More on the Latest Headlines

DRMI Opens All Resident Courses to GS-09 and above.

US Officers (Active or Reserve) and International Military Officers, of Grades O-4 through O-6; Civilian Officials of Grades GS-09 through GS-15 or Equivalent are now eligible to attend all of DRMI's resident courses. These courses are suitable for professionals concerned with the economic, efficient and effective allocation and use of scarce defense resources in today's complex and uncertain security environment. Participants normally come from a broad spectrum of fields, to include logistics, operations, personnel, acquisition, financial management, program management, planning, engineering, and program evaluation. The courses include:

Defense Resources Management Course, Multiple Criteria Decision Making Course, Budget Preparation and Accountability Course, Risk Management Course, Streamlining Government Course and Performance Management and Budgeting Course. Detailed information about each of these course is available by clicking HERE.

DRMI Completes Final Mobile Course for 2011 in Amman, Jordan

A DRMI team of Associate Professor Jonathan Lipow, Assistant Professor Jomana Amara, LTC Mike Nixon, and Senior Lecturer Steve Hurst (Team Coordinator) returned home for the holidays after completing the last DRMI mobile course for 2011. The DRMI faculty delivered the second of two, two-week courses on Human Resources Management 4-15 December. DRMI conducted the first course 19-30 September with 27 participants from the military services. This second course had a total of 26 military officer participants with one each from the Navy and Air Force and 24 from the Army. And for the first time for DRMI, two participants from the Palestinian Authority attended the course. The course included a practical application where course participants worked in groups on real Jordanian military human resources issues. Each group selected an issue in week 1 and then worked on that issue applying course concepts. The groups made formal presentations of their solutions at the end of week 2. DRMI expects to deliver additional courses in 2012 as part of the Jordanian initiative to make significant changes in the area of human resources management.

DRMI Joins DIRI Team to Peru

DRMI faculty Associate Professor Natalie Webb and Senior Lecturer Don Bonsper joined with Dr. Lis Wright (IDARM) and MGen (Ret.) Richard Goetze, USAF to conduct a three-day workshop 7-9 November in Lima, Peru as part of the Defense Institution Reform Initiative (DIRI). DRMI's contribution was in the area of performance budgeting. The DRMI faculty worked with a group of Peruvians from the three military services, joint command, and various offices from the ministry of defense to try and connect defense spending with clearly defined goals and objectives. Dr. Wright provided valuable assistance to help Peru establish a centralized agency for the acquisition of common items and major weapons systems for the military services and joint command. General Goetze served as the team leader and had off-line meetings with host country and embassy officials in support of the US-Peru bi-lateral relationship. The team departed having left a clear roadmap for the way forward and expects to return in March of next year to continue this important effort.

2d Mobile Course Completed in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Dr. Jonathan Lipow and Senior Lecturer Allan Polley conducted a mobile course for members of the 2d Military District of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Matadi, Congo, 5-9 September 2011. This course--DRMI's second in Congo--was delayed due to various diplomatic difficulties and impediments and we hope the opportunity to return will occur in less than the 27 months it took from the 1st course to the 2nd. Applying marginal reasoning (as we like to do at DRMI), it was clear to us that efforts undertaken in Congo produce relatively big results. Restated-the bang for the buck in Congo is huge!

IDMC 11-2 Returns from Washington

DRMI’s final resident course for 2011, International Defense Management Course 11-2, returned from its Field Studies Program visit to Washington DC on 6 November. The six-day trip took place during week 6 of the 11 week course. Highlights of the trip included time at the US 112th Congress, briefings from California Congressman Sam Farr and Neil Hedlund of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and special lectures on real-world defense analyses presented by members of the Institute for Defense Analysis. The 35 participants from 18 countries had adequate free time to fully enjoy the many historic sites of the city and have expressed overwhelming satisfaction and gratitude for the trip. They are now back in the classroom and working toward their graduation date of December 9, 2011.

Second Multi-Criteria Decision Making Course Graduated

DRMI completed its second and final Multi-Criteria Decision Making Course (MCDM) for 2011on 21 October. The intense two-week course started on 11 October with 10 participants from Lebanon(2) and the United States (8). The DRMI faculty developed a quantitative approach to support decision making in defense organizations with special focus on practical applications to management decisions involving many competing and often conflicting organizational objectives. The lead Army analyst for the most recent round of the Base Realignment and Closure process gave a well-received guest lecture. The course concluded with the participants making individual project presentations that have direct relevance to their parent organizations.

DRMI Completes Course in Armenia, Another New Country

DRMI conducted its first mobile course ever in Yerevan, Armenia 3-14 October. The DRMI team of Dr. Bob McNab (team leader), Dr. Ryan Sullivan and Lecturer Luis Morales supported the EUCOM and ODC engagement plans in the area of defense reform. The course included a variety of topics ranging from program budgeting, multi-year costing, and evidence-based decision making. Twenty-two participants including members of the Armenian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Policy, Ministry of Territorial Administration, National Security Council, and General Staff attended the course. The Armenian MoD is tentatively planning to host DRMI again in February 2012 for a specialized course on public budgeting for members of its defense financial management and planning staff.

DRMI Plows New Ground in Jordan

DRMI faculty Dr. Jim Morris, Dr. Jomana Amara, Dr. Laura Armey and Senior Lecturer Steve Hurst traveled to Amman, Jordan to conduct the Institute's first Human Resources Management Course 19-30 September. The Director of Training for the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) sponsored the course with a primary goal of introducing a large segment of the JAF to international best practices in human resources management. The DRMI team worked with 27 officers - 24 Army, two Navy, one Air Force - covering a wide range of topics using a lecture and small group discussion format. Jordan has asked for a second course 4-15 December of this year and has indicated a desire for possibly three more courses in 2012. DRMI expects to see more representation from the Navy and Air Force in future courses.

DRMI at Home and on the Road

DRMI’s team to Matadi, Congo returned from a one-week mobile course that graduated 24 military participants on 16 September. The Institute graduated its second, and final for 2011, resident eight-day Budget Preparation Execution and Accountability course on 28 September. The course included 13 participants from Colombia, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United States. On 30 September the DRMI team in Jordan completed a two-week mobile course on human resources management with 26 participants: 24 Army, 1 Air Force, one Navy. On 26 September, the Institute started the second and final resident 11-week International Defense Management Course with 36 participants from 19 countries. Finally, at the end of the week, DRMI sent its first mobile team ever to Armenia to begin a two-week mobile course on 3 October.

DRMI Completes 20th Mobile Course in Honduras

When the Expanded International Military Education and Training program started in 1991, Honduras took advantage of DRMI to establish and staff a National Defense College. DRMI conducted two mobile courses in 1991 to help prepare the new faculty and to start what has been an annual event at the college. Each year DRMI teaches the resources management portion of the year long curriculum. During 5-9 September, DRMI completed its 20th offering at the school. This year's class included 34 participants: 10 military, 2 police, and 22 civilians. The military participants included one officer each from Taiwan and the Dominican Republic. The civilians were a diverse mix of officials from both the public and private sectors. DRMI expects to return again next year.

DRMI Delivers Course for NPS

DRMI faculty added to their normal resident course activities and presented GP 3300: Analytical Decision Making during 1-19 August at NPS. This was one part of a three part resident program within NPS's Global Public Policy Academic Group (GPPAG). The course started with a distributed learning portion taught by Associate Professor Bob McNab which was then followed by the three week on-site portion presented by Professor Kent Wall and Assistant Professor Jay Simon. Twenty-one students from five elements within USACACOM attended the intense course which is tailored to the practitioner working in overseas areas. Students applied the analytical concepts and tools from the course to a practical problem in resource allocation encountered in planning a civil affairs mission for a rural agricultural district.

DRMI Graduates DRMC 11-4

DRMI faculty graduated Defense Resources Management Course 11-4 with its 38 participants from 11 countries including the United States on 18 August. The four-week course addressed many key concepts and ideas that contribute to efficient and effective defense resources management. The course included a well-received guest presentation on 15 August by Ms. Gretchen Andersen, Director of Revolving Funds, OUSD Comptroller. DRMI will launch its fifth and final DRMC of 2011 on 22 August with 45 participants from 15 countries. Simultaneously the DRMI faculty will start the first of two, two-week courses on Multi-Criteria Decision Making currently scheduled to include 19 participants from six countries including the United States.

DRMI Graduates SIDMC

DRMI graduated the 42st annual Senior International Defense Management Course on 22 July. The intense, four-week course included 45 senior military and civilian officials from 29 countries including the United States. The diverse group of senior decision makers spent the four weeks working and exchanging ideas in the area of strategic defense resources management. The DRMI faculty presented a strategic decision making framework for the top level planning and resources allocation decisions that must be made in today’s complex security environment. The DRMI curriculum was enhanced with guest speaker presentations by Bob Hale, the OSD Comptroller, and retired General Mike Carns, former vice-chief of staff of the USAF. DRMI wishes the very best for this year’s graduates as they return home to their respective countries.

DRMI Completes Another Mobile Course in Kuala Lumpur

DRMI conducted a two-week Mobile International Defense Management Course at the Malaysia Armed Forces Defense College (MAFDC) in Kuala Lumpur from June 1-10. Professors CJ LaCivita and Jim Morris, Associate Professor Bob McNab (course coordinator), Assistant Professor Jay Simon and LCDR Anthony Seifert offered the course as an integrated part of the MAFDC's Master's degree program for senior officers in the Malaysian armed forces. Forty students, including members of the armed forces of Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, and Singapore, participated in the course. DRMI has been part of the MAFDC curriculum since 1999.

DRMI Conducts Back-to-Bback Courses in Iraq

DRMI is conducting two tailored Iraqi Planning and Budget Officer courses with the Ministry of Interior in Baghdad. The first course was taught by Senior Lecturer Steve Hurst and Associate Professor Jonathan Lipow 11-22 April and included 75 mid- and upper-level officers. The second course immediately followed with Lecturer Luis Morales and LTC Mike Nixon delivering the course 25 April – 6 May for 80 additional participants. Both courses offer a set of concepts and analytical tools that have broad application in the areas of security planning and budgeting. DRMI has established a strong relationship with the MoI during the last few years that has resulted in its being the ministry to emulate in terms of planning and resources management.

Efforts Continue in Kyrgyzstan

Professor Francois Melese and Senior Lecturer Al Polley conducted a Multi-Criteria Decision Making workshop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 4-7 April 2011. The focus was on the four major criteria that should be considered when evaluating resources allocation decisions costs, capabilities, time and risk. Workshop participants were challenged throughout the workshop to apply the concepts within the context of their organizations. To that end, each of the eight participants prepared and presented two briefings: The first, a matrix of the outputs/activities of their organization, and the inputs used to produce those outputs, emphasizing the true costs of their outputs; The second, a multi-criteria objectives hierarchy framework to measure and assess the capability and effectiveness of their outputs. Ultimately, the workshop participants gained insights into how they might better evaluate costs, capabilities, time and risk to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their organizations.

DRMI Team Completes Mobile Course in Indonesia

Associate Professor Anke Richter, Senior Lecturer Steve Hurst, and Lecturer Mark Hladky conducted a two-week mobile course from March 21st to April 1st at the Indonesian Education and Training Center, Badiklat Kemhan, in Jarkata, Indonesia. The course shared economic concepts and management tools that support the allocation of scare government resources. The course occurred at a most opportune time as Indonesia is trying to decide what defense capabilities it requires in allocating a very small defense budget (less than 1% of GDP). They are addressing questions such as the relative value of purchasing additional F16s or establishing a Coast Guard? Thirty-one highly qualified and highly motivated participants from the Indonesian Defense Forces graduated on 1 April. This is DRMI's first mobile course to Indonesia since 2005.

IDMC returns from Washington DC

International Defense Management Course 11-1 is safely back in Monterey after a most successful Field Studies Program visit to Washington DC 15-20 March 2011. The 20 international officials from 16 countries enjoyed the opportunity to visit the nation's capital both to see its historical sites as well as receive briefings from various organizations. On the professional side, highlights included briefings by analysts from the Institute for Defense Analysis in Alexandria, Virginia. On the "getting to know the capital," highlights included lunch with California Congressman Sam Farr and the opportunity to visit the 112th Congress as they debated the issue of public funds being used to support the non-profit organization National Public Radio (NPR). The participants also enjoyed a day trip back in time to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia. The class is now working to complete its final five weeks of the 11- week course of study, with graduation scheduled for 20 April.

BiH Minister of Defense addresses DRMI Participants

On 7 March, Dr. Selmo Cikotic, Minister of Defense of Bosnia Herzegovina, addressed DRMI's International Defense Management Course 11-1. He offered his thoughts on the effects of globalization in the area of national security by looking at those global threats which require a higher degree of interdependence among countries. He also presented a brief history of defense reform in BiH in terms of obstacles that have been overcome and current issues for the future. The IDMC participants reacted extremely well to the candid presentation and asked many hard questions including some about the current issues in North Africa and the Middle East. This was the second time Minister Cikotic has spoken to a DRMI resident class.

DRMI Represented at European Conferences

DRMI faculty recently participated in two European strategy conferences. Dr. Anke Richter attended the Russia, Ukraine & Eurasia Policy and Strategy Conference at the Pentagon February 15-16, 2011 . This conference highlighted the Department of Defense strategies in this important region of the world and showed how they are integrated with the policies of other governmental organizations. Senior Lecturer Al Polley attended the EUCOM Strategy Conference at Ramstein AB, Germany, 28 Feb-3 March. The ESC focused on ensuring that all planning documents are well connected, from the theater level to individual countries. DRMI will use the information from both conference to tailor its course offerings to support official US policy in the EUCOM AOR.

DRMI Faculty Addresses NATO Conference

DRMI's Dr. Robert McNab spoke on the topic of "Corruption, Culture, and Conflict" at the NATO Building Integrity in Defense Institutions conference in Monterey, CA on February 24, 2011. This second NATO conference in Monterey was held at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and involved more than 150 people from 75 countries/institutions, including official representatives from government ministries, national delegations to NATO-HQ and NATO agencies (NATO School and NATO ACT), academia (national defense colleges and universities) and a few non-governmental organizations (Transparency International, Integrity Watch, Open Society, World Bank). Dr. McNab argued that traditional, institutional-based approaches to corruption falter if these approaches fail to adapt to cultural attitudes and norms. This presentation was an extension of Dr. McNab's research program into corruption and conflict, which is sponsored by the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command (Monterey).

DRMI Has a Busy Week with Two Courses

DRMI officially opened IDMC 11-1 on 7 February after an opening brunch on 6 February. The eleven-week course will have participants from 15 countries. It is off to a good start with the first week offering an all day Tempo Military Planning Game designed to introduce the key concepts of the course. IDMC 11-1 will travel to Washington DC during the week of 14 March and will graduate on 20 April. During this same week the Iraq Resident Management Course completed its four weeks of study and graduated on 11 February. Highlights of the course included a visit to the Monterey Police Department. The 29 participants will return to their ministry of interior responsibilities next week.

DRMI and GSBPP work together to support Defense Business Board (DBB)

Two faculty members of DRMI, including the Executive Director, and one faculty member of GSBPP facilitated detailed discussions with the DBB late last year that contributed to their recent report to the Secretary of Defense regarding opportunities to achieve savings in defense spending. The President of NPS received a strong thank you from the lead member of the DBB that stated in part, "Your distinguished professors are to be commended for their excellent contributions and active participation with our Task Force and reflect the highest standards of integrity and professionalism that characterize the best of the Department of Defense."

DRMI Welcomes Iraqi Participants to IRMC 11-1

DRMI conducted two special resident courses in Monterey for the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI) during 2010. On 18 January DRMI commenced its third Iraqi Resident Management Course (IRMC), this time with 29 participants from the MOI, including four major generals from Kurdistan. The course is closely related to the Defense Resources Management Course that the Institute offers five times a year. The big difference with the IRMC is that it is taught in English and interpreted into Arabic. All course materials have been translated into Arabic which greatly enhances the overall effectiveness of the course. IRMC 11-1 will graduate on 11 February. IRMC 11-2 is scheduled to start on 23 May.

DRMI joins NPS team in Jordan

Two faculty of the Naval Postgraduate School participated in the initial Strategic Defense Review (SDR) meetings with the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) from 5-8 December 2010. Dr. Robert McNab (DRMI) and Dr. Elisabeth Wright (IDARM), as part of the Defense Institutional Reform Initiative participated in a set of meetings with the JAF, representatives from the Office of Secretary of Defense - Policy, Central Command J-2, the Joint Staff , and the Military Assistance Program of the US Embassy. The SDR is meant to provide a rationale for the capabilities gaps and excesses that motivate the requirements for specific weapon systems platforms. Jordan desires to have an effects-based SDR in which the desired effects are linked to the ways, means, and ends. Ideally, this creates a linkage among policy, strategy, missions, requirements, capabilities, programs, systems, and budgets.

DRMI Returns to Macedonia

After more than six years since the first Mobile International Defense Management Course in Macedonia, DRMI returned 6-10 December to deliver an intense one-week course on strategic programming and budgeting. Twenty-two participants from a variety of organizations within the Ministry of Defense attended the course. The main focus of the course was building a system to better connect defense goals and objectives with the defense resources available. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of programming, which is the key component to make the connection. The course was held in the resort area of Ohrid, which proved to be a perfect setting in terms of facilities and separation from offices in Skopje. DRMI expects to continue the renewed relationship with Macedonia both with mobile courses and participants in resident courses in Monterey.

IDMC 10-2 Graduates

International Defense Management Course 10-2 finished its final exercises and graduated on 10 December, concluding a most successful eleven weeks in Monterey. The 38 participants from 24 countries will soon be back home with the opportunity to apply the resources management concepts and ideas they learned during the course. The IDMC marks the end of the most extensive six-month resident schedule in the Institute’s more than 45 years of operation. Next year promises to more of the same with the addition of a new resident course on Performance Management and Budgeting in April. But for now the Institute will start its normal end-of-year curriculum review in order to be ready for the first resident DRMC in January.

DRMI continues efforts in Kyrgyzstan

DRMI sent two faculty to Bishkek to deliver a four-day Strategic Budgeting workshop (15-18 November). The focus was on making tradeoffs among competing goals and used the Kyrgyz military’s five modernization priorities as the context. The workshop was attended by seven officers from the Ministry of Defense, four from the Border Services and one from the Interior Forces. This workshop was the fourth in a series of related workshops that DRMI has conducted in Kyrgyzstan. Current plans are to continue with two workshops per year through FY12. The Kyrgyz workshops are part of DRMI’s on-going efforts in Central Asia and complement similar efforts in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

Long standing relationships with two countries of Latin America Continues

DRMI continues long standing relationships with two countries of Latin America – During September, DRMI completed two mobile courses in Honduras and Argentina. Both countries were instrumental in supporting the Expanded International Military Education and Training (E-IMET) Program that was launched in 1991. DRMI played a key role in the formation of the National Defense College (CDN) of Honduras and completed its 19th mobile course at the school since 1991 during 6-10 September. DRMI provides the resources management module in the 9-month Senior National Defense Program. This year’s course included 38 military and civilian officials from various organizations within the armed forces and other ministries and brought the total number of Honduran participants who have attended a DRMI mobile course to 768. A week later, 13-17 September, another DRMI team conducted its 20th mobile course in Argentina since 1991 at the National Defense College (EDENA) of Argentina. This latest offering focused on Tools for Decision Makers Applied to Defense. The intense program had 39 military and civilian officials from the Ministry of Defense and all three military services. This brings the total number of Argentine officials who have attended a DRMI mobile course to 831. DRMI is extremely proud of the enduring relationships with both countries and is already in the early stages of planning courses for 2011.

Reconnecting with South Africa National Defense Force (SANDF)

DRMI Reconnects with South Africa National Defense Force (SANDF) – DRMI conducted four Mobile International Defense Management Courses in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) during the period 2000-2003. Then the courses stopped as a result of RSA’s failure to sign an Article 98 Bilateral Agreement with the US. Now after 7 years of talking and hoping, DRMI has reconnected with the SANDF, conducting a successful mobile course in Pretoria during the period 20-23 September 2010. DRMI sent a four-person team to work with 29 military and civilian officials from many organizations within the SANDF. The course focused on the need to make critical tradeoffs at all levels within the ministry of defense and offered a set of concepts and principles to help with those tradeoffs. The participants were extremely interested in the ideas and were supportive of follow-on courses in the future. DRMI hopes to return with another mobile course in March of next year.

Another successful effort in Kazakhstan Completed

A DRMI team visited the Kazakhstan National Defense University (KNDU) in Schuchinsk, Kazakhstan to present a workshop on Multi-Criteria Decision Making during the period 20-23 September. This was yet another bi-lateral event in a sequence of workshops that started in 2008. This latest effort worked with participants from the Ministry of Defense who were introduced to concepts and techniques for choosing among alternatives when there are multiple stakeholders and multiple objectives. The participants explored the relevant issues associated with such problems through a hands-on case study that illustrated the ideas presented in the workshop. DRMI expects to continue working with various organizations within the national security sector of Kazakhstan in 2011, including a curriculum development effort with the KNDU.