Ms. Linda Specht volunteered for her initial danger-pay assignment in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) from the US Embassy in Cameroon, in March 2004. Her initial posting was to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Specht, after a year back in Washington, DC, volunteered again for service in Afghanistan with a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in 2006. She has subsequently volunteered for a third deployment, this time as the commander of a PRT in Iraq in 2008. Volunteering for such assignments is part of an ad hoc process with the Department of State's bid system of assignments. Service with PRTs and in other GWOT postings may carry with it other incentives or rewards - such as priority on subsequent postings and possible favorable promotion consideration - besides the danger pay. Specht arrived in Iraq in mid-2004 after a brief training opportunity to apply her skills as an economic officer. She found a project that had neither clear guidance nor funding. Directing funds from the Iraqi Reconstruction Management Office allowed Specht and her subordinates to help Iraqi ministries and mentor them. When the US Embassy opened in Baghdad after dissolution of the CPA, Specht stayed on to help the economic counselor with reconstruction funding and execution. When Specht returned to Washington, DC, to the Office of Development Finance, no attempt was made to capture lessons or her experience. Volunteering again, this time for Afghanistan, Specht deployed to represent the US Embassy with a Dutch PRT in Uruzgan province, arriving in July 2006. The non-permissive security environment made movement about the province difficult, as did the very different approach to coordination implemented by the Dutch, separating themselves from military aspects of Operation Enduring Freedom. Fortunately, the Dutch-speaking Specht was able to establish and maintain rapport with the Dutch as well as US military special operations and Australians military elements. Her role was very much that of the diplomat, interleaving the interests of the US government and the ISAF with the capabilities of the Dutch and foreign militaries to support extension of new Afghan national authority and legitimacy. Security was a constant concern and the level of violence was high. Poor infrastructure, especially the poor road network, complicated all operations. Specht's most important takeaway from two tours supporting the GWOT as a diplomat was the need for thorough preparation of her civilians to smooth their transition into operations with military forces in non-permissive environments like Iraq.

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