DoD Shield

DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY 
2800 DEFENSE PENTAGON 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2800

4/30/2012

MEMORANDUM FOR :

DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY FOR DEFENSE EXPORTS AND COOPERATION
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AGENCY
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
DIRECTOR, MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL - INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS INFORMATION SERVICE
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DISPOSITION SERVICES
DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR INFORMATION ASSURANCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE

SUBJECT :

Reissuance of the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM) as Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Manual 5105.38-M, DSCA Policy 12-20

Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 5105.38-M, "Security Assistance Management Manual," October 3, 2003, is hereby canceled and reissued as DSCA Manual 5105.38-M with the same name. The SAMM is issued as a DSCA Manual under the authority of DoD Directive 5105.65, "Defense Security Cooperation Agency". It provides DoD-wide guidance to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Military Departments (MILDEPs), the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, the Security Cooperation Organizations (SCOs), and all other organizational entities within the DoD (hereafter referred to collectively as "the DoD Components") engaged in the management or implementation of DoD Security Assistance and Security Cooperation programs over which DSCA has responsibility, in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), U.S.C. Title 10, and DoD Directive 5132.03, "DoD Policy and Responsibilities Relating to Security Cooperation", October 24, 2008, and related statutes and directives. This Manual is effective immediately and is mandatory for use by all DoD Components.

DoD Component heads may issue supplementary instructions when necessary for unique requirements within their organization. However, a copy of each supplemental instruction must be provided to the DSCA (Strategy Directorate) within 5 business days after release. Copies of supplemental financial instructions must be provided to the DSCA (Business Operations Directorate). Deviations from policies must not be implemented without prior approval of DSCA.

The new SAMM is available only online. The transition from a DoD to DSCA document makes it possible to offer the SAMM in a much more modern and user-friendly format. E-formatting means the loss of our ability to offer the SAMM in a consolidated print version but it makes possible a number of features that will make the SAMM a more readily accessible and useful document for the Security Cooperation community including:

  • Improved search functionality such as filterable tables for faster information lookup
  • Collapsible outline and internal links will provide quicker "drill-down" ability on specific topics
  • Direct links to references, figures, and tables so that content remains coherent
  • Fill-able forms
  • Fully searchable content by available internet search engines

The text has been edited to make the language clearer and more direct, with the content reorganized where appropriate for easier navigation. A copy of the current version of the SAMM will be maintained in PDF format for historical purposes.

While the substance of recent policy memos has been incorporated into the SAMM, the SAMM does not introduce any new substantive policies. DSCA will continue to coordinate new policy memos, identify and explain the policy change being made, and incorporate these changes into the SAMM as they are signed out.

The SAMM is available at the DSCA Homepage, http://www.samm.dsca.mil/. For any questions regarding this policy or the SAMM, please contact: Ms. Kathy Ton, DSCA/STR/POL, at (703) 604-6611 or email: kathy.ton@dsca.mil.

William E. Landay III
Vice Admiral, USN
Director

CC :

STATE/PM-RSAT
AFRICOM
CENTCOM
EUCOM
NORTHCOM
PACOM
SOCOM
SOUTHCOM
TRANSCOM
USASAC
USASAC-NC
SATFA
TRADOC
NAVSUP WSS
NAVICP
NETSAFA
AFSAC
AFSAT
DISAM
MARCOR IP
SCETC
USCG International Affairs (G-CI)