Interagency Intergovernmental & Nongovenmental Coordination - Focus Paper #3 - July 2007

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Preface

This paper1 discusses insights and best practices in how we coordinate with our interagency (IA) partners, intergovernmental organizations (IGO), nongovernmental (NGO) organizations, and the private sector to better achieve unity of effort in our operations. It provides a short overview of unified action, discusses organization and coordination in both domestic and foreign operations, and then further delves into insights and best practices.

This paper focuses on coordination with our interagency partners at the theater-strategic and operational levels. It addresses to a lesser degree coordination with IGOs, NGOs, and the private sector, and does not address multinational operations.

The Joint Training Division (JTD) of the Joint Warfighting Center at USJFCOM gains these insights through nearly continuous contact with commanders and staffs of joint force headquarters worldwide as they prepare for, plan, and conduct operations. We gain insights into their challenges and their derived solutions as they support our national interests. We analyze and compare practices among the different headquarters, reflect on the various challenges, techniques and procedures, and draw out and refine what we term “insights” and “best practices,” which inform and shape joint doctrine.

There are numerous other publications addressing interagency cooperation. National Security Presidential Directive-44 (2005) establishes national policy for interagency integration. The State Department Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stability (S/CRS), United States Agency for International Development USAID, the Institute of Peace, and numerous DOD Directives (DODD) lay out other key concepts. The US Army’s newly published FM 3-07 (Stability Operations) is also an excellent compilation of ideas and lessons learned.

We want to get your thoughts on this subject. Please pass on your comments, insights, and best practices so that we may share them. Contact the JTD POC for insights and best practices, Mike Findlay at (757) 203-5939 or email at Michael.Findlay.ctr@jfcom.mil. Our papers on this and other subjects can also be viewed at http://jko.cmil.org/.

Major General Jason K. Kamiya

Commander, Joint Warfighting Center