IRAQ AMBUSH ■ MOREFROMTHE AFRICA FILE ■ GUATEMALA, 1954 SPECIAL REPORT: FS NEW HIRES SPEAK OUT

$3.50 / JUNE 2004 OREIGN ERVICE FJ O U R N A L S THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS

FAMILY VALUES Members of Household and the Foreign Service

CONTENTS J u n e 2 0 0 4 ■ Volume 81, No. 6

C OVER S TORY S PECIAL R EPORT 16 / NOT QUITE FAMILY: GREAT EXPECTATIONS: “MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLD” AT STATE NEW HIRES AND THE FOREIGN SERVICE / 33 State’s “Member of Household” policy is now more than The new generation is ready to contribute. three years old. How has it fared so far and what are its Here’s what they need in return. prospects in a rapidly changing world? By Shawn Dorman By Bob Guldin S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT F EATURES A VILLAGE TO CALL HOME — GLOBAL NOMADS INTERNATIONAL / 69 28 / FOREIGN SERVICE Despite sometimes feeling like you’re living a Fellini FIREFIGHT An FSO describes a close film, life after a Foreign Service childhood can include encounter with Iraqi insurgents a club called home. on the road from Baghdad By Mikkela Thompson to Najaf. Page 16 SCHOOLS AT A GLANCE / 82 By Philip S. Kosnett Essential data on educational choices.

52 / FIFTY YEARS AGO IN GUATEMALA The U.S.-backed removal of Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman in C OLUMNS D EPARTMENTS June 1954 was neither the first nor the PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 LETTERS / 7 last such intervention. But different In Memoriam CYBERNOTES / 12 observers have drawn very different By Louise Crane BOOKS / 65 lessons from the episode. By George Gedda LETTER FROM INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 98 THE DITOR E / 15 AFSA NEWS / By Steven Alan Honley CENTER INSERT 58 / THE AFRICA FILE, PART II: REFLECTIONS / 100 HELPING TO BUILD SUCCESS Members share more stories of progress By William V. Roebuck from around the African continent. By Susan Maitra

THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS OREIGN ERVICE Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published FJ O U R N A L S monthly with a combined July/August issue by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit Editor Editorial Board organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent STEVEN ALAN HONLEY the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by Senior Editor JUDITH BAROODY, SUSAN B. MAITRA CHAIRMAN e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA Members - $13 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, Associate Editor add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mail- SHAWN DORMAN MARK W. BOCCHETTI ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. Ad & Circulation Manager STEPHEN W. BUCK 20037-2990. Indexed by Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited ED MILTENBERGER PATI CHAPLIN manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein Business Manager TATIANA C. GFOELLER does not imply the endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) 338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E- MIKKELA V. THOMPSON CAROL A. GIACOMO MAIL: [email protected]. WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Art Director ILLIAM ORDAN CARYN SUKO SMITH W W. J Association, 2004. Printed in the U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., LAURIE KASSMAN Editorial Intern Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Printed on 50 percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. DWIJEN JAYDEV MEHTA HOLLIS SUMMERS Advertising Intern BILL WANLUND WEI TAN TED WILKINSON Cover and inside illustration by Jennifer Kalis

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 3 4 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 PRESIDENT’S VIEWS In Memoriam

BY LOUISE K. CRANE

This column will AFSA plaques represent — unfulfilled appear after Mem- The next time you lives. That is what the names in all the orial Day, but I write national cemeteries represent — unful- it as I ponder what walk through the filled lives. to say on Foreign C Street lobby, The names on our plaques go back Affairs Day, May 7, to 1780 when William A. Palfrey when AFSA pays stop and think drowned at sea en route to his post in annual tribute to about what each Paris. When I first walked into the our colleagues who have died in the Main State lobby in April 1965 there service of their country and whose name on the AFSA was just one plaque and it was half-full. names are carved on the memorial Memorial Plaques A few months later a terrorist bomb plaques we placed in the State Depart- represents. went off outside the U.S. embassy in ment’s lobby many years ago. Saigon, and the terror toll has not slack- As of this writing, we do not have to ened since. carve any new Foreign Service names These plaques represent the into the marble. So I guess one could militia members.” When helicopters Foreign Service’s compact with the say we are lucky this year. But every finally reached the Najaf garrison to American people. We know the risks fresh report of a suicide bombing, con- drop ammunition and retrieve a and acknowledge the dangers, yet we voy attack, roadside bomb or RPG wounded Marine, the defenders were willingly expose ourselves to them to launch makes me feel that our luck is down to fewer than 10 rounds per man. advance the cause of peace and securi- that much closer to running out. The Nor was that a unique event — see ty. In spite of the nightly litany of car Foreign Service community came very the article on p. 28 of this issue, bombings in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel close to suffering loss this year. It was “Foreign Service Firefight,” for an eye- and Pakistan, our Foreign Service col- the courage and sacrifice of others witness account of one such incident. leagues eagerly enter their bids for which kept one or more of us from get- And last October, John Branchizio, these posts. Fully one-third of the cur- ting killed. John Linde Jr. and Mark Parson died rent entry-level class of generalists says Natividad Mendez Ramos, a when a remote-controlled bomb tore they want to go to Iraq now. A reporter Salvadoran soldier, was killed in April apart their car in a diplomatic convoy. asked me to explain this dedication. He outside Najaf, Iraq. Our Foreign The three DynCorp contractors were couldn’t understand it. Service colleagues in Najaf have testi- guarding U.S. diplomats entering the The next time you walk through fied to the bravery of the Salvadoran Gaza Strip to interview candidates for the C Street lobby, stop and think soldiers when militias attacked them. Fulbright scholarships. what each name on the AFSA The Washington Post recently report- Our colleagues in that convoy, like Memorial Plaques represents. My ed: “Eight Blackwater contractors those caught in the attacks in Najaf, Foreign Service classmate Dennis W. assigned to protect a building in Najaf must wonder how and why they sur- Keogh’s name is there. He was blown fought alongside four Marines and vived. Why were the lives of their pro- up by a bomb in Namibia in 1984. He three Salvadoran soldiers to defeat a tectors cut short, left to be mourned was part of a peacekeeping mission. determined attack by hundreds of Iraqi and memorialized on marble head- And think about the names which are stones, while they are allowed to fulfill not on our list but represent lives Louise K. Crane is AFSA vice presi- their lives? equally unfulfilled, lives lost while dent for State. That is what the names on the protecting others. ■

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 5 THE REMINGTON

6 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 LETTERS

The DG on Iraq Service cessors and enjoy the respect and future, whether that is a promotion To suggest, as Peter Rice has recognition of all of us at home and or an assignment to what some Hill done in his March letter to the edi- abroad. staffers call “cushy” posts like Paris tor, that employees who have W. Robert Pearson or Canberra. That’s not our Foreign served in Iraq might not receive Director General of the Service. Here the desire to “serve equal treatment in assignments or Foreign Service the country” still burns brightly and for promotion “considering the dis- Washington, D.C. the condition of being worldwide dain of some (perhaps many) FSOs available is accepted and understood. toward President Bush and the Iraq Our Foreign Service & Iraq What Rice ignores is the powerful War” is unfair and unwarranted. I have two points to make about incentive of an opportunity “to do The independence of selection Peter Rice’s March letter, “Disin- something important for our coun- boards, governed by precepts nego- centives for Iraq Service?” First, he try,” as Hume Horan wrote in the tiated with the American Foreign has spent too much time listening to same issue. Service Association, is a fundamen- the critics of the Foreign Service: Finally, I want to disabuse Rice tal element of the Foreign Service those who falsely claim that the and other critics of the notion that system. Those precepts are clear Foreign Service disdains issuing visas, there is no meaningful work to be and stress that creditable perfor- that the Foreign Service disdains ser- done in Canberra, Berlin, Rome, mance under unusually difficult or vice at hardship posts, and that the Brussels or Paris. If there were not, dangerous service is a particularly Foreign Service disdains those who then why are our missions in these relevant criterion for promotion. do both of the above. I don’t know allied capitals so large? The answer The department, mindful of the whose Foreign Service Mr. Rice is is inescapable: important diplomacy special challenges involved, also has writing about, but it isn’t ours. Our is being conducted there. made a point of counseling and Foreign Service has logged more Promotions are based on perfor- assisting employees serving in Iraq than 1,000 bids for the fewer than mance. Promotion decisions are with their onward assignments. 200 positions posted for the new made by our Foreign Service peers. The department’s employees, Baghdad embassy. Not bad for a It is insulting to suggest that they will moreover, do not seem to share the group of employees Mr. Rice claims not give equal consideration to our apprehensions of the retired officer disdains serving there and elsewhere colleagues who have served in Iraq who wrote the letter. Their in a world increasingly difficult and or Kabul. response to the call to service in dangerous. So, whose Foreign Service did Iraq has been remarkable. So far, Secondly, Rice seems to think the Mr. Rice serve in, anyway? more than 200 persons have filed Foreign Service is based on incen- Louise K. Crane more than 1,000 bids on approxi- tives and bonuses. He seems to think Acting President mately 140 positions. These men that we need an incentive to serve at American Foreign Service and women will build on the out- a hardship post, some sort of assur- Association standing work done by their prede- ance that there is a bonus in our Washington, D.C.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 7 L ETTERS

Explaining Iraq plistic mind-set that seems to have Our efforts to force-feed Iraq with Thank you so much for the March accompanied our effort to establish an Western “modern” political ideology issue devoted to Iraq. We truly imperial presence in Baghdad. The will bear bitter fruit. Chaos will con- enjoyed it. reports you have published constitute tinue until at last, with American help For the past year, I have been try- a valuable confirmation of, among — or in spite of it — an amoral ing to explain to friends and acquain- other things, Dean Acheson’s observa- strongman, standing astride the tances my frustration with the pre- tion that (as I recall it approximately) butchered bodies of his competitors, emptive attack against Iraq. My first “introducing force does not resolve a will anoint himself ruler. challenge came a year ago when I was situation; it creates a new situation.” In Mesopotamia — the eternal asked to speak to a women’s club in Costly as this experience may be, I Land Between the Rivers, now Iraq South Dade County about life in hope it will at least help us to learn — the living history of strong rulers Saudi Arabia. The date was the night this lesson for the future, and remind began with king-priests in Sumer and we bombed Baghdad in an attempt to us that the extraordinary success of Ur. Later, for 500 years, the Abbasid eliminate Saddam Hussein. I tried to the U.S. Cold War policies relied not caliphs ruled from Baghdad in glory. explain to the ladies present that this just on “containment” of the Soviet They made the Arabic language and was a sad day for the United States threat, but also on the other half of culture supreme among that “mosaic and that it would be hard for me to George Kennan’s paradigm — that of peoples” from Persia to the speak about life in Saudi Arabia know- “we remain true to our own goals and Atlantic. Along the way they pre- ing how the Middle East and, indeed, principles.” This was also the second served much we claim as ours, and so probably much of the world, would be half of Paul Nitze’s NSC 68, that we enriched our “mosaic.” Until today, viewing the U.S. for a long time to supplement anti-communism with latter-day Iraqi despots have contin- come. Even now, a year later, it is active promotion of a viable world sys- ued one-man rule: 3,000 years of his- hard to find persons who understand tem of nation-states. In other words, tory cannot be denied. that this invasion did not increase the it is not enough to declare what we are John D. Tinny security of our country and that, in against; we have to engage in the far FSO, retired fact, it probably increased the number more difficult process of demonstrat- Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. of people who wish us ill. ing what we are for. Reading the intelligent comments Bob Willner CAJE Can Work of my Foreign Service colleagues gave FSO, retired Thank you for the timely April arti- me some reassurance that my 30-year Rickreall, Ore. cle on CAJE by Alexis Ludwig. Foreign Service career was not a total While I could not agree more with waste. 3,000 Years of History Mr. Ludwig’s list of concerns, I also Elizabeth A. Powers Hume Horan, in “Restoring a see many reasons to be optimistic. FSO, retired Shattered Mosaic” (March FSJ), has All of the CAJE professionals I have Gainesville, Fla. elegantly and eloquently picked up worked with have struck me as total- some of the shards of the shattered ly dedicated managers trying hard to Iraq Coverage “mosaic” that is Iraq. solve a technical problem — not a I commend the Journal for its Horan, from his vantage point on political or financial one. excellent coverage of Iraq in the the heights as an ambassador many In late 2003, Embassy Cairo March edition. The several articles on times over, sees reasons for optimism requested an exception grade for the subject were perceptive and infor- and for dreaming of “partial success.” precisely the kind of “national trea- mative. Iraq, once touted as the site of the sure” Foreign Service National Talcott W. Seelye Garden of Eden, may become with described in Mr. Ludwig’s article. FSO, retired luck a sort of Near Eastern guide to Washington replied that the excep- Bethesda, Md. nirvana. tion grade procedure was unavail- The views from my vantage point able, but offered to “CAJE” the posi- A Valuable Issue in the depths, as a once-low-level tion at once. We were as skeptical as Your Iraq issue provides what I FSO at four Near East posts, differs. Mr. Ludwig about a computer-based think is an important record, from For now, a series of puppets, quasi- system adequately evaluating charac- within the Coalition Provisional official, alphabet soup groups and teristics such as “charm” and “sophis- Authority, of the extraordinarily sim- army juntas will seem to rule Iraq. tication,” so imagine our delight

8 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 L ETTERS

when the position was quickly “CAJE’ed” at precisely the higher level sought and the FSN was imme- diately promoted. Granted, one data point does not a pattern make. However, the worst- case scenarios that some fear are not, in my view, realistic. An avalanche of complaints and appeals benefits no one and will almost certainly not be allowed to occur. If CAJE enjoys less than broad support as it unfolds, I am confident that appropriate modifications, including perhaps those proposed by Mr. Ludwig, can and will quickly be placed into ser- vice. Ludwig’s key point that CAJE still lends “disproportionate weight to the bureaucratic qualification at the expense of personal quality” is dead on. CAJE may prove to be the last great “repair job” on the “machine model” of large organizations that was brilliantly suited for the rapidly indus- trializing Western societies of the 19th century — but is totally inap- propriate for the global Information Age of the 21st century. My hope is that instead of resist- ing CAJE, we will accept it for the benefits it can offer us over the next decade or so, while acknowledging that its limitations lead directly to the real challenge before us: dis- carding the obsolete Civil Service employment structure altogether and replacing it with a brand new model that embraces not only demographic realities and social pri- orities, but also lifelong learning, institutionalized cross-training, sta- ble and dignified careers for those of sufficient talent, and robust advancement opportunities for the most exceptional. Edward Yagi Deputy Senior Commercial Officer FCS Embassy Cairo

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 9 L ETTERS

Public Diplomacy or in A-100 courses, and a director who others is a laudable goal for us all. Discretion? has made his reputation in fields other After more than 10 years out of the I enjoyed the April Speaking Out, than politics, are necessary. Service, I now realize political admin- “Weakest Link in Our Foreign Policy Edward P. Dillon istrations thrive on public and profes- Arsenal,” by William P. Kiehl. Not USIA FSO, retired sional complacency. I urge all foreign fighting for the continued existence of Arlington, Va. affairs professionals to speak out in USIA was one of the major mistakes whatever forums possible. As a for- of the Clinton administration. Many USAID & Contracting Out mer coordinating member of the of the legislators who joined in the I enjoyed the April issue, which State Department “Open Forum,” I destruction are now moaning about included an excellent collection of arti- am disturbed at how free thinking, the government’s lack of a means to cles. The article by Ronald Spiers, “To- constructive criticism and any form of combat the attacks on the U.S. ward a New U.S.-U.N. Rapproche- dissent are essentially equated with The State Department, too, watch- ment,” was most constructive and “treason.” ed with a smile while USIA was thoughtful. Yet Shawn Zeller’s article J. Kevin Burke pulled apart. During 35 years work- on USAID seemed like a “puff” piece USAID FSO, retired ing for the agency, I rarely met an for Natsios and Marshall. Cape Cod, Mass. FSO who didn’t despise the very idea Getting contract work out to the of “public diplomacy.” Chiefs of mis- private sector, knowingly at prohibitive Praise for State VP Voice sion and area directors frequently long-term costs to the taxpayer, was the When I open the Journal I turn tried to pretend that they took the press of political management for the first to two or three sections. These matter seriously, but their actions in last three decades. At USAID, with are my regular reads. Over time I terms of resource priorities belied staffing downsized and contract over- have found myself looking forward to their words. Most junior officers were sight and regulations marginalized, Louise Crane’s VP Voice column as more frank. Some of the senior potential for contracting out even well (monthly in AFSA News). I find agency officers had the same attitude. more work increased. Management her comments constructive, thought- Oddly enough, some of the political favored open grants or broad contracts ful and encouraging. I’ve added her appointees were more friendly to our to NGOs or other assorted organiza- column to my regular reads. I work since they actually believed — tions to minimize oversight and encourage everyone else to do the and attempted to put into action — responsibility by USAID and involve- same. the words from the top, words that ment by local governments. Moreover, David Casavis were only meant to put a little poetry the best of loyal, senior and dedicated Department of Commerce into the lives of the USIA officers USAID FSNs were often relegated, New York, N.Y. without changing the fact that the overnight, to positions as contract staff lowliest probationer at State was of under cafeteria or commissary contract AFGE Let Me Down more use than all of USIA! employment mechanisms. Today, con- I was much impressed with last The department cannot help itself tract warrior employees are considered year’s June issue devoted to AFSA’s in this matter. It is old and set in its a politically expedient alternative to history and its efforts at the beginning ways. One of the ways it is set in is, in high-profile American soldiers in dan- of labor/management negotiations fact, quite a good one. Discretion is a ger zones. As a result, contractors can more than 30 years ago. There was, major part of the soul of a diplomatic now earn bigger salaries in hours than however, one aspect of the entire pic- organization. But discretion is the GIs guarding them earn in weeks. ture that was missing — AFGE, the very opposite of public diplomacy. After 30 years of USAID’s increasing American Federation of Government On this level everything should be “contracting out,” a change in mentali- Employees. open, every question answered, every ty as well as policy may be more impor- Like many others in the Foreign comment or attack countered. In this tant than USAID’s current staffing Service, I had joined AFSA in order to Internet world, we must be ready, adjustments. partake of the professional aspects of willing and able to do so in an entire- Having just rejoined AFSA after the Foreign Service. I especially ly truthful manner. Only a new ver- many years away, I encourage all enjoyed the Foreign Service Journal sion of USIA will be able to carry this retirees to read George Jones’ and found the writings informative out. A new name, a budget not “Where Have All the Members and illuminating. I had also joined attached to State’s, officers not trained Gone?” (in AFSA News). Recruiting AFGE for help with labor/manage-

10 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 L ETTERS MARKETPLACE Web access to major advertisers. Go to www.afsa.org Click on Marketplace tab on the marquee ment matters. For the most part, placed there with no official autho- Bukkehave however, I simply paid my dues to rization. This was refuted by the www.bukkehave.com AFGE and never asked them for any vouchers I had showing that during Charles Smith Corp. Living help. I found their literature on the period from 1964-1970, payments www.SmithLiving.com labor/management matters not espe- continued to be made to National cially informative about Foreign Capital. Clements International Service matters. I turned to AFGE for assistance. www.clements.com In 1971, I returned on assignment Their response to my request for help Diplomatic Auto. Sales to the United States. I immediately was, “We do not elect to handle mat- www.diplosales.com contacted various storage companies ters which are exclusively related to Executive Club Suites asking that my effects from the Foreign Service personnel.” Given www.execlubdc.com respective companies be delivered to that my effects were valued at over my newly purchased residence. All $100,000, I asked them where I could GLIFAA such effects were delivered with the go for assistance. The reply: “Your www.glifaa.org exception of one shipment, from matter pertains exclusively to the Harry Jannette International National Capital Storage and Moving Foreign Service. We do not elect to www.jannetteintl.com Company, which was located in handle such matters. The over- Hirshorn Company, The northeast Washington, D.C. The whelming majority of our members www.hirshorn.com effects I had there contained valuable have no problem with storage and information on Lusophone Africa and moving companies.” I pointed out Laughlin Management my graduate research materials. that I had regularly paid dues and www.laughlincompanies.com Ironically, I had asked if I could send now I wanted something for my dues. Long & Foster all of these materials to my designat- My comments were met with silence. www.simunek.com ed home leave address in Texas, and AFGE succeeded in making me Marriott my request was turned down. It was wholly committed to AFSA. Their www.marriott.com shocking to learn that the company lack of care for the Foreign Service concerned had gone bankrupt in upsets me to this day. Martens Cars 1964, two years after my effects had Roy A. Harrell, Jr. www.martenscars.com been placed in its care. I was advised AFSA Lifetime Member Oakwood that inasmuch as the company had FSO, retired www.oakwood.com gone bankrupt, my effects had been Ozona, Texas ■ Prudential Carruthers/ JoAnn Piekney CORRECTIONS: In the May issue, a typo in the article by David T. Jones and www.foreignservicehomes.com Stephen T. Smith, “Preparing for Promotion Panel Season,” inaccurately rendered Prudential Carruthers the amount of time panel members have, on average, to read each file as two min- www.prudentialcarruthers.com utes. The correct figure is 20 minutes. In the April issue (Letters section), we inadvertently demoted Ben Read, iden- Remington www.remington-dc.com tifying him as the head of MED in the late 1970s. He was actually the under sec- retary for management (M) at the time. SDFCU And in the March issue roundup of contributions by AFSA members serving in www.sdfcu.org Iraq, we misinterpreted the acronym for the agency that sent John Malas to Iraq U.S. Gov’t Printing Office — DHS — stating that he was part of the Department of Homeland Security team http://.bookstore.gpo.gov/ when it was actually a Defense Humint Services team. sb/sb-075.html We regret the errors. WJD Management CLARIFICATION: A letter in the April issue commented on the assignments his- www.wjdpm.com tory of the new Director General of the Foreign Service, W. Robert Pearson. As FSJ Editor Steven Alan Honley’s interview of the director general (February) noted, Director General Pearson served for three years as U.S. ambassador in Ankara, a For more information about differential post, before assuming his current duties. advertisers in the Journal go to: www.afsa.org/marketplace

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 11 CYBERNOTES

Middle East Policy Gets a deepening concern” as Britain fol- Affairs in London, “The charge that One-Two Punch from lowed the U.S. lead in Israel and Iraq, they are just old buffers and Arabists Retired Diplomats and called for a debate in Parliament. from the ‘camel corps’ won’t stick.” During the last week of April, 52 “A number of us felt that our opinions Hollis says the views of the retired let- retired British diplomats kicked up a on these two subjects were pretty ter-writers are most likely mirrored by fuss in London and beyond with an widely shared and we thought that we serving diplomats. “Critics of foreign open letter to Prime Minister Tony ought to make them public,” said the policy inside the Foreign Office have Blair. They urged him to influence the document’s coordinator, former Bri- gone very quiet. There was an attempt “doomed” U.S. policy in the Middle tish ambassador to Libya Oliver Miles. a few years ago by a group still working East as “a matter of the highest Lord Howe, foreign secretary under there to complain about policy urgency,” or stop backing it altogether Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, told towards Iraq and Israel, but they were (for the full text of the letter, see the Radio 4 Today Programme that the told they could forget their careers if http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_poli diplomats’ comments reflect “great they went public. The Arabists have tics/3660837.stm). The letter focus- anxiety” in the Foreign Office. But not seen what has happened in the [U.S.] es first on the Israel-Palestine dispute, all British diplomats agreed. Lord State Department,” Hollis said (www. and secondarily on Iraq. Robbin Renwick, Britain’s ambassador newsvote.bbc.co.uk/). The very next week, some 60 to the U.S. from 1991 to 1995, ridiculed retired U.S. diplomats issued an open the letter-writers in an op-ed for The INR’s Track Record letter to President Bush, applauding Telegraph for acting like members of a Highlighted their British colleagues and charging trade union and dismissed the signato- “Spy World Success Story” is the that the president’s “unqualified sup- ries as former Arabists, “affectionately title of David Ignatius’ May 2 column port” of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel known as the Camel Corps” (www. in the Washington Post spotlighting Sharon’s policies and plans has cost the telegraph.co.uk/). State’s tiny Bureau of Intelligence and country its credibility, prestige and But, according to Rosemary Hollis, Research (http://www.washington friends (for the full text, see http:// head of the Middle East program at post.com/wp-dyn/opinion/columns www.wrmea.com/). the Royal Institute for International /ignatiusdavid/). “One of Washing- In contrast with the British state- ment, the American document focuses Site of the Month: www.fsjournal.org almost entirely on Israel. The American Educational Trust, publish- o more clicking your way the table of contents; titles, authors ers of the Washington Report on through the AFSA Web site and descriptions of all the focus arti- Middle East Affairs, hosted a press Nto find the Foreign Service cles and features; and links to the full conference to make the letter public Journal. Now, while you’re waiting text of four or five of the main arti- on May 4. Initiated by Andrew for snail mail or the pouch to bring cles. The Journal has been on the Killgore, former U.S. ambassador to your FSJ, you can check out the lat- Web for a number of years, but was Qatar, and Richard Curtiss, former est issue with just one tap of the only accessible through the AFSA chief inspector of the U.S. Information mouse. As part of an effort to broad- Web site. Agency, the letter calls for support for en the Journal’s audience and raise The Journal Web site also gives negotiations between Palestinians and its profile, the magazine now has its general contact information as well Israelis, “with the U.S. serving as a own URL: www.fsjournal.org. as information to prospective readers truly honest broker.” Posted are the current issue and on how to subscribe, and to contrib- The British diplomats, including all back issues from January 2000 to utors on how to submit a letter, col- former ambassadors to Baghdad and date. For each issue you can view umn or article. Tel Aviv, said they had “watched with

12 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 CYBERNOTES

ton’s hidden jewels,” is the way less, the fact that an agency such as the n the beginning some people Ignatius refers to INR, which inherit- Pentagon decided to take a second look ed the responsibilities of the wartime Ithought the Americans were at climate change suggests this issue is Office of Strategic Services in 1945. helping them. There was no not off the agenda yet. The bureau now has some 300 analysts hatred toward Americans. After Contention over the severity and — a fifth of the manpower at CIA’s what happened in Iraq, there is an even the existence of global warming Directorate of Intelligence and about unprecedented hatred and the has been brewing for nearly 30 years. a tenth of the Pentagon’s Defense For the casual observer sifting through Americans know it. Intelligence Agency. material and discerning objective “Despite its small size (or more — Egyptian President Hosni information from subjective rants can likely because of it), the bureau has Mubarak, April 23, be a daunting task, but here are some what many regard as the best track www.metimes.com online resources that can help. record in the government as far as Perhaps one of the best places to assessing intelligence issues for policy- start is the Environmental Protection makers,” states Ignatius. For instance: years of experience in his area of Agency (http://yosemite.epa.gov/ INR provided more accurate bomb expertise, four times as long as the oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ind damage assessments during the CIA average. It is a culture that rejects ex.html). The tone of EPA’s analysis, Vietnam War than did the Pentagon; easy answers and shoddy work. INR especially under the current adminis- INR warned in the late 1970s that if analysts are typically skeptical and tration, is not alarmist. It tries to main- the deposed shah of Iran entered the demand hard evidence. tain a neutral tone while providing U.S. for medical treatment, there Moreover, Ignatius reports, be- information with which the public can would be trouble in Tehran (in the end cause the bureau is so intimately con- make its own decision. This site is a the U.S. embassy was seized). nected with State Department policy- good introduction to the debate over But, emphasizes Ignatius, it is on makers, it never loses sight of what the global warming because it acknowl- Iraq that the INR has distinguished consumers of intelligence actually edges the problem exists but also itself. A year ago INR criticized the want: sound judgment. acknowledges uncertainty over its administration’s theory that Iraq would severity and impact. be the beginning of a pro-democracy Global Warming: An engaging, if less balanced, toppling of dominoes in the Arab A National Security Issue? resource is “Global Warming: Early world. It warned that Turkey would A report, “An Abrupt Climate Warning Signs” (http://www.climate feel sufficiently threatened by the Change Scenario and Its Implications hotmap.org/). This Web site offers prospect of Kurdish autonomy that it for United States National Security,” an interactive world map that shows might not allow U.S. troops to transit prepared for Pentagon Defense the local consequences of global its borders into Iraq. The bureau was Adviser Andrew Marshall’s office warming. There is also a comprehen- consistently skeptical of administration last fall, caused a brief flurry in the sive section titled “Solutions” that claims of WMD in Iraq, and warned international media early this year offers various solutions for the public. before the March 2003 invasion about (full report at http://www.ems.org/ By contrast with the even-handed the political and ethnic turmoil that climate/pentagon_climatechange. EPA, the organizations that have cre- was likely to follow. pdf ). ated this map consider global warming State Department officials attribute Some activists hoped that publicity to be a serious and life-threatening the INR’s effectiveness to the fact that on the report would galvanize pressure problem. it has maintained a culture that sup- on the Bush administration to reconsid- This categorical view is also appar- ports dissent — and demands exper- er its stance on the issue. That does not ent at the Environmental Defense tise. The average INR analyst has 11 appear to have happened. Nonethe- Web site (http://www.environmental

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 13 C YBERNOTES defense.org/article.cfm?con tentid=3322). Here, each “myth” of 50 Years Ago... global warming is answered by its I believe that the Foreign Service will never be any respective “fact.” For example, in better nor any worse than the men and women who are response to the “myth” that the impact in it make it, and that we in the last analysis deserve of human activities on global warming what we get. If we had believed in ourselves to the is uncertain, the site counters: “There extent that we should, we never would have taken what has been is international scientific consensus meted out to us during the past few years. that most of the warming over the last — James B. Pilcher, Counselor of Embassy and Consul General at Tokyo, from 50 years is due to human activities, not “This I Believe,” an address to the Fourth Annual Consular Conference for Japan, natural causes.” reprinted in the FSJ, June 1954. There are plenty of sites that are skeptical about the scenario of impending doom, to be sure, such as CO2 content. Most of its articles are tion presents recent news headlines the Center for the Study of Carbon very detailed and scientific, and cite and articles regarding that particular Dioxide and Global Change (http:// evidence that challenges the current topic. The site is a part of the “Cooler www.co2science.org/). The center’s global warming theory. Heads Coalition,” a subgroup of the mission statement says it seeks “to dis- Another cautionary Web site is the National Consumer Coalition, which seminate factual reports and sound Global Warming Information Page at was formed to dispel the myths of glob- commentary” on new developments in (http://www.globalwarming.org/). al warming by exposing flawed eco- the worldwide scientific quest to deter- This comprehensive site is divided into nomic, scientific and risk analysis. mine the climatic and biological conse- sections such as “updates,” “science,” — Dwijen Jaydev Mehta, quences of the ongoing rise in the air’s “politics” and “economics.” Each sec- Editorial Intern ■

14 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY

ormally, as regular readers the fall issues, but there is still time to know, a Speaking Out col- There are many submit manuscripts for later months. Numn appears in this space. ways you can If those choices don’t grab you, or However, for the first time since our if you feel we have not devoted June 2001 issue, and for only the sec- share your insights enough space to a professional con- ond time since I began editing this cern or functional issue, please con- department more than five years ago on these pages. Let sider writing a feature article (gener- (as associate editor), there is none this us hear from you. ally 2,000-3,000 words long) about it month. for us. Having to skip one column in three
For those of you with a more liter- years is not a big deal. But I am con- ary bent, consider submitting a piece cerned that, as of this writing, there (600 words) for our Reflections are not any Speaking Outs in the lifestyle issues, so I hope many of you department (formerly “Postcard from pipeline — something that has not will consider sharing your insights and Abroad”). While Reflections are usu- been true in a long time. So let me expertise on them with your col- ally based on personal experiences take this opportunity to remind you all leagues. while living or traveling overseas, they that this department is your forum to However, note that because of our should center on insights gained as a advocate policy, regulatory or statuto- lead time for publication, we need to result of interactions with other cul- ry changes to the Foreign Service or receive submissions at least two tures, rather than being descriptive U.S. foreign policy. Columns months (preferably longer) prior to “travel pieces.” (approximately 1,500 words long) can the issue’s release date. Thus, we Don’t forget that the monthly be based on personal experience with have already selected the winners of AFSA News section offers several dif- an injustice or your insights into a for- our annual summer fiction contest ferent venues for members to share eign affairs-related issue. and have lined up several writers for their experiences, thoughts and con- There are many other ways you 2004 EDITORIAL CALENDAR for the cerns regarding professional issues. can share your insights on these FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Finally, let me invite you to share pages. Each issue of the Journal fea- your reactions, positive and negative, tures a focus section examining vari- JULY/AUGUST Summer Fiction to what you read each month for pub- ous facets of an issue related to the SEPTEMBER The War on Terror, lication in our Letters section. Just Foreign Service or international rela- 3 Years Later bear in mind that, as with all periodi- tions. We commission most of the OCTOBER Foreign Policy & the cals, the briefer and more focused articles for these sections from differ- U.S. Presidential your letter is, the more likely we’ll be ent sources, but warmly welcome Election able to print it in full. contributions (2,000-3,000 words is (commentaries by Please note that all submissions to the usual range) from FS personnel foreign journalists) the Journal must be approved by our who are familiar with these issues. NOVEMBER “In Their Own Write” Editorial Board and are subject to Here is a list of the focus topics our (annual roundup of editing for style, length and format. Editorial Board has identified for the books by FS For more information on how to sub- rest of this year (subject, of course, to authors) mit a column, article or letter, please revision). As you can see, several of DECEMBER Medical Issues & contact us at [email protected] and we these themes relate directly to Diplomacy will be delighted to respond. Foreign Service professional and Let us hear from you. ■

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 15 C OVER S TORY

NOT QUITE FAMILY: “MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLD” AT STATE Jennifer Kalis

STATE’S “MEMBER OF HOUSEHOLD” POLICY IS NOW MORE THAN THREE YEARS OLD. HOW HAS IT FARED SO FAR AND WHAT ARE ITS PROSPECTS IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD?

