Civilian employees play an important role supporting military missions overseas. The Department of Defense created the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce to provide trained civilians who can deploy for about a year to locations like Iraq and Afghanistan. Ralph Gootee, an intelligence specialist, volunteered for an 11-month deployment to Qatar to better support explosive ordnance disposal teams in combat zones. His training included a 10-day joint program to prepare deploying civilians. During his deployment, Gootee analyzed information and shared his knowledge and network with others. The experience deepened his understanding of military personnel and the missions they support.

1. Focus on
Service
Civilian expeditionary workforce
S t o r y b y D e f e n s e M e d ia A c t i v i t y – A na co s t ia
T
he contribution of the DoN civilian In addition to the CRC in Fort Benning, a joint, pre-
work force as pillars of continuity and deployment training program at the Indiana National
organizational memory is increasingly Guard Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center,
expanding beyond the traditional man, train and Muscatatuck Urban Training Center for employees
and equip roles to the operational arena. deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan began in January 2010.
As the nation’s military forces pull together to support The 10-day training is a one-stop, fully integrated training
war-time missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, hundreds of and pre-deployment platform. This training consists of an
Navy civilians have also volunteered to fill global expedi- intense mix of classroom and field exercises, providing a
tionary augmentation requirements. learning environment where the austere setting simulates
To lead this effort, the DoD Civilian Expeditionary the conditions of deployment and helps strengthen emo-
Workforce (CEW) was created in January 2009 to provide tional and mental resilience.
a deployable work force trained and equipped to support Once in theater, the true potential of the experience
military missions. Under the program, DoD civilians – in really starts to pan out. As a member of the JPOFT, Gootee
careers ranging from engineers to contract specialists - not only collected and analyzed information to inform the
deploy for about a year to Iraq and Afghanistan, but also coalition efforts in the region but also strengthened his
serve in some capacity in Europe and Africa. professional philosophy.
For Ralph Gootee, a senior intelligence specialist with “One of the major professional gains from the deploy-
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian ment is that it reaffirmed by core intelligence analyst’s
Head, Md., who recently completed an 11-month deploy- belief -- that an intelligence analyst must know his subject
ment assigned to Joint Psychological Operations Task Force matter thoroughly, develop wide and deep network of
(JPOFT), Doha, Qatar, volunteering for a civilian individ- contacts, and share his knowledge everyday,” said Gootee.“
ual augmentee deployment was an opportunity to support I have a quote from Lt Gen. [William] Boykin over my desk
troops in combat missions. ‘Intelligence is for Sharing.’
“My primary reason for volunteering was to gain a bet- As he learned the ropes and figured out the nuances
ter understanding of the intelligence requirements in Iraq of this joint environment, Gootee also referred to a quote
and Afghanistan so I could better support Joint Service from Maj. Gen. Michael Flynn as a source of guidance and
EOD,” said Gootee. “During the meetings [with EOD units] inspiration. “ Flynn, captures the heart of the Intelligence
I realized that most of the intelligence officers and enlisted Analysts when he states, ‘Analysts must absorb informa-
had served a combat tour. Although I had many more tion with the thoroughness of historians, organize it with
years of intelligence experience, training and a tremendous the skill of librarians, and disseminate it with the zeal of
understanding of the intelligence community, I had never journalists.’”
directly supported combat troops.” The experiences of this deployment also deepened his
The CEW process involves applying for the positions via understanding of the uniformed men and women with
the their website HYPERLINK www.cpms.osd.mil/expedi- whom he serves.
tionary www.cpms.osd.mil/expeditionary. The applicants’ “Hands down the most most rewarding part was the
resumes are reviewed and matched to the position(s) for professional and dedicated men and woman I met. The
which they applied or other available positions that match experience was truly amazing.
their qualifications. For those selected, the preparation Although I did not like being separated from my family
for deployment involves medical screenings, legal and for one year – it is after the six month mark you truly gain
financial arrangements and a combination of online and an understanding of the job and who and where to go the
practical training. accomplish the mission,” Gotee said.
“My training was at CONUS Replacement Center, Fort “I now have that understanding, and I have a much
Benning, Ga. All the trainers there had recently returned greater respect for the military members many of whom
from either Iraq or Afghanistan and understood the re- have served two or three tours deployments.”
quirements,” said Gootee.
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