Allan Langland
Oro Valley,AZ
Summary
Retired Foreign Service Officer with extensive experience at the U.S. State Department, excelling in political analysis and as a Political-Military Affairs Officer. Proven track record in enhancing military-civilian collaboration and crisis management, significantly improving diplomatic strategies in high-stakes environments. Adept at synthesizing complex geopolitical information to inform strategic decision-making processes. After a decade of foreign political analysis as a retirement hobby, now seeking to discover if this pastime can generate a paid salary.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Civilian Representative
U.S. State Department
08.2013 - 07.2014
- Supervised activities of U.S. Department of State, USAID, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Officers in four Provinces in Eastern Afghanistan.
- Synthesized complex geopolitical information into structured insights, contributing to strategic decision-making processes and improving diplomatic strategies of U.S. Embassy in Kabul and U.S. State Department in Washington DC.
- Collaborated with U.S. military counterparts in eastern Afghanistan to synchronize military and civilian Lines of Effort, thus enhancing operational coordination and policy implementation.
Foreign Policy Advisor to Air Forces Southern
U.S. State Department
01.2010 - 06.2013
- Provided expert advice on geopolitical developments in Latin America to Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH) Commander and senior staff in order to enhance their understanding of political-military issues in Latin America.
- Traveled with AFSOUTH Commander on visits to Latin America to provide on-the-spot advice and assessments of the effectiveness of political-military coordination between U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Embassies.
- Served as a member of the Air Force Component of Joint Task Force Haiti, the U.S. military operation to aid recovery and reconstruction following the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, bypassing regular diplomatic channels to gain rapid Haitian Government approval of U.S. military control of Haitian airspace.
Foreign Policy Advisor to II MEF
U.S. State Department
08.2008 - 12.2009
- Provided expert advice on geopolitical developments in Latin America to the Commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force and senior staff in order to enhance their understanding of political-military issues in Latin America.
- Monitored political developments in Latin America and Africa in order to provide early warning of potential crises that could require deployment of Marine units under II MEF command for contingencies such as security reinforcement of U.S. Embassies or execution of Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations.
- Provided Afghanistan expertise for pre-deployment training of Marine units destined for Afghanistan, providing useful insights into the political and social dynamics in southern Afghanistan.
Political Officer and State Dept. Representative
U.S. State Department
07.2007 - 07.2008
- Assigned as a Political Officer and the U.S. State Department Representative to the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team, a Canadian military unit that included Canadian Government civilians and two U.S. Government civilians.
- Established relations with Afghan Government civilian and military officials, Afghan politicians, and tribal elders in order to analyze political, military, and social developments in Kandahar Province.
- Facilitated U.S.-Canadian cooperation on policy issues and provided regular reporting and analysis to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul concerning developments in Kandahar Province, thus contributing to informed decision making and strategic planning by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Political-Military Affairs Officer
U.S. State Department
07.2004 - 05.2007
- Served as the Embassy Pol-Mil Officer and Deputy Chief of the Political Section while leading the collection, analysis, and reporting on geopolitical issues in order to enhance policy implementation and contribute to the strategic decision-making processes of the U.S. State Department.
- Advocated U.S. Government policies to the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry and other interlocutors in order to promote U.S. objectives and improve policy coordination with Guatemalan officials.
- Served as the principal civilian interlocutor with senior Guatemalan military officers, fostering cooperation and enhancing joint collaboration on security issues.
Deputy Director, Indonesia and East Timor Office
U.S. State Department
07.2002 - 07.2004
- Supervised four Country Desk Officers, mentoring them on how to understand and work in the State Department bureaucracy and interagency process in order to successfully contribute to the policy implementation and strategic decision-making processes.
- Managed the work flow of an extremely busy Regional Office to achieve 100 percent on-time compliance with the taskings from the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs Front Office.
- Served as the State Department lead on interagency policy discussions about police training and political-military issues on Indonesia, contributing to State Department success in assisting Indonesia with suppression of a jihadist terrorism group.
Senior Vietnam Desk Officer
U.S. State Department
07.2000 - 07.2002
- Responsible for political, political-military, and consular issues pertaining to Vietnam while serving as the primary interface between the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, between the State Department and the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington DC, and between the State Department and other agencies such as DoD and the CIA.
- Employed analytical skills and knowledge of policy issues to draft briefing, decisional, and information memoranda for senior State Department officials for use in interagency meetings and visits of Vietnamese officials.
- Coordinated public outreach to the Northern Virginia Vietnamese-American community and other interested parties, thus increasing understanding and support for U.S. policies regarding Vietnam.
