DSCA is recruiting for a Budget Analyst. GS-0560-11. This position is located within DSCU/COS/OS/Budget with a duty location of WPAFB, Dayton, OH. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

The Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) is pleased to announce its first grant and cooperative agreement awards for security cooperation research. DSCU sponsored these research projects for the first time as part of efforts to fulfill the mandates outlined in Title 10 U.S. Code Section 384.     

  Following fiscal year 2024 appropriations and a rigorous application review, DSCU awarded seven grants and one cooperative agreement for research that will span across a wide array of security cooperation topics.  

  Awardees include:  

• Dr. William Reno (Northwestern University), Dr. Ryan Burke (U.S. Air Force Academy) and Lt. Col. Dr. Jahara Matisek (U.S. Naval War College)  
• Dr. Renanah Joyce (Georgetown University)  
• Dr. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy and Dr. Amira Jadoon (Clemson University)  
• Dr. Ryan Grauer (University of Pittsburgh) and Dr. Rosella Cappella Zielinski (Boston University)  
• Mr. Robert Foxcurran (Independent Scholar)  
• Dr. Vasabjit Banerjee (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) and Dr. Benjamin Tkach (Mississippi State University)  
• Dr. Louis Alexandre Berg (Georgia State University)  
• Dr. Seth Jones, Dr. Daniel Byman, and Mr. Alexander Palmer (Center for Strategic and International Studies)   

  DSCU’s Brigadier General Charles Young Research, Analysis, and Lessons Learned Institute (Young Institute) manages the sponsored research program. Upon completion, the Young Institute will ensure policy-relevant implications are made accessible to practitioners to advance evidence-based decision-making in the field of security cooperation.  

  A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) is posted on the DSCU website and Grants.gov. The NFO details project eligibility and the application process.   

  DSCU sponsors theory-, evidence-, and data-building projects that meet standards of scientific rigor and align substantively with DSCU research priorities. The grants competition is open to all researchers, including university and professional military education faculty, scholars in think tanks and industry, and the security cooperation workforce.  

  Those interested in learning more about DSCU-sponsored research, please sign up here or contact the Young Institute Grants team at dsca.dscu.grants@mail.mil.    

  About  

  DSCU’s mission is to advance the knowledge and practice of security cooperation through the education, training, and development of the U.S. Security Cooperation workforce and through the education, training, and institutional capacity building of partner nations; and to produce research, analysis, and lessons learned that expand the intellectual foundations of security cooperation.  

  The Young Institute advances the DSCU mission by fostering analysis, research, scholarship, and critical inquiry that advances the field of security cooperation, enables application of lessons learned, and promotes evidence-based decision-making.  

DSCA is recruiting for a Program Support Assistant (OA) GS-0303-07.  This position is located within DSCU/COS/OS/OPS with a duty location of Arlington, VA. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting their application at the link above.

DSCA is recruiting for a Regional Center Analyst GS-0301-11/12/13.  This position is located within DSCU/IMTE with a duty location of Arlington, VA. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) is pleased to announce the next stage of the phased launch of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Security Cooperation Workforce (SCW) Certification 2.0 Program. As of October 1, 2024, SCW members can map their Certification 2.0 course requirements by registering for fiscal year (FY) 2025 DSCU courses.  

The approximately 15,000 DOD personnel assigned to statutorily defined and coded SCW positions can find Certification 2.0 resources, to include requirements, workforce coding details, frequently asked questions, and registration information, here.  

The completely revamped Certification 2.0 Program will help ensure DOD personnel assigned to statutorily defined and coded SCW positions have the competency-based training and experience necessary to carry out assigned security cooperation responsibilities.  

To date, DSCU, in collaboration with the DOD security cooperation enterprise, has accomplished the main purpose of the Certification 2.0 Program, the establishment of a framework to guide DOD security cooperation training and education. This can be found in the Interim Implementation Guidelines for the DOD Security Cooperation Workforce Program 2.0.  

The second purpose of Certification 2.0 focuses on providing the SCW a consistent, disciplined mechanism to ensure National Defense Strategy (NDS) objectives are achieved through appropriate education, training, and development divided into nine functional areas. Certification 2.0 includes completely new and enhanced curriculum and a requirement to properly code SCW positions in manpower systems of record to reflect these enhancements. 

SCW members should familiarize themselves with the Certification 2.0 program using the Certification 2.0 FAQs; identify their position’s security cooperation code (SC Code), which ensures SCW members take the competency-based courses that best meet the requirements of their assigned billet; and register for future DSCU Courses. Note, due to capacity, demand, and faculty availability, the majority of courses will be available for registration over the next two fiscal years to ensure each member of the SCW can fulfill their certification requirements in the prescribed time. DSCU will continue to update the SCW as new sections and courses are added. 

