Informal references through Linked-ln or e-mail from CIVMIL colleagues in capacity transfer and counter-insurgency.

1. OVERSEAS REFERENCEs FROM AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ and MÉXICO
FROM IRAQ
From: McDonnell, Ned (AD00)
Sent: Thu 10/6/2005 4:44 AM
To:
Cc: nedmcd@yahoo.com
Subject:
Ms Keys,
Please let me know if you would like a hard copy for this position mailed under
separate cover. I am available immediately.
Below is the closest document that I have to a performance appraisal by my
colleagues in Baghdad. I worked with Messrs Lantz and Jurney on the Iraqi budget;
I reported to Colonel Jurney for the month he was on board at the end of my tour.
Glen Steer and I worked on the vetting of the police force in which I laid out the
payroll reform plan as it will likely take shape. The Executive Core Qualifications
listing bears out the fit I have for this position. My greatest attribute is the ability to
detect prevarication either in numbers or presentation.
Thank you,
Ned McDonnell
202-361-3577
From: Jurney Louis M COL MNFI CPATT
Sent: Wed 9/21/2005 10:26 AM
To: Lantz Brian L MAJ CPATT; McDonnell, Ned (AD00)
Subject: RE: [U] Real request....
Ned, I can only echo Brian's remarks. In the short time I have worked with you it has
been a great experience and I appreciate all you have done for our team. You will be
greatly missed and hard to replace. Good luck to you in your job hunt back home.
Please stay in touch and hopefully our paths will cross again.
Well, we still have a few days left and will certainly need your continued support in
presenting the Budget to LTG Dempsey this Friday. Again thanks again for all of
your help and support.
V/R
Louis
From: Lantz Brian L MAJ CPATT
Sent: Tue 9/20/2005 8:40 PM
To: McDonnell, Ned (AD00)
Cc: Jurney Louis M COL MNFI CPATT

2. Subject: RE: [U] Real request....
Ned,
We are feverishly researching the availability of end of year funds in order to
commission a statue in your honor...The SOW of course requires a life like
semblence completed before your departure. Wouldn't be appropriate to produce
anything but a "...you want it when!?!" kind of request.....
Seriously, we will certainly miss your ability to not only deliver on the impossible, but
to fire a exquisitely cynical shot across the originator's bow. I LOVE this place!
Hopefully you will remain in NYC upon return so that when I get back home we can
get together and raise a pint to these unbelieveably insane times. KUDOS.
Cheers,
Brian
From: Steer, Glen A (Baghdad)
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 9:25 AM
To: McDonnell, Edward J (Baghdad)
Subject: Thanks
Ned:
Thank you for a copy of this heart felt note to Miss Hala. Your contributions have
been countless and I have witnessed your ongoing ethical passion and professional
dedication to this mission and the collective work achievements of the IRMO/MOI
Finance Group. I will miss you and personally regret your departure. The good news
is that I am certian that the friendship we developed will carry forward many years.
Thank you for all that you have done on my behalf. And please know that I am
available and would be honored to stand as a professional reference on your behalf.
Again, thank you and enjoy the success that will come your way in the future.
Glen
FROM AFGHANISTAN
[MAJ] William Carraway (via Linked-in)
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard and Commander, 161st Military History
Detachment
July 26, 2020, William worked with Ned but at different companies
I had the opportunity to work with Ned for one year in Afghanistan when he was the
USAID development officer for Kunduz and Taloquan provinces. I was an Infantry
Platoon leader in Kunduz and my chief concern was security and stability in one of
the most dangerous and unstable provinces in the north. In this capacity I came to
know Ned for his cheerful courageous demeanor, his untiring concern for the Afghan
people and ability to identify and manage risk while seeking out innovation. Ned
deftly balanced risk and opportunity during his time with us in Kunduz where his

3. vision identified risks imposed by potential natural disasters and his personal
leadership enabled him to draw community leaders and international representatives
together to address the concerns. More than ten years later, my memories of Ned
are of a selfless servant leader who inspired trust and got results in one of the
harshest environments on Earth.
Mouhsen Habib (via Linked-In)
Sr. Capital Project Coordinator/Manager at City of Long Beach
April 7, 2013, Ned worked with Mouhsen in the same group
I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mr. Ned McDonnell for the past five
years. Mr. Ned McDonnell and I served together in Iraq in my first deployment in Iraq
and subsequently in Afghanistan at a different PRT. Ned's knowledge of third world
politics and post conflict regions makes him a tremendous asset to any organization
to have. He strives to make the world a better place. In addition to his unique quality
of decent sensible human being, Ned is an expert banker & economist. He is a
giving team player and puts the organization interest ahead of his own and always
gives credits to his team mates for the success he achieves. His understanding of
world affair and his analytical interpretations of events is a trade mark. He does not
shy away in sharing his thoughts and advice to the highest leaders. , but do not take
my word for it, just read his blogs.Above all Ned follows human suffering and spends
his own time and resources to help others whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or where he
is currently working with the Peace Corp in Mexico.As an added skill, while in
Mexico, Ned learned Spanish on his own and writes it very well.."

