International Military Education and Multinational Military Cooperation

Abstract

Abstract : The core thesis is that American military officers can play a key role in countering incipient and overt perceptions of American arrogance. This report is based on interviews with international officers (IOs) at American war, command and staff colleges in each of the services who participate in International Military and Education and Training (IMET). Overall, the level of multinational cooperation is remarkable. At the IMET level, recommendations include: (1) make medical insurance available for family members of all foreign officers; (2) decrease the classified material unavailable to lOs because of security classifications; (3) add more curriculum content on multinational operations; (4) be alert to the unique status of Arab lOs; and (5) make more effort to incorporate the spouses of lOs into the American social scene. Regarding multinational headquarters, recommendations include: (1) some use of non-English phrases in social interaction with lOs; (2) avoid speaking too quickly or using acronyms that are not familiar; (3) be alert to the stereotype of Americans as having a zero-defects' or check-point mentality and an obsession with work; (4) encourage more cross-national informal activities; (5) read something about the home country of a fellow 10; and (6) rethink the career paths of Foreign Area Officers.