Army Notes
Colonel Mark Volk, Chief, Strategic Leadership Division
For this issue of the Association Journal, we've provided a varied focus for our
input. First, LTC Grady Reese provides a review of the most recent Colonels promotion
board results. The second piece, by LTC Vas Fotopolous, documents the process we
go through to select officers to enter FAO training. Addressing both the "top" and the
"bottom" of the FAO personnel pyramid, the articles indicate an exceptionally healthy
process and a superb quality of officers within the FAO corps.
That is not to say that we still don't have challenges and issues that impact our
population. After a concerted effort among the Proponent, FAO Assignments Branch at
PERSCOM and Army G1, we believe we have established procedures that will
dramatically improve the Career Field Designation problems that resulted in the return
of officers either trained or in FAO training to their basic branches. Those procedures
are already in place and will, we hope, be validated by the upcoming CFD board in
June.
We also continue to face shortages in the FAO community resulting from the
shortage year groups currently going through the CFD process -- as do all functional
areas. This fact of life also impacts our ability to fill training quotas, graduate school
quotas and our ICT sites. We'll talk to the specific impacts on our ICT program in a
future article.
Even with the challenges, our program remains strong and there is much to be
positive about. We at the Proponent office want to pass on our sincere congratulations
to COL(P) John Adams who was recently selected for promotion to Brigadier General.
COL(P) Adams service as a FAO spans numerous assignments and several Areas of
Concentration -- he clearly represents the very best of the FAO standard of Soldier
Statesman.
FAO Qualification Letters
Under OPMS 3, it is critical that selection boards be able to discern an officer's
qualifications in his or her functional area. Therefore, the Proponency Office has been
proactively certifying the training of our officers. We have reviewed the records of all of
the CFD'ed FAOs. For those who have successfully completed all three phases of
training or have been granted constructive credit for significant experience, we are
providing letters certifying that they are fully trained in accordance with DA Pam 600-3.
A copy of the letter is being placed in the officers' OMPF. The first 680 such letters are
in transit. There are approximately 240 officers who do not appear to meet the
minimum requirements. For about 100, this is most likely due to the officers not having
up to date information reflected on the ORB. We are reviewing those records in
coordination with FAO Branch at PERSCOM and anticipate certification for this group.
For those who clearly do not meet the minimum standards, we are providing a letter
stating as such and providing a suspense (normally one year from the date of the letter)
for them to bring their training up to standard. At that point, should they still not meet
the standards, they will be provided a letter saying they do not meet the minimum
standards. A copy of this last letter will be posted in the OMPF.
Should you be one of the officers receiving a letter stating you do not appear to
meet the standards and you disagree with that assessment, we encourage you to
provide supporting documentation to your regional manager in this office verifying
training you have had or requesting constructive credit.
FY 02 Colonels Promotion Board Results
By LTC Grady Reese
The FY02 Colonels Promotion Board Results for FA48 were released in March.
While FAOs did not meet the Army average, one must keep in mind that the overall
population of FAOs is so much smaller than that of the general population that the
difference of one or two officers in the selection significantly alters the statistics. When
we take into account the size of the population, we came very close to the Army
average. In fact, this is a success story for OPMS 3. Under OPMS 2, the selection rate
for FAOs normally exceeded the Army average; however, that included many dual-
tracked officers who were FAOs in name only. They possessed very little, if any, of the
training and experience needed. The percentage of fully qualified FAOs and
experienced FAOs selected for promotion rarely exceeded 20%. Now, virtually every
FAO selected possessed not only the requisite training, but also an enormous breadth
and depth of FAO experience. Since promotions under OPMS 3 are based on
requirements, the above the Army average selection of the past few years, as well as
the current Stop Loss policies in effect on some of our population, also impacted on the
minimum selection rates established for the board.
FAO Branch, PERSCOM analyzed the results of the board and derived the
following. The Army DOPMA selection rate for this board (AZ, PZ, BZ selects divided
by the number of PZ considered) was 58.9 percent. Within the OSCF, the FA 48
DOPMA promotion rate was 52.6%. Officers considered for promotion held a spectrum
of FA 48 positions; no single position or line of work emerges as a "career-maker".
Time served in FAO positions - particularly at the field grade level - was the second
most important indicator for promotion. The board determined that some officers who
Career Field Designated (CFD) late to functional areas and new competitive categories
were not as competitive as were officers already possessing the requisite skills and
experience. In fact, battalion command did not guarantee success for those who
CFD'ed to FAO late.
SSC selection/attendance figured prominently in an officer's competitiveness for
selection. Both BZ selects and 14 of the 17 PZ selects were either selected for or
enrolled in resident or non-resident SSC. Of the 20 officers selected (AZ, PZ, BZ), all
but one had served, or was serving, in a joint position. The board was given a minimum
selection requirement of 6 officers from three of the nine FAO regional Areas of
Concentration (AOCs) broken out as follows: 48C (Europe) 3; 48E (Eurasia) 1; 48H
(Northeast Asia) 2. An additional 14 Foreign Area Officers were selected from within the
general population ("best athlete" selections). Since Acquisition Corps had a high
minimum requirement, this indicates FAOs competed extremely well for those "best
athlete" selections, taking virtually all for the career field.
When viewed in total, the results of the board are very promising for Army FAOs.