BY BOB GULDIN

ot long ago, an FSO was preparing to move with his girlfriend to his next post when he got an e-mail from the post administrative officer titled, “Welcome to Dhaka!” After a warm greeting, the e-mailN stated: “Although we welcome Ms. A at post, because she is not an Eligible Family Member [i.e., a spouse or minor dependent], she will not be able to receive or send mail through the pouch. Nor will she be eli- gible to obtain medical treatment from our medical unit, unless the ambassador approves this on an exception- al basis. She will not be able to receive support from the General Services Office. ... She will have neither diplo-

16 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

matic privileges nor immunity.” It’s been essential to the in the Foreign Service, unmar- “Welcome, indeed!” quipped ried heterosexual couples fre- this employee in recounting his acceptance of the MOH quently lived together, and other story to the Foreign Service family arrangements were prolif- Journal. He reported that “as a policy that it applies to erating. In fact, MOH policy direct response to this message, over the past three years has we chose to marry earlier than heterosexual couples and encompassed domestic partners we would have otherwise.” (aka boyfriends and girlfriends), Over the decades, the other family members, not both gay and straight, children Foreign Service, like a bureau- over 21 still living with Mom cratic Cupid, has undoubtedly only to gays and lesbians. and/or Dad, elderly parents, and been responsible for hundreds of occasionally other relatives as marriages. That’s because the well. (Even though a live-in Service traditionally drew a sharp distinction between nanny — especially one who has accompanied an family members — who enjoyed numerous privileges employee from post to post — may seem like a mem- — and non-family members (like girlfriends) who had ber of the family, such helpers don’t fall within the to fend for themselves. It was simply easier to get MOH category.) married — at least where that was an option. MOH policy has been heartily welcomed, especial- That rigid distinction was blurred significantly in ly by gay and lesbian employees. But it has also cre- the last days of the Clinton administration. On Dec. ated a tricky new, intermediate category of persons 26, 2000, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright who, while part of the post community, are distinctly issued a cable outlining a new policy for “members of underprivileged compared to “eligible family mem- the households (MOH) of State Department employ- bers” such as spouses and children. Not surprisingly, ees assigned to our missions abroad. Here I refer to some FS employees have raised questions and com- those individuals who have accompanied the employ- plaints about MOH policy, asking why the people they ee overseas and who the employee has declared to the love and who have sacrificed to accompany them chief of mission are part of his/her household and who abroad can’t be treated better — more like Eligible will reside at post with the employee.” Family Members. Albright’s cable described the new policy as a way Both “EFM” and “MOH” are defined in the of attracting and retaining the best people in “the war Foreign Affairs Manual, which sets out the regula- for talent,” and it laid out a number of accommoda- tions under which the Foreign Service operates. tions that posts should make. Perhaps the most EFMs, as defined by 6 FAM 111.3-1, include spous- important innovation was also the least specific: es; children under 21 (including those for whom the “COMs [chiefs of mission] shall work to ensure that employee or spouse is guardian); and parents, sisters the official American community environment is as and brothers when they are dependent on the welcoming as possible.” The cable also urged State employee for support or are incapable of self-support. Department staff to help MOHs with visa and resi- That definition has changed over the years, and does dency permits, to give them access to Community not seem to be specified by law. AFSA labor manage- Liaison Office and Family Liaison Office activities ment specialist James Yorke tells the Journal that a and social events, to consider them for employment, quick review of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and to include them in phone and address lists, and to other relevant laws did not turn up any statutory def- make other such low-cost accommodations. initions of “family member” or “EFM.” Of course, The new policy was a response to a rapidly chang- that will have a bearing on whether State may legally ing world in which gays and lesbians were now “out” tinker with the EFM-MOH distinction. In 3 FAM 4180, MOHs are defined along the lines Bob Guldin, a former editor of the Journal, is a free- outlined in Secretary Albright’s cable, as are the priv- lance writer and editor in the Washington area. ileges they are to be afforded. However, the provi-

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 17 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

sions spell out that overseas posts For MOHs, FSI is like AFSA had never taken a stand “may not request privileges, on the issue, but decided to can- immunities or exemptions for the Foreign Service vass its membership in 2000. MOHs” and must make clear to Naland says the organization got the host government that the in microcosm: a place its “greatest response to a poll MOH is not regarded as a mem- ever.” With about 500 members ber of the employee’s family for where one is nominally answering, 85 percent said they official purposes. supported limited accommoda- welcome, but where the tions for domestic partners at The Gay Vanguard post, with 15 percent opposed. AFSA President Louise Crane good stuff is unavailable. “That poll made it much easier recalls that, “in the 1970s, if you for AFSA to go forward” and were gay you couldn’t get a secu- support the policy change, says rity clearance” in the Foreign Naland. Service, which effectively meant that you couldn’t The State Department guidance cable was issued serve as a professional. In some instances, closeted the day after Christmas in 2000, with no fanfare. gays who wanted to bring their partners with them “Secretary Albright was prudent, waiting until that overseas had to allege that their significant others time and doing it as quietly as she could,” Naland tells were, in fact, personal servants — a demeaning cha- the Journal. “If it had been trumpeted, some people rade. might feel ‘we have to knock this thing down.’ But, in That stance began to change in the 1980s, as soci- fact, I don’t know of any fallout” from the policy etal attitudes toward gays and lesbians became more change. tolerant. Patrick Linehan, an FSO formerly with Advocates were of course nervous about whether USIA, recalls being told by a briefer from Diplomatic the policy would be rolled back under the Bush Security in 1984, “We used to spend 90 percent of our administration, which took office the next month. But time fag-chasing, but we stopped that. You can be Secretary of State Colin Powell quietly accepted the queer in the State Department; we just don’t want to MOH policy. The addition of MOH provisions to the hear about it.” FAM in 2003 made it official. When President Bill Clinton took office in 1993, One key point to bear in mind: It’s been essential Foreign Service practice became more liberal, thanks to the acceptance of MOH policy that — while its ear- in part to advocacy by Gays and Lesbians in Foreign liest and strongest advocate was GLIFAA — it applies Affairs Agencies, which had formed the previous year. equally to heterosexual couples and other family In 1998, the State Department officially added sexual members. So it is widely seen as a necessary adjust- orientation to the list of categories (like sex and race) ment to the changing norms of family life, not an for which employment discrimination is forbidden. accommodation for gays. That was a big step for gay Foreign Service employ- ees, but it still left their significant others with no rec- FSI: The Half-Open Door ognized status when the employees were posted For many MOHs, the first taste of Foreign Service abroad. life is the Foreign Service Institute. But while their When GLIFAA began talking with AFSA and State partners are immersed in the A-100 Class and follow- management about additional measures, State on professional and language training, MOHs are left thought about it long and hard, recalls John Naland, with little to do. Eligible Family Members are who was AFSA State vice president at the time and encouraged to take formal classes — for example in then AFSA president from 2001 to 2003. languages — when space is available, but Members of “There was a clear fear,” Naland says, “that this would Household may not take any formal classes for which not be well received in some parts of the U.S. Congress. people register. And Congress can put a stop to most anything.” For these partners and relatives, FSI is like the

18 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

Foreign Service in microcosm — a place where one is Schofield, coordinator of the Training Division at nominally welcome, but where the good stuff is FSI’s Transition Center. MOHs, however, are not unavailable. permitted to take the class. The issue arises most urgently around the Security As FSO Charles “Andy” Ball notes via e-mail, “Gay Overseas Seminar. That’s not surprising, given the partners are now relegated to watching the class on precarious security environment these days. videotape even though there may be empty seats at Incoming FS personnel are required to take the SOS, the seminar itself. Actual attendance and active par- and EFMs are strongly encouraged to do so, says Pat ticipation are what is required to ensure the seminar’s

My Cat Gets More Benefits Than My Domestic Partner

We recently adopted a stray kitten we found on a spouses.) Gay partners are now relegated to watching street in Manila. Our kitten’s travel expenses to future the class on videotape even though there may be empty postings will be covered by the State Department. Augie, seats at the seminar itself. Actual attendance and active my domestic partner of 10 years, however, has to pay for participation are what is required to ensure the seminar’s his own travel. That’s just one way even the full imple- lessons are committed to memory and put into practice. mentation of the Member of Household policy fails to end If there is no difference between watching the seminar on the disparate and unequal treatment of gays and lesbians video and actual attendance, then everyone should just in the Foreign Service. However, we would rather have watch the videotape. MOH than not, and when it is implemented it improves The bright spot in our experience with the department has our lives and livelihoods immensely, as we have discov- been in Manila where the implementation of the MOH policy ered at Embassy Manila. has exceeded our expectations. Thanks to the ambassador, A major failure in the implementation of the MOH pol- DCM, RSO, consul general, FSNs and even the front-gate icy is in the area of security. Augie would be left to his guards, we have been integrated into the community. Augie own devices in the case of an ordered evacuation. We is treated as an Eligible Family Member in nearly every would be forced to choose whether he remained in a respect. He has access to the embassy grounds, has check- potentially dangerous environment or arranged and paid cashing privileges, is invited to all CLO events and, very for his own evacuation. In a time of increased terrorism importantly, is eligible to work at the embassy. This last point and heightened global security threats, the Department is crucial given that Augie does not have a diplomatic pass- should allow the Foreign Service Institute to implement port or diplomatic protections or privileges, and it is never the recommendations of its own Security Overseas guaranteed he will be allowed to work in the local economy Seminar. One of the seminar instructors stressed the or even reside with me from post to post. critical importance of learning the local language. Our primary concern in bidding for posts is the extent However, FSI does not allow domestic partners to take to which a post implements the MOH policy. Since Augie language classes at all. When we tried to register Augie receives no direct financial benefits, unlike our kitten, the for Tagalog class, the Registrar’s Office curtly dismissed MOH policy is our best hope for him to have a job. Pouch us, and our questions about the MOH policy. Gays and and mail privileges, the ability to purchase health insur- lesbians, welcome to the State Department, where your ance at government rates, and access to the medical unit, security is your problem. especially in the Third World, are vital lifelines as well. The department also took a step backward when FSI We can only hope that our next posting will be as posi- discontinued the policy of allowing gay partners to attend tive an experience as Manila. the Security Overseas Seminar. (Actually, Augie is barred Andy Ball (FSO) and Augie Paculdar (MOH) from attending most classes at FSI otherwise available to Embassy Manila

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 19 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

lessons are committed to memory and put into prac- Adds Ray Leki, director of the Transition Center, tice.” “We try to make every accommodation we possibly Other Training Division courses in Foreign Service can, but we can’t violate the rules of the Foreign life skills — such as protocol, health, employment and Service Act. We do a lot of ad hoc counseling of peo- cross-cultural challenges — are similarly unavailable ple.” to MOHs. The FSI facility most open to MOHs is the Managers at the Transition Center made it clear to Overseas Briefing Center, which has a diverse collec- the Journal that they wish they could do more. tion of information about foreign posts and countries. Schofield says, “We were delighted when the MOH MOHs are able to attend informal orientations given policy came out, because we could embrace a more at the briefing center, as well as examine materials open policy.” there.

A Sensible Policy I supported the development of the MOH policy for tiality or prejudice’ in it. … While the major impetus for several reasons: the MOH policy was unmarried partners (mostly of the • People will bring family members to post whether or same sex), I have been surprised to note that the most not the department so recognizes them, in the same way significant beneficiaries, in my experience as an EUR that people bring along both personal employees and Housing Board member, are post-college adult daughters pets. (Think of an MOH as a human pet, and it’s easy to (rather than sons). I have also read some media cover- understand.) That’s not going to change. age of the phenomenon in the U.S. • It is inappropriate for individual FS personnel to be “I have suggested that our post housing question- negotiating private deals with the host government to naire be amended to ask about MOHs to ensure that the allow their family members to remain legally with them in Housing Board has all relevant information that the the host country. That prospect has many negative impli- incoming employee chooses to provide. (We already cations for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. ask about pets.) The maximum space allocation for a • While such actions as diplomatic privileges and single person and a couple without children is the immunities require U.S. domestic and/or international same, so unmarried partners are not an issue here. But legal changes that always follow, rather than precede, within the maximum space allocation, apartment con- social changes, U.S. foreign policy can most effectively figurations (e.g., numbers of bedrooms) can be relevant be implemented if all family members actually present at when an adult son or daughter MOH is living at post. I post are under the chief of mission’s authority. imagine that similar considerations exist for other • The essential element of the MOH policy is that the MOHs, though I have not encountered any such situa- embassy, rather than the individual employee, is the party tions here. requesting a visa to allow the MOH to remain legally in the “The fact remains that our lives overseas are not the host country, thus bringing the MOHs under COM authority. same as our lives in the U.S. and it is essential that each I would also like to pass along the following observa- member of the (extended) official American community tions about the implementation of the MOH policy made treat every other with dignity and respect. You can still to me by a Housing Board member at an EUR post (who choose your friends, but you must accept that your per- wishes to remain anonymous): sonal and official social circles are different when you are “My official responsibility is to apply law, regulations, overseas.” policy and common sense in order to support U.S. for- Karl Olson eign policy most effectively. I take my oath of office seri- U.S. Delegation to OSCE ously; as I recall, there’s something about ‘without par- Vienna

20 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

One indication of the OBC’s The gaps between MOH Wingate reports a very friend- inclusive approach is that it ly atmosphere at FSI. “For recently added a new question to policy and practice affect example, the A-100 [class] the informal survey sent to all pulled together and threw me posts: “What factors might be of more than the employees and Rami a baby shower. Sixty- interest or concern to gay singles one out of 90 people contributed or couples at your post?” and MOHs — they to the gift.” As one might expect, the majority of A-100 students at undermine the functioning Different Strokes at FSI are quite welcoming to their Different Posts gay and lesbian colleagues. Case of the Foreign Service itself. It’s at overseas posts, of in point: Patrick Wingate, proba- course, that MOH policy gets its bly the first FSO in a gay mar- real test. AFSA President riage, who recently graduated from his A-100 class. Louise Crane says that from what she hears, “A major- Wingate is married to Rami Shakra, a citizen of ity of posts are welcoming.” Canada, where same-sex marriage is legal. The cou- The AFSA members who replied to the Journal’s ple is adopting a child from Guatemala, who was call for personal accounts with MOH policy report a expected to join them in May or June. Wingate will great variety of experiences — some welcoming, some adopt the baby, who will then be an EFM — though hostile, some indifferent. One gay FSO writes, “In Rami will not be. practice, the extent to which domestic partners are

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 21 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

recognized and accommodated is left entirely to the unmarried sister and 10-month-old nephew living discretion of post management.” with him. “For a time, ours was an unusual family,” he The Journal received a number of e-mails telling of wrote, “and yet the embassy in Bangkok bent over posts that went beyond the call of duty to make life as backwards (within the rules) to welcome us.” easy as possible for the FS employee and the MOH. Even a Housing Board member at a European post FSO Andy Ball, for example, says that at Embassy who is not that pleased about helping out unmarried Manila, his partner “is treated like an Eligible Family or gay couples says, “I may hold my nose, but not Member in nearly every respect. ... He is invited to all when I am speaking or acting as a government offi- CLO events and, most importantly, is eligible to work cial.” So he tries to carry out his duties “without par- at the embassy.” tiality or prejudice.” Another FSO says that when stationed recently in But the Journal also received quite a few accounts South Africa, the embassy’s consular section “simply of how the State Department or a particular post took care of” getting his same-sex partner residency made life miserable for MOHs, especially when gay permits and travel visas. partners were involved. These complaints range from Ted Osius, a single FSO in Bangkok, had his inability to get an ID badge or building pass for the

Defense of Marriage?

oes the Defense of Marriage Act prohibit the The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations — Foreign Service from giving additional privileges to which the United States is a party — also has some- Dto same-sex partners? A number of Foreign thing to say about diplomatic families, but the key con- Service sources who supplied information for this arti- cern there is “privileges and immunities” such as cle said that they believed the act would bar such immunity from arrest and prosecution. In addition, accommodation. But, surprisingly, all those sources — Eileen Denza, probably the leading commentator on even the designated spokesperson for HR — stated the Vienna Convention, says that in practice there are they had not read the Defense of Marriage Act. few formal definitions of what constitutes “the mem- The Defense of Marriage Act was passed by bers of the family of a diplomatic agent forming part of Congress in 1996 and signed by President Clinton. It is his household.” “Each receiving state applies its own one page long and is remarkably easy to understand. rules ... and unusual cases are settled in negotiation,” Regarding the federal government, it says the United she says. States and its agencies must apply the words “mar- Beyond that, in Diplomatic Law: A Commentary on riage” and “spouse” only to “a legal union of one man the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and one woman as husband and wife.” (Clarendon Press, 1998), Denza says: “There are also It would appear that the act poses no obstacle to signs that in many capitals an unmarried partner is increased accommodations to members of households accepted as a ‘spouse’ in the context of defining the — even same-sex partners — as long as the words diplomat’s family, though this does not seem to be “marriage” and “spouse” are not used to describe these widely acknowledged. The United Kingdom Foreign and persons. Commonwealth Office in 1997 for the first time There is one diplomatic sphere in which the Defense of announced that a British ambassador would be accom- Marriage Act holds sway, however. According to the State panied on his forthcoming posting by a partner who Department Office of Protocol, because of that law, the was not his wife, and added that the United Kingdom United States does not extend any privileges and immuni- might request diplomatic immunity for her.” ties to same-sex partners of visiting diplomats. — Bob Guldin

22 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

partner to the embassy’s refusal to Over the decades, the One FSO in a European invite same-sex MOHs to official embassy tried to get a residency functions or to handle MOH mail Foreign Service, like a permit for his partner, but ran into — all items that are covered by the a bureaucratic quagmire. People current guidance and thus should bureaucratic Cupid, at Main State insisted that the not be problematic. request to the host country In some cases, these problems has been responsible required “seventh floor clear- occur because the newness and ance,” which took months to get. vagueness of the policy make for hundreds of The diplomatic note that was embassy officials uncertain about eventually sent was worded in implementation, leading them to marriages. such a negative way that it virtual- drag their feet. This is particularly ly asked the host country to deny true regarding visa requests on the FSO’s request — which is what behalf of MOHs in more socially the host government did. “The conservative countries. As one FS specialist notes, State Department’s efforts were obstructive and the regulations can easily be interpreted to mean, downright damaging,” the FSO concluded. “Take no action if you somehow think there might be Another FSO found that the U.S. embassy at which a negative reaction by the host government.” he was stationed was consistently hostile and uncoop- But in other cases, there is little doubt that the erative toward any requests he made on behalf of his problems are within an embassy or bureau. same-sex partner. Violating MOH policy, for example,

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the embassy refused to help the In practice, the extent to obtaining an ID for her and even partner obtain a visa. “In spite of receiving official invitations the fact that my partner had been which domestic partners marked ‘John Doe and guest,’ it fully vetted by DS (just like a has been a humiliating experience spouse), he was treated like a are recognized and in most every way.” He says that stranger off the street when he six months after arriving at post wanted to visit me at the accommodated is left “we still have no ID for my embassy,” the FSO wrote. “He fiancee.” He adds that “the RSO eventually stopped coming to the mostly to the discretion of is now giving me various long, embassy altogether because he tedious, prodding forms to com- felt so unwelcome.” post management. plete that, if one follows the It’s not just gay couples that FAM, are solely for certain sensi- have problems, either. One FSO tive positions.” who had his elderly mother accompany him ran into Then there are the bigger issues that current MOH multiple obstacles (and large expenditures) involving guidance touches on but does not resolve, such as her visa, a passport that went missing for months and employment within the mission and access to medical health insurance requirements of the host govern- care facilities. One major area of concern, given the ment. The FSO attributes most of the problems to increasingly parlous security situation in many parts of confusion and strict E.U. requirements, rather than ill the world, is the fact that posts are currently forbid- will. “HR has been very helpful throughout the den to include Members of Household in their emer- ordeal,” he writes, “but they are as confused as we gency evacuation plans — or to assist MOHs in leav- about policy interpretation.” ing the country in case of crisis. Another FSO, posted in Europe, reports that he has encountered discouraging bureaucratic non-coop- Effects on the Foreign Service eration in trying to create a life for his female partner. The gaps between MOH policy and practice affect “In every instance, from bringing my fiancee here, to more than the employees and MOHs — they also undermine the functioning of the Foreign Service itself. Various FS employees describe a range of impacts. Alphabet Soup Most often, employee morale suffers. A male FSO Ah, the life of the alphabet in the Foreign Service. writes, “I have developed a negative opinion of this Long ago my wife was a DS (dependent spouse). Later, post management and of this place solely for their I became an EFM (eligible family member). Now I find indifference to the fact that my fiancee is here and that our relationship is in jeopardy because of there that I am a MOH (member of household). being no mission effort to employ her.” I rather prefer being a STUD (spouse trailing under One FSO says that he curtailed his post because his duress). Introducing yourself that way at embassy cock- partner “was tired of being treated like he did not tail parties can elicit hilarious responses. exist.” Another will not bid on certain posts because But then some might prefer the title AD (accidental his partner could not get decent health care there. diplomat). That at least would move us up in the alpha- Those who want to get a sense of the social discon- bet. (And it certainly applies to many of those who trail.) nection experienced by the gay partner overseas might Dan Gamber check out the chapter “Just a Gay Spouse (JAGS)!” in the Former member of STUDS (spouses trailing under book Realities of Foreign Service Life (published by duress successfully) AAFSW in 2002). In a brief narrative, Nam Nguyen Brussels points out how marginal one can feel when one is a) “just a spouse,” b) not even an EFM and c) gay. Remarkably, Nguyen tells the tale with humor and panache.

24 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

In some cases, the lack of rights and benefits for country. That prospect has many negative implica- MOHs pushes employees out of the Foreign Service tions for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. ... The altogether. One FSO who has enjoyed his career and essential element of the MOH policy is that the would like to continue it is instead taking retirement embassy, rather than the individual employee, is the to help meet his partner’s needs. He writes, “I will party requesting a visa.” abandon this career and direct my energies elsewhere Olson makes an interesting point: If individual FS — hopefully to one of the many corporate employers employees are negotiating with foreign governments that truly value their employees and the diversity they for personal favors relating to their closest loved ones bring their organizations.” because the embassy refuses to assist them, it creates Despite this evidence of dissatisfaction, however, a situation in which the host government or its no Foreign Service employees have filed grievances employees may ask the FS employee for favors in with AFSA over any aspect of MOH policy. return.

Further Steps? Change in the Air There’s little doubt that gay and lesbian FSOs — Is further improvement in the status of MOHs especially those who remember the 1980s and before likely in the near future? GLIFAA has proposed a — see the current situation as a marked improvement number of changes that would essentially close the over the old days. But as benefits and rules begin to gap between MOHs and EFMs. Those include: be liberalized in other Western democracies, some • Access to training, including language and secu- U.S. employees are asking AFSA and the Foreign rity classes Service to take the process further. • Access to post health units, and health insurance In the words of FSO Patrick Linehan, “The MOH at group rates policy is great as far as it goes, but it does not go far • Inclusion in travel orders (though not travel enough. It got us onto the bus — but we’re still rid- expenses) ing in the back.” • Preferential status for employment at post com- MOHs are especially annoyed that, when it comes parable to that enjoyed by EFMs to travel benefits, they are treated worse than pets. • Emergency evacuation and medevac from post Linehan notes that, “The department would pay when necessary toward the shipment of my dog, because — as stated • Improved visa rights, both abroad and in the in an admin memo a few years ago — ‘pets are impor- United States (for foreign nationals). tant for morale,’ but they wouldn’t give me a dime for The department has not yet responded to my husband’s ticket.” GLIFAA’s proposal, but the preliminary indications Nor is the persistent unhappiness of gay employees are that there may be openness to at least some of and partners (with the possible effects on retention), these ideas. the only incentive for the department to consider fur- One point in favor is what AFSA President Louise ther accommodations for MOHs. For one thing, says Crane calls “the generational factor” — that is, chang- Director Ray Leki, FSI Transition Center, the policy ing attitudes as new employees join the Foreign affects straight couples too. “Many people enter the Service. Foreign Service just out of grad school, and they’re Crane points out that one-third of the Foreign not married yet and not sure they want to be. If you Service has been hired since 1998. “I’ve met every say they have to get married before they go overseas, class since August ’01, and the vast majority support you’re doing these people a disservice.” equal treatment for same-sex partners.” Beyond that, Karl Olson, an FSO in the European Former AFSA President John Naland agrees: “You Affairs Bureau, points out that, “it is inappropriate for talk to new hires and they can’t believe how it was individual FS personnel to be negotiating private before.” deals with the host government to allow their family AFSA attorney Zlatana Badrich adds that lots of members to remain legally with them in the host people come into the Foreign Service from the pri-

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 25 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

vate sector, and they’re used to a tolerant approach Crane says of her talk with the Secretary and the there. DG, “We said, would you please look at broadening Crane tells the Journal that when she met with the definition of EFMs with an eye to including adult Secretary of State Colin Powell in March 2004, with children, parents and siblings, as well as opposite-sex Director General W. Robert Pearson also in attendance, and same-sex partners? The director general piped one topic of discussion was the definition of EFMs. up at that point, saying ‘Everything we do conforms to

The Back of the Bus In June 1984 I proudly joined the Foreign Service as I could not have found a more welcoming post than a member of the 80th USIA junior officer class. On day Embassy Brasilia, and we have come a long way since two of our training we were welcomed by the head of 1984 — but not far enough. The MOH policy was a huge security, Bernard C. Dowling, who proceeded to tell us advance, and it is nice to have the respect of the that there was no room for “homos” in USIA, and, “if you Secretary and senior management. But as Emerson and are queer, you’re out.” I thought, my career is over and I transferred from Japan to Brazil via Washington, we hit I haven’t even started yet. Our class then joined up with a lot of closed doors where MOHs need not apply. The the new State A-100 class for training, where a briefer department did not give me a plane ticket for Emerson, from DS told us of the department’s policy on the issue nor would it give me no-cost travel orders so that I could saying, and I quote, “We used to spend 90 percent of our at least buy a government rate ticket. For Emerson’s tick- time fag-chasing, but we stopped that. You can be queer et we paid full fare: Tokyo–Washington–Brasilia. Ouch! in the State Department, we just don’t want to hear about The department would pay toward the shipment of it.” Oh, good, I thought, maybe I can stay — and by the my dog, because as stated in an admin memo a few way, welcome to the Foreign Service. years back, “pets are important for morale,” but they Flash forward. Nineteen years, seven assignments, wouldn’t give me a dime for my husband’s ticket. FSI five promotions and four languages later, on Aug. 31, refused to allow Emerson to attend the SOS Seminar. 2003, I arrived at my new post as counselor for public The course is required for FSOs and recommended for affairs in Brasilia. The following day, my Brazilian hus- EFMs, because as we all know family members are sub- band Emerson and I were welcomed to post at a lunch at ject to the same dangers as officers, but even after AFSA the home of DCM Dick Virden and his wife Linda, joined intervened on my behalf, FSI absolutely refused to allow by Ambassador Donna Hrinak. Their message to me him to attend. was clear and explicit: both of you are very welcome to What it comes down to is that the MOH policy stops the U.S. mission in Brazil. I thought at that moment, at the water’s edge where money is involved. MOHs get “You’ve come a long way, baby.” nothing that costs money — no plane tickets, no train- A month later Amb. Hrinak hosted a welcome recep- ing, no health care coverage, no pension benefits, and tion at the residence to introduce us to several hundred for those of us not partnered with a U.S. citizen, no public affairs contacts. As we stood with her welcoming fiancee visas or expedited citizenship for our life part- the guests she introduced us to one and all as “Patrick ners. The MOH policy is great as far as it goes, but it and his partner Emerson.” The next day we made the does not go far enough. It got us onto the bus — but Brazilian gossip columns with a short item in a Rio we’re still riding in the back. tabloid, “Modernity Comes to Diplomacy.” It breathless- Patrick J. Linehan ly told its readers how Amb. Hrinak had introduced her Public Affairs Officer new counselor and his partner, “in the most intimate Chairman, U.S.- Brazil Fulbright Commission sense of that word,” to Brasilia’s elite. Embassy Brasilia

26 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 M EMBERSOF H OUSEHOLD

the Defense of Marriage Act.’” The majority of A-100 ple, Coontz said, “There’s a 700-per- (See sidebar, p. 22.) cent increase in people living in Crane also notes that “GLIFAA students at FSI are unmarried couples since 1970.” and I sent off a joint letter. We It appears that the State know [the department is] putting quite welcoming to Department and the Foreign Service together a task force to look at the are moving in the direction of greater definition of ‘Eligible Family their gay and lesbian flexibility when it comes to defining Member,’ and we sent a letter say- family and allocating benefits for ing that we applaud this.” colleagues. members of Foreign Service house- Stepping outside the confines of holds. And perhaps that flexibility will the Foreign Service and diplomatic benefit the Service as well as the indi- convention, it would appear that the rapid rate of change viduals within it. in the American family calls for a flexible response in As one Foreign Service specialist puts it, “Why defining the terms “household” and “family.” should we make changes? The people who are willing Historian Stephanie Coontz, the author of The to buck the system and to encourage corporate Way We Really Are (Basic Books, 1997), tells the change are the same innovative, hard-working, policy- Journal, “Marriage has changed more in the last 30 driven people that any organization would like to keep years than in the previous 500. Marriage and the fam- within its ranks. By encouraging change, the depart- ily is not the package deal it used to be.” For exam- ment will help itself keep creative minds.” ■

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 27 FOREIGN SERVICE FIREFIGHT

AN FSO DESCRIBES A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH IRAQI INSURGENTS ON THE ROAD FROM BAGHDAD TO NAJAF.

