UNCLASSIFIED/ ROUTINE R 051352Z FEB 15 PSN 615944H29 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 034/15 SUBJ/NAVY ASIA PACIFIC HANDS AND ASSOCIATED ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION DESIGNATORS// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB// REF/A/DOC/DOD/JAN12// REF/B/DOC/DODI/12JUN07// REF/C/DOC/BUPERSMAN/OCT14// REF/D/DOC/OPNAV/4OCT11// REF/E/MSG/DON CIO/171625ZFEB12// NARR/REF A IS SUSTAINING U.S. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP: PRIORITIES FOR 21ST CENTURY DEFENSE. REF B IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) INSTRUCTION 5160.70, MANAGEMENT OF DOD LANGUAGE AND REGIONAL PROFICIENCY CAPABILITIES. REF C IS THE MANUAL OF NAVY OFFICER MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL CLASSIFICATIONS (NOOCS MANUAL), VOLUME I. REF D IS OPNAV INSTRUCTION 1000.16K, NAVY TOTAL FORCE MANPOWER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. REF E IS GENADMIN MESSAGE FROM DON CIO REGARDING THE DON SSN REDUCTION PLAN.// RMKS/1. Navy has created five Additional Qualification Designators (AQD) to identify officers with experience and education relating to the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR). These AQDs align with the Asia Pacific (APAC) Hands concept, which supports the *rebalance toward the APAC region* per reference (a). The goal of the APAC Hands program is to develop officers with enhanced regional and operational understanding who then are able to continue to progress to senior decision making levels within their communities. 2. The five PACOM AOR-focused AQDs are structured to identify increasing levels of regional proficiency. This proficiency is gained through education or experience, or a combination of the two. The AQDs align with the regional proficiency skill level guidelines in reference (b) and are applicable both to billets and officers of all designators. The AQDs will facilitate distribution, requirements identification, and personnel tracking. More information on the AQD series and corresponding requirements for each level are in reference (c) and on the Navy Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) website at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers- npc/career/language_culture/pages/default2.aspx. 3. Eligible officers will be coded with an AQD corresponding to the appropriate level of PACOM AOR-related experience and/or education. Experience typically will be accumulated by serving in AQD-coded billets, which are aligned to existing community requirements (e.g. regional desk officers, attach*s and other embassy personnel, intelligence staffs, operational planners, public affairs officers). The intent is to align regional skills to existing requirements. Because APAC Hands will be assigned to billets consistent with their designators, they will remain competitive within their communities. 4. All commands are highly encouraged to identify APAC Hand positions that may require or be enhanced by regional knowledge. Typically, these billets will be found on staffs at the operational or strategic level and will be related to the work required by the incumbent rather than based on a physical location. Coding billets will facilitate opportunities for education en route, which should reduce manning shortfalls and minimize the requirement for on the job training to learn regional dynamics. Budget Submitting Offices should initiate billet coding per reference (d) in coordination with OPNAV N1 and community leadership. The OPNAV N1 point of contact for APAC Hands policy and coding requirements can be reached at ALTN -APAC(at)navy.mil. 5. Officers who already have qualifying experience and/or education may self-nominate for an APAC Hands AQD by sending an application to PERS-450 via their commands. Packages must provide all pertinent information including certified transcripts of regional education, applicable certificates, fitness reports, awards, and any other relevant documentation of education or experience in the APAC region. E-mail packages to MILL_pers-45(at)navy.mil, or send hardcopies to: Commander, Navy Personnel Command PERS-45 5720 Integrity Drive Millington, TN 38055-4300 Per reference (e), all e-mails containing personally identifiable information (PII) must be encrypted; do not send unencrypted e-mails containing PII. 6. Additional information is available on Navy*s LREC website and at http://www.facebook.com/navylanguageregionalexpertiseandcultureoffice. 7. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, whichever occurs first. 8. Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.// BT #3542 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//