PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION MARCH 2021

MANAGING RISK

OFF-ROAD IN GREENLAND

FOREIGN SERVICE March 2021 Volume 98, No. 2 Focus Feature

58 The Legacy of Jackie Robinson Through baseball diplomacy the youth of Romania and Uganda learned important lessons. By Ronald E. Hawkins Jr.

19 26 Changing a Risk-Averse Public Diplomacy: Paradigm at High-Threat Re-engaging the World FS Heritage Posts Abroad Eight steps to rebuild U.S. credibility Risk aversion is undermining as a world leader and a society diplomats’ ability to do their jobs. worthy of emulation. It’s an urgent problem, By Sherry L. Mueller and 62 says an experienced panel Joel A. Fischman Like Father, Like Son: that is proposing a solution. The Francis Greg Starr and Ambassadorships Ronald E. Neumann 28 Although John M. Francis and son Notes to the New Charles are not well known, they share an important distinction: 22 Administration Both served as ambassadors— Members of the U.S. Foreign Service in the same countries. State’s Influence on brief the Biden team, briefly. Foreign Policy: Is This By Stephen H. Muller Really as Good as It Gets? How to “get out of our own way” and secure a seat at the foreign policy table. By Keith W. Mines

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 5 FOREIGN SERVICE

Perspectives Departments

7 96 10 Letters President’s Views Reflections What We Need Now Diplomacy and Arms Reduction: 12 Talking Points By Eric Rubin A Personal Story 81 In Memory By William H. Hill 9 88 Books Letter from the Editor 98 Foreign Service Suggestion Box Local Lens By Shawn Dorman Yangon, Myanmar By Lee-Alison Sibley 16 Marketplace Speaking Out On State Reform 91 Real Estate By Dennis Jett 94 Classifieds 95 Index to Advertisers 66 Off-Road with the Foreign Service One Morning in Nuuk By James P. DeHart

AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION

69 AFSA at Work Through the Pandemic 74 AFSA on the Hill—AFSA Advocacy: Year in Review 69 AFSA Meets with Secretary of State Blinken 75 AFSA Treasurer’s 2020 Report 70 St ate VP Voice—AFSA Needs a 76 Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine Second Full-Time Position at State 78 AFSA Partners with American Diplomat Podcast 71 USAID VP Voice—A Clash of Bureaucracies 78 AFSA High School Essay Contest 72 R etiree VP Voice—FSGB Appointments: 79 Apply for AFSA College Scholarships Mike Pompeo’s Dereliction of Duty 79 Briana Odom Joins AFSA’s 72 AF SA Governing Board Meetings, Labor Management Team Dec. 16, 2020, and Jan. 21, 2021 79 Carson Relitz Rocker Joins AFSA Governing Board 73 Where We Stand—Data-Driven 80 AFSA on Dissent Decisions in Foreign Policy

On the Cover—Illustration by Jeremy John Parker. Image adapted from Shutterstock.

6 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS

What We Need Now

BY ERIC RUBIN

y the time you read this column, insisting on protecting the most impor- tory—led to an exodus of talent and diver- the Biden administration will tant elements of our career corps. sity from the Senior Foreign Service. be in its second full month, Expanding the Foreign Service is criti- The SFS is now close to 90 percent Band many of the top jobs in our cal to addressing our most important chal- white and two-thirds male, and it is foreign affairs agencies should have been lenges, including advancing diversity. An significantly less experienced than in filled with the consent of the Senate. expanded Service with a larger overseas previous generations. This does not just AFSA has had extensive contact with presence will enable new approaches to affect retention, but also recruitment. the transition teams in all the foreign recruitment and hiring—and will raise If the best applicants don’t see a career affairs agencies, and we have already morale and retention. The Service has path to senior leadership positions in the had the opportunity to speak with the lost enormous ground in recent years and career Service, they will conclude that the Secretary of State and other confirmed needs to turn things around fast. only way to achieve such jobs is as politi- officials. If previous transitions are a Expanding the Service is essential to cal appointees. guide, it will be late summer or early fall respond to the legitimate criticism that We need to staunch the bleeding now before most positions are filled. FS careers include far too little long-term and return our Service to health. We look We hope that they all will be filled: the training and professional education. We to the new administration to show confi- previous administration chose to leave a cannot fulfill the vision first voiced by dence in our members and their abilities. vast number of key jobs vacant, at great former Secretary of State Colin Powell AFSA knows that the new adminis- detriment to our institutions and our 20 years ago of a real training float—and tration will appoint a mix of career and country’s interests. benchmarks for professional educa- political appointees to ambassadorships So far, initial signals are positive that tion—without having more positions and and senior domestic positions. If the the Biden administration is ready to more employees. proportions are (at a minimum) returned engage and consult with career employ- China now has more embassies and to historical norms of 70/30 career/politi- ees in a way the previous administration consulates, and more overseas diplomatic cal ambassador appointments, and a did not. AFSA does not intend to be personnel, than we do. If the United States high bar is set to ensure that all political complacent, however. abandons its role as the world’s leading appointees are truly qualified, our system We will be pushing hard on all fronts for diplomatic power and falls back solely on will be well positioned to deliver the best major, visible steps to return the Foreign its strength as the world’s leading mili- results for the president, his administra- Service to its rightful place at the center tary power, we are going to have to use tion and the American people. of foreign affairs and foreign assistance that military power more often, and our Qualifications may be in the eye of policymaking. We will be engaging with national interests will suffer severely. the beholder, but we know them when Congress and the administration to urge The U.S. cannot maintain a world-lead- we see them, and when we don’t. This more funding for our people, programs ing diplomatic corps if our best and most is too important and dangerous a time and operations. successful colleagues are unable to aspire to entrust our country’s vital interests We will engage to and rise to senior leadership positions. to anyone other than those who have enthusiastically on The staffing crisis during the previous demonstrated the ability, experience and proposals to reform, administration—with zero Senate-con- judgment to get the job done. modernize and firmed career assistant secretaries of State As always, I welcome your sugges- reinvigorate our and the highest percentage of political tions, comments and concerns. Please Service, while also appointee ambassadors in modern his- write to [email protected]. n

Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 7 FOREIGN SERVICE

Editor-in-Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: [email protected] www.afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected]

Managing Editor CONTACTS Kathryn Owens: [email protected] AFSA Headquarters: FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Associate Editor (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance and Facilities Cameron Woodworth: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Publications Coordinator Manager, HR and Operations USAID AFSA Office: Dmitry Filipoff: [email protected] Cory Nishi: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Controller Business Development Manager— FCS AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Advertising and Circulation (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Member Accounts Specialist Molly Long: [email protected] Ana Lopez: [email protected] GOVERNING BOARD IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Art Director President Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: Caryn Suko Smith Hon. Eric S. Rubin: [email protected] [email protected] Editorial Board Secretary Alexis Ludwig, Chair Ken Kero-Mentz: [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Treasurer Director of Communications Daniel Crocker Virginia L. Bennett: [email protected] Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] Joel Ehrendreich State Vice President Manager of Outreach and Internal Harry Kopp Thomas Yazdgerdi: [email protected] Communications Jess McTigue USAID Vice President Christopher Teal Allan Saunders: [email protected] Jason Singer: [email protected] Joe Tordella Online Communications Manager FCS Vice President Vivian Walker Jeff Lau: [email protected] Jay Carreiro: [email protected] Hon. Laurence Wohlers Awards and Scholarships Manager FAS Vice President Dinah Zeltser-Winant Theo Horn: [email protected] Vacant Retiree Vice President MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS John K. Naland: [email protected] Director, Programs and Member Engagement PROFESSIONALS State Representatives Christine Miele: [email protected] The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Joshua C. Archibald 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Manager, Outreach and Maria Hart published monthly, with combined January-February Strategic Communications and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Kristin Michelle Roberts Nadja Ruzica: [email protected] Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Carson Relitz Rocker Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Coordinator of Member Recruitment Jason Snyder writers and does not necessarily represent the views of and Benefits the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries Tamir Waser Perri Green: [email protected] and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The USAID Representative Retirement Benefits Counselor Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, Trevor Hublin photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. Dolores Brown: [email protected] All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. FCS Alternate Representative AFSA reserves the right to reject advertising that is not Mike Calvert LABOR MANAGEMENT in keeping with its standards and objectives. The appear- FAS Alternate Representative ance of advertisements herein does not imply endorse- General Counsel Mary Parrish ment of goods or services offered. Opinions expressed in Sharon Papp: [email protected] advertisements are the views of the advertisers and do USAGM Representative Deputy General Counsel not necessarily represent AFSA views or policy. Journal Steve Herman Raeka Safai: [email protected] subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual APHIS Representative dues; student–$30; others–$50; Single issue–$4.50. Senior Staff Attorneys Russell Duncan For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., Retiree Representatives Neera Parikh: [email protected] and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by the Public Mary Daly Labor Management Counselor Affairs Information Services (PAIS). Philip A. Shull Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan: Email: [email protected] [email protected] Phone: (202) 338-4045 STAFF Senior Labor Management Advisor Fax: (202) 338-8244 Executive Director James Yorke: [email protected] Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] Labor Management Coordinator Executive Assistant to the President © American Foreign Service Association, 2021 Patrick Bradley: [email protected] Richard Bruner: [email protected] Senior Grievance Counselor PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Office Coordinator Heather Townsend: [email protected] Therese Thomas: [email protected] Postmaster: Send address changes to USAID Labor Management Advisor AFSA, Attn: Address Change Sue Bremner: [email protected] 2101 E Street NW PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES Grievance Counselors Washington DC 20037-2990 Director of Professional Policy Issues Benjamin Phillips: [email protected] Julie Nutter: [email protected] Briana Odom: [email protected]

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8 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Foreign Service Suggestion Box

BY SHAWN DORMAN

n December we asked Hawkins Jr. tells the story for recommendations of baseball diplomacy in from the field on how Romania and Uganda. In the Foreign Service can FS Heritage, retired FSO best serve and advance Stephen Muller brings IAmerica’s foreign policy us the story of John and interests going forward. Charles Francis, a unique We were quite thrilled by father and son who the outpouring of input. served as ambassadors, More than 75 members one generation apart, in of the Foreign Service the same two countries. community submitted Retired FSO William their ideas, many of which Hill recounts working with

point to recurring themes FULLER CHRISTINE BY ILLUSTRATION Russia to remove military captured in this illustrated weaponry from Moldova suggestion box. challenge to the new administration to 20 years ago. For the Local Lens, FS fam- Some of these ideas have already been change the risk paradigm for diplomacy. ily member Lee-Alison Sibley captures a picked up by the administration and They argue that to effectively engage, beautiful image from Myanmar. acted on, which is a great sign of synergy diplomats must manage and mitigate risk We convinced former FSJ Editorial and potential for renewal and reform rather than try to eliminate and avoid it Board Chair, and current U.S. Coordina- of the Foreign Service. Many are not altogether. tor for the Arctic Region, Jim DeHart new—e.g., stop giving ambassador posts Keith Mines, a recently retired FSO to submit some of his favorite photos to political donors (come on, now!)—but now at the U.S. Institute of Peace, writes from a day off in Greenland, for another could gain traction in the coming months. on “State’s Influence on Foreign Policy,” edition of Off-Road with the Foreign There is room for hope that the offering ideas for boosting diplomats’ Service. foreign affairs agencies will regain a leadership in the interagency. This occasional feature offers a chance leadership role in the interagency after In a look at “Re-engaging the World” to spotlight some of the great adventures years of being sidelined, and that U.S. through public diplomacy, Sherry Muel- our members have while living in and diplomats will play the primary role in ler and Joel Fischman propose steps to traveling to the far corners of the earth. bilateral and multilateral relations. The rebuild U.S. credibility. We are seeking more of these submis- Foreign Service is ready to work with Ambassador (ret.) Dennis Jett, in sions, so please send in photos (with the new team and excited to revitalize Speaking Out, reminds us that there is narration) of your latest foray off the U.S. diplomatic con- nothing new under the sun by recalling beaten path. nections worldwide. a 2001 FSJ look at how to reform the For- As always, we’re thankful for your Ambassador (ret.) eign Service, but offers insight into how engaged readership, and we’ll look for- Ron Neumann and this time could be different. ward to your responses and involvement Greg Starr lead the In this month’s Feature, “The in keeping the conversation going about focus section with a Legacy of Jackie Robinson,” FSO Ronald the future of the Foreign Service. n­

Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 9 LETTERS

American Diplomacy: power and international influence, we • A senior officer surfeit, with A Partner in Strengthening compliment The Foreign Service Journal attendant forced early-outs for other U.S. Diplomacy for your superb voice and look forward rising good officers under the wasteful, This year marks the 25th anniversary to further collaboration. morale-sapping, up-or-out promotion of the e-zine, American Diplomacy. W. Robert Pearson mechanism. Founded by retired diplomats in North Ambassador, retired • A performance evaluation and pro- Carolina in 1996, it was the first digital President, American Diplomacy motion system debased by ratings infla- magazine to focus on foreign affairs and Publishers, Inc. tion on the one hand and, on the other, the U.S. Foreign Service. Pittsboro, North Carolina constrained by relatively few promotion For the past few years, American opportunities, especially into the Senior Diplomacy and The Foreign Service Up or Out: Foreign Service. Journal have been partners in outreach The Bigger Picture • Attractive assignments made more to all who are interested in develop- In the September 2020 on the basis of corridor ments, reports and trends in American Foreign Service Journal, Mr. politics and cronyism diplomacy. Ted Craig questioned the than objective quali- Together, we have weathered the Service’s long-standing fications and docu- recent years of disdain and professional policy by which FSOs must mented performance. abuse toward the value of our profession. (involuntarily) retire after • Gender- and We here at American Diplomacy espe- 27 years unless selected minority-preference cially applaud the forthright editorial into the Senior Foreign factors. stance of The Foreign Service Journal. Service. • Artificially narrow, We are your sisters and brothers in In addressing only the even farcical, application arms. time limit of 27 years, of the multifunctionality American Diplomacy has been however, Mr. Craig’s concept. in continuous publication since its focus was too narrow. • Absence of loyalty founding and is a forum for commen- The situation is more complicated, as I downward. tary and analysis related specifically to can attest from my own experience in • Fervent capitulation by top U.S. diplomacy—including scholarly 1993, when I was retired after only 24 department leadership to budget research, stories of Foreign Service years of service. I had benefited from strictures and the “do more with less” experiences, reviews of books and com- quick early promotions to FS-1, but rubric, rather than fighting for justified ments from readers. then was caught by the six-year window resources. Each year we receive more than for advancement into the SFS. • Micromanagement by Congress 150,000 views worldwide, and our On Sept. 30, 1993, the day before I and by executive order. archives contain more than 2,000 was involuntarily retired at the age of • Adversarial labor-management articles. We are on Facebook, and our 51, I broadly circulated a “Valedictory relations. Twitter account is @Amdiplomacy. Open Letter to the U.S. Department How many of these factors still pre- Our subscriptions are free and of State and the Foreign Service.” I vail in the real life of the Foreign Service provide alerts to new content. Our observed in that letter: “The Foreign today? target audience includes foreign affairs Service personnel system operates in And how do they degrade the con- professionals, active-duty and retired; major ways disconnected both from cept of a Foreign Service supposedly scholars, educators and students; and persons’ performance and their willing- predicated on performance-based merit others interested in foreign policy and ness under Service discipline to accept principles, as envisaged in the Foreign the practice of diplomacy. more obscure, less-attractive assign- Service Act? As we move forward to help restore ments by dint of needs of the Service.” D. Thomas Longo Jr. American diplomacy to its place as an The factors affecting my situation FS-1, retired indispensable instrument of national were the following: Lawrenceburg, Indiana

10 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Seeking FS Family Stories, Memorabilia I have so admired the FSJ’s digital archive special collections, in particular the section dedicated to the stories of For- eign Service families. Congratulations on bringing to life the contributions of these unofficial diplomats. These contributions are precisely the subject of my Una Chapman Cox Fellow- ship. I am seeking stories and photos/ videos of memorabilia from your family’s life in the Foreign Service for inclusion in a digital multimedia exhibit that will go live in summer 2021. My aim is to showcase the contribu- tions of families as “diplomats behind the scenes,” to reveal and record their com- pelling and challenging journeys. Souve- nirs may include invitations, postcards, scrapbooks, paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewelry, textiles, costumes, musical instru- ments, videos, photos and other tangible items that bring to life the contributions of Foreign Service families. I welcome receiving photos/videos of these mementos. Please share this invitation widely with other Foreign Service friends and col- leagues to ensure an inclusive and diverse representation of the Foreign Service experience. I can be reached at uccfellow@gmail. com and look forward to hearing from you! Claire Smolik FSO Washington, D.C. n

Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: [email protected]

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 11 TALKING POINTS

A Pledge to Show Up “And in everything we do around the counselor under Secretary of State Mad- uring his Jan. 19 Senate confirma- world, we can and we must ensure that eleine Albright and assistant secretary D tion hearing, Antony Blinken, now our foreign policy delivers for American for legislative affairs under Secretary the 71st Secretary of State, said that he working families here at home,” he added. Warren Christopher. would work to reinvigorate “by invest- Ambassador (ret.) Victoria Nuland ing in its greatest asset: the Foreign Ser- Blinken in the House was tapped to serve as under secretary of vice officers, civil servants and locally ollowing his Jan. 26 confirmation by State for political affairs. She has served employed staff who animate American Fthe Senate, Secretary Blinken was as the assistant secretary of State for diplomacy around the world.” welcomed back to the State Department European affairs, ambassador to NATO, a Blinken testified that he is committed on Jan. 27 by a small, socially distanced deputy national security adviser to then– to “building a diplomatic corps that fully group of employees. He said he will rely Vice President Dick Cheney and State represents America in all its talent and on the career staff and work to rebuild Department spokeswoman. diversity” by hiring, retaining and promot- morale and trust. Ambassador (ret.) Linda Thomas- ing skilled officers “who look like the In stark contrast to the previous Greenfield has been nominated to be country we represent.” He said he would administration, he said: “I’ll seek out dis- U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. demand accountability, starting with senting views, and listen to the experts, Brian McKeon, a longtime foreign policy himself, to build “a more diverse, inclusive because that’s how the best decisions are adviser to Biden, is the president’s and nonpartisan workplace.” made. And I will insist that you speak, choice for deputy secretary of State for He also pledged that the new Biden and speak up, without fear or favor, and I management and resources. administration would “revitalize Ameri- will have your back.” Former U.S. Ambassador to the can diplomacy” by showing up again in United Nations Samantha Power is international forums. Biden’s Other Top Biden’s pick for USAID Administra- “American leadership still matters,” he Foreign Policy Picks tor, and he plans to elevate the USAID said. “The reality is that the world doesn’t resident Joe Biden nominated Administrator to a spot on the White organize itself. When we’re not engaged, PWendy Sherman for Deputy Sec- House National Security Council. when we don’t lead, then one of two retary of State. She previously served Former senior diplomats Bonnie Jen- things happen: either some other country as under secretary for political affairs kins and Uzra Zeya were selected for under tries to take our place, but probably not during the Obama administration, as secretary of State for arms control and in a way that advances our interests or values. Or no one does, and then you get chaos. Either way, that does not serve the American people.” Secretary Blinken also said that the United States would take on a humbler tone: “Humility and confidence should be the flip sides of America’s leadership coin. And humility because most of the world’s problems are not about us, even as they affect us. Not one of the big challenges we face can be met by one country acting alone—even one as powerful as the U.S.” But the United States will still act with confidence, he said, because “America at its best still has a greater ability than any CAMERON WOODWORTH WOODWORTH CAMERON country on earth to mobilize others for the With no large gathering possible due to COVID-19, Secretary Antony Blinken’s welcome greater good.” to State was socially distant and broadcast online to employees worldwide on Jan. 27.

12 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL international security affairs and under secretary of State for civil security, democ- Contemporary Quote racy and human rights, respectively. What Joe Biden is proposing and what I am reinforcing as the Ambassador (ret.) William Burns, an national security adviser is that every element of what we do in FSO for 33 years and a former Deputy our foreign policy and national security ultimately has to be measured Secretary of State, is Biden’s choice to by the impact it has on working families, middle-class people, head the Central Intelligence Agency. As ordinary Americans. many around the world asked “Who Is Bill —National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, in a Dec. 30 NPR interview. Burns?” the two interviews he did with the FSJ (November 2014 and May 2019) have been viewed hundreds of times and Trump had pulled the United States out Additionally, the State Department quoted and linked to by many media out- of the accord, which was adopted in 2015. instructed U.S. embassies and consul- lets, including Fox News, Indian Express, Biden has made combating climate ates that visa restrictions on more than Asia Times and Russia Matters. change a central task of his administra- a dozen Muslim-majority and African tion. He appointed former Secretary of countries “are no longer applicable,” Biden Administration State John Kerry as his special presiden- The Washington Post reported on Jan. 21, Brings Sweeping tial envoy for climate, a new cabinet- reversing policies set by Trump. Changes level position. Among more than 30 executive resident Biden made good on a cam- Also within his first days in office, orders during his first week in office, Ppaign promise by rejoining the Paris Biden signed an executive order revers- Biden reversed Trump’s ban from last Climate Accord on his first day in office, ing Trump’s 2020 decision to pull out of September on federally funded diversity Jan. 20. In 2017, then-President Donald the World Health Organization. training.

[Secretary of State nominee Antony HEARD ON THE HILL I am confident that, if confirmed, you will do Blinken] inherits a great department and everything you can to repair and restore American many men and women who have dedicated leadership abroad. Foundational to that effort will their lives to the security of the United be rebuilding and reinvigorating the State Depart- States of America. They are representing ment itself. As you well know, our career foreign and this country and literally risking their lives civil servants are incredibly talented and dedicated. to do so. It is his job, and he understands Over the past few years, however, they have been it, to thank them for their efforts and to treated with disdain, smeared and forced out of make sure that the morale is at the highest public service. There has been a stunning loss of level so that America continues to be well expertise, steep declines in morale, little account- represented around the world. JOSH ability for those at the top, and the State Depart- —Senator James Risch (R-Idaho), then chairman of the ment still has not achieved a workforce that comes close to Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during the Jan. 21 reflecting the diversity of our country. confirmation hearing. This state of affairs has impacted relationships across the globe, the department’s ability to engage in the interagency Mr. Blinken is just the right person to rebuild and reassert process, and its relationship with Congress. So, the chal- America’s national security prerogatives on the national lenges you will be facing are immense, but I have confidence stage and reestablish the first instrument of American in your experience and expertise. power: diplomacy. —Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), then ranking member —Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Jan. 26, just of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, during the Jan. 21 ahead of the vote to confirm the new Secretary of State. confirmation hearing.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 13 Pompeo’s Flurry of 50 Years Ago Activity on Way Out ike Pompeo issued a series of Automation Mactions in his final weeks as Secretary, in some cases setting up he technology of automation will profoundly potential obstacles for the Biden Tinfluence the work of the Foreign Service in administration. the 1970s. The key elements of this change will be: Just a day before President Biden 1) Fast, cheap, direct satellite communications; took office, the State Department made 2) Large computer data banks in Washington, the declaration the Chinese govern- and in a few regional posts abroad; 3) Simplified ment is committing genocide and and low maintenance computer terminals and crimes against humanity against Uighur classified Long Distance Xerox (LDX) facilities or Muslims and other minority groups in similar equipment linking the Department with the northwestern region of Xinjiang. most posts. Incoming Secretary of State Antony Some traditional and important Foreign Service functions such as Blinken, when asked during his Jan. 19 representation and public relations functions are not likely to be much nomination hearing, said he agreed with influenced by automation. On the other hand, “new areas of encounter” the designation. such as pollution, environment control, various scientific fields of develop- In response, China imposed sanc- ment, technology and others will represent areas of growth in overseas tions on Secretary Pompeo and 27 other activities. It is still too early to predict what precise form these changes former Trump administration officials will take, but their influence is likely to be significant. over “crazy actions that have gravely —Excerpted from an article by the same title by former Political Officer interfered in China’s internal affairs,” Thomas M. Tracy in the March 1971 FSJ. the Chinese foreign ministry said on Jan. 21, according to an NPR report. Secretary Pompeo and the other officials are banned from entering China, Hong “The Pompeo tweet-a-thon will sur- Attack on U.S. Capitol Kong or Macao, and companies associ- prise no one who has followed his ten- oreign diplomats serving in Wash- ated with them are banned from doing ure,” the Los Angeles Times wrote on Jan. Fington were stunned by the attack business with China. 19. “He condemned journalists, hailed on one of America’s most important On Jan. 11, the Trump administration Trump’s achievements and posted pho- democratic institutions, CNN reported designated Cuba as a sponsor of terror- tographs of himself traveling the world. on Jan. 7. “Appalling and so very sad- ism, five years after the Obama adminis- The tweets generated an intense amount dening,” one told CNN, adding: “The tration opened diplomatic relations with of rebuttal, even ridicule.” U.S. was the benchmark of democratic Havana. In one Jan. 19 tweet, Pompeo spoke governance and peaceful transitions of Secretary Pompeo also designated out against multiculturalism, raising p o w e r.” Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels as the ire of many diplomats: “Woke-ism, Dozens of State employees signed a foreign terrorist organization. U.N. multiculturalism, all the -isms—they’re two dissent messages, one criticizing officials are concerned the move could not who America is. They distort our the State Department guidance on how exacerbate Yemen’s humanitarian situa- glorious founding and what this country to respond and one urging then–Secre- tion. is all about. Our enemies stoke these tary of State Mike Pompeo to denounce Meanwhile, Pompeo, posting from divisions because they know they make Trump’s role in the insurrection his official State Twitter account, issued us weaker.” attempt. Both were leaked to the press. scores of self-congratulatory tweets in On Jan. 21, using his personal Secretary Pompeo, in Jan. 6 tweets, his final weeks about his tenure as Sec- account, Pompeo tweeted “1,384 days,” condemned the violence without nam- retary of State. a countdown to the 2024 election. ing Trump.

14 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Natalie USAGM Leadership on Jan. 11, when Reilly not only invited E. Brown on Jan. 8 issued a powerful Sent Packing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to speak at statement on the attack, and the impor- In December we reported that Michael VOA but decreed that all agency channels tance of nurturing democracy—both Pack, then chief executive officer of the would carry those remarks live, worldwide. in the United States and around the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which Citing COVID-19 concerns, Reilly banned world. It read, in part: “After Wednes- oversees the U.S. Agency for Global Media, outside media from covering the indoor day’s events, many people may question had continued to fire and sideline career event, but required VOA staff to attend. America’s right to speak out on issues of staff at the Voice of America and other That prompted the Government Account- democracy around the world, and they networks, replacing them with Trump ability Project to send a letter on behalf of are entitled to their perspective.” administration loyalists. VOA whistleblowers, calling the event “a “As we know well,” Brown continued, But on Jan. 20, only hours after he was violation of law, rule and policy.” “America’s democracy is not perfect, inaugurated, President Joe Biden ousted Secretary Pompeo bitterly complained and the United States is not without Pack; the following day, he removed about that critique during his presentation, fault. As protests across America this Robert Reilly, whom Pack had just tapped which extolled the Trump administra- past summer demonstrated, much work to head VOA the month before, as well as tion’s successes. He did not mention the remains to align our ideals with the Elizabeth Robbins, Reilly’s deputy. Those pandemic, the violence that had rocked everyday reality of many American. … appointments, facilitated by the involun- the Capitol just days before, or President “While our work begins at home, we tary reassignment of career VOA staffer Trump’s role in encouraging the chaos. will continue to share the lessons we Elez Biberaj, had been part of a frantic Instead, he lectured his captive audi- have learned from our own experience effort in the waning weeks of the Trump ence for “demeaning America” instead of as we look outward toward the world administration to embed loyalists in key telling foreign audiences that the United around us.” bureaucratic roles throughout the federal States is still “the greatest country in the government. world.” Pompeo also endorsed Pack’s The last straw appears to have occurred bizarre claim that 40 percent of all VOA journalists have never been properly Podcast of the Month: Diplomatic Immunity vetted, adding that he saw no reason (https://diplomaticimmunitylibsyn.com) VOA should hire non–U.S. citizens to “tell America’s story.” eorgetown University’s Institute for the No questions were allowed after the remarks or the brief on-stage conversation Study of Diplomacy has launched a pod- G with Reilly that followed. Patsy Widakus- cast, Diplomatic Immunity. It features frank wara, who covers the White House for conversations with foreign policy experts VOA, was reassigned just hours after the about the issues facing diplomats and event for trying to engage with Pompeo, national security decision-makers around the who refused to respond to her. world. President Biden has tapped Kelu Chan, a journalist who has worked at VOA for Produced by ISD Case Studies and Publications Editor Alistair Somer- nearly 40 years, as Pack’s interim replace- ville and Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland, Diplomatic ment. Chan, in turn, named Yolanda Immunity promotes ISD’s mission “to learn from the past and to connect Lopez, another longtime VOA journal- academics and policymakers in search of solutions to emerging diplomatic ist, as that network’s acting director. And challenges.” Widakuswara was put back on the White The podcast launched on Oct. 7, with an interview with former Deputy House beat. n Secretary of State Bob Zoellick. Season 2 started January 27. This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Cameron Woodworth, Steve Honley and Shawn Dorman.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 15 SPEAKING OUT

On State Reform

BY DENNIS JETT

t’s enough to leave one with a sense of The selling of ambassadorships, a thinly veiled what Yogi Berra once called “déjà vu all over again.” The January-February form of corruption, remains a regular American Iissue of The Foreign Service Journal exercise that no other developed democracy was devoted to a series of articles about how to reform the State Department. Not practices. quite 20 years ago the May 2001 edition of the FSJ did the same thing. Journal published a number of proposals mentored someone and has worked to One of the recommendations in 2001 for reform. Unfortunately, some of them advance the cause of diversity. urged the crafting of a clear plan of action would only make things worse. In 2001, No one would argue against the idea to modernize the State Department, for instance, the elimination of most func- that greater diversity will create a stronger including the transformation of its out- tional bureaus was proposed. Fortunately, and more representative Foreign Service, dated culture, the embrace of new tech- that didn’t happen; with globalization and anyone who opposes it should not get nology and managerial techniques, better spreading problems around the world promoted. resource management and a compelling with complete disregard for national But it will be hard for officers at every case for new resources to reinvigorate the borders, a global rather than a geographic promotion level to demonstrate the things institution. In other words, 2021 sounds a approach is often called for. suggested. Whom does a junior officer whole lot like 2001, leaving one to wonder While there are many similarities mentor, and based on what experience whether State, like Chicago politics, will between the proposals of 2001 and 2021, do they provide the advice such a role ever really be ready for reform. two of the latest recommendations stand requires? And just how does the average Despite the passage of two decades, out as different and some are misguided. FSO, who has nothing to do with hiring, the department’s dysfunction is described And, there is one additional proposal that show evidence of support for diversity? in much the same way. State does not was not made that merits consideration. While expanding the Pickering, Ran- have enough resources, people or tech- gel, Payne and Diplomats in Residence nological savvy. It is out of touch with Promoting Diversity programs is essential—and is, in fact, Congress and the American people; it The first difference in the 2021 recom- happening—further work will be required doesn’t provide leadership; and it lacks mendations is the call for greater diversity. to come up with practical measures to management skills. It is not that diversity was not a problem improve retention and deliver the desired In response, in both 2001 and 2021 the 20 years ago, but today awareness of the result. Denying promotions to those who problem is much greater. The deaths of don’t have the opportunity to demonstrate Dennis Jett, a retired FSO George Floyd and others, and the Black their seriousness about diversity is not one and former ambassador, Lives Matter movement they inspired, of those measures. is a professor of interna- have ensured that the problem of systemic tional affairs at Penn State racism can no longer be ignored. Political Ambassadors University and the author of But there is a difference between being The second significant difference is American Ambassadors and other books. determined to deal with a problem and that the 2001 reform proposals did not In 28 years with the State Department, he effectively addressing it. One of the reform speak about political appointee ambas- served as ambassador to Peru and Mo- plans suggests that all promotions in the sadors, even though it was not a new zambique and deputy chief of mission in Foreign Service should be dependent and problem back then and remains an issue Liberia and Malawi, among other postings. contingent on whether the person has today. The 2021 suggestions include

