Civil Affairs Transitions Roundtable

Planning and Measures of Effectiveness

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Reserve Officers Association of the United States

One Constitution Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002

 Civil Affairs is a knowledge-based discipline – this was the opening line of the last Civil Affairs Transitions Roundtable in February of 2008.  During that session it was agreed that the issues of planning and measurement needed to be addressed by this group – both sources of this knowledge.  Planning and measurement should not be separated.  Planning is done in response to a situation and the U.S. military mission.  Planning includes conducting research, identifying priorities and tasks, assigning responsibilities, sequencing, allocating resources, and coordinating with other military and civilian organizations.,  Planning projects how the objectives will be achieved, while providing the flexibility to alter activities as the operation develops.  Measurement provides the means for determining the success of the operation in meeting the U.S. Government’s objectives. Therefore this session will bring together speakers and panelist who will address the range of planning for Civil Affairs; from the policy level through the strategic and operational levels to the unit level.  The final panel of the day will focus on measurement – looking at theory, practice and tools.

8:00                       Registration/Refreshments

8:30                       Welcome and Roundtable Overview

                              Mr. Robert Feidler

Reserve Officers Association

                              Prof. Dave Davis, Director

                              Peace Operations Policy Program, George Mason University

8:45                       A New Approach to Interagency Strategic Planning for Reconstruction and Stabilization

                              Mr. Oscar DeSoto, S/CRS

9:45                       Break        

10:00                     Planning

                              Panelists

§  Ultimate Objective of Civil Information Management (CIM): Incorporation of the CMO analysis into a Cdr’s Planning& Decision cycle - SGM John Black

§  Country Studies as a resource – Sandra Meditz, Federal Research Division, Library of Congress

§  Stability Operations – LTC Michael Anderson, OSD/StabOps

12:30                     Lunch - MG Graves

14:00                     Measurement and Metrics                     

                              Panelists

§  What is Stability and Are we Measuring it? – Dr. James Derleth, USAID

§  Measuring Progress in Conflict Environments – Dr. Michael Dziedzic, USIP

§  Joint Staff – Mr. Peter Steen, Analytic Services, Inc.

§  Metrics in Iraq – Dr. Kirk Johnson, Analyst, Special Inspector General for Iraq

15:30                     Open Discussion

16:00                     Concluding Remarks and Adjourn