BY PHILIP S. KOSNETT

arch 5, 2004. We were south- manager Grace, a DOD civilian (the only unarmed pas- bound on the main highway senger). Like everyone in the convoy, we wore ballistic from Baghdad to the Coalition vests and Kevlar helmets. In the trail car, another unar- Provisional Authority provincial mored Suburban, were Corporal “Zorro” and Sergeants headquarters in Najaf late on a “Alcon” and “Cuervo,” armed with Glocks, M-4s … and a Friday afternoon. Our three-car surprise. convoy carried six American Mpersonnel and a six-man Salvadoran personal security Afternoon Ambush detachment from a Spanish/Salvadoran base in the city. Ahead of us, “non-compliant elements” or “NCEs” — By agreement with the Salvadoran commander, his U.S.- a goofy new military acronym meaning “people still shoot- trained personal security team was assigned full-time to ing at us in Iraq” — had attacked and disabled a truck, protect us. The Cuscatlan Battalion, based in Najaf, is the leading to a frenzy of looting by motorists who had best in the Salvadoran army, as we were soon to learn. stopped along the road, filling the highway with pedestri- Contract admin officer Lionel, a recently-retired 82nd ans. As we approached the scene, Lionel radioed the Airborne NCO, was driving the lead car, an unarmored trailing vehicles to stay close and stay sharp. We had to Chevy Suburban. He had his own AK-47 next to the seat slow down from our usual 100 mph to negotiate the and (along with everyone in the convoy save one) a Glock crowd, whereupon shooters popped up on both sides of 9mm sidearm. Beside him was the “shotgun seat” shoot- the road, from at least two cars a hundred meters apart on er, our USAF staff sergeant Arabic linguist Sam, armed our left, and from behind a berm farther up on the right. with an MP-5 machine pistol. In the right rear seat was They opened fire with AK-47s on full auto, shooting wild- our civilian contractor information technology officer ly (“spray and pray”). Mike, armed with a folding-stock AK-47, designed to be Lionel increased speed to lead us through the ambush. easy to maneuver inside a vehicle. In the left rear seat was Of the three shooters in the lead car, Mike was the first to a Salvadoran sergeant nicknamed “Tauro,” armed with an return fire. He drew a bead on the guys behind the berm M-4 — the short-stock carbine version of the M-16, also on the right and unloaded a full 30-round magazine, effec- good for use inside vehicles. tively suppressing their fire (i.e., they dove for cover). The second vehicle was a fully armored Ford Mike then suffered our only injury — in his haste he had Excursion, with Private “German” driving and the detach- steadied the AK against the wrong shoulder, his left, and ment commander, Sergeant First Class “Gato,” in the the brass cartridge casings consequently hit him in the right hand seat. Both were armed with M-4s. I was in the chin, producing a little blood. Only later did he figure out middle seat. In the rear seat were Rick, then the gover- why he was bleeding. norate coordinator (the senior CPA official in the In the “hard car,” I was looking the wrong way and saw province; I was his deputy) and our development program nothing when the shooting started, but Rick saw the first

28 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 team of NCEs on the left pop out of their car and raise he would have to pay for the windshield, horrifying him their rifles. The distinctive pop-pop sound of multiple until he realized we were kidding.) Meanwhile, Tauro and AKs started up, but although I’d heard and even fired AKs Alcon were blazing away through side windows with their on the range, my brain refused to accept reality until Rick M-4s. shouted, “They’re shooting at us!” Since we couldn’t fire Mini-Me claimed one confirmed kill (I’ll spare you the back through the bullet-resistant windows, Rick, Grace description) and two probables; Lionel saw them go down and I hit the floor of the truck. hard in the rear-view mirror as enemy tracers continued to I could see nothing but truck flooring but here’s what I pass the vehicles on both sides. Still lying on the floor, I heard: A steady drumbeat of AK fire. Gato shouting felt the hard car vibrate as the right front tire disintegrat- orders over the radio in ed. We rolled on through the Spanish. Lionel on the radio, ambush and continued for per- asking if we were OK. Here’s haps two or three kilometers. what I smelled: burning tire NCE, a goofy new military By now all three of our and the sulfurous odor of gun- vehicles were running on three powder. acronym, stands for “non- good tires and one wheel rim. All three cars had now lost a It was enemy doctrine in such tire on the right side. Evident- compliant elements” — in other situations to pursue escaping ly the NCEs had planned to vehicles to finish them off. cripple the vehicles with fire words, the people still shooting at Lionel observed that the heavy from the berm on the right and Excursion had slowed to about finish us off with fire from the us in Iraq. 60 mph and was unable to left and left rear. Our right keep up. Demonstrating self- front tire had been hit but less courage, he turned the German maintained control lead car around and radioed us even as the tire shredded. Then the pop-pop of the to stop and form a perimeter. 7.62mm AK’s slacked off, replaced by another sound from All southbound civilian traffic had stopped a couple our trail car: the zip of a 5.56mm light machine gun. hundred meters up the road from us and traffic was begin- ning to back up all the way to Baghdad. Unlike rubber- Mini-Me Strikes Back neckers at your ordinary highway accident, the north- The enemy was used to seeing CPA and other civilian bound drivers took one look at our little band across the vehicles with riflemen poised to pump out fire from the median and hit the accelerator. sides. However, the rear is usually the weak spot of a CPA With Gato and Lionel directing the defense, the six convoy (unlike a military convoy, which will have a Salvadorans went prone on the road and on the shoulder humvee or other heavily armed combat vehicle bringing looking back at northbound traffic, waiting for the NCEs up the rear). So we think they were surprised when the to come up on us from behind. Everybody, including the sergeant the other Salvadorans called Cuervo, but whom civilians, was calm and businesslike — until Mini-Me, the Americans had dubbed “Mini-Me” (from the Austin repositioning, tripped, dropped his SAW in the dirt, and Powers movies) — a runty, shaven-headed guy with a gold did a header. Black-clad, he looked like a Mayan bowling tooth and a scary grin — opened up with disciplined, sus- ball rolling down the shoulder, and those who happened tained Squad Automatic Weapon fire through the rear to catch this sight couldn’t help but laugh despite our cir- window of the trail car. He fired two full belts — 200 cumstances. He laughed, too, shy and embarrassed, rounds — at the 12 or more guys now firing at us from before recovering his weapon and resuming his position. behind, with such careful aim that he shot only a small cir- Sam, with his MP-5, knelt on the west side of the vehi- cular hole through the rear windshield. (We later told him cles, scanning some mud huts and intermittent traffic on a dirt road a couple of hundred meters away. I couldn’t Philip S. Kosnett, a 20-year FSO, was detailed to the see Mike, who was covering the east with his AK. Lionel Coalition Provincial Authority in Iraq as deputy gover- and Rick, weapons at the ready, were using satellite norate coordinator for Najaf. He is now the coordinator phones to call for help and warn coalition forces of the (the senior CPA official) in the province. He has also danger. And I was kneeling in the dirt on the south side served in Ankara, Nagoya, The Hague, Pristina and of our position, covering the traffic coming from the south Washington, D.C. with my sidearm in case the NCEs had another team in

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 29 place to swoop in while all our fire- The wait seemed to last a very power was pointed in the other long time, and my sidearm felt very direction. The Cuscatlan small. Let me be clear: I was not enjoy- After maybe 15 minutes, I was ing this. I was intensely aware that Battalion, based in relieved to see two U.S. soldiers in the first time in my life I had fired a full battle rattle with M-16s come up handgun was in the Diplomatic Najaf, is the best and join me looking south. A couple Security Iraq course two months of humvees full of Signals troops had earlier. I had fired a total of maybe in the Salvadoran army, happened upon us and stopped to 40 rounds that day in West Virginia help. By now, we were pretty sure and subsequently at the firing range as we were soon the NCEs were not coming back, in Najaf. I had no illusions about my having lost any ardor for pursuit after ability to hit a moving car or a con- to learn. Mini-Me opened up. A couple of cealed sniper with a pistol. I knew our guys got out jacks and started to that if a carload of bad guys came change tires. Grace, unarmed, was zipping up the road with AKs hang- quite rightly still sitting in the “hard ing out the windows, the car,” complaining about best I might manage not having a weapon. would be to get off some I asked her if she wanted rounds in the right direc- to take some photos and tion to alert the Salva- she jumped out with my dorans to the threat to our digital camera and start- rear. ed snapping away. Then a group of vehi- cles approached at high speed from the north, weaving through the tangled mass of stopped Iraqi civilian traffic, and jumped the median to roar south in the north- bound lane. The G. Navas Salvadorans drew a bead on them as they neared … but it was another party of CPA participants from the conference we’d gone to in Baghdad, on their way home to the regional base at Hilla. Their person- al security detail jumped out to strengthen the perimeter, which was now feeling quite secure. After a brief consultation, Rick, Grace and I hopped into the Hilla-bound cars for the 30-minute drive there. Only after we were on the road did I realize that Mike, Sam, Lionel and the Salvadorans were staying behind to recover the vehicles. A wave of guilt hit me, even though I knew that

P. Kosnett P. they hardly needed me and my Left: The author after the ambush. Center: The group recovers at Hilla. sidearm to stay behind; in fact, Rick, Bottom: Checking the damage to the car. Grace and I were distractions.

30 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 At the heavily fortified Hilla Besides poor Iraqi marksman- camp, CPA security debriefed ship, I see two other reasons we sur- Grace, Rick and me while we were I have been counseled vived the attack. One was the sheer still fresh. I called my wife Alison in speed and firepower we demonstrat- North Carolina, catching her at her that my pink, Foreign ed — more than the enemy was used office. We prayed together for the to from a CPA convoy. Needless to rest of the team to make it safely to Service-issue, button- say, Lionel and Mike far exceeded Hilla. Almost immediately after I their work requirements as contract hung up, Lionel led our three vehi- down dress shirt is not a admin staff, and Rick nominated cles onto the compound. It turned them for Civilian Service medals. out that shortly after we had driven traditional choice He also nominated the Salvadorans off, an MP patrol had come on the for the Bronze Star, one of America’s scene, securing the perimeter along for battlefield most distinguished decorations. with the Signals team until the tires But in my view, the most impor- were changed. So they had been in camouflage. tant factor was divine intervention. good hands. Either you believe in this or you don’t. I do. Lessons Learned I also offer the following lessons We started slapping backs and for the 21st-century diplomat based counting the bullet holes in all three door of the hard car head on and on our experience: vehicles. The ones in the “soft” cars been stopped by the armor. Had the 1. If you are ever offered fire- should have disabled the drivers and vehicle been unarmored, it would arms training, take it. Then go find caused everyone’s death; somehow, likely have hit the person sitting a range and practice. they had struck glancingly or buried there, who happened to be me 2. If you are ever offered evasive themselves in the doorframes or (though I may have already been on driving training, take it. To my utter roofs. One had hit the passenger the floor by the time that bullet hit). amazement, somebody decided that

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 31 Foreign Service personnel would safe with them. (Besides the odd never need to drive in Iraq and firefight, these guys have stared dropped driver training from the DS We later told him he down mobs for us.) They told us, Iraq course; in fact, I and other CPA also not for the first time, that they FSOs have been behind the wheel in would have to pay for were proud to work with us and mixed CPA/military convoys, which would willingly die to protect us. We takes some practice. More to the the windshield, responded with Patton’s well-known point, if a driver is disabled every line about how you’re not supposed passenger must be prepared to take horrifying him until he to die for your country; you’re sup- over. And let’s not sugar-coat what posed to make the other guys die for that could mean: it could mean realized we were their country. The squad found this climbing over the seat to shove a quite funny. wounded or dead driver aside. kidding. Then Gato, who had been 3. If you have the option of wear- wounded in action as a teenage sol- ing earth tones to a firefight, take it. dier fighting communist guerrillas in I have been counseled that my pink the 1980s, told us that he and his Foreign Service-issue, button-down men were in Iraq to fight for peace, dress shirt was not a traditional The regional Women’s Programs and they hoped Iraq would become choice for battlefield camouflage. Coordinator, Fern Holland, rushed a nation at peace. He added that out along with her local assistant they were especially pleased to be Afterward … Salwa Oumashi to offer hugs and supporting the U.S., which had done The rest of the day was anticli- sodas. We last saw Fern late in the so much to end terror and support mactic. It was too late to drive on to evening sorting piles of children’s democracy in El Salvador. Gato Najaf before dark (plus the cars books for delivery to schools. Bob might barely have heard of Iraq a needed repairs and new spare tires), Zangas, a media development officer year earlier. He doesn’t have the so we arranged to stay overnight at (and a Marine Reservist who had most nuanced view of geopolitics. the Hilla HQ, a converted hotel. We fought in the liberation of Iraq, then But at that moment I would happily had a steak dinner with real silver- sought a CPA job so he could help to have put Gato on CNN or BBC to ware. The hotel even had a bar, rebuild the country), joined us in the explain the concepts of good and evil where the Salvadorans joined us to bar. to the talking heads who have for- drink Corona, shoot pool, watch a When Grace had gone off to her gotten. little baseball on the Armed Forces hotel room for the night, the rest of Safely back in Najaf four days Network, and analyze the day’s the team gathered in a cozy later, we learned from Kiké that events. There was no macho postur- bunkroom of our own and prepared Fern, Salwa, and Bob had been ing; we all knew we’d been lucky. I to sack out. It was a real bonding ambushed and murdered on the found a few quiet minutes to sit experience with the Salvadorans. Karbala-Hilla road. They were the alone on the hotel balcony looking None of them spoke more than a first CPA civilians to die in Iraq. down on the palm trees and the couple words of English; three of Their deaths hit the Najaf team moonlit Euphrates — through a our team had good Spanish but for hard, in part because we knew them, screen of RPG netting — and call the rest of us, the relationship was and in part because of the reminder my wife again. Throughout the built on pidgin and hand signals. of how close to death we had also evening, our Hilla-based friends and Over a final quiet drink in the come on the highway. But we also co-workers searched us out to offer bunkroom (the Salvadorans aren’t grieved because Fern, Salwa and congratulations and commiseration. supposed to drink in Iraq; please Bob had devoted themselves to Our good Spanish Army friend, don’t tell their colonel we made helping Iraqis build a foundation for Major “Kiké,” had experienced two them, although he is intensely proud peace and freedom in their torment- ambushes of his own in previous of them for bringing honor on the ed country. weeks, and it was a running joke that Salvadoran Army and might look the We grieved. Then we got back to nobody wanted to ride with bad-luck other way — once), we told them, work. Kiké. So his first words to me that not for the first time, that we were I am very proud of what we are evening were, “Phil, this time it’s not proud to have such professionals on trying to accomplish here, and proud my fault!” our team, and that we always felt of the people around me. ■

32 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 S PECIAL R EPORT

NEW HIRES AND THE FOREIGN SERVICE

THE NEW GENERATION IS READY TO CONTRIBUTE. HERE’S WHAT THEY NEED IN RETURN.

BY SHAWN DORMAN

he Foreign Service today resembles In order to gain a sense of the “new generation” of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s boa con- employees and their expectations from the Foreign strictor that swallowed the elephant, Service, we sent out a survey to a recent A-100 class and to as a huge influx of employees hired the 7,500 subscribers to the AFSA e-mail listserve, asking under the State Department’s for input from new hires who entered the Foreign Service Diplomatic Readiness Initiative and between 2001 and the present. The purpose of the survey the USAID New Entry Professional was to collect anecdotal input about issues of concern to program begin to work their way through the system. those who have come into the FS in recent years: the sur- TApproximately one-third of all current State Department vey was not a scientific study of their views. We also held Foreign Service employees and one-fourth of all USAID a focus group for new employees studying at the Foreign employees have been hired since 1998. There is great Service Institute: five female State Department officers hope that the “digestion” of so many new employees will who entered the Service in 2003 attended to share their result in greater health and vitality for the State views and those of their peers. Department and USAID, both of which suffered severe The survey drew responses from 57 Foreign Service staffing cuts in the 1990s. employees from State and USAID, including many joining The “new generation” is, of course, not a generation at as a second career. The respondents were about equally all, but a highly diverse group of employees. So why try to split between men and women. The group included 34 say anything about them as a group? Because, as a group, married employees, 18 single employees and five part- they make up a large portion of today’s Foreign Service nered employees. Seven respondents were from USAID and the future of the Foreign Service depends on them. and seven were specialists. All but a few of the respon- Most incoming A-100 classes at State are still composed of dents are currently serving overseas, most on their first more men than women, but by a much smaller margin Foreign Service assignment, and a few on their second. than a decade ago. The January 2004 class actually had About half the respondents said we could use their names more women than men. The median age for State A-100 and half preferred not to be identified by name. classes during the past few years is 30 or 31, and the age Overall, the new hires expect to be treated as profes- range of most classes runs from 22 to 56. In most classes, sionals and not as “junior officers.” The term “Junior about one-third to one-half are married. Most new hires Officer” is being replaced by “Entry-Level Professional” come in with extensive work experience, which is not a (State) and “New Entry Professional” (USAID) in the lex- particularly new phenomenon. icon, which will be welcomed but not necessarily accom- panied by a concurrent change in the realities of being an Shawn Dorman, a former Foreign Service political officer, is untenured employee. associate editor of the Foreign Service Journal and editor of The degree to which family satisfaction with the the AFSA book, Inside a U.S. Embassy. Foreign Service and spouse employment opportunities

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 33 play a role in this generation’s com- sought during the selection process, mitment to the Service cannot be and what is actually valued and overstated. New hires from all The degree to which used on the job.” Another notes, “I groups expect their agencies to pay expected USAID to be more in tune close attention to spousal employ- spouse employment with the needs of its staff serving ment issues, and to actively support overseas. The reality is that the efforts to expand opportunities for opportunities play a role Foreign Service is less caring than spouses overseas. the consulting companies with which Today’s entering employees want in this generation’s I worked prior to joining the FS. I to be recognized for their achieve- have been surprised by the depth of ments and promoted not on the basis commitment to the bureaucracy and paperwork. … of bureaucratic time-in-class restric- Often when a document is released it tions, but on merit. They support Service cannot be is nothing but pages of meaningless worldwide availability and believe jargon; all meat has been stripped everyone should enter the Service overstated. away.” worldwide available, but this does not mean they are all willing to go Describe your impression of anywhere at any time. They do not the Foreign Service culture. believe that joining the Foreign How does it differ from what you Service is necessarily a lifetime com- every cone but her own during her thought it would be? mitment, though most of them first two tours, and she remains opti- Impressions of the culture were express a strong desire to stay in for a mistic about the career. “The highly varied. Some were positive, full career if things go well. Foreign Service has largely fulfilled such as this one from a management my expectations,” she says. “The officer in Kuwait: “I am pleasantly How has the reality of joining work is exciting and challenging and surprised by how well-adapted most the Foreign Service differed there are many opportunities to FS employees are to dealing with from your expectations? explore different cultures and places both the culture of the State Most survey respondents wrote that I would not normally experi- Department and to the culture of the that the reality of joining the Foreign ence.” country of their assignment.” But Service did not differ significantly Patrick Wingate, a consular offi- significant concerns were raised, as from what they had expected. A cer, was pleasantly surprised by the well. Three main issues arose: disap- first-tour officer doing consular work reception he got coming in to the pointment with an oppressive in Seoul notes diplomatically that, Service. “My partner and I have bureaucracy and conformist atti- “The job may have been advertised both received overwhelming social tudes, concern from specialists at as more glamorous than it is.” The acceptance of our relationship,” he State about unequal status with gen- key recurring concern raised by State writes. “Unfortunately, the institu- eralists, and the belief that the new generalists outside the consular cone tion and current regulations do make hires will change the culture of the is the requirement for most to serve us feel like second-class members of Service for the better. for two or more years in consular the Foreign Service on issues like Justin Crevier, a management positions before serving in their family security and family equality. officer serving in Nouakchott, career cone. This is a sensitive issue, The disparity in both is a real issue, describes the Foreign Service cul- as everyone acknowledges that adju- and will damage the esprit de corps ture this way: “It seems like an dicating visa applications is critical of the Service in the future if it is not unhappy marriage between the mili- national security work. But not addressed.” tary (very planning- and procedure- everyone wants to do it. Two USAID officers serving in oriented) and academia (very little A public diplomacy officer serving Egypt expressed serious disappoint- organization, promotion based on in London points out, “I didn’t ment with their early tours with intellectual ability rather than expect to wait up to five years to USAID. One explains that “a major demonstrated leadership ability), work in the job I signed up for.” disappointment for me and many of with the added complication of hav- Political officer Shannon Nagy — my junior officer colleagues has been ing a need for consensus built into currently general services officer for the disconnect between the kinds of almost every decision.” Embassy Cotonou — will serve in skills that USAID appeared to have Several respondents raised the

34 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 concern that the culture of the “The vast majority of Foreign Service tandem couple, points out that for Foreign Service treats specialists as officers have been beaten down by tandem couples, “There is a subtle second-class embassy citizens. “I an oppressive bureaucracy for so assumption that the husband’s career thought the culture would be more long that they have become apathet- is more important, that it’s okay to inclusive but find there are many ic and risk-averse. It is sad to see the send him ahead and let the wife take divisions and hierarchies that exist talents of so many capable officers care of pack-out and everything else. between cones, generalist vs. spe- being squandered by an inefficient It’s unstated, but I don’t think people cialist, regional differences, etc.,” bureaucracy that does not reward realize that modern families operate says Kerri Hannan, a public diplo- individual initiative and creativity.” as a unit.” macy officer now serving in New “[The Service] is fairly con- “We will change the culture,” is a Delhi. A facilities maintenance spe- formist,” notes one of four new hires common refrain from new hires. As cialist writes from a post in Latin commenting from Seoul. “It seems expressed in the focus group and America that, “Specialists are hired like the tenuring and up-or-out sys- through the survey, they assess their because they have a specialty — tems encourage people to go with significance in terms of sheer num- they have vast, valued experience in the flow. This stifles new ideas at bers. “The large influx from the their field. It’s discomfiting to find times and can be especially discour- DRI will cause the FS culture to that FS generalists believe them- aging to the newer people coming change over the next several years,” selves to be more important to the into the FS who have prior work writes a single, male economic offi- mission than specialists, and act this experience.” cer in Asia. “I believe for the bet- way. We had no clue this was the In the focus group session, the ter.” A management officer who case before joining the Foreign participants expressed frustration joined in 2004 notes that, “I can tell Service.” with a culture they see as assuming that the Foreign Service culture is in Speaking about a culture of there is a spouse free to handle all the process of some major changes. bureaucracy at State, a management family matters — usually the woman. My class is about as diverse as I had officer serving in Asia writes that, Sara Lechtenberg Kasten, part of a hoped, and I get the impression

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 35 from old-timers that this was not criticized their agency for not being always the case.” family-friendly enough, and for “I’ve been a bit disappointed in Today’s employees want offering fewer benefits than State. the culture. There appears to be a There was quite a wide divide well-established tradition of assum- to be recognized for their between expectations of single and ing that just because one is a junior married State employees. Married officer one is incapable of doing cer- achievements and employees with children generally tain things. This is exceptionally called for more help from State on unfortunate as the vast majority of promoted not on the family issues, while a strong majority my JO colleagues are very accom- of single officers complained that plished people and are joining the FS basis of bureaucratic State is too family-friendly. One offi- as a second or third career,” says an cer calls State “disgustingly family- economic officer who joined in 2001 time-in-class restrictions, friendly.” The single employees and is back at FSI. point out that State leaves them at a Not everyone saw problems with but on merit. disadvantage when it comes to bid- the culture. “FS culture is dynamic, ding, vacation time and housing. A progressive and filled with individu- few single employees noted that they als who are absolutely committed to understand the special treatment for advancing and promoting U.S. poli- families, but would like to be com- cies,” says Jennifer Schaming-Ronan, pensated in other ways for being dis- a public diplomacy officer serving in Would you describe your advantaged. In addition, many Cotonou. “I don’t think the FS is agency as “family-friendly”? What respondents noted that their agency resistant to change, as is a common do you think family-friendly is family-friendly toward “traditional” concern. In fact, I think the FS is should mean? families only, not employees with going through a period of tremen- Most respondents said State was partners. dous change and is becoming an doing fairly well in the family-friend- The focus group discussion with even more flexible workplace.” ly category. USAID respondents female FSOs highlighted a strong desire for flexibility in the system to allow for “a balanced life.” As politi- cal officer Della Cavey explains, “We DRI & the New Generation are a new generation of diplomats The Diplomatic Readiness Initiative brought in thousands of eager officers who come from non-traditional back- with a broad range of talents, skills and experiences, all of them dedicated to grounds. Our diversity is our government service abroad in a post-9/11 world. As someone who started the strength and we bring a lot to the Foreign Service as a new career, not a first one, I was glad to train with these table. We should be allowed to grow people, rather than the Service one ambassador described as the organization and prosper as individuals so that, in he joined twenty-some years ago; male, pale and Yale. It will be interesting to turn, that wisdom and strength can see if the effort pays off with similar attrition rates to those of the past, or if the permeate throughout our careers.” bright-eyed, fledgling officers of today have too little patience for incompetence She adds that, “This is a dream job and bureaucratic inefficiency (I have been very surprised by the number of times for me. I think this is a great institu- I’ve heard, “That may be a good idea, but it would never work in the State tion, and I really see myself here for Department, so just make the best of the existing process.”). The post- 30 years if I can make a well-bal- Generation X recruits of any organization are known to have little loyalty to any anced life.” single employer without personal fulfillment (and admittedly, perhaps little The focus group participants respect for seniority for its own sake). While my experience with the Foreign pointed out that if the FS wants to Service so far in my first tour has been quite positive, I know more than a few retain the greater number of women officers in a variety of cones and geographic bureaus who are highly qualified it has brought in in recent years, it is and good at their jobs but who admit they are disenchanted enough with the going to have to do better to accom- State Department “culture” that they plan to quit after being tenured. That would modate the demands of women be too bad for those of us who may remain in the Foreign Service. employees who are also mothers. — Jeff Mazur, a political officer serving in an economic position in Lagos They say that they share with their colleagues high hopes that the DRI