16 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL limiting political ambassadors, and the the nominee acquired “knowledge and Speaking Out is the Journal’s opinion Harvard Belfer Center report calls for a 10 understanding of the history, the culture, forum, a place for lively discussion of percent cap on them. the economic and political institutions, issues affecting the U.S. Foreign Service The Foreign Service Act of 1980 tried and the interests of that country and its and American diplomacy. The views expressed are those of the author; their to address this question by stating clearly: people,” which is also required by the publication here does not imply endorse- “Contributions to political campaigns 1980 act. That would at least provide more ment by the American Foreign Service should not be a factor in the appointment transparency. Association. Responses are welcome; send them to [email protected]. of an individual as chief of mission.” That Accountability could be achieved stipulation brought about only a very if State’s inspector general sent a short small reduction in the percentage. None email questionnaire every year to all college, provides funding for part or all of the presidents since Richard Nixon have Americans working in every embassy of their undergraduate education, and adhered to it, and the selling of ambassa- asking how well the mission is run. Those requires training courses taught on cam- dorships, a thinly veiled form of corrup- ambassadors with low scores would pus by military officers as well as military tion, remains a regular American exercise get a quick visit from a pair of senior training in the summer. Upon graduation that no other developed democracy inspectors, who would then write up a the student receives a commission as a practices. This needs to stop. report with recommendations for how to second lieutenant (or ensign) and has a Since 1980 the percentage of political improve the situation. five-year obligation to serve in the U.S. ambassadors generally hovered around 30 Like embassy inspections (which only armed forces. percent, with the exception of the Reagan happen once every 10 years even though Such a program applied to State would administration, which bumped it up to they are supposed to happen every five be expensive, and it would produce junior 38 percent by sending noncareer ambas- years), those reports would be posted on officers with far less education, experience sadors to places like Malawi and Rwanda. the IG’s website for all to see. If aspiring and maturity than those who are cur- During the Trump era, it reached a post– ambassadors knew that their performance rently selected. Average entrants into the World War II high of 43 percent. So who will be judged in a very public way, fewer Foreign Service today are in their 30s, have the president is matters. of those whose only qualification is their a master’s degree and six years of work A numerical limit on the number of wealth would apply. experience and, often, have also served in political appointees would be hard to get Another way to improve the perfor- the Peace Corps or the military. through Congress, however. It might not mance of noncareer ambassadors would State rightly does not want to spend withstand a challenge to its constitutional- be to insist they actually spend some time hundreds of thousands of dollars bringing ity; nor does it address the quality prob- learning about the State Department, the people on board and training them, only lem. A better approach would be to ensure people who work in an embassy and the to have them arrive at their first post and more transparency and accountability problems they will face in their coun- decide they don’t like the life they have when it comes to ambassadors—both tries. Currently they attend a three-week found. An 18-year-old college freshman political appointees and career officers. “charm school,” and then they are off does not have anywhere near enough of a The certificates of competence the to post. Why not require them to spend record to enable State to make a judgment State Department sends to the Senate four to six months taking courses at FSI, on whether they are right for the Foreign Foreign Relations Committee for each especially those with no experience in Service or not. nominee to be ambassador, and puts on government or the military and little to no Moreover, what problem is a ROTC- the department’s website, should include ability in the local language? type program trying to solve? The number all political donations by the nominee and of applicants to take the Foreign Service his or her immediate family for the last 10 Solutions Seeking Problems exam was down in recent years, no doubt years. The certificate should also include Some 2021 suggestions are not well because of President Donald Trump’s test scores from the Foreign Service Insti- thought out. Consider the proposal to contempt for government service in tute to demonstrate the degree to which establish a program modeled on the general and the State Department in the nominee can speak the local language. military’s Reserve Officer Training Corps. particular. But that will change under And it should describe in detail how The military selects students as they enter the Biden administration, and there will

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 17 again be no shortage of applicants. caste system in which roughly 50 percent State will again be faced with picking of career ambassador slots go to politi- a few hundred good candidates from tens cal officers and 20 percent to economic of thousands of applicants, making an officers, with the remaining three cones ROTC program unnecessary. If the goal getting about 10 percent each. The justifi- is diversity, that can be better accom- cation for eliminating cones is the asser- plished by expanding programs already tion that one shouldn’t be an ambassador in place than by trying to create a new “unless you can run and understand every one that won’t be cheap or effective. part of your mission.” But how is an officer going to effec- Midlevel Entry? tively spend a tour in a consular job, then Abolish Cones? one in a general services slot followed by Another solution in search of a prob- an economic reporting position? FSOs are lem is the idea of establishing a midlevel skilled and adaptable, but the experience entry program, as suggested in the Belfer obtained in one cone does not mean one report. That can only result in current is ready to take on all the others. And a entry-level officers waiting years longer multiconed ambassador would still lack before they can expect a promotion. And experience in all the other agencies in the since these midlevel entrants would have embassy, so that is not the key to good so little experience at State, they would be management of a mission. at a major disadvantage in competing to To end the caste system, it would be bet- enter the senior ranks. ter to create more interfunctional positions, The justification is to enable the be more flexible about out-of-cone assign- recruitment of people with expertise in the ments and task the committee that selects cyber world, artificial intelligence, data deputy chiefs of mission with more carefully analytics and financial technologies. Does considering officers from other cones. the State Department really need 500 people with résumés laden with hi-tech One Missing Proposal buzz words? How many posts are there Finally, here is a suggestion that I did where those skills are needed? Would any- not see in any of the reform plans. One one with such talents want to work in a job of the perennial observations about the where their specialized skills could not be Foreign Service is that neither Congress used? It would also not be a good way to nor the public understand the impor- attempt to achieve a shortcut to diversity. tance of what it does. To expand that The department already has several fel- understanding and support, how about lowship programs for scientists and engi- vastly increasing the Pearson program neers. It would make far more sense to to get more FSOs on Capitol Hill and out expand them, and provide a path through into the heartland? them to midlevel entry into a career Civil Serving in a Pearson assignment, or Service position in a job in Washington taking a tour as diplomat in residence where those skills can be used. recruiting people for State, should be a Another bad idea is the proposal to requirement for promotion to the senior abolish the cones, which divide FSOs ranks. That would help achieve more into five career tracks (political, economic, diversity, and it would put the State public diplomacy, management, con- Department much more in touch with sular). This would supposedly end the the country it represents. n

18 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS NOTES TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION

Changing a Risk-Averse Paradigm AT HIGH-THREAT POSTS ABROAD

Risk aversion is undermining diplomats’ uring the first 20 years of this century, ability to do their jobs. It’s an urgent America’s diplomats have been tasked problem, says an experienced panel to serve in more dangerous and highly that is proposing a solution. threatened assignments than perhaps at any time since World War II. Both the BY GREG STARR AND RONALD E. NEUMANN executive branch and Congress saw the need to have a U.S. diplomatic presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya, Deven while wars were still being fought there and insecurity was rampant. Assignments to dozens of other high-threat posts continued throughout this period, as well. The U.S. diplomatic establishment stood up and answered the call—officers from the Department of State, USAID and Retired FSO Greg Starr, who had a 29-year career in other foreign affairs agencies volunteered to leave their fami- diplomatic security, is the director of the American lies behind and serve at our most dangerous and strategically Academy of Diplomacy’s “Changing the Risk Paradigm important posts. Such service continues at many high-risk posts. for U.S. Diplomats” project. He retired in 2017 after Unfortunately, while serving in these tough circumstances, our serving as director and then assistant secretary for the officers too often operated with one hand tied behind their back. Bureau of Diplomatic Security. He also served at the United Nations as With support from Congress, the State Department made under secretary general for safety and security from 2009 to 2012. great progress during this period replacing old, insecure Ambassador (ret.) Ronald E. Neumann is president and highly vulnerable facilities abroad with safe and secure of the American Academy of Diplomacy and serves as embassies and consulates. The risk of losing an entire diplo- chair of AAD’s risk management project. He served as matic platform and suffering massive loss of life and heavy U.S. ambassador to Algeria, Bahrain and Afghanistan, injuries was greatly reduced. Though rocket attacks, complex among many other high-profile assignments. assaults using car bombs and heavily armed attackers, and

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 19 Risk aversion at higher-threat Based on their previous experience as ambassadors and assistant secretaries in the Department of State, advisory group posts obstructs the performance members report that chiefs of mission (COMs), deputy chiefs of of the most basic functions of a mission (DCMs) and regional security officers (RSOs) operate diplomat abroad. today on the assumption that decisions made to allow travel outside the mission in high-threat environments that then result in death or serious injury will be judged in terms of accountabil- ity, with the presumption that someone erred in their judgment. violent demonstrations were all too frequent, they were gener- Too frequently, they note, the decision by COMs, DCMs and ally ineffective because of the new facilities. RSOs at critical-threat posts is to avoid risk by denying a travel Congress generously funded additional security assets request. The deciding officials feel compelled to be able to such as security officers, armored vehicles and bodyguards demonstrate that the purpose of the travel outweighs the risk of to enhance mobility and travel outside our secure platforms. injury. Approving travel to a location that is anything other than State has a remarkable record of conducting literally millions a fortified compound, usually a host-government compound of moves outside the secure perimeter at our highest-threat for meetings with host-government officials, is difficult to justify posts with few losses, albeit using helicopters or heavily armed when the risk is high and security protocols cannot be met. and armored convoys. When the travel is to locations that are not secured, for meetings Despite these successes, at critical and high-threat posts with individuals who are not host-government officials—what members of the Foreign Service are rarely allowed to travel we would categorize as important but normal diplomatic and to meet sources, colleagues, counterparts or development programmatic activities—a request is virtually impossible to partners in less than fully secured areas; nor are they allowed approve under current conditions. to move to unscheduled locations or travel to sites that are not The result, in short, is that the formulation and execution fully secured. Thus, their ability to meet discreetly with subjects of national security policy is hindered by the lack of access to and sources or review remote programs is often very limited, as foreign contacts. While acknowledging that there are increased is their ability to observe and report on a country they are sup- threats and dangers for staff operating in high-threat countries, posed to know with a high level of expertise. This is not the case the security versus risk equation for travel outside our missions with our U.S. military partners or members of the intelligence is too heavily weighted toward eliminating risk to our person- community. They, like the FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency, nel. Underlying this assessment is a basic judgment that the among others, all have different requirements for managing first function of our diplomats is to serve American national accountability and risk than the foreign affairs agencies have. interests and policy goals. Diplomats are not soldiers, and every This disparity has led many officers—senior, midlevel and effort should be made to mitigate risk. But when security is entry-level alike—to conclude that the call to make the security defined as the first priority—as it too often has been—they are of our officers the highest priority has seriously undermined our unable to perform their mission, and the basic purpose of hav- ability to carry out what should and must be our highest prior- ing diplomats abroad is undermined. ity—namely, fulfilling the national security and foreign affairs Risk aversion at higher-threat posts obstructs the perfor- goals of the United States. They believe this is a problem that mance of the most basic functions of a diplomat abroad. Those needs to be addressed urgently. functions—to influence host governments and other foreign interlocutors; to explain, defend and advance U.S. policies and Risk Management Evaluated objectives; and to gain the information and access needed to The American Academy of Diplomacy pulled together an analyze political, social, economic and programmatic develop- advisory group of senior retired officials to look specifically at ments based on firsthand contacts and observations in a foreign this issue and established the project on risk management. The country—all require personal contact. advisory group is led by many former senior diplomats with Diplomacy is an incremental business in which numer- extensive experience in high- and critical-threat missions, as ous contacts and observations contribute over time to gener- well as two other former assistant secretaries for diplomatic ate larger results. Diplomats are analysts, policy influencers, security. persuaders and negotiators. Secure telephone technology

20 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL and advances such as video calls and video conferencing can risks and to evaluate lessons learned in a report to the Secretary supplement traditional meetings. But they cannot substitute of State who would, in turn, inform Congress of the results. This for building personal relations and trust with foreign contacts, review would take into account the need to take reasonable without which real understanding of sensitive issues is not risks balanced against the understanding of threats known at possible. This is particularly true when the sensitivities concern the time. internal foreign political concerns. This would bring the process more in line with that used by There are reasons for this state of affairs, but AAD believes the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. that change is needed. In discussion, we agreed that one of the Equally important, it would be a tangible message to the U.S. major factors in keeping diplomats cloistered is the language Foreign Service that Congress understands and supports the and structure of the Accountability Review Board provision need to take reasonable risks in the performance of diplomatic in the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of and foreign aid operations abroad. It would signal that Congress 1986. That law is widely interpreted within the Foreign Service wants to assist in developing a culture where the security of our as possessing an overriding requirement to find someone at personnel remains important, but the priority must be imple- fault if there is a security incident involving serious injury or menting the foreign affairs policies and operations of the United loss of life; the first determination after identifying whether States. injury or loss of life is a security issue is whether the security Second, the Department of State must identify best practices systems and procedures at that mission were adequate. Since and new techniques on how to operate in high-threat locations. the systems in place when life is lost are almost never deemed Certain cadres of officers—including political officers, consular “adequate,” this formulation leads inevitably to the issue of officers, USAID field and project officers, and others—would “who was accountable.” receive required training in advanced operational techniques In 1986, when the act was passed, there was a view in and procedures to allow them to operate as safely as possible Congress, shared by many in the Foreign Service, that the State while accepting increased levels of risk. This will take a joint Department was not taking security sufficiently seriously. Since effort by the Foreign Service Institute, the Foreign Affairs Secu- then, however, much has changed. Security has been greatly rity Training Center (FASTC) and other agencies to determine improved. At the same time, today effective diplomacy to best practices. In addition, management officers at various lev- meet national interests requires finding a way to engage more els will require additional training in managing threats and risk. broadly, even in high-threat locations. We believe it is possible. Finally, the culture of risk aversion that has taken hold in the Progress will need change in three areas simultaneously. foreign affairs agencies over years must be addressed to imple- ment legal changes and improved tactics and procedures. This Three Areas for Change will require both education and hard skills training. Senior and First, the language and structure of the Accountability midlevel officers serving domestically and in overseas positions Review Board mandated in the Omnibus Diplomatic Security will require improved education in how to identify and man- and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 must be reformulated. AAD does age threats and risks while balancing the need to fulfill foreign not equate the levels of acceptable risk for the Foreign Ser- affairs goals and objectives. Decision-makers responsible for vice abroad with the levels of risk acceptable for U.S. military approving operations abroad that entail higher risk (normally assets engaged in combat operations. However, Foreign Service DCMs and RSOs) must have more than just new tools and officers are frequently assigned to high-threat diplomatic mis- training. They must also have confidence that the foreign affairs sions abroad, and they understand there are risks that must be agencies and Congress understand that the highest priority is accepted. Currently, embassies are hampered by an out-of-date fulfilling major national security priorities, not solely keeping accountability process that is essentially at odds with the cur- people safe. rent requirement to take reasonable risks in the performance of Careful judgment of the importance of individual policy duty. objectives balanced with risk and threat mitigation measures AAD recommends a reformulation of the law to put in place will always be necessary and never clear-cut in the process of a system similar to that of other executive agencies. In the event approving a plan or activity. All aspects of the problem—impor- of a serious security incident, such a system would call for an tance of the goals, risk and mitigation—must be part of the internal review to evaluate precautions taken against known judgment when things go wrong. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 21 FOCUS NOTES TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION

State‘s Influence on Foreign Policy IS THIS REALLY AS GOOD AS IT GETS?

How to “get out of our own way” and ince I entered the Foreign Service three secure a seat at the foreign policy table. decades ago, I have heard the constant refrain that State’s influence in foreign BY KEITH W. MINES policy is eroding due to the entry of other players, mistrust by political lead- ers, its own institutional weaknesses and its failure to keep up with the accelerat- ing pace of information. This perception Seven led some of my colleagues to leave the Service early in search of that greater influence. I’m not sure they found it. The idea that State’s influence has eroded is, in part, a result of misplaced nostalgia. In fact, there are no consistent “glory Keith W. Mines is director for Latin America at the days” in State’s past. Harry Kopp and John Naland write in U.S. Institute of Peace. He retired from the State Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the Foreign Service, 3rd Department in 2019 as director for Venezuelan affairs edition (Georgetown University Press, 2017) that Woodrow after a career including posts in Latin America, Eastern Wilson had an absolute disdain for the State Department and Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. His recently “key foreign policy decisions … were all made without regard released book, Why Nation Building Matters: Political Consolidation, for the secretary of state and his department.” Congressional Building Security Forces, and Economic Development in Failed and Quarterly reported in 1968 that in neither the Cuba missile Fragile States (Potomac Books, 2020), recounts his experiences in crisis nor in Vietnam “has the State Department played a peacebuilding and postconflict stabilization. dominant role.”

22 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Both cases reflect the simple truth, as former National Security Leadership in the interagency Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski writes in Power and Principle (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1983), that “ultimately every decision-making starts with sending leaders system is a creature of the President and each President has his there to do State’s business. own distinctive style.” But both of these cases are also surrounded There is a risk in allowing for by other periods in which State’s influence was central: Following World War II, State was “present at the creation” of the postwar the strong wills that make the world; and it would be difficult to dismiss the influence of State sixth floor nervous, but there on policy at all levels, for example, during the George Shultz and Madeleine Albright tenures, when empowered Secretaries of State may be an even greater risk in turn empowered their subordinates in the interagency. in crushing those strong wills So if the reality is more of ups and downs than a steady or in the first place. precipitous decline, how does State better limit the downturns and ride the waves? Former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, the Biden administration’s pick for CIA director, writes in the March 2020 Atlantic that while administrations of both par- ties have intensified the drift in American diplomacy, the State ment, arguing that it brings a gravitas to policy discussions that Department—“sluggish, passive-aggressive, and risk-averse— will otherwise be lost. has often gotten in its own way.” I would suggest six things we 2. Leadership is charisma. State Department culture is could do to get out of our own way and secure a seat at the adult understandably influenced by the craft of diplomacy, which is table of policy development. often the art of saying very little in the most understated way 1. Exert the power of the pen. While always fighting hard possible. It reflects even in our fashion, a sea of unmemorable against giving up too much influence on policy to those lower solids sprinkled only by Secretary Albright’s pins. But we down the food chain, Henry Kissinger nonetheless suggests in weren’t always that way. an essay in The American Encounter (Basic Books, 1997) that As I advanced in my career, I started to notice something there is a “disproportionate influence to subordinate officials troubling. I saw officers coming into the Foreign Service with who prepare the initial memorandum.” If there is one thing the rich personalities and opinions, fresh styles, expressive and State Department does well, it is writing. Brzezinski takes it a interesting. Over the years the culture of the department step further, suggesting that coordination is power, telling of how seemed to crush those personalities—knowing the need for “through coordination of the SALT decision process, I would conformity, these individuals just kept quiet or developed have a major input on our policy toward the Soviet Union.” State other “safer” interests. Later, when they’d reached the mid- should never shirk taking the pen or leading the coordination ranks, the department tried to train them to be leaders, but when the opportunity arises in the interagency process (or even by then much of what would have helped them to be effective when it does not). leaders was gone. And this is not just the case in Washington interagency The philosopher and historian Hugh Nibley said at a com- meetings; it has an overseas corollary. According to one former mencement address in August 1983 at Brigham Young Univer- National Security Council director, the power of State’s influence sity that “leaders are movers and shakers, original, inventive, eroded considerably after the Wikileaks incident (“Cablegate”) unpredictable, imaginative, full of surprises that discomfit of 2010; in response, much of what had once been front chan- the enemy in war and the main office in peace.” He cites Rear nel reporting imbibed by the entire interagency community has Admiral Grace Hopper’s version of the J.A. Shedd adage: “A now become emails seen by a very few. If State is not contribut- ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships were built for.” ing from the field, why pay it much attention in Washington? He Nibley concludes: “True leaders are inspiring because they are urges a return to the kind of analytical and judgment-laden front inspired, caught up in a higher purpose, devoid of personal channel reporting that has so often defined the State Depart- ambition, idealistic and incorruptible.”

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 23 Real dominance in the agency would go a long way to establishing a cadre of officers who dominate the interagency development of strategic policy. process belongs to those who From my experience most other agencies would welcome, not can articulate clearly where the resist, State expertise in this area. money will come from for an 5. Strengthen relations with the military. The “militariza- tion of foreign policy” is a common refrain these days because initiative. of the larger resource base of the Defense Department and its often more extensive presence overseas. While there is undoubtedly some truth to this claim, one former ambassa- Leadership in the interagency starts with sending leaders dor who oversaw U.S. policy during five conflicts thinks it is there to do State’s business. There is a risk in allowing for the overblown. The Pentagon, he believes, will defer to the State strong wills that make the sixth floor nervous, but there may be Department on most issues of policy, except in rare instances an even greater risk in crushing those strong wills in the first when State believes Defense should involve itself in something place. the Pentagon opposes. 3. Get tough. One of the stranger moments on the road to While the alphabet soup of agencies participating in the my State Department career was when I was mentored on the interagency may now make the larger meeting rooms at the Foreign Service oral assessment. “When you get to the group Eisenhower Executive Office Building a hot commodity, the exercise, just remember you are not there to win, but to be State-Pentagon relationship is in a category all its own. The collegial. They will reward you for giving up your position to big issues, those that will define a presidency, are of war and someone else to show that you are a team player,” I was told. peace; by assiduously nurturing a close relationship on policy And we wonder why we are often excluded from high-level with the Defense Department, State will add weight to its own negotiations. position, and its influence will rise. I worked closely with one of the more effective interagency 6. Unleash the bold ideas. Kopp and Naland believe that “a players in the department several decades ago; he was also Service that favors errorless consistency over risk-taking leads among the toughest. He entered the interagency process presidents and secretaries of state to go outside for creative detached from personal interest and ego, concerned solely policy advice.” I heard recently from a midlevel colleague who with getting to the right place for the country and its interests, was working on one of the thorniest issues in the department, and allowing no one to bully him in the pursuit of that goal. a seemingly intractable problem, which a team of extremely Beyond good preparation and leadership, sometimes it just talented officers had been galvanized to solve. He expressed takes getting tough. frustration that while they were outwardly encouraged to think 4. Master the budget and strategy cycles. One of my very outside the box and given some outlets for such thinking, the early mentors in the interagency process was the late Ambas- team’s limits were quickly established when someone was sador Mike Sheehan, and one of his early mentors was former accused of leaking. At a certain point in the process, they were Assistant Secretary Richard Clarke. Sheehan explained to me told to stop spending so much time on new ideas and get back once that Clarke’s strength in the interagency came from a to executing the current policy. studied and unusual understanding of the budget process— New policy approaches come with risks—the risk of where the money was and how to get to it. appearing unsupportive, the risk of “leaking” and, to many Real dominance in the agency process belongs to those leaders, the simple risk of unwanted attention. But without who can articulate clearly where the money will come from risk, there won’t be any new policies. The recent Belfer Center for an initiative and to proposals for which funding is clearly report, “A Diplomatic Service for the 21st Century,” cited calls spelled out. State might not always have money, but it can still for “transforming the internal culture by incentivizing greater benefit from knowing who does. innovation, smarter risk taking … and visionary leadership.” Running parallel to the budget cycle is the development of Getting to a place of more creative policies at State is itself country strategies. As with the budget process, a better under- something that will require creative thinking. Ambassador standing and some real training on strategy development (the (ret.) Marc Grossman once said that the strength of diplomats kind the Army spends months learning at Fort Leavenworth) is that they are optimists who “believe in the power of ideas.”

24 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL I have had bosses who encouraged and defended the space to Getting to a place of more develop those ideas, and others who dug up the seeds of new ideas faster than they could be planted. The State Department creative policies at State is should be the place where those ideas flourish, not where they itself something that will come to be buried. require creative thinking. In the end, the system is ever in flux, and each change in administration presents new opportunities. There are immense challenges ahead for our country and for the Foreign Service, and there are those days when it might seem that the being decided—whose members meet frequently with the execution of policies more creative and politically connected foreign minister, imbibe the smell of the foreign prison cell, individuals devise is more than sufficient. But the assessment drink tea with warlords and tepid bottles of Coke with gang that “many of the most serious challenges the United States leaders, observe the voting at the polling station, walk the fac- will face in 2021 and beyond will require our diplomats to take tory floor—would be foolish. the lead” causes the Belfer Center report authors to urge the There is a good amount of rebuilding to be done, and some president and Congress to “restore the State Department’s risks to be taken; but, meanwhile, we should keep our dish lead role in … foreign policy.” right side up and grab the opportunities for greater policy They are mindful, as we all are, that exclusion of the organi- influence as they come. As George Kennan put it: “If State zation that has had the most direct connection with the issues doesn’t take the initiative, others will.” n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 25 FOCUS NOTES TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION

Public Diplomacy RE-ENGAGING THE WORLD

Eight steps to rebuild U.S. credibility as a world leader and a society worthy of emulation. BY SHERRY L. MUELLER AND JOEL A. FISCHMAN

hile international faith in understand the range and roots of global opinion. It provides tools America’s global leadership and platforms to rebuild critical relationships through effective is much diminished, there is programs and dialogues that build trust. residual affinity around the We respectfully recommend that the administration invest world for our values, goals considerable thought and resources to reinvigorate U.S. public and democratic heritage. diplomacy within the State Department. Here are the priorities: The Biden-Harris administra- Build consistent leadership. Appoint a respected under tion faces many global chal- secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs who (1) under- Wlenges and will need to reinvent and revitalize the instruments stands both foreign policy and communication, (2) can navigate of American statecraft. In this connected age, the public dimen- the department and the interagency environment, (3) enjoys sion of U.S. global leadership will be decisive, because publics the evident confidence of the president and the Secretary of abroad are indispensable players in policy. State and (4) intends to stay in the job. After the Secretary of As it restores America’s global relationships, the new admin- State, this is the second most important appointment in the istration should emphatically embrace U.S. public diplomacy State Department. (PD). Through purposeful interactions with foreign publics, Open doors. Eliminate recently erected barriers to interna- public diplomacy conveys American values and helps our leaders tional education and exchanges, notably the proposed federal rulemaking on “duration of status” that would have an enor- Sherry L. Mueller is president of the Public Diplomacy mously negative impact on U.S. higher education, and the June Council, a U.S.-based nonprofit committed to promot- 22, 2020, White House proclamation halting issuance of several ing excellence in professional practice, academic study categories of nonimmigrant visas. America’s academic and busi- and advocacy for public diplomacy. ness communities will be vocal allies on these issues. Coordinate international communication. Strengthen Joel A. Fischman is president of the Public Diplomacy the Department of State’s strategic public diplomacy planning Association of America, a nonprofit, voluntary associa- and support for major global policy initiatives (e.g., managing tion for public diplomacy professionals. the pandemic, climate change). The Bureau of Global Public Affairs is best positioned to manage substantive development of international public communication together with regional and

26 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL functional bureaus within the State Department and relevant Reinvigorate and update public interagency representatives. Engage the American public. The American people, and diplomacy staff training. especially our youth, are the president’s finest diplomats. Devise programs on compelling topics (e.g., climate, race, public health, the arts) that involve both travel and an ongoing virtual com- the private sector to inoculate susceptible groups and individuals ponent. Long-term U.S. interests will be served by encouraging against the appeals of national adversaries and violent extremists. more young Americans to engage with the world. Enhance professional culture. Reinvigorate and update Restore broadcasting. Restore protections for U.S.-funded public diplomacy staff training, including opportunities to pur- international broadcasting against politicization, enabling it to sue advanced degrees and “excursion tours” in the private sector. perform its true function: to inform, engage and connect people More PD training should be provided to all department officers. around the world in support of freedom and democracy. These expanded opportunities will attract talented officers. Expand counter-disinformation efforts. Attacked by propa- Augment resources. To fuel this process of more effectively ganda on steroids, America has fought back with aspirin. There engaging with the world, reenergizing the public diplomacy is a pressing need to: coordinate the Global Engagement Center function and attracting top talent, substantially increase and public diplomacy’s social media work with the intelligence resources for all elements of PD, and reinforce the “firewall” community and Department of Defense information operations; that protects exchange funding. Part of this effort should be a fully document hostile disinformation efforts mounted by foreign review of PD staffing abroad that assesses the potential need governments; and assist nongovernmental organizations and for expanded presence. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 27 FOCUS

Notes to the New ADMINISTRATION

Look to What We Have in Common Following the U.S. presidential election Sometimes it takes a global pandemic to remind us how much and by way of welcoming the new administra- we have in common rather than spending time, energy and tion, The Foreign Service Journal invited Foreign resources on all that (we think) divides us. Our humanity, both Service members to share their suggestions for its physical vulnerability to viruses like COVID-19, as well as the how diplomacy and development practitioners strength of the human spirit that binds us to one another and the can best serve and advance America’s foreign natural world, should be a core part of our foreign policy. policy interests during the coming months and For most of our history, American values have been synony- years. mous with freedom, democracy and the promotion of human In December AFSAnets, we asked for concise rights. It’s time to remind the world of this, and we have many answers to these questions: “How can the new foreign affairs agencies and dedicated employees ready to administration reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy and sharpen the tools at their disposal. development through the Foreign Service, and Filling leadership positions with official and confirmed what are your specific recommendations?” The appointees is, of course, the first step. In this we should favor response was tremendous. career employees (over political appointees), showcasing their Here, presented alphabetically by the well-earned experience and knowledge and discrediting the author’s last name, are suggestions we received “Deep State” conspiracies. from active-duty and retired members of the Second, we must continue to diversify our personnel, at all U.S. Foreign Service. The authors’ views are levels and in all agencies. The strength of our “melting pot” is their own and do not necessarily reflect those of another American value that needs reviving. But rather than focus the Journal and the American Foreign Service on recruitment, we must also invest in retention and promotion Association. of minorities. This may require significant organizational changes, Our thanks to all who contributed to this and for that we may need to dig deep. compilation. Last, the new administration should give careful consideration —The Editors to greater use of soft power. We need to invest more in tools such as educational and cultural programs, the use of social media at the local level and foreign aid if we wish to not only regain our international stature but also compete with rival nations, includ- ing China and Russia.

Marcia Anglarill is a cultural affairs officer in the State Depart- ment’s Venezuela affairs unit.

28 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Initiate a Top-Down Mandate o on Compassion Accountability I believe the new administration has an opportunity to reinvig- orate U.S. diplomacy by injecting constructive kindness into the Foreign Service Institute’s consular training courses and thereby into each nonimmigrant and immigrant visa interview globally. On balance, visa officers set the community tone at any given post for thousands of foreign nationals each day. The sheer vol- ume of interactions provides visa officers with a unique oppor- tunity to bolster host-nation trust, promote American hospitality and preserve international civility. Ending forever wars by finding ways (in the words of then Rapid-fire visa interviews instill fear, distress and despair in the candidate Joe Biden last March) to “be strong and smart at majority of applicants. The consequence of 60-second interviews the same time.” We can be strong in Afghanistan, Iraq and (the cornerstone of efficient “visa mills”) conducted by exhausted elsewhere through credible diplomacy and precise special consular officers during an insensitive administration could well operations. We can be smart by encouraging FS-SOF teams to be the reduction or even the annihilation of an applicant’s dignity. design more coherent solutions that secure ever-stronger sup- I believe that the new administration should initiate a top- port from host countries. down mandate on compassion, championed and promoted by Countering competitors by using FS-SOF cooperation to the Secretary to help capitalize on the considerable diplomatic deter U.S. adversaries and competitors for regional and global value of concerted graciousness through consular work. influence. Adversaries such as China, Russia, Iran and North While I cannot recall more than a handful of the approxi- Korea cannot compete with the advantages of U.S. diplomatic mately 50,000 nonimmigrant and immigrant interviews I have and military professionalism and innovation. At the same conducted, I suspect that each of the 50,000 applicants can recall time, successful FS-SOF work against nonstate actors sets me. For many, especially those from rural villages and with little useful terms for stable and fair economic and other competi- knowledge of the English language, I was likely the first American tion, and strong potential exists for similar results against state they met and possibly the only American they may ever speak actors. to. And I hope that—with or without a visa—each thinks of the Reimagining friendships by deepening and expanding past United States kindly. FS-SOF successes with allies, friends and partners to build solidarity and increase coordination. Shared and complemen- Brianna Bailey-Gevlin is a State Department consular officer in tary dialogues, training and actions can yield new access in Bridgetown, Barbados. host countries, including access to military medical and logis- tical expertise against COVID-19 and activities monitoring and improving sanctions enforcement. Get the State-Defense Getting resources right by building off the shared FS-SOF Relationship Right truth that “humans are more important than hardware.” For There is no better U.S. government partner for the Foreign example, a $13 billion increase to the State budget could be Service than the military in reinvigorating U.S. diplomacy and justified as another national security “enabler,” citing that the development. Department of Defense spends a similar amount on Special Getting the State-Defense relationship right starts in the Operations Forces. The same $13 billion equals roughly 2 field, where U.S. embassies and combatant commands can percent of DOD’s FY2021 budget, a seemingly appropriate share assessments, plans and activities. Cooperation between amount to help ensure a successful transition from “forever Foreign Service and Special Operations Forces personnel can wars” to “sustainable peace.” provide useful pilot programs and lessons learned to build and deepen solid synergies and results. Initial focal points David Bame, a retired FSO, is a consultant in San Diego, could include the following. California.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 29 Address the Refugee Crisis Strengthen the OIG and and U.S. Visa Policy Professional Education More than 80 million refugees and displaced persons inhabit First, rebuild and fully staff the State Department Office of the our planet, and that number grows daily. The United States must Inspector General, which was marginalized under the Trump regain its position as the leader in alleviating this crisis. administration. In May 2020, State’s capable inspector general, Third-country resettlement can at best accommodate a in office since 2013, was fired. small portion of these people, but the United States has shame- Since 2017, inspections of U.S. embassies overseas and bureaus fully reduced the number of refugees we have welcomed to our in the department, for decades the core function of the State OIG, shores. We should increase the number we are willing to accept have been reduced to a minimum, their place largely taken by to at least 100,000. audits of ancillary functions (e.g., “Audit of the Bureau of Overseas More important than resettlement is the protection of vulner- Buildings Operations Process To Execute Construction Closeout able refugees living in appalling conditions, while inspiring other Procedures for Selected Capital Construction Projects,” 9/22/20). nations to do the same. The greatest challenge will be cajoling Second, relaunch the Senior Seminar and generally enhance the “sending” countries to alleviate the factors that cause people the role of professional education for Foreign Service officers, as to flee. That would mean fighting corruption, striving for good advocated by former Secretary of State George Shultz in his elo- governance and promoting education, health and opportunities quent commentary in the November 2020 Foreign Service Journal. for people to make an honorable living in their home countries. “My sense is that incoming members of the U.S. Foreign The message from the new administration should include Service should be required to participate in a full academic year that refugees have historically contributed to the well-being of professional education at the National Foreign Affairs Train- of our nation enormously, and the programs we participate in ing Center. There might be a distinct part of the center that could abroad to make the sending countries less repressive contribute be called ‘The School of Diplomacy.’ A diverse group of future to our security and long-term economic growth. American diplomats would benefit, I think, from the integrating In the past we have worked closely with like-minded nations effects of a common learning experience,” Secretary Shultz writes to resolve refugee crises, and should do so again. Support of the in the Journal. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, World Health “That said,” Shultz continues, “there should also be separate Organization and other international entities long involved in courses in area studies and languages. The common program this challenge is necessary. should include a feature pioneered by the now defunct Senior In addition, it is universally acknowledged that the existing Seminar, a course that gave diplomats an introduction to various U.S. visa regime needs a comprehensive overhaul. However, slices of American life. Personally, I would like to see the common the following immediate fixes can be made without legislation: course include case studies in diplomacy and many opportuni- • Reinvigorate DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood ties for extended talks with senior American diplomats and with Arrivals). those of other nations, too. As a former teacher myself, of course I • Remove the ethnic, religious and geographic limitations have an interest in curriculum, and so I would be pleased to meet created by false claims that they strengthen national security. with people who are giving serious thought to what is suitable for • End the crippling of our academic institutions and the today’s realities.” richness of student life by returning to the student and exchange visitor visa policies of an earlier era. Robert M. Beecroft of Bethesda, Maryland, is a retired FSO and • Continue the statutory requirement that immigrants estab- former ambassador. lish that they will not become a public charge, but remove some of the factors recently added administratively to that calculation. • Strengthen the anti-fraud aspects of visa considerations to Cap Political-Appointee Ambassadors include increased, meaningful cooperation between State and Make a public commitment that 85 percent of all ambassadors Homeland Security officers involved in the process. will be chosen from the career Foreign Service.

