BRAZILIAN ARMY COMMISSION

History

The Brazilian Military Mission in the United States was founded on April 16, 1940, as a result of the escalating Second World War. With Captain Carlos Magalhães Fraenkel as its Chief, the mission was first established in the US capital.

The charge of the mission was strictly defined: receive and ship war materials (high caliber cannons for the Coast Guard) acquired by the Brazilian Military in the United States. Initially, the Mission was designed to be temporary.

Months later, the headquarters were transferred to New York, where the equipment was being brought to port.

The unfolding of international events and the increasing affiliation of the Brazilian Army with US doctrine and demand for US equipment, led the Brazilian government to make the Military Mission permanent. The headquarters were returned to Washington, DC, where it has existed until today.

Subsequently, the Military Attaché at the Embassy of Brazil in the United States became Chief of the Military Mission, gaining responsibility for all the functions of the Military Mission. This situation changed in 1948, when the Military Mission became integrated with the Cabinet of the Army Ministry, becoming known as the ad hoc chief.

In 1951, the name of the Military Mission was changed to the Brazilian Military Commission in Washington.

In 1952, an order from the Ministry transferred the reasonability of support for military personnel to the Commission, including medical treatment and classes, as well as the production of the Brazilian version of Military Review.

In 1956, another order from the Ministry charged the Commission with performing all of the acquisition for the Brazilian Army abroad.

Finally, in 1984, the Commission received its current name: Brazilian Army Commission in Washington (CEBW, from its initials in Portuguese).

The CEBW is headquartered at 4632 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, near the Embassy of Brazzil and central Washington, a building owned by the Brazilian Army. In addition to the headquarters, the CEBW operates a warehouse in Vienna, VA, where the materials acquired on the US market are stored awaiting shipment to Brazil.

The mission of the CEBW consists of, among others, the following duties, listed in Ordinance No. 531, of the Ministry of Defense, issued on May 21, 2004:

- perform management activities related to obtaining material and services for military use, as well as those pertaining to the shipment of cargo, and conducting market research in order to ensure the best possible price and quality, and to facilitate the steps of delivery and payment.
- manage the repair and review of materials
- manage resources and financial commitments under its jurisdiction
- perform administrative activities supporting the Commission’s personnel, those in delegations or representative bodies, during tours of duty or in transit, as well as support the attachés.
- contribute to the implementation, coordination, and regulation related to the acquisition of technical and scientific information considered of interest by the Brazilian Army
- follow the technological evolution of materials and equipment of interest to the Brazilian Army, and;
- promote the Brazilian Army and the Brazilian defense materials industry, within in the scope of the Commission, to the extent possible.

Mission

I. To acquire defense materiel, systems and services abroad and send them to Brazil, as per the requests from our importing entities.

II. To conduct market research of Defense Materiel.

III. To execute the registration, management and controls of the Brazilian Army’s budget, finances and assets abroad.

IV. To support the Army Attaché with regards to military and dependent personnel on mission or in medical treatment in the United States of America.

V. To promote Brazil, the Ministry of Defense, the Army and the Brazilian defense industry, according to their possibilities and duties.