ASSOCIATION NEWS
March 1997

MEMBERSHIP REACHES 600 AND CLIMBING

In the last three months we have added another 100 members to our little band of FAO stalwarts. Some of the increase is attributable to your "word of mouth" efforts and for that you have our thanks. Some of the more recent increases are due to our staff finally conducting our third major membership drive earlier this month -- this time targeted at active duty FOA Captains and Majors. We are seeing some initially impressive results for this latest effort. NEXT TARGET -- The FAO Retired Community! Remember, if you have friends that are not yet members of FAOA send us their names and address. There is strength in numbers and the networking that we are espousing can only be effective if we have the numbers.

MODERNIZING . . .

More and more of you are communicating with the Association via E-Mail. Using this mode of commun-ications saves the Association postage and ensures a more rapid response to your questions. The only problems that we have experienced so far are when the net server is down. When that happens the sender typically gets a "No Such Number" response. The important point is that we are UP on the net, and if you don't get through to us try again. Eventually, even the internet works. In any case, for those of you who don't know our E-Mail address, it is:

FAOA@EROLS.COM

In order to improve our services to you the members (and to begin creating a genuine internet network for business-FAO interface), we are considering a proposal to open a FOAO Web Site sometime in latter Spring. One of our more computer literate members has volunteered to honcho the project and manage the site once it goes operational. Some of the ideas that we have had is to put the Journal on the Site with a chat room in place of the "questions from the field" segment; to publish "blind resumes" (resumes with no names or addresses / this will require businesses or headhunters to contact the Association if interested -- protecting your privacy) for business to puruse; and a bulletin board for passing traffic between members, etc. If you have other ideas, please share them with us.

NEWSLETTER TO JOURNAL . . .

Finally, we hope that you have noticed and approve of the changes in this quarter's newsletter. Our objective has been to transition the newsletter into a journal as rapidly as possible. Maybe we are moving too quickly, but bear with us.

To really make a go of the Journal, we need two critical elements of help: WE NEED YOUR INPUT AND IDEAS (articles, letters to the editor, and questions) particularly as concerns the various regions; and WE NEED ADVERTISERS -- happily, another of our members has come forward and volunteered to head an advertising effort for our new journal. We not only reach our membership, but every Defense Attache shop and Security Assistance shop worldwide, as well as Army and Marine flag officers. This is a huge audience and the advantage of advertising in the FAO Journal should be obvious to most companies. We have already produced a advertising brochure and solicit you help in getting ads for the publication.

1997, Foreign Area Officer Association
Springfield, Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve Gotowicki.
http://www.faoa.org