ARMY PROPONENT NOTES
(September 1997)

Once again, Welcome to the Proponent's News. Hope all enjoyed last quarter's News on the "unofficial" History of the FAO Program. Since we've taken no severe verbal abuse nor had rotten apples or defamation of character law suits flung at us, guess our attempt to inform was a partial success at least. Now, to this quarter's News.

In February 97, we were tasked to produce an article for the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans (DCSOPS), LTG Shinseki, as part of his Strategic Management Plan. As the DCSOPS is "the" FAO Proponent Chief, we produced an article entitled "Front-Line Soldiers In Peacetime Engagement - The Army Foreign Area Officer," resulted. As it has yet to make print, we thought we'd send out an abstract of said article. If you want a copy of this article in its entirety, contact your Regional Program Manager here in the Proponent and he will e-mail it to you Enjoy.

Regards.

Chuck Doroski, COL, Proponent Chief.

"Front-Line Soldiers in Peacetime Engagement - The Army Foreign Area Officer"

". . . we need to be fully engaged everywhere around the world to prevent brush fires from developing into crisis. FAOs are the first line of defense in this scheme and are absolutely critical to this process."

-- General Dennis J. Reimer, U.S. Army CSA

Introduction

U.S. strategy and policy call for the U.S. Armed Forces to help shape the international security environ-ment and create the conditions for global and regional peace through expanded activities with the militaries of other nations. Peacetime engagement is one of the com-ponents of the National Military Strategy. The Army has extensive responsibility for implementation of peacetime engagement. The range, complexity, frequency, and duration of Army peacetime engagement activities during the past eight years highlights the value of officers who have been specially trained to function in foreign cultures and operate with coalition partners. FAOs prove daily how invaluable they are in peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and counterdrug operations; as members of the Country Teams; and in political-military activities around the world. The Army has made an extensive commitment to the development of regional experts needed to fill critical Service, Joint, and DoD positions overseas. For fifty years, the FAO program has been an Army success story.

The Front-line of Peacetime Engagement

Army-to-Army Contacts. Individuals and units of the U.S. Army conduct army-to-army activities designed to improve mutual understanding, enhance military capabilities, contribute to future operations, and enhance regional stability. FAOs pioneer military and diplomatic relations between the United States and newly independent nations. They bring their translation skills, regional knowledge, and broad military expertise with them to these visits, ensuring success in these often formative meetings.

Nation Assistance. U.S. Army forces often support friendly and allied nations in developing and sustaining their civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian operations are the backbone of nation assistance programs. Army FAOs often spearhead these Army efforts in developing coun-tries, introducing America to new friends around the world.

Peace Operations. Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. Army has been heavily engaged in multinational peace ops. FAOs assigned to the regional commands tasked to support these operations understand the historical events and political and economic factors that contribute to these crises, and, therefore, provide practical advice to U.S. commanders on employment of U.S. forces to resolve specific situations on the ground.

Country Teams. U.S. diplomatic missions are composed of many functional components, including the military. Rapport gained between the FAO and local counterparts through repetitive tours in the region pays high dividends. The Army is the service of choice for these positions, at over 45% of defense attach‚ requirements. FAOs also serve in key security assistance posts worldwide.

Combat Operations While Army FAOs contribute significantly to peacetime military operations, their contributions are equally important and impressive in wartime. Once U.S. forces are committed overseas, FAOs serving in foreign countries around the world are likely be the pointmen in a local or regional crisis. As the Army becomes increasingly a force projection army, FAOs will fill ever more critical roles during combat or crises. They may be the greatest force multiplier of the post-Cold War world.

Conclusion The demand for FAOs continues to grow. Army component commanders, combatant commanders, and heads of diplomatic missions recognize the irreplaceable value of FAO training and experience developed over many years. Their understanding of the language, culture, and social and ethnic sensitivities has tremendously positive effects on U.S. political - military relations with foreign armies. Army FAOs provide both the Nation and the Army an invaluable instrument to execute peacetime engagement missions.

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