Stabilization and Reconstruction Staffing - RAND Corporation

80 Stabilization and Reconstruction Staffing: Developing U.S. Civilian PersonnelNSPD 44, 2 a definitive answer to that question requires further analysis.Both DoD and the State Department have accumulated many lessonsfrom the recent efforts in Afghanistan and, particularly, in Iraq.Furthermore, since any effort would require the participation of severaldepartments and agencies, OPM should be involved as the principalfederal government agency charged with personnel policy acrossgovernment.Finally, the HR management structure will need to be able towork across agency boundaries and support U.S. policy, planning,and operations. Therefore, the White House staff—the NSC staff andOMB in particular—should be involved in making decisions abouthow the effort will be managed and resourced, among other issues. Forpurposes of implementation of the concept, the formation of specificHR cells dealing with SSTR staff planning at the relevant departmentsand agencies might be in order. Given the expertise on SSTR operationsin DoD, liaisons from DoD at these departments and agenciesmight be required.For the lead-agency concept to go forward, legislative action willbe needed. If the pace of congressional action in 2005–2006 towardthe planning of and funding for SSTR operations is taken as an indicationof the contentiousness of the issue, then it is clear that there remainbasic differences on how to approach the issue in Congress. 3 It is alsoour basic observation that the conditions that will necessitate U.S. participationin future SSTR operations remain and that, unless the currentad hoc processes for providing civilian staffs for SSTR operationschange, there is bound to be much waste in resources and endangeringof lives.2 This conclusion stems from the fact that SSTR operations are civilian-led, and the staffsto which we are referring are civilians with expertise that resides at the State Department andits agencies (USAID).3 Nina M. Serafino and Martin A. Weiss, Peacekeeping and Conflict Transitions: Backgroundand Congressional Action on Civilian Capabilities, Washington, D.C.: Congressional ResearchService, CRS Report for Congress RL32862, June 2, 2006.