Office of the Historian

720.5 MSP/1–1653

The Deputy Secretary of Defense (Foster) to the Secretary of State

secret
Washington, January 16, 1953.

Dear Mr. Secretary: The Department of Defense has reviewed with great interest your letter1 expressing concern regarding the Department of Defense proposed Military Assistance Advisory Group complements and local currency requirements to implement the grant-aid military assistance program for certain Latin American countries. The Department of Defense, in determining the number of personnel and local currency requirements for the Latin American program, considered in detail all the views expressed by the Department of State.

In a positive effort to satisfy the Department of State request for reconsideration of this problem, the Department of Defense, working in close coordination with the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, has made a complete study to determine the minimum number of personnel for the Military Assistance Advisory Groups in Latin America and to fix a minimum local currency requirement. The figures are contained in an enclosure2 to this letter. You will note that there has been no reduction in the Military Assistance Advisory Group personnel from the original request submitted to the Department of State on 15 September 1952. The review has shown that these personnel are the bare minimum to implement the program effectively. There has been, however, an appreciable reduction in local currency requirements, especially in currency for the mobile training teams. This has been accomplished either by making a planned deviation in the end-item program or lowering of the training standards to a point barely acceptable.

[Page 140]

In general, it is not feasible to replace the supposedly non-specialists now in the Military Missions with specialists to train the host government in the use of programmed equipment. All personnel in the Military Missions are now considered specialists and any change as recommended would deprive the host country of one activity for another, with no material gain. In a few cases, the Services hope to replace personnel in the Military Missions with personnel more suitable under the present concept. This procedure is a very slow process since it must be borne in mind that abrupt changes in military personnel in the Military Missions would result in a large expenditure of United States dollars. When a member of a Military Mission does not complete his contractual term of approximately two (2) years, the entire cost of making any change is borne by the United States Government.

Augmentation of the Military Missions places the individual either in an accredited or non-accredited status. If augmentation is based on an accredited status, it would cost the other country considerably more than it would if the individual were assigned as a member of the Military Assistance Advisory Group. If augmentation is based on a non-accredited status, the United States Government would pay all expenses and the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force cannot undertake this additional financial burden nor can administrative funds appropriated under the Mutual Security legislation be made available.

The Department of Defense, as the operating agency, is indeed sympathetic with the views expressed by the Department of State and in no way desires to jeopardize United States interests in the program nor create ill-feeling with the Latin American governments. However, the Department of Defense, which is charged by the Congress with implementation of the Military Assistance Program, must have the means and personnel required to ensure proper performance of necessary functions. If, in the opinion of the Department of State, these provisions for personnel would jeopardize United States interests in any of the recipient Latin American countries, the Department of Defense currently sees no solution except to review the situation to determine whether it might not be in the best interests of the United States to eliminate the program in such countries.

The urgency of a decision in this matter is of paramount interest to the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense, at the request of the Department of the Army, has already suspended a shipment of matériel to Chile due to the lack of qualified personnel in that country to receive the shipment. Since other shipments to the Latin American countries are planned in the near future, it is imperative that a positive course of action be selected in order that the Department of Defense can plan accordingly.

Sincerely yours,

William C. Foster
[Page 141]

[Enclosure 2]

List of Local Currency Requirements To Finance Military Assistance Advisory Groups in Latin America Prepared in the Department of Defense

restricted

1 January to End FY 53 or 1st to 6th Month Inclusive

Country MAAG Training Total
Army Navy Air Force
Brazil* $17,024 $7,640(1) $33,296(2) $4,770(5) $62,730
Chile 9,925 7,587(1) 41,936(2) — 59,448
Colombia 20,000 7,385(1) 14,024(3) — 41,409
Cuba 12,677 No Program — 5,600(6) 18,277
Ecuador 8,517 7,385 — — 15,902
Peru 5,896 7,385(1) 20,968(3) 8,028(6) 42,277
Uruguay* 15,275 7,390(1) 7,192(4) — 29,857
Dominican Republic† 16,144 No Program 17,000(3) 11,628(7) 44,772
Total $105,458 $44,772 $134,416 $30,026 $314,672

[Enclosure 3]

List of Local Currency Requirements To Finance Military Assistance Advisory Groups in Latin America Prepared in the Department of Defense

restricted

7th to 18th Month Inclusive

[Page 142]
Country MAAG Training Total
Army Navy Air Force
Brazil‡ $34,048 $7,640(1) $8,324(2) — $50,012
Chile 19,850 7,587(1) 10,484(2) $5,188(3) 43,109
Colombia 40,000 7,385(1) 7,012(2) — 54,397
Cuba 12,677 No Program — — 12,677
Ecuador 17,034 7,385(1) — — 24,419
Peru 7,318 7,385(1) 10,484(2) — 25,187
Uruguay‡ 22,484 7,390(1) 7,192(2) 12,564(4) 49,630
Dominican Republic§ 26,827 No Program 8,500(2) — 35,387
Total $180,238 $44,772 $51,996 $17,752 $294,758
  1. Supra.↩
  2. Enclosure 1, a list titled “Proposed Basic MAAG Complements for Latin American Countries,” indicated, inter alia, the number of army, navy, and air force personnel proposed for assignment to the respective Latin American countries included in the grant military assistance program. The total complement recommended for each country was as follows: Chile (10), Colombia (10), Cuba (7), Dominican Republic (9), Ecuador (8), Peru (8), and Uruguay (12). The list further indicated that for Brazil the personnel of the Joint Brazil–United States Military Commission would implement the necessary MAAG.↩
  3. Pending ratification of the Military Assistance Bilateral. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  4. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  5. Four basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  6. One maintenance and communication combined technical team of 3 men for 6 months.↩
  7. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  8. Four basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  9. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  10. Four basic technical teams as in (2) of 2 men each for 6 months.↩
  11. One composite maintenance team of 1 officer and 3 airmen for 6 months.↩
  12. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  13. Four basic technical teams as in (2) of 2 men each for 6 months.↩
  14. One composite maintenance team of 1 officer and 3 airmen for 6 months.↩
  15. Pending ratification of the Military Assistance Bilateral. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  16. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  17. Four basic technical teams as in (2) of 1 man each for 6 months.↩
  18. Pending completion of Negotiations. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  19. Four basic technical teams as in (2) of 2 men each for 6 months.↩
  20. Two composite maintenance and supply teams of 2 men each for 6 months.↩
  21. Pending ratification of the Military Assistance Bilateral. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  22. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  23. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  24. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  25. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  26. A composite maintenance and engine overhaul technical team of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  27. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  28. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  29. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  30. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  31. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  32. Pending ratification of the Military Assistance Bilateral. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  33. One composite technical training team of 5 men for 90 days.↩
  34. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩
  35. A composite maintenance and engine overhaul technical team of 4 men for 6 months and a technical supply team of 4 men.↩
  36. Pending completion of Negotiations. [Footnote in the source text.]↩
  37. Basic technical teams (i.e., gunnery, electronics, engineer) of a total of 4 men for 6 months.↩