The Navy has created five Additional Qualification Designators (AQD) to identify officers with experience and education relating to the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) area of responsibility (AOR).
In an effort to identify and manage the talent that exists in the Navy, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus wanted to create a way of tracking those with regional expertise so they can be effectively used.
The AQDs align with the Asia Pacific (APAC) Hands concept, which supports the “rebalance toward the APAC region”. The goal of the APAC Hands program is to develop officers with enhanced regional and operational understanding who then are able to continue to progress to senior decision making levels within their communities.
The five PACOM AOR-focused AQDs are structured to identify increasing levels of regional proficiency. This proficiency is gained through education or experience, or a combination of both. The AQDs align with the regional proficiency skill level guidelines outlined in the Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 5160.70, Management of DOD Language and Regional Proficiency Capabilities and are applicable both to billets and officers of all designators. The AQDs will facilitate distribution, requirements identification, and personnel tracking.
Image: US Navy