The Interagency Civilian-Military Integration Training Exercise program at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville; Indiana; simulates the working environment on civilian-military platforms in Afghanistan for civilian personnel from the Department of State; Department of Agriculture; the Agency for International Development; and other U.S. federal agencies. The program allows trainees to work in concert with military colleagues; including life on a Forward Operating Base; travel by military convoy or helicopter; and use of interpreters during scripted training events featuring Afghan role-players. Participants practice typical PRT and other civilian-military activities; such as attending Provincial Development Council meetings; building personal relationships; and navigating sensitive situations with provincial; district and local level Afghan officials; religious leaders and villagers. Trainees receive additional briefings on related topics such as U.S. counter-insurgency strategies and USAID's Tactical Conflict Assessment and Planning Framework.

This course provides an introduction to reconstruction and stabilization for U.S. government civilian and military employees; and certain staff from key international partners. FSI offers this course in support of and in collaboration with the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization. The course is directed primarily to the U.S. government’s Civilian Response Corps particularly its Active Component and Standby Component. Participants may also include other U.S. government employees and some key staff of partner organizations; U.S. and international; working in reconstruction and stabilization operations. This class is designed to equip the student with basic knowledge and skills to serve in the Civilian Response Corps of S/CRS. Students will gain knowledge of key institutions and frameworks and learn techniques in building more effective partnerships among USG civilian departments and agencies and with partners abroad. Students will learn how to accomplish the Corps’ main goal; which is to support USG and international efforts aimed at assisting countries emerging from conflict to transition to stable; self-sustaining peace.

This course is designed to provide employees assigned to the U.S. mission to Afghanistan with the basic professional skills and knowledge needed to function as members of Embassy Kabul and/or its subordinate entities. It is mandatory for all personnel assigned to Afghanistan under Chief of Mission authority; on a permanent or extended TDY basis. The course includes an overview of Afghanistan’s history and culture; Islam; Afghan politics; insurgency and border issues; USG political and military strategy in Afghanistan; and U.S. agency programs in country. An introduction to Dari or Pashto phrases; working with interpreters; and useful behaviors will assist in developing positive; productive relationships with Afghans. The course also includes deployment and administrative preparation presentations on living and working conditions within the U.S. mission; in-processing logistics; family support service available from the Family Liaison Office; support available from the Office of Casualty Assistance; EEO rights and responsibilities; Afghanistan-specific security and counter-intelligence threats; and advice on stress management from the Department of State’s Deployment Stress Management Program.

These courses provide students with an over view of the history; mission; organization; and agency cultures of various U.S. government agencies. The series will be launched with presentations about the Department of State; the Department of Defense and the Agency for International Development. Additional agency presentations will be added as they are completed. As interest has grown in U.S. government agencies operating in a true whole-of-government fashion in reconstruction and stabilization efforts; it has become clear that agencies can work together more effectively if individual employees have a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of various USG agencies. The purpose of the Introduction to USG Agency Cultures Series is to provide the student with an overview of individual agencies’ operations within the U.S. government interagency process. The student should enroll in all of the available course titles; with the exception of that pertaining to his or her own agency. There are currently three courses in this series: RS401 Introduction to Department of State Agency Culture; RS402 Introduction to Department of Defense Agency Culture; and RS403 Introduction to U.S. Agency for International Development Culture

This course provides federal personnel responsible for overseeing administrative, financial or program performance of grant recipients with a general overview of the methodology and requirements for monitoring the grants process. Topics include basic monitoring and reporting techniques, how to manage financial aspects of post-award activities, and potential problem areas in grants administration.