 Figure 1. Source of Military Assistance Program Training—formal OJT observer |
Air University Review, September-October 1968
Lieutenant Colonel Frank H. Robertson
The Military Assistance Program (MAP) is an integral part of the overall
There are several methods by which Military Assistance training can be
funded, just as in the materiel portion of the program.
The most common of these are Grant Aid and Foreign Military Sales. Under Grant
Aid, the
There are three main locales in which training under the Military Assistance Program takes place:
ConUS training. The training conducted in the continental
Overseas training. The training conducted by
In-country training. The most typical example of training conducted within a foreign country by personnel sent for that specific purpose is the Mobile Training Team. The team is composed of highly qualified officer and NCO specialists, who provide training assistance in a specific area. The team is limited to a maximum of six months in-country. Mobile Training Teams are normally provided from ConUS resources; however, overseas commands frequently provide them.
In the United States Air Force, the Air Training Command is the prime agency responsible for implementing the ConUS portion of the Military Assistance Training Program. The overseas major air commands handle MAP-sponsored training on bases and in units within their areas of operation. Headquarters United States Air Force and the overseas major air commands share the responsibility for providing Mobile Training Teams.
Air Training Command’s role in the Military Assistance Training Program is varied and widespread. In fulfilling its obligation, the command does more than provide training within its training centers and wings. It also renders a management service by arranging for training of foreign air force personnel in other USAF commands, by other services and government agencies, and through contract with civilian industries and universities. (Figure 1)
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Figure 1. Source of Military Assistance Program Training—formal OJT observer |
Generally speaking, Air Training Command’s responsibility is to schedule and monitor or conduct training that has been programmed by the Military Assistance Advisory Groups (MAAG) and approved for implementation by the Department of Defense. ATC publishes training schedules, authorizes the MAAG’s to send students at the appropriate time, handles administrative problems involved, moves trainees from one course to the next, and sends students home when they have finished all scheduled training. It also assists the MAAG’s in programming their requirements by recommending appropriate training to solve specific problems. Air Training Command receives and accounts for MAP monies to pay USAF and other agencies for training provided. Figure 2 depicts the MAP training channels of communication in accomplishing these tasks.
 Figure 2. Military Assistance Program Training channels in the United States |
During any given year 55-60 foreign countries participate in the Military
Assistance Training Program, and 2200-2500 students are trained. This represents
over 7000 training spaces each year, as trainees normally attend more than one
course of instruction. The scheduling of these personnel results in 1600-1800
students from 40-50 countries in ConUS training at
any one time. Of these, approximately 1200-1400 will be on Air Training Command
bases, the remainder being dispersed throughout the other commands and training
agencies in the ConUS. These students come from all
over the world. A survey of the trainees at one of the larger ATC training
centers would reveal students from widely diverse nations, varying from
industrial countries like the Federal Republic of Germany to emerging African
nations such as
Training provided under the Military Assistance Program varies almost as
much as the origin of the students. It ranges from familiarization with USAF
procedures and techniques to maintenance or operation of the world’s most
modern weapon systems. Limited numbers of personnel even receive
university-level education under MAP sponsorship. Many foreign trainees attend
Air Training Command’s undergraduate pilot training schools and then proceed to
other commands, primarily Tactical Air Command, for combat crew training.
Technical school graduates go on to OJT programs at various USAF units for
vital practice of their newly learned skills in an actual operational
environment. Various professional courses, such as those available at the USAF
School of Aerospace Medicine, or observer programs at USAF hospitals provide
training for foreign medical personnel. The Squadron Officer School and Air
Command and
Normally, Military Assistance training is limited to key personnel and instructors.
However, a notable exception is in the flying training area, specifically in
undergraduate pilot training. This type of training is, of course, very
expensive to establish, prohibitively so for many small countries. For this
reason it is much more economical to purchase or obtain through Grant Aid the
limited training spaces needed. Training can then be accomplished in either the
regular jet undergraduate pilot training course or in a special course in
propeller-driven aircraft. The regular USAF jet undergraduate pilot training
program is conducted at nine different Air Training Command bases scattered
throughout the southern and southwestern parts of the
For those countries that do not need training in jet aircraft the Air
Training Command conducts a course in conventional aircraft at Keesler Air Force Base,
For the past few years, the majority of students in the T-28 course have
been from the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF), though many from other
Asian, Latin American, and African countries have participated. Most of the
RVNAF trainees have either checked out as C-47 pilots or have gone to
Larger countries also encounter problems in providing for their own pilot
training. In the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), for instance, a combination
of limited airspace and bad flying weather makes training of jet pilots an
extremely difficult and hazardous task. The FRG Air Force, therefore, requested
assistance from the USAF in meeting its jet pilot training requirements. Since
they needed more jet training spaces than the USAF could sell them in its
regular undergraduate jet course, a joint agreement was reached and FRG Air
Force pilots are now being trained in a special course at Sheppard AFB,
Most people think of the Military Assistance Training Program as being paid
for by the
There also has been a gradual trend toward more sophisticated training. As the various countries throughout the world seek to modernize their air forces by higher-performance aircraft and associated equipment, there is an increased need for more highly qualified pilots and maintenance personnel. The United States Air Force has had much experience in preparing foreign air forces for receipt of new aircraft and has developed a most effective training plan to accomplish this. The F-5 Freedom Fighter training plan is an excellent example of the “cadre” concept. It provides for transition and instructor training for 6 pilots, maintenance and instructor training for 15 instructor technicians, and maintenance training for 36 key technicians. This program establishes both an instructor cadre and a maintenance cadre for the country.
The training of F-5 personnel is a joint effort by Air Training Command and
Tactical Air Command at Williams AFB,
At this time a Mobile Training Set, consisting of various training aids, mockups, cutaways, etc., is also delivered, and a USAF Mobile Training Team from Air Training Command arrives to set up the equipment. This team begins training additional maintenance personnel for the country. The instructor cadre assists this team and determines how to conduct the various courses. The cadre then takes over the training of a second group of technicians, and the USAF instructors observe and assist as necessary. This training period normally covers about three months. When this second group of technicians is trained, the Mobile Training Team returns home. Shortly before the team leaves, airframe and engine technical representatives (“Tech Reps”) arrive to assist the country technical instructors in conducting OJT and follow-on upgrade training. These personnel depart after one year, and the country Air Force is then on its own.
A similar joint training effort takes place with the pilot cadre and a
Mobile Training Team of two instructor pilots furnished by Tactical Air
Command. This cadre plan insures that sufficient numbers of aircrew and
maintenance personnel are trained and ready when the aircraft are delivered.
The plan, or modifications of it, has worked well in nine countries that are
now flying the F-5 Freedom Fighter:
Training for foreign students in the
English language training under the Military Assistance Program is provided
by the
Unless there are security limitations, foreign trainees are treated in the
same manner as their counterparts in the United States Air Force. They are also
expected to assume the same responsibilities as
Foreign trainees quite naturally experience many problems in adjusting to their new environment, and unique situations arise. To minimize their effects, a Foreign Training Office is established at each base where there are foreign trainees. The manning of these offices varies considerably, depending on the foreign student enrollment. At many locations the job of the Foreign Training Officer is an additional duty, whereas at others it may be a primary duty with several staff members to assist. In any case, the Foreign Training Office serves as the single point of contact on the base for matters pertaining to training and administration of foreign students. The Foreign Training Officer has a most difficult and perplexing job at times, but his efforts are rewarded by increased understanding and goodwill.
Selected countries also have liaison officers assigned to Air Training
Command to assist in the administration of their students. At present there are
liaison officers from
While the primary objective of the Military Assistance Training Program is
to develop professional and technical skills in foreign air forces, the program
has a second objective: to provide a better understanding of the United States
by introducing foreign trainees to the significant aspects of American life.
Called the Informational Program for Foreign Military Trainees and Visitors to
the United States (Informational Program for short), it is designed to expose
foreign trainees to American society, institutions, and ideals through
lectures, discussions, films, visits, and tours. The activities are carefully
planned by the Foreign Training Officers to meet the objectives of the program
and to utilize judiciously the limited funds available for this purpose. The scope
of the program includes agriculture, labor, education,
The Military Assistance Training Program, then, is many different things to our several allies. But to all of them, rich or poor, it is the vehicle that gives them the chance to have the best-trained air force in the free world. It also allows us the opportunity to work firsthand with our friends and neighbors. These correlative opportunities have the residual effect of helping to insure smooth international relations in years to come.
It has been demonstrated again and again that the people we train through
the Military Assistance Training Program rise to high positions in their
countries. While underscoring this fact, a former Secretary of Defense said, “In
all probability, the greatest return on a portion of our military assistance
investment—dollar for dollar—comes from the training of selected officers and
key specialists in
Air Training Command has been training foreign students for many years. Over
45,000 have been trained since 1950 in the
Hq
Air Training Command
Note
1. Dr. A. Glenn Morton, “The
Lieutenant Colonel Frank H. Robertson is Chief, Operations Division
Directorate of Military Assistance DCS/Plans, Hq Air Training Command. Commissioned from
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this
document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression,
academic environment of
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