Bruce Beardsley, a retired FSO in Naples, Florida, worked on refugee Randall Biggers is a retired FSO who lives in Albuquerque, programs in Southeast Asia and the Balkans. New Mexico.

30 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL

Limit Political f Continue to Build Out Appointees America’s Global Network As the world becomes more complex with multiple political power poles, cross-country problems including climate change, political and economic inequality, and basics such as malnutri- tion that cripple minds as well as bodies, the U.S. government— USAID, in particular—needs to remain flexible and responsive. Recapture Lost Institutional Memory But it is the long-term vision and commitment that build the The basic rules of diplomacy have been disrespected during foundations of strong societies, not quick reaction. the past four years, but the greatest harm to the Foreign Service To continue building a global network that strengthens our has been the loss of institutional memory. security and opens opportunities, we should: Institutional memory functions on several levels. Take • Maintain development agents separate from diplomacy and subject matter expertise, for example: The socioeconomic and defense; each has a role, but they have different modes of work- political status of a country cannot be truly understood from ing and different time horizons. briefs; it has to be lived and experienced firsthand by FSOs in • Reinvest in basic and applied research addressing global the field. and domestic issues—including in agriculture and health, effec- Relationships are another critical aspect of institutional tive pedagogy, digital economy and environment. memory. Entry-level officers meet their counterparts at the • Stretch to address what’s current: urbanization and its man- beginning of their careers. They have dinner at each other’s agement; mental health and nutrition, the new keys to economic houses, their kids play with the kids of their counterparts, and growth and stability; male disempowerment, as well as female; so on. Twenty years later, when the counterpart is a high-rank- growing inequality in life choices. ing official in the host-nation government, the FSO can return • Rebuild competencies to design and implement sustained to that post and build on their early special relationships. support programs that help countries follow their path to self- How to recapture this institutional memory? reliance. • Rehire FSOs who were fired or forced into retirement • Continue to provide immediate and transitional humani- across the board at all levels. tarian response—but ensure that quick response does not cut • Put in a firewall to protect career FSOs from in-house loose the foundational institutions and systems that build a solid snitches, political manipulation, pressure and other demoraliz- future. ing and destabilizing tactics that have been employed recently. • Support countries all along the development continuum, • Rescind promotions of any Foreign Service officers who tailoring dollars and programs to their need. In India $2 million were a party to the above tactics to advance their personal of technical support can shape a $1 billion urban infrastructure careers. They should not be rewarded ever again for this investment, yet $90 billion of PEPFAR (the President’s Emer- destructive, unbecoming behavior. gency Plan for AIDS Relief) funding was required to turn the tide Nothing can replace institutional memory but the people hold- on HIV/AIDS. ing the memory. This serious loss must be remedied to regain the • Staff USAID and assistance agents based on technical and United States’ role in the world. policy opportunities, not just the volume of dollars managed; let staff be influence-makers as well as contract managers. Marilyn Bruno, a retired FSO, lives in Encinitas, California. • Use contemporary tools—culture, arts, sports, dance, graphic books, social media—to influence. • Evaluate rules and regulations through a risk management Tips from the Engine Room lens; don’t compromise on-the-ground results. New (and returning) colleagues, welcome (back)! Transition • Recruit a new generation of bold thinkers, adventurers and season is upon us, and with it the quadrennial spate of news visionaries, and give them room to explore. articles, think-tank studies, committee reports, op-eds and the like—each chock full of to-do lists for resuscitating the Depart- Rebecca Black, a retired Senior FSO with USAID, lives in Corrales, ment of State. Thank you for caring! Here are a couple of things to New Mexico. keep in mind.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 31 DIVERSIT Yo Recognize Family Members as Diplomacy Resource We encourage the new administration to recognize an untapped source of “diplomats” in addition to members of the Foreign Service—namely, their family members. It is important to gain a better understanding of the roles and achievements of diplomatic family members, ranging from bravery during crisis and long separations due to unaccompanied tours, to outstanding professional, artistic and volunteer achieve- ments abroad. Many of them engage in significant voluntary An extraordinary reservoir of diverse talent already resides in efforts in their host countries, which promotes understanding the midlevels of the Foreign Service. We have honed our diplomatic among peoples, demonstrates the highest American values and skills for years and years—resolutely, patiently, under Demo- advances the cause of U.S. diplomacy. cratic and Republican administrations—scoring foreign policy Since 1990, with the direct support of then–Secretary of State wins and securing U.S. interests in tough spots spanning the James Baker and Mrs. Susan Baker, the Associates of the American globe. Do not forget about us; we are your best asset. Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) has managed the Secretary While a few high-profile Foreign Service departees have of State Awards for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad (SOSA). eloquently described State’s shortcomings from their soap- These awards are presented each year to volunteers abroad, boxes, the rest of us—the engine of American diplomacy—have one from each of the six geographic bureaus, for projects that been busy in the field serving our nation day after day. Often demonstrate public diplomacy at the grassroots level and show operating with minimal resources and support, State’s frontline Americans at their generous best, demonstrating outstanding diplomats are the best at what we do—persuading foreign gov- creativity and commitment to improving the lives of others in our ernments and audiences to do things and think in ways they host nations. Such dedication is especially striking in countries otherwise would not. where volunteerism is not common. State is undeniably a struggling organization as you arrive In May 2015, at the annual Chiefs of Mission Conference held … but not only for the reasons you assume. Many of our most in Washington, D.C., SOSA received official recognition as a diplo- intractable institutional problems—aversity to risk, plod- matic “tool” for the first time. The final communiqué stated: “Pub- ding action on attracting and retaining a diverse workforce, licizing SOSA projects to host-country populations can further acceptance of mediocre leadership, focus on process instead Public Diplomacy goals by fostering a positive image of Americans of results, assignment and advancement systems that lack and helping illustrate to the world who we are as a nation.” credibility and too often put the wrong people in the wrong At this point in our nation’s history, we may need such public- places—pre-date 2017. ity more than ever. Family members can contribute greatly to this New initiatives and major reversals in the policy domain positive image of our country. might help right the ship, but State will remain in long-term decline if you allow these organizational problems to continue Lara Center of Falls Church, Virginia, is president of AAFSW; Mette festering. Beecroft of Bethesda, Maryland, is a past president of AAFSW, a Working on these unwieldy bureaucratic challenges behind nonprofit for Foreign Service family members and friends based in the scenes might not offer the allure of globe-trotting diplo- Arlington, Virginia. macy. Successfully doing so, however, will harness the full potential of our 75,000-employee-strong institution, especially our field-deployed Foreign Service personnel. Only then can Simplify EERs and Bidding State regain the ascendancy in formulating and executing U.S. FSOs spend an enormous amount of time on employee foreign policy. evaluation reports (EERs)—easily 20 hours a year—and on bidding—easily another 40 hours a year. By simplifying those FSO Ben Canavan is a senior adviser in the State Department’s two processes, we can boost employee productivity and satis- Office of Management Strategy & Solutions. faction while delivering more value to American taxpayers.

32 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL We should eliminate the current EER system, replacing it opment aid altogether in favor of security aid. A broad bipartisan with an annual anonymous survey to all colleagues (peers, alliance in Congress wisely and resoundingly declined his offer. supervisees and managers) containing two questions: (1) On Instead, in partnership with Congress, do the following: a scale of 1-10, how much did you enjoy working with X? (2) • Assign each aid type to a separate agency. Would you work with X again? (Yes or No) a. USAID: Development (incorporate MCC, USDA) As for bidding, we should move the entire State Department to a b. State: Security (incorporate USAID Economic Support directed assignment system, much like the one entry-level officers Fund) and the Bureau of Consular Affairs currently have. Employees c. CDC: Public Health (incorporate USAID and State public would be able to state their priorities and parameters (e.g., special health) needs education or tandem bidding), and a team of dedicated staff- d. FEMA: Humanitarian (incorporate USAID disaster and ing professionals would weigh equity and other considerations to State refugee) place people into jobs. This would eliminate wasted time on lobby- • Assure either “security” or “development” aid is provided to ing, reduce cronyism and refocus employees on their work. a country, but never both. These two changes alone would enormously increase job satis- • Assure sensible development aid planning with five-year faction and improve retention in the Foreign Service, at very little appropriations. cost to the department. Jeffrey A. Cochrane is a retired USAID FSO who lives in Washington, FSO Rongjie Chen is an economic officer on the Canada desk at the D.C. State Department.

Put State in Charge Reimagine Foreign Aid of Interagency Meetings In a recent Foreign Affairs article, former Secretary of Defense There is an interagency system to coordinate foreign policy Robert Gates bemoaned the decline in development aid, warn- issues. My recommendation is that interagency meetings be ing that China was doing a much better job of courting countries chaired by the appropriate assistant secretary of State rather to gain access to their natural resources. Unfortunately, Mr. than the senior director at the National Security Council. Gates was talking about security aid, not development aid. The Why? The NSC director is in a lonely situation, seeing all the two are often confused. Some believe that security aid kills the cable traffic but talking to nobody during the day. The assistant two birds with just the one stone, but that’s not true either. How secretary talks to ambassadors, U.S. embassies abroad, the press, could it be? office directors and desk officers, as well as counterparts in other The U.S. Agency for International Development implements national security agencies. The assistant secretary is at the center four distinct categories of foreign aid: development, security, of U.S. activities in the region, while the NSC director is there only humanitarian and public health. Defense handles a fifth: mili- to watch what is going on to make sure the president’s overall tary. policy is being followed. That is not sufficient to enable the NSC USAID does a pretty good job with humanitarian and public director—who is, more often than not, junior in rank—to chair the health aid, primarily because it effectively segregates its work- interagency process. force so that employees can more effectively specialize and are not distracted by competing objectives. Both humanitarian and Hank Cohen, a retired FSO and former ambassador, lives in public health departments are hamstrung, however, because of Washington, D.C. overlapping responsibilities—with State for refugees, and with both State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health. Choose Ambassadors for Their Skills The workforces for security and development aid aren’t Past presidents have opted to fill ambassadorships with top segregated at all at USAID, which causes all sorts of problems. A donors, and we saw “ambassadorships for sale” at its worst State official once told me: “We don’t have time for your five-year during the Trump administration. plans.” The Trump administration proposed eliminating devel- Please choose ambassadors for their skills, background and

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 33 leadership abilities. Among career diplomats (and retirees), merce Department, the Department of Agriculture, the Export- there are many superb candidates. Import Bank of the U.S. or a private-sector financial institution. For those former ambassadors who present their credentials Second, I recommend increased opportunities for one- or this time, a good question to ask is: “What did you do to pro- two-year “excursion tours” in the private sector or at one of the mote and advance the FSOs of color who worked for you?” That U.S. government trade and finance institutions. FSOs don’t have should help remove the chaff from the wheat. to become experts in these subjects, but they do need to be familiar with the basic concepts if they are to promote U.S. busi- Nicole Conn is a retired FSO who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ness effectively. For these recommendations to take root, the promotion precepts must emphasize the value of this training and urge Let’s See the New Leadership promotion boards to recognize it as an important element of I would like to request that the new administration send demonstrating the ability to perform at higher levels. out the official leadership photos as soon as possible. I will feel much better seeing these each day as I enter a federal building Christopher Dell, a retired FSO, lives in Washington, D.C. to work. The photos are symbols of democracy in action, of our commitment to support all changes of administration over my 32-year government career. I am so proud to be an American, Emphasize Historical proud of what we can do. Literacy in Training One specific recommendation for the new administration is to Diane G. Corbin is a Foreign Service office management specialist expand training to include greater emphasis on historical literacy rover working in the front office of U.S. Embassy Guatemala City. for Foreign Service professionals before serving at overseas posts. Generations of diplomats have underscored the need for more training. Take a look at how the military prepares its Improve Implementation foreign area officers (FAOs), posting them, as the FAO program of “Deal Teams” website describes, for “one year of in-country immersion at a site The concept of creating embassy “deal teams” to provide somewhere within their assigned region,” and requiring them improved support to U.S. commercial and trade activities abroad to “attend a fully-funded graduate program and earn a master’s is valuable, but implementation is fatally flawed. degree with a focus on their assigned region.” Since retiring seven years ago, I have been the country man- Appeals for the equivalent Foreign Service education have ager in Mozambique for a large U.S. engineering and construc- gone unheeded, branded as too expensive. A training float is not tion firm and worked for a private investment bank that focuses new; it already exists for language learning. But no matter how on power and infrastructure projects in Europe and Africa. In important speaking in the foreign language is to conducting the this work I have learned how little I understood about the needs breadth of diplomacy, it is not sufficient. In-depth background and perspectives of U.S. business while on active duty. on the host nation is also essential. Yet beyond a short introduc- I took seriously the charge in my letters of instruction from tory area studies course that covers an entire region and all the the president to promote U.S. business and achieved some current issues facing the United States, acquiring that is left to significant successes. However, I now realize that I was under- the individual. prepared to understand how the private sector thinks about Such training should specifically incorporate a greater focus investments, analyzes opportunities and risks, and reaches on the study of history—of the events and people that shaped investment decisions. And I had no more than a vague grasp of the identity of the country, of the relationship between the the complexities of project finance. United States and that country, of competing historical under- I would recommend two specific steps to make the “deal standings of significant events. team” concept more effective: First, an intense short-term course Far too many times throughout my career, I engaged foreign for all officers on foreign trade, foreign investment and project counterparts better versed than I was in the historical complex- finance, including, if possible, a monthlong “internship” at the ity of a situation, leaving me at a disadvantage in advocating U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Com- U.S. interests. Far too often I encountered contentious incidents

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Family f Members whose underlying dispute emerged from either not knowing the history or knowing a different one altogether. Providing background training is one way to strengthen historical literacy. The other is to expand the role of the Office of the Historian. Staff there prepare background papers, but far too few people in the field know of their existence. Even some- not overlap with compliance ethics administered by the Bureau of thing as simple as a required briefing from the Office of the Global Talent Management and Office of the Legal Adviser. Historian on the way to post would go far in instilling a culture Such a code of professional responsibility would need to be of historical awareness. fully inculcated by and within the leadership and the personnel of The strength of U.S. diplomacy overseas is understanding the Foreign Service. It would be studied throughout the careers of and interpreting the broad context in foreign environments to the professional Foreign Service at home and in missions abroad. identify areas of common ground. Give us the tools to do this Foreign Service personnel who came forward to testify in 2019’s and serve the American people. impeachment proceedings did so on the basis of values they understood instinctually. They should have been able to articulate Retired FSO John Dickson was a public diplomacy officer from values expressed in a Foreign Service code of conduct. 1984 to 2010. The world is becoming ever more complicated. There has never been a greater need for a code to support the Foreign Service.

Make the Foreign Service Retired FSO Robert William Dry is adjunct professor of diplomatic and an Official Profession Middle Eastern studies at New York University’s Graduate Program in The new administration should transform the Foreign Service International Relations. into a formal government profession by: • Formulating and implementing a code of professional conduct for the Foreign Service. Reverse the Centralization • Mandating a career-long, diplomatic educational continuum of Public Diplomacy expressly designed for the Foreign Service that includes dip- America’s image abroad has been damaged greatly by the lomatic knowledge: for example, cross-cultural negotiating Iraq War, the Great Recession and the Trump administration. behavior, “measures short of war,” diplomatic persuasion, To improve the situation, some policy experts would like to re- multilateralism, grand strategy and select areas of interna- create the U.S. Information Agency. They are nostalgic for the tional law. agency’s independent role of telling America’s story without It is not enough for the Foreign Service to merely claim constraints imposed by the politics of the moment. profession status. A profession—such as law, medicine or the But this nostalgia ignores current realities: the declining military—is a distinct institution. Elements of a profession the budget for all diplomatic activities, the growing presence of Foreign Service lacks include a commitment to appropriate, the Pentagon in the gaps left by a receding State Department defined values (found in a professional code of conduct) and and the questionable viability of a small, independent agency career-long professional education. The Foreign Service Institute being allowed by any administration to pursue a bipartisan should be the repository and teacher of diplomatic knowledge, approach to championing America’s virtues. in addition to existing leadership, management, language and Without the expense and political battles needed to re- area studies training. create USIA, however, we can reproduce its effectiveness by Foreign policy and diplomacy are fundamentally ethical. Every reversing the centralization of public diplomacy in the hands day Foreign Service personnel make ethical decisions not only of Washington-based political appointees. Cloth-eared, related to strategic foreign policy recommendation and imple- Washington-controlled messaging has reduced the nimble- mentation, but also concerning consular and other operations. ness, adaptability and effectiveness of State Department The Foreign Service should develop a code of professional respon- public diplomacy. sibility and conduct that accounts for and amplifies its values. This The new administration must have faith in the profession- professional code would be aspirational and practical. It would alism of its ambassadors and embassy teams. Ambassadors

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 35 must be given the authority to develop tactical messages that leadership courses taught by leaders in those fields; and (3) allow them the greatest flexibility in responding to local chal- require FSOs to complete one of the master’s degree options to lenges. This task cannot be done under the existing centraliza- be eligible for promotion from FS-2 to FS-1. tion in Washington. Currently, the amount of time spent in training by FSOs pales in comparison to the training courses offered by the Department Gordon Duguid of Bethesda, Maryland, retired recently as a public of Defense and intelligence agencies. By forcing a narrative that diplomacy officer in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs with requires constant time in the field, officers are discouraged from the rank of Minister Counselor. taking the time to develop new skills that will be essential to performing well at the next level. Requiring a one-year master’s degree for promotion to FS-1 will reduce the “training penalty” State-Defense Career Track in the promotion process, and the State Department will be Alignment clearly showing a desire to invest in the long-term skills of its Integrated operations at the country and area levels under the workforce. responsible ambassadors and National Security Council direc- The United States is one of the few countries without a fully tion could be improved by encouraging parallel career tracks for accredited diplomatic academy. Upgrading FSI would not the Foreign Service and military professionals. only allow State to attract greater teaching talent and provide a The Foreign Service professionals that AFSA represents wider array of courses and degrees; it would also allow for the would benefit from career assignments that focus on the development of more robust exchange programs with other languages, cultures and economies of specific geopolitical diplomatic services. Exchange programs, particularly with areas. These areas should align generally with career tracks of emerging regional powers, could build the types of relation- military professionals. ships that will pay dividends in the field. To enable this alignment, the State Department must ensure Focusing on developing specific skills can also add a mea- clarity of responsibilities with existing military command areas. sure of objectivity to the promotion and assignments process. Aligning existing career paths between State and the Depart- Our current system is based almost entirely on “corridor ment of Defense could encourage individual professional reputation,” which leads to persistent biases against women advancement and strengthen professional competence for and minorities. With more time in training and a wider range executing U.S. national security policies and managing diplo- of courses, officers can clearly demonstrate the skills they have, matic international relations. and posts can apply more specific selection criteria.

Michael Dwyre is a retired USAID FSO and a captain in the U.S. FSO Amy Eagleburger is a political and human rights officer at U.S. Marine Corps Reserve who lives in Miramar Beach, Florida. Embassy Dushanbe.

Invest More in FSO Training, Make Public Diplomacy a Priority Tie Education to Promotion Returning the United States to trusted leadership standing To reinvigorate the Foreign Service’s central role in the cre- in the world will require a strategy to explain what our country ation and execution of U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. government stands for, domestically and internationally, and to counter needs to invest more resources in higher education programs for growing disinformation and propaganda. To do this effectively, FSOs. experienced public diplomacy professionals are needed. With The State Department can do this in three ways: (1) expand this aim, the new administration should do the following: higher education opportunities beyond the war colleges and the • Prioritize a robust, comprehensive public diplomacy pro- Princeton/Harvard master’s degree in public policy programs to gram in the State Department. include part-time programs and MBAs; (2) upgrade the Foreign • Ensure a mutually reinforcing relationship between mak- Service Institute to a degree-conferring institution on par with ing policy and preparing for its reception in foreign countries, the National Defense University, and expand course offerings one that will engage public diplomacy proactively at every to include policy analysis and formulation, management and stage. Public diplomacy should not be the caboose.

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professional • Recognize the difference between informing the American o people about foreign policy and persuading foreign audiences through public diplomacy. The language that trumpets a trade education deal at home won’t necessarily convince another nation’s pub- lic that it is also a win for them. • Pay attention to the cardinal tenet of persuasive communi- cation: It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear. While most of the world is primed to welcome the new Biden administration, how the United States presents its return will matter. • To avoid the all-too-frequent perception that the United practice of formal reporting, which has witnessed a serious degra- States is tone-deaf, vet foreign policy speeches and statements dation in recent years. This is more than just commonsense com- with public diplomacy professionals who best understand pliance with regulations. Such a commitment would help rebuild foreign audiences. the skill of America’s diplomatic corps and restore confidence in • Use the full arsenal of public diplomacy. Information American diplomacy among our foreign counterparts. messaging alone, no matter how ably crafted and well placed On the practical side, FSOs need to be involved in and through technology, does not necessarily build support. Com- report on the highest-level meetings if we are to faithfully bine the shorter-term informational goals with medium- and carry out and force-multiply the new administration’s policies. long-term building of relationships to address perception as Writing suggested talking points for a principal is one thing; far well as knowledge. more important for developing the next generation is witness- • Show up. And not only at the highest-level international ing how that principal deploys the points in a conversation. meetings. Participate in conferences and colloquia abroad. If Pandemic restrictions have accelerated the unfortunate the United States won’t tell its own story, others are only too trend of a decline in face-to-face diplomacy. But the routine happy to do it for us. participation in these engagements of everyone from ambas- • Recognize that optimal effectiveness of the department’s sadors to entry-level officers will enhance greatly the effective- PD operations requires the appropriate functional structure. ness of our diplomatic efforts. Correct current PD organizational inefficiencies. As a matter of principle, having a notetaker present in • Recognize that public diplomacy professionals have a meetings or listening to phone calls also signals to our foreign distinct set of skills and expertise. Staff PD positions through- interlocutors that the appointees and professional diplomats out the department with seasoned career PD professionals. are part of one team, that diplomats are entrusted with the This should start with the under secretary for public diplomacy administration’s confidence, and that these U.S. officials are and public affairs, with clear lines of authority over PD person- doing the American people’s business and operating in a sys- nel and program resources. tem designed for internal transparency. The habit of taking notes and distilling the key points of an Renee M. Earle is a retired public diplomacy FSO who lives in engagement is essential to the historical record. What we do Durham, North Carolina. and what we say matters, now and in the future. As Ambassador William Burns points out, America needs a new foreign policy that supports domestic renewal. This is not Reinvigorate the Culture just about security and prosperity; it’s also about strengthening of FS Notetaking the functional and honorable aspects of government work. As the incoming senior appointees prepare to fulfill President Reinvigorating a culture of notetaking and formal reporting Joe Biden’s charge for America to lead from “the head of the table” will enhance accountability and good governance, while boost- internationally, they should reserve a seat for a professional ing the effectiveness of all of America’s diplomats—appointees FSO at every engagement. We hope our experiences and insti- and professional—in service of the American people. tutional perspectives will be used to help shape policy. As the new team takes the field, it should also commit to FSO David Fabrycky is deputy political counselor at the U.S. Mission reinvigorating the culture of notetaking and the basic diplomatic to NATO in Brussels.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 37 Bring Back the Sounding Board Years ago, a “best practice” from USAID called “Tip of the T RUST Day” was mandated at State. Every day we receive a pop-up ad that tests us. It used to be all about cybersecurity, but over the years it has become so much more. Because we see it every day, it has become pure background noise; moreover, it has drifted far from its original intent. Around the same time, we had a wonderful webpage forum called “Sounding Board” on which anyone could post Time for a Rebirth of Democracy questions or concerns. And while some were less than seri- Democracy is in crisis. It is under attack in the developed ous issues (I never did find out why we had female urinals at world, and in the United States, which has always thought of Main State), it was a great place to share ideas and challenge itself as democracy’s cradle. conventional wisdom. Sadly, the Sounding Board went away a Democracy is the soul of America. We must support democ- few years ago. racy abroad, or we cease to be who we are. But we must be Please get rid of the Tip of the Day and bring back the thoughtful in how to proceed. First, we must recover democ- Sounding Board. It may not be an earthshattering change, but racy at home. Second, we must work very closely with demo- it would make a difference on a granular, everyday basis. cratic allies, recognizing that all democracies are under stress. And third, we must support democracy where it is under attack Foreign Service Specialist Llywelyn C. Graeme is the assistant to the from authoritarians or weak governments. Yes, we should be ambassador at U.S. Embassy Copenhagen. humble, but our commitment should exceed our humility. It is time for bold thinking and measures and breaking down some of the intellectual and bureaucratic walls between Go Beyond the Status Quo domestic and foreign affairs. To overcome authoritarian and Renewed adherence to multilateralism is necessary, but the populist trends, democracy must have a substantive mean- United States needs to go beyond a return to the status quo of ing: It must lead to a better life for most citizens, who must earlier administrations. feel invested in it. Many feel that democracy is only a broken In addition to rejoining the World Health Organization, the promise, and those people are easily tempted toward populism Human Rights Council and UNESCO, and playing an active and authoritarianism, which our adversaries know very well role in those organizations, we must start paying our assess- how to exploit. ments to the United Nations and other institutions on a timely The most important challenge is to address inequality, in basis. While we ought not relinquish our veto and leadership which already distorted power relations are exacerbated by in the Security Council, instead of dodging, we need to help globalization, technology and policy. These imbalances lead to craft a way forward to a reformed council that responds to the the perception, if not the reality, of public corruption, exclu- demands of most United Nations members. sion and conflict. Climate change and information technology Additionally, the United States should more fully recog- deepen inequalities. nize that resolutions in the General Assembly and other U.N. It is time for a rebirth of democracy, a New Democratic Deal bodies carry visions of aspirations rather than specific require- based not only on the traditional liberal rights, but also sub- ments. Our approach has been too legalistic for too long. The stantive rights to health care, income and shared control over Trump administration’s rejection of any formulation related to natural resources. This rethinking of democracy begins with women’s reproductive rights is hopefully history. But the U.S. is our own example at home, and a vision from your leadership. equally stuck in the mud on dozens of other formulations; for Collaborate with your Foreign Service to make this vision a fun- example, those related to the U.N.’s Sustainable Development damental part of democracy and development. Goals set in 2015. As a result, we are often viewed as an impediment to José Garzón is a retired USAID Foreign Service officer currently in harmony and consensus rather than a leader or partner in Kosovo, where his wife is USAID mission director. achieving global solutions. This, in turn, hampers America’s

38 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL ability to achieve success on matters of real importance. Active workforce with linguistic, cultural and historical perspectives leadership by professionals in the front office of the U.S. Mis- on a particular country, region or conflict, regardless of their sion to the U.N. will provide opportunities to move forward; formal portfolio. but we don’t need to put lipstick on a pig, we need real change • The department should champion and elevate the unde- in America’s policy approach. niable value of deep, contextualized knowledge about, or a Finally, we should have no political ambassadors, expand personal connection to, a place, its people, its language and the Peace Corps and unleash USAID! history. Too often, this degree of connection to a country or region is conflated with the concept of “clientitis,” discouraging Robert E. Gribbin is a retired FSO and former ambassador in Spring- the development of real geographic expertise. field, Virginia. • The Bureau of Diplomatic Security should revamp its cri- teria in evaluating suitability for security clearances to expand opportunities for people with specific ethnic backgrounds to Prioritize Values Over Politics serve in those locations over the course of their careers. To reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy, the new administration Foreign and Civil Service officers, including myself, have should not permit politically motivated ambassadorial appoint- roots in Armenia, India, Vietnam, Mexico, Egypt and else- ments. Ambassadors must have diplomatic experience. where. Some of us were born in these places; others have Also, the administration should prohibit sales of weaponry parents who immigrated to the United States in search of the and aid to countries that have declared they are against Ameri- “American dream.” Compartmentalizing this potent force or can values or have corrupt governments. assuming we leave our personal identities at the door when we walk into the lobby of the Harry S Truman Building is neither Noel Harrington, a retired State Department office management realistic nor efficient. Finding mechanisms to tap into the full specialist, lives in Bend, Oregon. potential of the ethnic diversity within the Department of State will undoubtedly make U.S. international engagement and foreign policy formulation more effective. Unleash the Power of Diversity The Department of State’s tremendous effort to broaden FSO Ruben Harutunian is a senior adviser at the Foreign Service diversity within its workforce rightly encompasses a more Institute. expansive understanding of what it means to be an American, including the immigrant and refugee experiences of women and men for whom the United States is an adopted home. Restore Presidential Recognition To live up to the full potential of this effort, we have to lever- to the Foreign Service age the talents, language abilities and historical perspectives of Because the new administration promised to rely on diplo- diaspora Americans within the department’s ranks. Engaging macy, President Biden should fill the top ranks of U.S. diplo- substantively with State’s collection of employee affinity groups macy from the Senior Foreign Service and reward the best is a great place to start. Here are a few recommendations for performers with the Presidential Rank Award. consideration: This award is the pinnacle of the system of executive incen- • State’s regional bureaus should establish regular and tives set up by Congress in the Foreign Service Act of 1980. The ongoing policy consultations with the affinity group(s) most president can recognize exemplary service by annually award- closely aligned with their geographic focus. ing the PRA to just the top 6 percent of the Senior Foreign • The policy planning staff should tap representatives from Service. these groups to review and provide feedback on novel policy The PRA designates a member of the Senior Foreign Service recommendations related to a specific region, conflict or bilat- as among the best—their service merits the nation’s thanks. eral partnership. While the money that accompanies the award is welcome, it is • The Dissent Channel mechanism should be revamped to recognition from the president that means the most. encourage the contribution of policy inputs (not just disagree- From 2012 to 2017, the Senior Foreign Service did not ments with current policy) from representatives of the wider receive the PRA, although the Senior Executive Service

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 39 (including at State) did (except for 2014, when all awards were Develop a leadership program for FS-1 employees of color to frozen). The PRAs were awarded to the Senior Foreign Service in coach and train them for executive leadership positions and pair 2018 and 2019, but not in 2020. The PRA can be received only once them with senior mentors. Further, the Office of the Deputy Secre- in three years. tary should encourage senior-level colleagues to develop a spon- The Biden administration is committed to diplomacy. Getting sorship program to support employees of color as they attempt to the PRAs back on track reinforces that commitment. cross over into the senior ranks of the department.

