Security Assistance: Observations on Post-Cold War Program Changes
NSIAD-92-248
Published: Sep 30, 1992. Publicly Released: Oct 05, 1992.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed U.S. security assistance programs, focusing on: (1) the programs' purposes and goals; (2) changes in the International Military Education and Training (IMET) Program; (3) human rights training and violations; and (4) the impact on military personnel's careers of being assigned to security assistance organizations.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Director, Defense Security Assistance Agency (DSAA), to complete the implementation of a mechanism to evaluate the Expanded IMET program. |
Closed – Implemented
DSAA funded and the Army Training and Doctrine Command evaluated the effectiveness of IMET in the Republic of Korea. This was the first phase of a broader effort to develop a process for measuring the effectiveness of the IMET program. Agency officials said further efforts to develop a system to evaluate effectiveness were delayed indefinitely due to lack of funding. However, DOD's revised Security Assistance Management Manual dated May 10, 1994, and the Department of State's June 1994 revised guidance on annual training plans requires an annual assessment of training goals and effectiveness of the training program. Security assistance officers have been instructed to include evaluation data in annual 2-year training plans.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Director, DSAA, to revise the Security Assistance Management Manual to reflect the language in the Foreign Assistance Act concerning human rights awareness training to international students. |
Closed – Implemented
The revised Security Assistance Management Manual, dated May 10, 1994, has been issued. Chapter 10, which covers IMET and expanded IMET training and education, was completely revised and emphasizes human rights. Further, in August 1994, DSAA issued a revised Information Program (IP) Handbook with specific objectives, guidelines, and lesson plans for IMET students on human rights training.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Director, DSAA, to develop programs that will make more specific human rights training available to international students. |
Closed – Implemented
DSAA issued a revised Security Assistance Management Manual in May 1994. Chapter 10 of the revised manual includes language on human rights awareness training.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Director, DSAA, to continue efforts to develop a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of the human rights awareness training, as part of the evaluation system for IMET. |
Closed – Implemented
An effort was started to develop a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of human rights training. DSAA funded and the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) evaluated the effectiveness of training in the Republic of Korea. Korea was the first IMET effectiveness evaluation effort in a broader effort to develop a process for measuring the effectiveness of the IMET program, including human rights training. Agency officials said that further efforts to evaluate program effeciveness have been delayed indefinitely because of a lack of funding. Also, in June 1994 the Department of State revised its guidance on annual training goals and effectiveness of the training program, including human rights.
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Topics
Civil rightsCultural exchange programsForeign military assistanceForeign military trainingInternational cooperationInternational relationsMilitary personnelProgram evaluationTraining utilizationMilitary forces