Foreign Area Officer (FAO)

Community Overview

Updated by:
CDR Jennifer Jones
FAO Community Manager
BUPERS-314G
Unclassified

23 Oct 2015

Supporting Strategic Objectives:

Persistent, Consistent, Credible Engagement
[R]outine and constructive engagement with allies and partnersthat
brings together the contributions of like-minded nations and organizations
around the world to address mutual maritime security challenges and
respond to natural disasters.
Expand and empower the FAO Community to ensure they remain ready to
build and strengthen international partnerships and serve as key enablers for
joint, maritime, and coalition operations.
A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower

Our forces will operate forward in new and flexible ways with access to
strategic maritime crossroads.
Our posture will be focused and improved using a combination of rotational
deployments, forward bases, temporary and austere facilities and partner
nation ports.
Our forward presence will build on and strengthen our partnerships and
alliances where sea lanes, resources, and vital U.S. interests intersect.
CNOs Sailing Directions
2
Unclassified

Who We Are
Foreign Area Officers Opening doors from the inside
We enhance the Navys Warfighting Capability
Operational experience, language, regional expertise, and cultural
awareness (LREC) enables the Fleet
We Operate Forward
Persistent Navy presence and consistent engagement worldwide
We enable the Navys preparedness for future conflicts
As fleet resources become more constrained, we will be increasingly driven
to leverage partner capability through effective engagement
3
Unclassified

FAO Community Overview

Personnel: 326 FAOs use 30 languages
(~400 FAOs by 2019)
FAO will continue to grow through 2019
SOUTHCOM
18%

Billets: 360 billets (FY16)

(283 Operational + 77 training & TPPH billets)

AFRICOM
14%

CENTCOM
15%

PACOM
32%

EUCOM
21%

Regional Specialization

High accession standards

Sustained Superior Performance
Language / Education / Clearance Requirements
Overseas Screening / Family considerations

Operational Distribution

Very little room for detailing flexibility

71% of Op Billets are OCONUS
50% are Joint billets
54% have lengthy training requirements

Rapid Development since establishment in 2006

Fleet Demand outpaces FIT/FILL capacity
FY19 Full Operational Capability = 405 Billets
Unclassified

FAO Global Presence (FY15 Billet Base)

Regional and Community Support (FY15 Baseline): 162 Billets (72 Overseas)

New York, NY
United Nations (1)

Washington, DC
State Department (5)
OSD (4)
JCS (5)
DIA (5)
DNI (2)
DHS (1)
IADB (2)
SECNAV (2)
NIPO (11)
OPNAV (13)

Norfolk, VA
Delete
CFFC (2)
NATO SACT (1)
Text
NSWG 10 (4)
Miami, FL
SOUTHCOM (4)

Unclassified

Tampa, FL
SOCOM (2)
CENTCOM (2)

San Diego, CA
COMTHIRDFLT (2)

Regional Support

Monterey, CA
NPS (1)

Millington, TN

- COCOM HQs
- State Dept & UN
- OSD & JCS
- DSCA & NIPO
- NCCs & # Fleets
- DIA
- SOCOM

BUPERS (1)
NAVPERS (2)

NATO School SHAPE (1)

DSCA Marshal Center (1)

CUSKOR (1)
CNFK (3)

Seoul, Korea
Oberammergau, DE HQUNC (2)
Naples, IT

Kuwait
Community
Support

- Navy Senior
Lang. Authority N13F
- OPNAV N52
- NPC Millington
- NPS Monterey

Yokosuka, Japan
CNFJ (4)
COMSEVENTHFLT (4)

HQ JFC (1)
CNE/CNA (10)
C6F (9)

Honolulu, HI
PACOM (6)
PACFLT (10)
SOCPAC (1)
SPECWARCOM (1)
APC (2)

Stuttgart, DE
EUCOM HQ (4)
AFRICOM HQ (11)
SOCEUR (1)

USMILOB (3)

Bahrain

Pusan, Korea
CNFK Det (2)

Guam
PACOM SA (2)

Singapore
COMLOGWP (3)

NAVCENT (8)

AFPAK Hands
NAVCENT (2)

FAO Global Presence (FY15 Billet Base)

Naval Attach and SA Billets (FY15 Baseline): 112 Overseas Billets
EUCOM (FA4)
- Bulgaria (1/1)
- Denmark (1)
- France (1/1)
- Germany (1)
- Greece (1/1)
- Israel (1)
- Italy (1/1)
- Montenegro (1)
- Netherlands (1/1)
- Poland (1/1)
- Portugal (1/1)
- Russia (2)
- Spain (1/1)
- Turkey (2/1)
- Ukraine (1)
- UK (1)

NORTHCOM
& SOUTHCOM
(FA3)
- Bahamas (1)
- Mexico (1/1)
- Brazil (3)
- Chile (2/1)
- Colombia (2)
- Dominican Rep (1)
- Ecuador (1)
- El Salvador (1)
- Guyana (1)*
- Honduras (1)
- Panama (2/1)
- Peru (2/1)
- Suriname (1)
- Uruguay (1)
- Venezuela (1)

Delete
Numbers
of in country SAO 71 / Attachs 41
Text

AFRICOM
(FA5)
- Angola (1)
- Cameroon (1)
- Cote DIvoire (1)
- Gabon (1)
- Ghana (1)
- Libya (1)
- Madagascar (1/1)
- Mauritius (1)
- Morocco (1)
- Mozambique (1)
- Nigeria (1/1)
- Senegal (1)
- Sierra Leone (1)
- South Africa (1)
- Tunisia (1/1)

- 92% of all Navy SA billets & 97% of Navy ODC Chiefs are FAO
- 41% of Naval Attach and 67% of Navy DATT billets are FAO

Unclassified

CENTCOM (FA1)
- Bahrain (C5F HQ)
- Egypt (2)
- Iraq (1)
- Kuwait (2)
- Pakistan (1)
- Qatar (1)
- Saudi Arabia (3/1)
- UAE (1)

PACOM (FA2)
- Australia (1)
- China PRC (2)
- China HK (2)
- Fiji (1)
- India (2/1)
- Indonesia (1/1)
- Japan (1)
- Malaysia (1/1)
- Philippines (3)
- Singapore (1/1)
- South Korea (3/1)
- Sri Lanka (1)
- Taiwan (1)
- Thailand (2/1)

FAO Global Presence (FY15 Billet Base)

Foreign War College (FWC): 4 Overseas Billets / 1 CONUS
Personnel Exchange Program (PEP): 4 Overseas Billets

FWC
- Chile
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Uruguay
- IADC

PEP
- Germany
- Turkey
- Italy
- Korea
- Chile*
- Norway*
- France*
- Japan*
- UK*
- Brazil*
- Argentina*
- Colombia*

Delete
Text
Unclassified

* Coming online per FOC Plan in FY16-19.

7

FAO Community (1710)

Current LOS
Continued 46 lateral transfer quotas to meet FOC goals
30

FY-16 OPA

CDR

LCDR

LT

Pending Losses

Pending Gains

FY-17 OPA

FOC Plan: ~18 O-4

Steady State: ~15 O-4
Sub, Av, SF, etc. on-ramp

25

20

CAPT

FY-18 OPA

FY-19 OPA

FOC Plan: ~3 O-5

accessions per year (not
required at steady state)

FOC Plan: ~22 O-3

Steady State: ~16 O-3
SWO on-ramp

15

10

1986

9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26 26-27 27-28 28-29 29-30+

As fleet resources become more constrained, we will be increasingly

driven to leverage partner capability through effective engagement
Unclassified

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

8-9

1998

2007

7-8

1999

2008

6-7

2000

2009

5-6

2001

2010

4-5

2002

2011

3-4

2003

2012

2-3

2004

2013

1-2

2005

2014

0-1

2006

2015

FAO Milestone Screen Boards (1 of 2)

FAO equivalent of URL O-6 Major Command and O-5
Command Screen Boards
Supports selective detailing to Milestone Billets

Milestone Billets (approved annually by OPNAV N52)

~40% of FAO CAPT Requirements

~40% of FAO CDR Requirements
Critical DAO, SCO, Major Staff positions
High profile inter-agency positions (e.g. State Department)
Critical community positions (e.g. FAO Policy, OCM and Detailer)
Aligned with progression to high value positions at the next paygrade

Two consecutive looks per FAO

Board eligibility based on Date of Rank in current grade

Correlation between Milestone Screening & Promotion

To date, all Milestone Screened FAOs have been selected in-zone for promotion
Additional promotions of non-screened / above-zone FAOs
MILPERSMAN 1301-809 signed 5 September 2014
Both Milestone in zone looks may not happen before IZ for promotion
There may be time between second Milestone look and IZ for promotion

FAO Milestone Screen Boards (2 of 2)

