PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION MARCH 2020

DEALING WITH RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

INTEGRITY FIRST

POWER AFRICA: REDEFINING DEVELOPMENT

FOREIGN SERVICE March 2020 Volume 97, No. 2

Focus on Dealing with Russia and Ukraine

Features

45 Energy Diplomacy Works: How Power Africa Redefines Development Partnerships An ambitious USAID initiative to bring the U.S. government’s resources to bear in Africa is producing results, offering a new model for development assistance. By Andrew M. Herscowitz

22 Reflections on Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. in the Post-Soviet World The struggle between Russia and Ukraine, in which the United States has been involved for three decades, reflects the challenges of the continuing 39 post-Soviet transformation. When Lightning By John F. Tefft Struck Twice: Drawing Down Mission Russia 35 Moscow assignments were never easy, but the dramatic ordered reductions The World Through of diplomatic staff in 2017 and 2018 50 Moscow’s Eyes: A Classic were distinctly difficult. Russian Perspective By Michael A. Lally Superpowered To fathom the Ukraine dispute, Public Diplomacy a Russian scholar and head of the 42 Updating the PD toolbox Carnegie Moscow Center shares with popular arts. what he thinks U.S. diplomats need Soviet Union, Russia By Preeti Shah to know about Russia. and Ukraine— By Dmitri Trenin From the FSJ Archive

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 5 FOREIGN SERVICE

Perspectives Departments

7 19 10 Letters President’s Views Speaking Out The Foreign Service Act at 40 Integrity First 14 Talking Points By Eric Rubin By Alan L arson 71 In Memory 9 85 76 Books Letter from the Editor Reflections Going Through Things Sprint Training for By Shawn Dorman Distance Runners By Katie Mastin 12 Marketplace Message from the Hill 86 80 Real Estate We Need to Upgrade Our Local Lens Diplomatic Capabilities Cúcuta, Colombia 82 Classifieds By Representative By Keith Mines Brian Jeffer y Mast 84 Index to Advertisers

AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 53 Honoring Early Diplomats and Consular Officers 60 2017-2019 54 State VP Voice—Being Treated More Like AFSA Governing Board 53 Our Military Term Report 55 USAID VP Voice—The FSA: It’s More 66 2019 AFSA Treasurer’s Than Just an Act Report 56 Retiree VP Voice—Powerful Tools to 68 Congress Passes 2020 Defend the Foreign Service Appropriations Package, Including 2.6 Percent Pay 56 Congress Approves Paid Parental Leave Increase for Federal Employees 68 Hatch Act: What Every 57 Support AFSA’s Legal Defense Fund Employee Needs to Know 57 A Letter to AFSA 69 Updates to the 2019 58 Guidance on the Use of Diplomatic Passports AFSA Tax Guide 59 AFSA President Addresses Citizen Groups 70 Remembering Anthony Bishop, in Florida AFGE State Vice President

On the Cover—“Empire Half-Light”(2016), by artist and former FSO Rosemarie Forsythe. Her style mixes matte gem tones with metallics to achieve a look reminiscent of Byzantine icons or 15th-century illuminated manuscripts. For this first piece in her “Empire Twilight” series, she incorporated her declassified reporting cables from 1989-1991 Embassy Moscow. This piece was shown at AFSA’s first FS Artists Show- case Feb. 6 and is now owned by fellow Soviet/Russia specialist Anita Friedt. Both worked with Ambassador (ret.) John Tefft.

6 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS

The Foreign Service Act at 40

BY ERIC RUBIN

his year marks the 40th anniver- “operated on the basis of merit principles.” tem—expansion of the leave without pay sary of the Foreign Service Act The act covered seven agencies (two option is one example. of 1980, the defining legislative of which no longer exist), created the We need to focus on recruitment and Tfoundation of our institution and Senior Foreign Service, reduced the retention, and consider changes to help a critical element of our country’s foreign number of FS personnel categories, make the Service more responsive to a policy structure. As Harry Kopp writes established a single FS pay schedule, 2020 workforce that has different needs in his superb history of AFSA (www.afsa. added new benefits and allowances, and expectations than the 1980s workforce org/voice), members of both houses of authorized a Foreign Service union and did. This includes making the Service more Congress from both sides of the aisle took set parameters for a grievance system. reflective of the rich diversity of America. seriously the task of modernizing the For- It also strengthened congressional Looking back with the help of the eign Service and making it more efficient, oversight by requiring regular reports from Kopp book and Foreign Service Journal effective and useful. the Department of State on affirmative archives, it is important to remember One thing is clear from the delibera- action, professional development, work- that 1980 was less than a decade after the tions that led to the final 1980 Act: there force planning, language skills, ambas- end of “two for one” rules mandating the was nearly universal consensus that the sadorial nominations, operations of the rating of wives on their husbands’ EERs, Foreign Service needs to be at the center inspector general and other matters. and also the rule forcing female FSOs to of the U.S. foreign policy process. It was So where are we today? We face two resign if they married. widely accepted that good policy could critical tasks. Most urgent is getting the We’re in a different era, and we need not be made without professional exper- career Foreign Service back to the center to engage with members of Congress tise and advice. of the foreign-policy-making process as and congressional staff to ensure the It was also generally agreed that politi- intended by the act. Today, our senior core elements of the Foreign Service Act cal appointee ambassadors need to be political leaders have almost no contact are protected and reinforced, while at qualified, and their numbers should be with senior career FSOs. We have only one the same time being prepared to inno- kept to a minimum. All of these concepts career FSO serving as an under secretary, vate and modernize. While we work to were laid out clearly in the final legislation. and none serving as a Senate-confirmed protect the Foreign Service and to defend The 1980 Act states: “A career foreign assistant secretary. our colleagues who were drawn into the service, characterized by excellence Many of the deputy assistant secretary impeachment battle as fact witnesses, we and professionalism, is essential in the positions are still occupied by FSOs in an need to keep a strategic focus as well. national interest to assist the President “acting” capacity, more than three years AFSA would be grateful for your and the Secretary of State in conducting into the Trump administration. We are thoughts on what is working and not the foreign affairs of the United States.” also witnessing the departure of most working in today’s Foreign Service, and It continues: “The career detailees from the National Security what changes you might like to see. members of the For- Council. The interagency process has Please send your input to our new email eign Service should been diminished. address—[email protected]—and let us be representative The second urgent task is to mod- know whether or not your comments can of the American ernize our Service. I applaud the pilot be shared with attribution as part of an people,” and the For- programs underway in several agencies FSJ compilation. I look forward to hearing eign Service shall be to inject more flexibility into the sys- from you. n

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

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 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: ADVOCACY Associate Editor (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Advocacy Cameron Woodworth: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Kim Greenplate: [email protected] (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Publications Coordinator USAID AFSA Office: FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Dmitry Filipoff: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Director of Finance and Facilities Business Development Manager— FCS AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] Advertising and Circulation (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Manager, HR and Operations Molly Long: [email protected] Cory Nishi: [email protected] GOVERNING BOARD Controller Art Director President Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Caryn Suko Smith Hon. Eric S. Rubin: [email protected] Member Accounts Specialist Editorial Board Secretary Ana Lopez: [email protected] Alexis Ludwig, Chair Ken Kero-Mentz: [email protected] IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Treasurer Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: Daniel Crocker Virginia L. Bennett: [email protected] [email protected] Joel Ehrendreich State Vice President Harry Kopp Thomas Yazdgerdi: [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS Jess McTigue USAID Vice President Christopher Teal Director of Communications Jason Singer: [email protected] Joe Tordella Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] FCS Vice President Vivian Walker Manager of Outreach and Internal Hon. Laurence Wohlers Jay Carreiro: [email protected] Communications Dinah Zeltser-Winant FAS Vice President Allan Saunders: [email protected] Michael Riedel: [email protected] Online Communications Manager Retiree Vice President Jeff Lau: [email protected] THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS John K. Naland: [email protected] Awards and Scholarships Manager PROFESSIONALS State Representatives Theo Horn: [email protected] The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Joshua C. Archibald 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Strategic Messaging Coordinator published monthly, with combined January-February Matthew Dolbow Nadja Ruzica: [email protected] and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Holly Kirking Loomis Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Kristin Michelle Roberts Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the MEMBERSHIP writers and does not necessarily represent the views of Tamir Waser Director, Programs and Member Engagement the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries Lillian Wahl-Tuco Christine Miele: [email protected] and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The USAID Representative Coordinator of Member Relations and Events Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, Lorraine Sherman photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. Ashley Baine: [email protected] All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. FCS Alternate Representative Coordinator of Member Recruitment AFSA reserves the right to reject advertising that is not Mike Calvert and Benefits in keeping with its standards and objectives. The appear- FAS Alternate Representative ance of advertisements herein does not imply endorse- Perri Green: [email protected] ment of goods or services offered. Opinions expressed in Mary Parrish Retirement Benefits Counselor advertisements are the views of the advertisers and do USAGM Representative Dolores Brown: [email protected] not necessarily represent AFSA views or policy. Journal Steve Herman subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual APHIS Representative dues; student–$30; others–$50; Single issue–$4.50. LABOR MANAGEMENT For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, Jeffery Austin General Counsel $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., Retiree Representatives Sharon Papp: [email protected] and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by the Public Mary Daly Deputy General Counsel Affairs Information Services (PAIS). Philip A. Shull Raeka Safai: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Senior Staff Attorneys Phone: (202) 338-4045 STAFF Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] Fax: (202) 338-8244 Executive Director Neera Parikh: [email protected] Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] Labor Management Counselor Executive Assistant to the President © American Foreign Service Association, 2020 Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan: Richard Bruner: [email protected] [email protected] PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Office Coordinator Senior Labor Management Advisor Postmaster: Send address changes to Therese Thomas: [email protected] James Yorke: [email protected] AFSA, Attn: Address Change Labor Management Coordinator 2101 E Street NW PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES Patrick Bradley: [email protected] Washington DC 20037-2990 Director of Professional Policy Issues Senior Grievance Counselor Julie Nutter: [email protected] Heather Townsend: [email protected] Grievance Counselor SUSTAINABLE Certified Sourcing FORESTRY Pete Lyon: [email protected] Need SFI Logo INITIATIVE www.sfiprogram.org SFI-01268 Law Clerk Briana J. Odom

8 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Going Through Things

BY SHAWN DORMAN

he’s going to go through coup to get John Tefft—who has served from Comic-Con on how the public diplo- some things,” said the presi- as ambassador to both countries (and macy toolbox has been expanded; and dent in his perfect call with Georgia and Lithuania)—to write the lead retired FSO Alan Larson speaks out on the “S Ukrainian President Volody- article. This is must-reading for anyone value of integrity in foreign policy. myr Zelensky last July. Ambassador Marie who wants to know why we should care Finally, as we close out the FSJ ’s Yovanovitch went through some things— about Ukraine, and Russia. centennial year with this edition, I am as she did her job, served her country and Carnegie Moscow Center Director Dmi- pleased to report that the state of the spoke the truth. tri Trenin presents “The World Through Journal is strong. We count on our readers As the impeachment trial came to a Moscow’s Eyes.” Understanding where our to share their views and experiences quick end, the three-time ambassador adversaries (and friends) are coming from for these pages. Let us hear from you retired. But while the Service lost another is part of what makes diplomacy work. ([email protected]). And please take the outstanding senior diplomat, it also FSO Michael Lally reminds us how the AFSA president up on his request for gained a hero; the impeachment process challenges in the U.S.-Russia relationship input (to [email protected]). brought to light—for those paying any in recent years have affected the lives of And speaking of going through some attention at all—the integrity and dedica- U.S. Mission Russia staff. We also include a things, during a recent cleanup at AFSA tion of career diplomats on the front lines selection of excerpts from the FSJ Archive, we discovered a 1994 letter from George implementing official U.S. policy and the merest hint of the archive’s tremen- Kennan for the Journal’s 75th anniversary. advancing relationships around the world. dous resources on Russia and Ukraine. As the FSJ enters its second century, his At AFSA and through the Journal, Elsewhere, FSO Preeti Shah reports words still resonate. n we will continue supporting the Foreign Service as it goes through things, facing new challenges. We will continue pointing March 28, 1994 The American Foreign Service, in its chartered (but not always respected) capacity to the critical importance of professional as a highly selected, non-political, and disciplined body of career officials trained for diplomacy for national security and telling the representation of this country through its embassies and consular offices abroad, the story of the U.S. Foreign Service, both has never fitted easily into the American governmental establishment. Seldom have its for our members and the public, and for nature, its functions, and its needs been understood either by the general public or by the the historical record. press or even by those who were responsible for its financial support and administration at the Washington end. One great story is that of the Power The service has always had something of a dual identity, trying on the one hand to Africa program, the first “Energy Diplo- represent this country abroad … , but trying at the same time to accommodate itself to macy Works” contribution to our ongoing the demands being brought to bear upon it from a Washington which would never fully Diplomacy Works series. In this issue, understand what it was, why it existed, and what it was doing. USAID FSO Andrew Herscowitz explains No institution connected with the Foreign Service can have found itself more in the how this program is redefining develop- center of these conflicting pressures than the organ which, for some 75 years, has tried to shape and maintain the Service’s own sense of identity and yet to help it to meet the ment partnerships. demands placed upon it by both the political and the bureaucratic establishments at For our focus on home: namely, The Foreign Service Journal. … dealing with Russia This must never have been an entirely easy task; but the Journal has pursued it all and Ukraine, it was a these years with devotion and persistence. … I am glad to wish it many more years of use ful service to a cause which is none the less valuable for being so rarely understood. - Very sincerely, Shawn Dorman is the George Kennan editor of The Foreign Service Journal.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 9 LETTERS

The Promise of The Mighty 102nd because she was born in Arlington and Independence I was glad to see AFSA State VP Tom had always lived around families from The conversation with Yazdgerdi’s column in the December FSJ the state. Ambassador Hank Cohen in on understanding why peo- She enrolled in a Virginia university, the December 2019 FSJ was ple leave the Foreign Service. but we only had funds for her to attend an extraordinary article in It’s an important issue, and two years as a nonresident. When her an equally extraordinary I’m sure we all look forward residency appeal was ultimately denied, issue. Students of diplo- to getting past anecdotal she withdrew from the university after macy and the Foreign Ser- reports and learning what les- her second year. vice will benefit immensely sons we may be able to draw Hope reemerged, however, with the from it. Congratulations from a fuller picture. AFSA announcement. In September, to the Journal and Amb. I do want to take issue, I moved to Virginia to begin language Cohen. however, with Mr. Yazdgerdi’s training at FSI for an onward assign- In my 20-odd years as assertion that the 200th A-100 ment to Mozambique, and my daughter an LS [Language Services] contractor, class was the first to have applied to James Madison University as I heard the same about Africa’s lack of women outnumber men. Our small but a transfer student. postcolonial progress as the ambas- mighty 102nd brought 23 women and I was apprehensive, knowing no sador revealed in the interview. When I nine men into the Foreign Service in guidance had been issued on how to interpreted at a Young African Leaders April 2001. implement the new law. The JMU Resi- Conference at State some 10 years ago, Matt O’Connor dency Committee Members and both at one point all the individuals who FSO the dean and associate dean of admis- ventured opinions on their governments Kaohsiung, Taiwan sions worked with us, however, quickly were uniformly critical. reviewing documentation they needed Little wonder, then, that in recent An In-State College related to lodging and my onward years desperate thousands of Africans Tuition Win assignment. have tried to enter Europe as putative July 18, 2019, was a special day And now my daughter is officially a asylum-seekers, many losing their lives when—thanks to Delegate Paul Krizek, Duke and attending JMU! The battle for at sea, while others try to cross our bor- who represents the 44th District in the Virginia residency is over, and because der from Mexico. Virginia General Assembly’s House of of this new law, my daughter will stay in Thus, the promise of independence Delegates—AFSA announced the new Virginia where she feels she belongs. for many Africans remains that. Let’s law allowing Foreign Service members Sincere thanks to all. hope Amb. Cohen’s calling attention and their dependents to meet less strin- Melissa Knight to the sad situation will cause political gent requirements to receive in-state USAID FSO leaders and elites to do something, at tuition in Virginia. U.S. Embassy Maputo last, for their own peoples. Everyone Under the new law, FS families will would stand to benefit—even they be required to reside in Virginia for no On Afghanistan and the would, of course. more than 90 days immediately prior to Growing Iranian Disaster Finally, the ambassador touched on receiving a diplomatic assignment for Let’s start with a brief consideration Africa and climate change. I hope he will continued work overseas. of a few of our own major political expand on his view in the regional con- As an FS child, my daughter went to adjustments. The Declaration of Inde- text. His other ideas and observations five international schools, ultimately pendence, in 1776, bluntly states “all are so sound that more on these topics graduating in South Africa. I wanted her men are created equal,” except for those would be most welcome. to be able to choose her college. She men over there. Lincoln’s Emancipation Louis V. Riggio didn’t want to study at the University of Proclamation, in 1863, abolished slav- Former FSO and LS Contractor Florida, where I had graduated. ery, but only in the Confederate states, Hollywood, Florida She wanted to study in Virginia where it had no effect.

10 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The 13th Amendment abolished any measure, especially in the years businessmen and prepared 15,582 slavery in the United States in 1865, and since his exemplary service there. reports on all phases of trade expan- the Civil Rights Act enforcing it, with The Jan. 3 assassination of Qasem sion, which were forwarded to the considerable difficulty, was passed a Soleimani will clearly add immensely Department of Commerce for dissemi- mere 99 years later, in 1964. to the serious dangers we have created nation to businessmen. The 17th Amendment, in 1913, there, and throughout the Muddle (sic) “An average of 150 trade opportuni- changed election of U.S. senators to a East. ties were reported each month, and vote by the citizens, not just members Edward Peck during the period January 1-October of the state legislatures. Ambassador, retired 20, 1921, a total of 15,270 reports were Women got the vote in the Chevy Chase, Maryland supplied on foreign firms for the World 19th Amendment, in 1920. Trade Directory Service at the Depart- Each action faced opposition, Consular Service ment of Commerce. and some generated unrest. Promoting Trade “In addition consuls employed their If a functioning democracy I enjoyed Jay Car- good offices to settle trade differences took this long to adopt basic, reiro’s AFSA VP Voice between American and foreign firms, significant efforts to improve the column on the Com- thus contributing materially to the operations of the government mercial Service in the maintenance of the prestige of Ameri- and the lives of its citizens, what November 2019 FSJ. can businesses abroad” (p. 197). can realistically be expected in In addition to the While this function is no longer the Afghanistan, which appears to be work of trade commissioners sent by responsibility of consular officers, it struggling into the 18th century? the Department of Commerce, I think it speaks to the enduring close relation- And consider this: By definition, you is important to note the historical role ship between State and Commerce in cannot impose democracy. That’s an of the Consular Service in trade promo- furthering U.S. and foreign trade. oxymoron, two contradictory state- tion. In the past, consuls generated Stuart Denyer ments in one sentence: “You cannot reports on all manner of trade issues of Consul force people to make a free choice. interest to U.S. businesses. U.S. Embassy Ljubljana n OK, Afghans, here comes a weekend; These reports—whether on the cur- become a democracy now!” rent price of grain in the country, the I had the pleasure of working with prevailing wages or the export oppor- Ambassador Ryan Crocker in Bagh- tunities for a particular American prod- dad. He later served as ambassador in uct—proved so popular with American Afghanistan, and his opinion piece in The businessmen that the Department of Washington Post on Dec. 13, 2019, clearly State changed their publication from displayed his intelligence, knowledge annual to monthly in 1880. and understanding of the massive, exten- This work greatly expanded in the sive, entrenched obstacles the United 20th century. According to The Foreign Share your States and its allies face there. Service of the United States, a history They have been multiplied by our book published by the State Depart- thoughts about own mistakes and miscalculations, ment’s Bureau of Public Affairs in 1961: this month’s issue. which have made it vastly more difficult “The efforts of American business to to accomplish a logically impossible expand export markets after the war task, especially in a short time. [World War I] were strongly supported Submit letters Sadly, I am obliged to agree with part by the trade promotion activities of to the editor: of the title of his essay, that Afghanistan consular officers. “is not another Vietnam.” It certainly “In the fiscal year of 1921 consuls [email protected] isn’t, and has infinitely worsened, by answered 82,237 trade inquiries from

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 11 MESSAGE FROM THE HILL

We Need to Upgrade Our Diplomatic Capabilities

BY REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN JEFFERY MAST

he most important and I believe the documented deficit in overseas rewarding time of my life core diplomacy positions is a serious problem was the 12 years I spent in the U.S. Army. I became a that needs to be addressed to ensure that bomb technician because I America’s commercial, economic and political Twanted to save lives and serve a cause standing in the world does not atrophy or greater than myself. I nearly gave my give way to rising near-peer competitors. own life for that—I lost both my legs and a finger when a roadside bomb det- onated beneath me—and have known more heroes than I can count who died defending others. support them fully to match our adver- complements of U.S. diplomats are staff- The selfless commitment of my saries around the world. ing country teams, deployed around the brothers and sisters in arms, both on In particular, we need to address the world promoting U.S interests. I believe and off the battlefield, makes me truly documented shortage in core diplo- the documented deficit in overseas core believe that it takes a special kind of macy positions overseas. To this end, I diplomacy positions is a serious problem person to dedicate their life to serving have strongly urged the House Appro- that needs to be addressed to ensure that our country. priations Subcommittee on State and America’s commercial, economic and Members of the U.S. Foreign Service Foreign Operations to encourage the political standing in the world does not make this commitment each and every State Department to create and fill new atrophy or give way to rising near-peer day to spread the values of freedom, Foreign Service positions at overseas competitors. democracy and liberty around the posts. That’s why it was so important to get globe. In my letter to the State Department, this language included in the appropri- In the current environment of I specifically encouraged the agency to ations package that passed the House great power competition and rivalry, expand mid-level FSO positions—grades on Dec. 17, 2019, and was signed into I strongly believe that we need to FS-3, FS-2 and FS-1—at overseas posts. law by President Donald Trump three upgrade our diplomatic capabilities and Our goal must be to ensure that full days later.

Representative Brian Jeffery Mast (R-Fla.) represents Florida’s 18th district. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he served in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2012.

12 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Unfortunately, we are also all too familiar with just how often artifi- cial barriers or needless government bureaucracy gets in the way of those who want to serve. For example, Foreign Service officers are currently forced to take home leave on returning to the United States between assignments and often find themselves without any means of housing. This is simply unac- ceptable, especially when anyone who is serving or has served in the military can tell you we have hotels and vaca- tion rental homes on bases across the nation. That’s why I introduced legislation to expand military housing benefits to Foreign Service officers who temporar- ily lose their housing allowance while on mandatory home leave status. This bill would allow Foreign Service officers to rent a place to stay during that short transition period before or after over- seas deployment. The good news is that this bill was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2020, which passed the House of Representatives on Dec. 11 and was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2019. The bottom line is that we must continue working hard to ensure the safety and security of the United States through strong diplomacy, robust fund- ing for our military, unwavering support for our allies, and development of a comprehensive national security strat- egy founded on the idea that the world is safest when America is strongest. Thank you for all you do to promote peace and democracy around the globe. Your commitment to service before self continues to inspire me, and I look for- ward to working with you in the future to preserve our nation’s security for generations to come. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 13 TALKING POINTS

600 codels a year, the State Senate Confirms Department puts in a ton Biegun as State #2 of work figuring out how he Senate voted 90-3 on Dec. 19 to to interact with lawmakers Tconfirm Stephen Biegun, President effectively, Ms. Degarmo said. Trump’s former North Korea envoy, as Now, at the press of a Deputy Secretary of State. Secretary of button, staff can get all the State Mike Pompeo swore in Mr. Biegun pertinent information about on Dec. 21. any member of Congress, Before taking on the role of envoy using 40 different data sets. to North Korea, Mr. Biegun was vice The dashboard features president of international government headers such as Sponsored relations for Ford Motor Company. Legislation, State Depart- He served ment Engagement, Home as executive State Profile, Potential Topics secretary of of Interest, CODEL Travel the National History and International Security Council Exchange Programs in the from 2001 to Data for Diplomacy lawmaker’s state. 2003. In that efore a standing-room-only crowd The Global Presence Navigator, role, he was Bon Jan. 16 in Main State’s Burns another project under development, a senior staff Auditorium, officials shared their plans will enable a global look at the State member for Stephen Biegun. to bring the department’s data analytics Department’s presence in countries National into the 21st century. around the globe—personnel, facili- Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. We are at a critical inflection point at ties, spending, assistance program- Before that, he spent 14 years as a the State Department on data analyt- ming and more. “We can look at our foreign policy adviser to members of the ics,” Under Secretary for Management footprint globally, regionally, and down House and Senate. Mr. Biegun is a gradu- Brian Bulatao told the crowd. “This is a to the post level,” Degarmo said. “We ate of the University of Michigan. generational shift.” are beginning to overlay indicators of “We created the Center for Analyt- strategic importance, as well.” Pompeo Berates ics to infuse a culture of data into our The Center for Analytics has also Reporter over Ukraine thinking at State,” Jim Schwab, the developed a Chinese Activities Platform Questions director of the Office of Management on Classnet that can help the U.S. gov- ecretary of State Mike Pompeo Strategy and Solutions (MSS), said. ernment track Beijing. Slashed out at NPR reporter Mary “Data analytics is everywhere in society, “There is great value in leveraging Louise Kelly after an interview, appar- and we are starting to use it in many data as a strategic asset,” Mr. Bulatao ently angered by her questions about areas at State.” said. “It is imperative that we have the the Trump administration’s removal of Janice Degarmo, the deputy director most informed employees who are able Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from of MSS and acting chief data officer at to understand analytics faster than our Ukraine and whether he owed Amb. the Center for Analytics, shared several adversaries.” Yovanovitch an apology for not defend- examples of new data analytics projects The Foreign Service Institute is now ing her publicly. already in action or in development. offering courses on data analytics, he “I’ve defended every single person on One is a dashboard called Con- added. FSI trained 700 people in data this team,” Secretary Pompeo said in the gressional Insights that helps prepare analytics in 2019, he said, “and we think interview, recorded on Jan. 24. embassy staffers for upcoming visits it will double over the next couple of Pressed by Ms. Kelly on whether he by congressional delegations. With years.” could point to specific remarks in which

14 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Secretary Pompeo has had run-ins Contemporary Quote with other reporters. In October, he told Nashville TV reporter Nancy Amons that As America is currently rethinking its relation to the world, I have a it “sounds like you’re working, at least in simple message: America is needed. America is needed in the Sahel. part, for the Democratic National Com- America is needed in the Near East. And alliances are to be treasured: mittee,” after she questioned him about not as burdensome relics, or as commercial endeavors; but as a web the Trump administration’s decision to of bonds, of values, of influence, whose collective value far exceeds withhold aid from Ukraine. He made that of each part. similar comments to PBS news host Judy —French Defense Minister Florence Parly, Woodruff in October, as well. in a speech at the Harvard Kennedy School, Jan. 28. Experts Featured on Commission on Unalienable Rights Panel he had defended Amb. Yovanovitch, is shameful that this reporter chose to he State Department’s Commission Secretary Pompeo responded: “I’ve said violate the basic rules of journalism and Ton Unalienable Rights—charged by all I’m going to say today.” decency. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to offer Ms. Kelly later reported that shortly “This is another example of how him advice about the role human rights after the interview, “the same staffer unhinged the media has become in its should play in foreign policy—has invited who had stopped the interview reap- quest to hurt President Trump and this a series of constitutional and human peared, asked me to come with her— Administration. It is no wonder that the rights experts to speak before it over the just me, no recorder, though she did not American people distrust many in the past few months. say we were off the record, nor would media when they so consistently demon- On Jan. 10, two human rights I have agreed. strate their agenda and their absence of experts—sometimes critical of the Trump “I was taken to the Secretary’s private integrity. administration’s human rights record— living room where he was waiting and “It is worth noting that Bangladesh is addressed the commission: Kenneth where he shouted at me for about the NOT Ukraine.” Roth, executive director of Human Rights same amount of time as the interview The Washington Post reported on Jan. Watch, and Diane Orentlicher, professor itself. He was not happy to have been 26 that it had obtained emails indicating of international law at American Univer- questioned about Ukraine. He asked, that the Secretary’s staff was aware that sity’s Washington College of Law. ‘Do you think Americans care about Ms. Kelly would ask the Secretary about Mr. Roth told the panel that it is dif- Ukraine?’ He used the F-word in that several topics and raised no objections. ficult for the United States to have moral sentence and many others. On Jan. 27, USA Today and other authority on human rights when the “He asked if I could find Ukraine on media outlets reported that the State president supports autocrats, or when a map. I said yes, and he called out for Department had blocked NPR diplomatic families are separated at the border, or aides to bring us a map of the world with reporter Michele Kelemen from the Sec- when the CIA tortures people. “Countries no writing. I pointed to Ukraine. He put retary’s plane for his upcoming travel to I speak with in my work ask about that,” the map away. He said, ‘People will hear Ukraine and several other countries. he said. about this.’” “We can only conclude that the Roth said he disagreed with Secre- On Jan. 25, Secretary Pompeo released State Department is retaliating against tary Pompeo’s notion that there had the following official statement: National Public Radio as a result of this been a “proliferation” of rights in recent “NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly exchange,” said Shaun Tandon, president times. There have been no new human lied to me, twice. First, last month, in of the State Department Correspondents’ rights agreements in at least the past 13 setting up our interview and, then again Association. Kelemen “was in rotation as years, he said. Some social movements yesterday, in agreeing to have our post- the radio pool reporter” for the trip, he are now seeking rights—for example, interview conversation off the record. It added. LGBTQ advocates seeking economic

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 15 ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL “I saw early on how robust U.S. support could make a huge difference on human rights for women and others,” she said. estoring American leadership both at home and around the world But she worries that the consensus begins with rebuilding the State Department and expanding our R is now “under severe stress.” With the budget for foreign assistance. … Whatever issue we face, whether it’s decrease of U.S. leadership on human conflict in Syria or Ebola pandemics in Africa or Zika in South America, rights, America now signals ambiva- our response is more effective if we use the tools of diplomacy and lence and worse in its commitment to work with our allies. human rights, she said. In my first one hundred days as president, I will launch an effort to Some of the most dangerous emerg- rebuild and restore our diplomatic corps. That begins with immedi- ing threats come from private actors, she ately depoliticizing foreign policymaking and ensuring that the State pointed out, adding that social media’s Department and international agencies receive sufficient funding. amplification of the messages of bad —Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), at an event at the Council on Foreign Relations, actors needs urgent attention. Dec. 11, 2019. Ms. Orentlicher encouraged the State Department to continue promoting human rights and urged the department rights in Lebanon—but those are long- like. They’ll be more likely to do that to ensure that all employees are literate established rights that have been denied if the U.S. is also selective on rights.” on human rights issues. to these groups, he added. Ms. Orentlicher, who served as She was “cheered” to see Secretary Picking and choosing human rights deputy for the Office of War Crimes Pompeo’s support for the Universal gives “a green light” to the enemies of Issues at State from 2009 to 2011, told Declaration of Human Rights, she said, human rights, Roth said. “The Saudi the commission that the United States adding that it is urgent that the United Arabias, Chinas and Russias of the world had developed bipartisan consensus States reanimate its commitment to want to pick and choose the rights they about human rights in the 1980s. the UDHR.

