The Foreign Service Journal, January 2013

Home , Adolph Dubs, Diplomats in Residence, GLIFAA, Victoria Nuland

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2013

DIPLOMACY IN A TIME OF SCARCITY

FOREIGN SERVICE TRANSFER TIPS

FACING THE UNTHINKABLE

FOREIGN January 2013 SERVICE Volume 90, No. 1

AFSA NEWS Sec. Clinton Joins in Celebrating GLIFAA’s 20th Anniversary / 43 SPECIAL State VP Voice: Diplomacy in a Time of Scarcity / 29 Protecting Privacy / 44 In spite of real progress since 2008, our foreign affairs agencies are not USAID VP Voice: Links in the yet completely staffed, rt ained and deployed to meet the challenges of the Field AFSA Post Reps / 45 21st century. Here are highlights of the American Academy of Diplomacy’s 2012-2013 AFSA Financial Aid recommendations, from their latest report. Scholarship Recipients / 46 AFSA Screens “ARGO” to a Full House / 51 FOCUS FOREIGN SERVICE TRANSFER TIPS Secretary of State Awards Editor’s Introduction / 23 Recognize Overseas We hope our coverage will help your next transfer go more smoothly. Volunteers / 52 BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY Dissent: About National Interest, Not Individual Views / 53 Foreign Service Transfer Realities / 24 A Bengali Woman’s Art: Cause for Liberation / 54 As with all aspects of an FS career, it is crucial to take charge of a move. You are your own best advocate. Caroling Friends of the FS BY METTE BEECROFT Hold Climate Change Talk / 55 Trust Invites FS Project Single, With Pets / 28 Proposals / 55 Traveling with animals overseas can present unique challenges. Nicholas Kralev Introduces But with careful preparation, it can also be very rewarding. “America’s Other Army” / 56 BY HEATHER PISHKO Senior Living Foundation: Supporting Retired FS Members / 57 FEATURE COLUMNS The Millennium Challenge Corporation: President’s Views / 7 Off to a Good Start / 35 AFSA Needs Strong Leaders Eight years after the MCC’s creation, the verdict on its efforts to jump-start BY SUSAN R. JOHNSON the process of development is not yet in. But there are reasons for optimism. Speaking Out / 15 BY BEN BARBER Facing the Unthinkable: Time for FCS to Merge with State? BY DANIEL HARRIS

DEPARTMENTS Letters / 8 Talking Points / 11 Books / 39 Local Lens / 66

MARKETPLACE Classifieds /60 Real Estate / 63 On the Cover: A rusting boat lies abandoned in the desert that used to be the Aral Sea, Index to Advertisers / 65 once the world’s fourth-largest lake, in Moynaq, Uzbekistan.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 5 FOREIGN SERVICE

Editor Steven Alan Honley: [email protected]

Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected]

Associate Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] CONTACTS

AFSA News Editor AFSA Headquarters: LABOR MANAGEMENT Donna Ayerst: [email protected] (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 General Counsel State Department AFSA Office: Sharon Papp: [email protected] Ad & Circulation Manager (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Deputy General Counsel Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] USAID AFSA Office: Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Labor Management Specialist Art Director FCS AFSA Office: James Yorke: [email protected] Caryn Suko Smith (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Labor Management Counselor Editorial Intern Janet Weber: [email protected] Emily A. Hawley GOVERNING BOARD Senior Staff Attorney President: Neera Parikh: [email protected] Advertising Intern Susan R. Johnson: [email protected] Staff Attorney Edward Kurniawan State VP: Raeka Safai: [email protected] Editorial Board Daniel Hirsch: [email protected] Staff Attorney James P. Seevers, Chairman USAID VP: Andrew Large: [email protected] Judith Baroody Francisco Zamora: [email protected] Office Manager William D. Bent FCS VP: Christine Warren: [email protected] Clayton Bond Keith Curtis: [email protected] USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Gordon S. Brown FAS VP: Douglas Broome: [email protected] Stephen W. Buck David Mergen: [email protected] Staff Assistant Ruth M. Hall Retiree VP: Alex Nostro: [email protected] Richard McKee Mary Ellen Gilroy: [email protected] USAID Staff Assistant Jed Meline Secretary: Vacant Chioma Dike: [email protected] Gregory L. Naarden Treasurer: Andrew Winter Beth Payne State Reps: MEMBER SERVICES Matthew Asada Member Services Director William Bent Janet Hedrick: [email protected] THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS E. Alex Copher Member Services Representative PROFESSIONALS Tim Corso Kristy Pomes: [email protected] The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Kenneth Kero-Mentz Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published Elise Mellinger Ana Lopez: [email protected] monthly, with a combined July-August issue, by the Joyce Namde American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a private, Ted Osius COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND nonprofit organization. Material appearing herein repre- Lillian Wahl-Tuco OUTREACH sents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or David Zwach Director of Marketing and Outreach AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, prefer- USAID Reps: Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] ably by e-mail. The Journal is not responsible for unso- Jason Singer Director of Communications licited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising Andrew Levin Thomas Switzer: [email protected] inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements FCS Rep: Steve Morrison Special Awards and Outreach Coordinator herein does not imply endorsement of the services or FAS Rep: Vacant Perri Green: [email protected] goods offered. Journal subscription: AFSA member–$20, IBB Rep: Andre de Nesnera Editor/Publisher, FS Books included in annual dues; student–$30; institution–$40; Retiree Reps: Shawn Dorman: [email protected] others–$50. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid Robert Houdek Web and Graphics Assistant at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Edward Marks Jeff Lau: [email protected] Indexed by the Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS). Hugh Neighbour Molly Williamson PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS E-mail: [email protected] Coordinator, Retiree Counseling Phone: (202) 338-4045 STAFF and Legislation Fax: (202) 338-8244 Executive Director Bonnie Brown: [email protected] Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Ian Houston: [email protected] Associate Coordinator, Retiree Counseling Executive Assistant to the President and Legislation © American Foreign Service Association, 2013 Patrick Bradley: [email protected] Matthew Sumrak: [email protected] PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Advocacy Director BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Javier Cuebas: [email protected] Postmaster: Send address changes to Director of Finance Legislative Assistant AFSA Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] Clint Lohse: [email protected] Attn: Address Change Controller Scholarship Director 2101 E Street NW Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Lori Dec: [email protected] Washington DC 20037-2990 Assistant Controller Scholarship Assistant Cory Nishi: [email protected] Jonathan Crawford: [email protected] CADMUS INSERT LOGO HERE www.afsa.org

6 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS

AFSA Needs Strong Leaders

BY SUSAN R. JOHNSON

he purpose of this column is seeking them out and valuing them. its mission effectively in response to the to encourage you to seriously The AFSA president deals directly complex challenges of modern diplo- consider running for elec- with senior officials across all member macy and international relations.” If T tion to the 2013-2015 AFSA agencies; navigates formal and informal you believe that these exhortations were Governing Board, either as president or relationships across the foreign affairs prescient and are even truer today, then a constituency vice president. These are community; briefs members of Congress seek the presidency of AFSA or another all full-time jobs that carry significant and top staffers, and testifies before position on its Governing Board. responsibilities and opportunities for congressional committees; gives on-the- If you want to give back to a career measurable accomplishment on behalf of record interviews and provides back- that has enriched you immeasurably, the Foreign Service and its members, and ground briefings to major media; and AFSA offers that opportunity. If you want for strengthening our professional asso- seeks opportunities for public speaking. a stronger professional Foreign Service, ciation and union. If you care about the It’s a high-visibility position that calls for better equipped for the challenges of Foreign Service and want a voice in its strong written and oral communication contemporary diplomacy, better profes- future, it is time to engage—and the AFSA skills, as well as political and diplomatic sionally educated and trained, better led Governing Board provides an excellent savvy to manage the issues that come and managed, and better resourced by platform. before a diverse, 27-member board. Congress, then service on the Governing The Department of State and the The AFSA president works in close Board gives you an opportunity to advo- U.S. Agency for International Develop- partnership with the executive direc- cate for these goals. ment, premier foreign affairs agencies 50 tor and more than 30 professional staff Like many of you, for most of my years ago, no longer appear to be at the to oversee an annual operating budget career I never thought much about the center of foreign and development policy in excess of $4 million, a scholarship role or responsibilities of the AFSA Gov- formulation. Their roles are increasingly trust fund of $5 million, and vigorous erning Board, much less about running eclipsed in policy implementation, as and expanding advocacy, membership for office. Now that I am completing my well. Despite recent growth, the Foreign recruitment, publications and profes- second term as AFSA’s president, I have Service constitutes a shrinking pro- sional events programs. AFSA is midway found these four years highly satisfying portion of the foreign affairs agencies, through what is likely to be a decade-long and rewarding, both personally and particularly of their leadership. transformation process to strengthen professionally. AFSA’s voice is needed to identify and capacity by modernizing and profes- Now, more than ever, AFSA needs to advocate for the cultural and organiza- sionalizing operations to better serve our speak with a clear, strong voice. We need tional changes that will make the Foreign members and the Foreign Service. the best of the Foreign Service to step for- Service and American diplomacy strong In the Foreign Service Acts of 1946 ward to lead and govern our association er, shifting from reactive to innovative, and 1980, Congress specified that a and union, and to fortify our advocacy from resisting change to embracing “career Foreign Service characterized with management, our political leaders and shaping it, and from by excellence and professionalism is in the executive and legislative branches, ignoring the need for new essential and in the national interest.” It and with the American public. approaches to professional also stipulated that it must be “preserved, Please visit www.afsa.org/elections for education and training to strengthened and improved to carry out information about how to run for AFSA office. You are also welcome to contact Susan R. Johnson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. me at [email protected]. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 7 LETTERS

Thanks for Promoting Ambassadorships for Sale perform this critical function is to ignore Foreign Service Books Retired Ambassador Dennis Jett’s the meaning of “experience.” This year’s edition of “In Their Own November Speaking Out column (“Psst! The press in other nations, including Write” (FSJ, November) was informative Hey, Buddy, Wanna Buy an Ambassador- some close allies, has expressed concern and thought-provoking. As Susan Maitra ship?”) was both significant and challeng- that sending a novice instead of a sea- noted in her introduction, the majority of ing. As someone who has long taken the soned diplomat seems to indicate that we the books were self-published. The self- position that sending novices to repre- do not take the relationship seriously. To publishing genre sent our global superpower is not in the use a clumsy analogy, would you be more has become national interest, I would like to add three comfortable discussing a complicated, increasingly points to the discussion that I hope will serious medical question with a qualified sophisticated, take place on this important issue. M.D., or with someone who purchased offering quality To quote from the article, “Diplomacy the diploma a short time ago? production and is a profession”—and we are the profes- My comments are not in any way professional sionals. In that spirit, AFSA, the organiza- intended to ignore or denigrate the abili- editing for a tion representing us, should take a strong ties and accomplishments of the appoint price. public stance opposing the practice of ees, which are in any event irrelevant, What is still selling ambassadorships. Even if it does but to oppose the joy of patronage that badly missing not lead to a reduction in the percent- rewards them for giving large sums. is reasonably age of political appointees, what matters There is no such thing as on-the-job priced publicity. The publicity given is that we begin to see ourselves more training for the boss, which is why gener- gratis by The Foreign Service Journal is clearly as professionals—the most skilled als never command aircraft carriers. Our therefore invaluable. practitioners of our profession. No other nation requires and deserves profession- Last summer I participated in a small- similarly qualified group would remain als to promote our interests in today’s town book fair in Vermont. The author silent if unlicensed, unskilled or just plain world. sitting next to me behind his pile of books inexperienced outsiders were put into Edward Peck was Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Powers, senior positions in their profession. Ambassador, retired author of the best-selling The Killing of I would note that Amb. Jett does not Chevy Chase, Md. Crazy Horse (Random House, 2010). call attention to the reasons that the For- The Christian Science Monitor called it a eign Service Act and the president’s letter, “Argo”: Rousing If Not “masterpiece.” It won the L.A. Times prize in identical language, give chiefs of mis- Completely Accurate for history and was a finalist for the New sion (an ambassador’s operational title) An almost fanciful tale of the escape York Book Critics Circle Award. “full responsibility for the coordination, of six official Americans from the grips of Mr. Powers suggested that we “barter” direction and supervision of all execu- revolutionary Iran has resurfaced after (exchange) our books, which was, of tive branch agencies” in their country of more than 30 years in Ben Affleck’s new course, flattering to me. For the rest of the assignment. hit film, “Argo.” In it, Affleck, who directs afternoon, we each sold only one book, The objective is both obvious and and stars, tells the story of what used to be mine to a high-school girl named Emma. critical: to inject a level of coordination known as “The Canadian Caper”—before Tom Powers is a very genial and and control into the implementation end it was revealed that the rescue was engi- generous man. He took the occasion to of foreign policy. (Such control is much neered by CIA “exfiltration” expert Tony give me a lesson in reality. The propaga- more difficult to achieve during policy Mendez, who got the fugitives out posing tion of even good books, he said, is a very formulation, since no agency can instruct as a film production team. difficult affair. That is why the FSJ’s help another.) Thirty-two agencies operate One participant in the Caper, retired is so much appreciated. in our embassies, most numerous in the FSO Mark Lijek, outlined his escape, as John J. Eddy more important (read: lots nicer) coun- well as his role as a consultant to the Argo FSO, retired tries chosen by political appointees. To film, in his October Journal article, “How Rochester, Vt. expect a beginner to be able to effectively Hollywood Does History.” Lijek illumi-

8 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL nates how a true story gets dramatized for the dogged work of U.S. intelligence One final question in my mind: and how atmosphere can mean more services and diplomats. given Susan Johnson’s expressed inter- than facts. Mike Canning est in reducing the incidence of politi- I watched the film from another FSO, retired cal appointments to ambassadorships, perspective, having served as an FSO in Washington, D.C. why did she not ask supreme diplomat Tehran from 1976 to 1978 and worked in Editor’s Note: Please see p. 39 for a Kissinger for his opinion on this point the embassy compound. I knew the city combined review of new books by Mendez when seeking his views on the importance streets and was familiar with Tehran’s and Lijek about the incidents depicted in of having “a strong, professional, career airport. I would say that “Argo” is not a the film. Foreign Service for the conduct of diplo- documentary, but a highly successful macy”? entertainment vehicle. The Kissinger Interview China expert though he may be, in my Parts of the film achieve real verisi- It was depressing, to say the least, to view Kissinger deserves no place of honor militude. For example, using Istanbul as a read AFSA President Susan Johnson’s in our professional and fraternal associa- stand-in for Tehran, Affleck and company interview with former Secretary of State tion—nor in the journal it publishes. achieve the right look for the streets. Henry Kissinger in the September Journal. Alan Berlind Moreover, in casting the fugitives, Affleck Kissinger treated the Foreign Service like Senior FSO, retired assembled a cast of character actors who dirt, excusing the 1973 murder of FSOs Bordeaux, France strikingly resemble the actual FSOs. For by Yasser Arafat in Khartoum when faced even more authenticity, the director was with threats of more of the same (all in Bring ’Em in Young able to get unusual access to both the CIA the service of realpolitik). I recounted that Shawn Dorman’s October Foreign Ser- headquarters and the State Department sordid tale, including the roles of Arafat vice Journal report on “The New Foreign to frame his drama. and Kissinger, in my June 2009 FSJ article, Service Generation” is certainly interest- At the same time, “Argo” introduces “Counterterrorism: Some Lessons to ing. There is much to admire in what elements that create drama but are utterly Consider.” these men and women are bringing to our implausible. Where the film truly departs Particularly galling was the time profession. from the actual Canadian Caper is in its offered to Kissinger to expound on the Reading her reporting called to mind ending. All the momentum of the film matter of diplomacy. Allow me to quote my own service as a 26-year-old junior leads to a nail-biting finale at Tehran’s his self-exculpatory prescription for officer in Helsinki during the John F. Mehrabad Airport. successful statesmanship in the Nov. 13, Kennedy administration. The White After a tense passport check and a last- 2011, issue of The New York Times Book House was then so concerned that our minute mission approval from Washing- Review: “The challenge of statesman- embassies lacked meaningful contact ton, the group is scrutinized by a wary (and ship is to define the components of both with emerging leaders abroad that every scary) member of the Iranian Revolution- power and morality and strike a balance embassy was told to report, every week, ary Guard. All this happens as a group between them. This is not a one-time on its contacts with folks in their 20s and of Iranian zealots edges ever closer to effort. It requires constant recalibration; younger. identifying the fugitives from reassembled it is as much an artistic and philosophi- In Helsinki, this way-into-the-wee- shredded photos. Then comes the last- cal as a political enterprise. It implies a hours “work” soon proved too much for ditch chase sequence on the tarmac. willingness to manage nuance and to live our embassy elders, so the responsibility None of that happened, of course. with ambiguity. The practitioners of the for this weekly report fell to the only two The real-life airport escape was tense art must learn to put the attainable in the of us who were in their 20s. My colleague, but remarkably uneventful—even if the service of the ultimate and accept the poor fellow, was married, so I got a minds of those escaping were in turmoil. element of compromise inherent in the chance to render stellar service. But, hey, it’s a Hollywood ending, and endeavor.” That was back when one could be no who would deny Affleck his boffo finish? I very much hope Winston Lord will older than 32 when entering the Foreign Not me, certainly. It’s a rousing close respond to Kissinger’s remarks about his Service! Even so, there still were only for a film that notably offers rare kudos reaction to the 1972 bombing of Cambodia. two of us at Embassy Helsinki who could

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 9 relate to young political leaders as gen- Diversity at State erational peers. Speaking as an EEO counselor, I Now, according to the Journal report, believe that we in the State Department the average entry age is 32. Since some are like one big family. Our new employ- FSOs join while as old as 59, this sug- ees are recruited from such a variety gests that fewer than half must still be of backgrounds that they truly reflect in their 20s. If an ambassador wanted diversity in every sense of the word. That to ensure that his or her embassy had is a great beginning, amplified by the at least two or three officers in their 20s camaraderie and close relationships we who might most productively relate to establish with our co-workers. rising local leaders, could the depart- Building on this, active education ment still deliver today? about the value of diversity through In addition to being effective, we all classes, workshops, symposiums and want our Foreign Service to be repre- individualized instruction should be sentative and diverse. But surely the offered and, perhaps, required across the American age group of 20 to 30 is under- department. Resources and support must represented. be given to the responsible programs, and There are at least three other practical periodic reviews of their effectiveness, reasons to consider re-establishment of including individual feedback, should be 32 as the maximum entry age. First, ours conducted. is a career service. If we’re to have the Still, official programs to promote most experienced Senior Foreign Service, diversity can only do so much. The real then expecting 20 to 25 years of positions effort must come from the heart to be en route up seems quite justified. effective and meaningful. Second, having interviewed hun- Those whose parents were in the dreds of FS candidates while working at Foreign Service or military may remem- the Board of Examiners, I know that it ber how they were continually exposed is fairly simple to evaluate experience. to people from cultures and backgrounds But assessing potential is much harder. different than ours. But they were assimi- Older folks have more experience, while lated in school, on sports teams, in places younger ones may have mostly poten- of worship and so on. They experienced tial. And isn’t it the potential for growth diversity every day, even before there was that we’re seeking? The fairest way to a term for it. ensure that those with potential don’t All of us in the Foreign Service who get overrun by those with much experi- serve overseas have the privilege of expe- ence is to restore the 32-year-old cutoff. riencing diversity firsthand every day as a And finally, there’s the simple fact of matter of course. But no matter where we declining health as we age—and thus are posted, all of us should refuse to toler- of constricting worldwide availability. ate discrimination in any form. The older we are when we enter, the I absolutely believe that the State sooner we, and the system, will experi- Department is and must remain at the ence these limitations. Take it from an forefront of the U.S. government’s efforts old-timer. to achieve this. Bob Dickerman Krishna Das FSO, retired FS Specialist Swoope, Va. Washington, D.C. n