36 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 generation — what Cavey refers to as Unfortunately, it appears my have felt that people with family con- “a tidal wave” — will help bring employer won’t grant me the same cerns often get first ‘dibs’ on the greater flexibility to the system. chance and let me take a leave of ‘nicest’ assignments.” Succinctly summing up the opin- absence so we can put her career “It’s always the married-with-kids ions of many respondents, human first after this tour. It’s all about com- people who get to go home for the resources officer Cassandra Hamblin promise. If I put my career first for holidays and the single person who is writes: “To me, ‘family-friendly’ is a a few years, my spouse will want to assigned duty,” writes Rachel Sch- work/life balance supported by put her career first for a few years. neller from Skopje. upper management with resources It’s only fair and natural.” “State is family-friendly to the and programs targeted at all types of Here is a sampling of the respons- point of being exclusively concerned families.” es from single employees: with the nuclear family model. It Here are a few more comments “Coming from 20 years in the pri- should also put a greater focus on on what new hires want family- vate sector, I feel State is disgusting- singles,” says a female officer with a friendly to mean: ly family-friendly,” says a single, male partner. “Family-friendly to me means economic officer headed to Asia. “It appears that families get prior- doing everything possible to ensure “Maybe it’s because spouses are so ity in almost every consideration over that one’s quality of life is enhanced much more vocal than spouses in the people without kids. ... I was told in by the ability to respond to family private sector, but I can’t believe how orientation that childless people are needs — regardless of how ‘family’ is much attention is paid to family expected to ‘deal with it’ so the defined,” says Douglas Sun, a part- issues and how much complaining department benefits as a whole,” says nered political officer in Taipei. about it still goes on.” a management officer in Latin “Family-friendly means reason- “State seems very family-friendly America. able work hours of 50 hours or less — perhaps too much so, as it is clear “USAID is much less family- per week,” says Deidra Avendasora, a that family considerations trump all friendly than we expected, especially married public diplomacy officer in others in the bidding and assignment after all the discussions we had on this London. “It means assistance with process,” says a male consular officer back at orientation,” says a USAID day care, adoption and maternity/ serving in the Middle East. “The fact officer serving in Egypt. “There are paternity leave. It means adequate that I’ll soon be married and benefit many differences in the benefits and schooling and spousal employment from the system does not make it compensation that we receive com- options. It means providing health good department policy.” pared to what officers from State and dental services. It means “The FS does quite a bit to sup- receive. I am referring to student encouraging employees to attend port officers with families. What sur- loan repayments, FSI spousal lan- important family events such as par- prises me, given the fact that almost guage training, FSI spousal area stud- ent-teacher conferences or wed- 70 percent of my A-100 class was sin- ies, business class travel and reim- dings.” gle, is that posts do not do more to bursement of new hire expenses — all “Family-friendly is the ability to recruit single people. Every post benefits new hires at State get, but we quickly integrate family members profile I looked at in the Overseas do not get at USAID.” into overseas settings, taking care of Briefing Center contained a myriad their health and safety, and ensuring of information about schools, spousal Do you expect your spouse/ that good schools and job and volun- employment, family life at post — partner to have a career? Will teer opportunities are readily avail- very few contained any information spouse employment options play able,” says Jennifer Schaming- about what it would be like to serve a significant role in determining Ronan. “The key to being family- as a single person,” says Mike Snyder, how long you stay in the Foreign friendly is simply being responsive to a single management officer heading Service? the needs and concerns of families. to Moldova. The issue of spouse employment A little attention goes a long way.” “I think the department is very is a key concern for new hires, many “Family-friendly means being family-friendly,” says Danna Brenn- of whom come in with partners who flexible,” says a male consular officer an, a single public diplomacy officer are professionals expecting if not a who joined in 2002. “My wife is on a currently serving in Dhaka. “As a traditional career, then at a mini- two-year leave of absence from her result, the department has a tenden- mum, a job that utilizes their training job in D.C. Luckily her employer is cy to neglect the needs of single and experience. By about a 4-to-1 flexible enough to allow for that. FSOs. … In the bidding process, I margin, employees of all types said

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 37 they expect their spouses to have a or not to stick with the Foreign career. They want their agencies to Service. do more on this issue, but many Married employees with “The lack of support for unmar- admit there is no simple solution. ried officers with partners as well as A March 27 International Herald children generally called spousal employment is a huge Tribune article, “Trailing Spouses’ morale issue for me and other offi- Job Needs Start to Get More Com- for more help from State cers,” writes Kerri Hannan, “espe- pany Time,” cites corporate surveys cially since the makeup of the FS has that show that “almost half of spous- on family issues, while a changed so drastically. Often spous- es of overseas employees have their es are just as qualified, or more, to own jobs and their unwillingness to strong majority of single serve in the FS but choose not to. give these up is an increasing imped- What options are they given over- iment to mobility.” officers complained that seas?” Societal changes in America have “If my spouse does not have a pro- brought the Foreign Service a new State is too family- fessionally rewarding career, the generation of employees who are not Foreign Service will lose me,” says a accompanied by spouses willing to friendly. male, married officer serving in fill the “traditional” FS wife’s role as China. the supporting player who accepts a “The State Department has to Foreign Service life without individ- expect that nowadays professional, ual career aspirations. The agencies highly educated FSOs will be accom- may not have had retention problems panied by professional, highly edu- before, but with more women in the options, this problem may emerge cated spouses,” says a facilities main- Service and more spouses — male over the next decade as this genera- tenance specialist in Latin America. and female — demanding career tion of employees decides whether “Spousal employment is going to be important to many officers,” says a female officer in Seoul. “I can’t Gen Y expect the FS to provide my spouse The current Gen Y junior officers expect to have much more input into and with a job, but I feel strongly that at control over their career progression than my generation had. We were trained least work agreements have to be to do what we were told and to assume that ‘the System’ would do its best to pursued very hard so that my spouse turn us into wonderful diplomats. Today’s junior officers have a “show me the can accept local work when he man- money” approach to career management. They want to know up front what they ages to find it.” will be offered in terms of career training and they want to play a role in decid- “There are many spouses out ing what is best for them personally. …. The married officers I have worked there who have a strong desire to with all expect that the needs of their spouses will be treated with just as much work. That void needs to be filled respect and urgency as the needs of the officers. They do not plan to have the with something or the State two-level world we lived in, where the spouse is “just a spouse” and the officer Department is going to lose quali- is the only one visible to the HR system. fied, valuable employees,” says Ellen Today’s JOs have not signed up for life and tend to evaluate the prospects of Eiseman, an attorney who spent six FS life in terms of five years — not 25 years. This means that senior managers years as an FS accompanying spouse need to change the way they try to motivate junior officers. Talking to them before joining the Foreign Service as about job skills that will serve them well 20 years down the road is a waste of a consular officer. time. They want to know what they can do to get promoted in the next one to “I expect my husband to have a two years. Senior managers should not make the mistake of viewing this short- career. He has education, experience term approach as one that indicates a lack of dedication or commitment to the and the desire to work. I expect the goals and objectives of the FS. embassy to make its positions avail- — Ambassador Eileen Malloy, CG Sydney, who spent six months able to spouses whenever possible at working in the Director General’s office helping develop the DRI. Part of her reasonable wages. I expect quality research included focus group meetings with incoming employees. information about spousal employ- ment opportunities during post research. I would like to see job

38 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 search assistance at post. Spousal If our spouses are not happy with “If the FS is serious about hiring employment is a major factor in my the Foreign Service or satisfied with and retaining a diverse work force, family’s happiness and well-being, and their lives having no career path, maternity and paternity leave (with- is therefore key in determining my then we will probably have to quit out having to draw down sick leave) length of service,” says Deidra and move back to the States.” are crucial,” says USAID education Avendasora. officer Grace Lang. “USAID pro- “My wife has a Ph.D. and is The government does not gramming policy endorses exclusive overqualified for the types of jobs specifically provide for maternity breastfeeding for the first six months that the embassy sets aside for eligi- or paternity leave. Do you think of life. To make this possible for our ble family members,” explains a the alternative types of leave employees, women must often take USAID officer serving in Egypt. “It available are sufficient? leave without pay. This substitute for often feels like we’ve walked onto a More women than men expressed paid maternity leave is discriminato- military base from the 1950s, where concern about this issue. A few men ry, especially in households where the wives are all expected to host tea said that paternity leave should be the female employee is the bread- parties or go shopping for curtains, made more available to them. Many winner.” and where spouse employment women employees complained that means working as social planner for the requirement to use sick leave What does “worldwide avail- the community liaison office. Sorry, and/or annual leave to cover time off ability” mean to you? Do you but we are well-educated, modern, related to pregnancy and caring for a think all incoming FS employees smart people and don’t fit into that newborn creates a hardship, especial- should be worldwide available? lifestyle very well. Instead, many ly because of a requirement to leave Do you think most FS employees other junior officers and I talk on a post six weeks before the birth. New are worldwide available? How weekly basis about whether the FS is hires who get pregnant face a need for willing are you to accept an unac- right for us, simply because our leave that may not be met by the companied assignment? spouses cannot find meaningful jobs. amount they have accumulated. New hires sign a number of forms

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 39 agreeing to be available to serve much tied to worldwide availability, “There are many single women who worldwide. Almost all survey it is the employees with young chil- want to go to Baghdad,” says a mar- respondents agreed that Foreign dren who expressed a strong prefer- ried, female political officer heading Service employees should be world- ence not to serve at an unaccompa- to the Middle East. “If you want us wide available upon entry into the nied post. Several of them expressed to stay in for an entire career, let us Service. Yet almost all of them also a belief that worldwide availability work our own way up, in a way that agreed that not all FS employees are, should mean availability to serve in makes sense for us.” in fact, worldwide available. The difficult hardship posts but not nec- The focus group participants interpretations of what exactly world- essarily unaccompanied posts. In an stressed that flexibility was key. “Not wide availability should mean increasingly dangerous world — as every career needs to look the same. throughout a career varied greatly places like Saudi Arabia move to We have single females in our class depending on the employee’s family (possibly temporary) unaccompanied who are already in Baghdad and can and health status. In general, single status and as more employees are do that as single officers. But it’s not employees support a strict interpre- needed in unaccompanied posts such an option for me right now (with an tation of worldwide availability, and as Baghdad and Kabul — this issue 8-month-old baby). I will do my duty those with families want more flexi- may rapidly rise in significance to the when my country calls me when my bility. Service. child is a little older,” says Sara Many respondents noted that A view expressed by many survey Lechtenberg Kasten, heading to a worldwide availability must be respondents and by the focus group posting in Jordan. “Look at Powell’s looked at in relation to the individual participants is that worldwide avail- policy guidance,” she adds. “He’s say- employee’s situation. Several res- ability applies to the Foreign Service ing we’re not hiring the person, we’re pondents pointed out that “the corps as a whole, not necessarily all bringing on the whole family. It’s up Foreign Service is not the military.” individuals all the time. The diversi- to us to make sure that his policy On the question of serving at an ty of the employee pool should guidance is implemented.” unaccompanied post, an issue very ensure that all posts can be filled. Ellen Eiseman points out that

40 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 there are different kinds of hardship “Worldwide availability means I’ll posts, some that are okay for families go wherever my family can accompa- Bureaucracy and others that are not. “So send me ny me in relative safety,” says an In the days when many new to the ones that are okay for families. information management specialist FSOs were just out of college or at I’ll go. There’s a long list of posts that serving in Latin America. least young and without much are hard-to-fill.” “I have been apart from my fami- work experience, the “system” Others express similar views: ly (wife and three young children) for could get away with more. Now, “Worldwide availability should not six months,” says USAID FSO Brian when people coming in are older mean the same thing to all employees Conklin. “I was willing to accept the and have experience in the private at all ranks,” says a soon-to-be married situation because it was required. At sector, they simply cannot believe management officer serving in the same time, I feel like it is critical the bureaucracy they encounter. Europe. “I do not believe that direct- time lost with my kids that I will … There is a disconnect in this ing employees to post will benefit never recover. A two-year unaccom- sense: The new FS employees are either the FS or the U.S. government. panied assignment would not work held to high standards, as they The Service is full of people with dif- for my family or me at this time.” should be. However, the bureau- ferent family commitments. There is “Being ‘asked’ to serve an unac- cracy that supports them as they no harm in treating them differently. companied assignment would severely enter the Foreign Service often As a single man, I would (and did) test my commitment to the Foreign does not seem to be held to the serve anywhere I was asked to serve. Service, as not being separated is a same high standards. As a married man, I will expect more very high priority for my family,” says a — Mette Beecroft, who consideration. As a father, even more. male management officer with a explains travel and transportation This is an idea the military has used young child and a baby on the way. regulations to all State new hires, for years and one that makes sense. “Worldwide availability means both generalists and specialists. Some folks are better suited for some serving my country’s interests and my jobs than others.” family’s interests at the same time.

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 41 The Transition Center: Focusing on Life in the Foreign Service

n the pastoral setting of the Foreign Service Institute’s YSOS workshops mentioned earlier are the children’s equiv- grounds in Arlington, Va., you’ll find children outside alent of the well-known Security Overseas Seminar, which is Iduring the summer months, standing in a circle and a requirement for all foreign affairs employees going over- screaming at the top of their lungs. This is no cause for seas. (It is recommended that eligible family members take alarm — they are demonstrating their knowledge of what it, too.) The Advanced Overseas Seminar provides an to do if in a dangerous situation, something they’ve learned update to fulfill the five-year requirement. Other course by participating in the Youth Security Overseas Seminar, offerings include Regulations, Allowances, and Finances, which is sponsored by the Transition Center’s Training the ever-popular Protocol and U.S. Representation Abroad, Division. Communicating Across Cultures, and It’s all part of the Transition Realities of Foreign Service Life. Center’s focus on life issues in the The Career Transition Center pro- foreign affairs community. An orga- The OBC offers a depth vides training, counseling and other nizational unit within the Foreign assistance to those planning for Service Institute, the Transition and breadth of retirement. The CTC conducts two Center is unique in that it helps pre- flagship programs: the Job Search pare employees and their family information on overseas Program and the Retirement Planning members for effectiveness in the for- Seminar. In addition, the CTC offers a eign affairs community by facilitating life that is not available one-day Financial Management and transitions throughout — and after Estate Planning Seminar and a one- — their careers. elsewhere in a day seminar on Annuities, Benefits, More than 22,000 people visit the and Social Security, usually taken TC annually. Officially opened in centralized location. mid-career, far before retirement. 2000, the center brings together The CTC also maintains a Talent Bank under one roof three divisions that of employees and retirees who wish actually have been around for many to be informed of job leads developed years: the Overseas Briefing Center, the Foreign Affairs by the Center. The CTC sends a monthly electronic newslet- Training Division, and the Career Transition Center. The TC ter containing job leads compiled from numerous sources staff helps State Department specialists, junior officers, to all participants in the Talent Bank. ambassadors, its own Civil Service people, as well as peo- TC employees have lived and worked abroad in coun- ple from USAID, DEA, DOD, and all of these employees’ tries all over the world and pass on information and family members. knowledge from an insider’s perspective. The face-to- As the information and research arm of the TC, the face customer service the TC provides is enhanced by the Overseas Briefing Center offers materials for perusal on- information it offers electronically, via the Web, or site and also electronically. The OBC offers a depth and through the use of take-away products such as CDs, breadth of information for foreign affairs community mem- DVDs, and videos. bers not available elsewhere in a centralized location. In an Wherever you are in the world, at whatever stage of life informal, family-friendly setting, employees and authorized in the foreign affairs community you may find yourself, the visitors can browse through the information in country TC is ready to offer you guidance and resources. briefing boxes. Multimedia presentations, a collection of The Transition Center is open weekdays from 8:15 a.m. cultural guides, and a library of cross-cultural reference until 5:00 p.m. and on select Wednesday evenings and books are also available. A cornerstone of OBC publica- Saturdays. The Shultz Center is a controlled-access facili- tions is the Foreign Service Assignment Notebook: What ty, and non-State personnel and eligible family members Do I Do Now? must be properly enrolled or registered for site access. For Information gathering is only part of the process, how- more information, call (703) 302-7272 or visit http://www. ever, and this brings us back to the screaming kids. Offered state.gov/m/fsi/tc/. during the summer months for children in grades 2-12, the — Heidi Whitesell, Transition Center

42 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004

While our child is still in school, we “If there is a requirement to be expect to serve in countries that meet worldwide available, then it should her educational needs. Once she If the FS wants to retain be a hard-and-fast requirement,” leaves home, I expect to serve any- says a married economic officer. where I am needed,” says first-tour the greater number of “Unfortunately, this does not appear officer Lisa Swenarski de Herrara, to be the case. … It is widely from Jeddah. (Note: After Lisa women it has brought in, believed that if you know how to responded to the survey, her post ‘work the system’ you can avoid went on ordered departure, and she it is going to have to do doing a hardship tour. Tying promo- faces separation from her family.) tions to hardship service could fix Many employees, especially single better to accommodate this.” ones, expressed a sense of inequality “Worldwide availability means in how worldwide availability is inter- the demands of women worldwide availability,” says a man- preted and implemented. Here are a agement officer. “The department few of these comments: employees who are also sends out plenty of cables saying they “How can I say no to an unaccom- will make directed assignments, but panied assignment when I agreed to mothers. why am I here in Lagos with a dozen worldwide availability as part of the JOs and no middle management offi- employment agreement?” a female cers? The downside of refusing to management officer writes from a enforce our stated policy stares us in Latin American post. the face every day in Lagos.” “I don’t think the majority of FS utilized,” says Mike Snyder. “All “I think anyone joining the employees are really worldwide incoming FS employees should be Service should be worldwide avail- available. At best, single officers and worldwide available. Unfortunately, I able, including family members. specialists without great connections don’t think some officers have fully Otherwise, the rest of us are are worldwide available,” says a male digested what worldwide availability required to fill in at places we may consular officer in the Middle East. means when they enter the Service, not want to go,” says a single, female “Worldwide availability means I or feel their particular situations or economic officer. am willing to serve wherever the gov- skills somehow exclude them from “I don’t understand when I hear ernment feels my skills can best be true worldwide availability.” the talk about equity and hardship tours and then see people who have served three European tours in a row. If the department is serious Use Our Skills about people serving periodic hard- New Entry Professionals were hired by USAID for their advanced technical ship tours, the policy should be skills, analytical and creative abilities, and interpersonal communication facility. enforced across the board,” says a … Once we started working in our first and second tours overseas, however, single, female officer heading to we found that the actual work involves almost no technical knowledge, and no Asia. creativity or real analytical skills. We spend all of our days writing and review- “I have no problem for FSOs to ing bureaucratic documents to obligate small amounts of money into contracts, say they won’t go to certain posts and probably less than 10 percent of our time thinking about what's good for the because of family reasons, but those development of the country where we work. It appeared to me initially that I was that do go to those posts should be in the right place for me, once I got to know my new-hire colleagues during ori- better rewarded,” says a single, male entation and shortly thereafter. Since then, now that I have worked in USAID economic officer heading to Asia. missions for a few years, I question nearly every day why a person whose fortes “Worldwide availability must be are in creativity and analysis and cross-cultural communication spends his taken literally,” says single public entire working day inside his office writing tedious memos and participating in diplomacy officer Danna Brennan, boring meetings about bureaucratic issues only with other Americans. Only from Dhaka. “The department is because I hope that the situation will improve over time — as I move up the quite soft on this issue, in my opin- career ladder or into smaller missions — do I remain on this career path. ion. Worldwide availability means — USAID new entry professional that your family concerns should have little effect on the assignment

44 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 process. It is very distressing to those of us who have no family or medical concerns that certain peo- ple with such concerns will only ever be required to serve in modern, Western-style countries. There is a point at which the department must draw the line.”

Do you anticipate being asked to serve in Iraq in the next five years? Do you plan to serve in Iraq? Iraq poses a special concern, given that so many employees will need to serve there over the coming months and years. Almost all of the single survey respondents wrote that they would be willing to serve in Iraq. Some said they had volun- teered already. Respondents with families, not surprisingly, were not nearly as ready to volunteer. Only one married respondent said he had volunteered to serve in Iraq. About one out of three married respon- dents said they thought they would serve in Iraq. A number of married respondents said they would be will- ing to serve there once it becomes live better. an accompanied post. brand new luxury high rise : fully appointed one, one bed- “I don’t anticipate being asked to room dens and two bedroom corporate suites : state of the serve in Iraq, because there are so art fitness and business centers : heated outdoor lap pool : custom made mahogany furniture : fully equipped kitchens many people who are volunteering : luxury towels and linens : soft, firm or hypoallergenic pil- for it. I won’t volunteer due to a low selection : weekday club breakfast serving Starbucks® Coffee : afternoon Tazo® Tea : digital premium cable and promise I made to my folks, but if high speed internet : 27” and 20” sony wega tv and dvd : I’m sent then I would probably go sony cd stereo : free local phone : on-site management, maintenance, housekeeping : concierge services : walking rather than quit,” says a manage- distance to ballston common mall, ballston and virginia ment officer in Latin America. square metro stops Jennifer Schaming-Ronan notes that, “I anticipate that I may be called to serve in Iraq during the next few years. I think that serving in Iraq would provide an historic opportunity, and I believe many of my FS colleagues feel the same way.” From another perspective, korman communities arlington General Services Specialist Joseph CORPORATE SUITES Vasquez points out that he retired arlington, va 880 north pollard street from the military. “In the FS 866.korman.4 : kormancommunities.com world, serving in Iraq should be voluntary,” he says.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 45 Do allowances play a role in single female economic officer. your bidding decisions? “People in D.C. don’t have to wait 30 Most respondents said that By about a to 40 minutes in line for gas, experi- allowances — most significantly the ence fairly regular harassment from special compensation given for ser- 4-to-1 margin, the police, see polio and landmine vice at hardship posts — do play a victims everyday, etc. I find the role in bidding decisions, though in employees of all types work here in Africa interesting and most cases not the primary role. The will go to more African posts, but allowances issue has become severe- said they expect their hardship pay has to mean something ly clouded by the Washington locali- to make people bid on places like ty pay inequity for overseas employ- spouses to have Luanda.” ees. In the eyes of many FS employ- ees, the fact that non-senior-level a career. What percentage of your employees receive a 14-percent Foreign Service career do you locality pay adjustment while work- intend to serve overseas? ing in Washington in effect serves to Most responses ranged between cut differentials overseas by the same 70 and 80 percent, with no one amount. stating an intention to spend over A number of respondents raised “It is absolutely not fair that I have 50 percent of their career in the the Washington locality pay disparity to look for posts that have allowances U.S. as a primary concern that will influ- just to keep my salary competitive ence their future bidding decisions. with the normal job market, let alone The State Department has It appears that many of them did not with those who get 14 percent more mandated leadership and man- know about the locality pay issue just for living in Washington, D.C.,” agement training at all levels of when they submitted their bids for says a single political officer. “We the Foreign Service. Should first assignments. “I serve in a hard- should automatically have incentives supervisors’ leadership abilities ship post based on salary. Of course, given to us for living abroad under be mentioned in their annual learning that I make the same in the harsh circumstances and living employee evaluation reviews? Washington as I do in a 15-percent conditions that we do.” Should the supervisor’s subordi- differential post makes me think “Why should people in D.C. get a nates be polled on this subject twice about serving in those places,” locality pay that effectively makes my and their input considered for says a female FSO serving in a South 25-percent hardship post in reality a the rating? Asia post. 10-percent hardship post?” says a Almost all respondents gave enthusiastic “Yes” votes for leader- ship abilities being covered by the EER and for input from subordi- “Traditional” Families nates to be included in ratings for I think the State Department is extremely friendly toward traditional families, supervisors. Several USAID which to me means a male officer with a wife who has no career aspirations and respondents pointed out that the is content to stay at home with children, do volunteer work, or perform secre- USAID evaluation process already tarial work where she can get it. The Foreign Service is a very difficult lifestyle includes a 360-degree review por- for less traditional families, including tandem couples and officers with highly tion. educated spouses who want meaningful careers, not just clerical work as an An economic officer who previ- EFM. The State Department has failed completely to meet the needs of same- ously worked for a Fortune 20 com- sex couples. The new MOH policy is meaningless because it imposes no oblig- pany, writes: “One of the most sig- ations on the department to accommodate the needs of same-sex couples, and nificant weaknesses in the State it confers no actual benefits, rights or status on unmarried partners. The MOH EER process is the lack of some- policy has allowed the State Department to pretend that it is not discriminating thing similar to a 360-degree evalua- against same-sex couples while doing absolutely nothing to make their lives tion. It is embarrassing, frankly, that easier. there is so much talk about leader- — Management officer with a same-sex partner ship in the FS and that leadership isn’t really evaluated through the

46 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 feedback of those being led.” leadership at a myriad of levels,” “I sense in upper management a writes Patrick Wingate. “How can disdain for people management, a The allowances issue people be good leaders if those they feeling that their role is foreign poli- lead do not see them as good lead- cy, cultivating contacts, writing bril- has become severely ers?” liant cables and not making sure the people under them are mentored or clouded by the Do you plan to make the well managed,” writes a female eco- Foreign Service a career, and for nomic officer from a post in Africa. Washington locality how many years do you hope to “Training is crucial at all levels.” serve? What is the most impor- Public diplomacy officer Rachel pay inequity for tant factor in whether or not you Schneller writes from Skopje that, “I make the Foreign Service a strongly support subordinate input overseas employees. career, and what is the number- for supervisors. Talented and dedi- one issue your agency should pay cated supervisors may not be getting attention to in order to keep you the recognition they have earned in the Foreign Service? and poor supervisors are not getting Conventional wisdom tells us that the training they need.” this generation is not as loyal to an “360-degree review is critical,” Management in the FS is spotty at employer as were past generations. writes Kerri Hannan. “More officers best. The FS must focus on training However, most respondents said are coming with a private sector managers.” they hoped and planned to make the background and demand better Some respondents were sur- Foreign Service a long-term career. supervision, leadership and training prised that leadership ratings were A majority cited a number between opportunities mirroring what they not already included in the supervi- 15 and 25 years as their anticipated had in the private sector. sor EER form. “The FS is all about length of service.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 47 By far the most frequently stated that are more commensurate with factors in determining whether or our level of ability. Life, including not an employee will stay in the FS Single employees one’s career in the FS, did not begin were tied to family concerns and on the first day of A-100. A more spouse employment. “Spousal support a strict reasonable and equitable assign- employment options make up the ment process, particularly for enter- single most important factor in deter- interpretation of ing FSOs, would serve the country mining how long I stay in the Foreign much better than the current ‘boot Service,” says political officer worldwide availability, camp’ mentality.” Shannon Nagy. Unmarried respon- Echoing that sentiment, a female dents with partners want recognition and those with families consular officer writes that, “The and benefits for their partners. number-one issue is making good Other issues and concerns raised want more flexibility. use of the talents, skills and interests were the need for: better manage- of FS officers, especially the new ment and leadership, less bureaucra- hires who need to have a good expe- cy, transparency in the assignment rience early in their careers in order process, a good promotion system, to stay committed to a life in the the ability to make a positive contri- FS.” And a male economic officer bution, intellectual stimulation and USAID officers said they want to see writes, “I wish the FS would do a challenge, respect, and adequate liv- a better use of their skills earlier in better job of getting people with ing and working conditions. Several their careers. Many disagree with experience into positions where they employees who joined the FS fol- the current norm of serving for two could use that experience. I can’t lowing a full career elsewhere point- to four years outside their career believe I will be doing two years of ed out that the retirement age would cone before being assigned a posi- consular work when I have so much be the limiting factor for their FS tion in their cone. experience with economic develop- career. No respondent indicated “The idea of ‘paying dues’ needs ment in the developing world.” that money was the most important to be changed,” says political officer Fairness and equity were other factor, though many did point out Douglas Sun. “Those of us with 10 themes raised by many respondents. that they had taken a pay cut to join to 15 years of work experience and USAID employees expressed con- the Foreign Service. education in the real world outside cern about the plans to bring in mid- Many State generalists and the FS need to be matched with jobs level “limited-term appointment” employees. The worry is that this group will be able to convert to career status without going through A Family Decision the regular, slow promotion process I believe that the State Department is trying to be more family-friendly and to get to mid-level positions. has made significant progress. However, it still has a long way to go. The gov- Following are some representa- ernment must understand that the commitment to be in the Foreign Service is a tive comments: family decision. We make that commitment knowing the challenges that the “My spouse’s employment Foreign Service lifestyle presents to families, but at the same time, we expect the options will be the main factor in State Department to try and alleviate some of those challenges to the maximum determining how long I will stay in extent possible. Instead, we often find that the department is slow to react and the FS,” says a male consular officer does not place a priority on family issues. A standard delay of three to six in Europe. months for a spouse to start working at post places a heavy strain on a Foreign “As in the private sector, if some- Service family and negatively contributes to overall post morale. I absolutely one is capable and promotable, they believe that the State Department has a responsibility to assist spouses with should be promoted at the earliest employment. Many Foreign Service families consist of two working profes- possible opportunity,” writes an eco- sionals who are both seeking satisfactory employment and compensation. … nomic officer who came to the FS They expect a certain sensitivity on the part of the State Department and an from the private sector. “They effort to provide meaningful opportunities at post. should not be subject to somewhat — Political officer Shannon Nagy arbitrary time-in-grade require- ments. … If someone is a capable

48 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 leader and manager, promote them. Don’t tell them, ‘Hey, you’re great, but we can’t promote you because Almost all of the It’s Still Better you haven’t been an FS-3 for X num- My spouse will probably teach ber of years.’ Where I come from, single survey wherever she can, and work on that’s a sure recipe for losing good things like Web-site design and employees to competitors.” respondents say public affairs whenever possible. “Freedom of action and decision- It's not easy on her, but we will in making authority as a mid-level offi- that they would be the long run do better in terms of cer,” is the main factor that will benefits, pay and life experience determine whether one consular willing to serve with me in the FS than we would in officer serving in the Middle East the corporate rat race in the U.S. will remain in the Foreign Service. in Iraq. with both of us working (and I He notes that he could return to mil- have an MBA from a decent itary service, observing that “JOs school). I think that the whole “I these days have many options, some could do so much better in the quite a bit more lucrative than State corporate world but am nobly sac- can offer, so eliminating a lot of the rificing myself for the good of bad management and bureaucracy USAID Education Officer Grace American diplomacy” line of whin- would go a long way in retaining Lang. “Most younger people nowa- ing doesn't hold much water, people.” days make a distinction between unless the whiner left a CEO job to “All federal agencies need to have career and job, with job being a sub- join the FS. a realistic expectation of the mod- set of career. … I think that benefits — Management officer ern-day job market and the attitudes comparable to those found in the Justin Crevier of the age 20-to-40 crowd,” says private sector would be the key to

2000 N. 14th Street ■ Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Telephone (703) 797-3259 Fax (703) 524-7559 Tollfree (800) 424-9500

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 49 50 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 retaining me in the FS. Tuition leagues. Not doing so gives us the assistance and maternity leave are impression that our service is not as two big ones.” Many State valued and our families matter less “Although I have learned much in than those we serve alongside. While my consular tour,” writes Rachel generalists and USAID I know none of my colleagues actual- Schneller, “these past two years as a ly feels this way, the policies of the vice consul have been very difficult officers said they want department give that impression.” for me because this is not the area of international work that interests me to see a better use of Digesting the Elephant and motivated me to join the The State Department and Foreign Service. I feel as though my their skills earlier in USAID were gutted during the career aspirations have not been 1990s by budget cuts, losing critical taken into account by the FS, and their careers. staff and the ability to adequately that I am here only to fill a slot at a staff their missions. The new hires visa window.” brought in under the Diplomatic “The headaches of negotiating Readiness Initiative at the State the State Department bureaucracy Department and the New Entry have ruined an otherwise satisfying Professional program at USAID are career,” writes a management officer “Failure to address the MOH the ones to fill the gaps and bring in Hong Kong. “It is the massively issue could adversely affect my long- staffing up to functional levels. inefficient bureaucracy that will term career in the FS,” writes Mike Their concerns need to be consid- eventually cause me to leave the Snyder. “Hundreds of gay and lesbian ered, if for no other reason than Foreign Service. I had originally officers are proudly serving at the because they make up a large part of planned to make the FS a career and Department of State and their fami- today’s Foreign Service. stay until retirement. Now I think lies need to be recognized and given The good news is that this new I’ll leave within the next five years.” equal status as their straight col- “generation” is highly professional, enthusiastic to serve, and willing to spend their career in the Foreign Suggestions Service. More than a few employees Following is a list of some of the concrete changes that were suggested by described the Foreign Service as their survey respondents and focus group participants. Some are changes manage- “dream career.” However, they also ment could make today, while others — such as paid parental leave and equal come in with expectations that the treatment for domestic partners — would require a change in U.S. government system will take care of them. There policy for all agencies. are broad cultural changes that many • Management should resolve the inequity between Foreign Service salaries new hires are promoting, and there in Washington, which include locality pay, and salaries overseas, which do are also specific concrete changes in not. training, benefits, and information • Management should ensure that all posts honor the legal requirement to sharing that would help convince new allow untenured officers overtime and comp time. hires that they chose the right career • Customer service standards for all human resources personnel should be (see box). enforced. It is too early to know if this gener- • Human Resources should provide more information to recruits and new ation will change the current system hires about the reality of spouse employment opportunities overseas. or simply be absorbed by it. • The State Department or AFSA should publish guidelines on how to navi- Hopefully, Foreign Service leadership gate the system when planning a pregnancy and birth in the Foreign will not emulate Saint-Exupery’s boa Service. Rules about leave options should be spelled out. — who swallows his prey whole and • The FSI day care center, which currently closes at 4:30 p.m., should stay sleeps through the digestion — and open at least until 5:30 p.m. for those who need it. will take seriously the needs of the • USAID should match the benefits given to State employees, especially to new generation. How well the boa include language training for spouses. digests the elephant will determine — Shawn Dorman the health and vigor of the Foreign Service for years to come. ■

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 51 50 YEARS AGO IN GUATEMALA

THE U.S.-BACKED REMOVAL OF GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT JACOBO ARBENZ GUZMAN IN JUNE 1954 WAS NEITHER THE FIRST NOR THE LAST SUCH INTERVENTION. BUT DIFFERENT OBSERVERS HAVE DRAWN VERY DIFFERENT LESSONS FROM THE EPISODE.

