Security assistance at the National Defense University: winning hearts and influencing minds.

[The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.]

Introduction

The National Defense University, located at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., is composed of four colleges, an institute and three centers:

* Industrial College of the Armed Forces;

* National War College;

* Joint Forces Staff College;

* Information Resources Management College;.

* Institute for National Strategic Studies;

* Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies;

* Near East South Asia Center and;

* Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The National Defense University has been the venue for the formation of countless lasting relationships, among members of foreign militaries and their U.S. counterparts. National Defense University has supported security assistance training programs since 1981. National Defense University educates through teaching, research and outreach, while building human relationships, promoting understanding and building rapport between individuals in the military and civil services and individuals from the U.S. and from nations around the globe. Thus making it an ideal setting for security assistance activities.

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The National Defense University, situated on historic Fort Leslie J. McNair in Washington D.C., was established in 1976 under the direction of Joint Chiefs of Staff as the highest level of joint military education in the United States. The principal components of the University at that time were the National War College (NWC) and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Since 1976 The National Defense University has grown to include:

* A dozen accredited graduate programs;

* Research institutes in national security strategy;

* National military strategy;

* National resource strategy;

* Joint multinational operations;

* Information strategies and operations;

* Resource management;

* Acquisition and regional defense, and;

* Security studies.

History of the International Programs at National Defense University

Given current events around the world a contingent of International Fellows provides an immense laboratory for the U.S. policy makers.

In 1980 the NDU Research Directorate welcomed their first international student, a Diamond Jubilee Fellow from the United Kingdom. The following year they sponsored the first NDU International Research Fellow, a Brazilian Navy Captain who also held a faculty position at the Inter-American Defense College. His experience at NDU was used to verify the feasibility of the International Research Fellows Program. The inclusion of International Research Fellows at the Research Directorate continued until 1984 when the program evolved into something more formal. The NDU Annual Report of the 1983-1984 Academic Year discussed this evolution stating that:

      This will involve a change in emphasis from a focus on research
   to a one-year academic fellowship program. The report stated that
   this approach would provide the Fellows an opportunity to
   participate in selected phases of the core curriculum of both the
   National War College and the Industrial College of Armed Forces and
   in selected elective courses. The report also emphasized that the
   new International Fellows Program would involve participation in
   extensive travel within the U.S. to visit military, cultural and
   industrial locations.

On June 8, 1984, the Joint Chiefs of Staff approved the establishment of an International Fellows Program at NDU. The initial course was held as a pilot program with six countries participating. The reaction among students and faculty was positive with over 85 per cent of those surveyed supporting attendance by international officers. By 1988 the International Fellows were fully integrated into the NDU program including enrollment in either the National War College or the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. The Program emphasized a broad based curriculum at the colleges, supplemented by a wide-range of cultural experiences throughout the U.S. in order to enhance their varied perceptions on international and domestic issues. International Fellows were awarded master's degrees for the first time in 1994.

      The International Fellows Program exists to provide professional
   military education to senior military officer and defense officials
   from friendly nations. A second objective of the program is to
   provide the Fellows the opportunity to learn about the U.S.
   firsthand and to foster understanding between Americans and their
   international counterparts in promoting national security and
   assuring peace.

International Fellows Program

The International Fellows Program come from nations around the world and attend NDU principally as part of the U.S. engagement strategy. The Fellows Program has three main components: the Summer Academic Program, the Academic Program and the Field Study Program.

Summer Academic Program

The goal of the Summer Academic Program is to get the Fellow and family settled so that he or she is able to concentrate on academics when school begins in August. The summer program begins mid-June and ends in mid-August. The first few days are devoted mainly to in processing and briefings to help the Fellow get settled in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. During these weeks of summer, there are several tours of the local area, as well as picnics and other social gatherings. Families are included in most of the orientation events. There are also overview briefings from many NDU organizations, as well as several days of computer training and effective writing in english classes.

Academic Program

Academic classes being mid-August. Fellows are assigned to either the National War College or ICAF for academic purposes. Fellows are assigned to a seminar that consists of U.S. military officers from all services as well as civilian students from various government agencies. Fellows participate in the full curriculum and are treated exactly the same as every other student at NDU. Fellows must arrive fully qualified in the English language, as the University does not provide remedial language support.

