"The United States is currently engaged in at least two major defense institution-building missions simultaneously in the Middle East, linked to U.S. involvement in major regional contingencies in Afghanistan and Iraq. U.S. special operations forces (SOF) have been critical enablers in both the tactical- and operational-level advisory and combat missions associated with these events ... In addition to these ongoing requirements for defense institution-building, the 2015 National Security Strategy and the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review describe two broad challenges that will continue to require the defense institution-building capabilities developed during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. First, there is the challenge posed by weak, fragile, and failing states ... The second major challenge will require a continuation of U.S. defense advisory efforts is the number of U.S. allies, partners, and friends that find themselves overmatched by the security threats they face ... this study seeks to answer two primary research questions. First, is advising foreign militaries at the high-operational/strategic and ministerial levels an appropriate task for U.S. SOF to perform on a regular basis? Second, what additional training would be required to accomplish this task?"--Introduction.

"Printed in February 2018"--Title page verso.

Partnering and building partnership capacity (BPC) in U.S. strategy -- Clarifying the concepts of partnering and BPC -- Building partners for the long run : security sector reform -- SOF doctrine and perspectives -- Skills and traits of high-operational/strategic and ministerial-level advisors -- SOF history advising foreign security forces (FSF) at the high-operational /strategic level -- Critiques of SOF advisors working at the high-operational and strategic/ministerial levels -- Training SOF for high-operational/strategic and ministerial level advisory tasks -- The Ministry of Defense Advisors (MODA) Training Program.