United States Army Security Assistance Command - History

History

Security assistance, a national program administered by the State Department, is a major component of U.S. foreign policy. Prior to the reorganization of the Army in 1962, which included the formation of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), the predominant Army technical service involved in the U.S. Foreign Aid Program was the Ordnance Corps' Mutual Security Division, which had program responsibility for foreign aid programs for the Corps. In 1962, the foreign aid functions of the Army technical services were placed into a central organization, creating the Mutual Security Agency (MSA). AMC's role in security assistance crystallized in February 1965 when the Logistic Control Office of the Supply and Maintenance Command (SMC) was assigned from the U.S. Army Terminal Command, Atlantic, to New Cumberland Army Depot, Pa. That same year, the Mutual Security Directorate of the SMC Logistic Control Office, N.Y., was transferred to New Cumberland, and on 1 August 1965, the U.S. Army SMC International Logistics Center (ILC) was established as a separate activity at New Cumberland.

In 1966, the growing ILC was redesignated the U.S. Army International Logistics Center, and the SMC was discontinued and its functions were assumed by AMC. Supporting our allies in Vietnam, the ILC continued to expand, as elements of the MSA were transferred to New Cumberland, and Mutual Security Field Offices for Europe, Far East, and the Southern Command were transferred to administrative control of the ILC.

Army security assistance was elevated to Major Subordinate Command status on 1 November 1975 when the U.S. Army International Logistics Command (USAILCOM) was formed at Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM, formerly AMC, redesignated AMC in 1984), Alexandria, Va. An expanded USAILCOM was reorganized in 1977 and redesignated the U.S. Army Security Assistance Center (USASAC), reflecting its mission (delegated by the CG DARCOM) as the Department of the Army Executive Agent for Security Assistance materiel programs.

USASAC gained 200 employees in 1979 when the Office of the Project Manager, Saudi Arabia National Guard Modernization was assigned to USASAC. The Army security assistance mission was further consolidated in August 1985 when USASAC and Headquarters AMC developed and implemented the Army Centralized Case Management System, under which USASAC was designated the Army single point of contact for managing Foreign Military Sales (FMS). On 1 April 1990, USASAC was redesignated as the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command to reflect its expanded responsibilities.

Within a year, USASAC's performance in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm became the stuff of legend. In addition to supporting foreign customers and coalition forces, USASAC employees supported U.S. forces' management of Saudi Arabia's helicopter assets and parts, plus the equipping of Kuwaiti civilians with combat uniforms as they accompanied U.S. in-theater combat forces. Operations personnel were on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and requirements turnaround times for secondary items was reduced from previous years and months to mere days. Overall, new FMS in fiscal year 1991 hit an all-time high of $10.1 billion.

Since its formation, USASAC has supported major military operations and helped spearhead international peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts. Its legacy is not without tragedy; the 1995 terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia took seven lives and injured dozens of USASAC employees.

On 1 October 2001, USASAC relocated its headquarters to Fort Belvoir, Va., completing a planned move onto government-owned property.

Today, USASAC remains "The Army's Face to the World," – the one-stop focal point for Army FMS and the "international partner of choice" in U.S. security assistance. Serving 140 allies and friendly countries and multinational organizations, with support by AMC, other DOD agencies and in partnership with U.S. industry, USASAC provides materiel, training, education and other services to help our allies strengthen their defensive capabilities, deter aggression, achieve regional stability, and promote democratic values.