Education and Training Info

Security cooperation education and training programs

The Security Cooperation Education and Training Program (SCETP) consists of U.S. military education and training conducted by DOD for international personnel from eligible countries in order to effectively advance U.S. security interests and build defense partnerships for the future. This education and training is conducted within the continental United States (CONUS), primarily at military training facilities, and outside the continental United States (OCONUS) by mobile education or training teams and at selected U.S. facilities overseas. They include:

Major training programs
1. International Military Education and Training (IMET) is authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended
2. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) is authorized by the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended. FMS covers the sale of defense articles, services, and training to eligible foreign governments and international organizations.
Other training programs
1. African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA)
2. Aviation Leadership Program (ALP)
3. Bilateral or Regional Cooperation Programs
4. Combatant Commander Initiative Funds
5. Disaster Response (Humanitarian Assistance (HA))
6. Drawdowns of Training
7. Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC)
8. Exchanges (Professional Military Education (PME), Exchange of Training and Related Support, and Flight Training Exchanges (FTE))
9. International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE)
10. Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET)
11. Mine Action
12. Regional Centers for Security Studies
  1. Africa Center for Strategic Studies (APCSS)
  2. Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS)
  3. Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies (CHDS)
  4. Marshall Center
  5. Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA)
13. Regional Defense Counter-Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP)
14. Section 1004-Counter-Drug Training Support (CDTS)
15. Service Academy Programs
  1. Cadet Semester Exchange Abroad Program (C-SEAP)
  2. Military Services Academies International Student Program
16. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Academy Foreign Cadet Program
17. U.S. Coast Guard Caribbean Support Tender (CST)

IMET

"We do not fully appreciate how IMET and similar programs impart American values to the recipients in foreign militaries, both directly and indirectly. The stability we saw in military forces around the world during [the] recent radical decrease in defense budgets would have resulted in coups which today never materialized, in part because of the learned respect for civilian control of the military."

Eric D. Newsom, former assistant secretary of State for political-military affairs

Definition
: IMET is a grant program established by the US Congress. IMET grants enable foreign military personnel from countries that are financially incapable of paying for training under the Foreign Assistance Act to take courses from the 2000 offered annually at approximately 150 U.S. military schools across the country, receive observer or on-the-job training, and/or receive orientation tours.

Courses offered to foreign students range from swimming to psychological operations to using specific U.S.-manufactured weapons systems.

Overall objectives of the IMET program are:

To further the goal of regional stability through effective, mutually beneficial military-to-military relations which culminate in increased understanding and defense cooperation between the United States and foreign countries; and
To increase the ability of foreign national military and civilian personnel to absorb and maintain basic democratic values and protect internationally recognized human rights.

Types of Training

English Language Training
: All International Military Students must achieve a degree of English language proficiency before they can take courses at most of the U.S. training institutions. The Defense English Language Program was created to oversee English language training programs utilized by IMSs to acquire these language skills. MTTs, language training detachments, training for language instructors and various teaching aides are available to foreign governments interested in setting up in-country training.
Flying Training
: Includes instruction on how to fly fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Compared to other forms of training, flying training is costly and thus most of it is provided via FMS instead of through IMET programs
Observation/Familiarization Training
: Allows students who are unable or prohibited from engaging in classroom exercises to learn specific skills through observation instead. Foreign medical personnel unable to practice medicine in the U.S. because of licensing requirements are able nonetheless to study with U.S. medical professionals by limiting their participation to simple observation.
On-The-Job/Qualification Training (OJT): Allows students to hone and develop the skills they acquire in the classroom in a real world setting.
Orientation Tours (OT): Brief (no longer than 14 days) programs aimed it providing distinguished visitors and future leaders with an overview of various elements of the U.S. military (e.g. doctrine, facilities, equipment, operations). IMET funding cannot be used to fund OTs for cadets or individuals of a rank equivalent to, or higher than, U.S. Chief of Staff.
Professional Military Education
: Provides leadership training to officers at every level of their professional development. While there are no special restrictions placed on courses for new and mid-level international officers, senior officers must be invited by one of the military services to attend the war or command colleges. Examples include International Officer Logistics Preparation Training, Infantry Officer Basic Training, and International Officer Intelligence Advance Training.
Technical training: Focuses on developing a specific skill or set of skills necessary for operating a particular weapon system, or to perform required functions within a military operational specialty.