Heard on the Hill A Bipartisan Effort to but let’s not speak ill of civilians who serve. Support Diplomacy Let’s not hurl the term “bureaucrat” as a slur. n 2017, Senator [Dan] Sullivan [R-Alaska] Let’s not call people in certain government Iand I co-founded the Foreign Service Cau- agencies “scum.” Let’s disagree with wit- cus to support our diplomats, a bipartisan start nesses without questioning their patriotism toward turning the tide. This week, we have —Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), taken additional steps forward with the pas- Senate floor speech, Dec. 18. sage of paid parental leave for federal employ- Dedicated Patriots ees, and we will pass a well-deserved pay raise My parents worked for the embassy in New JOSH shortly. There is so much more we can do. Delhi when I was born, and I can tell you that Senators can start right now and take per- the people who serve our nation around the sonal responsibility for ushering in a new era of respect for world as part of the Foreign Service, our intelligence agen- all of our public servants. I ask my colleagues on both sides cies and DOD [Department of Defense] are some of the most of the Capitol to stop the insults, stop the verbal assaults, incredibly dedicated patriots I have ever seen. and stop questioning the patriotism of these fine Americans. —Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Col.), We can fight over programs; we can fight over budgets; interview on MSNBC, Jan. 17.

16 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Podcast of the Month: KennanX

ennanX is a new podcast, put Ktogether by the Kennan Insti- tute (part of the Woodrow Wilson AFSPA International Center for Scholars), afspa.org/aip that is dedicated to educating afspa.org/dental listeners about Russia, Ukraine and afspa.org/life the surrounding region. and Russia, with diplomats Rose The host is Jill Dougherty, who Gottemoeller and John Beyrle. Chambers Theory chamberstheory.com during her three-decade career The Kennan Institute is a U.S. at CNN served as a foreign affairs center for advanced research on Clements Worldwide correspondent covering the State Russia and Eurasia. It is the oldest clements.com Department. KennanX has released and largest regional program at two fascinating podcasts so far. the Woodrow Wilson International Federal Employees The first, a discussion of the Center for Scholars. The Institute Defense Services Chernobyl nuclear reactor melt- was co-founded in 1974 as a joint fedsprotection.com down and its legacy, features Craig initiative of Ambassador George F. Mazin, creator and producer of Kennan, then Wilson Center Director Jack Realty Group HBO’s Chernobyl; Serhii Plokhii, James Billington and historian jackrealtygroup.com/ director of the Ukraine Research S. Frederick Starr. state.php Institute at Harvard University; The Wilson Center features Masha Gessen, staff writer at the several additional podcasts, includ- Property Specialists, Inc. New Yorker; and Maxim Trudolyubov, ing Need to Know, which shares propertyspecialistsinc.com senior adviser at the Kennan Insti- nonpartisan foreign policy expertise, tute and editor-in-chief of the Wilson the Russian History Audio Archive Richey Property Center’s blog, The Russia File. and Global Women’s Leadership Management The second is a discussion about Initiative. richeypm.com arms control and the importance Visit wilsoncenter.org/collection/ of the New START nuclear weapons kennanx-podcast or wilsoncenter.org/ Windecker Financial treaty between the United States wilson-center-podcasts. Planning windeckerfp.pro

WJD Management The 97 Percent: The OIG found that the 16-month hir- wjdpm.com OIG Finds Lasting ing freeze implemented by the admin- Impact of Hiring Freeze istration shortly after President Trump he State Department Office of the took office is still affecting department TInspector General released a report operations. All 38 bureaus and offices that on Jan. 22 stating that “staffing gaps, responded to an OIG survey, and 97 per- frequent turnover, poor leadership, and cent of embassies and missions overseas, inexperienced and undertrained staff fre- reported that the hiring freeze was having quently contribute to the Department’s a somewhat or major negative impact on other management challenges,” and that employee morale. “workforce management issues are per- “Employees told OIG that the hiring vasive, affecting programs and operations freeze contributed to excessive work- domestically and overseas.” loads, and the lack of transparency about

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 17 50 Years Ago

The Dynamics of Growth in Developing Nations y conviction in 1966 when I or massive effect on the most the interaction between Msponsored the Title IX legislation impoverished citizens of the our external aid and the of the Foreign Assistance Act was that third world. dynamics of change and our foreign aid programs depended The first point can be sub- growth in a developing too much on a faulty bit of conven- stantiated by comparing the nation. … tional wisdom; the hypothesis was that amount of our economic aid New nations need developing nations most urgently need with the Gross National Prod- to develop skills for economic assistance, which promotes uct in Latin America, where we have self-management if they are to become a better standard of living, which in expended more than in most sections stable and responsible members of the turn eases social tension and fosters of the world. The amount of our assis- international community. Yet too much the growth of democratic institutions. tance has not equaled one and one of our foreign assistance has pro- The assumption that economic aid half per cent of their GNP. Economic ceeded on the myth that if only we suf- actually does enhance living conditions transfusions at that rate might keep ficiently bolster the material resources for the peoples of emerging nations the patient alive, but they can hardly of the emerging nations, they will is challengeable on two grounds: first, be expected to send him quickly on his discover within themselves the innate that the total amount of U.S. eco- way to full recovery. … capacity to manage their own affairs. nomic aid to emerging nations is often Thus Title IX seeks to broaden AID’s —Congressman Donald Fraser too small to accomplish any general mandate from an unquestioning reli- (D-Minn.), excerpted from his miracles, and second, that economic ance upon the conventional wisdom to article with the same title in the assistance seldom has any very direct a more searching, critical appraisal of March 1970 FSJ.

the objectives intended to be achieved by bringing a five-month impeachment pro- shown that we need to fight for our the hiring freeze caused some to be con- cess to an end. Focusing on foreign policy democracy. ‘Freedom is not free’ is a cerned about losing their jobs,” according toward Ukraine, the impeachment inquiry pithy phrase that usually refers to the to the report. put a spotlight on U.S. diplomats. sacrifices of our military against external In its response, the department Ambassador (ret.) Marie Yovano- threats. It turns out that same slogan can agreed with the OIG that it is “critically vitch, who became a central figure in the be applied to challenges which are closer important” to staff at adequate levels and inquiry after she was pulled suddenly to home. We need to stand up for our val- claimed that the department has made from Ukraine and later called to testify ues, defend our institutions, participate in progress: “Under Secretary Pompeo’s before the House Intelligence Committee civil society and support a free press. leadership, currently the department is as a witness, retired from the Foreign Ser- “Every citizen doesn’t need to do just 1 percent shy of its goal to have over vice in late January after a 34-year career everything, but each one of us can do 13,000 Foreign Service employees by that included three ambassadorships. one thing. And every day, I see American January 2020, with nearly 12,800 FS staff In a Feb. 6 op-ed in The Washington citizens around me doing just that: reani- on board as of October 2019.” Post, “These Are Turbulent Times. But We mating the Constitution and the values Will Prevail,” Amb. Yovanovitch reflected it represents. We do this even when the Yovanovitch: We Will on her experience: odds seem against us, even when wrong- Persist and Prevail “It was an honor for me to represent the doers seem to be rewarded, because it is n Feb. 5 the U.S. Senate, voting along United States abroad because, like many the right thing to do.” n Opartisan lines, acquitted President immigrants, I have a keen understanding Donald J. Trump on two charges—abuse of what our country represents. … This edition of Talking Points was of power and obstruction of Congress— “Unfortunately, the last year has compiled by Cameron Woodworth.

18 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SPEAKING OUT

Integrity First

BY ALAN LARSON

ndemic in many countries, Our alliances cannot be strong unless other corruption is a deadly virus that can infect any nation. Fighting countries can trust what we say and are confident Ecorruption abroad and banishing we will honor our commitments. it from U.S. foreign policy must be core responsibilities of U.S. diplomats. serves our integrity and allows the U.S. instructed the State Department to negoti- Revelations of questionable execu- Foreign Service to most effectively serve ate an arrangement in the Organization for tive branch conduct in U.S. foreign policy the American people. Economic Cooperation and Development. toward Ukraine led to riveting hearings We need to address corruption in Under the arrangement, governments at which several members of the Foreign a focused way as a mainstream issue would enact and enforce laws modeled on Service were called to testify as fact wit- and an area of special skill, like foreign the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to nesses, under subpoena. They did so with languages and area studies. Today, when dissuade their companies from bribing for- honor and integrity. democratic institutions are distrusted eign government officials to gain business. Corruption in foreign policy occurs and under assault around the world, the The U.S. delegation to the OECD when policymakers betray the trust the Foreign Service should double down on took ownership of the task. Not long American people place in them to for- nonpartisanship, professionalism, exper- thereafter, in 1990, I became ambassador mulate and conduct foreign policy in the tise and honesty. to that organization, and the task became public interest, not their personal or pri- “Integrity First” should be a central my responsibility. It was slow going, vate interest. The stakes are high, because tenet of U.S. foreign policy initiatives and but we made progress. On returning to foreign policy involves the security and fundamental to the way foreign policy Washington, I led a dedicated team from prosperity of every citizen. professionals help formulate and conduct the State, Justice and Commerce depart- As professionals entrusted with con- foreign policy. ments that persuaded other countries ducting U.S. foreign policy at a time of to conclude the OECD Anti-Bribery deep political polarization in the United The Most Unfair Trade Convention in 1997. States, we can expect that the issue of Practice of All One of our most compelling argu- corruption in foreign policy will remain Take bribery. In 1988, when I was the ments was that when countries offered a central theme. The question for career principal deputy assistant secretary in the tax deductions for overseas business diplomats is how to navigate this period Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, bribes (as several OECD countries did!), in a way that demonstrates and pre- Congress passed an omnibus trade act that their finance ministers were in the room, figuratively, when bribes were being paid. Alan Larson retired from the Foreign Service in 2005 with the rank of Career The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention Ambassador. He served as under secretary of State for economic, business gradually came to be enforced more and agricultural affairs; assistant secretary of State for economic and busi- effectively; more countries became signa- ness affairs; and ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation tories, and it is now an important part of and Development. Since 2005, he has been senior international policy adviser the international economic architecture. at Covington and Burling, an international law firm, where he co-leads the Global Problem It not only levels the playing field for U.S. Solving practice. He is chair of the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Integrity, an anti- workers and companies; it also elevates corruption NGO, and a director of Helping Children Worldwide, which provides health and standards of conduct in international education services for vulnerable people in Sierra Leone. trade and investment.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 19 Career professionals at State need that massive U.S. economic and security of government officials, authoritarian to give high priority to protecting the assistance programs would be plagued by and communist governments are espe- FCPA and sustaining and upgrading the corruption. And they were. cially prone to corruption. OECD Convention. Our government never completely As there is neither transparency nor resolved the problem of corruption in our mechanisms to ensure accountability of The “MCC Effect” and assistance programs to those two coun- the powerful to the people, government Corruption in Security tries. In December 2019 The Washington officials often extort companies and indi- Assistance Post published articles based on “Les- viduals. Ordinary citizens and companies Economists—including me—were sons Learned” interviews with a range of that would otherwise shun bribery find slow to recognize the extent to which cor- senior U.S. government officials involved that it is a survival technique. ruption impeded economic development in these programs conducted by the In testimony to the Senate on trade in poorer countries. When the George Office of the Special Inspector General relations with Russia in 2012, I called for W. Bush administration sought to create for Afghanistan Reconstruction. the United States to pursue a “rule of law a new foreign assistance institution that The interviews suggest not only for business” agenda alongside normal would appeal to Republicans as well that reconstruction efforts were deeply trading relations. I suggested a rule- as Democrats, President Bush insisted thwarted by corruption, but also that of-law triangle focusing on open trade, on incorporating strong and objective our procurement methods, the massive investment protection and fighting cor- anticorruption conditionality into the amounts of aid, and intelligence officials’ ruption. Congress embraced this sugges- admission requirements for what became cash payments to Afghan leaders actually tion and called on the State Department the Millennium Challenge Corporation. exacerbated and fueled the corruption to report each year on progress achieved. As a result of the “MCC effect,” poten- already present in Afghan society. It will come as no surprise to Journal tial recipients of MCC programs became I expect that a similar review of readers that Vladimir Putin and Russia quite proactive in initiating reforms to our experience in Iraq would produce have been unresponsive, and the depart- address their perceived weaknesses, broadly similar conclusions. We owe ment so far has had little to report. But including in curbing corruption. It is the American people a serious effort to as the United States looks to rebuild its important that the American people, some review and learn from the failures and economic relationship with Russia, we of whom believe foreign aid budgets are successes of the past 15 years. must insist that a “rule of law for busi- bigger than they are, have confidence that Our development professionals must ness” agenda form a central part of any aid is not wasted and foreign assistance rigorously implement anticorruption new economic relationship. professionals are good stewards of tax dol- provisions in all foreign assistance pro- China is a more complex potential lars allocated for foreign assistance. grams, and introduce effective programs threat to our system and values because The MCC was designed to take a to assist countries in curbing corruption. it has developed a strong economy that long-term and deliberative approach to Interagency discussions should be is deeply intertwined with ours. Formu- economic assistance, specifying certain held aimed at translating the lessons lating policy toward China wisely and indicators of good governance, economic learned, especially those about corrup- executing it effectively will be major tasks freedom and countries’ investments in tion, into workable principles for major for the next generation. their own people to inform decisions economic reconstruction programs moti- China is not invincible, however, and about recipients. vated by national security concerns. the leadership of this rising power sees But such a deliberative approach is official corruption, and the disgust of the not always possible. For example, the The Challenge of Chinese people toward it, as a vital threat Bush administration soon confronted China and Russia to the regime. The Chinese people want the very different challenge of devising Addressing corruption will also fig- more elbow room to exercise political emergency economic and security assis- ure prominently in foreign policy chal- rights most people take for granted. tance programs for Afghanistan and Iraq lenges ahead with China and Russia. As we reformulate and refine trade after military interventions there. Even in Because so many economic decisions policy toward China, we must bring Bei- those early days, there were indications are centralized and placed in the hands jing into the OECD Anti-Bribery Conven-

20 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL tion and not allow Chinese companies Speaking Out is the Journal’s opinion to play by different rules than those on forum, a place for lively discussion of which other major economies insist. issues affecting the U.S. Foreign Service We should also keep in mind that and American diplomacy. The views expressed are those of the author; their refreshing and preserving the integrity publication here does not imply endorse- of our democracy and economy at home ment by the American Foreign Service could be the most effective strategy for Association. Responses are welcome; send to [email protected]. empowering the Chinese people to push their government to be more open and accountable. tial role in insulating foreign policy from Maintaining Integrity corrupt influences. Our country has in Foreign Policy been well served by having a creative Our alliances cannot be strong unless mix of noncareer and career officials other countries can trust what we say providing expert foreign policy advice. and are confident we will honor our But all who serve must be qualified. commitments. Integrity is an essential To further insulate foreign policy from ingredient for the institutions that keep inept or corrupt influences, the State our democracy healthy and our econ- Department should review past recom- omy dynamic. mendations and issue new guidelines Members of the U.S. Foreign Service for assessing qualifications for ambas- take an oath to protect and defend the sadors and other Senate-confirmed Constitution of the United States against foreign affairs officials, noncareer and all enemies, foreign and domestic, and career nominees alike. The Director to bear true faith and allegiance to General of the Foreign Service should the Constitution. One of the deadliest ensure that all officials receive serious enemies of our Constitution is cor- training on how to maintain integrity in ruption, both abroad and at home. We difficult circumstances. all must candidly and proudly tell the We should build broader and deeper story of how the checks and balances of understanding in the public of what American democracy address corrup- career foreign policy professionals do tion allegations in the United States. and how we do it. Retired foreign affairs As professionals, FSOs know that professionals should facilitate roundtable elected officials have the final word in conversations around the country about determining foreign policy. The Foreign why integrity must be a core ingredient of Service must continue to be nonparti- America’s foreign policy. san, but we can and should find ways to The Foreign Service should not be forcefully make the point that integrity drawn into partisan debates about is an essential ingredient for effective impeachment or the outcome of the national security and foreign policy. 2020 election, but we can and should be As Secretary of State George Shultz ready to tell our fellow citizens about the said when testifying in 1987 on the patriotism and professionalism that drew Iran-Contra matter, “Trust is the coin us into diplomatic careers and the com- of the realm.” mitment we have to fighting corruption. As a cadre of professionals, the U.S. “Integrity First” is one nonpartisan Foreign Service plays a small but essen- campaign we can all support in 2020. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 21 FOCUS ON DEALING WITH RUSSIA & UKRAINE

Reflections on Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. in the Post-Soviet World

The struggle between Russia and he breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 Ukraine, in which the United States was one of the great strategic inflec- has been involved for three decades, tion points of our time. It brought a reflects the challenges of the continuing formal end to the Soviet empire, but did not change the desire of Russian post-Soviet transformation. leaders to maintain a strong sphere BY JOHN F. TEFFT of influence in the new independent nations on its periphery. In doing so, Russia confronted a resurgent national patriotism in some of those countries, along with a strong desire Tto integrate into Western political and security organizations. Ukraine, along with Georgia, has been the primary battle- ground, literally and metaphorically, for this struggle. Ukraine shares a common historical heritage with Russia. Its leaders both competed and worked together with Russia for centuries. Both Russia and Ukraine initially managed the breakup of the Soviet John F. Tefft is a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, Union and the reemergence of Ukraine as an independent coun- who completed his more than 45-year diplomatic try reasonably well, but tensions over what Russians call their career as the U.S. ambassador to the Russian “Near Abroad” were present from the start. Those tensions grew Federation from 2014 to 2017. Earlier he served as over time as Russia sought to reestablish its hegemonic control ambassador to Lithuania (2000-2003), Georgia over an increasingly assertive and nationally conscious Ukraine. (2005-2009) and Ukraine (2009-2013). From 2004 to 2005, he served This culminated in late February 2014, when Russian as the deputy assistant secretary of State for European and Eurasian President Vladimir Putin decided to seize Crimea and foment a affairs. He has also served in Jerusalem, Budapest and Rome, and hybrid war in Ukraine’s eastern oblasts of Donetsk and Lugansk, as deputy commandant of the National War College in Washington, the Donbas. The war has been fought by Russian and Russian- D.C. He is now a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation. proxy forces with Moscow providing the direction, financing and

22 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL ROSEMARIE FORSYTHE

weapons. These actions shredded the fabric of post-Soviet Euro- where he would meet with Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin and other pean security. Tragically, more than 13,000 people have died in leaders. He then planned to visit the Baltic nations of Lithuania, the continuing fighting in the Donbas, and negotiations to find Latvia and Estonia, which had already declared independence a solution have yet to achieve lasting results. Even if a resolution from the USSR. of the conflict is eventually reached, however, residual antipathy Secretary Baker told the journalists gathered in the State from this war will likely make it hard for Russia and Ukraine to Department Briefing Room that his discussions would be guided find the compromises necessary to build a lasting peace. by five basic principles: • self-determination consistent with democratic principles, v • recognition of existing borders, The United States has found itself in the middle of the strug- • support for democracy and the rule of law, gle between Russia and Ukraine for more than three decades. • preservation of human rights and the rights of national Much of my Foreign Service career centered on this issue, as minorities, and successive American administrations worked with the European • respect for international law and legal obligations, espe- Union and its member nations to help find a secure place in cially the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and the Char- Europe for an independent Ukraine, while also trying to shape ter of Paris. a cooperative relationship between Russia and Euro-Atlantic It was already apparent when he spoke that the centrifugal institutions such as NATO. To understand how we arrived at this forces that would soon break up the USSR were well advanced. point, we need to start in the days leading up to the end of the His goal at the press conference was quite clearly to lay out U.S. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. policy guidelines for the historic transition already underway. On Sept. 4, 1991, not long after the failed August coup This was particularly true in Ukraine. A strong, renewed spirit attempt against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Secretary of of national independence had been growing for some time. State James Baker held a press conference at the State Depart- On Aug. 24, 1991, the Ukrainian Parliament, the Rada, led by ment and outlined what would become U.S. policy goals as the Speaker Leonid Kravchuk, had voted to declare independence Soviet Union collapsed and the new independent states came from the Soviet Union. On Dec. 1 a referendum was held, and into being. Secretary Baker was about to leave for a Commis- 92 percent of the people of Ukraine voted in favor of approving sion on Security and Cooperation in Europe meeting in Moscow the Rada’s Declaration of Independence. The turnout was 84

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 23 DIKOBRAZIY/SHUTTERSTOCK Map of Eurasia. percent. Eighty percent of the inhabitants of the Donbas region Ukrainians and many Americans who felt it was in the United voted for independence, and more than 54 percent chose inde- States’ clear interests to more forthrightly support an indepen- pendence in Crimea. dent Ukraine. One critic, New York Times columnist William The next day, Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic Safire, criticized Bush’s speech as a miscalculation and dubbed it President Boris Yeltsin recognized Ukraine as an independent the “Chicken Kiev speech.” state. Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sent a telegram of Within a month, however, Gorbachev was severely weakened congratulations to Kravchuk, expressing hope for close coopera- by a failed coup attempt, and the Ukrainian people had voted tion and understanding in “the formation of a union of sovereign overwhelmingly in favor of independence. It now became clear states.” On Dec. 7-8, Kravchuk met with Russian President Yeltsin at the White House and throughout the U.S. government that and Belarusian Supreme Soviet Chairman Stanislav Shushkevich the USSR was coming to an end. Secretary Baker moved quickly at Belavezhskaya Puscha in Belarus and announced the end of to forge relationships with Russia, Ukraine and the other new the Soviet Union as a “subject of international law.” To replace states. it, they created the Commonwealth of Independent States. On From the start, the United States pursued a two-pronged post- Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist, and each Soviet strategy: trying to build a good relationship with the new of the former Soviet republics became truly independent. Russia, marked by cooperation and even partnership, but at the The United States had initially been cautious in recognizing same time making a major effort to create productive bilateral the impending collapse of the USSR. There were serious debates relationships with the new independent states. This approach within the George H.W. Bush administration about how quickly reflected U.S. strategic objectives as well as American values. In to move, fed by a fear that the demise of the USSR could lead to his 1997 book The Grand Chessboard, former National Security the fragmentation of the region and a potentially chaotic situa- Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski characterized Ukraine as a “geopo- tion with international implications. Command and control of litical pivot because its very existence as an independent country the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons was a major preoccupation [means] Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire.” Although not of Washington. Secretary Baker famously said: “A Yugoslav-type often publicly expressed by officials to avoid antagonizing Russia, situation with 30,000 nuclear weapons presents an incredible this strategic recognition has undergirded much of U.S. policy to danger to the American people—and they know it and will hold this day. us accountable if we don’t respond.” Geopolitical objectives were augmented by a desire in the President Bush himself had warned against “suicidal national- Bush administration to help build democracies and market econ- ism” in his famous Aug. 1, 1991, speech to the Ukrainian Rada in omies in the new states, as Secretary Baker had stated in his press Kyiv. Bush had put his hope in Gorbachev to reform and hold the conference. In the following months, he visited each new capital, USSR together. The two leaders had worked closely together on meeting with each nation’s new leadership. Under his direction, German reunification and other issues high on the White House the State Department moved quickly to create and staff new foreign policy agenda. The Rada speech backfired. It outraged embassies in each capital, along with new consulates general in

24 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg in Russia. It was a major achievement of the U.S. Foreign Service. The new embassies and consulates posi- tioned the United States on the ground through- out the Eurasian landmass to promote American interests. In Kyiv, the United States had already established a consulate general in February 1991, but then upgraded it to an embassy on Jan. 23,

