This excellent article merits robust thought and debate by FAO's across the services. While each service has a unique approach to their FAO program, this article contains useful takeaways for everyone. My only criticism is that it is limited to the Army FAOs.
As I have said in previous posts, FAOs across the services (DODFAO's) are missing out in not having a central strategic person/office (GOFO/SES) overseeing the DOD FAO community.
As one example, this GOFO/SES would seek cooperative ways in which the Army FAO community's shortcomings could be filled by the Navy FAO community and vice versa.
Another example would be this GOFO/SES serving as a central DOD advocate to the DIA in thinking strategically about our distribution of FAOs within the attaché system. There is no doubt that the distribution of world-wide attaché positions amongst the services hasn't been systemically examined/updated/revised since before the Cold War in all likelihood. This isn't meant to be DOD services trying to wrest control from the DIA--this is about the GOFO/SES building partnerships within institutions where there isn't a central bridge.
I have great admiration when senior GOFO's take the time to write and publish:
and GEN Ward is no different; I find it heartening and inspiring that he has taken the time to thoughtfully and analytically address the very issues near and dear to most young FAOs. I suspect that it will only be a matter of time before we are fortunate enough to hear ADM Stavridis' (from the mighty USNA class of '76) thoughts on a strategic outlook for the DOD FAO program.
and GEN Ward is no different; I find it heartening and inspiring that he has taken the time to thoughtfully and analytically address the very issues near and dear to most young FAOs. I suspect that it will only be a matter of time before we are fortunate enough to hear ADM Stavridis' (from the mighty USNA class of '76) thoughts on a strategic outlook for the DOD FAO program.
What are your thoughts on the role this DOD FAO GOFO/SES would play?
A New Strategic Approach To Managing Our Foreign Area Specialistsand LTC(P) Laura R. Varhola
By GEN William E. (Kip) Ward, COL Thomas P. Galvin
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