text: Chapter 1
  Strategic Context
  This chapter begins by defining security cooperation. Next, it discusses the purpose of
  security cooperation, the types of security cooperation programs and activities, and the
  Army’s role in security cooperation. Then, the chapter discusses security cooperation
  planning and organizations. Finally, the chapter discusses security cooperation
  operational and strategic risk mitigation.
  SECURITY COOPERATION DEFINED
  1-1. Security cooperation is defined as Department of Defense interactions with foreign security
  establishments to build relationships that promote specific United States security interests, develop allied and
  partner military and security capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations, and provide United
  States forces with peacetime and contingency access to allies and partners. (JP 3-20).
  THE PURPOSE OF SECURITY COOPERATION
  1-2. The purpose behind security cooperation (SC) is to enable the joint force to leverage the capabilities
  of our allies and partners to meet strategic objectives by building combat power and increasing available
  maneuver space. Strategic competition highlights the requirement for combatant commands to shape an
  operational environment (OE) to deter adversaries and enable U.S. forces and our allies and partners to fight
  from a position of advantage in conflict. By conducting SC the Army can add additional capability and create
  options for the joint force commander to engage, deter, and defeat adversaries through the most efficient use
  of U.S. resources.
  1-3. Although the Department of State (DOS) leads the whole-of-government approach and provides
  oversight to SC, most Army activities are carried out and coordinated by, with, or through the theater army
  throughout the combatant command area of responsibility (AOR). These activities include—
  * Develop and apply capabilities and capacity.
  * Provide U.S. forces with access.
  * Build relationships that promote specific U.S. security interests.
  1-4. Security cooperation missions should be tied directly to supporting theater army campaign plans and
  potential contingency plans. SC activities are designed to develop partner capability, increase capacity, and
  enable and enhance interoperability. Additionally, SC missions can be used to enable access to specific key
  terrain needed across domains to provide maneuver space for possible contingency plans.
  SHAPING THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT
  1-5. The United States Government (USG) has worked with allies and partners in a SC context for decades,
  assisting partners through various activities such as exercises, training, equipping, education, conferences,
  and military staff talks to shape the security environment and build partner capability and capacity to prevent
  and deter conflict. Army support to SC plays a significant role in helping combatant commands shape the
  security environment by—
  * Building defense relationships that promote specific U.S. security interests.
  * Developing allied and friendly military capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations.
  * Providing U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access to host nations to prevent and deter
  conflict.