MODA'S CLASS NINE DEPLOYS
(WASHINGTON, July 15, 2013) They represent
specialties as far afield as defense strategy and epidemiology,
bringing with them an average of 20 years of experience to the
front lines. As American and NATO forces draw down from
Afghanistan, Ministry of Defense Advisors (MoDA) represent the
tip of the spear in helping the Afghan government develop and
maintain stable civilian controlled security institutions in
Afghanistan long after 2014.
 The MoDA program was developed as a result of
operational requirements in Afghanistan and Iraq. Defense
capacity building efforts in those countries focused heavily on
improving the tactical proficiency of security forces, but often
neglected ministerial capacity building. This unbalanced
approach undermined hard-won tactical gains that can only be
sustained by stable and accountable defense institutions.
MoDA was developed and established by the
Partnership Strategy and Stability Operations office in the
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. The Defense
Security Cooperation Agency's Centers Management Office took
over MoDA program management in October 2012.
Whereas past U.S. defense institution building
activities abroad relied heavily on contractors and military
personnel, MoDA civilians bring unique civilian expertise to the
mission. MoDA Class 9, which completed training in June, is the
latest of the program's classes to deploy. Along with their 60
MoDA colleagues already in theater, this latest class comes from
all walks of life including the U.S. Air Force, Veterans Health
Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Africa
Command to name a few.
Any of these advisors will tell you that the
road to Afghanistan was not easy. The program's seven week
training course included an advisory curriculum, weapons and
self-defense training, cultural familiarization, basic language
instruction, and briefings from senior specialists such as
counterinsurgency expert David Kilcullen. The team concluded
their training with an intensive 10-day field training exercise
supported by the Indiana National Guard at Camp Atterbury and
Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, in Indiana.
Due to the program's success in Afghanistan,
MoDA will expand globally to Montenegro, Kosovo, Yemen, and
other countries later.
For more information regarding the MoDA
program and how to apply, please contact John Raffier by e-mail
or at 703-607-5204.
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