1992, when the U.S. and Ukraine established full RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY diplomatic relations. A close-up of Crimea, showing Ukraine and Russia. Efforts to manage this two-pronged policy in Eurasia have continued under every U.S. administration, desire to reassert itself on the world stage grew correspondingly. Republican and Democratic, for the past three decades. Initially, At the 2007 Munich Security Conference, Putin launched a broad- the United States was able to balance the relationship reasonably based diatribe against U.S. foreign policy, criticizing the United well, but over time this balancing act became more difficult. States for its development of ballistic missile defenses, its military Despite the formal recognition of Ukrainian independence actions in Iraq, NATO expansion and promoting democracy within by Yeltsin, many in the Russian political elite, particularly in the Russia’s legitimate sphere of influence. security services and the military, never accommodated them- Putin’s desire to keep the United States and Europe out of selves to Ukraine’s independence. While the Yeltsin government the “Near Abroad” grew more pronounced. This approach had officially signed onto the 1994 Charter of Paris for a New Europe, been strongly influenced by his negative reaction to the Western- guaranteeing sovereignty for all states of the former Soviet Union, supported Orange Revolution in Ukraine in late 2004. Putin was the so-called Russian power-ministries (supported by politicians personally stung when Ukraine’s Supreme Court blocked the cor- like the late Moscow mayor, Yuri Luzhkov) continued to work in rupt election of Putin’s favored candidate, Viktor Yanukovych, and Crimea and other areas such as Transnistria, Abkhazia and South ordered a new election that paved the way for Viktor Yushchenko Ossetia in ways that undercut those principles. to be elected president. This “colored revolution” came to be seen I witnessed a very candid example of attitudes among the as a seminal event by many in the Russian elite. Reflecting their Russian elite at a farewell reception in June 1999, when I was lack of understanding of real democracy, some believed that the completing my assignment as deputy chief of mission in Moscow and returning to Washington to prepare for a new assignment as ambassador to Lithuania. A senior Russian official with whom I had worked came up to me, toasted me with a shot of vodka and said: “Well, John, good luck in Lithuania. You know we always understood that the Baltic nations were different, unlike Ukraine and Georgia—which, of course, are part of Russia.” Even most members of the Russian elite who recognized Ukraine’s independence saw Ukraine as an integral part of Russia’s history and wanted to keep it within Russia’s sphere of influence. They resented efforts by the United States and the European Union to offer Ukraine a place in a broader Europe. v A more assertive Russian policy toward Ukraine slowly emerged after Vladimir Putin succeeded Yeltsin as president. During the first decade of the 21st century, Russia’s economy had steadily ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR improved due to massive profits from the extraction of oil and Protest against joining NATO, organized by Viktor Yanukovych's natural gas. Russian resentment against American policy and its party, in Kyiv’s Maidan Square in 2005.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 25 In the second part of that sentence he was referring to eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, which were colonized by Russia in the 17th and 18th centuries, and to the decision taken on Feb. 19, 1954, by the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet (when Nikita Khrushchev was general secretary of the Communist Party) to transfer the Crimean Oblast from the Rus- sian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In subsequent years, Putin’s rejection of ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR At a national prayer event early in the morning in the center of Kyiv in late November a truly independent Ukraine has become 2013 during the “Euromaidan” revolution, Ukrainians protested the Yanukovych more frequent, and he often asserts that government’s decision to turn toward Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union instead Russia and Ukraine are one nation, one of signing an association agreement with the European Union. people with only cultural differences. This, of course, arouses the ire of Ukrainians. CIA had organized it all. They feared that what had happened in Many in the Russian political elite had long chafed at NATO’s Ukraine could happen in Russia. Putin opposed democracy in first two expansions to include nations of Central Europe and Ukraine, in part because he feared losing control of that nation, the Baltic region. Although Russia had agreed in 1997 to a joint but also because he feared the impact of real democracy on his cooperative program in the NATO-Russia Founding Act and to control of Russia itself. the 2002 reboot of the act that was designed to give new impetus In Putin’s view, things went from bad to worse when Yush- to NATO-Russia relations, it never seriously invested much effort chenko sought Ukrainian integration with Europe and NATO. to build cooperative security through the act’s mechanisms, Russia’s position hardened particularly over the prospect that particularly after Putin came to power. With memories of Napo- Ukraine could become a member of NATO. In April 2008 at leon and Hitler ingrained in their collective psyche, and despite a summit in Bucharest, NATO leaders debated whether to possessing the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, Russian leaders grant Ukraine and Georgia a membership action plan (MAP), had not abandoned their historical anxiety about invasion of which would have potentially set them on the road to eventual the homeland. They refused to accept the idea of a new security membership in the organization. At the end of the summit, the relationship with the West, even with post-Soviet reassurances leaders, many under heavy Russian pressure, could not reach by NATO of a desire for political and military cooperation. consensus on this, simply stating instead that one day the two Opposing NATO also played a major role in Russian domestic countries would become NATO members. Even that decision politics. Increasingly, the NATO bogeyman was used by Putin outraged Putin, who saw it as a challenge to Russia’s sphere and others to play on Russian fears and thereby generate domes- of influence. Ironically, Russian leaders misread the decision: tic support for the Putin administration. This became especially It actually meant, in effect, that even a MAP for Ukraine and true after the 2008 world financial crisis brought the Russian Georgia was not going to be approved for many years. 2000-2008 economic boom to an end, and the Kremlin could At a dinner on the final day of the summit, Putin tried to no longer justify the regime’s legitimacy on the basis of steadily explain Russian opposition to Ukraine’s membership in NATO rising living standards. The Russian elite reverted to defining to President George W. Bush. Not realizing that a microphone Russian security in zero-sum terms, seeing the nations on the on the table had not been turned off, Putin was heard saying to Russian periphery as secure buffers. They refused to see the Bush: “You don’t understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a potential benefits to Russia of having more secure and economi- state. What is Ukraine? Part of its territory is Eastern Europe, but cally prosperous nations in Central and Eastern Europe. They did the greater part is a gift from us.” Putin clearly was referring, first, not want to recognize that NATO was fundamentally a defensive to the western regions of Ukraine that at various points of history alliance and had sought to build cooperation with Moscow. They were controlled by Lithuania, Poland and Austria. needed an enemy.

26 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL v In late 2008 Russia invaded Georgia, following a long period of military prov- ocations against the Cau- casian state. The invasion of Ukraine came in 2014. Both military actions were designed to reassert Russia’s claims to regional hege- mony and to keep NATO from making Ukraine and AUTHUR BONDAR AUTHUR Georgia members of the Russians and Ukrainians march for peace in Moscow, 2014. Alliance. Putin justified Russian action on the grounds of protecting Russian-speaking Russian experts have articulated in private and in public an residents wherever they might live. alternative approach that the Kremlin did not take. Dmitry Trenin, Russia held a referendum in Crimea on March 16, 2014, and director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, wrote in March 2018, for claimed that, with an 83.1 percent voter turnout, 96.77 percent example, that Russian policy had not served Russian interests: voted for the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. “Since the start of the conflict in Donbas, the formation of the Voters were not given the choice to remain an autonomous Ukrainian political nation has proceeded on a clear anti-Russian oblast within Ukraine under the current constitutional structure, platform. It did not have to be, had Russia’s foreign policy been an option that U.S. International Republican Institute polls in the more enlightened. The emergence of independent Ukraine—as years before the Russian invasion had consistently shown was well as Belarus—is a natural process, something that Russia would favored by a plurality if not a majority of the Crimean popula- be better off understanding and accepting as a fact. tion. In a May 2013 IRI poll, for example, 53 percent of Crimean “As independent nations,” Trenin continued, “Ukraine, residents interviewed responded to a question on the future overtly, and Belarus, less so, are tilting toward the European status of Crimea by saying they wanted to remain autonomous in Union, for the same reasons as Romanians and Bulgarians. Ukraine; 23 percent wanted to be separated and given to Russia; A clever Russian policy should have seen that and offered them and 12 percent wanted autonomy for Crimean Tatars in Ukraine. a concept of how to ‘go West’ without breaking with Russia. Russian policy did not have to follow a confrontational path. This is too late for Ukraine but can still be done with Belarus.”

ARTHUR BONDAR A Ukrainian soldier on guard duty and an armored vehicle troop carrier on the front line in Donbas, 2016. ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 27 ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR The Ukrainian Army 53rd Brigade in Donbas, February 2016.

v In Putin’s view, things went from Ukrainian patriotism and a deepening national conscious- bad to worse when Yushchenko ness are no longer simply major issues emanating from the tra- ditional hotbeds of Ukrainian nationalism in the western regions sought Ukrainian integration with of the country. They now increasingly emanate from the entire Europe and NATO. nation, particularly from many among the younger generation who do not have the memories of the Soviet Union shared by their parents and grandparents. ingly seen ties to the European Union as not only realizing the At the same time, the number of Ukrainians supporting inte- European destiny of Ukraine, but as a means of introducing the gration into Europe has grown. It is now easier to obtain a visa rule of law inside Ukraine itself and eliminating unchecked cor- and travel to Europe, including visa-free trips to E.U. member ruption by Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs. For years Ukrainian countries for many categories of travelers. Other benefits of the governments had been pressured by Moscow to do its bidding, association agreement signed by former President Petro Porosh- particularly in the energy sector. Ukraine has been a major tran- enko in Brussels on June 27, 2014, are also being felt in Ukraine. sit country for sending Russian gas to Europe. Ukrainian busi- This was a major goal of Ukraine during and after the Orange nessmen made deals with Russian state firms, raking off profits Revolution and remained so during much of the presidency as middlemen from the transshipment of energy across Ukraine. of Viktor Yanukovych (February 2010-February 2014). During Ironically, Russia’s proxy war in the Donbas and its approach my tenure as ambassador to Ukraine, which coincided with to Ukraine over the last six years have themselves helped forge Yanukovych’s presidency, Ukraine and the E.U. had negotiated a much stronger and more widely shared sense of national an association agreement and a comprehensive free trade agree- identity, and contributed to even greater popular support for ment with support from the United States. Ukraine’s independence and for greater integration with the Yanukovych’s sudden reversal in November 2013—when West. Russian actions in Crimea and the Donbas in 2014 caused he decided not to sign the association agreement and instead a sharp drop in the number of Ukrainians who had a positive seek membership in the Russian Eurasian Union in exchange attitude toward Russia. From more than 90 percent during the for a $15 billion loan from Russia—had shocked the Ukrainian 2008-2010 period, it fell to as low as 24 percent in early 2014. population. It led to the protests on the Maidan Square in Kyiv, Attitudes seem to have improved somewhat this year, how- followed by violent repression of the protest by the regime, Yanu- ever. On Oct. 15, 2019, The Moscow Times reported the results of kovych’s flight to Russia and, subsequently, the Russian invasion a joint study done by the independent Russian Levada Center of Crimea and military operation in the Donbas. and Ukraine’s Kiev International Institute of Sociology, which During my time in Kyiv, the Ukrainian people had increas- found that attitudes toward each other’s country seem to be

28 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL improving after the election of President Volodymyr Zelensky in May 2019. According to the study, 56 per- cent of Russian respondents assessed their attitude to Ukraine as “good” or “very good.” A May 16, 2019, Ukrainian poll conducted by several Ukrainian survey and polling organizations showed that there is now a roughly 60-40 split between Ukrainians who have very or quite positive attitudes toward Russia and those who do not. According to this poll, however, Ukrainians still have a much more sharply nega- tive attitude toward President Putin himself. Only ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR 12.6 percent of those polled described their attitude A wounded Ukrainian soldier. toward Putin as positive, 65.6 percent as negative and 16.6 percent as neutral, with the rest undecided. bership in NATO has grown substantially since my time in Kyiv. The results of a Pew Research Center Poll—“European Public During my tenure, support for NATO membership remained Opinion Three Decades After the Fall of Communism,” pub- relatively constant at around 23 to 24 percent. As my colleague lished in October 2019—revealed that 79 percent of Ukrainians and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer noted in a have a favorable view of the European Union, compared to 11 June 6, 2019, article for Brookings Institution, polls over the past percent unfavorable and the rest undecided. Support for mem- four years have shown pluralities—in some cases, even a major-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 29 The overwhelming election victory of President Zelensky underscored the desire of Ukrainians of all political stripes for an end to the war in the east, for real change in the country and for integra- tion with the West. This includes many of the Russian-speaking Ukrainians living in eastern Ukraine outside Donetsk and Lugansk who voted for Zelensky, himself ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR A view of the Crimean Bridge, also called the Kerch Bridge, a pair of Russian- an easterner born in Kryvyi Rih. Most U.S. constructed parallel bridges spanning the Strait of Kerch between the Taman Peninsula analysts believe his election represents of Krasnodar Krai in Russia and the Kerch Peninsula in Crimea, seen from the Kerch a triumph for democracy and Ukraine’s Peninsula in 2019. Accommodating both road and rail traffic the nearly 12-mile-long bridge is the longest bridge in Europe and the longest bridge Russia has ever built. vibrant civil society. They believe the United States should do all it can to ity—in favor of joining the Alliance. For example, a January 2019 encourage Zelensky to take the steps he promised—and which survey had 46 percent in favor as opposed to 32 percent against. successive American administrations have sought—to build a Clearly the war in the Donbas has forced a substantial change in more democratic, less corrupt and economically prosperous the attitudes of Ukrainians about the security of their country. country. Zelensky’s election may open up an opportunity for a settle- v ment in the Donbas and for Russia to extract itself from the The United States–Ukrainian relationship has traversed a rocky conflict—provided the Kremlin wants to get out. The Dec. 9, road over the last three decades. Ambassador Pifer has written an 2019, meeting in Paris between Presidents Putin and Zelensky excellent history of it, The Eagle and the Trident: U.S.-Ukrainian held out the promise of a lasting cease-fire and a possible politi- Relations in Turbulent Times (Brookings Institution Press, 2017). cal settlement, but progress will depend on how the meeting is He chronicles how the United States was able to persuade Ukraine followed up. For much of the past six years, Moscow has viewed to transfer nuclear weapons from its territory to Russia for sustaining a simmering conflict in the Donbas as a useful means elimination, but had less success in persuading the Ukrainian of keeping pressure on the government in Kyiv and distracting leadership to adopt reforms necessary to become a successful it from the internal reforms it needs to pursue. Zelensky will modern European state. The U.S. and Ukraine have also had have to negotiate carefully with the Russians. Ukrainians favor disagreements over sales of sophisticated weapons and tech- a negotiated solution to the Donbas conflict, but they do not nologies to regimes in Iran and Iraq, and human rights violations want to compromise Ukrainian sovereignty, and they have made inside Ukraine. clear they do not want new elections in the Donbas until Russian Yet, despite our differences, the U.S. has consistently sup- troops are out. ported Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence from Russia, as On the domestic front, the Ukrainian Rada has already well as Ukrainian territorial integrity. The Obama administra- adopted significant new reform legislation. This includes, for tion winced when President Yanukovych cut a deal with Putin in example, a law lifting immunity for members of the Rada, which early 2010 extending the Russian lease on the Sevastopol naval was used for years by politicians and businessmen seeking base in Crimea. In 2014 the Obama administration responded to to protect themselves from criminal charges for corruption. the Russian invasion of Crimea with a firm set of sanctions and, In addition, the new Ukrainian prosecutor general, Ruslan eventually, military training and some nonlethal military equip- Ryaboshapka, is already hard at work taking on the entrenched ment for Ukrainian troops fighting in the Donbas. The Trump corruption in the country. Ryaboshapka has a history of fight- administration went further, providing Javelin anti-tank weapon ing corruption; he worked for Transparency International and, systems and other defensive systems to aid Ukraine. Most ana- famously, resigned in protest in 2017 from the National Agency lysts credit this support along with the bravery and increasing for Prevention of Corruption. professionalism of Ukrainian soldiers for helping Ukraine stem Ryaboshapka has taken exception to criticism, particularly the pro-Russian tide in the east. in the United States, that Ukraine is still awash in corruption

30 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL today. In a Nov. 27, 2019, interview with the Financial Times, the prosecutor general said he was “‘bothered’ by daily depic- Russian actions in Crimea and tions of a lawless Ukraine in the U.S. impeachment inquiry. the Donbas in 2014 caused a ‘This is not fair … Ukraine is not as corrupt as is being pre- sharp drop in the number of sented there. … We have made significant progress as of late.’” It is in the clear interests of Ukraine and the United States that Ukrainians who had a positive Ryaboshapka succeed. In fact, nothing will probably have a attitude toward Russia. greater long-term impact on the development of Ukraine and its relations with Russia than building a strong and less corrupt economy. Critics of these approaches argue that they would, in effect, Although American policy toward Ukraine has remained recognize Russia’s claim to a privileged sphere of influence in consistent overall, there has been a constant drumbeat among neighboring states. They argue that there is no guarantee that critics who believe that the United States should be more realis- Russian behavior will change, and that Russia could very well tic about Russia. Some American analysts argue that Washington continue to pursue its aggressive attempts to dominate the should take the prospect of NATO membership off the table for region. Others argue that the people of Ukraine (along with Ukraine and Georgia, in exchange for a Russian withdrawal from Georgia and other Central and Eastern European nations) will the Donbas. Others recommend that Ukraine concede sover- simply not accept Russian domination. They do not want to cede eignty of Crimea to Russia in exchange for financial and other territory to Russia, or return to being a country without the inde- considerations for Ukraine. pendence and freedoms they have come to expect.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 31 ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR

(Above) Border guard patrol boats and a brand new Russian battleship in Sevastopol Bay in Crimea, 2019. (Right) Russian Navy warships and Russian soldiers on an auxiliary fast boat in Sevastopol, 2019. BONDAR ARTHUR

v ern Ukraine bordering the Black Sea would welcome becoming As I look back on my experiences dealing with both Russia a part of a land bridge linking Crimea with Donbas as part of a and Ukraine, three factors stand out. new “Novorossiya” was based on the mistaken notion that these First, most Russian officials with whom I worked when I was people wanted to be a part of a “New Russia.” This idea is rooted ambassador in Moscow had a limited understanding of how in a history of the conquest of this region by Catherine the Great Ukraine has changed over the past three decades. Serving in and Potemkin in the 18th century, and bears little resemblance Ukraine immediately before the Russian seizure of Crimea and to contemporary Ukraine. Moreover, I don’t believe most official aggression in the Donbas, and then serving in Moscow for three Russians have any real understanding of the attitudes of Ukrai- years soon thereafter, brought home to me on an almost daily nian young people. basis the gap between the mythic Ukraine and the reality of Second, Vladimir Putin and the elite currently ruling Russia modern Ukraine. Russians often looked at their Ukrainian “cous- still cling to the notion that Russia can reassert its imperial-style ins” through an imperial prism and did not recognize the true control over Ukraine, Georgia and other independent nations of nature of independence that has developed in the nation. the former Soviet Union. While the annexation of Crimea was In particular, many of the assumptions underlying Russia’s extremely popular inside Russia in the aftermath of the invasion, invasion of the Donbas were mistaken, notably that Ukraine’s the people seem to be tiring of the unending war in the Donbas Russian speakers all wanted to be a part of Russia. For example, and the steadily declining standard of living that has character- the idea that Russian-speaking ethnic Ukrainians living in south- ized Russia since 2014. This was caused, in part, by the imposi- tion of economic sanctions by the West as a response to Russian aggression. Third, underlying the Russian-Ukrainian struggle has been an effort in both countries to find a new post-Soviet national identity in the modern world. Beyond the larger geopolitical struggle, the quest to define who is a modern Russian and who is a modern Ukrainian has turned out to be a long process. The conceptions and myths involved in this effort in both countries are many. Both want to root their national identity in the past, but the future they then envision for their nation is starkly dif- ferent. Putin and the ruling elite of Russia see the future as a resurrection of their country as a great power, with imperial-style sway over their former dominion (it is unclear how many Rus- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE OF DEPARTMENT U.S. sians share this view). Ukrainians, on the other hand, see their With U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry looking on, Russian President Vladimir Putin, at right, greets U.S. Ambassador future as a part of Western politics and culture, as the geopoliti- John Tefft prior to their meeting in the Kremlin on Dec. 15, 2015. cal pivot between East and West.

32 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL v The process of emerging Russian and Ukrainian national identities was aptly characterized by New York Times correspon- dent Neil MacFarquhar as “the statue wars” in a Nov. 4, 2016, article. On that day, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a nearly 60-foot-high statue of his namesake, Prince Vladimir the Great, in Borovitskaya Square just outside the Kremlin Walls in Moscow. Russian Patriarch Kirill stood by his side. In light of Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea and military incursion in eastern Ukraine, the unveiling was viewed by many analysts as a sym- STATE OF DEPARTMENT U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and members of the U.S. bolic reassertion of Russia’s nationalist claim not only to empire, delegation at a U.S.-Russia bilateral meeting in Moscow on but also to being the political and religious heir of the Kievan April 12, 2017. Right to left: U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Rus, the loose confederation of East Slavic and Finnic peoples Tefft, interpreter Marina Gross, Secretary Tillerson, Chief of Staff Margaret Peterlin, and senior advisers Brian Hook and who inhabited the region from the ninth to the 13th centuries. R.C. Hammond. Vladimir is celebrated not only as a great political leader of the Kievan Rus, but as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. nian, Volodomyr) has stood since 1853 on a historic bluff high His baptism in Crimea around 988 brought Christianity to the above the Dnipro River. St. Volodomyr is celebrated by the Ukrai- Slavic peoples of the region and is used by Moscow to justify its nian people as the Grand Prince of Kyiv, the father of the Ukrai- claims to Crimea. nian nation. They point to the creation of Kyiv and other cities In Kyiv, meanwhile, another statue of St. Vladimir (in Ukrai- in the region during the 11th century—long before Moscow

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 33 ARTHUR BONDAR ARTHUR Ukrainian street art in Kyiv reminds the population of the war in Donbas, 2019.

became a city of power and money—as evidence of their true inheritance of the legacy of Volodomyr and his family. They, too, celebrate St. Volodomyr for Christianizing the Kievan Rus and point to Saint Sophia Cathedral, built in central Kyiv in the 11th century, as the main focus of orthodoxy in the region. Reflecting a new sense of ecclesiastical independence from Moscow, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (which had broken with the Russian Orthodox Church once Ukraine regained independence in 1991) was formally recognized as autocephalous or independent by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 2018. v The problems between Russia and Ukraine will require many years to resolve. In so many ways they reflect the challenges of the continuing post-Soviet transformation of Eastern Europe. Understanding the causes of the Russo-Ukrainian dispute and finding solutions will require patience and steady diplomacy by the United States and the members of the European Union. We have a vital interest in seeing the war in the Donbas come to an end in a way that fully preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty and ter- ritorial integrity. We also have a vital interest in helping Russia and Ukraine learn to live with each other in the modern world. Unchecked, Russian revisionist policy in Ukraine will continue to under- mine the future of European security and the postwar order in which we have invested so heavily. Similarly, continuing to support the internal reforms in Ukraine that President Zelensky has promised, and maintaining strong bipartisan support for Ukraine’s path forward, will remain essential if we are to help this key nation achieve its potential and become a true model in a Europe whole, free and at peace. n

34 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS ON DEALING WITH RUSSIA & UKRAINE

The World Through Moscow’s Eyes A Classic Russian Perspective

To fathom the Ukraine dispute, .S. diplomats dealing with Russia a Russian scholar and head of the need, above all, to have a firm grasp Carnegie Moscow Center shares of the main trend lines in Russia’s his- tory. Spanning 1,250 years from mid- what he thinks U.S. diplomats need ninth-century Viking Prince Ryurik to know about Russia. to President Vladimir Putin, in power BY DMITRI TRENIN for the last two decades, this history matters immensely. They also need to appreciate the unique advantages and attendant vulnerabilities of Russia’s geography, stretching Uas it does across 11 time zones from Norway in the northwest to North Korea in the southeast, and covering much of northern Eurasia in between. Equipped with a basic understanding of Russia’s roots and its physical position, they then need to be able to look at the world, including the United States, from Moscow’s perspective.

Dmitri Trenin has been director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, part of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a global think-tank, since 2008. Before joining the center in 1994, he served in the Soviet and Russian Army (1972-1993). His foreign postings included Iraq (with the military assistance group), East Germany and West Berlin (liaison with Western allies), Switzerland (INF/START talks) and Italy (NATO Defense College). He is the author of Russia (Polity, 2019), What Is Russia Up To in the Middle East? (Polity, 2017), Should We Fear Russia? (Polity, 2016), Post-Imperium: A Eurasian Story (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2011) and several other books.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 35 Asia to the southeast—by the profound sense of insecurity Ukraine’s movement away from shared by all Russian leaders or by their need for rapid mobiliza- Russia represents a most difficult tion of available resources. and painful divorce within the Students of Russian politics and history would probably have to conclude that the roots of Russian autocracy run very deep, core of the historical Russian and that replacing them with a democratic model cannot be state. As such, it is only partly an easy task. The task is not made any easier by the extent to a foreign policy matter. which sheer survival has been the country’s top concern histori- cally and, in light of that, the relatively secondary importance attached to economic and trade issues and even the population’s living standards. This does not close the path to representative The Primacy of the State government accountable to the people, but it does suggest that American diplomats intent on understanding Russia would a successful model can only arise indigenously rather than be probably appreciate the primacy of the state in Russian collec- imported. tive experience and thinking. They might even gain the insight that while foreign invasions—Napoleon’s in 1812 and Hitler’s The Roots of Russian Realpolitik in 1941 immediately come to mind—were disasters on a scale Those looking at Russia’s foreign relations would soon dis- unimaginable by most Americans (the war to push back and cover that the country is essentially a loner. It is not part of any defeat the Nazis alone cost 26-28 million lives of a total Russian international large family, whether Europe, the Atlantic commu- population of about 200 million), domestic chaos on account nity or the West. Asians do not recognize Russia as Asian, either. of the failure of the rulers of the day to control the vast country Its identity is distinct and unique. At bottom, it is ethnically and manage popular discontent was far worse, leading to the mainly Eastern Slavic, but culturally most profoundly affected collapse of the state, the economy, international standing and by Christian orthodoxy. For centuries after the fall of Constan- public morals at least three times: in the early 17th century, in tinople, Russia was the only independent Eastern Orthodox 1917 and, most recently, in 1991. nation in the world, standing between the Catholic and Muslim- An uncanny capacity for self-destruction has brought Russia dominated worlds. over the precipice several times in the course of the country’s Another highly relevant layer was added by Russia’s imperial history. Yet each time Russia was able to make a comeback—in experience. Its contiguous empire stretched at some point from a somewhat different form and shape, usually repudiating its Finland’s Aland Islands just off Stockholm to Alaska, and from previous incarnation, but soon proving to be its former self’s northern Persia to northeastern China. As it expanded, Russia rightful heir in more ways than one. There is a continuum of Rus- incorporated vast areas populated by Turkic, Finno-Ugric and sian history from ancient Rus of Novgorod and Kiev to the grand Mongol peoples, as well as a plethora of ethnic communities in duchy and later czardom of Muscovy, to the Russian empire of the Caucasus and elsewhere, to create a highly diverse impe- St. Petersburg, and on to the Soviet Union and the present-day rial polity, where religious and cultural diversity was usually Russian Federation. A resurgent Russia is not unusual; it is a preserved. While deeply involved in European power politics, time-tested historical phenomenon. Russia was also playing a “Great Game” against the British Keeping this in mind, Americans dealing with Russia would empire in Asia. The Soviet period added a revolutionary fervor not be surprised by the near-absolute priority of domestic stabil- that set Russia apart from the rest of the world. This was followed ity and external security considerations in successive Russian by superpower rivalry, which brought both true globalism and governments’ policies. Understanding that the Russian people an Iron Curtain. Now, with the Soviet Union and superpower spent 250 years under the yoke of Mongol rule, these American status gone, Moscow is back on its feet, globally active again, but diplomats would not be surprised by the stubborn prevalence also virtually alone in the world. of Asian political culture in contemporary Russia. Nor would This proud but precarious stance makes it imperative that they be surprised—looking at the plains to the west of Moscow Russia handle itself—and be seen by others—as a great power. stretching all the way to Berlin and Paris, and the steppes popu- This is particularly important because Russia has often been lated by nomadic warriors all the way to the Caspian and Central coming from behind, and was looked down on by the more

36 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL advanced Western countries as an undeserving upstart, a barbarian, or some such. These days, great power status implies a high degree of national sovereignty, resilience in the face of outside pressure, and freedom of action. In the past, Russia has been willing to pay a high price rather than submit to foreign dominance. World War II—or the Great Patriotic War against Hitler’s invasion, as the Russians refer to it—is a prime exam- ple. The experience of that war, with its untold tragedies and ultimate triumph, is the most sacred part of Russia’s collective memory. Except in the early post-revolutionary period, Russia’s foreign policy has been squarely built on the principles of realpolitik. What matters most is one’s power and one’s will. The weak get beaten; the cowards are cowed. A sound foreign policy is guided by national interests, and requires sobriety and pragmatism. Russia’s preferred model of global governance is a concert of powers, as after the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815 or the Yalta Conference of 1945. Indeed, the United Nations Security Council, where five permanent members decide jointly on the most crucial security issues in the world, is an ideal model in Moscow’s eyes. True, Russia cannot impose its will on others; but, more important, it can prevent any decision that would not agree with its interests. With bitter memories of communism still fresh, Russian leaders deem all ideologies misleading, and believe that high-sounding values often reveal themselves as hypocritical. In this, basic Russian cynicism about international relations inevitably clashes with what Russians perceive as Western hypocrisy. This reveals itself most starkly in Russia’s attitude toward U.S. democracy promotion. Even though this endeavor is very different in form and results from the Soviet-era promotion of communism, Russians believe that it conveniently combines ideological needs with geopolitical advantages. Just as any newly established communist regime in the past looked up to Moscow for guidance and support, so new democracies, they argue, seek to curry favor with the United States to consolidate their power and protect their security.

