The Defense Security Cooperation University’s Institute for Security Governance is the Department of Defense’s leading implementer for Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) and one of its primary International Schoolhouses.
APRIL 2023 ISSUE
This issue reflects on the January ISG On-Site • Welcomes new Logistics Capability Building Functional Lead, David Shealy • Reports on Maritime Readiness in the Dominican Republic • Offers a standing ovation to Executive Administrative Specialist, Lisa Ruffoni • Highlights the most recent iteration of the “Fundamentals of Maritime Security” course • Spotlights a Philippine Alumnus of ISG Resident Education • Takes a look at the past 10 years of Peacekeeping & Exercises in Japan • Promotes the 2023-2024 Course Catalog • Provides exciting updates from ISG HQ
AROUND THE INSTITUTE
January 2023 ISG On-site
In early January, the ISG Team came together for a three-day on-site meeting in Monterey, California and online. Events included a recognition ceremony for Mr. Steven Peterson for his five years of leadership as ISG Director as well as a town hall welcoming Acting Director, Mr. David Manero, in which colleagues learned more about his vision for the Institute during this important transitional period.
Mr. Manero then kicked off his new role by facilitating “A Walk Through ISG” – a thoughtful overview session comprised of the Institute’s major portfolios and featuring presentations from Institute experts in attendance and online. This session provided a dynamic opportunity for all to connect with the Institute's impactful mission and the complex mechanics of its work.
A great kick-off to the new year, the on-site gathering was an invaluable opportunity to communicate and collaborate with one another in one-on-ones and small groups around the important work that we all share.
ISG WELCOMES
ICB NON-RESIDENT ADVISING
ISG Support Maritime Readiness in the Dominican Republic
The United States takes an active role in safeguarding its maritime domain as well as maintaining a high level of preparedness within the maritime community around the globe. Two years ago, ISG began supporting the Dominican Republic (DR) by working with its Navy to increase its maritime readiness. The goal of this partnership is to advance U.S. national security and policy objectives by advancing Dominican institutional capabilities. As the Department of Defense’s leading implementer for Institutional Capacity Building (ICB), the Institute strives to improve security sector governance and core management competencies needed to effectively achieve shared security objectives. By its nature, these efforts foster sustainable and repeatable Security Cooperation with its allies and partners.
ISG’s collaboration with the Dominican Navy seeks to increase the DR’s capacity for regional domain awareness, and to enhance its border security and citizen security by targeting illicit trafficking and increasing its interdiction capabilities throughout its maritime and land domains. ISG’s project aims to advise Dominican Navy officials on ICB logistics and resource management requirements to maintain and sustain the U.S. provided Boston Whaler (Interceptor) Fleet – the primary interdiction force of the Dominican Navy. The Interceptor Fleet is critical to the DR’s ability to counter threats from transnational criminal organizations, violent extremist organizations, and malign regional and external state actors.
During a scoping visit in April 2022, ISG and its Dominican counterparts established a project team to outline sustainment needs and to develop an interactive lifecycle materiel management costing method that would allow the Dominican Navy to budget sufficient funds to ensure that the Interceptor fleet is able to meet its operational commitments in the maritime domain.
By analyzing the unit’s usage patterns, the team was able to model sustainment needs for the fleet to meet mission requirements. As a result of that analysis, the Dominican Navy has been able to justify a government investment to repower the fleet. Additionally, the FY2023 Dominican Navy budget will now include funding for sustainment requirements for the Interceptor Fleet identified by the project team last year. ISG also partnered with the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Technical Assistance Field Team from the U.S. Coast Guard to synchronize logistics capacity building efforts to improve maintenance readiness of the Interceptor Fleet.
ISG Regional Program Lead for the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Michael Knutson, said: “It is a pleasure to collaborate with the Dominican Navy on this project. While the ISG team has provided consultation on logistics international best practices, it has been the partner who has taken the advice and made it applicable to the Dominican Navy’s needs. In collaboration with the ISG team, the Dominican Navy’s Director of Programs and Plans, Commander Fausto Richardson, developed a practical and interactive operational model to predict lifecycle sustainment costs that will help the Dominican Navy portray its sustainment needs for priority capabilities and improve operational readiness for the Interceptor Fleet.”
ISG’s collaboration with its Dominican Navy counterparts facilitated the sustainable improvement of our partner’s capacity to demonstrate maritime readiness and to counter shared security threats.
STANDING OVATION
Lisa Ruffoni, Executive Administrative Specialist
Ms. Lisa Ruffoni joined ISG as a contractor in 2019, taking on the role of Program Support Coordinator covering the Western Hemisphere Region along with the Emergency Management and Logistics Programs. A testament to her efficacy and professionalism, she was quickly promoted in 2020 to become the Program Support Team Lead, where she created a highly productive and positive team environment. In February of 2023, Ms. Ruffoni transitioned to the role of Executive Administrative (EA) Support Specialist in the Institute Operations Division (IOD). In this role, Ms. Ruffoni looks forward to shaping and developing the EA roles, to creating efficiencies, and to improving systems across the Institute.
