The Bush Administration is expected to present a concrete proposal for such a reserve in February 2008 with its FY2009 budget request. On June 1, 2006, the Congressional Research Service held a workshop, entitled Civilian Forces for Stabilization and Reconstruction: U.S. Proposals and International Experience, in order to clarify the issues involved in forming such a reserve. It will not be updated. Mr. Hoh explained current State Department plans for a civilian reserve. They would be chosen for their expertise in the areas needed for "transitional security," rule of law, essential public services, and civil administration. The Recruitment and Outreach Unit is responsible for the screening of candidates and the maintenance of a roster for U.N. peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations. There were also speakers from the two largest and most sophisticated national roster systems: Jens Behrendt, Head of Recruitment since 2003 at the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) in Berlin, a recruitment, training and analysis agency established by the German government, and Christine Vincent, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Operations at CANADEM, the Canadian-government funded recruitment and placement agency which she helped establish in 1997. Neither country has a civilian reserve for stabilization and reconstruction (S&R) operations, such as that contemplated by the Bush Administration or by a Senate bill passed shortly before the workshop was held. (The Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2006, S. 3322 , passed by the Senate on May 26, 2006, but never considered in the House, would have provided for the continued development of an extensive expert civilian response capability for S&R activities as a core mission of the State Department and USAID.) While these agencies are not equivalent to the civilian reserve proposals currently under study in the United States, the recruitment and other problems they face may well have implications for the issues that the United States will confront in forming a civilian reserve. Participants discussed their organizations' experiences and methods for obtaining and retaining well-qualified people. A sizable roster with some depth in each specialty was recommended by participants. Whether a roster is of adequate size to fulfill the needs of a particular nation or organization will depend on the number of those sent abroad. See the Table 1 at the end of this report for details on CANADEM, ZIF, and U.N. screening processes.) Training

The United Nations, ZIF, and CANADEM all offer some level of training to those going on missions. Facilitating Deployment and Mission Success

			Sufficient Deployment Length

According to the workshop discussion, determining the appropriate length for a deployment is critical. Screening and Training

The emphasis placed by participants on the need to screen personnel, with special observation of their reaction to stress, raises the question as to whether the ZIF model might be more appropriate than the less extensive Bearing Point model. A one-year deployment length is consistent with current Administration thinking, which views the civilian reserve as an add-on to the force of permanent employees that fill the gap before contractors can be mobilized. According to the current civilian S&R deployment concept for the United States outlined by Mr. Hoh, federalized reservists would be deployed to cover the time "gap" before contractors could be deployed.
The Bush Administration is expected to submit a proposal for a civilian reserve with the February 2008 budget request. On June 1, 2006, CRS gathered a group of experts on the recruitment and deployment of civilians to peacekeeping operations, now generally referred to by the broader term "stabilization and reconstruction" operations. The purpose of the three-hour workshop was to clarify issues that might be involved in the formation of a civilian reserve force for such operations. The Bush Administration is developing proposals for a civilian reserve. Shortly before the workshop was held, the Senate passed the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2006 (S. 3322) to establish such a civilian reserve.
The workshop began with a presentation by State Department official, Christopher J. Hoh, who explained Administration plans for a civilian reserve. As outlined by Mr. Hoh, these plans called for the creation of a reserve of civilians from the private and public sector to deploy with or soon after permanent government employees and before contractors. Reservists would train together with U.S. military and civilian government personnel before deployments, and would be mobilized as federal employees. They would be provided a range of benefits and incentives.
The workshop included speakers from the U.N. and from two national agencies that recruit civilians for peacekeeping and related missions: the German Center for International Peace Operations (known by its German acronym, ZIF) and Canada's CANADEM, as well as from the Alexandria, VA-based Institute for Defense Analysis. The U.N., ZIF, and CANADEM all have rosters of professionals in rule of law and civil administration to send on missions. The rosters are not equivalent to the reserve force proposed by the Bush Administration or by a Senate bill (S. 3322), the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2006, but all candidates are pre-screened and provided predeployment training. The recruitment and other problems they have faced may be similar to those that the United States may encounter if it forms a reserve.
Participants pointed to several needs to attract and retain highly qualified people: (1) proactive recruitment methods; (2) in-depth screening; (3) sufficient training; and (4) retention incentives. To meet the needs of requester organizations, participants agreed on the need for (1) sizable rosters, (2) sophisticated databases, and (3) insulation from political pressures. To enhance the prospects for mission success, participants agreed that deployments should be set for at least a year in order to provide continuity. The workshop discussion raised several questions about the desirability of Bush Administration plans. Among the questions are whether recent plans and proposals on roster size and recommendations by a private firm regarding the screening process and deployment length are adequate.
This report will not be updated.