Anexchange officer is acommissioned officer in acountry'sarmed forces who is temporarilyseconded either to a unit of the armed forces of another country or to another branch of the armed forces of their own country.[1][2]
The exchange officer will usually perform all duties as if he or she were actually in the armed forces to which they are attached. This includes going to war, if required, although for international exchange officers this generally requires that permission be granted from their homegovernment, and that other conditions may be attached. The stated purpose of an exchange officerprogramme is usually to help foster understanding of each other'soperating methods. This provides valuablefeedback so that any issues that crop up injoint operations, such as those done underNATO, would not impede the achievement ofmission objectives. Exchange officers usually serve in similar roles to those that their career path would take if they were to remain in the armed forces of their home state.
TheBritish and theU.S. armed services have many exchange officers; for example, a British officer has been attached to theUnited States Military Academy at West Point for many years. TheAustralian Army also attaches one of its officers with the rank ofcaptain to theRoyal Military College ofMalaysia. Though theCanadian government was stated to be neutral with regards to theIraq War, many Canadians fought in Iraq under exchange with the U.S. military.
As part ofNATO interoperability of theUK/NL landing force theNetherlands Marine Corps (Korps Mariniers) regularly carry out an exchange program with their BritishRoyal Marines counterparts, this acts to increase integration within this joint force whilst also continuing the close relationship between the two Corps.
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