10 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS

The FSJ: There’s the download will begin. The app will be an App for That! updated automatically each month with We’ve all become accustomed to the latest issue, and will also include a seeing people walking around with their limited archive of recent issues. The app’s heads buried in the electronic device of design has been optimized for tablet- their choice. Distressingly, most seem to sized devices, but it works just as well on be engaged in something less than pro- smaller devices. ductive: scanning their Facebook feeds, The tool will include all the features playing Angry Birds or downloading the you have become used to with the digital latest episode of “The Amazing Race.” version of the magazine: Active links to AFSA and The Foreign Service Journal advertisers and additional content, beau- are therefore proud to announce that you tiful resolution and color, and a signifi- may now find something interesting and the January issue. cantly enhanced page-flipping feature. educational to add to your Apple devices: For now, the app is only available for As our readers become accustomed to the brand-new app for the FSJ! Most Apple devices: iPads, iPhones, iPods and the app version of the magazine, we plan importantly, the app is free for AFSA so on. Our recent survey of FSJ read- to add even more online-only content to members as a benefit of membership. ers indicated that more than half of our enhance the Web-based reading experi- Developed by Taoti Creative, the firm members use Apple devices; hence our ence. which also oversaw the redesign of the decision to start there. Another 30 per- We would love to hear what you think AFSA Web site a couple of years ago, the cent use Android and Windows, and we about the app! Please send comments FSJ app is now pending final approval hope to launch these versions very soon. and suggestions for improvement to from Apple. At this writing (early Decem- To find the app, simply visit the iTunes [email protected]. ber), we expect it to be available to down- store and search for “The Foreign Service —Ásgeir Sigfússon, Director of load from the iTunes store starting with Journal.” Press the “install” button, and Marketing and Outreach

SITE OF THE MONTH: Office of the Inspector General Reports

n a Sept. 12 memorandum posted on the OIG page of the thia Stroum, ambassador to Luxembourg, are two caution- IState Department Web site, Acting Inspector General How- ary tales in that regard. Both resigned shortly before the ard Geisel notes that 25 percent of embassies and consulates OIG reports were posted. have significant weaknesses that could warrant department Such problems can also arise at missions headed by intervention. more qualified leaders, of course. In his Foreign Policy Those looking for evidence of the shortcomings Geisel magazine blog, The Cable, Josh Rogin cites a wide variety used to arrive at that disturbing estimate will find abundant of critiques found in recent OIG post inspections, ranging material in the various post inspection reports that the OIG from mistreatment of foreign workers in Arab-world embas- recently began publishing there. The inspection teams are sies to a sweeping condemnation of the management comprised of seasoned Foreign and Civil Service officers style of retired General Scott Gration, who served as U.S. who also rely on the OIG Hotline for confidential tips. ambassador to Kenya. Gration announced his resignation Each report highlights shortcomings and success soon after viewing the OIG report, though he challenged its stories and offers recommendations for improving agency claims as “categorically false” and asserts the inspection operations. One common thread is the fact that embassies system is flawed. headed by “campaign bundlers” and other large donors Although coverage of the reports has focused on the tend to receive low marks for efficiency and morale. Nicole negative, OIG teams gave glowing reviews to the embassy Avant, a music industry executive before being appointed staffs in Bangkok and Brunei. ambassador to the Bahamas, and political appointee Cyn- —Emily A. Hawley, Editorial Intern

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 11 And Speaking of Apps… produce and market the apps. Copyright Protection Association and the Over the past couple of years, four U.S. The public outreach campaign began local American Chamber of Commerce diplomatic posts have received funding in October and includes online and IPR Task Force. Once the site is live, the from State’s Office of Intellectual Prop- traditional media messaging and several embassy will consider the development erty Enforcement to raise intellectual promotional and educational events, of a complementary mobile app. property awareness and report infringe- culminating in a public demo night for Consulate General Hyderabad is tak- ments through the development of apps the six finalists. Outreach programs have ing advantage of widespread smartphone and crowdsourcing platforms. Each reached students, developers and tech usage among India’s young popula- mission has adopted a different approach startups, nongovernmental organization—expected to reach 500 million users to development and marketing, but the tions, government officials and media. within the next three to five years—by message to protect intellectual property Embassy Vilnius received FY 2012 developing a dual-purpose app. This will remains consistent. funding to work with Bribespot, a disseminate real-time IP violation infor- Consulate General Guangzhou was crowdsourcing application for reporting mation among authorities and deliver the first post to develop an IP-focused corruption, to develop a Web platform entertainment news and IP-related mes- app. It links messaging about intellectual where users can anonymously report saging to the general public. property rights to popular topics like job IPR violations. The embassy is exploring To improve the development and advice. That content, in turn, serves as a comparable crowdsourcing, location- marketing process, the consulate general hook to encourage download and use of based projects and is sharing the test is leveraging the resources of the Anti- the app by the critical demographic of Web site with Lithuanian law enforce- Video Piracy Cell of the Andhra Pradesh young adults. ment and customs offices, the Busi- Film Chamber of Commerce. As a bonus, The app features videos in which top ness Software Alliance, the Lithuanian the use of this app by police will increase executives of multinational companies like Google, Hasbro and Harley-Davidson explain the value of IP protection and 50 Years Ago enforcement for their business models. Building on that success, the consul- f you are FS-4 or above, give yourself this little test, answering yes or no to ate general has created “how to” mate- Ieach question: rial describing the app’s development Do you find your job no longer provides the inspiration and exhilaration it process. From soliciting funds to launch- originally did, but has become, instead, a routine labor or daily drudgery? ing the app, the process took about 12 Are you less inclined to take chances, stick your neck out, or offer a minority months. As of this past October, the app opinion? is available free of charge for download- Do you increasingly resort to polysyllabic words and current governmentese ing through four retail outlets online (one in writing memoranda and despatches? Apple, three Android). If you uncovered an irregularity, a potential scandal, or a superior’s grave In Indonesia, where an estimated 86 error, would you try to sweep it under the rug, rather than do something about it percent of software on personal comput- and, in the process, perhaps rock the boat? ers is pirated, Embassy Jakarta used its On the few occasions you may still have fleeting thoughts of resigning and Fiscal Year 2012 IPE funding to launch going into a nongovernmental occupation, are you held back by thoughts of the “IPR App Challenge.” The Challenge retirement benefits, other manifestations of your “investment” in a government solicits designs for IP-themed apps likely career, and the fact that the children are reaching college age? to promote IP protection and awareness If you have answered yes to at least two of these questions, then you are an in Indonesia. The embassy partnered unwitting member of the American Establishment. Welcome! with Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia to carry out the competition, —From “The Real Truth about the American Establishment,” which will award funding to the top by S.I. Nadler; FSJ, January 1963 student and professional proposals to

12 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL the level of accountability in pursuing Everyone should heed Aaron B. O’Connell’s infringement cases, since reports will be thoughtful warning about the consequences of our digitally documented. country’s ‘uncritical support of all things martial’ [“The Permanent As these examples demonstrate, Militarization of America,” op-ed, Nov. 5 New York Times]. the State Department is committed to the enforcement of intellectual prop- Of course we need an effective military for the defense of our erty rights worldwide as a source of country. But it is sad when we reach the point where scrutinizing social integrity and economic prosper- the cost of that defense is viewed as somehow unpatriotic. ity. Toward that end, EB/IPE awarded We often hear that our foreign policy should be based on $343,000 to 32 posts for IP-focused public diplomacy programs in FY 2012, diplomacy, development and defense. Yet as Robert M. Gates, the and encourages posts to apply public former defense secretary, once observed, there are more people in diplomacy funds creatively to IPR issues American military bands than in the United States Foreign Service. within their countries. And are the thrills that we and our children get out of the Blue Posts may learn more about other Angels’ acrobatics really worth a yearly cost of almost $40 million? initiatives and see the calendar of annual recommended IP engagement at the IPE The extraordinary attention and resources being devoted to ‘all intranet site at http://eb.e.state.sbu/sites/ things martial’ should certainly concern us all, especially in these tpp/IPE/default.aspx. Others may follow days of financial and economic stress. IPE’s public diplomacy campaigns on the A letter from retired Ambassador Walter L. Cutler, published in the Nov. 10 New York Times . “Embassies in Action” page of the State Department’s public site. —Steven Alan Honley, Editor

Remembering a principal aide in the Arkansas Demo- careful to downplay his own role in Ful- Seth Tillman crat’s Senate office, as well as on the bright’s political evolution. Many Foreign Service officers will Foreign Relations Committee. Tillman remained with the Senate have noted the passing of Seth P. Tillman, ‘‘There was nobody more impor- subcommittee on the Middle East for a key aide to the late Senator J. William tant to the formation of Bill Fulbright’s several years after Fulbright’s defeat in Fulbright, D-Ark., on Nov. 16 at the age thought on foreign affairs’’ than Tillman, the 1974 primary. He was later a fellow at of 82. Fulbright biographer Randall Bennett the American Enterprise Institute and did As the longtime chairman of the Woods said in an interview. “He helped consulting work on Capitol Hill. In 1982, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Fulbright understand how the Cold War he joined Georgetown University, where Sen. Fulbright is still widely remem- was going off the rails.” Both men were he was a research professor of diplomacy bered today for speaking out eloquently internationalists, and staunchly anti- until his retirement in 2004. against growing American involvement communist, but Tillman was quicker to Seth Tillman’s books include Anglo- in Southeast Asia during the 1960s. But change his mind about the expanding American Relations at the Paris Peace as the Washington Post’s Nov. 18 obituary conflict in Vietnam. Conference of 1919 (1961), The United of Tillman points out, very few people He was a chief collaborator, if not the States in the Middle East (1982), and The appreciate the extent to which Full- ghostwriter, behind some of the senator’s Price of Empire (1989), which he co- bright’s history-making stands depended most important addresses and publica- authored with Fulbright. At the time of on the private work of Mr. Tillman. tions. These included a 1964 foreign his death, he was at work on a biography Tillman was a Capitol Hill intern fresh policy speech, ‘‘Old Myths and New of the former senator, who died in 1995. from a doctoral program in foreign affairs Realities,” and the lectures that became Tillman’s son, Andrew, plans to complete when he went to work for Fulbright’s Fulbright’s 1966 book, The Arrogance the volume. committee in 1961. He quickly became of Power. Even so, Tillman was always —Steven Alan Honley, Editor

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 13 The Party’s Over year of turmoil, with activists from the embassy about co-sponsoring a visit by On Nov. 18, eccentric American rock country’s majority Shia population pro- this guy, who I take it is pretty popu- star Andrew W.K. announced on his testing the Sunni monarchy, while W.K. lar there in Bahrain. That was initially personal Web site that “The U.S. Depart- is best known for outlandish behavior approved, and then when more senior ment of State, in partnership with the and songs about partying and related management at the embassy took a look U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, has activities. at this, the conclusion was that this was invited Andrew to visit the Middle East to As Fisher puts it, “It was not an obvi- not an appropriate use of U.S. govern- promote partying and positive power.” ous match, to say the least, and Middle ment funds.” The notice continued: “Andrew will East-watchers greeted it with deep skep- Fisher observes that W.K. seems to begin his journey sometime in December ticism, even as music blogs trumpeted be taking the news rather hard, post- 2012 and will visit elementary schools, the news.” ing a dejected comment on his site and the University of Bahrain, music venues, Sure enough, just a week later State tweeting, “I’m just blown away. After a and more, all while promoting partying rescinded the invitation, amid conflicting year of planning, the U.S. State Dept. just and world peace.” reports of the sequence of events. Asked canceled my Middle East trip because As Washington Post blogger Max about the incident at the Nov. 26 press I’m too party” (sic). Fisher reported on Nov. 26, the idea briefing, State Department spokesperson Perhaps, to paraphrase the Bard: seemed iffy from the start. Bahrain Victoria Nuland responded: “So we had “Part(y)ing is such sweet sorrow.” n remains engulfed in a second tense a Bahraini entity that approached the —Steven Alan Honley, Editor

14 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SPEAKING OUT

Facing the Unthinkable: Time for FCS to Merge with State?

BY DANIEL HARRIS

or most of my 28 years in the State Warms to overseas has become far more ingrained Foreign Commercial Service, the Commercial Work in the State culture, and perceptive notion of FCS merging with State Congress created the U.S. and Foreign ambassadors consider a strong commer- F has been anathema. The risk- Commercial Service in 1980 because the cial section as integral to accomplishing averse, policy-focused culture at State American business community found the embassy’s overarching mission. was and is seen as the antithesis of the that the State Department did not value FCS and State economic officers have, agile, entrepreneurial culture that FCS commercial work internally and provided for the most part, learned to contain requires to provide customized solutions grudging support to American firms the inevitable frictions that stem from to American companies. overseas. The newly formed Foreign overlapping functions. We have often Yet today, FCS officers openly discuss Service agency was placed inside the developed close relationships based on the pros and cons of merging with State, International Trade Administration at mutual respect and honest communica- asking the following questions: Would the U.S. Department of Commerce—a tion that result in a pooling of comple- it be good for our clients? How would domestic department with extremely mentary skills to advance our economic it affect our careers? How could it be disparate functions, from weather to the interests. structured to protect the entrepreneurial, census, and from statistics to patents. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s field-driven culture at the heart of our With the end of the Cold War, eco- reforms in the recruitment process success? How would we continue our nomic security became sexy, and State have brought greater diversity into the tight partnership with the Commerce recognized it needed the American busi- department’s ranks. This, combined Department’s domestic field? ness community as a powerful domestic with a generational shift since 9/11, has Against that backdrop, and in antici- constituency. In the early 1990s, Secre- led to a culture in flux—including more pation of larger changes as the Obama tary of State Lawrence Eagleburger sent entrepreneurial officers who seem drawn administration begins its second term, marching orders to ambassadors that to commercial work. Even so, busi- this article first looks at what has changed began a sea change in State’s attitude ness interests have taken a back seat to at State. It then offers suggestions for toward commercial work—one that has national security priorities in the fight structuring a merger between FCS and continued, albeit inconsistently, ever against terrorism, including two wars State to more effectively create American since. that have reshaped the Foreign Service jobs through exports and inward invest- Two decades after the Eagleburger culture at State. ment. cable, support for American business “Statecraft” or Daniel Harris is a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Commercial Service, with the rank of minister “Stagecraft”? counselor. He served as minister counselor for commercial affairs in Paris from 2008 to 2011, Early in 2012, citing President Barack deputy assistant secretary for international operations from 2005 to 2008, and consul general Obama’s National Export Initiative, State in Duesseldorf from 1999 to 2003, among many other Foreign Service assignments. Currently, launched a campaign to move rapidly he directs FCS operations in East Asia and the Pacific, while pursuing an executive master’s into core commercial functions, even at degree at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. the 72 posts where the Foreign Com- The author thanks AFSA FCS Vice President Keith Curtis for his invaluable assistance and mercial Service has active sections. support in preparing this commentary. However, the views expressed in this article are those of State’s heavy-handed and uncoordinated the author only, and do not represent those of the International Trade Administration or the redrawing of functions has unsettled U.S. government. commercial and economic officers alike.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 15 A more rational integration of talent and resources would enhance our common AFSPA mission of creating jobs through exports www.afspa.org and inbound investment.

AKA Hotel residences stay-aka.com

A series of cables instructed ambas- can jobs through exports of American Clements Worldwide sadors to gather up statistics on any goods, services and remittances, and by clements.com activities related to business and report attracting foreign direct investment. them—even when they have nothing to President Obama’s proposal to con- do with State. And while several high- solidate the functions of a dozen or more Diplomatic Automobile profile events have showcased State’s agencies would be a great step forward, www.diplosales.com newfound zeal for commercial work, provided it could draw bipartisan coop- confusion, suspicion and needless fric- eration. tion have been notable results of the Embassy Risk Management “statecraft” initiative to date. Can We Make a Deal? Embassyrisk.com Those who have been laboring in Crafting a “win-win” deal on reor- the commercial vineyards for decades ganizing the commercial function will welcome the extra hands, but find require a clear understanding of each The Hirshorn Company themselves elbowed aside when it comes party’s motives and interests. So let’s look time for the photo op. Is this statecraft or at what FCS, State and the business com- hirshorn.com/afsa stagecraft? Has State decided to grab the munity would each stand to gain. What business constituency and hope that FCS would it take for the officers and staff of Tetratech will wither away? the Commercial Service to merge will- Whatever State’s motives, no Com- ingly and productively with State? Tetratech.com merce official above the level of the First and foremost, the Commercial acting director general has seriously Service has been starved of funds for WJD engaged it on the Commercial Service’s nearly a decade. Staff numbers have mandate from Congress. The muted declined while new responsibilities for wjdpm.com response from Commerce has shocked inbound investment and ever higher FCS officers into thinking the unthink- export success goals have been added. able with renewed urgency. Some posts have been closed, not because they were underperforming, A New Agency? but because FCS could not afford them. The ideal future for the FCS would lie Though our people often surprise and in the creation of a Cabinet-level agency delight clients, we are unable to meet all devoted to promoting and protecting U.S. the demands of both business and gov- commercial and economic interests. FCS ernment stakeholders with the consistent would drive the trade promotion func- high quality that has been our hallmark. tions of a visible, coherent agency with a Meanwhile, through a decade when clearly defined mission to create Ameri- Commerce has allowed the Commercial

16 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL With the end of the Cold War, economic security became sexy, and State recognized it needed the U.S. business community as a powerful domestic constituency.

