VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #1132/01 1020308
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110308Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6798

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001132 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT AODE APER ECON EAID IZ
SUBJECT:  PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM STAFFING ASSESSMENT 
 
¶1.  (U) In December 2007, the Office of Provincial Affairs (OPA) 
requested Team Leaders from the Provincial Reconstruction Teams 
(PRTs) and the Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams (ePRTs) to 
conduct a bottom-up staffing assessment to determine what, if any, 
additional positions and skill sets they needed to effectively 
address their teams' and OPA's goals and objectives.  The deadline 
for this assessment was February 15th.   Upon review of these 
submissions, OPA determined that the team leaders' initial requests 
required additional justification and analysis.  Consequently, we 
directed team leaders to revisit their assessments, prioritize their 
immediate skill set/position requests, indicate if life 
support/billeting could be absorbed within the teams' resources, and 
provide justifications for these new positions.  This reassessment 
yielded a total request for 65 new positions for our PRTs/ePRTs. 
Given OPA's current authorized PRT personnel ceiling of 469, these 
positions, if approved, would require an adjustment of the PRT 
staffing limits to 534. 
 
¶2.  (U) Two key assumptions underlie this request:  that the current 
PRT footprint of 25 PRTs/ePRTs and 6 PSTs, would remain essentially 
the same through 2009; and that MNC-I would provide appropriate life 
support and military security to support PRT operations through that 
period. 
 
¶3.  (U) Skill sets/ numbers requested: 
 
Governance - 14 
To develop partnerships and effective working relationships between 
and among provincial/local government entities and officials; 
coordinate capacity development in multiyear planning, budget 
preparation and execution; develop QRF projects to reinforce local 
governance.  (Included in this request is a Governance advisor for 
Women's initiatives to continue with a particular focus on women's 
issues in one of our ePRTs, which is targeting programming towards 
women representatives on newly established district councils. 
 
IPAOs (Iraq Provincial Action Officers) - 11 
To provide political and economic reporting on provincial 
atmospherics, improvements in progress towards five key strategic 
objectives (Governance; political development; rule of law; 
reconciliation; economic development). 
 
Agricultural Specialists - 7 
To perform baseline assessments of provincial agricultural sectors; 
to coordinate with and advise local farmers, cooperatives, and 
government agricultural officials on agricultural projects and 
investments; use QRF and other program tools to assist in the 
reestablishment of local agriculture infrastructure. 
 
Business Development - 7 
To conduct baseline business assessments and work with the private 
sector and local government to foster business development, 
especially in sectors with potential to generate significant 
employment opportunities; to advise chambers of commerce and 
business associations on methods to improve, expand or redirect 
their activities to the benefit of their members, again with a focus 
on opportunities likely to lead to employment growth. 
 
Engineers - 5 
To assist in training, coaching, and mentoring Iraqi 
engineer/reconstruction counterparts on all aspects of project and 
reconstruction development and management ; work with the Provincial 
Reconstruction Development Councils to support competent engineering 
assessments, scopes of work, quality assurance and control, and 
project management, with a focus on projects supported by QRF. 
 
Industrial specialist - 4 
To advise and assist provincial governments in assessing, 
developing, monitoring, and evaluating capabilities of local oil and 
gas utilities and to suggest strategies and appropriate technologies 
to improve production and distribution to the provinces; to  advise 
provincial governments on plans, programs, priorities, and policies 
related to power generation and electrical grid planning 
 
Public Health - 3 
To work with relevant Iraqi organizations in the design and 
execution of rural health care programs, hospitals, clinics, and 
emergency medicine 
 
Public Diplomacy officer - 3 
To inform and advocate  with local audiences for PRT/BCT programs in 
support of Mission Strategic Plan objectives and highlight efforts 
to promote reconciliation/anti-extremism, improved local education, 
and to provide support to provincial and district authorities in the 
effective use of media. 
 
Rule of Law - 3 
To serve as DOS and DOJ representatives responsible for rule of law 
initiatives at provincial level; increase citizen access to both the 
judicial system and legal representation; to serve as advisor to 
local law enforcement and corrections' agencies and other rule of 
law institutions. 
Budget specialist - 2 
To advise Provincial Council members and Provincial Accounting 
Directors General on developing budget policies that promote 
transparency, improve budget formulation and budget execution. 
 
Public Utility specialists/Water, Waste Mgt., Public Works - 4 
To provide expert assessment, advice and and enhance the 
professional support to municipal service-providers, while managing 
active reconstruction efforts on local water systems.; to support 
public works initiatives at the provincial level; plans with and 
supports local Iraqi counterparts charged with managing public works 
projects including sanitary sewer, water, gas, electric, 
telecommunications, and other public utilities as well as roads, 
bridges, rails and public property planning issues.  Knowledge of 
environmental impact assessments required. 
 
Veterinarians - 2 
To build institutional capacity to improve animal health and food 
safety practices and serve as general agricultural advisor to local 
and provincial officials. 
 
Management officer - 1 
To manage and coordinate PRT logistical operations, QRF 
administration, etc. (Note: given the administrative burdens placed 
upon teams, frequent requests for information on various aspects of 
PRT operations, and regular comments by team leaders, we would have 
expected a greater expressed need for administrative support 
positions on the PRTs.  We are exploring additional options to fill 
this need. End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (U) Deputy Team Leaders (DTL):  On the PRTS, the essential 
positions of Deputy Team Leaders are provided by MNC-I command. 
However, on the ePRTs, team leaders have the opportunity to appoint 
their deputies.  Most have chosen from civil affairs officers 
assigned to their teams.  Others have designated the USAID rep as 
deputy.  A recent report produced by the Center for Army Lessons 
Learned (CALL) notes that generally the DTL slots have been filled 
by volunteers from within the Individual Ready Reserve System.  Some 
have/have not had the requisite civil affairs or interagency 
experience valuable to leadership on the PRTs.  OPA has been advised 
that the Civil Affairs Psychological Operations Command (CAPOC) 
might be a source of additional, experienced Civil Affairs Officers 
with the skills necessary for the important position of DTL. 
 
¶5.  (U) OPA notes that three requests have been made for Public 
Health specialists.  Several months ago we hosted a senior 
delegation of U.S. health officials (Navy Surgeon General, DoD AS 
for Health, Director/CDC).  All expressed interest in PRT activities 
in public health.  Additionally, the Embassy has recently welcomed a 
Deputy Health Attache, who has expressed the interest of his office 
in greater interaction with the PRTs.  MNF-I has also stated its 
interest in securing greater information on the Iraqi health sector. 
 This high level interest should be taken as a possible indicator of 
increased public health activity at the PRT level. 
 
BUTENIS