THE SWORD REPRESENTS THAT FAOS ARE GROUNDED IN THE ARMY’S WARFIGHTING TRADITIONS
The Army Foreign Area Officer Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and furthering the Army’s Foreign Area Officer functional area 48 in achieving Army strategic objectives.
President: Wes Chaney 48J
Vice President: Matt Kopp 48J
Secretary: Rick Cassidy 48P (Ret.)
Treasurer: Tim Brooks 48G (Ret.)
Newsletter Editor: John Ringquist 48J (Ret.)
Asst. Newsletter Editor: Jacob Herskind 48P
Asst. Newsletter Editor: John Haseman 48P (Ret.)
Asst. Newsletter Editor: Jason Howk 48P (Ret.)
Podcast Contributor: Mike Hill 48B
Awards Chair: Andrew Fisher 48E
Asst Awards Chair: David Frye 48E
Asst Awards Chair: Lauren Stephenson 48E
Asst Awards Chair: Jason Hall 48G
Mentorship Chair: Tony Sebo 48E (Ret.)
Asst Mentorship Chair: Adam Clements 48G (Ret.)
Asst Mentorship Chair: Wynne Beers 48J (Ret.)
Social Chair: Christopher Post 48P
Academic Journal Editor: Scott Womack 48J (Ret.)
Annual 2025 Board of Governors Meeting – video and notes
The goals of the association are:
Support the U.S. Army proponent office for Functional Area 48 (Foreign Area Officer) by advocating programs and activities in support of the functional area.
Preserve and foster a spirit of mentorship and fellowship among military and civilian persons whose past or current duties affiliate them with the Foreign Area Officer functional area.
Strengthen the community of Foreign Area Officers, enhance the study and practice of FAOs, and provide a forum to recognize excellence and the contributions of those in the community.
Some of our long-term goals are:
- Establish an exhibit at the National Museum for the United States Army for FA48 – accomplished March 2025
- Establish a yearly gathering at AUSA with a senior Army leader in attendance – Save the date each year the Sunday before AUSA in the NCR
- Promote the functional area to senior Army leaders – ongoing
- Establish a mentorship program that includes retirees assigned to new incoming FAOs – Fall 2025
- Help transitioning FAOs attain SkillBridge access and establish other means to assist our transitioning FAOs.
One of the association’s long-term goals is to establish a mentoring process for our new FAOs as they enter into the functional area, and also make available our retired members to our transitioning members for mentoring and job opportunities. Members can have access to our membership roster through a request to armyfaoassociation@gmail.com