Ground and Riverine Operations Officer
U.S. State Department
08.1996 - 07.1999
- Assigned as a Counternarcotics Officer managing a $7 Million annual assistance program for five Bolivian National Police paramilitary counternarcotics units and one Bolivian Navy Riverine Task Force.
- Forward deployed to the Bolivian jungle for three days each week (Wednesday through Friday) to work directly with a Bolivian National Police jungle warfare unit to supervise construction of improved checkpoint facilities and contribute to increased rotational presence at checkpoints.
- Supervised the expansion of the Drug Dog Canine Program to cover several airfields in the Bolivian Amazon region.
Political-Military Affairs Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1994 - 07.1996
- Served as an Action Officer for international peacekeeping and other contingency security operations in Latin America and Africa.
- Assisted in recruitment of foreign military forces for the U.S.-led Multinational Force in Haiti in 1994, improving operational readiness and international cooperation.
- Advocated Pol-Mil Bureau policy positions in internal State Department and interagency meetings, enhancing policy alignment and strategic decision-making.
Labor Attache and Human Rights Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1991 - 08.1994
- Interfaced with Dominican labor unions, human rights groups, principal opposition political party, and the Dominican National Police to advance Embassy and Washington understanding of the actions and objectives of these groups.
- Advocated U.S. Government policy positions to the Foreign Ministry and other interlocutors in order to promote U.S. objectives and improve policy coordination with Dominican officials.
- Utilized deep contacts with the principal opposition party to produce extensive and detailed reporting on Dominican Government fraud in the 1994 national elections, thus providing essential information for U.S. Government decisions on how to respond to the electoral fraud.
Political Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1989 - 08.1991
- Interfaced with the Uruguayan Congress, Montevideo city administration, and Uruguayan human rights groups to advance Embassy and Washington understanding of the actions and objectives of these groups.
- Collected, analyzed, and reported on issues of interest to the Embassy and Washington policy community, contributing to informed decision-making and strategic planning.
- Advocated U.S. Government policy positions to the Foreign Ministry and other interlocutors in order to promote U.S. objectives and improve policy coordination with Uruguayan officials.
Vice Consul
U.S. State Department
10.1987 - 07.1989
- Conducted daily interviews of over a hundred visa applicants, honing skills in "reading" individuals and making prompt decisions based on limited information.
- Analyzed extremely complicated immigration regulations, ensuring the accuracy of the visa issuance process and contributing to the efficient operations of the Consular Section.
- Drafted a comprehensive and well-received report on the demographics and career patterns of the 1981 Graduate Class of the Salvadoran Military Academy.
Education
U.S. State Department
Arlington, VA No Degree - Advanced Military Studies
USMC Command And Staff College
Quantico, VA06-2000
Bachelor of Arts - Russian Area Studies
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA06-1979
Skills
- Political Analysis
- Diplomacy
- Foreign Policy
- National Security
- Interagency Coordination
- Program Management
- Conflict Analysis
- Counternarcotics
- Counterinsurgency
- Crisis Management
- Labor Relations
- Human Rights
- Military Decision Making Process
- Military Exercise Role Play
- Rule of Law
- Elections
- Human Rights
- Refugees
- International Organizations
- Peackeeping Operations
- Security Sector Reform
- Task Force Operations
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Full Professional
Portuguese
Limited Working
Timeline
Senior Civilian Representative
U.S. State Department
08.2013 - 07.2014
Foreign Policy Advisor to Air Forces Southern
U.S. State Department
01.2010 - 06.2013
Foreign Policy Advisor to II MEF
U.S. State Department
08.2008 - 12.2009
Political Officer and State Dept. Representative
U.S. State Department
07.2007 - 07.2008
Political-Military Affairs Officer
U.S. State Department
07.2004 - 05.2007
Deputy Director, Indonesia and East Timor Office
U.S. State Department
07.2002 - 07.2004
Senior Vietnam Desk Officer
U.S. State Department
07.2000 - 07.2002
Ground and Riverine Operations Officer
U.S. State Department
08.1996 - 07.1999
Political-Military Affairs Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1994 - 07.1996
Labor Attache and Human Rights Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1991 - 08.1994
Political Officer
U.S. State Department
09.1989 - 08.1991
Vice Consul
U.S. State Department
10.1987 - 07.1989
U.S. State Department
No Degree - Advanced Military Studies
USMC Command And Staff College
Bachelor of Arts - Russian Area Studies
San Diego State University
Awards
U.S. State Department Awards:
Secretary's Career Achievement Award
Expeditionary Service Award
Superior Honor Award
Meritorious Honor Award (Three Awards)
Canadian Ministry of National Defence Award: Commander's Commendation
Guatemalan Ministry of Defense Award: Monja Blanca Medal First Class
Bolivian National Police Award: Order of Merit in the Grade of Officer