The idea of leaving active duty for a contracting gig is a dream that many servicemembers share. And why not? Heading back to college at an older age or going from leading a fire team to working in retail can sound less than exciting.
Taking hard-earned military skills and applying them to a lucrative new career is appealing to many veterans. But is contracting all it’s cracked up to be?
Evan Hafer, CEO and founder of Black Rifle Coffee. Hafer began his career as a U.S. Army infantryman. Later, he joined the elite ranks of the Green Berets, served among them for more than a decade. Afterward, he become a military contractor working personal security for the U.S. State Department.
Hafer talks about his many deployments to combat zones, how his experiences differed between uniformed and private military service, and what inspired him to leave it all behind for a life of coffee roasting and entrepreneurship.
CONTRACTOR SUPPORT OF U.S. OPERATIONS IN THE USCENTCOM AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
BACKGROUND: This report provides Department of Defense (DoD) contractor personnel numbers for 1st quarter Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) and current status of efforts underway to improve management of contractors accompanying United States (U.S.) Forces. It includes data on DoD contractor personnel deployed in Afghanistan, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS); Iraq and Syria, Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR); and the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).
KEY POINTS: During 1st quarter FY20, USCENTCOM reported approximately 50,464 contractor personnel supporting DoD in the USCENTCOM AOR, an increase of approximately 812 from the previous quarter
DoD Contractor Personnel in the USCENTCOM AOR
OIR (Iraq and Syria) Summary
The distribution of contractors in Iraq and Syria by mission category are:
Total: 6,586
o Contractor Posture: Approximately 6,586 DoD contractors directly supported DoD-funded contracts in Iraq and Syria. This is a decrease of 8% from 4th quarter FY19.
OFS (Afghanistan) Summary*
The distribution of contractors in Afghanistan by mission category are:
Total: 26,545
*3,017 Armed Private Security Contractor Personnel
o Contractor Posture: Approximately 26,545 DoD contractors supported operations in Afghanistan during 1st quarter FY20, an increase of 9.7% from 4th quarter FY19. Local Nationals comprise 21.5% of total contractor force; 20,836 US/TCN remain in Afghanistan. The increase is due, in part, to an issue identified in the 4th quarter FY19 when the delayed exercising of a contract option in 4th quarter FY19 led to expiration of contractor letters of authorization and removal of contractors from Synchronized Pre-Deployment Operational Tracker Enterprise Suite (SPOT-ES) database. As a result, these contractors were not included in the 4th quarter FY19 report. The 1st quarter FY20 figures include these contractors that have since been updated in SPOT.
o A total of 3,017 Private Security Contractors (PSCs) personnel were supporting USCENTCOM operations in Afghanistan as of 1st quarter FY20. A detailed summary is provided in the table below.
• USCENTCOM Vendor Threat Mitigation In accordance with the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act, Subtitle E Section 841, Never Contract with the Enemy, one company has been identified as supporting the insurgency and a recommendation to designate that company as supporting the insurgency has been approved by the USCENTCOM Deputy Commander. Two additional companies were identified during the August and September 2019 Vendor Vetting Decision Boards (VVDB) and are in staffing for potential designation, which will be forwarded to the Head of Contracting Activity. During 1st quarter FY20, the VVDB considered 105 companies, resulting in 75 rated “Acceptable” (71.4%) and 30 rated “Unacceptable without Mitigation” (28.6%).
• USCENTCOM Operational Contract Support Integration Cell (OCSIC) During this quarter, the OCSIC visited and leveraged OCS expertise from other Combatant Commands, Defense Logistics Agency’s Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, and the Subordinate Service Components to enhance non-organic support to operations throughout the AOR. Our mission focus remained on requirements in support of deterring Iranian aggression to include Kingdom of Saudi Arabia build-up, and the closure of locations and partial withdrawal of personnel from Northeast Syria. The Headquarters USCENTCOM OCSIC is primarily comprised of personnel sourced though the Request for Forces process who are temporarily assigned. The OCSIC is preparing for a 43% turnover in January 2020.
• Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) OCSIC During 1st quarter FY20, CJTF-OIR conducted Northeast Syria retrograde operations in line with a Presidential directive to re-posture forces in Syria. They analyzed the Syrian contractor requirements in support of re-posturing 1,200 Coalition Forces and corresponding military/contractor-issued equipment, resulting in $221M in cost avoidance due to potential loss. The CJTF-OIR OCSIC and 408th Contracting Support Brigade in coordination with the CJTFOIR Director of Sustainment and requiring activities, continued to refine and develop processes to right size requirements that help generate cost savings while meeting mission needs. The OCSIC continues to convene a regularly scheduled Joint Requirements Review Board (JRRB) to adjudicate resources related to the size, scope, and cost of contracted goods and services in our area of responsibility. The JRRB validated 39 mission critical requirements valued at approximately $205M this quarter.
