Recent News

11.25.11

DT's Ilan Cooper publishes article in IISS journal
DT's Ilan Cooper co-authored an article published in the current issue of Survival, the journal of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. The article, "UN Authority and the Morality of Force", examines the basis of the UN's authority to legitimize war and the theoretical challenge that such a shift poses to Just War thinking. It concludes that both scholars and jurists should reconsider the issues of moral accountability when it comes to armed conflict and highlights the necessary role that states continue to play in this arena. Mr. Cooper co-authored the article with Dr. Eric Patterson, Associate Director of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, & World Affairs and Visiting Professor of Government at Georgetown University.

08.26.11

DT expanding efforts in Afghanistan
Building upon ongoing efforts in Afghanistan, a DT District Stability Framework (DSF) team is working throughout Regional Command East (RC-East) to mentor and assist military and civilian practitioners working to implement effective stabilization programming. As certified USAID DSF instructors, their efforts are focused on working collaboratively to identify and address root causes of instability by providing guidance on designing effective stability focused activities. This work is being conducted in close coordination with USAID/Afghanistan Office of Stability Unit and the U.S. Embassy Office of Interagency Provincial Affairs.

06.27.11

DSF programming increasing in eastern Afghanistan
In June, the Afghanistan Regional Command-East (RC-East) issued an order mandating the use of USAID's District Stability Framework (DSF) in all provinces. The order directs each brigade-level Task Force to "establish the DSF as a common interagency planning and program management framework for identifying and addressing the root causes of instability at the district level." This represents a further expansion in the application of the DSF, whose training is already listed in the ISAF/NATO counterinsurgency qualification standards.

DT currently provides the majority of USAID-certified DSF instructors who train, advise, and evaluate both military and civilian stability practitioners on application of the Framework. The DSF assists stability practitioners in identifying sources of instability, designing and developing activities to diminish or mitigate the causes, and monitoring and evaluating the impact of programming against stability objectives in a particular area. In close coordination with USAID/Office of Military Affairs, DT conducts its efforts on the DSF program in Afghanistan, Georgia, Germany, and the United States under a subcontract agreement with Lockheed Martin.

06.22.11

DT joins new coalition of top development companies
DT is pleased to be a founding member of the newly established Coalition of International Development Companies (CIDC). CIDC, comprised of many of the top U.S.-based international development firms, was created to raise awareness about the impact that American development assistance has overseas and the role the private sector plays in bringing innovative and cost-effective solutions to development problems around the world. CIDC is designed to serve as a resource to key decision-makers and the media in the ongoing debate about how to optimize US foreign assistance. DT looks forward to contributing to this ongoing dialogue through its membership in CIDC. More on the new coalition can be found at americaningenuityabroad.org.

06.11.11

DT sends team of stability advisors to Afghanistan
DT recently sent an experienced team of stabilization specialists to support the U.S. Embassy to Afghanistan's Office of Interagency Provincial Affairs (IPA) to identify stability indicators, collect field data, and assess efforts to implement the District Stability Framework (DSF). DT will examine data to determine the effectiveness of DSF training, the impact of stabilization activities conducted as a result of the DSF process, and overall stabilization trends.

Working with USG civilian and military actors, the team will travel to locations throughout Afghanistan to include USAID implementing partner offices, the Regional Platforms, various Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), and potentially to District Support Teams (DSTs) and below. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, the team will advise U.S. Embassy IPA leadership and the USAID Mission on the effects achieved by DSF and other stabilization efforts in order to make recommendations for future adaptation and implementation. DT will maintain a staff of up to three in Afghanistan for six months or longer. This work is being conducted in close collaboration with the USAID/Afghanistan Office of Stability Unit and USAID/Office of Military Affairs.

04.19.11

DT conducts civil society assessment in Egypt
From April 7-17, a Development Transformations team traveled to Cairo and Alexandria to conduct a political and civil society assessment of post-revolution Egypt. Led by DT's Timothy Fairbank and Kristin Haffert, former director of women's programs at the National Democratic Institute, the DT team met with a cross section of civil society organizations, including human rights leaders and women's NGOs, current and previous government leaders, members of political parties, newspaper editors and journalists, foreign diplomats, international organizations, and youth advocates instrumental in the recent political changes in Egypt. The purpose of DT's visit was to conduct an assessment of the current political climate and to determine whether to initiate democracy and governance programs in Egypt.

