Training for Provincial Reconstruction Teams
USAID works with the US Military, the Department of State, other US government agencies, and representatives from non-governmental organizations to provide training for personnel who will be deployed to Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) operating in Afghanistan. These trainings take place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
 A PRT is an interim civilian-military organization designed to operate in semi-permissive environments following open hostilities. It is intended to improve stability in a given area by helping build the host government's legitimacy and effectiveness in providing security to its citizens and delivering essential government services. PRTs were originally established to develop the infrastructure necessary for the Afghan and Iraqi people to succeed in a post-conflict environment.
PRT training has the following goals:
- Provide key skill sets for success in PRTs (i.e., communication, tactical, teamwork, negotiation, etc.);
- Gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of civilian and military PRT components, NGOs, and international organizations;
- Build interagency PRT camaraderie and teamwork prior to deployment;
- Supply an overview of the country's political, historical, and cultural situation; and
- Share lessons learned from current and previous PRT officers.
The trainings combine a variety of learning methods, including classroom presentations and briefings, round-table discussions with experts from inside and outside the government, coaching and mentoring, and role playing in complex scenarios designed to simulate conditions in-country. Military personnel also provide force protection training for civilians to ensure the security of PRTs and those working directly with PRTs.
USAID involvement in PRTs - both by participating in and supporting PRTs - is critical for ensuring that the military's Security, Stabilization, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) operations are planned and carried out in a development-oriented and conflict-sensitive manner.
USAID personnel contribute to PRT trainings by explaining USAID's structure, authority, and relationships with the Department of Defense and the Department of State. USAID personnel also convey the perspective of a development agency regarding stability operations (local capacity building, working with local people), imparting key lessons learned from USAID's growing body of knowledge about the design and implementation of programs in post-conflict areas.
Since the environments in which Afghanistan's PRTs operate change frequently, USAID and other entities responsible for PRT training engage in on-going revisions of PRT training materials to ensure PRTs remain effective.
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