U.S.

Air Force selects CISA grad for International Affairs Specialist program
by Austin Reece, CISA Intern

Maj. Matthew Stines, a 2015 College of International Security Affairs (CISA) graduate, was
recently hand-picked by the Air Force to serve as a regional affairs strategist. The self-described
military brat credits CISA for his latest distinction.
A public affairs officer by trade, Major Stines has led three different public affairs offices since
joining the military. After finishing his Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies in June, he
deployed to Headquarters Resolute Support in Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of the AFPAK
Hands program as a ministerial advisor. While in Afghanistan, he learned about his selection for
the competitive International Affairs Specialist (IAS) program.
The IAS program deliberately develops a corps of professional Airmen who have the
international insight, foreign language proficiency, cultural understanding and political-military
savvy to execute the full range of Department of Defense and Air Force mission requirements.
Major Stines said his South and Central Asia security studies provided him with the background
knowledge necessary to understand the operational environment greater appreciation for the
culture and history of the region.

This specialized background has helped me make recommendations on capacity building

projects that are more culturally resonant with the Afghan military officers and government
employees, he explained. The language training for his elective course enabled him to achieve
the qualifying Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) score necessary for acceptance into
the program.
Major Stines also contends CISAs South Asian and Frontline courses enabled him to converse
with his Afghan counterparts on contemporary issues within the region, thus garnering more
respect and credibility with them as their advisor on mass communication related matters.
My year at NDU has helped on so many levels, he explained. It enables me to exchange
ideas on building capacity challenges, acquire training resources that improve my ability to
advise and assist Afghans with solving their capacity challenges, and offer solutions to other
coalition partners around Afghanistan.
Recently, Major Stines media-trained Afghan general officers from the Afghan Ministry of
Defense through mock press conferences and lectures so they can effectively engage with
national and international media regarding regional security issues. He also taught and advised
Afghan officials from the Ministry of Defense, Government Media Information Center, Ministry
of Interior, Independent Directorate of Local Governance and the National Directorate of
Security on a variety of topics from Communication Planning to Public Affairs Guidance.