03.4.11

DT's Sloan Mann publishes article in World Affairs
DT's Sloan Mann co-authored an article published in the April/May edition of World Affairs. The article, "Unschooled, How to Better Train Our Nation Builders", highlights some of the challenges associated with educating and training civilian and military audiences in the implementation of comprehensive stability operations. It offers recommendations on ways to overcome these challenges, such as creating "stability specialists."

02.15.11

DT trains Female Engagement Teams
DT continues to expand its work on the District Stability Framework (DSF) program by working with Marine Corps Female Engagement Teams (FET) heading for Afghanistan. DT's training last week focused on enabling Marines to understand how to approach Afghan women, cultural awareness, and factors that influence their environment.

02.04.11

Stabilization training for Georgian Ministry of Defense
As part of the USAID managed District Stability Framework (DSF) program, in January a DT training team traveled to Krtsanisi Training Facility outside the Georgian capital of Tbilisi to help prepare members of the Georgian armed forces for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. The unit will be supporting ISAF alongside U.S. Marines in southern Afghanistan. Training focused on improving cultural awareness and enabling Georgians to effectively identify and mitigate local sources of instability.

01.24.11

DT awarded subcontract for training of USAID staff
Development Transformations has been added to the USAID Program/Project Management Training (PPMT) Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) held by International Resources Group (IRG). Under a subcontract from IRG, DT will provide training, management and advisory services to USAID for the design, development and subsequent delivery of a series of courses that encompasses strategic planning, program/project management, monitoring and evaluation and the tools associated with using this knowledge. DT's focus will include training related to stabilization and interagency cooperation.

12.15.10

Kosovo parliamentary elections
DT's Timothy Fairbank recently participated in a National Democratic Institute delegation to observe the Republic of Kosovo's December 12 parliamentary elections, the first parliamentary elections held since Kosovo declared its independence in 2008. The NDI delegation was part of an observation mission organized by the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, funded by USAID, the Embassy of the United Kingdom, and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

11.15.10

Task Force Report on U.S. Strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Independent Task Force on Pakistan and Afghanistan, which included DT's Sloan Mann, released a report on "U.S. Strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan". The Task Force, chaired by former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage and former national security adviser Samuel Berger, and directed by CFR's Daniel Markey, notes that we are at a critical point in our efforts in the region. Specifically on Afghanistan, the Task Force conditionally supports the Administration's strategy pending the upcoming strategic review scheduled for December 2010. The report states that, "If the review concludes that the present strategy is not working, the Task Force recommends that a shift to a more limited mission at a substantially reduced level of military force would be warranted."

10.25.10

DT awarded analytical research contract
DT has been awarded a contract to perform an analytical study examining the historical uses of development assistance in counterinsurgency. This four-month research project, part of USAID's Instability, Crisis, and Recovery Program (ICRP), will examine the efficacy of USAID's development programming implemented during counterinsurgencies and make recommendations for how future development assistance can contribute to counterinsurgency efforts. DT's work under this project will be performed under a subcontract from Tetra Tech ARD.

09.24.10

DT profiled in The Washington Post
Development Transformations was profiled in an article and video in The Washington Post on September 21, 2010. The article, "Contractor helps troops gain conversation skills for war zone", and video, "Marines train through role-playing exercise", follow several weeks of in depth interviews with DT staff by Post reporter Ian Shapira and a site visit to a DT-led training in Quantico, VA where the company conducted situation-specific scenarios and stabilization training for Marine Civil Affairs units preparing to deploy to Afghanistan.

09.24.10

DT and Andrew Exum lead course on stability operations and counterinsurgency
Andrew Exum, Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, worked with DT during its five-day Stability Fundamentals Course for the Marine Corps Tactical Operations Group in Camp Lejeune, NC from September 20-24. Exum covered advanced counterinsurgency theory and concepts for a group of high-level Marines. The remainder of the DT-led course focused on stability operations, civil information collection, non-lethal targeting, and methodologies for measuring the effectiveness of stability activities.

