The Marine Corps FAO program has been very active. A China FAO departed for Beijing to commence his ICT. An India FAO will shortly depart for his ICT based in New Delhi. One Russia FAO is finishing up in Moscow, and the new Russia FAO is just beginning his ICT. Another Mid-East/North Africa FAO, whose original ICT was preempted by the demands of the force in support of OIF, has resumed his ICT where his language training left off--and arrived in Cairo to begin his ICT in July. A Sub-Sahara Africa FAO has begun his Sub- Saharan ICT. A China FAO is en route to Australia for duty as the Marine Attaché. A Korea FAO completed his ICT, and is en route to his next command for a tour in the Operating Force in his Primary Military Occupational Specialty, and following that tour, will be assigned a FAO utilization tour. An East Asia FAO in Indonesia remains on schedule to graduate from the Command and Staff Course in October, and then extend an additional 6 months to commence his ICT.
The FY 06 FAO and RAO Study Track released the names of 10 FAOs and 8 RAOs to begin training at NPS this January 2006. The FAO and RAO Experience Track Board selected 3 additional FAOs (Western Europe, East Asia, and PRC), and a Middle East RAO.
LtCol John May (China FAO) turned over the Marine Corps International Affairs Officer Program (IAOP) Coordinator's position with Maj Mike Oppenheim (another China FAO). LtCol May will take on duties at the POMDFLI.
On the administrative front, the Marine Corps has been refining its FAO Action Plan, which includes efforts at soliciting commanders' re-assessment and identification of additional FAO billets spread out across the Marine Expeditionary Forces and Higher Headquarters.
Quite a few additional working groups have been convened as well, both within the Department of the Navy, and joint-wide, addressing the DoD's Defense Language Transformation Roadmap. The Marine Corps continues to develop its Center for Advance Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL), as well as refine its Foreign Military Training Unit's regime, having recently solicited Middle Eastern and Sub-Saharan FAOs in the national capital region to lend their expertise and assist in course curriculum development.