...Departing

This is my last BLOG as the Director of DSCA. For me, it has been a very fast moving three years. As I leave the Agency and retire after a 34 years of service, I do so feeling good about serving and excited about the future.

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Leading DSCA provided wonderful opportunities. As I wrote in an earlier BLOG, it’s all about affecting outcomes…and we did. Over the past three years, the Agency has executed over $100 Billion in sales, and nearly one Billion in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Our school houses have trained thousands of folks on the Foreign Military Sales process, hundreds on the rule of law, and our Regional Centers conducted an immense array of courses and seminars.

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All of this was supported by a very thin staff, working on dozens of continuous process improvement projects, being fiscally responsible and transparent. Blend this with an environment where the business has grown by nearly 500% over the past decade. We have totally revamped our business model, moving from a total FMS administration budget of $373M in FY07 to a projected $850M in FY12. Our Strategic Plan is operational, and the 109 metrics are in place and improving across the board.

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Last Friday I signed the acquisition documentation that kicked off the next phase of our acquisition category III program for our new business system that will leverage the business systems in development for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Our program is fully funded at the 95% probability of success and the schedule is projected to be “low risk” with 13 months of margin injected into the program.

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Just last Tuesday, we have documented our first ever, Human Capital Strategy and it will now move it to the execution phase. Yesterday, I was handed a final report, of work done over the last year that details what the shortfalls are for the workforce involved in security cooperation around the world in our Geographical Combatant Commanders. By our analysis, nearly 300 people need to be added to meet the mission requirements. I have approved the funding for the civilian staff increases and the Joint Staff is processing the military increases.

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Finally we are three quarters of a year into the tracking and improvement of the workforce of nearly 11,000 folks that work in the field of security cooperation. The latest metrics show us at a trained level just over 70% and that is up significantly from our status just weeks ago of 45%. Our goal is to get over 80% by the end of this year, and over 95% next year.

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None of this would have been possible without a dedicated staff, the support of OSD Policy, the Joint Staff, the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, the State Department, the Congress, our deployed Security Cooperation forces, and importantly, our Partner Nations. And so, the challenges are immense, yet opportunities abound. As I turn over DSCA, like my Australian friends say…”No worries!”

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With the greatest respect,

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Jeff Wieringa

Vice Admiral U.S. Navy

…Departing.

Hello from the Farnborough Airshow!

These events are massive, and a great opportunity to engage with many companies and countries. This year, as Director DSCA, I have 60 meetings in four days with country and industry counterparts. We review literally hundreds of business topics and usually leave with many actions. As well, we often bring challenges to closure. I find the shows very efficient.

This show seems to bring an even finer point on the importance of Security Cooperation and Building Partner Capacity.

At the show I've highlighted some accomplishments over the past three years. First, we more than doubled the FMS budget. We have solid strategies for Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. We need to increase the number of folks with training about Security Cooperation from 50 to 95 percent. And we need to add 267 more people to the Geographical Combatant Commanders to accomplish the Security Cooperation mission.

All of this is moving forward. In parallel is export control reform. If you want to add to the list, send me a note.

My time as Director is rapidly closing...I intend to write one last BLOG.