Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Transition from regimented military life to a less structured college life can pose considerable challenges for student veterans. However, student veterans may be reluctant to seek psychological help because of the help-seeking stigma in the military culture. The present study investigated the measurement structure, reliability, and validity of the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale in a sample of student veterans in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor measurement structure: (a) feeling of inadequacy, and (b) threat to self-confidence with relevant internal consistency reliability and construct validity. In the present study, feeling of inadequacy was found to be associated with interpersonal relationship problems, alcohol, and drug use problems, and depression, while threat to self-confidence was found to be associated with alcohol and drug use problems only. Implications for outreach services and the use of positive psychology interventions to lessen the stigma associated with seeking help are discussed.

To engage in the community and the workplace requires physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing. Health promotion is a crucial rehabilitation counselling function for the health and wellbeing of people living with chronic illness and disability (CID). This exploratory review seeks to examine theories and models of motivation applicable to health promotion interventions in rehabilitation counselling practice. Although no single theory can address all the potential variables affecting people with CID's health behaviours, Bandura's (1977) concept of self-efficacy and outcome expectancy appear to be the most common factors in the health promotion models we surveyed. Among theories of motivation, only self-determination theory specifically includes a motivation variable, autonomy (internal and external motivation). We developed a diagram to depict a model, including all the theories and models covered in this exploratory review and identify commonalities among their constructs. This diagram can be used by rehabilitation counsellors to apply theories and models of motivation in case conceptualisation, formulating clinical hypotheses, developing treatment plans, and selecting and implementing evidence-based health promotion interventions for their clients.

In assisting states facing insurgencies, few subjects are more vital than understanding the manner in which external aid can be applied in a sustainable manner. Colombia, touted by proponents as a case study for astute application of external reinforcement for democracy, is just as often held up by critics as an illustration of the misplaced priorities of the US. No part of the critique is more prevalent than assertions concerning the nature of US military assistance. American aid to counterinsurgency filled particular capacity gaps and enhanced capabilities that already existed. These were possible due to the Colombian ability to absorb input.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency's Tom Smith details the United State's efforts to create an informational and relational database for mine/UXO identification in Southeast Asia and its importance in targeting landmines.

Congress has authorized billions of dollars for new security cooperation programs since 2001 to meet an ever-widening set of national security challenges. This report analyzes the obstacles that the Department of Defense faces in tracking its spending on security cooperation activities and recommends ways to streamline its reporting process to meet new requirements for transparency imposed by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.

Abstracts Foreign military personnel routinely participate in educational and cultural programs administered by the U.S. military. In addition to bolstering the capacity of the recipient military, one of the primary goals of these programs is to professionalize the military of the recipient state. It is hoped not only that the soldiers will internalize norms of human rights and democracy themselves but also that they will become influential members of the military in the future. Existing cross-national research, along with selective anecdotes of U.S.-trained soldiers leading coups and rebellions, suggests that military aid may be ineffective. To date, however, a nuanced understanding of the more granular effects of military aid on the recipient country has been hindered by a lack of data and a focus on the macro-level. We address this lacuna by examining norm transmission among a sample of the Hungarian officer corps. We show that while soldiers who graduated from IMET programs display more favorability toward human rights and democracy, they do not believe the military should remain insulated from policymaking. We believe this is a valuable step toward a deeper understanding of how U.S. military aid shapes recipient militaries and, more broadly, how norms are transmitted between allies.

Long reliant on imported arms, Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states are pursuing ambitious strategies to localise defence production and build technological sovereignty. This article argues that their prospects are best understood through the lens of New Defence – a framework defined by the spin-in of civilian technologies, software-defined engineering, and private financing models. After outlining these structural features, the article examines GCC initiatives in space and artificial intelligence, two dual-use sectors where Gulf investments are most advanced. The analysis shows that whilst GCC projects strongly align with civilian technology appropriation, AI, and software-defined innovation, they remain heavily dependent on state-led financing and lack operational feedback loops. The paper concludes that institutional reform and integration into global innovation cycles are essential for success.

The forces of natural law selection prompt animal species to make preference decisions to maximize their survival utility. Those species making decisions in this way survive, and those which do not tend towards extinction. This process appears to follow a decreasing marginal utility trend with a logarithmic probability distribution, which is identical to Benford’s Law. This suggests that Benford’s Law is a descriptive statistic of this natural selection process. Additionally, the customers of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s foreign military sales program presumably also attempt to optimize their survival utility, and exhibit purchasing patterns correlating strongly with Benford’s Law. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a mathematical phenomenon, Benford’s Law, may prove to be a useful means of understanding the buying behavior of DSCA’s foreign customers. This paper also suggests an informal proof of Benford’s Law.

All democracies wrestle with the problem of representation. Most people intuitively understand this through electoral politics, but this connection is less clear when we consider bureaucracy. And when it comes to civil-military relations, many think about this problem in terms of “civilian control.” We present a different approach and contribute to this literature in three ways. First, we critique assumptions often used in thinking about civilian control. Second, we offer a classification system with three schools of thought on the problem of bureaucratic accountability. These are the (a) political control school (representation through the politics-administration dichotomy and compliance model), (b) responsiveness through institutional design school (representation through formal institutions), and (c) responsibility through values school (representation through informal institutions). We provide examples from scholarship and cinema for each school to aid in understanding and to facilitate teaching and learning. Third, using bureaucratic accountability as an organizing concept, we propose bureaucratic discretion as a different organizing problem or puzzle for civil-military relations scholars to consider. Furthermore, by providing an organizing concept for civil-military relations using insights from the field of public administration, we additionally lay the groundwork to encourage public administration scholars to conduct research on civil-military relations.

Rather than military factors, American and Western liberal ideas (ideological views) and politics explain many of the obstacles faced in rebuilding the Afghan and Iraqi Armies. Liberal ideas largely determined what options the coalition would use. Ideological factors help explain democratization and reconstruction challenges, partner leaders with divergent aims, military-cultural factors and the Western combat focus, politicization, corruption, and nepotism. This article reviews the differences between Western liberal democracies and partner states, the politics of counterinsurgency, and army accounts. This article will assist US practitioners in security cooperation, institutional capacity building, and security assistance.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have emerged as effective mediators in the Russia-Ukraine war, focusing on issue-specific negotiations, particularly prisoner of war (POW) exchanges and family reunifications. Against the backdrop of an intractable conflict with limited traditional mediation options, both Gulf countries have leveraged their strong diplomatic ties with Moscow and Kyiv to establish themselves as credible intermediaries. These efforts are analysed through the concept of niche diplomacy, examining how small states can amplify their global influence by focusing their foreign policy resources on specialised areas. Using a comparative framework, three key variables – timing and implementation of mediation, mediator style and underlying interests – are used to assess the distinct approaches of the UAE and Qatar. The findings demonstrate that Abu Dhabi and Doha have used mediation not only to address humanitarian concerns but also to reinforce domestic legitimacy, elevate their international standing and promote more pragmatic geopolitical interests.

This chapter explores how the U.S. Department of Defense plans and executes Building Partner Capacity projects in lower-middle and low-income partners. U.S. planners and practitioners rarely understand the effective preconditions that influence partner security apparatus and infrastructure. Consequently, security capabilities provided to the partner are rarely sustained and provide questionable security to the affected population. The U.S. Department of Defense employs a threepart approach to building security in partnership: training and equipping, developing institutional capacity, and monitoring and evaluating. U.S. security planners should manage all three parts concurrently to produce a security capability that the partner uses and sustains, thereby lessening pressure on the U.S. This chapter will take the reader through a brief background on U.S. security exports, current U.S. DOD program planning and management principles, with particular attention given to security assessments and how getting those assessments right or wrong contributes to success or failure in the implementation of the security project.

The latest events of ground-to-air Man Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) attacks against aircraft have revealed a new threat both for military and civilian aircraft. Consequently, the implementation of protecting systems (i.e. Directed Infra Red Counter Measure − DIRCM) in order to face IR guided missiles turns out to be now inevitable. In a near future, aircraft will have to possess detection, tracking, identification, targeting and jamming capabilities to face MANPAD threats. Besides, Multiple Missiles attacks become more and more current scenarios to deal with. In this paper, a practical example of DIRCM systems under study at SAGEM DEFENSE & SECURITY Company is presented. The article is the continuation of a previous SPIE one. Self-protection solutions include built-in and automatic locking-on, tracking, identification and laser jamming capabilities, including defeat assessment. Target Designations are provided by a Missile Warning System. Targets scenarios including multiple threats are considered to design systems architectures. In a first step, the article reminds the context, current and future threats (IR seekers of different generations...), and scenarios for system definition. Then, it focuses on potential self-protection systems under study at SAGEM DEFENSE & SECURITY Company. Different strategies including target identification, multi band laser and active imagery have been previously studied in order to design DIRCM System solutions. Thus, results of self-protection scenarios are provided for different MANPAD scenarios to highlight key problems to solve. Data have been obtained from simulation software modeling full DIRCM systems architectures on technical and operational scenarios (parametric studies).

Researching and Teaching Second Language Writing in the Digital AgeMimi LiCham: Palgrave Macmillan, US $ 120, ISBN 9783030877095 (Hardback), 243 pages, 2022

Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly supporting targeting, intelligence analysis and operational planning across military domains, reshaping how commanders use force through human–machine teaming (HMT). HMT offers operational advantages, but risks such as automation bias, adversarial manipulation and degraded performance pose challenges for the ability of deployers to use AI systems in compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL). This article argues that adherence to IHL cannot be deferred until hostilities arise; system design, testing, governance and training must be structured in advance to establish the conditions under which AI-enabled human–machine teams can exercise appropriate human judgement consistent with IHL obligations. The paper proposes an HMT Assurance Card, a cross-disciplinary life-cycle instrument integrating IHL obligations, civilian harm pattern analysis and AI governance frameworks into measurable standards applicable across the AI system life cycle, defence institutions and coalition environments.

The authors consider what expert-level security cooperation professionals need to know about integrating their areas of expertise into the national security framework, identify the skills and capabilities they need to develop their expertise, and research how best to deliver that instruction, all in support of developing a course of instruction that meets these criteria and can be implemented by the Defense Security Cooperation University.

János Besenyő’s Darfur Peacekeepers: The African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (AMIS) from the Perspective of a Hungarian Military Advisor presents a comprehensive first-hand record from a H...

Illicit money and Blood money are timely nods to the role that financial networks play in enabling and supporting the work of violent non-state actors, extremist organizations and transnational organized crime. From Mali to Mindanao, the widespread activities of these actors continue to add further complexity to unstable contexts across the globe. While prior works on illicit finance have focused on the use of conventional banking systems and real-estate transactions, Jessica Davis's and Margaret Sankey's contributions significantly broaden the scope of activities that must be considered, while consolidating evidence of the weaponization of money. These two exceptional books will significantly contribute to readers’ literacy on illicit financial activity. In sum, both shed light on the role of financial tradecraft in supporting the longevity and extending the strategic reach of the extremist organizations examined. Thus, Davis and Sankey demonstrate how illicit financing channels are as important as operational tradecraft, for nefarious actors, to achieve tactical goals.

Abstract Military leadership has undergone significant evolution in recent centuries, reflecting changes in society, technology, operations, and doctrine. In today’s uncertain global environment, innovation in military leadership is crucial for addressing emerging challenges. Numerous examples from various periods are used to understand how military leadership has adapted to meet these evolving challenges. This research paper provides a clear definition of innovative military leadership and links it to existing leadership theories, highlighting the factors that differentiate it from traditional models. It examines the differences between traditional and innovative leadership, as well as the essential skills and characteristics required for an innovative leader, such as creative thinking, flexibility, and a focus on change. The paper emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking and adaptability to new technologies, analyzing the impact of innovative leadership in both warfare and peacekeeping operations. Innovative military leadership plays a crucial role in addressing international threats, such as hybrid warfare, terrorism, and cybersecurity challenges. It explores leadership models, including decentralized leadership, and the integration of artificial intelligence in strategic decision-making, while underscoring the significance of communication and coordination in uncertain environments. Technology plays a vital role in innovative military leadership, including the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced information systems, which significantly impact the style and effectiveness of military command. These modern tools are transforming how commanders make decisions and lead operations in the field. Another key aspect of this paper is the importance of education and training in developing innovative military leadership. The study highlights the need to research and adapt academic programs and training curricula to prepare future officers and commanders to lead in complex and constantly evolving environments. This remains a constant challenge for educational and training institutions within the Armed Forces, particularly the Armed Forces Academy. The central question that arises is: What skills and knowledge are needed to develop military leaders capable of leading in an era of rapid change? In conclusion, this research paper on “Transforming military leadership through innovative development approaches” aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how individuals can adapt to lead in a world transformed by technology and global dynamics. It also emphasizes the development of strategies that can lead to the success of military leadership in the face of emerging global security challenges.

Defence exhibitions serve as key platforms for engagement among military officials, defence industry leaders, and policy-makers. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia play central roles, not just as hosts, but as active participants, leveraging these events to advance foreign policy, security, and economic goals. Whilst offering some visibility into military-industrial trends, most arms deals are negotiated bilaterally, limiting the exhibitions’ direct role in defence procurement. Their primary function is symbolic: projecting strategic ambitions, showcasing shifts in defence priorities, and signalling foreign policy realignments. Beyond security, these events also support broader economic diversification strategies. By expanding their Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sectors, both countries aim to drive job creation, attract investment, and foster industrial localisation. Defence exhibitions thus operate less as transactional arms markets and more as instruments of strategic signalling and economic policy, reinforcing the Gulf’s dual-track approach to national security and post-oil economic transformation.