Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC)

ODC Cambodia conducts Security Cooperation activities in support of the U.S. Country Team and U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) in accordance with the Theater Security Cooperation Plan (TSCP) to advance U.S. national interests and national military objectives.

ODC Personnel

ODC Cambodia is a six-person team headed by a U.S. Army Officer. The ODC manages all traditional and non-traditional security assistance activities in Cambodia, as well as coordinating host nation support.  Please email ODCCambodia@state.gov and your request will get to the appropriate person.

• Chief, LTC Kristin A. Means: Overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of ODC Cambodia.
• Resource Management Assistant, Sophal Phoung: Manages all issues pertaining to finance.
• Operations Assistant, Yomea Kay: Manages all issues pertaining to Title 10 Training, Local Training, Mobile Training Teams (MTT) and Exercises, Humanitarian Assistance, and PoC to local authorities.
• Program Management Assistant, Sithyrya Hel: Manages all issues pertaining to planning, programming, and monitoring of all US funded overseas training and cooperative programs, visa processing and other cooperative training related activities. She is responsible for all Foreign Military Sales/Foreign Military Finances cases with the Kingdom of Cambodia.
• Logistics Assistant, Sopheap Chheav: Manages all issues pertaining to overall logistics support, procurement, shipping and receiving, customs clearance, and inventory.

ODC Programs

Direct Military-to-Military (Mil-to-Mil) relations between the United States and Cambodia were suspended in July 1997. In 2004, many of the restrictions were eased facilitating a greater number of military to military activities with Cambodia.  Though Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) are subject to sanctions, the number of security cooperation activities in Cambodia increased 100% in 2005 and expected to increase as well in 2006.  In 2005 over forty Cambodian officials participated in U.S. funded training in the Pacific region or the U.S.  There were also various exchanges that took place including a military law exchange, medical subject matter expert exchange and public affairs subject matter expert exchange.

Cambodia is also a participant in the Regional Defense Counter Terrorism Fellowship (RDCTF) Program.  The CTFP is focused on developing partnerships that will interlock with overall U.S. efforts in combating terrorism. In 2005, the Center for civil Military relations (CCMR) conducted a seminar entitled Civil-Military Responses to Terrorism.  RDCTF funds were also used to procure English language materials for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) English Language Center.

Humanitarian Mine Action. Basic and advanced trauma management, minefield management, wheeled vehicle maintenance and leadership taught to Cambodian deminers by U.S. Army Special Forces teams. U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel teach explosives and munitions safety and handling techniques to Cambodian EOD personnel.

Blast Resuscitation and Victims Assistance (BRAVA). U.S. Army and Air Force medical personnel deploy in country to conduct life and limb saving surgeries in the mine affected regions of Cambodia, focusing on landmine and unexploded ordinance (UXO) casualties.

Humanitarian Assistance Bridge and School Construction. U.S. Pacific Command has funded the construction of eight bridges and four schools throughout Cambodia as part of the Humanitarian Assistance program.  A medical clinic was also constructed by thirty U.S. Marines in October 2005 in Kompong Chhnang Province.  The net sum of the engineering projects funded by the United States under the OHDACA program total more than $2,000,000. 

Mosquito Net Distribution. Over the last four years, the U.S. Pacific Command has provided more than $600,000 worth of mosquito nets to a variety of organizations throughout the country, including the National Malaria Center, the Cambodian Mine Action Center, the HALO Trust, and the Mines Advisory Group.  These nets have been distributed in Pailin province, as well as throughout Cambodia in several other malaria-affected areas, in order to help prevent the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.  Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever are extremely prevalent in Cambodia.

Excess Defense Articles (EDA) and Humanitarian Assistance Program.  Excess Property (HAP-EP). ODC Cambodia manages these programs in country for the U.S. Pacific Command. Under the EDA program, more than 100 heavy trucks and ambulances have been donated to various demining agencies working in country. The HAP-EP program has focused on providing excess medical equipment and supplies from military stocks to charity hospitals operating throughout Cambodia.

Title X Conferences.  Members of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces are invited and funded to attend certain conferences held in the region and in the United States, focusing on, but not limited to, the rule of law, medical issues, civil-military roles, and disaster/search and rescue operations.

U.S. State Department NADR Demining Program.  ODC Cambodia administers and has oversight for NADR-Humanitarian Demining (HD) funded operations in Cambodia. FY2005 funding for this program is $3.8 million - dispersed to the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), the HALO Trust, and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) for landmine clearance.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program.  As part of the U.S. effort to facilitate mine clearance in Cambodia, the ODC oversees and coordinates DoD’s Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program which develops equipment to assist with the global humanitarian demining effort.  The DoD R & D Program is responsible for the creation of products that broaden the capabilities for detecting, marking, clearing, and neutralizing mines, as well as provide equipment for training and post clearance quality assurance. Some of the DoD technology being tested in Cambodia includes:

Explosive Harvesting Program:  System that safely removes explosives from mines/UXO and then recasts the explosives into disposable charges for use by the demining community.  Partners:  Golden West Humanitarian Foundation, CMAC, and QAsia.

Tempest:  Remote controlled mechanical system that is ideal for clearing medium vegetation, neutralizing trip wires and removing metallic debris on the surface of AP minefields.  Partners: DTW (manufacturer) and HALO Trust.

Allu Bucket:  Mechanical bucket attachment that scoops, grinds and sifts all contents including mines.  Partner:  HALO Trust

Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System (HSTAMIDS): Humanitarian demining (HD) HSTAMIDS is a handheld mine detector capable of detecting all metallic and non-metallic anti-tank (AT) and anti-personnel (AP) mines. The US Humanitarian Demining team is undertaking a project to provide a humanitarian demining look at the US Army’s HD-HSTAMIDS.   

• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
• Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)
• Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service
• Office of Defense Trade Controls