International Military Student Training: Beyond Tactics

摘要

As the United States scales back its military on the one hand, and increasinglyperceives its own security to be linked with broader international stability and security on the other, the United States' need for low-cost, effective means of international influence and leverage will expand commensurately. In this new, post-Cold War environment, U.S. training programs are likely to assume greater importance. This Note examines the role that U.S. foreign military training in internal defense and development (IDAD) skills can play in improving friendly and allied countries' stability and security. Specifically, this Note (1) Assesses the current status of Department of Defense foreign internal defense (FID) and IDAD training; (2) Determines the issues that need to be addressed in making this training adequate; and (3) Begins to answer the question of whether or not the United States provides the most appropriate training possible to developing countries' militaries. International military students train alongside U.S. military students at military training institutions in the continental United States. Yet, U.S. training is designed to meet the demands of a large, technologically sophisticated armed force on a conventional-ostensibly European-battlefield and does not address the needs of many foreign militaries. Indeed, the preponderance of U.S. courses focuses on logistical, tactical, and support operations for conventional battlefield warfare, while many developing countries have less-conventional training requirements, often for internal rather than external security. Nonetheless, there are U.S. courses-both advanced courses and basic training in tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP)-that are applicable to these unique requirments.