DSCU created the Certification 2.0 Registration Fact Sheet to assist with course registration. This fact sheet will direct SCW members to the DSCU Course Catalog, and will aid in course registration according to a billet’s SC Code and proficiency level requirements.   

The new proficiency levels within Certification 2.0 are Level I Foundational, Level II Practitioner, Level III Expert, and Level IV Executive. Certification 2.0 requires all members of the workforce, including new and long-standing members, to obtain the appropriate professional, proficiency-based certification primarily determined by rank/grade.  

Beginning October 1, 2024, SCW members will be required to complete required certification courses by the following deadlines: 

• Foundational-Level Certification: Foundational coded SCW members have one year to complete all required Foundational-level courses. All SCW members require at least Foundational level certification, including those designated in the Support Enablers functional area. Foundational-level SCW members can begin their online training requirements today! 
•  Practitioner-Level Certification: Practitioner coded SCW members have two years to complete all required Practitioner-level courses, including core requirements, primary functional area requirements, and secondary functional area requirements. Practitioner-level SCW members can begin their online training requirements today!  
• Expert-level certification: Expert coded SCW members have two years to complete all required Expert-level courses, including core requirements, primary functional area requirements, and secondary functional area requirements. Importantly, some Expert-level online courses will be offered in person, while the online versions are in the final stages of development. Expert-level coded SCW members will receive a notification when the courses are available.   
• Executive-level certification: Executive coded SCW members are General Officers, civilian SES, and nominative E-9 personnel who are in positions that require only a broad foundation in security cooperation. Executive-level course offerings will be communicated directly to the less than 70 Executive coded SCW members.  

For personnel who join the SCW after October 1, 2024, their timelines will begin on the day that they enter the SCW, which will be indicated by the DOD Component linking an individual to a coded SCW billet/position in the appropriate Military Department or Fourth Estate manpower system of record.       

Note, Certification 2.0 is a tailored approach according to proficiency level. For example, Practitioners do not need to complete Foundational requirements first. Practitioners should only complete Level II, Practitioner, requirements. 

Course registration and availability for Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation (AM&E) and Advise, Train, and Educate (ATE) Functional Areas are slightly delayed. Updates will be provided to the SCW as these are available. DSCU will continue to provide information and updates to the SCW and the security cooperation community concerning Certification 2.0 in the coming weeks and months.  Additional FY 2026 course registration will be announced in the future as DSCU remains committed to innovation and accountability while fulfilling the needs of the workforce. 

For more information, please visit: https://dscu.edu/certification2. DSCU looks forward to providing valuable education and training that prepares all SCW members to successfully execute their responsibilities.   

DSCA is recruiting for a Senior Lecturer AD-1701-05.  This position is located within DSCU/ICB with a remote duty location (if selected for the Washington D.C. area, candidates may be required to be onsite in Arlington, VA with a telework agreement). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

DSCA is recruiting for an IT Specialist (APPSW), GS-2210-13. This position is located within DSCU/COS/OS/TECH  with a duty location of Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

DSCA is recruiting for a Program Analyst (ICB Regional Planner) GS-0343-14.  This position is located within DSCU/ICB/Planning Design & Resources in Arlington, VA. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

DSCA is recruiting for a Program Manager GS-0340-14. This position is located within DSCU/IMTE with a remote duty location. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by following the link above.

Twenty-six Locally Employed Staff (LES) members recently completed the Defense Security Cooperation University's (DSCU) week-long Intermediate LES Course, held for the first time at DSCU facilities in the National Capital Region.

These LES members represented 17 different U.S. embassies from around the globe.  LES members provide critical institutional knowledge and continuity.

Facilitated and mentored by faculty from DSCU’s School of Security Cooperation Studies (SSCS) and Defense SCO Institute (DSI), the students learned through lecture, supported discussion and hands-on exercises to practice their skills.

The NCR-based course built upon the basic LES course to provide a deeper and broader background in security cooperation management to LES personnel with increased responsibilities within a Security Cooperation Organization (SCO). The intermediate course supplied instruction on SCO roles and responsibilities; U.S. Security Cooperation legislation, policy, and procedures; whole-of-government planning; use of the Security Cooperation — Training management System (SC-TMS) and other in-depth training on advanced international training management.

About DSCU’s DSI

DSCU strives to be the center of intellectual life for the Security Cooperation enterprise; we prepare a global network of professionals to enhance the security of the United States and its partners and allies.

DSCU’s newly established DSI serves as the Department of Defense SCO schoolhouse. SCO personnel are the primary representatives for Security Cooperation in their aligned country. DSI offers tailored education and training to SCO personnel and their families, locally employed staff, and other members of the Security Cooperation Enterprise.