Ukraine Is More Than a Foreign Policy Matter Moscow does not care much about—and does not think much of—nascent democracy in Georgia or Ukraine, where it prefers to see mostly chaos, oligarchy and mob rule; but it is wary of U.S. military presence and activities in its neighborhood and Washington’s virtually unconditional support for Russian neighbors’ historical or current grievances against Russia.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 37 have an edge in escalation dominance. A prudent U.S. policy For Russians, the Atlantic alliance needs to make sure that its actions in Ukraine do not cause it to is a U.S.-owned platform for stumble into a military conflict with Russia. pressuring Russia in order to A Trying Period Ahead weaken it and, in extremis, an From Moscow’s vantage point, as far as overall U.S. relations advanced position from which with Russia are concerned, the United States has no best way to attack the Russian heartland. forward now, only a least bad one. Confrontation is here to stay, at least for the medium term. Possibilities for any serious U.S.- Russian cooperation will be extremely limited over the next five years or so. Whatever the outcome of the 2020 elections, the U.S. Ukraine’s movement away from Russia represents a most dif- body politic will probably continue to need Russia as a villain. ficult and painful divorce within the core of the historical This attitude will express itself in ever-mounting sanctions pres- Russian state. As such, it is only partly a foreign policy matter. sure. The specter of an all-powerful America having no real use The Russo-Ukrainian separation will take decades and likely for Russia while seeking to hurt it whenever it can will, in turn, generations to become a fact fully accepted in Russia. For be used by the Kremlin and its allies to shore up Russian patrio- Ukraine, the process of nation-building has involved a thorough tism and civic nationalism. rejection of anything to do with Russia and severance of all Vladimir Putin regards President Donald Trump as a contacts with it. realist politician, defending and promoting the U.S. national In Moscow, U.S. policies in Ukraine have been largely seen interest while eschewing liberal expansionism. He believes as aimed at diminishing Russia through undermining its great he can do business with Trump on the basis of Russian and power position (e.g., Zbigniew Brzezinski’s famous quote that American interests. Alas, Putin also has to acknowledge that the Russia without Ukraine cannot be an empire) and even as a dry embattled U.S. president has to deal with a Congress and media run for regime change in Moscow. In Russian eyes, the most that are very hostile to Russia, and thus is not capable of materi- dangerous element of U.S. policy has been Washington’s sup- ally improving U.S.-Russia relations. Apart from U.S. and West- port for Ukraine’s NATO membership. For Russians, the Atlantic ern weariness with Ukraine after six years of conflict there and alliance is a U.S.-owned platform for pressuring Russia in order the relatively modest U.S. interest in that country, the Kremlin to weaken it and, in extremis, an advanced position from which has not seen any serious change in the U.S. position on Ukraine to attack the Russian heartland. Fears of the dangers associated under Trump as compared to the Obama administration. with NATO’s eastern enlargement are probably exaggerated, Russians see past and present Ukrainian leaders as des- but they remain an article of faith within the Russian security perately trying to ingratiate themselves with those who wield and military communities, where memories of Hitler’s surprise power in the White House or are likely to emerge as winners in attack of 1941 live on. U.S. presidential elections: whether Hillary Clinton in 2016 or The United States is unlikely to stop supporting its Ukrainian Donald Trump in 2020. Trump’s own actions, recently subject to clients, Russian leaders believe. U.S. political and diplomatic impeachment proceedings, are shrugged off as part of the messy support, as well as military assistance, to Ukraine will continue business of politics, where abuse of office, even in democracies, into the future; and thus, a major irritant in U.S.-Russian rela- is far more frequent than publicly revealed or admitted. tions will continue to exist. Yet NATO membership for Ukraine— During this trying period, the United States and Russia need intolerable for Russia for security reasons—will probably remain to prevent direct military collision between themselves. Unlike out of reach, Russians conclude. Without acknowledging it, during the Cold War, the worst might now result not from a pre- Washington cannot ignore the possibility that such a move, even meditated all-out attack, but rather from accidents, incidents or before it is consummated, might precipitate a preemptive Rus- proxy conflicts escalating to a dangerous level. Conflict preven- sian action. Since Ukraine clearly matters much more to Russia tion and management will require, above all else, direct contacts than it does to the United States, Moscow believes it has a de and 24/7 communication between the military and security facto veto on Ukraine’s NATO membership through high-cost departments of the two countries. More substantive dialogue military intervention. Should the conflict escalate, Russia will will remain severely constrained. n

38 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS ON DEALING WITH RUSSIA & UKRAINE

When Lightning Struck Twice Drawing Down Mission Russia Moscow assignments were never easy, but the dramatic ordered reductions of diplomatic staff in 2017 and 2018 were distinctly difficult. BY MICHAEL A. LALLY

ver recent months, there has been and Vladivostok. Scores of direct-hire employees, Foreign Service much media focus on the Foreign Nationals, contractors, eligible family members (EFMs) and TDY Service, including its role to protect (temporary duty) staffers serviced the engagement, which ranged national security and advance U.S. from high-level visits and basic diplomatic tradecraft to facilitating interests. Less is known about the U.S. business and people-to-people exchanges. people, who often work behind the Following Russia’s occupation of Crimea and its launch scenes and beyond the headlines. of the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Moscow and While Foreign Service officers are Washington diverged on many issues, from arms control and contractually bound for world- Ukraine to the very size and nature of our diplomatic missions. wide assignment, jobs in Russia were never for the fainthearted. As U.S.-Russia relations deteriorated, staff were caught up in OHigh-stakes policy issues, unblinking and aggressive surveillance the diplomatic conflict. of diplomats and family members, a heavy workload and a recal- In December 2016 President Barack Obama expelled 35 Rus- citrant Russian bureaucracy made this a self-selecting hardship sian diplomats and announced a series of sanctions in response post. to Russian interference in the U.S. election. Seven months later, in In the bygone days of U.S.-Russian cooperation, more than July 2017, in response to stepped-up sanctions, President Vladimir 30 U.S. government agencies once formed U.S. Mission Russia, Putin ordered a dramatic drawdown of hundreds of U.S. mis- from Moscow to our consulates in Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg sion staff in Russia. Eight months later, in March 2018, the United States expelled 60 more Russian diplomats and ordered the Michael A. Lally (“Lucky 21” on the PNG list) was closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle in response to an assas- Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs for Eur- sination attempt in England on a former officer of the Federal asia, based in Moscow, from 2017 to 2018. He is cur- Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB). And a few days rently assigned to the U.S. Mission to the European after that, in response, President Putin expelled 60 U.S. diplomats Union in Brussels. and shuttered the consulate in St. Petersburg.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 39 to the U.S. government severely complicated future job prospects, As U.S.-Russia relations if not making them practically unemployable. deteriorated, staff were caught Hundreds of staff hours went into determining how to pre- up in the diplomatic conflict. serve core diplomatic and administrative function. But people came first, always. One on one, for weeks at a time, our officers explained to dedicated FSNs that we had to separate them, even though they had done nothing wrong. We did so with humanity In Russia, as our government-to-government contacts and respect, showing these American values even in the tough- dropped dramatically, we needed creative approaches to report est of times. Many of the officers who had to fire American and on Russian politics and the economy, provide support for Russian staff were also preparing themselves to leave. I vividly American citizens and companies in the country, and facilitate recall one of many separation meetings, where I delivered the Russians’ travel to the United States. Washington needed direct bad news to a local staffer. His stoic response: “You know our information for policy formulation, and U.S. Mission Russia’s job history and our government. We know who did this. Thank you, was to deliver, regardless of the obstacles. but don’t worry. All will be fine.” As we approach the second anniversary of the March 29, For others who remained at post, the future was uncertain. 2018, expulsion of our diplomats, their story of grit, professional- But one thing was crystal clear: U.S. Mission Russia—and the ism and patriotism reminds us of the Foreign Service ethos and mission—would continue. our direct contributions to the nation. Strike Two: Persona Non Grata, 2018 Strike One: The Kremlin-Ordered Drawdown, 2017 As months passed, U.S. Mission Russia adjusted to the “new Although the March 2018 expulsion of dozens of our Foreign normal” of delivering on the bilateral relationship while remain- Service members and their families received international media ing tremendously understaffed. Fortunately, the arrival of attention, the much larger, Kremlin-ordered staff reduction in July Ambassador Jon Huntsman and his wife, Mary Kaye, buoyed our 2017 attracted less scrutiny. After receiving the order in late July, spirits and renewed our hope for improvement in bilateral rela- Ambassador John Tefft quickly gathered the country team to relay tions. Having served as chief of mission in Singapore and Beijing the bad news: We would have to identify and separate several earlier in his career, Amb. Huntsman was clear-eyed about the hundred staff in less than 30 days. The ambassador called on all of challenges we faced. He spent a lot of time with staff, rebuilding us to handle this with discretion, sensitivity and dignity toward all morale and sharing his vision. Time and again, Huntsman would staff members. To ensure that Mission Russia could continue to remind audiences: “Just because our staff was cut by nearly 70 operate despite significant staffing cuts, then Deputy Chief of -Mis percent does not mean our workload has gone down the same sion Anthony Godfrey (now U.S. ambassador in Belgrade) urged amount. Indeed, it has gone up.” the leadership team to preserve institutional memory. That spring, news broke from the United Kingdom of an Overnight, U.S. Mission Russia was transformed. Scores of assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, a former FSB intelli- American officers and their families had to leave the country in gence officer, and his daughter. For the first time since World War less than four weeks. Some received the news while away from II, a military-grade chemical weapon had been used on civilians post and could not return; others packed out, sold their homes in Europe (a first responder was hurt in the attack and recovered; and found their assignment rescinded with nowhere to go. another British citizen died from incidental contact with the The overwhelming impact of this first round of cuts, however, poison, novichok). fell to our FSN staff. Many had served in the mission since the To respond to this latest Russian perfidy, nearly 30 nations heady days of the early 1990s, when U.S.-Russian relations were full joined the United States in expelling more than 150 Russian diplo- of hope and promise. These Russian colleagues would often recall mats around the world. As is the nature of diplomatic work, much meeting a U.S. president or a famous American musician, or a of this was done quietly, without fanfare, but with steely purpose. much-admired former supervisor who attended their wedding. For As we watched the news unfold, we waited for the next shoe to many, working for U.S. Mission Russia was not just a job—it was a drop; the Kremlin quickly noted it would respond “symmetrically.” way of life. Now, single mothers, tandem FSN couples and veterans Late on a Thursday evening, March 29, 2018, it got personal. of more than 20 years faced loss of their livelihoods. Their service A diplomatic note ordered the expulsion of 60 colleagues from

40 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL U.S. Mission Russia and the closing of At Washington's Dulles Airport, we U.S. Consulate General St. Petersburg were met by dozens of colleagues with within 48 hours. In a hastily arranged “Welcome Home” signs, American flags ceremony, former DCM Godfrey and and offers of help. Many volunteered Consul General Tom Leary lowered the after hours to help with mounds of lug- flag over the consulate for the first time gage, cranky babies in strollers and a since 1972. fleet of taxis to get us “home,” wherever The Kremlin split families, declar- that was supposed to be. As we hugged ing one of a tandem couple persona and said our good-byes at the baggage non grata, leading to difficult choices carousel, we realized that the last weeks and leaving the remaining FSO with and months had bonded us together new responsibilities for children who like no other assignment. We even had needed to complete the school semes- nicknames for each other, based on our ter in place. Literally overnight, many number on the PNG list received from of us had less than a week to transfer an the Kremlin. ongoing, extra-heavy workload, get kids out of school, pack out of our homes LALLY MICHAEL OF COURTESY Two Years On, Lessons Learned and look for new jobs. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, at left, with After the adrenaline rush of the Michael Lally, bids farewell to departing staff on As U.S. Mission Russia had risen the plane just before takeoff. PNG, many of us were pulled in two to the occasion just months earlier, directions. First, the urgency of the it did so again. The days prior to departure showed the best basics: finding shelter and schools for our kids. Second, landing a of humanity and professionalism. Everyone in the commu- new assignment. Family members or spouses had to start all over nity came in to help. Critical projects were quickly picked again on their job search. Social media lit up as informal support up; impromptu babysitting and packout arrangements were networks sprouted, while home agencies tried to figure out what made to allow staff to work; meals appeared out of nowhere, to do with all of us. With the help of compassionate ambassa- delivered to offices where many did double shifts. Trunkloads dors and DCMs, some of us quickly moved on to other overseas of clothing and food were delivered discreetly to Moscow-area assignments or were reassigned to Washington; for others, it took churches. longer to find the right new position. A star public affairs officer published a video farewell from About two weeks later, we all caught up at an impromptu pot- mission that showed a proud, professional face of America, luck feast, where we told our stories because we knew others would despite the sad occasion (featured in The Washington Post, it completely understand, shared job tips and offered references. But has gotten more than 40,000 hits). This was done even as that U.S. Mission Russia was never far from our minds, particularly the officer’s spouse prepared for departure. Another colleague colleagues who stayed behind. We Skyped and emailed, conscious superbly captured the mission’s resolve in an FSJ piece (July/ that the FSB was eavesdropping as much as ever. Our remaining August 2018, “When the Going Gets Tough: Moscow”). We colleagues were the real heroes; they put their heads down and were all Americans, regardless of where we were from, our continued to advance American interests in a hyper-hostile envi- rank, our home agency or our length of service. We had each ronment. As one wisely noted, “Those that are leaving wanted to other’s backs. stay; those that stayed are wondering when they’re leaving.” PNG day was a blur of bags, bustling workers, animal crates, Leadership always matters, but true crises test the mettle bleary-eyed sadness and logistical urgency. More than 130 of everyone up and down the management chain. Strong exhausted family members, scores of dogs and cats and hast- leadership, a close-knit country team and a sense that we were ily packed belongings were loaded onto the chartered aircraft. all in this together made the difference. Indeed, there was an Reminiscent of a scene from Ben Affleck’s Academy Award–win- unspoken code: Not a soul uttered a serious word of complaint. ning film “Argo,” the pilot announced, “We are now entering History put us all together in that place, at that time, proud American airspace” to the whoops and hollers of a planeload of of our country and determined to visibly defend our values friends and family. against Russian aggression. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 41 FOCUS ON DEALING WITH RUSSIA & UKRAINE

Soviet Union, Russia and Ukraine From the FSJ Archive

We Recognize the Soviet Union They are going to help the process along Ambassador Bullitt then presented his cre- with all of their resources and it is the task dentials to President Kalinin on December 13 of Western statesmen to estimate what those [1933]. Mr. Bullitt was accompanied by resources are, the way in which they have Mr. Joseph Flack, First Secretary at Berlin, and been used in the past, and how they are likely Mr. George F. Kennan, Third Secretary at Riga. to be used in the future. Mr. Bullitt said in part: “That mission, Mr. It is all the more essential, under these President, is to create not merely normal but genuinely friendly circumstances, that we develop widening channels of commu- relations between our two great peoples, who for so many years nication, of cultural and educational exchange, between the two were bound to each other by traditions of friendship. The firm societies. … It is at least possible that the cumulative impact of establishment of world peace is a deep desire of both of our the real world of experience on the imaginary world of Marxian peoples, and the close collaboration of our governments in the dogma will gradually bring about profound changes in the latter. task of preserving peace will draw our peoples together.” —J.W. Fulbright, October 1963 —Walter A. Foote, January 1934 Eastern Europe: The Unstable Contacts with the Soviets Element in the Soviet Empire It is diplomacy by culture—but a cultural Soviet control of most of Eastern Europe has diplomacy subject to a central plan, in which given it forward military bases and posses- even the arts and sciences serve the Party line sion of the traditional invasion routes into first and foremost. … Europe. The Soviet position constitutes a There is already in the last year an observ- kind of pistol at the head of the West. The able decline in the ignorance and prejudice peoples and resources of the area increase Soviet economic and with which the Soviet and non-Soviet worlds regard each other, military power. Soviet control over Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East and there is a tendency to meet exaggerated propaganda with Germany, Hungary, and Poland appears tighter and firmer than a certain degree of disbelief. The forty-year freeze in cultural ever before. … relations between the two countries could well be melting. If so, Our economic and military strength is so vast that we do not the Soviet citizen may gradually have more opportunities to test understand its significance, while our power when added to that his beliefs against direct observation, thus breaking out from the of our allies almost staggers the imagination. However, our great- intellectual isolation in which he has found himself. For isolation est strength is almost invisible, because it is the social vitality, the is dangerous to any country in a world Community where the free effervescent intellectual vigor, and the freedom and openness in communication of ideas means progress if not salvation. which we live and face our serious problems. —Frederick T. Merrill, March 1959 The central position in our foreign policy should remain the peaceful reconstruction of Europe. This should be accomplished Russia and the West without alarming the Soviet Union but providing the states and If the West is successfully to thwart the communist dream of uni- peoples of Eastern Europe with the independence and right to versal empire, it is less important for us to know why the Soviet self-determination which they deserve and seek. leaders wish to “bury” us than to know how they propose to do it. —Robert F. Byrnes, July 1971 It is very clear that they do not intend to leave the process to the mystical force of history, however “inevitable” its outcome.

42 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Moscow Today: An Interview with Arthur Hartman The Soviet Ukraine: Its Resources, The U.S.S.R. is a closed society, and our purpose in being in Industries, and Potentialities Moscow is to understand and report on it as fully as possible. So we have to balance the risk and the opportunities. We want our people to know how to handle themselves and to engage, to get out and talk to Soviets and to do what you can only do on the spot in Moscow. On the human side, we read reports in the press that the abrupt removal of local employees necessitated having political officers, for instance, scrub toilets and do other housekeeping chores. What has it been like? … Well, we found out because we were the only embassy in the world that actually operated—and is still operating—without any local employees. When will our operations in the Soviet Union return to nor- mal? Moscow is a very abnormal place. We are going to have to establish a balance between making sure our people are not open to security risks and making sure that they can still get out and observe Soviet society. —E.C. Ropes, August 1941 —May 1987

The Perils of Perestroika Ambassador to the USSR, 1952 Following the deaths of three aged Soviet At first he [George Kennan] endured Soviet leaders in three years, the selection of Mikhail regulations, including those that precluded Gorbachev as general secretary of the Com- travel more than 25 miles outside of Moscow, munist Party was an extraordinarily impor- forbade him to speak with Soviet citizens, and tant event. In Gorbachev, the U.S.S.R. not required him to purchase most Soviet publica- only has a vigorous leader in his 50s, but an tions through the Foreign Ministry. individual of considerable political talent and When Kennan served in Moscow during the 1930s and 1940s, intellectual acumen. Almost without exception, those who have he had friends among the Soviet employees at the embassy, talked with the new general secretary have found him to be intel- but in 1952, the stone-faced servants at Spaso House shunned ligent, well informed, and purposeful. His style of “openness,” his communication, groundskeepers declined to work, and security criticisms of many Soviet traditions and methods, and his pro- officers followed Kennan wherever he went, depriving him of posed solutions, if implemented, will result in profound changes enjoyable strolls among the Russian people. “I came gradually for Soviet society. Gorbachev has set for himself a surprisingly to think of myself as a species of disembodied spirit,” recalled difficult agenda: reinvigorating economic performance, civic Kennan, “capable, like the invisible character of the fairy tales, consciousness, and, most broadly, public morality. The outcome of seeing others and moving among them but not of being seen, of this program, however, is very much in doubt. or at least not of being identified by them.” His hidden agenda was a widespread assault on accumulated Kennan told his colleagues that he still favored an eventual privileges, waste, corruption, and laziness. The anti-alcohol cam- diplomatic solution with Moscow over Korea, Berlin, and other paign bought him time, while beginning the kind of sociopolitical issues. “I would negotiate with the Soviet representatives coldly regeneration he was seeking. and brutally and in full acceptance of the fact that their ultimate Far beyond the borders of the Soviet Union, the unfolding aim is to ruin us, and that they believe our ultimate aim is to ruin of perestroika and glasnost may affect the whole Eastern bloc. them.” On the other hand, if the reforms implicit in these terms are not —Walter L. Hixson, May 1987 realized, then both perestroika and glasnost could be harbingers of political entropy, with egregious consequences for the Soviet

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 43 people as a weakening superpower senses its own peril. That the actor. Thus, as Ukraine moved towards independence, there were potential of his ideas may not be realized is understood most fully high expectations that its leaders would quickly take advantage by Gorbachev himself. of its potential and blossom politically and economically. —Daniel N. Nelson, November 1987 Located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, defended by no natural borders and blessed with rich agricultural soil, Helping Russia Reform Ukraine has historically been the target of aggression or the site Our attitude should be one of partnership on of empires fighting out colonial drives. None of the occupations a very long journey of trial and error—not to have been conducive to Ukraine’s development. Indeed, they impose our vision of the Good Society on Rus- have aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity. … sia, but to improve life for the Russian people in Ukraine’s concern regarding Russian intentions is understand- ways they consider helpful. If we are perceived able. But there is another dimension. Pressed from various sides, to be a concerned, friendly country without an Ukraine has historically sought to maintain its security by appeal- ideological axe to grind, we will be more successful in addressing ing to or allying itself with outside forces, since it never has had the problems in our relationship, which will inevitably arise. the internal experience or resources to maintain its own security. We should continue to treat Russia as a great power, without —Roman Popadiuk, June 1994 condescension. … The Russian leader needs to be treated, how- ever, as someone who is cooperative with the United States for his The Plummeting of Yeltsin’s Star own hard-headed national reasons and in no way someone we In fact, the terrible performance of the Krem- can take for granted. lin in this war [Chechnya] has dramatically The Clinton Administration should assume that: It may changed the political situation in the former well end up paying more to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Soviet Union. …The developments in Chech- Belarus for implementation of START I and II and the storage and nya also have uncovered deep disarray of the destruction of nuclear weapons than it anticipated, but it will be Yeltsin administration. … Numerous times in a small price to pay for maintaining forward momentum in our the last month, the administration has proclaimed victory, even arms control programs. as Russian casualties continued to mount. … The Chechen war —Thompson R. Buchanan, April 1993 has also drastically damaged the international image of both Rus- sia and Yeltsin. New Era Beckons for Ukraine —Vladimir Shlapentokh, April 1995 When Leonid Kravchuk was head of ideology in Soviet Ukraine, he would arrive at his office Oral History in Real Time: at 9 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. he would receive a phone The Maidan Revolution call from Moscow with the day’s instruc- “Bearing witness to the fact that this was a tions. After the call, he would pick up another movement of the people for the people, a phone, pass the orders to the party cadres, movement of dignity, self-organized—to and his work for the day was done. As president of an indepen- bear witness to what the government’s troops dent Ukraine, Kravchuk laments that the problem with Ukraine were doing or not doing. … I think it was an is that the phone from Moscow no longer rings. This story, while extraordinary time, when you saw resources and people coming apocryphal, does underscore the many challenges Ukraine faces. together, and to explain that and to convey that to Washington It is a new country devoid of much of the infrastructure necessary was important. [It was important] to say it’s not just any old for organizing and leading a country. Its leadership, products of protest. And to explain also that there were some fundamental the Moscow-centered decision making of the Soviet era, is more values that people were supporting, and why it was in our interest comfortable with carrying out rather than creating ideas and goals. to help make sure that there was a space for people who were Long known as the breadbasket of Europe, Ukraine had been protesting, that there was a democratic way to do this. That’s an economic mainstay of its colonial rulers, most recently the what I think our role was—and the role of the diplomat.” Soviet Union. Many believed its size, its location and its agricul- —Joseph Rozenshtein, April 2017 (quoting Deputy Economic tural and mineral resources destined it to be a leading regional Counselor Elizabeth Horst, 2014) n

44 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FEATURE ENERGY DIPLOMACY WORKS

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ZHAOJIANKANG

An ambitious USAID initiative to bring the U.S. government’s resources to bear to help increase access to electricity in Africa is producing results, offering a new model for development assistance. BY ANDREW M. HERSCOWITZ

e fue la luz!” (The power less—sparked my lifelong interest in economic development. went out!) was the first I realized then that access to electricity is fundamental to the Spanish phrase I learned social and economic development of any country. Power provides as a 16-year-old exchange light for children to study into the night. Power gives farmers tools student in the Dominican to increase and improve agricultural output. And in the Domini- “ Republic in 1987. Power can Republic, it lets Presidente beers chill to just above freezing outages were frequent and while merengue and bachata blare over loudspeakers until the unpredictable. Of course, morning hours, keeping thousands of small businesses thriving. lack of electricity was not Power is life and a cornerstone of economic development. the only challenge for Dominicans at the time: They also endured weak educationS and health care systems, a large gap between the Answering the Call wealthy and the poor, and an absence of critical infrastructure What I didn’t know then was that, years later, power would throughout the country, among other things. be at the core of my work. After a career with a law firm, I joined My experiences in the Dominican Republic—more than 30 the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2001 and a years ago, and living with the minister of public works’ family no year later found myself back in the Dominican Republic, work-

