MISSION
DSCA’s mission is to advance U.S. defense and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign partners in order to encourage and enable allies and partners 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 oversees and administers Security Cooperation programs that support U.S. policy interests and objectives identified by the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of State. These objectives include developing specific partner capabilities, building alliances and partnerships, and facilitating U.S. access. DSCA applies a whole-of-nation approach to the planning, design, and execution oversight of Security Cooperation programs by partnering with industry, non-government institutions, and various organizations and agencies within and outside the federal government.
DSCA uses a full-spectrum approach to develop partner capabilities. The full-spectrum approach is defined as everything an ally or partner may need to successfully perform a security role with established capabilities, to include:
- Understand requirements, develop forces, and purchase or obtain articles and services required to advance, employ, and sustain the capability
- Successfully absorb and integrate fully developed capabilities into their security forces
- Effectively and responsibly employ those capabilities in the pursuit of common objectives between the U.S. and the partner
- Adequately staff, sustain, and maintain those capabilities throughout their lifecycle and eventually retire them when appropriate
A full-spectrum approach looks beyond materiel and associated training solutions and incorporates the necessary policies, legal authorities, strategic frameworks, oversight and governance, management processes and systems, doctrine, operational concepts, command and control processes, human and logistical resources, financial support, and associated infrastructure to enable a partner to successfully perform a particular role.
DSCA integrates the Department’s entire portfolio of Security Cooperation programs in support of a full-spectrum, whole-of-nation approach, and provides guidance to DoD Implementing Agencies executing those programs in pursuit of a partner’s full-spectrum capabilities. Finally, the foundation of our approach is cooperation, underpinned by listening to our international partners and other SC stakeholders to identify solutions that meet our common goals and take into account the needs of all stakeholders.
VISION
DSCA’s vision is to lead the Security Cooperation enterprise in delivering effective, enduring, and timely solutions, and serve as the source for SC expertise and innovation for our defense and foreign policy stakeholders to ensure the United States remains the global partner of choice.
DSCA’s Vision is comprised of three distinct but complementary efforts that each serve a major role in achieving the Goals outlined in the Strategic Plan by 2025
- Expand DSCA’s positive impact on the world
- Improve DSCA’s stakeholders’ experiences
- Enhance DSCA’s business operations and culture
First, by 2025, DSCA aims to have an expanded positive impact on the world, which enables the United States to be the partner of choice for national defense capability and capacity building as opposed to our strategic competitors. U.S. warfighters will have increased and enhanced access in all warfighting domains. Further, our foreign partners will be well-prepared to protect, secure, and control their own borders, ensure domestic stability for their populations, provide humanitarian assistance, and capably join U.S.-led coalitions to respond to disasters or conflicts. Because of DSCA’s partnerships around the globe, our industry partners will be more competitive on the world stage. A stronger U.S. industrial base supports the homeland and our ability to remain the most lethal military in the world, while simultaneously supporting our interests for greater interoperability with all of our allies and partners.
Second, by 2025, we expect our stakeholders to recognize DSCA as the lead and the model for Security Cooperation within the U.S. Government, and will routinely look to DSCA for advice and expertise in the myriad of SC functional areas. Our partners will seek DSCA out to solve problems and deliver results. They will know the Agency as the premier organization to help them develop and sustain defense solutions that address shared security challenges. They will view DSCA as a timely, responsive, and cost-effective organization that helps them develop tailored, innovative, and sustainable capabilities.
Finally, by 2025, DSCA’s enhanced business operations and culture will enable the SC community to operate powerfully together, executing our shared mission under improved SC-related laws and policies that support efforts government-wide. The SC community will be strategic and intentional in our engagements, and will effectively define the right, full-spectrum solutions (capacity and capability) with each partner. DSCA will remain committed to a culture of continuous improvement and adapt internal processes to keep up with changing national security demands. The DSCA staff, at all levels, will embrace a PARTNER culture where they will honor a diversity of thinking, experiences, and backgrounds. DSCA will be sought as a desirable destination for SC professionals and those who want to work in the SC domain, from entry-level personnel to seasoned practitioners, and staff will be proud to work there in support of U.S. national security objectives.