A PMP in Iraq

1. A PMP in Iraq Lessons Learned from Trainingfor a Military Mission in Iraq Presented by Jeff Nuding, PMP

2. Challenge of a Lifetime • Organize, recruit, and assign national guard soldiers to Cadre strength unit • Train combat, low intensity, peacetime contingency, unconventional operations • Manage personal and employment issues for 200+ soldiers, average age ~35 • Conduct operations in a combat zone • Deploy, protect, perform, and return without loss of life or serious injury

3. By Way of Introduction • 47 years old, married, three children • 19 Years, Senior Principal Consultant, Keane, Inc., managed Network, Systems Integration, Application Development Projects. • Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2001. • Keane & Boston University trainer in Project Management,U.S. Army certified trainer in Intelligence disciplines. • Twenty-two years, US Army, Reserves, NY Army National Guard. • Mobilized with the 642 Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion (BN), 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division (ID), NYARNG. • Ten months at Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Tikrit, Iraq, as Company First Sergeant (“Top” as in “Top Sergeant”).

4. Agenda • What’s the Project, Top? • Training Management • Resource Management • Contractor Management • Stakeholder Management • Communications Management • Some Conclusions • Defining Project Success

5. What’s the Project, Top? Mission and Project Views

6. What’s the Project, Top? • Critical need to train for the mission • Heightened risk factors (dramatic) • Threats: perceived and unanticipated • Counterterrorism, detainee operations • Non-combat, nation building, peacetime contingency, infrastructure building • Part-time to full-time soldiering

7. Military Mission Prepare soldiers for combat and peacetime contingency operations Conduct operations in a combat zone Deploy, protect, perform, and return without loss of life or serious injury Project Objectives Identify Tasks Assess Risks Secure Resources Train Team Orient and Adjust Prepare Families Mitigate Risks The Mission is The Project

8. Project Phases • Activation and In-Processing • Medical Fitness • Mobilization Training • Deployment and Transition • Mission Operations • Redeployment & Out-Processing • Return & Re-integration

9. Training Management Environment, Baselines, and Training Objectives

10. Training Environment • Mobilization site, away from home • From 6 weeks to 6 months and more • Rapid ramp up of resources, from 120 to 200+ soldiers (Army, Guard, Reserves) • Initial Equipment shortages, resupplied • Austere conditions, strenuous training • External assessment and certification • 100% Pass required in key areas

11. Training Baseline • Training will not eliminate all risks • Training mitigates, avoids, changes response to events and outcomes • Combat drills (rehearsals) essential • Anticipate roles and functions • Teach concepts with some specifics if roles are variable or undefined • Know your people, what they bring to the team, and train them to self-improve

12. Training Objectives • Individual Soldier Readiness: Physical Fitness, weapons, combat lifesaver • Threat recognition & immediate response • Job training: Staff, motor maintenance, mess, supply, intelligence analysis • Understanding Theater of Operations • Cultural awareness and sensitivity

13. Checkpoint: Lessons Learned • Teach concepts with some specifics, and train soldiers to self-improve • Enhance training in soft skills for peacetime contingency operations

14. Resource Management Environment, Baselines, and Management Objectives

15. Resource Environment • Active duty force deployments • Civilian Skills = “Force multipliers” • Activation of National Guard & Reserves • Outsourcing: Intelligence, Logistics, Food and life support services (see next topic) • New roles and evolving skill sets • Role Transition to Iraqi authorities

16. Checkpoint: Lessons Learned • Manage Guard & Reserve expectations • Inventory hard and soft skill sets • Restructure, re-source based on new demands, new environments • Build and disseminate Public Affairs, diplomatic capabilities throughout force • Add roles and training for other evolving peacetime contingency operations

17. Subcontractor Management Outsourcing, Level of Service Agreements, Accountability

18. Outsourcing • Long term force reductions & restructuring • Specialty areas and force projection • Costs and benefits and liabilities • Risks and mitigation strategies • Acceptance criteria • Responsibility and Accountability • Level of Service Agreements (SLA)

19. Checkpoint: Lessons Learned • Weigh costs against benefits long term • Better define handoffs between contractor and military responsibilities • Better integrate reserves and contractors • Public perception an important aspect • Encourage market competitiveness • Teach and adhere to SLAs at unit level • Design cost and benefit sharing

20. Stakeholder Management

21. Stakeholders • Unilateral versus multilateral effort • Network of diplomatic relations • United Nations and non-governmental organizations & non-state actors • Opposition Stakeholders (they have guns) • Non-state actors (“Irregulars”) • Intranational forces and agents • Fourth estate and Fifth column

22. Checkpoint: Lessons Learned • Relationship building must be continuous • Public relations is a theater of operations • Transparency needs practice, awareness • Know the modern threats and contributors • Staging: Media may be enemy PR agents • Develop incentives for more embeds • Partnerships with non-traditional media • Enhance (don’t reduce) soldier accessibility • Exploit and develop informal networks

23. Communications Management Information Operations, Diplomacy, Public Affairs & Media

24. Information Operations (IO) • Morale of military and their families • The problem with data points and trends • Enemy doesn’t need nor expect military victory, but shock, intimidation, reaction • Perception more important than fact

25. Diplomacy • Every soldier a potential Diplomat • Training of Iraqi Army and Police • Chief Wiggles, School Projects • Interactions with civilian population • Trade and commercial transactions • The role of Cultural Ambassador

26. Public Affairs and Media • Media attention and manipulation • Public opinion and morale • Outlets for Good News • Alternative media outlets (Blogs)

27. Checkpoint: Lessons Learned • Know there is an IO war, and we can lose • Recruit and incent military journalists • Fight against stereotypes and prejudices • Tie incentives (and costs) to degree of openness • Stay on point, aggressive messaging • Keep military families connected • Educate public on data point exaggeration • Assymetrical response works for data, too • Build military blogging (MILBLOGs) as secondary skill qualifier

28. Some Conclusions • Manage Guard & Reserve expectations • Teach concepts with some specifics, and train soldiers to self-improve • Enhance training in soft skills for peacetime contingency operations • Define contractor & military responsibilities • Transparency needs practice, awareness • Focus on Information Operations • Build relationships with traditional media • Encourage alternative media (MILBLOGS)

29. A Definition of Project Success • 100% Unit and Soldier readiness certified • No Absent Without Leave (AWOL) • Recognition of outstanding Intelligence mission accomplishment • Best-in-Theater Motor Maintenance operations, 95% fully mission capable • No combat injuries or losses • No Soldiers left behind

30. Questions?

31. Contributor, The Blog of War, Matthew Currier Burden, Simon & Schuster, September 2006. Blog Author, http://dadmanly.blogspot.com Blog Contributor, http://mudvillegazette.com/milblogs Author and Contributor,Freedom of Speech segment, CBS Evening News