International Military Education and Training

International Military Education and Training (IMET) funds provide training and education on a grant basis to students from allied and friendly nations. 

International Military Education and Training (IMET) funds provide training and education on a grant basis to students from allied and friendly nations. The goals of IMET are to further regional stability through effective, mutually beneficial military-to-military relations; impart skills and knowledge that help participating countries develop new capabilities and better utilize existing resources; provide training and education that augments the capabilities of military forces to support combined operations and interoperability with U.S., NATO and regional coalition forces; and expose foreign military and civilian personnel to the important roles democratic values and human rights can play in governance and military operations. The program is administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Authorized by Section 541 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, IMET allows the U.S. government to arrange for training of foreign military personnel at many U.S. training facilities and to provide training outside of the United States. In 1990, Expanded IMET (or E-IMET) was introduced by Congress to introduce courses to teach proper management of defense resources, improving military justice systems in accordance with internationally recognized human rights, understanding the principle of civilian control of the military, and contributing to the cooperation between police and military forces for counternarcotics law enforcement.