Golden anniversaries are an impressive milestone, especially in the workplace. Ms. Constance “Connie” Stokesbury, Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) Administrative Assistant, has dedicated the past 50 years to being a federal employee. And if you ask her, she has no intent on slowing down.

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.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Institute for Security Governance (ISG) Ukraine Ministry of Defense Resident Advisor (MoDA) team was awarded the 2023 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award for Sustainment Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Military Forces, Ministerial category. Through the stalwart efforts of the five MoDAs assigned to Ukraine, the MoDA Program Support team, and ISG’s Ukraine Regional Program Lead, the Department of Defense demonstrated unwavering U.S. commitment to Ukraine amidst a major Russian military offensive, delivering a wide spectrum of advice and assistance to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

A team from the Defense Security Cooperation University’s (DSCU) Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) recently traveled to Georgia to meet with members of the Georgian military.

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.

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.