Bill Haugh is a retired State FSO in Fairfax, Virginia. FSO Irvin Hicks Jr., currently serving in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, is president of The Thursday Luncheon Group. Address Systemic Racial Disparities at State The Thursday Luncheon Group proposes the following reforms Respect Expertise and to enable employees of color to successfully thrive and rise Direct Experience through the ranks of the Department of State. Push down decision-making power by allowing more FS Promotions. Add “diversity and inclusion effectiveness” as autonomy of action at lower levels in Washington agencies and a fourth employee evaluation review tenet, and make the Foreign at embassies. Under the Trump administration, too many issues Service Institute’s “Mitigating Unconscious and Conscious Bias” were pushed up to the seventh floor for decisions. training a prerequisite for promotion to the FS-3, FS-2 and FS-1 Rely more, as has been done in the past, on information flow- levels. Link senior performance pay to the promotion of diversity, ing upward that provides analysis and indicates initial courses of inclusion and equity, and use anonymous 360-degree surveys as action to be taken. part of the SPP review process. Be as inclusive as possible in allowing action officers to take FS Selection Board Process. Mandate the inclusion of an affin- part in deliberations and policy discussions to demonstrate ity group representative on all selection boards, prioritizing the respect for expertise and direct experience. selection of TLG or Pickering and Rangel Fellowship Association members. A newly established senior adviser for diversity and Andrew Hyde is a retired State FSO in Bethesda, Maryland. inclusion should participate in the screening, vetting and selec- tion of all board members. Institutionalize the use of Virtual Selection Boards to expand Break Down Barriers to the pool of available officers from affinity groups. Reestablish Interagency Effectiveness multifunctionality selection boards for officers competing at the The Biden administration has an immense opportunity to FS-2 to FS-1 and FS-1 to FE-OC levels. This will promote greater break down institutional barriers between government programs transparency and fairness for officers serving in out-of-cone and agencies that will usher in a new era of policy effective- assignments. Exclude any Foreign Service or Civil Service officer ness. While our government has relative mastery of interagency facing an equal employment opportunity complaint of merit from coordination processes, achieving meaningful results is frequently serving on any selection board for two to five years. hobbled by corporate cultures, bureaucratic protectionism, sys- FS Mentoring and Counseling Programs. Institutionalize a tems incompatibility and perverse incentive structures. robust mentoring program and counseling services, administered The limitations of doing business as usual are increasingly by the Bureau of Global Talent Management and the Office of apparent in international affairs and global competition in which Medical Services, to support employees of color at every stage of government is relatively less influential than in the past. Both their careers. adversaries, such as China, and allies, such as the Netherlands, Formalize a leadership program for FS-3 employees of color, are comparatively more capable of mobilizing the capacities and to be administered by FSI, to provide career guidance and hone capabilities of disparate government departments to support their managerial and supervisory skills. This will create a stronger policy implementation and the needs of the increasingly influen- pipeline of officers prepared for future deputy chief of mission and tial private sector around the world. chief of mission positions. The Biden administration must begin an overdue, ambi-

40 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL tious rethink of the way that America’s public servants work C together. The timing is right. Our international affairs community, for instance, now has more alumni of whole-of-government mentoring programs than at any time in our nation’s history, and they’ve seen the light. One, Prosper Africa—developed by career public servants with bipartisan backing—is a fledgling example of a still-unrealized effort to permanently break down the institutional barriers of doing the business of government better. The initiative is not a project in traditional terms; rather, it endeavors to change the way that U.S. government officials and the private sector jointly streamline information sharing across common work platforms while mobilizing the power of 16 U.S. Personnel Is Policy: government agencies. Though limited in its vision, Prosper Africa Fundamental Change Needed is an excellent example of what needs to occur across the entire Changes are needed in structures, systems and processes U.S. government to increase American competitiveness, effective- in the Foreign and Civil Services to strengthen professionalism ness and relevance in the 21st century. and advance diversity, equity and inclusion. Key aspects of a broader agenda to change the way we work Value and empower career employees. State has 1 percent of together include realigned performance and promotion metrics the federal civilian full-time, permanent workforce, but 10 per- and incentives; adaptive budgeting; more flexible human and cent of the government’s political appointees. Capping political financial resources that go beyond the equities of a single agency; appointees at 15 percent of ambassadors, under secretaries greater accountability related to governmentwide strategic priori- and assistant secretaries (with no political appointees at the ties; common working and technology platforms; cross-agency deputy assistant level and below) will open the pipeline for strategic management and accountability; and a recommitment to professionals. win-win public-private and international partnerships. Strengthen chief-of-mission authority and update National Security Decision Directive 38. It costs $400,000 a year to Sean Jones is a member of the Senior Foreign Service with USAID in support one American posted overseas. The more people, Addis Ababa. the greater the security and safety risks and vulnerabilities. Agencies should use virtual meetings and periodic travel and designate a senior representative at post. Put American Values Back Slash the number of special envoy positions to reduce juris- in Foreign Policy dictional ambiguities and time spent on internal coordination American soft power is far stronger than military force, sanc- rather than on external goal delivery. tions and strong-arm tactics. The United States needs to stand up Make overseas comparability pay 100 percent to put it on a for the dignity of all people around the world. Let’s strive for a more par with other foreign affairs agencies and boost morale. positive relationship with Iran and stop sanctioning its people for Adopt a diversity, equity and inclusion program with achiev- the actions of their government. Let’s reengage sincerely in pursuit able five-year benchmarks; make State an attractive destination of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement that affirms the uncon- for minorities by rethinking recruitment. De-layer and push troversial and fundamental notion that the Palestinian people are responsibilities downward. human beings who deserve the same rights as their Israeli cousins. Scrap the Foreign Service performance management and Let’s stand up for the rights of people from China to Bahrain to assignment systems and adopt state-of-the-art models; make Myanmar who deserve to live free. Let’s reaffirm that living up to the professional education and training integral by building in one values that we profess as Americans, and advocating the preserva- year at the first rotation after promotion. tion of those values for people beyond our shores, is the single most Revamp the Foreign Service specialist program by ending powerful way to reestablish our credibility and influence abroad. the up-or-out model and adopting new salary structures that attract and retain high-value employees in high-demand tech- FSO Ravi Kaneriya is a vice consul in Abu Dhabi. nical fields.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 41 Moreover, due to the global pandemic, the Foreign Service has seen the utility of virtual diplomacy, and we learned that show “long-distance diplomacy” works. These toolkits can be used by posts around the world to have a more strategic and surgi- cal approach to outreach, instead of relying only on the FSOs up assigned to the post. The result will be a more targeted, inclusive and precise approach to outreach.

FSO Sadaf Khan is consular chief at U.S. Embassy Podgorica.

Make the Civil Service an “excepted” service. Require a Common Core of Revamp the security clearance system. It currently takes an FS Professional Education average of 10 to 18 months to on-board a new hire. Before the Foreign Service can reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy, it Replace the grievance and discipline systems with ones must be rebuilt and reinvigorated itself. The first and perhaps eas- that incorporate fair process, due process, full safeguards iest step in this direction is to provide a required common core and timely decisions (not one year or more, as under current of ongoing Foreign Service professional education and formation. practice) so that employees have faith in their objectivity and Almost 40 years after then–Secretary of State George Shultz equity. helped create the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, today’s entering FSOs may have more college degrees, diverse Alex Karagiannis and Katherine Ingmanson are retired FSOs in backgrounds and first careers behind them, but they receive less Falls Church, Virginia. diplomatic service professional education in common than when he was Secretary. Concerned, Shultz recently underscored the importance of “Trust” in a November 2020 FSJ article and called Tap Existing Diversity for the creation of a new School of Diplomacy. While diversity and inclusion at State must improve, I believe However, another option exists: Focusing on what is within that the existing diversity within our Service must be used more State’s control, we could rename NFATC to create the George P. effectively and strategically. Shultz School of Diplomacy, Leadership and Management. This The American identity is a multicultural and multireligious would build on the best of NFATC’s considerable infrastructure one. As a U.S. Foreign Service officer, a child of immigrants and and services, eventually bringing short-term offerings into greater a woman raised in a Muslim household, I am an example of our alignment within a common professional framework that would multifaceted society. When I’m posted abroad, however, local include both longer-term professional education and short-term citizens are surprised that I am a diplomat because of preexist- training. ing stereotypes about what it means to represent the United A longer-term, continuing professional education framework States. for all levels of State Department employees could be established Our Foreign Service should actively engage with communi- through careful development of a nine-month, graduate level, ties abroad to credibly and purposefully communicate U.S. pre-commission professional formation curriculum and certifica- values and practices of religious inclusion, racial and ethnic tion to be required of all entering officers. The framework of sub- diversity, gender and sexual-orientation equality, and tolerance. sequent, continuing education curricula appropriate to mid- and To accomplish this strategic objective, I recommend hav- senior career levels would focus on: ing a centralized repository for outreach materials that include • Enduring stewardship requirements and responsibilities toolkits highlighting different groups in our Foreign Service (history, foundational documents, values, ethics and ethos, grand community. For example, the Department of State already has strategy and international law, norms and institutions). affinity groups. Why not tap into this existing resource to create • New and emerging geostrategic challenges (political, eco- videos or other social media tools that speak specifically to their nomic, social drivers of change and global transborder challenges experience as an American? such as arms control and nonproliferation, climate change, trade

42 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL and investment, international health, emerging global technolo- requiring something beyond a business-as-usual response. gies and media, criminal networks, cyberspace, and outer space). The State Department should consider expanding connec- • Best-practice tradecraft (integration of key policy, manage- tions between diplomats (both Foreign Service and Civil Service) ment and leadership skills and new technological challenges). and domestic audiences, whether through expanded use of Once fully developed, the totality of professional education fellowships, secondments, sabbaticals, Diplomats in Residence, and formation schooling, completed over time, could eventu- the Hometown Diplomat program or other arrangements. Such ally be accredited (in cooperation with a nearby university) for a efforts could allow diplomats to use their communication and master’s degree in diplomatic service (MDS). development skills to, for instance, help state or local govern- Eventually, the MDS would be a requirement to apply for ments improve their post-pandemic work and public engage- entry into the Senior (Foreign and Executive) Services at State ment while building awareness of, and connections to, the and other agencies, as appropriate. broader work of the department. The overall goals should be to: expand in-person engage- Stephanie Smith Kinney is a retired member of the Senior Foreign ment between department personnel and domestic audiences, Service in Chevy Chase, Maryland. especially those more insulated from State’s work; build understanding of the department’s priorities and efforts and how they benefit America and Americans; and build trust in Adequately Resource State the individuals who are carrying out that work. and USAID in Africa These tools largely exist already; but rethinking and expand- The new administration can reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy and ing them may be necessary to help bridge the sizeable perception development in Africa by properly resourcing the Department of and information gap that has grown between what we do and State and USAID’s operations on the continent, and by ensuring those for whom we do it, and whose support is ultimately needed that diplomacy and development budgets are passed in a timely for that work to be sustainable. manner. Additionally, high-level officials, including the presi- dent and vice president, should consider traveling to countries FSO Joel Kopp is political and economic counselor at U.S. Embassy off the beaten path in Africa to strengthen diplomatic relations Monrovia. with those who often feel neglected by the United States.

FSO LaSean Knox-Brown is a public affairs officer at U.S. Give Management Support to Embassy Praia. Public Diplomacy in the Field I could go on about the importance of filling leadership posi- tions as a key component of rolling back the damage done to the Revitalize Domestic Engagement State Department and Foreign Service during the Trump years It will be difficult to reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy and develop- and, especially, the need to restore the 2/3 to 1/3 ratio of career ment if public support for it is not simultaneously invigorated. ambassadors to political. Over the past several years, mistrust and misunderstanding of This note, however, proposes a critical adjustment to U.S. foreign policy, foreign assistance, international organiza- strengthen public diplomacy. Neglected since the integration of tions and diplomacy in general seem to have grown. the U.S. Information Agency into State in 1999, the problem of Many Americans appear to believe this work is being done proper management support for PD programs in the field has only by unknown bureaucrats in unknown corners of the world to intensified in recent years. Although integration increased the advance unknown or even nefarious ends. In many ways we are chances that PD cultural and research-based perspectives would foreign to our own countrymen, which makes it easier for “deep gain a seat at the policy table, the management support to carry state” rumors and misinformation to take hold. There is a lack of out our programs in the field has been devastatingly compro- awareness of the ways America and Americans benefit from the mised. work of the Foreign Service. While these challenges are not new, We used to manage programming at the mission level, but the domestic narrative on U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy and today more and more of a post’s public affairs section budget is development has been lost in a twin deficit of trust and truth, doled out in discretionary grants that place a lugubrious demand

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 43 on officers’ time and attention, completely inhibiting proper In this age of nonstate actors, flexible views of a nation’s sover- engagement with the local society and, thus, the ability to go the eignty and forever-unfolding complex conflicts, USAID’s influence proverbial “last three feet.” The paperwork involved and the train- and on-the-ground presence are needed more than ever. ing to do that management work suck the energy out of engaged, USAID was formed during the height of the Cold War to culturally informed strategic public diplomacy officers. advocate and create the conditions for a capitalist market The lack of management support is the main reason we’ve system; we competed with another system that has been thor- lost the granularity and effectiveness of programming based on oughly discredited. We have won that debate. Let’s now make contact relationships. sure USAID is present at the policy discussions and has a say Public diplomacy needs dedicated management in the in determining when and why we will engage in a country or field. One possible solution would be to embed in a public region to shape and assist. affairs section a dedicated management officer, trained in grant If we are an integral part of State, we will have a proper and administration, budget and personnel systems, who has been regular forum in which to participate. If not, we will continue cross-evaluated by the PAO and the management counselor. to be an afterthought. Another would be to revert to the USIA model of having a man- agement specialist answerable to the PAO. Peter F. Kranstover is a retired USAID FSO in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Peter Kovach, a retired FSO with the rank of Minister Counselor, lives in Bethesda, Maryland. Invest in Language Training My advice: Carefully consider the positive benefits and com- petitive advantage of investing in language proficiency training, Merge State and USAID especially in esoteric or less widely spoken tongues. USAID is an essential institution of our foreign policy, serving Our Foreign Service Institute language school and com- as an operational, on-the-ground unit under the policy direc- mitment to training set us apart and open doors locally that tion of the State Department. For decades, USAID and State have would otherwise be closed. One Australian colleague in Laos, jousted over the proper role of development assistance in foreign for example, expressed wonder at the extensive training our policy, often doing so from a common misunderstanding of their officers received in Lao. We used those language skills to gain roles. local connections and insight, bolstering the United States’ This is due in large part to USAID being viewed (wrongly) odds in geopolitical competition. (The Russians and Chinese by State and other federal colleagues as a simple technocratic certainly spend the time and money to train their diplomats in implementer of policy, one deficient in strategic vision and less common dialects.) lacking a proper theoretical basis for its actions. As a result, It might be tempting to look at the FSI budget and save USAID has been denied a permanent, senior position at the money by cutting courses in Amharic, Bengali or Finnish. But National Security Council or in policy discussions. that would be a mistake that hinders the long-term strength of Officially merging USAID with State would solve a great our Service. deal of this disconnect, thereby bringing Senior USAID Foreign Service officers to the table, in the same building, on a routine FSO Matthew H. Kustel is global affairs unit chief at U.S. Embassy basis with State, if not on occasion with Department of Defense Seoul. colleagues. Those who argue for a continued formal separation between State and USAID struggle to define exactly what differenti- Rely on Us for Substantive Policy ates them in practice. Similarly, those who are adamant about The new administration will face unprecedented skepti- maintaining the “uniqueness” of USAID’s functions fail to cism concerning America’s place in the world and the dura- recognize that its specialties of development, humanitarian bility of U.S. foreign policy. But it can reinvigorate American assistance, governance and conflict resolution cannot be prop- diplomacy, utilizing the Foreign Service to develop substan- erly implemented without a formal connection to other larger tive courses of action and policy execution. Here are a couple institutions, such as State and Defense. suggestions.

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Speak globally and carry a positive message. Former Presi- dent Bill Clinton famously said, “People are more impressed by the power of our example rather than the example of our CIV-MIL o power.” Climate change, pandemic response, global cyberse- curity, arms control and managing the rise of China are areas partnership that intersect with the interests of our many (admittedly bois- terous) allies and offer opportunities for U.S. leadership. While trade will remain contentious, the Biden administra- tion can engineer win-win scenarios for American middle- class workers and international partners through vigorous Overhaul the Assignments Process business development efforts. Even when foreign governments Evidence shows that diverse teams perform better, and a are not synced with the U.S. position, we can proactively set diverse diplomatic corps would more effectively formulate the global agenda, offer viable alternatives, and create future and implement policy in our national interest, build stronger negotiating space and momentum. relationships with foreign governments and their people, and Missions overseas can contribute to policy formulation, promote peace and prosperity worldwide. bring foreign governments aboard, connect our private sectors, By harnessing America’s diversity, we gain competitive lin- and communicate with elites and broad audiences. guistic and cultural advantages compared to largely homog- Reconstitute the interagency process. Ad hoc approaches to enous societies. But while the State Department is relatively policymaking or endless interagency debates can hamstring successful at recruiting women and minorities, it is not retain- development of coherent lines of effort to advance U.S. inter- ing this talent, which suggests our personnel systems need ests, result in missed opportunities and drain the morale of examination. our diplomats. A key to retention is the assignments process. Landing top A slimmed down, efficient National Security Council can assignments opens doors, but sometimes it’s more about who harness the talents of the interagency; provide broad policy you know than what you know that determines outcomes. guidance and an approved playbook for execution; and let Moreover, biases against women and minorities in leadership departments and overseas missions implement without roles affect their selection for top assignments. micromanagement. The current system is inefficient, labor-intensive, and Ambassadors and country teams should be front and cen- exploits employees’ professional and personal time. It also ter on these engagements to provide options to policymakers advantages those skilled in the art of self-promotion or who on how to advance American interests in foreign capitals or have mentors or sponsors, and it is riddled with partialities multilateral institutions. such as senior leaders’ interventions and affinity bias in selec- The most important work starts at home. Let us recall the tion (our tendency to gravitate toward similar people). prophetic words of FSO George Kennan in his 1946 “Long The new administration can reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy by Telegram,” which laid out a framework for containment of centralizing assignments in the Bureau of Global Talent Man- Soviet power: “Much depends on the health and vigor of our agement, focusing on qualifications and potential rather than own society … measures to solve internal problems … are who you know. Employees submit bidding materials with pro- worth a thousand diplomatic notes and joint communiqués.” fessional, personal or medical considerations to GTM. GTM As citizens and FSOs, we now face the challenge of our mitigates against biases by standardizing criteria and inter- time. view questions; anonymizing résumés and recommendation letters; conducting interviews with more than one interviewer Foreign Commercial Service Officer Michael A. Lally is serving as through the same medium; using a scorecard; and creating a minister counselor for commercial affairs at the U.S. Mission to the 360-degree feedback process (which can help eliminate a kiss- European Union in Brussels. up, kick-down culture). GTM then matches skills and scorecards to vacancies, using the Nobel Prize–winning solution to the stable matching prob- lem, which finds matches given an ordering of preferences.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 45

Reimagine Diplomatic Service V As we reimagine work in the aftermath of COVID-19, consider the green economy benefits and work/life balance benefits of integrating telework into the federal workforce in a more sustained Modernize fashion. Consider establishing secure outposts for classified informa- tion in targeted areas to reduce congestion, relieve commute times, and improve health and housing choices for employees By overhauling the process, the department can tackle reten- with limited financial resources. tion and morale problems, create an equitable and transpar- As we reimagine diplomatic service, consider not only reform- ent system, save taxpayer money, address tandem couples’ ing the FS cone system, but also the wall between the Civil Service issues, and remove institutional barriers that prevent women and Foreign Service. Civil servants should be granted more oppor- and minorities from advancing. This will lead to a more diverse tunities to serve abroad, and FSOs should be allowed to transition Foreign Service that will be better positioned to conduct foreign to the Civil Service (and back again) without significant financial policy. penalties. Both services would benefit from a more fluid separation Christina T. Le is deputy political-military unit chief at U.S. between them. Embassy Tokyo. FSO Tracy Lochbryn, a gender programs adviser for the Bureau of Inter- Trust the Existing Staff national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs’ Office of Afghanistan in the Transition and Pakistan, is currently working from Gainesville, Florida. I was a USAID health and population officer during the transition from George W. Bush to Barack Obama. As director of the USAID/Bangladesh Health and Population Office, I had Have Faith in Your Professionals suffered personally and professionally from having to implement We have high hopes. the Mexico City Policy and other disastrous population policies Please, have faith in your professionals. during the eight years of the Bush administration. I and many of Please, listen before acting. my fellow officers were delighted with the arrival of the Obama Finally, expect to hear complaints and negative comments. administration and the prospect of designing and managing a Understand that many of them come from a place of pain and fear. more enlightened and effective reproductive health policy after People can heal better if they feel heard, even if their issue isn't so long. “fixed” in the long run. Unfortunately, some new Obama administration leaders at USAID/Washington seemed to think that anyone who served in Phil and Jill Lundy McClendon are retired members of the Foreign the Bush administration could not be trusted, and we were not Service living in Weatherford, Texas. consulted in the development and implementation of new poli- cies. This adversely affected the morale of the Population Office and delayed the implementation of much-needed change. Trust the Foreign Service Therefore, my recommendation to the new USAID managers Please trust the Foreign Service. That means: Don’t just bring is to carefully assess and utilize the wisdom of the existing Civil back retired FSOs or retired military to lead the State Department, and Foreign Service professional career staff in improving the comforting as that might seem. Current FSOs are up to the challenge. health and population policies of the last administration. Don’t Much has been written about how the new administration throw out the babies with the fetid bath water! I am sure that this must rebuild the Service and repair morale. Please start by dem- is important in many other development fields, as well. onstrating faith in its current members.

Charles Llewellyn is a retired USAID FSO living in Beaufort, Cameron Munter, a retired FSO and former ambassador, lives in North Carolina. Prague, Czech Republic.

46 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Expand Trans-Atlantic Relations text of America’s intentions and core identity around economic Positive engagement with our NATO allies is critical. NATO deals, moral compromises and wars. has been central to maintenance of peace in Europe since Immersion in these ideas and nuances demands more than 1949, and its expansion has led to greater and greater capabil- readings. Digestion of concepts and philosophies must occur ity. U.S. foreign policy in Europe should leverage this history to alongside case studies and simulations that portray how the creed strengthen the close and efficacious relationship, and expand it and the world affect each other. Dilemmas of pragmatic policy, to new and candidate members. Sharing the burden of maintain- questions of philosophy and morality, and burdens of an abstract ing peace is a sure way to generate trust and goodwill. creed must all be raised to test student-diplomats’ commitments. NATO should not be seen exclusively as a military alliance, but With this formative education, diplomats will constitute a an alliance of shared values. U.S. embassies in NATO and NATO- Foreign Service of shared professional commitment. Knowing candidate countries should be encouraged to increase not only America’s core, they can represent diverse administrations’ shift- military-to-military engagement based on NATO ties, but also ing policies as acts of a united nation. They can digest chaos and political and cultural engagements based on these shared values. form coherent policy where instructions are absent. CFR recom- Trans-Atlantic relations should be centered on the already mends a “de-layered” State Department and supportive culture; established cooperation generated by NATO. A strong diplomatic these enabled diplomats animate a “nimble” Service. In policy effort to highlight the advantages of NATO membership—includ- processes, they wouldn’t be seen as representing “other coun- ing educational and cultural exchanges and preference in trade tries’ voices,” but as stewards for America’s creed. policies, as well as military-focused cooperation—would deepen No other agency is charged with this general national inter- this crucial alliance. est. While the Department of Defense provides national secu- NATO has been, and I believe will continue to be, the most rity, creedal expertise is as vital and real as expertise in armed successful alliance system in history. U.S. foreign policy would be force. State should become the “America Desk.” well served to not only work within this existing relationship, but Implementing a curriculum takes time, and expertise in work to expand it, increasing its capabilities and reach. America’s creed will only demonstrate its value as successive administrations contradict each other. But prescribing this Michael P. Murphy is a vice consul at U.S. Embassy Podgorica. expertise for the foreign policy apparatus today will signal that America knows its common ground.

Train Diplomats in the George F. Paik is a retired State Department FSO in Newtown, Declaration of Independence Connecticut. U.S. diplomats must know America’s founding tenets, and how to project them. Council on Foreign Relations and Harvard Kennedy School papers recommend new diplomatic education. Four Ways to Reinvigorate Today that must cover more than international relations. Future U.S. Diplomacy U.S. diplomats should be immersed in the creed of the Declara- The incoming administration can reinvigorate U.S. diplo- tion of Independence, and how it works in the world. macy and development by advocating for and supporting No expertise in the declaration’s creed is codified, but several passage of a new Foreign Service Act, enhanced health and motifs illustrate some of its content: The declaration’s truths environmental policy, and improved hiring and talent manage- define national identity; the Constitution defines the governing ment. state. Many see “democracy” and “free enterprise” as American First, a new Foreign Service Act should codify several values, but those are particular interpretations of “consent of the changes. It should dictate minimum staffing numbers for the governed” and “pursuit of happiness.” The creed is America’s Foreign Service. It should mandate that political appointees common ground and is debased by partisan claims to its exclu- fill no more than 10 percent of ambassadorial appointments, sive sanction. and that at least 70 percent of all assistant secretary and senior No airy ideal, the creed is meant to flourish in a dirty world. department positions be filled by career officers. It should also Diplomats must reconcile, sometimes painfully, to pragmatic ensure a minimum floor of overseas FS positions and codify the measures. Nuanced understanding is required to assert the con- importance of functional assignments.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 47 Second, the Biden-Harris administration should prioritize sci- additional specialty training. Combine this with eliminating the ence and health diplomacy by creating a separate environment, five “cones” of specialization, and evaluating preexisting skills science, technology and health (ESTH) cone. It should support brought into the Foreign Service rather than dismissing them as functional training for work in bureaus such as Oceans and Envi- irrelevant. This suggestion gets at the heart of moving away from ronmental Sciences, career development through exchanges, the internship approach and to a modern personnel paradigm graduate training and meaningful work opportunities in other where people with knowledge and skills are hired and then fully agencies. utilized. In addition, increased coordination for a whole-of-govern- Second, examine the entire structure of why and how FSOs ment policy from State, USAID, the Millennium Challenge Cor- rotate posts and, more critically, what FSOs do. Do we really poration, Department of Defense, National Security Council and need 10 political officers at an embassy writing cables that few the intelligence community is essential to addressing challenges read and contain information everyone could get from watching from anthropogenic climate change and epidemics and their CNN? Perhaps, for example, economic officers and members of links to poverty, political instability and social crisis. the Foreign Commercial Service should be merged, with a much Third, the administration should prioritize moral courage by greater focus put on creating jobs in America through increased entirely redesigning the employee evaluation report to reward foreign direct investment and networking. risk taking and honest appraisal rather than compliance and Third, learn a language in country, not in Arlington, Virginia. risk avoidance. The department should support more flexible We need to look critically at how languages are taught, evaluate hiring mechanisms and opportunities to serve, such as midlevel which positions need to be language designated, and require a hiring of FSOs, expanded eligible family member positions, a better return on investment than one year in country for one or Foreign Service–Reserve Officer Training Corps program and two years studying a language full time. conversion mechanisms between the Civil and Foreign Service. Fourth, require a 360-degree review for employee evalua- Effective support for diversity and inclusion is essential, not only tion reports. This reform alone, to have bosses reviewed by their to ensure that the department reflects the United States’ diverse employees, would revolutionize State. Senior and other supervi- heritage, but also by encouraging debate, respectful disagree- sory FSOs would be held accountable for their leadership skills ment and data-driven analysis over clearance by superiors or and for the performance of their sections. Washington. Finally, the department should transform the Foreign Service Bob Perls, a former FSO, is a business owner and management con- Institute to become a degree-granting diplomatic studies acad- sultant in Corrales, New Mexico. emy similar to the U.S. military service academies. Significant, rigorous training of no less than six months of full-time study or participation in seminars should be required at entry, mid- and Care for U.S. Diplomats senior levels as a prerequisite to promotion. To reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy, the new administration must first reinvigorate U.S. diplomats. It is no secret that morale has FSO Ian Parker serves at U.S. Consulate General Merida in Mexico. steadily dropped in recent years. Despite the professionalism of our nation’s Foreign Service officers, it is implicitly more difficult to advocate for the mission Address Midlevel Entry and when one doesn’t feel a part of it. Reassuring old allies that the Assignments United States “is back” is important, of course, but it can be back In 2010 I was part of the 150th A-100 class of 82 people with only if the foot soldiers of diplomacy feel like they are back, too. an average age of 32. Ten of us were over 50, and to my knowl- Diplomats need to be cared for, and—in turn—they will care edge we have all left the Service. Our reasons for leaving are for diplomacy. similar and could be cured partially by some of these sugges- tions. FSO Kaleb Rogers is on temporary assignment to the State Depart- First, implement a midlevel entry program so that executives ment’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. and otherwise experienced people age 50 or older could manage people and use their skills, perhaps as an FS-2 after A-100 and

48 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Leverage State’s Greatest Asset— Its People Foreign Here are some suggestions for the new administration’s first 100 days. Service Empower Foreign Service leadership. The new administra- tion can turn a page in U.S. diplomacy by elevating more career diplomats to key leadership positions. The multifaceted experi- Act ence of career diplomats will prove useful in navigating the multidimensional challenges of the world today. Career diplomats will know how to shepherd the policies of the new administration and retain its institutional knowledge Institute a Language Requirement for continuity. Appointing career diplomats to leadership posi- for Entry tions would also boost morale, as the men and women of the You don’t need to know a foreign language to enter the For- State Department see the professional rewards of embracing a eign Service. We will teach you. lifelong career. The rationale for this policy goes back to the time of the Rogers Lead with the face of America. To expand workforce diversity Act of 1924 and after, when generally only wealthy Americans at the State Department, the incoming administration can begin had the opportunity to learn foreign languages, and we wanted with vertical and horizontal promotions of women and minorities to draw officers from a broader pool. During the past century, already at the agency. This would be a pragmatic and feasible way as more and more people came to speak English, the need for a to jump-start workforce diversity initiatives prior to implementing foreign language was apparently diminishing. alternatives that may require more time and effort through legisla- I think it is past time, however, to do what most other diplo- tion or executive order. By tapping into the State Department’s matic services have always done, and that is to make language diversity first, the new administration will begin to unlock the full ability and knowledge a requirement for entry into the Foreign depth of talent within the agency. Service (in addition, of course, to the other requirements such as Staff national security missions to win. The new administra- the written exam, oral interview, good health, etc.). tion can signal strong support for diplomacy by prioritizing the Specifically, to enter the Foreign Service, an individual must staffing of diplomats at posts critical to U.S. national security have at least a 4/4 in a world language or a 3+/4 in a hard lan- (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan). Though uncertainty will always prevail guage. Many more Americans now possess those levels of fluency in countries characterized by weak stability and security, staff- in a foreign language, either because they are immigrants or the ing fluctuations at these posts are sometimes the result of U.S. children of immigrants, because of service in the Peace Corps or policy prerogatives rather than in-country crises. because of study abroad. Some of the missions, in countries deemed “unwinnable” A more than minimum level of fluency in another language by military means per U.S. military experts, have experienced will make them more effective diplomats and, in particular, will downsizing/rightsizing exercises, cutting FSOs and ejecting make it much easier to reach foreign nationals who do not speak them before or during their in-country service. Like many English. Foreign Service colleagues, I have experienced such policies and witnessed their unintended consequences. Retired FSO Robert E. Service is a reemployed annuitant in the Whether the new administration seeks to withdraw or surge State Department’s Office of Management Strategy and Solutions. U.S. personnel, it should, when possible, adopt a phased- or conditions-based staffing approach to minimize disruptions to missions working on U.S. national security matters. Embrace Constructive Dissent We write this note in defense of dissent, affirming our belief FSO Felix Sanchez is currently on leave without pay. that it contributes to a stronger diplomatic corps—and a safer world. It is vitally important that the new administration promote constructive dissent for its value in the development and imple- mentation of effective foreign policy.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 49 3 Address Resources and Organization To reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy, changes that are both inter- nal and external to the State Department are necessary. First, Congress should provide a consistent budget and Retention timely annual financial flows. Period. No more continuing res- olutions. The U.S. Foreign Service should be able to count on at least an annual budget and financial flows—even better, a real two-year budget. We all know that no business could remain viable if it operated the way our government has operated over the last 20 years. The financial fits and starts, or shutdowns, First, constructive dissent drives innovation. The private sector make it extraordinarily difficult to plan or implement anything. knows this. Forbes magazine recently argued that one person’s Second, foreign affairs professionals should be leading U.S. dissenting views can drive the creativity of an entire group, foreign policy. The National Security Council and Department promoting divergent and unbiased thinking that enhances of Defense, as well as Congress, have taken on larger roles decision-making. Dissent is also an important part of working while State Department talent—which focuses all its time and in teams, where each voice brings a unique perspective. For effort overseas and is physically located around the globe—has diplomats, our ability to give honest policy recommendations been sidelined. will only be as good as our ability to have honest conversations From a global operational perspective, several priorities with each other and within our own institution. stand out. First, the U.S. government needs to focus on building Second, constructive dissent creates a safer, more open work global trust and being a reliable, consistent partner. For the last environment. Dissent without fear of reprisal is crucial to gen- 10 years (at least, and likely since 9/11), U.S. motives have been erating new and different ways of thinking. When leadership questioned, and we have not been able to sufficiently answer encourages constructive dissent, employees understand that their concerns, even from our strongest allies. ideas are valued and are more likely to contribute to the common Second, we need to be able to effectively communicate in good—especially diplomats from diverse backgrounds whom the a world that is on 24/7. We need to ramp up our capacity and department has had a chronic problem retaining. resources so that we can be a positive and strong influence Third, constructive dissent is a measure of the strength of and model in the global chat room. But we also need to ramp leadership. The best leaders recognize and protect dissent up our ability to meet face to face with the world. In other because they understand that it allows them to shift some words, there should be increased emphasis on and resources of the burden of decision-making from themselves to the for exchange programs. Current State Department exchange strengths and talents of their team. It also prevents the irra- programs are the gold standard globally. tional and dangerous phenomenon of “groupthink.” Being an Finally, to develop and align personnel resources to be effective leader means that you actively encourage individu- where they are really needed, the State Department’s human als to speak their mind—a value that lies at the heart of our resources systems should be completely overhauled, especially democracy. the evaluation, promotion and assignment processes. Profes- Seeing dissent as a positive attribute and not a threat sional development and training should also be more fre- helps to create trusting partnerships between leadership and quently required. Though State attracts great talent, its internal employees, and results in better workplace safety, more inclu- operations are often nontransparent and decades behind the sive policies and higher ethical standards. rest of the country. Organizations die from conformity, not dissent. Susan Shultz is a recently retired State Department FSO in FSOs Amelia Shaw, Moises Mendoza, William E. O’Bryan, Arlington, Virginia. Roshni Nirody, Elena Augustine, Luke Zahner, Christina Le, Anna Boulos, Jefferson Smith, Thomas Wong, Wendy Brafman, Maurizio Visani, Kathryn Kiser, Cecilia Cho and Mariju Bofill are past winners of AFSA awards for constructive dissent.

50 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Make Démarches Count our engagement in nonpermissive areas of operation, providing How to leverage the value added of the Foreign Service? Find reporting for policymakers with unique perspectives and assess- and repeat one of former Under Secretary of State for Political ments created well beyond U.S. fortress embassies. During one of Affairs Thomas Pickering’s first instructions to posts on assuming my seminar briefings at the Defense Institute for Security Assis- his position. tance Management, our military counterparts were enthusiastic In that message, Pickering urged embassy officers to creatively about the DEFTs concept for diplomatic personnel. This would modify, edit and craft démarches for maximum impact on receiv- make FSOs much better partners for civ-mil cooperation. ing governments, not simply mechanically transmit démarches as It is time to formally add this “special forces” element to the received from Washington. Department of State’s overseas arsenal.

Neil Silver is a retired FSO in McLean, Virginia. Derrin R. Smith is a recently retired State Department FSO living in Alexandria, Virginia.