4. FROM MÉXICO
Salvador Viñals Uyà (via Linked-In)
Product Manager & Consultant | Helping Companies Translate Business Goals to
Reality
January 9, 2014, Ned worked with Salvador in the same group
Ned and I have known each other for two years. We met during our service as
Peace Corps Volunteers in México, in the Technology Transfer program. We both
collaborated with Mexican R&D centers. As I first met Ned, what I liked the most
about him--and helped develop our deep friendship--is that he always shows himself
as he truly is: an acute and astute observer of what surrounds him (more on this
later), a “truth-to-power” talker, his humble attitude and ethical principles.
The more you talk with Ned the more and truly impressed you become. His
knowledge and his experience has been forged at the Capitol, in the private sector
(finance), in Iraq and Afghanistan at times of war and post-war conflict, with USAID,
in México with Peace Corps, just to mention a few places. How many résumés
anyone will see like his, I wonder?
During his service in México I, as many others here and abroad alike, became
addicted to his weekly writings. A remarkable compendium of analysis and well-
formed opinion about business, economy, local and international politics, technology
trends, as well as important competitive analysis news in the aeronautic and
automotive industries (relevant to the Technology Transfer job at hand and beyond);
Ned’s critical eye and sense of humor shedding light on every corner of every issue.
Terribly informative and absorbing. His ability to produce such extensive contents on
a weekly basis is atypical indeed and it shows his tremendous intellectual and
hardworking capacity.
Having seen Ned in action and knowing him as a person, I do strongly recommend
him. Any company will be lucky to have him. I only wish that our professional paths
cross in the future so I can work with him again. Be “forewarned” though, he will tell
you what you must know, not necessarily what makes your ear happy. Invaluable
and very scarce skill.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles, Beatriz < >
Date: 2013/7/26
Subject: Ned Mcdonnell: Volunteer Report Feedback
To: nedmcd.peacecorps@gmail.com
Cc: "Kaping, Kathleen" < >, "Evans, Daniel" < >
Dear Edward Mcdonnell,
PC Staff wish to provide you with the following feedback for the Reporting Period
ending 'Trimester Report 2/2013'.
Thank you!

5. Dear Ned,
It was very nice to talk to you. As I told you in person, I have always appreciated the
attitude of service and gratitude that you apply in your work. It seems to me that you
are constantly asking your colleagues “How can I help you?” which really is the best
way to meet people, integrate and contribute to your center.
I was very happy that two of your nominees were selected by IVLP committee.
Congratulations! I also want to tell you how impressed I am by the book on TT that
you wrote and edited, which includes articles of several TT volunteers. Please
contact John Dye johndye21@gmail.com to share it with PCMConnect. I think it
would be a very valuable resource for other TT Vols. The same goes for the whole
“Serie sobre Comercialización”.
Finally I want to recognize your efforts to learn and practice Spanish, I can see that it
has improved a lot! I encourage you to continue practicing as much as you can in the
remaining months of your service and start thinking, if you haven´t done so yet,
about the sustainability of your projects (accounting, strategic planning, information
gathering). Are there people in CIDESI that will continue with these projects?
I enjoyed reading your report very much, I wish that you had included more
information about your projects.
With my best regards,
Beatriz
LIC. BEATRIZ CHARLES HERNÁNDEZ
Gerente del Programa de Transferencia de Tecnología
Program Manager for Technology Transfer
FROM THE HEAD OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
Quisiera empezar compartiendo la
emoción pero también la tristeza que
sentí de tener que expresar unas
palabras de despedida a nuestro querido
Ned. Tratare de ser muy breve antes de
que las emociones fluyan por los ojos.
Si tuviera que calificar humildemente la
trayectoria de Ned en CIDESI utilizaría
las siguientes palabras:
Esfuerzo, sencillez, dedicación, respeto
y compromiso.
Cuando me incorporé a esta gran familia
CIDESI hace ya 2 año y medio, Ned ya
estaba desarrollando el primer análisis
de un manual contable gubernamental
I would like to start not only by
expressing my excitement for, but also
my sadness in having to bid farewell to
our cherished Ned. I will try to be brief
before my feelings flow from my eyes.
If I were modestly to spell out Ned’s path
here in CIDESI, I would use the following
words:
Effort, humility, dedication, respect and
commitment.
When I joined the larger CIDESI family
two and half years ago, Ned was already
developing his first analysis of the
governmental accounting manual of just
over eight hundred pages. Never a

