FAO's receive specialized training in fields of diplomacy and history (05/21/00)

FAO's receive specialized training in fields of diplomacy and history

by Maj. Tarn Warren

LAWRENCE, Kansas - As a foreign area officer (FAO) for the United States Army, graduate school is a critical and required portion of my training. FAOs are considered soldier-statesmen because they must be experts in both the military arena and the diplomatic and historical aspects of our country of specialization. My specialty, however, does not cover just one country, but 15. Hence, I am potentially responsible for every country from Ukraine to Russia to Kyrgyzstan. In order to gain both a broad and deep understanding of these countries, I chose the University of Kansas.

First of all, the University of Kansas Russian and East European Studies (REES) program graduates more FAOs annually than any other university in the United States. This popularity among FAOs stems from the reputation for academic excellence in the REES program. The courses are diverse and taught by distinguished and internationally known professors. The FAO can choose to specialize in many nations of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus region, the Baltic states and, of course, Russia. I have chosen a loose mix of all of these regions with a particular interest in Ukrainian and Russian history and relations.

Secondly, the REES department at the University of Kansas is extremely flexible in allowing the FAO to choose his/her own course of study. Furthermore, the various faculty know who FAOs are, what they do for the army, and what the diplomatic demands of the future will require. Simply put, the academic environment here in the REES program not only allows, but also requires the FAO to stay engaged in order to maximize his/her potential.

The REES program also sponsors many important extracurricular events and programs. For example, the majority of a stimulating conference on NATO expansion with a broad range of international speakers was held at the University of Kansas in the fall of 1999. The REES program also invites various national and foreign guest speakers on a regular basis. These programs greatly benefit the FAO, whether understanding is deepened or broadened.

Furthermore, the REES department maintains unique and strong ties with Lviv University in Ukraine and the Foreign Military Studies Office at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Both of these institutions give the FAO an increased opportunity for travel and a more in-depth study of Ukrainian history and culture and intensive regional military topics.

With over 40,000 volumes, the Slavic collection in the library network at the University of Kansas is immense. Of particular value are both the Ukrainian and Russian collections. Not only are these native-language sources indispensable for solid research, they often cover the same exact topics, allowing the student to gain a balanced, even revised, view of historical and current events.

I am particularly impressed with the wide range of Ukrainian studies courses offered at the University of Kansas. From Ukrainian language to history to culture, native Ukrainian professors normally lead the courses. I am currently taking a graduate-level course on Ukrainian nationalism and culture, and must admit that most of my previous academic instruction of this region was (unbeknownst to me) Russo-centric. At the very least, I now have a much more balanced view, especially of Ukraine's development after Kyivan-Rus'.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time in the REES M.A. program at the University of Kansas. While confident that I will be well-prepared for a future military-diplomatic assignment in any of my region's 15 nations, I feel particularly well prepared for an assignment in Ukraine with the U.S. Embassy or other governmental institutions.

Put simply, the opportunity to study Ukraine in depth here at the University of Kansas has very few peers in the United States.

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