Diplomas, records and liaison officers

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1. A diploma is not a license

The Security Assistance Management Manual is exact about what the certificate an international military student takes home means. The Defense Department awards diplomas and issues certificates of training, but "A DoD-issued diploma or certificate of training is not the same as qualification credentialing or certification" (SAMM C10.20.10). The Department does not assess students for other qualification credentials and cannot certify a student in any skill or function. The manual states that there is no exception.

A diploma or certificate acknowledges only that the student performed the tasks taught in the training environment and met the minimum standards to graduate (SAMM C10.20.10.1). It usually shows the course name and number, the student’s name and rank and the dates, and may note a class ranking such as honor graduate (SAMM C10.20.10.1.1). A transcript shows how well the student did in particular activities, usually by grade or a pass or fail indicator (SAMM C10.20.10.1.2). Neither is a qualification credential or a basis for one. Nor is a diploma or certificate a manufacturer’s certification or a license to operate or maintain equipment (SAMM C10.20.10.1.3).

2. Who decides a student is qualified

Most countries set their own standards for licenses to operate or maintain equipment, or to perform complex, critical or dangerous tasks (SAMM C10.20.10.2). The manual gives welding, auditing and firefighting as examples, often backed by a record such as an apprentice log book. A trained student may be qualified for a task, but the Department does not guarantee the student can meet any foreign standard, or operate another nation’s equipment (SAMM C10.20.10.2.1). It never issues or guarantees a student’s credential, license or certification.

Only a designated authority of the partner nation may decide whether an American-trained student is qualified to operate or maintain that nation’s equipment, or to do a job that needs a license (SAMM C10.20.10.2.2). On request, through a sales case, the Department may give technical advice or training to help a partner build or improve its own certification program (SAMM C10.20.10.2.3). The same applies to training by contractors. A contractor may issue a certificate recognizing a student’s qualification, but the Department does not guarantee it, and only the partner decides whether it meets national requirements (SAMM C10.20.10.3).

3. Materials the student takes home

The shipping cost of a student’s retainable instructional materials may be included in the tuition for formal courses (SAMM C10.20.6). The allowance is 100 pounds for professional military education, postgraduate education and language instructor training, and 50 pounds for other courses (SAMM C10.20.6.1). Materials sent by international mail, or above the allowance, are at the student’s own expense.

The training installation packs and labels the materials and ships them to the security cooperation organization (SCO) in the student’s country (SAMM C10.20.6.2). If the SCO agrees, they may go directly to the student by the most economical method. Packages sent through the SCO are addressed to the SCO, not the student, and carry the worksheet control number with the program year or sales case. The student office makes sure no personal effects travel with the materials (SAMM C10.20.6.3).

4. Records, leave and travel

Schools keep international students’ records as long as other students’ records, and country teams or SCOs keep them for at least ten years (SAMM C10.20.7). Leave or leave extensions are granted only if the original travel order authorizes them, or if the SCO amends the order in writing no later than 15 days before training ends (SAMM C10.20.9). Students training in the continental United States may visit Canada or Mexico for up to 72 hours with the student office’s authorization (SAMM C10.20.3). They must meet immigration and customs rules and hold visas that allow them back into the United States.

Uniforms and personal clothing are not provided on a grant basis, other than special training items included in the course cost, such as flying gear (SAMM C10.20.2). Students or countries may buy them through a sales case funded with national money. Accompanying dependents may be able to work in the United States under a bilateral reciprocal work agreement, but those agreements do not cover the student, whose visa is for training (SAMM C10.20.4.1).

5. Country liaison officers

Foreign liaison personnel may help with student administration only once the implementing agency has accepted the need and can support them (SAMM C10.20.8). They are authorized only where a country is training many students, or where the students’ background calls for it. Under International Military Education and Training (IMET), their travel and living allowance is handled as for students, and they may not take a course while serving as liaison. Liaison officers not sponsored by IMET need a sales case to cover support costs such as office space and telephones. An agreement between the unit and the country sets their duties and performance standards.

Liaison officers report to the student office on arrival and departure, and whenever they leave their duty location (SAMM C10.20.8.1). They follow the same administrative rules as students, and the SCO must brief them before they leave home (SAMM C10.20.8.2).

6. The student office, and emergencies

Every American installation with international students scheduled for training has an International Military Student Officer, designated by the commander to support the students and the Field Studies Program (SAMM C10.20.1). In a national emergency, the Defense Security Cooperation University sets the procedures for what happens to international students and their authorized dependents, both in the United States and at American installations abroad (SAMM C10.20.5). Where no military post office is available, instructional materials may go by the State Department pouch, which is limited (SAMM C10.20.6.2).

Key terms

Certificate of training	A record that a student met a course’s minimum standards, not a qualification or license.
Qualification credential	A license or certification issued by an accrediting authority, which the Department never issues.
Retainable instructional materials	Course materials a student may ship home, within a weight allowance.
Country liaison officer	A foreign officer who helps with student administration under set conditions.
Bilateral reciprocal work agreement	An agreement that may let dependents, but not students, work in the United States.

Every statement above links to the document behind it. The full source list for this piece is on the sources page.

This page describes public United States government programs for general information. It is not legal, regulatory or procurement advice, and it does not address the facts of any particular case.

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