ISSUE 182 : Jul/Aug - 2010 - Australian Defence Force Journal

AORs. AFRICOM, for example, recognising that security is linked to many aspects of humansecurity, is developing an even more diversified multi-agency approach with the appointmentof US State Department, US Agency for International Development and other US governmentagency representatives within its headquarters.ADF forces working as part of a US-led coalition often work under the operational control ofa combined joint task force that, in turn, is working under the command of a GCC. The GCC’soperational needs drive which ADF capabilities are sought and provided by the AustralianGovernment. But the GCCs also seek to shape the security situation through dialogue, exercisesand developing capabilities with friendly nations. Many ADF members have also participatedin these sorts of activities over the years—particularly with PACOM—and again, it is importantto understand how and why these activities come into being.Applying the Unified Command Plan in the Geographic CombatantCommandsWith the authority vested in them by the UCP, the geographic combatant commanders takeinto account the raft of US strategic policy, as well as other factors, to derive theatre strategiesfor their AOR. This strategy definition process is undertaken cognisant of other instrumentsof US national power, particularly diplomatic and economic. To achieve this, each GCC hasa foreign policy advisor from the US State Department to assist in integrating the theatrestrategy with broader US foreign policy. The GCC theatre strategies that emerge from thisprocess are usually classified although some aspects are released into the public domain. 20They typically encompass the management of assigned resources and ‘engagement’ with othernations in the AOR. 21‘Engagement’ seeks to build better security relations with the countries in the GCC’s AOR,endeavouring to build trust and habits of cooperation. ‘Security cooperation’ is the DoD termused to describe how a GCC engages with foreign militaries. It includes a series of activitiesintended to improve information exchange and intelligence to help develop a common threatassessment; build defence relationships that promote specific US security interests; developallied and friendly military capabilities for self-defence and multinational operations; andprovide US forces with peacetime and contingency access to a host nation. 22Under the construct of security cooperation, GCCs develop theatre security cooperation plansthat synchronise a wide range of activities, including combined training, exercises, educationand experimentation; conferences, seminars and visits; and humanitarian assistance. TwoGCCs support regional security studies centres. 23 Additionally, within the rubric of securitycooperation is a group of security assistance programs by which the US provides defencearticles, military training and other defence-related services (by grant, loan, credit or cashsales) in furtherance of US national policies and objectives. 24 Most US diplomatic missionsinclude a DoD security assistance team that manages the program, responsible to both therelevant US ambassador and the geographic combatant commander. 2575