• U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) OCSIC Contractor accountability has been the major focus this quarter. The ability to quickly identify contractor points of contact, both government and vendor, is extremely important to mission accomplishment. In order to effectively validate all contractors operating in Afghanistan, USFOR-A OCSIC needed to increase visibility of contractors to include those based throughout USCENTCOM AOR. Additionally, USFOR-A OCSIC has made a concerted effort to maintain the comparatively high-level Visa compliance reporting (77%) and affirmation reporting (52%) in the SPOT database
IMPROVEMENTS TO MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF DOD CONTRACTORS
• Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (ODASD(Log)).
o 1st Quarter FY20, OCS Functional Capabilities Integration Board (FCIB). During the November 19, 2019 quarterly meeting, the U.S. Special Operations Command presented status of efforts to institutionalize OCS across the Special Operations Forces (SOF) enterprise and highlighted major initiatives such as the SOF Joint OCS Planning and Execution Course and SOF OCS 101 course. In addition, the Board is on track to revise its charter in 2nd quarter FY20, to strengthen OCS capability across the enterprise, improve management of contracted capabilities, and better align OCS to DoD priorities and strategic objectives. In early November, the Board also published the seventh edition of the DoD OCS Action Plan, which serves as a strategic roadmap of actions underway to integrate and sustain OCS as an enduring joint capability. The next quarterly FCIB principal’s meeting will be held February 25, 2020.
o Implementation Update: OCS Joint Doctrine, Organization, Training, materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities-Policy (DOTmLPF-P) Change Recommendation (DCR). Endorsed by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council in August 2018, the OCS Joint DCR identifies capability shortfalls and 15 actions for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, services and combatant commands to improve integration of OCS joint capability by the end of 2022. The OCS FCIB serves as the OCS Joint DCR implementation steering committee, monitoring progress and providing strategic direction to offices of primary responsibility. In November 2019, the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service (DCPAS) completed development of a functional competency assessment model for the OCS civilian workforce, as required by the DCR. DCPAS is assisting with competency implementation planning and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) is working to establish the capability to conduct similar functional competency assessments for military personnel. Several other service-led OCS Joint DCR actions are on track for completion in February 2020. However, a one-year extension for the military services to implement methods to develop and update OCS planning factors will be submitted to the Logistics Functional Capabilities Board for consideration. The next DCR Working Group will be held on January 23, 2020.
o Defense Standards for Security Services.
All DoD contracts for private security services require compliance with American National Standard Institute (ANSI) PSC.1-2012 (R2017), “Quality Management Standard for Private Security Company Operations” or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 18788-2015 “Management Systems for Private Security Operations.” All private security companies contracted by DoD at any tier are currently compliant with one or both of these standards and have achieved independent third-party certification.
A total of 97 private security companies from 32 different countries have achieved independent third-party certification to one or both of these standards.
• Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office (JCASO). JCASO continues to provide the Combatant Commands a joint enabling capability to integrate, coordinate, and synchronize OCS planning and activities. JCASO provides full-time deliberate OCS planning support to the Geographic Combatant Commands via two embedded OCS Planners at each staff. Specific USCENTCOM support activities include:
o OCS Planning: JCASO planning support during this period included participation in the USCENTCOM 14XX War Game, to identify and validate gaps and define strategies for key locations. Planners conducted research on insights and best practices on Command Relationship and risk to force/mission, validating that OCS starts and stops at the Operational (OP) and Tactical (TA) levels of war, and that the OP and TA level commands must generate and determine OCS requirements by functional area. As a result, USCENTCOM will work to codify a Contract Statement of Requirements in USCENTCOM Regulation (CCR) 715-1. JCASO continued work with their component commands to accurately update and capture OCS planning products in support of USCENTCOM Level 3T/4 plans. Planners updated the USCENTCOM Operations and Plans Dashboard to reflect component command progress and inform the USCENTCOM J4, J45, and the OCSIC Chief on OCS development. In addition, JCASO planners developed a USCENTCOM OCS kit to support OCS practitioners conducting OCS related duties in the AOR and provide an understanding of Lead Service for Contracting (LSC)/Lead Service for Contracting Coordination (LSCC) responsibilities, key tasks, OCS planning, requirement development and examples of contracted statement of requirements.
o OCS Integration Cell (OCSIC) Support: JCASO continued engagements with USCENTCOM OCSIC personnel to provide OCS training, readiness reporting frameworks, and information on lessons learned and best practice identification. JCASO led a deep dive with the OCSIC on CCR 715-1 which governs USCENTCOM OCS policy, guidance, and tasks for the OCS community of interest. JCASO also conducted a complete review and cross walk of CCR 715-1 and the OCS Execution Order to ensure that both documents complement and support effective and efficient contract support.
o Exercise Support: INTERNAL LOOK-20 (IL20). JCASO supported IL20 execution with members in the white cell and with the Joint Staff J7 Deployable Training Team as OCS observer/trainers.
o Mobile OCS Staff Training Team (MOSTT). JCASO sent a MOSTT to MacDill Air Force Base, October 7-10, 2019. The purpose of the trip was to provide OCS training to the USCENTCOM OCSIC staff. The JCASO MOSTT representatives presented material on a broad set of OCS topics including: OCS boards, centers, and working groups, discussions on LSC versus LSCC, OCS analysis of the Operational Environment, contractor management, and contracting support.
o OCS Tutor/Trainer Initiative: The US Army Central Command tutor/trainer provided targeted, mission-specific OCS tutoring and training to multiple echelon-above-brigade units scheduled to rotate into the AOR during the next cycle.
