USAFSOS course helps nations build strong
civilian-military ties
by Tech. Sgt. Ginger Schreitmueller
Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
Released: 12 May 1999
 Okaloosa County, Fla.,
Deputy Sheriff A. Peacock, shows Veaceslas Pituscan how computer technology is being used
to process prisoners. Pituscan, Moldova's Deputy Chief European Integration Division,
toured the sheriff's office with other students attending the Civil-Military Strategy for
Internal Development Course. The Air Force Special Operations School course focuses on
helping enhance the importance and understanding of a strong civil-military relationship
for military officers and civilians from around the world. The school, located at Hurlburt
Field, Fla., recently held the CMSID course, focusing on nations from central Europe,
Russia and central Asia. (Photo by Master Sgt. Kevin Hoeth) |
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) - If you thought you saw a Russian general wandering
around Hurlburt Field, Fla., recently, you weren't seeing things.
A course at the U. S. Air Force Special Operations School here is building on
the old adage, "experience is the best teacher." The Civil-Military Strategy for
Internal Development course, or CMSID, focuses on helping enhance the importance and
understanding of a strong civil-military relationship for military officers and official
civilians from around the world.
"We use examples of U.S. civil-military relations to show students how our
nation has built on this cooperation," said Maj. Thomas Hudd, CMSID director.
"The course is designed to help enhance the understanding of the role of
civil-military cooperation in strategic planning and developmental implementation."
The schoolhouse currently offers three versions of the course, focusing on
nations in Latin America and the Caribbean; Africa; and central Europe, Russia and central
Asia. The EURASIA course was held April 19-30. Two additional versions, for the Middle
East (a first) and Asia-Pacific regions are planned for fiscal 2000.
Lecturers for each version of the course are government, private business and
academic experts on that specific region. Speakers include ambassadors and other officials
from the U.S. Department of State and other Department of Defense organizations. Other
lecturers represent the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency,
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the International Monetary Fund, the Arms
Control and Disarmament Agency and leading U.S. universities.
"We try to bring in top-flight lecturers, the best on the subject at hand,
since the attendees often represent high-level officials from their countries," Hudd
said.
During the recent EURASIA course, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan sent
military and civil representatives to the two-week course. Seminars include discussions on
cultural inhibitors to democratic reform, military budget and resource planning, as well
as the unique developmental objectives of the region. Students are provided an opportunity
to discuss, at the strategic level, what nontraditional military applications are
appropriate for furthering their national internal defense and development objectives.
"We try to expose the students to many areas that enhance their
understanding of the positive civil-military relationship in the United States," said
the major. The course includes lectures on the Law of Armed Conflict and U.S. military
legal issues, views of economic challenges, as well as tours of the Destin, Fla., Coast
Guard station and the Okaloosa County, Fla., Courthouse.
"We are fortunate that a local judge is also a Reserve colonel who is very
supportive of the school. He always arranges a tour of the courthouse where students can
observe him presiding over active cases, talk with the county sheriff, local prosecutors
and defense attorney, as well as receive a tour of the detention center," said Hudd.
"Students always point out this experience as a highlight of their two-week stay in
the United States."
Students are also involved in classroom discussions on civil affairs, emergency
response to natural disasters and the U.S. National Security Policy process.
Student reaction to the course was uniformly positive.
"As my country transitions to a democratic system, this information will
help us develop a society with good interaction between our civil and military
officials," said Col. Bektash Kolasi, Albania's director of defense for planning.
Along with learning about the civil-military relationship in the United States,
another benefit of the course is students can learn about the other nations in their
region.
"The course offered me a good overview of our region, and helped me to hear
different opinions from people in our region," said Kolasi. "Many of us speak
the same language, and must bridge the differences to build on our similarities as one
region."
Some representatives found the class also provided them a step to opening
dialogue with their neighbors.
"This was the first chance I had to talk with someone from Slovenia, and we
found our countries share many common experiences," said Veaceslas Pituscan,
Moldova's deputy chief European integration division. "We have now formed a
friendship and will keep in touch when we return to our countries. This opportunity to
interact with others we would not normally meet has been very beneficial. I will be able
to talk with many of these people in the coming years to compare and exchange ideas."
"During the class, each country has the opportunity to share personal
experiences and identify ways their nation has used - or can potentially use - a national
civil-military internal development strategy," said Hudd. "This is important,
because we don't pretend to have all the answers in America. Learning from each other is a
valuable component to what goes on here."
"Most of us are from former Warsaw Pact nations, and it is interesting to
hear the various aspects of transition each nation is going through," said Olexandr
Bohunov, Ukraine's chief of section for the main military education directorate. "We
can see the transition is similar; we are all going through the same steps and face the
same obstacles in our growth. It was interesting to hear how different countries are
handling that transition, and the role a strong civil-military relationship can play in
such changing (times). This information will help our nations grow as a society."
The interaction between the American military and civil communities also offered
students insight into our nation's experiences.
"It was good to see America's culture and society firsthand. I've learned a
lot about your civil-military relationship," said Kolasi. "When I return to my
country I can share the many things I've seen and learned here, and show how they can be
implemented in our government. I have seen how your nation developed, and better
understand the differences and similarities."
"The subject of civil-military relationship is a new concept for us. As we
build our nation's structure, we can now use this information as part of our approach to a
new society," Kolais said.
RELATED SITES
* Air Force Special Operations
Command
* Defense Intelligence Agency
* Department of Defense
* Federal Emergency Management Agency
* Hurlburt Field, Fla.
* Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Europe
* U.S. State Department
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