Andrew M. Herscowitz, a member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, has been the U.S. coordi- nator for Power Africa, a USAID-managed program, since 2013. He served previously as mission director in Ecuador, deputy mission director in Peru, and legal adviser for the Andes and the Caribbean. A graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and its law center, he practiced law before joining the Foreign Service with USAID in 2001. In 2018 he won a Service to America “Sammie” medal.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 45 2013 my family and I moved to Nairobi, Kenya, home to Power Power Africa aims to double Africa’s first headquarters and the first-ever U.S. presidential access to electricity in sub- initiative to be headquartered outside of Washington, D.C. Saharan Africa so as to improve The Power Africa Model: An Interagency Approach lives, strengthen economies, and Though the U.S. government has advised countries on help people emerge from poverty electricity access for years, Power Africa’s approach is differ- with self-reliance and dignity. ent. Flipping the traditional development model on its head, we have taken a demand-driven, transactional approach. We look at actual transactions between the private-sector entities ing as a Foreign Service officer. Given my earlier experience working in the energy sector—such as investors, local entre- with electricity outages there, I was thrilled to work on a project preneurs and manufacturers—and governments to identify with the National Rural Electrification Cooperative Association obstacles, from environmental to regulatory, that prevent these to expand rural electrification, introduce modern metering, and transactions from moving forward. And we use the power of attract private sector financing for the metering project. diplomacy to level the playing field for U.S. investments in the My work with USAID took me from the Dominican Repub- energy sector. lic to Peru and, in 2013, to Ecuador, where I served as the The program is field-driven and has a broad geographic mission director. There, as I scope. Led by USAID, the visited a project in the Gala- 12 U.S. government agencies pagos Islands one sunny day, that implement Power Africa I received a phone call. The activities have provided proposal was immense: Help financing and technical assis- develop and lead an ambitious tance to support the power initiative to bring the U.S. gov- sector in 40 countries over the ernment’s collective resources past six years. We maintain a to bear to increase electricity robust “boots on the ground” access in sub-Saharan Africa. presence with hundreds of Days later, I was on a plane dedicated power experts situ- to begin what has been an ated around the continent. In incredible journey, working short, we are a team of roving with more than 170 public and AFRICA POWER diplomats, bankers, and tech- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at left, and Power private-sector partners to help Africa Coordinator Andrew Herscowitz sign an MOU in Jerusalem nical experts, all focused on bring first-time electricity to in December 2017 for increased cooperation between the the same mission—increasing more than 74 million people government of Israel and Power Africa to increase access to access to electricity. electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. through “Power Africa.” The key to success is effec- Power Africa aims to double access to electricity in sub- tive coordination across multiple U.S. government agencies. Saharan Africa to improve lives, strengthen economies, and help The Power Africa Coordinator’s Office established and leads a people emerge from poverty with self-reliance and dignity. More regular interagency working group where we discuss openly than 570 million people in Africa are without access to electric- the challenges and opportunities to reach our shared mission. ity. Power Africa’s goal is to drive power projects that will provide While each agency has its own resources to support Power more than 30,000 megawatts (MW) of new power generation and Africa’s mission, some agency resources are limited, and USAID help create 60 million new electricity connections for homes and frequently works through the Coordinator’s Office to help dif- businesses by 2030. If you estimate that there are, on average, five ferent agencies step up their efforts. The Millennium Challenge people per household, reaching Power Africa’s goal means turning Corporation, for example, has spent hundreds of millions of lights on for approximately 300 million people. dollars on power compacts in sub-Saharan Africa. At the same This great challenge held great opportunity, so in August time, the Coordinator’s Office funded two deal teams that

46 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL helped the Overseas Private Investment Corporation far exceed its initial commitment of financing $2 billion, with a current deal pipeline of more than $2.5 billion. The Coordinator’s Office has staff dedicated to liaise full time with agencies to ensure we have the best information and tools available to help partner countries and private-sector developers overcome obstacles and get power project deals done. Businesses and governments can knock on one door to draw on an array of tools from across the U.S. government. Assistance ranges from mitigating risk and promoting exports to designing new policies and regulations, and even teaching households how to read an electricity meter. If there’s a tool out there that can help a project move forward, we find it, learn about it, and inform businesses and governments about it. We want to get deals across the finish line and turn lights on for people and businesses as quickly as possible. Early on, we recognized that even the U.S. government does not have all the tools and resources necessary to achieve our ambi- AFRICA/XAUME OLLEROS POWER Power Africa helps provide first-time electricity access to homes tious goals, so we reached out to international partners for help. and businesses in Africa. Here, a young boy studies under a solar After our first year, Sweden committed $1 billion to Power Africa’s lantern at his home in Senegal in October 2017.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 47 In Nigeria, for example, a major gas project poised to bring Power Africa’s approach is power to a million people was stalled due to a legal position different. Flipping the traditional taken by the country’s previous attorney general. He wanted any development model on its head, disputes to be resolved in Nigeria, rather than via an interna- tional tribunal; but no lenders would invest with this condition. we have taken a demand-driven, In response, Power Africa rallied our partners to elevate the issue transactional approach. and focused efforts on a state visit by Nigerian President Muham- madu Buhari to the United States. A week after President Buhari returned to Nigeria, the attorney general changed his position. efforts and even established its own Swedish interagency Power That decision allowed the private sector to commit to the project. Africa team. The World Bank committed $5 billion, and the African Phase 1 of the project was commissioned in May 2018 and is now Development Bank committed $3 billion—and both entities have delivering reliable electricity to Nigeria’s national grid. already exceeded their original commitments. Our partners also What’s important to note here is that our intervention on include the governments of Israel, the Republic of Korea, Norway, this one particular deal in one particular country helped many Canada, the U.K., France, Japan and the European Union. other power projects across the continent. Our work to facilitate Power Africa actively recruits private-sector partners to help this reform created a legal model for other deals, making them achieve our goals. These partners are required to commit to sup- attractive to private-sector investment. When we overcome an porting Power Africa goals by adding new megawatts, new connec- obstacle to one deal, it is not uncommon that other deals will tions, or financing essential energy infrastructure. Currently, Power benefit from Power Africa’s work. Africa counts more than 150 companies and nongovernmental As China becomes an increasingly important player in organizations among its partners, of which 75 are U.S. companies. African infrastructure, including in the energy sector, Power Africa is rallying the tools of the U.S. government to improve the Overcoming Obstacles business climate for American companies and investors, help The dedication of the extended U.S. government Power Africa African public and private partners develop energy plans and team and its partners is palpable, because we all recognize that procurement policies that account for critical factors beyond access to electricity underpins development efforts across all lowest cost, and streamline collaboration between like-minded sectors and advances economic prosperity and self-reliance. partners. With the recent launch of Prosper Africa, another U.S. One significant obstacle to advancing power projects is the government initiative coordinated by USAID to advance two- absence of enforced laws and regulations that support transpar- way trade between the United States and the African continent, ent practices. Power Africa works closely with governments and Power Africa can further its progress by working hand in hand regulators to institute reforms and create the right conditions to with the private sector and African partners to achieve lasting attract investment, and it’s succeeding. development outcomes and expand investment opportunities. The Power Africa model is producing results and attract- ing public and private investment commitments to the African energy sector. Through Power Africa, the United States has mobilized more than $56 billion in commitments from the pub- lic and private sectors, of which more than $40 billion comes from private companies.

Progress Across Many Sectors We recently met a man in Kenya, Morris, whose life has mark- edly improved because of Power Africa. Morris owns a barber- shop on Ndeda Island in Lake Victoria. In 2018 the American

NEOEN company Renewvia Energy, the U.S. Trade and Development President of the Republic of Zambia Edgar Lungu prepares to power on the Bangweulu Solar Plant during the project’s Agency and USAID finalized a wind and solar mini-grid project inauguration in Lusaka in March 2019. on the island. Nearly 10,000 residents and businesses now have a

48 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL safe and reliable source of power. Morris’ profits have increased Power Africa has a number of important achievements to its by more than 50 percent, and his ability to support his family credit. The program: has improved greatly—so much so that he is able to sponsor two • established nearly 16 million new electricity connections of his brothers in their education. Morris told us that he hopes for homes and businesses that provide first-time access for his brothers will use their education to make better lives for roughly 74 million people. With every new connection, comes themselves. He says that more Kenyans are visiting the island, dignity, self-reliance and economic promise. and predicts that the village will grow and add many more shops, • facilitated the first-ever independent power producer services and jobs to the local economy. transactions in Malawi, Ethiopia and Senegal, paving the way We know that energy solutions save lives. When the Ebola for enterprise-driven development in those countries. epidemic hit Liberia in 2014, Power Africa deployed emergency • helped electricity distribution companies in Nigeria generators that allowed health clinics to provide 24-hour care, dramatically reduce their losses and increase revenues, which which helped treat patients and stem the outbreak. One of our strengthens power delivery and improves the health of the projects in rural Liberia powered approximately 200 house- entire energy sector. holds, streetlights, and public facilities, including a school, • created the Power Africa Tracking Tool, a mobile app that clinic, community center and cooperative office. Electrification monitors power project deals across sub-Saharan Africa. With strengthened the rural community’s resilience and ability to a simple tap, our partners, potential investors and the general bounce back after the devastat- public can find details on ing losses from Ebola. more than 900 deals repre- Power Africa also creates senting upwards of 80,000 political and economic oppor- MW of installed electric tunities for Americans. Access power. to reliable sources of electricity Our most important part- helps people, businesses and ners are African governments, countries emerge from poverty particularly those committed and create more stable econo- to advancing energy sector mies; and this, in turn, opens reforms. Together, we are trade opportunities for U.S. reducing barriers to invest- businesses. It is estimated, for ment and moving projects

example, that General Electric AFRICA POWER from financial close to pro- has exported more than $250 Power Africa Coordinator Andrew Herscowitz, at left, tours the duction of electricity, lighting Té Power Plant in Guinea with Power Africa partner Endeavor million worth of equipment up homes and strengthening Energy’s Managing Director Amadou Ba, at center, and USAID/ from the United States since Power Africa Senior Adviser Rockfeler Herisse in November 2019. economies. Power Africa rep- Power Africa’s launch, helping resents American economic secure 1,500 American jobs. A small company in Ohio, Rickly diplomacy and development policy at its best, working across Hydro, estimates that 40 percent of its 25-person workforce U.S. agencies, public and private-sector partners and African was dedicated to filling an equipment order for a Power Africa governments to promote a shared mission that has the potential project in Tanzania. to change millions of lives for the better. Power Africa is making a difference across all sectors—from Our team is proud that the U.S. government is replicating or health and education to gender and agriculture. To date, we adapting the Power Africa model to shape new initiatives, such as have helped close 126 deals that will generate more than 10,000 the administration’s USAID-led Prosper Africa and Department MW of new and critically needed electricity, nearly half of of State–led Asia EDGE initiatives. As the new U.S. Development which (4,000 MW) is already operational and turning lights on Finance Corporation is launched, lessons are being drawn from across the continent. Collectively, these 126 transactions that Power Africa’s experience to ensure seamless interagency col- have reached financial close are worth more than $20 billion, laboration. We have accomplished much to date, but have a long real money from the private sector disbursed in support of our way to go. Our model is working, and we look forward to hearing development goals. the chorus “lights on” in every language across Africa. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 49 FEATURE Superpowered

Updating the PD toolbox Public with popular arts. Diplomacy BY PREETI SHAH

wonder if sparkly sneakers are too out Old Script, New Actors there?” I thought to myself as I prepared to In PD lore, we learn how the U.S. Information Agency’s moderate the second annual State Depart- cultural envoys helped spark a desire for free expression within ment–sponsored panel on popular arts those behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. We learn diplomacy at the 2018 San Diego Comic how painters, musicians and performance artists brought in ” Convention. SDCC is the premier comic new audiences to witness firsthand the boundless spirit of cre- book and popular arts convention in the ativity of America’s most talented artists. world, and the biggest revenue-generating And we learn how our own ongoing reckoning with true annual event in San Diego, California. diversity and inclusion, as told through jazz and other medi- My proximity to San Diego while I was the public affairs officer ums, gave our PD forebears entrée into segments of society in TijuanaI gave me the opportunity to establish inroads for Con- previously deemed inaccessible. sulate General Tijuana and State with SDCC. It was a way to add to In pursuit of the same goals, comics and popular arts are a our public diplomacy (PD) toolbox for audience engagement. much-needed update. While the playbook remains basically As it turns out, I didn’t need to worry about my footwear. the same, we just need new players to connect with our screen- Unless dressed like Wonder Woman or Daenerys Targaryen, one driven, digital media–consuming, distraction-filled world. faded into the hundreds of thousands of people who were flock- America’s film industry needs no promotion in the tradi- ing to this event. My sparkly sneakers were positively humdrum. tional “commercial officer” sense. That said, acknowledging our My message, however, wasn’t. most popular exports as vehicles to broadly reflect U.S. values and society modernizes our PD toolbox. And yet, some of these tools Preeti Shah joined the Foreign Service in 2004 and have been available for decades. has served in Mexico, Afghanistan, Turkey and Take, for example, the American Film Showcase, a juggernaut Nicaragua, in addition to several tours in Washing- funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that has ton, D.C. She is a public diplomacy–coned officer had a long partnership with the University of Southern California’s currently in Jakarta. She fell in love with comics as a School of Cinematic Arts. AFS brings American theatrical releases child, discovering Indian mythology as portrayed through superhe- and the people behind them (directors, producers, etc.) to overseas roes, secret powers, good guys and bad guys. audiences via embassy programming.

50 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL JOSE M. NORIEGA/U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL TIJUANA At the 2018 State Department panel at San Diego Comic-Con International (from left to right), Book of Life director Jorge Gutierrez, American Film Showcase director Rachel Gandin Mark, Public Affairs Officer Preeti Shah, teacher and program implementer Alexandra Wesser, and State Department Arts Envoy alumnus and visual effects producer David Andrade discussed popular arts as a medium to engage young audiences around the world.

AFS has promoted science cooperation and STEM careers embassy-led book clubs, speaker engagements or simply for girls via more than 120 free screenings of the blockbuster film additions to the inventories of American Spaces facilities that “Hidden Figures” at U.S. posts overseas and helps filmmakers, writ- provide opportunities for dialogue and hands-on activities ers and producers “create more nuanced entertainment, the kinds overseas. of content that can spark public debate around important social The comic arts industry, which is grappling with its own lack issues,” according to Rachel Gandin Mark, AFS program director. of diversity, has begun to make the changes needed with unde- Gandin Mark also confirms that AFS is only growing in popu- niable success. To understand the raw power of seeing ourselves larity, with many posts requesting to screen box-office hits in in massive entertainment productions, take, for instance, the tandem with related programs on space exploration, diversity and runaway popularity of the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, a Paki- inclusivity and other hot-button topics. stani American teenager from New Jersey, and the new Spider- Along similar lines, PD shops know what gets people in Man, Miles Morales, who’s half black and half Latino. the door. In places like Georgia, Paraguay and Mexico, com- But what does that diversification of messengers mean for ics and popular arts programs have helped post meet policy public diplomacy? It means new faces, new conversations, and goals around human trafficking, workforce development, STEM a new lens through which we view ourselves and through which education, English learning, public health and more. They’ve others view us—as people and as a country. accomplished this task through the multimodal, engaging and, dare I say, fun mediums of comics, superhero culture and film. Standing Out So there I was at Comic-Con International in 2018, flanked Diversity and Representation— by producers, animators, visual effects specialists and artists. Reflections of America SDCC, and its superhero culture, crosses borders and draws In terms of true inclusion and diversity, change is afoot, and throngs of attendees and local media from Baja California. the world has taken notice. Once again, popular arts can tell That year, it also presented a unique opportunity to lever- inspirational stories about gender, race, sexual orientation and age State’s power to benefit Mission Mexico’s goals, as well as other inequalities with authentic voices. inform attendees about how the department brings together For instance, the groundbreaking graphic novel trilogy, their favorite popular arts with cultural diplomacy. March, by Representative John Lewis (D-Ga.) gives civil society With this in mind, we snagged a coveted panel discussion and political leaders an opening to learn about civil rights and slot to present Consulate General Tijuana’s comics-related transformational leadership in their own countries through programs and to highlight U.S. “citizen cultural envoys” who

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 51 bring various aspects of popular arts to our audiences around the world in a coordinated effort between Consulate General Tijuana and ECA’s Collaboratory. These envoys have taught animation to art students in Iraq while designing visual effects for Emmy-nominated programs as their “day job,” and they have shared career advice with film stu- JOSE M. NORIEGA/U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL TIJUANA dents in Baja California while producing a mini-series for Netflix. Superheroes battling human trafficking, created as part of a contest to engage young Mexicans on the topic, shared the spotlight at the When we presented in 2017, at SDCC’s first annual State State Department’s first-ever panel at SDCC in 2017. Department–sponsored panel, someone in the audience asked me whether the panel description in the program was correct: D.C.’s annual comic book convention in April last year. Was I “seriously from the State Department”? Oh yes, and we’re Our panel about international space cooperation, youth just getting started. engagement, fusion technology as a parable for multilateral Consulate General Tijuana, in collaboration with ECA’s Col- diplomacy and more drew an audience of more than 100 laboratory, hosted a State Department panel at SDCC for the third people. We made our case for State’s use of comic book culture year in a row in 2019, and is looking to expand cooperation with and popular arts as a public diplomacy tool. SDCC to engage more audiences globally. Representatives from Despite the doubt and disbelief, we have staked our claim ECA and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environment as modern diplomats using modern tools to meet modern and Scientific Affairs have followed up on State’s panels at SDCC demands. And we have invited the fans, the creators, the skep- by conducting the first-ever department panel at AwesomeCon, tics and the taxpayers to join us. n

52 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION

Honoring Early Diplomats CALENDAR and Consular Officers March 5 dore Oliver Hazard At its December 12-1 p.m. meeting, the AFSA Perry, a hero of the Webinar: “The View Governing Board War of 1812. He was from Washington” approved adding the appointed in 1819 as March 11 names of 48 early a special diplomatic 12-1:30 pm American diplo- agent to negotiate an Next Stage: “Executive mats and consular anti-piracy agree- Search Firms – What Are officers who died ment with Venezu- They Looking For?” overseas in the line elan President Simón March 16 of duty to the AFSA Bolívar. He died of Deadline: AFSA memorial plaques. yellow fever on a Scholarship Applications The names are now ship nearing Port of on a virtual AFSA Spain, Trinidad. March 18 12-2 p.m. Memorial Plaque at The other 47 AFSA Governing afsa.org/memorial- names are more Board Meeting plaques. They will be obscure, primarily inscribed on plaques consular officers March 26 in the C Street sent to tropical port 4:30-6:30 p.m.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS WIKIMEDIA AFSA Spring Happy Hour Lobby of Main State A painting of Oliver Hazard Perry, by Jane Stuart, cities in the 1800s when funding is avail- circa 1857. to facilitate American March 27 able to do so. shipping and com- 12-1 p.m. These colleagues, with Over the next decade, merce. Job Search Program Graduation Reception at FSI dates of death going back to utilizing the internet and Causes of death were 1794, were unknown to AFSA the archives of the Depart- tropical diseases (32), April 8 when the original memorial ment of State’s Office of the accidents during official 12-1:30 p.m. plaque was unveiled in 1933. Historian, he documented travel (six), murder (five), Seminar: “Demystifying the The list grew out of research more early consular officers lost at sea (four) and lost Transportation Process” begun in 2007 by FSO Jason and diplomats who had died during an earthquake (one). April 15 Vorderstrasse who, while overseas in the line of duty. Deaths occurred in 30 differ- 12-2 p.m. AFSA Governing serving in Hong Kong, heard Last summer, AFSA ent countries across every Board Meeting that a local cemetery held Retiree Vice President continent except Australia the grave of an early U.S. John Naland invited Mr. and Antarctica. Two died of April 30 diplomat whose name was Vorderstrasse to forward yellow fever while serving as AFSA Foreign Service Day not on the AFSA Memorial his research to the AFSA U.S. chargé d’affaires to the Open House Plaques. Mr. Vorderstrasse Awards and Plaques Com- Republic of Texas. May 1 visited the cemetery and mittee. It included 39 indi- AFSA is coordinating with Foreign Service Day/ found the gravestone. viduals whose names and the Department of State’s AFSA Memorial Ceremony He later discovered two histories were documented Bureau of Administration in May 15 18th-century U.S. envoys by Mr. Vorderstrasse, plus hopes of adding additional Deadline: buried in nearby Macau two documented in collabo- plaque space on which to Nomination for whose names were not on ration with retired FSO Peter inscribe these names in time AFSA Dissent and the memorial plaque. AFSA Eicher, four documented by for the annual AFSA Memo- Performance Awards inscribed those three names Mr. Eicher, and three added rial Plaque ceremony in May on the plaque in 2009, and by Mr. Naland. 2021. n Mr. Vorderstrasse continued One of the 48 is well his research. known to history: Commo-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 53 STATE VP VOICE | BY TOM YAZDGERDI AFSA NEWS

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

Being Treated More Like Our Military

When it comes to benefits, These include the abil- (including post evacuations months) and immediately go many of us at some point ity to maintain or change and health grounds), to do so overseas. have been disappointed by legal residence (which has without penalty. In December 2019, after how differently the Foreign implications for taxes and We are also pushing AFSA sent a letter, the Service is treated compared in-state tuition fees) and to allow FS members to University of Texas-Austin to our military. end, without penalty, hous- terminate mobile phone and granted in-state tuition to This is not to take away ing leases and telephone, other contracts or unlock the children of one of our anything from our col- cable and internet contracts, their phones prior to a post- members. leagues in uniform or to among many other issues. ing abroad; and to ensure We are currently com- argue that we do the same To be frank, it is unlikely that FS members who find municating with University of exact job so should get the that there is the political themselves temporarily in a California Board of Regents same exact benefits. will in Congress to extend jurisdiction in the Washing- officials to see if the Univer- But there are a lot of simi- all SCRA protections and ton, D.C., area for detail or sity of California system, one larities. Aside from promot- benefits to Foreign Service training can retain residence of the largest in the country, ing our values and strength- members, so AFSA has not in their state of domicile for will provide this benefit to our ening America’s position in focused on getting a whole- tax reasons. members. the world, both uniformed sale change. military and Foreign Service At the same time, several In the Meantime Overseas members move around a sections of the SCRA would While we push for these Comparability Pay lot, serve in conflict areas offer FS members significant changes at the federal level, While we are on the and sometimes live far from relief, given their frequent we will continue to work with subject, AFSA is still waiting loved ones. moves, temporary duty stints individual states, landlords for the last and final tranche About one-third of For- in the Washington, D.C., area, and others to provide relief. of overseas comparability eign Service members have and choice of domicile or resi- AFSA cannot promise all pay to complete a process served in dangerous coun- dence. And the overall impact issues will be resolved, but and commitments made by tries that may require unac- on state or local tax revenues we do send letters to these Congress in 2008 and 2009. companied tours, according would not be great since FS parties and raise concerns Again, our military col- to department estimates. numbers are miniscule com- with department manage- leagues, along with those in pared to service members. ment on behalf of our mem- the intelligence community, Advocating for the So, working with the bers who need assistance get the full amount. Benefits of SCRA Senate Foreign Service in breaking leases or other As former AFSA Presi- The Servicemembers Civil Caucus, the newly formed contracts because of official dent Barbara Stephenson Relief Act of 2003 provides House Diplomacy Caucus overseas travel orders. pointed out in a 2016 article military personnel with many and individual lawmakers, we We do the same with in Federal Soup: “When our protections and benefits that continue to advocate a few in-state tuition, and there members deploy abroad to Foreign Service members key extensions of the SCRA have been some successes. embassies alongside their simply don’t enjoy. to our members. In 2019 the Virginia State military and intelligence In fact, members of the These include residential Assembly passed a law community colleagues, the military who have joined and motor vehicle leases that that now considers the only member of that trio the Foreign Service often would permit our members dependents of FS members to take an 8-percent cut in express surprise that certain who need to break their eligible for in-state tuition basic pay is the one from the common-sense benefits that leases to be posted abroad, if the FS members reside in Foreign Service.” The cut in accrue to the military under or who need to return to Virginia for at least 3 months basic pay for 2020 is now the SCRA do not apply to the the United States on short (compared to the general just over 10 percent. n Foreign Service. notice for a variety of reasons residency requirement of 12

54 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL USAID VP VOICE | BY JASON SINGER AFSA NEWS

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

The FSA: It’s More Than Just an Act

If you’re like me, you like to in order to carry out its mis- against reprisal for the lawful trainings—and refocus exist- settle down at night with sion effectively in response disclosure of information ing ones—to better meet your favorite drink and cozy to the complex challenges which the employees reason- FSO needs. up with a copy of the Foreign of modern diplomacy and ably believe evidences (A) a Section 601: Promo- Service Act of 1980 (bit.ly/ international relations.” Clear violation of any law, rule, or tions. (Do I have your atten- usaid-fsa). and powerful. regulation, or, (B) misman- tion now?). This section lays In case you don’t share Another objective, near agement, a gross waste of out broad principles and my reading tastes, I want to and dear to AFSA and its funds, an abuse of authority, details, including: “Decisions highlight some parts of the members, is “establishing a or a substantial and specific by the Secretary on the act and encourage you to statutory basis for participa- danger to public health or numbers of individuals to be take some time to read it. You tion by the members of the safety.” promoted into and retained may find it useful and quite Foreign Service, through As FSOs, we have a public in the Senior Foreign Service often inspiring. their elected representatives, trust to keep; and we have shall be based upon a sys- Chapter topics include in the formulation of person- rights and protections to tematic long-term projection “Management of the Ser- nel policies and procedures help us maintain that trust. of personnel flows and needs vice,” “Promotions and which affect their conditions Section 703: Career designed to provide (A) a Retention,” “Foreign Service of employment, and main- Development. The act regular, predictable flow of Pension System” and “Labor taining a fair and effective recognizes that the FS is recruitment in the Service; Management Relations.” system for the resolution of a career spanning many (B) effective career develop- While not always directly individual grievances that will stages. ment patterns to meet the pertinent to USAID, the act ensure the fullest measure of The section opens: “The needs of the Service; and (C) is a thoughtful, comprehen- due process for the members Secretary shall establish a a regular, predictable flow of sive piece of legislation that of the Foreign Service.” professional development talent upward through the conveys the critical need Fullest measure of due program to assure that ranks and into the Senior for a well-functioning, well- process—good stuff! members of the Service Foreign Service.” resourced, accountable and Section 105: Merit Prin- obtain the skills and knowl- This seems reasonable, professional Foreign Service ciples. Section 105 kicks off edge required at the various logical and practical. How- and the responsibility of thus: “All personnel actions stages of their careers. With ever, it also presupposes a the foreign affairs agencies, with respect to career mem- regard to Foreign Service offi- regular and predictable flow including USAID, to achieve bers and career candidates cers, primary attention shall of FSOs and rigorous work- this goal. in the Service (including be given to training for career force planning. Section 101: Findings & applicants for career can- candidate officers and for With Congress’ strong Objectives. I could use this didate appointments) shall midcareer officers, both after encouragement, we hopefully and all future columns to be made in accordance with achieving tenure and as they will see this merit-based flow extoll Section 101. merit principles.” Simple approach eligibility for entry of new FSO colleagues enter- For example, “[A] career yet critical to keep in mind to the Senior Foreign Service, ing over the coming year and foreign service, characterized throughout our careers. to enhance and broaden their beyond, along with improved by excellence and profes- Drilling a bit deeper into qualifications for more senior workforce planning for the sionalism, is essential in the how the law defines “merit levels of responsibility in the agency. national interest to assist the principles,” we find points Service.” I hope these highlights President and the Secretary such as this: “All employees USAID has training—a inspire you to read the of State in conducting the should maintain high stan- lot of training. But the act Foreign Service Act. It’s a foreign affairs of the United dards of integrity, conduct, recognizes the need for dis- relevant, sound—and legisla- States.” and concern for the public tinct training targeted to the tively mandated—reference And, the Foreign Ser- interest.” needs of the Foreign Service for your career and for the vice “must be preserved, And further: “Employ- cadre. I think there are real USAID’s benefit. n strengthened, and improved ees should be protected opportunities to develop new

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 55 RETIREE VP VOICE | BY JOHN K. NALAND AFSA NEWS

Contact: [email protected]