Field Study and Information Programs

I want you to show them the U.S. warts and all.

General Colin Powell

The Field Study and Information Program (IP) is a travel study program with the aim of taking the international students out of Washington D.C. to learn about the diversity of the United States. All international students at NDU are welcome to participate in IP events. The International Fellows Program as well as the newly organized Regional Defense Counterterrorism Fellows Program support more robust travel study programs usually consisting of one field study per month to different regions of the country. The field studies include visits to private homes, industry, cultural exhibits, farms, schools, sporting events, civic activities and historical points of interest.

Field studies are conducted with frank explanation and free discussion of the following:

* U.S. Government Structure;

* U.S. Judicial System;

* U.S. Political Party System;

* Role of a Free Press and other Communication Media;

* History of Ethnic Groups in the U.S;

* Purpose and Scope of Labor Unions;

* U.S. Economic System;

* U.S. Educational Institutions;

* The American Family and Community Life Including Religious Institutions;

* Environmental Protection, and;

* Public and Social Welfare.

The following are student responses to questions regarding what they learned or requests to share some thoughts and ideas that they had about the U.S. that were changed or re-enforced as a result of a particular field study.

* The size of the USA, the variety of culture and ethos across it, and the genuine warmth of the welcome; all were reinforced ... I learned about people; what they think and why. This applies both to the people of the U.S. and internally amongst the International Fellows.

* This field study changed my previous experience of the U.S.... the sheer size of the U.S. I am looking forward to visiting different regions ... what is the same? What is different?

* The U.S., the people and their land are very different and interesting as well. This big huge country has so many facets, it is impressive.

* Now I know that the people here are not as self-centered as I thought ... and that the United States is really a big country in every respect.

* Having visited Texas, California, Kansas and Missouri before, I was expecting Montana to be almost like those states. It is not. That is what I surprisingly learned. Every state here is a country by itself.

* The most important thing I have seen in the U.S. is that all the highways are in good condition. Without good highways you cannot have progress.

* I learned that friendship is the most important everywhere you go.

The International Fellows Program has proven results. The network of international military leaders staying connected like a fraternity capitalizes on the special relationships forged while in the U.S. The free flow of information among the Fellows may be the key to future problem solving in the advent of international conflict.

Quoted from a letter sent to U.S. Senator Max Bachus by Mr. Doug Averill a member of the Defense Orientation Conference Association and the host of the Montana Field Study.

International Fellows are selected by their countries based on an invitation list developed and coordinated between NDU, the services, the overseas Regional Commanders and the Joint Staff.

One of the first things I hope you will take away is the importance of those International Fellows who have been recognized, and are sitting among you now. The ties you have formed over the year will hold for years to come as we wrestle with new and unforeseen challenges to peace and prosperity. Leadership expert John Maxwell said, nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone. He is absolutely right. Over sixty countries have contributed in meaningful ways to our war on terrorism. It must continue to be an international team effort if we are going to be successful. To the International Fellows: I hope you carry with you not only the friendships and memories, and maybe the bruises from the athletic field, but also an expanded understanding of national security, including the complex interactions required to implement strategy. The lessons you learned here apply to your countries as well as the United States.

General Richard B. Myers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff NDU Graduation Address, June 10, 2003

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The International Fellows Program Hall of Fame

The International Fellows Program Hall of Fame was instituted in the year 2000 to honor graduates of the program who, after completing their studies at the NDU, achieved particular distinction in the armed forces and governments of their own countries, or in multinational forces and organizations.

Eligibility for induction into the Hall of Fame is based on the International Fellows having attained the highest levels of service in their countries' equivalent of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or service chief, or a member of their cabinet equal to Secretary of Defense or State or the Secretary of a military service in the United States. Another qualifying achievement is service at a comparable level of responsibility in a multinational force or organization. A key standard in assessing achievement is indication of enduring military, diplomatic, or humanitarian contribution to international peace and stability.

