Association for Diplomatic Newsletter Studies and Training Spring 2003 Message from Rating the State Department: President Ken Brown: The FAC Task Force Report Card Meeting the ADST is one of eleven organiza- This independent assessment by tions that make up the Foreign Affairs the nonpartisan Foreign Affairs Council Need for Funds Council (FAC), a nonpartisan umbrella details what has been accomplished in group concerned about U.S. diplomatic these areas during Secretary Powells e are readiness. In March the FAC issued its first two years in office. The accomplish- heartened task force report entitled Secretary Colin ments are substantial, even historic. by the Powells State Department: An Independent But, while this assessment gives credit W recent reaffirmation of Assessment. The complete text can be where credit is due, this is primarily a the importance of found at www.diplomatsonline.org. forward-looking report that outlines the ADSTs programs to unfinished business facing the President, FAC Report Executive Summary those we serve. Like Congress, Secretary of State, and rank- other nonprofit organi- Upon becoming Secretary of and-file employees as they work to zations, ADST has been hit hard by the State, COLIN POWELL took charge of an strengthen the diplomatic component of decline in the economy. In February, organization weakened by years of U.S. national security. The key chal- Board Chairman PAT LYNCH and I budget cuts and hampered by antiquated lenges include: launched a special appeal to ADST operating procedures. Drawing upon Ú members and to participants in the recent studies and recommendations obtaining a sustained infusion of Foreign Affairs Oral History Program and a beginning of some reform imple- resources to strengthen diplomatic seeking contributions to help us meet a mentation, he undertook a wide range of readiness; Ú large impending budget deficit and steps aimed at equipping the State filling remaining staffing gaps with pursue an opportunity to put the oral Department and U.S. Foreign Service to talented people who have received history collection on the Library of meet the foreign policy challenges of the necessary training; Ú Congress website. With the incentive of 21st century. Viewed most broadly, those harnessing the power of the informa- matching challenges from the DELAVAN steps included: tion revolution to serve Americas foreign policy interests; and LOEB Foundations, many of our Ú seeking a sustained infusion of Ú upgrading overseas facilities to members, oral history participants, and resources for personnel, information reduce the vulnerability of our members of the board of directors and technology, security, and facilities; diplomats to terrorist attacks; advisory council responded with great Ú working to change the organizational Ú building a broader base of domestic generosity. We cite the names of all who culture of the State Department and public understanding for the work have done so as of May 28 on pages 4 Foreign Service; and 5 of this newsletter and look forward Ú of diplomacy; improving States public diplomacy, Ú revitalizing public diplomacy efforts to a generous response from others. public affairs, and congressional to influence foreign audiences; More help is sorely needed. While relations efforts. (Continued on page 4) significant progress has been made toward overcoming the deficit, we have 400 Additional Oral Histories Now Available on CD-ROMs not yet attained that goal or been able to establish a special fund for oral history. Since the release in August 2000 of ADSTs Frontline Diplomacy CD-ROM, To those ends we are vigorously pursuing STUART KENNEDY, director of the ADSTs Foreign Affairs Oral History Program, has additional grants from foundations and continued to interview former foreign affairs personnel, adding to the body of 893 other sources and are promoting the sale interviews available on that first CD-ROM. ADST has now produced a PC- of ADST products. But we continue to compatible CD-ROM supplement that records more than 260 additional Foreign rely on the engagement and support of Affairs Oral Histories. In addition, we have produced a PC-compatible CD-ROM those who know us best. ADST is unique containing over 140 Spouse Oral Histories. Unlike Frontline Diplomacy, the new in its programs that tell the story of CD-ROMs do not have their own search engines, but they are searchable through American diplomacy. We are deeply your computers own built-in search functions. Both CD-ROMs can be ordered grateful to all who make our work from ADST for $50 each plus shipping, using the page 7 order form. possible. 