International Military Students: DOD and State Should Assess Vetting Implementation and Strengthen Information Sharing

The Department of Defense (DOD) has taken some steps to improve implementation of vetting procedures for international military students. However, the DOD has not assessed implementation to identify opportunities for improvement. Some factors in vetting implementation that could be improved, such as limitations with in-country data collection and a time consuming process for sharing information between stakeholders.

The DOD circulated a draft progress report on program metrics, such as the number of students who underwent vetting for fiscal year 2022. Without an assessment, the DOD will not have a full understanding of factors that hinder vetting implementation.