Current Members of the Hall of Fame

General Lojas Fodor, Commander, Hungarian Defense Forces and Chief of Defense Staff, Hungary, NWC Class of 1996;

Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Mahfoudh Al-Ardi, Commander, Royal Air Force, Oman, NWC Class of 1992;

General Dat Seri Ismail bin Hassan, Chief of Army, Malaysia, 1997, NWC Class of 1987;

General Carlos Maria Zabala, Chief of Armed Forces, Joint Staff, Argentina, NWC Class of 1987;

Lieutenant General Czeslaw Piatas, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, NWC Class of 1999;

Admiral Christopher Barrie, Chief of Defense Forces, Australia, NWC Class of 1987;

Lieutenant General Edward Pietrzyk, Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Land Forces, NWC Class of 1998;

General Carlos Alberto Ospina Ovalle, Commander, Colombian Army, NWC Class of 1994;

Lieutenant General Ryszard Olszewski, Chief of Air and Air Defense Forces Poland, NWC Class of 2001.

Where We are Now and the Road Ahead

The International Fellows Program has proven not to be a one-way program. International students have contributed significantly to the understanding of their countries during seminars and other Interactions with U.S. As a result the colleges have encouraged equitable distribution of international students requesting at least one International Fellow in each seminar or committee. This mindset has contributed to the exploding growth of the program. In the last decade the number of International Fellows has increased four fold. It is projected for 2004 that the National War College will have two students for each of the fifteen seminars bringing the International Fellows class up to greater than fifty Fellows.

The growth of the Fellows program as well as the addition of several new security assistance Programs has resulted in the creation of the International Student Management Office (ISMO). All security assistance programs have been consolidated into what used to be known as the International Fellows Program Office. This consolidation has allowed for a larger and more efficient staff, a more effective Information Program and sustained superior support for each international student. As a part of its new mission ISMO is responsible for the administration and management of all international students at NDU. ISMO is also responsible for information and field study programs, as well as coordinating closely with the regional centers and INSS to encourage cross-flow of information through participation in seminars and receptions.

[The following letter was sent to the departing President of the National Defense University, Vice Admiral DM Paul Gaffiney, June 2003.]

June 2003

Sir,

I was informed a couple of days ago that you are about to leave National Defense University (NDU). I would like to seize this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for everything you have done as President of the NDU for the International Fellows Program (IF). Every IF has appreciated enormously your attention and your continuing efforts to support and improve this program.

I am glad I have spent last year in the NDU and more in particular in the NWC. For I have to admit that my opinion about US foreign policy would be substantially different if I had not spent a year in the Washington D.C. area. I think I may say that my point of view is much more balanced now. t have learned to understand what kind of other (often domestic) and mostly unknown [to foreigners] parameters influence the U.S. decision-making process. The insights I gained during my stay in Washington D.C. and I seized the opportunity to meet a lot of other people from outside the military environment too highly educated as well as ordinary people, people from all segments of your society, to read a lot and to listen very attentively to the U.S. press, those insights help me immensely in understanding why the U.S. acts like it does.

My one-year stay in your country has provided me with enough background and elements to counter the (often anti-U.S.) attitude and opinions in discussions. Since I have regular contacts with the highest decision making levels of my country, military as well as civilian, I am able to influence and steer in a certain way, or at least to correct some points of view. This would not have been possible without my stay at the NDU, without the discussions I had there with my fellow students and without the opportunities the IF program has offered me, especially during the field trips.

Thank you Sir, for having made all this possible Respectfully yours [NDU International Fellow]

Timeline of Security Assistance Events at National Defense University

1976 NDU established

1980 Diamond Jubilee Fellow from U.K. joins Research Directorate

1981 First International Research Fellow

1984 Joint Chiefs of Staff establish NDU International Fellows Program

1994 International Fellows are awarded Masters degrees

1995 International Class nearly doubles in size

2002 First DVOT executed under direction of NDU-imso

2003 First Class of Regional Defense Counterrorism Fellows

International Fellows Program Objectives

* To prepare future leaders of the Armed Forces and civilian agencies for high-level policy, command, and staff responsibilities.

* To provide an understanding of factors and considerations that shape the United States security policy and strategy.

* To develop firsthand knowledge of the social, political, and economic factors that shape U.S. institutions.

* To further develop the professional qualifications of the International Fellow.

Laureen Reagan is the International Fellows Program Specialist for the International Student Management Office at the National Defense University. She has been with the National Defense University for two years. She has a Bachelors degree from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, where she studied Socio-cultural Anthropology and Microbiology with an emphasis in African Studies. From 1999 through 2000 she participated in the Boren Scholar with the National Security Education Program.