BTA Helps II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) Prepare to Pass the Baton to Iraqi Provincial Leaders
By Bill Taylor, WR
Business Transformation Agency
December 23, 2008
R.T. Tryon delivers opening remarks to II MEF
Arlington, Va. – The Business Transformation Agency (BTA) recently provided Marines of the Second Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) (II MEF) support to effectively "prepare for the handoff" and literally "work ourselves out of a job," according to Maj. Gen. R.T. Tryon, Commanding General, II MEF. This was a key conference objective for the II MEF Economics and Governance Conference on November 17 – 20 in Raleigh, N.C., an effort to establish interagency relationships with key officials and effectively prepare the unit for its upcoming rotation to Multi- National Force-West in Iraq sponsored by BTA's Warfighter Requirements (WR).
With the transfer of provincial control to Iraq through the successful work of the civilian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team, II MEF will assume a supporting role and encourage the Iraqis to take the lead during this deployment. No strangers to Iraq's Anbar Province, it is ironic, then, for II MEF to view its new mission in the province as unfamiliar territory. As the political and governance landscape has changed, II MEF is challenged with effectively "standing back" in Anbar, while still guiding and encouraging the development of local governance in the face of reduced budgets and personnel, and an impatient U.S. Congress ready to bring forces home.
Army Maj. Gen. Carlos "Butch" Pair, in attendance to share his recent involvement with BTA's Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq (TFBSO), noted, "These events are vital in supporting the non-kinetic efforts of the warfighter—business development has a far greater impact on this battlefield than conventional weapons systems."
Carlos "Butch" Pair provides TFBSO update
This marked the eighth and final such pre-deployment roundtable WR has conducted to help Army Division and Marine Expeditionary Force-level units prepare for vitally important governance and economic lines of operation as well as expand their experience in transforming business operations in Iraq. The conference provided II MEF's leadership an opportunity to meet with agencies and individuals active in the Multi-National Force-West region of Iraq.
The group heard from a four-member panel representing TFBSO, the National Security Council, the Departments of State, Commerce and Treasury. Attendees also heard from the I MEF leaders, current and former provincial reconstruction team members, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, academic agriculture project leaders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others. The conference format encouraged active participation from all attendees and resulted in highly beneficial dialogue on a myriad of topics, said BTA's Bob Love, Executive Director, Expeditionary Business Operations.