The DISAM Journal of international security assistance management

DISAM Journal, Wntr, 2003

If you are interested in regional or country activity, do we have the issue for you! Our feature article deals with the security cooperation efforts in Kazakhstan. Discussions center not only on the history and people, but include issues such as Caspian Sea oil exploration. Other articles in this edition span the globe to include North Korea, the Western Hemisphere, South Asia, and Africa.

Doctrinal issues included integrated policy and export control key interests as we continue to fight the war on terrorism. Combating the spread of small arms and the destruction of excess weapons are addressed in articles supplied by the Department of State sources. Also, in case you missed it, there is a summation of Defense Security Cooperation Agency annual worldwide conference held this past October.

If you are more functionally inclined, you can read about the Air Force's lessons learned in logistics from the war in Afghanistan. Logistics also takes center stage in an article provided by Naval Air Systems Command in a Process Improvement Team update. For those with budgeting interests or duties, Performance Based Costing--keying in on the model for DSCA and the FMS slant--is articulated by Dr. Bobby Davis of Florida A&M University.

Most of our articles in each edition are provided by U.S. sources: An added treat in this Journal is the perspective of a Bahamian Defense Force officer, Lieutenant Commander Tellis Bethel which outlines his (researched) thoughts on combating Caribbean narcotics trafficking.

Let me conclude these comments with DISAM information related to our courses and the role we see as DISAM's evolving mission, especially since and as a result of September 11, 2001. The requests to DISAM for Mobile Education Teams and overseas on-sites have grown significantly--to the point that we cannot meet all the requests within the fiscal year that each is made. In fiscal year 1998, we sent teams to 6 countries; in fiscal year 2002, we visited 16 countries. We are on track for approximately that same amount this year and additional requests keep coming.

Because of this evolution, DISAM is rethinking, using historical data and attendance rates to fine tune class offerings and the timing of them to enable us to get beyond the four walls of the institution. I will put more in an article in our next Journal, but the key is to note upon the release of our fiscal year 2004 schedule, dates of courses you and your subordinates need to take and then make reservations quickly. Our goal is not to lock people out of our classes, but to fill them up effectively and efficiently. We have not cut that many classes out of the calendar as our draft is sizing it up now (only a grand total of 3 or 4 from various courses). The end result is a calendar that uses DISAM resources to better meet the needs of the entire community. These will be discussed during our upcoming curriculum review held the week of February 18 and you will hear more after your unified command and military department representatives hear the details and have the opportunity to provide their input. Again, mor e to follow.

Note our ongoing photo contest--thanks to those who have already submitted photos, and encouragement to those who want DISAM to display and use photos of you accomplishing your mission. Keep those photos coming, and I hope to see you at an upcoming conference!

RONALD H. REYNOLDS

Commandant