On 10 March 1972, the Chief of Staff of the Army approved the Foreign Area Officer concept combining the Military Assistance Officer (MAO) and the Foreign Area Specialist (FAS) Programs into a single integrated management system. The Army published Army Regulation 614-142 on 06 March 1973, which described the amalgamation, training, utilization, and providing the field with a list of validated key and supporting positions worldwide. Of particular note was the decision to place the Department of the Army Staff’s responsibility for monitoring the program with the DCSOPS (formerly the MAOP was under ODCSOPS and the FASP was monitored by OACSI).
The AR prescribed a three-phase training program for program members: one year of graduate area studies training; one year of language training (waived if officer already possessed an R3/S3 language proficiency); and one or two years of in-country training (USSR/PRC specialists received two years in-country training). As of 1 February 1973, 69 members received in-country training in 19 countries. Of this total, 34 (nearly 50%) were in USSR/PRC training.
From 1968 through 1972, 151 officers completed the Foreign Area Specialist training, which included in-country training in over 20 countries. Of these 151 graduates, 45 (about 30%) were USSR graduates, and 11 (about 8%) were PRC/Taiwan graduates.
The new FAO Program validated positions for 810 members, but there were 1050 program members (582 FAS and 468 MAO members. Excepting Military Intelligence Branch officers, FAOP members rotated between FAO utilization tours and branch assignments, thus reducing by nearly 50% the availability of program members for validated positions. For example, there were 107 validated attache positions with only 38 filled by program members. Of the total 582 FAS members, 189 were students in either graduate school, language school, or in-country training, leaving 393 members fully trained with only 50% of those, or 182 members either available for FAO assignment or assigned to one.
FAO History Overview Brief FAO History Brief
Please see the links below to the historical documents AFAOA has gathered to assemble the best consolidation of Army FAO history. All of these documents are referenced in the upcoming book concerning the history of the Army Foreign Area Officer Functional Area 48. If you have unclassified briefings or other historical documents concerning the Functional Area 48 FAO please send them to the association at armyfaoassociation@gmail.com.
1918 The Functions of the Military Intelligence Division General Staff
1921 MID MIlitary Attache Guide 1921
1943 The ASTP Essential Facts About
1945 Post War Military Intelligence Training Plan (Draft)
1946 1120 War Dept Memo Program for Training Personnel to Speak Foreign Languages
1947 0411 War Dept Memo ”Language Training” to Conferees Attending DI Confernce
1947 Act congressional hearings Eisenhower many jobs
1948 SIS Acceptance Letter to COL Andrus 1948
1949 Program of Language Training 1949
1958 STATUTE-72-Pg514 Def ACt 1958
1959 Russian Area and Language Studies in the U. S. Army
1960 1215_1960_Doc_EisenhowerLibrary_Joint
1961 DIA Established Document-04-Department-of-Defense-Directive-5105
1962 AR 725-17 SUPPLY PROCEDURES FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY ATTACHE SYSTEM
1963 AR 59-15 AIÏK TRANSPORTATION OF NON-MILITARY PASSENGERS MATERIEL ON MILITARY ATTACHE AIRCRAFT
1963 AR 621-108 MILITAR PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE LEVEL EDUCATION
1963 BG Richard Stillwell letters
1965 AR 350-23 EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOREIGN AREA SPECIALIST TRAINING PROGRAM
1965 Survey of the Dev. of the Role of the U.S. Army Military Advisor
1967 AR 614-142 Foreign Area Specialist Training Program for Officers
1967 The military liaison missions in Germany
1968 US Army Intelligence and Security Branch
1969 AR 614-134 Civil Affairs Program 1969
1969 PREPARATION AND UTILIZATION OF MILITARY ASSISTANCE OFFICERS
1969 FAST Certificate2022 Army FAO Association Proposal to GOSC
1970 USMLM HIstory 1970 – cold war spies
1971 CA School Consolidation 1971
1971 FAS Program Memo on Garmish interaction
1971 Report on Institute of Military Assistance
1972 AR 614-142 FAS Program Jan 1972
