Inspection of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) found the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has received wide, deserved, praise in the interagency community for its work as the Department’s primary interlocutor with the Department of Defense (DOD) and for administering U.S. defense trade. In recent years, the bureau has:

• Directed billions of dollars annually in security assistance to allies,

• Promptly provided arms export licenses for material needed by U.S. coalition partners,

• Successfully launched an initiative to acquire and destroy man-portable air defense systems,

• Undertaken with DOD a global defense posture review, and

• Instituted a new strategic mine action plan.

The bureau has also been in the forefront of the global war on terrorism, but this mission has placed a heavy workload on the bureau and strained the staff. OIG recommended that the bureau seek additional staff.

OIG also determined that the bureau still suffers from management problems similar to those described in OIG’s 1995 report. The bureau has made progress in strengthening its management, but it needs to improve intra-bureau communication and morale and to address personnel problems. Bureau leadership is taking steps to address these problems.

The Department’s task force on the reorganization of the Arms Control and International Security (T) bureaus should consider possible additional operational efficiencies of moving or combining some PM bureau functions. These include the functions of the Office of International Security Operations’ Foreign Consequence Management Team, which works with the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, other U.S. agencies, and foreign governments to plan for rapid responses to mitigate the human effects of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear incident overseas. Furthermore, some functions in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement may have synergies with functions in other T bureaus.

The realignment of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has resulted in better management of the 60,000 annual requests for arms export licenses, enhanced responsiveness to industry, and increased end-use monitoring. However, OIG advised the bureau to conduct a management review of the directorate to consider possible further gains in management efficiency and to assure that the office structure complies with the Department’s organizational guidelines.

Created in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, with the mission of facilitating round-the-clock coordination and monitoring of U.S. military deployments, the PM Action Team is a key asset for the Department, DOD, and the National Security Council.

Overview of the PM Bureau

The Department established PM in 1969 to enhance the Department’s role in the formulation of international security policy, to supervise security assistance and foreign military sales programs, and to direct the issuance of arms export licenses. Today, PM remains the principal, though not exclusive, link between the Departments of State and Defense. PM provides policy direction in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, post-conflict stabilization, and defense trade.

The bureau also plays a key role in the global war on terrorism by securing base access and overflight permission for U.S. military forces, coordinating the participation of coalition combat and stabilization forces, and promoting protection of critical infrastructure. To promote regional stability, the bureau fosters defense relationships with U.S. allies and friends; combats unlawful trafficking in small arms and light weapons; negotiates status of forces and base access agreements; and facilitates the education and training of international peacekeepers and other foreign military personnel.

The bureau also regulates arms transfers and promotes responsible trade in defense goods, services, and technologies. These functions include participating in decisions on international military education and training, foreign military sales, and foreign military financing. PM also has a key humanitarian role, due to its management of humanitarian landmine action programs and it programs to reduce the uncontrolled prevalence of small arms and light weapons that threaten to aid local conflicts. These weapons include man-portable air defense systems, which could become a major threat to civilian aviation. PM also works with DOD to assist in response to natural disasters and other crises, and it is responsible for coordinating the U.S. response to chemical, biological, radiological, and natural disasters overseas.

At the time of the inspection, PM had 184 Civil Service and Foreign Service positions supplemented by 79 positions involving other employment arrangements. In its Bureau Performance Plan for FY 2006, the bureau has requested five positions, in addition to the eight full-time-equivalent positions that have not yet been approved for FY 2005. Almost half of this staff is employed in the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which is responsible for the issuance or denial of export licenses for the sale or transfer of weapons, ammunition, and other defense-related materiel abroad.

Office of Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) mission is to assess Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors operations and recommend ways to strengthen their integrity, effectiveness, and accountability.

OIG’s Office of Inspections provides systematic and independent evaluations of the operations of the Department of State, its posts abroad, and related activities. Inspections cover policy implementation, resource management, and management controls.