Female Engagement Teams: Making the Case for Institutionalization Based on U.S. Security Objectives in Africa

The U.S. military first began using Female Engagement Teams (FET) in Iraq in 2009 as a means to balance security concerns with cultural sensitivities; form rightly followed function. Eventually it was recognized FETs could be employed beyond conducting searches on the local female population, and their responsibilities grew to include activities such as community relationship building and connecting Afghan families to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.While it is clear F...