Create Diplomatic “Special Forces” Reinvigorating the Department of State diplomatic corps Let Us Imagine requires new thinking and a commitment to grassroots, person- Imagine the United States influencing other nations through to-person engagements, including to traditional leaders, village dialogue, not dictate. chiefs, elders and influencers far from national capitals and Imagine the United States presupposing mutual respect and host-nation state houses. We need to establish the equivalent of understanding even when these two do not presume agreement. “diplomatic special forces” like the Green Berets. Imagine the United States viewing reconciliation as a sign of Such “Diplomatic Expeditionary Field Teams” would accept strength rather than a sign of weakness. Foreign Service volunteers willing to undergo rigorous physical Imagine the United States advocating a touch of humility in place and advanced operational training to allow small four-member of the heavy hand of hubris. groups to operate independently in the most unstable, remote and Imagine the United States putting itself in the shoes and bare feet challenging environments. I have created much of this curricu- of immigrants and their children. lum, elements of which are covered in my textbook, Humanitar- Imagine the United States as a builder of bridges, not walls. ians in Hostile Territory: Expeditionary Diplomacy and Aid Outside To achieve the above: the Green Zone (University of Chicago Press, 2010). Imagine the United States with President Biden at the helm who Reactions at State to the concept of DEFTs range from reflects the above approaches to foreign policy. “our FSOs already do this in places like Iraq” to “embassies don’t have this mission.” Yet our ability to engage in remote, Peter Spalding is a retired Senior Foreign Service officer in deployed, grassroots diplomacy will determine future foreign Washington, D.C. policy success. And longer-term remote outreach missions require more specialized skill sets and resources than civ-mil and Foreign Affairs Counter Threat training currently provides. Lead from the Front This recommendation is based on my own experience—in The Biden administration should reserve judgment on revers- Afghanistan three times and in Iraq four times under various ing any of the Trump administration’s foreign policy initiatives auspices, most recently serving at Provincial Reconstruction until it has had time to examine them closely, especially for issues Team-Anbar (2007-2008). In prior work at Firebase Anaconda demanding close coordination with allies and friendly powers. in Tirin Kowt, Afghanistan, I engaged in shura councils and For example, quickly rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan interviewed the local mayor in 2004 in Mullah Omar’s birth- of Action might be attractive to many of those former Obama place. In Iraq in 2005, I deployed with Romanian special administration officials reprising their service with a Biden forces teams. In my assessment of each of these assignments, National Security Council and State Department, but precipitous the need for a more robust diplomatic presence by specially actions without involving allies and regional stakeholders would skilled State Department officers was obvious and prominent. only compound the current difficulties of limiting Iranian ambi- Diplomatic special forces–type teams will greatly enhance tions regarding nuclear weapons. Likewise, for efforts to forestall

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 51 Russian destabilization efforts in Eastern Europe and even the respect required to build strong relationships, which con- throughout the European Union area, consultations with allies tinue even after the conversation has switched to the com- should precede public statements of policy. mon Romance language. Becoming conversant in indigenous Most important, the United States must lead from the front, languages at post (in addition to FSI fluency) is also a great way in consultations with its allies, but clearly as the leading power to bring together the embassy community between and among among a group of like-minded states. That is the natural position FSOs and our local colleagues. Posts sponsor events with local for the United States for this moment in history, as former Prime food or crafts, and there people learn what everything is called. Minister Tony Blair put it in an address to Congress in 2003. As Such events also help address some of the class prejudice among Shakespeare noted in “Twelfth Night” (Act 3, Scene 4), “Some locally employed staff of different backgrounds. have greatness thrust upon them.” FSO Sherry Zalika Sykes is a senior-level career development officer in Edward Stafford is a retired FSO in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. the Bureau of Global Talent Management at the State Department.

Improve Fluency in Africa’s Engage American Audiences in Indigenous Languages Foreign Policy Throughout sub-Saharan Africa we seek to counter malign The State Department needs a targeted, well-resourced stra- influences and increase trade. All indications are that Africa will tegic outreach plan for engaging domestic audiences on those be the epicenter of growth and development over the next cen- issues of foreign policy that most affect American security, our tury. Yet we come to African posts linguistically hobbled, while economic well-being, and our ability to travel and engage success- China’s diplomatic language school is steadily increasing the fully in the world. As each election year reminds us, a large part of number of indigenous African languages taught. To be serious the American electorate is either unaware of, or may not under- partners there, we must become more dexterous linguistically. stand, the daily positive impact of U.S. diplomacy on their lives. For historical reasons, we require FSO fluency in languages The State Department should invest in a data-driven, multiyear such as French and Portuguese. But we cannot conduct diplo- and targeted campaign to engage local and state communities macy today in the language and culture of the educated elites and across the United States on key foreign policy issues. It must be marginalize or ignore the voices and concerns of the masses for adequately resourced and separate from the department’s public whom colonial languages are not those of their dreams. diplomacy funding used to engage foreign audiences. Polling Currently a few of our officers receive instruction in Kiswahili, should play a major role in identifying the areas for outreach and Hausa and Amharic, but an insufficient number are conversant in in measuring success. The outreach should focus on the issues indigenous languages. Too many Africa posts rely on local staff to that most matter to those particular voters, and how the work of interpret media, be present at interview windows and make the the State Department supports their economic livelihood and deeper connections that are only possible when one engages in a security. person’s mother tongue. Our local staff are excellent, but there is Managed from Washington, this campaign should enlist the no substitute for our diplomats doing this work directly. support of retired colleagues around the country to visit local and We need to have greater familiarity and fluency in major state government officials, community town halls, and local uni- languages spoken across Africa’s national boundaries, such as versities and schools to make the case for American diplomacy. Swahili, Somali, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Fula and Oromo. And we Other possible partners could be AFSA, the National Museum of should acquire skill in important country-specific languages such American Diplomacy, local and international American Cham- as Wolof, Zulu, Shona, Amharic and Lingala. bers of Commerce, Diplomats in Residence, universities with Sustainable exploitation of Africa’s immense natural resources diplomacy programs, and the Senate Foreign Relations Commit- in land, forests and sea is key to addressing climate change and tee and House Committee on Foreign Affairs. in countering other threats to economic and environmental We could also ask the hundreds of young people who apply for security. For this, skill with indigenous languages is essential, virtual or in-person internships to be part of the effort, designing especially outside the capitals. social media campaigns and serving as youth ambassadors for With even basic vocabulary, our diplomats can convey the State Department.

52 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 Department leaders should visit all 50 states with targeted mes- Resources saging to select constituents, most importantly those most critical of U.S. engagement around the world. Ambassadors could be provided two weeks each year to spend time in their home states as part of this strategic campaign, with a required reporting cable on noteworthy themes and audiences engaged.

FSO Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath is deputy executive secretary at the Starting at the entry level, support from these offices Department of State. coupled with targeted mentoring and coaching programs will ensure employees have the resilience to pursue a successful career. State should formalize leadership programs for FS-3 Pursue Inclusion Intentionally and FS-2 employees of color on career navigation and mana- Aggressively recruit and assign employees of color to senior- gerial and leadership skills. This will strengthen a pipeline of level positions. The 2021 summer bid cycle was an opportunity to officers who are prepared for future deputy chief of mission reverse past trends, yet FSOs of color were overlooked for senior- and ambassadorial positions. State should expand the newly level positions. State Department senior leadership have the created FS-1 leadership program to coach for executive lead- authority to reject short lists not representative of the workforce’s ership positions and pair them with senior mentors. diversity and to demand bureaus justify their inability to produce diverse slates prior to the final stages in the Deputy’s Committee. FSO Christina Tilghman served as president of the Pickering Rangel Energetic recruitment should not be limited to overseas jobs, but Fellowship Association in 2020. adopted for deputy assistant secretary and office director-level positions. Establish reporting mechanisms. State should establish a Change the Name separate office to address toxic workplace dynamics and create of the Foreign Service reporting mechanisms for employees to disclose incidents falling Change the name of the Foreign Service to the “United States short of the equal employment opportunity (EEO) threshold (i.e., Diplomatic Service.” If the new administration is serious about microaggressions and discriminatory behaviors). These mecha- grounding foreign policy in the day-to-day concerns of our fellow nisms should trigger a response from the overseas missions or citizens, then America’s diplomatic corps should have a name that bureau leadership to investigate and prompt timely mediation by a tells them what it is we do. team based in Washington. The word “Foreign” fails to communicate that and, unfortu- This office must exist outside of the EEO complaint process nately, reinforces the sense that something about our mission is not managed by the Office of Civil Rights and report directly to the grounded in our own country. We know nothing could be further Deputy Secretary. The Director General’s Office should form a from the truth, but we also need to be honest that the name “For- committee to determine consequences for the person displaying eign Service” is not helping our cause with the American people. discriminatory behavior, including additional training to address Some will object based on tradition, but organizations must supervisory skills, a formal letter of reprimand shared with the find ways to reinvigorate themselves over time or else become bureau’s front office, denial of senior performance pay, or the stagnant. Another objection will be that this is purely semantics inability serve in senior leadership positions for five years. and thus not worth the time and effort. But words do matter, as we Institutionalize FS mentoring, coaching and counseling. State diplomats know best of all. should institutionalize robust mentoring programs and counseling And many will object by saying such a change is not needed, services particularly to support employees of color and those under which can be tested by surveying a representative sample of the the Pickering and Rangel fellowships at every stage of their careers. American people to see how many know what the “Foreign Ser- This requires bolstering existing staffing and budgetary resources vice” is. Another means of testing the value of such a change could for the Foreign Service Institute’s Executive Coaching Program, be to ask a survey group what a “foreign service” does and what a Global Talent Management’s Office of Continuity Counseling and “diplomatic service” does. Certainly, we would expect the latter to Office of Medical Services’ Employee Consultation Services. be far more effective in conveying our mission.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 53

Inter- It is time to rebuild with genuine professionalism, integrity and diversity. We do not need an Ethos or vision statement to uphold those values. agency C FSO David Tyler is director of the San Francisco Passport Agency.

Put Diplomats Back “On the Street” While the threat of terrorism and the security upgrades have Americans overwhelmingly support diplomacy as the limited how much Foreign Service officers can venture out into the primary means of protecting our interests and security. Our cities and countryside in recent years, I want to encourage the new Service should have a name that unambiguously tells them this administration to put the focus back on diplomats having contact is what we do. with ordinary people. When I served in the Middle East (Dubai, Damascus, Casablanca), many of the kudos I received for my Alexander Titolo is a public affairs officer at U.S. Embassy Santo reporting were the result of interacting with people “on the street.” Domingo. Talking to the elites may provide some window on how a government ministry is functioning, but the heartbeat of any economy and society lies in the workers and how they can carve Raise the Mandatory Retirement Age out a living. Diplomats belong outside the walls of the embassy or More diplomats and specialists than usual retired earlier than consulate, having exchanges with students, union leaders, activ- planned during the Trump administration. By most reports, it will ists and the full range of a country’s social strata. take “years” to rebuild the diplomatic workforce. Consider raising the mandatory retirement age to match the Michael Varga is a retired State Department FSO in Wilton Manors, Social Security full retirement age or, better, age 68. This can be Florida. phased in so that people who already have already served their 20, 25 or 30 years can still receive full benefits when they choose to retire under the age 65 rule. Prioritize Upgrading Technology The reality is that people are living longer and healthier. Our new The Biden administration can reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy by president is 78 years young! Correcting the arbitrary forced retire- investing in 21st-century technology to enable a more nimble and ment age of 65 will help fix the current talent gap in the workforce. technologically capable diplomatic corps. COVID-19 has moti- Specialists with specific skills, such as IT and medical, are particu- vated the department to do some upgrading, but it needs to go larly difficult to recruit and retain. How about starting there? further. Diplomats need mobile phones with dual SIM cards and Cynthia Townsend is a Foreign Service medical provider at U.S. laptops to take from post to post. They also need continued invest- Embassy Luanda. ment in web- and cloud-based solutions that improve internal operations and enable modern interactions with external partners. Retire the “Ethos” Statement Significant department resources are wasted maintaining We did not need a reminder to be “champions,” to support and legacy systems that no longer serve the American people well defend the Constitution, or to serve with “unfailing” professional- and hinder the operations of diplomats overseas. The Bureau of ism (as if we were at risk of failing unless reminded). Consular Affairs wastes serious amounts of money and employee Indeed, the Ethos statement became a reminder that senior hours on paper-based applications and out-of-date software sys- leadership did not act with “uncompromising personal and tems. These inefficiencies restrict the speed at which officers can professional integrity.” Examples were frequent, significant and assist U.S. citizens abroad and assess foreign nationals requesting damaging to the department and to career employees. Violations consular services. of law and policy without consequence (e.g., the Hatch Act) had By improving systems, fewer consular officers would be significant negative effects. required abroad to support consular services. Thus, more officers

54 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL would be available to build relationships with foreign interlocu- families continue to face. We should honor their service and honor tors and advance U.S. foreign policy objectives. Moreover, smart the intent of Congress by faithfully and diligently implementing the technology investments now will reduce staffing costs and improve Special Immigrant Visa program. margins for decades to come. FSO John Wecker is senior adviser for anti-corruption in State’s Bureau FSO Daniel Walsh is a vice consul at U.S. Consulate General of Economic and Business Affairs. Auckland.

Zero Tolerance for Jerks Lead with FSOs No jerks. No tolerating jerks. No promotions for jerks. And most There are several good reports on strengthening (saving) the of all, no leadership positions for jerks—or those who enable them. Foreign Service. They should be studied carefully and mined for There is no excuse for Foreign Service generalists and special- good ideas. This is a medium-term approach. ists—a smart and selectively chosen bunch—to be or to tolerate But what the new administration can—and must—do immedi- jerks. Jerks include those with major conduct, suitability and disci- ately is appoint Foreign Service officers to leading positions in the pline issues, such as criminal behavior, sexual misconduct, equal State Department and abroad. Surely, there are more appropriate employment opportunity issues, and physical or emotional abuse ways to reward large donors than making them ambassadors. of American and locally employed staff. Jerks are also those who are lazy, incompetent, extreme micromanagers, socially inept and Barclay Ward, a retired FSO, lives in Brookline, Vermont. excessively self-promoting. They lack empathy and take a kiss-up, kick-down approach to management and leadership. Jerk enablers and jerk ignorers are also jerks and should be treated as such. Fix the Special Immigrant Why do jerks matter? Because they make the workplace (and Visa Program overseas, the wider FS community) unhappy, unhealthy, unpro- Devote the resources necessary to fix the Special Immigrant ductive and unsafe, thus diminishing the effectiveness of U.S. Visa program for the thousands of Afghan and Iraqi nationals who foreign policy. No amount of (supposed) policy, programmatic have supported the work of the United States. While many have or management “brilliance” warrants a jerk’s behavior. Jerks need already been granted visas and are now valued and productive to be identified and counseled, and issues with jerks need to be residents and citizens of America, thousands more continue to live processed as appropriate (and required) within the system. in constant and very real fear of violent retaliation for their work. We need more carrots and sticks to confront jerks. The Bureau Current events in both countries suggest that this danger will only of Global Talent Management needs to come up with visible ways increase over the next few years. to recognize and award staff (especially entry-level staff and over- Evidence in a class action lawsuit Afghan and Iraqi Allies v. seas local staff) who do the right thing. Today, staff who confront Pompeo, filed in June 2018, showed that the average Afghan and jerks see or hear little or nothing regarding resolution, at best. More Iraqi SIV applicant was likely to wait more than four years for a visa. often, they are ostracized and made to feel as if they have done A February ruling in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., noted something wrong. that more than 7,700 applicants have been waiting longer than the More public naming and shaming of jerks would help. Jerks and congressionally mandated nine-month response time. The judge those who enable them should be penalized with career demerits ruled that such delays are unlawful. similar to security violations. If being a jerk or enabling one would A June 2020 Office of the Inspector General report on the SIV severely limit assignments and promotions, stopping jerks would program noted that “the department’s management of resources become the norm as opposed to the exception. and strategic planning for the Afghan SIV program is decentralized We hope the new administration will take a zero-tolerance and lacks the focus needed to continuously evaluate the program approach to jerks and help us create a jerk-free environment. and seek improvements.” Thousands of State, Defense and other federal employees can FSO Matt Weiller is deputy executive director for the South and personally attest to the bravery and dedication of our Afghan and Central Asia Bureau for the combined Near East-South and Central Asia Iraqi colleagues, and to the threats and intimidation they and their Executive Office.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 55 Elevate USAID, Fine-tune forward deployed, serving on the front lines in 277 embassies, Assistance consulates and missions overseas. A successful effort to reinvigorate U.S. diplomacy will require • Underscore that engagement matters, including with fellow deep reforms in the U.S. foreign assistance program, in particu- Americans. That is, indeed, why we are present overseas. lar elevating USAID and focusing its mission on the least devel- • Invest in the future through expanded programming for oped countries (LDCs). USAID’s workforce needs to be aligned youth, girls and women, health and education. with its mission and capable of designing and implementing its • Maximize American soft power through the International assistance activities independently. Visitor Leadership Program, the Young African Leaders Initia- A focus on fewer countries and a handful of sectors is neces- tive, the Humphrey and Fulbright Fellowship programs and sary to achieve a lasting impact. U.S. assistance should give the teaching of English—even if it is commercially available priority to the poorest countries. locally—to provide firsthand exposure to what we are and what The U.N. Development Program’s annual Human Develop- we value. ment Index can be used to identify these countries. As of 2019, • Recognize that while security is essential, it is a means 30 of the 35 countries in the lowest ranks of this index (of 189 toward an end. countries) are in sub-Saharan Africa. • Note that Africa is being left behind among U.S. priorities; A rise in human development indices of these LDCs requires a second African Leaders Summit would go a long way toward that most of their people have adequate levels of health care demonstrating its relevance to us. and education. Health care includes family planning, nutrition, • Emphasize positivity regarding America and its unique sanitation and water. Education includes formal, nonformal, strengths, rather than negativity about Russia and China. vocational and training needed to respond to the job market. • Regard alliances and coalitions as effective partnerships Development is a long-term process. Therefore, guaranteed in addressing today’s transnational challenges. They provide funding commitments of 10 to 15 years are required. The U.S. synergy while building strength through burden-sharing. Congress needs to pass legislation making all countries in the • Take advantage of the diaspora—of all nations—as impor- LDC category eligible for multiyear crisis funding. tant and worthy of our engagement and attention. The poorest countries cannot be helped effectively if the • Express America and the Foreign Service fully as the United States continues to adhere to a complicated bureaucratic complex sociocultural mosaic that they are, and underscore the process that can take many months from activity conception to strengths that our rich diversity provide us. actual implementation. In these countries, missions should be organized in a way that gives priority to assistance programs. FSO Eric P. Whitaker is the U.S. ambassador to Niger. Redesigning U.S. assistance is part of an overdue revision of overall foreign assistance legislation. Morale and Welfare Issues Mark Wentling is a retired USAID Senior Foreign Service officer in The Biden administration should look closely at two issues Lubbock, Texas. affecting the morale and welfare of its Foreign Service staff— first, the State Department’s treatment of those who suffered some unknown type of attack in Cuba and China; and second, Seek the Advice of Senior Diplomats the high number of leadership positions unfilled at State. Our frontline senior career diplomats have considerable The effects of the former were not adequately addressed by experience, and look forward to sharing their perspectives with the previous leadership. The mistreatment of personnel after the White House and others guiding our foreign relations. An reporting their medical problems has been well documented annual chiefs-of-mission conference with high-level adminis- in the media. The effect on staffing in China is impossible to tration officials to discuss perspectives and recommendations ignore, and only firm action by the new administration can would be valuable and productive. rebuild our shaken confidence. Here are some of my own recommendations to the new We sign up knowing this job involves many hardships and administration. risks, but the lack of support for those affected is offensive. It • Provide strong support for the Foreign Service, which is recalls the Cold War days when staff in Moscow were not told

56 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL that the embassy was being bathed in microwave radiation by the Soviets. The second issue, the high number of unfilled leadership positions at State, is easier to resolve.

Brian Wilson is a Foreign Service information specialist at U.S. Embassy Berlin. Assignments Step Up Engagement Outside Capitals process As we emerge from a global pandemic and reengage with partner governments and multilateral bodies to tackle chal- lenges to U.S. and global security and prosperity, we also need to reinvigorate American connections to the people and com- munities these institutions serve. Public diplomacy initiatives, exchange programs and com- mercial outreach help counter false narratives and amplify the 2011 Fukushima disaster and family visits as proof that she American soft power that truly sets us apart from competitors. could not work on national security matters related to Japan, a Provided with training, technology and space for creativity, country the United States considers one of our strongest allies Foreign Service professionals overseas can step up engagement in Asia. outside capitals to demonstrate the benefits of partnership with As a result of AAFAA and others’ advocacy and prior work the United States to broader host-country communities. to establish an appeals mechanism for restriction cases, Ms. The successful American Presence Post model can be Kondo-Shah was able to see the DS memo that accused her of expanded, in countries where local conditions allow, to deliver showing “foreign preference” to Japan, counter each point and on-the-ground diplomacy to important regions and economic contest the decision. centers. Given basic embassy support and guidance, an APP While we appreciate the department’s efforts to codify an consisting of an FSO and several local staff can achieve outsized appeals process to challenge questionable assignment restric- impact at minimal cost and build enduring ties at the local and tions, many employees, disproportionately of Asian American regional level. descent, are still trapped in a cycle of fighting perceptions of disloyalty because a major flaw remains: The appeals process is FSO Toby Wolf is a team lead in the Office of Science and Technology not independent from DS. Cooperation at the State Department. We recommend that State create an independent appeals process outside of the DS chain of command. We also recom- mend that the Bureau of Global Talent Management collect and Address Flaw in Assignment publish data on the number of officers and their Equal Employ- Restrictions Process ment Opportunity Commission–protected backgrounds. The Asian American Foreign Affairs Association has made We are hopeful that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will significant strides with the State Department Bureau of Diplo- engage with AAFAA and relevant bureaus to make meaningful matic Security to improve transparency and fairness in assign- change on this issue, as Deputy Secretary Blinken did in 2016, to ment restrictions. But more needs to be done to reform an ensure a more diverse, inclusive and transparent State Depart- archaic system that doesn’t appear to value America’s diversity ment. n as a strategic advantage. Six weeks before departing for Japan, DS informed Yuki Shirlene Yee, a management officer in the Bureau of Western Kondo-Shah that she had an assignment restriction. DS cited Hemisphere Affairs, is president of the Asian American Foreign her parent’s country of birth, volunteer work done in Japan after Affairs Association.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 57 FEATURE

Embassy Bucharest staff welcome guests at the gate to “Ebbets Field” in 2017. U.S. EMBASSY BUCHAREST/LUCIAN CRUSOVEANU BUCHAREST/LUCIAN EMBASSY U.S. THE LEGACY OF Jackie Robinson

Through baseball diplomacy the youth of Romania and Uganda learned important lessons. BY RONALD E. HAWKINS JR.

merica’s first African American to play in self and his family. Yet almost a decade before the Reverend Dr. Major League Baseball was the legendary Martin Luther King Jr. appeared on the national stage, Robinson’s Jackie Robinson, number 42. Known for response to all the insults, threats and mistreatment was principled his athletic prowess, Robinson demon- nonviolence. The deliberate choice of nonviolence—not the lack strated even greater skill and valor off of doing something, but the conscious act of choosing not to be the field. The first Black man to integrate violent in dealing with adversity—is central to Jackie Robinson’s into an all-white sport in 1947, he faced powerful legacy. callous treatment and threats to him- Preventing violent extremism is an important issue for the A national security of the United States. While diplomats can Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. is currently a student at the lecture on the merits of peace and nonviolence, engaging U.S. Army War College pursuing a master’s degree in host-country youth in an interactive and relatable way has strategic studies. He served as the public affairs officer been the best approach I have found during my recent tours as (PAO) in Kampala from August 2018 to July 2020. Previ- a public diplomacy officer for getting this message out. ously, he was PAO in Bucharest and Khartoum. He has In both Romania and Uganda, promoting nonviolence and had assignments in Washington, D.C., Sarajevo, Reykjavík and Algiers. inclusion was important to bolster democracy. Both nations

58 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL had had experiences either with violence in the form of protests against corrupt elements in the government turning ugly or with the mistreatment of minorities. I was delighted to find national baseball organizations in both countries that oversee the sport, field a national team, and have a network of schools and clubs across the country. Since baseball is one of America’s best-known pastimes, the national organiza- tions eagerly looked to us to help grow their sport. Though not our primary focus, seeing the sport grow was a nice residual outcome of our efforts. Our primary effort was to share the story of the great Jackie Robinson, who contributed so uniquely to the game of baseball and to America despite extremely challenging circumstances.

Jackie Robinson Day in CRUSOVEANU BUCHAREST/LUCIAN EMBASSY U.S. With U.S. Ambassador Hans G. Klemm to his left, Romanian President Klaus Iohannes Romania greets Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, at the 2017 July Fourth reception In Romania in 2017, we part- at Embassy Bucharest. nered with their national baseball association to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, April 15. We chose a Saturday as close to that date as possible and held an exhibi- tion match between the national team of Romania and a pick- up team from the U.S. embassy. Each team donned a specially created jersey bearing Jackie’s iconic 42. Hundreds gathered to watch the event, and the ambassador’s remarks captured the theme we were messaging. Media coverage focused both on the event and the nonviolence messaging. The U.S. embassy and the mayor of Constanta, the town on the Black Sea coast where the event was held, were so pleased with the outcome that it immediately became an annual event. The embassy also decided to make Jackie Robinson the theme of the Independence Day reception, and the embassy yard was turned into “Ebbets Field, April 15, 1947,” complete with score- board, antique cars, baseball decorations and food, a pitching cage and a special guest of honor—Sharon Robinson, daughter U.S. EMBASSY BUCHAREST/LUCIAN CRUSOVEANU BUCHAREST/LUCIAN EMBASSY U.S. of Jackie Robinson and an author and consultant for Major Members of the Romanian National Baseball Team at the League Baseball. 2017 July Fourth reception.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 59 to teach the basics of the sport, while embassy staff shared Jackie Robinson’s story and the policy of nonviolence. It offered a fun way for young people to learn. The top players from the various clinics held throughout the country were invited to a grand finale on Jackie Robin- son Day in April. The culmi- nating event was held at an athletic boarding school about an hour outside Kampala. The

U.S. EMBASSY KAMPALA/CHRISTOPHER LUVEGA site was chosen because of its A baseball clinic in Uganda in 2019. facilities, but also because the American philanthropist who Ms. Robinson spent a week there elaborating on her father’s funds it had recently started a relationship with the Los Angeles legacy, as well as sharing her newest book for young readers Dodgers. Robinson had played for the Brooklyn Dodgers until focused on her dad’s life. She was joined by three retired Major 1956, and the team then moved to California in 1958 to become League Baseball players, who worked with the national baseball the L.A. Dodgers. association to hold clinics for kids throughout Romania. At all When we approached the school and the Dodgers officials events the theme of nonviolence was paramount. about their collaboration, their answer was a resounding yes, saying: “We are Jackie’s Team!” At the finale, the youth teams Baseball Clinics in Uganda held a tournament followed by an exhibition game between I did not expect to find baseball in Uganda, but there it the United States and Uganda. Their Olympic hopeful national was. The Ugandan national association was strong, and their team beat our ragtag band, but the day of healthy, friendly national team almost qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. This competition was well received. time we designed the program a little differently. We held clin- The event was a big success. The audience was enthusias- ics throughout the country relying on the national association tic. Excellent media coverage was augmented on social media U.S. EMBASSY KAMPALA/CHRISTOPHER LUVEGA Jackie Robinson Day in Uganda in 2019.

60 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL because of the par- The youth were fully engaged not ticipation of local only in baseball, but in talking about celebrities. And the youth were fully nonviolence. engaged not only in baseball, but in talking about non- clinics to highlight the importance of this American’s life and violence. The night legacy. Ugandan A-listers were invited, along with the media, to before all were meet special guest David Robinson, son of the famed baseball treated to a screen- player and a coffee grower in Tanzania. Though flight delays ing of the 2013 film unfortunately caused David Robinson to miss the screening, in “42,” a biopic about later interviews and group discussions the people of Uganda

Jackie Robinson. U.S. EMBASSY KAMPALA/CHRISTOPHER LUVEGA got a chance to interact with him. Because the David Robinson, son of Jackie Through baseball diplomacy, the youth of Romania and Robinson, visits the American- film had not been supported athletic training center Uganda learned important lessons. With media amplification, widely shown in near Kampala in 2019. the broader community heard the message as well, showcasing Uganda when it was the U.S embassies’ concern for the youth of the host countries released, we decided to organize an additional screening as a and our creative engagement on the prevention of violent red-carpet affair a month after the grand finale of the baseball extremism. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 61 FS HERITAGE

Like Father, Like Son The Francis Ambassadorships

Although John M. Francis and son Charles are not well known, they share an important distinction: Both served as ambassadors—in the same countries. BY STEPHEN H. MULLER

ver nearly 250 years of American Francis served in Athens from 1901 to 1902 and in Vienna from diplomacy, several pairs of fathers 1906 to 1910. and sons (and, more recently, Note that I am referring to the Francises as “ambassadors.” daughters) have served as ambas- The United States did not begin to call the chief of a foreign sadors. Occasionally, they have even mission an ambassador until after Charles Francis’ service. served as ambassadors to the same Technically, the Francises’ title was “minister,” and they headed country. No doubt the most famous a legation, not an embassy. are John Adams and John Quincy Adams in London. The December 2018 Foreign Service Journal A Family Dynasty Ocarried the story of FSO Ronald Neumann and his father, Robert Born in 1823 in the rural community of Prattsburgh, New Neumann, in Afghanistan. Letters to the editor in the June 2019 York, John Morgan Francis began his career in publishing as an Foreign Service Journal identified other examples. apprentice for the Ontario Messenger in New York’s Finger Lakes But one father and son are truly unique in U.S. diplomatic region. He subsequently became an editor for successively larger history: John M. Francis (1823-1897) and son Charles S. Francis newspapers and, in 1846, moved to Troy—at the time, a boom- (1853-1911) of Troy, New York. They not only served as ambas- ing transportation and manufacturing center at the confluence sadors in the same country; they served as ambassadors in the of the Hudson River and the Erie Canal—to become editor and same two countries. John Francis served in Athens from 1871 joint owner of the Northern Budget. Five years later, he founded to 1873, and later in Vienna from 1884 to 1885, while Charles the Troy Daily Times, which became one of the city’s chief news- papers. Stephen H. Muller had a 26-year Foreign Service Yet Francis’ interests went beyond publishing. According to career with the State Department, serving as an eco- an obituary, “Mr. Francis became a member of the Republican nomic officer in Quito, Brasilia, Mexico City, Ottawa, party at its birth.” He was active in New York state Republican London and Washington, D.C. He retired to Troy, New politics, which brought him to the attention of President Ulysses York, and has published two works on local history: S. Grant and resulted in his diplomatic appointment to Greece Troy, New York, and the Building of the USS Monitor (2009) and in 1871. Following service as minister resident/consul general Washington Park, Troy, New York: A Social History (2017). in Portugal from 1882 to 1884, he was appointed envoy extraor-

62 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL WIKIMEDIA WIKIMEDIA A portrait of Ambassador John M. Francis, father of Charles S. Charles S. Francis, circa 1901, when he served as ambassador Francis who later followed in his footsteps. to Greece, where his father had served 30 years earlier.

dinary and minister plenipotentiary to Austria by President ment was sympathetic. In a series of approving cables in 1884, Chester A. Arthur in July 1884. Francis described measures that had been adopted by Austria Born in Troy in 1853, Charles S. Francis would follow in his “for the repression of Mormon proselytizing and recruiting in father’s footsteps, literally and figuratively. He became propri- His Majesty’s Empire for the purpose of securing accessions by etor of the Troy Daily Times on his father’s death in 1897. And emigration to the polygamous sect in the United States.” after serving as his father’s secretary in Athens and Vienna, he He also reported that Thomas Biesinger of the Utah Terri- returned to diplomatic service when President William McKinley tory, chief agent of the Mormons for Austria, had been arrested named him minister to Greece in 1900. President Theodore Roo- in Prague and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment and a sevelt named him ambassador to Austria-Hungary in 1906. fine of five florins “for encouragement of a religious creed not During their assignments in Greece and Austria, the Fran- sanctioned by the state.” cises dealt with many usual and some unusual matters of the The Austrian government pointed out that Mormon pros- day. The following snapshots of their diplomatic work are drawn elytizing and recruitment were violations of Austrian laws that from excerpts of official communications out of Vienna and Ath- prohibited organized methods of inducing people to emigrate, ens contained in the volumes of the U.S. State Department publi- and that it had instructed all regional governments “to keep cation, Foreign Relations of the United States. All communica- a watchful eye upon them and to issue such orders to their tions from an embassy go out over the name of the ambassador subordinates as would suppress all possible recruiting for the regardless of the author, so we cannot be sure if all the passages Mormons by all lawful means.” quoted were written by one of the Francises. But given that both Francis praised the Austrian position, telling Foreign Min- were in the newspaper business, it seems likely that they wrote ister Count Szogyényi: “I am instructed by my Government to their own diplomatic cables. recognize the action referred to of His Majesty’s Government, and to express its sincere gratification that such praiseworthy Navigating Religious Controversy action has been taken.” While serving in Vienna, John M. Francis supported the U.S. In late 1901, Charles S. Francis described the violence that government’s official anti-Mormon policy of the 1880s. The ensued in Athens following a seemingly innocuous event: international aspect of this policy was to discourage immigra- the translation and publication of the Bible into common tion by Mormons recruited overseas. The Austrian govern- (“vulgar”) Greek. Although this project had been approved by

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 63 Given that both [Francises] were in “Priests read from every pulpit in Athens a [religious] decree … the newspaper business, it seems which prohibits, on pain of excommunication, the sale or read- ing of any translation of the Bible.” likely that they wrote their own diplomatic cables. Protecting U.S. Citizens and Promoting Exports Protection of citizens overseas has always been a priority of U.S. embassies. One particular issue facing naturalized U.S. the Metropolitan (the head of the Greek Orthodox Church), citizens returning to Europe during the Francis ambassadorships “expressions were employed by the translators, which the Hel- in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was conscription into lenes regard as unfit to be printed in the Holy Scriptures.” As a the armies of their birth countries. Many European armies were result, “Athens has been the scene of mob demonstration which based on universal conscription, and some governments did … almost assumed the proportions of a revolution,” Francis not, as a matter of principle, recognize foreign naturalization as reported. an exemption from conscription. He continued, “Mass meetings were held in front of the This was such a serious issue for Greece and Austria that in university buildings on the afternoons of November 19 and 20, 1901 the State Department instructed the embassies in both at which violent speeches were made in denunciation of the countries to warn naturalized U.S. citizens that naturaliza- objectionable biblical translation and of all those identified tion was not an automatic exemption from conscription. The with it.” Opponents of the project, led by university students instruction to Athens said: “The Greek Government does not, and labor unions, called for a mass demonstration; the Greek as a general statement, recognize a change of nationality on the authorities unwisely reacted by mobilizing military forces in part of a former Greek without the consent of the King, and a the capital. former Greek who has not “Late in the afternoon completed his military the expected collision took service and who is not place between the authori- exempt therefrom under ties and the aroused the military code may be Athenians. The mob, now arrested upon his return to numbering over 25,000, Greece.” proceeded to the ministry Charles S. Francis dealt of finance and demol- successfully with at least ished the windows of the one such case in each building. Thereupon, shots country where he served. were fired upon the crowd In Greece, he secured the by police officers and release of Louis (Leonidas) employees of the ministry. Economopoulos from the The rioters responded with Greek Army in 1901, but it pistols and stones and HART CLUETT MUSEUM, N.Y. TROY, took two years of diplo- John M. Francis in his Troy study, 1889. were only dispersed after a matic struggle. In 1906 cavalry charge and several carbine volleys,” Francis wrote. Francis similarly secured the discharge from the Austrian Army of Eight demonstrators were killed and more than 60 Peter Szatkowski. wounded. “That the casualties were not greater may be Unfortunately, he was not as successful in opening the Aus- explained by the fact that the soldiers were unquestionably in trian market to U.S. meat exports, particularly of salt pork. A long sympathy with the sentiments of the rioters, and did not direct series of cables from 1906 to 1908 describe U.S. efforts to get salt their fire upon the crowds, the effective shooting being done by pork exports accepted by Austria, and the reasons why Austria the police or gendarmes.” After these events, the Greek govern- refused. The fundamental issue was a dispute over sanitary stan- ment and church capitulated. Two senior police officials were dards; these kinds of disputes persist to this day between the U.S. sacked, the Metropolitan resigned; and, as Francis reported, and the European Union.