Service to wither, Secretaries of State do overseas. have successfully gone to the White Finally, moving to State would be House and Congress to win substantial risky. But so is remaining in ITA, where new resources—including a thousand a proposed reorganization could well new officers. As that example demon- morph the FCS from a field-driven, strates, the State Department plays in client-focused trade promotion culture Washington’s biggest leagues and attracts into a more headquarters-driven, policy- first-rate talent to its top political ranks. centric culture. This structural change The Commerce Department, by could distance us from our clients and contrast, is a “house of brands”: a federal undermine the entrepreneurial culture conglomerate whose budget trades off that is our greatest source of strength. promoting exports and inbound investment with hand-held devices for census Pluses for State data-gathering or new weather satellites But how would a merger with FCS for the National Oceanic and Atmo- benefit State? The new reality on Capitol spheric Administration. Even though Hill and at the White House is job cre- Pres. Obama has requested substantial ation. State wants to acquire the U.S. funding increases for it, the Commercial business community as a constituency, Service, buried under layers of bureau- and therefore must make support for cracy, still lacks visibility and champions. American business part of its mission. Second, in a move to the State Either State acquires the talent and Department, commercial officers could expertise needed, or it tries to build its compete for excellent career opportuni- own commercial function. ties now effectively out of reach—not The latter option is much more diffi- only principal officer positions but also cult than it may seem. First, the Commer- rotational assignments to Capitol Hill, cial Service has turned a corner under the Office of the U.S. Trade Representa- the leadership of Acting Director General tive, the National Security Council and Charles Ford. Substantial improvements universities. have been made to address the criticisms Third, State has a Foreign Service of a recent Government Accountability culture that is closer to ours than the Civil Office report, and Congress has pro- Service culture of the International Trade vided small but encouraging increases Administration, where we often struggle to our base that have started to revive to explain the demands of international us. Furthermore, FCS officers and staff, operations and the nature of the work we like proud athletes, have proved remark-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 17 FCS and State economic officers have, for the most part, learned to contain the inevitable frictions that stem from overlapping functions.

ably resilient. With good leadership and the business community that the two adequate resources, this organization can hardly be separated. could come surging back. State, by contrast, has a policy-centric Second, the Commercial Service culture, focused on serving internal (U.S. retains the mandate of Congress to government) clients. While State can promote exports and protect American imitate Foreign Commercial Service pro- business interests overseas. Congress grams to a degree, its risk-averse culture will, in due course, wonder why the State will not easily replicate the core compe- Department now duplicates many of the tencies and business-focused culture of functions it gave to FCS in the 72 coun- FCS. tries where FCS operates. The National But what about our stakeholders Export Initiative encourages agencies to in the business community? An inte- enhance job creation through innova- grated system under which businesses tion, not wasteful duplication. can find trade promotion, trade policy, Third, Commercial Service officers advocacy and inbound investment sup- would bring strong managerial and cul- port under one roof should be easier tural diversity to enrich the Foreign Ser- to use and more cost-effective for the vice talent pool at State. Equally, the new taxpayer. Duplication of efforts, and generation of State officers could benefit split geographic coverage, by contrast, from rotational tours doing hands-on confuse American companies and waste commercial work. resources. Finally, and most importantly for That said, big organizations have creating jobs, the Commercial Service a history of acquiring nimble, smaller has spent more than three decades firms for their expertise, then crushing developing core competencies and them under the load of big company recruiting people with the skills and bureaucracy. State’s 1999 takeover of personalities to provide outstanding ser- the U.S. Information Agency serves as a vice to American companies. Over these cautionary tale. In principle, State control 30-plus years, Foreign Commercial Ser- provides greater efficiency in messag- vice officers and Locally Employed Staff ing, but opportunities at posts are often have proudly claimed a distinct identity, passed over in the rush to keep Washing- rooted in an entrepreneurial culture ton happy. In other words, any merger and intense client focus. Our culture is with State must protect the entrepreneur- so interwoven with our mission to serve ial culture that truly serves the business

18 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A time of service…a time of need Help for Seniors May community. Be Just a Phone Call Away— Alternative Approaches The Senior Living Foundation may be One arrangement to consider would able to help you or someone you know. make FCS a semi-independent agency Some examples of assistance are: with a dotted line to the Secretary of State through the under secretary for eco- N Home Health Care nomic and business affairs. FCS would N Adult Day Care & Respite Care use the State personnel system, migrate N Prescription Drug Copayments into the State IT system, and participate in joint goal-setting exercises globally N Transportation to Medical Appointments and at posts. But it would retain its status N Durable Medical Equipment as a distinct Foreign Service agency with a discrete budget. And senior commer- For more information, please contact the SENIOR LIVING FOUNDATION cial officers would remain head of agency OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE at posts. 1716 N Street, NW N Washington, DC 20036-2902 To avoid creating another small Phone: (202) 887-8170 N Fax: (202) 872-9320 E-Mail: [email protected] N Web Site: www.SLFoundation.org U.S. government unit, the Commercial Service could merge with the Trade SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION Development Agency, headed by a director at the level of under secretary. The Commerce Department domestic field already works closely with USTDA and could remain closely linked to the overseas field through common data bases, or be fully migrated to the new agency. This structure would keep options open for the president and Congress to create a more comprehensive department of trade in the future. Or, short of a semi-autonomous agency, FCS could become part of State with links to outside stakeholders. But to protect the entrepreneurial culture of FCS, it would have to be integrated into State as a distinct commercial cone, led by FCS officers, and with a separate line item in State’s budget. Close cooperation with the Com- merce Department domestic field through shared databases will remain essential, as well. And outside stakeholders should retain significant influence in two ways: •The Commerce, Justice, Science committees in the House and Senate would

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 19 The key question is how to preserve the unique competencies and results-driven culture that have made the Commercial Service respected and valued in the American business community.

retain a degree of oversight, though There is a growing recognition that responsibility for the budget would pass our economic security forms the founda- to the foreign affairs committees; tion of our national security; thus, the •An advisory council to the Secretary wasteful overlaps between our functions of State, appointed by the White House make less and less sense. We have an and comprised of both large corpora- opportunity to create something better tions and small and medium-sized for the American business community. enterprises, would protect an entre- A merger of the FCS international field preneurial, client-facing and service- into State is only one of several possible oriented focus. District export councils approaches to deliver greater value to would be represented on the advisory the business community at less cost to council and continue to influence the the taxpayer, but it has obvious advan- product and promotional offerings of the tages. overseas field through this channel. As Foreign Service officers, State and Commerce personnel have much in The Best of Both Worlds common. We share a deep dedication For a traditional State officer, the to protecting and advancing America’s notion of an FCS acquisition is one thing, economic security and our foreign policy but a merger? A merger implies that the goals, and we have worked well together two entities respect each other’s cultures over decades. and competencies, even if one is vastly Even the differences in cultures bigger than the other. But if State absorbs should be seen as positive and mutu- FCS and smothers its culture, the Ameri- ally beneficial. Done well, the mission can business community will suffer as a of creating jobs through exports and result. inbound investment would be strength- State is simply not geared to deliver ened through a more rational integration the flexible, innovative, high value- of talent and resources. added services that FCS has developed The key question is how to preserve over the years. Just as large companies the unique competencies and results- celebrate and value different subcultures driven culture that have made the Com- in marketing, manufacturing, finance mercial Service respected and valued in and engineering, so the State Depart- the American business community. n ment would do well to nurture rather than crush the FCS culture.

20 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION Josh FOREIGN SERVICE TRANSFER TIPS

We hope our coverage will help your next move go more smoothly.

BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY

uring my relatively brief (1985-1997) Foreign focused on these challenges in a systematic way. We offer this Service career, I changed posts just three coverage now, well ahead of transfer season, in hopes of enhanc- times: from Washington, D.C., to Mexico City, ing the odds that you, your family and your belongings will all then on to Wellington, and back to Washing- get to their next destination without incident. ton. (I went on lots of official trips after that, a Mette Beecroft has handled transfer issues for more than few of which turned into epic misadventures, four decades now from just about every conceivable angle. She’s Dbut that’s a story for another time.) moved all over the world with her family; worked for the Trans- Happily, all three official transfers went smoothly. My portation Division, Family Liaison Office and other parts of State; household effects pallet never got dropped into the Pacific, or and informally advised the Foreign Service community as a any other bodies of water. And all my belongings were picked leader in Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide. up and delivered intact, including back in the States (which can In “Foreign Service Transfer Realities” (p. 24), she shares lots of sometimes be the trickiest part). practical tips for making the process as painless as possible. If anything, my movers in Mexico City were too thorough: Moving with pets (or animal companions, if you prefer) can they packed up all my garbage, unbeknownst to me. Fortunately, be a particular challenge. When U.S. airlines suddenly raised that inadvertent souvenir was free of organic material, so I didn’t rates on transferring pets last year, AFSA led a campaign to have any nasty surprises on arriving Down Under. restore the discounts previously granted members of the Foreign Now, I should acknowledge that as a single officer with Service and the military. But cost is just one factor. As Heather relatively few possessions, I was spared from dealing with a lot of Pishko explains in “Single, With Pets” (p. 28), with careful prepa- the complications that many of my colleagues had to manage. I ration the experience can go smoothly for everyone concerned. also never had to transfer between two remote posts where even (Just don’t expect the four-legged members of the household to basic services are unreliable. On the other hand, I can truthfully pitch in!) say that I did my compulsive-obsessive best to facilitate the pro- One final note: Be sure to consult the AFSA Guidance for cess, spending lots of time labeling boxes and compiling records Foreign Service Employees and the Pet Issues and Pet Travel (some of which I probably still have somewhere in storage!). Guidance pages of AFSA’s Web site. n Over the years, the FSJ has published several FS Know-How columns recounting an alarming variety of transfer mishaps. A common thread running through the advice these contributors Steven Alan Honley was a Foreign Service officer from 1985 to 1997, have offered is the fact that while help is available, it’s really up serving in Mexico City, Wellington and Washington, D.C. He has been to each employee to seek it and follow up if it isn’t forthcoming. editor of the Foreign Service Journal since 2001. As far as I know, this issue marks the first time the Journal has Illustrations by Josh Dorman.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 21 FOCUS TRANSFER TIPS

FOREIGN SERVICE TRANSFER REALITIES

As with all aspects of a y January, another transfer season is over Foreign Service career, and there is a bit of a lull before the next it is crucial to take charge onslaught. So it is a good time to take stock of how all of us—travelers and those of a move. You are your who support them—could work together own best advocate. to improve the process. My own exposure to the Foreign BY METTE BEECROFT Service, spanning more than 40 years, has shown me that while things will never be perfect, many aspects Bof the process have improved. Now there is greater awareness that people‘s morale is deeply affected by being able to travel comfortably and by receiving their possessions in good condition in a reasonable amount of time. Management also understands that if employees and family members get off to a bad start at a new post, they may never adjust to the new environment and the employee will be unlikely to perform at top capacity. Thus, it is to the benefit both of the individual and the Foreign Service as a whole for things to work well the first time.

Mette Beecroft has been a Foreign Service family member, volunteer or employee for 42 years, serving in Paris, Bonn, Cairo, Ouagadougou, Brussels, Amman and Washington, D.C. (Her husband, Robert, also spent four years in Sarajevo on unaccompanied tours.) One of two people who opened the State Department Family Liaison Office, she is a member and three-time past president of the Associates of the Foreign Service Worldwide, and is well-known for her deep involvement in safeguarding and advocating for Foreign Service-specific quality-of-life issues. She writes here as a private individual; the views and advice presented here are her own.

22 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Looking back on my funds to purchase private family’s years in the Foreign commercial insurance for Service, I would say that their household effects and generally, the Service takes automobiles. Such a deci- care of those who take care Josh sion is the very definition of themselves. So it is crucial of being “penny wise and to become actively involved pound foolish,” however. in all aspects of your career The Government Claims and life—whether you’re Act exists as a safety net, but planning to travel, managing Moving is a psychological the reimbursement received a move, assembling infor- game. Show the movers you through it for lost or dam- mation for claims or submit- aged property will always ting a travel voucher. You are know what you want—but also be inadequate. The best your own best advocate! compensation for lost and Beyond that, here are that you have tried to make damaged property comes some specific pointers I’ve their job easier. from private commercial found helpful. insurance.

Prepare the Whole Family to Move Work with Your Movers The importance of involving everyone in a family move Preparing for the movers is of prime importance if you want cannot be overstated. Some households, if the children are old to facilitate and encourage a good job. Moving is a psychological enough, actually start with a “family council” during which game, so you want to show the movers that you know what you everyone looks at possible assignments together. As one Foreign want—but also that you have gone to some trouble to make their Service child I know recalls, “Even decisions about what posts job easier. As daunting as the prospect can seem in the midst of my Dad would apply for were family discussions. There was a all the chaos and stress of a transfer, it is absolutely necessary at sense of adventure, of being in it together. some point to devote yourself entirely to organization. “We were less vagabonds than travelers. At every new post, One basic task is to make clear where items are to go: unac- my father would get out the maps and the history books. That companied air baggage, household effects or storage. Since enthusiasm, the sense that we were so lucky and privileged, movers will not pack suitcases, you might want to set up another stayed with me. ” category for your own luggage. This can be done with Avery col- Another interesting aspect of adaptation to a new post—as ored dots—blue for UAB, green for HHE which is going overseas, the U.S. Army illustrated in a study years ago—is that the attitude and red for stored items that will stay in the United States. of the mother is crucial to how well children adapt. Using colored dots has many advantages. You can start to label your belongings to show where things will go long before Keep Complete Records the move, and it is easy to change the color of the dot if you Most of us know how important it is to hold on to receipts change your mind as to the object’s destination. That way, the and track expenditures throughout a transfer. But in addition, be movers can readily tell where an item is going, and as you group sure to retain all inventories from packing and storage compa- items to be packed together for the movers, the colored dots nies, and bills of lading. make it easy to identify them. Further, inventory all your possessions and videotape the Knowing what exactly is in each of the different cartons can more valuable ones to have proof of possession if you ever have be a real challenge because the inventory notations of the mov- to file a claim. And if you are working with a State Department ers are usually vague. A good way to avoid such confusion is to transportation counselor to facilitate your move, take the initia- have the movers number the cartons as they go, while several tive to stay in touch with him or her. friends make notations of the contents of each carton as it is Some people erroneously assume that since they are auto- packed and then note the number the movers assign to it. These matically covered by the Government Claims Act, it is a waste of friends will need to be in different rooms if things are being

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 23 packed by several movers in someone who has dealt with different locations. the particular situation you Alternatively, you can need help with and can steer instruct the movers to be you in the right direction.

more specific about what they Josh There needs to be more pack and how they describe mutual understanding the contents of each carton between travelers and sup- in their inventory notations. port staff in the department However, given the pressure as to what particular stresses under which they work, this is There needs to be more each group of people is unlikely. mutual understanding dealing with. Employees Outside, you might want are uprooting themselves to check to make sure that between travelers and and their families for new the delivery information support staff in the department postings where just about stenciled on the outside of everything will be unfamil- the lift vans is correct. And as to what particular stresses iar. The location may also be you might even want to keep each group is dealing with. very unhealthy or potentially a record of which boxes go in dangerous. which lift vans by referring to At the same time, employ- the so-called “bingo cards” ees in Washington often have which the movers prepare to record where a carton is being large workloads, and because people don’t know the regulations, packed. Once you know how many lift vans you are sending, you they ask for things that are unreasonable. This is another good can mark each one 1/6, 2/6, 3/6, etc., so it is clear how many are reason to familiarize yourself with the relevant regulations: to traveling together. know what requests are reasonable. That said, every office that serves Foreign Service employ- Reach Out for Help ees needs to develop an ethic of good customer service. This It is important to learn as much as possible about the regula- includes not only expertise but patience, kindness, promptness tions for shipping one’s belongings, but knowing where in the and sensitivity to the concerns of the customer. Perhaps there department to turn for information is at least half the battle. should be formalized training to cultivate this ethic. Travel and Transportation, Human Resources and Allowances all play roles in the moving process, sometimes at the same time, Some Recurring Issues which can be very confusing. There are a number of specific situations that have caused The Division of Travel and Transportation offers a one-stop much stress over the years. Not all of these problems have clear shop, [email protected], where specialists usually solutions. answer questions promptly. But you should also try to develop Students at the Foreign Service Institute often complain that your own network of reliable people within the bureaucracy who they are not permitted to leave classes to be present at a packout are specialists in each of these functions. or to take receipt of HHE. It is assumed that there is a spouse to Particularly when you’re overseas, don’t forget to reach out to take care of this or, if you are single, that friends will cover for other sources at State for information and guidance, such as the you. To resolve this, either FSI needs to become more flexible Family Liaison Office and the Overseas Briefing Center. Both of about time off, or students need to anticipate this problem far these organizations can guide you to a better source if they can- enough in advance to be able to round up people to stand in for not answer your question. The same is true of AFSA, of course. them while they are attending class. Then there is “Livelines,” a listserv managed by the Associates Though there has been much improvement, people still com- of the Foreign Service Worldwide that offers a broad range of plain about being put in a very stressful position because they information about these issues. With 4,500 people on Livelines, get their final orders very close to the actual day of departure. many of them Department of State employees, there is often From the point of view of planning and preparing, the earlier

24 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL one receives the orders (or at least knows when and where one is going), the better. As many people know all too well, traveling with pets has become a nightmare. Some of the airlines we are obliged to use because of city pairs and Fly America provisions are the most egregious in applying a new fee schedule under which having the animal travel as accompanied baggage in the hold is almost as expensive as having it travel in cargo—which is the most costly category of all. It is true that employees can use a professional pet shipper to circumvent these limitations, since those companies are not required to comply with city-pair contracts or Fly America. But understandably, people want their pets with them and will go to great inconvenience and expense to bring them along, which can cause enormous stress and low morale. People also complain about the lack of flexibility in having access to goods in storage when they discover they have to stay in Washington much longer than anticipated. For example, a new employee might arrive in the winter for short-term training, only to learn that he or she will actually be at FSI through the summer. Such individuals would like to be able to put the winter clothes into storage and retrieve their summer ones, but this generally is not possible.

Be Patient No matter how hard you try to make the transfer process go smoothly, remember that bureaucracies generally function slowly and imperfectly. Some parts of the Department of State function more efficiently than others. Some employees know a lot more than others, and some people care a great deal more than others. You can also expect to get different answers from different people to the same question. More often than not, replies to requests seem to be a function of the individual’s personality. People who are generous and helpful will try to use regulations to make things happen. People who are negative and uninterested will use regulations to prevent things from happening. Sometimes the mechanics function very well. At other times, one has to accept that they will not. If employees regale you with horror stories, be prepared to evaluate the source and to keep things in perspective. When, despite your best efforts, the system just is not functioning properly, ask yourself whether the many good things about the Foreign Service outweigh these sometimes unpleasant realities. I suspect most of us would readily choose the Foreign Service, frustrations and all. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 25 FOCUS TRANSFER TIPS

SINGLE, WITH PETS

Traveling with animals overseas started training my two cats, Chloe and Cordelia, can present unique challenges. to be world travelers when I first adopted them at But with careful preparation, seven weeks old, and they are absolute professionals now. As soon as I brought them home, I placed it can also be very rewarding. their carriers in the living room with comfy bedding inside. The girls naturally took to sprawling and BY HEATHER PISHKO napping in them. Although the bright orange “Live Animals” stickers don’t go very well with my décor, I consider it a fair trade for the ease of installing the cats in their Icarriers. The next step in my brainwashing scheme was to put them into their carriers, then take quick drives around the neighbor- hood so that they wouldn’t associate car trips solely with vet visits or airplane rides. Whenever they would meow, I’d reach back and pet them until they calmed down. To this day (eight years later), they are completely silent whenever we travel, whether by car or by plane. Finally, I started putting a harness and leash on each of them whenever we travel. It’s a lot easier to grab onto a harness than a squirming kitty while her carrier goes through the X-ray machine at the airport! My worst nightmare is one of them launching from my arms and zooming off through security. From time to time, I’ll put the harnesses on the cats when we’re hanging out at home, just to keep them acclimatized. I also observe them throughout the trip to ensure they’re not

Heather M. Pishko, an Office Management Specialist, joined the Foreign Service in 2006. Currently assigned to the Office of South- ern European Affairs, she previous served in Lima, Helsinki and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

26 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL panicking and trying to dislodge the harness in a way that would help supervise packout, navigate the airports, and explore the hurt themselves. (The harnesses have “breakaway” clasps, but new post with me for the first few days. I’m always on my own you can never be too careful!) Mostly, the cats just flop dramati- when it comes to having household effects delivered, but I find cally on the floor and glare at me. Occasionally, one will creep that if I draw out a floor plan and mark down every piece of fur- around the room with her belly to the floor, ears flattened. Great, niture ahead of time, it’s a pretty painless process. harnesses are a go! Settling in at Home… At the Airport Even after we get to our new house, I keep Chloe and Corde- As for the practicalities of transporting the girls, I cut off their lia in their carriers until I can set out a litter box, food and water. food eight hours before we leave for the airport, and their water You can buy a shallow plastic tray with a small amount of litter four hours before. I leave the litter box out until they are in their sealed under paper along the bottom, and bring it along in your carriers. During the trip, I offer them water, but they never ever suitcase, in case your sponsor can’t arrange for those things drink it. ahead of time. One brand is I have made it a policy to called Cat’s Pride KatKit, and purchase a plane ticket for a is available from Giant or family member to accompany Be sure to follow each Amazon. me so that we can bring the country’s import rules exactly. Once everything is ready, cats into the cabin. (Only one I open the carriers. Instead of pet per passenger allowed!) You never know whether making a beeline for the lit- I sent them as accompanied customs will just wave you ter, they are usually far more baggage to my first post, and interested in exploring the fretted every moment I was through or look at everything. new place. It’s usually an hour separated from them. I pes- or more until their curiosity is tered each airline employee (temporarily) satisfied, and at that crossed my line of sight that point, they almost always to confirm that the cats had go for the water. made the transfer to our con- I am totally comfortable necting flight. I also worried withholding sustenance about how they were being for the first 24 hours or so, handled, if they were scared, because as predators, cats can or if they thought I had aban- go for days at a time between doned them. meals. This method also has That was a horrible source the advantage of preventing of stress that I really didn’t any messes during travel. need on top of the usual Josh When the movers come, I stresses of moving to a new always take the cats some- post and starting a new job! where else; there are just too So it is absolutely worth it to buy that second ticket, which is many things that can go wrong with kitties underfoot! I ask the often cheaper than shipping the cats, anyway. crew to unpack the clothes, dishes and books (all 900 of them), Chloe and Cordelia do take up one carry-on slot per passen- but leave the rest of the shipment in boxes for me to organize ger, but the tradeoff is a second checked bag for my companion later. In return, I provide doughnuts and bottles of water, but not that I can fill with my stuff. So this is what the complete luggage lunch. tally looks like: two cats in soft carriers, one laptop bag, one I like having the noon hour to myself to look over every room carry-on roller suitcase, one checked bag for my family member, and just chill out before jumping back into the unpacking. and three checked bags for me. It works beautifully. Otherwise, it’s very challenging to keep on top of three or four This system also offers a bonus: having someone along to people at once.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 27 Heather Pishko Cordelia (above) and Chloe get acclimated to their carriers.

