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SEC. 1299L. FUNCTIONAL CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES IN IRREGULAR WARFARE.

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12.30.2020 at 07:07pm

We noticed this in the 2021 NDAA.

SEC. 1299L. FUNCTIONAL CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES IN IRREGULAR WARFARE. Access the 2021 NDAA HERE

Congress is taking Irregular Warfare seriously and this appears to be a “forcing function” to make sure DOD does as well.

A few editorial comments:

Irregular Warfare is the military contribution to the national level requirement for Political Warfare

It is good for Congress to direct DOD to establish this center and take Irregular Warfare seriously. But what about Political Warfare? What is Congress going to do about ensuring there is a national level interagency focus on Political Warfare? (Our recommendation for an American War of Political Warfare HERE )

We face threats from political warfare strategies supported by hybrid military approaches.

Competition in great Power Competition equals Political Warfare. While State on State or major theater war is the most danger threat in Great Power Competition, Political Warfare is the ongoing condition in which we must learn to compete.

With absolutely no apologies to Leon Trotsky: “America may not be interested in irregular, unconventional, and political warfare but IW/UW/PW are being practiced around the world by those who are interested in them – namely the revisionist, rogue, and revolutionary powers and violent extremist organizations.”

We have heard this center will be established in Arizona and as noted in the text below it will be treated as a Regional Center along the lines of APCSS in Hawaii and the Marshall Center in Germany

We may be hearing a lot about SEC 1299L.

 
SEC. 1299L. FUNCTIONAL CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES IN IRREGULAR
WARFARE.
    (a) Report Required.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
    with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the congressional 
    defense committees a report that assesses the merits and 
    feasibility of establishing and administering a Department of 
    Defense Functional Center for Security Studies in Irregular 
    Warfare.
        (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
    include the following:
            (A) A description of the benefits to the United States, and 
        the allies and partners of the United States, of establishing 
        such a functional center, including the manner in which the 
        establishment of such a functional center would enhance and 
        sustain focus on, and advance knowledge and understanding of, 
        matters of irregular warfare, including cybersecurity, nonstate 
        actors, information operations, counterterrorism, stability 
        operations, and the hybridization of such matters.
            (B) A detailed description of the mission and purpose of 
        such a functional center, including applicable policy guidance 
        from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
            (C) An analysis of appropriate reporting and liaison 
        relationships between such a functional center and--
                (i) the geographic and functional combatant commands;
                (ii) other Department of Defense stakeholders; and
                (iii) other government and nongovernment entities and 
            organizations.
            (D) An enumeration and valuation of criteria applicable to 
        the determination of a suitable location for such a functional 
        center.
            (E) A description of the establishment and operational 
        costs of such a functional center, including for--
                (i) military construction for required facilities;
                (ii) facility renovation;
                (iii) personnel costs for faculty and staff; and
                (iv) other costs the Secretary of Defense considers 
            appropriate.
            (F) An evaluation of the existing infrastructure, 
        resources, and personnel available at military installations, 
        existing regional centers, interagency facilities, and 
        universities and other academic and research institutions that 
        could reduce the costs described in subparagraph (E).
            (G) An examination of partnership opportunities with United 
        States allies and partners for potential collaboration and 
        burden sharing.
            (H) A description of potential courses and programs that 
        such a functional center could carry out, including--
                (i) core, specialized, and advanced courses;
                (ii) planning workshops and structured after-action 
            reviews or debriefs;
                (iii) seminars;
                (iv) initiatives on executive development, relationship 
            building, partnership outreach, and any other matter the 
            Secretary of Defense considers appropriate; and
                (v) focused academic research and studies in support of 
            Department priorities.
            (I) A description of any modification to title 10, United 
        States Code, or any other provision of law, necessary for the 
        effective establishment and administration of such a functional 
        center.
        (3) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be 
    submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
    (b) Establishment.--
        (1) In general.--Not earlier than 30 days after the submittal 
    of the report required by subsection (a), and subject to the 
    availability of appropriated funds, the Secretary of Defense may 
    establish and administer a Department of Defense Functional Center 
    for Security Studies in Irregular Warfare.
        (2) Treatment as a regional center for security studies.--A 
    Department of Defense Functional Center for Security Studies in 
    Irregular Warfare established under paragraph (1) shall be operated 
    and administered in the same manner as the Department of Defense 
    Regional Centers for Security Studies under section 342 of title 
    10, United States Code, and in accordance with such regulations as 
    the Secretary of Defense may prescribe.
        (3) Limitation.--No other institution or element of the 
    Department may be designated as a Department of Defense functional 
    center, except by an Act of Congress.
        (4) Location.--The location of a Department of Defense 
    Functional Center for Security Studies in Irregular Warfare 
    established under paragraph (1) shall be selected based on an 
    objective, criteria-driven administrative or competitive award 
    process.

 

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