1973 AR 614 FOREIGN AREA OFFICER (FAO) PROGRAM
1973 AR 614-142 FOREIGN AREA OFFICER (FAO) PROGRAM
1973 COL Charles Mallette Letter to BG Newton FAO Training and Utilization
1973 Evolution of Military Intelligence Bowe
1973 FAO Program Stats from FAST and MAOP merger
1973 FAO Training and Utilization 7 FEB 1973
1973 FAOP and MAOP Program Study
1973 History of SA units and courses
1973 Institute for Military Assistance History found on USAHEC
1973 Memo for BG Henry C. newton by COL Mallett 1973
1973 OPMS Dual Specialty Development FACT SHEET Jan 1973
1973 GEN Westmoreland 1973 SOP for briefing by a FAO
1974 AR 135-11 FAO Program Reserve Component establishment
1974 Management of the Defense Language Program – Training, 1974
1974 OPMS GEN Depuy Draft Report
1974 US Army Inst for Mil Asst FAO Graduation
1975 FACTSHEET January 1975 Titled The Foreign Area Officer Program and FAO Course USAHEC
1975 FAO Program and FAO Course POI Jan
1975 Memorandum for CSA from MG Richard Trefry Acting DCSP 12 Nov 1975
1975- Proceedings of the 8th Intern. Affairs Symposium of the Foreign Officer Course
1975- Proceedings of the 11th Intern. Affairs Symposium of the Foreign Officer Course
1975 FAO Program Promotion rate debate 1975
1976 Army Linguist Study Volume I
1976 Army Linguist Study Volume II
1976 Army Linguist Study Volume III
1976 Army Linguist Study Volume IV
1976 FAO Specialty Program Korea
1976 OPMS I Overview USAHEC Source
1976 The U. S. Army, Unconditional Surrender, and the Potsdam Proclamation
1977 AR 15-28 Foreign Area Officer Steering Committee
1977 DA PAM 600-3 Specialty Code 48 FAO
1978 Letter by RETO cancelling FAO Course
1978 MI Article on FAO Changes – USE – MIPB Oct 1978
1978 REVIEW OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR OFFICERS (RETO)
1978 Specialty 48 HQDA Analysis March
1980 FAO Course visits Washington DC
1980 FAO Specialty and Course POI
1981 AR 15-28 Foreign Area Officer Steering Committee
1982 GEN Meyer remarks to FAO course
1982-Proceedings of 23rd Intern. Affairs Symposium
1983 An Examination and Evaluation of The Defense Final Attache Personnel System NWC Paper
1983 Army Staff College Level Study
1983 GEN Richardson Trip Report FT Bragg 1983
1983 Letter to GEN Richardson from BG Joseph Lutz, 13 June 1983, Commander US Army JFK SWC
1983 National security and_language_competence_US_Armed USAWC paper
1983 SWC CMDR letter to GEN Richardson
1984 AR 135-11 The Enhanced Reserve Component Foreign Area Officer Program
1984 Letter about Hong Kong FAO Course beginnings
1984 US Army JFK SWC Language Pilot Program for FAOs reduce PCS
1985 CSA John Wickham GEN APR 1985 Comments on FAO
1985 FAO Program Letter DCOPS LTG Mahaffey
1985 FAO Program Review GEN Sullivan
1985 GEN Wickam CSA letter on FAO improvements
1985 LTC Haydash Promotion Complaint to CSA
1985 LTG Mahaffey DCSOPS FAO Reform Unnecessary
1985 MG Robert FAO and PSYOP Initiatives
1985 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICERS STUDY
1985 AMC Commander on SAO staffing issues 1985
1986 CSA FAO Training Problems
1986 FAO IRT discussion CONUS based
1986 FAO Program Training Problems
1986 FAO Training Problems to GEN Richardson
1986 GEN Richardson from LTC Elton
1986 Talking Points for FAO Conference Great Stats
1986 Talking Points for FAO Conference
1987 DA Pam 600-3-48, 1 August 1987
1988 ARSTAF MEMO about FAOS USE
1989 Soviet Program attempt to take over FAO
1989 The training and employment of area specialists in the military
1990 FAO Command Percentages US PERSCOM
1990 FAO Newsletter SprSummer Vol 2 Issue 2
1990 HRC Assessment of FAO Dual Track and Command Aug 1990
1990 Memo to DSCP from BG 1990
1990 Notes by COL Kot DAMO_TRL 1990
1990 FAO Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 2 1990
1991 AR 135-11 The Enhanced Reserve Component Foreign Area Officer Program
1992 DAMO SSF Single Track will kill FAO memo
1992 FAO Retention Problems from CINCEUR to VCSA
1992 GEN Raimer on FAOs GEN Shalikashvili
1992 GEN Shali to GEN Reimer 1992 Single Track argument
1992 The Many Lives of William Alfred Eddy Navy FAO Gallore
1993 DAMO SSF letter to CSA.pdf
1993 EUCOM creation of Marshall Center but different name
1993 FA Commander perspectives of FAO Program
1993 FA48 and FA39 Seperation and SF and CA creation discussion