• The Joint Staff (JS), J4, Operational Contract Support Division (OCSD)
o OCS Reporting. Joint Staff conducted a strategic risk assessment on commercial reliance which the Director, Joint Staff, approved for inclusion as an annex to the Quarterly Readiness Report to Congress. OCSD joined a readiness reporting reform operational planning team to integrate commercial support assessments into defense readiness reporting system reporting.
o OCS Planning. OCSD reviewed plans, generated input to readiness reviews, and input to the Globally Integrated Exercise and Globally Integrated Wargame; highlighted commercial support to operations opportunities and risks. OCSD briefed a methodology for integrating commercial capabilities—infrastructure, services, and personnel—into posture planning (e.g., footprint, agreements, and forces) in the Joint Logistics Planning, Globally Integrated Exercise, and Readiness Working Groups.
o Individual Training.
Joint OCS Planning and Execution Course (JOPEC). Delivered two JOPECs to 50 students. Since course inception in 2013, 1,620 students have completed the course.
Joint Knowledge On-line (JKO). During the 1st quarter FY20, 1,022 personnel completed the Joint OCS Essentials for Commanders and Staff Phase 1 course, another 276 personnel completed the Phase 2 online course. As of December 16, 2019, 16,418 personnel have completed an OCS introductory online course.
Joint OCS Training Integration Campaign (JOTI). OCSD completed review of all Joint Deployment Training Center courses, and provided the Chief of Training 38 recommendations to their Joint Deployment Action Officer course Program of Instruction. The Chief of Training accepted and will implement 27 of the recommendations. Additionally, OCSD delivered OCS briefings to the monthly Joint Logistics Course, supported Joint Enabling Capability Command training and, provided a panelist for case study discussions at the National War College.
o Staff Joint Training.
On November 18-21, 2019, 52 military and civilian personnel from 10 nations representing 19 organizations conducted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Table Top Exercise on Operational Contract Support #3 at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium. The U.S. European Command and NATO’s Standing Joint Logistics Support Group co-hosted the exercise. The exercise explored two lines of effort: processes and procedures to prioritize and de-conflict logistics support among NATO members and coalition partners; and quantifying the amount of contracted support in place to sustain the joint force in steady state, exercises, and contingencies.
The exercise revealed the need to formalize logistics relationships, recognize when national mobilization approaches will affect commercial resource availability, and integrate the capability to plan and coordinate commercial support. Furthermore it emphasized the need to establish a multinational, scalable contract solution for fuel services and explore opportunities for other commodities and logistics capabilities. The hosts plan a fourth exercise in FY20.
o NATO Logistics Committee Engagement.
Joint Staff J4 led a Senior Logistics Steering Board on November 6, 2019 at NATO headquarters in preparation for the Logistics Committee to agree on the issues and requirements of commercial support to operations. NATO militaries’ reliance on commercial and host nation support in collective defense calls for expansion of policy and doctrine to recognize the scope, scale, and complexity of this support and enable planning, de-confliction, and prioritization in order to mitigate risk.
DOD — Today the Department of Defense provided to the Congress the semiannual report, “Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan,” covering events during the period of June 1 to November 30, 2019.
The report was submitted in accordance with requirements from the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, as well as subsequent amendments.
The principal goal of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan remains a durable and inclusive political settlement to the war that protects the United States homeland from terrorist attacks. The Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, leads the effort for a political settlement with the Taliban. The military mission in Afghanistan remains in support of diplomatic efforts to achieve such a political settlement and conduct counterterrorism operations.
During this reporting period, the Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, pursued an agreement with the Taliban until President Donald J. Trump suspended formal negotiations in September 2019, and announced a restart of talks with the Taliban in November.
During this reporting period, United States Forces-Afghanistan and Coalition allies and partners supported the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in a focused military campaign against the Taliban to pave the way for reconciliation and counterterrorism efforts against al-Qaida and the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K). These efforts have helped prevent these groups from exporting violence and the Taliban from seizing any provincial capitals in 2019.
Challenges within the ANDSF such as corruption, attrition and executing logistic planning remain a focus of advisory efforts at all levels. This reporting period, Resolute Support took steps to optimize its advising mission to better align advisors across Afghanistan.
Improved communication between the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior helped minimize violence during Afghanistan’s presidential election and led to successful operations against ISIS-K in Nangahar province. The Afghan Special Security Forces remain the most capable force in the ANDSF and their capabilities continue to grow.
Terrorist and insurgent groups also continue to present a formidable challenge to Afghan, U.S., and coalition forces. ISIS-K, operationally limited to South and Central Asia, maintains the ability to conduct attacks and sought to retain territory in eastern Afghanistan despite pressure from U.S. forces, ANDSF and the Taliban.
The United States remains fully committed to the Resolute Support mission and our Afghan partners, as we work to ensure Afghanistan never again become a safe haven for terrorists.
See the full 1225 Report - Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan.
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