OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES
made in France continues to pay divi- dends for U.S. cooperative efforts.
Todd Rushing, a research scientist from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, found his ESEP assignment in South Korea to be an immersive experience that helped him understand the world from the viewpoint of U.S. allies. “ESEP has benefited me by expanding my perspective on the world and helping me to build a global net- work,” Rushing said.
“Te assignment allowed me to develop an appreciation for the point of view and motivations of our ally the Repub- lic of Korea and its people, based on their unique geopolitical environment and the potential threats that they live with every day. I will also be able to improve the way I communicate with and relate to our international partners by better understanding how the U.S. is perceived by others,” he said, adding that the assignment “allowed me to cre- ate international friendships that I plan to maintain into the future.”
HOW PROGRAM FUNDING WORKS To encourage U.S. participation in the program, DASA(DE&C) provides cen- tral
funding to U.S. Army commands
for the associated costs of sending their engineers and scientists overseas to work in allied and friendly countries’ defense establishments. In dispersing these funds annually through a competi- tive nomination and selection process, DASA(DE&C) covers labor, allowances and travel expenses. It doesn’t cost DOD organizations much to participate.
Te program has enjoyed a steady increase in interest across the Army, with a substantial year-over-year increase in
48 Army AL&T Magazine
applications from Army research organi- zations, including RDECOM; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Army Medical Command; U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC); and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
Even with the program’s successes and benefits, ESEP has suffered the same resource constraints that programs and offices have experienced across DOD over the last several fiscal years. In FY16, with a budget of $2.2 million in operation and maintenance funds, DASA(DE&C) supported 11 U.S. over- seas exchange assignments. A 50 percent cut in appropriations in FY17 reduced the number of centrally supported over- seas assignments to five, and resource constraints projected in FY18 mean a
continued reduction in supported
overseas assignments, despite growing interest in the program.
WHO SHOULD APPLY AND HOW Te ESEP program is aimed at mid- level professionals (GS-12 to GS-14 or equivalent). Most applicants learn about the program through their command structures, either via email or in a job announcement. Te program isn’t for everyone, participants cautioned; mov- ing your family overseas and establishing yourself in a foreign country can be a challenge and should not be taken lightly. But for those seeking an international experience in which they can grow their careers and pursue new opportunities, ESEP is a great option.
“Flexibility is the name of the game,” said Kristi Sanchez-Vahamonde, an engineer and new ESEP participant from ATEC, as she prepared to head to Germany for an assignment with the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Protective and
January-March 2018
Special Technologies. “I haven’t even boarded the airplane yet, and I’ve already grown a lot, learned a lot. It’s not easy, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Foreign language skills are not required, though they are helpful. “Personality is the most important factor,” noted Naylor.
“ESEP participants need to be willing to talk to people, willing to learn about new people and cultures. You can’t be pedan- tic. It’s important to come over with a little humility and be prepared to listen with an understanding that an exchange is a two-way street.”
DASA(DE&C) will release the next ESEP call for nominations in May 2018. Selected applicants will deploy overseas in October 2019.
For more information, contact Gabriella Krohmal at
gabriella.l.krohmal.ctr@
mail.mil or 703-614-3175.
MS. GABRIELLA KROHMAL is a contractor for Booz Allen Hamilton, providing ESEP program management support for DASA(DE&C). She earned her master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution from American University’s School of International Service, and holds a B.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.
MR. ADAM GENEST is a strategic com- munications contractor for Booz Allen Hamilton, providing contract support to DASA(DE&C). He is a Master of Liberal Arts candidate at Harvard University, and he holds a Master of Forensic Science from George Washington University and a B.A. in homeland security and emergency pre- paredness from Virginia Commonwealth University.
+
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276
