Photo By Mallory Thornton | U.S. Department of War advisors from the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) gather with Salvadoran maritime forces in front of the Coast Guard service emblem during an institutional capacity-building workshop in Central America on June 9, 2026. By helping to standardize defense management policies for this newly established Coast Guard service, DSCU is ensuring allied forces are postured to responsibly employ capability investments and enhance regional stability in the Americas. (Courtesy Photo) see less
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Building the Foundation: How DSCU Advising Drives DoW Security Cooperation
WASHINGTON— In the realm of international security cooperation, the transfer of advanced defense technology requires a total package approach. The Defense Security Cooperation University’s (DSCU) total package approach to defense transfers includes working with allies and partners to strengthen institutional foundations that are prepared to manage, employ, and sustain U.S. capabilities and be effective guarantors of regional security.
The Defense Security Cooperation University addresses this critical gap through its global Defense Management Advising programs. By focusing on building human capital and institutional capacity, DSCU ensures U.S. Department of War (DoW) allies and partners are postured to efficiently absorb capability investments and operate responsibly alongside U.S. forces.
Driven by U.S. policy and aligned with the National Defense Strategy, DSCU employs expert resident and non-resident advisors to deliver training and advisory services and capacity building programs that strengthen partner countries’ defense management functions and bolster readiness.
"DSCU advising programs build partnerships that enhance impact, lethality, burden sharing, and when needed, interoperability,” said Wade Evans, Defense Management Advising Chief. “DSCU’s experienced resident and non-resident advisors work with allies and partners during multi-year engagements to assess institutional needs, strengthen defense management processes, and provide integrated support for planning, design, and program implementation.”
A recent engagement in Central America demonstrates the tangible impact of this advisory approach. Working in coordination with U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), DSCU advisors delivered targeted legal Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) support to the Salvadoran Coast Guard, Navy, Joint Staff, and Ministry of Defense.
The goal of the engagement was to establish the standardized policies and procedures essential for effective maritime interdiction. DSCU advisors collaborated with El Salvador defense officials to strengthen the country’s legal frameworks underpinning its maritime operations, specifically, the legal policies and procedures forces use to responsibly identify, interdict, and prosecute trans-boundary malign actors within its territorial waters.
"This recent engagement focused on the development of robust maritime interdiction and policy for El Salvador’s Navy and Coast Guard that will promote responsible, accountable, and effective employment of maritime forces to defend the border, counter transboundary criminal activity, and deter violent extremist and terrorist organizations," said John Cashman, DSCU Defense Management Advisor. "This leads to a safer and more prosperous Americas."
Whether delivered through multi-year, in-country engagements or virtual workshops, DSCU’s advising capabilities − executed under 10 U.S. Code Section 332 − go beyond temporary training. These long-term programs build sustainable partner institutional capacity while concurrently monitoring and evaluating program progress.
By focusing on long-term institutional reform, DSCU’s advising program secures a higher return on U.S. security assistance investment strengthening allied military effectiveness while enhancing partner capability and increasing international burden-sharing. Ultimately, these advising efforts integrate partner countries into a trusted, interoperable network that sustains regional stability.
