“Guiding Principles for Stabilization and Reconstruction”: A Strategic Roadmap for Peace
Posted: October 8, 2009
By Ambassador John Herbst, Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization
A strategic roadmap for civilians engaged in reconstruction and stabilization missions is long overdue. As the United States and its international partners remain committed to Afghanistan, the need for strategic guidance that is comprehensive, institutionalized, and truly shared across institutions has never been clearer. Today, the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction & Stabilization is pleased to announce the Guiding Principles for Stabilization and Reconstruction — the first strategic “doctrine” ever produced for civilian planners and practitioners involved in peacebuilding missions…

Gearing Up the Civilian Response Corps
Posted: October 8, 2009
By Elizabeth Minor of S/CRS and Matt Shugert of USAID
The Civilian Response Corps is gearing up – literally. With over 500 Standby members recruited and 50 new Active members hired (with 200 more on the way), the initiative is moving full steam ahead. However, recruiting, hiring, and training these rapid responders is only half of the story. The men and women of the Civilian Response Corps will be deployed to some of the most isolated and restricted overseas locations and will need specialized equipment to support them in the field…

Civilian Response Corps: Recruiting for the Active component
Check out our Vacancies section to learn more about this exciting opportunity to support reconstruction and stabilization efforts in countries in crisis or emerging from conflict.

Summertime SNOE: Fieldcraft Training for the Civilian Response Corps
By Eythan Sontag, Active member of the Civilian Response Corps
The crack of bullets and explosions pierce the air. Tires squeal and skid as vehicles corner tightly at high speed around curves and dirt roads. Global Positioning System (GPS) units beep and handheld radios crackle as field missions are planned and carried out. These are just a few of the sounds that characterize the experience for students participating in one of the Department of State’s most atypical training curriculums: Security for Non-Traditional Operating Environments (SNOE). The course is designed specifically for the growing cadre of U.S. Government civilians – members of the Civilian Response Corps – who are prepared to deploy on a moment’s notice to conflict-affected countries throughout the world...

Team Players: Multi-Agency Planning Keys War Game's Success
By Carl Siebentritt and John Schweiger
This spring, civilians from eight U.S. agencies participated in unprecedented numbers in the U.S. European Command’s military exercise Austere Challenge 2009... The exercise’s civilian participants included reconstruction and stabilization experts from the eight member agencies of the Civilian Response Corps, the U.S. government’s civilian expeditionary force for reconstruction and stabilization... The team operated under a scenario in which the joint task force had to eject “enemy” troops from the territory of a U.S. ally and then coordinate with its civilian counterparts on the aftermath...

Reclaiming Ungoverned Spaces: Darien Province
By Peter Kranstover and Claire Sneed, Conflict Prevention Officers
In recent years, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) have been making inroads into southern Panama. The Darien, situated on the border with Colombia, is the southernmost province of Panama. This lush tropical valley, flanked on three sides by mountains, is renowned for its biodiversity. While eco-tourists flock to the region for its pristine rainforest, criminal groups are moving in for a different reason...