Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks emphasized the importance of the United States’ network of military partnerships across the globe in maintaining its strategic advantage over competitors during a ceremony at the Pentagon. The Defense Security Cooperation Service was established to provide oversight and management of the security cooperation workforce within the Defense Department. Hicks praised the hard work of the community and highlighted the significant payoff of having well-trained and equipped allied and partner militaries operating alongside U.S. forces in regions like Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific.
The partnerships forged through decades of defense security cooperation initiatives have provided the U.S. with a major asymmetric advantage over its strategic competitors. The defense security cooperation enterprise has facilitated over $1.2 trillion in foreign military sales and assistance since 1950. The demand for security assistance from U.S. allies and partners has increased significantly in recent years, with over $100 billion provided in fiscal year 2024 alone. Hicks noted that these partnerships should not be taken for granted, especially in the face of rising global aggression.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s directive last June aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of U.S. foreign military sales and security cooperation efforts to remain competitive in a generational era of strategic competition. The creation of the Defense Security Cooperation Service is a response to this directive, consolidating the infrastructure supporting the security cooperation workforce into a single organization. The new service will provide oversight, management, and analysis of security cooperation workforce staffing levels and assignments globally while ensuring operational control of trained specialists at the combatant command level.
Hicks highlighted the significance of the new service as a key step in driving long-term change within the security cooperation enterprise. She emphasized the importance of a well-trained and well-resourced workforce in meeting the demands of U.S. allies and partners in future wars. The launch of the Defense Security Cooperation Service marks the beginning of a new chapter for the security cooperation enterprise, with opportunities for success and challenges in meeting the evolving needs of allied and partner militaries. Hicks encouraged the security cooperation community to continue delivering for their warfighters to shape the outcome of future conflicts.
