EUCOM/BTA look outside the box, command for operational solutions

GARMISCH, Germany — To find creative solutions to operational issues, US European Command (EUCOM) and the Business Transformation Agency (BTA) just concluded a unique partnership symposium here — the first of a series of conferences that works with all kinds of interagency organizations.

The focus of the symposium was for EUCOM to benefit from its partners' perspectives and priorities across the interagency and civilian spectrum as the combatant command develops strategic plans for the next 10 years.

"The insight and vast experiences that were brought to this symposium are of great value to European Command as we chart our way forward," Navy Vice Adm. Richard Gallagher, USEUCOM deputy commander, said.

The symposium, co-hosted by EUCOM Command Interagency Engagement Group (CIEG) and Business Transformation Agency (BTA), included attendees from the U.S. Departments of Energy, Treasury, Justice, Homeland Security and Commerce, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Civilian and academic organizations also participated in the week-long conference.

"The U.S. European Command Partnership Symposium represents another activity in which the Business Transformation Agency is directly engaged with transforming business operations in support of the combatant commands. This symposium represents how we are influencing, together with the combatant commander, how they will approach events in the future with a greater focus on the business side of the equation." said Bob Love, Director, Warfighter Support Office, Business Transformation Agency.

Bringing interagency and business communities together, along with other government agencies and the military, represents a new way of thinking about areas of operations.

"The focus of these types of interagency and private sector organizations are broader than ours and their concerns are very often different. They may be able to inform us of the kinds of issues that we, as a command, need to consider," Said Michael Ritchie, director of EUCOM's Command Interagency Engagement Group.

With the creation and establishment of U.S. Africa Command, EUCOM is shifting focus and can dedicate more attention and resources to the challenges and threats that lie ahead in the redefined EUCOM theater of operations, particularly as the command looks east.

"The timing is good, as we are inside of 60 days from initial operating capability of U.S. Africa Command, and it is certainly time for us to start thinking about where we are going to be ten years from now," Ritchie continued.

The co-host of the symposium, BTA played a critical role in organizing the conference and bringing the business mission and the warfighter mission areas together with a greater emphasis on non-kinetic operations. In planning next year's follow-on symposiums, Richie said he hopes to focus on the top three concerns identified at this conference.