Operational Support and Services

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Operational Support and Services (OSS) is a privately owned company based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. It was established in 1993[1] and according to its website (now defunct) 'OSS is the largest provider of foreign language immersion training to the U.S. Government.' OSS's staff include 'former Foreign Area Officers (FAOs), Intelligence personnel, and Special Operations personnel trained for U.S. Government diplomatic service, arms control negotiations, treaty implementation, and intelligence operations'. [2]

It would appear that in late 2009 Operational Support and Services became Linc Government Services, with the latter sharing the same headquarter address and telephone number as OSS. Subsequently, Linc Government Services became part of ABM when the company acquired The Linc Group in late 2010[3] for $300 million.[4]

Offices and Recruitment

In 2007 the OSS website stated that it had 'offices in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia, Canada, France, Iraq, and Russia.' The company was also actively seeking to recruit for the following positions:

  • Russian Linguist
  • Counter Intelligence Agents -- Urgently needed
  • HUMINT Instructor
  • Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Instructors
  • Arabic Speaking Role Players
  • Exercise Role-Players
  • Foreign Area Specialists
  • Linguists
  • Operations/Personnel Manager
  • Subject Matter Experts
  • Training Specialists[2]

Areas of Operation

Iraq

Training of Bilingual Bicultural Advisors

In 2004 OSS was contracted by the Deputy Secretary of Defense of the U.S. to provide Bilingual Bicultural Advisors (BBAs) of Iraqi descent or origin to support the reconstruction and capacity building efforts in Iraq. The BBA candidates were trained in Fayetteville, USA, before being deployed to Iraq in early 2005. The program was extended throughout 2006[5] and the program was eventually implemented throughout all 18 provinces of Iraq.[6]

OSS provided health insurance to BBAs but no life insurance. BBAs were not allowed to meet with friends or relatives whilst on deployment in Iraq. Typically, a BBA would be contracted for one year and would be expected to work 7 days a week, 10-12 hours per day. They were given two two-week R&R vacations, one scheduled at the end of each six-month period.[7]

Alan Levesque was Deputy Program Manager of the BBA Program in Iraq between May 2006 and January 2007, becoming the BBA Program Manager in January 2007 until October 2007. Levesque went on to become OSS's Iraq Theatre Manager from October 2007 to August 2008.[8]

Deradicalisation Program

It would appear that Operational Support and Services also operated a deradicalisation program whilst working in Iraq. In 2007 Ami Angell signed on with OSS at Camp Bucca, once Iraq’s largest terrorist detention centre. Camp Bucca held 26,000 detainees in 2007, the highest its population ever reached, following the U.S. troop surge of that year.[9] Under the command and supervision of General Douglas Stone, Angell would work on introducing and implementing religious discussion classes, bringing in Islamic clerics to discuss religious issues with small groups of detainees. The program was expanded and Angell oversaw several programs in her role as detainee rehabilitation program lead.[10] In 2011 Angell went on to co-author a book with Rohan Gunaratna entitled 'Terrorist Rehabilitation: The U.S. Experience in Iraq'.

Charles Ryan worked for OSS in 2007 and was Program Manager (in Iraq) for the Multi-National Force Reeducation Program of Iraqi Detainees. Part of his role included the hiring of 'clerics, social workers, and teachers within Iraq to teach the detainees about the Koran.'[11]

Clients

As of 1 January 2001, OSS had served the following clients:

Contact

Operational Support and Services
Headquarters
1876 Bureau Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28312
Phone: 910-425-4900
Fax: 910-425-5110
About OSS/General information:
info@usereep.com
Resumes/Employment information:
resumes@usereep.com
Battle Staff Rides (North America):
Samuel Doss - reepsd@earthlink.net
Battle Staff Rides (Europe):
Peter Herrly - reepeurope@compuserve.com
Language Training:
Erin Lipton - immersion@usereep.com or languagetraining@usereep.com

Notes

  1. ↑ Top Secret America - Operational Support and Services, Washington Post. Last accessed 2 July 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 About OSS, OSS website, retrieved from the Internet Archive. Last accessed 2 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Linc Government Services Wins Slot on $9.7 Billion U.S. Department of Defense Contract to Provide Language Services to Troops Worldwide, ABM Press Release, 12 July 2011.
  4. ↑ ABM Industries Acquires The Linc Group, LLC, Business Wire, 1 December 2010.
  5. ↑ BBA-SME Program, OSS Iraq website, retrieved from the Internet Archive. Last accessed 2 July 2014.
  6. ↑ History of the Program', OSS Iraq website, retrieved from the Internet Archive. Last accessed 2 July 2014.
  7. ↑ Frequently Asked Questions - BBA Program Candidates, OSS Iraq website, retrieved from the Internet Archive. Last accessed 2 July 2014.
  8. ↑ Alan Levesque LinkedIn Profile, LinkedIn.
  9. ↑ Jason Keyser, Camp Bucca: Military Closes Largest Detention Camp In Iraq, Huffington Post, 16 September, 2009.
  10. ↑ For Ami Angell, rehabilitating terrorists is not simply possible – it’s necessary, Newman University magazine, 29 October 2009.
  11. ↑ Charles Ryan LinkedIn Profile, LinkedIn.
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