The Regional Defense Fellowship Program (RDFP) was established in 2002 to meet an emerging and urgent defense requirement to build partnerships in the struggle against violent extremism through targeted, non-lethal, combating terrorism (CbT) education and training. RDFP directly supports the Defense Department's efforts by providing CbT education and training for mid- to senior-level international military officers, ministry of defense civilians and security officials.

The RDFP's goals are: build the CbT capabilities and capacities of partner nations; build and strengthen a global network of CbT experts and practitioners committed to supporting U.S. efforts against terrorists and their organizations; counter ideological support for terrorism; harmonize views about the threat of terrorism; and develop CbT and Counter Insurgency (COIN) mutual understanding.

RDFP programs are designed to address key CbT challenges globally, regionally and in specific countries through a tailored program of educational and training activities. RDFP provides a unique and flexible tool that can focus efforts toward building partner capacity to meet a specific Combatant Command (COCOM) objective.

RDFP builds interagency cooperation among partners by training a broad range of foreign CbT military officers and government security officials and provides specialized programs to address individual country needs. RDFP programs engage military, national police, gendarmerie, internal security, border security and other security officials. The program enables DoD to implement the President's National Strategy for CbT more effectively by providing resources that can be targeted toward integrating instruments of national power, traditionally expressed as diplomatic, economic, informational and military. In addition, RDFP seeks to integrate military instruments with other security sector elements such as financial, intelligence and law enforcement.