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ROUTINE

R 242337Z SEP 09

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TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
NAVADMIN 280/09

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP//

SUBJ/AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN HANDS PROGRAM//

RMKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAVADMIN IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 
AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN HANDS PROGRAM, AND TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERISM FOR THE 
NAVYSPECIFIC SKILL SETS DESIRED.  NAVY IS FULLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THIS 
CRITICAL EFFORT.

2.  THE OBJECTIVE OF THE APH PROGRAM IS TO IDENTIFY, SELECT, TRAIN, AND MANAGE 
A COHORT OF EXPERTS IN ORDER TO BRING GREATER UNITY AND COHESION TO THE FIGHT 
IN AFGHANISTAN.  AFPAK HANDS WILL BE PLACED IN POSITIONS OF STRATEGIC 
INFLUENCE TO ENSURE PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVING U.S. GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVES IN 
THE AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN REGION.  THE END-STATE IS A PROGRAM THAT WILL SUPPORT 
CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF THE STRATEGY WHILE PRESERVING THE MEMBER'S CAREER 
PROGRESSION.

3.  USCENTCOM AND USFOR-A ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING APH POSITIONS WITH 
THE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED COHORT OF APPROXIMATELY 600 MEMBERS -- 
OFFICER, SENIOR ENLISTED, AND CIVILIANS FROM ALL SERVICES.  OF THESE, 122 ARE 
CURRENTLY DESIGNATED FOR NAVY FILLS.  AFPAK HANDS WILL BE DRAWN FROM A MIX OF 
DESIGNATORS AND RATINGS, AND WILL BE SPECIALLY SELECTED TO CAPITALIZE ON, OR 
FURTHER DEVELOP, PROFICIENCIES IN COUNTER-INSURGENCY (COIN) DOCTRINE, REGIONAL 
LANGUAGES, AND CULTURE.  EACH HAND WILL HAVE A MATCHED COUNTERPART, AND WILL 
ROTATE BETWEEN A CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES (CONUS) HOME BASE AND POSITIONS IN 
THEATER THAT DIRECTLY INFLUENCE U.S. GOVERNMENT STRATEGY IN THE REGION.  
FREQUENCY OF FORWARD DEPLOYED ROTATIONS AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF CONUS HOME 
BASES HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.
BASED ON CURRENT INFORMATION, I EXPECT THE MAJORITY OF HANDS WILL BE HOME-
BASED, EITHER IN TAMPA, FL (CENTCOM) OR WASHINGTON, DC (JOINT STAFF), WITH THE 
POSSIBILITY OF A FEW IN NORFOLK, VA OR OTHER LOCATIONS IN CONUS.

4.  NAVY HAS BEGUN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE RIGHT MIX 
OF SKILLS TO SUPPORT THIS MISSION.  TOUR LENGTHS WILL BE A MINIMUM OF THREE 
YEARS, TAILORABLE TO THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE OR THE MEMBER'S PROFESSIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT.  WHILE PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN THE REGION, LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, OR A 
COIN BACKGROUND ARE DESIRED, THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED.  APH INDOCTRINATION 
INCLUDES HIGH LEVEL ECHELON STAFF, LANGUAGE (PASHTU, DARI, URDU), AND CULTURE 
TRAINING.  THE KEY CRITERIA FOR SELECTION WILL BE AN APTITUDE FOR THE SKILLS 
REQUIRED BY THE MISSION AND THE MOTIVATION TO FACE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH 
THIS PROFESSIONALLY DEMANDING TOUR OF DUTY.  PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY 
CONSIDERATIONS ALSO WILL BE SELECTION FACTORS.

5.  OFFICERS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO SELF-NOMINATE VIA THE EXPERIENCE BASED JOINT 
DUTY ASSIGNMENT PROCESS FOR JOINT TOUR CREDIT FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THEIR 
APH TOUR.  JOINT SERVICE WITHIN THE AFPAK REGION SHOULD RECEIVE 3-POINTS PER 
MONTH THROUGH THE SELF-NOMINATION PROCESS.
 ADDITIONALLY, OFFICERS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO SELF-NOMINATE FOR 1-POINT PER 
MONTH OF JOINT TOUR CREDIT FOR THEIR CONUS JOINT SERVICE.  APH PERSONNEL WILL 
BE ELIGIBLE FOR JOINT QUALIFIED OFFICER (JQO) NOMINATION FOLLOWING ACCRUAL OF 
36 JOINT DUTY POINTS AND COMPLETION OF JPME PHASES I AND II.

6.  THE APH PROGRAM WILL DEVELOP AND DEPLOY A COHORT OF EXPERTS WHO SERVE AS 
THE VANGUARD FOR THIS IMPORTANT MISSION.  FOR MORE INFORMATION  ON POSITION 
DESCRIPTIONS OR DESIRED SKILL SETS, CONTACT YOUR DETAILER  OR VISIT THE NPC 
WEB SITES BELOW.

7.  POINT OF CONTACT:  NPC CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER, AT 1-866-U-ASK-NPC (1-866-
827-5672)/DSN 882-5672.

8.  WEB SITES:
- HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/ENLISTED/
- HTTP://WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/OFFICER/

9.  RELEASED BY RADM DANIEL P. HOLLOWAY, N1 ACTING.//

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