Planning training from the embassy

← All Insights

1. Training is planned a year at a time, from the embassy

Sending a partner country’s officers to American courses looks administrative. It is really a planning exercise run from the embassy against money that is not confirmed until the year is underway.

The grant money comes out of a joint budget process. "IMET allocations are the result of the DoD-State FMF-IMET grant aid budget development process" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.1). What that program pays for is described in what IMET funds.

The timing problem is stated plainly. Allocations are often smaller than requested, are announced well after the fiscal year starts, and can grow again in an end of year reallocation. So "SCOs must prioritize training during planning and then be prepared to revise plans and re-prioritize training requests late into the fiscal year" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.1.1).

That is why the ranking of requests matters so much. "Training priority codes are critical to proper SCO financial management of the IMET program and in obtaining quotas for training" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.1.1).

2. Who is sent, and what happens to them afterwards

Selection is not left to the partner alone. "The SCO is responsible for ensuring those students trained under the IMET program are selected from career personnel likely to occupy key positions in the foreign country's defense establishment" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.1.2).

The duty continues after the course. "SCOs must also obtain appropriate assurances that personnel trained under IMET are properly and effectively used" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.1.2). Eligibility rules for students are covered in who may be trained under IMET.

One common misunderstanding is corrected in a single sentence. "E-IMET is not a separate allocation in addition to IMET, but rather a portion of a country's standard IMET allocation designated to be spent on E-IMET courses" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.2). The expanded program trains civilians in managing defense establishments and budgets, in civilian control of the military, and in military justice (SAMM C2.1.6.1.2). A different kind of course, out of the same pot.

3. A third program, and a vetting rule

A separate fellowship program runs for special operations education. Nominations go from the embassy to the combatant command, then onward for final approval (SAMM C2.1.6.1.3).

It is handled entirely online. "The entire nomination process is accomplished online via the Security Assistance Network Web (SANWeb)" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.3).

And it carries an absolute condition. "All RDFP students must be vetted for human rights violations before final approval" (SAMM C2.1.6.1.3). The screening machinery behind that is described in screening international military students.

4. Training bought rather than granted

Where training is purchased, it usually arrives attached to equipment. "Initial training in support of major weapon system purchases is usually procured either as part of the FMS equipment case or in a separate supporting training case" (SAMM C2.1.6.2.1). Later sustainment training for operators, maintainers and leaders may come through further cases or other sources.

Keeping those strands aligned is an embassy duty. "The SCO must continuously work with the partner nation, the MILDEP, and CCMD to ensure synchronization of training activities is accomplished as early as possible" (SAMM C2.1.6.2.1), and to warn both sides when the plan needs to change.

Two funding details catch people out. Allowances are not automatic: "FMS cases may include Travel and Living Allowance (TLA) only when the purchaser requests it in their LOR as TLA is normally the responsibility of the country" (SAMM C2.1.6.2.2). A medical services line can be added, or the country can have bills sent to its embassy, or the student can carry insurance (SAMM C2.1.6.2.2). Allowances and healthcare are covered in travel, living allowance and healthcare.

5. Why the flexible case type is preferred

The manual states a preference about how training should be bought. "A Blanket Order case is the preferred vehicle for providing FMS training because it provides flexibility in defining training requirements" (SAMM C2.1.6.2.3), accommodates the changes that keep happening, and does not need a definitive list of items or quantities up front.

That is a candid admission: the plan will move. What a place costs is set out in how training is priced on a case.

Training also comes to the partner rather than the reverse. "U.S. military training conducted in-country is provided by Security Cooperation Education and Training (SCET) teams consisting of U.S. military, DoD civilian, or contractor personnel deployed on temporary duty (TDY) or permanent change of station (PCS) status" (SAMM C2.1.6.3). Those teams are the subject of the teams sent to a partner country.

6. Getting a student to the gate

Before travel, the embassy prepares the orders for each student and briefs them. "SCOs must ensure IMSs selected for training receive a comprehensive pre-departure briefing" (SAMM C2.1.6.7), to a standard content list, supplemented with information about the specific training location. Travel orders themselves are covered in invitational travel orders and English requirements.

The receiving installation is told in advance, and the notice period depends on the family. "The information is provided via the SC-TMS and SANweb at least 16 days prior to the arrival date of an unaccompanied student and 30 days prior to the arrival date of an accompanied student" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.1). What is sent includes the arrival time, the flight number, and the number and ages of any dependents (SAMM C2.1.6.7.1).

The loop closes on return. "SCOs conduct post-training interviews with returning IMSs to obtain insights on the relevance and quality of training" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.2), and on how well the offices supported the student. Course material and academic reports are passed on by the embassy (SAMM C2.1.6.7.3).

7. The two reports that outlive the course

The first is a career tracking list, and it is unusually explicit about its purpose. "SCOs will identify key Ministry of Defense (MoD) personnel who attended DoD training in the past or are currently attending DoD training and have risen in rank or assumed positions of significant importance" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.4.1), the threshold being political leadership, military command above brigade level, or general staff responsibility.

The list is refreshed annually alongside the country training plan, and the stated use is evaluative: "Positions of prominence data is used to assess the effectiveness of programs" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.4.1). A course sold today is measured years later by where the student ended up.

The second report goes to Congress. "The Foreign Military Training Report (FMTR) is a congressionally-mandated requirement for the State and DoD to submit an annual report on all U.S. military training provided to international personnel whether funded by State or DoD" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.4.2), and "The report covers a two-year period: the fiscal year just ended and the one in progress" (SAMM C2.1.6.7.4.2).

8. What a supplier can take from this

Training work is planned against money that is not final when the planning happens, and re-prioritized late in the year. A provider who can absorb a change of dates or numbers without renegotiating is easier to place than one who cannot.

The blanket order preference is the practical signal. The buying side expects quantities to move, which favors rate based pricing over a fixed schedule of named courses. And notice periods of 16 and 30 days are the real lead times for a student movement, not the course start date.

Key terms

Training priority code	The ranking that decides which requests survive when the allocation lands smaller than the plan.
Expanded IMET	Not extra money. A designated portion of the same allocation, spent on civilian and governance courses.
Blanket order case	The preferred way to buy training, because it needs no definitive list of items or quantities.
Positions of prominence	The annual list of former students who have reached senior command or political office, used to judge the program.

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.

How Sentfore supports this

Training in country brings people, equipment and movement that all need support on the ground. Sentfore supports defense programs at the delivery end, providing secure transport, protective security, accommodation and life support in complex environments. Requirements can be sent through the contact page.