『The Foreign Area Officer Podcast』のカバーアート

The Foreign Area Officer Podcast

The Foreign Area Officer Podcast

著者： Michael Hill
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A podcast for the Foreign Area Officer Community to encourage mentorship and solidarity.Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. 政治・政府 政治学
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  • #37 - COL(R) Tom Wilhelm

    #37 - COL(R) Tom Wilhelm
    2026/05/29
    This is the Man who Would be Khan. While a first-year Russian student at West Point, then Major Mark Derber dropped an article from The Atlantic on my desk, Robert D. Kaplan's "The Man Who Would Be Khan". It changed my life. 20 years later, you get to hear my interview with the Man himself. COL (R) Tom Wilhelm shares his path from West Point (commissioned infantry in 1980) through a dual-track infantry/aviation start, declining the new Aviation Branch, and entering the FAO program in the mid-1980s as a Soviet/Russian FAO. Wilhelm recounts an extensive Cold War-era pipeline (FAO course, DLI Russian—joined fully by his wife—graduate school, a summer in Leningrad, and the US Army Russian Institute/Marshall Center), then FAO work with OSIA conducting arms-control inspections (Vienna Document, INF, CFE) and the Provide Hope humanitarian mission in Tajikistan amid civil war. He describes a “knife fight” to regain infantry key jobs during post–Cold War drawdowns, deployments in Macedonia and Bosnia, being imbedded with a Russian airborne brigade, a later Tajikistan attaché tour with family hardships and evacuation, Marshall Center faculty/FAO mentorship, Mongolia as dual-hatted defense attaché/security cooperation chief, an Afghanistan/Pakistan tour, retirement, and directing the Foreign Military Studies Office. He emphasizes FAO risk-taking, networking, access, and conveying what partners think, not what Americans want to hear. To read the original Robert D. Kaplan article you can find it on The Atlantic's website. If you don't have a subscription, the WayBack Machine is your friend: https://web.archive.org/web/20121020120633/https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/03/the-man-who-would-be-khan/302899/ COL(R) Tom Wilhelm’s Recommended Reading List: GENERAL FMSO https://oe.t2com.army.mil Look for FMSO stuff but many products from T2Com G2 are useful for FAOs. Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training https://adst.org Exceptional repository of detailed interviews that provide unparalleled country and regional backgrounds over eras. Red Team Handbook https://home.army.mil/wood/application/files/6115/8222/0759/RedTeamHB.pdf There are actually ways to approach alternative, critical thinking—very helpful to cross-cultural communication and telling us how “they” think. Culture Shock: Leadership Lessons from the Military’s Diplomatic Corps (ed. Graham Plaster, Jason Criss Howk—Book by FAOs for FAOs) The Worldly Philosophers (Robert Heilbroner; entry level book into developing an understanding of economics and society—a baseline subject for all FAOs. Try also The Mystery of Capitalism by Hernando deSoto) The Cave and the Light: Plato Versus Aristotle, and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization (Arthur Herman—before you can tell us what we think they think, you should probably want to know how “we think.”) RUSSIA The Russian Way of War (Les Grau and Charles Bartles—on FMSO website [above] or just Google it.) How Russia Fights https://www.army.mil/article/286922/how_russia_fights (Ted Donnelly, Jeff Hartman, Tom Butler, et.al.) Swimming the Volga: A US Army Officer’s Experiences in Pre-Putin Russia (Peter Zwack) The Leviathan (Movie; award winning Russian film has good representation of the individual’s relationship to power in Russia, among other cultural and political-social insights. Made me feel that I was back in Russia, drinking vodka and shooting bottles with an AK47.) The Trauma Zone (Seven-part series on YouTube; for a sense of post-Cold War chaos in Russia. “Chaos” conjures something tangible in Russia; it’s not just an adjective.) Seventeen Moments of Spring (12-part series on YouTube; addresses the question: Why a 2025 statue to this 1973 Soviet spy thriller television series was recently installed in Moscow. Part of the answer has to do with those untrustworthy Americans in secret alliance with Nazis against Russia—a once and current theme.) WHILE YOU LAYOVER AT THE SERRAI The Empire of the Steppes (Renee Grousset—dense but essential for anybody that thinks they are a Eurasianist, and mandatory for all Silk Road FAOs.) Mission to Tashkent (F.M. Bailey) News From Tartary (Peter Flemming) Eastern Approaches (Fitzroy Maclean) The Great Game (Peter Hopkirk) Some Far and Distant Place (Jonathan Addleton) Across Mongolian Plains (Roy Chapman Andrews—American FAO archetype, 1916-17) The Wilder Shores of Love (Lesley Blanch—Isabel Burton, Jane Digby, Amiee Dubucq, and Isabelle Eberhrdt join my long-suffering bride, Cheri, in FAO-like misadventures abroad) 00:00 Meet Tom Wilhelm 01:28 The Man Who Would Be Khan 02:24 West Point to Dual Track 07:11 Choosing the FAO Path 11:05 Soviet FAO Pipeline 14:01 Leningrad Language Adventure 19:12 Russian Institute and IRTs 23:33 Wall Comes Down Up Close 27:02 Echo Network and Mentorship 31:04 First FAO Job Arms Control 35:32 Provide Hope in Tajikistan 40:31 Back to Infantry in ...
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    2 時間 11 分
  • #36 - LTC(R) Scott Womack