09.23.10

Afghan parliamentary elections
DT's Timothy Fairbank traveled to Afghanistan from September 11-22 to join Democracy International's election observation mission for the September 18 elections for the Wolesi Jirga (lower house of parliament). Fairbank deployed to Kandahar for the elections were he met with candidates and members of parliament, government officials, NGO leaders, and officials from the United Nations and the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.

09.21.10

Central Asia and Middle East training for Civil Affairs
From September 10 - 21, Development Transformations supported a Central Asia and Middle East focused culmination exercise for members of the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Fort A.P. Hill, VA. Led by Amb. Joseph Melrose, former U.S. ambassador to Sierra Leone, and Ed Verona, former Foreign Service officer and current president and CEO of the U.S.-Russia Business Council, DT advised and trained Civil Affairs teams on interagency coordination, embassy country team briefings, cultural awareness, and working in a civilian-military environment. This culmination exercise was one of the last steps to prepare the CA teams for their upcoming deployments to U.S. embassies in Central Asia and the Middle East.

09.03.10

DT designs and facilitates stability training for PRTs
In close collaboration with the 189th Army Training Brigade, seven DT staff members are currently training Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in stability principles at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. DT is designing realistic scenarios for hands-on application, providing classroom instruction, and creating evaluation standards for PRTs as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan. The core stability operation training includes identifying the root causes of conflict, developing programs and activities to mitigate sources of instability, and creating indicators for measuring the effectiveness of these activities. This six-week program will conclude with a culmination exercise involving USAID, Department of State, and the Department of Agriculture working as integrated teams with the PRTs.

08.09.10

Timothy Fairbank interviewed on BBC World News
In response to a request from BBC World News, DT's Timothy Fairbank gave a television interview concerning the possible ramifications of the recent (August 2010) killing of ten aid workers in Afghanistan. He was asked to comment on the attack's potential impact on the foreign assistance community and whether aid organizations might change the manner in which they operate. His comments were utilized as part of a news segment concerning this tragic event, and were aired on BBC World News on August 9, 2010.

07.12.10

Central Asia and Middle East pre-deployment training
In advance of their upcoming Civil Military Support Element missions to Central Asia and the Middle East, DT conducted an Advanced Interagency Skills Training for members of the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade from July 6-9. The training focused on humanitarian principles, engaging community leaders, interagency planning and cooperation, stabilization programming, civil society, U.S. foreign assistance, and working in a diplomatic community. On behalf of DT, officials from the State Department, USAID, and SSG Advisors led portions of the training including practical scenarios, role play, and country-specific case studies.

05.24.10

Stability Fundamentals Course
In partnership with David Kilcullen from Caerus Associates, DT co-facilitated a Stability Fundamentals Course for the Marine Corps Tactical Operations Group in 29 Palms, CA from May 17-21. The course covered advanced counterinsurgency concepts, stability operations, civil information collection, non-lethal targeting, and methodologies for measuring effectiveness of stability activities. The course was well received and will be incorporated into professional development training for all Marine Corps senior officers and enlisted.

05.10.10

DT leads interagency training for Civil Affairs teams
From May 3-7, Development Transformations conducted a five-day interagency skills training for members of the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Fort Bragg, NC. Supported by representatives from the Department of State, USAID, and Georgetown University, DT's training program focused on interagency planning and cooperation, humanitarian assistance, civil society, engaging community leaders, media training, conflict resolution, and working in a diplomatic community. The training was designed to prepare the Civil Affairs teams for their upcoming Civil Military Support Element assignments to U.S. embassies in Southeast Asia.

04.05.10

Pacific Area Special Operations Conference
Hosted by Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) from March 29 to April 2, DT's Sloan Mann gave a presentation on determining sources of instability in complex environments at the annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. The theme of the conference was "Countering Irregular Threats Through A Multidimensional Approach" and more than 250 participants from over 20 nations in Southeast Asia were in attendance. Guest speakers with expertise in irregular threats framed regional problems and participated in working groups to examine practical solutions.

