Recently, a DIILS team traveled to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to meet with various stakeholders on an ongoing maritime security cooperation effort.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Varna, Bulgaria to conduct a three-day human rights and law of armed conflict executive seminar at the Bulgarian Naval Academy with senior leaders from the Bulgarian Navy. Supporting team members included judge advocates from the Tennessee National Guard and the Center for Law and Military Operations.

DIILS Director, CAPT Ian Wexler, and other DIILS team members recently had the pleasure of hosting numerous DIILS Philippine alumni at the Manila Hotel. It was fantastic to see so many of the DIILS family in the Philippines!

A DIILS team traveled to Honduras to meet with members of their military as part of an ongoing security cooperation program.

A DIILS team traveled to Thailand to meet with various maritime agencies as part of a legal maritime security cooperation effort.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Peru to conduct a seminar on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict with members of the Peruvian military.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Estonia to conduct seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Micronesia to conduct seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

DIILS celebrated its 30th Anniversary at an event in Newport, Rhode Island earlier this month, joined by nearly one hundred esteemed guests, staff, colleagues and friends. DIILS was honored by the attendance of Director James Hursch, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), and Dr. Celeste Gventer, President of the Defense Security Cooperation University, who offered remarks on this significant milestone, and Ms. Tameka Collier, DSCA General Counsel. In his keynote remarks, Captain Ian Wexler, DIILS Director, reflected on the rich history of DIILS and how the organization and its mission have evolved over the last three decades. Former DIILS Directors Colonel Richard Price (USAF, ret.), Colonel Kirk Davies (USAF, ret.) and Captain Robert Sanders (USN, ret.) were also in attendance, as well as numerous former DIILS staff, adjunct instructors, and valued friends of DIILS.

Earlier this month, members of the DIILS Naval Reserve unit led a week-long course of instruction on ‘Rule of Law and Disciplined Operations’ for the class of international students in residence at the International Surface Warfare Officers School (ISWOS) on Naval Station Newport.

A DIILS Team traveled to Fiji last month to meet with members of the Fiji National Police and conduct a seminar on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

A DIILS team, which included legal colleagues from U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Naval Forces Africa, traveled to Mombasa, Kenya in September to meet with members of the Kenyan Navy as part of an ongoing security cooperation effort.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Djibouti to conduct seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

A DIILS team traveled to Bucharest, Romania earlier this month to meet with members of the Romanian Naval Forces as part of an ongoing security cooperation effort.

DIILS was pleased to participate in the sixth African military law forum in Botswana. Click here to read more.

Please join us in extending our congratulations and appreciation to Mrs. Lisa Clay on her retirement from federal civilian service after twenty years of dedicated service to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DIILS and our Nation.

In August, a DIILS team traveled to Colombia to meet with officials from the Colombian military as part of an ongoing security cooperation effort.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Nigeria to conduct seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

DIILS personnel had the honor of attending a ceremony to celebrate the career and retirement of CDR David T. Lee, JAGC, USN, who completed 28 years of active service with the U.S. Navy in 2020. Mr. Lee joined the DIILS staff in 2020 as a Maritime Institutional Capacity Building Attorney.

In May, a DIILS team traveled to Jamaica to meet with officials from the Jamaica Defense Forces as part of an ongoing security cooperation effort.

Did you know that DIILS will be celebrating our 30th anniversary beginning in October?

DIILS attended Oceania maritime security working group meetings in Singapore.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Senegal to conduct seminars on Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict.

In March 2022, a DIILS team traveled to Vietnam...

A DIILS team joined colleagues from the Institute for Security Governance to conduct an Institutional Capacity Building engagement with counterparts from the Defense Forces for Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Please join us in extending our congratulations and appreciation to Ms. Susan Kidd on her retirement from federal civilian service after nearly twelve years of dedicated service.

A DIILS team met with leaders from the Guatemalan Navy’s Caribbean and Pacific Naval Commands

In April, DIILS engaged with the RBDF and other Bahamas government stakeholders.

Please join us in extending our congratulations and appreciation to Mr. David Clay on his retirement from federal civilian service after twelve years of dedicated service to our Nation.

DIILS was recently part of a U.S. and Mongolian Armed Forces planning team at the Khaan Quest 22 Initial Planning Conference in Ulaanbaatar.

DIILS engaged with senior officials from the LAF

DIILS participated in the Black Sea Maritime Forum in Bucharest, Romania.

DIILS is pleased to announce that its 2022 Course Catalog is now available.

A DIILS team traveled to Bogota, Colombia in late January to conduct a military justice engagement with Colombia’s Military Justice Special Administrative Unit (JPM-SAU).

With deep sadness, we extend our condolences on the recent passing of a highly regarded former DIILS colleague, Mr. Jeffrey A. Davis, who was a Chief Legalman in the US Navy Reserve. He will forever remain a part of the DIILS extended family.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Uzbekistan

A DIILS team recently traveled to Garoua, Cameroon to meet with members of the Cameroonian Armed Forces to conduct Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict Seminars.

Dr. Celeste Ward Gventer has been selected to be the new president of Defense Security Cooperation University.

A DIILS team traveled to Constanta, Romania this month to conduct a maritime Institutional Capacity Building engagement.

A DIILS team recently traveled to Riga, Latvia to meet with members of the Latvian National Armed Forces to conduct Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict Seminars.

The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) is recruiting for an attorney (international/military) position for maritime legal institution capacity building at Naval Station Newport, RI. DIILS is a joint agency activity under the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

In September 2021, DIILS had the honor of co-hosting the Baltic Regional Operational Law Workshop with the legal department of the Estonian Ministry of Defense in Tallin, Estonia.

DIILS conducted a Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict seminar for the Djiboutian Navy

A team from the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, joined by Gender Advisors from USNORTHCOM, US Army North, and the US Office of Defense Cooperation in Mexico City delivered a Women, Peace, and Security focused International Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law training to lawyers and emerging leaders in the Mexican Army and Air Force (SEDENA) and Mexican Navy and Marines (SEMAR) in August in Mexico City.

A DIILS team traveled to Ukraine in August and met with partners from Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University and the Military Law Institute in Kharkiv.

A DIILS team met with the Special Operations Unit of the Armed Forces of Malta to conduct a Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict Seminar.

DIILS participated in a Black Sea Maritime Collaboration tabletop exercise jointly sponsored by the Department of State Export Control and Related Border Security Program and U.S. Naval Forces Europe in Batumi, Georgia.

DIILS Team met with maritime stakeholders from the Bulgarian Navy, Ministry of Defense, Border Guard and Maritime Administration in Sofia, Bulgaria.

DIILS team discussed legal aspects of peacekeeping operations with a contingent from the Moldovan Armed Forces.

DIILS bids adieu to much-valued colleagues.

Multi-award winning international correspondent provides presentation.

DIILS met with the Secretary General of the government of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Celebrating Memorial Day.

DIILS conducts advanced-level seminar with the State Security Service of Georgia.

DIILS announces new Maritime Program Director.

Coins and Letters of Appreciation presented to staff members of Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command.

It is with deep sadness that we extend our condolences on passing of a highly regarded former DIILS colleague, Mr. Aubrey Bogle

DIILS recently conducted a 3-day virtual maritime ICB engagement with the Bahrain Coast Guard (BCG). It was the first formal meeting with DIILS since a pre-COVID visit in December 2019 which introduc

DIILS conducted a virtual institution capacity building (ICB) engagement with the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian Ministry of Defense in February. This was DIILS’s first formal ICB engagement with Bulga

DIILS recently conducted a virtual engagement with Vietnam government officials on maritime security operations.

Covid 19 may have impeded air travel, but DIILS team members have been busy engaging virtually with some of our partner nations.

DIILS recently graduated 15 students from our Military Justice Resident Course. Countries represented were Egypt, Kenya, Lithuania, Slovak Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Republic of North Macedonia, Ni

DSCA Director, Ms. Heidi Grant, and DSCA Senior Enlisted Advisor, CMSgt Daniel Simpson, visit DIILS and meet with DIILS staff and international participants in our Military Justice resident course.

DIILS graduated 24 students from the 2020 LCC Course. Countries represented were Cameroon, Egypt, Guatemala, Maldives, Philippines, Kenya, Lithuania, Slovak Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Republic of N