As the movers work, I typically bring a stack of magazines and camp out on a couch in the living room, so they know where to find me if they have questions. (Of course, I get up and stretch my legs every hour or so to check in on everyone.)

…And Hitting the Road As I approach the end of each assignment, I hang onto my car for as long as possible; usually, I don’t ship it until the day before I depart. Getting the car delivered to the new post one week earlier or later isn’t nearly as crucial as having the use of it to wrap everything up before departure—especially the visit to the vet to get health certificates. You never know if customs will wave you through without even glancing at the cats (Finland) or if they will examine each document and carefully inspect the carriers (Peru). So I make sure to follow the pet import rules exactly. In my air freight, I pack my bulky bathrobe, covered litter boxes and scoops, clothes, shoes, books, a body pillow, DVD folders, cat toys and laundry baskets. Overall, the joy of living with cats is well worth the hassle of transporting them around the world. But make no mistake: those freeloaders cost me a pretty penny! If only they would get jobs and help support the household… n

28 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL © iStockphoto.com/studioakant DIPLOMACY IN A TIME OF SCARCITY

In spite of real progress since 2008, our foreign affairs agencies are not yet completely staffed, trained and deployed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 29 n October 2008 the American Academy of Diplomacy published its Foreign Affairs Budget for the Future under the chairmanship of retired Ambassador Thomas D. Boy- att. Many of the recommendations of the FAB report were implemented by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her team. The Academy has just released a new report, Diplomacy Iin a Time of Scarcity, which analyzes the foreign affairs agencies’ personnel situations in light of significantly changed circumstances, and makes recommendations to deal with the new realities. The document is signed by Ronald Neumann, president of the Academy; Thomas R. Pickering, Advisory Group chairman; Ellen Laipson, Stimson Center president; and Thomas D. Boyatt, project chairman. In recognition of this report’s importance to our readers, The Foreign Service Journal has excerpted the document’s foreword and executive summary, with minor modifications to punctuation and capitalization to conform to the magazine’s traditional format and style. The report will be the basis for consultations with Congress designed to secure implementation of the Academy’s recommendations. To read the full report, visit www.academyofdiplomacy.org/ publications/DTOS.html. — Steven Alan Honley, Editor

FOREWORD In conducting foreign policy, diplomatic and development The Foreign Service officers of the Department of State and personnel are—in Walter Lippmann’s apt metaphor—the the Agency for International Development are the foot soldiers “Shield of the Republic.” This shield is the outer layer of our of smart power. These men and women lead and staff our 195 multilayered national defense. It is employed daily to absorb embassies, 55 consulates and 85 USAID missions around the international shocks, provide early warning and manage world. They are our nation’s first line of defense. developing crises to avoid the use of the Sword, which inevi- America’s Foreign Service is permanently deployed. Its tably costs the United States dearly in lives and resources. As officers report on local developments, represent American U.S. military leaders frequently acknowledge, shield bearers views and values, and negotiate on our behalf. They oversee are as important as sword wielders. For that reason, the Shield development projects, conduct public diplomacy, protect must be maintained. American citizens, issue passports and visas, and promote It should be axiomatic that our presidents and Congress U.S. exports. They implement Washington decisions and rec- would see the wisdom of lending equal support to the key ele- ommend changes in foreign policy, as well as further courses ments of military and civilian power. But that has not been the of action. And they execute these and many other missions, reality. including supporting our military colleagues in stability Following the implosion of the Soviet Union in 1991, the operations, often under dangerous and difficult circum- foreign affairs agencies—like their military and intelligence stances, as tragically demonstrated by the recent assassina- colleagues—were reduced by 30 percent in personnel and tions of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and his colleagues resources. Then, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of in Benghazi, Libya. Sept. 11, 2011, our military and intelligence capabilities were

30 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL In Walter Lippmann’s apt metaphor, diplomatic and development personnel constitute the “Shield of the Republic.” The better the shield, the less often the sword is required. rapidly reconstituted. But our diplomatic and development man Cox Foundation, published A Foreign Affairs Budget for capabilities were not, in spite of the best efforts of successive the Future that analyzed the crisis and made several recom- Secretaries of State. mendations. The FAB report was well received by both the This neglect came in spite of the fact that the diplomatic Bush and Obama administrations and Congress. shield was our nation’s first and most consistently used tool Over the past four years, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham throughout the five decades of the Cold War. As a conse- Clinton has made important, if uneven, progress in dealing quence, by 2008 the Department of State and USAID were seri- with these human resource problems. State Department staff- ously hobbled by a human capital crisis: a 15-percent vacancy ing has grown approximately 17 percent and USAID staffing by rate in existing positions, a total lack of training positions, and more than 30 percent. an even more difficult situation in USAID. Meanwhile, dramatic changes in the foreign and domestic In response, the American Academy of Diplomacy, sup- environments in which the foreign affairs agencies operate are ported by the Stimson Center and funded by the Una Chap- now under way. Globalization is becoming ever more compli-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 31 cated, multiplying the missions of these agencies. The military confront; establishes a staffing baseline for the future; and has withdrawn from Iraq and its mission in Afghanistan will provides a plan to realize the recommendations made for the change in less than two years. Fiscal Year 2014-2018 budgets even in a time of increased At the same time, there have been organizational and other budgetary stringency. changes in State and USAID, generated by the Quadrennial The overarching goal is to ensure that America has the Diplomacy and Development Review. And above all, the for- smart power capabilities to succeed in the missions assigned eign affairs budget (150 Account) faces unrelenting pressure by the president and Secretary of State, buttressed by the for reduced funding as steps are taken to trim and eliminate most efficient use of national resources. Now, more than ever, the nation’s $1 trillion-plus annual deficits and accumulating the United States needs to be fully engaged in all areas of the total debt. world—and to achieve this will require a broad, bipartisan This report measures the progress made in responding to effort. State’s and USAID’s personnel crises since 2008. It analyzes The better the shield, the less often the sword is required. personnel and resource requirements in the dramatically changed circumstances the foreign affairs agencies now EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Conclusions American diplomacy is in a worldwide transition driven by dramatic change. The tectonic plates of international power are shifting. Asia, led by China and India, gains in importance and influence, while Europe, confronted by major structural and fiscal imbalances, weakens. Regional powers such as Brazil and Turkey have emerged. The opportunities and challenges of globalization, from the Arab Spring to failed states and continuing terrorism, multiply. Meanwhile, the United States military has withdrawn from Iraq and their presence in Afghanistan will shrink in less than two years. Congress and the public have little appetite for military intervention of the “boots on the ground” variety. In the near term, the American military will be in retrenchment mode. The Department of State and USAID are also undergoing internal structural changes as a result of Secretary Clinton’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. New bureaus and other offices are being added to integrate the development budget, to emphasize economic and energy developments, and to redirect the stabilization function. All these changes are creating additional missions for the inherently labor-intensive work of conducting diplomacy and the delivery of foreign assistance. This, in turn, generates a requirement for additional personnel and new skill sets. The final major change in the transition, however, is the At $4 billion, direct personnel costs for the State Department strong countervailing pressure of America’s fiscal problems. and USAID are only slightly more than 7 percent of the total At $16 trillion, our total national debt already exceeds gross foreign affairs operating budget. Even a drastic reduction in staff domestic product, and continues to rise: The last four annual positions will not seriously reduce the budget; and, by the same token, increasing staffing as recommended in this report will budget deficits have each added more than a trillion dollars to raise it only marginally. the total.

32 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Foreign Service must have the smart power capabilities to succeed in the missions assigned by the president and Secretary of State. Now, more than ever, the United States needs to be fully engaged in all areas of the world.

There is a general consensus that this cannot continue, but State and USAID continued to operate with too few person- no agreement on how to deal with the situation. The prudent nel for the next two decades. Staffing shortages became a working assumption must be that the overall federal budget personnel crisis with the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the subse- will be reduced and that the international affairs budget (150 quent civilian surges in Iraq and Afghanistan. Account) will be reduced in parallel. In 2008 the American Academy of Diplomacy, supported by In short, the foreign affairs agencies are faced with a transi- the Stimson Center and funded by the Cox Foundation, pub- tion characterized by increasing missions and—at least poten- lished A Foreign Affairs Budget for the Future, calling for 3,500 tially—decreasing personnel. We know from experience that this additional positions in the State Department Foreign Service is a prescription for failure. In the transition following the implo- and 1,200 in USAID. In the final quarter of 2008, the Academy sion of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia (1989-1995), the foreign engaged in intense consultations with both election campaign affairs agencies were reduced by 30 percent even as they staffed staffs, relevant congressional committees, and the State Depart- 20 new embassies and took on attendant new missions. ment transition team in support of these recommendations.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 33 Reduced programs can later be re-funded fairly rapidly. It takes years, if not decades, to train and develop skilled, experienced personnel.

Over the last four years, Secretary Clinton, under the severe personnel reduction would barely move the needle “Diplomacy 3.0” program calling for a 25-percent increase in downward. Likewise, the minimal personnel increases we are the Foreign Service, has made important, if uneven, progress recommending would barely move the needle upward, to just in achieving added human resources. As of early 2012, State under 8 percent of the foreign affairs budget. They would not had gained 3,500 additional positions, and USAID, 923. compete with funding for foreign affairs programs, whatever These total numbers accord well with the recommenda- decisions the next administration and Congress make. tions of FAB. However, the distribution of positions (and In spite of real progress since 2008, our analysis demon- eventually people) does not. strates that the foreign affairs agencies, on which the secu- A comparison of the department’s head count in January rity of the American people will depend in the tumultuous 2008 with January 2012 shows an above-attrition increase of decades of the 21st century, are not yet completely staffed, about 1,200 Foreign Service officers, 800 Foreign Service spe- trained and deployed to meet the challenges. The following cialists, and 1,500 Civil Service. Of these, approximately 2,300 recommendations are designed to close the remaining gaps in were assigned to Washington and 1,200 to overseas posts. personnel and training capacity, and are fully consistent with Some of the Washington positions represent necessary the needs we identified previously in Foreign Affairs Budget for increases in long-term training. From a functional perspective, the Future (2008) and with State’s Diplomacy 3.0 initiative. some 2,100 were serving in administrative support activities while 1,400 were conducting diplomatic missions. Clearly, Recommendations additional personnel are needed to meet the core require- n The Secretary of State should seek to complete the ments set forth in this report. Diplomacy 3.0 staffing initiative in the Fiscal Year 2014 bud- For the 2013–2017 period addressed in this report, get. This would add 722 positions, achieving the targeted 25 the challenge is how to achieve and maintain adequate percent increase in the Foreign Service compared to the 2008 personnel levels in a time of fiscal restraint and budget baseline. These positions should be distributed across core reductions. Clearly, prioritization among the items in the 150 functions and public diplomacy to bring personnel levels in Account is necessary. Of course, we would prefer to avoid cuts these areas closer to the 2008 FAB report’s recommendations. in both people and programs. But if the choice is necessary, n In order to alleviate shortages of mid-career officers, people are more important than programs. Reduced programs the Department of State should press Congress for legislation can later be re-funded fairly rapidly. It takes years, if not to temporarily lift limitations on pay and numbers of hours decades, to train and develop skilled, experienced personnel. worked for While Actually Employed retired officers and staff Program reductions only affect the programs involved, for a period of five years. while personnel reductions damage foreign policy across the n The Secretary of State should seek an additional (above board as the officers who negotiate, conduct public diplo- attrition) 490 positions specifically for long-term training in macy, promote U.S. exports, protect American citizens, and the FY 2014 budget: 330 for language training to meet congres- plan and manage development projects disappear. It is par- sional requirements and 160 for training to reach mid-level ticularly ill-advised to reduce our civilian presence overseas at needs. the very moment U.S. military elements are redeploying back n The Department of State should fund a study of what to the United States. would be required for the Foreign Service Institute to take on a Fortunately, as the diagram on p. 32 illustrates, direct share of senior professional education comparable to that rep- personnel costs for State and USAID operations represent just resented by the National Defense University and the service $4 billion of a $55 billion budget, just over 7 percent. Even a war colleges.

34 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Over the past four years, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has made important, if uneven, progress in dealing with these human resource problems.

n The U.S. Agency for International Development should no regular budget for 2013, CSO should pursue this goal in FY recruit, as needed and on a targeted basis, experienced 2014. personnel, including retired officers, to address shortages of n The Department of State should task CSO to make rec- mid-career officers. ommendations on how to respond to civilian surge scenarios n USAID should seek streamlined hiring authorities to that exceed planned CSO capabilities, now that the creation rationalize the unnecessarily convoluted methods currently of a large “surge capability” is no longer planned. This study employed. should include, inter alia, the functioning of the current 3161 n Congress should appropriate the department’s 2013 authority (for temporary hires); assess whether additional budget request for full staffing of the Bureau of Conflict and standby authority is needed; identify potential changes in con- Stabilization, along with a flexible hiring authority and dedi- tracting authority or spending flexibility for a large surge; and cated funding proposed by the department to increase the evaluate the potential for maintaining a larger roster of skills effectiveness and agility of the CSO’s new model. If there is in the civilian sector. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 35 THE MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION: OFF TO A GOOD START

Eight years after the MCC’s creation, the verdict on its efforts to jump-start the process of development is not yet in. But there are reasons for optimism.

BY BEN BARBER

ince 2004, U.S. foreign aid has been split into two performance are eligible for potentially game-changing develop- camps. That is when President George W. Bush cre- ment grants of $500 million and more, payable over five years. In ated a new aid agency separate from the U.S. Agency addition, some poorly-performing countries can obtain “thresh- for International Development: the Millennium Chal- old” grants to bring them up to eligibility. lenge Corporation. The new agency was intended to stop wasting foreign aid by SSince 1961, USAID had been the centerpiece of U.S. aid grading all recipient countries on how well they govern their citi- programs that, in principle, are focused on getting help to those zens. There would be no more funding for corrupt dictators who let who need it most—the poor, the ill, the illiterate and those hurt by their own people starve. storms and earthquakes and famine. But its staff had shrunk from The flip side of the coin was the idea that USAID would spend perhaps 15,000 during the Vietnam War to about 1,000 Foreign the remainder of the foreign assistance budget on what some Service officers and 1,000 Civil Service staff as of 2002. (USAID is call the basket cases—e.g., Haiti and the Democratic Republic of now in the process of doubling its FS staff.) the Congo. Its focus would be on humanitarian relief, education, Sometimes the State Department has intervened on political medicine and food. grounds to cut aid to governments seen as hostile to U.S. interests. In contrast, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is tasked with A Too-Ambitious Goal? applying a neutral yardstick, using business acumen to improve Some aid experts in Congress and at think-tanks say Pres. Bush the economies of developing countries. was working from a Republican agenda dating back to the late Like a global banker, the MCC grades developing countries Senator Jesse Helms, R-N.C., who tried to abolish USAID—which on whether they invest in health and education, move toward he famously claimed poured U.S. aid “down a rathole.” democracy and allow free press and markets. Countries with better “The MCC evolved out of frustration at USAID within the Bush administration,” says a senior congressional staff member, speak- Ben Barber writes about the developing world for McClatchy Newspa- ing on condition of anonymity. “It was a different approach to pers, and has also contributed to Newsday, the London Observer, the foreign aid—not dealing with the basket cases but with countries Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Affairs, the Washington Times, capable of reaching the next level of development. USA Today and Salon.com. From 2003 to 2010, he was a senior writer “The MCC had a lot to recommend it—a lot which could apply at the U.S. Agency for International Development. His photojournal- to USAID,” the staffer adds. But the Bush administration “never ism book, Ground Truth: Work, Play and Conflict in The Third World, wanted the MCC to be a separate agency from USAID.” will be published later this year by de.MO Design.org. Pres. Bush set an ambitious goal of $5 billion a year in funding,

36 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL rivaling the USAID budget, which was about $7 billion at the time. are more likely to prove useful and survive the end of U.S. assis- But Congress balked at the request. Heavily lobbied by the giant tance. nongovernmental organizations accustomed to getting paid to operate much of USAID’s humanitarian and development agenda, Measuring Success Capitol Hill has never given the MCC more than a billion dollars a Still, it is too soon to say whether the MCC’s approach is effec- year—about 20 percent of what the administration initially sought. tive. CEO Daniel Yohannes noted during a recent interview in Total outlays over the past eight years come to about nine billion his office in Washington that only a few compacts have run their dollars. five-year course. But Tim Rieser, longtime chief clerk of the Senate Daniel Yohannes, current chief executive officer of the Millen- Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, nium Challenge Corporation, has about $900 million in foreign said in an interview that MCC has had only mixed success to date. aid to distribute among 24 countries. His agency looks for recipi- “Although the countries selected were not the basket cases of ents that maintain high standards in strengthening governance, the world, they did have corruption, lack of capacity and other safeguarding a free press, immunizing children, educating girls, major obstacles,” Rieser observes. “It was naïve to think that a com- supporting free markets and meeting similar objectives. pact would be a game changer,” he adds. Governments that pass vetting in 20 categories (originally “You can’t change a country with $500 million,” he adds. “You 16) are eligible to enter into five-year aid agreements known as can build a road, reform a banking system or change agricultural “compacts.” The first of these agreements are just wrapping up, and policies. But you cannot achieve the transformative, starry-eyed reports on how well they have functioned are now being done. vision of the Bush administration. You can give a country a boost, but there are so many challenges they face that it will only improve From Rivalry to Cooperation things incrementally.” Andrew Natsios, who was USAID administrator from 2001 One prominent researcher with a Washington think-tank, to 2006, noted in an interview that the MCC discovered early on speaking on condition of anonymity, says: “We thought MCC was a that infrastructure projects were vital to its goal of life-changing brilliant idea, but the Bush administration mangled the idea at the development. “Without roads and bridges you can’t do economic outset.” growth,” says Natsios, who recently completed a professorship at He notes that the first head of the MCC, Paul Applegarth, Georgetown University and is now teaching at the Bush School of quickly alienated the critical constituency for foreign assistance: Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. the NGO community, Interaction, the Center for Global Develop- “Since the Nixon administration we have followed the human ment, Save the Children and all the other outfits. “Uninterested needs school of development and never got away from it,” he adds. in the lessons learned by leading development economists and “But in the time of Kennedy and Johnson, USAID was very much practitioners of the day, Applegarth hired a bunch of private-sector into infrastructure.” guys who thought they had all the answers and were not going to Natsios concedes that there was a degree of rivalry initially listen to the bleeding-heart liberal foreign aid guys.” between the two aid agencies: “At first, MCC leaders said not to do Although later chief executive officers were more successful, the anything that came from USAID.” But now, he says, a lot of MCC damage was done. Congress has kept MCC’s budget at around $1 staff members are retired USAID officers. “It has become what billion a year, even as USAID funding tripled to $24 billion, includ- USAID was in its early years,” he said. ing funds for Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. The MCC runs its operation with only 300 people, rather than trying to replicate the extensive string of overseas missions with A Pro-Business Approach American and foreign staff in nearly 100 countries that USAID During our interview, Yohannes explained the MCC’s method- operates. In fact, it has only two people in the field in each of the ology. Each recipient country must show a return on investment 24 recipient countries. Local boards composed of government of at least 10 percent of the value of the grant over five years. So for officials, business leaders and civil society representatives meet to every $100 million invested in a road, for example, MCC wants the decide how to spend the MCC money. country to show it generated $110 million over five years through Natsios sees this focus on having local input and control over increased traffic, agriculture, trade and construction. projects as a positive shift in aid policy. When local institutions and Some MCC projects have been canceled due to backsliding people are invested in decision-making, he believes, the projects by the recipient country. Madagascar’s compact was terminated

