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New York launched the nation’s first state capital program for animal shelters, so we can help improve and better equip these facilities as they strive to find permanent homes for our furry friends. https://t.co/Ec94VXvFFA Source: https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/968661859296563200 Uploader: Andrew Cuomo

New York launched the nation’s first state capital program for animal shelters, so we can help improve and better equip these facilities as they strive to find permanent homes for our furry friends. https://t.co/Ec94VXvFFA Source: https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/968661859296563200 Uploader: Andrew Cuomo

The U.S. government has long worked with allies and partners to build their capacities to counter threats through various means, including training, equipping, and exercising, as well as through relationship-building activities such as workshops and conferences, staff talks, and education. Yet, it is challenging to comprehensively assess exactly how these activities have contributed to U.S. objectives. Security cooperation activities are long-term and geographically dispersed, and there is currently no comprehensive framework for assessing these programs. Assessing the impact of security cooperation efforts is inherently difficult but extremely important. In short, security cooperation assessments support informed decision making at the policy, program manager, and execution levels, and they provide stakeholders at all levels of government with effective tools to determine which aspects of these investments are most productive and which areas require refinement. Those who plan and execute security cooperation efforts intuitively know whether their individual programs have successfully gained ground with their respective partner nations. At the most basic level, officials assert that the U.S.-partner nation relationship is simply better than it was prior to executing the activity. These assertions are difficult to validate empirically, however. At present, assessments of security cooperation programs, if they are done at all, are largely conducted by the same organizations that executed the activities. Thus, these assessments, no matter how carefully carried out, are subject to concerns about bias on the part of the assessors. Objective assessments, when available, provide valuable data on which meaningful discussions about program funding can be grounded. This report provides a framework for thinking about, planning for, and implementing security cooperation assessments for the 1206 Program managed by Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSD[P]).

Military assistance to Bosnian forces was part of a complex plan to resolve what one former Secretary of State called the problem from hell. When Yugoslavia began to disintegrate in the early 1990s following the Soviet Union s demise, it released a mix of nationalist and ethnic movements that led to civil war. Ill-disciplined combinations of regular and irregular forces struggled to control territory and protect civilians, sometimes herding them toward ethnically homogenous enclaves in a process widely referred to as ethnic cleansing. The intentional displacement of civilian populations, often encouraged by atrocities including mass murder and rape, was a tragic and complex foreign policy problem that defied simple and easy solutions. The program to train and equip the Bosnian Federation Army after the signing of the Dayton peace agreement in 1995 was a key element of the U.S. strategy to bring a stable peace to Bosnia. Highly controversial at the time but obscure today, this program was implemented by a small interagency task force widely referred to as the Train and Equip Program. The small task force achieved all of its operational goals. It forged a rough military parity between previously warring parties, rid Bosnia of foreign extremists, and strengthened Bosnian Federation institutions and their pro-Western orientation. The program was simultaneously criticized for being too small and too much, which underscores how contentious it was and the inherent difficulties in assessing any military balance. The fact that the weight of the criticism shifted from the first half of 1996 when the program was more often criticized as anemic to the spring of 1997 when it was commonly criticized as being too robust underscored how fast the program made progress once it got going.

Quality Assurance (QA) aims to ensure and enhance educational quality, promote accountability, and foster sustainable improvement and is considered a crucial element for higher education systems in a world of constant change, increased competitiveness, technological innovation, and rising costs. In the last several years, quality assurance in Turkish higher education has experienced substantial improvements. The current developments reflect ongoing efforts in Turkish higher education to improve quality assurance processes, comply with international standards, and guarantee the consistency of academic offerings and institutional standards. The development and training of human resources are of paramount importance in creating sustainable QA efforts. Thus, the Quality Coordinatorship of Anadolu University developed a unique online training entitled "Institutional Self-Evaluation Training Programme" to equip the University staff with the required knowledge and skills to conduct internal evaluation in academic programs. Following a cross-sectional research design, and making use of learning analytics and satisfaction survey, this research investigated the learning patterns and satisfaction of the participants involved in this course. The high learning resources access and activity completion rates in this course suggest that there was a significant interest in the course considering it was only a recommended course. In addition, high levels of satisfaction, which was supported by the qualitative findings, show that the online training was endorsed by the participants as a viable training activity. [This paper was published in the INTE-ISTEC-ITEC-ITICAM-IQC proceedings, 2023, pp. 760-772).]