Powerful Tools to Defend the Foreign Service

This is the fifth time I have I cannot begin to guess what will happen decades of legal, congres- served on the AFSA Govern- on Election Day 2020 or thereafter. But I sional and communications ing Board since joining in do know that, whatever happens, AFSA has experience. AFSA’s 21-mem- 1999 as State vice president. ber Governing Board includes During each of those tours, powerful tools to defend its members, our representatives of all six controversies arose that Service and our profession. foreign affairs agencies. preoccupied the board. But Financial Strength. AFSA as important as those issues has a $5.3-million operating seemed at the time, they I had no idea that a few so as the voice of the Foreign budget. AFSA has reserves pale compared to what AFSA months later I would be Service. That voice would be exceeding $3 million to draw faces today. sitting behind an A-100 even louder if more annui- on if needed to wage legal The White House contin- classmate as she testified at tants maintained their AFSA or media battles to protect ues to propose draconian a House impeachment hear- membership after retirement. career diplomacy. When cuts to funding for diplo- ing. As I write this column Currently, less than 30 per- AFSA needed more funds, macy and development. in January, I do not know cent do so. Please encourage donors quickly contributed Senior elected officials have if other surprises will have your retired colleagues to join. more than $700,000 to verbally attacked the career, transpired by the time you Support. Over the past ensure that members who nonpolitical, nonpartisan read this in March. three years, bipartisan votes testified in the impeachment Foreign Service. I cannot begin to guess in the Senate and House have hearings would not suffer The percentage of Foreign what will happen on Elec- overwhelmingly rejected cuts personal financial ruin due to Service members in ambas- tion Day 2020 or thereafter. to funding for diplomacy and bills for legal representation. sadorships and positions at But I do know that, whatever development. Newspaper Whatever the future and above the assistant sec- happens, AFSA has powerful and other media editorials holds, AFSA must use the retary level is at an historic tools to defend its members, across the nation lauded our tools at its disposal to low. Some of our colleagues our Service and our profes- colleagues who honored their defend our Service. When have found themselves at sion. They are: oath to the U.S. Constitution the opportunity presents the center of events that led Solidarity. Nearly 85 by testifying when subpoe- itself, AFSA should go on to the impeachment of the percent of active-duty Foreign naed by the House impeach- the offense to restore the president. Service members belong to ment committee. Foreign Service’s role as the When my current board AFSA. When AFSA speaks, it Staff. AFSA’s 34-mem- main instrument for con- term began last summer, can legitimately claim to do ber professional staff has ducting U.S. foreign policy. n

Congress Approves Paid Parental Leave for Federal Employees

President Trump signed the This provision is set to take NDAA Conference Commit- member suffering from a Fiscal Year 2020 National effect on Oct. 1. tee process, AFSA encour- serious health condition, this Defense Authorization Act Last fall, AFSA joined aged members to express provision was not included in into law on Dec. 20. The with other federal employee support for this amendment the final FY2020 NDAA. law provides, among other groups in successfully urg- to members of Congress. With the passage of the things, all federal government ing the House to adopt the One thing to note: Though NDAA into law, AFSA cele- employees with 12 weeks of Federal Employee Paid Leave the Federal Employee Paid brates paid parental leave for paid leave for the birth, adop- Act as an amendment to the Leave Act included paid leave more than two million federal tion or fostering of a child. FY2020 NDAA. During the to provide care for a family workers! n

56 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Support A Letter to AFSA AFSA’s Legal Dear Ambassador Rubin, Defense Fund Enclosed, please find my contribution to the Legal Defense Fund of the American Foreign Service Association along with a pic- ture of my father, shortly before he and my mother were presented to Emperor Hirohito at my father’s posting to the reopened U.S. embassy after the Allied occupation ended. I make this donation in his honor, but with AFSA’s Legal Defense Fund a deep sense of sadness and anger that has continued to grow due it should be necessary to defend so many to the outpouring of sup- honorable public servants in this troubled port from both the Foreign and polarized time. Service community and the My father, John C. Amott, was a Foreign American public. Service officer. That sentence defined him

COURTESY OF TERESA AMOTT By mid-January, the fund from the time he entered the Service in had raised $712,000. About 1947 until he died at the age of 91 in 2014. He is buried in Ruth and John Amott, Tokyo, Japan, shortly after the U.S. $600,000 remained after the DACOR section of Rock Creek Cemetery, alongside my Embassy reopened there in disbursements to private mother, whom he met in the American embassy in Rio de 1952. attorneys representing Janeiro, where she was a local employee. Foreign Service members For my father, the Foreign Service was more than employment, more than an agency. testifying before Congress. A son of the Midwest who grew up in very modest circumstances, he was the national Accompanying their high school debate champion in 1938, and entered Georgetown University on a scholar- donations, we have received ship, where he discovered the Foreign Service. He served in the U.S. Army as a Japanese many letters of support translator at Arlington Hall during World War II. Displayed on his wall in the assisted living from concerned citizens and facility in which he lived his final years were commissioning documents signed by Presi- members, including the let- dents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy. ter on this page from Teresa I lived with my parents in postings to Bolivia, Japan, Peru, the then-Littauer School, Amott. Honduras, Mexico, Germany and Portugal. After I left for college, they served in Argen- Donations may be made tina and Paraguay. During the 1970s and 1980s, my father and I were frequently at online at www.afsa.org/ odds over the course of U.S. policy towards Latin America, but he defended that policy donate or by mailing a check fiercely. I never knew what his own views were. made out to “AFSA Legal Although my father was never appointed as an ambassador, he served with pride, Defense Fund” to AFSA, pride not for himself, but for the privilege of representing abroad the country he loved. c/o LDF, 2101 E Street NW, To be the face of the United States to countless foreigners gave his life dignity and Washington DC 20037. n meaning. I offer this contribution in support of all that you and the association are doing to uphold the values by which he lived and that define the integrity, character and pro- fessionalism of today’s Foreign Service officers. In my career as a faculty member, administrator, and president at several small liberal arts colleges, I wrote many a letter of recommendation for students aspiring to join the Foreign Service, and I have been immensely proud of their service. In gratitude for the Foreign Service and its dedicated officers,

Teresa L. Amott President, Knox College Galesburg, Illinois

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 57 AFSA NEWS

diplomat must use a personal Guidance on the Use of Diplomatic Passports passport to enter and exit Country C. The DP will be Diplomatic Security has been and Diplomatic tions of local used to re-enter Country A. increasingly focusing on the Passports—Notice to immigration use of diplomatic passports Bearers (2/11/2012) authorities, What DPs Do Not Do (DP). AFSA is seeing an even if those They do not: increasing number of Foreign Diplomatic instructions are • Confer diplomatic Service employees under Passport Terms not necessar- immunity. investigation for possible of Use ily in compli- • Exempt the bearer from misuse of their diplomatic • DPs may be ance with this foreign laws. passports. To ensure that our used only while guidance. If this • Allow the bearer to carry members understand the rel- their holders are or any other classified or sensitive mate- evant rules for DPs, AFSA has in positions that unusual situation rial across borders. issued the following guidance. require such documents, occurs involving the use of • Allow the bearer to avoid i.e., during official business diplomatic passports, please questions from foreign immi- General travel. document the event for your gration or bypass security. Diplomatic passports carry • A DP attests that the records. • Protect their holders the same message from the bearer is traveling on diplo- from arrest, hazards of war, Secretary of State as do any matic/official business for Some Examples criminal violence or terror- other passports, i.e., that their the U.S. government or is an • U.S. diplomat assigned ism. bearers be permitted “to pass accompanying family mem- to Country A is taking a without delay or hindrance” ber of such a person. personal trip with family to Final Notes and be given “all lawful aid • DPs are authorized for Country B. The U.S. diplomat, • DPs may subject their and protection.” any travel on government and accompanying family bearers to increased scrutiny However, they also orders. For example, DPs may members, must use the DPs by foreign governments and announce that their bearers be used for R&R or medevac for entering/exiting Country other entities. are abroad on diplomatic travel. A. However, they must use • Misuse of DPs may be assignment with the U.S. • TDY travel should be their personal passports investigated and prosecuted government. While traveling conducted with DPs and any (“blue book”) for entering/ as a violation per 18 U.S.C. abroad with such passports, required visas. We advise DP exiting Country B. Whichever 1544. diplomatic passport holders holders to check with the type of passport is used to • Employees who are not only have a special obli- post in question regarding enter a country must be used found to have misused DPs gation to respect the laws of requirements for entry. to exit that country. may also be subject to disci- the country in which they are • DP holders should prac- • U.S. diplomat has plinary action. present, but they must abide tice carrying both regular completed a tour in Country • Many countries have by U.S. government and and diplomatic passports A and is returning to the U.S. visa requirements for DPs agency-specific standards of while on travel. with his/her family. The U.S. that exceed those for regular conduct. • DPs must be used when diplomat and accompanying passports. In addition to reviewing entering and exiting the family members will use their • Taiwan: All travel to the guidance here, we sug- holder’s country of assign- DPs for leaving Country A and Taiwan by executive branch gest all DP holders review the ment abroad and returning to entering the United States. personnel must be with a following material: the U.S. from the country of • U.S. diplomat assigned regular passport. In addition, • 8 FAM 503.2, Travel with assignment. Regular (tourist) to Country A has an official executive branch personnel Special Issuance Passports passports must be used for meeting in Country B and who plan to travel to Taiwan (updated 6/27/2018) all personal travel. then will travel to Country C for official purposes must • 18 STATE 6032, Proper • For all travel, we strongly for tourism. The U.S. diplo- have prior concurrence from Use of Special Issuance advise carrying both diplo- mat must use the DP to exit the Office of Taiwan Coordi- Passports (1/19/2018) matic and regular passports Country A and enter and nation: (202) 647-7711. n • 12 STATE 12866, Official and complying with instruc- exit Country B. However, the

58 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA President Addresses Citizen Groups in Florida

AFSA President Eric Rubin engaged with various audi- ences in Central Florida during a three-day visit in mid-January as part of AFSA’s outreach efforts. Over the course of the trip, Ambassador Rubin spoke to students, retirees and other groups in the Tampa and Sarasota areas. Amb. Rubin began with a speaking engagement on Jan. 16 at the University of South Florida in Tampa, SARASOTA-MANATEE FLORIDA SOUTH OF JOHN DUDLEY/UNIVERSITY AFSA President Eric Rubin (center) at a Jan. 16 meeting at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, hosted by the School of with (from left) Amela Malkic, USFSM’s director for global engagement; Dr. Karen Holbrook, regional chancellor, Interdisciplinary Global Stud- USFSM; Rebecca Kimbrell, diplomat in residence for South Florida, and Corey Posey, diversity, equity and ies. Speaking on the topic of inclusion officer at USFSM. Diplomacy: Our First Line of Florida invited Amb. Rubin to Defense, he highlighted the speak at its Jan. 17 luncheon work diplomats do to keep in University Park. FSRA is threats at bay. one of the oldest and larg- He shared AFSA’s new est of the Foreign Service explainer video, which out- retiree associations, bring- lines the work of the Foreign ing retirees together from Service through specific across Florida for meetings examples that illustrate how five times a year. diplomats keep America safe. Many FSRA members are Later that day, Amb. Rubin engaged in outreach pro- spoke about the importance grams across Florida, sharing of global engagement at the their expertise to broaden USF Sarasota-Manatee cam- public understanding of the THE ACADEMY OF SENIOR PROFESSIONALS AT ECKERD COLLEGESARASOTA-MANATEE ECKERD AT SENIOR PROFESSIONALS OF ACADEMY THE Foreign Service and diplo- pus. It was the first talk in AFSA President Eric Rubin speaks at the Academy of Senior Professionals the university’s new Diversity at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Jan. 17. macy. Amb. Rubin outlined Lecture Series, which aims to a full house the current at presenting students and challenges facing the Foreign members of the community States. He was joined for the with the wider community. Service and the work AFSA is with different ideas and events at USF in both Tampa This included a talk on Jan. doing to defend our mem- perspectives, in this case the and Sarasota by Diplomat-in- 17 in St. Petersburg at the bers and the Service. importance of global engage- Residence Rebecca Kimbrell, Academy of Senior Profes- He also addressed a ment. who provided information on sionals at Eckerd College, a large congregation at a local There, he outlined what the different career tracks in lifelong learning organization synagogue in Longboat Key, diplomats do overseas in the Foreign Service. that includes retirees from a near Sarasota. Speaking with general and, more spe- The outreach trip also variety of professional back- audiences to demystify the cifically, the role they play offered the AFSA president a grounds. Foreign Service and answer to protect and promote chance to discuss the Foreign The Foreign Service questions is a key component the interests of the United Service and U.S. diplomacy Retiree Association of of AFSA’s outreach work. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 59 AFSA NEWS

2017-2019 AFSA Governing Board Term Report

every week for information about the Foreign Service as an institution and as a career. Our data is also frequently used by our strategic part- ners such as the American Academy of Diplomacy and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. AFSA has continued to host structured conversa- tions between the AFSA pres- ident, with the appropriate constituency vice president, and groups of members from the various constituencies of each foreign affairs agency to keep up with their top concerns. For example, in 2018 we AFSA/CALEB SCHLABACH AFSA/CALEB heard from our upper mid- Members of the 2017-2019 AFSA Governing Board gather for the first board meeting at AFSA headquarters in July 2017. From left: FCS Alternate Rep. Matthew Hilgendorf, Retiree Rep. Amb. (ret.) Al La Porta, BBG Rep. Steven level State members about Herman, State Rep. Josh Glazeroff, State Rep. Tricia Wingerter, State Rep. Martin McDowell, President Amb. how the loss of State senior Barbara Stephenson, Secretary Amb. (ret.) Tom Boyatt, Retiree Rep. Phil Shull, Retiree VP John Naland, Treasurer leadership deprived them Amb. (ret.) Tony Wayne, State VP Ken Kero-Mentz and FCS VP Daniel Crocker. of mentoring, references for bidding, and “top cover” when these members wanted Professional Policy to try new approaches to We are pleased to present the board Issues policy issues. They told us term report for the 2017-2019 AFSA During the 2017-2019 of their experiences bidding Governing Board. Governing Board term, AFSA when fewer overseas jobs AFSA has decided to move away strengthened its reputa- were available, which demon- from the costly and environmentally tion as a creator of reliable strated the need to put more wasteful production of a printed content about the Foreign positions in the field. annual report mailed to members as a separate Service. Starting in 2018, our During this board period, publication. Instead, we have moved to a board Professional Policy Issues AFSA hosted several career term report, covering the two years of the most department created a data development events orga- recent board. Going forward, we plan to publish this library dedicated to the nized by our Professional report every other year in the September issue of Foreign Service. Since then, Policy Issues deparment, The Foreign Service Journal. AFSA has monitored various including a panel for hir- This report covers the highlights of all depart- trends in Foreign Service life ing managers on how to ments of the association, providing a window into using data—overall numbers choose candidates for jobs, the work done on behalf of members and the Foreign on promotion, attrition, the a webinar on family member Service over the term of an elected governing board. size of the corps and Foreign professional employment —Ásgeir Sigfússon Service test takers, to name and a discussion on differ- Executive Director a few. AFSA now receives ent career paths to Foreign multiple media requests Service success.

60 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS GOVERNING BOARD REPORT 2017-19

with an elevated public pro- file for The Foreign Service Journal, which celebrated its centennial year in 2019. To mark the occasion, the publications team created and produced The Foreign Service Journal Centennial Exhibit: Defining Diplomacy for 100 Years. The 29-panel exhibit of images and excerpts drawn from the archives of the FSJ was on display at the

AFSA/JOAQUIN SOSA AFSA/JOAQUIN National Museum of Ameri- 2019 Youth Awards winners pose with AFSA President Barbara Stephenson (second from left) in June 2019 at a ceremony in the State Department’s George C. Marshall Center. can Diplomacy (formerly the U.S. Diplomacy Center) for more than two months, In the summer of 2019, we staff of 32 and a planned million, scholarship fund from a launch event in March surveyed our members on $5.2 million operating budget of $9.7 million, Sinclaire through the Foreign Affairs their satisfaction with AFSA, for the calendar year 2019. Fund of $477,094 and Fund Day reception at the site in and contributed to outreach We continue to maintain for American Diplomacy of May. presentations during Foreign AFSA assets, the building $413,964. Beginning in 2017 and Service Day in 2017 and 2018. and equipment with atten- completed in time for the tion to repairs and prompt Publications / The launch of the FSJ exhibit, Finance and maintenance. Foreign Service Journal AFSA funded and imple- Administration We ended 2018 with an The 2017-2019 Governing mented a major digitization The American Foreign operating reserve of $3.1 Board term was a busy time project. The fully search- Service Association con- tinued to be in excellent financial health as we entered 2019 with a strong reserve. AFSA went through major restructuring in the last three years as we worked rigorously to find efficiencies in opera- tions from 2016 to 2019. The board has approved a 2020 budget with pru- dent spending reductions. Recognizing that we will need sufficient resources to meet the challenges facing the Foreign Service, we will continue the effort to create more efficient operations in the years ahead. With the strong support AFSA/JOAQUIN SOSA AFSA/JOAQUIN of our membership, we were Former FSJ editors Steve Honley and Steven Dujack examine a panel of The Foreign Service Journal’s Centennial able to sustain a professional Exhibit, “Defining Diplomacy for 100 Years,” at the U.S. Diplomacy Center in March 2019.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 61 AFSA NEWS

able FSJ Digital Archive ing a dozen stories and (more than $500,000 to was launched when the several analytical pieces on date) and serving as a top FSJ reached the century economic diplomacy. outreach tool for AFSA. mark in March, after the AFSA’s collaboration work of scanning, tagging with the National Museum Advocacy and uploading to the AFSA of American Diplomacy The director of advocacy website and then optimizing expanded during this and the AFSA president col- the entire collection to be governing board’s term. We laborate to determine the searchable and available to provided content to better degree of engagement, the the public was completed. tell the story of the Foreign right arguments and timelines The FSJ Archive is a trea- Service, and we partnered for our advocacy efforts on sure trove of unique primary with the museum on several the Hill. At a time when AFSA source material—namely, the events (including a panel is at the highest membership history of the Foreign Service discussion in connection level in its history, congres- and diplomacy seen through with the July-August 2018 sional advocacy has been the lens of the practitioners. collection of stories from sur- Inside a U.S. Embassy remains a top listed as a top AFSA member- The Journal began pub- vivors of the 1998 East Africa outreach tool for AFSA. ship benefit in surveys. lishing a series of “Diplomacy embassy bombings). During the 2017-2019 Works” articles in 2017 to tell The reach of the FSJ AFSA Governing Board, AFSA FS success stories that can expanded. The Journal now Views column was used emerged as the lead content be used to educate Congress appears in Google News effectively as an AFSA policy creator for the U.S. Foreign and the public. As part of the searches, and members of document. (The December Service on Capitol Hill. When AFSA Economic Diplomacy Congress regularly contrib- 2017 column and message, Congress asked how to coun- Works initiative, we devoted ute Message from the Hill “Time to Ask Why,” was ter global power competition, the January-February 2019 columns speaking to the For- picked up by dozens of media AFSA provided a solution. edition to that theme, includ- eign Service. The President’s outlets and advanced public By demonstrating how the awareness of the importance Foreign Service is best suited of diplomats and diplomacy.) for the job of promoting U.S. The FSJ received several global leadership, AFSA has awards, including a 2017 been able to further build sup- JULY-AUGUST 2018

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION Association Media and Pub- port for the Foreign Service in lishing Excel Award for the the halls of Congress. December 2016 special focus AFSA pushed for a on Russia; a 2019 All Media “field-forward Foreign Contest award from Associa- Service”—for having proper tion TRENDS for the July- staffing overseas—and sup- August 2018 special focus ported that push by sharing on the East Africa embassy information about how the bombings 20 years later; and Foreign Service keeps Ameri- a 2019 Association Media can businesses prosperous and Publishing Excel Award and Americans safe at home. for the April 2018 opinion Focused on the appropria- piece (“Keeping Diplomacy tion that funds the cost of on Track in Troubled Times,” moving a Foreign Service A A by Ted Osius). member to an overseas post, H The third edition of Inside AFSA helped make a suc- a U.S. Embassy, published in cessful argument leading 2011 and now in its seventh to an increase in “Overseas printing, continued to sell Programs” funding by $84 July-August 2018 FSJ. well, bringing in revenue million from Fiscal Year 2018

62 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS GOVERNING BOARD REPORTAFSA 2017-19 NEWS

to FY2019 and is poised to Foreign Service experts to increased that funding again journalists—exceeded 250. by more than $500 million in AFSA’s media profile may a final FY2020 funding bill. have reached an all-time high. AFSA also convinced Con- This higher profile has given gress to encourage the State the association a great oppor- Department to establish tunity to get our messaging more FSO positions overseas out to a national in the House and Senate audience, beyond the Beltway, FY2020 SFOPS appropria- and to our own membership. tions reports. AFSA received AFSA’s website under- the backing of the business went a revamp in 2019, which community (96 organiza- resulted in a fresh, clean tions) in a letter to Secre- look and a firewall for certain tary of State Mike Pompeo content. As a result, the A still shot from AFSA’s “Economic Diplomacy” video. supporting a field-forward website has become a more Foreign Service. important benefit of AFSA More broadly, AFSA has ate’s passage of these bills Media and membership, as most of the helped ward off proposed with the hope that they will Communications association’s original con- cuts to the international become law someday. AFSA’s media posture tent, including guidance and affairs budget—three years in Finally, AFSA worked with changed significantly dur- information, is now available a row—and many of the criti- Senators Chris Van Hollen ing this period. As official only to those who can log in cal operational appropriations (D-Md.) and Dan Sullivan agencies cut back on media as members. accounts for Foreign Service (R-Alaska) to establish the interaction, AFSA found itself On social media, we con- agencies have even increased. Senate Foreign Service Cau- being increasingly sought out tinue to increase our follower This included the reversal of cus, which provides a direct by national media outlets. numbers and engagements. the decade-long decline in channel to communicate with Media engagements— This rise has been particu- funding for core diplomatic interested Hill staff on issues whether on the record, on larly noteworthy on Twitter, capability (decreased 2008 to regarding the Foreign Service. background or connecting where we more than doubled 2018) in FY2019. AFSA also successfully advocated for Congress to establish a floor for Foreign Service staff levels at State/ USAID in the final FY19 appropriations package, a floor that State/USAID are encouraged to hire above. AFSA’s advocacy also focused on shaping the first House State Authorization bill in six years. The Depart- ment of State Authoriza- tion Act and other pieces of legislation with AFSA input, such as the Championing

American Business Through SIGFÚSSON ÁSGEIR AFSA/ Diplomacy Act, have passed Speakers at the Athenaeum Hotel in Chautauqua, N.Y., for AFSA’s Sept. 30-Oct. 5, 2019, Road Scholar program. From left to right: Ambassador (ret.) Robert Gribbin, Ambassador (ret.) Shari Villarosa, Ambassador (ret.) Deborah the House, and our efforts Jones, AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, Ambassador (ret.) Robin Raphel and Ambassador (ret.) continue to focus on the Sen- Shaun Donnelly.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 63 AFSA NEWS

Service members to learn about AFSA, and we are proud that, on average, 85 to 90 percent sign up. AFSA mem- bership numbers remained strong during this period and are currently at an all-time high (more than 16,800). AFSA has successfully increased programming for members, including the launch of the highly popular Next Stage program, offer- ing panels of expert retired Foreign Service colleagues who have embarked on “next stage” careers. To date, Next Stage topics have included

AFSA/DONNA GORMAN AFSA/DONNA how to work in teaching, AFSA State VP Ken Kero-Mentz addresses the 194th A-100 class in August 2018 at AFSA headquarters. writing and the private sector and a program focused spe- our followers and are regu- wealth Club in San Francisco including talking points and cifically on post-FS careers larly retweeted by notable and at the Chautauqua new short explainer videos. for DS agents. journalists and individuals in Institution in New York. Other AFSA’s annual national The Federal Benefit the foreign affairs field. speaking invitations took the high school essay contest series continued with expert Thanks to a partnership AFSA president to Michigan, continued to attract hun- presentations on Medi- with the Una Chapman Cox Florida, Oregon and Texas, dreds of submissions each care, Thrift Savings Plan, Foundation, AFSA also pre- in addition to numerous year from students across Long-Term Care insurance, miered its first-ever original engagements in and around the country, culminating in a Social Security and Federal video. The clip, an “animated the Washington, D.C., area. visit to D.C. for the winner and Employee Health Benefits. explainer” video on economic The AFSA Speakers their family. With an eye toward providing diplomacy, has already Bureau continues to be a criti- Finally, during these two access to our many mem- become the most-viewed cal element of our outreach years we continued to support bers outside the Beltway, video on AFSA’s YouTube efforts. In collaboration with and honor excellence within these programs are recorded channel. A new companion Road Scholars and the Smith- the Foreign Service com- and offered exclusively to video is in the works. sonian Associates, AFSA munity through the awards members on our website. planned and executed a series program, which moved from AFSA continues to com- Outreach of programs throughout the June to October in 2018. memorate Foreign Service During a period of signifi- year, reaching more than a Day, the first Friday in cantly expanded outreach, thousand participants. Membership May, as a day of honor and the AFSA president was More generally, AFSA After the hiring freeze was remembrance. We remember invited to grassroots and fulfilled the steady request lifted, AFSA was pleased to colleagues who have died in high-profile events across for speakers about specific resume our membership lun- the line of duty with a rolling the country to tell the story topics or the Foreign Ser- cheons for incoming classes moment of silence, observed of the Foreign Service. These vice. To support the many of A-100 FSOs, specialists, by numerous embassies, events included the keynote (largely) retired members limited non-career appoint- during a moving memorial speech for the national actively engaged in speaking ments, USAID FSOs and service in the C Street lobby Model UN conference in about the work of the For- Foreign Commercial Service at the State Department. Washington, D.C., FarmFest eign Service, AFSA updated officers. These luncheons are Each year, members in Minnesota, the Common- its resources for speakers, a critical way for new Foreign join AFSA’s letter-to-the-

64 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS GOVERNING BOARD REPORT 2017-19

editor campaign aimed at framework agreement more the department incorporated for 49 new DS agents who reminding Americans about than 30 years after the previ- unconscious bias princi- were promised overtime pay the important work of U.S. ous one had been signed. In ples—i.e., stripping nomina- during a two-week period diplomats on behalf of the spite of President Trump’s tions of gender identifiers— in which they had to bus 90 United States. Year after year, executive orders directing in the 2019 MSI nomination miles to and from the DS the number of letters has agencies to curtail official process. training center in Blackstone, increased, with more than 50 time and paid office space to LM also has success- Va., every day. published in local newspa- Civil Service unions, the new fully advocated on behalf AFSA filed a series of pers across the country in agreement preserves 100 of employees adversely implementation disputes May 2019. percent official time for the affected by incidents in both against the department when During the day preceding AFSA president and State Cuba and China on several it failed to award Meritori- Foreign Service Day, AFSA vice president as well as fronts: 1) We gained parity ous Service Increases to all headquarters is open to our free office space and use of between the two groups, employees ranked but not members for a full day of department telephones and specifically the inclusion of reached for promotion (up to programming, including the the email system. the China group in recur- a 10-percent cap the parties ever-popular free profes- While there is still much ring meetings between the had agreed to) in 2014, 2015 sional headshots. to be done, we made great Cuba cohort and MED; 2) We and 2016. The Retirement Services progress on Special Needs secured administrative leave While we prevailed before section of the website was Education Allowance imple- for the China group following the Foreign Service Griev- updated in March 2019 mentation. Working with HR the provision of such leave to ance Board in the 2014 MSI and continues to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary the Cuba cohort; and 3) We dispute (as we did in an early perhaps the most complete Steven Walker and the new secured the department’s dispute regarding the 2013 option for one-stop infor- Office of Medical Services agreement to offer a classi- MSIs), the Foreign Service mation on Foreign Service director, Dr. Mark Cohen, LM fied briefing to both groups. Labor Relations Board unfor- retirement resources. helped create a new Foreign AFSA successfully filed tunately granted the depart- Finally, the AFSA Scholar- Affairs Manual provision (in an implementation dispute ment’s appeal and vacated ship program awarded more 3 FAM 3280) that offers a sup- against the State Depart- the FSGB’s decision in the than $500,000 to the chil- portive regulatory framework ment after MED refused to 2014 dispute. dren of AFSA members for art for SNEA and protects Foreign invite AFSA to an official The department then and academic merit as well as Service families against the meeting, as it was required to argued that this decision financial aid scholarships. subjective interpretations do. As a result, the depart- bound the FSGB’s decision previously employed, often to ment agreed to notify those in the 2015 and 2016 MSI Labor Management their detriment. offices involved, three times disputes. The FSGB reluc- Between July 2017 and The State Department a year for two years, of their tantly agreed and dismissed July 2019, AFSA’s Labor Man- and AFSA negotiated a three- obligation to include AFSA in the two remaining cases. agement office opened 803 year Meritorious Service any formal meetings. AFSA filed an appeal with individual cases and closed Increase pilot program AFSA also successfully the FSLRB in late September 613 cases. Overall, during the that is nomination-based, filed a cohort grievance on 2019 and is awaiting a deci- two-year period, LM handled allowing MSIs to be awarded behalf of locally hired Foreign sion from that board. approximately 1,304 cases, to a greater population of Service employees who Finally, AFSA filed a cohort many of which were opened employees, rather than attended long-term training grievance regarding the prior to July 2017. restricting them to only of six months or more at FSI Secretary’s failure to recom- The office also received those reviewed for promo- but were not assigned to mend any Presidential Rank 3,389 requests for assis- tions in any given year. The FSI, and thus did not receive Awards between 2014 and tance. Approximately 30 pilot ended in 2019, and locality pay. Relying on a 2017. This is an issue that percent of these requests for the parties are reviewing prior AFSA win, AFSA was potentially impacts all of the assistance turn into indi- the results and have begun successful in obtaining back foreign affairs agencies. The vidual cases. negotiations on the future of locality pay plus interest for department filed a motion On the State Department the MSI program. 105 employees. AFSA also to dismiss the grievance, side, AFSA signed a new Thanks to LM’s advocacy, secured more than $50,000 arguing the Secretary had

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the sole discretion not to appointment. As a result of a low-ranking policy for its Service management and recommend any PRAs to the agency’s breach of this selection boards that it has asked that they begin plan- the president. Even if the negotiated agreement, AFSA not actively done in the past. ning for broader negotia- Grievance Board grants the filed an implementation We will see how this affects tions toward a full collective department’s motion, AFSA dispute. our members. bargaining agreement. In believes that our advocacy At the Foreign Com- In 2019, Voice of America the meantime, however, we contributed to the depart- mercial Service, we raised and AFSA enjoyed a reopen- remain engaged in discus- ment’s resumption of the concerns about the agency’s ing of constructive dialogue. sions over changes to condi- PRA process in 2018. failure to pay MSIs and its AFSA brought to the U.S. tions for our members. At USAID, the agency delay in awarding Senior Agency for Global Media’s In 2019, we filed an infor- continues to make Foreign Foreign Service performance attention concerns it had mation request with man- Service Limited appoint- pay. We also negotiated with the posting of FS posi- agement regarding changes ments to Foreign Service changes to the assignments tions on the USA Jobs web- to the TIC/TIS policy that positions, including supervi- and tour of duty policy. site and the lack of trans- affected a number of SFS sory positions. AFSA previ- We continued to actively parency and consistency members hired prior to ously negotiated a memo- engage Foreign Agricultural in the selection board and 2006. APHIS’ response pro- randum of understanding Service management through promotion process, as well vided us with further infor- with the agency regarding our collective bargaining as concerns of individual mation, but we continue to FSL appointments. Despite agreements. One significant members. look at the issue as it affects this agreement, the agency change has been that FAS We engaged with Animal our members. n continued its practice of FSL has started to implement and Plant Health Inspection

2019 AFSA Treasurer’s Report BY VIRGINIA BENNETT, AFSA TREASURER

The American Foreign the 2020 budget is both look forward to your con- 2020, in line with the Con- Service Association is in prudent and supports the tinuing commitment to this sumer Price Index. excellent financial health as robust implementation of vital mission in 2020. In addition to serving of the end of 2019. AFSA’s strategic priorities: members on the traditional AFSA’s financial reserves sustaining and building on Budget Operations range of retirement, labor are strong, benefitting the best possible service for More than 82 percent of and other issues, AFSA significantly from robust AFSA’s members and effec- AFSA’s $5.3-million planned has greatly strengthened market gains during the year. tive, agile advocacy for the operating budget for calen- its public advocacy and The operating reserve level U.S. Foreign Service. dar year 2020 comes from outreach over the past of $3.6 million at the end of AFSA is operating at a membership dues. three years to highlight the 2019 represents roughly 65 time of serious challenge AFSA’s membership base contributions the career For- percent of AFSA’s operating to the Foreign Service, stood at 16,680 at the end eign Service makes to U.S. budget for 2020. That is an its members and its role of 2019, representing more national security. important metric at a time of in promoting U.S. global than 80 percent of active- AFSA has worked strate- uncertainty in many quarters leadership and prosperity duty employees across the gically to leverage our retiree and represents meaningful and security at home and foreign affairs agencies, as members in this effort, and progress toward the associa- abroad. well as approximately 28 we thank this cohort for tion’s sustainability. Your ongoing financial percent of Foreign Service their energetic and effective AFSA’s new president support sustains and drives retirees. mobilization. and governing board (as of AFSA’s advocacy, outreach Member dues increased AFSA and its political mid-2019) aimed to ensure and service to members. We by a modest 1.7 percent for action committee also

66 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

the form of applications for scholarship monies has remained relatively flat over the years. Fund for American Diplo- macy. The FAD’s mission is to help educate the Ameri- can public about the role of the Foreign Service and diplomacy as a tool of Amer- ica’s influence on the global stage. At the end of 2019, the FAD stood at $462,164. Through the fund, we are working to provide sustained support for continuing and expanding the strong public outreach that AFSA has led over the past several years,

AFSA/ÁSGEIR SIGFÚSSON AFSA/ÁSGEIR which has been underwritten The 2019-2021 Governing Board is sworn in at AFSA headquarters July 15. Front row (from left): Steve Herman, Kristin Michelle Roberts, Virginia Bennett, Eric Rubin, Jay Carreiro, Mary Daly and Tom Yazdgerdi. Back row by internal funding shifts. (from left): Jason Singer, Joshua Archibald, John Naland, Ken Kero-Mentz and Tamir Waser. The approved 2020 AFSA operating budget dedicates continued to work closely ing, but the LDF experience be able to meet unexpected approximately $420,000 to with Congress to ensure underscores how important needs, and AFSA will seek FAD activities, the costs of active bipartisan support it is to maintain robust oper- to build up its operating which will largely be under- for a professional Foreign ating reserves to draw on reserves further through written by transfers from the Service and on issues of should urgent unanticipated prudent stewardship of all its operating reserve. importance to its members. needs arise. resources. AFSA strongly encourages Significant, unanticipated Scholarship Fund. This donations to the Fund for legal needs for some mem- Fund Operations 501(c)(3) entity was founded American Diplomacy, which bers in the latter half of 2019 Overall, AFSA’s funds in 1924 to help children of is organized as a 501(3)(c). were more than offset by the posted a 19.2 percent gain Foreign Service members Your donations will assist exceptional generosity of in 2019, closing at a year- pay for college. The fund has AFSA’s continued work to donors. Contributors to the end level of approximately grown substantially over the improve public knowledge Legal Defense Fund included $15.25 million. Fund bal- decades and stood at $10.7 about the vital contributions AFSA members and the ances are invested with million at the end of 2019. made by U.S. diplomats to broader FS community, as professional fund managers In 2019, the Scholarship preserving U.S. security and well as other Americans who and are balanced for asset Fund awarded $212,540 in prosperity. support the Foreign Service. growth and prudent preser- needs-based financial aid Sinclaire Fund. AFSA also By the end of 2019, vation. Fund management and $139,500 in merit schol- maintains the Matilda W. Sin- AFSA’s LDF had received fees totaled approximately arships. claire Fund, which is intended about $600,000 in dona- $100,000 in 2019. The fund annually to support excellence in for- tions and spent roughly Operating Reserve. withdraws 4.5 percent of eign language achievement. $135,000 (a figure net of AFSA’s reserve fund was its 5-year average value to AFSA draws on that fund any December invoices) on valued at approximately fund scholarships to Foreign annually to pay for language legal assistance for mem- $3.6 million at year end. Service children and partially achievement awards. The bers. The level of continuing The reserve fund’s current underwrite the operating Sinclaire Fund ended 2019 requirements in this regard level permits a measure of expenses of the scholar- with $494,055. n is unclear as of this writ- confidence that AFSA will ship program. Demand in

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 67 AFSA NEWS

Congress Passes 2020 Appropriations Package, Including 2.6 Percent Pay Increase

In late December, Congress billion, of which $47.6 billion sistent with staffing levels dination and consultation to passed—and the president is base discretionary funding funded in FY2016. support American business signed—the final Fiscal and $8 billion is Overseas Additionally, the package interests. Year 2020 appropriations Contingency Operations contains the Championing Finally, the appropria- package, which fended off a funding. American Business Through tions package includes a government shutdown and Overseas Programs, Diplomacy Act, a key AFSA 2.6-percent across-the- provides federal funding the funding stream for priority highlighting the board increase in base pay, until Oct. 1. The package sending members of the importance of economic with an additional 0.5 per- consists of two separate bills Foreign Service to posts diplomacy in an increasingly cent in locality adjustments, that together contain all 12 abroad, increased by more competitive world. for a total average pay raise appropriations bills. than $500 million from the This bill increases of 3.1 percent for federal In the final FY2020 pack- FY2019 level. economic and commercial civilian employees. age, the international affairs The package also diplomacy training, seeks AFSA is grateful for budget totals $56.6 billion, includes congressional lan- to improve awareness of Congress’ commitment a slight increase above the guage for State and USAID government services that to robust funding for the FY2019 level. funds to restore the number support U.S. businesses international affairs budget, Department of State/ of Foreign Service officers to overseas and provides for our diplomatic corps and USAID funding totals $54.7 pre–hiring freeze levels, con- whole-of-government coor- development programs. n

Hatch Act: What Every Employee Needs to Know

With less than a year to go group. Employees are also • have campaign bumper on the social media pages before the 2020 general prohibited from becoming a stickers on their personal of a candidate for partisan election, Ana Galindo-Mar- candidate for public office in vehicles; office, political party or parti- rone—chief of the Hatch Act a partisan election. • display campaign signs san group; Unit at the Office of Special While on duty or in the at their home; • attend political rallies, Counsel—shared guidance at workplace, Foreign Service • follow, like or comment meetings and/or fundraisers, AFSA headquarters on Dec. employees are prohibited 3 about how the Hatch Act from engaging in partisan applies to members of the political activity via social U.S. Foreign Service. Some media. This means employ- key points from Ms. Galindo- ees cannot share, like or Marrone’s presentation retweet posts from a partisan follow. political candidate or group. Whether on or off duty, Employees also cannot Foreign Service employees post or retweet a comment are prohibited at all times directed at the success or from tweeting, retweeting, failure of a partisan political sharing or liking a post or candidate or group. content that solicits financial While in the United States AFSA/CAMERON WOODWORTH AFSA/CAMERON contributions for a partisan and outside of the workplace, Ana Galindo-Marrone discusses the Hatch Act at AFSA headquarters on political candidate/party/ FS employees may: Dec. 3.

68 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Updates to the 2019 AFSA Tax Guide

On Dec. 20, shortly after income. The new provision relief for individuals the 2019 AFSA Tax Guide is set to expire in 2021, at whose principal place (January-February FSJ) went which point that floor will of abode was in a to press, President Trump revert back to 10 percent in presidentially declared signed H.R. 1865, the Further the absence of additional disaster area during Consolidated Appropriations legislation. the incident period of a Act, into law. While most of its The legislation also qualified disaster from provisions become effective in extends several expired tax Jan. 1, 2018, through tax year 2020, a few of them provisions. For example, it Feb. 18, 2020. may impact some taxpayers allows taxpayers to exclude In relevant part, it for the 2019 tax season. the discharge of indebted- permits those who qual- The section of the AFSA ness from a qualified principal ify to take IRC Sec. 72(t) Tax Guide titled “Medical and residence, which had been withdrawals of up to Dental: Deduct for Expenses discontinued as of Jan. 1, $100,000 per qualify- Over 10 Percent of AGI” (p. 2018. The new law allows a ing disaster that affects 70) has changed. In 2019 and taxpayer to exclude any such them from certain retirement Disasters, and Thefts” and 2020, taxpayers may deduct gain until Jan. 1, 2021, retro- plans, among other disaster- associated IRS product pages medical and dental expenses actively reviving this provision related benefits. to members who believe they to the extent they exceed 7.5 from 2018 through 2020. AFSA recommends IRS may qualify for some disas- percent of adjusted gross The bill also provides tax Publication 547 “Casualties, ter-related tax relief. n

as long as they are not wear- citizen employees and their AFSA Governing Board ing a uniform or anything family members from engag- identifying their position as a ing in partisan political activi- Meeting, Jan. 15, 2020 federal employee; ties (related to U.S. elections) • work as campaign vol- while serving abroad. Legal Defense Fund: The Governing Board ratified deci- unteers, distribute campaign This prohibition includes sions by the Legal Defense Fund Committee to pay $26,000 literature/organize campaign putting up yard signs or bum- for legal expenses incurred by one member, and to accept events/speak on behalf of a per stickers supporting a par- donations to the fund of $5,500 and $10,000. n candidate; ticular political candidate/ • campaign for or against party/group or attending referendum questions, con- campaign rallies or fundrais- stitutional amendments or ers. As a general rule, any municipal ordinances; or activity that would appear • be a candidate in a non- to a foreign observer to be AFSA Governing Board partisan election. obviously partisan should be Meeting, Dec. 18, 2019 While overseas, Foreign avoided. Service employees are sub- You can find a copy of the Legal Defense Fund: The Governing Board ratified deci- ject to prohibitions under the PowerPoint presentation Ms. sions by the Legal Defense Fund Committee to accept a Foreign Affairs Manual that Galindo-Marrone shared dur- $100,000 donation and a $10,000 donation, and to expend would not necessarily apply ing the presentation, as well funds for two members who testified during the impeach- to them if they were in the as other Hatch Act guidance, ment hearings. n United States. Specifically, at afsa.org/hatchact. n 3 FAM 4123.3 prohibits U.S.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 69 AFSA NEWS

Remembering Anthony Bishop, AFGE State Vice President

AFSA mourns the loss of officials that dealt with him Anthony Bishop, the State appreciated his ability to vice president for the Ameri- collaborate with the intent to can Federation of Govern- reach resolution.” ment Employees Local 1534. “Toney stood tall as a labor Mr. Bishop died on Jan. 20. leader interested in finding He was 59. common ground amongst all Mr. Bishop joined the State employees—whether Foreign Department as a fiscal techni- Service or Civil Service,” cian in the Foreign Service said former AFSA State Vice Institute’s budget office in President Matthew Asada. 1998, after a lengthy military “As leaders of our respective career that began in 1979. AFGE and AFSA bargaining He became the interim units, he and I partnered State first vice president for together on initiatives such AFGE Local 1534 and was as the new employee leave elected into that position bank, co-hosting a USIA film in 2006. He was reelected screening to commemorate six times, becoming the the 50th anniversary of longest-serving AFGE State the March on Washington, vice president. and building stronger ties “Toney believed in the amongst the department’s power of collective bar- labor unions. gaining, and working with “I got to know him during other federal government my term (2013-2015) and employee unions—including remained in touch after I left,” AFSA—on matters of mutual Mr. Asada added. “The AFGE interest,” said AFSA Presi- and AFSA offices were then dent Eric Rubin. “His advo- located next to each another cacy will be deeply missed.” in the 2nd corridor, and our AFGE is the Civil Service individual offices within the equivalent of AFSA, repre- suites were back-to-back, so senting Civil Servants in I would stop by and chat with many of the foreign affairs him often. What I most appre- agencies. ciated about Toney is that “This is a legacy that we he was willing to take stands suspect will not be sur- and positions that were not passed,” the State Depart- politically required, but he did ment shared in a depart- so out of solidarity and a true ment notice. “Anthony belief that collective bargain- was very much respected ing and employee representa- and loved by his constitu- tion made the department a ency, and the management better place to serve.” n

70 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL IN MEMORY

n Timothy Graham Alexander, 65, After his cancer diagnosis in the fall design and provision of children’s beds for a retired Foreign Service officer with of 2018, Mr. Alexander participated in a hospitals in Niamey, something that had USAID, died at his home in Potomac, Johns Hopkins–Sibley Memorial Hospital not existed in Niger until then. Md., on Aug. 6, 2019, of cancer. immunotherapy clinical trial, knowing During difficult times at hardship Mr. Alexander received a bachelor’s that lessons gained from his experience posts, especially in Khartoum, Niamey degree in urban planning from the Uni- could help others. and N’Djamena, Mrs. Bogosian provided versity of Cincinnati and launched his Mr. Alexander was preceded in death support to the American community by international career as a U.N. volunteer in by his parents, Melville and Roselle Alex- opening the ambassador’s residence to Bahrain before earning a master’s degree ander, and is survived by his wife, Vickie the community, even feeding dozens of in regional planning and international Alexander; his twin, Pamela Alexander frightened and vulnerable Americans in development from Syracuse University. (and her spouse, Robert Kurz); sisters post-coup N’Djamena in December 1990. As a development consultant for Deborah Alexander (and her husband, In Niamey she taught sewing to young Management Systems International, Mr. Ralph Mercer) and Robin Alexander teens. She was especially attentive to Alexander traveled throughout Africa, the Staggs (and her husband, Rod Staggs); Peace Corps Volunteers in Niger and Middle East and the Pacific Islands, learn- parents-in-law Michael and Marjorie Chad, and to Americans coping with ing the ropes on projects from rural devel- Alaimo; sister-in-law Julie Alaimo; seven very stressful environments in Khartoum opment in Mauritania to fisheries in Fiji. nieces and nephews; and five grand- and N’Djamena. After joining USAID in 1989 as an urban nieces and nephews. In the 1990s, Mrs. Bogosian was planning officer, he was proud to repre- active in the Associates of the American sent the United States and work with local n Claire Mornane Bogosian, 81, Foreign Service Worldwide. For several governments to develop infrastructure wife of Ambassador (ret.) Richard W. years, she managed the Secretary of and clean water and foster democracy and Bogosian, died on Nov. 23, 2019, in State’s Volunteer of the Year Award. She governance, including in conflict zones. Montgomery Village, Md., after a long was a recipient of the award in 2002. He built close bonds with local colleagues struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. During this period, she was often who noted his sincerity, good humor and Ms. Mornane was born in Medford, called on to address the ambassadors’ respect for their career development. Mass., on Dec. 20, 1937, to Gertrude and course at the Foreign Service Institute Mr. Alexander met his wife, Vickie, in Arthur Mornane. A 1959 graduate of about the role of the ambassador’s spouse. Jakarta in 1991, and they traveled the world Boston State Teachers College, she taught She also spoke about Africa at elementary together, experiencing different cultures in public schools in Medford (1959-1961) schools in Montgomery County. through food and photography while and Harvey, Ill. (1961-1962); at the Ameri- Friends remember her as a dedicated maintaining a home base in Potomac. can School of Baghdad (1963-1965); and teacher, a loving wife and mother, and a Mr. Alexander loved film, martial arts, at the Christ Episcopal Day School (1970- mentor and model for younger Foreign Southeast Asian culture, Buddhist and 1972) in Rockville, Md. Employed by the Service families. Islamic architecture, and classical and Montgomery County Recreation Depart- Mrs. Bogosian leaves behind her world music, particularly Indonesian ment (1982-1985), she managed programs husband of 58 years, Richard; her son, gamelan and Indian santoor. at county senior centers. David of Brooklyn, N.Y.; her daughters, Having learned to play golf near the Mrs. Bogosian accompanied her Jill of Somerville, Mass., and Catherine pyramids of Egypt, it was his passion in husband to assignments in Baghdad, of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.; their retirement. He preferred public courses Paris, Kuwait, Khartoum, Niamey and spouses; five grandchildren; and her throughout Montgomery County, Md., N’Djamena. Active in community and sister, Kathleen Bench, of Winchester, because he enjoyed engaging in conver- social affairs, she was vice president of the Mass., and her family. sation with golfers from all walks of life. American Women’s Association in Kuwait. With USAID, Mr. Alexander lived and In Niamey and N’Djamena, she orga- n Walter Sheldon Clarke, 84, a retired worked in Bahrain, Malawi, Thailand, nized private financing and devised new Foreign Service officer, died in his sleep at Indonesia, Egypt, Armenia, Lebanon and programs for both countries’ ministries his home in Lutz, Fla., on Nov. 24, 2019. Afghanistan. He retired in 2016. of health. For example, she oversaw the Born on Dec. 28, 1934, in Washington,

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 71 D.C., he graduated from Mercersburg Development. He specialized in urban officer for Mexico and Central America, Academy in Mercersburg, Pa., in 1952 development, in particular ensuring that and deputy director, then director, for the and earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale U.S. assistance for low-income housing Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. University in 1957. adhered to government standards. He After USIA was subsumed by the The next year, he began his Foreign served in Jamaica, Argentina and Kenya. State Department in 1999, Ms. Jewell Service career at the Department of Colleagues remember Mr. Goodson was assigned as deputy chief of mission State with an assignment in the Bureau for his gracious approach and ability to in San José. On returning to Washing- of Intelligence and Research, during bring varying cultures and opinions to ton, D.C., she served as chief of policy which time he obtained a certificate in common ground. planning in the Bureau of Western international studies from Johns Hopkins While his career made him many Hemisphere Affairs and, later, as deputy University. friends, it was his family that was most assistant secretary of State for Canada Mr. Clarke earned a certificate in important to him. Mr. Goodson enjoyed and Mexico. African studies in 1968 from Northwest- working in the garden, scuba diving and In 2005 she was appointed U.S. ambas- ern University following tours in San José, being near the ocean. sador to Ecuador and served there until Bogotá and Bujumbura. He was subse- He is survived by his wife, Jean 2008. In the course of her career, Ms. Jewell quently assigned as consul general in LeDonne Goodson; his children, Lisa was commended for her efforts to combat Douala, chargé d’affaires in Djibouti and Dady (and her husband, John), William human trafficking. She received the political counselor in Lagos. Goodson Jr. (and his wife, Wendy) and Department of State Superior Honor Award Before his retirement in 1994, Mr. Robert Goodson (and his wife, Cath- and was awarded the Honorato Vasquez Clarke served as political counselor in erine); his sister, Nancy Parrott (and her Order by the Ecuadorian government. Madrid and was the State Department husband, Maynard); and seven grand- On retiring from the State Depart- adviser at the Naval War College in children. ment, Ms. Jewell served as vice president Newport, R.I., and at the U.S. Army War In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. for the International Student Exchange College in Carlisle, Pa. Goodson’s name may be made to the Program. She retired from that position After retiring, he stayed active in inter- Alzheimer’s Association, Grace Episcopal in 2013. national affairs. He was an independent Church in Alexandria or to the Goodwin In retirement, she actively promoted consultant for political/military exercises House Foundation. U.S. public diplomacy through vari- around the world and also taught at the ous organizations, including the Public University of South Florida and the U.S. n Linda Jewell, 66, a retired U.S. For- Diplomacy Council. She also served as Army Peacekeeping Institute. eign Service officer and former ambassa- board chair of PYXERA Global, a non- Mr. Clarke is survived by his wife of 46 dor to Ecuador, died of cancer on Nov. 18, profit organization dedicated to mobiliz- years, Chantal; four children; 10 grand- 2019, in Washington, D.C. ing citizen diplomats to address global children; and one sister. Ms. Jewell was born in Little Rock, challenges. Ark. She attended Hall High School and She was a senior fellow of Yale Univer- n William Neal Goodson, 92, a was a member of the third four-year class sity’s Jackson Center for Global Affairs, retired Foreign Service officer with of women at Yale College, graduating in and also volunteered her time to assist USAID, passed away peacefully on Dec. 1975. She received a master’s degree in ICE detainees. 22, 2019, in Virginia. international public policy from Johns Throughout her career, Ms. Jewell Mr. Goodson’s education included Hopkins School of Advanced Interna- was known for her incisive policy sense, mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, tional Studies in 1988. a high degree of integrity, and a fair but business administration at The George Beginning her Foreign Service career forceful management style. Washington University and studies at the with the U.S. Information Agency in 1976, Her love of travel took her around the Foreign Service Institute. she served in cultural and information world several times. She toured exten- Mr. Goodson spent more than 20 roles in Jakarta, Mexico City, New Delhi sively in Latin America, Asia and Europe. years as a career Foreign Service officer and Warsaw. She is survived by her husband of 43 with the U.S. Agency for International In Washington, D.C., she was desk years, John Walsh; her children, Susanna

72 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Jewell Walsh of Oakland, Calif., and signed on with the U.S. Coast Guard for when he was selected by the Maritime Patrick Jewell Walsh of Washington, D.C.; merchant marine training, reaching the Administration as foreign maritime rep- a large extended family; and a worldwide level of deck officer when ordered to resentative/maritime attaché at the U.S. circle of friends. She was predeceased by active naval duty in late 1950. embassy in Caracas. her parents, Robert and Analee Jewell, and When the Korean War began, he was In 1976 he was transferred to Consulate her brother, Byron Frank Jewell. assigned as a lieutenant junior grade to General Rio de Janeiro, where he remained one of the Navy’s underwater demoli- until retiring in 1987. He then returned to n Richard Kinsella, 97, a retired For- tion teams (also known as “frogmen,” Connecticut, residing first in Wethersfield eign Service officer from West Hartford, precursors of today’s Navy SEALs) until until 2005 and then in West Hartford. Conn., passed away on Nov. 13, 2019. December 1952. In addition to his wife, Conchita, Mr. Mr. Kinsella was born in Hartford on He then attended Georgetown Kinsella is survived by three sons: Marco, Feb. 15, 1922, the eldest of three sons, University’s School of Foreign Service, Robert and John; a daughter, Dianne; two in addition to two daughters, of the graduating with honors in 1955. During a grandsons, Matthias and Maximilian; and late George F. and Dorothea (Mooney) summer session in Mexico City, Mr. Kin- four granddaughters, Liana (and her hus- Kinsella. sella met and married Conchita Harper band, William Eller IV), Alaina, Lili and After hitchhiking cross-country to Camacho, his wife of more than 60 years. Celine; and great-grandson William Eller. California at the age of 18, and following On graduation from Georgetown, he Charitable contributions may be made the United States’ entrance into World worked for the Maritime Administra- to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, War II in December 1941, Mr. Kinsella tion/Federal Maritime Board until 1972, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis TN

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 73 38105. Visit www.dillonbaxter.com to after a six-year battle with leukemia. and, in 1977, presided over its merger share a memory with the family. Mr. Menold served for 47 years in with Big Sisters International, a woman- the Air Force and State Department. He run organization, to form Big Brothers n Nathan Philip Lane, 48, a Foreign served in the U.S. Air Force from 1967 Big Sisters of America. Service officer from Arlington, Va., until 1975, when he joined the U.S. For- In 1981 he entered the Foreign Ser- passed away on Nov. 2, 2019, in Washing- eign Service. vice as a senior officer in the U.S. Agency ton, D.C., after an auto accident. He worked for the Arms Control for International Development, where he Born in Madison, Wis., Mr. Lane and Disarmament Agency, which later remained until his retirement in 1997. grew up in Lincoln, Neb., and earned merged into the State Department. He Mr. Reade served as mission director a bachelor’s degree in political science worked as a Foreign Service officer and, in Kingston (1982-1985), senior deputy from the University of Nebraska and a later, in the Civil Service as an expert assistant administrator for the Private master’s degree in political science from on multilateral nonproliferation and Enterprise Bureau (1985-1986), mission the University of Illinois. disarmament issues until his retirement director in Amman (1986-1990), mis- In 2000, he became a Foreign Service in 2014. sion director in Jakarta (1990-1992) and officer with the State Department. From then until 2017, he returned to director general for the U.S.-Asia Envi- He served in Mexico, Russia, Belarus, State on a part-time basis to help his col- ronmental Partnership (1992-1997). Vietnam and, most recently, Kenya. Col- leagues on special projects. After retiring, Mr. Reade was presi- leagues remember Mr. Lane for his kind- Mr. Menold is survived by his wife dent and CEO of the Jordan–United ness, generosity and infectious laughter. of 52 years, Mary Jo; and their children, States Business Partnership from 1998 to Mr. Lane was a lifelong baseball enthu- Christopher, Daniel and Jessica. 2000. He also consulted for the United siast, and steadfastly gave his allegiance to Nations Development Program (2003) the Washington Nationals. A fluent reader n Lewis P. Reade, 87, a retired and the William Davidson Institute at of Russian, he loved the novels of Boris Foreign Service officer of Placitas, N.M., the University of Michigan (2007-2009). Akunin. He enjoyed running and chess, died on Dec. 17, 2019, following a long He participated actively in the greater and he especially relished time playing illness. Albuquerque community and volun- pickup sports with his son. Mr. Reade was born on Nov. 1, teered on the boards of the local Big Mr. Lane is survived by his wife of 23 1932, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Dorothy Brothers Big Sisters and Civitan Interna- years, Sara Michael; their son, Peter; his and Herman Reade. He spent his high tional organizations, among others. mother, Janie Lane; father, Leslie Lane; school and college years in Miami, Fla., Mr. Reade was an avid lover of the stepmother, Judith Lane; and his brother, graduating from the University of Miami arts and local history, and he was espe- Zachary Lane. in 1953 with a degree in mechanical cially fond of classical music. Among his In lieu of flowers, consider support- engineering. After graduation, he served last words were, “I love Mozart.” ing a cause Mr. Lane was passionate in the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Friends and colleagues describe him about: the scholarship program for Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, as “a great gentleman and compassionate Lincoln Northeast High School students where he worked on the development of leader.” They recall his championing of to experience life abroad. Donations may atomic cannons. Big Brothers Big Sisters and the fact that be made to the Council on International Following military service, Mr. Reade he was insightful and always interested in Educational Exchange, with a note indi- held a number of field engineering others. They remember, too, his kindness, cating it is in memory of Nathan Lane, positions, and in 1966 he became vice ability, wit and strong character. online at www.ciee.org/donate-high- president of Westinghouse Learning He is survived by his wife of 51 years, school or by mail to CIEE, 300 Fore St., Corporation. In the early 1970s, he was Margaret Ann (Peggy); three sons; four Portland ME 04101. a senior executive at Tyco Laboratories grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and Kellett Corporation. and many other loving family and friends. n William “Buzz” Menold, 75, a Starting in 1973, Mr. Reade devoted In lieu of flowers, contributions can be retired Foreign Service officer from his career to public service. That year, he made in Lewis Reade’s name to Big Broth- Burke, Va., died peacefully on Jan. 23, became CEO of Big Brothers Association ers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico.

74 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL n Thomas J. Wajda, 78, a retired At Willow Pond, Mr. Wajda grew city and regional planning. His studies Foreign Service officer, died on Oct. 15, more than 100 varieties of lavender, were interrupted by service as a cartog- 2019, at his home in Frederick, Md., of including three cultivars he developed: rapher in the U.S. Army. complications from Parkinson’s disease. Madeline Marie, Rebecca Kay and Mr. Wedberg also spent the summer Born one of 10 children on his fami- Two Amys. He delighted in sharing his of 1957 in Towson, Md., on housing ly’s dairy farm in northeastern Ohio, Mr. knowledge through a self-published lav- development. Later, while en route to Wajda joined the U.S. Foreign Service in ender gardener’s guide and in lectures Nevada, he stopped in at the city plan- 1963 after receiving a bachelor’s degree and garden tours. ning office in Kansas City, Mo., where in political science from Youngstown Friends remember his dry sense of he was offered—and accepted—the job State University. humor and wit and his amicable nature. of designing the master regional plan He worked in consular affairs in Iran Mr. Wajda is survived by his wife of for Clay County. and Afghanistan before volunteering to 58 years, Madeline Lyle Wajda; three The one-year task included a plan for serve as a refugee adviser in Tay Ninh children, Rebecca Kay Gwynn, Thomas the region’s new international airport province during the Vietnam War. J. Wajda Jr. (and his wife, Linda) and and the surrounding farmland acreage. After returning from Vietnam in Amy Zoe Wajda (and her spouse, Amy He subsequently returned to MIT to 1970, Mr. Wajda completed the Harvard Gotwals); five grandchildren, Peter, pursue doctoral studies. Trade Union Program and then served Michael and Samuel Wajda and Charles Mr. Wedberg studied regional as labor attaché in Senegal and New and Ruth Wajda-Gotwals; as well as one development in Norway as a 1958-1959 Zealand. His professional travels during brother, Edward Wajda (and his wife, Fulbright scholar. That was followed by this period also included Papua New Phyllis), and two sisters, Sally Ashelman a year’s grant to Sweden to study land Guinea and Antarctica. (and her husband, Keith) and June Byo use and ownership. In 1979 he earned a master’s degree (and her husband, Bill). Idealism and a lifelong love of travel in science and technology policy from He was preceded in death by son-in- (which took him to nearly every country The George Washington University. His law Thomas M. Gwynn III, three sisters on all six continents, including hitch- later career included postings to France and three brothers. hiking through 35 African countries in and Canada, and key contributions In lieu of flowers, the family has 1960 and 1961) reinforced his commit- to negotiations concerning the Inter- established the Thomas J. Wajda Foreign ment to supporting developing nations. national Space Station and the North Affairs Scholarship at the Youngstown In 1966 Mr. Wedberg joined USAID. American Free Trade Agreement. State University Foundation, 655 Wick He served in Washington, D.C., as Mr. Wajda retired from the For- Avenue, Youngstown OH 44502. Online country program/desk officer for Sierra eign Service in 1995. In retirement, he condolences may be shared at www. Leone, Liberia, Cameroon and the Cen- returned to his farming roots. He and keeneybasford.com. tral African Republic. his wife, Madeline, founded Willow He served overseas in Vietnam, Pond Farm, a certified organic herb n James Allen Wedberg, 86, a Tanzania, Afghanistan (where he met farm in Fairfield, Pa., that would be retired Foreign Service officer with the his wife, Malla) and Mauritania. In 1985 their labor of love. U.S. Agency for International Develop- he retired. Inspired by visits to farms in tra- ment, died on March 8, 2019, in Mary- Mr. Wedberg was laid to rest, with ditional lavender-growing areas in land of cancer. military honors, in Quantico National Provence, France, and the northwestern Born in California to Swedish Cemetery in Triangle, Va. He is survived United States, the Wajdas focused on American parents, Mr. Wedberg won a by his wife, Malla Wedberg; stepdaugh- the challenge of cultivating lavender in four-year sports scholarship to George ter and son-in-law, Mashal and David the rocky soil of Pennsylvania. Pepperdine College (now Pepperdine Hartman; a sister and brother-in-law, They later founded the annual PA University), where he majored in sociol- Nancy and (ret.) Lt. Col. Lawrence Zit- Lavender Festival, the first event of its ogy with a minor in mathematics. He train; and nieces, nephews and their kind in the mid-Atlantic, and hosted attended the Massachusetts Institute of families. n this popular regional event until 2015. Technology from 1956 to 1958, studying

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 75 BOOKS

What Happened to the authors zero in on their fraught relations struggled to overcome its weakness, and “Inevitable” March of with Germany, which earned its privi- its elite appropriated valuable state- Liberal Democracy? leged status within Europe by embracing owned property. a postnationalist ethos as atonement for Because the 1990s were so traumatic, The Light that Failed: A Reckoning the crimes of World War II. Not surpris- both bandit capitalism and democracy Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes, ingly, political entrepreneurs in Poland were widely discredited. Cue to a shirt- Allen Lane (UK Edition), 2019, and elsewhere found opposing European less former KGB agent on horseback. £ 20/hardcover, 256 pages. Union (particularly German) meddling By 2011-2012, Putin had lost all and embracing nationalism to be a plat- interest in even democratic charades Reviewed by Eric Green form to defeat technocrats and transitioned from they portrayed as lackeys insincere imitating to This wasn’t the plan. The collapse of of Brussels. “mirroring,” wherein communism in 1989 was supposed to The authors probably Russia overtly mim- spur the inexorable march of liberal overplay the East-West ics allegedly perfidious democracy in Central Europe and divisions in the E.U. American behavior such beyond. That euphoria is now being While some Western as election interference or supplanted with soul-searching and Europeans undoubtedly military intervention. As despair as the liberal order that seemed condescend toward any viewer of RT televi- unstoppable 30 years ago is receding in their formerly com- sion can attest, the goal the face of authoritarian populism. munist neighbors, it’s of this mimicry is to stoke Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes, the important to remember disharmony and doubt in authors of The Light that Failed, approach that income and cul- the West, rather than to the question of “What happened?” with tural differences within advance any discernible uncommon humility and erudition. the bloc predated its Russian national interest. Krastev, a Bulgaria-born scholar who runs the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, and Holmes, a law professor at A more profound question raised by the authors is whether New York University, use the notion of liberal democracy’s strength is atrophying in the absence of “imitation” as a device to examine three its former sparring partner, Soviet communism. phenomena: democratic backsliding in Central Europe; Russia’s aggression against the West; and the revolt in the eastern expansion, and earlier E.U. The authors portray the seemingly United States against globalization. entrants and their citizens undoubtedly chronic tensions as all but inevitable The authors believe the assumption felt bulldozed by the established mem- given the West’s naivete and Russia’s that liberalism had gained an ideologi- bers of the club. Moreover, the revolt entrenched pathologies. But, as an cal monopoly in Central Europe that against the perception of liberalism’s optimistic Russia hand, I can attest that mandated newly free countries to adopt hegemony is not confined to the former we and our European partners made it—the “Imitation Imperative”—engen- communist countries. numerous good-faith efforts to create dered feelings of inferiority and resent- Regarding Russia, Krastev and win-win outcomes for both sides. This ment among large segments of the Holmes believe its authoritarian tradi- became progressively harder, however, population. In particular, people outside tions and superpower pretensions as Moscow came to view the relation- urban centers felt many of the values meant that genuine integration with ship as a zero-sum contest. espoused by the European Union, such the West was never in the cards. But, Turning to the United States, Krastev as equal rights for gay people, offended they argue, in the 1990s the Russian and Holmes seek to explain why so their traditions. elite temporarily imitated democracy many Americans now reject globaliza- Focusing on Poland and Hungary, the to appease the West while Moscow tion—i.e., their own country’s decades-

76 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL long commitment to reproduce the danger that can befall us in coping with A Special Class American model of free- … Soviet communism is that we shall of Diplomat market democracy around the world. allow ourselves to become like those They recite familiar indictments to with whom we are coping.” Exhibit A The Ambassadors: America’s explain this phenomenon, such as is the assault on truth, the twisting of Diplomats on the Front Lines growing fears about immigration and reality to serve partisan or personal Paul Richter, Simon & Schuster, 2019, competition from China. They also agendas, turbocharged by social media. $28/hardcover, $14.99/Kindle, 352 pages. include a fascinating reading of Spike Suffused with original thought and Lee’s film “BlacKkKlansman” to discuss sources from literary theory, psychol- Reviewed by Gordon Gray the status anxiety of some white Ameri- ogy and other disciplines, The Light that cans. Failed enriches our understanding of 2019 was the year of the diplomat. The book’s most disquieting thesis is Europe and the history of ideas. But one Specifically, it was the year that the that Americans are renouncing their role clear message is hardly new: national- professionalism, patriotism and fact- of, in Woodrow Wilson’s words, carrying ism in all its varieties (e.g., ethnic, popu- based approach of public servants was “liberty and justice and the principles of list, linguistic) seems destined to remain thrust into the limelight by circumstances humanity wherever you go.” The authors one of the motive forces of history for far beyond the diplomats’ control. And back up their argument with presiden- the foreseeable future. fortunately for Foreign Service officers tial statements declaiming America’s The authors remind us that national- and members of the public alike, 2019 status as a “normal” country—i.e., a ism provided much of the energy that also saw the publication country that behaves ruthlessly and defeated communism. More of two superb accounts of amorally in pursuit of its interests— recently, it has been har- diplomatic work. rather than upholding its status as a nessed to promote Brexit The first was The Back shining exemplar to the world. and fuel resurgent tension Channel: A Memoir of Some form of anti-exceptionalism between Korea and Japan, to American Diplomacy (call it isolationism or realpolitik) has give just two examples. and the Case for Its always existed in the United States, and Rather than declar- Renewal by career it’s only natural that such sentiments ing nationalism outdated diplomat (and would wax now, in the era of open- or bigoted, perhaps liberal former Deputy ended wars in the Middle East, political internationalists should heed Jill Secretary of State) sclerosis and economic insecurity. But Lepore’s advice (Foreign Affairs, William Burns. let’s also remember that some 90 per- March/April 2019) and develop Several months cent of Americans support our country a “liberal nationalism” to contend later, former playing a global leadership role. On this with the illiberal strain that has Los Angeles Times question, American history flows in ascended—not for the first time—in national security correspondent cycles. the United States and elsewhere. Paul Richter released The Ambassadors, A more profound question raised by a wonderful complement to The Back the authors is whether liberal democ- Eric Green is an FSO now serving as an Channel and no less important. racy’s strength is atrophying in the associate dean in the Foreign Service Richter does not delve into Washington absence of its former sparring partner, Institute’s Leadership and Management policymaking to the degree Ambassador Soviet communism, which previously School. His previous assignments include Burns does (see the review of The Back prompted us to live up to our ideals, serving as deputy chief of mission in War- Channel in the October 2019 FSJ). Instead, conscious that we were in an existential saw and director of the Office of Russian he vividly illuminates diplomatic work competition with a force bent on under- Affairs. He is a former member and chair overseas by profiling four Foreign Service mining them. of the FSJ Editorial Board. The views ex- officers who sought the toughest assign- Though the Cold War is over, George pressed do not necessarily represent those ments available, from Libya to Pakistan: Kennan’s warning stands: “The greatest of the U.S. government. Ryan Crocker, Robert Ford, Anne Patter-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 77 son and Chris Stevens. (Full disclosure: I hope that everyone who is unfamiliar with the ways of I worked with each of the four, and the Washington reads The Ambassadors, because it conveys author interviewed me for the book.) the professional ethos of the Foreign Service: courage, As of this writing, U.S. combat troops honesty and patriotism. are still on the ground in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, three of the countries Rich- ter highlights. tees senior to him, Crocker served in Arabic speakers were needed (p. 47). Ryan Crocker served as ambassador Baghdad two more times. Richter quotes After five tours in Iraq, Ford served as to Iraq and Afghanistan and four other him sharing his misgivings about the the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, where countries in the region, appointed by both imminent invasion with his staff, then he distinguished himself by support- Republican and Democratic presidents. telling them: “We’re each going to have to ing anti-regime demonstrators at great Having served in Iraq when Saddam Hus- make a decision whether we can sup- personal risk. The Assad regime retaliated sein ruled the country, Crocker forecasted port this, whether we can continue. I’m a by orchestrating an attack on the U.S. with prescience the dangerous forces the Foreign Service Officer; I’m going to serve embassy. As the situation deteriorated, United States would unleash were it to my president” (p. 37). Ford and his staff had to leave Syria to invade that country. Robert Ford also had “grave doubts” ensure their safety. Notwithstanding the haughty dis- about the invasion but volunteered In Washington, Ford continued his missal of his advice by political appoin- anyway, Richter says, knowing that work as de facto U.S. ambassador to the

78 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Syrian opposition, but grew increasingly they share several critical traits. First, frustrated: “He sensed he was making no they all pursued assignments in posts headway and found it agonizing to hear that were not only challenging but also the complaints of the Syrians and watch dangerous. FSOs may be reluctant to talk the war’s destruction at close range” (p. about bravery, but one should never take 270). Soon after, he retired. their courage for granted. Like Crocker and Ford, Anne Patterson Second, they never shrank from call- sought only the most challenging assign- ing it as they saw it, even when (as was so ments; she served as ambassador to often the case) their informed views went (among other places) Colombia, Pakistan against Washington orthodoxy. Third, and and Egypt. finally, they all believed that the United Patterson was just as comfortable States can make a positive difference by sharing her unvarnished views with playing a leading role in international Washington as she was delivering tough affairs. This view was the foundation of messages to Pakistan’s chief of army staff their public service. (Ashfaq Kayani) or Egypt’s newly elected Recent events have reminded us that president from the Muslim Brotherhood the values held by the four figures profiled (Mohamed Morsi). In a speech before the by Richter are also shared by many others 2013 military coup in Egypt, Patterson who serve our country. The honesty and warned that “a military intervention is integrity of the public servants who testi- not the answer, as some would claim” fied before Congress in November 2019 (p. 252). Her words continue to resonate came as no surprise to those who know years later. them personally. The fourth ambassador portrayed in I hope that everyone who is unfamil- this book, the late Chris Stevens, served iar with the ways of Washington reads in Libya three times: as deputy chief of The Ambassadors because it conveys the mission, as the U.S. envoy to the Libyan professional ethos of the Foreign Service: opposition during the waning days of the courage, honesty and patriotism. Gaddafi regime and, finally, as ambassa- The book’s cover photograph shows an dor in 2012. attack on the outskirts of Damascus. Asked Stevens shared the same apprehen- in an interview why he chose it, Richter sions about the U.S. invasion of Iraq as responded: “It illustrates the idea that Crocker, Ford and other Arabists, but these are a special class of diplomat who he chose not to serve there. Like them, are attracted to work on the front lines.” however, he displayed the same sense of In The Ambassadors, Richter does a personal courage and mission focus. masterful job explaining and describing On returning to Libya in 2012, Richter what motivates this “special class of diplo- notes, Stevens told a former aide: “I had a mat,” which makes this book so relevant role in getting rid of Gaddafi, and now my today. n mission is to rebuild the country” (p. 191). He gave his life in service to that mission Gordon Gray is the chief operating officer at on Sept. 11, 2012, in Benghazi, when the the Center for American Progress. He was a U.S. compound there was attacked. He career Foreign Service officer who served as and three other Americans were killed. U.S. ambassador to Tunisia at the start of While these four outstanding ambas- the Arab Spring and as deputy assistant sec- sadors have quite different personalities, retary of State for Near Eastern affairs.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 79 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

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Former FSJ Editor and author available to help with your memoir, Website: http://bit.ly/marbellaspainrental novel or article. Whether you need editorial guidance, copy-editing or just an objective eye, I’m here for you. Rates negotiable. HEADING OUT? HEADING “HOME” TO DC? As an immigrant and Foreign Service spouse, I know what a hassle international moves can Steven Alan Honley be—especially without a GSO or CLO! Whether you’re looking to buy, Tel: (202) 479-9114. sell or rent, in DC or VA, I can help smooth your transition. For a realtor Email: [email protected] who understands the unique needs and strains of Foreign Service life, just call Marian!

McEnearney Associates Tel: (703) 967-1796. Email: [email protected] Website: www.justcallMarian.com

82 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL n TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES MCLEAN 2-BED APARTMENT. Quiet, secluded alternative to corporate housing. Long/short-term rental, rates negotiable. Experience hosting IRVING CPA, PLLC. Scott Irving, CPA, has more than 20 years of Foreign Service members—close to DC, Arlington. experience and specializes in Foreign Service family tax preparation and tax planning. For pictures and details, go to our Airbnb link: www.bit.ly/mcleanairbnb

Tel: (202) 257-2318. Contact: Melanie Houghton Email: [email protected] Tel: (202) 903-3544. Website: www.irvingcpa.pro Email: [email protected]

Joel Cassman CPA LLC. Retired Foreign Service Officer with 30+ years tax experience. Specializes in international and real estate tax issues.

Tel: (571) 221-0784. Email: [email protected] Website: www.JoelCassmanCPA.com

PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREPARATION Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATA, ATP, has more than 40 years of experience in public tax practice. Our 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.

Tax Matters Associates PC 4600 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 414 Arlington VA 22203 Tel: (703) 522-3828. Fax: (703) 522-5726. Email: [email protected] n TEMPORARY HOUSING

CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS. Abundant experience with Foreign Service professionals. We work with sliding scales. TDY per diems accepted. We have the locations to best serve you: Foggy Bottom (walking to Main State), Woodley Park, Chevy Chase and several Arling- ton locations convenient to NFATC. Wi-Fi and all furnishings, house- ware, utilities, telephone and cable included.

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DC GUEST APARTMENTS. Not your typical “corporate” apartments— we’re different! Located in Dupont Circle, we designed our apartments as places where we’d like to live and work—beautifully furnished and fully equipped (including Internet & satellite TV). Most importantly, 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 extra charges like application or cleaning fees.

Tel: (202) 536-2500. Email: [email protected] Website: www.dcguestapartments.com

DCLuxe Properties. Washington, D.C., corporate housing, offering large fully furnished and generously equipped one- and two-bed- room units in the heart of the popular Dupont Circle neighborhood. In-unit washer/dryer, cable TV, high-speed internet and weekly housekeeping are standard amenities. Your privacy is important to us—no shared spaces or large apartment buildings. The subway, grocery stores, drug stores, dry cleaners and restaurants are all within 3 blocks of your unit. We have more than 20 years of experience with USG sliding-scale per diem.

See dcluxe.com for more information and photos; contact us at [email protected]. Live like a local!

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 83 AD INDEX When contacting one of our advertisers, kindly mention you saw their advertisement in The Foreign Service Journal.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Apply for an AFSA Scholarship / 47 Exemplary Performance Award Nominations / 84 Foreign Service Day 2020 / 52

CLASSIFIED ADS Classifieds / 82, 83 FINANCIAL MCG Financial Planning / 70 State Department Federal Credit Union / 31 Windecker Financial Planning / 70 HOUSING Arlington Court Suites / 29 Corporate Apartment Specialists / 37 INSURANCE AFSPA–Dental / 33 AFSPA–Ancillary Programs / 78 AFSPA–Life / 73 Clements Worldwide / 3 Federal Employment Defense Service (FEDS) / 21, Back Cover MISCELLANEOUS Address Change / 81 AFSA Legal Defense Fund / 13 Association of Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) / 34 English for the Job / 34 FSJ Archives / 79 FSJ Marketplace / 17 FSJ Subscription / Inside Front Cover Fund for American Diplomacy / Inside Back Cover REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Chambers Theory / 4 Jack Realty Group / 80 PEAKE Management / 37 Property Specialists, Inc. / 13 Richey Property Management / 80 Washington Management Services / 81 WJD Management / 81

84 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL REFLECTIONS

Sprint Training for Distance Runners

BY KATIE MASTIN

walked into the U.S. embassy hous- He told us that he had finally man- ing compound in Tirana, Albania, at aged to accustom himself to a half-size s 12:16 p.m. on July 4, 2009. The details fridge. As we had been living for the last What I’ve learned is that Peace Corps I stick in my mind because I had to two years without any refrigeration at all Volunteers are the sprinters of the present my passport for the first time because of twice-daily power outages, diplomatic world; they work in the field since beginning my Peace Corps service his comment fell somewhat flat. at the most basic level for at least two nearly two years earlier, and I had to A few months later, we returned to years. They know local customs, slang, inscribe my name in the visitors’ book. the United States, our Peace Corps ser- superstitions and conditions that affect It felt like an arcane, yet comforting, vice over. My husband, who had taken a specific local population. ritual from a past life. and passed the Foreign Service Officer Foreign Service officers are the dis- We Peace Corps Volunteers had Test, finally received the invitation to his tance runners. They see the big picture been invited to the embassy’s annual A-100 class. over the course of years in the field. They Fourth of July picnic. Pushing through We were assigned to Monrovia, understand the historical and political the revolving doors onto the embassy where we thought that after our experi- influences on a country, and the policies compound, I felt like Dorothy stumbling ence as Volunteers in Albania (and that that make daily life what it is. They work upon the Technicolor Land of Oz. one Fourth of July), the Foreign Service with governments to analyze and bring It was heaven compared to the lifestyle would be a breeze. about the sweeping changes that slowly Albanian village where my husband determine the course of a nation. and I were living and working. There s Yet, as any track and field coach were proper curbs. And sidewalks. And Now, after four assignments and a knows, you need both sprinters and dis- petunias planted beside the front doors handful of languages, I have a rather tance runners to win a meet. Volunteers of houses. The air smelled like hot dogs, different picture of the Foreign Service. and members of the Foreign Service and the grass had been cut by a lawn I’ve come to realize that Foreign Service do not have to exist apart. They have mower instead of a goat. officers do not simply change their life- experience to offer each other, and their style for a few years—they change their differing viewpoints are valuable—but s lives and the lives of their families every all too often lost in the chaos of daily life That night, as my husband and I couple years. lived abroad. Dialogue can and should ate dinner with our young FSO host, Living in an Albanian village as a be fostered between them. he told us about the challenges he had Peace Corps Volunteer was challenging, experienced assimilating in Rome, his but there were few consequences when s previous post. neighbors’ weddings (complete with Based on my vantage point having electric clarinets) would keep us awake been on both the sprinter and the run- until the wee hours of the morning. ner teams, I encourage FS colleagues Katie Mastin was a Peace In Liberia, however, my husband still to be in touch with the Peace Corps Corps Volunteer in Albania had to go to work after nights spent pick- country director in their host country, with her husband, who later ing fire ants off our daughters’ mosquito invite Volunteers to your home for a joined the Foreign Service. nets. He had to adjudicate visas, figure weekend, visit Volunteers at their site Their tours include Liberia, out tricky citizenship issues and learn or host a group for Thanksgiving or the Russia, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. thousands of new acronyms—all while Fourth of July. She currently works as a freelance writer in keeping a cool, professional demeanor We can all learn from each other. n between taco breaks. and a pressed suit.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2020 85 LOCAL LENS BY KEITH MINES n CÚCUTA, COLOMBIA

enezuelan refugees crowd into a U.S.-supported feeding center in Cúcuta, Please submit your favorite, recent Colombia, where they receive two hot meals a day. Many come across the photograph to be considered for Local Lens. Images must be high border just for the day—to work, go to school or receive the nourishment resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8” that eludes them in their home country. Some are simply overwhelmed x 10”, or 1 MB or larger) and must V not be in print elsewhere. Include and exhausted by the journey, and for some that journey is just starting—they will a short description of the scene/ continue on to Ecuador, Peru or as far as Chile. Worldwide, the number of refugees event, as well as your name, brief is at an all-time high—65 million by one count—and this picture is a good reminder biodata and the type of camera that few of them are ever truly comfortable. n used. Send to [email protected].

Keith Mines recently retired from the Foreign Service after a full career that took him to three continents and 10 countries. His final assignment was as director of the Venezuela Working Group. His forthcoming book, Why Nation-Building Matters, will be published by the University of Nebraska Press this summer. He took this photo with a Galaxy S7.

86 MARCH 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL