Dear Association Members,
FAOs in and out of uniform and friends of Diplomacy all around the world – on behalf of Lieutenant General Hooper and the FAOA Board of Governor’s (BOG), we send our best wishes to you for this new year with the hope of peace, prosperity and most importantly, good health in 2022.
Following the FAOA election process last year, your BOG met and voted to amend the Charter, expanding the Board from 9 to 13 members for greater diversity of experience and capacity to serve the association.
The new Board of Governors for the Association includes (full bios and rank will be included at FAOA.org):
LTG Charles Hooper, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Board Chairman
BG Joe Rank, U.S. Army (Ret.)
CAPT Rob Palm, US Navy (Ret.) - President
Col. Pete Larsen, USAF - Vice President
Jeff Hoffmann, USAFR (Ret.) - Treasurer
Major Lauren Serrano, USMC - Secretary
Col. John B. Haseman, U.S. Army (Ret.)- Content Editor, FAOA Journal
LCDR Graham Plaster, USNR - Journal Editor-in-Chief
Major Eric Hovey, USMC - Social Media / Webmaster
Col. Robert Wagner, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Webmaster
Col. Rob Timm, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Col. Dan Brownlee, U.S. Army (Ret.)
After a decade of dedicated service, Kurt Marisa is moving on from his exceptional service as our President – we recognize his devotion and selflessness to this organization, which is stronger and more independent because of him. From all of us in the FAOA, thank you very much Kurt and good luck in your endeavors!
Though we did not gather in-person for our 25th Anniversary celebration this past Fall, comments from (Ret.) US Army Lieutenant General Bob Ashley reminded us to recall and memorialize our significant milestones. This includes a great thanks to past Presidents and Board members (some still current) who have each had impactful roles in making the following real:
In a five-year timeframe, raised more than $150,000 in Corporate sponsorships and membership fees, sustaining reach to over 2,000 members during the COVID-19 pandemic;
Through the pandemic, continued our FAO outreach programs through virtual forums, such as the distinguished speaker event co-sponsored with the Association’s newest partner, The Cipher Brief. The Forum discussed preparation and future FAO role for Great Power Competition in the Transatlantic. Panel guests included the Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, the Russia Strategic Initiative, and former SDO/DATT (Moscow) and chief of the Navy’s FAO Community Policy Branches;
Established Writers Award Programs at several professional military education schools, including all War Colleges. As an example, the National Intelligence University recognizes their FAO Association award after a designated FAO Pioneer, the Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters Award for International Affairs;
Published since the founding of the Association, the FAOA Journal of International Affairs evolved to an e-Journal with the goal to return to one hard-copy annually in 2022
We also fulfilled two Charter goals:
Established chapters in Monterey, California; the Roger H.C. Donlon Chapter at Fort Leavenworth/Lawrence, Kansas, and most recently in South Korea
Finalized the FAO Heritage Pentagon Exhibit that features a “Cold War” DIA Director who the FAO Association in collaboration with military historians designated as FAO Founder, Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughn Wilson
What does the next 25 years of the Association hold for us?
Great things!
We begin this new phase for the FAOA under the sage counsel and advice of our Chairman, Lieutenant General Charles Hooper (Ret.), who we thank for his time and perspectives. In the next weeks, your new executive team and BOG will work to update the FAOA focus, purpose and activity plans for 2022 and beyond and will communicate this via the website and email updates.
We will work to restore public events and interactions, and to return to the FAOA to “the arena” where we belong.
Onward to 2022 together, to continue the momentum of the FAO service and comradery globally!
Adite!
Rob Palm
FAOA President / president@faoa.org
CAPT, US Navy (Ret)