The FAO "Pipeline"

Captain Joseph E. Pilcus, III, USAF

One of the greatest challenges for the Air Force in meeting the demands of tomorrow's world is producing culturally aware, language proficient, and fully-immersed foreign area officers. To that end, the FAO Proponent Office has launched a number of successful initiatives during the past several years, with newly devised programs planned for the future. Unfortunately, the "commander's release" of an officer from his duty station remains the "long pole in the tent", due to the voluntary nature of our programs.

The Programs

Currently, the FAO Proponent Office manages programs to enhance and maintain foreign language proficiency, further develop area studies knowledge, and promote critical analysis while conducting FAO-related research in a foreign environment. Our Language and Area Studies Immersion (LASI) Program, LASI II Program (late FY 00), Foreign Service Institute Course Selection, and Area Studies Advanced Program (ASAP) form the foundation of our informal FAO "pipeline".

The LASI Program is designed to enhance the language proficiency and area studies knowledge of our officer corps. Immersion programs provide an excellent opportunity for participants to gain in-country experience in foreign cultural, political, economic, and geographic factors, along with language enhancement. During FY 00, the FAO Proponent Office will launch 31 separate immersions to 28 different locations around the globe. Nearly 200 officers will participate in the LASI Program. Officers from all AFSCs may apply for this training opportunity.

LASI II, and extension of the successful LASI Program, is designed to further enhance the language and area studies skills of our officer corps. Applicants of any rank may apply, but must have a current Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) score of 2/2 or higher in a specific language. For the remainder of FY 00, the FAO Proponent Office offers the following immersion opportunities: Arabic, Chinese, French (N. Africa), Japanese, Korean, Russian, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

A FAO attempting to remain current on his region of expertise is eligible to apply for a slot at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute (FSI). FSI offers two-week in- depth regional seminars, all organized and led by FSI area-specialists. FSI course directors invite outstanding lecturers from universities, government, and private organizations. The seminars combine lectures, discussions, readings, and audio-visual materials, designed to highlight the key historical, political, economic, and socio-cultural themes for each region. Present FSI seminars include Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Near East/North Africa' Inter-American' Russia/Eurasia, and China.

While the LASI Program, LASI II Program, and FSI courses expand an officer's foreign language proficiency and area studies knowledge, the ASAP offers FAOs an unparalleled opportunity to enhance their regional pol/mil expertise. Through ASAP, officers develop overseas study/research proposals, and then submit the proposals to the FAO Proponent Office for funding. If the proposal meets ASAP objectives, the officer may receive funding for up to three months of travel/research. Only FAOs may submit proposals for ASAP.

What's New

During the first week of February, the FAO Proponent Office held its second FAO- AFSC board. The FAO designator (16FXX) was awarded to 59 officers, with the following breakdown by rank and shreadout (numbers do not total 59 due to some FAOs carrying more than 1 shreadout).

2d Lt:2 Eurasia:7
1t Lt:14 Latin America:9
Capt:21 Northeast Asia:7
Maj:16 Southeast Asia:2
Lt Col:6 Near East/North Africa:0
Sub-Saharan Africa:1
Europe:29

* 7 officers received the 16F1 or 16F3 "slick", designating an English-region FAO (India, Australia, Canada, etc.

2000, Foreign Area Officer Association
Springfield, Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve Gotowicki.
http://www.faoa.org