We performed this evaluation at the request of the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) and the Director of the Joint Staff. The objectives included an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Section 1206 program in building capacity for counterterrorist and stability and military operations; the efficiency of the Section 1206 program with regard to project selection, execution, implementation, results, and sustainment; and management s compliance with Section 1206 statutory requirements. We collected key information for this report during our visits to eight Section 1206 partner nations Dominican Republic, Georgia, Indonesia, Lebanon, Nigeria, Panama, Sao Tome and Principe, and Sri Lanka. Prior to, and following the country visits, the interagency team collected information about the program at various offices throughout the Department of Defense, Department of State, and combatant commands. Generally, the Section 1206 program is effective in building the capacity of partner nations to conduct counterterrorist and participate in or support stability or military operations. However, there are management opportunities to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the processes for project selection, program execution, and project implementation. Overall, the Section 1206 project selection process functioned well and included procedures to ensure compliance with statutory requirements. The IG team found, in visits to eight countries, the following types of execution problems: obligation of funds, Defense Security Cooperation Agency s procurement and shipping process, delays in providing the approved training and equipment, project status and tracking issues, and other inefficiencies. These problems complicate one of the program s goals to respond to emergent threats or opportunities.

1Now It Can Be Told

By Philip Gibbs

In this book I have written about some aspects of the war which, I believe, the world must know and remember, not only as a memorial of men's courage in tragic years, but as a warning of what will happen again--surely--if a heritage of evil and of folly is not cut out of the hearts of peoples. Here it is the reality of modern warfare not only as it appears to British soldiers, of whom I can tell, but to soldiers on all the fronts where conditions were the same...<br /> <br /> The purpose of this book is to get deeper into the truth of this war and of all war--not by a more detailed narrative of events, but rather as the truth was revealed to the minds of men, in many aspects, out of their experience; and by a plain statement of realities, however painful, to add something to the world's knowledge out of which men of good-will may try to shape some new system of relationship between one people and another, some new code of international morality, preventing or at least postponing another massacre of youth like that five years' sacrifice of boys of which I was a witness.<br /> - Summary by Philip Gibbs, from the Preface<

2Splendid Outcast

By George Gibbs

_What else?_—What else had happened? Something to do with the remarkable likeness between himself and Harry? The likeness,—so strong that only their own mother had been able to tell them apart. <br><br>Memory came to him with a rush. He remembered now what had happened in the darkness, what he had done. Taken Harry’s lieutenant’s uniform, giving the coward his own corporal’s outfit. Then he, Jim Horton, had gone on and carried out the Major’s orders, leaving the coward writhing in the ditch.<br><br> By George!——the fight—he, Jim Horton, had won the victory at Boissière Wood for the —th Infantry—_for Harry!—as Harry_! <br><br>Perhaps, he was really Harry and not Jim Horton at all? He glanced around him curiously, as though somewhat amused at the metempsychosis. And then thoughtfully shook his head. <br><br>No. He was Jim Horton, all right—Jim Horton. There was no mistake about that. (Excerpt from chapter 1)

3Forbidden Way

By George Gibbs

...he went over to a cracked mirror in the corner and examined his face, grinning at his image and touching the red marks with his fingers.<br><br> "That was a love-tap for fair," he said. "I reckon I deserved it. But she oughtn’t to push a man too far. She was sure angry. Won’t speak now for a while." He turned with a confident air. "She’ll come around, though," he laughed. "You just bet she will." (From chapter 1 of <i>The Forbidden Way</i>)

4Golden Bough

By George Gibbs

The eyes of the Légionnaire, now grown accustomed to the glow of the light, made sure that the figure had not moved, nor was aware of his silent and furtive approach. Two plans of action suggested themselves, one to move behind the foliage to the right and intercept the monk with the lantern should he attempt to flee toward the lights of the house nearby, the other to risk all in a frank statement, a plea for charity and asylum. (A selection from Chapter 1.)