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 37 after a coup, for example. Armenia and Nicaragua had their funds That said, the MCC “has opted for the most transparent placed on hold for arresting journalists and opposition members, approach of any donor in history...using outside evaluators, using among other lapses. And while Mali enjoyed good governance for the best techniques available...no other donor comes anywhere about 20 years, a coup sparked by a rebellion in the north led to close,” Fox commented in an e-mail. cancellation of MCC aid last year. He also notes what he calls an “MCC effect,” motivating gov- Encouragingly, eight countries have completed compacts in ernments “to do lots of things to try to improve their indicators.” the last two years. And El Salvador and four others are to complete their programs in the near future. Clearing Up Misconceptions “All of our countries create a climate for private investment,” According to a report by USAID analyst Michael Crosswell, says Yohannes. He notes that the former Soviet republic of Georgia, MCC’s underlying principle is that “foreign aid tends to be more formerly 120th in the world in terms of ease of investment, climbed effective in countries making strong self-help efforts in terms of to 18th place as it cut excess regulation as part of MCC conditions. policy performance. That principle has guided USAID and U.S. Yohannes says that as he visits the countries where MCC foreign aid legislation since the early 1970s.” works, he sees that the American way of doing business is catching However, Crosswell, whose comments are his own and do not on; these governments are becoming more transparent in their necessarily reflect those of USAID, lists some “misconceptions” procurement processes. In addition, MCC guidelines require each sometimes expressed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s recipient country to set aside money for maintenance after the sponsors: projects are completed. MCC-eligible countries clearly have very good policies. This overstates the reality on the ground, since each country is com- The MCC Effect pared to its peers rather than a Western level of governance. Asked if MCC was a rival of its sister agency, Yohannes said: MCC countries have strong, capable institutions. In fact, “No, we complement each other. Our job is to reduce poverty by Crosswell says, they have the weaknesses typical of low-income, economic growth. We do not do food, medical or conflict-related least-developed countries. Even when these governments have aid,” all of which USAID handles. the political will to meet assistance criteria, they lack resources, Asked if MCC had made mistakes along the way, Yohannes trained people, technology, physical infrastructure, capital, admits to some. “In Morocco, we had a $700 million compact in financial markets regulation, security and other building blocks of too many sectors and all over the country,” he recalls. “The com- development. pact started before there was a ‘due diligence’ policy in place.” MCC countries mainly lack aid in the form of large resource Now projects are sector-specific and focus on two or three transfers. What they really need, Crosswell believes, is stronger areas, such as water, energy or agriculture. In addition, “we make institutions to promote economic growth and develop absorptive sure prep work is done before the compact enters into force,” he capacity, so that wealth does not destabilize the system and enrich notes. the elites through corruption. Despite Yohannes’ assertion that MCC does not compete with Large programs can be delivered with relatively little donor USAID, Sarah Jane Staats, an aid expert at the Center for Global programming effort. Large MCC programs do take place with only Development in Washington, notes that in the shrinking budget two U.S. staff on the ground, but they have been slow to accom- environment, “there is competition across the board; resources are plish anything. “You can’t simply pick the ‘right’ countries and scarce.” then hand over the money,” says Crosswell. Asked if MCC was performing well in its niche brand of foreign aid, Staats says: “It is too early to know what mid-course correc- The Real Test tions are needed. The big accomplishment of MCC is largely its Development is an evolutionary process that can take centu- approach. It only selects countries that demonstrate policy perfor- ries, even in a world of high-speed communications. MCC is the mance, a huge departure from U.S. and global aid programs.” latest attempt to jump-start that process, but the verdict on its James W. Fox, who has worked on two assessments of the MCC success is not yet in. for the Brookings Institution, recalls that “the MCC got off to a The big test will be whether recipients revert to antidemocratic, terrible start, led by a CEO who thought signing agreements was all corrupt practices once the U.S. project is over, leaving them vul- there was to it.” nerable to coups and repression. n

38 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL BOOKS

They Were There books is worth your while. one fluently), among other languages. In a word, yes. However, since few of Mendez also makes some rather disdain- Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood us have time to read two books about the ful remarks about other State Department Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue same subject, choosing between them is a personnel he encounters, which detract in History tougher call. from an otherwise enjoyable read. Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, Viking, The account by Antonio Mendez, Mark Lijek provides a valuable insider 2012, hardcover, $26.95, 310 pages. the CIA agent who masterminded and corrective in his memoir, though its title executed the scheme, certainly lives up to is a bit misleading. Although he appro- The Houseguests: A Memoir of the promise of its title. Even (or perhaps priately extols “Canadian courage,” Lijek Canadian Courage and CIA Sorcery especially) if you saw the Affleck film, devotes little space to describing the Mark Lijek, Amazon Digital Services, 2012; “CIA sorcery” that got him and his fellow Both these books are paperback/$9.99, Kindle Edition/$8.99; houseguests out of Iran—perhaps because 318 pages. worth reading. But if you he knew his version of events would be Reviewed by Steven Alan Honley only have time for one, competing with the Mendez book. pick The Houseguests. Fortunately, Lijek’s droll account of We all know that on Nov. 4, 1979, Ira- how and why he came to join the Foreign nian militants stormed the U.S. embassy you’ll appreciate the additional details Service, via a somewhat circuitous route in Tehran, for the second time in nine about how Mendez and his cohorts that first took him from Georgetown to months, subjecting 53 American hostages passed off six Americans as members of a the Army, would be worth the price of the to a 444-day ordeal. The episode set off Canadian film crew in Iran to make a fake book in its own right. geopolitical shock waves that still resonate science-fiction movie. As a bonus, he also In the next section, “How to Visit a today. shares details of other “exfiltrations” he Really Rotten Place and Drag Your Wife Happily, six American diplomats (four carried out during his 25 years with the Along Too,” he explains how he ended men and two women) escaped in the agency. up in Iran for his first assignment—and initial chaos and eventually found refuge Mendez is generous about sharing how his wife, Cora, joined him there just with their Canadian credit with colleagues inside the agency two months before the November 1979 colleagues for the next and elsewhere, and candid about some embassy takeover. (It must be said that two months. They were mishaps that could have torpedoed the he seems to have had a real chip on his then spirited out of mission. And unlike many shoulder about Iranian culture long before the country in January examples of the “as told he arrived.) 1980 via an ingenious to” genre, the fast-paced Though the Affleck movie made a covert operation that yet smooth prose indicates good-faith effort to convey what the Lijeks was known as “The that he and co-author Matt and their fellow “Houseguests” endured, Canadian Caper” before Baglio, who has worked for that was not really its focus. So reading this the CIA declassified it in many news organizations and book is the only way to truly appreciate the 1997. magazines, developed a good rapport emotional roller-coaster the six Americans Many of you have likely seen, or are during the project. rode. Though there were lighter moments planning to see, the excellent new movie I was, however, taken aback by how along the way, one can practically feel the based on that incident, “Argo,” directed by little Mendez seemed to know about the walls closing in on them as the days go by. and starring Ben Affleck. And hopefully Foreign Service officers he was helping. While the tension of the escape comes you’ve all read the article about it in the When he first learns of the existence of through loud and clear, I must admit I October 2012 issue of The Foreign Service the “Houseguests,” the codename for the found the screen version of that episode Journal, “‘Argo’: How Hollywood Does six Americans, for instance, he claims more gripping. (Of course, as some have History,” by Mark Lijek, one of the rescued that he had no reason to believe any of pointed out, Affleck skillfully embellishes American diplomats. So the logical ques- them could speak a foreign language. In that part of the story to keep the audi- tion is whether reading either of these fact, most of them spoke Farsi (at least ence’s adrenaline pumping.) However,

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 39 Lijek’s understated approach enhanced Diplomacy Dissected quite that way. But my appreciation for the book’s final sec- viewing Foreign tion, in which he moves on with his life At Home with the Diplomats: Service processes and career. Inside a European Foreign Ministry like information As with many self-published books, Iver B. Neumann, Cornell University gathering (writ- the writing has rough edges, particu- Press, 2012, $24.95, paperback, ing), hierarchy larly in terms of punctuation. And while 216 pages. roles (promotion I certainly understand the impulse to Reviewed by John M. Grondelski and chain-of-com- blame Jimmy Carter and other figures for mand behavior), their roles in the crisis, I didn’t find Lijek’s Have you ever thought of diplomats and social status reasoning to be very persuasive. as a kind of aboriginal tribe? Iver B. (demographics) through such a lens can All that said, if you only have time for Neumann has. A political scientist and be very illuminating. one of those two books, read The House- anthropologist, he spent almost four Take what Neumann calls “knowl- guests. But if you are interested in spycraft years working in the Norwegian Ministry edge production.” We all know that or don’t plan to see “Argo,” it is also worth of Foreign Affairs to produce this fasci- diplomats exist to gather knowledge reading Mendez’s account. nating study examining diplomats from and analyze it. But what makes their the perspective of an ethnographer. reporting different from that of, say, Steven Alan Honley is the editor of As far as I know, nobody has ever CNN? Neumann claims it is a specific The Foreign Service Journal. studied members of our profession in kind of knowledge, with a short shelf-life

40 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL that (quoting Hedley Bull) is about “the Neumann’s reflections about Norwegian diplomats current situation and how it is likely to will certainly resonate with FSOs. develop...[deriving] from day-to-day personal dealings with the leading political strata.” Because consensus is paramount. that outsider also has inside experience, Such information, however, is just Neumann also tells us about a the view can be really critical. raw data, “one of the many inputs diplomat who joked that he and his col- From observations on family life to into the production of authoritative leagues “never fell out with one another, the increasing numbers of women in documents.” What does a foreign affairs for they might end up as the only two diplomacy, from turf battles to diplo- ministry do with that information? It Norwegian civil servants posted to matic stereotypes (the pinstriped wine often produces mind-numbingly bland Abidjan.” sipper), Neumann’s reflections will reports that essentially maintain the Neumann sees himself as having certainly resonate with FSOs who have status quo. But, the author argues, that is done “field research” in Oslo and reports “been there, done that.” n what they are supposed to do. his findings with all the accoutrements Using examples of speechwriting of the academic tribe. On the other John M. Grondelski is an FSO currently from his days on the Norway MFA’s hand, whether intentional or not, the studying Chinese at the American Institute policy and planning staff, Neumann asks satire behind his observations can be in Taiwan. He previously served in London, why most talks sound the same, seeming biting. Seeing oneself with an outsider’s Warsaw, Bern and Washington, D.C. only incidentally to take their audiences eyes can be quite illuminating, but when into account. He answers that such considerations are secondary to the perennial primary goal: a foreign policy apparatus that sings in harmony. In his view, “speechwriting is first and foremost a question of ministe- rial identity-building. Information and argumentation are important, but the organization’s self-confirmation and the confirmation of working relations among all parts of the organization are of greater importance. When the entire ministry can stand behind a speech, it is because the speech is the ministry.” Obtaining clearances to produce such consensus-driven statements takes time. As Neumann notes about one project: “The writing job itself—the thinking and writing up—took less than two hours, but everything else took 10. Counting input, reading, annotation, secretarial aid, translation, etc., it must have taken the ministry more than 30 hours to produce that 20-minute luncheon speech.” But to a diplomat, such time is “a totally reasonable and respect- able allocation of resources.” Why?

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 41

AFSAFOCUS WOMEN NEWS IN SECURITYTHE AND OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATIONAFSA NEWS

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Joins in Celebrating GLIFAA’s 20th Anniversary

On Nov. 28, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed a large crowd CALENDAR seated in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Recep- 1/9/2013 tion Room to celebrate the 12:00 - 2:00 PM

20th anniversary of Gays and AFSA Governing Board Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Meeting Agencies, the State Depart- ment’s officially recognized 1/16 - 1/17/2013 FSI Mid-Career Retirement employee affinity group for Planning Seminar (RV105) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. 1/21/2013 Under the leadership 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM MLK/Inauguration Day: of Secretary Clinton, LGBT AFSA Offices Closed employees and their families have a level of benefits and 2/6/2013 recognition never before 12:00 - 2:00 PM seen in foreign affairs agen- AFSA Governing Board Meeting cies of the U.S. government. Today, thanks to Secretary 2/6/2013 Clinton, same-sex domestic Deadline for Art and AYERST DONNA Academic Merit Awards partners of Foreign Service Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton relates some of the difficulties, Applications members serving overseas challenges and prejudices endured by lesbian, gay, bisexual and receive the full range of transgender employees in foreign affairs agencies before changes were introduced by the department and credits GLIFAA’s advocacy. 2/10/2013 legally available benefits and 4:30 PM - 5:00PM allowances. She also insti- for LGBT personnel and and other agencies to AFSA Road Scholar Program tuted the 2010 revision of the their families in U.S. foreign discuss ideas and solutions 2/11 - 2/13/2013 Department’s equal employ- affairs agencies serving both to address the continued 8th Annual Conflict ment opportunity policy to domestically and abroad. concerns of LGBT personnel Prevention, Peacekeeping & prohibit discriminatory treat- GLIFAA began in 1992 to and their families. Stability Conference ment of employees and job challenge a security clear- The issuance of a non- 2/18/2013 applicants based on gender ance process that at the discriminatory policy by 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM identity. time discriminated against then-Secretary of State Presidents Day: Advocating for employ- LGBT employees. GLIFAA Warren Christopher in 1994 AFSA Offices Closed ees of the Department of has grown since that time to was an early success. In the State, the U.S. Agency for include hundreds of mem- summer of 2009, GLIFAA 2/20/2013 12:00PM - 1:00PM International Development, bers and associates and was instrumental in encour- Luncheon: 170th A-100 Class the Peace Corps, the Foreign become the officially recog- aging the department to Agricultural Service, the nized voice of LGBT person- grant Eligible Family Member 2/28/2013 Foreign Commercial Service, nel in the U.S. foreign affairs status to domestic partners Deadline for AFSA Dissent and the Millennium Challenge agencies. of employees and to their and Performance Award Nominations Corporation, and all foreign Members of the GLIFAA children. This action resulted affairs units of the U.S. gov- Board meet regularly with in a number of foreign affairs ernment, GLIFAA continues the management of the agencies following suit. to work to ensure full parity State Department, USAID GLIFAA, Continued on page 50

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 20122013 43 AFSA NEWSSTATE VP VOICE | BY DANIEL HIRSCH AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP.

Protecting Privacy

Issues related to privacy to information than might be playing field for employees be disposed of. When forms are of significant concern to desirable. Without access to with disabilities, ensuring fair are created outside these many of our members and employee evaluation reports treatment of Post Traumatic processes, privacy questions to AFSA, as well. While many and other data, deciders may Stress Disorder sufferers and are often not fully explored, Americans worry about the rely on a "corridor reputa- even sharing with our mem- creating pockets of personal possibility of identity theft tion," which may be untrue, bers why AFSA takes certain information that may result and other privacy concerns, skewed or overly influenced positions on certain issues. in leaks, improprieties or Foreign Service members by assumptions. Often, a AFSA is currently work- other issues. face the additional threats of career event, positive or ing on the following issues • Increased use of 360 eval- terrorist attack, kidnapping negative, becomes legend. involving privacy: uations: 360 evaluations are and fraud or theft. Not only A person who curtailed from • The Stop Trading in Con- a very good and useful tool do we operate in environ- a post for reasons having to gressional Knowledge Act: for evaluating performance ments where such crimes are do with, let's say, the health The idea behind the STOCK and serve to counterbalance more common than in the of a family member, can Act is a good one—that the incorrect information in a U.S., but our role as represen- be marked by that curtail- financial dealings of senior corridor reputation. However, tatives of the United States ment for years as a problem officials, or those who spend they may also provide the makes us targets for those employee, while a person the government's money, opportunity to add other who would attack the Ameri- who did one very visible must be transparent and incorrect information into can government. Privacy, to a good thing in an otherwise that such officials should not the mix, which the employee large degree, equals security. unremarkable career might derive personal gain from might never see or be able At the same time, our role still be known as a superstar information they learn by vir- to address. As the process as public servants endows years later. tue of their position. A com- comes into greater use, we our employer—and the Amer- Protecting privacy can be ponent of the act requires, have been concerned about ican public—with the right misused by the department however, that information finding ways to keep the pro- and responsibility to know when it wants to control be posted on the Internet, cess honest and transparent. certain things about us. The information, or make it more where it can be accessed by • Urging the department to need to make determinations difficult for an employee to any person of any citizen- prioritize Freedom of Infor- about our qualifications, appeal a decision. It allows ship, anywhere in the world. mation Act and Privacy Act integrity, trustworthiness the department to con- That component not only requests from employees, and suitability to represent trol the official "story" of a potentially harms individuals when the information is rel- our country requires that particular event and thereby but, in AFSA's view, carries evant to a matter in dispute some very private informa- discredits the employee's a very high risk of damaging between the department tion be shared. Who should account. national security as well. and an employee, or to the know what, to what degree The inordinate length of • Ad hoc creation of forms employee's ability to address and how will that information time it takes for the depart- by department elements allegations against them. be used, stored, shared or ment to answer Privacy Act or posts: 2 FAM 1152 and • Ensuring transparency disposed of when no longer requests often prevents other regulations govern and responsible action when needed is the concern. employees from being able to creation of forms, while 5 personal information is Privacy can also be a meet the burden of proof in FAM 460 and other regula- lost, stolen or diverted. The double-edged sword, pre- a grievance, and can prevent tions concern privacy. These department has significantly venting important informa- an employee from being able regulations include clearance improved its posture in this tion from being known. A to present information before processes which answer regard, but it is something we number of very important a deadline or other event ren- such privacy questions as continue to monitor closely. decisions, such as assign- ders it meaningless. Protect- whether the information is n ment selections, are routinely ing privacy can add to the truly necessary, how it will made about FS members by complexity of other issues of be stored or retrieved, how it people who have less access interest, such as leveling the will be shared and how it will

44 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL USAID VP VOICE | BY FRANCISCO ZAMORA AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP.