If you’ve been around ISG for any length of time, you’ve likely experienced Ms. Ruffoni’s unflappable demeanor on ISG’s complex regional sync meetings; her indefatigable capacity to collaborate with her colleagues and innovate solutions to challenging issues; and her consistent support and encouragement of her teammates.
When asked what she was most proud of during her tenure supporting ISG, Ms. Ruffoni pointed to her time leading the Program Support Team and her role in fostering a positive and cooperative team environment. She was quick to express gratitude for her colleagues on the Program Support Team, saying, “Their tremendous work ethic, professionalism, and dedication to the ISG missions is beyond commendable.”
Having worked with colleagues across the Institute, Ms. Ruffoni has had a front row seat to ISG’s global impact. She noted how that impact is enabled and amplified by ISG’s high caliber faculty and staff, and the support they provide the U.S.’s partners and allies. “This organization is immensely impactful to the safety and security of the United States and our partners abroad, and to play even a small part is inspiring.” With admiration for her colleagues, she described them as, “the most accomplished professionals I have ever met, and yet they operate with the utmost humility and sincerity, inspiring me to be my best.”
Not surprisingly, one of Ms. Ruffoni’s favorite ways to spend her time away from work is serving the community as an advocate for rescue dogs. When visiting her hometown, she makes time to volunteer at the Animal Rescue of Fresno (ARF) and enjoys the change of pace from her day job, spending time with the dogs while waiting for their forever homes.
ISG is extremely fortunate to include accomplished professionals like Ms. Ruffoni among its ranks and wishes to offer her a Standing Ovation from ISG’s leadership and colleagues.
RESIDENT EDUCATION
A New Cohort Learns the Fundamentals of Maritime Security at ISG
The Institute for Security Governance recently conducted a “Fundamentals of Maritime Security” Resident Course at ISG headquarters in Monterey, California. A range of mid- to senior-level military and civilian international participants were represented among the 26 attendees, who hailed from nine different countries, with a strong contingent from Indonesia. The two-week course is structured to provide participants with the strategic context shaping the maritime space in the early 21st century; an overview of various maritime transnational threats; risk and governance self-assessment exercises; an in-depth look at maritime domain awareness requirements and capabilities; and coverage of strategies, solutions, and best practices for governments to effectively prevent, prepare for, and manage the consequences of various maritime threats.
Among the various methodologies, discussions, case studies, and classroom exercises, this course notably featured a presentation from Mr. Shanaka Jayasekara – the Global Maritime Crime Program (GMCP) Manager for Southeast Asia/Pacific at the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Participants learned about the mission of the Global Maritime Crime Program and its work to improve regional cooperation and maritime law enforcement capabilities. Nations of the world are economically and militarily connected by the sea, yet many U.S. partners lack the capabilities and the capacity to establish and maintain their maritime sovereignty and security. Mr. Jayasekara’s presentation covered the scope and breadth of UNODC’s mission “To improve the capabilities of member states’ criminal justice systems to prevent, interdict, investigate, and prosecute maritime crime through a sound rule-of-law framework and effective international cooperation.”
As an added practical dimension to the coursework, participants received briefings on the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) roles and statutory missions at USCG Station Monterey, and toured the 47-foot Motor Lifeboats, smaller craft, and the 87-foot Cutter HAWKSBILL. As is the case with many courses at ISG, participants joined one another in social activities and excursions, helping to foster personal relationships and professional connections that will last well beyond the course.
Speaking to the success of the course, Course Director Timothy Doorey noted, “By the end of the two-week course, participants from the nine different countries had become close friends and colleagues. They will take home what they learned during the course, their experiences inside and outside the classroom, and use the informal networks to enhance their professional careers.”
At the conclusion of the “Fundamentals of Maritime Security” course, participants are meant to:
- Understand the various “drivers” impacting global maritime security in the early 21st century;
- Understand transnational maritime threats and trends, i.e., piracy, terrorism, smuggling and trafficking, and IUU fishing;
- Evaluate and prioritize their national and regional maritime transnational threats and risks;
- Assess their nation’s maritime governance strengths and weaknesses;
- Understand the elements of maritime strategy development at operational and strategic levels;
- Describe best practices to recruit, vet, train, assign, and retain talented maritime security professionals.