    #36 - LTC(R) Scott Womack
    2026/03/13

    Join me for a conversation with LTC(R) Scott Womack, a US Army Foreign Area Officer (FAO) with extensive experience in Africa. We discuss Scott's journey from West Point cadet to FAO, his assignments in Chad, Senegal, and Congo, and his experience in dealing with complex security and diplomatic challenges. Scott shares insights on balancing family life, the importance of language and cultural skills, and how he transitioned to teaching and running a farm post-retirement.

    00:00 Introduction and Disclaimers

    00:42 Meet Scott Womack: From West Point to FAO

    01:28 Academic Pursuits and Research at West Point

    02:58 Intercultural Competence and Cadet Experiences

    05:01 Real-World Applications and Ethical Dilemmas

    08:42 Semester Abroad Programs and Cultural Immersion

    10:59 West Point Assignments and Africa Studies

    12:51 The Importance of Language and Cultural Training

    20:54 Evacuation Operations in Central Africa

    38:47 Introduction to Ucomm and African Desk Officers

    39:11 Challenges and Opportunities in African Assignments

    39:33 Developing Skills and Understanding in Security Assistance

    42:13 Transition to Learning French and First Assignment in Chad

    42:30 Origin Story and Early Career Influences

    45:32 Civil Affairs and the Path to FAO

    46:57 Experiences in Rwanda and the Importance of Preparation

    48:54 Navigating Assignments and Promotions

    58:56 Building Relationships and Overcoming Challenges in Chad

    01:04:29 Transition to Senegal and Family Adjustments

    01:15:00 Unexpected Transfer to Kinshasa

    01:15:23 Challenges of Working in Kinshasa

    01:17:12 Navigating International Interests and Security

    01:18:47 UN Peacekeeping Efforts and Structural Flaws

    01:27:29 Personal Reflections and Coping Mechanisms

    01:28:49 Comparing Experiences in Chad and Kinshasa

    01:37:05 Final Reflections and Career Transition

    01:40:13 Life After Military Service

    01:47:38 Closing Thoughts and Advice
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    1 時間 49 分
  • #35 - Five Army FAO Branch Chiefs

    #35 - Five Army FAO Branch Chiefs
    2026/01/30

    In this episode of the Foreign Area Officer Podcast five former Army FAO branch chiefs join me for an in-depth discussion on a range of topics critical to Foreign Area Officers (FAOs). The panel includes Eldridge “Raj” Singleton, Steve Browne, Luke Donahue, Wes Chaney, and Pete Roongsang. They delve into the FAO training pipeline, in-region training, common mistakes made by new FAOs, and provide practical advice for career management and PCS assignments. The conversation highlights the role of the FAO branch chief, the importance of understanding military assignments, and the critical aspects of mentorship within the FAO community. The episode wraps up with personal anecdotes and practical advice aimed at helping FAOs navigate their careers successfully, emphasizing the need for proactive career management, understanding the complexities of diplomacy, personal relationships, and the value of mentorship.

    00:00 Introduction and Disclaimers

    00:41 Meet the Host and Guests

    01:26 Colonel Singleton's Journey

    02:34 Colonel Brown's Experience

    03:46 Colonel Donahue's Career Path

    05:51 Lieutenant Colonel Cheney's Background

    07:02 Colonel Ang's Story

    09:37 Discussion on FAO Training Pipeline

    10:52 Challenges and Solutions in FAO Training

    24:18 Mistakes and Lessons for New FAOs

    40:59 Role of the FAO Branch Chief

    48:55 Navigating Authority and Friction in Assignment Processes

    49:31 The Role and Challenges of a Branch Chief

    50:51 The Importance of Road Showing and FAO Relevancy

    54:28 Career Management and Assignment Strategies

    01:04:40 Financial and Logistical Challenges in PCS

    01:13:22 Integrity and Professionalism in FAO Careers

    01:38:06 Falsifying Graduate Degree and Army Dismissal

    01:38:25 Inappropriate Behavior at the US Embassy

    01:40:23 Assignment Refusal and GI Bill Forfeiture

    01:42:09 Misconduct and Consequences in the FAO Community

    01:46:22 Challenges and Support for FAOs

    01:54:12 Mentorship in the FAO Community

    02:16:03 Final Thoughts and Advice for FAOs
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    2 時間 29 分
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