The trends of all selection boards reflect a fairly smooth transition to full OPMS 3
implementation. The bottom line for promotion remains not what assignments you have
had, but how well you performed in those assignments.
The Quest to become a FAO
By LTC Vasilios Fotopoulos
A sister-Service field grade officer sent me an e-mail recently asking if it was
possible for him to transfer to the Army's Foreign Area Officer (FAO) program. He said
that despite the risk of reprisals from his Service, he had come to the conclusion that he
would only serve DOD as an Army FAO or he would get out. Another sister-Service
junior officer also called, asking about the possibility of switching to the Army and
becoming a FAO. A young second lieutenant sent me a note stating that he joined the
Army to be a FAO, asking when could he begin his FAO training. These are just a few
of the many letters I have received since becoming the Proponent Manager for FAO
Accessions from members from all Services and even civilians inquiring on how to join
this hot program managed by the Army G3. What's all the fuss and hoopla with Army
FAOs? Below is a description of the process used to select the highly qualified and
talented crop of officers who ultimately become the Army's Soldier Statesmen.
Becoming a Foreign Area Officer is one of the most sought-after competitive
processes among the Army's many functional areas and career fields. The Strategic
Leadership Division (DAMO-SSF) of the Army's G-3 (Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff
for Operations and Plans) is the proponent office for the Army's Foreign Area Officer
program. Each year 350 to 450 Army Captains in their fifth year of commissioned
service are given the opportunity, through the Functional Area Designation (FAD)
process, to compete for what eventually will become 60 to 80 fully trained Foreign Area
Officers.
For Year Group 1996 (YG96) officers the journey to becoming a FAO began in
early 2002 when they were asked by PERSCOM to submit their preferences for desired
functional areas. In August 2002, PERSOM released the list of some 350 captains who
were given Functional Area 48 - FAO. As the FAO Proponent Office Accessions
Manager, the release of the list began for me a six-month rigorous process to
determine which of these officers had the best qualifications and met the needs of the
Army to be trained as FAOs. Each officer received a letter from the proponent
congratulating him/her for the FA 48 selection and requesting they submit a package
detailing their qualifications, so that we could determine who would fill the less than 120
allocations for FAO training.
The package requested of the YG 96 officers included a questionnaire and a set of
test score sheets and qualifications. First, we ensure that the candidates understand
that certain family issues (spouse being a U.S citizen, EFMP requirements for family
members, married to another service member) may impact their ability to serve in
certain fields or may result in unaccompanied overseas assignments. Second, the
candidates provided background of their foreign experience, assignments, and linguistic
abilities -- so we could determine their FAO related qualifications and the area of
concentration they are most suited to serve as FAOs. Third, candidates were asked to
provide the Defense Language Aptitude Test scores to determine what level language
they qualify to study, and the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) scores, required by most
accredited graduate schools, to determine if they can be accepted into the required
Advance Civil Schooling (ACS) program. Finally, the officers were asked to list their
preferences in Areas of Concentration (AOC) and specific languages they are
interested in learning. The package information along with the officer's ORB and an
assessment of potential from PERSCOM are used in the selection process during the
AOC selection panel. This process is followed for every year group.
On 21 February 2003, the FAO Proponent Office held a selection panel that
included members of the FAO Assignments Branch at PERSCOM to select the best-
qualified candidates for the nine FAO AOCs. The AOCs are 48B (Latin America), 48C
(Europe), 48D (South Asia), 48E (Eurasia), 48F (China), 48G (North Africa/Middle
East), 48H (Northeast Asia), 48I (Southeast Asia), and 48J (Sub Saharan Africa). The
four FAO Proponent managers of the AOCs with the active participation of the FAO
Assignments Branch selected just under 120 officers and designated each officer with
an AOC. Some officers were selected on a conditional basis, pending receipt of
additional pieces of their official documentation. Most of the selected officers will be
scheduled for FAO training. Officers not selected by the panel are being returned to
their basic branch or given an opportunity to select a different Functional Area.
FAO training consists of language qualification (usually at the Defense Language
Institute in Monterey or Washington), in-country training (ICT), and a fully funded
Graduate Degree program focusing on the AOC region. The officers who complete
FAO training must pass one more test before securing the coveted title of Army FAO.
They must be Career Field Designated (CFD) as FAOs following their promotion board
to major. Although we have experienced problems with the CFD process over the past
few years, a recently agreed-upon process was enacted for this year's CFD board that
should drastically reduce the effects.
The Army FAO program is still evolving along with the rest of the Army and the
world environment in which we operate. The CFDed FAOs that will come out of YG96
will not have to worry about basic branch qualification or assignments outside FAO.
After the CFD and majors board, these FAOs will work in Army or joint jobs related to
their region and utilizing their linguistic skills. For promotions, they will be competing
only with other FAOs, and will be promoted based on FAO requirements. The goal of
the FAO proponent is to develop a professional corps of "Soldier Statesmen"
culminating with the rank of Colonel. Given the worldwide engagement of the United
States and the Department of Defense, the Army FAO program is the recognized model
for all the Services. With the undisputed contributions of FAOs in the War on Terrorism
and the heavy reliance of our military and civilian leadership on FAO expertise, it is no
wonder why officers from the Army and other services are trying to join the Army FAO
program.
2004, Foreign Area Officer Association
Herndon,
Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve
Gotowicki.
http://www.faoa.org