Additional Maritime Security courses that explore strategic and operational level best practices, and innovative solutions to address common challenges are available for programming in both the resident format at ISG as well as in the mobile format in-country. These courses address issues such as understanding transnational maritime threats; integrating civil, military, and law enforcement agencies with maritime security responsibilities; and leveraging regional and other international governmental and non-governmental resources.
Learn more about how ISG is working to help Partner Nations identify, assess, and better understand Maritime Security issues in this ICB Smart Sheet.
This spotlight series highlights alumni of ISG programs, whose exposure to defense governance and capacity building concepts – and interaction with ISG personnel – have had a significant impact on their area of expertise. In this edition, the spotlight focuses on ISG alum Rear Admiral (RADM) Roy Echeverria of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), who first interacted with the Institute in 2018 when he participated in the “Civil-Military Approaches to Maritime Security” resident course held at ISG headquarters in Monterey, California. In line with his impressive career, RADM Echeverria is currently serving in two offices and in two positions: as the Commander of the Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command (MARSLEC), he is responsible for formulating policies, rules, and regulations pertaining to the implementation of the Philippine Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement functions. In the Office of the President of the Philippines (OP), he serves as the Director of the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) and is responsible for overseeing the administration of daily operations of the Center; facilitating inter-agency information sharing programs; and providing regular maritime reports to the Chairman of the NCW Council.
When asked how his experience at ISG influenced his career, RADM Echeverria noted several significant impacts from ISG’s Maritime Security education programs: “My participation in ISG’s ‘Civil-Military Approaches to Maritime Security,’ provided me a wonderful opportunity to widen my perspective in dealing with maritime security issues in my capacity as a senior ranked Coast Guard Officer. I firmly believe that this course is one of the key elements in my accomplishments when I was the Commander of Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao and even to this day in both positions.” RADM Echeverria’s connection with ISG has continued into 2022 with his hosting of an ISG Maritime Domain Awareness course held at the Philippines’ NCW in Manila for senior-level Navy, Coast Guard, and civilian officials.
“My participation in ISG’s ‘Civil-Military Approaches to Maritime Security,’ provided me a wonderful opportunity to widen my perspective in dealing with maritime security issues in my capacity as a senior ranked Coast Guard Officer. I firmly believe that this course is one of the key elements in my accomplishments when I was the Commander of Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao and even to this day in both positions.”
ISG Maritime Security Functional Lead, CAPT USN (Ret.) Mr. Tim Doorey, articulated his appreciation for RADM Echeverria and the long-standing partnership with the Philippines maritime community, noting that the projected growth of the Philippine Coast Guard in the years to come makes the PCG one of the most important U.S. MARSEC partners. He went on to say, “The Philippine Coast Guard is growing by leaps and bounds. Their current strength is 26,000, up from 16,000 in 2016. The force is projected to grow even more in the years to come.
With this future growth and recognizing the importance of bringing together maritime law enforcement (MLE) agencies and resources, RADM Echeverria and the NCW Center serve as important conduits for Philippine MLE agencies and international organizations. Echoing many of the refrains of ISG’s Institutional Capacity Building goals and efforts, RADM Echeverria made clear that, “as the demands and complexities of maritime challenges evolve in the Philippines, building and maintaining partnerships is a crucial aspect of maritime security and governance. Continued collaborative efforts with relevant agencies and stakeholders will facilitate easier coordination and information sharing.”
The opportunity to work together with effective leaders like RADM Echeverria and to continue to support their professional development demonstrates how ISG’s multi-pronged approach to Institutional Capacity Building positively contributes to Security Cooperation with partners and allies.
RADM Roy Echeverria is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (1993) and joined the Navy and later on the Philippine Coast Guard in 1997. He obtained his Master in Maritime Policy from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia in 2006. Prior to his current stint as Commander, MARSLEC and Director, NCWC, his major assignments include Commander of the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGDSEM); Commander of the Coast Guard District Palawan; Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Human Resource Management at the PCG National Headquarters; and, as Station Commander of eight (8) different Coast Guard Stations in Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga, Jolo, Cotabato, Pagadian, Bongao and Cagayan de Tawi-tawi.
PEACEKEEPING & EXERCISES
The Fruit of Ten Years of Peacekeeping Capacity Building with Japan
Over the course of 17-days in early 2023, an ISG Peacekeeping & Exercise (PKX) Team traveled to Tokyo, Japan to conduct a United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC) at the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC), Joint Staff College.
ISG has been delivering both the UNSOC as well as the Peacekeeping Contingent Commanders Course (PKOCC) annually to rotating Japanese contingents for over a decade.
