What is the U.S. embassy country team?

The country team is the principal organizational instrument used by COMs to integrate interagency staff functions and achieve the cohesive, coordinated execution of U.S. foreign policy. In its broadest sense, the team includes all elements and all USG employees of the American mission in a foreign country. However, this term may also refer more narrowly to a subset of the mission and, more specifically, a select council of senior officers or heads of agencies and major sections in the mission, which meets regularly with the COM to provide advice, share information, and receive COM guidance and taskings. The country team has no legal standing, and its composition and functions are not specifically delineated in any formal document; instead, the COM determines the type of team that best suits the needs of the moment.

The U.S. ambassador, as the personal representative of the President, is the sole head of the country team or, in other words, the chief of mission. The ambassador uses the team as a tool for assembling information, ideas, and opinions from all USG officials in country and to execute country-related U.S. foreign policy objectives. The entire staff must work as a cohesive unit with a common sense of purpose and direction. The ambassador, or a replacement chief of mission in his/her absence, must manage and support all U.S. official interests and activities in the host country. The ambassador must consider and balance all proposed courses of action and decide what is best for American interests as a whole.

In practice, the makeup of the embassy country team varies widely, depending not only on the ambassador’s management style but also on the country situation, the number and type of American programs carried out in the country, and the backgrounds of the senior officers of the different agencies attached to the diplomatic mission. In some posts, there may be no defined membership; team composition may vary according to the kind of problem being considered. However, at most posts, the following positions are included on a more or less permanent basis: the Ambassador; the DCM; the chiefs of the political, economic, and management sections of the embassy; the SDO/DATT; the regional security officer; and the consul general. The country team may also include representatives from other embassy agencies as the ambassador desires.

The country team coordinates with and advises the COM on the full range of issues and events facing the U.S. mission at any given time. Informal consultation among country team members occurs frequently and continually on issues and problems as they arise. Weekly meetings of the team, chaired by the Ambassador, are the norm. The country team is also an executive body that, under the Ambassador’s leadership, divides the tasks to be done, and supervises their accomplishment. It typically sees that jobs are assigned to those agency representatives that can best execute them, based on resources and expertise. Finally, the country team is the planning body that analyzes the situation in the partner country, formulates plans and strategies for executing U.S. foreign policy (e.g., through an “integrated country strategy” or ICS), and recommends policy to Washington, DC. Close teamwork is critical, especially when time-sensitive issues are at stake. Officials of all agencies must work together at all levels to speak with one voice and to accomplish the tasks at hand. The formal country team is thus an advisory body, a forum for consultation, and a means of promoting a coordinated effort.

Quite often, SCOs will be called to participate in “modified country team” meetings. These are generally held for visiting officials (e.g., congressional delegations). This is an opportunity for the SCO to succinctly enumerate some of the recent successes and ongoing projects in country, ranging from major foreign military sales in progress to recently completed humanitarian assistance projects.

The SDO/DATT represents all of DoW on the country team, including the CCMD, DSCA, and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). In accordance with DODD 5205.75, the SDO/DATT is the COM’s principal advisor on defense issues and the senior diplomatically accredited DoW military officer assigned to a U.S. diplomatic mission.

All DoW elements under COM authority are under the coordinating authority of the SDO/DATT, except for the Marine security guard detachment. Coordinating authority is the power to compel different DoW agencies and activities to keep the SDO/DATT informed on their activities and to consult and coordinate with one another in order to ensure the cohesive planning and execution of DoW operations. All DoW units and personnel in a foreign country who are not specifically under the command of a U.S. area military commander automatically come under COM authority while operating in a given country. Moreover, the SDO/DATT may be given special, temporary, emergency authority to act directly on behalf of the GCC during certain crises in a foreign country, especially those requiring evacuation or other force protection measures. SDO/DATTs also exercise direct and full supervisory authority over the DAO and SCO, directing the operations of these organizations, rating and counseling personnel, etc.

Since the SCO works for the SDO/DATT, it is critical that good communication and routine cooperation exist between the DAO and the SCO. The unique role and authority of the SDO/DATT, in charge of both organizations, should ensure that DoW’s interests and objectives are smoothly integrated under the COM and effectively and efficiently coordinated with the host nation.