Gen. David Petraeus, commander, CENTCOM (left) and VADM Wieringa (right) discuss how CENTCOM’s FMS priorities help focus security cooperation community efforts in the area (WASHINGTON, August 7, 2009) Regional engagement and interagency coordination was the focus of a two-day Area of Responsibility (AOR) Regional Ambassador’s Conference in Bahrain, 28-29 July. The event, organized by members of both the State Department and United States Central Command (CENTCOM), gave Defense Department (DoD) and State Department (DoS) personnel an opportunity to share information and ideas on regional security issues affecting Central Asia. The purpose of the conference was to convey CENTCOM’s and DoD’s strategic objectives; discuss how State and DoD are configured to achieve those objectives; describe how CENTCOM senior officers engage the region; and discuss planning and operations as it relates to the integration of civil-military affairs.

During the conference, Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), explained how the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and other DSCA programs function as critical tools for building partnership capacity in the region and around the world. He told the audience that FMS is rapidly evolving and much of the evolution is a credit to CENTCOM and the regional Ambassadors. He said remaining on the path toward further reform requires the continuous support of everyone in attendance. “This is a good opportunity to share ideas, to build relationships, and to cross-level information,” said General David Petraeus, commander, CENTCOM. Although valuable information was provided during the formal presentations, concerns and ideas were shared during one-on-one, sidebar exchanges between State and DoD personnel.

VADM Wieringa is addressing General Petraeus, Commander, USCENTCOM, Acting Assistant Secretary Feltman (Near Eastern Affairs), regional US Ambassadors and a host of senior DoD and State officials during the Regional Ambassador’s Conference in Manama, Bahrain. “I think it was a very good conference and well worth the effort,” said Wieringa. “It is important that we (State and DoD) come together and discuss successes, challenges and perceptions, and set expectations, if we are to meet the U.S. strategic objectives in the CENTCOM AOR.” There are a number of new U.S. Ambassadors in the region and the Admiral said the conference was a great opportunity to build new relationships. “We all have an important role to play,” he said. “Clear and open communication is essential to achieving U.S. strategic objectives.”

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