A Framework to Assess Programs for Building PartnershipsSecurity cooperation activities conducted by Department of Defense (DoD) entities with other nations' defense organizations range from the very visible--training, equipping, and exercising together--to those that are less obvious, such as holding bilateral talks, workshops, and conferences and providing education. Yet it is often challenging to determine if these activities have contributed to U.S. objectives. This monograph, based on themes that emerged from a May 2008 assessment workshop held at RAND that included DoD security cooperation assessment experts, planners, and program managers, lays out a framework for security program assessment in terms of five general areas: setting direction, designing assessments, preparing for assessment, conducting assessments, and explaining assessments to others. Participants stressed the need for injecting a greater level of objectivity into the overall assessment process, thus moving away from the current, largely self-assessment approach to security cooperation programs. |
Contents
Defining Key Terminology for Security Cooperation | 3 |
ChAPTer Three | 8 |
Why Assess at the Program Level? | 9 |
Key Themes of the Assessment workshop | 17 |
Key elements of the Assessment Program Framework | 31 |
Indicators and the Levels of Assessment | 38 |
Summary | 48 |
Assessment Questions and Data Requirements | 61 |
Summary | 67 |
Conclusion | 75 |
APPenDIxeS | 77 |
B Overview of Main Points from October 2008 Assessment | 85 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities agencies approach appropriate areas assessment framework assessment process assessment roles assessor assigning authorities Building capacity Chapter COCOMs combatant commanders common conduct consider contribute cost data collection decisions Defense Department desired determine develop directives discussion DSCA effectiveness efforts elements establish Evaluation example execution exercise five focus focused Force foreign function funding Global goals grams guidance identified implementation important improving indicators integrating International Joint levels of assessment measure meet ment military monograph National Guard objectives Office operational organizations OUSD/P outcomes output participants Partnership performance personnel plans program assessment program managers questions RAND Regional Centers requirements responsibilities roles security cooperation assessment security cooperation programs specific Staff stakeholders standards Strategy Studies suggested theater tion Train and Equip types United Warsaw Initiative Fund workshop