§ 2350m. Participation in multinational military centers of excellence

(a) Participation Authorized.— The Secretary of Defense may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, authorize the participation of members of the armed forces and Department of Defense civilian personnel in any multinational military center of excellence for purposes of—

(1) enhancing the ability of military forces and civilian personnel of the nations participating in such center to engage in joint exercises or coalition or international military operations; or

(2) improving interoperability between the armed forces and the military forces of friendly foreign nations.

(b) Memorandum of Understanding.—

(1) The participation of members of the armed forces or Department of Defense civilian personnel in a multinational military center of excellence under subsection (a) shall be in accordance with the terms of one or more memoranda of understanding entered into by the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, and the foreign nation or nations concerned.

(2) If Department of Defense facilities, equipment, or funds are used to support a multinational military center of excellence under subsection (a), the memoranda of understanding under paragraph (1) with respect to that center shall provide details of any cost-sharing arrangement or other funding arrangement.

(1) Funds appropriated to the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance are available as follows:

(A) To pay the United States share of the operating expenses of any multinational military center of excellence in which the United States participates under this section.

(B) To pay the costs of the participation of members of the armed forces and Department of Defense civilian personnel in multinational military centers of excellence under this section, including the costs of expenses of such participants.

(2) No funds may be used under this section to fund the pay or salaries of members of the armed forces and Department of Defense civilian personnel who participate in multinational military centers of excellence under this section.

(d) Use of Department of Defense Facilities and Equipment.— Facilities and equipment of the Department of Defense may be used for purposes of the support of multinational military centers of excellence under this section that are hosted by the Department.

(e) Annual Reports on Use of Authority.—

(1) Not later than October 31, 2009, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the use of the authority in this section during the preceding fiscal year.

(2) Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include, for the fiscal year covered by such report, the following:

(A) A detailed description of the participation of the Department of Defense, and of members of the armed forces and civilian personnel of the Department, in multinational military centers of excellence under the authority of this section.

(B) For each multinational military center of excellence in which the Department of Defense, or members of the armed forces or civilian personnel of the Department, so participated—

(i) a description of such multinational military center of excellence;

(ii) a description of the activities participated in by the Department, or by members of the armed forces or civilian personnel of the Department; and

(iii) a statement of the costs of the Department for such participation, including—

(I) a statement of the United States share of the expenses of such center and a statement of the percentage of the United States share of the expenses of such center to the total expenses of such center; and

(II) a statement of the amount of such costs (including a separate statement of the amount of costs paid for under the authority of this section by category of costs).

(f) Multinational Military Center of Excellence Defined.— In this section, the term “multinational military center of excellence” means an entity sponsored by one or more nations that is accredited and approved by the Military Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as offering recognized expertise and experience to personnel participating in the activities of such entity for the benefit of NATO by providing such personnel opportunities to—

(1) enhance education and training;

(2) improve interoperability and capabilities;

(3) assist in the development of doctrine; and

(4) validate concepts through experimentation.

U.S. Code

§ 2350m. Participation in multinational military centers of excellence