CSRS Spring Conference:

The U.S. Navy's Role in Stability, Security, Transition and Reconstruction Operations
April 24 - 25, 2007
The Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.

There was no publication created from the Conference.

Seminar Description:
CSRS conducted the conference with OPNAV N5 at the Washington Navy Yard on April 24-25, 2007. CSRS has made informal plans to conduct a similar conference during 2008. Approximately 75 participants attended, largely from the Navy, but also from OSD, Joint Staff, Army and Marine Corps, and State Department. Of the Naval Component Commands, both NAVEUR and NAVSOUTH participated. (NAVCENT and PACFLT were unable to attend due to operational demands.)

Congressman Sam Farr provided an update on actions within Congress to improve US Government SSTRO capabilities.

Mr. Mark Asquino, deputy to Ambassador John Herbst, the State Department's Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, provided an update on the development of the coordination office within the State Department.

Rear Admiral Phil Cullom was the most senior Navy officer to participate. He briefed the Navy’s vision for SSTRO, which outlined a number of the items underway within the Navy to enhance the Service’s capabilities for SSTR operations, including:

• Establishing the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command to group formerly disparate Navy capabilities (EOD, SEABEES) and develop new Navy units (civil affairs, riverine, training teams);
• Building partners’ capabilities through security cooperation activities;
• Building the potential for broader coalitions through the “Thousand Ship Navy” concept of ad hoc Naval partnership.

The specific conference objectives were:

• To receive and discuss CNO’s vision for the Navy and SSTRO;
• To receive and discuss briefings from various Navy Commands on contemporary Navy contributions to SSTRO;
• To explore potential future Navy contributions to SSTRO; and,
• To begin to develop a Navy professional SSTRO community.