For the first time in ISG’s engagement history with Japan, this iteration included a two-day train-the-trainer preparation, enabling five Japanese instructors from the JPC to join the ISG trainers in executing the course. Japanese partners taking a direct instructional role is a strong indicator of the efficacy of ISG’s capacity building efforts in Japan. The JPC indicated their intention to build on this success during the next course in July. Participants were encouraged by the Commandant of the Joint Staff College, Vice Admiral FUTAKAWA Tatsuya, during his graduation to “take home and share the knowledge and the skills [they] have acquired during the course and be a core personnel in the international missions.” Japan is looking for ways to increase its contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping.
ISG supports the State Department Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI) to deliver high-level United Nations peacekeeping training to partner nations. The intent of this training is ultimately to enable partner nation peacekeeping training centers to become self-sufficient. The ISG PKX Team provides unrivaled career UN expert instructor/mentor support and offers continuously updated materials and training methodologies that are fully compliant with UN training requirements. What’s more, ISG PKX training incorporates up-to--date lessons learned from ongoing missions.
Using this expertise, ISG also provides support to non-GPOI countries via Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) courses. ISG’s Peacekeeping & Exercise with Japan is part of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency FMS case with Japan.
To learn more about ISG’s Peacekeeping & Exercise Practice Group, how it supports worldwide peacekeeping exercises, as well as about its resident and mobile education offerings, visit ISG's Schoolhouse Hub.
RESOURCES
2023-2024 Course Catalog
ISG’s tailored education and professional development courses support the development of a comprehensive knowledge base and strengthen capabilities to confront complex security and defense challenges. This catalog provides an overview of ISG's unique course offerings that support our education and training objectives. View the full catalog as a PDF or browse by Practice Groups on the interactive Schoolhouse Hub here. Click on each course to see a full Course Description.
HQ UPDATES
Sandra O’Hern Featured on Air Force JAG Podcast
Congratulations to Sandra O’Hern on her participation in an episode on the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School Podcast. In this episode, Lieutenant Colonel O’Hern joins Major Laura Quaco and Dr. Andy Akin for a conversation about Russian history and the relationship between Russia and Ukraine leading up to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Stay tuned for the next episode to hear the remainder of the conversation in which the host and guests discuss operations and international legal principles related to Russia and the conflict.
Iraq Resident Advisor Received The Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award
ISG Resident Advisor to Iraq, Mr. Thomas Versichelli, was honored with the Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award for his efforts to support the reform of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs and their fight against terrorism. Bravo Zulu!
Nick Tomb Participates in WPS Workshop
Job well done to Mr. Nicholas Tomb, ISG’s Security Governance Functional Lead and Women, Peace, and Security Functional Co-lead, for his March 2023 participation in a Women, Peace and Security (WPS) workshop organized by the Inter-American Defense College in Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
During the workshop, Mr. Tomb played a crucial role in supporting workshop design planning, facilitating three small group activities, and delivering a panel presentation titled, “Setting Conditions to Advance WPS Operationally & Institutionally: Beyond What—HOW.” The event, which included 35 participants from 12 countries from the NORTHCOM/SOUTHCOM regions, provided a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices on this important topic.
Article Publication By Scott Lyons
Kudos to ISG Acting Senior Principal for Regional Advising Scott Woodruff Lyons for his recent publication in International Legal Materials (Vol 62, Issue 1, Feb 2023) on “Hossou v. Benin (Judgment on Jurisdiction).”
The article examines the case of Hossou v. Benin, which was heard by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, concerning jurisdictional issues related to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The article provides an insightful analysis of the judgment and its implications for the interpretation of the African Charter and the jurisdiction of the African Court.
Dr. Whitney Grespin Authors WPS Chapter in New Book & ISA Appointment
Congratulations to ISG Africa Regional Program Lead Dr. Whitney Grespin for her significant contribution to the recently published book, Sandhurst Trends in International Conflict: Women, Peace and Security in Military Operations, edited by Andree-Anne Melancon and Max Thompson (Howgate Publishing). Dr. Grespin authored Chapter 6: "Enhancing Operational Effectiveness Through an Analysis of the Women, Peace, and Security Environment in Djibouti."
ISG extends an additional hearty congratulations to Dr. Grespin on her recent appointment to the governing council of International Studies Association’s International Security Studies Section.
Heron Spotting
The Heron is our organization’s unofficial mascot, roaming the ISG lawn looking for moles and nesting on nearby Lake Del Monte. Herons are also symbols of partnership, exploration, intelligence, guidance, determination, and transformation—all of which ISG embodies in the work we do.
Working with Us
ISG is hiring! Working with ISG brings you into a rich community of individuals striving to address emergent security challenges and grow global partnerships through Institutional Capacity Building. Check out the exciting opportunities to Join Our Team.
The ISG Heron Archive
If you are interested in previous issues of The ISG Heron, check out The ISG Heron Archive. Please continue spreading the word for us by signing up to receive The ISG Heron each quarter, visiting us on the web or following us on LinkedIn.