Over 360 USMILGP Personnel Complete Essential Education and Training in FY2026

Defense Security Cooperation Agency:

"In fiscal year (FY) 2026, the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) educated and trained more than 360 U.S. Military Group (USMILGP) personnel, including officers, civilians, and spouses, support personnel, and Locally Employed Staff. Through revamped, cohort-based courses based on real-world scenarios offered in the National Capital Region (NCR), these Department of War (DoW) representatives build readiness and relationships that better assist allies and partners in identifying defense sales requirements, improving Letters of Request (LORs), and accelerating the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.

DSCU’s Defense Security Cooperation Organization Institute (DSI) delivered new courses within the Certification 2.0 Security Cooperation Organization (SCO) Functional Area, implemented critical curriculum updates in collaboration with faculty members from across DSCU, and integrated practical experience and site visits across its course offerings in FY2026.

As described by Dr. Sonya Finley, DSCU Deputy Assistant Director and Dean, Workforce Education and Development, “We comprehensively revamped SCO curriculum to better advance SCO competencies, specifically strategic planning, Security Cooperation program lifecycle management, and diplomatic representation. Our courses immerse students in contemporary, real-world issues through experiential learning activities, engagements, and network building tailored to student follow-on operational assignments. Through focused engagement with Security Cooperation stakeholders, especially within Geographic Combatant Commands and Implementing Agencies, DSCU faculty ensure our courses accurately reflect the dynamic policy and security environment."

Central to this effort was the SCO-250/SCO-300: SCO Qualification Course. This intensive, seven-week resident course conducted at DSCU Headquarters in the NCR is mandatory for military and civilian personnel assigned for the first time to U.S. embassy-based USMILGPs. Featuring a hands-on capstone project, the course graduated more than 150 USMILGP personnel across four iterations, equipping them with specialized competencies in partner-nation engagement, FMS, and interagency coordination.

DSCU also delivered five additional instructor-led SCO functional area courses: • SCO-350: SCO Refresher Course • SCO-245: SCO Operations Support Course • SCO-235: SCO Spouse Course • SCO-215: Locally Employed Staff Course • DA-210: Defense Advisor Course#_msocom_3

Together, these offerings provide USMILGP personnel, Ministry of Defense Advisors, Locally Employed Staff, and USMILGP family members with the operational foundation needed to support U.S. national security priorities and advance partner nation capability and capacity in their assignments.

SCO Functional Area Critical Curriculum Updates

To meet evolving defense security cooperation demands, DSCU updated core curriculum sections across four key areas: · Building Partner Capacity: Deepened instruction in Title 10 authority execution, statutory compliance, and congressional oversight. · FMS: Expanded instruction in streamlining case management and procurement timelines. · Working with Industry: Extended training in navigating commercial defense industrial base partnerships, supply chain realities, and contracting mechanisms. · International Armaments Cooperation: Improved approaches to co-development, co-production, and bilateral system interoperability.

These enhancements ensure this critical workforce possesses the specialized expertise required by statutory mandates and the National Defense Strategy to achieve national security objectives.

Operational Immersion and Experiential Readiness

To translate classroom concepts into field readiness, DSCU embedded high-fidelity practical scenarios and site visits into its SCO functional area courses throughout the fiscal year: · Logistics Immersion: DSCU faculty escorted recent SCO250/300 graduates slated for assignments in USMILGPs across the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command to Mechanicsburg, Pa. Students consulted with experts at the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command and toured the Naval Supply Systems Command Joint Consolidation Point to examine Title 10 and Building Partner Capacity-funded materiel staging, packing, and global multimodal transportation. · Diplomatic Mock Reception: To evaluate students under realistic embassy working conditions, DSCU concluded every SCO-250/300 course iteration with a high-fidelity mock diplomatic reception. Supported by role-players from Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) leadership and staff, the exercise evaluated students in interpersonal diplomacy, strategic messaging, and protocol navigation. · NCR Strategic Briefings & Consultations: Cohorts engaged in strategic high-level interagency consultations across the NCR with senior leaders from the Joint Staff J5, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy, Department of State, Defense Intelligence Agency, DSCA, Navy Security Cooperation, the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, and partner interagency stakeholders.

Accountability and Evolution

DSCU holds itself accountable to a higher standard of Security Cooperation education and practice by building and using evidence-based knowledge to inform DSCU’s operations, curriculum, and teaching methodologies.

In the final week of September, DSCU convened its inaugural SCO functional area instructional review forum. The event brought faculty together in person and virtually with Geographic Combatant Command leaders, operational practitioners, and industry partners to review course relevancy, integrate advising best practices, and refine adult learning methodologies.

By grounding instruction in rigorous real-world practice, interagency collaboration, and data-driven analysis, the university continues to ensure defense practitioners stand ready to strengthen global alliances and execute U.S. national security priorities worldwide."