Announcing the latest ISG Heron – a quarterly newsletter highlighting the Institute’s work in Security Cooperation and Institutional Capacity Building as well as the people who contribute to this important mission.  

In this issue, ISG:  
• Welcomes new ISG Director, Ian Wexler, as well as two new faculty members.
• Celebrates a “Season of Collaboration” among ISG colleagues.
• Highlights the recent UN Peacekeeping Operations Contingent Commanders course. 
• Spotlights a State Partnership Program workshop on African Security & Climate Change.
• Delves into a Theater Logistics Readiness Program engagement in Bosnia & Herzegovina. 

WELCOME IAN WEXLER

The Institute for Security Governance would like to extend a warm welcome to ISG’s new Director, Ian S. Wexler. 

Mr. Wexler comes to ISG by way of our DSCU’s sister component, the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS). Under Mr. Wexler’s leadership, DIILS continued to thrive through a highly dynamic period, sustaining global mission execution during the substantial constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic

SOMALIA ICB ENGAGEMENT ON OPERATIONAL READINESS

DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance – with the support of the Office of Security Cooperation Somalia – recently concluded an Institutional Capacity Building engagement focused on operational readiness in Somalia. This series of workshops are part of a program meant to support the Somalia Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Somalia National Armed Forces (SNAF) in developing an operational readiness reporting process for personnel, equipment, critical supplies, and training. Partner nation participation for this workshop crossed all echelons of command, from MoD to the Danab Brigade. Further, this iteration marked the first time that the Somalia Navy participated in the ISG workshop series.

SENEGAL ICB ADVISING ON MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER CADRE

DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance (ISG) recently concluded a successful ICB engagement in Dakar, Senegal, comprising a Key Leader Engagement with the Armed Forces of Senegal (FAS) to support development of a military intelligence officer cadre. This engagement supported ongoing security enhancements for an important West African partner to counter piracy, non-state terrorist organizations, and other threats to regional security.

NMI PRESENTS ISG REPORT ON CYBERSECURITY THREATS IN IRAQ TO IRAQI PRESIDENT

During a recent meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mr. Mohamed Shia’ Al-Sudani, the commander of the NATO mission in Iraq, General Jose Antonio Martinez, and his accompanying delegation presented him with the final report assessing current cybersecurity threats in Iraq. The report was developed by the Institute of Security Governance Cyber Team following its engagement with cyber and information technology leaders in the Iraq Ministry of Defense, the Iraq Armed Forces, the Critical Infrastructure Sector relevant to military operations, and national agencies responsible for country-wide cyber defense.

INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING FOR LOGISTICS COURSE

The most recent Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) for Logistics Resident Course at ISG Headquarters in Monterey, California recently concluded. Course participants represented a diverse group of senior military and civilian administrative logistics leaders from several countries around the world to include Zambia, Slovenia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Croatia, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, The Bahamas, and Mexico.  

The ICB for Logistics Course focused on increasing allied and partner nation’s understanding/ability to develop and implement logistics institutions based on normative and institutional values, subsequently improving their levels of interoperability in support of various geopolitical alliances.

ISG AND DIILS MARSHALL ISLANDS MARSEC

Members from all the Republic of the Marshall Islands agencies working in the maritime space recently partnered with the Defense Security Cooperation University’s Institute for Security Governance and the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, along with support from U.S. Coast Guard District 14 and U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam, for a bilateral Maritime Domain Awareness Tabletop Exercise in Majuro.

The exercise was scenario driven and aimed to identify challenges as well as best practices for sharing of maritime information in a timely and effective manner.

ISG FACILITATES SEMINAL SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE EXERCISE AND EXCHANGE

The first South Asia Regional Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE) ended successfully with the closing ceremony at the end of July at the National Guard Headquarters in Guam. Guam’s governor, the Honorable Lou Leon Guerrero, served as the keynote speaker.  

The themes of the eight-day exercise were regional cooperation, civil-military integration, and coordinated Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response for disasters in South Asia. The event was sponsored by the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC).

INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING (ICB) ENGAGEMENT WITH KOSOVO

The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) Emergency Management and Resilience (EM&R) team supported a Kosovo-led inter-agency working group review and update of Kosovo’s National Response Plan (NRP). While completing revisions to the NRP, the working group identified use of a National Response Framework (NRF) as an EM best practice, and determined to develop an NRF for Kosovo as a strategic goal. Kosovo will use the revised NRP as its EM construct in the interim after formal approval and while developing the NRF. The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) views this strategy as progress toward reform and good governance.

BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY IN THE MARITIME SECURITY SECTOR

Congratulations to the latest cohort of the Institute for Security Governance’s four-week resident course in beautiful Monterey, California: Building Institutional Capacity in the Maritime Security Sector. Maritime security practitioners and decision-makers learned how to better understand current and emerging threats. This course demonstrates current operational doctrine, organization, and global best practices for the planning and execution processes required to protect a nation’s territorial seas and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 
 

CIVIL MILITARY RESPONSES TO TERRORISM

The Civil-Military Responses to Terrorism course recently concluded at the Institute for Security Governance with another cohort of participants from around the globe. 

This course provides a thorough understanding of terrorism in all its forms, with considerable emphasis on strategy formulation and international cooperation. The program uses case studies and a tabletop exercise to stimulate thoughtful discussion, thus providing participants with the insight needed by decision makers and their advisors to design successful strategies that defeat terrorist networks, protect citizens and property, and address the root causes of terrorism. 

ICB AT WORK WITH UZBEKISTAN

DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance (ISG), in collaboration with the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) and the Mississippi National Guard (MSNG), recently hosted visits from Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan Human Resource Management (HRM) leaders at various HRM installations in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Highlights of the visit included observation of a senior NCO selection and assignments board; a visit to Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) New Orleans; a visit to the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center; a visit to the Mississippi Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot (AVCRAD) and the 1108th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group (TASMG);