Defense Security Cooperation University
A brief tutorial highlighting DSCU's role as DoD's center of excellence for security cooperation education and training.
DSCA’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign security forces to respond to shared challenges. DSCA leads the broader U.S. security cooperation enterprise in its efforts to train, educate, advise, and equip foreign partners.
DSCA administers security cooperation programs that support U.S. policy interests and objectives identified by the White House, Department of Defense, and Department of State. These objectives include developing specific partner capabilities, building alliances and partnerships, and facilitating U.S. access.
DSCA integrates security cooperation activities in support of a whole-of-government approach; provides execution guidance to DoD entities that implement security cooperation programs; exercises financial and program management for the Foreign Military Sales system and many other security cooperation programs; and educates and provides for the long-term development of the security cooperation workforce.
DSCA 5105.38-M, the Security Assistance Management Manual, is the primary document through which DSCA directs, administers, and provides DoD-wide guidance to the DoD Components and DoD representatives to U.S. missions for the execution of DoD security cooperation programs.
The DSCA leadership team oversees a dynamic workforce spanning expertise across the Security Cooperation (SC) spectrum. Under the leadership of the DSCA Director, Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, the Acting Deputy Director, Ms. Cara Abercrombie, and the Command Senior Enlisted Advisor, SgtMaj. Vincent Santiago, DSCA’s Principal Directors are working to fulfill the goals and objectives as laid out in the Agency's mission, vision and values. Focused on continued process improvements of a diverse portfolio of security assistance and partner capacity building programs, DSCA’s Principal Directors lead their organizations in the assessment and implementation of SC processes, procedures, and policies across the SC community. They provide staff resources to the Integrated Regional Teams for execution of the day-to-day requirements of the SC mission.
