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About Us

FAOA is a professional organization serving the interests of Foreign Area Officers, military Attaches, and Security Cooperation specialists in all services of the U.S. Armed Forces: active duty, reserve, retired, and in-training, as well as other military, civilian, and corporate individuals interested in international affairs, partnership engagement, and intelligence.  Connect to the community of FAOs on our blog, discussion threads, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

- Yemen Discussion

- The Significance of Self Immolation

- Does the US military underestimate the threat of political Islam?

 

On our Reading List

A Counterinsurgency Primer for junior officers: "The Defense of Jisr Al-Doreaa" by MAJ Michael L. Burgoyne, USA and MAJ Jim Marckwardt, USA (both 48B Army FAOs), also on Amazon.

 

Contribute to the FAOA Journal of International Affairs

The FAO Association’s professional journal is published quarterly and contains the wisdom and experience of the greater FAO community.  We welcome and greatly benefit from your contributions for publication, and your recommendations to improve the journal.  We endeavor to make it a valuable tool for FAOs and their colleagues to encourage and ongoing discourse among Foreign Affairs specialists.  Contact our Managing Editor, Mr. Coyt D. Hargus, with all types of submissions and/or your recommendations. Go here for submission guidelines. 


The Army's Foreign Area Officer Program: To Wither or to Improveby LTC Daniel Mouton "The Army has come a long way in establishing a professional FAO program that supports service and joint requirements. It must refocus the program, however, and provide the guidance, assignments and resources to make the program more relevant to the ongoing operations in which our military is engaged." read more


Employment Opportunities - In our members-only section, we list jobs with companies looking for people with the breadth and depth of experience the FAO offers! If you reperesent a company or consulting firm and would like to post an employment opportunity with our exclusive membership, please contact our webmaster.

Statement of Dennis C. Blair for the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hearing:

“Ten Years After 9/11: Is Intelligence Reform Working? Part II”  May 19, 2011

The successful Osama bin Ladin operation would seem to be an occasion to celebrate the success of intelligence reform, not to criticize it. A decade of dogged pursuit of the man who launched the 9/11 attacks on the United States, involving the full resources of the Intelligence Community, finally found its man. The Intelligence Community then provided superb support to the Special Operations team that made the successful raid into Abbottabad. 

Read More...


UPDATE undefined The FAO Hall of Fame and Display in the Pentagon

By Humberto Rodriquez, Colonel, US Army, WSO-DLNSEO


SECDEF Letter on the Need for more Foreign Language and Culture Expertise - Language, regional and cultural skills are enduring warfighting competencies that are critical to mission readiness in today's dynamic global environment.  Our forces must have the ability to effectively communicate ... read more

 

An Open Letter to Army FAOs by  GEN William E. (Kip) Ward
To the soldiers serving as foreign area officers in our Army: In today's environment, you play a critical role in the accomplishment of our Army's mission. But we, the Army, could do better to ensure that you have all the tools and skills you need to do the best job you can. We have not sufficiently leveraged your experiences … read more

 

A Letter from RDML Venlet, Senior Navy FAO - Fellow Foreign Area Officers, Not long ago, I was asked by the Chief of Naval Personnel if I would consider changing my designator from Surface Warfare to FAO.  I eagerly accepted.  I had achieved my personal career goal of commanding a ship and was lucky to be able to do it twice.  Now, I have been given the opportunity to help Navy achieve its goals by being your senior representative and promoting international cooperation and engagement around the world - an honor, and a responsibility I take most seriously…. read more

 

The LREC Triad for Joint FAO Education & Training by LCDR Jim McMullin, U.S. Navy

 

Updates from FAOweb - New FAOweb Director - James Howard, The Economist and STRATFOR - Single Sign On … read more

 

The FAO Journal- Premium content by FAOs for FAOs.  Become a member of FAOA and read the Journal to stay in the loop with what is happening in our community. Contribute your articles and book reviews. If you haven't received your copy, please contact the editor or webmaster.

 

 

What are we missing?  How can the FAO Association help you with your career?

 

FAOweb The Joint FAO Program is an advanced education and skill sustainment initiative for FAOs from all services and provides two types of education: distance learning online and in-residence courses. JFP fulfills DoD's mandate to provide resources and opportunities for FAO skill sustainment and professional education.

Considering FAOA Membership? Here are the benefits:

  1. Receipt of the quarterly FAOA Journal "International Affairs". 
  2. Members-only access area for special FAOA content and  access to the membership database
  3. On-line access to all Journals
  4. On-line access to job postings
  5. Members can review and update their own contact information
  6. Members can choose what information is visible to the general membership
  7. Secure site to protect membership information - access for members only!
  8. Searchable membership database
  9. Members can email other members (anonymous To: address protects members)
  10. Automatic email renewal reminders when your membership is expiring
  11. Automatic email event announcementsMember discounts for FAOA luncheons and annual formal dinner

News and Opinion

 

First time login instructions: If you are a member and we have your current email address, you should have received an email asking you to login to the new website and review/update your contact info and profile. When accessing the site for the first time, click the "forgot password" link in the top right corner. On the next page, enter your email address and "submit." If registered with that email address, you will be emailed instructions on how to set your password, allowing login to the site and ability to change your password, update your profile, review your membership status and renew your membership if needed. If the email is not in the FAOA  membership database, please contact the webmaster. For more detailed instructions, please dowload our instructions.
 
 

The FAOA is a 501c non-profit organization dedicated to the professional development of and advocacy for the FAO community. All content, unless otherwise noted, is copyrighted by the FAOA 2010. FAO Association, PO Box 295, Mt Vernon, VA 22121