BY GEORGE GEDDA

reventive action to defend U.S. securi- oil industry and was viewed as a potential Soviet ally. ty interests is not a concept dreamed The Guatemala intervention came less than a year later. up by the current administration. It Communists had made few inroads in Latin America has been around for a long time. Fifty until then, but some of the elements for a possible com- years ago, the Eisenhower administra- munist transformation seemed to be in place in tion helped depose a government in Guatemala. Guatemala that was thought to have The country was led by President Jacobo Arbenz communist leanings and the potential to inspire radical Guzman, a former military officer democratically elected Pupheavals elsewhere in the region. in 1950 who took office the following year. The Cold War dominated international politics in 1954. It was a time when the perceived dangers of the commu- Poisonous Fruit nist movement were at a zenith. Globally, things were not Arbenz was relatively indifferent to politics but going well for the United States. In the immediate after- embraced the progressive politics advocated by his math of World War II, the Soviet Union was the world’s Salvadoran wife, Maria. She believed socialist policies only communist state. Within nine years, virtually all of were needed in Central America to benefit the region’s Eastern Europe was run by communist governments, impoverished majorities, and the new president moved along with China. During that same period, the Korean quickly to implement programs to do that. After he legal- conflict had ended in a stalemate, and Moscow blockaded ized the communist-affiliated Guatemalan Labor Party in Berlin and developed the atomic bomb. 1952, communists gained considerable influence over To meet the Soviet challenge, the United States important peasant organizations, labor unions and the became decidedly more interventionist-minded. In 1948, governing political party. largely with the encouragement of State Department The centerpiece of Arbenz’s presidency was an ambi- Policy Planning Director George Kennan, the National tious land reform program. Like most Latin American Security Council approved Document 10/2, which land reform programs, Guatemala’s did not go smoothly, expanded the realm of U.S. covert action. however. Campesino attacks on landholders were com- The directive authorized economic warfare; preventive mon, as were land invasions. The local oligarchy staunch- direct action, including sabotage, anti-sabotage, demoli- ly opposed the initiative, as did the United Fruit tion and evacuation measures; subversion against hostile Company, an American conglomerate that possessed vast states, including assistance to underground resistance tracts of territory and was the dominant player in the movements, guerrillas and refugee liberation groups; and country’s economic life. support of indigenous anticommunist elements. As part of the initiative, Guatemala expropriated some In August 1953, the CIA helped depose an elected 200,000 acres of United Fruit-owned land. Following Iranian government that had nationalized the country’s international law, the government offered compensation

52 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 in the amount of $600,000, a figure based on the under- targets were friendly to the United States, including estimated land values the company itself had declared in Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. order to avoid taxes. But United Fruit vigorously protest- With the Cold War at a peak, American officials were ed what it regarded as inadequate compensation. concerned that Latin American democracies might not Because both Secretary of State John Foster Dulles have the spine to deal with communists and other non- and his brother, CIA Director Allen Dulles, owned stock democratic elements in their midst. This certainly was the in United Fruit, some have speculated that personal view of Kennan, one of the State Department’s leading financial interests influenced their policy decisions on Soviet-affairs experts. Guatemala. In their 1982 book, Bitter Fruit, authors In particular, they were concerned that Arbenz’s land Stephen Kinzer and Stephen Schlesinger assert that the reform program could plant the seeds of peasant rebellion company played a decisive role in encouraging the elsewhere in the region. In his 1991 book, Shattered Eisenhower administration to depose Arbenz. However, Hope, historian Piero Gleijeses writes that a State there is no proof that United Fruit had any role in orga- Department official warned in late 1953 that Guatemala nizing the 1954 coup or in executing it, though the com- threatened the stability of Honduras and El Salvador pany presumably welcomed Arbenz’s ouster. because “its agrarian reform is a powerful propaganda In any case, José Manuel Fortuny, the former leader of weapon; [and] its broad social program of aiding the work- the Guatemalan Communist Party, said United Fruit’s ers and peasants in a victorious struggle against the upper role was irrelevant. “They [the U.S.] would have over- classes and large foreign enterprises has a strong appeal to thrown us even if we had grown no bananas,” he said, as the populations of Central American neighbors where quoted in a study by Stephen M. Streeter of Canada’s similar conditions prevail.” McMaster University. It was in this late-1953 period that the Eisenhower John Foster Dulles concurred. Commenting just a few administration dispatched career Foreign Service officer weeks before the coup against Arbenz, he said, “If the John Peurifoy to Guatemala as ambassador. Peurifoy had United Fruit matter were settled, if they gave a gold piece a well-deserved reputation for toughness. He was asked for every banana, the problem would remain as it is today to assess the degree of communist infiltration in as far as the presence of communist infiltration in Guatemala and to inform Arbenz that any such penetra- Guatemala is concerned.” tion must be rooted out. As he reported back to Dulles, Against this background, the Eisenhower administra- there were indeed communists in the government and the tion launched a public relations campaign to demonize Congress. They were small in number but nonetheless Arbenz as a communist, even though there was scant evi- served as lightning rods for U.S. disapproval of the Arbenz dence to support that view. In March 1954 the New York government. Times published a story headlined “How the Communists Understandably feeling insecure, Arbenz was in the Won Control in Guatemala” — just four days before an market for weapons by early 1954. (The United States Organization of American States meeting in Caracas. At had cut off military aid to Guatemala in 1944 after a revo- that session, John Foster Dulles goaded Latin American lution deposed the dictatorship of President Jorge Ubico.) foreign ministers into adopting a resolution insinuating So Arbenz’s government looked for help in Europe, where that Arbenz was indeed a communist. The vote was 17-1, his agents purchased several hundred thousand dollars with the lone negative vote cast by Guatemalan Foreign worth of arms from a dealer in Czechoslovakia, a loyal Minister Guillermo Toriello, who had delivered an impas- Soviet ally. When the shipment was discovered aboard sioned plea for rejection of the measure. the freighter Alfem in May 1954, American suspicions about Soviet bloc influence in Guatemala were rein- A Coup Is Born forced. But the shipment turned out to be less of a smok- Undeterred by American opposition to his policies, ing gun than many people initially thought. The State Arbenz carried his activism beyond Guatemala’s borders. Department concluded that the Czech dealer had no links His government became allied with a group called the to the Czech government. The weapons also turned out Caribbean Legion, which took a strong stand against to have an odd pedigree: they were leftovers from the rightist dictatorships in the region. Many of the Legion’s Nazi era. In any case, the CIA-backed operation against Arbenz, George Gedda, a frequent contributor to the Journal, is code-named “PBSuccess,” was already unfolding at the the State Department correspondent for the Associated time of the weapons discovery. On June 17, 1954, Carlos Press. Castillo Armas, a retired Guatemalan colonel recruited by

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 53 against Arbenz. His alternatives narrowed, the Guatemalan presi- At a minimum, it is clear dent ordered the military to arm peasant and labor organizations in a that the Eisenhower last-ditch effort to stop Castillo Armas. The order represented administration Arbenz’s fatal error. Entrusting the nation’s defense to a band of peas- intervened without much ants represented a vote of no confi- dence in the military. What little of a plan beyond getting loyalty Arbenz still enjoyed evapo- rated.” rid of Arbenz. Arbenz was forced out of office just 10 days after the coup began. He resigned the presidency on June 27, 1954, after seeking refuge in the Mexican embassy. He went into exile shortly thereafter, dying in the CIA, entered the country with 1971 at age 58 in Mexico without his “Liberation Army,” a ragtag ever again seeing his beloved home- group of 150 CIA-trained and land. His ashes were returned in armed Guatemalan rebels. In a October 1995 and sit in a white paper written in 2001, before he tomb topped with a pyramid shaped joined the State Department, Latin monument in the capital’s Central American historian Douglas Kraft Cemetery. describes what transpired: Disingenuously, the State De- “Fully aware of Castillo Armas’ partment said Arbenz was the victim weakness, Arbenz held the utmost of a popular uprising. Assistant trust in Guatemala’s ability to defeat Secretary of State for Inter the rebels. When they attacked by American Affairs Henry Holland, land in Zacapa and by sea at Puerto without referring to the CIA role, Barrios, the rebels encountered said, “The people of Guatemala rose fierce opposition. ... With the and dispersed the little group of trai- Liberation Army stalled, the CIA tors who had tried to subvert their launched a psychological attack on government into another commu- Arbenz. Jamming Guatemalan radio nist satellite.” Arbenz, not surpris- waves and broadcasting fictitious ingly, had a different perspective. reports of an advancing rebel force, “Our crime,” Arbenz explained in the CIA worked to unnerve the his resignation speech, “is having Guatemalan Army. Simultaneously, enacted an agrarian reform which CIA bombers strafed Guatemala affected the interests of the United City streets and dropped small Fruit Company.” bombs to arouse fear among the As part of CIA planning before local population. ... Senior Guate- the invasion, the agency compiled a malan officers began to fear that the list of Guatemalans to be neutralized United States might invade should through murder, imprisonment or the rebel incursion fail. exile, according to declassified CIA “By June 25, these fears circulat- documents. Latin America research- ed at the front, and Guatemala’s mil- er Peter Kornbluh, of the private itary forces at Zacapa refused to National Security Archives, said the engage the Liberation Army. The “A” list of those to be assassinated military had effectively turned contained 58 names. Planning for

54 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 assassinations included budgeting, mission” estimated that 150,000 training programs, creation of hit Guatemalans were killed in the war teams and transfer of armaments. Disingenuously, and 50,000 more disappeared, The CIA has said it did not imple- almost all civilians; the army razed a ment the assassination strategy, but the State Department reported 440 villages suspected of Kornbluh points out that the names pro-guerrilla sympathies. Because of the targeted individuals were said Arbenz was the most of the dead were indigenous deleted from the declassified docu- Mayans, who represent more than ments, making it impossible to know victim of a popular half the country’s total population, whether any were killed in the after- the commission concluded that the math of the coup. uprising. state had committed “acts of geno- The United States maneuvered to cide.” Although the war received have Castillo Armas lead the new scant international attention, the government, a choice viewed with death toll exceeded the combined revulsion by many military and non- total of killings in the far more pub- military Guatemalans both because licized Chilean, Argentine and El he had conspired with a foreign Peasants, perhaps inspired by the Salvadoran conflicts of the 1970s power against the sovereignty of the Cuban revolution, launched an and 1980s. The fighting did not end Guatemalan nation and because he insurgency in response to increas- until the 1996 signing of a peace lacked credentials to lead the coun- ingly extreme inequalities in income agreement between the Guatemalan try. One of Castillo Armas’ first acts and a political system that ignored government and the URNG rebel was to suspend the constitution. He calls for reform. The conflict was to group. The agreement was designed also reversed the confiscation of last 30 years. to lay the groundwork for significant United Fruit’s land. In 1956, the A 1999 report by the indepen- reforms and lasting peace. It called Eisenhower administration gave him dent “Historical Clarification Com- for a reduction in the size of the mil- a red-carpet welcome to Washington and arranged for a ticker-tape parade in New York. But Castillo Armas never won the affections of Guatemalans; he was assassinated by a member of the presidential guard in July 1957.

A Terrible Legacy The United States paid a steep price internationally for its role in bringing Arbenz down, especially in Latin America. Adolphe Berle, the State Department’s troubleshooter for Latin America, told his diary: “We eliminated a communist regime at the expense of having antago- nized half the hemisphere.” Kalman Silvert, a Latin American studies specialist, reported in 1956 that a famous Mexican bookstore had sold thousands of books by Arbenz’s sup- porters, but only five copies of the most prominent book by a defender of the coup. About a decade later, a ferocious civil war began in Guatemala.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 55 itary, recognition of the rights of it made common cause with the oli- indigenous peoples and altering the garchy. The goal of that alliance was drastically unequal system of land Like most to ensure that Arbenz-style social ownership. reformers were kept at bay. In large The promise of the accords has Latin American land measure, this objective was achieved never been fulfilled, however. A — but at extraordinarily high cost. major setback occurred in 1999, reform programs, when a referendum on proposed The Lessons of History constitutional reforms — a key to Guatemala’s did Drawing lessons from the 1954 implementation of the accords — experience in Guatemala is not easy; failed by 55 to 45 percent. For unex- not go smoothly. no two situations that feed U.S. plained reasons, the turnout was dis- interventionist impulses are exactly appointingly small: only 19 percent alike. The Guatemala of 50 years of those eligible voted. Defeat ago was different from the Iran of meant a significant loss of momen- 1953, the Cuba of 1961, the tum toward a demilitarized, multi- Dominican Republic of 1965, the ethnic democracy. Chile of 1973, the Grenada of 1983, Another setback occurred when rejected the presidential candidacy the Panama of 1989, or the Iraq of Guatemala failed to qualify for sig- of Efrain Rios Montt, a retired gen- 2003. In each case, the United nificant postwar reconstruction eral who led the country as military States stepped in to protect its inter- assistance from international lending dictator in 1982-83, one of the ests against perceived threats, with institutions. Isaac Cohen, a Wash- bloodiest civil war periods. He fin- varying results. ington-based Guatemalan who ished a distant third. The country’s Did the CIA intervention rob keeps tabs on the country’s politics, new president, Oscar Berger, is seen Guatemala of a democratic hero and says the country’s internal tax rev- by many Guatemalans as a welcome lay the groundwork for the civil war enues fell short of these institutions’ change from his discredited prede- that followed? Or did the agency’s requirements. Accordingly, Guate- cessor, Alfonso Portillo, who fled the actions merely tip the balance mala received only about half the country soon after Berger’s inaugu- against an unpopular government funding it would otherwise have ration in late December, apparently that may have eventually fallen from been entitled to, and lacked the to avoid corruption charges. its own weight? State Department resources to carry out the promised Berger indeed seems determined researchers embrace the latter the- reforms. to clean up government. He has sis. They say that Arbenz’s support The end of the war failed to yield required all the members of his cab- had dwindled sharply, consisting a significant improvement in the inet and subordinates to abide by a mostly of the estimated 100,000 human rights situation. An August code of ethics. He has taken steps to peasant families who had benefited 2002 report by the United Nations cut down on crime and to improve from his agrarian reform. They also Verification Mission in Guatemala the rights of women as well as the believe that the link between his documented “threats of assassina- traditionally marginalized indige- ouster and the 30-year civil war that tion of human rights defenders, nous population. He also wants to followed is tenuous, noting that the church workers, judges, witnesses, cut armed forces personnel to conflict did not begin until 10 or so journalists, political activists and 14,000 from 31,000, for a savings of years after Arbenz fled. labor unionists.” Lynchings and $44 million. Some of these funds Others have a less charitable view mob violence continued. Illegal will be used to upgrade public trans- about what the CIA action wrought. groups and clandestine structures portation. Some military personnel “The CIA intervention began a operated with impunity. In January who agree to accept voluntary retire- ghastly cycle of violence, assassina- 2003, the newspaper Prensa Libre ment will be offered new positions tion and torture in Guatemala,” says reported that 134 judges had as police officers or prison system Stephen G. Rabe, a historian from received death threats over the pre- employees. the University of Texas at Dallas. ceding several years. These changes suggest that the “The Guatemalan intervention of But 2003 may have represented a military no longer will enjoy the 1954 is the most important event in turning point. Last November, highly privileged position it acquired the history of U.S. relations with Guatemalan voters emphatically during the post-Arbenz years when Latin America. It really set the

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 57 THE AFRICA FILE, PART II: HELPING TO BUILD SUCCESS

MEMBERS SHARE MORE STORIES OF PROGRESS FROM AROUND THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

Last month, we presented some of the responses to our colleague in Washington was so moved that she offered to AFSANet invitation for Africa hands to share success stories. help pay for a bicycle, as did Embassy Nairobi employees. Here are more of those vignettes. Again, our thanks to all In March 2004, Public Affairs programmed Petkun once who contributed. more, this time to travel with another group of Kenyan pho- — Susan Maitra, Senior Editor tojournalists to visit urban slums and villages and to talk to sex workers, widows, students, orphans, as well as volunteers Bicycle Diplomacy and scientists who are making a difference in the fight John Osiri is a village elder in a remote region of west- against HIV/AIDS. ern Kenya, who is also the chairman of a rural AIDS sup- In three years, considerable progress had been made, port group. He became HIV-positive after inheriting his with greater acknowledgement of the disease and positive dead brother’s wife, who had been infected by her husband. actions being taken at numerous counseling and self-help Osiri knew he could get the disease but was caught in a centers throughout the country, with the commitment of the dilemma, as the culture of his Luo tribe dictates that the U.S. mission in Kenya, including USAID, the Centers for family line be continued through the practice of wife inher- Disease Control, the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit and itance. the Peace Corps. In June 2001, Osiri met an American photographer, There was also hope and progress for John Osiri. When Andrew Petkun, who had been documenting the human Petkun returned to Osiri’s village, the first words from a face of HIV/AIDS since 1999 throughout sub-Saharan healthier and younger-looking Osiri were: “This is the bicy- Africa. Petkun was touring Kenya on behalf of Embassy cle.” He then proceeded to introduce his two-year-old son, Nairobi’s public affairs section, working with local photo- Andrew Petkun Osiri. journalists. Richard Mei Jr. “We are sometimes visited by people who take our pic- Information Officer tures and show their concern, but then they go, and we Embassy Nairobi never hear from them again,” Osiri told Petkun. “If only we had a bicycle, so that we could visit other members of our The Last Flight to Enugu: group in the countryside whom we comfort…” A Slice of Life in Lagos “You come from the land of Mr. Bush,” Osiri continued. Anybody who knows anything about Nigeria and “All we ask is to live what is left of our lives with some dig- Nigerian politics, an admittedly deep and perplexing topic, nity.” knows that April 18, 2003, was the day before Nigeria’s pres- Petkun explained that working independently, without idential elections (and Good Friday to boot). Yet, I was fool- the backing of a charitable organization, he would be unable hardy enough to think that we could leave our place on to help in a sustained way, but said he would tell Osiri’s story Victoria Island at 2:30, make an intermittent stop on Ikoyi to to anyone who would listen back in America. In addition, collect my colleague Kate, her husband Larry and their from his own pocket Petkun gave Osiri $100, enough money 2-year-old daughter Sara and still make a 5:30 flight. Boy, to feed the elder and his group for a month. was I naïve and in for some very interesting life lessons. … Petkun kept his promise and told Osiri’s story to the peo- As we meandered toward the airport, we became ple he lectured throughout the U.S. One State Department increasingly entangled in a traffic standoff with what I would

58 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 call a “crushmobile.” You guessed it: a small sedan maneu- am persuaded you will soar to even greater heights. vered its way into the intersection blocking our heavy Atim Eneida George truck. Ahead of us lay the open road. In the midst of a Public Affairs Officer gentle rain, I jumped out of the vehicle and, taking advan- Consulate General Lagos tage of my thick American accent, appealed to the driver’s sense of patriotism. “We’re international election Protecting Child Witnesses in South Africa observers here to support Nigeria’s democratic dispensa- Thousands of child witnesses pass through South Africa’s tion; please let us pass.” (I later learned that was too much courts. As 33 courts handle sexual offenses alone and crime grammar. I could have just said “ejo-o” or “A-beg-o.”) is endemic, the justice system depends to a great extent on Finally, she relented. Relieved, I signaled to our driver to the testimonies of young witnesses and victims of crime. move, but no sooner had the first obstacle been removed Child witnesses, many of whom have endured abuse and than another took its place. emotional trauma, lack an under- Finally, we reached the airport, standing of the court process. As a which was, in a word, chaos: people, The journey, I believe, result, they provide ineffective testi- cars, luggage. Our travel assistants mony which, in turn, leads to fewer said that as they did not have our tick- holds lessons for convictions. ets, they could not get boarding pass- With the support of USAID, the es and that we had to talk to the air- Nigeria’s democratic Unit for Child Witness Research and line manager, Chase. Despite our Training has developed and piloted appeals, he did not or could not help dispensation. South Africa’s first child witness us. At last he said, “Just go. We’ll preparation program. Dr. Karen work it out.” Muller, a lawyer and researcher who We waited and waited, until finally the call came: “EAC has devoted her career to assisting child witnesses, stores Airline announces its flight to Enugu.” The ground crew her most useful tools in a plain white plastic box in the office had us queue in about four different lines and locations, she and a colleague share at Cape Town’s Vista University. ever careful to keep us off the plane. “Mothers with From the box emerge a puzzle, a court procedure timeline, young children, please form a line here,” one attendant role-playing games and “Zack and Thandi,” characters from said. This game went on and on for an hour and 25 min- a story of two child witnesses that allows children to feel they utes. We could have flown to Enugu in the time it took us are not alone in witnessing crime. to queue. At one point, the word came that there were no Extensive research, 500 interviews with young witnesses more seats. Sorry-o. Kate was beside herself: she, Larry and consultative workshops with judges, prosecutors, and Sara left. defense lawyers and police, have helped Child Witness Then, as the ground crew began to remove the stairs, a Research gain an understanding of the fears and misper- rich oga clad in a beautiful agbada appeared asking for seats ceptions that hamper children in the court room. Common for the family. I believe he ordinarily would have succeed- misunderstandings relate to court terminology; many chil- ed in getting his way but his entourage, including a wife and dren, for example, confuse prosecutor with executor. three children, was just too big. Watching the oga, my hus- Ninety percent of young witnesses wet themselves on the band Zac said: “Wait here. We’re going to make it.” stand. Most children suffer emotional stress during long And, almost as if by magic or divine intervention, waiting periods before trials. Nigeria again surprised me. The crew returned the stairs By law, child testimony in South Africa must take place in and allowed us to board. A member of the flight crew a separate room and be broadcast live in court on a closed- gave me his seat and escorted Zac to the cockpit. We had circuit TV system. Only the most distraught youngsters boarded the last flight to Enugu. have access to an intermediary — a trained social worker The journey, I believe, holds lessons for Nigeria’s who simplifies complex questions. Most children endure democratic dispensation. There will be obstacles along the intimidating trial process alone. the path to national development. No sooner do you clear Child Witness Research developed a witness preparation one than another will emerge. There will be points along program for children between the ages of 6 and 12. The chil- the way where you won’t agree or don’t communicate dren are introduced to the courtroom and its procedures; they effectively. Nevertheless, drawing upon your spirit of cre- are told how to talk, what to wear to trial, the meaning of an ativity, resourcefulness, persistence and love of country, I oath, their role in court and what happens on trial day.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 59 From the first trial test, the behav- health care to more of the population, ioral transformation among the chil- the government has a program to build dren was beyond what any of the team The people of Volunteer “health huts” in 1,000 rural villages had hoped. Children previously iso- over a five-year period. These are one- lated by abuse and fear learned to Brendan St. Amant’s or two-room buildings staffed by a trust each other. Reticent children high-school graduate with a few weeks started to speak, interact and partici- village wanted one of of medical training and stocked with pate. The program’s impact may be some basic medicines and first aid sup- best described by a mother inter- these health huts, and plies. viewed after the pilot, “This program The people of Volunteer Brendan has given me back my child; her char- Brendan made sure that St. Amant’s village, located 17 kilome- acter has come back.” ters from the nearest rural clinic, want- The Child Witness Research unit they got it. ed one of these health huts, and has finalized 10 hour-long modules Brendan made sure they got it. He that are highly adaptable to any con- went with village leaders to approach text of work with young witnesses. government officials (access is much The South African Justice Depart- easier if you have a foreigner along), ment has been closely consulted er who discovered and mapped its worked with the building contractor throughout the design of the program. course. They took a bus from Niamey during construction, arranged training New legislation is under consideration to Gao, in Mali, where they rented a for a young man from the village to that would grant all child witnesses bush taxi to take them to Timbuktu. become the health worker, and per- assistance from a court intermediary. After a couple of days there, they pur- suaded Catholic Relief Services to pro- The innovative child witness prepara- chased a typical wooden pirogue and vide the initial stock of medicine and tion program has already attracted the spent the next 18 days floating down supplies when the government proved attention of international donors who the river from Timbuktu to Niamey. unable to do so. In short, he was the have suggested it be adopted in other Just writing the place names evokes driving force behind the project. regions of Africa. National Geographic images. What an We visited Brendan and his health Reverie Zurba adventure! hut in December 2003, and he told us Information Officer But the Peace Corps experience in about some of the many obstacles he USAID, Pretoria Niger isn’t all adventure. In fact, it’s had to overcome and the frustrations mostly hot, hard, frustrating work in dif- he experienced. Such a facility might Adventure and ficult conditions and with few resources. not be a very difficult project in Hard Work in Niger Yet the Volunteers are able to accom- America, but in rural Niger it is a mon- Niger’s problems remain enor- plish a great deal for the people they are umental accomplishment. mous, perhaps insoluble. It’s the here to serve, and the satisfaction they Activities like this — multiplied by world’s second poorest country, with get from this service matches the excite- an average of 100 Volunteers a year fragile institutions, and it’s located in an ment life here can bring. and extended over the 42 years that the environmentally harsh and politically In Niger, the health system is rudi- Peace Corps has been active in Niger turbulent region. mentary at best. There are hospitals, — have surely had a positive impact on I title my orientation presentation staffed by doctors, in a dozen of the how Americans and America are per- to newly arrived Peace Corps trainees largest towns; and clinics, staffed by ceived by the people of this country. “Adventures in Service,” emphasizing nurses, in some of the larger regional J.R. Bullington that to be successful in Niger they will villages. Most people, however, have Peace Corps Country need a taste for adventure as well as little, if any, access to health care. Director dedication to serving others. Most of Niger has fewer than 250 doctors Niamey them seem to have both in abundance. (about the same number you would One recent event highlighted the expect to find in an American city of Tennis as a Tool of Diplomacy adventure side of the ledger. 100,000 people) to serve a population in Madagascar Three of our current Volunteers of 12 million; and annual per capita Upon my arrival in Antananarivo, decided for their vacation to retrace expenditure on health care is about Madagascar, in August 1981, it was the voyage down the Niger River of $10 (compared to $5,440 in the U.S.). clear that the government of President Mungo Park, the 19th-century explor- To bring some limited, very basic Didier Ratsiraka adhered to a policy of

60 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 anti-Americanism. Public pronounce- Washington, I led the first bilateral turning his pro-Soviet regime to a ments and media coverage left no negotiations (PL-480, Title I) with the more acceptable nonaligned policy ambiguity on the subject. Ratsiraka, a socialist regime as my initial task in were several. The constancy of the self-proclaimed Marxist, admired the country. The Reagan White message delivered in a non-provoca- North Korea’s Kim Il Sung and count- House and the Malagasy leadership tive manner to the Malagasy govern- ed as his allies the Soviet Union, East fully expected the negotiations to ment by the U.S. embassy along with Germany, Cuba and Libya. Mada- break down, though for different rea- our Western allies and neutral col- gascar was one of the few countries sons. Our team remained steadfast, leagues was a major factor. The great voting at the U.N. in favor of the however, determined to see an agree- support that we received from Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. ment come to fruition. An agreement USAID’s Regional Economic Devel- I was the chargé d’affaires and, as a was achieved through a lot of tweak- opment Support Offices in Kenya and keen tennis player, I made friends ing and resulted in unexpected favor- backup in Washington provided the with several tennis buffs among able publicity for the U.S. embassy with the means to demon- President Ratsiraka’s more moderate Natural disasters, such as a series strate our good intentions. advisers. Both the president and I of five cyclones, subsequently gave us President Ratsiraka’s position on exchanged views and information an opportunity to build upon this ini- the U.S. softened to the point of through these individuals, minimizing tial gesture of good will by providing acceptance of a greater American role the need for face-to-face contact economic and humanitarian assis- in his country. This led to initiating a where Ratsiraka might have become tance. As we worked to assist self-help program, inviting a Peace defensive. Gradually he came to real- Madagascar in recognizing its self- Corps contingent, establishing a ize, through our persistent personal inflicted economic problems, USAID mission and close ties to diplomacy, that we were not working Ratsiraka remained obstinate, but his American and French military train- at odds with his regime. resistance gradually wore down. ing programs. Such activities were With Ambassador Fred Rondon in The keys to American efforts in impossible to achieve in the political

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 61 climate that existed in 1981. plantations to improve output and One particular event stood out and marketing. Meanwhile, the U.S. pri- was cited on numerous occasions by At the age of 12, vate sector helped by defining prod- Ratsiraka as proof that he was atten- uct standards, preparing training tive to American concerns. The ques- Mercy found herself materials and providing technical tion of Puerto Rico seemed destined advice during training workshops. to become an agenda item at the U.N. living on the streets of USAID also bought and installed General Assembly in the autumn of laboratory equipment used to ensure 1982. It was an issue being monitored Lagos with no education, and certify the quality of gum pro- closely by the White House. As duced. chargé, I explained the status and cir- no family and Sani Mohammed cumstances of Puerto Rico to several Embassy Abuja of my Malagasy tennis partners, ask- no home. ing specifically that this information “The Patient Dog Eats the be conveyed to Ratsiraka. He had Fattest Bone,” Says U.S. already committed his support to his Scholarship Winner Cuban friends who were behind the Mercy Ighodalo was born on June initiative. industry standards, enhanced the gum 15, 1988, in Uromi, a village in However, Ratsiraka became con- arabic trade and created jobs. Nigeria’s Edo state. Her mother was vinced by my argument and changed Working closely with private com- a hairdresser, but due to financial con- his position to an abstention. panies, the program has developed a straints Mercy was handed over to a Although he felt he was betraying profitable gum arabic market in friend of her mother’s in Lagos when Cuba, President Ratsiraka used his northern Nigeria, Yakasai says. While she was 4 years old. change of vote as a showpiece of his Nigeria has exported 11,000 tons of For seven years, Mercy lived in good will toward the U.S. He was gum arabic to the U.S. since the pro- Ikeja, where she attended primary actively lobbying the radical non- gram began, he says U.S. companies school until her mother’s friend sud- aligned leaders for elite status in their are placing more orders for Grade 1, denly traveled overseas. Before trav- select club at the time. which is the highest grade. eling, the friend placed Mercy in William Boudreau “The U.S. market is ready to buy another house and left money for FSO, Retired every ton of Grade 1-type gum arabic Mercy to continue her education. Seabrook Island, S.C. produced in Nigeria, but we do not However, the new guardian refused have the capacity to supply them,” to further Mercy’s education and Assisting Nigeria’s Gum says Bello Dantata, NAGAPPEN decided to use her as house help Arabic Exports Boom assistant national secretary and export instead. “Two years ago, Nigeria could not manager of Dansa Food Processing, a In the new house, Mercy’s foster export its gum arabic to the United subsidiary of the Dangote Group. siblings treated her badly, teasing her States market, but today the story is Dansa’s collaboration with USAID that she was an orphan. One day, different. We cannot even meet the is an excellent example of the pro- after a bout of incessant teasing, U.S. demand,” says Bello Abba gram’s benefits. Just two years into Mercy fought back. Unfortunately, Yakasai, national coordinator for the the program, Dantata gives proud her will to stand up for herself U.S. Agency for International Devel- tours of the Dansa quality control lab- prompted this newest guardian to opment’s gum arabic program. oratory and of gum arabic warehous- throw Mercy out onto the Lagos In early 2002, USAID began a es, where scientifically produced, streets. At the age of 12, Mercy found gum arabic farming training program high-grade Nigerian gum arabic is herself living on the streets of Lagos to ensure both higher yields and bet- ready for export to the U.S. and with no education, no family and no ter quality of Nigerian-produced gum European markets. home. arabic, a natural compound used in Overall, the USAID program Luckily, a policewoman found many processed foods. Yakasai says trained approximately 200 farmers Mercy and took her to a police station, the program helped establish the and traders from Bauchi, Borno, where she waited two months for the National Association of Gum Arabic Jigawa, Kano and Yobe states. These police to track down her guardian. By Producers, Processors and Exporters stakeholders learned better practices that time, the guardian had moved, of Nigeria, developed and upheld for the management of gum arabic forcing the police to place Mercy in

62 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 the Government Remand Home in it.” Mercy’s scholarship was disbursed values, and on how those changes Lagos. A social welfare officer there this year and is intended to cover one affected their behavior and their aspi- interviewed Mercy, discovered she term’s school fees. rations for themselves and their coun- was from Uromi and transferred her “So the patient dog eventually ate try. back to the Government Remand the fattest bone,” Mercy says, thanks Their experiences provide valuable Home in Edo State. to the U.S. scholarship program. insights into how the United States, In Edo, though, no one accepted Mike Hankey by offering academic and work oppor- Mercy’s identity. Rejected by her own Information Officer tunities to people from other coun- people in Uromi, she was placed in Consulate General Lagos tries, can contribute to building bet- the St. Maria Goretti Girls Grammar ter, more liberal societies in the devel- School in Benin City. The principal of Exchange Program Fuels oping world. the school graciously accepted her, Progress in Ghana These 12 (and many more like even though money was lacking to pay As a participant in this year’s them) are putting into practice their for her studies. Senior Seminar, I did an individual new liberal values and attitudes in a Finally, in January 2003, Mercy research project that looked at the broad range of fields, contributing to received an application for the U.S. impact of time spent in North Ghana’s development and serving as ambassador’s Girls’ Scholarship Pro- America on 12 Ghanaians who stud- role models for the wider society. gram. The program offered Mercy ied or worked abroad and then Their actions support and strengthen the possibility of finally completing returned home, where they became Ghana’s reform program, which our her education. She applied and was agents of social change. My research government endorses and supports. accepted. focused not on the technical skills and With their American-style “can do” “I never knew of the possibility of knowledge the Ghanaians acquired in approach and a new willingness to having a scholarship,” Mercy says. “It the U.S. and Canada, but on changes take risks for change, they are setting is a surprise to me and I thank God for in their perspectives, attitudes and a new standard, and paving the way

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 63 for yet further progress. And where come here, they do more than gain they can, they are building institutions skills and learn what America is like. inspired by their American experi- When foreigners Living and working in the United ences. States can help them become people Without exception, they believe come here, they do more whose values, attitudes, and aspira- that their North American exposure tions for their own countries are in is a key factor in making them who than gain skills and harmony with our country’s policies. they are today. One of them By practicing democratic values summed it up nicely: “A lot of the learn what America and modeling participatory citizen- people in Ghana who are making a ship — in big ways and small, in difference are people who’ve devel- is like. their classrooms and offices, in oped a certain ‘Western edge’ to their everyday lives and on the pub- their skills, knowledge and values. lic stage — these pioneers are Those who have lived and worked building an environment in which abroad, in responsible jobs where democracy as a political system will they had to be accountable, had to have a better chance of surviving. operate in a more democratic envi- tant lesson to be drawn from the And this is all part of a process that ronment; they tend to bring some- transformation these Ghanaians can help build a world that is better, thing extra. ... There are very few experienced is that U.S. government and perhaps ultimately safer, for all people in Ghana [otherwise] who exchange programs — and policies of us. are likely to approach their work in a that make it possible for foreigners Brooks Anne Robinson like manner.” to come here through other means Senior Seminar For us as Americans (and as for- — are important tools in our foreign National Foreign Affairs eign policy professionals), an impor- policy package. When foreigners Training Center ■

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64 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 BOOKS

The Post-9/11 World Feldman carefully distinguishes Feldman carefully between Islamic democrats — who After Jihad: America and the distinguishes would incorporate religion and its values into the greater life of a mod- Struggle for Islamic Democracy between Islamic Noah Feldman, Farrar, Straus and erate, stable democratic state — and Giroux, 2003, $24.00, hardback, democrats and far far more radical Islamists, who con- 264 pages. more radical found Western sensibilities by insist- An Alliance at Risk: Islamists, who reject ing Islam is “the only and compre- hensive source of law and decision- The United States and Europe Western values. Since September 11 making.” Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, translated Cautiously optimistic, he careful- by George A. Holoch Jr., The Johns
ly explores current examples of polit- Hopkins University Press, 2003, ical practice in Muslim nations, from $19.95, hardback, 140 pages. ensure global peace. Feldman’s the curious, gradual democratization message is timely, as Iraq approach- in hard-line Iran to the emergence REVIEWED BY es its new crossroads. of a powerful role for religious par- BENJAMIN R. JUSTESEN Western skeptics may warn that ties in militantly secular Turkey. Islam and democracy are incompati- Conspicuously, longtime U.S. allies The coming U.S. presidential ble, and that popularly elected Saudi Arabia and the United Arab campaign promises more fireworks regimes — particularly those led by Emirates remain decidedly and iron- than light on such issues as Iraqi- strong Islamist parties — may lead ically undemocratic, having never style democracy and the fragile to less stability, not more. But allowed elections, he notes. Western alliance. Thoughtful read- Feldman sees a worse scenario: the America’s tenuous relationship ers should welcome Noah Feldman’s inevitable “tragedy” if Islamic demo- with its truly democratic allies con- After Jihad and Laurent Cohen- cracy does not emerge because cerns Laurent Cohen-Tanugi, a Tanugi’s An Alliance at Risk, both America sticks to its present policies Tunisian-born, Harvard-educated written before the Iraq War, as food for fear of unleashing unknown, international lawyer. His cogent for sober thought. potentially destructive forces. treatise — An Alliance at Risk: The In After Jihad: America and the A synthesis of incompatible ideas United States and Europe since Struggle for Islamic Democracy, like Islam and democracy could well September 11 — pleads for a “new Feldman, a New York University law produce a hybrid ideological “bas- Atlanticism,” a calm reconsideration professor with a doctorate in Islamic tard,” like Germany’s National of mutual interests by leaders on thought, explores prospects for the Socialism, as Feldman puts it, in a both sides. emergence of Islamic democracy in vast range of possible outcomes. Since 9/11, America has rede- the post-9/11 world. American lead- Fortunately, a middle ground fined its foreign policy toward a uni- ers, he argues, should beware of sup- between autocratic Saudi leaders lateral approach, a shift caused part- porting Middle Eastern regimes and ayatollah-led Iran — made up of ly by the absence of European diplo- which lack popular support. Even if peaceful, secular states with popu- matic and strategic leadership. democracy may be unpredictable in larly-elected leaders who observe Meanwhile, the fast-expanding the short term, encouraging its Islam but disavow jihad as a rallying European Union — an unwieldy development is the only way to cry and sharia as law — is possible. body the author fears may soon bear

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 65 B OOKS a “strange resemblance to the Armacost’s decision to attend the defunct League of Nations” — has What Diplomacy funeral of assassinated Filipino only undermined once-solid West- Can Do opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” ern goals, as evidenced in the Iraqi Aquino in 1983 kicked off a long War run-up. Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: diplomatic chess game to put The question is not who is right How to Oust the World’s Last Washington on the side of the demo- — for neither side is, really — but Dictators by 2025 cratic movement his murder ener- what both sides can and should do to Ambassador Mark Palmer, Rowman gized. In Chile, Barnes played a key ward off a permanent estrangement, and Littlefield, 2003, $27.95, hard- role, also at many junctures, in the according to the author. Europe cover, 321 pages. 1988 plebiscite that led to Gen. must learn to speak with a single Augusto Pinochet’s ouster. And in voice on foreign policy issues, if it REVIEWED BY very different circumstances, Amb. hopes to become an equal partner in ELIZABETH SPIRO CLARK Smith Hempstone in Kenya and world matters, or watch its strategic Palmer himself in Hungary demon- weakness spiral into virtual irrele- The real “axis of evil” in the strated how embassies (and groups vance. “In its own interests, even world, according to Mark Palmer, is of embassies) can become what the more than in the interests of its rela- its 45 remaining dictators. In author calls “Freedom Houses,” tionship with the United States, the Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: How pushing or nudging dynamic politi- European Union must therefore add to Oust the World’s Last Dictators cal situations to favor democracy. to its multilateralist culture ... a gen- by 2025, he calls on the U.S. to make Intriguingly, Palmer outlines what uine strategic dimension,” Cohen- the goal of getting rid of them a core a nonviolent strategy for removing Tanugi writes. To exert real influ- objective of its foreign policy. Saddam Hussein after the first ence on the United States, Europe To make his case, the former Persian Gulf War might have looked must strengthen the transatlantic ambassador to Hungary takes on two like. Its centerpiece would have been alliance and its own credibility by pillars of conventional wisdom: that an internationally recognized “Trans- assuming a “more significant portion it is naive to think we can impose itional Council” in the north and, ulti- of the financial and military burdens democracy on other countries, and mately, internationally supported of international security.” In other that U.S. interests require working strikes and mass demonstrations that words, stop complaining and step with dictators to guarantee stability. would force Saddam’s removal. Given up, cash and troops in hand. Palmer rejects both claims, making a what we now know of Saddam’s slide What can America do for its part? strong case that dictatorships are into non-functionality, the case that Meet Europe halfway by re-empha- never in the U.S. interest. Far from this strategy would have been success- sizing credible diplomacy and re- guaranteeing stability, they harbor ful is plausible. assuming its role as the international and support terrorists, criminals and Palmer’s emphasis on targeting the community’s leader, not just global each other. Furthermore, “our dictators as individuals has pluses and policeman. In short, Cohen-Tanugi moral interest in democracy coin- minuses. He keeps the focus on over- declares, the United States must cides completely with our interest in coming the main obstacles to democ- “redefine its attitude to the develop- security and prosperity … the world ratization (i.e., those in power) and ing world, and to the major global is really not divided between cul- avoids getting bogged down in deter- issues,” encouraging Arab democra- tures, religions and economies but mining what the “preconditions” for tization and integration into the between democrats and dictators.” democracy are. But there is some world economy. Even where the U.S. must work with artificiality in his “least-wanted 45” list While hardly light summer read- strongmen, diplomats can and (for example, China’s non-democracy ing, both volumes are well worth the should also support internal democ- is not really a dictatorship). And effort. ratic movements. Palmer’s focus on individuals keeps The most engrossing sections of him from taking up tricky issues of Benjamin R. Justesen, a former the book are detailed accounts of the national and cultural pride. Foreign Service officer, is the author key roles diplomats Michael Arma- Still, there is no disputing Palmer’s of George Henry White: An Even cost and Harry Barnes played in central point that, as in the period Chance in the Race of Life bringing democracy to the Phili- immediately following World War II, (Louisiana State Press, 2001). ppines and Chile, respectively. the world needs “new structures to

66 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 B OOKS reflect new realities.” For Palmer, Nations that is a “democracy club.” the new reality is that dictators must As those examples suggest, the be replaced by democracies. He Even where the “Palmer toolkit” properly empha- does not rule out the use of military sizes multilateral tactics, as these are power, most promisingly in the con- U.S. must work with most likely to overcome reactions to text of international law enforcement, the U.S. as a democracy “crusade” but his focus is on using the full range strongmen, leader. One hopes that this part of of non-violent options available to the his message, in particular, reaches a U.S. and its allies. Toward that end, diplomats can and wide audience. ■ Palmer is for flooding the world with democracy-supporting organizations, should also support Elizabeth Spiro Clark, a longtime such as “Global Students for member of the Journal’s Editorial Democracy” and “Business Comm- internal democratic Board, was a Foreign Service officer unity for Democracy.” He would also from 1980 to 2000. A former fellow strengthen a movement he has movements, at the National Endowment for helped organize, the intergovern- Democracy’s International Forum mental Community of Democracies, Palmer says. for Democratic Studies, she is cur- and the nongovernmental World rently an associate at the Institute Movement for Democracy. And he for the Study of Diplomacy at would have the U.S. aim at a United Georgetown University.

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 67 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT THE GOW SCHOOL

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68 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT

A VILLAGE TO CALL HOME — GLOBAL NOMADS INTERNATIONAL

DESPITE SOMETIMES FEELING LIKE YOU’RE LIVING A FELLINI FILM, LIFE AFTER A FOREIGN SERVICE CHILDHOOD CAN INCLUDE A CLUB CALLED HOME.

BY MIKKELA THOMPSON

ong before Marshall McLuhan coined Global Nomads International and Global Nomad Programs the phrase “Global Village” in 1967, and Services of the Multicultural Research and Resource the world was an actual village for the Center of George Mason University in cooperation with the Foreign Service. But in all villages, Global Nomad Special Interest Group of the National you are not always part of the club. Association of Foreign Student Advisers: The Association of You can do drama, play sports, be a International Educators. The majority of the attendees scout and play in the orchestra, but no were American passport-holders, but no one claimed to be matter how well-adjusted you are — despite your country- only one thing. Although most wore Western-style clothes, Lhopping and language dexterity — some- one of the open sessions did involve a dis- times it’ s nice to find others who are just like cussion about which clothes people had in you. There are clubs for you which transcend You realize that you their closet. More than one person admitted time and place, virtual and actual. Last fall I to not being willing to give up those “cos- was impressed to find my “tribe” — and their are not alone in your tumes” from other cultures. When asked to temporary village — at the Global Nomads participate in a flag ceremony, no one was conference at George Mason University “specialness.” willing to walk with only one flag — as this (Oct. 24-26, 2003). would be disloyal to the others that repre- According to the organization’s founder, sent who they are. Norma McCaig, a Global Nomad is “anyone The weekend consisted of workshops, who has ever lived abroad before adulthood because of a lectures, networking and socializing opportunities. The parent’s occupational choice (with, for example, the diplo- workshops included “Global Nomads As Cultural Bridges matic corps, religious or non-governmental missions, inter- for the New Millennium,” “Images from the Journey: national business) or whose parents were/are abroad inde- Writing as Process,” “Moving Past Uniqueness: Weaving pendently for career purposes.” This includes military brats, the Threads of Shared Experience” — and many more tan- diplomatic brats, banking brats, missionary brats, teaching talizingly self-reflective and psychologically stimulating brats, expats, etc. There are many other terms for those who courses such as “Growing Up Globally: Insights and A-ha’s;” have had an internationally mobile childhood. “TCK” — or “Together with (or without) Children: Global Nomads as third culture kid — has been used since the 1960s, and there Parents and Life Partners;” “Spirituality: Exploring Its were representatives from that field of research at the con- Impact Then and Now;” “Are You Talking to Moi?: Global ference too. Nomads and Authority;” “If Only I’d Known!: Student Discussion about Life on Campus;” and “Onions or Tantalizing Workshops Artichokes: Exploring the Layers of the Rest of Our Lives.” The Global Nomad conference brought together 100 Unfortunately there was not time to attend all the ses- participants from as far as Japan and Finland ranging in age sions. After the general session, we raced around, talking in from 18 to 70-plus, primarily women. It was sponsored by small groups, like electrons in a compression chamber — business cards zipping through the air. One young woman Mikkela Thompson, a former FS child, is the Journal’s said to me, “Give me your card. I want to know you. But Business Manager. Continued on page 70

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 69 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT

Continued from page 69

Tradition moves but very slowly.

you live here so we don’t have to do it here.” I completely concurred. And we have since struck up a pleasant friendship — locally.

Life As a Fellini Film Each session started with a round of introductions in which all participants gave the rundown of passports, coun- tries and schools they had attended. The first session I attended was “Spooks, Spies and Necessary Lies: Growing Up in the CIA,” and I was fas- cinated to hear David Sanford’s story. He had spent his childhood growing up as a Foreign Service child. After col- lege he joined the Peace Corps. Then one day he went to his parents’ home and noticed a new plaque on the man- tel. The plaque commemorated a quarter-century with the CIA. It was his father’s! As David explained, it was as if his life had become a Fellini film. When he looked back on the last 25 years — his childhood — he could see all the events and coincidences that now sud- denly made sense. He told about the time that he was in Iran in the Peace Corps — where mail took six days by caravan from Tehran. He received a letter three days after his mother had written it. He now understood that his father had been in the area on a covert mission, and had “dropped off” the let- ter. He recalled that when he called his father at the “office” — he never got him, but his father would get the message and call back. And as a result of his international childhood, he was a liberal. He demonstrated against Vietnam — while his father was the section chief for Southeast Asia. After more frenetic greetings and business card exchanges in the hall- ways, I chose to attend “Between Continued on page 72

70 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 71 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT

Continued from page 70

Borders: Experiences and Voices of Non-U.S. Global Nomads.” There I learned how problems are compound- ed when you are not a passport-holder of the country that you grew up in and choose to live in as an adult. One Japanese “nomad” spent many years in New York as the child of a corporate father, only to discover after college that she could not stay in the U.S. — no matter how American she felt or sounded. And then there was the United Nations-based nomad who had never lived in her native Mali. Once she became an adult and lost her U.N. passport, she discovered that there were countries in the world she could not visit — because they do not give Mali passport-holders entry! I heard many a “God Bless Canada” in this ses- sion — apparently the easiest way to live a life of freedom in the U.S. is to become a “landed immigrant” in Canada. For similar reasons, many non-U.S. nomads are highly educated — not out of studiousness, but to stay in the country of their choice. For many in this category, especial- ly the women, gender issues play a huge role. As one global nomad said, “tradition moves but very slowly.” The Malian explained how she did not even walk like a good Malian girl, but when she was back home she was expected to behave like a good daughter. As the eldest sibling and a female, she was expected to carry on the traditions of her family and keep in touch with her extended family. She felt like an out- sider in her own country, so she chose to move to the U.S. as an adult. She said that she was not willing to step back into the expected role as a torch- bearer for tradition. In Mali, with her upbringing, she was told that she should be an ambassador’s wife. “No, I’d rather be the ambassador,” she replied. The third session I joined was “The Heart of the Matter: Courting Global Nomad Style,” led by Anne-Marie Atkinson, a therapist specializing in relationships and herself a former FS child. The psychological game she used at the beginning of the session to

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For many of the non-U.S. “nomads,” especially the women, gender issues play a huge role.

demonstrate how extroverted nomads are was great fun. She then addressed the question of whether nomads approach dating differently because of their upbringing. Do we have differ- ent strengths and can we comfortably date people who have not moved around as children? Global nomads tend to have had rich experiences in life and are there- fore usually interesting to others. Global nomads know that they are fas- cinating, but generally do not come across as arrogant. As they are at ease talking to new people and have met people from all over, they see many more people as potential mates. But because they are used to a transient lifestyle, they can be too quick to dive into relationships. Global nomads find it easy to talk about rather personal matters quickly — a “confessional impulse” — so what a nomad may see as simply being chatty, others may interpret as real interest. Global nomads may rush into things: there is always a sense of urgency because they grew up knowing that there is always a departure date. The weekend included the full spectrum of global life from morning yoga to “Schmoozing and Smooth Jazz” in the evening and lunches with sponsor-specific tables — e.g., Diplomatic Corps, Business, Military Brats. The last keynote speaker was Atsushi Furuiye from the Japanese chapter of Global Nomads. He explained how the Japanese govern- ment, until the 1980s, did not really recognize the children of their “for- eign service (usually corporate)” and Continued on page 74

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Continued from page 73 that the rigid Japanese education sys- Most of the attendees as part of their identity, and many tem did not bend for its expats. With have several passports. It’s wonderful the economic boom of the 1980s, claim five or more to be part of a club where every intro- Japan began to recognize that their duction is a laundry list of countries of urbane, English-speaking citizens countries as part of their residence. Once the background were an asset — and hence Japanese information is out of the way, the nomads have a better situation now identity, and many have friendships can commence. than they did 50 years ago. Initially I was wary of the event — The conference ended with special several passports. worried that it would be a bunch of interest group meetings for writers, hippies sitting around in a circle counselors, practitioners, advocates, singing “Kumbaya.” While there was campus and local group leaders, edu- some of that, modern global nomads cators, coaches/cross-cultural trainers, are less hippie and more hip. And researchers, conference 2004, GNI’s there is room for both the hand-hold- Vision, mission and action, healing arts cation were all available for consulta- ing and the applause. practitioners, information technology, tion. They also distributed material. As a result of the conference, I and a farewell lunch and speeches. joined the local chapter of Global No- Lastly, there was a marketplace featur- A Hometown Club mads International, Global Nomads ing the different organizations for the Attending a conference like the Washington Area. (To join the list, globally active — careers, volunteer GNI conference is a great way to send a blank message to gnwa-sub work and projects. Representatives make friends, but also a way to realize [email protected].) They from the fields of international educa- that you are not alone in your “spe- function primarily as a social group tion and international development, cialness.” Most of the people at the and meet about once a month for NGOs, entrepreneurial efforts, cross- conference speak three or more lan- brunches, movie nights, etc., includ- cultural training and intercultural edu- guages, claim five or more countries Continued on page 77

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FROM THE JUNE 2000 SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT Ani Stoyanova, “So Your Kid Is an Aspiring Artiste?”

f you decide that a boarding school specializing “Iin the performing arts is right for your child, you should know that three American boarding schools are often cited for their high quality: Idyllwild Arts Academy (www.idyllwildarts.org) in California; Interlochen Arts Academy (www.interlochen.org) in Michigan; and Walnut Hill School (www.walnuthillarts.org) in Massachusetts.

“All three institutions combine intensive training in the arts with college-preparatory academic curricula and boast a high percentage of international stu- dents. Graduates of all three schools have gone on to the Juilliard School, the Peabody Conservatory of Music and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Others have attended Yale, Columbia, Cornell and New York University.

“For more information, contact the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools (www.artsschoolsnetwork.org).”

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Continued from page 74

As one of the nomads said, “the hometown for global nomads is other people.” It will be good to be home again.

ing the annual cherry blossom parade and an annual holiday party. In a town of transients, it is a good way to meet others who are like you. And in what seems characteristic, wherever we go, we are always the most raucous and entertaining group. Yet it is also a very tolerant group. There is even room for the introverts. Not surprisingly, there is an interna- tional trend toward studying the effects of a global upbringing. As I was raving about the conference to a friend in London in an e-mail, she forwarded information about a similar seminar in London. This seminar was on how growing up outside of the passport country can have a tremendous impact on a child. “Whether the experience is for as little as one year living in one for- eign country, or for several moves between countries over a period of many years, the experience can change a child’s outlook forever,” stated the lit- erature for this seminar, led by a “glob- al nomad” who herself attended eight schools in three different languages before completing her secondary edu- cation. We are not alone. Almost word for word, the message is the same. This global nomad is now head of admissions at an international school in England. It seems that much like many clubs, one cannot leave the global nomad lifestyle even as an adult. And who would want to? I am already eagerly awaiting the next global village meeting in the Washington, D.C., area in October 2004. As one of the nomads said, “the hometown for global nomads is other people.” It will be good to be home again. ■

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F ROMTHE D ECEMBER 2 0 0 0 S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT Pat Olsen, “Homeschooling FS Kids? It Worked for Us”

ack in 1989, if you had asked me whether WWW.HOME-ED-MAGAZINE.COM Library, resources, online newsletter, monthly pub- “Bhomeschooling might be a good option for lication. Look for their online Pocket Field Guide to my children, I would have answered with an Homeschooling. Click on “Resources – State Laws and Regulations.” emphatic ‘No!’ A Foreign Service spouse with three young boys, I was sure that homeschool was WWW.NHEN.ORG The National Home Education Network an option chosen only by missionaries and a few counter-culture types. WWW.UNSCHOOLING.COM Creating non-school learning environments

“Times have changed. Homeschooling is now a WWW.CALVERTSCHOOL.ORG popular and culturally acceptable choice. Many The Calvert School has offered homeschooling courses for almost 100 years. resources exist to support homeschools and state education laws have been written to respond to the WWW.STATE.GOV/WWW.FLO/EDUCATION.HTML rise in homeschooled children. Here are some of Family Liaison Office, Education. See Direct Communication Project Paper No. 30, The Home them: Study Option, available online

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F ROMTHE D ECEMBER 2 0 0 3 S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT Aster Grahn, “Getting an Internship: Some Tips” “Internships are the best way to get real job experience and to start figuring out what you want to do professionally. Even if you don’t yet know what field you are going into, an intern- ship can be a great experience, and maybe help you to figure it out. Here, briefly, are some tools and tips to make the process as easy and painless as possible, from someone who has just done it. (For more detail, you may want to consult “An Internship Can Open Many Doors,” by Tanja Trenz, in the June 2002 FSJ.) “First things first: figure out what you’re interested in and how to pursue it. Find out which companies dominate the field, or which organizations support your specific interests. Research is crucial in every step of the process; the more you know the better. Simple as it sounds, most companies and organizations list their internships on their Web sites, usually under “employment” or “vacancies.” If you are in school, there is probably a career office or similar service on campus, and often they can put you in touch with alumni who are in posi- tions that might interest you. “If you don’t have a professional field in mind, or don’t know much about the job market in that field, start with a Web site like MonsterTrak.com (www.monstertrak.com). The main attraction is a database of companies looking for interns in fields from accounting to waste management and everything in-between. The site has a number of other useful features, including a major-to-career converter, a resumé center and a virtual interview program, to help out with the all-important application process. “Begin applying for positions early, at least two to four months before you hope to start; longer if you’re looking for a government position that requires a security clearance or back- ground check, as nearly all do. Ask people you know whether they know of an opening or oppor- tunity; they’ll often be glad to help. Apply for more than one position; even if you have your heart set on one or think you’re a shoo-in, it’s always good to have a backup plan. Good luck!”

JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 79 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT USEFUL LINKS:

EXPAT EXCHANGE An online resource for information, employment, services, and shopping overseas. www.expatexchange.com

FOREIGN SERVICE LIFELINES Web site created by FS spouses www.aafsw.org

FROM THE JUNE 2001 SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT Melanie Kerber, “In Search of That Special School” FOREIGN SERVICE YOUTH n estimated 5 percent of stu- facilities. Other families use area FOUNDATION AROUND THE “Adents attending public school educational consultants.” WORLD IN A LIFETIME have been diagnosed with a specific Washington-area resources include: learning disability. Improved assess- (AWAL) ment tools have helped with the School Counseling Group process of identifying significantly (202) 333-3530 Provides information, more students with weaknesses not www.schoolcounseling.com advocacy and activities for severe enough to qualify for acade- E-mail: guidance@ mic support under the current feder- schoolcounseling.com internationally mobile youth. al guidelines. Frequently, parents of these students are frustrated by the Georgia K. Irvin & Associates www.state.gov/www/flo/ lack of placement options, limiting (301) 951-0131 fsyf.html them to selecting an academic pro- www.girvin.com gram with few accommodations or a E-mail: [email protected] special class full of students with behavioral difficulties and low stan- Petersen Academic Group dards. (703) 391-1280 TCK WORLD www.petersenag.com “Most Foreign Service families I E-mail: [email protected] Web site for the support and speak with have made good use of understanding of Third Culture the Family Liaison Office at State, Washington Independent Services which offers information, support, for Educational Resources (WISER) Kids (TCKs) networking and referrals to a variety (301) 816-0432 of agencies including schools, hos- www.wiser-dc.com www.tckworld.com pitals, outpatient services and testing E-mail: [email protected]

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 81 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT SchoolsSchools atat aa GlanceGlance Go to our Web page at www.afsa.org and click on the Marketplace tab for more information.

Annual Tuition, School Name Advertisement EnrollmentPage No. Gender Distribution,Percent M/F BoardingPercent InternationalLevels Offered Common ApplicationAccepts/Offers ADDMiles and to LD Int’lInt’l Airport StudentsDorms Orientation w/E-mail,Holiday phones Break CoverageRoom & Board (USD)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Alexandria Country 92 250 50/50 NA NA K-8 NN 20 NA NA NA 15,000 Day School Rock Creek 81 220 40/60 0 60 PK-8 NY 20 Y NA Y 16,975 International School Washington International 72 825 49/51 0 37 PK-12 N Limited 8YNA NA 18,500- School 20,850

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

North Country School 93 78 58/42 95 16 4-9 YY125 NN N36,400

JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Dana Hall School 70 454 All girls 50 11 6-12 Y Limited 12 YY N34,425 Grier School 78 192 All girls 100 50 7-12 YY120 NY Y29,500 Oldfields 93 185 All girls 80 16 8-12, PG Y Limited 35 NN Y33,700 Perkiomen School 74 265 60/40 60 20 5-12, PG YY 50 YY N31,200 Shattuck - St. Mary's 70 300 61/39 80 15 6-12, PG YN 45 YY N25,600 School St Michael's University 79 880 50/50 40 26 8-12 NN 15 YY Y26,200 School

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Buxton School 91 90 50/50 100 5YLimited 45 NN N32,500 Cranbrook Schools 77 760 53/47 34 10 9-12 YN 25 Y T3/Y Y 29,290 Foxcroft School 92 186 All girls 75 13 9-12 YN 30 YY y34,000 Garrison Forest School 73 215 All girls 40 10 8-12 YN 35 YY N30,250 Idyllwild Arts Academy 68 262 40/60 85 27 9-12, PG YN120 YY N35,800 Interlochen Arts Academy 81 455 39/61 93 20 9-12, PG NN 16 YY N28,700 Kents Hill School 79 215 60/40 70 20 9-12, PG YY 50 YYLimited 33,900 Kimball Union Academy 89 305 60/40 66 11 9-12, PG YN130 Y Y/N Y 33,500 La Lumiere School 87 120 52/48 50 20 9-12, PG Y Limited 70 NN Y20,550 Madeira School 91 302 All girls 52 13 9-12 YY 15 YYLimited 32,800 Miss Hall's School 75 165 All girls 75 18 9-12 Y NA 40 YY N33,800 Montverde Academy 83 170 55/45 71 50 7-12 Y Limited 22 YYLimited 18,455 Northfield Mount Hermon 90 860 51/49 80 25 9-12, PG N Limited 70 YY N33,000 School Oregon Episcopal School 93 250 50/50 25 25 9-12 Y Limited 20 YY Y29,835 Purnell School 88 100 All girls 85 10 9-12 YY 35 YY N33,975

* NA - Not Applicable CONTINUED ON PAGE 84

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 83 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT SchoolsSchools atat aa GlanceGlance Go to our Web page at www.afsa.org and click on the Marketplace tab for more information.

Annual Tuition, School Name Advertisement PageEnrollment No. Gender Distribution,Percent M/F BoardingPercent InternationalLevels OfferedCommon ApplicationAccepts/Offers ADDMiles and LDto Int’lInt’l Airport StudentsDorms Orientation w/E-mail,Holiday phones Break CoverageRoom & Board (USD)

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (CONTINUED)

Salem Academy 83 200 All girls 52 6 9-12 YN 20 N Y/N Y 24,600 Tilton School 76 200 65/35 70 17 9-12, PG YY 40 YY Y33,125 Wentworth Military 71 200 80/20 100 4 9-12, PG NY 50 YY N21,995 Academy Western Reserve 73 375 55/45 65 11 9-12, PG NN 35 YY Y26,700 Academy

DISTANCE LEARNING/HOMESCHOOLING

Calvert School 85 Homeschooling program. K-8. For more info. go to: www.calvertschool.org University of Missouri 72 21,000 Independent study: 3-12, PG, accredited HS diploma.Go to: cdis.missouri.edu/go/fsd3.asp (at Columbia)

MILITARY SCHOOLS

Valley Forge Military 87 700 All boys 100 12 7-12, PG YN 15 YY N26,450 Academy

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS

Gow School 68 143 All boys 100 20 7-12, PG N All LD 20 YY N37,250 Mount Bachelor 78 95 60/40 100 5 7-12 NY173 NN N62,400 Academy Riverview School 81 182 50/50 100 Limited 7-12, PG NY 75 YN N55,643 Vanguard School 87 136 41/59 90 26 5-12, PG NY 50 YY N34,750

OVERSEAS SCHOOLS American International 76 85 52/48 90 100 7-12, PG YN2.5 YN N27,000 School in Salzburg American Overseas 76 600 50/50 5 65 PK-PG NY 30 YY N44,000 School of Rome John F. Kennedy 74 65 50/50 50 70 K-8 N Limited 90 Y Y/N N 34,600 International School Switzerland Leysin American School 80 330 55/44 100 65 9-12, PG Y Limited 75 YY N31,000 in Switzerland TASIS, The American 85 659 51/49 25 35 Nursery-13 Y Limited 8Y Y N33,000 School in England TASIS, The American 85 325 50/50 84 55 7-PG YN 5YYN33,000 School in Switzerland

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Foreign Service Youth Foundation ounterintuitive as it seems to most parents, For 5-to-8-year-old FS children, “Diplokids” pro- returning to the United States is often the vides a fun place to meet other kids who have Cmost difficult move for our children. Though lived around the world. The pre-teen group, the years in the Washington area may be the “Globe Trotters,” meets for social activities and strangest years in a lifetime of exotic locations, FS hosts transition, leadership training and re-entry workshops. The oldest group, “AWAL (Around the children can still benefit from the efforts made on World in a Lifetime),” for FS teens, includes the their behalf. In this cyber age, the Foreign Service elements of the other programs and a community Youth Foundation sponsors a perpetual virtual club service project (funded by a grant from the Una house — and a tangible place for kids who are in Chapman Cox Foundation). This year’s communi- the DC area. The FSYF is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit ty service project is dedicated to introducing organization established in 1989 to inform and refugee children to American life. assist Foreign Service youth and their families with their internationally mobile lifestyle. FSYF’s youth FSYF sponsors many other activities including the FSYF community service awards, annual wel- development programs include a myriad of educa- come-back potluck picnic, parenting programs and tional and social activities. Through the FSYF pro- the Kid Video Contest (in conjunction with FSI’s grams children discuss pertinent issues such as Transition Center). FSYF membership is $30 for returning to the U.S., coping with the first week of three years per FS family. For more information school, making new friends, preparing for a move, on FSYF’s activities, go to its Web site, saying goodbye and staying in touch. www.fsyf.org, or e-mail [email protected].

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F ROMTHE D ECEMBER 2 0 0 1 S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT Pia Schou Nielsen, “Looking for a Good School Abroad?”

ccording to the State Department’s Family Liaison Office, there are approximately 10,000 children in “AForeign Service families, of whom about 7,200 are school-age. Around 93 percent of those children attend local schools located in the city of assignment. Five percent enroll in boarding schools, and the other 2 percent are homeschooled by their parents.

“Foreign Service life offers these children many rewards: excitement, diversity, intellectual stimulation and a sense of self-sufficiency. But it also poses many challenges, a major one being the identification of schools that nurture educational and social development rather than disrupting it. Even in developed nations, find- ing schools with high educational standards that also give American students the opportunity to interact with the local culture can be difficult. And the selection process must be repeated every few years, often in very different settings. Fortunately, help is available!”

USEFUL CONTACTS: Family Liaison Office Office of Overseas The Association of ISS Directory of Peterson’s Directory of Department of State Schools Boarding Schools Overseas Schools Private Secondary M/DGP/FLO Room 1 Department of State (TABS) International Schools Schools Washington, D.C. www.state.gov/www/ 1620 L St. NW, St. 1100 Services Peterson’s Guides 20520 about_state/school Washington, D.C. P.O. Box 5910 P.O. Box 2123 (202) 647-1076 E-mail: overseas 20036 Princeton, NJ 08543 Princeton, NJ 08543 www.state.gov/www/flo [email protected] (202) 973-9753 (609) 452-0990 www.petersons.com/ E-mail: FLO@perms. state.gov www.schools.com www.isu.edu private us-state.gov E-mail: tabs@ E-mail: [email protected] schools.com

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F ROMTHE D ECEMBER 2 0 0 2 S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT Stephen Yeater, “Surfing the Net for Secondary Schools”

here are many helpful online options for researching and comparing secondary schools (high schools), Tboth overseas and in the United States. The sites listed below encompass boarding schools, art schools and schools that accommodate students with learning disabilities, as well as homeschooling resources. And they’re all free.

“Benjamin Franklin wrote, ‘Genius without education is like silver in the mine.’ Whatever your child’s educa- tional needs, these online resources should help you polish that silver to its full shine.”

State Department Links Other Sites of Interest http://www.state.gov/www/flo/ — http://www.edulink.com/ — Ed-U-Link Services Family Liaison Office (M/FLO) http://www.artschools.com/ — ArtSchools.com http://state.gov/m/ http://www.ibo.org — International Baccalaureate Organization dghr/flo/c1958.htm — http://www.schools.com — The Association of Boarding Schools Education and Youth Officer http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ — National Center for Educational http://www.state.gov/www/about Statistics state/schools/index.html — http://www.ncld.org/map.cfm — National Center for Learning Office of Overseas Schools Disabilities http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org/index.html – American Homeschool Association http://www.nhen.org — National Home Education Network

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CFC #7861

DiploTots

Diplotots Child Development Center services State Department and federal employees

Open 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Computers, music appreciation, Monday - Friday foreign languages, and dance.

Open all year, closed federal Tuition assistance available for holidays. qualified families.

Full-time and drop-in care CFC (#7861) for infants and children, from Contributions and recycling six weeks old to kindergarten. funds used for tuition assistance.

U.S. Department of State Child Development Center 2401 E Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20520 (202) 663-3555 e-mail:[email protected]

FROMTHE JUNE 2002 SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT Tanja Trenz, “An Internship Can Open Many Doors”

re you a high school or college student who has “Aalways dreamed of working at a TV station in the U.S., advertising in China, or designing cars in Germany? One of the best ways to prepare for your dream career is to apply for an internship. And it’s never too early to start.

“The following Web sites offer links dedicated to internships: www.monster.com www.jobweb.de www.jobtrak.com www.4internships.com www.idealist.com www.careerplanit.com

“Another excellent resource for internships in the U.S. is the home page of Rising Star Internships (www.rsinternships.com), which provides a lot of information on jobs divided by fields and subjects.

“The following Web sites not only describe available internships but provide helpful information about the country and culture, including any special circumstances you should be aware of: www.intern.studyabroad.com www.internabroad.com”

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F ROMTHE J UNE 2 0 0 3 S CHOOL S UPPLEMENT Mikkela Thompson, “Christmas in July: Holidays as a Foreign Service Child”

or a Foreign Service child, the old adage ‘the only constant is change’ truly applies. One bastion of “Fstability in an FS child’s life, and sometimes the only one, is his or her family and their traditions. Foreign Service families celebrate a plethora of holidays — American and foreign — and many assimilate traditions as they move around the world. But despite this, it is the celebration itself, a time spent with one’s family, home from school, that can provide an emotional oasis in a childhood lived overseas.

“For FS children, holidays and celebrations are not particularly wedded to specific dates and seasons. And even the idea of what constitutes a holiday is flexible. The Fourth of July and Thanksgiving are the two most traditionally ‘American’ holidays, but FS kids are perhaps more lenient in their expectations of these occasions, given that opportunities to celebrate them in a foreign country are necessarily limited. So for FS children, such holidays are mainly occasions involving informal gatherings with their families for big meals. Indeed, for some, what makes such holidays distinctly ‘American’ are the customs and recipes that are passed down from one generation to another.

“A child raised in the Foreign Service can retain a sense of tradition while also appreciating new and diverse cultures, including their holidays. But while most FS children would agree that they enjoy holidays, it is the people with whom they spend these holidays that make all the difference. Schools come and go, but one’s family and friends are the true sources of stability. Family and celebrations, whether wearing candles on your head or eating marillen knoedel, can provide the rarest of gifts in a nomadic childhood — a tradition of continuity.”

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JUNE 2004/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 99 REFLECTIONS Unpacking: Morning with My HHE

BY WILLIAM V. ROEBUCK

I. II. Dust, Mozart, and a faint whiff of fading mildew Idle thoughts recur: Did the knowledge gained with the Blend in the background. reading A ripping sound, as covers stuck together, are pulled apart. Equal the distance of the voyages, plus the fun of the Idle thoughts: Do paperback books go to the Old Books’ adventures, Home? Divided by the absence of his company all those years? New arrivals invite: My Traitor’s Heart speaks to The Promise of a New South. The old battles had played out mostly between the covers An old-timer, World of Our Fathers, looks on, too long of these volumes, ignored. Whose titles and authors hint at the specific campaigns With broken spines, papers falling out, waged: old reading projects on Faulkner, Conrad, and George Did it matter that I had read James Baldwin’s The Fire Eliot, completed Next Time as a young person and run away from home or abandoned, briefly in a nocturnal act of readerly solidarity? speak of youthful seductions and more mature affairs, Or that Rousseau and Simone Weil and Henry Fielding broken off. and company had pushed me to leave home and sent Remnants of now-dried intellectual guts and youth lie me to West Africa years ago? splattered all over the floor. Or that I could recite by heart Hopkins’ “As Kingfishers Catch Fire,” even if at his funeral? Truman precedes Wilde, The Little Prince studies Exiles’ Return, while the Constitution There should have been more boxes, sniffs at Thoreau. More books read, things known, stands taken, issues grap- Palestinians peer out at Flanders pled with, adventures enjoyed; While Pascal and Nietzsche sit astride Rousseau; Another dark night of the soul or two, here and there; Criticism in the Wilderness meets Raymond Williams’ The Perhaps the shippers had made a mistake, perhaps not; Country and the City, Empty shelves beckon. Abroad. A kind of order ensues. A small New Testament, a survivor from childhood, Idle thoughts have to be filed, stuffed in a book on the Lies forlornly in the corner. shelf, Education sought, accomplished, and frustrated; Perhaps, where they will fit well, in Turgenev’s slim vol- Knowledge and art claimed and sometimes possessed. ume, Fathers and Sons, A library, an organization, an alphabetization of a love, On the last shelf, at the end of all the novels. ■ a recurring urge, a disappointment.

The boxes from the Jerusalem shippers, with books spilling out here, some unpacked there, Speak of transitions, previous shipments, occasional William Roebuck joined the Foreign Service in 1992 and has destinations; served in Kingston, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He is currently Travels and careers blur, previous locations call out: assigned to Damascus. The stamp is courtesy of the Dijon, Abidjan, Kingston, Athens. AAFSW Bookfair “Stamp Corner.”

100 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/JUNE 2004 AFSAAmerican ForeignNE Service Association • June 2004 WS

AWARDEES TO BE HONORED AT JUNE 24 CEREMONY Inside This 2004 AFSA AWARD WINNERS Issue:

NEWS BRIEFS ...... 2 he American Foreign Service CONSTRUCTIVE DISSENT AWARDS AFSA WANTS YOU AS A REP...... 3 Association is proud to announce the This year’s AFSA awards for intellec- FS FAMILY FEEDBACK...... 4 Twinners of the 2004 AFSA Awards. tual courage, initiative and integrity in the FCS NEWS...... 6 AFSA places great emphasis on these context of constructive dissent will be pre- FS HEALTH WATCH: MALARIA ...... 7 awards, which serve to recognize the intel- sented to the following Foreign Service MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE...... 8 lectual courage and outstanding achieve- employees who demonstrated the courage ment of our Foreign Service personnel. to speak out and challenge the system on AFSA will confer its annual awards on a subject related to their work: ON THE SECRETARY’S AGENDA Thursday, June 24, at 4 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception ■ The Christian A. Herter Award, AFSA Meets with Room of the Department of State. Each for a senior officer: award winner will receive a certificate of Ronald Schlicher, CPA Provincial Secretary Powell recognition and a monetary prize of Coordinator, Baghdad. $2,500. Everyone is welcome. To RSVP ■ The William R. Rivkin Award, n late March, AFSA met with Secretary for the awards event, call (202) 338-4045, for a mid-career officer: Powell, an annual tradition. AFSA ext. 515. For more information, call Awards Keith Mines, Embassy Budapest. Iused the opportunity to thank the Coordinator Barbara Berger at (202) 338- ■ The W. Averell Harriman Award, Secretary for using the good will he enjoys 4045, ext. 521. for a junior officer: in such abundance on the Hill to get the Steven Weston, Embassy Luxembourg. resources the department so sorely needs. Lifetime Contributions to ■ The Tex Harris Award, The funds have been put to good use and American Diplomacy: for a Foreign Service specialist: have vastly improved the professional lives Ambassador Richard Parker Elizabeth Orlando, Consulate General of Foreign Service members. AFSA then AFSA’s annual award for Lifetime Frankfurt. used the rest of the session to raise issues Contributions to American Diplomacy will Runner-up: Susan Harville, that have generated the most e-mail from be conferred on Ambassador Richard Embassy Bangkok. its members over the past year or so. Parker. Secretary of State Colin Powell has LOCALITY PAY: In response to AFSA’s been invited to present the award. Last EXEMPLARY SERVICE AWARDS request for a progress update on efforts to year’s recipient was former Secretary of These awards, which recognize exem- secure locality pay for FS-1 employees and State George Shultz, and the 2002 winner plary performance and extraordinary below, the Secretary said we have to be was Ambassador Thomas Pickering. contributions to professionalism, morale patient. We told him that in our conver- Secretary Powell presented the awards to and effectiveness, are: sations with the Office of Management & them. Previous recipients were U. Alexis ■ The Avis Bohlen Award, for a Budget and on the Hill, we have made the Johnson, Frank Carlucci, George H.W. Foreign Service family member whose rela- point that the Foreign Service is already a Bush, Lawrence Eagleburger, Cyrus Vance, tions with the American and foreign com- pay-for-performance system. Powell said David Newsom, and Lee Hamilton. munities at a Foreign Service post have he will try again to persuade OMB to (Look for the interview with Amb. Parker done the most to advance American inter- approve paying Washington locality pay to in the July Foreign Service Journal.) ests: Helene DeJong and Dawn McKeever, everyone in the Foreign Service. Continued on page 5 Continued on page 3 AFSANEWSBRIEFS AFSA Success on USAA Eligibility “Hot Line” In recent months, at least a few specialists have had difficulty DS New-Hire Per Diem applying for USAA insurance coverage. It seems that not all Thanks to AFSA’s representation on their behalf, all new hires USAA employees know that State Department specialists are with Diplomatic Security now receive per diem during their eligible for coverage. We recently learned about an eligibility three-week orientation class. Previously, State assigned some hot line, which has been successfully tested by one of our spe- cialist members who was having trouble obtaining the insur- DS agents to Washington ahead of their arrival for orientation. ance. Because they were assigned to Washington, this meant they The number to call is 1 (800) 531-8080; then ask for the eli- were not eligible for per diem, yet were living in very expensive gibility hot line. According to our member, “the person temporary quarters. AFSA spoke out repeatedly and insistently answering the phone knew all the answers to my questions on their behalf, and has been successful. and was very courteous and nice. She ‘put me in the system’ first, and we went from there. I am very pleased!” Life in the Foreign Service Seeking Writers ■ BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER We are seeking submissions for various AFSA News periodic fea- tures — Of Special(ist) Concern, Family Member Matters, On the Lighter Side, Where to Retire — and encourage you to consider writ- ing for them. There are no deadlines for submissions for these fea- tures: We accept submissions at any time, and seriously consider them all. We have not yet received any submissions from specialists for the “Of Special(ist) Concern” feature, so would be especially glad to hear from you. Please send your 450- to 550-word submissions to [email protected]. Input for AFSA News AFSA News is not just for news from and about AFSA, but includes news of interest to AFSA members and the Foreign Service community. We welcome your suggestions on what types of features and information you would like to see in AFSA News. Let us know what you find useful and what you don’t find useful. Send input to [email protected].

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Governing Board: (202) 338-4045; Fax: (202) 338-6820 Executive Director Susan Reardon: [email protected] Business Department STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: PRESIDENT: John W. Limbert (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Controller Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane USAID AFSA OFFICE: Accounting Assistant Steven Tipton: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 Labor Management USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Carter General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Charles A. Ford FCS AFSA OFFICE: Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 482-9088; Fax: (202) 482-9087 Labor Management Specialist James Yorke: [email protected] FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Laura Scandurra USAID Senior Labor Management Advisor Douglas Broome: [email protected] RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: George F. Jones AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org USAID Office Manager Asgeir Sigfusson: [email protected] SECRETARY: F.A. “Tex” Harris AFSA E-MAIL: [email protected] Grievance Attorneys Harry Wilkinson: [email protected], and Charles Henderson: AFSA NEWS: [email protected] [email protected] TREASURER: Danny Hall FSJ: [email protected] Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] STATE REPRESENTATIVES: Pamela Bates, PRESIDENT: [email protected] Law Clerk Marques Peterson: [email protected] Cynthia G. Efird, Scot L. Folensbee, STATE VP: [email protected] Member Services Raymond D. Maxwell, John C. Sullivan, RETIREE VP: [email protected] Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] Jim Wagner USAID VP:[email protected] Representative Cory Nishi: [email protected] FCS VP: [email protected] Web site & Database Associate Meijing Shan: [email protected] USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Thomas Olson Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] FAS VP: [email protected] FCS REPRESENTATIVE: William Crawford Outreach Programs RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Gilbert Sheinbaum, Retiree Liaison Bonnie Brown: [email protected] AFSA News Director of Communications Thomas Switzer: [email protected] David E. Reuther, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III, Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: [email protected] Stanley A. Zuckerman

How to Contact Us: Contact to How (202) 338-4045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 Corporate Relations/Executive Assistant Austin Tracy: [email protected] IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Alex Belida On the Web: www.afsa.org/news Scholarship Director Lori Dec: [email protected] Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger: [email protected] FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Michael Conlon

2 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004 Powell • Continued from page 1 V.P. VOICE: STATE ■ BY LOUISE CRANE SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT: Acting AFSA President Louise Crane explained that the issue of spouse employment is so sensi- AFSA Wants tive that when one post pays an eligible family member less than that person is YOU entitled to based on previous experience, it strikes a very sore nerve. She thanked as a Rep! him for what appears to be the resolu- tion of the EFM employment issue at AIT Taiwan, which was treating EFMs as t’s summer transfer season. If you are the AFSA representative at your post, please though they had no prior U.S. work his- put this item on your check-out sheet: arrange for successor. If you arrive at your tory of any kind. Inew post and find there is no AFSA rep, consider taking up the mantle. You will be doing a good deed. Several years ago, AFSA approved the inclusion of “community service” in the Procedural Precepts. This meant that not only could rating and reviewing officers men- tion service — including service on the school board, the cafeteria committee, a selec- Raising the retirement tion board or a review panel — in employees’ annual evaluations, but that promotion age would “age the force and panels could give such service weight in their deliberations. Then-Director General Ruth Davis thought, and AFSA agreed, that community service was important in strength- restrict opportunity,” Powell said. ening the institution of the Foreign Service. “It isn’t that we can’t perform; Such “community service” also includes contributing to employee welfare. So, yes, being an AFSA rep is a valuable form of community service, one that makes a major the issue is flow-through.” contribution to the strength of the Foreign Service. AFSA reps around the world are invaluable to us here at headquarters. They alert us to members’ concerns. From the AFSA e-mail bag, here are some recent issues taken on by AFSA reps: discrimination faced by administrative and technical staff resulting from their exclusion from the diplomatic list; inequity in administering allowances; and RETIREMENT AGE: AFSA raised the problems with the post-9/11 requirement for a personal appearance to apply for a dri- question of compulsory retirement at age ver’s license renewal, something that previously could be done by mail. 65, noting that many members believe Then there is that hardy perennial, overtime. Untenured employees and most spe- that the compulsory age should be cialists are entitled by law to overtime. Certain procedures have to be observed; e.g., raised to coincide with the age at which overtime must be approved in advance. However, there are posts that ignore the over- one can receive full Social Security ben- time rules. Employees, especially at the entry level, are often reluctant to approach a efits. Powell responded that raising the supervisor to request overtime compensation, for fear they may be branded as trou- age would “age the force and restrict blemakers. But it is precisely the entry-level employees who need either the overtime, opportunity.” He said that the retirement or more likely, the comp time. At hardship posts, employees get R&R, but entry-level age for the military is 55, and that “In my employees have not accumulated enough leave to take their R&R — comp time can former employment, I had to get an cover the gap. exception to stay until age 56. It isn’t that The AFSA rep provides helpful cover for employees with complaints or problems. we can’t perform; the issue is flow- Where an individual might be reluctant to approach post management, the AFSA rep through.” is expected to do so, and can simply say he/she has been asked by “employees” to dis- MOH: AFSA raised the Members of cuss this problem or that. The employees remain anonymous. Energetic AFSA reps Household issue, which was discussed at at dangerous posts are included in security discussions. Post management sees them recent entry-level conferences attended as a valuable link between management and employees. The 2002 AFSA Representative by AFSA, and informed the Secretary that of the Year awardee had served in Tel Aviv and worked very closely with post manage- AFSA had forwarded to management ment on critical security issues. In addition, AFSA reps can sit in on interviews with suggestions for adjusting the MOH reg- DS and the OIG to help protect employees’ rights. ulations on issues such as the definition Your service can be recognized in your EER. While direct references to AFSA in of EFM. the EER are prohibited, there are circumlocutions to describe your efforts that will be ASSIGNMENT PROCESS: Because the easily understood by the selection panel. Secretary has mentioned more than once So, do good by helping your colleagues and seeing that management plays by the Continued on page 7 rules. Volunteer to be the AFSA rep at your post! ▫

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 3 FS VOICE: FAMILY MEMBER MATTERS ■ BY LESLIE ASHBY Virtual FS Community Suggestions Reach the DG

couple of months ago, I learned that Web site, the AAFSW site and the AFSA site; increasing per diem amounts to account for I would have the opportunity, inform passers about Livelinesand any other accompanying family members and pro- Aalong with other spouses at post, to online resources concerning Foreign Service viding separate maintenance allowance to meet with Director General W. Robert life; and communicate with recruits and separated spouses and children. Pearson to discuss issues of concern to spouses during the entire testing/ Foreign Service spouses and to offer sug- screening/hiring process (e.g., via e-mail Expanding spousal employment gestions for improvement. In an effort to newsletter or by assigning a State contact placement services. better prepare myself and to make the most person to each recruit). While trailing spouses agree it takes self- of this rare opportunity, I posted a note motivation, flexibility and persistence to about the upcoming meeting on Livelines find meaningful work abroad, it is disheart- — an online discussion group sponsored ening to lose networks, contacts, reputa- by the Associates of the American Foreign tion and seniority with each move. Helping Service Worldwide — asking for input on spouses achieve employment continuity how State can better address “spouse would improve morale and help reduce the issues.” The Livelines messages go to over financial burden many families experience 1,000 members worldwide, including when the spouse is unemployed, especial- State and other agency employees, spous- ly during the initial months at post when es, retirees and new hires, who use it as a the job search is on. Many recruits and new forum to ask questions and share experi- hires come to the Foreign Service with tal- ences and advice on all things Foreign JOSH ented, educated spouses who also seek Service (to join, go to www.aafsw.org). I professional growth. A robust spousal figured I was bound to get some input this Helping families cover costs during employment program that focuses on way. Boy, did I ever! training at the Foreign Service opportunities both inside and outside the After reviewing countless e-mails and Institute. mission would help bolster recruitment and Livelines postings, I put together a list of Per diem, which is allotted to the retention. concerns and suggestions to give to the employee only on a sliding scale, often does SUGGESTIONS: The agencies should Director General. Many thanks to all the not cover the entire family’s expenses dur- invest further in FLO’s Strategic Networking Livelinescontributors for their honesty and ing this transition period. Spouses who Assistance Program (SNAP) by including creativity, and to Amb. Pearson, his staff would like to participate in training often more posts in the program, increasing and the Family Liaison Office, for taking cannot due to the high cost of day care, even recruitment and training of local employ- an active interest in spouse and family mat- at the on-campus facility. In other cases, ment advisers and better publicizing the pro- ters. Here is the list of issues we raised: families separate to avoid the D.C. area’s gram. Global resource management spe- high cost of living or keep the spouse cialists from the private sector could also offer “Telling it straight” to recruits, new employed to generate needed income. In fresh ideas and best practices. hires and their spouses. either case, spouses miss out on language To help spouses find work in the mis- Many Foreign Service employees and and/or professional training that would sion, FLO has a new initiative to better com- spouses find the realities of Foreign Service enable them to “hit the ground running” municate job openings at posts so incom- life different from their initial expectations, once at post. Some families are not bid- ing spouses can apply and potentially be especially regarding spousal employment. ding on hard-language posts to avoid hired in advance and receive training before To close the information gap, a more extended periods at FSI. going to post. State could take further aggressive, direct communication campaign SUGGESTIONS: By offering free or sub- advantage of spouses’ abilities, while offer- is needed. sidized day care, both parents could better ing professional and financial growth, by SUGGESTIONS: Management should take advantage of training opportunities to considering spousal professional skill sets provide an information packet regarding invest in their well-being at post. Other sug- when assigning employees or by develop- “family issues” to those who successfully pass gestions include offering free “drop-in” days ing an official Eligible Family Member the oral exam; add more family-focused, at the FSI day care center so unenrolled “corps” from which each post’s Human lifestyle content to the State recruitment spouses could attend shorter training ses- Resources office could draw. Finally, main- Web site and highlight clear links to the FLO sions or visit the Overseas Briefing Center, taining a spouses’ professional database/

4 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004 Awards • Continued from page 1 both from Embassy Kampala. online group would allow spouses to com- Liveliners also suggested embassies hire Runner-up: Charlotte Davnie, municate with others in their field and more IT personnel, including EFMs, to Embassy Vilnius. share information and opportunities. handle the increased workload and ■ The Delavan Award, for extraor- establish clear guidelines on technical sup- dinary contributions to effectiveness, pro- Supporting spouses’ efforts to port to ensure the service would not be fessionalism and morale by an Office work free-lance, telecommute and abused. Considering Internet access as Management Specialist: Mary Jo Fuhrer, start their own businesses a key factor when choosing new hous- Embassy Luxembourg; and Jenny A. abroad. ing will help create housing pools that fit Jeras, Embassy Kabul. Through the Internet, freelancing, the needs of today’s Foreign Service fam- Runner-up: Margaret R. Gray, Embassy telecommuting and creating a business ilies. Riyadh. abroad are real and attractive career pos- ■ The M. Juanita Guess Award, for sibilities for today’s FS spouses. However, Providing easier, more direct outstanding service as a Community State policies concerning independent access to unclassified materials Liaison officer assisting American fam- work are often confusing and misunder- relating to families. ilies serving at an overseas post: Susanne stood, as are local laws at post. Currently, unclassified materials con- A. Turner, Embassy Bishkek. SUGGESTIONS: Management should cerning spouse and family matters are dif- Runners-up: Janne Hicks, Embassy encourage these ambitions by offering ficult to obtain as they are either on the Manama; and Tahmina Islam Novak, high-speed Internet service in govern- Intranet or buried in the State Embassy Colombo. ment housing, allowing spouses to use the Department Web site. Although Intranet embassy mail system for their business- kiosks are popping up at missions AFSA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS es on a limited basis where the local mail worldwide, some spouses find them ■ The AFSA Achievement Awards system is unreliable and providing local inconvenient to use when the Internet is honor AFSA members (active and legal advice. In addition, spouses could available at home. retired) for their significant contributions be offered training courses in portable SUGGESTIONS: Management should to AFSA and its members during the past skills, such as technical writing and Web reorganize Intranet information and year. design. A general course in “operating a post it on a new Internet site (i.e., ■ Post Reps of the Year: freelance business abroad” covering http://families.state.gov) or give more David Jesser, Pretoria. rules and regulations would show sup- prominence to FLO’s Web site. This Randy Kreft, Moscow. port, boost morale and help spouses would reduce frustrating and often fruit- ■ Member Achievement Award: expand their horizons. less searching. Ambassador Edward Dillery.

