Afghanistan's USG Civilian Uplift - Defining its structure,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 KABUL 001093

DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, NEA/SCA/EX
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA
AGRICULTURE FOR FAS MICHENER
NSC FOR WOOD
OSD FOR HEIDI MEYER
CENTCOM FOR CG CSTC-A, CG CJTF-101 POLAD

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT APER PGOV PREL ETRD EFIN AF
SUBJECT: Afghanistan's USG Civilian Uplift - Defining its structure,
timing, and costs

Ref: A) 08 Kabul 2985, B) 08 Kabul 2970, C) 08 Kabul 40

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Summary
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1. To implement the President's Strategy for Afghanistan and
Pakistan, Embassy Kabul requires immediate funding and hiring
authority to increase U.S. civilian staff. Our purpose is to build
security, governance and development capacity in the Afghan
government across all lines of operation at the national and
sub-national levels. GIRoA has responded enthusiastically to the
planned significant American civilian increase, and has requested
more advisors and mentors in specific disciplines. Based on our
current projections of U.S. staff requirements in support of U.S.
objectives with Afghanistan, we believe we need 421 civilian
positions across all agencies under Chief-of-Mission (COM) authority
to Mission Afghanistan. This will nearly double the current level
of 502 civilian staff. This number assures that the U.S. will
continue in addition to contract out substantial program
requirements and to fund the best NGO programs. We also assume that
other coalition parners will make at least modest contributions of
personnel as well as funds. End Summary.


2. All agencies acting in Afghanistan under Chief of Mission
authority should understand that, for maximum effectiveness, for the
good order and discipline of the mission, to lower costs, and to
minimize waste, fraud and abuse, their civilians must be deployed in
accordance NSDD-38 on minimum 12-month assignments. COM will
approve shorter, TDY deployments on a limited case-by-case basis
only when necessary to accomplish specific short term missions. COM
will not approve the use of consecutive short-term TDYs to
substitute for permanent staffing requirements. Those agencies who
have been staffing permanent requirements via successive TDYs
therefore should immediately initiate necessary NSDD-38 requests and
identify permanent staff to meet current and future requirements in
Afghanistan.

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Civilian Uplift Complements Troop Increases
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3. Additional civilians deployed from Kabul down to the local level
across Afghanistan, at every level of planning, dialogue and
decision-making, will advance our counterinsurgency goalseven as
coalition and Afghan military and police forces move through the
"shape" and "clear" phases of counterinsurgency. In the "hold" and
"build" phases, governance and development are even more critical to
the success of counterinsurgency. Through our existing presence and
participation in Task Forces and Provincial Reconstruction Teams
(PRTs),we have begun to establish a shared understanding of USG
goals and priorities across military and civilian agencies, using an
integrated "board of directors" approach at the country team level.
However, true fusion of effort remains to be accomplished from the
national down to the local level. The civilian increase will enable
such intra-USG unity of effort at all levels and should also expand
context and cooperation with host nation local officials and
communities, with coalition countries' military and civilian
operations and with international NGOs.


4. The additional positions will provide action officers and program
managers at national and sub-national levels, and across the
spectrum of critical skill sets, from rule of law and governance, to
agriculture, education and other economic development specialities.
We must fill the positions with strong candidates quickly to
correspond with the new wave of 17,000 U.S. troops already arriving
in Regional Command East (RC-E) and Regional Command South (RC-S)
and to achieve effects in advance of the August national election.
Securing funding for these positions is of paramount importance.
This cable defines the needed staffing levels, skill sets, and
hiring time frames for new staff.


5. For positions outside Kabul, we have worked with the U.S.
military and coalition partners to select locations where the
addition of tailored civilian expertise will create transformational
effects timed to developments on the ground. Over time, in
consultation with coalition partners and GIRoA, we also expect to

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deploy some civilians to the north (Mazar-e Sharif) and west (Herat)
at American and ISAF-country-operated facilities. The new District
Support Teams (DSTs) will reside on existing Forward Operating Bases
(FOBs) and Combat Outposts (COPs). The U.S. and ISAF military
command do not need to create new platforms and locations for DSTs.



6. Military support for security, mobility, and logistics will be a
critical component to enable the sharp increase of civilians under
COM authority. We factored into our planning the absorptive
capacity -- U.S. civilian, military and Afghan -- and requirements
needed. Critical to this effort will be flexible hiring mechanisms
such as 3161 authority and Limited Non-Career Appointments (LNAs)
which will enable us to identify and hire personnel with the right
skill sets and experience. We recommend the creation of an
inter-agency office in Washington to coordinate field support and
personnel deployments across all civilian agencies, much as was
ultimately established for Iraq. Some agencies have expressed the
need to deconflict hiring mechanisms if this concept is to succeed.

