FAO

The Navy Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Community is a stand-alone Restricted Line Community offering world-wide assignment opportunities to qualified Naval Officers.

Naval Officers selected for FAO are assigned a region of specialization, provided language and graduate education on an as-required basis, and detailed to FAO-coded billets in accordance with the Navy FAO career path. 

Navy FAOs maintain a broad range of military skills and experiences: knowledge of political-military affairs; familiarity with the political, cultural, social, economic, and geographic factors of the countries and regions in which they are stationed; and proficiency in one or more of the dominant languages in their regions of expertise.

Navy FAOs can expect to serve on staffs of Fleets, Combatant Commands, Defense Agencies, and DoD military-diplomatic offices at U.S. Embassies. They provide expertise in planning and executing operations, provide liaison with foreign militaries operating in coalitions with U.S. forces, conduct political-military activities, and execute military-diplomatic missions.

Detailing questions for current FAOs
Contact the Senior FAO Detailer (O-5 & O-6), CAPT Chris Wallace
Contact the Junior FAO Detailer (O-3 & O-4), CDR Frederick Rombouts
 

Questions for Officers interested in the FAO Community
FAO Community Manager

• SECNAVINST 1301.7
• OPNAVINST 1301.10C
• DOD Directive 1315.17
• DOD Instruction 1315.20
• MILPERSMAN 1301-809
• MILPERSMAN 1213-020