United States Military Training Mission

Emblem of the United States Military Training Mission.

Active| 1953–present
Country| United States
Type| Security Assistance Organization (SAO)
Part of| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Nickname(s)| USMTM (pronounced "yuce-a-MIT-em")
Commanders
Chief| Colonel Dirk H. Smith, Jr.

Military unit

The United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Security Assistance Organization (SAO) which manages and is primarily funded by Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases between the United States Government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. USMTM was the result of a meeting between King Abdul Aziz and United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Great Bitter Lake.

## Mission

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USMTM coordinates security assistance efforts to train, advise, and assist the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces in building defense capacity/capability through military exercises and professional military education in order to promote regional security and to protect common interests of the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while strengthening strategic partnership.

USMTM Goals

To maintain and enhance the strategic partnership between the KSA and the USA.

To train, advise, and assist the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) to:

* Develop and evolve strategic plans and policy.
* Conduct Joint and Coalition operations and exercises.
* Maintain interoperability among SAAF, the U.S., and mutual regional partners.
* Institutionalize the Professional Military Education program.
* Measure readiness for sustainment and modernization of the force.

USMTM is a Joint Command composed of officers and enlisted personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The head of USMTM carries the title of "Chief" and is also designated the senior U.S. Defense Representative (USDR) for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[1] USMTM is the primary liaison between U.S. Armed Forces and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA), the Saudi counterpart to the American Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Within USMTM there are six divisions, each who interfaces with a Saudi counterpart:

* Joint Advisory Division (JAD): interfaces with the Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA).
* Land Forces Division (LFD): interfaces with the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF).
* Naval Forces Division (NFD): interfaces with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF).
* Air Force Division (AFD): interfaces with the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).
* Marine Forces Division (MFD): interfaces with the Royal Saudi Marine Forces (RSFMF) component of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.
* Air and Missile Division (AMD): interfaces with the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces (RSADF).

Chain of Command

USMTM is a joint training mission and functional component command under the military command of the USCENTCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USMTM's mission is to advise and assist the Saudi Arabian armed forces through security cooperation efforts in developing, training and sustaining capable deterrent and self-defense forces for Saudi Arabia in order to facilitate regional security. The mission of USMTM directly supports USCENTCOM's theater strategy to shape, respond and prepare, through forward presence, bilateral and multilateral exercise programs, security assistance activities, and foreign military sales.

Both military and civilian personnel assigned to USMTM are under the sponsorship of the U.S. State Department and the Saudi Arabian Ministry Defense and Aviation and are classified as non-combatants under Title 22 of the United States Code.

## History

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The 1951 Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement and the 1977 Accords (known as the USMTM Agreement) formed and governs the basis and function of USMTM in Saudi Arabia. USMTM was formally established on 27 June 1953 and is still a fundamental component of the US/Saudi military relationship.

## The Chiefs of USMTM

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Service | Name | Dates | Biography

|
|
|

(AF) | Brig Gen Richard J. O'Keefe | (APR 1949 – JAN 1951) | [2]
(AF) | Brig Gen Edwin M. Day | (JAN 1951 – SEP 1952) | [3]
(AF) | Brig Gen Orrin L. Grover | (JUN 1952 – APR 1955) | [4]
(AF) | Brig Gen George F. Schlatter | (APR 1955 – AUG 1956) | [5]
(AF) | Col Frederick J. Sutterlin | (SEP 1956 – JUL 1957) | [6]
(AF) | Brig Gen Dale O. Smith | (JUL 1957 – NOV 1957) | [7]
(AF) | Brig Gen Albert P. Clark | (NOV 1957 – JUL 1959) | [8]
(AF) | Brig Gen James C. McGehee | (JUL 1959 – JUL 1961) | [9]
(AF) | Col Williard W. Wilson | (SEP 1961 – SEP 1964) |
(A) | BG Osmund A. Leahy | (SEP 1964 – AUG 1966) |
(A) | BG Ward S. Ryan | (AUG 1966 – OCT 1967) |
(A) | BG Jerry S. Addington | (OCT 1967 – AUG 1969) |
(A) | BG Donald D. Dunlop | (AUG 1969 – JUL 1971) |
(A) | BG Olin E. Smith | (SEP 1971 – SEP 1973) |
(A) | BG John G. Hill Jr. | (SEP 1973 – FEB 1975) |
(AF) | Brig Gen James G. Ahmann | (MAR 1975 – JUL 1977) | [10]
(AF) | Maj Gen Charles H. Cathey, Jr. | (JUL 1977 – JUL 1979) | [11]
(AF) | Maj Gen Charles L. Donnelly Jr. | (JUL 1979 – JUL 1981) | [12]
(AF) | Maj Gen Neil L. Eddins | (JUL 1981 – JUL 1983) | [13]
(AF) | Maj Gen Spence M. Armstrong | (JUL 1983 – JUL 1985) | [14]
(AF) | Maj Gen Russell L. Violett | (JUL 1985 – MAY 1987) | [15]
(AF) | Maj Gen John R. Farrington | (MAY 1987 – JUL 1989) | [16]
(AF) | Maj Gen Donald L. Kaufman | (JUL 1989 – AUG 1991) | [17]
(A) | MG Thomas G. Rhame | (AUG 1991 – AUG 1993) |
(A) | MG William M. Boice | (AUG 1993 – OCT 1995) |
(A) | MG James C. Riley | (OCT 1995 – JUN 1997) |
(A) | MG John J. Marcello | (JUN 1997 – JUN 2000) |
(AF) | Maj Gen Silas R. Johnson, Jr. | (JUN 2000 – OCT 2001) | [18]
(AF) | Maj Gen Michael N. Farage | (OCT 2001 – AUG 2003) |
(A) | COL Jack D. Humphrey, Jr (Acting Chief) | (AUG 2003 – OCT 2003) |
(AF) | Maj Gen Larry L. Twitchell | (OCT 2003 – NOV 2006) | [19]
(A) | MG Rhett A. Hernandez | (NOV 2006 – MAR 2009) |
(AF) | Maj Gen Paul M. Van Sickle | (MAR 2009 – MAR 2011) | [20]
(USMC) | Col Jay L. Huston (Acting Chief) | (MAR 2011 – JUL 2011) |
(AF) | Maj Gen David L. Commons | (JUL 2011 – JUL 2013) | [21]
(AF) | Maj Gen Thomas P. Harwood III | (JUL 2013 – JUL 2015) |
(A) | MG Peter D. Utley | (JUL 2015 – AUG 2018 ) |
(A) | COL Robert E. Lee Magee | (SEP 2018 – AUG 2019) |
(A) | COL Brad T. Gandy | (AUG 2019 – AUG 2021) |
(USSF) | COL Vance "Jolly" Goodfellow | (AUG 2021 – MAY 2022) |
(N)  | Capt Sherry W. Wangwhite  | (MAY 2022 – MAY 2023)  |
(A)  | COL Jerel Evans  | (JUL 2023 – JUL 2024)  |
(A)  | Colonel Dirk H. Smith, Jr.  | (AUG 2024 – PRESENT)  |

