Navy to Triple FAOs

The Navy plans to more than triple its 123-officer foreign area officer (FAO) community by 2012. FAOs specialize in a region by learning the language and culture, living there, and gaining the respect of foreign leaders. Unlike attaches, they are not intelligence collectors, but are specialists who can advise combatant commanders on military matters within their region of expertise. Eligibility requirements include a minimum of eight years of commissioned service and a score on the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) of 95 or better. The community managers are considering lowering the minimum commissioned service to six years and increasing the DLAB minimum to 105, according to an official. They will select 50 officers annually, reaching a total of 400 by 2012–300 operational and 100 in the pipeline. Ranks of FAOs run from lieutenant to captain, although nearly one-half are lieutenant commanders.