5In Search of Mademoiselle

By George Gibbs

Preface note by George Gibbs: There were no more vivid episodes in the colonization of the New World than those resulting from the attempts of the French people to gain a permanent foothold on our shores.... The most thrilling chapter in all this history, strangely neglected or overlooked by the romantic writers, is that of the struggle between the Spanish and French colonists for dominion over our own land of Florida. To me, whose profession it is to see pictures in the words of other men and to produce them, this historic page has appealed very strongly as the proper setting for a human drama--an inviting canvas upon which the imagination may paint a moving picture of the emotions, desires and passions--the loves and hates--of men and women like ourselves--against the somber and sometimes lurid background of historic fact. From chapter 1: It is enough that I loved--and now love--Diane better than woman was ever loved, and that I hated Diego with a hate which has outlived death itself. - Summary by The author, George Gibbs

Quote: "To the quiet Titine her mistress created an impression of bringing not only herself into the room, but also the violent horse and the whole of the out-of-doors besides." --Chapter 1 of Madcap. --In the same chapter, Hermia Challoner, this force of nature pitted against the nature of her social milieu, laughingly tells her maid, "Better die living--than be living dead."<br /><br /> --And thus starts the beginning of an early 20th century quest for something beyond the bored and politely veiled cynicism of class and wealth; beyond oneself. --Add to that a little mischief, a bit of Puckish misdirection. And a bit of romance. (Tony Oliva)

7Love of Monsieur

By George Gibbs

A charming rogue, a stolen birthright, unrequited love, mutiny on the high seas, with a backdrop of 17th century England and the Spanish Main, make for another historical romance from George Gibbs. - Summary by Donald Cummings

8Maker of Opportunities

By George Gibbs

When you're tired only because you're bored; and you're bored only because it seems like there's really nothing worth doing; and you're so, so wealthy that one would think opportunity should be knocking at your door every day... you sometimes just have to tell your closer friends how fatiguing the life of he who has everything really is.... And then; you find your calling! (Tony Oliva )

9Silent Battle

By George Gibbs

This offering from George Gibbs, follows the developing romance between lawyer Tom Gallatin, trying to beat his alcoholism, and debutante Jane Loring. It begins with Tom getting lost while on a hunting trip in the Canadian wilderness, where he has gone in hopes of rehabilitating himself. Attempting to find his way back, he encounters Jane Loring, also lost. Each is attracted to the other, but after a few nips from Jane's flask, Tom steps over the line with her. The seriousness of his actions, as well as his feelings toward Jane, leads him to overcome his addiction. Meeting again months later, in New York City and civilization, forgiveness and a new start lead to a renewal of the romance, although not free from difficulties. (Summary by Donald Cummings)

10Yellow Dove

By George Gibbs

A World War 1 spy vs spy novel. Oh! And perhaps I should also mention, a bit of romance?<br /> "I am sorry,” he said coolly, "awfully sorry. As you know, I would have had things different. You may still doubt me when I say that what I have done is the hardest task that I ever undertook in my life. But that is true. You were the only person in England who jeopardized my existence there. I had to take you away. I regret the necessity of having to use force. I shall do what I can here upon the <i>Sylph</i> to counteract the unpleasant impression of my brutality. I am not a bully and a woman-baiter. I am a spoke in the wheel of destiny which you had clogged. By all the rules of the game you should have died. Reasons which I need not mention made your death at my hands an impossibility. So I merely removed you to a place of safety. No harm shall come to you, I pledge my honor." (Excerpt from Chapter 13.)