Links in the Field: AFSA Post Representatives

On Nov. 30, AFSA invited 25 they faced and how AFSA dence” to the ambassador or foreign affairs agencies in former AFSA post repre- could provide greater sup- deputy chief of mission cer- their labor agreements with sentatives to a round-table port. The luncheon partici- tifying the AFSA post rep and AFSA, the exclusive labor luncheon to hear their candid pants’ career experience was urging good relationships. bargaining agent for the accounts of their labor union substantial, with some hav- • Develop a Foreign Service Foreign Service. experiences and take note of ing spent more than 30 years Institute distance learning their suggestions for improv- in the Foreign Service. course for post reps. INFORMING AFSA ing services to our members From the discussion, we • Encourage post reps to OF ISSUES AT serving in 274 overseas mis- learned how much the roles do a consultation with AFSA POST sions. of post reps have varied when rotating back to D.C. across the world. While • Send frequent “post rep The post rep does not Many mentioned some had very little to do only” messages on the issues negotiate with post manage- they had received beyond referral of cases to AFSA is working on. ment, but instead, serves AFSA headquarters, oth- • Provide post reps with as AFSA’s representative. complaints ers reported substantial papers on such topics as Their job is to inform AFSA of regarding overtime involvement in the events at Overseas Comparability Pay, issues at post and to provide post. Many mentioned they overtime, security issues and information, contacts and work and that FSOs had received complaints best practices for new reps. resources to post’s AFSA are hesitant to regarding overtime work • Clearly define require- members. Typically, difficul- and that FSOs are hesi- ments for holding elections. ties between employees and complain for fear of tant to complain for fear of post management may occur retaliation. retaliation. They indicated WORKING ON related to safety, security, a need for more substantial SUGGESTIONS health, family life, living AFSA President Susan training, including greater arrangements, fairness in Johnson began the discus- online resources and written AFSA has already begun benefits and privileges or sion with the following stats materials. to work on the many invalu- working conditions. Post reps about the 146 current post An interesting discus- able suggestions made refer employees to AFSA if reps: 102 of them are tenured sion on how post reps are during the meeting and is they are the subject of an and 44 are untenured. Men selected ensued, with some confident this work will result investigation by the Office occupy 67 percent of the individuals being asked by in improved services to its of the Inspector General or positions; women occupy the post management or the out- members. We encourage Diplomatic Security. In other remaining 33 percent. Their going post rep to volunteer active-duty FS employees to words, they serve as AFSA’s average age is 41. At present, for the position, while other volunteer as post reps. AFSA eyes and ears overseas. only five USAID employees posts held elections. will reimburse up to $100 a are post reps. The largest year for costs related to AFSA FOR MORE posts currently without a POST REP DUTIES business, including refresh- INFORMATION post rep are Amman, Brasilia, ments for meetings and Khartoum, London and Further suggestions other expenses. For more information Mexico City. included: The AFSA post represen- on AFSA’s post representa- • A more complete descrip- tative program was estab- tive program please go to OPEN-ENDED tion of post rep duties, along lished by the Foreign Service www.afsa.org/post_repre- TOPICS with specific expectations Act of 1980 and is defined in sentatives.aspx. n from AFSA headquarters. the Foreign Affairs Manual. The program followed a • Gauge interest and solicit It is a voluntary position series of open-ended topics, ideas from membership at that forms part of the labor/ ranging from how post reps post. management structure and are selected to problems • Create a “letter of cre- is formally recognized by the

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 45 AFSA NEWS

AFSA’s Scholarship Program Presents the BY LORI DEC, AFSA SCHOLARSHIP DIRECTOR The AFSA Scholarship Pro- summary, AFSA has provided Devante Agu Erika Barnes gram is awarding $192,000 aid to 99 students totaling Son of Edward and Wanda Agu. Daughter of Kiyomi and William Recipient of the Kiang Fund Barnes. Recipient of the Elbert G. in undergraduate college $224,000 this school year. for Excellence Financial Aid and Naomi M. Mathews Memorial need-based financial aid These programs are run Scholarship, the Marcia Martin Financial Aid Scholarship. She is scholarships in the 2012- under the oversight of the Moore Memorial Financial Aid currently attending Washington Scholarship and the Turner C. State University. 2013 school year to 73 AFSA Scholarship Commit- Cameron Memorial Financial children of Foreign Service tee, comprised of volunteers Aid Scholarship. He is currently Anna Leah Berstein- employees. Included under from the five foreign affairs attending West Virginia University. this program are the Diplo- agencies. Simpson Daughter of Rose Berstein and Peter matic and Consular Offi- Sarajin Ali Simpson. Recipient of the AAFSW Financial Aid Scholarship. She is cers, Retired/Bacon House 2013-2014 Daughter of Karl and Nahid Fritz. currently attending Dartmouth Foundation Financial Aid Recipient of the Associates of the SCHOLARSHIPS College. Scholarships, which AFSA American Foreign Service Worldwide AND AWARDS Financial Aid Scholarship. She is administers. currently attending Virginia Tech. Raoul Biron AFSA also awards scholar- It’s not too late to apply Son of Jeffrey Biron and Waltraud ships through two other for a 2013-2014 AFSA Finan- Helene Andang Luetjohann. Recipient of the Heyward G. Hill Memorial/DACOR Daughter of Catherine and Guy organizations: Associates of cial Aid Scholarship or a 2013 Bacon House Foundation Financial Andang. Recipient of the Virginia the American Foreign Service Merit Award. Applications Aid Scholarship. He is currently Thurgood Bingham/DACOR Bacon attending the University of New Worldwide and the Public are being accepted until Feb. House Foundation Financial Aid Hampshire. Members Association of the 6 for academic and/or art Scholarship. She is currently attending John Carroll University. Foreign Service. In addition merit awards and March 6 Alexandra Bliss to the organizations listed for financial aid scholarships. Leannique Badinga Daughter of Mark Bliss and Kristin Rummel-Bliss. Recipient of the above, AFSA funds its schol- Merit awards range from Daughter of Leslie-Ann Burnette- Dorothy Osborne and Theodore arship program from the $1,000 to $2,000; need- Badinga. Recipient of the Brockman Xanthaky Memorial Financial Aid M. Moore Memorial Financial following sources: individual based financial aid scholar- Scholarship and the Gertrude Aid Scholarship. She is currently Stewart Memorial Financial Aid donors who have established ships range from $1,000 to attending Randolph Macon College. annual and perpetual schol- $4,000. Please visit www. Scholarship. She is currently attending Florida State College at arships; through an annual afsa.org/scholar for program Jourdan Ball Jacksonville. withdrawl from the AFSA details. Son of David Ball and Mara Tekach. Scholarship Fund Endow- If you have any questions Recipient of the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews Memorial Financial Natalie Bluhm Daughter of Christina and Nathan ment; ad hoc and annual or would like information on Aid Scholarship. He is currently Bluhm. Recipient of the Wilbur appeal donations; and work how to establish a scholar- attending the New York Film J. Carr Memorial Financial Aid Academy. place contributions. ship in your name or that of Scholarship and the Brockman The AFSA Scholarship a loved one, please contact Fund also sponsors the AFSA Lori Dec, AFSA scholarship Merit Awards Program. The director, at (202) 944-5504 Through this generous scholar- list of winners, all high school or [email protected]. ship, I can avoid debt and undue seniors, is published in the The 2012-2013 Financial financial strain on my family. I July-August issue of the Aid Scholarship recipients Foreign Service Journal. AFSA are listed alphabetically owe a debt of gratitude to my provided $40,500 in aca- by last name. Each listing scholarship donor for turning demic and art merit awards includes the names of the my university goals into realities. to 26 students in May 2012. recipient’s parents, AFSA These one-time only awards scholarship(s) the student Ashton Omdahl, recognize the academic and received and the college he Brigham Young University artistic accomplishments of or she is attending. n AFSA members’ children. In

46 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

2012-2013 AFSA Financial Aid Scholarship Recipients

M. Moore Memorial Financial the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews This is my second year to re- Aid Scholarship. She is currently Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship attending the University of Colorado and the Ernest V. Siracusa Memorial ceive AFSA scholarship aid. at Colorado Springs. Financial Aid Scholarship. He is currently attending the College of I am very grateful that AFSA Niccolo Bluhm the Atlantic. and their generous donors Son of Christina and Nathan Bluhm. Recipient of the John M. and Anna Zachary Charles continue to help me with the B. Steeves Memorial Financial Aid Son of Rose Beauchesne and Scholarship, the Gertrude Stewart Cleveland L. Charles. Recipient difficult task of paying for Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship of the Robert E. and Florence L. and the Walter K. Schwinn Memorial Macaulay Memorial Financial Aid college. Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Scholarship, the Brockman M. Moore Shuang Li, currently attending the University of Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Colorado at Colorado Springs. and the Rozanne L. (Roz) Ridgway University of Mary Washington Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Phoebe Bredin currently attending the University of Pennsylvania. Morgan Groth Daughter of Elizabeth and John Daniel Fritz Son of Gregory Groth and Wendy Bredin. Recipient of the William Son of Karl Fritz and Jennifer Grise. Medhurst. Recipient of the David Leonhart Memorial Financial Recipient of the John Campbell Katherine Cooke- D. Newsom Memorial Financial Aid Aid Scholarship and the Prabhi White Financial Aid Scholarship, Scholarship and the Ruth Frost Hoyt G. Kavaler Memorial Financial Caraway the Lawsuit Over The Movie, Daughter of Robin C. Cooke. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Aid Scholarship. She is currently "Missing" Scholarship and the John Recipient of the Terence Flannery He is currently attending Chandler attending Virginia Tech. Foster Dulles Memorial Financial Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Aid Scholarship. He is currently Gilbert Community College. Scholarship, the Elbert G. and Naomi attending Bucknell University. Taylor Burdan M. Mathews Memorial Financial Charles Holtrop Son of Mark Burdan and Tami Aid Scholarship and the Francesca Son of Daniel and Julie Holtrop. Fennewald-Burdan. Recipient of the Bufano Lapinski Memorial Financial Alexandra Garcia Recipient of the Suzanne Marie Adolph Dubs Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. She is currently Daughter of Kathleen and Rudolph Collins Memorial Financial Aid Aid Scholarship and the Charles attending Wesley College. Garcia. Recipient of the Jacq Scholarship and the Landreth B. Hosmer Memorial Financial Bachman Siracusa Financial Aid M. Harrison Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. He is currently Scholarship and the Robert and Aid Scholarship. He is currently attending Chadron State College. Erika Cummings Evelyn Curtis Memorial Financial Daughter of Constance and David Aid Scholarship. She is currently attending Calvin College. Cummings. Recipient of the Susan attending Pikes Peak Community Lowe Modi Memorial Financial College. Ryan Hull James Chambers Aid Scholarship, the George and Son of Hyong and Kevin Chambers. Son of Robert and Sandra Hull. Mattie Newman Memorial Financial Recipient of the Heyward G. Recipient of the Naomi Pekmezian Aid Scholarship and the Elizabeth Caitlin Gilbertson Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship M. and William E. Cole Memorial Daughter of Christopher and Lori House Foundation Financial and the Brockman M. Moore Financial Aid Scholarship. She is Gilbertson. Recipient of the Anthony Aid Scholarship. He is currently Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. currently attending the University of G. Freeman Memorial Financial Aid attending the University of Tulsa. He is currently attending the Oklahoma. Scholarship, the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews Memorial Financial University of Florida. Anthony Charles Aid Scholarship and the Elizabeth Daniel Davis N. Landeau Memorial Financial Son of Rose Beauchesne and Alexandra Ike Son of Charles and Elaine Davis. Aid Scholarship. She is currently Cleveland Charles. Recipient of Daughter of Nancy and Stephen Ike. Recipient of the Dalton V. Killion attending the University of North the Janet K. and Charles C. Stelle Recipient of the Elbert G. and Naomi Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Carolina at Wilmington. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship, M. Mathews Memorial Financial and the Brockman M. Moore the Brockman M. Moore Memorial Aid Scholarship. She is currently Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Financial Aid Scholarship and the attending Asbury University. He is currently attending Wheaton Jacob Gresham Clare H. Timberlake Memorial College. Son of Janet and Perry Gresham. Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Recipient of the Gertrude Stewart Conor Ike currently attending the University of Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Son of Nancy and Stephen Ike. Virginia. Emma Friedheim and the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Recipient of the Elbert G. and Naomi Daughter of Julia Findlay and Mathews Memorial Financial M. Mathews Memorial Financial Daniel Friedheim Sr. Recipient of the Russell Charles Aid Scholarship. He is currently Aid Scholarship. He is currently Heyward G. Hill Memorial/DACOR attending Fordham University. Son of Rose Beauchesne and attending George Fox University. Bacon House Foundation Financial Cleveland Charles. Recipient of Aid Scholarship. She is currently the Evelyn K. and Horace J. Nickels attending the University of Virginia. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship,

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 47 AFSA NEWS

2012-2013 AFSA Financial Aid Scholarship Recipients

I’m only the second person in M. Moore Memorial Financial Mariah McMackle Aid Scholarship. She is currently Daughter of Tracy McMackle. my extended family’s history attending Johns Hopkins University. Recipient of the George and Mattie Newman Memorial Financial Aid to be able to attend college. I Allison LaReau Scholarship and the Brockman owe this opportunity to pursue Daughter of Cindy and Jeffrey M. Moore Memorial Financial LaReau. Recipient of the Rose Aid Scholarship. She is currently my dreams to AFSA and my Marie Asch Memorial Financial Aid attending Old Dominion University. Scholarship, the George and Mattie scholarship donor. Newman Memorial Financial Aid Andrew McNeill James Chambers, University of Tulsa Scholarship and the David K.E. Bruce Son of Anne and David McNeill. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Recipient of the Harriet Winsar She is currently attending Colorado Isom Financial Aid Scholarship, the Patterson Financial Aid Scholarship. Janelle Jorgensen Christian University. Philip C. Habib Memorial Financial She is currently attending the Daughter of Mark and Susan Aid Scholarship and the George and University of South Florida at Tampa. Jorgensen. Recipient of the Edward Shuang Li Mattie Newman Memorial Financial T. Wailes Memorial Financial Aid Daughter of Guiping and Patrick Aid Scholarship. He is currently Scholarship and the Everett K. and Vanessa Keverenge Sheard. Recipient of the Heyward attending Old Dominion University. Clara C. Melby Memorial Financial Daughter of Winnifred Copeland G. Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon Aid Scholarship. She is currently and Wilson Keverenge. Recipient House Foundation Financial Aid Kyle McNeill attending Boston University. of the Norton W. Bell Financial Aid Scholarship. She is currently Son of Anne and David McNeill. Scholarship, the Brockman M. Moore attending the University of Mary Recipient of the John C. Whitehead Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Alexander Julian Washington. Financial Aid Scholarship and the and the Clarke Winship Slade Son of Karen and Mark Julian. Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Recipient of the William Benton Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. She is currently attending Mount Ayele McCarthy Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship, He is currently attending Radford Holyoke College. Son of Patricia McCarthy. Recipient the George and Mattie Newman of the Heyward G. Hill Memorial/ University. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship DACOR Bacon House Foundation and the Julius C. Holmes Memorial Alexandra Kula Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Thomas McNeill Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Daughter of Toni Lynn Kula. currently attending Prince George's Son of Anne and David McNeill. currently attending Brigham Young Recipient of the Sheldon Whitehouse Community College. Recipient of the Anthony G. Freeman University, Idaho. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship, Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews and the Louise Holscher Memorial Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Esubalew McCarthy James Julian Financial Aid Scholarship. He is and the Brockman M. Moore Son of Patricia McCarthy. Recipient Son of Karen and Mark Julian. currently attending James Madison Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. of the Gertrude Stewart Memorial Recipient of the Colonel Richard Financial Aid Scholarship. He is University. R. Hallock Memorial Financial Aid She is currently attending American University. currently attending Prince George's Scholarship, the Jefferson Patterson Community College. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Joshua Mines Son of Cecile and Keith Mines. and the James Bolard More Ashley Kula Recipient of the Albert E. Carter Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Daughter of Toni Lynn Kula. Christina McGuire Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship, He is currently attending Brigham Recipient of the Heyward G. Daughter of John and Suzanne the Brockman M. Moore Memorial Young University, Idaho. Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon McGuire. Recipient of the Louis Financial Aid Scholarship and House Foundation Financial Aid C. Boochever Memorial Financial the Beirut Memorial Financial Scholarship. She is currently Aid Scholarship, the Betty Carp Patrick Keaveny Aid Scholarship. He is currently attending American University. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Son of Martha and Michael Keaveny. and the Wilbur J. Carr Memorial attending SUNY Maritime College. Recipient of the Dorothy Osborne Financial Aid Scholarship. She is and Theodore Xanthaky Memorial Castilleja Kuzis currently attending Connecticut Rachel Mines Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Daughter of Karen Kuzis. Recipient College. Daughter of Cecile and Keith currently attending Creighton of the Oliver Bishop Harriman Mines. Recipient of the Harriet University. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. C. Thurgood/DACOR Bacon She is currently attending Humboldt Patrick McGuire House Foundation Financial Aid State University. Son of John and Suzanne Sarah Keverenge McGuire. Recipient of the Harriet Scholarship. She is currently Daughter of Winnifred Copeland and C. Thurgood/DACOR Bacon attending City College of New York. Wilson Keverenge. Recipient of the Victoria Laney House Foundation Financial Selden Chapin Memorial Financial Daughter of Bridget Tambe. Aid Scholarship. He is currently Ashton Omdahl Aid Scholarship, the Harry A. Havens Recipient of the George and Mattie attending Stanford University. Son of Brent and Natasha Omdahl. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Newman Memorial Financial Aid Recipient of the William P. and and the Marc Grossman and Mildred Scholarship and the Brockman

48 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Adele Langston Rogers Memorial Caroline Perkinson It is always wonderful to know Financial Aid Scholarship, the Daughter of Jeff and Laurel Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews Perkinson. Recipient of the Heyward that there are people out there Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship G. Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon and the George Shultz Financial House Foundation Financial Aid who are invested in seeing me Aid Scholarship. He is currently Scholarship. She is currently succeed. This scholarship will attending Brigham Young University. attending Davidson College. no doubt help my family and Jazmin Pajuelo Zoe Rayner me pay for my college tuition Daughter of Michelle Jennings and Daughter of Patricia Hill and Mario Pajuelo. Recipient of the Randall Rayner. Recipient of the Virginia Thurgood Bingham/DACOR Harriet P. Culley Memorial Financial Erika Barnes, Washington State University Bacon House Foundation Financial Aid Scholarship and the Robert Aid Scholarship. She is currently Woods Bliss Memorial Financial Montagu and Frances M. Pigott attending Montgomery College. Aid Scholarship. She is currently Gareth Walsh Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. attending American University, Son of Charles and Mary Walsh. She is currently attending Wellesley Jordan Palmer Rome. Recipient of the Elbert G. and Naomi College. M. Mathews Memorial Financial Son of Susan Gonzalez Baker Aid Scholarship and the Brockman and Paul Palmer. Recipient of the Caitlin Sneff-Nuckles David Sydney M. Moore Memorial Financial John and Hope Rogers Bastek Daughter of John Nuckles and Son of Dawn Lewis-Johnson and Aid Scholarship. He is currently Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship, Wendy Sneff. Recipient of the Roger Sydney. Recipient of the attending the University of Chicago. the George and Mattie Newman Heyward G. Hill Memorial/DACOR AAFSW Financial Aid Scholarship Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship Bacon House Foundation Financial and the Gertrude Stewart Memorial and the Martin G. Patterson Aid Scholarship. She is currently Morgan Wilbur Financial Aid Scholarship. He is Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. attending George Mason University. Son of Allison and Richard Wilbur. He is currently attending Texas Tech currently attending the University of Recipient of the Heyward G. University. Texas at Dallas. Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon Thomas Strandemo House Foundation Financial Son of Guy and Kimberly Strandemo. Samuel Sydney Aid Scholarship. He is currently Paul Palmer Recipient of the John and Alice Son of Dawn Lewis-Johnson and attending Wheaton College. Son of Susan Gonzalez Baker Hubler Financial Aid Scholarship and Roger Sydney. Recipient of the and Paul Palmer. Recipient of the the Elbert G. and Naomi M. Mathews Vietnam Financial Aid Scholarship, Public Members of the Foreign Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Hannah Wolff the Wilbur J. Carr Memorial Financial Service Scholarship. He is currently He is currently attending the Daughter of Eric and Kathleen Aid Scholarship and the Howard Fyfe attending University of Texas at University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Wolff. Recipient of the Heyward Austin. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. G. Hill Memorial/DACOR Bacon He is currently attending Texas Tech House Foundation Financial Aid David Stuart University. Alvaro Pareja Scholarship. She is currently Son of Steven Stuart and Ellen attending Hillsdale College. Son of Javier and Lucy Pareja. Wilson. Recipient of the Lowell Abigail Taylor Recipient of the Harriet C. C. Pinkerton Memorial Financial Daughter of Lisa and Matthew Taylor. Thurgood/DACOR Bacon Aid Scholarship. He is currently Timothy Wolff Recipient of the Brockman M. Moore House Foundation Financial attending Illinois Institute of Son of Eric and Kathleen Wolff. Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Aid Scholarship. He is currently Technology. Recipient of the Victor H. Memorial attending Florida International She is currently attending Madison and Ruth Nay Skiles Financial University at Biscayne Bay. Area Technical College. Aid Scholarship and the Dorothy Lillian Stuart Osborne and Theodore Xanthaky Daughter of Steven Stuart and Alexander Taylor Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. Ellen Wilson. Recipient of the C. Son of Lisa and Matthew Taylor. He is currently attending Columbia Recipient of the George and Mattie International University. With the help of this scholar- Newman Memorial Financial Aid Scholarship. He is currently Bonnie Zix ship I am ever closer to a life of attending the University of Daughter of Elizabeth and James Wisconsin at Whitewater. Zix. Recipient of the Barbara Bell higher responsibility, greater Black Memorial Financial Aid independence and fresh ad- Chistopher Volciak Jr. Scholarship and the Elbert G. and Son of Christopher, Sr. and Sabrina Naomi M. Mathews Memorial ventures. I thank AFSA and my Volciak. Recipient of the George and Financial Aid Scholarship. She is Mattie Newman Memorial Financial currently attending York College of scholarship donor for this. Aid Scholarship. He is currently Pennsylvania. n Morgan Wilbur, Wheaton College attending Lehigh University.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 49 AFSA NEWS

AFSA Recognizes Sen. Richard Lugar for Support of FS

On Nov. 28, Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., was honored at a small luncheon at AFSA headquarters. The association presented him with a plaque in appreciation for his steadfast support of the Foreign Service and for bipartisanship in our foreign policy. Senator Lugar, who is the senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former committee chairman, is leaving AYERST DONNA the Senate after 36 years of eign affairs issues. He was Above, left to right: AFSA Governing Bill Harrop, AFSA President Susan public service, during which awarded AFSA’s Lifetime Board member Mary Ellen Gilroy, Johnson, Amb. Frank Almaguer, Amb. Margaret Scobey, AFSA Amb. Thomas Boyatt and Amb. time he became nationally Contributions to American Governing Board member Keith Charles Ford. known as a leader in for- Diplomacy Award in 2005. n Curtis, AFSA Executive Director Ian Houston, Sen. Richard Lugar, Amb.

