Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 1315.20
September 28, 2007
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Management of Department of Defense (DoD) Foreign Area Officer (FAO)
Programs
References: (a) Defense Language Transformation Roadmap, February 14, 2005
1
(b) DoD Directive 1315.17, “Military Department Foreign Area Officer (FAO)
Programs,” April 28, 2005
(c) Federal Government Interagency Language Roundtable Website, “An
Overview of the History of the ILR Language Proficiency Skill Level
Descriptions and Scale”
2
(d) DoD Directive 5160.41E, “Defense Language Program (DLP),”
October 21, 2005
(e) through (k), see Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE
This Instruction:
1.1. Implements policies, assigns responsibilities, establishes timelines, and prescribes
procedures pursuant to References (a) and (b) for the management of DoD FAO Programs.
1.2. Establishes procedures to access, develop, retain, motivate, and manage all FAOs within
the Department of Defense, in accordance with Reference (b).
1.3. Identifies the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Plans (DUSD(Plans)), under the
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)), as the principal staff
advisor to the Secretary of Defense for DoD FAO Programs.
1.4. Provides report format, procedures, and reporting instructions for an Annual Report on
DoD FAO Programs.
1
The Defense Language Transformation Roadmap was approved by the Deputy Secretary of Defense on February 14,
2005. Copies are available online at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/d20050330roadmap.pdf.
2
The Interagency Language Roundtable website is available online at http://www.govtilr.org/ILRscale_hist.htm