64 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL This was also a situation in which the embassy had no independent expertise and was basically relaying messages between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Austrian authorities. The Austrians insisted that a “certificate of microscopial inspection” accom- pany shipments of salt pork, while the USDA said it had discontinued this inspection because it believed the salt curing effectively killed trichinosis. The Austrians said that U.S. meat imports were already treated more favorably than imports from European countries; and furthermore, they had found trichinosis in some U.S. salt pork. The fact that Upton Sinclair’s exposé of the U.S. meatpacking industry, The Jungle, came out while this bilateral debate was going on probably did not help Francis’ case; the Austrians referred obliquely to the book in one of their communications. HART CLUETT MUSEUM, N.Y. TROY, Reporting The Charles S. Francis family, 1893. Another major function of embassies is to keep the State Department informed of major developments in the host country and the status of bilateral relations. Both Greeks everywhere, who expressed “gratitude to the American Francises fulfilled these obligations. people for aid and sympathy to the Greeks in the hardships of During the Greek elections of early 1873, the second within their revolution.” the space of a year, John M. Francis reported that the results Charles S. Francis encountered the same warmth from were favorable to incumbent Prime Minister Deligeorgis, who Greece during his subsequent tour there, when President was popular with the electorate for resisting demands from William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. He conveyed this France and Italy. He further commented that this election was message of sympathy from the Greek foreign minister to the “the most quiet one that has occurred in Greece in many years. State Department: “The sad news of the death of the President The only disturbances thus far reported took place at Messenia, of the United States, victim of an odious crime, has caused the where, it is said, three murders were committed, and at Ziro- Royal Government profound feeling; and therefore, in its name, chori, in Eubœa, where mob violence prevailed to some extent; I pray you to accept my sentiments of keen sympathy. Greece but these districts embrace disorderly elements that always joins in the profound sorrow which the people of the United appear in more or less tumultuous proceedings on election States of America suffer on this sad occasion.” occasions.” The European squadron of the U.S. Navy visited the port of In May 1873 Francis set out on a brief tour of Greece, Piraeus in 1902. “The visit of the American war ships to Greek “deeming it desirable to acquaint myself by personal observa- waters elicited much favorable comment,” Francis reported. tion with the resources and capacities of the country outside of The fleet admiral and his officers “were the recipients of Athens.” He was accompanied by son Charles, as well as a New marked social attentions during their stay here.” They were York congressman, an interpreter—and an escort of soldiers. formally presented to the king and queen, who in turn visited He reported on well-tended vineyards, olive groves and the fleet’s flagship. fields of grain, but noted the Greek “adherence to agricultural n implements of the patterns used in the time of Homer.” He John M. Francis and Charles S. Francis may not rank among also remarked that Greeks had begun to cultivate cotton in the more notable American ambassadors (but by all measures response to the scarcity caused by the U.S. Civil War. He said all they performed their duties competently). They are, however, the villages he visited had schools for boys, but only one had a unique in having served in the same places, albeit at different school for girls. He commented that he was received warmly by times. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 65 OFF-ROAD WITH THE FOREIGN SERVICE

One Morning in Nuuk

BY JAMES P. DEHART

Despite our clean COVID-19 tests in Copenhagen, we were barred from official meetings in Greenland pending a five-day quarantine. Fortunately, we were allowed to go outside, so we booked a little yellow boat for a tour up one of the small fjords off Davis Strait.

James P. DeHart, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, is the U.S. coordinator for the Arctic region at the State Department. He served previously as senior adviser for security ne- gotiations and agreements, assistant chief of mission in Kabul and deputy chief of mission in Oslo, among many other assignments. He took the photos during a September 2020 trip With our experienced Inuit captain, We stopped to study icebergs, to Greenland. He is a former chair of the FSJ we weaved between ice floes at high search for seals and follow a cresting Editorial Board. speeds. humpback whale.

66 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL An hour later we arrived in Qoornoq. In the 1950s, it had been a thriving fishing town with 1,400 workers. But now it was largely abandoned, reduced to a cluster of seasonal cabins.

We walked the decrepit buildings where fish once hung in Back on the water, we fished for cod with rope and a nets to dry, as icebergs floated by. A child’s doll sat naked— spindle. My colleagues lowered four bare hooks and inexplicably—in a rusted chair, watching our every move. hauled up four fat fish. An underachiever, I only got three.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 67 On the way back, we got a little too close to an iceberg as it imploded, leaving us bobbing in the waves. The locals on shore were only too happy to take a hundred pounds of fish off our hands. The next day we passed our second COVID test—free at last to do some work! Here is my rendering of Nuuk in watercolor.

68 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATIONAFSA NEWS

AFSA at Work Through the Pandemic CALENDAR

Nearly a year ago, on March according to Deputy General Recently DS started Please check 16, as the COVID-19 pandemic Counsel Raeka Safai. “The conducting these meetings in www.afsa.org for the most up-to-date information. upended work routines across majority of our staff deals person again. All events are subject the globe, AFSA closed its with grievances, and so they Membership and Out- to cancellation or offices and instructed its have managed to seamlessly reach. AFSA has moved all rescheduling. employees to telework. transition to working from its membership recruitment March 4 “AFSA operations have home with little disruption,” efforts online, says Christine 1-2 p.m. gone remarkably smoothly she says. Miele, director of programs Webinar: “The View during the pandemic. We all LM has fielded many and member engagement. from Washington” miss interacting personally pandemic-related inquiries AFSA has traditionally with our colleagues and mem- about authorized departure, invited members of each March 10 12-1 p.m. bers, but the business of AFSA the vaccine and other issues. incoming class to its head- “The Dissent Channel: has carried on,” says Executive But its regular caseload has quarters for a luncheon with What You Should Know” Director Ásgeir Sigfússon. remained steady, Safai says. retired and active-duty mem- “We moved our events LM also attends Diplomatic bers of the Foreign Service, March 15 Deadline: AFSA online to great success, have Security investigations, which including the AFSA president Scholarship Applications adjusted to be able to onboard were moved to Zoom for and staff. A high percentage new members virtually and months. That proved a chal- of the attendees joined AFSA March 17 have continued our high level lenge, Safai says. after these in-person lunches. 12-2 p.m. of member services, ranging “During these investiga- Because of the pandemic, AFSA Governing Board Meeting from everyday requests to tions, there is an advantage AFSA shifted membership the assistance of our Labor to ‘reading the room,’ the recruitment efforts to Zoom, April 5 Management team,” Sigfús- body language, and to sit next but Miele says it has been Deadline: son adds. to your client to gauge how harder to reach potential 2021 High School Essay Contest Here is a look at how vari- they are feeling and when it new members virtually. ous AFSA sections have fared is time for a break or discus- “We continue to think of April 21 during the pandemic. sion,” Safai says. “Obviously, new ways to make virtual 12-2 p.m. Labor Management. we can’t do that as easily via recruitment closer to the AFSA Governing AFSA’s Labor Management Zoom, but we have managed, personal connect of in- Board Meeting office continues to work with and have sat in on numerous person lunches, and we May 6 members, many of whom are DS investigations during this AFSA Foreign Service Day overseas, by phone or email, past year.” Continued on page 77 Virtual Programming

May 7 Virtual Foreign Service Day

AFSA Meets with May 13 12 p.m. Secretary of State Blinken AFSA Governing Board Election AFSA President Eric Rubin other unions in response to Management Carol Perez, Town Hall and AFSA State Vice Presi- President Joe Biden’s direc- State Department Coun- dent Tom Yazdgerdi met with tive to restore and enhance selor Derek Chollet, the Sec- May 19 12-2 p.m. Secretary of State Antony cooperation with all federal retary’s Chief of Staff Suzy AFSA Governing Blinken in a virtual meeting workplace unions. George, and Deputy Chief of Board Meeting on Feb. 1. Also participating from Staff Tom Sullivan. n The new Secretary the State Department were reached out to AFSA and Acting Under Secretary for

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 69 STATE VP VOICE | BY TOM YAZDGERDI AFSA NEWS

Contact: [email protected] | (202) 647-8160

AFSA Needs a Second Full-Time Labor Management Position at State

The size of the Foreign Ser- to represent more effectively for successive skill codes, a position in the call for nomi- vice has increased by more the more than 5,000 special- full-time State representative nations for the 2021-2023 than 30 percent in the past 15 ists at State, including 2,000 will have the opportunity to AFSA electoral period. We will years—and has been growing Diplomatic Security special engage with members of that nonetheless press forward since AFSA last negotiated its agents and another 3,000 skill code and make certain with negotiations with the collective bargaining agree- specialists spread across 19 PDPs make sense. These are department on establishment ment in 1987. other skill codes, including just a few of the many special- of this full-time position. Despite this increase, information management ist issues that arise. Should the department there is still only one full-time specialists, office manage- AFSA would also be able agree to our proposal, AFSA State Department Foreign ment specialists, general to delve more deeply into the would wait until one of the six Service employee in AFSA’s services officers, medical questions we consistently State representative posi- Labor Management unit—the providers and diplomatic hear from our specialist mem- tions on the Governing Board AFSA State vice president—to couriers, to name a few. bers, such as why human became vacant and, as per- deal with the myriad issues These employees have resources officers apparently mitted by the bylaws, appoint confronting today’s Foreign unique skill sets and are advance more quickly than someone to fill the vacancy. Service. subject to unique hiring and general services officers, Prior to doing so, AFSA In 2019 AFSA obtained the promotion rules. While we or why it is so hard to get would send out a message State Department’s agree- currently have two specialists promoted from FS-4 to FS-3 describing the position and ment during periodic negotia- serving as State representa- as an information manage- inviting anyone interested to tions of its framework agree- tives on the AFSA Governing ment specialist, or why DS apply. We would establish in ment to include a provision Board, these individuals have agents seem to get stuck at advance a group of individu- “allowing the right for AFSA to full-time jobs in the depart- FS-3 or FS-2, or whether FS-4 als who will interview and vet submit a proposal for negotia- ment and, thus, do not have is an appropriate level for the candidates against transpar- tion to the Department’s Chief the time needed to work on traveling diplomatic courier. ent standards and then make Labor Management Negotia- these issues. Surge Capacity. We a recommendation to the tor requesting up to 100% As the exclusive represen- are proud of the way AFSA AFSA Governing Board for official time for an additional tative of FS specialists, AFSA has responded to the many approval. AFSA would then representative for a definitive needs to increase our elected issues affecting our members include this position in the period of time.” bandwidth to more effectively because of the COVID-19 regular 2023-2025 electoral The provision allows AFSA assist our specialist members pandemic. But another full- season. to engage in negotiations on and represent their issues to time position would likely Again, nothing is guaran- this subject while the agree- department management. have given us the wherewithal teed. We must convince the ment is still in force, rather AFSA needs to take a to master pandemic-related department that this position than having to wait until it careful look—and engage issues more quickly and com- is needed, if even for a trial is up for renewal on Aug. 31, extensively with members of prehensively. period. In the meantime, we 2022. each skill code—to ensure In the future we can expect will keep you informed of our As of this writing, after the present structure pro- other major threats to the negotiations. receiving unanimous approval vides realistic advancement well-being of our members, The bottom line is that we at the November 2020 AFSA prospects and a meaningful whether caused by a new want to be as transparent and Governing Board meeting, we career path. The one-size-fits- pandemic or another global open about this initiative as have made a formal proposal all approach may no longer be scourge. So, having this surge possible. We welcome your to the department to estab- appropriate for a wide variety capacity would be a welcome thoughts and comments at lish this position. of skills, job descriptions and addition to Labor Manage- [email protected]. n Focusing on Specialists. career paths. ment’s capabilities. With an additional full-time As professional develop- Next Steps. Unfortunately, position, AFSA would be able ment plans are produced it is too late to include this

70 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL USAID VP VOICE | BY JASON SINGER AFSA NEWS

Contact: [email protected] | (202) 712-5267

A Clash of Bureaucracies: Looking Back to Look Ahead

Getting ready for a new 1. The size of the career 3. The counter-bureau- reporting requirements on administration and USAID USAID staff is shrinking even cracy has what Natsios calls a range of internal and pro- leadership inevitably leads to as spending has rapidly “a very bad case of obses- grammatic processes take thoughts about the future. increased. I have written sive measurement disorder, up far too much staff time. But I want to highlight a about this sad phenomenon an intellectual dysfunction However… 2010 paper that bears (re-) in previous FSJ columns. The rooted in the notion that There are real institutional consideration for anyone agency needs a revolution in counting everything in challenges at USAID that interested in USAID as a strategic workforce planning government programs (or date back decades across development institution: and an Office of Human Capi- private industry and increas- parties and administrators. Former USAID Administrator tal and Talent Management ingly some foundations) Workforce planning. Trans- Andrew Natsios’ “The Clash of renaissance—along with far will produce better policy parent budgeting. Promotion the Counter-bureaucracy and more career employees, both choices and improved man- processes and diversity. Use Development” (see http://bit. Civil Service and Foreign agement.” and misuse of employment ly/cgd-essay). Service. The ongoing massive Can we be honest and mechanisms. The paper reminds us of “Reorganization” is not going find ways to acknowledge These are findings from what we quickly learn as FSOs to fix what ails USAID in that a project’s goal may decades of reports from out- in the field: that “a central terms of its workforce. sometimes be nonquantifi- side stakeholders, including principle of development 2. A counter-bureaucracy able? That context matters the Government Accountabil- theory—that those develop- is emerging, consisting and that project objectives ity Office and the Congres- ment programs that are most of agencies charged with and goals may change mid- sional Research Service. It is precisely and easily measured command and control of the stream? natural for a big bureaucracy are the least transformational, federal bureaucracy through USAID is improving on this to face challenges, and Con- and those programs that are a set of budgeting, oversight, front. Collaboration, Learning gress should play an over- most transformational are the accountability and measure- and Adapting, a part of the sight role. least measurable” is the real- ment systems that have built USAID toolkit, is a great start, If Congress saw results ity of our work. new layers of procedural and but we must do much more. and had faith and trust in This idea flies in the face of compliance requirements 4. Congressional over- USAID to address these the oft-repeated cliche “What into existing ones. sight committees and their issues, it wouldn’t require gets measured, gets done,” At the working level, we requests for ever more such a high number and and it challenges the notion have greatly improved our information, more control scope of reports. The new that compliance and account- coordination and collabo- systems and more reports leadership must prioritize ability are the gold standards ration among contracting have diverted professional real internal reform. in development. officers, controllers, resident USAID staff from program Since Administrator Yes, as Natsios puts it, legal officers, technical staff work to data collection and Natsios wrote his paper, “a point can be reached and program officers. But reporting. USAID has made prog- when compliance becomes we operate in a broader I have mixed feelings ress. We are still the most counterproductive. I believe bureaucratic context, where on this point. USAID is respected and independent we are well past that point.” we often spend far too much something of a creature of development agency. And remember, he wrote this time reporting on things that Congress. We not only seek With a new administration, in 2010! have little relevance to our annual programmatic budget we have the chance to take I urge you to read the programs while processing resources, but our operating our agency to a new level, entire piece as it gives some paperwork and queries that expenses as well come from but this will require that the great history, perspective and distract from field work. Congress. broader bureaucracy work insights far beyond the few I We must continue to Committee and individual together more effectively highlight here. try to find the right bal- member interests in cer- on behalf of the American Natsios makes his case as ance between impact and tain sectors and countries people and not opt for the follows: accountability. complicate budgeting, while band-aid fixes of the past. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 71 RETIREE VP VOICE | BY JOHN K. NALAND AFSA NEWS

Contact: [email protected]

FS Grievance Board Appointments: Mike Pompeo’s Dereliction of Duty

This may be the first column ing FSGB member appoint- gling to keep up with the But my impression today in the Journal’s 102-year his- ments. Unfortunately, chaotic events of the as the AFSA Governing tory written not for current Congress did not anticipate Trump administration’s Board member charged with readers but for future his- that a head of our nation’s final months in office, did overseeing the annual FSGB torians. My hope is that this senior Cabinet department not report on the situa- nomination process is that column will turn up years would refuse to fulfill that tion. Secretary Pompeo left Secretary Pompeo’s derelic- from now in an internet responsibility. office without acting on the tion of duty was of a piece search for “Mike Pompeo” More than a month before nominations, leaving it to with the arrogance and so that the facts described the Oct. 1. 2020 expiration of his successor to fulfill that contempt for the rule of law herein are not lost to history. the terms of eight mem- responsibility. Secretary that he frequently showed to During his final year in bers of the FSGB, career Antony Blinken did so within committees of Congress, the office, Secretary of State management officials of two weeks of taking office. media and others. Michael R. Pompeo failed to the agencies utilizing the Perhaps by the time a Secretary Pompeo’s fulfill his statutory responsi- Foreign Service personnel future historian finds this passive-aggressive eviscera- bility to make appointments system (State, USAID, the column, Secretary Pompeo tion of the FSGB deserves to the Foreign Service Griev- Foreign Agricultural Service, will have explained his fail- to be recorded and remem- ance Board. the Foreign Commercial ure to act. bered. n As a result, nearly half Service and the U.S. Agency of the FSGB member for Global Media), along positions fell vacant and with AFSA (as the collective AFSA Governing remained so until the end of bargaining agent of the For- the Trump presidency. Pend- eign Service), unanimously Board Meeting, ing caseloads rose, and jus- selected a slate of nominees Dec. 16, 2020 tice was delayed for employ- as required by law and sub- ees who had appealed to the mitted those nominations to WAE Caps: The Governing Board agreed to FSGB to review their cases. Secretary Pompeo. include removal of When Actually Employed caps Government efficiency was If Secretary Pompeo as a policy priority with the new administration, on also harmed by the delay in had adverse information Capitol Hill and in meetings with transition teams. case decisions that some- on any nominees, he could Midlevel Entry: The Governing Board agreed that times result in the separation have allowed the Foreign AFSA is opposed to midlevel lateral entry from of employees or the imposi- Service agencies and AFSA outside the Foreign Service. n tion of other sanctions. to submit replacement The FSGB was created by nominations prior to Sept. Congress in 1980 to provide 30. Secretary Pompeo took due process to Foreign Ser- no action, so the eight seats vice members who believe became vacant. AFSA Governing they have been deprived of a As the months passed, right or benefit authorized by Secretary Pompeo neither Board Meeting, law or regulation. The board acted nor explained his inac- Jan. 21, 2021 is supposed to be comprised tion. With no legal author- of 19 distinguished citizens ity to compel action, AFSA AFSA Memorial Plaques: The Governing Board who serve in staggered, two- issued a press statement on agreed to include one new name on the AFSA year terms. Dec. 14 calling on Secretary Memorial Plaques. n Federal law charges the Pompeo to act. Secretary of State with mak- The news media, strug-

72 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL WHERE WE STAND | BY JULIE NUTTER, PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES DIRECTOR

Data-Driven Decisions in Foreign Policy

I began writing this column on of both our foreign policy and Data Collection. The FP21 recommendations and the Jan. 7, the day after a violent our foreign policy practitio- report calls on State and other addition of success metrics. mob stormed the U.S. Capitol ners. agencies to develop classified They also suggest a Building to try to stop Con- The use of data analytics and unclassified one-stop, routine use of “red teams” to gress from formally certify- in Foreign Service agencies easily searchable repositories test foreign policy initiatives ing the election of Joe Biden is uneven. In USAID and at for policy memos, research and responses. The Office of as the 46th president of the the Department of Agricul- reports, data sets, academic Policy Planning should remain United States. ture and its Animal and Plant articles, intel and historical focused on longer-term think- I am finishing it on Inau- Health Inspection Service, analyses, diplomatic cables ing and the Foreign Affairs guration Day. In a few days, Foreign Service members and record emails, diplomatic Policy Board should be revived President Biden is expected more comfortably incorporate notes, after-action reports, and feature a firmly bipartisan to sign an executive order call- data into policy decisions. treaties, MOUs and interna- cast. ing for more evidence-based Broadcast media and tional agreements. Learning and Account- decision-making in the federal public diplomacy practitioners Each office or bureau ability. The report’s authors government. use survey results and polls should have a dedicated highlight the importance The Jan/Feb Foreign to inform their work, and eco- librarian to debrief outgoing of making policy decisions Service Journal covered four nomic officers deal with data employees, maintain files and with a keen awareness of the reports issued for the new on a regular basis. capture lessons from current importance of monitoring and administration that offer In a world that now runs initiatives—a set of duties that evaluation of policy. They look recommendations on how on data and its uses, a more could bring office managers to the Defense Department’s to reform our foreign policy widespread understanding of, closer to the policy process routine use of lessons learned, AFSA Governing processes and institutions. and responsible use of, solid if they wished to take on that as well as intelligence com- In this column, I add one and relevant data can only responsibility. munity practices, to argue for Board Meeting, more report to those four— improve diplomatic effective- The report calls for cre- the use of learning in future Dec. 16, 2020 one that received much less ness. ation of an Office of Social planning. attention but that I believe Progress, particularly at Research in State’s Bureau of Valuing Diversity. The could have a profound impact State, is slow. The search- Intelligence and Research and report urges officials to on the Foreign Service’s able cable database is useful a change to the mandate of examine recruiting, hiring, effectiveness, if even a small but clunky; late creation, in the Office of the Historian to performance evaluation and percentage of its recommen- 2011, of the Office of the Chief include policy. assignments processes to dations are followed. Economist (USAID has had More Rigorous Policy help ensure they are bias-free. In the Sept. 8, 2020, report one for decades) was a step Analysis. The report recom- Suggestions include redefin- issued by the think-tank FP21, in the right direction. It should mends that foreign affairs ing merit, evaluating employ- “Less Art, More Science: be revived and reoriented for officials have at least a basic ees in a more concise and Transforming U.S. Foreign use by the rank and file; the knowledge of data analysis quantitative way, using skills Policy through Evidence, Center for Analytics at State as a fundamental skill. For matching in assignments and Integrity, and Innovation,” could be potentially useful. examining complex foreign using 360-degree reviews in the authors argue for more The Bunche library and policy issues, the report calls some form to add sources of systematic data collection, the Office of the Historian are for agencies to create cross- information on performance. vastly improved knowledge underutilized resources. It’s regional and cross-agency The use of evidence-based management, more rigorous still probably easier to look up teams to conduct analysis. decision-making in govern- and evidence-based policy Foreign Affairs Manual regula- Incorporating Evidence ment now has tailwinds. Let’s analysis, the routine use of tions on how much space is into Policy Decisions. The take advantage of the oppor- lessons learned, and reformed allotted for an ambassador’s authors endorse a revision of tunity to bring relevant, appro- personnel practices. office than it is to quickly have memo templates to reflect the priate data fully into Foreign Adopting these points relevant foreign policy case incorporation of relevant, mul- Service decision-making. n would boost the effectiveness studies at hand. tisourced evidence in policy

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 73 AFSA ON THE HILL | BY KIM GREENPLATE

AFSA Advocacy: Year in Review

In a year of unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Congress sent a signal that, on a challenges for all, including After several months of bipartisan basis, its members support our nation’s Foreign Service, negotiation, on Dec. 27, both diplomacy and development—even in AFSA continued to engage a $1.4 trillion Fiscal Year with Congress on the issues 2021 omnibus spending times when domestic concerns take most important to our mem- bill to fund the government center stage. bership. Below is a summary through Sept. 30, 2021, and of our congressional advo- a $900 billion COVID-19 cacy outcomes in 2020. relief package were signed Last spring, Congress into law. passed several rounds of The FY21 spending bill omnibus, Congress included tion Act for the 60th year in emergency relief packages, includes $57.4 billion for the increased funding above a row. together containing more International Affairs Budget, the FY20 enacted level for The final conference than $2.3 billion in fund- an increase of 1.5 percent State/USAID workforce report for the FY21 NDAA ing to support the global above the FY20 enacted diversity initiatives, along includes language to expand response to the coronavirus level, and an additional $5.3 with requirements that spe- long-term health care pandemic. billion in emergency funds. cific reports on these initia- benefits to employees in The international affairs Combined with strong tives be made to Congress other foreign affairs agen- funding in these relief pack- support for emergency fund- directly. cies who were injured in ages focused on the efforts ing to aid the international Once again, Congress China or Cuba, a benefit that of our diplomats to return pandemic response earlier also provided language sup- had been limited to State Americans home and on in the year, Congress sent a portive of restoring midlevel Department employees. strengthening disaster- signal that, on a bipartisan Foreign Service officer In 2021, AFSA’s advo- response capabilities in basis, its members support positions overseas, knowing cacy will push for policies developing countries. diplomacy and develop- embassies lost Foreign Ser- that focus on three general Showcasing its sup- ment—even in times when vice positions to Iraq staffing categories: promoting the port for diplomats in May, domestic concerns take during the mid-2000s. health of the Foreign Service the Senate passed its first center stage. The law will also allow as an institution; morale and resolution recognizing For- This COVID-19 relief those affected by the payroll retention in the Foreign Ser- eign Service Day since the package includes $300 tax deferral to pay back the vice career; and parity for original one in 1996, S. Res. million in emergency aid for deferred taxes throughout the Foreign Service with the 556. AFSA thanks Senators consular affairs (necessary the entirety of 2021, provid- military and other govern- Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and due to funding gaps result- ing 12 months instead of the ment employees. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), ing from reduced worldwide original four to repay the AFSA looks forward to the Senate Foreign Service travel during the pandemic), previously deferred taxes. working with the 117th Con- Caucus co-chairs, for their and authorities to move Congress remained silent gress and the Biden admin- efforts to introduce and existing funding, as needed. on a federal pay increase istration to accomplish our pass this resolution. The package also includes in the final omnibus, and policy goals. n Members of the Senate direct payment of $600 per the president signed an Foreign Relations Commit- individual and qualified child executive order finalizing a tee reiterated their appre- for those earning $75,000 or one-percent federal civilian ciation by passing another less; and, in contrast with the pay raise in the first days of resolution, S. Res. 567, which earlier CARES Act, eligibil- 2021. commends State Depart- ity is extended to families in By overriding a presi- ment career professionals which only one spouse has a dential veto, Congress was for their work to repatri- valid Social Security number. also able to pass the FY21 ate Americans during the Regarding the FY21 National Defense Authoriza-

74 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA Treasurer’s 2020 Report

Despite the volatility expe- rienced globally and in the markets in 2020, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Foreign Service Association is in excellent financial health at year end. AFSA’s financial reserves remain strong. The operating reserve fund stood at $4.3 million at year end, compared to $3.6 million at the end of 2019. That level represents approximately 65 percent of AFSA’s operating budget for 2021 and is a solid indicator of the association’s sustain- ability. Some modest savings were realized from curtailed operational activities due to the pandemic. Investment SIGFÚSSON AFSA/ÁSGEIR The 2019-2021 Governing Board is sworn in at AFSA headquarters on July 15, 2019. Front row (from left): Steve gains were robust. Herman, Kristin Michelle Roberts, Virginia Bennett, Eric Rubin, Jay Carreiro, Mary Daly and Tom Yazdgerdi. The ongoing financial Back row (from left): Jason Singer, Joshua Archibald, John Naland, Ken Kero-Mentz and Tamir Waser. support of our membership Not pictured: Michael Riedel, Lilly Wahl-Tuco, Holly Kirking Loomis, Matthew Dolbow, Lorraine Sherman, Mary Parrish, Jeffrey Austin and Philip Shull. base and other contributors is critical to AFSA’s advocacy sents more than 80 percent ships ultimately paid off. during this election cycle. and outreach on behalf of our of active-duty employees AFSA has greatly strength- Legal needs for some members and their interests. across the foreign affairs ened its public advocacy and members, a hallmark of As we move into a new agencies, plus approximately outreach over the past several the second half of 2019, administration and out of the 25 percent of Foreign Service years to highlight the contri- largely abated during 2020, pandemic, there are likely to retirees. butions the career Foreign although there remain cer- be significant opportunities. Members approved Service makes to U.S. national tain unresolved matters. The AFSA team pledges to a modest baseline dues security, although the pan- Legal expenditures capitalize on those on your increase in 2020. Dues demic proscribed a number on behalf of members behalf. additionally increased by 1.4 of larger-scale opportunities climbed from approximately percent for 2021, in line with in this regard. AFSA leader- $135,000 at year end 2019 Budget Operations consumer price index levels. ship remained undeterred, (net of December invoices) to AFSA’s $5.2 million AFSA operations contin- however, and continued its $472,000 at year end 2020 planned operating budget for ued throughout the pan- outreach and visibility. (again, net of December calendar year 2021 is funded demic, but with significant AFSA and its political invoices). primarily from membership workarounds and modifica- action committee continued The Legal Defense Fund dues. AFSA’s membership tions. Reaching new Foreign to advocate with Congress on received $143,000 in dona- base stood at approximately Service members was a a bipartisan basis for a sus- tions by year end 2020 fol- 16,750 as of year-end 2020, a particular challenge, but sus- tained professional Foreign lowing 2019’s approximately modest increase from 2019’s tained and extensive efforts Service, as well as on issues 16,680. That number repre- to establish new member- of importance to members Continued on next page

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 75 AFSA NEWS

Treasury Report lion. This is consistent with needs-based financial aid FAD activities, the costs of Continued from p. 75 AFSA’s efforts to build up its and $123,500 in merit schol- which will largely be under- operating reserves through arships. Although the fund’s written by transfers from the $600,000 in contributions. prudent stewardship of all its asset value increased sig- operating reserve. That num- Unexpended funds will resources, which will con- nificantly in 2020, the annual ber compares to $420,000 remain in reserve. tinue to be our aim. withdrawal amount did not. in the 2020 operating budget Scholarship Fund. This This practice is designed to and reflects the realities of Fund Operations 501(c)(3) entity was founded ensure that any given year’s the pandemic. In 2020, AFSA main- in 1924 to help the children applicants are not disad- AFSA strongly encourages tained long-term investment of Foreign Service members vantaged should there be a donations to the Fund for discipline and kept suffi- pay for college. The fund has dramatic market decline. American Diplomacy, which cient liquidity to meet any grown substantially over the Fund for American is organized as a 501(3)(c). unexpected cash flow needs decades, and at the end of Diplomacy. The FAD’s mis- Donations will assist AFSA’s related to the pandemic. 2020 stood at $11.8 million, sion is to help educate the continued work to improve AFSA’s investment portfolios a significant increase over American public about the public knowledge about the performed very well, appre- the $10.7 million at the end role of the Foreign Service vital contributions made by ciating 12.6 percent net of all of 2019. and diplomacy as a tool of U.S. diplomats to preserving investment-related expenses. The fund annually America’s influence on the U.S. security and prosperity. For 2020, the combined withdraws 4.5 percent of global stage. At the end of Sinclaire Fund. AFSA also portfolio ended the year at its 5-year average value to 2020, the FAD principal bal- maintains the Matilda W. Sin- $16.99 million in comparison fund scholarships to Foreign ance stood at $454,934. The claire Fund, which is intended to 2019’s $15.25 million. Service children and partially FAD is envisaged to provide to support excellence in Investment expenses totaled underwrite the operating sustained, dedicated support language achievement. AFSA just over $100,000 in 2020, expenses of the scholarship for continuing AFSA’s public draws on that fund annually the same as in 2019. program. Demand in the form outreach, and AFSA and its to pay for language achieve- Operating Reserve. of applications for scholar- leadership continue the effort ment awards. AFSA’s reserve fund was ship monies has remained to build up its principal value. The Sinclaire Fund ended valued at approximately $4.3 relatively flat over the years. The approved 2021 AFSA 2020 with $561,769. n million at year end, a large In 2020, the Scholarship operating budget dedicates —Virginia L. Bennett, boost over 2019’s $3.6 mil- Fund awarded $217,000 in approximately $353,151 to AFSA Treasurer

