Past Events

ICTS Seminar - Post-Attempted Coup in Turkey: Quo Vadis? - Aug. 3, 2016
ICTS Seminar - Post-Attempted Coup in Turkey: Quo Vadis? - Aug. 3, 2016
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies August 3, 2016 Place: The International Law Institute In the wake of the failed coup in July, many questions have arisen both domestically and internationally regarding Turkey’s future political, social, economic, and strategic direction. Interdisciplinary ac...
ICTS Event -The Lone Wolf Terrorist: Past Lessons, Future Outlook, and Response Strategies
ICTS Event -The Lone Wolf Terrorist: Past Lessons, Future Outlook, and Response Strategies
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies July 27, 2016 The latest terrorist incidents in Nice, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Orlando and elsewhere, are once again a grim reminder of the expanding operational roles of "lone wolves." Whether they are self-radicalized or linked to home-grown or foreign groups, the...
ICTS Seminar -“Aviation Security: Past Lessons, Future Outlook, and ‘Best Practices’ Responses”
ICTS Seminar -“Aviation Security: Past Lessons, Future Outlook, and ‘Best Practices’ Responses”
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies June 28, 2016 From aircraft hijackings in the 1970s to 9/11 and the mystery of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014 to the latest destruction of EgyptAir Flight 804 in 2016, critical questions regarding the future outlook for aviation security continue to ch...
ICTS Seminar - Latin American Security Challenges: From the Olympics to Zika - June 23, 2016
ICTS Seminar - Latin American Security Challenges: From the Olympics to Zika - June 23, 2016
International Center for Terrorism Studies at The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies, Inter-University Center for Legal Studies at the International Law Institute, Center for National Security Law-University of Virginia School of Law Latin America i...
ICTS Seminar - Maritime Security: Quo Vadis? - May 23, 2016
ICTS Seminar - Maritime Security: Quo Vadis? - May 23, 2016
International Center for Terrorism Studies at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies, Inter-University Center for Legal Studies at the International Law Institute, Center for National Security Law at University of Virginia School of Law The latest t...
ICTS Seminar  - Populist Politics: From Protests to Violence - May 10, 2016
ICTS Seminar - Populist Politics: From Protests to Violence - May 10, 2016
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies International Center for Terrorism Studies, at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies May 10, 2016 The current election campaigns in the United States and abroad have once again refocused the world’s attention on “populist politics.” Single-issue concern...

RCSS121616On 16 December 2016 the Center for Adaptation and Innovation (CAI) hosted the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa (SPMAGTF – CR – AF) Rotation 16.1, as part of its Returning Commander Speaker Series. A rotational force of Marines and sailors, the SPMAGTF – CR – AF is capable of decisive action across a range of military operations, and was established in 2013 in response to the attack on American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya.  The SPMAGTF-CR-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa a broad range of military capabilities to respond to crises in its area – of – responsibility (AOR), which includes conducting noncombatant evacuation, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and support to U.S. embassies, amongst other missions, operations and activities.

Speaker and Commanding Officer, Colonel Martin “Marty” Wetterauer III, described their mission as conducting limited crisis response and contingency operations in conjunction with Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) activities in order to protect U.S. citizens and strengthen U.S. interest in the USAFRICOM area of operation. Temporarily positioned on Morón Air Base, Spain, the SPMAGTF – CR – AF conducted 26 Theater Security Cooperation Engagements in 10 African countries, over 120 training events throughout USAFRICOM and USEUCOM AORs, and conducted Cooperative Security Location validations in all three Gulf of Guinea locations.   

Throughout their deployment, the SPMAGTF-CR – AF worked alongside Special Operation Force (SOF) partners to provide real world mission support and training and planning integration, including high threat/ high risk diplomatic post surveys and crisis response working group meetings. According to Col Wetterauer, “they will be tightly integrated with SOF partners, at least until Libya becomes a stable environment and SOF are not the only one’s securing the environment.” This will be their primary task.

With the ability to quickly integrate and deploy, the MAGTF is often first to be called upon in times of crisis, even when there are other options available. Col Wetterauer indicated that due to other options available, CR – AF may not always be the most appropriate response, and who to call on is an ongoing education process with the State Department and African countries.

The MAGTF is working with half the Osprey’s they were last year in order to boost stateside readiness, going from 12 down to 6. Col Wetterauer assured that their mission only calls for 6, assuming 2 are down, 2 are conducting missions, and 2 are the back up to conduct logistics, maintenance and training. Col Wetterauer said that aviation readiness is their “number 1 concern.” This echoes the voice of the last RCSS speaker, Col Anthony M. Henderson, commander of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, who reinforced the primacy of Marine Aviation readiness saying that “we have to keep the flight hours going as much as possible, that saves lives.”

Read more about the SPMAGTF – CR – AF brief on DoD BuzzSeapower Magazine, and on Military.com here and here


CAI’s Returning Commander Speaker Series offers a forum for naval force concepts and capabilities to be discussed with commanders whom recently completed a deployment. CAI identifies and defines new and potentially disruptive defense capabilities. Specifically, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies established CAI to assist senior defense leaders grappling with the most demanding issues and problems posed by a complex and uncertain security environment.