1993 FLTI FAO and USARI merger George Marshall Center
1993 George Marshall Center FAO POI and other courses
1993 HQDAG2 prior FAO assessment
1993 Marshall Center MOA with FAO and FLT
1994 COLD WAR INTELLIGENCE THE UNITED STATES MILITARY LIAISON MISSION IN EAST GERMANY 1947-1990
1994 MFR to DCSOPS from GEN Sullivan 1994
1996 Letter to GEN Reimer about promotion concerns
1996 LTG Stroup memo about FAO promotion concerns
1996 OPMS Letter and FAO stats
1996 Thesis on Delafield Commission
1997 Foreign Area Officer Program Challenged but not dead say army supporters
1997 FAOA Journal WHAT DOES OPMS XXI MEANS TO FAOs
1997 FAOA Journal Staying Green
1997 FAOA Journal Army and Marine Proponent Notes
2002 The Origins of the Military Attache Corps COL John Prout
2003 JFAO Journal Dec 2003 – branch chief notes numbers
2003 OFFICER PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT IN THE ARMY PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE USAWC Paper
2003 The Army Training and Leader Development Panel Officer Study Report to The Army
2004 FAOA Journal Army Notes COL Peter Brigham, Chief, Strategic Leadership Division
2004 FAOA Journal Redefining the Foreign Area Officers Role
2004 FAOA Journal Branch Chief Notes
2005 defense_language_roadmap_2005
2005 First-Naval-Attache-Korea
2005 RAND Creating New Career Options for Officers in the U.S. Military
2006 LTG Wilson An Intelligent use of the Human Spirit
2006 RAND Challenging Time in DOPMA
2007 Analysis of FAO Requirements
2007 Bidwell Study Part 6 1945-1950
2007 Bidwell Study Part 7 Korea
2007 DoD 2007 FAO Annual Report – April
2008 FAOs to GO Rank study USAWC paper
2009 DoD 2009 FAO Annual Report – August 2010
2010 Army Talent Management Officer Corps Case Study
2010 EXPANDING US ARMY LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL PROFICIENCY USAWC Paper
2011 DoD FY 2011 FAO Annual Program Report
2011 Hisotry of DLIFLC in pictures
2011 The Army’s Foreign Area Officer Program To Wither or to Improve
2012 FAOA International Affairs Journal – Apr 12 – Online FAO Single Track articles
2013 The Strategic Value of Foreign Area Officers
2013 Time to Break More Glass USAWC Paper
2013 G-3 Signed FA48 MELIV Memo
2013 FAO FA48 MEL-4 Training and Education Standards
2014 The Army Specialized Training Program and Washington University, 1942-1945
2014 FAO Assignment Strategy (Dated 08 Feb 13)
2015 Gilbert, World War I and the Origins of US Military Intelligence
2016 White Paper – FAO Awards and Recognition 10 OCT
2017 FAOA Journal Army Command Positions
2018 USASD Support Issues for FAOs – April 2018
2019 FA48 Senior FAO Roles and Responsibilities 190028JUN19
2020 Assignment of Army Personnel to the Defense Attaché Service AR 611-60
2020 HQDA G35 FA48 COL Assignment Philosophy 20201001 Bolton Author
2020 FAQ – FA48 AOC Realignment (03DEC20)
2021 G-357 Hallway (FA48 FAO) v6
2021 White Paper – FAO Awards and Recognition 01 June 21
2021 PCS Entitlements Reference Guide
2021 FAO Career Management and Force Structure 2021
2021 FA48 Colonel Assignment Philosophy
2021 FA48 Campaign Plan DRAFT as of 20210407
2021 FAO Career Management and Force Structure 2021
2022 FAO Council of Councils Terms of Reference
2022 COVERT LEGIONS Thomas Boghardt US Army Intelligence in Germany, 1944–1949
2022 Discussion Paper- Lessons Learned from the 2015 FAO AOC Realignment
2022 DVIDS – News – Huebner-Malinin Agreement creates Military Liaison Missions
2022 FAO Assessment 2022 Sponsor Kickoff
2022 FAO MEL4 info paper- how we do business now
2023 A White Paper to the FAO General Officer Steering Committee
2024 FAO Traps 2022 FAO Branch IRT OER Analysis
2024 Proposed Army FAO 2040 Training Pipeline
2024 AFAOA Holiday News Update
2024 Army FAO Newsletter MAY24_Final
2025 AFAOA_Board_Meeting_Minutes_26JUN2025_Final
2025 FY25 – FA48 CSC Guidelines
2025 FAO Questionnaire (Direct Commission)
2025 Constructive Service Credit Worksheet (CSC)
2025 Keepin’It Green (September 2025 Edition)
Unknown Dates:
UNK Army Specialized Training Program Publications
UNK FAO Program description and myths
UNK History of Army Language School now DLI
UNK MAOP POI FT Bragg FAO Course
UNK OPMS I overview FAO Functional Area AOC codes established factsheet
UNK Role-of-US-Army Attache during WWII
UNK US Military Liaison Mission Incidents