03.09.10

NY Times article on Female Engagement Teams
DT's Marina Kielpinski was quoted in the recent New York Times article, "Letting Women Reach Women in Afghan War," describing the work of Female Engagement Teams in Afghanistan. The article appeared in the New York Times following a Tactical Conflict Assessment and Planning Framework (TCAPF) training led by Kielpinski in Camp Pendleton, CA and visited by New York Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller. The article discusses the important and unique role women play in engaging with local populations in Afghanistan.

03.08.10

DT and Caerus Associates lead stability course for Civil Affairs
In partnership with Dr. David Kilcullen, president and CEO of Caerus Associates, DT designed and led a four-day Stability Fundamentals Course for members of the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Fort Bragg, NC. The course focused on insurgency and counterinsurgency theory, stability operations, development vs. stability programming, analyzing drivers of conflict, and measuring effects. Conducted in advance of the Civil Affairs Teams' deployment to U.S. embassies in Southeast Asia, the course received overwhelmingly positive feedback. One participant noted, "I can honestly say the training was near the top, if not the top, training event I've attended since being in Civil Affairs."

02.12.10

Sloan Mann guest lectures at West Point
DT's Sloan Mann lectured to cadets in the Social Science Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Discussions with faculty and students focused on the emerging field of stability, civil-military integration, and how to conduct effective stability operations.

02.12.10

West Africa support exercise
From February 5 - 9, Development Transformations supported a West Africa-focused culmination exercise for members of the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Ft. Bragg, NC. Led by Amb. Joseph Melrose, former U.S. ambassador to Sierra Leone, DT advised and trained Civil Affairs teams on interagency coordination and briefings, cultural awareness, and working in a civilian-military environment. This culmination exercise was one of the last steps to prepare the CA teams for their upcoming deployments to U.S. embassies in West Africa.

01.04.10

Stabilization Training at Kabul COIN Training Center
On behalf of USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives, DT is delivering stabilization training in January and February for the Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan. The training is focused on effective stability operations, development vs. stabilization programming, and how to create District Stability Plans based on identified sources of instability. Trainees include Afghan nationals and Government officials, USAID staff, and military personnel. This work is supported by a subcontract from DAI.

12.14.09

Afghan Star Documentary
On behalf of the Council on Foreign Relations, DT’s Sloan Mann moderated a panel discussion on “Afghan Star,” a film profiling the rise of the reality television program by the same name. Daoud Sediqi, former host of Afghan Star, provided background on the show, where contestants compete for a music deal, and its incredible popularity. For many Afghans, who vote for contestants via cell phone, it is their first experience with the democratic process in a country where television, music, and dancing were once forbidden under Taliban rule. Alexander Thier from U.S. Institute of Peace, presenting on behalf of CFR, emphasized the broader cultural realities of Afghanistan where well over half the population is below the age of 25. For more information on the film, please see www.afghanstardocumentary.com.

10.09.09

Stabilization training for USAID
Development Transformations continues providing training and technical assistance based on USAID's Tactical Conflict Assessment and Planning Framework (TCAPF). The project, designed by USAID/Office of Military Affairs, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, delivers stabilization training to civilian and military practioners.
TCAPF is used to identify the causes of instability, develop activities to diminish them, and evaluate the effectiveness of the activities in fostering stability at the tactical-level. DT's work on this program is supported by a subcontract agreement with Lockheed Martin, and is conducted in Afghanistan, Georgia, and the United States.

10.01.09

Continued support to Civil Affairs teams
In late August and September, DT continued its support to the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Ft. Bragg, NC. In advanced of their deployment to U.S. embassies in Southeast Asia, DT conducted an advanced interagency skills training and culminations exercise for members of the 97th Battalion. Joining DT's advisory and training team were representatives from USAID, the Department of State, Georgetown University, and the International Organization for Migration.

09.14.09

Support to USAID's Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative
Operating under a subcontract from DAI, Development Transformations is providing stabilization training for the USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives-funded Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative.
In partnership with David Kilcullen, Crumpton Group, DT co-developed the Stabilization Course Program of Instruction and delivered a four-day training on counterinsurgency, development, and stability operations at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan.

09.07.09

Afghan Elections
DT's Tim Fairbank provided support to Democracy International's international election observation mission for the August 20^th Presidential and Provincial Council elections in Afghanistan. Working under a cooperative agreement given to Democracy International by the U.S. Agency for International Development, he focused and reported on the local political climate, election-related violence, and the role of civil society in the pre-election period.

