The FAO/RAO Program Coordinator released the Marine administrative message, MARADMIN 051/01, in February 2001 announcing this year's study-track FAO/RAO board that will be held in Quantico from 10-13 July 2001. This board will select 10 new FAOs and 8 new RAOs to begin the funded training program in 2002. Applications are currently being accepted by MMOA-3, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, HQMC, Quantico. PLU likewise conducted an experience-track board at the end of the First Quarter FY01 and added ten new FAOs and 3 new RAOs to the International Affairs Officer "pool"; LtGen Hailston, the Commanding Officer of III MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force), was among those designated as RAOs.

As of March 2001, PLU is sponsoring the following officers for in-country training (ICT). In the European theater, Maj Barnes is heading to Ukraine for an internship while conducting his year with the Marshall Center in Garmisch, Germany; and Maj Christopher continues his studies at the Baltic Defense College in Tartu, Estonia. Moving on to Asia, Maj Moseley and newly promoted Maj Oppenheim continue to study at Capitol Normal University in Beijing, China. LtCol Mauro has just finished his year in Korea and is returning to the United States to assume command of a Reserve Infantry Battalion in Chicago, Illinois; and Maj Ken Nelson is still breaking ground as our first FAO in Vietnam. Both Maj Goff and Capt Perry are working hard at the Foreign Service Institute in Yokohama and making their way throughout Japan and greater East Asia. In the Middle East, Maj Cunningham will finish his stay in Oman during the month of April 2001; while Maj (LtCol-Select) Costantini and Capt Duke are relatively new to the area, having arrived in Egypt and Israel respectively during January 2001. Both recently returned from trekking through the High Atlas of Morocco for two weeks in March.

Unfortunately, we are somewhat disappointed concerning an initiative to place a Former Soviet Union FAO at the University of St. Petersburg, Russia for one year, but due to the present political climate, we have decided to wait until the summer of 2002 to move a FAO into Russia for their in-country training. At least the groundwork has been sufficiently laid for moving forward with this proposal in the future. Moreover, we will be placing our first two FAOs into Croatia this summer, as well as an additional officer in China.

In March, PLU also had the opportunity to brief 15 FAO/RAOs and Former Ambassador, Rodney Minott, from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey about the current status of the USMC International Affairs Officer Program during an Orientation Visit to the Washington area from 5-9 April. The officers likewise received briefs at various other agencies involved with National Security Affairs: DIA, CIA, Department of State, and Congress (as Senator Dianne Feinstein hosted the officers for a breakfast). A second group will be making a similar visit in early May 2001 as part of the National Security Affairs curriculum at NPS. The Branch Head for PLU, Col O'Keefe, and Maj Carroll will likewise be making a semi-annual trip to Monterey to talk to all of the FAO/RAOs currently attending NPS or DLI in Monterey and to meet with several professors and administrators at the schools during the second week in April.

On the promotion front for the FY02 boards, we had a 47% selection rate for promotion to Colonel (7/15 officers) and an excellent in-zone selection rate of 73% for promotion to LtCol (8/11 officers). This is a marked improvement from last year's results for selection to LtCol.

Finally, the FAO/RAO Program Coordinator intends to continue to develop the Secretary of the Navy's FAO Mentoring Program initiative. We have thus far received approximately 58 positive responses from over 120 individuals (professors, former military officers, regional experts, business and political leaders) who were solicited to participate in this ongoing effort to improve the quality of our political- military officers. The IAOP Coordinator has met with several mentors to request their suggestions on how to best implement the program, and in the coming months PLU will start to match FAOs with appropriate regional Mentors.

As always, the Unified Commands and International Issues Branch (PLU), PP&O, HQMC is always available to take your comments. 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 have recently relocated office spaces within the Pentagon and are now in Room 4B337.