Letter from the President of the Foreign Area Officer Association

Dear Colleagues,

          I regret to inform you that Colonel John Pemberton, USAF, Ret., passed away recently. John was an active member of the FAOA Board of Governors and served with distinction in several important FAO assignments including being the Defense Attaché in Belgrade, Pristina, and Sarajevo. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, friends, and colleagues.

          As a member of the Board, John wanted our Association to be relevant to all FAOs, active and retired. I know John would have wanted his position on the Board filled as expeditiously as possible and I would especially like to extend an invitation to any active duty FAO who might be interested in serving on the Board of Governors to contact me at stephen.norton@dia.mil.

Lieutenant General Williams, former Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, speaking at the 15 March FAO Lunch

          The last meeting of your Board of Governors focused on the agenda over the next 9 to 10 months. The Board agreed to the following:

• September, 2006 -- FAO Policy Luncheon at Ft. McNair Officers' Club with a guest speaker to address career potentials for FAOs after military service.

• November, 2006 -- Dinner, with spouses, at the Ft. McNair Officers' Club with a senior DoD official to address Secretary Rumsfeld's vision for a DoD-wide FAO program.

• Feb/Mar 2007 -- A formal FAO Ball at a location TBD.

          To those members who attended the last FAO Policy Luncheon on 15 March, please accept my thanks for your support. Your enthusiasm for the FAO program and for the FAO Association was evident and we will endeavor to make your membership and attendance at our functions as meaningful as possible.

Thanks,

Steve Norton