Purpose: The purpose of the article is a presentation and an analysis of research on motivational salience and satisfaction with training in the field of security and defense that was carried out with the assistance of a number of universities and academies in Europe. Method: Survey research and statistical analysis including, and certain statistical methods were applied for processing of the grouped statistical data, their interpretation and offering of the relevant decisions. Results: The study attempts to outline the foundation of the methodology for conducting research on motivational salience and its relation with satisfaction in security and defense training, following the example of higher education institutions in Europe. The research findings are characterized by the scale of scientific and practical research and covering 19 educational institutions in the field of security and defense in Europe. The research is distinguished by the presence of a scientific subject not only at the national level but also at the international level. The results are in the area of interest to the academic staff of the military universities and academies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, and others. Conlusion/findings: The study was discussed at the extended scientific board of the Logistics of the Security Department at the Vasil Levski National Military University in Bulgaria. The thesis that has been elaborated as a result of carried out works was the subject of the defense in the Security and Defence area of higher education in Bulgaria.