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Multi-Agency Effort
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7. New positions in Afghanistan under consideration in the FY-08
supplemental request from all agencies would total 421. There are
many more positions with separate funding mechanisms. Of the 421,
we will fill , totaling seven new positions in Kabul by June 2009.
Another 155 will arrive by March 2010. Those hires would be
comprised of the following offices and agencies: various State
Department and USAID elements, Department of Justice (DOJ)
prosecutors and the FBI(Legal Attache),Department of Treasury,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS),Department of Transportation
(DOT),Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) and Health and Human Services (HHS/CDC). We
also plan to fill 49 slots in the field by June 2009 and an
additional 202 by March 2010. These positions will come from State
(including INL),USAID, USDA, and DEA. We are providing charts with
continuous updates of agency, position details and numbers to SRAP,
SCA/A, and NEA/SCA/EX.

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USDA
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8. Department of Agriculture (current authorized: 13 positions) has
confirmed plans for 43 new employees, 27 of whom are in the
supplemental request, comprised of four in Kabul and 39 in the
provinces. Of these, one person would be deployed by June 2009 and
the remainder would be deployed within three months of funding
approval. Employees would be direct USG hires. Of the 43, 6 would
be based in Kabul and 37 in other areas of Afghanistan, the heaviest
concentration of which will support the main military COIN activity
in the south and east, without neglecting the north and west.

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HHS/CDC
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9. HHS/CDC (new permanent presence) has requested one position for a
USG direct hire and has NSDD-38 approval from the Chief of Mission.
The position will be located in Kabul. CDC expects this individual
to deploy by June 30. CDC hopes to deploy a second person under the
supplemental shortly thereafter.

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DHS
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10. DHS (no current authorized positions) confirms it is seeking
funding for a new office with 11 direct hire positions in Kabul.
The initial group can deploy within 60 days, pending funding
approval. The existing Border Management Task Force (BMTF) plans to
continue running its border mentor program, which includes two
direct hire employees and several contractors deployed throughout
Afghanistan. Funding for those BMTF positions, with up to a total
of 50 contractors over the next 15 months, is under consideration
through Department of Defense funding mechanisms.


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DOJ - Legatt, DEA, US Attorneys, US Marshals
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11. DOJ plans to increase its civilian presence in Afghanistan in
four distinct areas. FBI (Legatt - current authorized: 3 positions)
plans to augment its current staff of three in Kabul with 19
additional permanent staff who will arrive this summer. LegAtt
understands the new policy in para. 2: no more short term TDYs will
be approved except as needed for defined, short-term missions. FBI
has completed the NSDD-38 authorizing the hiring of six of these
positions but has not resolved the agency's internal issues
regarding 12-month assignments versus TDYs. The Criminal Division
(current authorized: 6 positions) is planning three new direct hire
positions in Kabul (Note: We understand that these positions are not
included for funding through the supplemental request. However, DOJ
underscores that it needs additional funding to fill these positions
immediately . End note.) The U.S. Marshals Service (current
authorized: 4 positions) will not add any new positions, but has
requested funding for temporary duty premium pay, personal
protective gear, tactical equipment, and training to efficiently and
effectively conduct its mission. Like FBI, the Marshall's Service
heretofore has relied on successive TDYs to staff its 4 permanent
positions, and must now identify personnel for 12-month
assignments.


12. Also under DOJ, the DEA (current authorized: 81 positions)
projects it will have a permanent staff of 81 USG direct hires and
mistakenly presumed to include an average of 15 temporary duty
assignees on the ground by the start of FY2010. Like FBI and the
Marshall's service, DEA must revise its plans to limit TDY personnel
to the few specific short-term missions that may arise, and initiate
NSDD-38 requests for permanent needs. DEA currently has 13
permanent staff in Kabul and anticipates the arrival of the first 24
additional staff by September. DEA is working to confirm housing
for these additional staff and currently has enough desks. Once the
full complement of staff is on the ground, DEA will deploy five
enforcement teams to Kabul, Kunduz, Jalalabad, Kandahar, and Herat.
These teams would be housed and work in forward operating bases
(FOBs) currently under construction by the Department of Defense.
DEA will also work with Afghan investigative law enforcement to set
up sensitive investigative counternarcotics units and a national
interdiction unit.