6. de poco más de 800 páginas. Una labor
nada sencilla si pensamos que su
contenido es muy técnico y agregando
un poco de adrenalina a su esfuerzo,
también en idioma español. Su trabajo
de análisis y acompañamiento en la
armonización de la contabilidad de
nuestro Centro, sentó las bases del
trabajo armonizado que ahora tenemos.
Agradezco infinitamente el apoyo, su
análisis crítico, su conocimiento e
inteligencia. Debo hacer un
reconocimiento especial pues su
compromiso en el entendimiento del
tema de la armonización lo han llevado a
un dominio que muchos de nosotros
debiéramos tener al estar obligados no
solo a conocerlo sino a dominarlo.
Una de las herramientas más eficaces
que siempre empleo para desarrollar sus
labores, fue la palabra, su tesoro más
preciado, siempre empeñado en librar
todas las batallas, la suya y la de todos
nosotros. Compartiéndonos cada
semana su aprendizaje a través de sus
artículos, pero no solo eso, también nos
compartía entre esas líneas, un mucho
de él, de sus vivencias, de sus
recuerdos.
Puedo afirmar que en estos años
compartidos, Ned contribuyó en el
crecimiento no solo profesional sino
también personal de todos los que
estuvimos cerca de él.
Quiero aprovechar este espacio para
modificar unas palabras que Ned nos
expresó en un correo enviado apenas
hace unos días, cuando nos compartió
su Anexo IV. Decía: Ustedes no me
necesitan; nunca me han necesitado.
Falso, mi querido Ned, por supuesto que
nos haces falta, ese hombre alegre,
sencillo, basto en conocimiento y lleno
de paciencia para enseñar pero también
para aprender.
Sé, y creo firmemente, que todos
simple task since we felt its content to be
highly technical and, just to add in a little
adrenaline with the assignment, in
Spanish. His technical work and
contributions toward the harmonization
of accounting standards for our Centro
put in place the harmonizing work that
we use today. I will always be grateful for
his support, his critical reasoning, his
knowledge and intelligence. Especially
must I recognize this commitment to
understand this theme of accounting
harmonization made him an expert, at a
level that many of us should have not
only acquired but mastered.
One of Ned’s most effective tools that he
always used for discharging his duties,
was his writing. It was his prized treasure
in fighting his battles and ours. Through
his weekly article distribution, he not only
shared his erudition, but a part of
himself, his life, his memories.
I can say that, in our years together, Ned
shared in the professional and personal
growth of those of us near to him.
I want to take the opportunity in these
words, to correct Ned in some words he
wrote in an e-mailed letter written
recently when he distributed his fifth
booklet. He stated, “You all do not need
me; you have never needed me.”
Untrue, my cherished Ned; of course, we
will notice your absence: as a cheerful
and transparent fellow, steeped in
knowledge and filled with the patience
for teaching and also for learning.
I know this much: we all form a
harmonious group; we play our
respective roles, but absent any of us,
we will not be the same. The
department head is not a leader without
his subordinates; neither is a parent a
parent without children; nor the
harmonized accounting system without
Ned. Ned would not quite be Ned
without his having lived through this

7. formamos un conjunto armónico. Cada
cual desempeña su papel pero, cada
uno sin los otros, no seríamos los
mismos. El jefe no lo sería sin
subordinados, el maestro no lo sería sin
alumnos; ni el padre sin hijos; ni la
armonización contable sin Ned y Ned no
sería el mismo sin haber vivido con
nosotros la armonización contable.
Agradezco a la vida el privilegio de
conocerte, dejas una huella profunda en
nuestro corazón. Nos diste tanto, en
todas las formas posibles.
Como dijo Karlita, voy a extrañar a mi
vecino, y como le confirme, claro! lo
extrañaremos cada día un poco y un
mucho. Pero como todo en la vida, hoy
termina una etapa y otra se hace
presente.
Quisiera concluir con unas palabras de
Facundo Cabral, quien dijo: quien no
ama su trabajo, aunque trabaje todo el
día es un desocupado. Te deseo Ned
con todo el corazón que encuentres el
trabajo que te haga feliz y si el trabajo
en CIDESI te hace feliz, porque no te
quedas con el trabajo????????.
Gracias.
harmonization of our accounting system.
Ned, I thank my lucky stars for having
known you; you leave behind your
profound imprint on our hearts. You
contributed so much in so many different
ways.
As Karla said, “I will miss my neighbor.”
How much I second that! We will miss
that every day, either a little or a lot. Yet,
like everything else in this life, today one
chapter end as another begins.
I would like to conclude with wise words
from Facundo Cabral (Argentinean folk
singer), “whoever fails to love his work
but works all day is an automaton.” With
all my heart, Ned, I wish that you find
work that makes you happy and if the
work here in CIDESI makes you happy,
why not continue???
Thank you.
FROM THE HEAD OF FINANCE
mié 11/12/2013 12:41 p.m.
Estimado Ned, La oportunidad ha sido para nosotros, con tu experiencia,
compromiso y entrega has dejado un grano de arena en CIDESI, que ha contribuido
a cambiar la cultura y la forma de operar de nuestro Centro, antes de tu separación
del Centro, tendremos