DISTRIBUTION OF COVID-19 VACCINE

Many AFSA members have been in contact with us concerning the COVID-19 vaccine and its distribution. AFSA is aware that the vaccine’s distribution is constrained by availability, but we have urged the State Depart- ment and the other foreign affairs agencies to ensure that, as vaccine production and distribution ramp up, all members of the Foreign Service and their families be prioritized. That said, while we strongly encourage all employees to receive the vaccine in line with best-practice public

NEWS BRIEF health measures and in consideration of their colleagues, we recognize that this is a personal decision. AFSA has also communicated to our contacts that Foreign Service members from all foreign affairs agencies who are scheduled to transfer or undertake other official travel should have the option to receive the vaccine from the office of medical services before they travel. In addition, members have highlighted the sparse communication from the agencies on both the availability of vaccine doses and plans for its distribution. We have urged that more comprehensive information be provided at more frequent intervals. AFSA appreciates the sensitivities and complexities around COVID-19 and vaccinations, but clear communica- tion to those both domestically and overseas is vital, so that our members are informed and prepared. n

76 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA and the Pandemic U.S. embassies in the same Continued from p. 69 region for events.” Last year, AFSA offered a continue to reach out to new series of virtual town halls members of the Foreign Ser- about the pandemic and vice who have not yet joined other issues by region and AFSA,” she says. time zone, and nearly 500 AFSA’s general outreach AFSA members registered. efforts—keeping members “I consider this to be a major informed and engaging step forward in member media, students and the engagement,” she says. American public—have At the same time, Nutter shifted, as well. “We had to misses the in-person struc- WOODWORTH AFSA/CAMERON AFSA has been conducting most of its business virtually since March 2020, tured conversations that rework our outreach plans including this staff meeting in January. when COVID-19 first hit as AFSA held before the pan- the nation’s attention was demic. “The much smaller understandably focused setting fostered very frank diversity and inclusion, the tunately, a virtual schedule elsewhere,” Miele says. conversations and allowed pandemic response, arms has allowed members of “However, as we moved members to meet AFSA control, human rights, Rus- Congress more time to meet into last spring we rec- President Eric Rubin and the sia and some deep dives into with organizations like AFSA. ognized that the Foreign agency VPs,” she says. personnel issues.” This has been a definite Service response to the Nutter adds that, post- Advocacy on The Hill. benefit.” pandemic—namely the pandemic, she hopes to Kim Greenplate, head of Awards and Scholar- repatriation of American be able to offer a mix of AFSA’s advocacy section, ships. AFSA Scholarships citizens from overseas—was live-streaming and in-person says her toughest challenge and Awards Manager Theo an important story to com- events. “I think AFSA’s work has been Congress’ lack of Horn says that the pandemic municate because it dem- will be richer for it,” she says. attention on the Interna- has created challenges for onstrated how the Foreign The Foreign Service Jour- tional Affairs Budget while his program. Service, with its presence nal. FSJ Editor-In-Chief Shawn it is focusing so much on “We’ve had to shift a lot throughout the world, can Dorman says that while the domestic issues during the of activities that have tradi- act quickly on behalf of FSJ team has missed being in pandemic. tionally been done in person, Americans.” the office together, the nature “Advocates have to fight such as judging of scholar- Professional Policy of publications work “has hard for supplemental IAB ships, essays and awards, Issues. AFSA’s advocacy allowed us to continue to put funding and ward off harmful online,” he says. This has led efforts are aimed at support- the magazine out on time.” narratives about the money AFSA to change the way it ing Foreign Service mem- One of the biggest chal- contained in the State, For- trains and accommodates bers and ensuring that suf- lenges during the pandemic eign Operations, and Related its volunteers. ficient resources are devoted was the loss for several Programs Appropriations “Worse is having to cancel to diplomacy. months of the use of the Act,” she says. “AFSA must or delay events such as the Julie Nutter, AFSA’s PPI diplomatic pouch to send constantly remind Congress Memorial Plaque ceremony, director, says the pandemic magazines to members serv- what diplomats do and why Performance and Dissent has changed the way AFSA ing overseas. Thankfully, she it matters.” Awards and our Scholarship does business, with some says, we now are able to use Maintaining and creat- Award ceremony,” Horn says. upsides and some down- the pouch again. ing new relationships with “It’s been a challenge, sides. “We can now reach “While 2020 was one of Hill staff has also been a and all of our members many more members via the toughest years for AFSA challenge. “Connecting with and volunteers have been Zoom town halls and similar and for the Foreign Service,” people in person provides a very willing to work through events than before,” she Dorman adds, “we were able back and forth that I believe the changes. That is much says. “We can also invite to produce some of our best is truly missing via video appreciated,” he adds. n members from multiple issues, with spotlights on chat,” Greenplate says. “For-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 77 AFSA NEWS

AFSA Partners with American Diplomat Podcast

AFSA is pleased to announce content, including interviews a new 2021 partnership that with authors published in will help in our efforts to recent issues of The Foreign introduce new audiences to Service Journal. the Foreign Service. We also want to feature AFSA has stepped in as other stories from members. a financial supporter of the We encourage both active- popular podcast “American duty and retired members to Diplomat.” Hosted by Ambas- consider sharing your stories sador (ret.) Peter Romero that illustrate the work of the and writer and director Laura Foreign Service. Bennett, the podcast shares If you have a good story AFSA’s mission of generating and are interested in being public support for the U.S. a potential guest on the Foreign Service and features podcast, please let us know. American diplomats’ per- Email Nadja Ruzica at sonal narratives. [email protected]. The podcast releases new AFSA will bring each episodes weekly and enjoys in backing the podcast: The Foundation and the Sisco week’s new podcast episode a largely younger audience American Academy of Diplo- Family Fund. to members via the daily (age 25 to 44) in all 50 states macy, Texas A&M University, AFSA will work with the media digest. Check out and 156 countries. the Nelson B. Delavan Foun- American Diplomat team amdipstories.org to explore AFSA joins other partners dation, the Luther I. Replogle to regularly feature AFSA earlier episodes. n

AFSA High School Essay Contest

AFSA is now accepting appli- Students may be attend- writer of the winning essay, not be claimable immedi- cations for its national high ing a public, private or paro- in addition to an all-expense- ately. school essay contest. The chial school. Entries from paid trip to the nation’s The application deadline first prize winner is awarded home-schooled students are capital from anywhere in the is April 5, 2021. $2,500. also accepted. United States for the winning Learn more details about Eligibility: Students Previous first-place win- writer and his or her parents, the essay contest, including whose parents are not in the ners and immediate rela- and an all-expense-paid the essay topic, at afsa.org/ Foreign Service are eligible tives of directors or staff of educational voyage courtesy essay-contest. n to participate if they are in AFSA, the U.S. Institute of of Semester at Sea. grades nine through 12 in any Peace, Semester at Sea and The runner-up receives of the 50 states, the District National Student Leadership $1,250 and a full tuition to of Columbia and the U.S. Conference are not eligible to attend a summer session of territories, or if they are U.S. participate. Previous honor- National Student Leadership citizens or lawful permanent able mention designees are Conference’s International residents attending high eligible to enter. Diplomacy program. Due to school overseas. Prizes: $2,500 to the COVID-19 some prizes may

78 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Briana Odom Joins AFSA’s Apply for Labor Management Team AFSA College Scholarships

AFSA welcomes Briana Red Cross in 2019. Most Applications are now open Odom to its Labor Manage- recently, she served as a law for nearly $350,000 in col- ment team as a grievance clerk for AFSA’s Labor Man- lege aid to children of AFSA counselor. agement office from 2019 to members. Ms. Odom is a 2020 grad- 2020. Financial Aid. In 2021, uate of The George Washing- She also holds a bach- AFSA will award $220,000 in ton University Law School. elor’s degree in psychology need-based financial aid to While there, she served as from Temple University in incoming or current college a legal intern for the Equal Philadelphia, where she was undergraduates. Last year, Employment Opportunity on the women’s gymnastics 60 students were awarded Commission in 2017, as a team. Originally from Mary- scholarships ranging between legal and policy intern for an land, she has been admitted $2,000 and $6,000. international human rights to the Maryland State Bar. Merit Aid. In 2021, AFSA organization in 2018 and as She currently resides in will award $129,000 in merit COURTESY BRIANA ODOM BRIANA COURTESY a law clerk for the American Briana Odom. Arlington, Virginia. n aid to high school seniors. Last year, 158 students applied and 35 received grants. Most scholarships will amount to $3,500 and will Carson Relitz Rocker Joins be made in four categories: academic merit, art merit, AFSA Governing Board community service and best essay. Carson Relitz Rocker joins a consular officer. Please note that due the AFSA Governing Board Before joining the For- to difficulties surround- as a State representative. eign Service, Ms. Relitz ing COVID-19 AFSA will not A career Foreign Service Rocker earned a mas- require students to have officer with the State ter’s degree in Bible and taken either the SAT or ACT Department since 2003, theology from Wheaton tests to submit an applica- she became head of the College in Illinois and tion. Strategic Religious Engage- taught English in Japan. The AFSA Scholarship ment Unit in the Office of She is an honors gradu- Program is made possible COURTESY OF CARSON RELITZ ROCKER RELITZ CARSON OF COURTESY International Religious Free- Carson Relitz Rocker. ate of the University of through generous bequests dom in Washington, D.C., in Montana, with a bach- and donations from our part- September 2019. elor’s degree in history and ners at BlueCross BlueShield, Before becoming SRE and counternarcotics in the political science. DACOR and numerous dona- chief, Ms. Relitz Rocker was Office of the Special Rep- She is married to Brent tions from individuals. No political and economic sec- resentative for Afghanistan Rocker, a former Marine AFSA membership dues are tion chief at U.S. Embassy and Pakistan, and led the with expertise in security used in the AFSA Scholarship Tirana. Prior to that, she internal politics team at U.S. engineering and political Program. served as the senior Georgia Embassy Kabul. science. They have one The application deadline is desk officer in the Office She has also served child and enjoy traveling the March 15, 2021. of Caucasus Affairs and in Burundi, Ethiopia and world together n. For full details, visit afsa. Regional Conflicts in Wash- Belarus, including tours as a org/scholar. n ington, worked on elections general services officer and

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 79 AFSA NEWS

AFSA on Dissent

The shocking January 6 classified and kept to inter- insurrection at the Capitol nal channels only.” has raised profound ques- There are numerous other tions about how we—the ways to raise the profile of an Foreign Service and AFSA— issue, for example, publish- should wield our influence as ing a “Speaking Out” column citizens in a democracy and in The Foreign Service about our responsibilities as Journal (if the substance of professional public servants. the dissent is unclassified), In the aftermath, two Dis- sending letters to senior sent Channel messages with leaders with collected signa- numerous signatures object- tures, raising issues to AFSA ing to the State Department for transmission to leader- and Secretary of State’s ship, requesting meetings response to the insurrection with senior officials or asking were leaked to the media for a town hall (again, if the and published in full. This issue pertains to unclassified happened even before the material). messages were submitted If there is suspected through the Dissent Channel. malfeasance, Foreign Service Support for dissent is members can contact the part of AFSA’s DNA, begin- Office of the Inspector Gen- ning with the 1968 creation eral or, if there are seriously of the AFSA Rivkin Award deficient personnel prac- for Dissent—even before the tices, the Director General. establishment of the official In cases of illegal activity, Dissent Channel in 1971, in members can decide to the midst of the Vietnam become whistleblowers and War. are protected by federal law. In the ensuing years, the Amb. Rubin recently Dissent Channel was opened hosted a Dissent Chan- to all Foreign Service agency nel Zoom session for new members, and AFSA estab- Foreign Service entrants in lished three more awards which he used his experi- to recognize constructive ence to explain the uses and dissent by specialists and abuses of the Dissent Chan- generalists at every level. nel. AFSA also recently held a “I believe that going for- seminar on whistleblowing. ward, we should understand AFSA intends to keep that to protect the Dissent offering these two pro- Channel and for it to have its grams, which we will open intended impact, we should to all members, because we use it wisely,” says AFSA believe strongly that con- President Eric Rubin. “The structive internal dissent and Dissent Channel is intended whistleblowing help public for policy dissents only, and servants fulfill their oaths to as a general rule should be the Constitution. n

80 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL IN MEMORY

n Alexander Akalovsky, 97, a retired As an FSO and interpreter, Mr. Akalovsky rarely missed performances Foreign Service officer, died on Nov. 26, Akalovsky served five U.S. presidents in of the Washington National Opera, sym- 2020, in Bethesda, Md., from complica- high-level disarmament and national phony or ballet at the John F. Kennedy tions following a fall. security negotiations. Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Akalovsky was born on Sept. 23, He was adviser to the U.S. delegation Mr. Akalovsky married Sharon Bag- 1923, on the island of Rab in what is now to the U.N. Disarmament Committee in well, a member of the Foreign Service, in Croatia. Though his first interest was London (1957), the Test Ban Conference 1977. She predeceased him in 2004. music, his parents strongly urged him to in Geneva (1958-1959), the Ten-Nation He is survived by his three children: study languages instead, a skill that served Disarmament Committee in Geneva Irene McClendon (Daryl), Elaine Kallay him very well. He spoke fluent Serbian, (1960), the U.N. General Assembly (Thomas) and Alexander Akalovsky Jr. Russian, English, German and French. (1961) and a member of the U.S. delega- (Brigitte); and five grandchildren: Sasha As a young man, he developed a pas- tion to the 18-Nation Disarmament Chan (Brian), Collin McClendon, Nich- sion for architecture, but the university Committee in Geneva (1962-1963). He olas Akalovsky, Katherine Akalovsky in Belgrade was closed because of World was senior political adviser for disar- and Michael Kallay. War II. In 1945, with the encouragement mament negotiations for U.S. Mission In lieu of flowers, donations may be of family friends, Mr. Akalovsky went to Geneva (1964-1965). made in his memory to the Kennedy the University of Heidelberg to study with From 1965 to 1968, during secret talks Center. hopes that he would eventually return with North Vietnam, Mr. Akalovsky was to Belgrade to complete his architecture chief of the external branch of the politi- n Elizabeth C. “Betty” Brook, 101, degree. He never did return but gradu- cal section at U.S. Embassy Moscow. He a retired member of the Foreign Service, ated from Heidelberg in 1949. then served as special assistant to the passed away peacefully on Nov. 13, 2020, Thanks to his mother’s cousin who ambassador at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Sarasota, Fla. sponsored the family’s immigration to (1968-1970); chief of Eastern affairs at the Born Elizabeth Carothers Brook on the United States, Mr. Akalovsky arrived U.S. Mission in Berlin (1970-1974); con- Oct. 15, 1919, in Stronghurst, Ill., to John in San Francisco in 1949. His first job was sul general in West Berlin (1971-1974); Cecil Brook and Maude Simonson Brook, with the Southern Pacific Railroad, where special assistant to the assistant secretary she was the “baby” to five older siblings. he earned $1 an hour as a “special diet of State for international security affairs She graduated from Stronghurst High aide” preparing special food orders and (1974-1975); and special assistant to the School and continued her education at mopping floors. director for management operations at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., graduat- He met his first wife, Maria, in San the State Department (1975-1976). ing with a bachelor’s degree in history. Francisco, and they settled down in Mon- He was involved in such historic She was a lifelong member of TriDelta terey. His first child, a daughter Irene, events as Vice President Richard Nixon’s Sorority. was born in Carmel. Kitchen Debate in Moscow; Soviet leader Following college Ms. Brook taught Mr. Akalovsky taught Russian at the Nikita Khrushchev’s visit to the United history for a year. But she was already Army Language School (now the Defense States and meeting at the White House thinking of travel, and during World Language Institute Foreign Language with President John F. Kennedy; the U-2 War II she joined the WAVES (Women Center) in Monterey from 1950 until crisis, when the Soviet Union shot down Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Ser- 1955, when he moved with his family to CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers; and the vice), part of the U.S. Naval Reserve, and Washington, D.C., to study foreign lan- Cuban missile crisis. attained the rank of lieutenant (junior guage instruction pathology at George- Mr. Akalovsky received a Superior grade), serving in Washington, D.C. town University. Honor Award from the U.S. Arms Control After the war ended, Ms. Brook He joined the State Department For- and Disarmament Agency. joined the State Department where she eign Service in 1956. That year, he and his He retired in 1978 as consul general worked in various capacities for 28 years. wife had two more children, twins Elaine in West Berlin but continued to serve the She served in many of the hot spots of and Alexander Jr., and ultimately settled State Department as a consultant until the day, including Nigeria, Venezuela, in Bethesda in 1959. 1997. As a longtime lover of the arts, Mr. Turkey, Morocco, Kenya, Germany and

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 81 Vietnam. She said her favorite posting can policy toward Afghanistan during the First working for Rainier Bank, he went was Beirut, in the late 1940s. She would 1980s and the Gulf War. on to become president of Sealaska Cor- sometimes sum up her jobs with the From 1979 to 1981, he served as the poration. Mr. Howe had a deep love for Foreign Service with a smile saying, “We representative of the United States to the Alaska; he worked with many native cor- worked hard, and we played hard!” European Office of the United Nations porations and for a year as deputy state In 1984 Ms. Brook retired to Sarasota, (Geneva), with the rank of ambassador. treasurer of Alaska. During his Alaska Fla., where she volunteered for several In retirement, Ambassador Helman years, Mr. Howe enjoyed running, skiing, arts organizations and her sorority, and was involved in the field of telecom- fishing, hunting and mountain climbing. played golf and bridge. Friends and munications and global communica- His corporate career lasted from 1976 to family remember her as lively, polite and tions. In 1992 he co-authored, with Steve 1995. elegant. She was an accomplished con- Ratner, an article, “Saving Failed States,” At the age of 50 Mr. Howe joined the tract bridge player, they recall, who could published in Foreign Policy magazine. Foreign Service, a new career drawing on be cutthroat when needed. He also became a beloved presence in his fascination with the economics, poli- In 2013 she told a local reporter: “I the lives of his grandchildren and great- tics and culture of developing countries. spent 28 years traveling the world. Wher- grandchildren. His career with State covered 15 years ever I went, I found a nice group of people. He is survived by his children, Deb- in high-risk areas including Islamabad, I always had friends. I think it’s true in life bie Rowan and David Helman, siblings Lahore, Lagos and Colombo. His last that friends are the most important.” Eileen Aboulafia and Paul Helman, 12 assignment was as chief of the consular Ms. Brook is remembered fondly grandchildren and 13 great-grandchil- affairs section in Jakarta. by her many nieces and nephews, and dren. He was predeceased by his wife of Mr. Howe was a faithful Catholic and, is buried at the Brook family plot in 60 years, Dolly; his daughter, Ruth Hel- in his retirement, volunteered with his Stronghurst, Ill. man; and his brother, Norman Helman. church and Knights of Columbus. A two- time marathon runner and Hash Harrier n Gerald Bernard Helman, 87, a n William “Bill” M. Howe, 76, a runner, he also volunteered with the retired Foreign Service officer and former retired Foreign Service officer, died on Seattle Marathon. ambassador, died on Oct. 16, 2020, in Nov. 18, 2020, at home in Seattle, Wash. He later enjoyed time reading books Alexandria, Va. Mr. Howe was born on Jan. 16, 1944, on the porch of his cabin on the Skykom- Mr. Helman was born in Detroit, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to William John and ish River in Washington state and being Mich., in 1932, the son of Russian-Jewish Mary Ellen. One of two children, he a grandfather. He battled progressive immigrants. He attended the University graduated from Bishop Loughlin High supranuclear palsy for the last three and of Michigan, where he met his future School in Brooklyn. He then attended St. a half years. wife, Dolores “Dolly” Hammel. John’s University in New York City and Friends and family say Mr. Howe lived At the university he was editor of the graduated with a degree in economics. a fantastic life, filled with adventure. student newspaper, The Michigan Daily. After college, Mr. Howe volunteered Mr. Howe is survived by his spouse, After graduating from the University of for the Peace Corps in South India. He Rosalind; sister Jayne Tompos (and two Michigan Law School, he entered the then joined the Urban Teacher Corps in nephews); children Jennifer (Nick Kok- Foreign Service in 1956. Washington, D.C., but decided teaching konis) and David (Shani Prentice-Crain); Mr. Helman was posted to Italy, Aus- was not for him. He served for two years and three grandchildren, Eva, Dean and tria, Barbados, Belgium and Switzerland. in the U.S. Army. Arlington. He also worked in United Nations politi- Mr. Howe then worked for Catholic cal affairs and at NATO as deputy politi- Relief Services, beginning in Kuala Lum- n Louis Elton “Lou” Kahn, 86, a cal adviser, and later served as deputy pur, where he met his wife, Rosalind. He retired Foreign Service officer, died on under secretary for political affairs. served with CRS in the Philippines and Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington, D.C. He participated in negotiating the Cambodia. Mr. Kahn was born on April 10, 1933, Outer Space Treaty and Camp David After CRS, Mr. Howe pursued a suc- to Louis Elkus Kahn and Iva (Washburn) Accords, and was involved with Ameri- cessful career in the banking industry. Kahn. He grew up in Napa, Calif., where

82 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL his father was a Boy Scout executive and Mr. Kahn married the former Beverly local bishop in visitations to rural villages. his mother a public health nurse. As a Baldwin in 1967. They had one daughter, He prepared for the ministry at youth, he earned the Eagle Scout Award. Melissa. Beverly died of cancer in 1974. Virginia Theological Seminary and, fol- Mr. Kahn graduated from the Univer- He married Ruth Carlsen in 1984. lowing his ordination in 1964, served as sity of California, Berkeley, where he was Music and the arts, particularly opera curate of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church a member of Alpha Phi Omega and the and classical music, were Mr. Kahn’s in Washington, D.C. He returned to Sai- Arnold Air Society, and a flutist in the great loves. He also enjoyed reading and gon in 1965, working to coordinate food Cal Band and member of the Straw-Hat literature, following national and global importation for South Vietnam as the Band and Baton, the band honor society. politics, architecture and railroads. Vietnam War raged. He received his Phi Beta Kappa Award Mr. Kahn is survived by his wife, Dr. Rev. Lewis was then assigned to Kin- in 1954. After graduation, he enlisted in Ruth Carlsen; a brother, Alan, of Yount- shasa, where he started a small Anglican the U.S. Army and played the flute in an ville, Calif.; children Melissa (Jason) congregation and helped encourage Army band. Richey, of Sewickley, Pa., Rebecca creation of the first Anglican diocese Following Army service, Mr. Kahn (Robert) Nesse of Rochester, Minn., there, in Boga. traveled to Europe with the Cal Band, Debra (John) Wilkinson of Zumbrota, He remained an advocate for the visiting Paris, Copenhagen and Brussels. Minn., Steven (Ann Marie) Carlsen of Congolese church for the rest of his life, Mr. Kahn found that his band uniform Bloomington, Minn., Dr. Susan (Michael) coordinating sponsorship for advanced got him free admission to opera houses, Baker of Elmhurst, Ill.; grandchildren education for clergy and serving in more and he saw “Tosca” performed by the Justin Richey, Logan Richey and Mar- recent years as the church’s American renowned La Scala Company of Milan. cus Richey, John (Holli) Nesse, Lucas commissar. In 1958, Mr. Kahn joined the State (Emily) Nesse and Sonja (Gabriel Eguia) After Kinshasa, he was posted to Seoul Department as a career Foreign Service Nesse, Robert (Nicole) Wilkinson, Laura and Vientiane. officer. He became a Turkish specialist (Maxwell) Wilkinson Behrens, Dr. Eliza- Returning to Washington, D.C., he based on his language skills, and served beth (Dan) Wilkinson Cozine, Anthony assisted in several parishes and, in recent in Turkey several times, including assign- Carlsen and Claire Carlsen, Dr. Evan years, was theologian-in-residence at All ments in Izmir, Ankara and Istanbul. (Jennifer) Baker and Katherine Baker; Saints Church in Chevy Chase, Md. Also fluent in French, he was posted and 11 great-grandchildren. He focused on scholarly work in to Dakar. His final overseas post was to Memorials may be sent to Washington retirement, traveling regularly to Duke the U.S. Mission to the United Nations National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, where he made in Vienna. He then returned to the State www.cathedral.org; DACOR, www.dacor- many friends. Department in Washington, D.C. In 1972 bacon.org; or Scouts BSA Troop 98, www. Rev. Lewis was the author of two he received the State Department’s Merit kahn.troop98dc.org. books, To Restore the Church (1996) and Honor award. Theology and the Disciplines of the For- After retiring from the State Depart- n The Rev. Theodore L. “Ted” Lewis, eign Service: The World’s Potential to Con- ment in 1988, he served at the Justice 93, a retired Foreign Service officer from tribute to the Church (2015), as well as Department, where he planned the Bethesda, Md., died on July 11, 2020. many articles on Anglican Communion International Conference of Appellate A native of Long Island, N.Y., Rev. matters for several publications, includ- Court Judges. Lewis served in the Army during World ing The Living Church. He also wrote for Following government service, Mr. War II, and then graduated from Haver- The Foreign Service Journal. Kahn spent 17 years as the education ford College and Harvard University. He is survived by his son. and programs director for the Ameri- As a Foreign Service officer, he was first can Friends of Turkey. He organized posted to French Indochina, where he n Charles “Chuck” Fredrick Keil, educational programs on Turkey at the became a lay reader in the Anglican con- 75, a retired Foreign Service officer, died Smithsonian Institution in a partnership gregation in Saigon and began to discern on Nov. 25, 2020, in Annapolis, Md., after between the American Friends of Turkey a call to ordained ministry. He was later a courageous two-year battle with head and the Smithsonian Associates. posted to Karachi, where he assisted the and neck cancer.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 83 Mr. Keil was born on April 29, 1945, hiking, birding, travel and cycling. He from 1953 to 1955, while taking courses at in Oakland, Calif., to Elizabeth Kingston and his wife enjoyed road trips to see the Georgetown University Graduate School and Charles F. Keil Jr. His father died in wonders of the United States. and Law School. He worked for Pruden- November 1954, and his mother married The Keils’ wanderlust was energized tial Insurance from 1955 to 1957 in New Joe Weaver, a beekeeper and farmer from when son Joe moved to Beijing and Mat- York City, then returned to Washington, Halltown, Mo. thew remained in Rome. Family reunions D.C., where he reentered government In 1959 his stepfather retired and relo- in Italy and China afforded opportunities service. cated the family to Seguin, Texas, where for bus tours, river and ocean cruises and In 1965 Mr. Macdonald took his first Mr. Keil graduated from Seguin High a series of long-distance hikes in the U.K., USAID post in Lagos, with subsequent School in 1962. As a student at Southwest France, Italy, Spain and Slovenia. assignments in Saigon, Bangkok, Tunis, Texas State University, Mr. Keil played Friends and family members remem- Damascus, Beirut, Amsterdam, Kinshasa saxophone in a band that had some com- ber Mr. Keil thanking the good fortune and Baku. mercial success, so he moved to Austin and supportive people who made it Retiring from the Foreign Service in where he found a job and enrolled in possible for him to evolve from a poten- 1980, he moved to Easton, Md., where he the University of Texas. He graduated in tial juvenile delinquent in the Oakland was an active sailor, single-handing his 1966. “hood” to a rewarding life as a public 33-foot Swiftsure sloop until he was 80. Mr. Keil was accepted to the U.S. servant representing the United States in He did volunteer work at the hospital, Navy’s Officer Candidate School in New- the international arena. church and library and sold antiques in port, R.I. Commissioned in June 1967, he He is survived by his loving wife of Easton. He also ran a portrait group at the reported to the destroyer USS Theodore E. 47 years, Dianne; sister Martha (Jim); Easton Academy of Art for 15 years and Chandler (DD-717), in the Tonkin Gulf. sons Joe (Eve) and Matt (Rania); grand- was a member of the English-Speaking He served there through May 1971 as the children Soraya, Yasmine, Austin, Angie Union, the Commonwealth Society and ship carried out three Western Pacific and Alex; brother-in-law Bruce (Diane); various art groups. deployments and multiple combat mis- nephews Jonathan and Benjamin; nieces Following his move to Austin, Texas, sions during the Vietnam conflict. Jessica, Sharla, Jennifer and Cindy; and a in 2006, Mr. Macdonald joined the Austin After leaving the Navy, Mr. Keil global network of extended family, close Yacht Club and ran open studio art enrolled in graduate school at the Uni- friends and former colleagues. classes at the Austin Museum of Art. versity of Texas with the goal of joining Mr. Keil’s generosity and spirit of ser- Mr. Macdonald’s passions were oil the U.S. Foreign Service. He met and vice to community was evident through- painting, sailing, bicycling, antique married Dianne Lysne in 1973, and they out his life. In lieu of flowers, please clocks, Byzantine art, classical music, his welcomed their son, Joe, in 1974. Mr. Keil consider contributions to his favorite little dog, Holly, and, above all, books. embarked on a 27-year Foreign Service charities: The Salvation Army, Boys and His friends loved his sharp sense of career in 1975. Girls Clubs of America or Médecins Sans humor, and his tremendous knowledge A fascinating first tour in Panama, Frontières International. on all things arcane. during the canal negotiations, was high- Mr. Macdonald is survived by his lighted by the arrival of son Matt, in 1977. n John “Jack” Wellington Macdon- daughter and son-in-law, Pam and John That was followed by postings to Milan ald, 91, a retired Foreign Service officer Halter of Austin; his sister, Edith Ander- and Genoa; Guayaquil; the National War with USAID, died peacefully in Austin, son of Richfield, Minn.; four grandchil- College in Washington, D.C.; Guatemala Texas, on Nov. 25, 2020. dren, Kristin and Neil Macdonald of Bear, City; Tijuana; and a final tour as consul He was born on Nov. 14, 1929, in Del., Madeline and Katherine Halter of general in Rome. Dianne and the boys Grand Forks, N.D., to Donald C. Macdon- Austin; and great-granddaughter, Anna- were key members of the Foreign Service ald and Evelyn J. Salt. He was the oldest belle Tucker of Bear. team representing America. of three children. He served in the U.S. He is also survived by his former wife, After retiring to Annapolis, Md., in Army before he went to the University of Marie Robinson of Annapolis, Md. 2002, Mr. Keil did volunteer work and North Dakota, graduating in 1953. He was predeceased by his brother, pursued active outdoors interests in Mr. Macdonald worked on Capitol Hill Neil Macdonald of Aspen, Colo.; his first

84 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL wife, Alexandra Macdonald of Athens, member of the National War College Mr. Patterson resigned his commis- Greece; and a son, John Dimitri Macdon- class of 1967-1968. Then, not wanting sion to begin a long diplomatic career ald, and grandson, John Daniel Macdon- to accept another overseas posting that with the State Department, serving as a ald, of Bear, Del. would conflict with the career path of political officer in Italy, Lebanon, Tunisia, his wife, Janet L. Norwood, who rose Kuwait, Israel, Malta, Nigeria and Barba- n Bernard Norwood, 97, a retired to become commissioner of the U.S. dos. An outstanding linguist, he won a Foreign Service officer, died of kidney Bureau of Labor Statistics from 1979 to Matilda W. Sinclaire language award and cancer on Nov. 13, 2020, in Austin, 1991, he left the Foreign Service. spoke Spanish, Italian, French, Arabic Texas. From 1968 to 1975, Mr. Norwood was and Hebrew. Mr. Norwood was born in Boston, senior adviser to the Board of Gover- In retirement, Mr. Patterson con- Mass. He earned a bachelor’s degree nors of the Federal Reserve System. He tinued short-term assignments for the from Boston University, and a master’s then joined Robert Nathan Associates, State Department. He participated in the and Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of a leading Washington, D.C., economic Future of Iraq Project (an unsuccessful Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. consulting firm, as principal associate attempt to prevent hostilities after 9/11), He served as a mortar man in World from 1975 to 1994. worked to reestablish diplomatic rela- War II with the U.S. Army’s 104th Infan- Mr. Norwood was predeceased by his tions with Libya and served as a political try (Timberwolf) Division, participating wife of 71 years, Janet, in 2015. adviser at U.S. Embassy Sana’a. in frontline combat against the German He is survived by two sons: Stephen, He also covered the Far East for army for 195 consecutive days. He was a professor of history at the University the Avian Influenza Task Force, which wounded in the Rhineland and was of Oklahoma, and Peter, the Austin, planned America’s diplomatic response awarded the Purple Heart. Texas, site lead for Google. to a potential pandemic health event. Mr. Norwood served as an interna- This gave him a unique insight as the tional economist at the State Depart- n Charles “Pat” Patterson, 77, a COVID-19 crisis developed. ment from 1949 through 1957. He retired Foreign Service officer, died on Mr. Patterson reconnected with his became a Foreign Service officer in Sept. 18, 2020, in Chestertown, Md., after life partner, Sheila Austrian, also a retired 1955. a long struggle with esophageal cancer. diplomat, after he retired to Washington, In that capacity, he served as first Mr. Patterson grew up in Harlingen, D.C., and soon made Chestertown, Md., secretary of the U.S. Mission to the Texas. As a boy, he had a pet armadillo, his full-time home. European Communities in Luxembourg tended tropical fish and small livestock He was an avid golfer, taught a and Brussels from 1958 to 1962, a criti- at a feed store, worked in a photography popular course at Washington College cal period in which the European Coal shop and, proudly getting his driver’s on current events in the Middle East and Steel Community, the Common license at age 14, drove to the Gulf of and served in many capacities at his Market and Euratom were taking shape. Mexico on solitary overnight fishing trips. local community theater. He was also a Mr. Norwood was a U.S. delegate to High school valedictorian, Mr. Pat- committed “fixer,” with a basement full negotiations of the General Agreement terson left Texas to attend the University of tools, batteries, glue, electronic gizmos on Tariffs and Trade in Geneva from of Michigan, where he majored in theater and whatever else a house might need 1953 to 1967. and literature, attended national poetry when things don’t work properly. From 1963 to 1967, he served in the workshops and honed his acting skills. Mr. Patterson is survived by his executive office of the president as chair After beginning a graduate program partner, Sheila; twin daughters, Meg of the trade staff committee in the Office in theater, he volunteered for the U.S. and Beth Patterson; a granddaughter, of the Special Representative for Trade Air Force during the Vietnam conflict, Skye O’Keefe; an older brother, Tom Negotiations. In this capacity he worked serving as an electronic communications Patterson; and his former wife, Margo closely with the president’s special officer in Turkey and Italy. He continued Worthington. He asked that any dona- representative, former Secretary of State his education in the military, earning a tions in his memory be made to Church Christian Herter. master’s degree in international relations Hill Theatre, 103 Walnut Street, Church Mr. Norwood was the senior civilian from Boston University. Hill MD 21623.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 85 n Suzanne Rountree Phillips, 97, n Marilyn Ross Povenmire, 88, a cans, among other casualties; and later, wife of the late Ambassador William retired Foreign Service officer, passed following the MS Achille Lauro cruise Manning Rountree, died on Nov. 30, away peacefully on Dec. 25, 2020, in ship hijacking in the eastern Mediter- 2020, at her home in Atlantic Beach, Fla. Venice, Fla. The cause of death was ranean. Born in Fort Lewis, Wash., to Colonel respiratory failure. In 1990, as the first Gulf War began, and Mrs. John McDowall, she enjoyed Marilyn Ross was born in Low- her consular team assisted hundreds of a happy childhood at Army posts ell, Mass., in 1932, to Charlotte Irene Americans as they transited London’s throughout the continental United (Harvey) and Hugh Alexander Ross. She Heathrow Airport from their residences States, Hawaii and the Philippines. grew up in Reading, Mass., attended in threatened areas of the Gulf to safety She attended the University of Utah Reading High School, and graduated in the United States. for two years and graduated from Smith summa cum laude from Tufts University Between her assignments to Rome College in Northampton, Mass. She with a degree in economics. and London, she attended the National met William Rountree when they both She met her husband, Dale Miller War College in Washington, D.C., for served on the staff of the Anglo-Amer- Povenmire, while he attended Tufts the 1987-1988 academic year, when she ican Committee on Palestine in 1946. University’s Fletcher School of Law and traveled to China with fellow officers They were married a short time later in Diplomacy. They married in 1954 and for an orientation trip as guests of the Huntsville, Ala. set off on a lifetime of travel, living in People’s Liberation Army. Ms. Phillips proudly joined her hus- countries around the world while serv- Marilyn Povenmire retired from the band in representing the United States ing the nation as U.S. Foreign Service State Department after serving as direc- on his many diplomatic assignments, officers. Early assignments included tor of policy and coordination for the including Greece, Turkey and Iran, and Santiago, Zanzibar, Asunción and Porto. Bureau of Consular Affairs, where she later during his four ambassadorial In 1972, Mrs. Povenmire took the worked with Assistant Secretary of State appointments: Pakistan (1959-1962), Foreign Service exam and passed it for Mary Ryan. Sudan (1962-1965), South Africa (1965- the second time, after the State Depart- She had a 20-year trailblazing career 1970) and Brazil (1970-1973). ment changed the rules to allow both as a spouse in one of the first tandem When Ambassador Rountree retired spouses of a married couple to be full- couples of the U.S. Foreign Service, and from the Foreign Service in 1973, time FSOs. (She was a plaintiff in the took pride in helping American citizens the couple established residence in class action lawsuit that resulted in this abroad and representing her country Gainesville, Fla. After his death in 1995, change of rules.) overseas as a U.S. diplomat. Ms. Phillips moved to Fleet Landing in She served as a consular officer in In retirement, the Povenmires settled Atlantic Beach, Fla. Venezuela, Cyprus, Portugal and Brazil, in Venice, Fla., where they became Several years later she met and where she was chief of the consular founding members of the Unitarian married Alva L. Phillips, a retired naval section, and as deputy consul general Universalist Congregation of Venice. officer. They enjoyed 20 happy years at the U.S. embassies in Italy and the Mrs. Povenmire served as one of the together until his death in 2018. At Fleet United Kingdom. first treasurers of the church during the Landing, she enthusiastically partici- Mrs. Povenmire was the sole con- purchase of land and construction of pated in numerous volunteer activities sular officer at U.S. Embassy Nicosia the church building. The couple con- and greatly enjoyed her new life there. in 1975, shortly after the invasion of tinued to cherish many friendships at Suzanne Rountree Phillips is sur- Cyprus by the Turkish army, and there UUCOV and at Village on the Isle, where vived by her deeply devoted family: her she worked on both sides of the U.N.- they resided over recent years. daughter, Susan Hanes Leonard, and patrolled “green line” separating oppos- Friends and family members recall her husband; two grandsons, Michael ing peoples. Mrs. Povenmire’s many accomplish- and Christopher, and their wives; and She responded to terrorist activities ments, generous spirit, love of classical five great-grandchildren. conducted by Palestinian extremists in music and joy of living. 1985, including the attack at the Rome She is survived by her loving hus- airport that killed and wounded Ameri- band of 66 years, Dale; and their four

86 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL children, Susan of Bluffton, S.C., Ross retary of Labor, dealing with such issues He was also a talented handyman, who Mahlon of Haverhill, Mass., Carol of as migratory labor, poverty programs undertook major renovations of the Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Elizabeth and unemployment insurance. various houses in which he lived and of Alexandria, Va. He was also active in Democratic had a collection of classic BMWs and Party politics and performed advance Mercedes. n Harry G. Wilkinson, 87, a retired work for the election campaign of Presi- He and his family spent their sum- Foreign Service officer with USAID, died dent Lyndon Johnson in 1964. mers at a lakeside cottage in Hamp- on Nov. 30, 2020, at home in Greenville, In 1967 Mr. Wilkinson joined the stead, N.H., where they loved swimming S.C., of natural causes. Peace Corps as deputy director in and kayaking together. Mr. Wilkinson was born in Detroit, Ethiopia and was later the Peace Corps Mr. Wilkinson is survived by his wife Mich., to Henry and Sybil (nee Cole) director in Costa Rica. He stayed on in of 35 years, Cecily Mango; four sons, Wilkinson. His father owned an auto- Costa Rica after leaving the Peace Corps Bruce, Stuart, Neal and Henry; and five motive shop, and his mother taught to practice international law with a local grandchildren. piano and voice. firm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may He attended Redford High, where he In 1977 he returned to government be sent to the ACLU of South Carolina, played varsity football, and then spent service as a Foreign Service officer with or other human or civil rights organiza- two years at Michigan State where he USAID, serving in Nicaragua, Wash- tions of your choice. n was on the college gymnastics team. He ington, El Salvador and South Africa. spent one semester at the University of In South Africa he headed the Human Hawaii to get away from the Michigan Rights Office, supporting local human winter. Living a block from the beach, rights organizations in their struggle he surfed, took philosophy classes and against apartheid. A high point was came to love water sports. meeting Nelson Mandela. In 1953 Mr. Wilkinson joined the In 1985 Mr. Wilkinson married Cecily military and was stationed at an Air Mango, who also worked for USAID. If you would like us to include an obituary in In Memory, please send Force base in England. On discharge, he They had a son, Henry. After retiring text to [email protected]. finished his undergraduate studies at from the government, Mr. Wilkinson Be sure to include the date, place and the University of Michigan and went on worked for South Africa Lawyers for cause of death, as well as details of to the University of Chicago Law School, Human Rights and, later, as a consul- the individual’s Foreign Service career. Please place the name of the AFSA where he earned his J.D. in 1961. tant on human rights and democracy member to be memorialized in the While in law school, he married promotion for USAID in Indonesia and subject line of your email. Dorothy McQuillan; the couple had Jordan, where his wife was posted. three sons, Bruce, Stuart and Neal. During retirement in Greenville, S.C., After graduating, Mr. Wilkinson Mr. Wilkinson served on the board of moved to Washington, D.C., with his directors of the South Carolina Ameri- young family and worked as counsel to can Civil Liberties Union, continuing U.S. Senate subcommittees on migra- his lifelong passion to support human tory labor and constitutional rights, and civil rights. He also supported local where he was the principal drafter of performing arts groups, attended a vari- federal bail reform and VISTA (domestic ety of cultural events and participated Peace Corps) legislation. in a range of sports. He then moved to the Community Mr. Wilkinson was an avid reader of Conciliation Service at the U.S. Justice The New York Times and loved classi- Department, where he mediated com- cal music. He told wonderful stories munity racial disputes, and later worked about his youth and time overseas and as the congressional liaison for the Sec- had a repertory of jokes he liked to tell.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 87 BOOKS

A Country in Broad Strokes China comprised 18 inventions and unrivaled percent of global GDP supremacy over millennia with China and the World in 2018, that its manu- the deeply scarring influence of Edited by David Shambaugh, Oxford facturing capacity is the West’s “gunboat diplomacy,” University Press, 2020, $27.95/paperback, 50 percent larger than treaty ports and Japan’s brutal e-book available, 416 pages. that of the United invasion that, taken together, States and that its brought the “death by violence Reviewed by Philip A. Shull 14,000-mile border of at least 50-60 million Chinese” along 14 countries between the 1840s and 1940s From economics and trade to military is the longest land would have added more power and cyber security to environmental border in the world. and sharper relief to the single page on degradation and human rights, the global We also learn that President Xi Jinping’s “The Century of Humiliation.” impact of the People’s Republic of China popular but strategically targeted anti-cor- More importantly, deeper historical makes a basic understanding of the PRC ruption campaign launched in 2012 had foundations could help readers better imperative for governments, businesses by 2018 investigated 2.8 million party and understand the PRC’s approach to the and a well-informed citizenry. Prolific state cadres, held 58,000 trials and pun- world since 1949—an often baffling com- China scholar David Shambaugh deserves ished 1.5 million people. Of course, this bination of paranoia and pride, swagger our thanks for providing a highly read- tally does not include the Xi administra- and insecurity, and open contempt for able edited collection of essays on China tion’s persecution and massive internment many of the international organizations it and its foreign relations since 1949 in of Uighurs in Xinjiang. Shambaugh notes is now struggling so hard to lead. China and the World. the international community’s restrained Further, while valuable space is Shambaugh has assembled an impres- response and postulates China’s economic taken up recounting irrelevant events sive array of renowned experts to describe prowess has “successfully intimidated (e.g., President Xi’s apparent limp during and assess modern China’s evolving pres- foreign governments into silence.” a 2019 visit to Europe), provocative asser- ence on the world stage. With vast experi- Shambaugh aims to provide the tions are left without the “why” explana- ence in academia, think-tanks, diplomacy reader with a “broad and deep” expo- tions they deserve. Why is the current and defense, the authors summarize sure to China today. As with almost any “adversarial, antagonistic” U.S.-China Beijing’s key bilateral and regional rela- single volume of such breadth, this one relationship cast as permanent and a tionships, its growing membership and succeeds in spades on the former and in closer China-Russia relationship deemed influence in international organizations, clubs on the latter. The essays are instruc- inevitable? And why frame the tensions and the role of domestic pressures and tive and insightful, but many go only in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship as institutions in shaping its foreign policy knee-deep into their topics, reminding “unfortunate” only for China? (I can think and developments within what Sham- this reader of the lovely Chinese chengyu of about two million American farmers baugh calls “domains of China’s global (four-character saying), qingping dian who would say the pain goes both ways!) interactions” (i.e., economic, cultural, shui, which translates roughly as “drag- Finally, the book’s lack of a single governance and military-security). onfly flitting over the pond.” detailed map is a glaring oversight, Taken together, these chapters paint Some readers may chafe at a few of the especially in Phillip Saunders’ important a mural of a country that has undergone generalizations and omissions. The chap- chapter on China’s military-security inter- an astonishing if stuttering metamor- ters by Yale historian Odd Arne Westad actions. Few Americans are aware that the phosis—from the isolated, war-ravaged (in which he argues, “China’s present is official PRC “nine-dash-line” border var- destitution of the 1950s to today’s market- determined by its past”) and by distin- ies starkly from the United Nations’ map. shaking, tech-savvy nuclear power that guished former diplomat Chas Freeman Jr. Chinese actions to assert its sovereign struts a blue water navy and the world’s (“China is both a civilization and a state”) claim to “historic territorial rights” in huge second-largest economy. are excellent, but too short. swaths of the South China Sea are a source There are interesting details amid the A few paragraphs contrasting Chinese of serious tension and potential conflict. brushstrokes. We learn, for example, that civilization’s myriad accomplishments, That said, authors do delve deeply

88 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL into certain subtopics. Barry Naughton fact that the shape and expression of future on the Belt and Road Initiative, Katherine PRC foreign relations is critical but uncer- Morton and Srikanth Kondapalli on tain; and the hope that China will become Beijing’s use of current international comfortable enough with its prominence organizations and its creation of new and strength to be a constructive and trust- ones, and Michael Yahuda on the differ- worthy partner in global affairs. ing leadership styles of Deng Xiaoping Such a transformation, if and when it and Xi are just a few examples. comes, will be a very good thing—for both Another is Shambaugh’s own thought- China and the world. provoking chapter on the key external challenges China will face in the next Philip A. Shull is a retired Foreign Service decade. His exploration of why a rising officer who served multiple times in China China has so little soft power is especially and Hong Kong, including as minister enlightening and is a phenomenon con- counselor for agriculture at U.S. Embassy founding to China itself. Beijing (2014-2016). Prior to joining the “To really possess soft power a coun- Foreign Service, he taught English in try’s culture and values have to … appeal Taiwan and at Zhejiang University in beyond a country’s borders,” Shambaugh Hangzhou. He is a retiree representative writes, providing examples of China’s on AFSA’s Governing Board. self-inflicted wounds that have kept most countries untrusting and aloof (such as Looking Beyond the the “debt traps” of some BRI loans and Balance of Terror the assertion of “rule by law” over “rule of law” in international organizations “Toward a More Proliferated World? and trade). He traces these actions to the The Geopolitical Forces That Will Shape Communist Party’s tendency to treat other the Spread of Nuclear Weapons” countries like it treats its people, believ- A Report by Eric Brewer, with Ilan ing “that by controlling narratives … it can Goldenberg, Joseph Rodgers, Maxwell control behavior.” Simon and Kaleigh Thomas; Center for The sharp contrast between China and Strategic and International Studies and the United States in this area recalls Presi- the Center for a New American Security, dent Dwight Eisenhower’s simple but September 2020, 58 pages. brilliant insight into how a great nation acquires soft power. In his 1961 farewell Reviewed by Walter E. North address, he said: “America’s leadership and prestige depend not merely upon our “Nuclear threats are increasing, and unmatched material progress, riches and regional security environments are military strength, but on how we use our becoming more tense, thereby creat- power in the interests of world peace and ing proliferation pressures.” That is the human betterment.” fundamental conclusion and the first of In sum, China and the World provides seven significant trends spotlighted in an excellent baseline survey of the PRC’s this insightful but sobering report by Eric foreign relations since 1949 and equips Brewer and his co-authors. readers with the knowledge to better We should all be worried. That is understand its future actions. especially so in the wake of the presi- The overriding takeaways are two: the dential election in a year of cascading

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 89 unravelling. A new Trends of pulling back that began and more expensive before the Trump administration and arms race is on. The United States spends waning influence have accelerated, about half of the global which is deeply unsettling to our allies. military budget. But size may not be a good proxy for safety. crises, where there was limited discus- Since the end of World War II, a Russia, too, has sion of foreign policy—in particular, the patchwork of arrangements used incen- a large program. These asymmetries growing risks of nuclear proliferation. tives and deterrents to retard prolif- complicate trilateral disarmament efforts. The report begins with an update on eration. Carrots helped states access A dangerous dynamic is unfolding that the faltering multilateral system that peaceful nuclear uses with the major dramatically increases the risks of acci- works to retard, roll back or prevent powers promising to roll back stock- dental miscalculations and war. proliferation and to cap the number of piles. Missile and weapons technology While those factors stew, there are nations with such weapons. The authors know-how was tightly controlled by other challenges. Many new systems have abjure the demonization around the applying or threatening sanctions, using dual uses, which makes verification over- lightning-rod cases of North Korea and various human and technical verifica- sight harder, although some technology Iran. tion approaches and, most importantly, enables better monitoring. Other sticks Rather, they step back to focus on the with America offering an “umbrella” of are losing their efficacy. Authoritarian underlying changes that might acceler- protection. leaders can work around sanctions and ate broader proliferation. They cogently This system mostly worked, but there oversight. America’s edge in the market review the current system, point out were serious failures (e.g., Pakistan, for peaceful uses, a lever for restraining some of its successes and suggest how it India, Israel, North Korea) and near- tech transfer, has withered. is unraveling. In doing so, they identify catastrophes such as the Cuban missile The authors see no easy paths going seven broad interacting trends, and crisis. The efficacy of this architecture forward. But they do make an eloquent proceed to evaluate three countries— was higher during the Cold War, espe- argument for U.S. engagement. America South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Turkey— cially in bilateral arms reduction agree- alone is not a sound foundation for against them. ments between the United States and our national security. Possible lines to The trends include increasing Russia—the so-called balance of terror. explore require flexibility, respect for regional tensions that drive prolifera- The report teases out newer desta- adversaries and allies, a willingness to tion pressures, waning faith in America’s bilizing factors. China is one—more keep talking to them, even in the face of reliability, a retreat from disarmament aggressive, an economic powerhouse and sometimes unfortunate acts, and a recog- by the United States and Russia, a growing its military capabilities. Russia is nition that suboptimal agreements may multiplicity of providers of civil nuclear another—less economically successful, be as good as they can be for now. That technology, the eroding strength of eco- but rearming and reassertive. buys time to work to alter the underlying nomic sanctions, and more competitive And then there is the United States. adverse dynamics. relationships between the United States, Trends of pulling back that began before The alternatives are grim. The new Russia and China. the Trump administration and wan- administration would benefit from Given such factors, other potential ing influence have accelerated, which studying this report and acting on its breakout candidates come to mind, such is deeply unsettling to our allies. They findings. Diplomats and other citizens as Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. They worry that they can’t count on our shield. need to keep attention focused on these face an increasingly assertive neighbor That anxiety encourages hedging critical issues. n in China. Egypt, led by an authoritar- strategies that could include nuclear ian leader with regional ambitions, is weapons. Bilateral arms control agree- Walter E. North is a retired USAID Foreign another. ments with the Russians have been Service officer and a former ambassador.

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THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 91 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

92 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 93 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n LANGUAGE SERVICES FLORIDA’S PARADISE COAST—Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero Excellent amenities, activities, cultural events in beautiful Southwest Language Operations Company offers private, semi-private and Florida. Outstanding home values. group classes to prepare you for FSI, OPI and DLPT exams. We excel in training federal and private students to reach their language goals Thomas M. Farley, LLC. Retired SFS. through an ILR scale-based curriculum that combines language and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty culture. Email: [email protected]

Language Operations Company HEADING OUT? HEADING “HOME” TO DC? As an immigrant and Tel: (703) 477-1502. Foreign Service spouse, I know what a hassle international moves can Email: [email protected] be—especially without a GSO or CLO! Whether you are looking to buy, Website: www.langops.com sell or rent, in DC or VA, I can help smooth your transition. For a realtor who understands the unique needs and strains of Foreign Service life, n LEGAL SERVICES please email me at [email protected] or text/call 703-967-1796. ATTORNEY WITH OVER 25 YEARS’ successful experience SPECIALIZING FULL-TIME IN FS Marian Thompson GRIEVANCES will more than double your chance Compass of winning: 30% of grievants win before the Griev- 3001 Washington Blvd. 400 ance Board; 85% of my clients win. Only a private Arlington VA 22201 attorney can adequately develop and present Cell/Text: (703) 967-1796. your case, including necessary regs, arcane legal Email: [email protected] doctrines, precedents and rules. Website: www.compass.com/agents/Marian-Thompson/

Bridget R. Mugane BUYING OR REFINANCING A HOME? Jeff Stoddard has specialized in Tel: (301) 596-0175 or (202) 387-4383. home finance for FSOs for 20 years and is able to provide FSO-specific Email: [email protected] financing. Website: foreignservicelawyer.com Contact: Jeffrey Stoddard EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING FS officers in Tel: (703) 725-2455. grievances, performance, promotion and tenure, financial claims, Email: [email protected] discrimination, security clearance issues, and disciplinary actions. We represent FS officers at all stages of proceedings from investigation n TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES to issuance of proposed discipline or initiation of a grievance, through hearing before the FSGB. We provide experienced, timely, and knowl- IRVING CPA, PLLC. Scott Irving, CPA, has more than 20 years of edgeable advice to employees from junior untenured officers through experience and specializes in Foreign Service family tax preparation the Senior FS and often work closely with AFSA. and tax planning.

Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch Tel: (202) 257-2318. Tel: (202) 331-9260. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Website: www.irvingcpa.pro

General civil and criminal. Wills, trusts, and probate for DC and VA PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREPARATION. Arthur A. Granberg, EA, residents. FS-related issues, including clearances and whistle-blower. ATA, ATP, has more than 40 years of experience in public tax practice. Our Free phone consultation. Associates include EAs & CPAs. Our rate is $150 per hour; most FS returns take just 3-4 hours. Located near Ballston Mall and Metro station. Law Office of Russell Bikoff. Former FSO. Tel: (202) 466-8270 x. 4. Tax Matters Associates PC Email: [email protected] 4600 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 414 Website: www.BikoffLaw.com Arlington VA 22203 Tel: (703) 522-3828. n REAL ESTATE Fax: (703) 522-5726. Email: [email protected] “Alan Davis is a personable, knowledgeable, and attentive Realtor. He helped our FS family find the right house and complete the sale Dream·Plan·Live. Logbook was founded by FSO Chris Cortese and built with us posted seven time zones away. We highly recommend Alan for the Foreign Service. Chris is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ pro- to other FSOs in need of an understanding and hardworking repre- fessional and a Registered Life Planner®. Logbook is pleased to announce sentative.” DoS Client Sept. 2020 that we are now accepting a limited number of new financial planning/ investment management clients in the first quarter of 2021. As a retired SFSO and full-service Realtor, whether buying or selling, I work at your pace to ensure a smooth transition wherever you are Email: [email protected] stationed. Website: www.logbookfp.com

ALAN DAVIS, REALTOR Long & Foster 6045 Burke Centre Pkwy Burke VA 22015 Cell/Text: (571) 229-6821. Email: [email protected] Website: www.alandavisrealtor.com

94 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL n TEMPORARY HOUSING

CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS. We have 25 years of experience serving the Foreign Service community. Sliding scales and TDY per diems are welcome! We offer a variety of locations throughout Virginia, Maryland and DC. Our all-inclusive pricing includes updated AD INDEX furniture, tasteful décor, all houseware items, all utilities, high-speed When contacting one of our advertisers, kindly mention Wi-Fi and an expanded cable package. you saw their advertisement in The Foreign Service Journal. Tel: (800) 914-2802. Email: [email protected] Website: www.corporateapartments.com ANNOUNCEMENTS AFSA Scholarship / 68 DC GUEST APARTMENTS. Not your typical “corporate” apartments— FSJ Annual Retirement Section / 61 we’re different! Located in Dupont Circle, we designed our apartments as places where we would like to live and work—beautifully furnished CLASSIFIED LISTINGS and fully equipped (including internet & satellite TV). Most importantly, Classifieds / 94, 95 we understand that occasionally needs change, so we never penalize you if you leave early. You only pay for the nights you stay, even if your plans change at the last minute. We also don’t believe in minimum stays or EDUCATION extra charges like application or cleaning fees. AFSA Scholarship / 68 Church Schools in the (Episcopal) Diocese of Virginia / Tel: (202) 536-2500. Inside Back Cover Email: [email protected] Website: www.dcguestapartments.com FINANCIAL PLANNING & TAX SERVICES MCG Financial Planning / 80 DCLuxe Properties. Washington, D.C., corporate housing, offering large fully furnished and generously equipped one- and two-bedroom Windecker Financial Planning / 80 units in the heart of the popular Dupont Circle neighborhood. In-unit washer/dryer, cable TV, high-speed internet and weekly housekeep- INSURANCE ing are standard amenities. Your privacy is important to us—no AFSPA – Cigna / 27 shared spaces or large apartment buildings. The subway, grocery AFSPA – Dental / 4 stores, drug stores, dry cleaners and restaurants are all within 3 blocks Clements Worldwide / 3 of your unit. We have more than 20 years of experience with USG Federal Employee Defense Services / 18 sliding scale per diem. Starr Wright USA / Back Cover Live like a local! For more information and photos, contact us: MISCELLANEOUS Email: [email protected] Address Change / 93 Website: dcluxe.com AFSA Retiree Membership / 61 ______FSJ Digital Archive / 89 n OTHER FSJ Gift Subscription / 25

PET SHIPPING WORLDWIDE: REAL ESTATE, HOUSING & PROPERTY ACTION PET EXPRESS. Veteran-owned MANAGEMENT since 1969. Chambers Theory Property Management / 93 Tel: (888) 318-9696. Corporate Apartment Specialists / 93 Email: [email protected] FSJ Guide to Property Management / 92 Website: www.actionpetexpress.com Promax Management / 91 Property Specialists, Inc. / 11 Residence Inn Arlington / 11 FOR SALE: Rock Creek Cemetery Burial Plots; 8 lots in Section 2 Richey Property Management / 92 for DACOR Washington Management Services / 92 WJD Management / 91 Contact: John Buttles Email: [email protected] RETIREMENT PLANNING & SERVICES Kathleen Stafford Fine Art Gifts Watercolors from over 35 years+ AFSA Retiree Membership / 61 of Foreign Service postings—from Iran to Khartoum. Washington Retirement Planning Specialists / Inside Front Cover Email: [email protected] Website: www.Kathleen-Stafford.com

Contact Molly Long to be included in this section: [email protected] or (202) 719-9706

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 95 REFLECTIONS

Diplomacy and Arms Reduction: A Personal Story

BY WILLIAM H. HILL

hen the Cold War ended In roughly six months more than 20,000 and the Soviet Union col- metric tons of ammunition were removed lapsed in the early 1990s, to Russia and fully verified under the Wlarge numbers of Soviet troops and vast stores of arms and procedures negotiated in 2000. ammunition were left scattered around central and eastern Europe. Over the Union became the independent Republic decent progress had been made in troop next decade and a half, the United States of Moldova. A brief war in 1992 divided withdrawals, but relatively less in reduc- and many European allies cooperated Moldova, with a de facto separatist entity ing the stocks of arms and ammunition. with Russia and post-Soviet states to on the left (east) bank of the Dniestr withdraw former Soviet forces back to River, better known as Transdniestria. s Russia and eliminate large portions of The bulk of the former Soviet military I arrived in Moldova as head of the the military stockpiles. assets was located there, guarded by a OSCE mission, lent to the organization by The results of this effort reduced the small contingent of Russian troops, some the U.S. Department of State, a few months conventional military confrontation on of whom also served as peacekeepers. before the November 1999 Istanbul OSCE the European continent to a level that had From the outset, the Republic of Mol- Summit gave a major boost to efforts to get not been seen, arguably, for a couple of dova demanded the Russian troops be the Russian soldiers and arms out of Mol- centuries. Since it was the outbreak of war withdrawn, but the presence of the enor- dova. In signing a new deal on conven- in Europe that involved the U.S. in the two mous stocks of arms (well over 500 tanks, tional arms control throughout Europe, global conflicts of the 20th century, and the armored personnel carriers and heavy Russia agreed to withdraw its military from competition with the USSR over Europe artillery) and ammunition (some 42,000 Moldova by the end of 2002. This marked that drew America into more than 40 years metric tons) complicated the situation. one of the high points of post–Cold War of global cold war, this deep reduction in The international body charged with U.S.-Russia cooperation. the danger of military clashes in Europe negotiating a political settlement to the There may have been a high-level was a major plus for U.S. security. Transdniestrian conflict—the Organi- agreement on Russian withdrawal from Much of the USSR’s arms and ammu- zation for Security and Cooperation in Moldova, but plenty of practical issues nition needed to fight a southwestern Europe, or OSCE—was also mandated needed to be worked out to make it hap- front in a third world war was stored in to assist with the withdrawal of Russian pen. I developed close working relations the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, troops, arms and ammunition. The Rus- with the Russian commander in Transdni- which after the dissolution of the Soviet sians agreed in principle, and by 1999 estria and senior Russian defense officials in Moscow, but the withdrawal was going William H. Hill is a global fellow at the Wilson Center. A retired Foreign Service to cost plenty, and Russia was very short officer, he is an expert on Russia and the former Soviet Union, East-West on funds after the economic crash of 1998. relations and European multilateral diplomacy. He served two terms—January My American counterpart at OSCE 2003-July 2006 and June 1999-November 2001—as head of the OSCE Mission headquarters in Vienna helped establish to Moldova, where he was charged with negotiation of a political settlement a voluntary fund to which governments to the Transdniestrian conflict and facilitation of the withdrawal of Russian forces, arms and could contribute to assist in the Russian ammunition from Moldova. withdrawal. The United States made a

96 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL substantial contribution, and I traveled to many European capitals in a success- ful effort to raise some $30 million for the effort. Getting the money was only part of the problem, however. I then had to negotiate an agreement with the Russians on how they would receive and use the funds. The donor states understandably wanted to make sure their contributions went for the designated purpose, not just into the Rus- sian state budget. We also had to agree with the Russians on innumerable specific questions (e.g., how much would we pay to destroy a tank, or to ship it back to Russia?). Finally, we needed to agree on how the process would be inspected, so that accomplishment of the task could be properly verified. I spent almost a week in Moscow in late 2000 negotiating a comprehensive agreement. The Russian Foreign Ministry BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPÆDIA The separatist enclave of Transdniestria in Moldova. gave me the use of an office on the sixth floor of its headquarters, along with a computer. I met regularly with about two I were hanged in effigy by angry crowds to Russia and fully verified under the dozen officers and lawyers from the min- in Transdniestria, but strong interven- procedures negotiated in 2000. istries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. We tion from the Russian deputy minister agreed on prices, timing and inspection, of defense and former Prime Minis- s using personnel from the OSCE mission ter Evgeniy Primakov, Putin’s special Unfortunately, a dispute over the to Moldova and—in Russia—interna- representative for the Transdniestrian failure of a proposed political settle- tional staff from NATO’s arms control conflict, helped to overcome the local ment negotiated unilaterally by Russia unit, all under the auspices of the Treaty resistance. in November 2003 halted ammunition on Conventional Forces in Europe. By the end of 2001, more than 500 withdrawals in early 2004, and they have pieces of heavy military weaponry were not resumed. A negligible Russian force s destroyed or removed from Moldova, of 1,500 troops remains in Moldova’s As the effort began in earnest in 2001, along with far greater stores of non- Transdniestrian region. we had to overcome significant local combat and logistical equipment and Nonetheless, I do not consider this resistance from the Transdniestrian supplies. Russia received a one-year effort from 1999 to 2003 a failure. The authorities. Some opposed the Russian extension at the 2002 OSCE Summit, and major Russian weapons were all removed, withdrawal because they believed it in early 2003 efforts began in earnest to as were many of the troops. The danger would leave them with less protection in withdraw the ammunition from the Rus- of armed conflict, especially accidental their dispute with the recognized govern- sian base in the village of Colbasna on conflict with Russia, was greatly reduced. ment of Moldova. Others probably hoped the border with Ukraine. With the involvement and leadership of to gain financially by selling some of the Contrary to some prognostications, American diplomats, this region—and, as military equipment. in roughly six months more than 20,000 a result, Europe and the United States— Both the Russian commander and metric tons of ammunition were removed was a bit safer for a time. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 97 LOCAL LENS BY LEE-ALISON SIBLEY n YANGON, MYANMAR

he Shwedagon Pagoda, with its 367-foot golden spire, dominates the skyline Tof Yangon (once Rangoon). Also known as the Golden Pagoda, the gilded Theravada Buddhist stupa is a “must-see” for all visitors to Myanmar. During our recent three years at the U.S. embassy in Yangon, we visited the iconic site countless times. The best time to go is at night when the lights are brilliant and the air cooler. We always asked our guests to figure the weekday of their birth so they could go to the correct shrine within the complex and be blessed by pouring water over various symbols. We were often approached by Burmese wishing to practice their English, and they were always surprised to learn that we were residents there. This photo was taken during our final visit, just before the COVID-19 shutdown, early in 2020. I used my iPhone 11X Pro. n

A performing artist, teacher and author of Jordan’s Jewish Drama Queen, Lee- Alison Sibley has joyfully followed her husband, Senior Foreign Service Officer George Sibley, from their first posting, Jakarta in 1989, to their current post, North Carolina, where George is diplomat in residence and Lee-Alison is working on her second book, a novel about India. Please submit your favorite, recent photograph to be considered for Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8” x 10”, or 1 MB or larger) and must not be in print elsewhere. Include a short description of the scene/event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used. Send to [email protected].

98 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL