Stability Operations Magazine, Vol. 8 No. 1 (July-August 2012)

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V O LUME 8 | N UMBER 1 J ULY - A U GUST 2012

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V O LUME 8 | N UMBER 1

J ULY - A U GUST 2012

THIS ISSUE PICTURE

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G FEATURE Life Saving P

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Global Perspectives

Amidst Crisis

26 Escalating Violence in the Eastern DRC

When medical support in theater is not enough

11 The Other Risk Management

Remote Area Medicine & Medevac Brendon Bott

14 In-Country Medical Risk

Prevention and Preparedness

to the Nigeria State Exploring Options for a Peaceful Settlement Kwesi Aning

8 Medical Evacuation and Movement Kraig Johnson

24 Confronting the Boko Haram Challenge

QA

Political Dimensions May be Shifting Herman J. Cohen

Interview

Sean Caskie

17 Anatomy of a Kidnapping

Helping companies and individuals understand the process and aftermath of an incident Whitney Grespin

20 A conversation with Mark Bartolini

Director of the Office of foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID

F From H Headquarters

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From the Editor’s Desk

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President’s Message

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ISOA Member News & Jobs Board

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ISOA Membership Directory


From Headquarters | From the Editor’s Desk

The Winds of Change Welcome to the new Stability Operations magazine Jessica Vogel

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VER the years, ISOA has experienced many changes—some small and incremental, and others large and all at once. In each case, the industry has been the bellwether of change in the stability operations community, ushering in the latest ideas and innovations as client needs change in response to the strong winds of change in peace, stability, reconstruction, humanitarian aid, and development. ISOA has been able to adapt quickly, and provide an industry voice in that community. As many of our readers know, ISOA began as the International Peace Operations Association, founded with a very small group of companies in April 2001, all working in support of peacekeeping operations in Africa. Later that year, the unthinkable would happen, and subsequent and unprecedented international operations in Iraq and Afghanistan would change the face of contracting worldwide. By the Fall of 2010, IPOA’s membership had grown significantly to include the full gamut of players in peacekeeping, military services, humanitarian aid and development support, disaster response and reconstruction. To reflect the monumental change in membership since early 2001, the phrase “peace operations” seemed too limited to describe the important and wide-ranging work that our membership was doing every day. IPOA saw the prevalence of the “stability operations” community that had developed, in which our full membership was playing a part. It was time to reflect that evolution.

E NGAG IN G P ART NE RS G L OB AL L Y F O R S T ABIL IT Y , P EACE & D EVEL OPM E NT

STABILITY OPERATIONS MAGAZINE IS THE WORLD’S ONLY PUBLICATION EXPLORING TOPICS PERTINENT TO PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND NONGOVERNMENTAL SECTOR ACTORS PARTNERING IN PEACE AND STABILITY OPERATIONS. SO IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES PER YEAR BY ISOA, A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP OF PRIVATE SECTOR AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING CRITICAL SERVICES IN FRAGILE ENVIRONMENTS WORLDWIDE.

Editor-in-Chief Jessica Vogel Assistant Editor Eric Long Contributing Editor Naveed Bandali Publisher Doug Brooks Business Manager Jason Kennedy

The official name change of IPOA to ISOA may not seem like that big of a change—one letter in an acronym, to be exact—but it was a reflection of the constant evolution of a dynamic and innovative group of private sector and nongovernmental actors. Since then, ISOA has become more tuned in to the wider needs of our members and their clients, and has been able to react quickly to industry needs. Just this year, we have interacted with an increasing number of stakeholders and partners—from labor rights activists at our May 1 Labor Trafficking conference, to foreign governments in our continued engagement on the Iraq Visa issue and Afghan taxation of U.S. foreign assistance.

ISOA welcomes submissions for all SO magazine content. The editorial team reserves the right to accept or reject submissions for print and/or online use.

With the closing of volume 7 of the Journal of International Peace Operations, I wanted to take a moment to look at the evolution of the publication. Started as the IPOA quarterly in 2004, the publication grew in to a widely read magazine under the leadership of former Editor-In-chief and ISOA Director, J.J. Messner. By 2007, it had solidified its place as the world’s only publication focused on the private sector role in conflict, post-conflict and disaster relief environments. Through the evolution and eventual transition of the magazine to me in January 2011, incremental changes have made continual improvements to its content, delivery, and insights for partners, stakeholders, clients, and policymakers.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the Editor-in-Chief.

Now, in 2012, I am proud to announce the next step for ISOA’s flagship publication: on the same track as IPOA’s evolution to ISOA, the Journal of International Peace Operations has now become Stability Operations magazine. It is a significant improvement that will enhance our communications with all of our partners, while continuing to provide valuable industry information, news and trends. I hope that you enjoy the new format, updated look and feel, and revitalized focus. SO will continue to be a strong voice for the stability operations community writ-large, and will provide an improved platform for sharing best practices, lessons learned and what’s next for this important field, where our membership works every day to lay the foundation for long term stability, peace, and development. ■ Jessica Vogel is the Director of Programs & Operations at the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA) and the Editor-in-Chief of Stability Operations magazine. Contact Ms. Vogel at jvogel@stability-operations.org.

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The opinions expressed herein or on peaceops.com do not necessarily represent the opinions of ISOA, its officers, Board of Directors, members or affiliates. ISOA bears no responsibility for the editorial content. Views expressed in articles are those of the authors.

ISOA members receive a limited number of subscriptions included in their membership package. Individual annual subscriptions are available for $30 (US & Canada) and $50 (International). Advertising packages are available. Contact ISOA for pricing and information. Formerly the Journal of International Peace Operations (JIPO) and the IPOA Quarterly. The Publication of the INTERNATIONAL STABILITY OPERATIONS ASSOCIATION 1634 I St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20006, U.S.A. E-mail………..editor@peaceops.com Web site……..www.peaceops.com ISSN 1933-8189 Copyright © 2012 International Stability Operations Association (ISOA). All rights reserved. The ISOA logo is a trademark of ISOA. Stability Operations magazine (SO) and its logo are trademarks of ISOA.


From Headquarters | President’s Message

The Stability Model of the Future Supporting Regional & Local Solutions Doug Brooks support and medical facilities make militaries more professional and capable. While even minor tactical setbacks often make Western deployments untenable politically, African militaries have shown an enviable resilience and willingness to sustain and complete their missions.

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Photo: AMISOM troop in Mogadishu, Somalia. Credit: UN Photo/ Stuart Price

Y MOST ACCOUNTS, the African Union efforts in Mogadishu, Somalia are successfully stabilizing the city and region, and doing so at a fraction of the cost were it a typical international effort– especially a Western-led operation, such as those conducted by NATO. Although not without rough moments, particularly in the early days, the mission is breaking new ground and providing a glimpse of the future conduct of peace operations by the international community: militaries from less developed states complemented by robust, specialized private sector services. We have seen that militaries from developing countries have fewer political impediments and more compelling motivations for deployments in these vital international operations. In Africa, regional militaries have been quite willing and surprisingly successful in addressing regional issues so long as their operations are supported with funding and specialized services from the international community. At the same time, equipment, advanced training and services such as airlift, maintenance, base

The Africa Union AMISOM mission’s recent success in Somalia has been extraordinary. Their al Shabaab foe have been outfought and outmaneuvered; their resistance has been no match for the Uganda-led advancing AU force. Only a few years ago, AMISOM had a poor reputation among Somalis: using artillery to answer snipers, for example, with all the collateral and humanitarian damage that creates. This time around, AMISOM troops are clearly much better trained in vastly improved tactics. Past experiences ensure that Western nations remain loathe to deploy any boots on the ground in Somalia, but plenty of private organizations on the ground are engaged in training and advising, dealing with unexploded ordnance and IEDs, providing a high-level of

Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF). In this case, the private sector, with the full support and cooperation of the local government, has trained up a small but effective police force capability from scratch. This relative handful of locals (less than 500), operating from a small but well-equipped base in Bosaso on the north coast of Puntland, have chased pirates from all their primary bases in the region. The PMPF operation has been operating at a fraction of the cost of the international fleet doing counterpiracy patrols in the waters off the Somalia coast (approximately $24m vs. $2B per year!), but has done far more to disrupt the pirate scourge. Combined with the AMISOM operation in the south, there is far greater reason for hope in Somalia than at any time in the past twenty years. Unfortunately, the rumored end of funding for this operation would be yet another enormous setback for Somalia and international counter-piracy efforts, unless others in the international community are prepared to step up and cover the remarkably miniscule cost of the operation. AMISOM and the PMPF are proving that local and regional actors are willing and capable of robust and effective operations to successfully address complex issues that have befuddled the larger international community for decades, due to political complications and reluctance to commit force. Innovative use of contractors has maximized the effectiveness of the operations and successfully tapped into the vast experience of retired military personnel from the

By most accounts the public-private partnership ϐ Ǧ tial for stabilizing this long-time region of chaos. medical care, and delivering extensive logistical support to the AMISOM personnel. By most accounts the public-private partnership in Somalia is paying off with the first real potential for stabilizing this long-time region of chaos. A similar public-private operation is ongoing in the north of Somalia where the UAE has funded an extremely successful program to train up the

best forces in the world. It has also minimized the political exposure of countries supportive of the political goals of ending piracy and stabilizing Somalia, but unprepared to put their own ‘boots on the ground’. It is a model that works and could and should be expanded, considering the enormous humanitarian potential for the future. ■

Doug Brooks is the President of the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA). Contact Mr. Brooks at dbrooks@stability-operations.org.

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FEATURE Life Saving Amidst Crisis Managing Risk in Employee Crises: From Medical Emergencies To Kidnapping

Photo: Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Whitney

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ORKING in a fragile environment presents many risks for any actor, whether delivering food to a starving population, training police forces, or building base camps. The stability operations community is no stranger to the risk of workplace injury, sudden illness, or even attack or kidnapping. When crisis strikes, organizations working in conflict, post conflict and disaster relief environments must react quickly. This feature explores the many facets of life saving amidst crisis—preparation, planning, and crisis response. Medical services are an important piece of the crisis response puzzle. ėĆĎČ Ä”Ä? ēĘĔē provides a valuable industry point of view in his

discussion of medical evacuation and movement in austere environments. Drawing from experience in Afghanistan, he covers a wide scope of possible medical emergencies, available responses and useful prevention tips. It is easy to forget that medical crisis prevention strategies are part of an overall risk management strategy. ėĊēĉ Ĕē Ĕęę tackles life saving from a risk manager standpoint, covering the major challenges from assessment to medevac to planning. As in any life saving effort, time is the most critical element and proper risk preparation can mean the difference between life and death. Prevention and planning have become the

catchwords of medical services delivery in unstable places. ĊĆē ĆĘÄ?ÄŽÄŠ provides the “Medical Emergency Preparedness Checklistâ€? and highlights the importance of coordinating with the right partners—be it insurance providers, medevac specialists, or government clients. The quality of care for staff is often only as good as the partners the company works with. Employees don’t just face medical risk— kidnapping is unfortunately all too common. Ä? ĎęēĊĞ ėĊĘĕĎē takes another crisis perspective in discussing the elements of a kidnapping crisis, and how a company can prepare their employees and improve their prevention capabilities in order to save lives. â–

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Medical Evacuation and Movement When medical support in theater is not enough Kraig Johnson

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VERVIEW As of February 2012, in Afghanistan, there were over 110,000 civilian contractors, compared to approximately 90,000 US military service members, according to the Department of Defense. These civilian contractors provide many services including security, base life support (BLS), maintenance of vehicles, interpreters, and dining facilities. While the military medical components do provide life, limb and eyesight (LLE) medical care, the majority of the primary care medicine falls on the contractor. With the limited medical resources in theater and the number of employees from different countries and various levels of routine medical care provided by their host countries, the need for employees to be transported out of theater for definitive care and evaluation poses a challenge to any contractor. According to the Labor Department’s statistics,

1,777 American contractors in Afghanistan were injured or wounded seriously enough to miss more than four days of work in 2011 (NYT). This number alone shows the basic impact of providing services in an environment such as Afghanistan. There are 3 types of movement that routinely occur in theater for medical purposes. They are: Patient Movement, in theater, where an employee suffers an injury or illness that requires him/her to be moved to a facility (military or contractor operated) that has more extensive diagnostics (radiology, laboratory, etc.) or higher trained medical professionals (Physicians, PA’s, etc.). An example of this would be an employee is injured at a smaller FOB and is transported to a larger FOB or base for care. Patient Movement, out of theater, where an employee suffers an injury or illness that is

Patient Movement (non-military medevac)

Civilian Medical Provider (i.e. Onsite OHS) coordinates with Prime Contractor Insurance Provider (i.e. CIGNA)

beyond the scope of medical services provided in theater but is not serious enough to require utilization of the emergency medevac system. An example of this would be an employee with an orthopedic injury requiring rehabilitation or surgery. Medevac, where an employee suffers an injury or illness that is severe enough that either the military medical personnel or the contractor civilian medical provider initiates the emergency medevac system. Examples could be an employee suffers traumatic injuries from hostile fire or has a heart attack Most of the movements occur through coordination of care between both civilian and military medical assets. Except for the instance of an activation of the emergency medevac system of the military, most all other movements are coordinated through the contractor medical provider (Onsite OHS, for example), and the prime contractor’s insurance provider. As the medical condition is discussed with all pertinent parties (contractor medical provider, prime contractor management, prime contractor insurance provider, and civilian medical transport agency), the appropriate level of patient care is discussed and agreed upon by the providers. In the period from 2009-current,

Civilian Medical Transport Agency is contacted and Provider-to-Provider Communication is initiated

Civilian Contactor Medical Provider, Insurance Provider, and Civilian Medical Transport Agency maintain communication until employee arrives at destination Medical Treatment Facility (MTF)

Employee is injured/ill requiring out of theater movement Military Medevac System required

Civilian Medical Provider (i.e. Onsite OHS) coordinates with AOR Theater Medical Command

Figure 1: Basic Flowchart of Medical Movement Process Kraig Johnson has over 20 years in the Medical Program Management Field and is currently the Director of Operations for Onsite OHS. Contact Kraig at Kraig.Johnson@onsiteohs.com.

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Photo: An ISAF soldier receives medical care at an OnSite OHS clinic in Afghanistan. Credit: Onsite OHS

there have been very few instances that the author can recall where there has been a difference on medical opinion on the level of care to be provided to an employee who was being transferred out of theater (this will be discussed further in the Lessons Learned section). The overall coordination needed to provide a successful medical transport from an austere environment such as Afghanistan, to tertiary medical care facilities throughout the world is a difficult task to say the least. Keep in mind that over half of the contractor employees in Afghanistan are non-US citizens. These employees come from countries such as India, Nepal and Kenya. This significantly plays into the planning and coordination of a medical movement in that there are varying levels of care provided. For example, what a US citizen might consider a lower standard of medical facility in the United States may actually be a high level of medical care in another country. This is where the communication and coordination proves to be vitally important. The open lines of communication (see figure 1) ensure that all information is shared with the necessary parties. The entire process from the time of injury/illness to arrival at the tertiary care facility can vary tremendously. Factors that can impact overall time required to move an employee include, but are not limited to the following: The overall medical condition, as the seriousness of a condition can dictate speed and urgency of medical transport. This sometimes causes an event that may have started as a basic movement to an event that

escalates to the necessity to activate the emergency medevac system. The geographical location of employee, as this impacts how quickly an employee can get to a definitive level of care. This also is driven by type of movement assets available (ground, rotary wing, or fixed wing). The nationality of the employee, as some nationalities have difficulties obtaining entry visas for certain countries, even if they are on an air ambulance. Administrative issues, since any movement in theater, or especially out of theater, requires a number of administrative tasks that need to be completed prior to the employee going anywhere. These include but are not limited to:

copies of LOA in hand, passport, medical records, and contact information for the facility the employee is going to, liaison information, embassy information. These issues are routinely handled by the Contractors HR department in coordination with in-theater project management and medical provider personnel. Lessons Learned While providing medical services in various austere locations, Onsite OHS has assisted/ initiated over 700 medical evacuations/patient movements. These have consisted of routine cases such as chronic orthopedic issues, to immediate medical responses, to hostile actions. Continued on page 10

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

The overall coordination needed to provide a successful medical transport from an austere environment such as Afghanistan, to tertiary medical care ϐ Ǥ Continued from page 9

The OHS model for medical evacuation and movement has worked, for the most part, as efficiently as expected. The pitfalls appear when there is miscommunication, or when mission priorities change the outlook for a medical evacuation/movement. Depending on the particular location, some prime contractors still rely heavily on un-owned air assets such as the military or other contractors, and with that, the movement of the patient may be at the discretion of mission commanders or other contractors. Overall, our experience has been that the interaction with all parties (prime contractors, Insurance providers, military medical assets, and tertiary care facilities) has been exemplary. When it comes to medical issues, everyone usually is able to fully understand the urgency and need for an employee to get to a higher level of care. Some lessons learned prove to be simple yet vital in the success of medical movements/ evacuations:

Engage all applicable parties BEFORE the need arises by making early initial contact with the contractor’s DBA/Insurance providers, asking the names and contact numbers of the air ambulance providers that are used, and making initial contact with them, meeting with the highest level of military medical authority at the FOB(s) or location(s) you will be operating, building a strong working relationship with contractor HR/personnel management, and coordinating closely with contractor site management to clearly define the roles that are to be played and discuss any issues that may arise. Prevent complacency by not letting the lack of using the medical evacuation/movement processes allow it to become outdated and flawed. Routinely follow up with all parties at regular intervals to allow for better coordination and communication when the need arises. Schedule a debriefing with site management and contractor insurance provider after a medical movement to discuss what could be done differently, the positives, and the negatives. Make sure to update policies and procedures as missions change (base expands

or contracts, decreased number of contractor employees, loss of assets, etc.) and maintain a updated list of available resources, both civilian and military, and reciprocate that information with them. Maintain patient advocacy by understanding that this is a stressful event for an employee. Think of what can be done to minimize that stress and ensure that the employee gets the most prudent medical care in the shortest amount of time possible. This includes being the go-between with the insurance company, civilian air ambulance provider, or military asset. Relay any concerns you have as early as possible and seek resolution as soon as possible. Follow up by ensuring that you maintain communication and status reports from the time the medical movement is initiated until the employee arrives at their final Medical treatment facility. This will allow you to update your client, site management and other personnel as needed. This also allows you to fully close out any recordkeeping or patient records that need to be updated. ■

Photo UH-60 MEDEVAC Helicopter. Credit: outlaw13

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

The Other Risk Management Remote Area Medicine & Medevac

Photo: For a number of years Unity operated rotary wing aircraft for UNOPS in South Sudan. Credit: Unity Resources Group

Brendon Bott

and often non-existent infrastructure. Added to this, many of the medical consumables and pharmaceutical supplies can be scarce and where they are available, sub-standard or expired supplies are often in use. This can then exacerbate and complicate already serious medical conditions. Overlay this with, for example, the harsh climatic conditions of the South Sudan tropics, renowned globally as the country with the most tropical diseases, paired with rising insecurity and organizations face major challenges and risks to protect staff medically. Most organizations that have the responsibility of providing medical support to their staff face a myriad of decisions regarding medical risk management and mitigation planning. All this has to be balanced against available budgets and operational necessities. The requirement to establish robust emergency MEDEVAC procedures or non urgent patient repatriation takes considerable professional evaluation and expertise.

Medical Assessment & Medical Service

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NTRODUCTION For organizations working in emerging nations, areas of current conflict, post conflict or just plain remote locations, the delivery of safe and adequate medical services is paramount and can be an extreme challenge in these ‘frontier’ style environments. Local medical services in such locations are often underfunded and lacking in medical equipment, trained medical personnel,

Planning – The Health Risk Assessment As with all ‘frontier’ work challenges, the planning and implementation phases are critical to ensuring robust and lasting medical service solutions that will facilitate any range of scenarios that can typically be expected. Decisions on whether to use remote area medics or on-site clinics, levels of care and Continued on page 12

Brendon Bott has worked for over 18 years in the medical field from a paramedic in the Northern Territory in Australia to a remote site medic working on seismic ships in the North Sea to gold mines in the Mongolian desert. Acknowledgements – Patsy O’Hagan & Peter Glenister.

Continued on page X Author biography and/or article information.

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Continued from page 11

equipment schedules, personnel and qualifications are just some examples requiring detailed professional assessment. Assessment topics should include a full site health, safety and environment audit, climatic conditions and the prevailing and predominant disease risks, evaluation of any current medical services and infrastructures and thorough risk mitigation strategies. Detailed Health Risk Assessments conducted by experienced and qualified remote medical specialists is essential. Medical supply chain challenges often abound and in turn require the appropriate expertise and planning. Medevac When an incident occurs in a remote area, a well designed medical service solution does have a structured and staged process to safely transport and treat the patient from the field area and on to a static clinic for further intervention and possible transfer for specialist care. This starts from having immediate access to appropriate medical transport on site to respond, treat and stabilize the patient. Secondly and often overlooked (usually because “I thought our Medical Insurance just

took care of it”), is the coordination from the field to the more complicated process of transportation in order to reach a higher level of care. This often involves international flights for chartered aircraft and the coordination with a number of different organizations and government departments to secure approval and admission. Prior planning, organization and rehearsal are fundamental to the success of this process. Time is critical for medical evacuations and issues that can eat away the time abound. Some are as follows: Understanding your medical insurance cover and the provider’s obligations. Having aircraft and medical staff sourced and available in advance. Understanding how to obtain the right clearances especially concerning aviation and immigration. Coordinating the logistics of ground ambulances, stabilization and critical care clinics when they exist, with aero med evac platforms.

Ensuring that up to-date medical information is provided to both the Medevac team and the receiving facility. Planning Understanding your surrounding environment is key to establishing a set protocol in a remote area or an area of insecurity. Individuals and companies that are working in these locations need to conduct detailed Health Risk Assessments at all work sites - desk assessment alone is not advisable - to evaluate and plan for normal treatment protocols as well as any emergency response if an incident occurs. For example, the likelihood of Malaria in the Gobi desert is not a concern as it would be for the Tropics of Africa, but both areas have high risk of motor vehicle accidents. Again, in Afghanistan or Iraq the incidence of explosive or gunshot injuries is liable to be a lot higher than in a town or city in South Sudan. Understanding these scenarios, planning and training for them and communicating them to staff are fundamental components in a comprehensive medical service solution. In addition, resources available locally to support any response is also important, so that any coordination with medical assistance companies can run smoothly. The cost of these evacuations can be high and place a financial liability on the company. Medical & Evacuation insurance companies and their assistance partners provide this safety net when incidents do occur. For the assistance companies to synchronize the logistics of cross border evacuations, a considerable amount of paperwork and communication is required, the core of which is the patient’s information and medical reports. This is essential in providing the appropriate and timely activation of medical evacuation response. Having a consolidated database of employees reduces the problems and streamlines the process.

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Photo: Unity Resources Group runs level 1 & level 2 clinics in South Sudan & Iraq currently. Credit: Unity Resources Group

Time is critical for medical evacuations and issues that can eat away the time abound.

Communicating with patients ‘HQ’, relatives and insurance companies.


Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Activation Medical evacuations are categorized into commercial evacuations (accompanied) or an Air Ambulance (a dedicated aircraft) that has been specifically fitted out for transfer of patients which includes stretchers, oxygen and patient monitoring equipment. The movement of casualties in all weathers, over all terrains, at any time (subject to the situation of the moment) is a key capability.

In addition to appropriate planning and risk management, working with the right partners with the right capabilities can make a tremendous difference in a medical crisis.

On-site medical clinics and indeed field site medical staff need to have the skills and experience to recognize the limits of their treatment capacity and to initiate the evacuation process at the earliest point on the healthcare continuum.

Photo: URG currently operates fixed wing aircraft in Southern Afghanistan Credit: Unity Resources Group

Medical evacuations fall in to 2 categories – urgent, and non urgent. Transferring patients by air requires specialized training and experience as the changes in atmospheric pressure affect the injured patient and the treatments in specific ways. Trauma injuries which account for a large percentage of medical evacuations need to have special considerations when evacuating by air. The aircraft that are used to perform medical evacuation are configured specifically to accommodate stretchers, oxygen use and, when necessary, to allow for the electrical discharge of defibrillators during cardiac arrests and resuscitations. Due to the remote locations of these work sites, there are also often restrictions on the type of aircraft that can access the landing strip, where one does exist. For example, the size and type of the runway limits the type of aircraft. This can in turn

impact the response time when sourcing aircraft and calculating the time for admission to definitive treatment. Time is a critical factor for evacuations with considerations given to time to activate the aircraft and crew, the flight time and the accessibility of the landing strip during daylight hours. This could mean that it takes upwards of 12 to 24 hours before a patient is admitted in the referral health facility. Again, thorough planning during the assessment phase will have identified this and the established process will have ensured suitable levels of equipment, qualified personnel and facilities are in place to handle the situation and keep the patient alive.

Conclusion In addition to appropriate planning and risk management, working with the right partners with the right capabilities can make a tremendous difference in a medical crisis. Unity Resources Group’s Clinic in Juba, South Sudan performs and coordinates over 50 evacuations a year, with specialized care and stabilization onsite and coordination with retrieval aircraft and receiving health facilities. Building strong working relationships and understanding of available resources is paramount in delivering medical evacuations when urgently required. Unity Medical Services has clinics throughout South Sudan and in Iraq and specializes in remote area medical service solutions. ■

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

In-Country Medical Risk Prevention and Preparedness Sean Caskie

Photo: Patient treated at a UN medical clinic. Credit: UN

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HEN working in high risk, international environments such as Afghanistan, employees in all industries are exposed to foreign illness and tropical disease. While precautions and preventative measures are taken to avoid sickness abroad, once contracting a medical ailment, it can quickly transform into lifethreatening condition, without proper medical service assistance. If a colleague begins to exhibit symptoms of illness beyond personal treatment, local, in-country medical centers can attempt to diagnose or suggest treatment. However, with limited resources and medical equipment, the local assistance may be unable to treat or diagnose the ailment. At this point, contact with the corporate HR department must be established to continue support through insurance. By the nature of the industry, it should be obvious that expeditionary services are hazardous, evolving, and fast paced. The example described above is unusual, but most

difficult scenarios are unusual. Constant review and alterations of corporate medical procedures must be continual in order to prevent a situation as mentioned above. Failure on all sides may be apparent—from corporate offices, to insurance firms, to those working in-country— but ineffective procedures can lead to life or death circumstances. When it comes right down to it, you need to have contingency plans in place in the event that on-hand resources are unavailable. Therefore, it is incumbent on each person in the field to educate themselves on what the company plans and policies are in the event of an injury or illness so severe as to require medical evacuation. Once you’ve reviewed your company program, ask questions—

because it is your welfare at stake. Another reality is that regular insurance companies do not have persons to deploy to the scene of a crisis. It is up to you to get to a hospital and only then will they begin their services. If you find yourself or a staff member in the middle of nowhere in critical condition, a regular insurance company is not going to be what you need. You will need to be evaluated, stabilized and evacuated as quickly and safely as possible. The sample checklist in Figure 1 provides steps to ensure you are properly educated and prepared for any emergency medical circumstance in-country.

When it comes right down to it, you need to have contingency plans in place in the event that on-hand resources are unavailable.

Sean Caskie is the Program Manager for CJPS at SOC LLC, and has spent most of the last 11 years overseas in post-conflict markets providing life and mission support. Here he shares lessons learned from a past employment experience.

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Whomever your company chooses to work with, the goal should be the provision of worldclass medical response, advice and evacuation. The MEDEVAC firm must be able to provide the medical and security expertise combined with an ability to deploy their own professionals to the exact location of your emergency and transport an employee to the destination of choice. One thing to keep in mind is that most

MEDEVAC firms are not insurance companies. If you are not contracting them through your insurance provider, you most likely will be required to contract with them prior to any emergency, or be prepared to pay a significant fee up-front. If you do contract directly with the MEDEVAC provider, make sure you and the insurance provider understand your coverage. Appropriate preparation, including well thought standard operating and effective emergency procedures, will ensure that when a medical

crisis occurs and a staff member becomes injured or ill, problems in seeking treatment will be mitigated. In the stability operations industry, it is incumbent on companies to provide quality care to their staff. Companies ask them to work in dangerous environments, often at considerable risk. It is part of the industry’s responsibility that people are cared for adequately, even when the unforeseen occurs. ■

Ċĉ ĎĈĆđ Ē ĊėČĊēĈĞ ėĊĕĆėĊĉ ēĊĘĘ č ĊĈĐđĎĘę  ϐ  Identify medical facilities and professionals in your area, both locally and regionally and cre-

ate relationships with them

 Make sure they understand the nationalities of ALL your employees and be clear on the types

of coverage they provide to each

 Ensure that illness and injuries that are not work related are covered by your insurance pro-

vider

 Review your policy at least every 6 months, and each time you enter a new geographic market  Ensure that your MEDEVAC company has a facility located in the country in which you oper-

ate, with the proper licenses and assets to provide contracted assistance

 Ensure that your human resources department has realistic emergency response procedures,

ϐ ǡ that is updated annually

 ϐ

your team to review operations and procedures

 ǡ ϐ ǡ Ǧ

ȋ Ǥ Ǥǣ ϐ Ȍǡ – which could potentially impact life sustainment efforts

 ϐ ǡ ϐ

conditions.

Figure 1: Checklist for preparedness for any in-country emergency medical circumstance.

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Anatomy of a Kidnapping Helping companies and individuals understand the process and aftermath of an incident Whitney Grespin

Kidnapping Phases Basic briefing and training programs are based on conveying the body of knowledge surrounding what actually happens before, during, and after a kidnapping incident to give potential victims the most comprehensive situational awareness and preparation possible. The following paragraphs outline the phases and appropriate responses to be taken by a victim in such circumstances. Target selection/preoperational surveillance: This pre-event surveillance can be discreet or overt, mobile or static. This reconnaissance is the initializing event, the first step of the kidnapping. According to surveillance detection specialists this is the only time one would be able to realize that something is up. This is the point at which the knowledge and skills gained from formal education and training about recognizing pre-incident indicators can be game-changing.

W Photo: Hands tied to a chair. Credit: Hannah/Flickr

HILE ISOA member companies have committed to the highest standard of responsible conduct, all companies operating in complex or non-permissive environments face unavoidable risks inherent to their mission setting. Unfortunately, one of the most potentially damaging risks faced in these environments is that of employee kidnapping. Although victims of kidnapping are commonly categorized as hostages, there is an explicit divergence in the nature of hostage taking versus kidnap incidents. Hostage taking is a crime that may be secondary to the initial intent, whereas kidnapping is a business where the victim is a specific, intended target. The trade of kidnapping has developed into an industry of its own as organized criminal and terrorist networks have become increasingly sophisticated. However, the important thing to keep in mind in business is not the motivation of the perpetrators, but determining the most effective resolution of an incident. In order to determine how to respond to an event, companies and NGOs must understand the anatomy of an incident, and thereafter develop actionable plans to best prepare, train, and protect themselves from kidnapping crimes.

Target acquisition/capture: At this stage in the kidnapping event the wheels have already been set in motion, and the options of the individual are fight, flee, or surrender. If the kidnappers are there to do harm they will do so right away; however, if they are there to commit a kidnapping, then they inherently have an interest in negotiating safe release for their captive as a means to their ends. During the capture phase, potential victims have only a split second to avoid capture before being moved to a second location, at which point the chances of successful recovery drop dramatically. Once weapons are drawn and pointed, the odds of escaping successfully during the capture phase are against the victim’s favor. Transportation: If an initial escape attempt is unsuccessful, then gaining as much situational awareness as possible during transit to a secondary or subsequent location is the most important thing to which the victim should pay attention. Individuals should think of survival Continued on page 18

Whitney Grespin is an Operations Associate at Atlantean, LLC, a provider of specialized services to the U.S. government and private sector clients around the world.

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Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Continued from page 17

and note things like how long it takes to get to the location, any visible route markers or landmarks, the amount of time that it take to get somewhere, and the number of people and their apparent relationships or hierarchy. Detention and negotiation: During this phase experts advise that captives mentally, “Prepare for a long stay and remember negotiation isn’t up to you.” The first actionable item that should be a victim’s priority is to develop rapport with the guard or anyone involved in order to establish a relationship based on the human condition. One experienced special operations HUMINT specialist counseled, “You need to show them you are a fellow human being.” As per the Army’s Code of Conduct for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape: “Surviving in some terrorist detentions may depend on hostages conveying a personal dignity and apparent sincerity to the captors. Hostages, therefore, may discuss non substantive topics such as sports, family, and clothing, to convey to the terrorists the captive’s personal dignity and human qualities... The purpose of this dialogue is for the hostage to become a “person” in the captor’s eyes, rather than a mere symbol of his or her ideological hatred. Such a dialogue also should strengthen the hostage’s determination to survive and resist.” Furthermore, the HUMINT specialist advised that these types of interactions allow you to learn information about them, with which you may be able to manipulate the captor(s) in the future.

Escape/rescue/liberation: When solicited, insights and comments on escape decision points and tactics waivered. So many aspects

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Recovery: The phase after the event is not just for the victim and/or their family, but also for the company and how they deal with the aftermath. This after action and the post-event treatment of the victim has an overwhelming impact on whether there is animosity between the organization and the employee about the company’s treatment of the incident, and the level of risk of legal action against the company.

A more ready consensus involved direct advice given by individuals with awareness of and experience with the execution of recovery missions, who agreed, “If you’re ever kidnapped and you hear a bang [flash bang/stun grenade], you get down as fast as possible, do nothing, and stay where you are.” In the event of a rescue trained recovery personnel will conduct a thorough search of the premises and would find remaining noncombatants, and attempted intervention or assistance on behalf of the captive may only hinder or complicate their procedures. “Stay still,” instructs a professional, “Don’t try to get a gun; don’t try to help.”

Lessons learned from kidnapping events are rarely shared or publicized due to the sensitive nature of both the event itself and the related legal repercussions. That being said, every single subject matter expert consulted for this article individually stated that surveillance detection is the single most important skill in which at-risk individuals should be proficient.

The teams tasked with rescue missions vary in quality from those with world class training from western countries to ad hoc teams with little to no training in third world countries. No matter where it happens, if a rescue attempt occurs, the best course of action is to stay on the ground. Assistance to the rescue team comes best after the operation through the sharing of information witnessed during the capture and holding phases of the event.

Common Mistakes

More generally, that critique translates to bad situational awareness on behalf of the victim and their failure to change patterns of life and truly understand the surrounding environment. One expert advises employees working outside their normal comfort zone, “Don’t get complacent; a lot of people get complacent after having been there for a few weeks, a few months, maybe a year or two and they start thinking and behaving as locals. The problem is that they will always be a foreigner to people in the local population, including malicious actors who are looking for easy targets.” As one industry expert warned, “The days when NGOs operated differently are over – they are Photo: Kidnappers don't take credit cards. One of the most difficult logistics obstacles for organizations is the acquisition of cash in either USD or local currency. Credit: Arcis International

Private companies may hire the services of a negotiator, but the US government adheres to a strict policy of non-negotiation. It is the U.S government’s policy to deny kidnappers the benefits of ransom, reciprocal detainee/prisoner release, policy changes, or any other act of concession, and instead espouses the pursuit of an investigation leading to the apprehension and prosecution of kidnappers who illegally capture and detain U.S. citizens.

that inform an escape decision are based on situational context and personal capabilities, but one professional commented, “[Escape attempts have] gotta be all in – you can’t half ass it.” Another countered that, “Professional kidnappers have very tightly controlled areas and one must consider the consequences of a failed attempt: death, higher ransom, torture, or if captured in a group, death to the remaining members. Escape should be a last resort, and only if your life is in imminent danger.”


Feature | Life Saving Amidst Crisis

Although nobody wants to plan on an event like this occurring, there is no worse circumstance than being unprepared to respond appropriately. at risk as much as anybody else.” While many NGOs have valid concerns that their impartiality may be compromised by working openly with the military, that should not preclude them from providing comprehensive training and briefings to their employees. Preventive Measures

Companies should consult with their insurance provider to discuss appropriate coverage options and should also establish a baseline working relationship with service providers who specialize in incident response. Choosing a company with clear past performance of such a critical service is vital to successful resolution of such an incident. Although nobody wants to plan on an event like this occurring, there is no

worse circumstance than being unprepared to respond appropriately. A number of ISOA member companies provide mitigation training and insurance advisory services to help employers and deployed personnel avoid or address such events. For more information, please contact isoa@stability-operations.org. ■

While there are many aspects of these environments that companies can’t control, there are steps that they can take to avoid undue complications by providing training and guidance to employees. Beyond, or complementary to, the training that civilians receive through mandated CRC processing for government funded deployments is a wide ranging menu of training options that private companies can provide to NGOs and their peers. Francisco Quinones, Managing Director of Arcis International, has been involved in over 150 kidnap-for-ransom, extortion, and wrongful detention cases. His advice is straightforward, “If [a company is] sending people to an area outside their normal comfort zone, everyone should have a formal pre-incident briefing requiring written acknowledgement for two reasons; first, to reduce risks, and second, to reduce company liability.” He also advises the establishment of a comprehensive crisis management plan that details a clear chain of responsibility during the incident, as well as standard procedures to follow the resolution of an incident and mitigate after-action against the company. From PSD providers in Iraq to human terrain advisors in Afghanistan to oil companies in Nigeria, all companies need to have comprehensive emergency action plans as well as sufficient legal safeguards in place to protect both the individual worker and the company itself.

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Q&A | A Conversation with Mark Bartolini

The U.S. Response to International Disaster A Conversation with USAID’s Mark Bartolini ISOA Editorial Team

M

ARK BARTOLINI is the Director of the Office of foreign Disaster Assistance at the U.S. Agency for International Development. the lead U.S. government agency for coordinating and responding to international emergencies and disasters. Mr. Bartolini’s disaster response experience includes a 13year affiliation with the New York-based International Rescue Committee (IRC). Looking at high profile disasters in recent years, from hurricanes to tsunamis to tornadoes to earthquakes, what trends have emerged in disaster response, both positive and negative?

You have had a long career in disaster preparedness and response. Drawing from your experiences, which particular disasters or humanitarian aid environments have been the most challenging? Bartolini: I spent nearly two years in Bosnia responding to the humanitarian needs brought on by the war. I later responded to the conflict in Kosovo and the subsequent refugee crisis in Macedonia and Albania. To me, there’s no question that complex emergencies caused by war pose the greatest challenge to the humanitarian community. As I mentioned before, over the past few years, we’ve seen more aid workers be given less access to conflict areas. The safety and security of response teams are being increasingly threatened. Who loses out? Those most in need. Beyond the challenges brought on by conflict, there’s also the growing concern of climate change and how it will impact future

Having worked in multiple sectors, how would you define the roles for government agencies in disaster and crisis response compared to those for the private sector and nongovernmental organization community? How important is the role of contractors and grantees from the private and nongovernmental sectors? Bartolini: When disaster strikes, everyone— the federal government, the UN, NGOs and the private sector—springs into action. While there’s strength in numbers, an effective disaster response requires good coordination of all these players. As the designated U.S. Government lead for coordinating foreign disaster assistance, USAID/OFDA plays a key role in saving lives and getting people back on their feet. We have a global team of regional advisors who can get on the ground quickly, identify the most urgent needs, communicate with local officials, and help coordinate an appropriate response. We also have teams of technical experts, like engineers, doctors and logisticians, which conduct detailed assessments. USAID/OFDA uses this information to make informed decisions about what kind of assistance should go where. This is shared with donors, UN partners, and NGOs, who then roll out life-saving programs in the affected communities. Coordination, which USAID/ OFDA plays a lead role in providing, is crucial to an effective response. The private sector can—and does—help us by contributing innovative ideas, technology, and resources. When combined with the assistance USAID/ OFDA provides, these contributions make a significant and lasting difference in the lives of

About OFDA: Mr. Bartolini leads a staff of 250 committed disaster response professionals who are on call 24/7 in fulfillment of their global mandate to save lives, alleviate suffering, and reduce the social and economic impact of international natural disasters and conflict. In fiscal year 2010, OFDA responded to 73 disasters affecting tens of millions of people in 56 countries and provided more than $974 million for emergency relief and mitigation activities.

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Photo: Mark Bartolini. Credit: USAID.

Bartolini: Looking back at recent high profile disasters, I can say that the humanitarian community has learned from past mistakes and, as a result, we’ve become stronger in several ways. At USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance—USAID/OFDA for short— we’re doing a better job of implementing best practices. We’ve improved technically, with better processes in place to assess and meet

critical needs during a disaster. A lot of progress has been made in incorporating innovation and technology into disaster response, which has affected almost every sector we work in, from agriculture to nutrition, and health to protection. But although we’re getting stronger, we unfortunately have less access to the places and people that need our help. Right now, we’re seeing humanitarian workers barred from Syria. In Somalia, the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab has denied access to aid groups responding to a devastating drought that left millions in need of immediate assistance. What this has done is make aid organizations more cautious about sending in their teams, and organizations who have suffered the loss of a staff member understandably find it harder to bounce back.

disasters. The number of hydro-meteorological hazards—like droughts and floods—has spiked in recent decades, and their frequency is expected to rise. This will undoubtedly trigger a new wave of crop failures or water shortages leading to food insecurity and hunger. What’s more, all the development gains we’ve made could be wiped out unless communities are given the tools and training to be more resilient to the effects of natural disasters.


Q&A | A Conversation with Mark Bartolini

communities hit hard by crisis. USAID is looking to identify more public-private partnerships because they make sense, not only in disaster response, but in preventing future disasters. The private sector—especially contractors—can play an important supporting role in reducing risks around the globe. Companies can help in long-term development projects by rebuilding roads and bridges in Africa, for example, and by training local people to maintain them. Such reconstruction activities after a crisis can help people and communities stand on their own. What are some lessons learned from past crises that can be applied to future disaster relief and humanitarian aid settings?

Photo: Bartolini visiting a site in Haiti. Credit: USAID

Bartolini: One of the biggest lessons the humanitarian community has learned is that it’s better to lessen the impact of disasters before they happen. USAID/OFDA, other donors, and our NGO partners, we’re all trying to build up and support the intrinsic resilience within communities, so people are better able to weather the next crisis that emerges. Helping local institutions and community groups through training and improved planning capabilities is vital. Rebuilding local markets after a flood or providing African farmers with drought-resistant seeds are other examples that not only help communities recover, but such actions also help people become more resilient to future disasters. Looking at ways of building resilience is certainly an emerging trend, and hopefully this new perspective will help us improve how we deal with the greatest humanitarian challenges.

you an example, early warning systems in Japan helped ensure that more people got out of harm’s way before the tsunami hit. By taking a look at the hazards and vulnerabilities in certain areas, we can help people plan when and where to build, or rebuild, their homes. Training is an important component of disaster preparedness; experience shows that the most

ISOA member organizations work in conflict, post conflict, and disaster relief environments – many times there is overlap in a particular operating environment. What do you see as the major differences between working in areas riddled with conflict, such as Mali, and those where the main source of turmoil is more so natural disaster, such as Haiti?

One of the biggest lessons the humanitarian community has learned is that it’s better to lessen the impact of disasters before they happen. life-saving efforts are usually carried out by the affected communities, themselves. Here’s an illustration: training first responders in earthquake-prone countries will allow them to begin rescuing trapped people immediately following a big earthquake. USAID/OFDA supports community-based programs that build a local culture of safety and awareness. We help local leaders develop disaster response plans and incorporate disaster drills into school curricula. In addition to saving lives, these kinds of programs also save money. For every $1 spent on disaster risk reduction efforts, analyses have shown savings of more than $20! A number of factors, including rapid urbanization, more extreme weather patterns, and population growth can complicate preparedness operations. But these same factors also make it vitally important for us to scale up our efforts on this front.

Bartolini: Well, as I said before, I believe that complex emergencies caused by war provide the greatest challenge to the humanitarian community. Conflict makes it harder for organizations to reach those in need, and the aid groups working in these areas are at extreme risk. In addition, when responding to complex emergencies, we have to take political considerations into account and constantly adapt our approaches based on the evolving situation. As we see in places like Sudan and Somalia, conflict and the resulting humanitarian needs can last for generations. Countries engaged in conflict typically also have limited ability to provide medical, clean water, or other basic services to those in need. On the other hand, natural disasters that occur in non-conflict areas generally require a shorter response. While responding to conflict situations presents Continued on page 22

In recent years, the world was witness to 2 devastating earthquakes in 2 very different places – Haiti and Japan – each with a very different level of preparedness, and subsequently, very different recovery environments. How important is disaster preparedness and local capacity building, in addition to disaster relief? What challenges persist in disaster preparedness, planning and training? Bartolini: Disasters are impossible to prevent, but their impacts can be averted or reduced if communities are prepared for them. To give

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Q&A | A Conversation with Mark Bartolini

Resilience is built through a wide range of activities—including economic growth and development gains—which is why USAID/OFDA relies on partners in development and in the private sector to help communities grow stronger. Continued from page 21

a different set of challenges, we have a critical job to do in both settings. We strive to overcome those challenges by working with other relief organizations to come up with creative and effective ways to reach those who need our help. What are some major initiatives OFDA is planning to work on in the coming year? Are there inter-office or inter-agency interagency efforts in the disaster assistance arena in the planning or implementation stages? Bartolini: Within the disaster assistance arena, USAID/OFDA, along with the larger international community, is committing to a strong focus on resilience. In many countries, disasters are fairly predictable. We know when a region is threatened by a major drought, when a volcano becomes active, or when a tsunami or storm surge may hit. But instead of focusing our efforts on providing relief after a disaster, we’re working to help communities withstand the impact of a crisis beforehand. Resilience is built through a wide range of activities—including economic growth and development gains— which is why USAID/OFDA relies on partners in development and in the private sector to help communities grow stronger. For our part, we

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OFDA provides humanitarian assistance.

Regarding interagency efforts, USAID/OFDA is making it a priority to strengthen relationships and communication with our federal partners. As the U.S. Government’s lead coordinator for international disaster assistance, we have agreements with several key agencies to provide support and services during a disaster. Our partners include the U.S. Forest Service, the Coast Guard, and the U.S. Geological Survey. USAID/OFDA also has a nearly 20year relationship with the U.S. Department of Defense; our humanitarian coordinators are assigned to Combatant Commands around the world to provide input and guidance. Recently, we’ve also begun an effort to further strengthen interagency relationships by sharing information before, during, and after disasters. We’re reaching out to federal stakeholders to learn about their processes and information needs. And we’re developing a new training course for our interagency partners to explain how USAID/

Bartolini: Global trend lines show a clear and continuing growth in humanitarian needs. The number of natural disasters has almost doubled during the last decade compared with previous decades. Population growth and urbanization are placing people in places where disasters are likely to occur. More than ever, millions of people around the globe are depending on USAID/OFDA to help them recover from and prepare for disasters. At the same time, the entire U.S. Government is tightening its belt. Tight budgets could require tough decisions about the number of people we can help and how much we can help them. In this environment, we’re working closely with other donors to ensure we’re coordinating as effectively as possible. We’re also looking at bringing on new donors and creating new partnerships, including with the private sector. Despite these measures, humanitarian resources are expected to be stretched very thin in coming years. As a result, when a new disaster strikes, USAID/OFDA may need to shift resources quickly from existing programs. Regardless of the budget climate, USAID/ OFDA works as efficiently as possible with taxpayer resources on behalf of the American people. Last year, we responded to 67 disasters in 54 countries, helping tens of millions of people. Now, we’re working to consider new strategies and to bring in new donors and partners. Because, in spite of these financial challenges, we at USAID/OFDA are determined to continue fulfilling our mission: saving lives, alleviating human suffering, and reducing the economic and social impacts of disasters. ■

In the current fiscal environment, foreign assistance is potentially on the chopping block. What effect does a tough budget environment have on OFDA’s planning, partnerships, and overall effectiveness?

Photo: Construction site in Haiti. Credit: USAID

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are working to support disaster risk reduction activities in regions particularly prone to hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts, and storms. By preventing or reducing the damage caused by Mother Nature, we’re helping communities help themselves to be more resilient to whatever crisis may come next.


don’t just be part of the conversation... partnerships

adapt. learn. grow.

set the standard

strategy

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meet

influence

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...be the conversation. The diverse, global community of companies, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions working in stabilization, reconstruction and development have a voice.

Make sure that voice is heard at the 2012 ISOA Annual Summit. What will your organization bring to the ISOA Annual Summit?

Expertise? Experience? Innovation? You tell us...

Visit www.stability-operations.org/summit2012.

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Global Perspectives: Boko Haram

Confronting the Boko Haram Challenge to the Nigeria State Exploring Options for a Peaceful Settlement Kwesi Aning

T

Understanding the Boko Haram enigma Many analyses about the Boko Haram and its splinter factions limit its root causes to issues of religious fundamentalism and fanaticism. However, it is instructive to note that the reasons underlying the crises go far beyond issues of ideological radicalism. The most viable explanation for the insurgency, including religious and sectarian violence, is the failure of good governance in Nigeria. To be

According to adherents of Boko Haram, bad governance and acute corruption by the political elites account for this economic injustice and underdevelopment. They attribute this political canker on the influence of modernization and western education on those who govern the states. The group’s ambitions, therefore, are to mobilize against modern state formation and government establishment, which is seen as the root cause of all these social ills, and establish an Islamic state governed by the Sharia Law. Another major factor fuelling the violence

Kwesi Aning is the Dean & Director of the Faculty of Research and Academic Affairs, whiles Festus Aubyn is a Research Fellow at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana.

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Photo: Mosque in Abuja Nigeria. Credit: Kipp Jones. Credit: USAID

HE burgeoning insecurity in Nigeria caused by the violent activities of Boko Haram has raised both domestic and international apprehension about the stability of Africa’s most populous country and the West African sub-region as a whole. Since the resurgent insurrection of Boko Haram in 2009, the Nigerian government has adopted multiple but varied securitydriven strategies and tactics in an effort to deal with the situation. These have included the use of force and the stationing of large numbers of military and police officers in the northern states affected by the crises as well as the recent call on the group by the President, Goodluck Jonathan, for dialogue. However, these conflict response initiatives, have escalated the violence instead of resolving the problem, hampering any chances of a negotiated settlement and peace. Several questions can be raised: Why have these conflict-response strategies not achieved any far-reaching results? What are the fundamental causes of this problem and why have these security-driven approaches and tactics failed to address it? Is it because of a deficit in the understanding of the situation particularly by the Nigerian government or incompetence on the part of the Nigerian security agencies? What are the prospects for the success of the president's recent appeal to Boko Haram for dialogue? And finally, what are the options for a negotiated solution to this mounting security conundrum? As the search for a long-term sustainable solution continues, this article attempts to answer these critical questions by offering a possible way forward in tackling the problem.

more precise, Boko Haram is a symptom of multiple rationales characterized by corruption, mismanagement and unresponsive government. Grievances over persistent government corruption and mismanagement, economic injustice and poverty especially in the northern part of Nigeria have been one of the underlying causes of most sectarian violence in the country’s history since independence. The Niger Delta crisis and the Maitatsine crisis of 1980 are graphic cases in point. Although Nigeria remains one of the largest producers of oil in the world, about 69% of the population (approximately 112.6 million people) lives below the poverty level according to the Nigerian Poverty Profile Report, 2010. The north-west and north-east geo-political zones of Nigeria, the home region and bastion of Boko Haram, are the areas with the highest poverty rates with 77.7% and 76.3% respectively. For several decades, the northern part of Nigeria has remained impoverished and underdeveloped with a very high rate of youth unemployment, extreme poverty, poor health care, poor educational facilities and poor infrastructure. The unemployment statistics from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics in 2010, for example, showed that the northern states of Yobe, Zamfara and Sokoto remain the areas with the highest rate of unemployment with 39.0%, 33.4%, and 32.4% respectively. This contrasts sharply with the southern states such as Lagos, Oyo and Ogun which have an unemployment rate of 7.6%, 8.8% and 9.9% respectively. Thus, development in the northern part of Nigeria is a sharp contrast to that of the south.


Global Perspectives: Boko Haram

is the indiscriminate imprisonments and arbitrary killing of Boko Haram members by the police and military and the failure of the Nigerian government to prosecute security officers implicated for the extrajudicial killings. Ever since the insurgency began, no single police and military officer has so far been held accountable or convicted for the death of Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who died in police custody, and the other unlawful killings reported by groups such as Amnesty International and Human Right Watch. In reaction to the so called injustice meted out to them by the state, members of the Islamic sect have vowed to revenge the killing of their members, especially Mohammed Yusuf, which they now seem to be honoring with the increasingly lethal attacks on security forces and government authorities.

Photo: Nigerian child. Credit: Jeremy Weate

Boko Haram’s attack on Christians also reflects the longstanding political, ethnic and religious divisions in Nigeria. There is a long history of polarization between the majority-Muslim north and the majority-Christian south, mainly over issues of economic inequalities and political power struggle. Many southerners, for example, see the ongoing attacks on Christians as a deliberate attempt by some northern elites to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan, because he ignored an informal power-rotation agreement that should have kept a Muslim as president after the death of Muslim President, Umar Musa Yar'dua in 2010. Others have also cited economic inequalities between north and south as the factor accounting for the ongoing crises. For instance, the disparities in terms of economic development between the north and the rest of the country especially the south is very wide to the extent that while about 72% of people in the north live in abject poverty, in the south it is only 27% of the population. Assessing the Federal Government’s Responses The response by the federal government has to some extent been inadequate and reactionary without tackling the root causes of the conflicts. Since the beginning of the crises, the federal

It is important to note that Boko Haram will not fade away completely until the government tackles the root causes of the problem. government has engaged in a fierce battle with Boko Haram and maintained heavy police and military presence in Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Jos and other neighboring states in an attempt to obliterate and extirpate Boko Haram. Curfews have also been imposed in the areas considered as flash points of the insurgency, such as Yobe, Borno, Plateau and Niger state, to control and prevent the activities of the Islamic sect. However, the use of a heavy-handed military approach has compounded the problem without any meaningful results. The crisis continues to aggravate with many sporadic attacks causing more deaths and destruction of property. More significantly, the failure to end the insurgency has exposed the operational constraints of the Nigerian security services, further raising questions regarding the ability of the government to respond to the threat. Consequently, there appears to be no end in sight for the deadly attacks orchestrated by Boko Haram as the group continues to cause more casualties and increase in lethality in its assault. Unquestionably, the use of heavy-handed tactics and the over-reliance on it has hindered any chances of a negotiated settlement and peace because it is not addressing the underlying grievances fuelling the crises.

highly suspicious of the government’s offer to discuss their grievances because of the ‘betrayals’ characterized by past experiences. Some have also called on the federal government for unconditional release of all of their members detained in the various prisons across the country before they can accept any dialogue. But will this be feasible? What other options can the federal government explore to resolve the growing insecurity? Exploring Options for a Peaceful Settlement and the Way Forward It is important to note that Boko Haram will not fade away completely until the government tackles the root causes of the problem. As noted by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nation Under Secretary-General, the government needs to get to the root cause of the Boko Haram problem and deploy the right mechanism to tackle it just like it did with the Niger Delta crisis and similar crises in the past. Thus resolving the crises will demand a constructive dialogue involving all actors in the crises and a Continued on page 27

Moreover, although there have been some attempts in the past to engage in dialogue with the Islamic sect, it has not yielded any success due to lack of political will on the part of the federal government. Past mediation efforts by President Olusegun Obasanjo with the Islamic sect, for instance, stalled when one of Boko Haram’s interlocutors was killed by the military shortly after the meeting. Besides, President Goodluck Jonathan has also recently challenged Boko Haram to come forward and state their demands as a basis for dialogue although their demands are well known publicly. But what remains to be seen is whether Boko Haram will respond to the President’s request. Presently, members of the Islamic sect remain

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Global Perspectives: DRC

Escalating Violence in the Eastern DRC Political Dimensions May be Shifting Herman J. Cohen

T

that it would not send General Ntaganda to The Hague for trial, but would try him in the Congo. Nevertheless, until April 2012, the Congolese government made no effort to apprehend him. Indeed, General Ntaganda was seen in public in many Kivu towns apparently unafraid of being arrested.

HE far eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mainly South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri, have been suffering from various forms of sustained armed violence since the first military incursions from Uganda and Rwanda in 1996. The catastrophic human impact of these sixteen years of lawlessness, pillage and attacks on civilians has been described in great detail by different organizations, including the seminal work by the International Committee on Migration.

In March 2009, in a peace deal brokered by the Government of Rwanda, the CNDP rebels were integrated into the official Congolese Army, based in the Kivu provinces. The former rebels remained segregated in their own units, and like other units of the official military, they carved out their own territorial control of artisanal mineral deposits that were pillaged and exported via neighboring countries. Exactions upon the indigenous villagers by both the regular army and the ex-rebels were horrendous, and continue to be that way.

Everything changed in April 2012 when the official army was ordered to arrest Ntaganda. The General broke away from his troops, taking a number with him as mutineers, and fled into the bush to fight apprehension. In May, additional military in the former rebel units decided to mutiny on the basis of grievances linked to pay, working conditions and promotions. These mutineers call themselves the “March 23 Movement”, related to the date in 2009 when they were integrated into the regular Congolese Army.

Since early April 2012, fighting among armed and uniformed elements of the official army (FARDC), mutinous units calling themselves M23, and the long standing forest militias such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Mai-Mai indigenous patriotic forces has escalated considerably. Indeed, there are so many different elements involved, with as many different agendas, that it is difficult to analyze the situation without a scorecard. The major initial result of this fighting is the rapid growth of displaced refugees, both inside the eastern Congo and the neighboring countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. Approximately 200,000 people have fled their homes since April 2012.

The head of the integrated rebel military contingent has been General Jean Bosco Ntaganda, a member of the Tutsi ethnic group. During 2011, General Ntaganda came under indictment by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity. The main count against him is the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers.

Since April, heavy fighting has been going on as the regular army continues to pursue the mutineers. At the time of this writing in June 2012, the army had the rebels bottled up in the Virunga National Park, the home of half the world’s mountain gorillas. To complicate matters even further, defectors from the M-23 have presented themselves to the UN stabilization force in the Congo (MONUSCO) as Rwandan citizens who had been press ganged into uniforms, given weapons and some

When the indictment came down, the government of President Joseph Kabila said

Ambassador Cohen is a former Assistant Secretary of State for Africa and is President of Cohen & Woods International.

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Photo: Congolese Army. Credit: US Army, Africa

The main protagonists this time are the official Congolese army, the FARDC, and a band of mutinous rebels who call themselves the March 23 movement, or M23. Before 2009, these same mutineers were grouped together in a rebel movement fighting to protect the Congolese people of Rwanda-Burundi origin residing in the eastern provinces. At that time, the rebels were part of an opposition movement known as CNDP, or National Democratic Party of the Congo.


Global Perspectives: DRC

Unless the “oneness” of the peoples on both sides of the border is recognized in political terms, violence is likely to continue to be part of the daily scene. training, and told to go across the border into the Congo to fight with the rebels. The UN information about the defectors, who claim to have been sent to fight in the Congo by the Rwandan authorities, was made public in the form of a leak. The Rwandan government has denied any involvement in the Congo’s internal affair. In other words, if Rwandan fighters haVE gone across the border into the Congo to support the M-23 mutineers, the government had nothing to do with it. Toward mid-June, the Congolese government became increasingly strident in its accusations against the Rwandan regime for sending both fighters and arms to the M-23 movement, or at least for being passive as Rwandan fighters crossed the border to help the M-23. It is clear that DRC-Rwandan relations had begun to sour after several years of cordial ties. What is behind all of this escalating military action? The official army and the former rebel units that were integrated, but operating on their own, had been getting along fine. Each had its territory for the pillaging of minerals and the predatory harassment of civilians.

It appears that the international donor community is becoming tired of supporting the Congolese government with lots of money while the mineral rich eastern Congo remains a nomans land where the civilians are under tremendous stress from predatory armies and militias. The donors have apparently read the riot act to Kabila and told him that his government could not be considered legitimate as long as the military were out of control in the east, and such a large percentage of the Congolese population was at risk. The United States government has expressed concern about the violence, and has particularly expressed concern about reports of external support coming from neighboring countries. Unlike the Congolese government, however, the United States government has not yet accused Rwanda of providing arms to the rebels. On the other hand, the United States Government has not taken its traditional line of pre-emptive exoneration of the Rwandan government. The US-Rwandan relationship appears to be less of a love-in than in the past. The bloom is apparently off the Rwandan rose. If the Congolese army can pull off a liberation of

the eastern Congo from the predatory rebels and militias of all stripes, it would constitute a tremendous victory for humanitarian principles, and would restore DRC sovereignty to a very valuable piece of territory. Within the Kivu provinces, the population is torn. The indigenous ethnic groups want peace desperately, and want Kabila to achieve it for them. On the one hand, the Kivu populations of Rwanda and Burundi origin, who may now constitute a majority, fear for their security in the event that protection from their co-ethnic rebels disappears. On the other hand, as long as the fighting and instability continue, ethnic hatred will continue to mount, making an eventual political solution less feasible. A politico-diplomatic solution should be possible, involving the opening of borders between the eastern Congo and Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania, the free movement of peoples and traders, and the creation of free trade corridors. Unless the “oneness” of the peoples on both sides of the border is recognized in political terms, violence is likely to continue to be part of the daily scene. ■

Continued from page 25

Confronting the Boko Haram Challenge to the Nigeria State swift socio-economic response to deal with the root causes of the problem which lie at the heart of the Nigerian political system. There is the need to urgently address the issues of unemployment, education, health and infrastructural development in the country instead of the over reliance on a military approach that only detracts from policy actions needed to deal with the underlying issues. Furthermore, the federal government needs to address the social inequalities, government corruption, weak institutions of governance and the development gap between the north and south of the country. Reconciliation between Christians and Muslims will also need to be fostered to ensure peaceful co-existence. Religious Asso-

ciations and Muslim leaders as well as Christian leaders in the country can lead in these efforts. But while recognizing that most of these interventions will demand a long-term approach, it is critical that in the short-term, the federal government musters the courage and political will to prosecute members of the police or military implicated in extrajudicial killings and any government official indicted as a supporter or accomplice to the group. Boko Haram’s quest for the imposition of Sharia law in northern Nigeria is unrealistic at this point in time. However, in order to convince and engender the trust and confidence of the group to come

to the negotiation table, the government should reach an agreement with the group to release some of their members as a basis for dialogue to begin. Families of innocent victims and Boko Haram members killed in security operations should also be adequately compensated to boost confidence in the dialogue process. Lastly, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also needs to break its ‘silence’ to the growing insecurity in Nigeria and engage in mediation efforts to bring an end to the crisis. ■ For references and additional information, visit peaceops.com.

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Member News Board ISOA Member News from May-June 2012

Agility Brussels Earns Authorized ϐ Ǥ Agility also received two prestigious Awards in Dubai. Air Charter Service Erik Lindbergh joins as Brand Ambassador. BAE Systems selected to lead the management of the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Human Capability Science & Technology Centre. Awarded a contract to provide for the maintenance services for Army vessels.

Dyncorp International earned Champions Of Veteran Enterprise Award.

SOC announces George R. Gram as

ϐ ̵ Hawthorne Division.

Fluor completes Polysilicon Plant in China for LDF Solar.

Steptoe recommended in Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2012. Received “Above and Beyond” Award for Support of the National Guard and Reserve.

GardaWorld establishes “Train the Trainers” Program in Kurdistan.

Triple Canopy funds Women’s Self Defense Training.

Global Fleet Sales partners AIDF Asia- ϐ Ǥ

URS to provide construction services for Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Program.

CH2M Hill-led consortium wins combined cycle power plant project in Australia.

IRD Community Outreach and Capacity Building Approach Highlighted at USAID Summit.

Chapman Freeborn wins Air Cargo Charter Broker of the Year for the sixth year running.

Mission Essential Personnel named Top Language Company for Second Year.

Visit the Careers with ISOA Members page on the ISOA website to find the career pages at ISOA Member organizations.

Crowell & Moring receives MCAA’S Western Region “Thomas L. Sager Award” for Commitment to Diversity. Attorneys ranked 45 by Chambers USA and 18 Leading Practices among Best in US.

Pax Mondial mine action and training subsidiary, MAT Mondial, achieves ISO 14001.

Current Job Postings:  BAE Systems, Inc.

DLA Piper recognized as International Franchise Law Firm of Year for eighth consecutive year.

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Awarded Contract to Provide Support Services for T-6 Aircraft.

ISOA invites ISOA Members to send us news for the Member News Board at communications@stability-operations.org.

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Sallyport receives PSC License Extension under new PSC rules in Iraq.

MEMBER JOB POSTINGS

Mission Essential Personnel

SCN Resources Group— specializing in delivering mission critical human resource solutions to companies operating in the contingency and stability operations industry globally


The ISOA Membership The International Stability Operations Association The International Stability Operations Association is proud to have a multisectoral membership that represents the various aspects of operations performed in conflict, post-conflict, disaster relief and reconstruction efforts. The Membership Directory provides a visualization of the different roles that our member organizations fulfill in contingency operations by using the icons below to classify each member’s activities. Armored Vehicles

Construction

Ground Transportation and Logistics

Legal, Accounting and Compliance Services

Risk Management

Aviation Logistics and Maintenance

Consulting Services

Human Development and Capacity Building

Logistics, Freight and Supply

Security

Aviation: Rotary

Demining and UXO Removal

Information Technology

Medical Support Services

Security Sector Reform

Base Support and Logistics

Equipment

Intelligence Services and Analysis

Product Suppliers and Manufacturers

Shelter

Communications and Tracking

Fleet Management, Leasing & Maintenance

Language Services and Interpretation

Recruitment and Human Resources

Training

Abbreviations

HQ

Location of company headquarters

ACTCO HQ W PC M

W

Website

Fort Lauderdale, FL

W

PC

Tobias Beutgen

PC

www.chapman-freeborn.com Christopher Fisher

M

April 2008

M

December 2011

Gaurev Kukreja June 2012

BAE Systems HQ

W

W

PC

www.agilitylogistics.com Richard Brooks

PC

M

January 2006

M

PC M

Chapman Freeborn

W

Safat, Kuwait

W

Membership approved

HQ

HQ

HQ

M

Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E. www.agpglass.com

HQ

Air Charter Service PLC

ISOA Point-of-Contact/Designated Delegate

American Glass Products

Dubai, UAE www.afghancontainers.com

Agility

PC

Clements Worldwide

Rockville, Maryland www.baesystems.com

HQ

Washington, D.C.

W

Mary Robinson October 2010

PC

www.clements.com Smita Malik

M

November 2011

Burton Rands Associates

Crowell & Moring LLP

Surrey, United Kingdom www.aircharter.co.uk

HQ

Washington, D.C.

HQ

W

www.burtonrands.com

W

Tony Bauckham March 2010

PC

Nicola Lowther December 2008

PC

Washington, D.C. www.crowell.com David Hammond

M

May 2008

AMECO

M

CH2M Hill Inc.

HQ

Greenville, South Carolina

HQ

W

W

PC

www.ameco.com Paul Camp

PC

M

July 2005

M

DLA Piper LLP

Englewood, CO. www.ch2m.com

HQ

Tia L. Hutton April 2011

PC

W

M

London, United Kingdom www.dlapiper.com Tara Lee January 2009

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ISOA Membership Directory DynCorp International HQ W PC M

GardaWorld

KGL Holding

Falls Church, Virginia www.dyn-intl.com

HQ

Dubai, UAE

HQ

W

www.garda-world.com

W

Safat, Kuwait www.kgl.com

William Imbrie April 2007

PC

Peter Dordal September 2008

PC

Scott Beverly

M

July 2011

EOD Technology, Inc.

M

Global Integrated Security—USA

L-3 MPRI

HQ

Lenoir City, Tennessee

HQ

Reston, VA

HQ

Alexandria, Virginia

W

www.eodt.com

W

www.globalgroup-gis.com

W

www.mpri.com

PC

Erik Quist January 2006

PC

Tom Marchegiano

PC

M

April 2011

M

Michael Hess January 2003

M

Fluor Corporation

GreySide Group

Mission Essential Personnel

HQ

Irving, Texas

HQ

Herndon, Virginia

HQ

Columbus, Ohio

W

W PC

www.greysidegroup.com Alex Popovic

W

PC

www.fluor.com Howie Lind

PC

www.missionep.com contact@missionep.com

M

February 2012

M

February, 2012

M

July 2008

Frank Crystal & Company HQ W PC M

HQ

Jeffrey Wingate July 2010

PC

FSI Worldwide HQ W PC M

HART

Washington, D.C. www.fcrystal.com

W

M

www.newcentcorp.com Scott Jacobs

M

July 2008

Sally Stefova

PC

M

June 2007

M

International Defense Technologies

Dubai, U.A.E. www.olivegroup.com Matt Fey December 2005

OnSite OHS, Inc. HQ

Princeton, Indiana

W

W

PC

Elizabeth Piñero-Doyle

PC

www.onsiteohs.com Michelle Prinzing

M

April 2012

M

October 2011

August 2003

International Relief & Development HQ

W

Bankok, Thailand www.globalfleetsales.net

PC

Nicholas Ling

PC

M

June 2009

M

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W

Marlton, NJ www.internationaldefense.com

M

Global Fleet Sales

Olive Group

PC

Nicholas Forster May 2008

30

PC

HQ

PC

HQ

Graham Kerr December 2004

W

HQ

W

Arlington, Virginia

W

Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E. www.interarmored.com

HQ

Arlington, Virginia www.armorgroup.com Phil Rudder

HQ

HQ

International Armored Group

Dubai, U.A.E. www.fsi-worldwide.com

G4S

New Century U.S.

Limassol, Cyprus www.hartsecurity.com

W

OSPREA Logistics

Arlington, Virginia www.ird.org

HQ

Cape Town, South Africa

W

www.osprea.com

Jeffrey Grieco October 2010

PC

Salih Brandt August 2010

M


ISOA Membership Directory OSSI, Inc.

Reed Inc.

SOS International Ltd.

HQ

Miami, Florida

HQ

Leesburg, Virginia

HQ

W

www.ossiinc.com

W

W

Reston, Virginia www.sosiltd.com

PC

John Walbridge October 2005

PC

www.reedinc.com Marius van der Riet

PC

Michael K. Seidl

M

April 2006

M

November 2007

M

Overseas Lease Group HQ W PC M

Relyant

Fort Lauderdale, Florida www.overseasleasegroup.com

HQ

Maryville, Tennessee

HQ

W

www.gorelyant.com

W

Washington, DC www.steptoe.com

Tracy Badcock February 2008

PC

Susan Lynch

PC

Stephen Heifetz

M

April 2009

M

September 2011

PAE, Inc. HQ W PC M

Steptoe & Johnson LLP

Sallyport

SupplyCore

Arlington, Virginia www.paegroup.com

HQ

Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

HQ

Rockford, IL

W

W

Thomas Callahan October 2010

PC

www.sallyportglobal.com Doug Magee

PC

www.supplycore.com Mike Paul

M

August 2011

M

March 2012

Pax Mondial

SCN Resources Group, Inc.

Telum Protection Corp

HQ

Arlington, Virginia

HQ

Alexandria, Virginia

HQ

Southern Pines, N. Carolina

W

www.paxmondial.com Paul Wood January 2009

W

W

PC

www.securitycontracting.net Jake Allen

PC

www.telumcorp.com Alfredo Quiros

M

July 2011

M

September 2010

PC M

Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Shield International Security

Triple Canopy

HQ

McLean, VA

HQ

Seoul, South Korea

HQ

Reston, Virginia

W

W PC

www.shieldconsulting.co.kr Lucy Park

W

PC

www.pwc.com Marissa Michel

PC

www.triplecanopy.com Mark DeWitt

M

May 2012

M

April 2010

M

July 2008

SOC, LLC

Principal Risk Solutions HQ

Cardiff, United Kingdom

HQ

W

www.principalrisksolutions.com

W

PC

Simon Webb

PC

M

April 2012

M

Chantilly, Virginia www.soc-usa.com

HQ W

Germantown, Maryland www.urs.com

Derek Johnson September 2009

PC

Robie Robinson

M

April 2009

Interested in ISOA Membership? Contact ISOA to find out about our exclusive membership benefits including:

 Access to members-only community  Partnership discounts for industry events

URS

 Discounts on all ISOA advertising  Exclusive member-only publications and intel

Unity Resources Group HQ

Dubai, U.A.E.

W PC

www.unityresourcesgroup.com Jim LeBlanc

M

December 2006

 Participation on ISOA Committees and Working Groups Contact development@stability-operations.org for more information

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Photo: ISAFMEDIA

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

worldwide

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