Security Assistance; and Logistics - Federation of American Scientists

Originally, personnel filling the new SAO JMD positions were on 120-day TDY rotationsuntil the Services could begin sourcing and filling the SAO billets. USCENTCOMreported that position fills have approached steady-state so that personnel from theServices were arriving for 12-month tours and attendance at DISAM had become moreconsistent. It was also noted that personnel with SAO/FMS experience are a very lowdensity skill set that is spread across many specialties in all the Services with nosystematic means to track and manage. The vast majority, perhaps 90 percent or more, ofthe personnel in other USCENTCOM SAO shops lacked prior FMS experience.Our ResponseCommander, USCENTCOM, comments were responsive, and no additional commentsare required.6.b. We recommend that the Commander, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, take the necessary action to revise its Joint Manning Document to establish aminimum of 1-year tour lengths for security assistance personnel assigned to the SecurityAssistance Office in Iraq or establish an alternate rotation policy (discussed in thisobservation) similar to that developed by the United States Army Security AssistanceCommand for Army security assistance personnel.Client CommentsThe original recommendation was directed to the Director of DSCA. The AssistantSecretary of Defense, Global Security Affairs (ASD(GSA)), responding for the Director,DSCA, concurred with comment. The Assistant Secretary stated that the operationalcommander must have the personnel and resources necessary to perform the securityassistance mission in Iraq. The Assistant Secretary reported that the Director, DSCA,would continue to work with the Joint Staff and other appropriate organizations who settour lengths and establish training requirements for personnel assigned to MNSTC-I. TheAssistant Secretary stated, however, that the Director, DSCA, did not have the authorityto establish tour lengths for SAOs.Our ResponseThe Assistant Secretary’s comments were responsive. We agree that the length of toursfor SAO personnel in Iraq is a matter for the commander, in this case, MNSTC-I. As aresult, we revised Recommendation 6.b., redirecting it to MNSTC-I. We request thatCommander, MNSTC-I provide comments in response to the final report.63