Distinguished Visitor Orientation Tour Program

Program Overview

The Distinguished Visitor Orientation Tour Program is a United States Security Cooperation Program that provides a country’s defense leadership the unique opportunity to learn about specific assets of the US defense establishment in order to address objectives specific to their own militaries and governments.  DVOT delegations visit a variety of military installations, professional military education institutions, training facilities, and government organizations throughout the US to learn from experts on specific subject matters.

  • Distinguished Visitor Orientation Tour (DVOT) - Intended for senior military officers, typically flag or general rank, or civilian equivalent holding positions of major importance or selected for such positions.
  • Orientation Tour (OT) - Intended for selected officers or civilians who are destined for responsible positions in their country’s defense establishment.  Senior officer is typically O-6 or civilian equivalent.

What is a DVOT?

  • Hand-tailored, short, intensive training program developed to meet the defense and strategic needs of a country
  • Familiarizes international military officers and civilians to types of training provided through US Security Cooperation programs including International Military Education and Training (IMET), Expanded IMET (E-IMET), Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
  • Consists of customized visits to military training installations, schools and government agencies where relevant expertise resides
  • Provides an opportunity to address a particular topic of strategic interest to that country
  • Provides a time-sensitive way for a country’s military and civilian defense leaders to receive the information that they need to achieve objectives specific to the country
  • Includes field study activities to expose tour participants to cultural, social, economic and historical aspects of the United States
  • Fourteen days maximum, excluding OCONUS travel time

Funding Information:

MASL: B366006 - DVOT Mandatory Planning (non-refundable deposit - $5,000)
MASL: B366003 - DVOT Management (variable pricing – % of DVOT support total cost, minus the deposit)
MASL: B366004 - DVOT Support, includes all operational costs
MASL: B366005 - Orientation Tour Support, includes all operational costs for OT vice DVOT
MASL: B362000 - US Escort Officer
MASL: B181011 - OT Participants
MASL: B179923 - Interpreter 

Scheduling a Tour

To inquire about scheduling a DVOT or OT, please contact:

DVOT Program Manager 
Phone: 202-685-4240
E-mail: ismo@ndu.edu

Please refer to the following documents for additional information regarding the program.

  1. DVOT Worksheet
  2. IMET Waiver
  3. DVOT Desk Top Reference
  4. DVOT Sample Budget
  5. JSCET Chapter 12

Leader to Leader Interaction

Photo of military shaking hands

Military Installation Site Visits

Hawaii Visit