Global Antiterrorism Assistance

Project Manager for the Dept. of State contracted PAE Military Advisors Team in South Sudan. I am responsible for all aspects of the project, from ensuring the project’s effectiveness to the team’s welfare. The focus of the Military Advisors, a select group of retired senior US military officers and senior civilian professionals, is supporting the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) in South Sudan. They are experienced in operational management, training, human rights and peace and security monitoring and investigating, peace building and rule of law development.

In this role, I was responsible to the Chairman of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism for the effective day-to-day running of the Mission Headquarters and the Monitoring Teams. I helped to establish the Mission’s structure and the deployment of 80 staff members, and I oversaw all operational aspects including plans, intelligence, security, operations, training, equipment, logistics, facilities and personnel management. I had overall responsibility for operational security and force protection for the Mission, including risk management within a conflict-affected environment. I was able to oversee the successful transition of the organization from MVM to CTSAMM.

The Monitoring and Verification Mission (MVM) of South Sudan is responsible for monitoring and verification of the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) Agreement, including cessation of hostilities; humanitarian access; protection of civilians; and cessation of hostile propaganda. The Joint Technical Committee (JTC) is a multinational staff that is made up of civilians and military that serve as the support staff for the MVM. As the operations officer, I am responsible for planning Monitoring Verification Team (MVT) activities, monitoring ongoing MVM missions, planning operational/logistical flights, maintaining calendars, developing standard operating procedures, assist in the monitoring and verifying CoH violations, and developing fellow staff members as required.

Provide guidance and expertise to the SPLA General Staff on force structure and modernization issues, to include assisting SPLA leadership in developing and executing an implementation strategy for the Defense White Paper (DWP). Coordinates and synchronizes a multi-functional team of military subject matter experts embedded in the Army General Staff.

I provided guidance and expertise to the SPLA’s Deputy Chief of Staff and other directors in order to strengthen the Army’s logistics capability. This included development and implementation of plans from the tactical to strategic level, to improve the SPLA’s personnel training program, accountability processes, and inventory management and warehousing of Army systems and equipment. I provided guidance in developing training plans to support modernization efforts and operational objectives. My efforts enabled the logistics branch to understand and adapt US style logistics tracking mechanisms to the South Sudanese context and SPLA needs.

Mentor to the Minister of Interior’s Director of Afghan Border police, responsible to assess, provide advice, and train the Director of the Afghan Border Police working in the Ministry of Interior, Kabul, Afghanistan. In this capacity, I supported the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A)/Combined Security Transition Command–Afghanistan (CSTC-A) in advising the Director for Afghan Border Police and his staff in developing, implementing and overseeing effective and enduring professional knowledge and expertise in modern police techniques and operations. I also provided professional knowledge and expertise in modern techniques, operations and related functions of enforcement. Finally I also assisted the Director and his staff on fostering reform within the Border Police, strengthening the Afghan Rule of Law, and creation of a stable national security environment that can deter and defeat terrorism and counter insurgencies.

Responsible for establishing the full time position providing the Governor insightful and useful information in order for her to make sound decisions in regards to the military within the state of North Carolina. I worked tirelessly to support our claim to be “the most military friendly state in the union”. I focused on three primary areas: economic development, base relations and various military activities that affect the state.• Conducted outreach with the numerous military business organizations around North Carolina in order to identify them, focus on their goals, and find a reasonable solution in order that the state, the organization and the military might benefit. Met quarterly with various military business organizations and state cabinet members to focus on North Carolina military business goals.• Worked closely with several cabinet secretaries throughout state government in order to set goals that will benefit the bases around the state, which will in turn benefit the state. Examples of this coordination included working economic development projects with the secretary of commerce, coordinating transportation issues around the bases with the secretary of transportation, worked environmental issues with the department of energy and natural resources and working National Guard issues with the secretary of crime control and public safety.• Worked on the North Carolina Advisory Commission for Military Affairs. This commission primary purpose was to identify issues important to the seven military bases in North Carolina and recommend legislation to support the bases. In 2010, we provided the State General Assembly with thirteen pieces of legislature to consider for base assistance.

Responsible for assessing organizational accomplishment of operational goals, metrics and standards relating to the combat readiness of the 10,000 soldiers and 2000 airmen assigned to the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG). Troubleshoots sensitive problems and issues for the Adjutant General and investigates allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse. Responsible for oversight and inspection of NCNG Intelligence units to ensure they are collecting information IAW applicable rules and regulations. • Provided assistance on an area basis for members of the NCNG. Upon taking charge in 2006, our team reduced monthly office case load from an average of 50 open cases to the current 20 open cases using aggressive investigative techniques. Our investigative measures included a focus on customer service which meant that we provided information to the complainant within 24 hours of receiving the case; this resulted in 100% customer satisfaction on how we did our job. • Established and taught a training module based on the investigative techniques in Army Regulation15-6, the Investigation’s guide for Informal Investigations, which improved statewide organizational investigative techniques. Our wait time for the completion of cases improved from a 6 to 8 month completion time, to a 2 to 3 month completion time.

Served as the supervisor of a combination of 8 Army Schools and the 19th Construction Engineer Battalion with 2000 personnel consisting of soldiers, contractors, and civilian personnel, with an annual operating budget of over $4M. At the end of my tenure I received the Legion of Merit for my duties, this award is the 5th highest award given in the US Army. • Reorganized the mounted warfare training curriculum in order to better prepare young officers to do their jobs in a stressful environment. Deployed unit commanders validated the positive changes by reporting on the increased knowledge of graduates from the retooled curriculum was far better than they had experienced with previous graduates.• Met and exceeded the challenge of alerting, training, and the eventual deployment of the 19th Engineer Battalion. Our organization was not organized to train and equip a construction engineer battalion, but through focused planning and training, we were able to ensure the unit was prepared to deploy to Iraq to conduct operations in a combat environment

• Served in assignments stateside and throughout the world to include; Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Macedonia, India, Chile and Germany. • Served as the Squadron Commander for 1/16 Cavalry. At the time (2000-2002) the largest Cavalry Squadron in the US Army. I was responsible for the operation and maintenance of over 100 armored vehicles and 200 wheeled vehicles. During this period our unit mission was to provide vehicle and personnel support for the Armor School. Our organization executed hundreds of tactical missions always maintaining all vehicles in a fully mission capable status.• Commander of a Reserve Officers Training Corps detachment at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and Davidson College-program determined to be the best middle sized program on the east coast (1999 Macarthur award winner) .

I worked as the Operations planner for the G3. Our most significant achievement was the planning of the deployment of the Dvision to Bosnia as a part of the IFOR mission in 1995. Once in Bosnia, I worked in the Future operations cell.

As a student in the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) we focused on Operational Art. Operational art is an essential element to execute campaign planning. We also learned military history, strategy and battle command.