Allied countries occasionally swap military leaders in order to improve training and share the most up-to-date techniques and weaponry. This exchange officer program dates back to the United States military’s early days. Exchange officers typically return to their native country’s military after a year or more leading units in a foreign country’s military, giving them the same amount of tenure as if they had never left.
Charles Beckwith, the founder of the Army Delta Force, is one of the more recent examples of a famous exchange officer. Beckwith joined the military’s exchange program with the British military in the early 1960s, after serving as a junior officer in the Korean War and becoming both a Ranger and a Special Forces soldier. He spent a year with Britain’s storied Special Air Service (SAS). After returning home, Beckwith was tasked with overseeing the creation of the Army’s elite Project DELTA during the Vietnam War after helping to revamp US special operations fighting. The “Delta Force” unit is still one of the most elite and secretive special operations task forces in the US military.
Typically, the exchange officer is assigned to duties within the foreign unit that are similar to those that he or she has previously performed. The current “one-for-one” exchange program used by US forces is with Allied countries. As with student or occupational exchange programs, militaries will benefit from the trade. British and American paratroopers have been exchanging paratroopers since before World War II’s Normandy Beach invasion for more compatible joint operations. Mergers of this nature are common in all branches.
A foreign captain at the helm of an American ship, or vice versa, would be unusual in the Navy. The USS Winston S. Churchill, on the other hand, has a British officer on board, which is perhaps appropriate given the ship’s name, which honors one of Great Britain’s most famous statesmen. In exchange, the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has a ship, the HMS Marlborough, that is regularly manned by an officer from the United States Navy.
This exchange officer program is important for three reasons. According to Army regulations, personnel exchanges can help Allied countries share organizational experience and foster an understanding of the strengths and tactics of foreign fighters. Expanding training opportunities become available, which can instill confidence when joint operations are carried out. For candidates interested in participating in the exchange officer program, each branch of the military has its own set of requirements. Many people are required to write lengthy reports about their experiences.