2 - Spring 2003 Newsletter The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training State Departments Diplomacy- Technology Synergy At the February 13, 2003, We train our IT professionals to meeting of the ADST Board of Direc- support an infrastructure that is highly tors, ROBERT NOVAK, dean of the Foreign sophisticated and provides rapid, At May 9 Foreign Affairs Day (from left): Service Institutes School of Applied reliable, and secure information to our Marie Kux, Director General Ruth Davis, Information Technology (SAIT), diplomats in the field and in Washing- Foreign Service Cup recipient Dennis Kux, captivated his listeners with remarks on ton. When our diplomats know that the and DACOR President Bob Funseth The Synergy between Diplomacy and information systems they use ensure Technology. The following excerpts are confidentiality, that they can have adapted from his presentation: confidence in the integrity of the data, Dennis Kux Receives and that these systems provide reliability Technology and diplomacy make and availability, we have a created Foreign Service Cup interesting bedfellows. Over the decades powerful synergy between technology and centuries many changes in transpor- and diplomacy. Though our new-hire IT On May 9 at the annual Foreign tation and communication have relent- professionals come to us with experience Affairs Day at the State Department, lessly altered the traditional nature of and a solid background in technology, DACOR President BOB FUNSETH diplomacy, diminishing the relevance of they still require 1726 weeks of presented the prestigious Foreign distance and emphasizing the impor- training before they can be sent to their Service Cup to one of ADSTs own, tance of time. Nothing comparable to first posts. DENNIS KUX. DACOR awards the cup computer-driven information technol- Most officers, our end-users, have each year to a diplomat who has made a ogy (IT) has previously arisen to pro- at their fingertips a system that can significant contribution to foreign affairs duce such a potentially transformative reach 40,000 foreign affairs employees in retirement. The Foreign Affairs Day impact on the nature of diplomacy. worldwide via e-mail and give them program notes described Dennis Kux as When the world can watch events almost unrestricted access to the a well-known public intellectual unfold on TV in real time, when vast internet. Similar advances have been whose wide-ranging efforts included amounts of information are a keystroke made in our classified systems. SAIT elucidating for often skeptical audi- away, we must change the traditional trains officers to improve information ences the role of U.S. diplomats in tools of diplomacy. access and make that information managing the great challenges of our Under the enthusiastic guidance manageable. New officers now receive time. of Secretary COLIN POWELL, SAIT is the laptop computers in their orientation; Kux is the author of The United lead organization supporting the State from day one they can use technology to States and Pakistan, 1947-2000: Disen- Departments goal of having a fully manage their work, integrating it into chanted Allies (Johns Hopkins University trained and productive workforce. The the culture. Press with Wilson Center Press, 2001), State Departments information tech- SAIT conducted over $8 million an authoritative and timely work nology budget, which includes IT in training services in FY02, delivering published in the ADST-DACOR book training, would get a 5 percent increase an estimated 300,000 hours of IT- series, which received a Special to $939 million for fiscal 2004 in the centric training. We reached over 3000 Citation from the American Academy presidents budget plan. studentsend users, IT professionals, of Diplomacy. (The book is available Training our IT professionals to Foreign Service Nationals, and US from ADSTs web site or by using the maintain and sustain our information direct-hire employees at our Northern form on page 7.) technology platform and the tools it Virginia facilities, Regional Training A former ambassador to Côte supports is an essential part of our Centers in Frankfurt and Fort Lauder- dIvoire who served 39 years in the mission. Providing the skills all State dale, and 50 overseas missions. We Foreign Service, Dennis was executive Department employees need to access have also significantly upgraded our director of ADST in 199394 and is and leverage those tools is another. distance-learning capability essen- now a Senior Policy Scholar at the tially putting over 500 course titles at Woodrow Wilson Center. our customers fingertips on their office systems and even via the internet on Planting the Seeds for the Next Generation of FSOs. their home systems. This year we For the first time, the Office of Resource Management gave copies of ADSTs illustrated anticipate delivering over 350,000 hours Brief History of United States Diplomacy to