GLIFAA, Continued from page 43 Counselor and Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg and GLIFAA Presi- dent Ken Kero-Mentz delivered remarks. Congressman David Cicilline, D-RI, GLIFAA co-founder David Buss and Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Baer also participated in the program. A brief personal history of what it meant to be gay in the Foreign Service, knowing you Top, Left to Right: Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, GLIFAA President Ken Kero-Mentz, USAID Deputy could be fired at any moment Administrator Donald Steinberg and Deputy for who you loved, came from Assistant Secretary Daniel Baer listen as Secretary David Buss, GLIFAA’s co- Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the audience. founder. He ended the program on a poignant note, “I can’t believe that we are here Bottom, Left to Right: AFSA State VP Daniel Hirsch and AFSA President Susan Johnson in this room, 20 years after congratulate GLIFAA co-founder David Buss on the we got together for brunch organization’s 20 years of successful advocacy. and founded GLIFAA. It’s an unbelievable feeling.” n PHOTOS BY DONNA AYERST DONNA BY PHOTOS

50 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA Presents “ARGO” and its Heroes to a Full House BY DONNA AYERST, AFSA NEWS EDITOR

Despite a chilly Dec. 13th evening, people arrived at the AMC Theater in Georgetown well in advance of the 7:00 p.m. screening of the Golden Globe Best Picture nomi- nated film, “ARGO.” The film is based on the book, ARGO, How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, Viking, 2012. An AFSA special event, the movie was offered free of charge to members and their Top: Tony Mendez, center, gets a guests. With all seats spoken standing ovation. Center: Amb. for in advance, it seemed John Limbert introduces Tony Mendez (center), as Kathy Stafford everyone wanted to catch a and Bob Anders look on. Bottom: glimpse of the stars. AFSA Governing Board members, Only this time, the stars Keith Curtis (left), and Francisco Zamora (right), greet Tony Mendez. were the real-life people who are represented in the The embassy’s young film—the people who had Marines were hailed as endured the events of Nov. 4, heroes for having the 1979 when Iranian militants strength to follow the com- seized our embassy in Tehran mand, “Do not fire. If you and all of the Foreign Service AYERST DONNA BY PHOTOS shoot anyone today, we will employees in it. All, except ovation from the audience. all be killed.” for six Americans, and that is The panel’s recounting of Many questions from where the story begins. the events were every bit as the audience ensued. One Ben Affleck, Hollywood tense as the movie, which— particular question sums up director and star, does a despite the dramatic license the resolve of members of good job of portraying Tony taken by the director—was the Foreign Service, “How Mendez, the CIA agent whose said to be a “fairly accurate did this experience affect job it was to come up with a portrayal.” your career?” Bob Anders plan to rescue the six. But on Kathy Stafford and Bob Amb. Limbert verified the answered by saying, “Well, it Dec. 13, 2012, Tony Mendez, Anders—two of the six mock execution portrayed in is all part of the job. You carry the former CIA agent speak- offered refuge in Tehran by the film; he was one of those on and see what comes next ing before the crowd of more the Canadian ambassador— with a hood over his head as down the road.” than 270, did it better. had endured such a historic the rifles clicked. As horrible Or as Tony put it, “We are As a member of the audi- and life-threatening situation. as that scene was—both in the ones that mind the crops, ence, it was hard to believe As the lights came up at the movie and in real-life—he and there are some good that Tony, along with Ambas- the end of the film, Tony and reminded us, “We have Abu crops to grow. We need to be sador John Limbert—a the others made their way Ghraib, we know what people on the ground to talk face-to- hostage for 444 days—and to the stage to a standing can do.” face with people.” n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 51 AFSA NEWS

Secretary of State Awards Recognize Overseas Volunteers BY GABRIELLE HAMPSON, FAMILY LIAISON OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH OFFICER

On Dec. 4, the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide honored six FS volunteers with the 2012 Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad at a ceremony at the State Department. They are:

Bureau of African Affairs: Karl P. Deringer, Kigali

Within days of his arrival AYERST DONNA Left to Right: Dr. Charles E. Wright, New Delhi; Tom Gallagher, retired FSO, winner of the 2012 Eleanor Dodson at post, Karl Deringer, an Tragen Award; Jan Cote-Cartwright, Tel Aviv; Elizabeth Joy Shaffer, Skopje; Deputy Secretary of State William J. Eligible Family Member, was Burns; Cassandra D. Brenn, Hanoi; Amy Zimmerman, Brasilia; Karl P. Deringer, Kigali; and Debbi Miller, AAFSW inspired by the community in volunteer and winner of the 2012 Lesley Dorman Award. the nearby village of Bwiza. and history. and contrib- Bureau of Near Eastern Officer, Dr. Wright combined He worked tirelessly to help uted articles on Vietnamese Affairs: Jan Cote- his professional skills and the villagers—a socially culture for the post newslet- Cartwright, Tel Aviv personal engagement style marginalized ethnic group ter. Her volunteer efforts Shortly after arriving by dedicating his free time who are descendants of Pyg- furthered cultural exchanges at post, Information to benefit the urban poor in mies—become food secure and strengthened relations Management Specialist Jan New Delhi. He established a by developing income-gener- between the two countries. Cote-Cartwright sought out medical clinic for patients in ating skills. Karl helped them volunteer opportunities. She need; created a community to establish water collection Bureau of European served as the embassy’s health program to eradicate systems and agricultural and Eurasian Affairs: Federal Women’s Program anemia in schoolchildren and terraces while teaching new Elizabeth Joy Shaffer, Coordinator and volunteered lobbied national authorities crop planting techniques, Skopje to assist the Trafficking and organizations to address raising rabbits and first-aid. Elizabeth Shaffer, an EFM, in Persons portfolio. To malnutrition; formed a group used her professional skills raise awareness of the of doctors to teach trauma Bureau of East Asian as an occupational therapist TIP shelters, she collected care; and mentored the and Pacific Affairs: to raise awareness of autism donations of much-needed high school medical club, Cassandra D. Brenn, spectrum disorders by pro- household items and SCRUBS. Hanoi viding resources and tools to established and equippped In response to growing aid Macedonian children. She sewing centers in three of Bureau of Western demand among Vietnamese designed a public awareness the shelters to provide an Hemisphere Affairs: students for opportunities campaign on the impor- income-generating skill to Amy L. Zimmerman, to learn English, Cassandra tance of early detection and the residents. Her efforts Brasilia Brenn, an EFM, donated her intervention, organized the inspired others to get Amy Zimmerman, an EFM, time to organize and lead a country’s first autism aware- involved. brought nourishment and regular series of “Conversa- ness symposium, worked to education to disadvantaged tion Hours” at the American build the resources of local Bureau of South and children in Greater Brasilia Center in Hanoi. She created organizations and helped Central Asian Affairs: through her program Project a weekly “Culture Connection several schools and private Charles E. Wright, New T.E.A.C.H,, which translates Series” covering American centers acquire specialized Delhi into bringing education, culture, government, politics sensory motor equipment. As Regional Medical nourishment and hope. She

52 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

recruited more than 40 volunteers from five countries Dissent: About National Interest, Not to share their experiences in teaching, literacy, art, music Individual World Views and physical education. The BY SUSAN JOHNSON, AFSA PRESIDENT volunteers also provided fresh food for the school AFSA Dissent Awards recog- AFSA honors and seeks fessional is the willingness meals and established a nize Foreign Service person- to promote a culture that not to speak out after careful functional library. nel who offer constructive only tolerates, but encour- study and reflection, if one The following awards were criticism and alternative ages informed, thoughtful, is convinced of the value also presented: policy and management professional, and principled and importance of changing options. AFSA is proud to argument over varied issues. course or to an alternative The 2012 Eleanor honor constructive dissent We do it through our Rivkin, policy. Dodson Tragen Award and the ability to express Harriman and Herter Dissent We invite you to nominate To retired Foreign Service it appropriately. It takes Awards, recognizing sig- a colleague who has voiced officer Tom Gallagher for his courage to dissent and it is nificant constructive dissent dissent courageously and contributions to the well- important that the leadership providing well-reasoned professionally for one of the being of FS employees and and culture of any organiza- alternative approaches to AFSA dissent awards. Award families. tion provide the space for both policy and implementa- categories are found at www. individual members to do so. tion strategies. afsa.org/awards. Though we The 2012 Lesley Constructive and well-rea- Each year within the ranks encourage nominations year Dorman Award soned dissent is rooted in our of the Foreign Service, some round, the deadline for the To Debbi Miller for her out- fundamental national values. of us voice constructive dis- 2013 Awards Ceremony is standing service to AAFSW Ambassador Thomas Boyatt, sent about policy or policy February 28th. Please send and the Foreign Service com- a former AFSA President, has implementation. Too often, your nominations to Perri munity. summed it up well, “Dissent far too few of us hear about Green at [email protected]. n is about the national interest, it and too much courageous SOSA recipients receive not about individual world dissent is not recognized. airfare to Washington, views.” What distinguishes the pro- $2,500, a pin and a certifi- cate signed by the Secretary of State. Recognize Exemplary Performance Since its inception more BY PERRI GREEN, AFSA COORDINATOR, SPECIAL AWARDS AND OUTREACH than 20 years ago, SOSA has recognized more than 400 Don’t let this year pass with- effectiveness and morale post have done the most to nominees for their outstand- out submitting a nomination beyond the framework of advance the interests of the ing volunteer service in more for an AFSA Performance his/her job responsibilities. United States. than 130 countries around Award. We know you know • The M. Juanita Guess Winners receive a cash the world. SOSA is admin- someone at post making a Award: for a community prize of $2,500 and will be istered by the Associates of positive difference. liaison office coordinator who honored at a ceremony in the American Foreign Service AFSA offers three annual has demonstrated outstand- late June in the Benjamin Worldwide, the non-profit awards for exemplary ing leadership, dedication, Franklin Room at the State organization supporting For- performance of assigned or initiative or imagination in Department. eign Service family members. voluntary duties at an over- assisting official Americans Information on nomina- To learn more about seas post: serving at an overseas post. tion procedures and guide- AAFSW and SOSA, please • The Nelson B. Delevan • The Avis Bohlen Award: lines can be found at www. visit www.aafsw.org/awards- Award: for a Foreign Service for a Foreign Service eli- afsa.org/awards. The dead- scholarships/sosa/sosa-the- office management specialist gible family member whose line for submitting nomina- 2012-winners. n who has made a significant relations with the American tions for all of the awards is contribution to post or office and foreign communities at February 28, 2013. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 53 AFSA NEWS

ACTIVE AFTER ACTIVE-DUTY: A Bengali Woman’s Art: Cause for Liberation BY LEONARD HILL, FOREIGN SERVICE RETIRED

When I retired from the whom have mentored us as Foreign Service in 2008, my we have learned how to get wife, Cathy Stevulak, and I around in a new and unfa- had ideas about what the miliar landscape, culture and future held. Something with language—not unlike landing an international focus, to at a new post. be sure. We were open to a Most importantly, we have lot of possibilities, but never been able to delve deeper thought we would be where into Surayia’s remarkable we are today: immersed in story and learn more about making a documentary film the hundreds of destitute about a Bangladeshi Mus- young women who found lim woman who overcomes a path to economic self- social and economic hard- sufficiency for themselves ships and liberates herself and their families through © ANIL ADVANI, KANTHA PRODUCTIONS LLC PRODUCTIONS KANTHA ADVANI, ANIL © and hundreds of other Surayia Rahman, center, with some of the women she has mentored their exquisite work and their and worked with for more than 25 years. These formerly destitute single women by creating timeless mothers now own land in their own names and have sent their children to dedication to art. works of art. college as a result of the art they created with Surayia. Telling the story of Surayia Cathy and I first saw and the women who worked Surayia Rahman’s artwork to learn—much later, for these elaborate embroidered with her, and being able to when we were posted Surayia was too modest to artworks before Surayia died. bring the art they created to in Dhaka. Like many, we tell us this herself—that her The idea kept tugging at a wider audience, is not at all admired the range of sub- work was in museums as well us, and we knew we did not what Cathy and I expected to jects and the fine execu- as royal, official and private have a lot to time to decide be doing now. But, like our tion of her “nakshi kantha” collections around the world. if we should start filming or time in the Foreign Service, tapestries. These told vivid We kept in touch with not. “How hard,” we asked we would not trade the expe- stories of the lives of village Surayia after leaving Dhaka. each other, “could making rience for anything. n women, the British Raj, and Knowing that all of her imme- a documentary film about illustrated works of the great diate family had immigrated Surayia and her art be?” References:

Bengali poets. Inspired by a to Canada, we commissioned Three years later, with Film Web site, which has a household tradition of Bengal a piece from her and donated multiple filming sessions four-minute trailer for the film: involving quilting and embroi- it to the Textile Museum in in Bangladesh and Canada kanthathreads.com International Documentary dery, called kantha, Toronto. A few years later she behind us, we have a better Association (a 501(c)3 nonprofit) In Dhaka’s vibrant visual sent us one of the last pieces answer to that question. I still page for the film: www.documentary. arts scene her work stood she worked on before health take When Actually Employed org/community/sponsorship/ donate?film_id=3732 out, not because of promo- problems ended her ability. assignments, but work on tion or hype, but because At that point our involve- the film has become an Surayia’s work at the Textile Museum of its clarity of vision and ment in Surayia’s life prob- unexpected full time job for of Canada: www.textilemuseum.ca/ apps/index.cfm?page=collection. quality. When a mutual friend ably would have faded, had I both of us. Neither of us are detail&catid=14041&row=1 offered to introduce Cathy not taken a WAE assignment film school graduates, but we to Surayia she jumped at the in Halifax. An art professor have brought to the project Article about Surayia in Hand/Eye Magazine: http://handeyemagazine. chance. We were both struck there who was familiar with experience and skills learned com/content/accidental-saint by Surayia’s quiet dignity and Surayia’s work suggested during our first careers. We commitment to excellence. that Cathy do something have also met a lot of inter- We were not surprised to document the stories of esting new people, many of

54 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

ACTIVE AFTER ACTIVE-DUTY The J. Kirby Simon Foreign Carolina Friends of the FS Service Trust Invites Project Hold Climate Change Talk Proposals

On Oct. 25, the The J. Kirby Simon Foreign trust.org. Carolina Friends Service Trust is a chari- The Trust now invites the of the Foreign table fund established in the submission of proposals for Service held their memory of J. Kirby Simon, a support in 2013. quarterly luncheon Foreign Service officer who A proposal should include at the Chapel Hill died in 1995 while serving in a description of the project, Country Club, Taiwan. The Trust is commit- its aims and the role to be Chapel Hill, N.C. ted to expanding the oppor played by the applicant(s); a This year’s theme, tunities for professional preliminary plan for dissemi- global energy, MALPASS BETSY fulfillment and community nating the results of the proj- North Carolina diplomats-in-residence attend the was addressed by October luncheon of the Carolina Friends of the service of active Foreign Ser- ect; a budget; other available Professor Francis Foreign Service held at the Chapel Hill vice officers and specialists funding, if any; and a brief Koster, who spoke Country Club in Chapel Hill, N.C. Pictured and their families. biography of the applicant(s). (left to right) are former DIR Bill Lucas, on global climate Amb. Brenda Schoonover, Amb. David The principal activity Proposals should be no change and its Litt and current DIR, Julie Ruterbories. of the Trust is to support longer than five double- impact on geo poli- projects that are initiated and spaced pages (exclusive of tics. Fifty-five members and Chapel Hill. Ms. Julie Ruter- carried out, on an entirely budget and biographical guests were in attendance. bories also has offices at unofficial, voluntary basis, by material). Please follow the The CFFS is a social Duke and Carolina and Foreign Service personnel or application format available organization of 155 mem- travels to schools in sev- members of their families, at www.kirbysimontrust.org/ bers of mostly retired U.S. eral Southern states. wherever located. The Trust format_for_proposals.html or government employees from Ms. Ruterbories will be will also consider projects of by communicating with the the foreign affairs com- presenting the next talk to the same nature proposed Trust (see below). munity, including State, the the members of the Caro- by other U.S. Government Proposals for projects to Department of Defense, the lina Friends of the Foreign employees or members of be funded during calendar Central Intelligence Agency, Service at the University their families, regardless of year 2013 must be received the U.S. Agency for Interna- Club at North Carolina nationality, who are located by the Trust no later than tional Development and the State University in Raleigh, at American diplomatic posts March 1, 2013. Peace Corps. Also included N.C., on Friday, Jan. 18. Her abroad. Only the foregoing Proposals can be submit- are members from the U.S. topic will focus on how The persons are eligible appli- ted by mail, by fax or (prefer- international business sector Netherlands is preparing to cants. ably) by e-mail to: living in North Carolina’s meet the challenges of the In 2012 the Trust made J. Kirby Simon Foreign research triangle area of expected rise in sea levels. its sixteenth round of grant Service Trust Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Ruterbories’ last assign- awards, approving a total of 93 Edgehill Road Hill. ment was as the U.S. consul 54 grants that ranged from New Haven, CT 06511 Former diplomats in general in Amsterdam. To $600 to $3000 (averag- FAX: (203) 432-8095 residence served in the same contact Julie, her e-mail ing $2052), for a total of E-mail: Send to both info@ capacity and were respon- address is ruterboriesja@ $110,785. These grants kirbysimontrust.org and john. sible for the same portfolio state.gov. n support the involvement of [email protected]. for many of the schools in Foreign Service personnel in Further information about the Southeast. They all had the projects described in the the Trust can be found at offices at both Duke Univer- Trust announcement entitled www.kirbysimontrust.org. n sity and the University of Grants Awarded in 2012 and North Carolina at available at www.kirbysimon-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 55 AFSA NEWS

