MARINE CORPS FAO NOTES

Major Pat Carroll, International Affairs Officer Program Coordinator

Since this is the first Marine Corps entry to the FAO Journal since 11 September 2001, we would like to take the opportunity to extend our deepest sympathies to the US Army and US Navy for their tragic losses on September 11th at the Pentagon. As a result of that attack, the Marine Corps FAO/RAO Program has been providing assistance to various agencies and commands in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

In the training pipeline, we currently have our first two Eastern European FAOs, Majors Williams and Gundlach, conducting in-country training (ICT) in Zagreb, Croatia, and Maj Dave Holahan, a Russian FAO, in Riga, Latvia. In the Middle East, Capt Connable has recently arrived for his year abroad in Cairo, Egypt, and Maj Madden is starting his ICT in Muscat, Oman. On the other side of the globe, Maj Goff is currently attending the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Command & Staff School, and Capt McDonald is braving his way through the bitter cold of northern China. In the next 6-7 months, we will likewise have our first Marine FAOs in India, Greece, Turkey, Russia, and the Philippines (pending approval of the NSDD-38 requests!). Additionally, we will also be sending FAOs to Thailand, Korea, and China. We would like to extend a hearty welcome back and a job well done to those officers who have returned from ICT since the last issue of the FAO Journal: Maj Nelson (Vietnam), Capt Perry (Japan), Maj Christopher (Estonia), LtCol Costantini (Egypt), and Maj Duke (Israel).

With regards to the future sites, the Program Coordinator has been submitting National Security Decision Directive/NSDD-38 requests to the Department of State to officially establish training positions in all of these locations, and working with the embassy teams to smooth the in- country transitions. The Program Coordinator also had a profitable trip to Monterey, CA in October 2001 to discuss program changes and improvements with those officers attending either the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) or the Defense Language Institute (DLI). The FAO Program Office at the Unified Commands and International Issues Branch (PLU), Headquarters Marine Corps also conducted two quarterly, experienced-track FAO/RAO boards in July and November 2001. As a result, we have added 19 new FAOs and 5 new RAOs to our FAO/RAO "pool". In early February 2002, we will begin soliciting applications for the next annual study-track FAO/RAO board that will take place in July 2002. We have likewise decided to incorporate the Olmsted Scholarship Program selection board along with the FAO/RAO selection board, since the Olmsted Scholar Program mirrors the FAO/RAO Program in a multitude of ways. We expect to select 10 study-track FAOs, 8 RAOs, and up to 3 Olmsted Scholars, all of whom will begin training in 2003.

The Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (ACMC) has approved the new Marine Corps Order on Fellowships and Scholarships (MCO 1520.28C) following a brief on 25 January 2002 at Training and Education Command (TECOM), Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA. As a result, PLU Regional Action Officers will become the Billet Sponsors for all Marine officers attending Foreign Top and Intermediate Level Schools, and all other external foreign schools. PLU is also working towards taking over the program management responsibilities for the Marine Corps Personnel Exchange Program (PEP). Look for that in the next year.

On the utilization front, the FAO/RAO Program Coordinator and the Branch Head for PLU briefed the entire monitor section at Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA) in late August 2001, both to familiarize the monitors with the utility of the FAO/RAO Program and to discuss options for maximum utilization of all FAO/RAOs. The Program Coordinator presented the monitors with a list of those FAO/RAOs tentatively scheduled to rotate (Permanent Change of Station) in the summer of 2002 and a series of recommended commands that would best profit from these individuals' international affairs and language backgrounds. Consequently, over the past six months, the Program Coordinator has been working on an individual basis with each ground and aviation monitor to ensure that all FAO/RAOs are getting a thorough "look" for possible utilization tours. PLU intends to continue this "push of information" via an annual briefing to the monitors of M&RA. It is our hope that we can best support the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) staffs, the regional Marine Corps Component Staffs, and the regional CINC staffs with quality foreign area expertise by meeting and working with Manpower on a regular basis. As always, we will likewise continue to support the Defense Attaché System, the Personnel Exchange Program, and all other Joint/External Assignments that require a high level of foreign affairs expertise.

We also would like to welcome LtCol Mitch Biondich to PLU, and bid farewell to LtCol Ken Crosby as he heads to the Quantico Air Base as the Executive Officer. LtCol Biondich comes to us from the Marine Attaché position in Baku, Azerbaijan and has assumed the duties of the Security Assistance Officer for PLU as of 14 January 2002. Welcome aboard.

As always, the Unified Commands and International Issues Branch (PLU), PP&O, HQMC is available to take your questions. For further information, please see our website at http://www2.hqmc.usmc.mil/fao/faowebsite. nsf. We welcome any comments on how to improve the program. Please see the FAO Proponent Page on the inside cover of the FAOA Journal for POC information. We are temporarily located in Room 2020 of the Navy Annex (Federal Office Building 2), but should be moving back into our office spaces in the Pentagon (Room 4B337) shortly.

2001, Foreign Area Officer Association
Springfield, Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve Gotowicki.
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