Flags from APAC Hands Handout
The Asia-Pacific Hands Program is a four tiered program designed to build regional expertise in the Pacific Region. The idea is to get officers into NPS for regional studies and then place them in billets where their expertise is useful. It'll go on your record as a series of AQDs as you get more expertise.
You can get more information here: http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/career/language_culture/Pages/APACHands.aspx
I personally think it's a good idea, but the real kicker will be whether the communities place any value on it. If it goes into the priorities list on the LCDR, CDR and CAPT selection boards and actually results in preferential promotions, then it has a real chance of being viewed as important. One of the biggest flaws in the AFPAK Hands program was that the expertise wasn't valued and personnel often missed career milestones, so very quickly the hot running folks avoided it like the plague. Hopefully that is changed with APAC Hands.
