Defense was ordered to establish departmentwide standards under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 but has been hindered by bureaucratic wrangling and a lack of leadership, GAO said in a report released July 31.
As you have seen, I like to put the best quotes that summarizes the story, front and center. And the two key points are bureaucratic wrangling and a lack of leadership. Ding, ding, ding, and the GAO wins a prize!!!
If you have been a FJ reader for a bit, you would know that leadership is a big thing here. It is one of the dominant themes of Jundism as well, and I am glad to see that the GAO is willing to call it like it is.
This is a total lack of leadership, plain and simple. And what kills me with this, is that they are now just talking about standards for LNs. How many thousands of LN’s have we hired for this war, and yet no standard background check or skills assessment? That we have depended upon the companies to pick and choose, and apply whatever standard they think is acceptable?
Remember, unless there are rules that all the companies have to play by, each and every one of them will dictate their actions based on what will save them the most money and what will help them to beat out their competitors for more contracts. If all the companies have a standard to abide by, then that will help to create a standard of quality and make the job of CORs that much easier for inspection purposes. Although leadership out in the field is what is key to keeping LN’s squared away, this will at least help to filter out some of the bad seeds. Hopefully. Most expats these days have clearances, yet you still get guys who are terrible at the job or just do not get along well with others. But fortunately this is not too big of a problem because this industry still rewards those that keep their nose clean–most jobs require guys with clearances. Now that this report has come out, maybe we will see some kind of clearance or screening process for LN’s? –Matt
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DoD lacks standards for hiring foreign nationals, GAO says
By ELISE CASTELLI
July 31, 2009
The Defense Department lacks departmentwide screening standards for foreign nationals working for private security contractors, putting the government at risk of hiring criminals or otherwise unqualified workers, the Government Accountability Office has found.
Defense was ordered to establish department wide standards under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 but has been hindered by bureaucratic wrangling and a lack of leadership, GAO said in a report released July 31.
At issue: DoD’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence wants foreign nationals to undergo the same screening used for U.S. citizens, but the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics believes that process isn’t feasible because of the varying quality of foreign criminal and employment records. In addition, acquisition office officials believe those standards will limit the number of foreign national contractor personnel DoD can use. Defense needs, but does not have, a point person to resolve the dispute, GAO said.
Further, draft guidance to meet the screening requirements falls short in that it doesn’t set a Defense-wide standard for background screenings. Rather, it lets combatant commanders establish standards for their own areas of responsibility.
GAO recommended Defense Secretary Robert Gates assign a point person to establish departmentwide standards as soon as possible. DoD concurred.
Story here.
Sadly this is not just a problem with the US DOD, and privately employed LNs: the UK government also cannot provide leadership in this area, see breaking news: "Al Qaeda sympathisers were mistakenly recruited by MI5" – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8179407.stm
If they can't get it right at the "top", what hope for the rest?!
Aprodex
Comment by Aprodex — Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 5:12 PM
"If they can’t get it right at the “top”, what hope for the rest?!"
Andy, I have to believe that there a few up there, who can see beyond the bureaucratic fog, and sink their teeth into this thing.
To me, it takes the type of guy or gal that has resolve and has the political kung fu to make things roll. They have to have vision, and the ability to listen to others and not be so damn afraid of exerting some kind of authority to get the job done. Like I said, I see all of these issues as being a direct result of poor leadership in the government. Sure the companies have their problems, but they are also the service provider. We are the big dumb elephant, waiting for the elephant driver to figure out what it is he wants to do. Meanwhile, we keep stepping on stuff and breaking it.
It also seems that government is the same everywhere in the world. Do you ever wonder what kind of person makes it to the top in government these days? When I was working in government, it was never the folks who questioned authority or who were the best at the job and had the most respect.
It was always the weasels who made it up to the top– the gutless, leaderless fools, who got their management job not because they deserved it, but because they pulled the right strings or knew the right folks and wanted people to respect them. Then they hang for twenty years, retire, and get their pension. They also learn that the longer they are in that position, the tougher it is for anyone to fire them. Worse yet, they figure out all the little loopholes in the system, to squash anyone that is a threat to them and their job. That is government at it's worse, and that is what government should be working on to change, that's if they are willing to apply Kaizen and focus on such grand things.
That is what pisses me off about leadership in government, and we wonder why the state of government contracting is the way it is.
Comment by headjundi — Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 6:41 PM