Political-Military Policy and Planning Team

PM/PPA engages the Department of Defense on global political-military policy issues and coordinates strategic political-military planning between the Departments of State and Defense. PPA formulates, develops, and directs political-military policy issues to ensure that DoD planning and operations fully consider, and are consonant with, U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives. Additionally, PM/PPA coordinates foreign policy input into DoD military contingency plans.

• Defense and Counterinsurgency Policy

The Office of Plans, Policy, and Analysis (PPA) conducts liaison with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, Combatant Commanders, and military services on political-military issues involving strategic planning and foreign policy, including the emergence of counterinsurgency as a civilian strategy and planning construct. PM/PPA hosts, through a Memorandum of Agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence, a Royal Marine officer whose experience in COIN and counterterrorism is of mutual utility to our two governments.

• Security Sector Policy; and Exercises, Experiments and Wargames

PM/PPA seeks to ensure coordination and cohesion in crosscutting security sector disciplines such as Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). PPA is the Bureau's liaison with, and provides political-military support to, the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS). PPA administers policy and processes concerning State participation in military exercises, experiments and wargames associated with operations other than stabilization and reconstruction.

• Strategic Planning

PM/PPA represents PM in State Department strategic planning efforts, including the formulation of the PM Bureau Performance Plan and related resource requirements. PPA guides the implementation of the performance goal in the Department' and USAID Joint Strategic Plan concerning Achieving Peace and Security, and contributes to relevant sections of the Department's Congressional Budget Justification and Performance and Accountability Report.