Where Strategy Meets Execution

Situation

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 expanded the National Guard's partnership activities and the capabilities that could be provided to partner nations. In response, a new engagement plan was developed and approved to redesign the application and approval process for establishing new partnerships.

Although the engagement plan established a new direction, implementation lacked sufficient guidance and oversight. The supporting Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) did not include measurable objectives, clearly defined implementation milestones, or sufficient mechanisms for tracking progress. As a result, translating the approved approach into a consistent and executable process remained a challenge.

The approach focused on translating the approved engagement plan into a structured and executable process. This included redesigning the requirements package, proposal template, application submission form, and associated review and approval procedures to establish greater consistency throughout the partnership application lifecycle. The redesigned process was mapped to a defined timeline with specific milestones, submission requirements, and review points, with a geographic subject matter expert assigned to guide each application through the process. Together, these changes established clearer expectations, greater accountability, and a repeatable pathway for moving partnership requirements from initial development through final approval.

The redesigned partnership process provided greater consistency and accountability from the initial country requirements study through application submission, review, and approval. Defined timelines, milestones, and submission gates created a more disciplined process for developing, receiving, and evaluating partnership applications. These improvements reduced the application review and award cycle from approximately 90 days to 30 days; a 67 percent reduction in processing time.

Situation

The Immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense required an integrated training approach that would enable key personnel to execute mission-essential functions regardless of location or operating environment. Achieving this required validating existing requirements, adjusting plans to account for evolving needs, and establishing senior-level support for a sustained training and exercise program.

Existing requirements and contingency plans had not been consistently translated into training and exercises that prepared front-office personnel to execute their assigned responsibilities under alternate operating conditions. Competing operational demands and limited leadership emphasis had contributed to personnel being unfamiliar with the procedures, responsibilities, and capabilities required to operate from an alternate location. Plans alone were insufficient; successful implementation required a structured approach that connected documented requirements with practical guidance, individual and collective training, and progressive exercises.

The approach began by establishing a champion within the immediate staffs of both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense to build support for the effort and help integrate training into demanding executive schedules. Surveys and individual interviews were used to validate mission requirements, assess existing capabilities, and identify gaps. Working with the staff champion, we developed an initial six-month training calendar that combined individual and collective training with flexible methods, including desk-side sessions designed around staff availability.

The program deliberately progressed from foundational training to increasingly realistic exercises. At the six-month point, personnel participated in a focused tabletop exercise to evaluate specific procedures and requirements. The program subsequently advanced to a live exercise in which the staffs operated from an alternate location for a full day. Feedback from each activity was incorporated into subsequent training and exercises, allowing the program to evolve based on demonstrated needs rather than remaining a static schedule. Following the successful proof of concept, the effort was expanded into a three-year training calendar formally approved by both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense offices.

The effort transformed an environment with no established training program for Immediate Office personnel into an integrated three-year training and exercise cycle. The approved program incorporated new-employee orientation, monthly individual training on mission-essential functions, quarterly collective training and exercises, semiannual scenario-based tabletop exercises, and an annual live exercise in which the Secretary and Deputy Secretary offices operated from an alternate location. More than 30 front-office personnel participated in the program, including the Deputy Secretary of Defense, who participated in tabletop and live exercises for the first time in more than a decade.

The exercises also produced tangible organizational improvements beyond training. Testing operations from alternate locations identified previously unresolved capability gaps, allowing requirements to be documented, prioritized, and presented for funding. The effort ultimately contributed to securing $3.2 million in funding for previously unfunded requirements needed to strengthen the identified capabilities.