(A) = Army, (AF) = Air Force, (N) = Navy, (USMC) = Marine Corps, (USSF) = Space Force

## See also

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* Dhahran Airfield
* Ministry of Defense and Aviation
* Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program (OPM-SANG)

## References

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1. ^ "United States Military Training Mission".
2. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD J. O'KEEFE". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 10 February 2004.
3. ^ "Air Force Link - BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWIN M. DAY". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 12 February 2004.
4. ^ "Biographies : BRIGADIER GENERAL ORRIN LEIGH GROVER". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
5. ^ "Air Force Link - BRIGADIER GENERAL GEORGE F. SCHLATTER". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 7 February 2004.
6. ^ "Air Force Link - BRIGADIER GENERAL FREDERICK J. SUTTERLIN". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 11 February 2004.
7. ^ "Biographies : MAJOR GENERAL DALE O. SMITH". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
8. ^ "Biographies : LIEUTENANT GENERAL ALBERT P. CLARK". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
9. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL JAMES C. MCGEHEE". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 7 February 2004.
10. ^ "Air Force Link - LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES H. AHMANN". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 7 February 2004.
11. ^ "Biographies : LIEUTENANT GENERAL CARL H. CATHEY". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
12. ^ "Air Force Link - GENERAL CHARLES L. DONNELLY JR". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 12 February 2004.
13. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL NEIL L. EDDINS". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 9 February 2004.
14. ^ "Air Force Link - LIEUTENANT GENERAL SPENCE M. ARMSTRONG". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 11 February 2004.
15. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL RUSSELL L. VIOLETT". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 9 February 2004.
16. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL JOHN R. FARRINGTON". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 8 February 2004.
17. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL DONALD L. KAUFMAN". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 8 February 2004.
18. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL SILAS R. "SI" JOHNSON JR". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 9 February 2004.
19. ^ "Air Force Link - MAJOR GENERAL LARRY L. TWITCHELL". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 11 February 2004.
20. ^ "Biographies : MAJOR GENERAL PAUL M. "DUTCH" VAN SICKLE". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
21. ^ "Biographies : MAJOR GENERAL DAVID L. COMMONS". Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.

## Further reading

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* The United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) to the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia by Colonel Theodore C. Lockhart
* USMTM Fact Sheet Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
* United States Military Training Mission: A Paradigm for Regional Security

## External links

[edit]

* Official Site
* Defense Security Cooperation Agency Archived 17 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Saudi Arabia–United States relations

Diplomatic posts|

* Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, D.C.
* Embassy of the United States, Riyadh
* Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia to the United States
* Ambassadors of the United States to Saudi Arabia
* Quincy House
* Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Diplomacy|

* Operation Hajji Baba
* United States Military Training Mission
* Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program
* Safari Club
* Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
* Arab–Israeli alliance
* U.S. support for Saudi-led operations in Yemen
* 2017 United States–Saudi Arabia arms deal
* 2017 Riyadh summit
* International Maritime Security Construct
* Treaty of Jeddah (2023)

Incidents|

* 1973 attack on the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum
* US–Saudi Arabia AWACS Sale
* Saudi Arabia v. Nelson
* Khobar Towers bombing
* September 11 attacks
* Alleged Saudi role
* In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001
* Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
* Saudi Guantanamo Bay detainees
* Homaidan Al-Turki
* United States diplomatic cables leak
* 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
* Jeff Bezos phone hacking incident
* Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi
* Naval Air Station Pensacola shooting

Related|

* Golden gimmick
* Patricia Roush
* Saudi Aramco
* Saudi Arabia lobby in the United States
* Saudi American Public Relation Affairs Committee
* WWE in Saudi Arabia
* Prince Sultan Air Base
* King Abdulaziz Air Base
* King Khalid Military City
* King Khalid Military College
* American International School of Jeddah
* American International School – Riyadh
* Dhahran School
* ISG Dammam
* Islamic Saudi Academy
* King Abdullah Academy
* House of Bush, House of Saud

Category:Saudi Arabia–United States relations
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