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Treasury
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13. Treasury: Treasury (current authorized: 3 positions) plans to
increase its current staff of three to a total of seven permanent
positions. New Treasury staff will work in Kabul and provide
intermittent support to the field. Personnel in Kabul will work at
ministries, creating no new need for individual office space on the
Embassy compound. The positions will be filled with personal
services contractors (PSCs),to arrive in Kabul soon after funding
is received.

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Transportation - FAA
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14. Secretary of Transportation has proposed to create an Office of
Transportation Attache. It would include eight direct hire
transportation experts in addition to Federal Aviation
Administration contingent. This proposal is currently unfunded, and
not part of the pending supplemental request. FAA (current
authorized: 3 positions) is actively recruiting for three additional
USG direct hire employees to be located in Kabul. FAA expects these
positions will be deployed within months after funding is approved.
The total proposed DOT contingent of 13, including both DOT and FAA,
includes eight DOT and five FAA direct hires.

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USAID
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15. USAID: USAID (current authorized: 156 positions) is planning
178 new employees, 43 of whom would be located in Kabul, with the
remainder employed in the provinces. Staff vacancy announcements

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are already posted and ongoing; USAID has identified approximately
50 possible candidates. USAID will use various hiring methods to
fill positions and plans to deploy 21 personnel as part of the
priority 56 positions (4 to Kabul and 17 to the provinces) by end of
June, with the remaining 157 personnel to arrive by September.
Employees will be hired under various authorities including direct
hire, annuitants, EFMs, PSCs and FS Limited.

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State
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16. State: We estimate additional Department of State hiring,
including a restructured executive office, INL, Diplomatic Security,
and consulates in Herat and Mazar-e Sharif, will fill a total of 155
new positions in Afghanistan between June 2009 and March 2010. Of
the initial June tranche of 34 personnel, 31 will deploy to the
provinces. Four of these will be INL rule of law advisors. An
additional three people will provide PRT support from Kabul. In
addition, Diplomatic Security plans to deploy 31 positions in June,
including two officers at each of the new consulates. State, like
USAID, plans to use a combination of hiring authorities including FS
Officers, limited appointments (LNAs) and temporary hiring
authorities in each case, for assignments not less than 12 months.


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The Importance of "the Field"
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17. While Kabul is the hub of information and decisions for Mission
Afghanistan, transformational counterinsurgency success will come in
the field. By March 2010, a total of 205 more employees of State,
USAID and USDA would be in place throughout the country. To achieve
these gains, we propose the greatest personnel increases outside the
capital, described in detail in the agency descriptions above. Our
proposal adds civilians at the division, brigade, battalion,
provincial and district levels - through PRTs, Task Forces, and
District Support Teams (described below). By June 2009, we envision
an additional 60 State Department, USAID and USDA employees will be
deployed beyond Kabul, including 11 State Department employees at
each of our new consulates Herat and Mazar-e Sharif.

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District Support Teams - Taking Governance to the People
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18. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA)
signaled a shift toward decentralized governance in 2007 by
establishing the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG),
which reports directly to the office of the Presidency. Among
IDLG's primary functions is engaging with provincial and district
officials to increase their capacity to deliver basic services to
their populations. In addition, the Ministry of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) works closely with Community
Development Councils. To more directly support the GIRoA effort to
build sub-national capacity, we propose a new platform for
integrated civ-mil effort, called District Support Teams (DSTs).
DSTs would be staffed with a minimum of three civilians each,
employing tailored expertise - such as agriculture, urban planning
or rule of law - to maximize the civilian contribution to the
integrated effort. By tailoring skills sets to the needs in
particular key locations, we will be better placed to seize
opportunities in governance, development and strategic
communications for transformational effect.

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Regional Commands South and East - Bringing the Interagency Civilian
Increase Together
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19. In U.S.-led Regional Command-East (RC-E),our civilian structure
is already well-established. We plan to augment our already
strong position at division, task force brigade and PRT levels, with
additional State and AID officers at the combined joint task force
(division) in RC-E. We also plan three pilot DSTs by June 2009, and
hope to have a total of 10 DSTs in RC-E by March 2010.


20. Civilian-military integration of effort will be critical in

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Regional Command-South (RC-S) as additional U.S. forces flow into
the region. We propose to stand up RC-S DSTs in Garmsir, Spin
Boldak and Shah Wal-i Kot by June, with three or four specialized
civilian staff on each location's civilian-military team. For
maximum effect in advance of the Afghan elections, these DSTs should
be created in parallel with the arrival of the Marine Expeditionary
Brigade (MEB) and the Stryker Brigade this summer. The DST-based
civilians would provide mentoring, program management, and expertise
on governance, provision of basic services (water, electricity),
municipal finance, and rule of law, among other things, and would be
LNA or 3161 hires through State, USAID or USDA. Like RC-E, we hope
to open a total of 10 DSTs by March 2010 in the south.


21. Embassy Kabul has created a detailed civilian 'command and
control' chart, which parallels the military hierarchy. A new
component of this effort will be the Senior Civilian Representative
position based at RC-S headquarters to coordinate USG civilian
efforts with senior military and coalition partners.

22. In addition to State, AID and USDA personnel, Drug Enforcement
Agency (DEA),Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and State INL
plan significant increases in training, mentoring and law
enforcement efforts in RC-S. These agencies have detailed RC-S
plans already in place that have been developed in cooperation with
the U.S. and coalition military.


23. Working with our international partners in RC-S, especially the
Canadians, British and Dutch (reftels A, B, C) will hold another key
to our success. Embassy Kabul recommends pursuing Memoranda of
Understanding (MOU) with these countries to detail the life support
and security protection our coalition partners will provide for USG
employees working from coalition facilities. Many coordinated
projects are already in place and should continue, such as border
protection infrastructure and staff training being done in
partnership with the Canadians at Spin Boldak. We plan to increase
the opportunities for partnerships in many other areas as our
capabilities increase.

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Challenges - Cooperation, Logistics, and Training
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24. For positions in Kabul, living quarters and office space
(especially CAA space for processing classified information) will be
pressed beyond limits in the next three to six months. We'll need
supplemental funding to sustain our growth.


25. Above all else, the civilian increase will require enhancements
in Embassy Kabul's capacity to absorb, process, and deploy large
numbers of civilians on their way to the field. Ensuring that
incoming civilians receive a robust introduction to the U.S.
Mission's vision and approach to the challenges of Afghanistan will
strengthen the civilian role as part of our effective
civilian-military teams in the field.


26. Increasing the civilian presence in Afghanistan will require
extensive coordination with U.S. and ISAF military commands at
every step of the process. This will require new processes and
thinking for both civilians and the military. The U.S. military
command has expressed strong support for more civilian capacity
deployed throughout Afghanistan.


27. As we expand our integrated effort downrange, it will be
important to provide common pre-deployment training whenever
possible, to link the civilians and the military unit they will be
working with in the field. Most of our civilian PRT representatives
heading to U.S.-led PRTs already train with the military units with
which they will be working. We should work to incorporate as many
of the new civilians - from all agencies - as possible into
appropriate military training, especially at Camp Atterbury
(formerly at Fort Bragg). For our PRT reps serving at PRTs led by
our international partners, we are already taking advantage of
opportunities for training with coalition forces, and will seek to
increase those opportunities.


28. At the battalion and company level, civilians will partner with
junior military officers who likely have little experience

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partnering with civilians. This requires that the roles,
responsibilities and functions of the civilian members of these
civ-mil teams be clearly articulated to all and captured in military
guidance and training.


29. The successful execution of a civilian increase in the field
will require the resolution of several critical security and
logistical issues. The most critical issue will be working with our
military colleagues to find security and mobility solutions that
allow civilian and military elements to carry out their missions.
These solutions will need to include: a) integrating military and
civilian missions where possible; b) some re-prioritization of
current activities; and c) the allocation of additional
security/mobility assets (military and civilian, including air
assets). The Embassy will work closely with the military battle
space owner in each location to determine additional force
protection requirements and availability, and what will be necessary
to allow civilians to effectively do their jobs, especially in
highly kinetic environments such as RC-E and RC-S.

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Afghan colleagues (LES/FSNs),family members (EFMs)
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30. We will need significant additional Locally Employed Staff
(LES/FSNs) as partners in our efforts. Within the next two weeks we
expect to complete and report our plans for the number of Afghan
colleagues required to help accomplish the tasks before us. We will
also need to hire additional family members to round out our
American staffing.

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Looking Ahead
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31. Conditions in Afghanistan change quickly, and the Mission will
remain flexible to meet the needs on the ground. The 421 positions
described in this cable will give us greater visibility into
conditions on the ground, helping us define any future requirements
and seize counter-insurgency opportunities to create rapid and
meaningful effects. We anticipate that we will shift some positions
and locations of our civilian increase to meet evolving demands and
opportunities. In addition, we project much larger increases in
DEA, SIGAR, PRTs, and other agencies, particularly in RC-S.

RICCIARDONE