07.09.09

DT completes Africa pre-deployment training for Civil Affairs teams
From June 22-26, Development Transformations conducted a five-day advanced interagency skills training for members of the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Ft. Bragg, NC. The training, the last step for Civil Affairs teams prior to their departure to US embassies in Africa, focused on working with community leaders, civilian perspectives on development and humanitarian assistance, emerging trends in development in Africa, engaging stakeholders, overview of USAID and the Department of State, assessing good governance, working with the media, and various interactive role play exercises. DT's training and advisor team was joined by leading experts from Democracy International, SSG Advisors, and the US Agency for International Development.

05.18.09

DT conducts interagency exercise for Civil Affairs teams
Development Transformations conducted a five-day West Africa pre-deployment culmination exercise for members of the U.S. Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade in Ft. Bragg, NC. Amb. Joseph Melrose, former U.S. ambassador to Sierra Leone, led the DT team. He was joined by Dr. William Moore, a member of the board of directors of International Medical Corps (IMC), and Glenn Cowan, a co-founder and principal of Democracy International. DT designed exercise scenarios, evaluated participants' performance, and provided simulations of interagency briefings to prepare the CA teams for their upcoming deployments to U.S. embassies in West Africa.

05.01.09

DT publishes article on civ-mil and interagency cooperation
DT published an article in the latest issue of Journal of International Peace Operations. The article, titled "Blurring the Lines: The Importance of Civilian-Military and Inter-Agency Cooperation," discusses the overlapping roles of military and civilian agencies in stability operations, and suggests that the military should focus on enabling a safe and secure environment and work in a supportive role for civilian agencies and organizations that specialize in democracy and governance, human rights, health, education, and improving economic livelihoods.

03.11.09

Sloan Mann provides remarks on foreign assistance reform in post-conflict settings at Carnegie
On February 26, Sloan Mann spoke on foreign assistance reform in post-conflict settings at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in a forum organized by the Center for Global Studies at George Mason University.

02.04.09

Tim Fairbank lectures on democracy promotion at University of Maryland
Tim Fairbank was a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, speaking to faculty and graduate students on the issue of democracy promotion. The February 4, 2009 event, the bi-weekly Development Circle forum, was titled "Promoting Democracy Abroad: Challenges Facing the New Administration."

01.26.09

DT works with U.S. Army Civil Affairs Brigade
Development Transformations, under a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, conducted a week-long training, 26-30 Janurary, for 30 members of the active duty Civil Affairs brigade in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. The program focused on U.S. foreign policy objectives, interagency planning and cooperation, democracy promotion, humanitarian assistance, principles of development, working in a diplomatic community, civil society, media training, and conflict resolution. The training, designed as a pre-deployment program for Civil Military Support Element Missions, was conducted in cooperation with experts from the Department of State, USAID, Oxfam America, and the U.S. Institute of Peace.

01.16.09

Sloan Mann speaks at USIP on civilian-military integration in Afghanistan
Sloan Mann was a panelist at a public event at the U.S. Institute of Peace on the state of civilian-military integration in Afghanistan. The panel, held on January 16, 2009, examined civil-military operations and provided perspectives on whether the U.S. Government and ISAF are reaching the people through local-level engagements.

12.15.08

Sloan Mann discusses progress in Afghanistan
On December 15, 2008, Sloan Mann was a panelist at an event sponsored by the Peacebuilding, Development and Security Program at the Institute of World Affairs on assessing progress in Afghanistan. The event focused on the effectiveness of an integrated civilian-military approach and how to enhance future operations.

10.08

DT teaches course on Civil Society at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
Tim Fairbank, on request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Azerbaijan, taught a course on "The Role of Civil Society in Diplomacy" to members of Azerbaijan's diplomatic corps. The October 2008 course, held in Baku, was part of the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy's Advanced Foreign Service Program.

08.02.08

Article on Stability Operations in Afghanistan
Sloan Mann published the article, "Taking Interagency Stability Operations to a New Level: The Integration of Special Operation Forces and USAID in Afghanistan" in Small Wars Journal. The article describes a successful interagency model and the benefits of civilian-military integration.