(C) U.S. State Dept This story was originally published by U.S. State Dept and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Recognizing Foreign Policy Advisors for their Work in 2022 [1] ['Jake Roodvoets', 'Andy Strike'] Date: 2023-01 With the United States and the world facing increasingly complex political and security challenges, it is more important than ever before to build cross-cutting networks that bridge the gap between the worlds of diplomacy and defense. This is especially true as many emerging challenges – from building state capacity and tackling epidemic outbreaks to facilitating access and logistics between the United States and partner militaries – are highly intricate and multidimensional, transcending the capabilities of a single agency. That’s where Foreign Policy Advisors, or POLADs, come in. POLADs provide essential connective tissue between the Departments of State and Defense. Our POLADs, embedded across the Department of Defense, help leverage America’s strategic advantages by building greater opportunities for collaboration. POLADs inform and shape U.S. national security by integrating foreign policy into defense policy planning. While they wear many hats, the primary role of a POLAD is to bring diplomats and defense leaders together to tackle complex challenges. This integrated approach, helps the U.S. stand apart from most countries. As POLAD to the Chief of Staff of the Army, Ambassador Laura Dogu often had to explain her role to partner nation leaders who were surprised to find an ambassador accompanying one of the most senior military leaders in the United States, and in a fast-changing world, this collaboration is essential. To further demonstrate the importance of this collaboration, Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis recently recognized Ambassador Laura Dogu, the POLAD supporting the Chief of Staff of the Army, and Michael Prosser, the POLAD to United States Southern Command’s Director of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (J5) as recipients of the 2022 Robert D. Murphy Foreign Policy Advisor of the Year Award. The strategic failure of Russia’s war in Ukraine has demonstrated the critical value that highly networked institutions provide, and the integral role POLADs play in building and maintaining these relationships. In February, when Russia threatened Ukraine and Europe, President Biden quickly sent U.S. military forces to Poland and rallied NATO Allies to deter further Russian aggression. This rapid deployment of such a large number of troops was an extraordinary feat of military logistics and relied upon existing agreements and negotiations with partner nations that were facilitated by the State Department. These security partnerships were years in the making, and our POLADs, including Ambassador Dogu and others assigned to United States European Command, worked closely with U.S. Embassies in the region and experts in the Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to bring these negotiations to fruition and engage partner nations in their subsequent implementation. Through repeated travel to and coordination with partner nations, the Chief of Staff of the Army and Ambassador Dogu strengthened partnerships with key nations that made security cooperation possible. Ambassador Dogu ensured the proper synchronization of diplomatic and military power through careful interagency coordination. She ensured close alignment and cooperation in the critical period between Operation Allies Refuge (OAR) and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, the COVID-19 response, and Russia’s unlawful further invasion of Ukraine. During the Afghan operation, the Department assigned Ambassador Dogu to lead its efforts to facilitate the arrival and temporary relocation of individuals at risk on U.S. military bases. She provided real-time updates on humanitarian efforts across the government and facilitated coordination between the U.S. military and the many departments and agencies involved in this complex effort. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when the world was on lockdown, she ensured the Army was able to continue essential global travel to guarantee American forces were where they needed to be on time. In the early stages of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Ambassador Dogu regularly briefed senior Army leaders with the latest on interagency positions as we developed our military and foreign policy responses. She also travelled to Europe with the Chief of Staff of the Army to evaluate and advise on U.S. Army humanitarian and defensive postures and to work with U.S. Embassies to provide immediate support for relief efforts. Ambassador Dogu and Michael Prosser are not alone. The State Department has assigned over 80 POLADs to mid- to senior-level positions in the Department of Defense from the Office of the Secretary of Defense to each Geographic Combatant Command (GCC), with about one-third serving in overseas assignments. POLADs, by bridging the worlds of diplomacy and defense, inform America’s strategy and response to crises, provide foreign policy insight into GCC plans and activities, and oftentimes provide vital regional experience. As a POLAD, Michael Prosser also represented the mission and promise of political-military cooperation. During Michael’s time in SOUTHCOM, he has reinvigorated the J5 POLAD position at the Command and energetically developed interagency networks that enabled the achievement of key USG goals across the region. This past year he led the State Department’s efforts within the interagency to deny attempts by our adversaries to secure orbital satellite space above countries in the Western Hemisphere. Michael also advised the J5 directorate at the Command as the evacuation from Afghanistan began, helping to guide the Command’s planning efforts to responsibly house and transit individuals at risk to the continental United States over the following weeks and months. Additionally, his work to align the Command’s Haiti response efforts with those taking place at INL – in support of personnel security efforts in the hardest-hit zones – earned him praise from Command leadership. Finally, Michael’s efforts to plan, coordinate, and synchronize multiple interagency partners in support of over 20 senior leader visits and four major regional conferences was instrumental to SOUTHCOM’s success. Overall, Mr. Prosser built trust and connectivity across the Command and ensured SOUTHCOM was moving in lockstep with regional diplomatic goals. His work within the interagency advanced U.S. national security objectives in this region and beyond. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs congratulates these outstanding Foreign Service Officers for their contributions to interagency collaboration and advancement of national security, and they are not alone. By breaking down barriers and promoting interdepartmental relationships that last beyond any single individual’s tour, they generate greater synergy and promote a more networked foreign policy. Their contributions to the integration of America’s diplomacy with its defense are a crucial strategic advantage that has helped the U.S. to both build a strong network of allies and partners who share our vision of a free, peaceful, and democratic world and sustain that network in the face of adversarial challenges. Established in 2012, the Robert D. Murphy Foreign Policy Advisor of the Year Award recognize the contributions made by individual POLADs during their assignments to Department of Defense commands and offices worldwide. The award is named after the first POLAD, Robert D. Murphy, who advised General Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II. The award criteria include sustained superior performance which significantly enhanced relationships or the partnerships between the State Department and the Department of Defense; effective interagency engagement which ensured the POLAD’s respective command’s exercises and activities promoted U.S. government foreign policy goals and objectives; and any action or contribution on a political-military issue with a direct, positive impact on U.S. national security. POLADs are not just important for our country, they are the living embodiment of political-military cooperation. About the Author: Jake Roodvoets and Andy Strike serve in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs. For further information, please contact PM-CPA@state.gov, and follow us on Twitter @StateDeptPM. 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