JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX –
The role of a military
political advisor is a long-standing role and commitment from the U.S. State
Department to provide a flag-rank equivalent official as a personal advisor to
leading U.S. military leaders and commanders.
Dr. Bridget Gersten,
personal foreign policy advisor to the commanding general and command at U.S.
Army South at Fort Sam Houston is no stranger to staying abreast of foreign
policy issues and assisting in the decision-making process of military
officials as it pertains to U.S. foreign policy.
The St. Mary’s
University undergraduate international relations program sponsored the forum as
a way for the campus community to learn how the State Department and the U.S.
military work together in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as what it
takes to be a foreign policy advisor.
Gersten was invited to
speak to students at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio Feb. 24 by former
U.S. Embassy Honduras ambassador and current St. Mary’s professor James F.
Creagan.
“A large group of
former St. Mary’s students through opportunities like these have gone on to
have successful careers in foreign service or other related international
endeavors,” said Creagan, who served as an ambassador from 1996-1999.
Gersten began her
presentation by highlighting her career assignments in Afghanistan, Saudi
Arabia and Colombia, in addition to a host of other countries. Gersten also
speaks nine different languages and is intimately familiar with U.S. embassy
operations.
“There are roughly 90
colleagues of mine doing similar jobs in Brussels, Tunisia, Moscow, Stuttgart
and Hawaii, performing foreign policy missions at embassies and U.S. military
installations around the world,” Gersten said.
In a reflective
moment, Gersten and Creagan took time during the brief to pay homage to
political advisors who came before them.
Gersten talked about
the unique path that brought the original political advisor, Robert D. Murphy,
into the field.
After beginning his
federal career at the U.S. Post Office in 1916, Murphy was advisor to former
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
on issues surrounding the Allied landings, which was the first major Allied
ground offensive during World War II.
Gersten said one of
the many reasons why she loves her job is the ability to learn something new
every day.
“The Army has a set of
values that I continue to admire and incorporate daily in being a better
person,” she said.
Students asked Gersten
several questions ranging from how to negotiate frequent moves to the length of
time political advisors should remain in their assigned positions.
Gersten provided the
students with tangible advice for entering foreign service, suggesting
expanding ones’ language fluency and capabilities as a definite plus, as well
as staying informed and in tune with U.S. and foreign relations policies.
“It’s all about
building relationships, interagency and partner nations,” Gersten summed up.