BOOK NOTES PROGRAM: Nicholas Kralev Introduces “America’s Other Army” BY EMILY A. HAWLEY, AFSA STAFF

On Oct. 22, AFSA’s Book Notes program presented author Nicholas Kralev and his new book, America’s Other Army, self published. The book tells the stories of American diplomats the how their work affects millions of AYERST DONNA people in the United States Author Nicholas Kralev presents and around the world. his book, “America’s Other Army,” Kralev’s book was which focuses on the work of Foreign Service employees. published shortly after the Benghazi terrorist attack and secure. “Diplomats work and is a timely reminder of to meld our myopic present the dangers Foreign Service needs with a more peace- employees face while serving ful and prosperous future in our nation. an interconnected world,” Although not a Foreign believes Kralev. Service officer himself, Kralev The book provides readers is well experienced in foreign with an opportunity to better affairs matters, both as a understand the demanding journalist covering the State and difficult role members Department for the Financial of the Foreign Service must Times and Washington Times, face, especially during this and as an eye witness to the particularly tumultuous final days of the Cold War in time in the Middle East and Bulgaria, his native country. elsewhere. In the course of writing his A lively discussion with book, he visited many foreign the audience—comprised of and American embassies for mostly FSOs, both active- his research. duty and retired—followed. America’s Other Army After much debate, Kralev provides a vibrant and asked, “Does anything in accurate description of what the Foreign Service need to U.S. diplomats must do to change?” A resounding “Yes” advance American interests chorused throughout the while carrying out its foreign room. policy. The event ended the third Kralev’s book underscores year of the popular Book the idea that for the United Notes series, which presents States to be safe and secure, books of interest to the For- the whole world must be safe eign Service community. n

56 JANUARY 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Senior Living Foundation: Supporting Retired FS Members

BY PAULA S. JAKUB, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SENIOR LIVING FOUNDATION

More than twenty years ago a needs of many in our retired MAKING A Combined Federal Campaign small group of compassion- Foreign Service family. The DIFFERENCE (#40530) or credit card via ate and farsighted Foreign Foundation provides over our Web site at www.SLFoun- Service officers founded $250,000 in grants each year The SLF Board of Direc- dation.org. the Senior Living Founda- to help our colleagues meet tors is devoted to making The SLF has also greatly tion of the American Foreign their challenges. The SLF a difference for our retired benefitted from colleagues Service. provides support for people colleagues. The Board is also by Bequests or Charitable Its objective was at once in senior living facilities, helps committed to positioning Remainder Trusts. Donations simple and profound: to with medical and prescrip- the Foundation so that it can to the SLF are proof that support retired members of tion copayments, provides support retirees in the future today’s officers and retirees the Foreign Service and their basic living expenses and who face trouble as a result are committed to our prede- spouses, including those transportation to medical of changed retirement plans cessors, peers and friends divorced and separated, who appointments. The SLF has or a troubled economy. who face challenges after had become unable to man- a wonderful social worker their honorable service to our age the financial, physical who provides support to our YOUR SUPPORT nation. and mental challenges of clients and both guides them MAKES IT HAPPEN The Senior Living Founda- life during their later years. and assures them that the tion needs your sustained From this modest beginning, Foundation stands ready to The Senior Living Foun- support. Our colleagues and the SLF has built a proud help. The SLF often sends dation can only accomplish their families served our tradition of “taking care of care managers to our clients’ its mission thanks to your country with you. They now our own.” homes to evaluate their support. The SLF receives need your support to cope conditions so we can address hundreds of donations each with life’s changes with peace SUPPORTING FS all of their needs. The SLF year from the larger Foreign of mind, dignity and security. RETIREES keeps each case confidential Service family. The SLF is a That is the definition of “tak- to uphold the privacy and 501(c)(3) charitable orga- ing care of our own.” n The Senior Living Foun- dignity of our retired col- nization. Donations can be dation today supports the leagues. made by check, money order,

Merit Judge Volunteers Wanted Nominate a Deserving Colleague AFSA is looking for members in the D.C. area to for an AFSA Dissent Award judge the high school seniors’ academic or art appli- For more than 40 years AFSA has sponsored the cations for AFSA’s Merit Awards. Judging will take Dissent Award program to recognize and encourage place in February or March. You should be comfort- constructive dissent and risk-taking in the Foreign able with a computer and have ten to 15 hours over Service. This is unique within the U.S. Government. NEWS BRIEF

a two-week period to serve. Judging of art submis- NEWS BRIEF Four awards are offered: The F. Allen “Tex” Harris sions will take place in early February, followed by the W. Averell Harriman Award, the William R. Rivkin academic judging in early March. An orientation Award and the Christian A. Herter Award. session on how to use the online scoring system Deadline for the 2013 Dissent Awards is Feb. 28. is offered. A final panel meeting at AFSA will be For more information or questions, please contact scheduled to select winners and finalists. For more Perri Green, AFSA Coordinator for Special Awards information, please contact Lori Dec, AFSA scholar- and Outreach, at [email protected] or (202) 719- ship director, at [email protected] or (202) 944-5504. 9700.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 57 AFSA NEWSAFSA NEWS

“Active After Active-Duty” Joins AFSA News AFSA News invites retirees to submit articles on how you are staying active after active-duty. Whether you have picked up a new skill, climbed Kilamanjaro, have finally written the novel you always said you wanted to write or enjoy the NEWS BRIEF company of fellow retired diplomats for lunch or a seminar, we would like to hear from you. Photos are most welcome as long as they are high resolution digital images at 300 dpi. Please do not send scanned images. All submissions will be edited and there is no guarantee they will be published. If your piece is timely, please take note that our production schedule has us working two months in advance of publication date. For an example of what we are looking for, please turn to pages 54 & 55 for our first “Active After Active Duty” columns. Please contact AFSA News Editor Donna Ayerst at [email protected] for any questions you may have.

AFSA Welcomes New Staff Member

AFSA is pleased to welcome Chioma Dike as our new labor management assistant. She will be working out of AFSA headquarters and at USAID. Chioma is a Washington, D.C. native with NEWS BRIEF Nigerian roots—both of her parents are from that Rates below Government per diem and sliding scale country. based 1-bedroom suites only She graduated from Howard University with Fully furnished and accessorized apartments a degree in politcal science and psychology. She for stays of 3 days or longer earned her Master’s degree in international rela- Room and ride packages available tions and human rights at Roehampton University in London. Locations within walking distance to the metro Chioma’s goal for the future is to go to law school All utilities included, high speed internet service, and major in women’s rights. She can be reached at washer & dryer in every home [email protected] or (202) 712-1941. Major credit cards accepted For more info, please contact Tiffany Burkett at [email protected] or 877.827.8483 x118 *mention this flier to receive special State Department rates!

www.suiteamerica.com

58 DECEMBERJANUARY 20122013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Is Retirement More Than Ten Years Away? Now is the time to begin planning your retirement.

Enroll in a 2013 Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar today! NEWS BRIEF

Seminars offered January 16-17 / May 1-2 / June 11-12

WHO MAY ATTEND: Department of State employees and Non-State employees with more than 10 years until retirement eligibility. Spouses are eligible to attend on a space available basis. Reserve your space in advance!

RV 105 Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar: Two-day seminar covering topics including Financial and Estate Planning, Thrift Savings Plan, Annuities and Benefits in Retirement and Federal Long-Term Care Program.

HOW TO APPLY: Department of State employees should submit an online application to attend a workshop at www.state.gov/m/fsi/tc/c6958.htm.

Spouses/partners are welcome to attend RV 105 on a space available basis. To register your DoS spouse or partner, please call the FSI/Transition Center’s Career Transition Center at (703) 302-7407 or send an email to [email protected] with spouse or partner’s name, e-mail address and phone number. Confirmation of space available is sent to spouses/ partners two weeks prior to the course.

Non-State employees and spouses/partners should submit a funded SF-182 training form to the Office of the Registrar, fax 703-302-7152. The FY13 non- State tuition rate is $330.

For more information visit the Transition Center’s Career Transition Center at www.state.gov/m/fsi/ tc/c6958.htm, call us at (703) 302-7407 or e-mail us at [email protected].

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBERJANUARY 2013 2012 59 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n LEGAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREPARATION: Forty years in public tax practice. Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATTORNEY WITH 31 YEARS’ successful experience SPECIALIZING ATA, ATP. Our charges are $95 per hour. Most FS returns FULL-TIME IN FS GRIEVANCES will more than double your chance of take 3 to 4 hours. Our office is 100 feet from Virginia winning: 30% of grievants win before the Grievance Board; 85% of my Square Metro Station. Tax Matters Associates PC, 3601 clients win. Only a private attorney can adequately develop and present North Fairfax Dr., Arlington VA 22201. your case, including necessary regs, arcane legal doctrines, precedents Tel: (703) 522-3828. Fax: (703) 522-5726. and rules. E-mail: [email protected] Call Bridget R. Mugane at: Tel: (301) 596-0175 or (202) 387-4383. FREE TAX CONSULTATION for overseas personnel. We process federal Free initial telephone consultation and state returns as received, without delay. Preparation and representation by enrolled agents includes “TAX TRAX”—a unique mini-financial EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING FS officers in griev- planning review with recommendations. Full financial planning also ances, performance, promotion and tenure, financial claims, discrimina- available. Get the most from your financial dollar! tion and disciplinary actions. We represent FS officers at all stages of the Financial Forecasts Inc., Barry B. De Marr, CFP, EA and Bryan F. De Marr, proceedings from an investigation, issuance of proposed discipline or principals. the initiation of a grievance, through to a hearing before the FSGB. We 3918 Prosperity Avenue #318, Fairfax VA 22031. provide experienced, timely and knowledgeable advice to employees Tel: (703)289-1167. from junior untenured officers through the Senior FS, and often work Fax: (703-289-1178. closely with AFSA. Kalijarvi, Chuzi & Newman. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (202) 331-9260. E-mail: [email protected] TAX & FINANCIAL PLANNING SERVICES: Brenner & Elsea-Man- dojana, LLC is a professional services firm that specializes in the tax, WILLS/ESTATE PLANNING by attorney who is a former FSO. Have your financial planning and business advisory needs of U.S. expatriates. will reviewed and updated, or a new one prepared. No charge for initial Managing Member Christine Elsea-Mandojana, CPA, CFP®, is a Foreign consultation. Service spouse and understands the unique tax and financial planning M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. challenges faced by FS professionals and their families. She provides 307 Maple Ave. W., Suite D, Vienna VA 22180. individual tax planning, tax preparation and individual financial plan- Tel: (703) 281-2161. Fax: (703) 281-9464. ning services and offers e-filing for federal and state returns. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (202) 657-4875. Fax: (301) 576-4415. E-mail: [email protected] ATTORNEYS EXPERIENCED IN representing Foreign Service officers Web site: www.globaltaxconsult.com and intelligence community members in civil and criminal investigations, administrative inquiries, IG issues, grievances, disciplinary FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR FS FAMILIES. Carrington Financial investigations and security clearance issues. Extensive State Depart- Planning, LLC of Arlington, Va., provides financial planning services ment experience, both as counsel to the IG and in L, and in represent- to Foreign Service families worldwide. Principal William Carrington ing individual officers. We have handled successfully some particularly is a Foreign Service spouse with 19 years of FS experience. Web-based difficult cases confronting Foreign Service and intelligence officers, both process provides customized, collaborative, financial planning services. before the Foreign Service Grievance Board and in the federal and local Specially approved to use Dimensional Funds. Fee-Only, Fiduciary-Stan- courts. We work closely with AFSA when appropriate and cost-effective. dard, Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Licensed and Insured. Doumar Martin PLLC. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (703) 243-3737. Fax: (703) 524-7610. Web site: www.carringtonFP.com E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.doumarmartin.com n TEMPORARY HOUSING

CONTACT THE WEALTH COUNSELOR ENJOY YOUR STAY in Washington in historic guest rooms just blocks The Wealth Counselor, LLC is an estate and asset protection planning from the White House! Rooms available to DACOR members and their law firm. We help U.S. citizens worldwide gain the peace of mind that guests, $109/night/single, $125/night/double, all taxes and continental only financial planning can bring. Our clients find it comforting that breakfast (M-F) included. we’re available at the most convenient times for them wherever they are, For reservations call: (202) 682-0500, ext. 11. and that we employ modern technology—Skype, efax, IM—to get the job E-mail: [email protected] done across time zones. Web site: www.dacorbacon.org Lisa McCurdy Tel: (202) 552-7383. Fax: (888) 644-8504. FURNISHED LUXURY APARTMENTS: Short/long-term. Best locations: E-mail: [email protected] Dupont Circle, Georgetown. Utilities included. All price ranges/sizes. Web site: www.thewealthcounselor.com Parking available. Skype: thewealthcounselor/ Tel: (202) 296-4989. Twitter: twcofdc E-mail: [email protected] n TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: Select from our unique inventory of completely furnished & tastefully decorated apartments & townhouses, DAVID L. MORTIMER, CPA: Income Tax Planning and Preparation for all located in D.C.’s best in-town neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, 20 years in Alexandria, VA. Free consultation. Foggy Bottom & the West End. Two-month minimum. Mother-Daughter Tel: (703) 869-0272. Owned and Operated. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. Website: www.mytaxcpa.net E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.piedaterredc.com

60 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n TEMPORARY HOUSING CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS: Abundant experience working with Foreign Service professionals and the locations to best SHORT-TERM RENTALS • TEMPORARY HOUSING serve you: Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, Rosslyn, Ballston, Pentagon City. Our office is a short walk from NFATC. WASHINGTON, D.C., or NFATC TOUR? EXECUTIVE HOUSING One-month minimum. All furnishings, housewares, utilities, telephone CONSULTANTS offers Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s finest portfolio and cable included. of short-term, fully furnished and equipped apartments, townhomes Tel: (703) 979-2830 or (800) 914-2802. Fax: (703) 979-2813. and single-family residences in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. E-mail: [email protected] In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is steps to Rosslyn Metro and Web site: www.corporateapartments.com Georgetown, and 15 minutes on Metro bus or State Department shuttle to NFATC. For more info, please call (301) 951-4111, or visit our Web site TUNRKEY HOUSING SOLUTIONS. Experience working with Foreign at www.executivehousing.com. Service professionals on standard and distinctive temporary housing solutions in the D.C. area’s best locations (NW DC, North Arlington, ARLINGTON FLATS: 1-BR, 2-BR, and 4-BR flats in 2 beautiful buildings Crystal/Pentagon City, Suburban Maryland). Northern Virginia-based 3 blocks from Clarendon Metro. Newly renovated, completely furnished, company offers local customer service and a personalized touch. incl. all utilities/Internet/HDTV w/DVR. Parking, maid service, gym, Tel: (703) 615-6591. rental car available. Rates start at $2,600/month. Per diem OK. E-mail: [email protected] Min. 30 days. Web site: www.tkhousing.com Tel: (571) 235-4289. E-mail: [email protected] DISTRICT PEAKS CORPORATE HOUSING: Choose from our wide See 2-BR at Web site: http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/1908292 range of fully furnished properties, all located in DC’s best neighborhoods with access to Metro stops: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, DC FURNISHED EXTENDED STAY in Penn Quarter/Chinatown. The Logan Circle, Capitol Hill and many more! One-month minimum; TDY Lansburgh, 425 8th Street NW. 1-BR and 2-BR apartments w/fully per diem rates accepted! equipped kitchens, CAC & heat, high-speed Internet, digital cable TV Tel: (720) 404-2902. Fax: (303) 697-8343. w/HBO, fitness center w/indoor pool, resident business center, 24-hour E-mail: [email protected] reception desk, full concierge service, secure parking available, con- Web site: www.districtpeaksch.com trolled-entry building, 30-day minimum stay. Walk to Metro, FBI, DOJ, EPA, IRS, DOE, DHH, U.S. Capitol. Rates within government per diem. TOWNHOME FOR RENT. 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Located in Dupont Circle, we designed our apartments Contact Andrea Accolla. as places where we’d like to live and work—beautifully furnished and Tel: (703) 400-0388. fully equipped (including Internet & satellite TV). Most importantly, we E-mail: [email protected] understand that occasionally needs change, so we never penalize you if Listing: http://mrislistings.mris.com/DE.asp?k=3165507X4SSW&p you leave early. You only pay for the nights you stay, even if your plans =DE-176731341-732 change at the last minute. We also don’t believe in minimum stays or n REAL ESTATE extra charges like application or cleaning fees. And we always work with you on per diem. HEADED TO MAIN STATE? Time to Buy or Sell in DC or Virginia? Tap Tel: (202) 536-2500. into my 25+ years of experience providing FS personnel with exclusive E-mail: [email protected] representation. By focusing on your needs, my effective approach makes Web site: www.dcguestapartments.com the transition easier for you and your family. 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THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 61 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

n REAL ESTATE n TRANSPORTATION

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62 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 63 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

64 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AFSA Memorial Marker / 60 2012 Tax Guide / 64 AFSA Scholarship Fund / Bookstore / 41, 56 Inside Back Cover Change of Address / 10 ADWhen contacting one ofINDEX our advertisers, kindly mention Diplomatic Automobile Support AFSA you saw their advertisement in The Foreign Service Journal. Sales / 4 Scholarships / 19 Foreign Service Youth CLASSIFIED ADS Pied-a-Terre Properties Foundation / 40 EDUCATION Classifieds / 60, 61, 62 Ltd. / 59 Georgetown Journal / 64 Education and Youth in the Signature Properties / 58 Inside a U.S. Embassy / 18 Family Liaison Office / 62 FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND SuiteAmerica / 58 Marketplace / 16 White Mountain School, TAX SERVICES TurnKey Housing State Department Reading The / 14 Luxenberg & Johnson, P.C. / 28 Solutions / 14 List / 64 MCG Financial Planning / 59 Tetra Tech / 31, 33, 35 Shaw Bransford & Roth INSURANCE P.C. / 40 AFSPA – Senior Living REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY Foundation / 19 MANAGEMENT HOUSING Clements Worldwide / 3 Cabell Reid, LLC / 63 AKA, Flexible Stay Embassy Risk Executive Housing Consultants, Hotel Residences / Management / 42 Inc. / 65 Inside Front Cover Federal Employee Defense Meyerson Group, Inc., The / 63 Attaché Corporate Services / 17 Property Specialists, Inc. / 65 Housing / 25 The Hirshorn Company / Washington Management Capitol Hill Stay / 28 Back Cover Services / 64 CAS–Corporate Apartment WJD Management / 63 Specialists / 25

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2013 65 LOCAL LENS

BY JOANNE CUMMINGS n WITH AN IPHONE 3 CAMERA.

took this picture of a young Yemeni boy from the al-Ahmar tribe in Sanaa in October 2012. IBehind him, his father and older brother are dressed in the same traditional attire. The long robe is more common in the north, and the jambia (dagger) is as essential to the costume as a sporran is to a kilt in Scotland. Worn in the city and thoughout much of the country by street ped- dlers and cabinet ministers alike, the jambia is a symbol of identity that is rarely actually used. n

Joanne Cummings is deputy political/ economic officer in Sanaa.

Enter your photography to be featured in Local Lens! Images must be high resolution (at least 11 MB). Please submit a short description of the scene/event, as well as your name and the type of camera used to [email protected].

66 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL