171X Foreign Area Officer

In the US Navy, 171X is the designator for a Special Duty Officer qualified as a Foreign Area Officer (FAO).

The responsibilities of a FAO include: Advising and assisting in planning and implementing policy related to politico-military aspects of international affairs Providing background information on international developments of interest to the Navy Interpreting and evaluating the politico-military significance of international developments

FAOs are grades O4 to O6. They advise on the politico-military aspects of international affairs.

Commissioned officers in the Navy must: Have a degree from a four-year college or university Complete Officer Training

Commissioning programs include: NROTC Naval Academy Other undergraduate degree opportunities