Ilankai Tamil Sangam

29th Year on the Web

Association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the USA

US Military Training for Sri Lankan Armed Forces

by US Defense Dept. & US State Dept., no date, accessed April 26, 2012

The IMET program is an instrument of U.S. national security and foreign policy and a key component of U.S. security assistance that provides training on a grant basis to students from allied and friendly nations. 

Foreign Military Training In Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, Volume I and Volume II (Country Training Activities)*
U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of State Joint Report to Congress

Sri Lanka

  2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011
Program Individual
Students
Course
Count
Dollar
Value
Individual
Students
Course
Count
Dollar
Value
CTFP 18 10 $768,384 0 0 0
DOHS/USCG 2 2 $15,584 0 0 0
FMS 24 1 $719,543 0 0 0
IMET-1 78 11 $680,274 0 0 0
Non-SA, UC, JCET 50 2 $133,766 0 1 $405,000
Regional Centers 61 24 $380,074 19 6 $220,326 24 $380,074 19 6 $220,326
Service Academies 4 2 $287,416 0 0 0
TOTAL 237 51** $2,985,041 19 7 $625,326

 

**Course count does not total correctly as individual courses were reported under multiple programs.
- Train a professional army cognizant of human rights, the rules of warfare, and civilian control of the military
- Enhance Sri Lanka's maritime security capabilities
- Support Sri Lanka's capability to participate in humanitarian and UN peacekeeping missions
- Support humanitarian demining in Sri Lanka

State-funded activities reported include: International Military Education and Training (IMET); Foreign Military Financing (FMF)-funded training; International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) programs; African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA); the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI); and the FAA-authorized drawdown for narcotics education and training.

DoD-funded activities reported include: the Regional Defense Combating Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP); Section 1004 Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Training Support (CDTS); Combatant Command Security Cooperation Activities (e.g., counter-narcotics, humanitarian demining); and other Non-Security Assistance programs.

Miscellaneous DoD activities reported include: the Service Academy Foreign Student Program; the Aviation Leadership Program; Professional Military Education (PME) Exchanges; Regional Programs (the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies (Marshall Center), the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies (CHDS), the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA Center), and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS)); Section 1206; and certain classified Combatant Command activities.

Although DoD does not consider Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) events to be training, they are included in this report. Some categories of training, such as Expanded-IMET (E-IMET) activities, CTFP, and the programs of the Regional Centers, also include training of non-military personnel and some non-training counterdrug activities.

from State Dept.:

Security Assistance Team

PM/PPA's Security Assistance Team develops military assistance policy and manages security assistance funding through three programs: Foreign Military Financing (FMF), International Military Education and Training (IMET), and Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). The Security Assistance Team, in close cooperation with the Director of Foreign Assistance, regional bureaus, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and U.S. regional combatant commanders, determines military assistance policy, develops and manages the programs' budgets, provides notifications to Congress, supports determinations made to waive legislative constraints on security assistance funding, distributes funds, and provides program oversight. Additionally, PM/PPA coordinates and implements State Department participation in the new Defense Department authority (section 1206) that provides DoD resources to build the capacity of global partners to respond to urgent and emergent needs and challenges. Beginning in FY 2011, PM/PPA will manage the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund, a program designed specifically to enhance Pakistan’s counterinsurgency (COIN) capability.

Foreign Military Financing (FMF)

Foreign Military Financing is a critical foreign policy tool for promoting U.S. interests around the world by ensuring that coalition partners and friendly foreign governments are equipped and trained to pursue common security objectives and share burdens in joint missions. By providing grants for the acquisition of U.S. military equipment, services, and training, FMF promotes U.S. national security by contributing to regional and global stability, strengthening military support for democratically-elected governments, fighting terrorism around the world, and containing other transnational threats including trafficking in narcotics, weapons and persons.

These grants enable the United States to foster closer military relationships and build stronger multilateral coalitions with key allies and friends by improving their defense capabilities and enhancing interoperability. By increasing demand for U.S. systems, FMF also contributes to a strong U.S. defense industrial base, an important element of U.S. national defense strategy that reduces costs for Department of Defense acquisitions and secures more jobs for American workers. [See Foreign Military Financing Account Summaries.]

Sri Lanka
2006- 990
2007 - 990
-
-
2010 est. - 1,000
2011 request - $1,000

 

International Military Education and Training (IMET)

The International Military Education and Training program is an instrument of U.S. national security and foreign policy and a key component of U.S. security assistance by providing training on a grant basis to students from allied and friendly nations. In addition to improving defense capabilities and contributing to the professionalization of foreign militaries, IMET facilitates the development of important relationships that have proven useful in providing U.S. access and influence in a critical sector of society that often plays a pivotal role in supporting or transitioning to democratic governments. [See International Military Education and Training Account Summaries.]

International Military Education and Training (IMET) Account Summary

http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/sat/c14562.htm , June 23, 2010

Sri Lanka
2006 - 529
2007 - 483
2008 - 603
2009 - 419
2010 est.  - 750
2011 request - $800,000

 

Peacekeeping Operations (PKO)

In addition to UN missions, the U.S. has a strong interest in supporting peacekeeping activities that are not UN mandated or funded. PKO funding provides support to regional peace support operations for which neighboring countries take primary responsibility. PKO funds are also used to support implementation of peace agreements and enhance the capability of other nations to participate in voluntary peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and humanitarian operations in order to reduce the burden on U.S. military personnel and resources. [See Peacekeeping Operations Account Summaries.]

Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

The NDAA authorized the use of DoD funds to build the capacity of a foreign country's national military forces in order for that country to conduct counterterrorist operations or participate in or support military or stability operations in which U.S. Armed Forces are a participant. Since FY 2006, the State Department and Defense Department have been working to jointly develop and implement programs under 1206 authority.