RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 1131719-UUUU--RUCRNAD.
ZNR
R 221719Z APR 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N3/N5//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 114/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/ N3/5/APR// 
SUBJ/ CALL FOR FOREIGN AREA OFFICER (FAO) REDESIGNATION APPLICATIONS// 
REF/A/DOC/OPNAVINST 1301.10B/04MAY2006// REF/B/DOC/MILPERSMAN 1212-
010/22AUG2002// REF/C/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/212741ZMAR2008// 
NARR/NARR/REF A IS OPNAV INSTRUCTION NAVY FOREIGN AREA OFFICER (FAO) 
PROGRAM.  REF B IS LATERAL TRANSFER AND CHANGE OF DESIGNATOR CODES OF 
REGULAR AND RESERVE OFFICER.  REF C IS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCING JUNE 2008 
OFFICER TRANSFER-REDESIGNATION BOARD// POC/ CDR BILL REYNOLDS (FAO OCM) 
AT (703) 695-0792 AND LCDR DARNELL EDWARDS (N5 FAO POLICY AO) AT (703) 
697-4020.
RMKS/1.  AS THE JUNE 2008 LATERAL TRANSFER/REDESIGNATION BOARD 
APPROACHES, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE TREMENDOUS 
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO FOREIGN AREA OFFICERS TO SHAPE THE NAVY'S 
ENGAGEMENT WITH FOREIGN PARTNERS AS WE IMPLEMENT OUR NEW MARITIME 
STRATEGY.  A COOPERATIVE STRATEGY FOR 21ST CENTURY SEAPOWER PLACES A 
STRONG EMPHASIS ON FOSTERING AND SUSTAINING COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS 
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.  NAVY FAO'S WILL BE AT THE HEART OF THAT 
EFFORT.  FLEET DEMAND FOR FAO'S IS EXTREMELY HIGH, REFLECTING A GROWING 
RECOGNITION AMONG FORWARD COMMANDERS OF THE VALUE AND POTENTIAL OF 
FAO'S TO ADVANCE THEATER SECURITY COOPERATION MISSIONS AND THE NAVY'S 
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES.  THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE 
A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE MISSION OF THE NAVY AND PURSUE A 
REWARDING CAREEER PATH.
2. THE FAO COMMUNITY HAS ACCESSED 138 OFFICERS TO DATE, AND PLANS TO 
CONTINUE ACCESSING AT A RATE OF 50 OFFICERS PER YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF 400 
OFFICERS AT THE COMMUNITY'S PROJECTED MATURITY DATE OF 2015.  THE FAO 
COMMUNITY REQUIRES OFFICERS WHO ALREADY POSSESS MILITARY EXPERIENCE AND, 
THEREFORE, WILL BE BUILT SOLELY THROUGH THE LATERAL TRANSFER BOARD 
PROCESS.  ADDITIONALLY, THE FAO COMMUNITY MUST ACCESS AT A DETERMINED 
RATE TO MEET A 2015 FOC.  OPNAV N3/N5, THE FAO COMMUNITY SPONSOR AND 
N13 ARE TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE THAT ALL QUALIFIED APPLICATIONS 
SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD WILL BE CONSIDERED, REGARDLESS OF SOURCE 
COMMUNITY.  OFFICERS DESIRING LATERAL TRANSFER WHO MEET THE 
REQUIREMENTS OF THE FAO COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE WITHHELD FROM 
CONSIDERATION BY OUTBOUND QUOTAS OF THE OFFICER'S CURRENT COMMUNITY 
WITHOUT APPROVAL BY N13.
3. THE FY08 FAO PROMOTION BOARDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED WITH 
PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY PERCENTAGES ABOVE THE FLEET AVERAGE: 
67 PERCENT TO O-6, 83 PERCENT TO O-5, AND 100 PERCENT TO O-4.  FUTURE 
SELECTION RATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON PAR WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.
4. THE FAO COMMUNITY IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A STRONG PROFESSIONAL 
CADRE OF POLITICAL-MILITARY, CULTURALLY AWARE, REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT 
EXPERTS.  NEW-BUILD FAO'S WILL RECEIVE NAVY-FUNDED GRADUATE EDUCATION 
PLUS THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THEIR CULTURAL AND LANGUAGE 
KNOWLEDGE THROUGH AN IMMERSION OPPORTUNITY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.  THEY 
WILL THEN BE DETAILED TO STAFFS AND EMBASSIES AROUND THE GLOBE, 
FACILITATING THE BUILDING OF LONG-TERM TRUST AND COOPERATION BETWEEN 
THE U.S. NAVY AND OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS NECESSARY TO MAINTAINING MARITIME 
SECURITY FOR OUR NATION AND THE WORLD.
5. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE JUNE 2008 BOARD IS 
30 APRIL.  I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL MOTIVATED NAVAL OFFICERS (LT 
THROUGH
CAPT) SEEKING NEW CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE FACE 
OF THE NAVY'S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORLD TO APPLY TO BECOME A FOREIGN 
AREA OFFICER.
6. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/OFFICER/EXPEDITIONARY_WARFARE/FOREIGNAREA/.  
7. RELEASED BY VADM J. G. MORGAN, JR., N3/N5// BT #0000 NNNN