Stabilization and Reconstruction Staffing - RAND Corporation

58 Stabilization and Reconstruction Staffing: Developing U.S. Civilian Personnelissue is personnel accountability—in particular, the databases and proceduresused to account for personnel from recruitment though redeployment.Centralized systems were absent in the CPA case, and personnelaccountability was not done well. 8The first model, in which one agency’s personnel system is responsiblefor the entire effort, aligns most closely with the effort in thefield (responsiveness). Just as success in a SSTR operation is linkedto the responsiveness of all deployed personnel and programs to thedesignated official leading the effort (hereafter, the Ambassador), sotoo should the support systems in the United States be responsible tohim or her. In particular, this model would permit the Ambassador’sdeployed-personnel section to reach back to one agency’s personnelsystem, which would manage the processes that ensure documentation,validation, and recruiting for needed personnel. Similarly, itwould simplify accountability, because all responsibility would residewith one agency. However, it would not be as strong in recruiting personnelfor all required specialties as the other two options.The second model, in which a lead agency is supported by thepersonnel systems of all involved agencies, aligns more closely with therequirements to find and retain people with specific expertise whileretaining responsibility in one organization for responsiveness andaccountability. For example, the Department of Health and HumanServices’ personnel system in all likelihood would have more success atidentifying and recruiting personnel to help rebuild another country’spublic health system than would the Department of State. This observationgeneralizes to all specific technical skills. However, while retainingresponsibility for all functions in one agency, the work would be doneby many. To achieve unity of effort and be responsive to the Ambassador,a lead agency would need to be the central point for documenting,validating, and filling positions. In particular, a SSTR operation’spersonnel section, to have any control at all of the system, would need8 Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Audit Report: Management of PersonnelAssigned to the Coalition Provisional Authority, Baghdad, Iraq, Arlington, Va.: Office ofthe Inspector General, Coalition Provisional Authority, Report Number 04-002, June 25,2004.