Milestone Board Eligibility based on Date of Rank for
LCDR
Promotion FY + 4 years = FY of First Look
Promotion FY + 5 years = FY of Second Look

Major Milestone Board Eligibility based on Date of Rank

for CDR
Promotion FY + 3 years = FY of First Look
Promotion FY + 4 years = FY of Second Look

Examples:
Promoted to LCDR in FY12
First Look = FY12 + 4 = FY16 (Nov 2015)
Second Look = FY12 + 5 = FY17 (Nov 2016)
Promoted to CDR in FY13
First Look = FY13 + 3 = FY16 (Nov 2015)
Second Look = FY13 + 4 = FY17 (Nov 2016)

Advantage
Allows all FAOs to know well in advance their Milestone Eligibility
10

Milestone Screening
Prior to FY16
O-6 & O-5 Promotion Group Timeline (FOC)
2014

2015

O-6 MSS Board

PYG 16 1st/2nd Look
PYG 17 1st Look

APR OCT NOV

O-4
O-5
FITREP FITREP

2016

O-6*/5 Board
PYG 16 IZ*
PYG 17 BZ

JAN/FEB APR

Milestone
Slate

MAY/JUN

JUL

O-5 O-6/5 Promotion

FITREP
Results

MSS Board
PYG 17 2nd Look
PYG 18 1st Look

OCT
O-4
FITREP

NOV

Promo Board
PYG 17 IZ
PYG 18 BZ

JAN/FEB APR

O-5
FITREP

2016
MSS Board
PYG 18 2nd Look
PYG 19 1st Look

Milestone
Slate

MAY/JUN
Promotion
Results

JUL

NOV

OCT
O-4
FITREP

PYGs are not known until Notice of Convening of

Promotion Selection Boards message released in Dec
every year
Does not let FAOs know in advance when they will be
eligible for Milestone Boards

11

Milestone Screening
FY16 and Beyond
O-6 & O-5 Promotion Group Timeline (FOC)
O-6/5 Board
PYG 17 IZ
PYG 18 BZ
FY15

O-6/5 Board
PYG 18 IZ
PYG 19 BZ

FY16
OCT NOV

FY17
JAN/FEB

MAY/JUN
O-6/5
Promotion
Results

MMS Board
CDR DOR FY13 1st Look
CDR DOR FY12 2nd Look
MS Board
LCDR DOR FY12 1st Look
LCDR DOR FY11 2nd Look

JUL

OCT

FY18
NOV

JAN/FEB

MAY/JUN

JUL

OCT

NOV

O-6/5
Promotion Milestone
Slate
Results

Milestone
Slate
MMS Board
CDR DOR FY14 1st Look
CDR DOR FY13 2nd Look
MS Board
LCDR DOR FY13 1st Look
LCDR DOR FY12 2nd Look

MMS Board
CDR DOR FY15 1st Look
CDR DOR FY14 2nd Look
MS Board
LCDR DOR FY14 1st Look
LCDR DOR FY13 2nd Look

LCDR DOR
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
First Look Milestone
FY15 (Nov 14) FY16 (Nov 15) FY17 (Nov 16) FY18 (Nov 17) FY19 (Nov 18) FY20 (Nov 19)
Second Look Milestone FY16 (Nov 15) FY17 (Nov 16) FY18 (Nov 17) FY19 (Nov 18) FY20 (Nov 19) FY21 (Nov 20)

CDR DOR
FY12
First Look Major MS
FY15 (Nov 14)
Second Look Major MS FY16 (Nov 15)

FY13
FY16 (Nov 15)
FY17 (Nov 16)

FY14
FY17 (Nov 16)
FY18 (Nov 17)

FY15
FY18 (Nov 17)
FY19 (Nov 18)

FY16
FY19 (Nov 18)
FY20 (Nov 12
19)

Screening Category Terminology

Screened for FAO CDR Milestone (FM1)*

Completed FAO CDR Milestone (FM2)
Screened for FAO Major Milestone (FM3)*
Completed FAO Major Milestone (FM4)**
Special Consideration

* FM1 and FM3 AQDs are awarded following promotion selection to Commander and Captain respectively.
** JFAO Phase II required prior to award of FM4.

13

FAO Career Path

Initial FAO Training Module

Alt FAO Training Module

Adv FAO Training Module

Grad Ed, Defense Language Institute, or InRegion Training, Joint FAO Phase I, JPME I

Grad Ed, Defense Language Institute, or InRegion Training

Joint FAO Phase II, JPME II

Accession/
Initial FAO
tour

Source Community
Qualification/MSR

FAO CDR
Milestone /
CDR tour(s)

FAO LCDR
tour(s)

Primary On-Ramp

10

Flag tour

Broader Lateral Transfer Window

FAO CDR Milestone Screen Board

FAO CAPT
tour(s)

12

14

LCDR

16

Major Milestone Board

18

20

22

24

26

CDR

CAPT

1) CDR / Milestone tour

2) JQO Progress
3) Major
Milestone Screen
CDR
4) FAO Q [Region] AQD
5) Joint FAO Phase I/II
6) Language proficiency

1) CAPT / Milestone tour

2) Joint FAO
Phase II
CAPT
3) JPME II / JQO
4) Language proficiency

28

RDML

Typical Billets / Quals:

FAO assignments are a balance of In-Country
and Staff tours that develop Security Assistance,
Attach and Political-Military competencies
applied to direct International Engagement
with foreign navies, militaries and governments.
In-Country: SAO, DAO, LNO

1) Source / FAO tour

performance
2) Joint FAO
Phase I
LCDR
3) FAO Q [Region] AQD
4) CDR Milestone Screen
5) JPME I

Milestone Screen Rates:

CDR 60%
CAPT 40%*

Staff: COCOMs, NCC/Fleets, DC, Interagency

*Assignments are not all-inclusive

Unclassified

*First Major (O-6) Milestone Board Nov 2014

14

FAO Promotion Statistics

AZ %
IZ %
IZ Rate
Prom
Total
AZ
IZ
BZ
AZ
IZ
BZ
(AZ Select / (IZ Select / (IZ Select /
Year Rank Eligible Eligible Eligible Eligible Selected Selected Selected Total Select) Total Select) IZ Eligible)

FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16

O6
O6
O6
O6
O6
O6
O6
O6
O6
O5
O5
O5
O5
O5
O5
O5
O5
O5

19
33
36
41
56
58
48
54
61
19
45
46
44
71
71
66
72
83

10
14
16
18
21
21
23
25
27
7
11
16
17
17
19
19
19
21

9
9
10
8
9
18
10
11
11
12
10
9
7
16
21
16
21
15

0
10
10
15
26
19
15
18
23
0
24
21
20
38
31
31
32
47

4
6
3
3
7
4
2
2
2
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
1
2

2
0
4
2
0
10
5
4
5
5
3
3
1
9
14
9
14
9

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1

67%
100%
43%
60%
100%
29%
29%
33%
29%
50%
63%
57%
80%
31%
18%
25%
7%
17%

33%
0%
57%
40%
0%
71%
71%
66%
71%
50%
38%
43%
20%
69%
82%
75%
93%
75%

22%
0%
40%
25%
0%
56%
50%
36%
45%
42%
30%
33%
14%
56%
67%
56%
67%
60%

Bonus Pays
FAOs do not receive discreet Special or Incentive Pays;
however,
As career linguists, FAOs receive FLPB based on language
proficiency
DODINST 1340.27 and OPNAVINST 7220.7G provide guidance
Stepped increases based on proficiency level
Requires annual testing to maintain pay

FAOs also receive HDIP, IDP, etc. depending on posting

Authorized HDIP for Aviation Qualified FAOs while in a
flying Attach billet

Unclassified

16

Naval Aviation Qualified FAO (AFAO)

Develop a program similar to the Aeromedical Dual Designator Program, which will enable
the Navy to safely utilize its cadre of FAOs previously designated as aviators, and leverage
the unique [LREC] skills that these officers bring to the DAS.
Secretary of the Navy, 28 Oct 2013

Policy

Previously designated 1310s ONLY

1710 Designator + FFQ Additional Qualification Designator = AFAO
Aeronautically Designated Personnel per NATOPS, OPNAVINST 1301.10C,
and NOOCS

Billets

Personnel

AFAOs fill 3 of the 13 Navy Flying Attach Billets

~ 50 AFAOs / 10 year rule / in-good standing

Training

Safety #1 priority / Naval Aviation refresher before USAF training

Unclassified

17

Community Management Contacts

CDR Jenny Jones
FAO Community Manager
BUPERS-314
jennifer.b.jones1@navy.(smil.)mil
CDR Tuan Nguyen
FAO Detailer
PERS-473C
[email protected]

CDR Jimmy Hilton

FAO, Attach and PEP Placement
PERS-473
[email protected]