Providing high-speed Internet Giving preference to spouses on AFSA greatly appreciates the efforts of access in all embassy/consulate the Foreign Service officer candi- all those who sent in nominations or served housing worldwide. date register. on a panel this year. A warm thank you A fast, reliable Internet connection is Qualified spouses who, without help also goes to Director General W. Robert as important as a telephone (or more so) or special treatment, pass the written and Pearson for co-sponsoring our annual in many Foreign Service homes. Beyond oral exams and medical, security and awards ceremony, which is open to any e-mails and Web surfing, the Internet is other clearances and who are already on employee wishing to attend. Articles about essential to Foreign Service children for the candidate register should be given hir- the award winners will appear in the completing school work and to many ing preference. Tandem couples save July/August issue of AFSA News. ▫ spouses for pursuing long-distance learn- State money (i.e., housing) and these ing programs, free-lance work, telecom- spouses are a “sure thing” since they are muting options or management of their already in the Foreign Service commu- TSP Open Season own businesses. nity and their spouses are employed. Don’t forget that open sea- SUGGESTIONS: To avoid lost work FLO’s efforts in this area have been so far son for the Thrift Savings and educational opportunities and the unsuccessful. frustration associated with slow, sporadic Plan ends June 30. Go to Internet service, missions could provide Leslie Ashby — mother, free-lance writer/editor your human resources office high-speed service in the form of dedi- and Foreign Service spouse — currently lives in or www.tsp.gov for more cated servers, Wi-Fi hotspots or pre-nego- Montreal with her husband Stephen, a second- information. tiated contracts with local providers. tour officer, and their one-year-old daughter.

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 5 MEETING WITH THE MEMBERSHIP V.P. VOICE: FCS ■ BY CHARLES FORD AFSA FCS in the Field Pay, Performance and Service o signal a new spirit of cooperation and partnership, the Commercial t the end of my first year on the AFSA board, I am struck TService for the first time arranged for by the incredible depth and range of issues we now face. AFSA FCS Vice President Charles “Chuck” A In addition to normal concerns with grievances, mis- Ford to attend and participate in all four calculated time-in-class dates or retirement calculations, much of their annual regional management con- of my time in the foreseeable future will be spent addressing ferences. The Western Hemisphere con- fundamental issues of pay, performance assessment and recog- ference took place last November, with East nition, and broader reforms of our personnel system. The bud- Asia /Pacific and the Africa, Near East and get-driven movement to reinvent public sector personnel sys- South Asia meetings in February. The cycle tems appears likely only to intensify and shake the very foun- for the year ended in March with the dations of the Foreign Service. European conference. By participating in With the elimination of the existing Senior Foreign Service and its pay structure in these events, Ford was able to meet January, the fundamental question of compensation levels and structure leaped to the directly with 90 of the 190 AFSA members top of my agenda. The issue of converting the overseas FCS senior officers to the new from FCS. These sessions provided system at the same level of SFS pay as in Washington was resolved in a fair and equi- invaluable opportunities to brief everyone table manner, yet a host of basic questions remain. on the FCS work program and to hear con- First, after converting all SFS officers to cerns of individual members. Washington pay, the Commerce Depart- The issues generating most interest, and I urge FCS members to share ment went ahead and gave Washington- some confusion, were changes to the Senior their concerns and offer based SFS officers with outstanding perfor- Foreign Service and overseas comparabili- mance a further 2.2-percent increase in line ty pay. All members are now more aware solutions or alternative proposals. with a similar raise given to their Senior and concerned about overseas comparabil- Executive Service officers. We now need to ity pay and the need to equalize basic pay to figure out how to make this available to the entire SFS based on the same performance Washington levels if appropriate incentives criteria. Second, as of April the FCS promotion list into the SFS had not been approved for overseas service are to be maintained. by the Senate. We need to consult on the compensation levels to establish for newly pro- The new FCS performance manage- moted SFS officers, because the old system doesn’t exist and we are not sure when the ment system and selection board precepts new system will be approved. Finally, we need to work to obtain approval of our perfor- was another area of great interest, and mance management system so that the expanded pay band for SFS officers can be put in AFSA FCS has been instrumental in place and overseas comparability pay granted for all officers regardless of rank. I didn’t advocating a yearlong training program to realize when I joined the board that we would be immersed in consultations over some- ensure that raters and rated officers fully thing as basic as our pay structure. understand the new system that was many An equally important area for work is the training of all officers on the new FCS per- years in development. formance management system and precepts for selection boards to become effective with Ford took away from the conferences the 2005 Selection Boards. The appraisal form is significantly different, with the initial three key issues that need to be addressed: one-page statement coming from the rated officer. The famous suicide box goes right spousal employment opportunities; efforts up front. The selection boards will have new criteria on performance management to to improve the member-of-household take into account and there are new assignment-related requirements for promotion into policy; and a more responsive, automated and within the SFS. If we are to avoid future harm to officers or grievances that will human resources office. The concerns raised invariably grow out of misunderstandings over the new form and criteria for promo- by members in the field will set the AFSA tion, training and dialogue are crucial in the run-up to June 2005 when the new system FCS agenda for the coming year. becomes effective. Thanks go to Acting Director General Finally, we have an action plan to modernize and automate our Office of Foreign Service Carlos Poza and Karen Zens, Deputy Human Resources in order to improve service to officers and at the same time address crit- Assistant Secretary for International ical issues such as spousal employment, member-of-household policy and medical clear- Operations, who had the vision and fore- ances. All of these have an impact on our ability/willingness to be worldwide available, and sight to create this new opportunity that our difficulties complying with this requirement undermine the very foundation of our Foreign has served as an incredibly useful building Service system. I urge FCS members to share their concerns and offer solutions or alterna- block for a new, cooperative partnership tive proposals. Our active engagement in the ongoing debate is essential. ▫ with AFSA. ▫

6 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004 Powell • Continued from page 3 that he is looking at possibly changing the FOREIGN SERVICE Antimalarial assignment process, AFSA asked if there Medications was any information to pass to our mem- bership about potential changes to the BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT HEALTH EURONA TILLEY way assignments are made. He said no, but noted that it makes him “uneasy” any embassies and con- every spring when the work force goes sulates are in locations where around begging, traveling, etc., to get a WATCH Mmalaria is a real everyday job. He made a comparison to the mil- threat. The disease still causes over itary, where you can indicate preferences one million deaths a year worldwide. Malaria prevention must be taken seriously. While dangerous, malaria is preventable through proper medication and the avoid- ance of mosquito bites. Protect your family from mosquitoes by wearing long pants Sharing the burden of dangerous and long-sleeved shirts during the dawn and dusk hours, using insecticide on exposed areas and eliminating standing water near household dwellings. and difficult service is one Taking antimalarial drugs is often at the top of the “To Do” list for many families prepar- demonstration of the exceptional ing to leave for post. There are five different medications commonly prescribed, depend- ing on the patient’s age and health status as well as the location of the post. To be effec- nature of the Foreign Service. tive, antimalarial medications must be taken according to the exact prescribed schedule, according to a doctor’s orders. Mefloquine, Doxycycline or Malarone are taken if travel includes malaria risk areas for onward assignments, and that’s it. in South America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Asia and the South Pacific. If travel “There is a problem with ‘hard to fill.’ I includes malaria risk areas in Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, certain locations should be able to send people where I in Central America, the Middle East or Eastern Europe, either chloroquine or hydroxy- need them,” he said. He added that he chloroquine sulfate is usually prescribed. needs to better understand the current Mefloquine — brand name Lariam — is given to adults in 250 mg tablets and should system before deciding on any changes. be taken once a week with food. Side effects associated with mefloquine include nausea, AFSA reiterated what it has done with dizziness, insomnia and lucid dreams. Occasionally, in extreme cases, this drug can cause regard to “fair share.” Crane noted that serious problems such as seizures, hallucinations and severe anxiety. Mefloquine should AFSA had advocated adding a hardship not be taken in the case of a previous allergic reaction to the drug or in the case of a med- service requirement for crossing the ical history of seizures, a psychiatric disorder or an irregular heartbeat. threshold into the Senior Foreign Service Doxycycline is given once per day in 100 mg doses for adults. It is not recommend- and this has now been mandated. AFSA ed for pregnant women or children under the age of 8, because it causes permanent teeth also supports the fair share rules, and this discoloration. Doxycycline use is also associated with an increased susceptibility to sun- year agreed to tighten them. AFSA told burn, yeast infections, and nausea which can be avoided by taking the medication on a the Secretary the fair share process full stomach. should not just be a way to fill hardship The latest antimalarial drug, Malarone, is actually a combination of two drugs, posts, but a way to help promote shared atovaquone and proguanil. It should be taken once per day with food or milk. Side effects sacrifice, which is why “fair share” is the are uncommon but can involve nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and headaches. Malarone appropriate term. Crane also mentioned should never be prescribed to patients with kidney problems, pregnant women, infants the AFSA Governing Board’s initiative to weighing less than 24 pounds or women breastfeeding infants who weigh less than 24 pounds. study the background to the Foreign Chloroquine, brand name Aralen, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate, brand name Service Act of 1980 to look at what the Plaquenil, are both taken once per week in dosages of 500 mg and 400 mg, respectively. record says about the “exceptionalism” Pregnant or nursing women should consult their doctor before taking these drugs. In a of the Foreign Service, with a view toward limited number of incidences, these drugs have caused headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, preserving and maintaining its unique sta- itching, vomiting and nausea. The usage of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine may tus. Sharing the burden of dangerous and worsen the symptoms of psoriasis. difficult service is one demonstration of Infants and children are particularly susceptible to the malaria parasite; consequent- the exceptional nature of the Foreign ly, extreme caution should be maintained. Small amounts of antimalarial drugs can be Service. passed through breast milk, though these amounts will not protect the baby from malar- In closing, the Secretary said AFSA has ia. Medication for infants should be considered only in consultation with a doctor. been “a great supporter of what we have Antimalarial drugs must be stored out of the reach of children: an overdose can be fatal. wanted to do.” ▫ Continued on page 9

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 7 RETIREMENT AT 65 No Change in Sight for Mandatory Retirement Age BY JAMES YORKE, AFSA LABOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

any AFSA members have been societal facts such as increasing life TIC or TIS dates at the FS-1 level or in asking about the mandatory expectancy of Americans are valid, it is the Senior Foreign Service will be eligi- Mretirement age of 65. Questions up to Congress to determine public pol- ble for full retirement benefits. such as these keep being raised: Is there icy. With the Foreign Service Act of 1980, Thirdly, recognizing that many any chance that the age will be raised? Congress duly obliged by raising the employees may look for a change to a less What would need to be done to change mandatory retirement age to 65. Any stressful way of life after age 50, Congress the age? What is AFSA’s position on this future change in the retirement age provided that anyone under the Foreign issue? requires congressional action. There are Service Retirement system could retire These questions come from two dis- a number of considerations that Congress with full annuity at age 50 after 20 years tinct groups of members: must take into account when evaluating of government service, of which five years another age change. must be in the Foreign Service. A further • Those who want to go on work- wrinkle here is that those who retire ing in the Foreign Service after age 65. under the Foreign Service Pension They are generally fit, feel they have System (FSPS, the “new” system), for several more years of valuable service whom Social Security forms a part of to offer, and do not want to change Upward mobility comes through their annuity, will receive an annu- careers, usually again, at age 65; and selection for promotion to a higher rank, ity supplement until they reach age • Those who are concerned 62, the earliest age at which one can because of the timing of when they and the number of vacancies at those draw Social Security. Finally, of become eligible for full Social Security higher ranks depends on an course, recognizing that older payments. employees are, generally, more like- adequate rate of flow-through. ly to have health problems and to be Background less available for assignment world- The current Foreign Service wide, it legislated the requirement to mandatory retirement age of 65 retire at age 65. dates from the passing of the new The Up-and-Out System Foreign Service Act of 1980. Prior to First among these considerations is the The Social Security Dilemma 1980, the mandatory retirement age was rank-in-person system upon which the In the early 1980s, Congress became 60. In the 1970s, a group of Foreign whole Foreign Service is based. Upward aware that the Social Security system Service officers filed an unsuccessful class mobility comes through selection for pro- might run into funding problems in the action suit to protest their mandatory motion to a higher rank, and the num- foreseeable future, and also recognized retirement at age 60. The case (Vance v. ber of vacancies at those higher ranks that people generally wanted to work Bradley) went all the way to the Supreme depends on an adequate rate of flow- longer. Accordingly, Congress passed leg- Court, where the majority opinion held through. If people did not move out of islation gradually raising the age at that the mandatory retirement age for the the upper end of the promotion ladder, which employees could collect full Social Foreign Service that is lower than the Civil space would not become available for Security benefits. Beginning with those Service does not violate the Equal younger talent to move upwards. born in 1938, eligibility for full Social Protection Clause. The court held that Congress has provided several ways to Security payments is moving slowly a mandatory retirement age of 60 was encourage this flow-through. First, it upwards until it reaches 67 for those born rationally related to further a legitimate required the State Department to insti- in 1960 and later. The table shows the state interest. The court distinguished the tute time-in-class and time-in-service lim- progression (see p. 9). Foreign Service from the Civil Service, its so that employees who do not achieve Conventional wisdom has always saying, “it was quite rational to avoid the promotion to a higher rank are required been that you should start drawing risks connected with having older to retire after a specified time, thereby Social Security as soon as you are eligi- employees in the Foreign Service but to allowing room for promotions. Within ble — those under FSPS who retire from tolerate those risks in the Civil Service.” this requirement, they provided a second the Foreign Service, for instance, should The court also noted that although incentive so that those who reach their apply at age 62. The rationale for this is

8 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004 Health Watch • Continued from page 7 Age at which you become eligible to receive full Social Security Malaria is caused by one of four par- asites — Plasmodium falciparum, Year of Age to Receive Percentage of Full S/S Percentage of Full S/S Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale Birth Full Social Security you receive at Age 62 you receive at age 65 and Plasmodium malariae — that are 1937 65 80 100 transmitted by mosquitoes. A mosqui- 1938 65 and 2 months 79.2 98.9 to acquires the parasite after biting an 1939 65 and 4 months 78.3 97.8 infected person. It then grows inside the 1940 65 and 6 months 77.5 96.7 insect for about a week before it can be 1941 65 and 8 months 76.7 95.6 passed to another human being. When 1942 65 and 10 months 75.8 94.4 the infected mosquito bites another per- 1943-54 66 75 93.3 son, the parasite travels from the mos- quito’s mouth into the person’s blood 1955 66 and 2 months 74.2 92.2 stream. 1956 66 and 4 months 73.3 91.1 Once inside the human body, the 1957 66 and 6 months 72.5 90.0 parasite moves to the liver where it uses 1958 66 and 8 months 71.7 88.9 these cells to replicate. Then it moves 1959 66 and 10 months 70.8 87.8 to the red blood cells and begins to mul- 1960 67 70 86.7 tiply inside of them. The red blood cells Go to www.socialsecurity.gov for more information. eventually burst, releasing not only new parasites but toxins that make the that, although you may draw less each received. For dates of birth between 1943 person feel sick with flu-like symptoms month, you draw it for a longer time and and 1954, that reduction is less than 3 per- including fever, shaking chills, headache, therefore over the long haul you receive cent. muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomit- a similar amount. AFSA can provide more details of ing and diarrhea. In fact, if you were born in 1937 and these reductions for the range of dates of Due to the loss of red blood cells, you started drawing Social Security at age birth from 1937 to 1960 and for Social malaria may also cause anemia and jaun- 62, at age 77 you will have received exact- Security starting ages of 62 and 65. dice. These symptoms usually occur 10 ly the same total amount of Social days to four weeks after infection but Security as you would have if you had AFSA’s Position onset may be delayed until up to one delayed drawing until age 65. The age In response to member concerns, dur- year later. ▫ at which you will have received the same ing AFSA’s recent annual meeting with total amount creeps slowly upwards, as Secretary Powell, AFSA Acting President the age at which you can start receiving Louise Crane raised the retirement age full benefits creeps upwards, as shown in issue (see p. 1). In light of the Secretary’s the table above. For instance, if you were comments, it is apparent the department Position with FSYF born between 1943 and 1954 and you will not support an attempt to change the The Foreign Service Youth start drawing at age 62, by age 78 you will Foreign Service Act at this time. We are Foundation is seeking a part-time have received the same amount of total very cognizant of the need to ensure a rate Teen Community Service Program Social Security as if you had delayed draw- of flow-through that provides opportu- Director. The program director ing until age 65. For those born in 1960 nity for talent to rise from the lower ranks. develops, implements and oversees or later, the age is about 79. We also recognize that any proposal from monthly Foreign Service teen com- On the other hand, the effect is quite AFSA would require the department’s munity service events in the small of electing to draw Social Security support to gain congressional approval. at age 65 instead of at the age at which Further, raising the retirement age may Northern Virginia area. Flexible you qualify for full payments. For all dates very well prompt Congress to reconsid- hours, but candidate must be avail- of birth after 1938, age 80 is the age at er the Foreign Service retirement plan able on some weekends and after- which you will have received the same with a view to making it less generous. noons/evenings. Salary is $14/hour amount as if you had delayed until the full AFSA does not want to provoke any such for five to seven hours per week. eligibility age. Even at age 90 for dates of scrutiny. Please contact Melanie Newhouse by birth after 1960, there is a reduction of Politics is the art of the possible, and e-mail at [email protected] for a full job only just under 6 percent in the total though this may become possible in the description. amount of Social Security you will have future, it is not so in 2004. ▫

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 9 CLASSIFIEDS

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GILL & SON, INC.: Family-owned and updated, or new one prepared: James Burgess Associates, Ltd. Certified and operated firm specializing in the leasing No charge for initial consultation. Public Accountants. Need help with U.S. taxes and management of fine single-family M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger from an online tax preparer with 30 years’ houses, condominiums and cooperatives in 307 Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA experience? Check out our Web page for free Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County 22180. Tel: (703) 281-2161. interview software. Give us a call or send us since 1888. While we operate with cutting- Fax: (703) 281-9464. an e-mail. 6105-A Arlington Boulevard, Falls edge technology, we do business the old-fash- E-mail: [email protected] Church, VA 22044-2708. Tel: (703) 534-9320. ioned way: providing close personal attention E-mail: [email protected] URL:www.jbaltd.com to our clients and their properties. 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Please call John Gill Jr. E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (703) 281-9464. at (202) 338-5000 or e-mail him at: E-mail: [email protected].

10 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004 CLASSIFIEDS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GEORGETOWN … CAPITOL HILL … REAL ESTATE WJd MANAGEMENT IS competitively EAST ENd. No down payment — no sweat. priced, of course. However, if you are consid- www.EquityFundGroup.com. EFRealty: JOANN PIEKNEY/ PRUdENTIAL CAR- ering hiring a property management firm, don’t [email protected]. RUTHERS REALTORS: Complete profes- forget the old saying, “You get what you pay sional dedication to residential sales in FURNISHEd, SECURE, SHORT-TERM for.” All of us at WJD have worked for other Northern Virginia. I provide you with person- 2 bedroom/1 bath rowhouse in quiet area of al attention. Over 22 years’ real estate expe- property management firms in the past, and Dupont Circle's West End 2 Blocks to Metro, we have learned what to do and, more impor- rience and Foreign Service overseas living tantly, what not to do from our experiences at experience. JOANN PIEKNEY. Tel: (703) these companies. We invite you to explore our 624-1594. Fax: (703) 757-9137. Web site at www.wjdpm.com for more infor- E-mail: [email protected]. mation, or call us at (703) 385-3600. TEMPORARY HOUSING Web site: www.foreignservicehomes.com TEMPORARY HOUSING WASHINGTON, d.C. or NFATC TOUR? HEAdEd TO d.C.? Start planning now for SHORT-TERM RENTALS EXECUTIvE HOUSING CONSULTANTS house hunting in Northern Virginia. Let my 16- CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS: offers Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s finest plus years of experience providing FS per- Abundant experience working with Foreign portfolio of short-term, fully-furnished and sonnel with exclusive Service professionals and the locations to best Buyer Representation equipped apartments, townhomes and sin- work for you. My effective strategy for home serve you: Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, gle-family residences in Maryland, D.C. and buying will make the transition easier for you Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, Rosslyn, Virginia. and your family! Ballston, Pentagon City. Our office is a short walk In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is steps Contact , Associate from NFATC. One-month minimum. All furnish- MARILYN CANTRELL to Rosslyn Metro and Georgetown, and 15 Broker, ABR, CRS, GRI at McEnearney ings, housewares, utilities, telephone and cable minutes on Metro bus or State Department Associates, 1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd., included. Tel: (703) 979-2830 or (800) 914-2802. shuttle to NFATC. For more info, please call McLean, VA 22101. Tel: (703) 790-9090, Fax: (703) 979-2813. (301) 951-4111, or visit our Web site: ext. 246. Fax: (703) 734-9460. Web site: www.corporateapartments.com e- www.executivehousing.com E-mail: mail: [email protected] [email protected] www.marilyncantrell.com PIEd-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTd: GEORGETOWN qUARTERS: Exquisite, Select from our unique inventory of fully-fur- fully-furnished accomodations at the East End NORTHERN vIRGINIA — MCLEAN: nished & tastefully decorated apartments & of Georgetown. Short walk to World Bank Quality built brick, side-entry, end-unit in won- townhouses all located in D.C.’s best in-town and State Department. Lower floor of three- derful McLean community. Master suite with neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy level home built in 1803 and renovated in huge walk-in closet and private bath. Beautiful Bottom & the West End. Two-month minimum. 2003. Private front and rear entrances, eight- hardwood floors. Fireplace in both rec room Mother-Daughter Owned and Operated. foot ceilings, fireplace, marble bathroom with and living room. Tasteful built-ins. Great room Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. jacuzi and shower, granite and stainless steel sizes. Bright and spacious interior. Large Email: [email protected] kitchen, washer and dryer, walk out to tiered kitchen with eat-in space plus separate din- www.piedaterredc.com rear garden great for entertaining. Street ing room. Gas heat. In sought after Langley parking and limited car/pick-up sharing with TEMPORARY qUARTERS ARLINGTON: High Pyramid. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Fully furnished, 2+ bedroom, 2 level condo, management. Dishes, flatware, towels, linens $539,500. Marilyn Cantrell, McEnearney 2 miles to NFATC in Fairlington. Walk to and light maid service included. Preference Assoc. Tel. (703) 790-9090, ext. 246. shops/ restaurants. Pets OK. Rate commen- for single person or couple. Rate commen- E-mail: [email protected] surate w/ housing allowance. John Jobin surate with housing allowance. Photos avail- Realty. Tel: (703) 702-8416, able. Contact [email protected], (202) 625- NORTHERN vIRGINIA — NORTH e-mail: [email protected]. 6448. EquityFundGroup.com ARLINGTON: Just a mile from Ballston Metro TOWNHOUSE-POOL-TENNIS FSO TDY MORTGAGE and located on a quiet cul-de-sac. 3-level town- to Afghanistan Sep 04-Aug 05 will rent fur- home with walkout to stone patio. Two mas- BUYING OR REFINANCING A HOME? nished 2-bdrm condo. Cable/utilities included. ter suites. Beautiful hardwood floors. Two fire- Save money with some of the lowest rates in 10 minutes to FSI. On bus line to Metro. Tel: places. Large, bright kitchen with bay window. 40 years. Jeff Stoddard specializes in work- (703) 302-7454. Gas heat and cooking. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. ing with the Foreign Service community over- $459,900. Marilyn Cantrell, McEnearney FURNISHEd LUXURY APARTMENTS: seas and in the U.S. Call today and experi- Assoc. Tel: (703) 790-9090, ext. 246. Short/long-term. Best locations: Dupont Circle, ence the Power of Yes! ® Tel: (703) 299-8625. E-mail: [email protected] Georgetown. Utilities included. All price E-mail: [email protected] ranges/sizes. Parking available. Tel: (202) 296-4989. E-mail: [email protected] WHY dO SO MANY FOREIGN SERvICE NORTHERN vIRGINIA — FALLS PERSONNEL USE CHURCH CITY: Elegant brick townhome BOUTIq UE APARTMENTS: One-bed- AMERICAN STANdARd MORTGAGE? tucked away on private cul-de-sac. Lovely room and studio apts. Newly renovated by 1. Rates as low as 2.95% master suite. Large living room with fireplace, architect. Elegantly furnished and complete- 2. Minimal paperwork built-ins and walk out to incredible patio. ly equipped. Utilities and weekly housekeep- 3. Fast/superior services Beautiful mouldings and gleaming hardwood ing included. Will work with per-diem sched- We have experience handling the mortgage floors. Spacious kitchen and formal dining ule. Excellent Cathedral/Mass Ave. location process for clients who are out of the coun- room. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $400's. in quiet prewar building. Excellent bus trans- try. If you are purchasing or refinancing a home Marilyn Cantrell, McEnearney Assoc. portation. Tel: (202) 285-3566. E-mail: please call Jim Fagan at (703) 757-5800, or Tel: (703) 790-9090, ext. 246. [email protected]. For pictures go e-mail him at [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] to: www.cflp.com/apt.htm. Foreign Service references available.

JUNE 2004 • AFSA NEWS 11 CLASSIFIEDS

NORTHERN vIRGINIA — FAIRFAX: PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA: Beautiful NUTRITIONAL SOLUTIONS vITAMINS Fantastic contemporary home nestled against house, 3 BR, 3 baths, spectacular mountain ANd THINGS: Herbs, vitamins, homeo- parkland yet sooo bright inside. Quality-built views, jacuzzi, private. Available winter 2004. pathics, flower remedies, body care, books, home customized for the builder as his own $3,000 monthly three-month minimum. and more! We offer high-quality products that residence. Very spacious and open, yet cozy E-Mail: [email protected]. produce dependable health benefits. Visit us feel. This is a truly special opportunity. at www.yellnutrition.com to question our Beautiful hardwood floors. Two-story wall of COTTAGE FOR RENT knowledgeable staff and to place your orders windows. Detached garage with studio/office SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER or call us at: (703) 271-0400. above and breeze-way to house. INCREDI- COTTAGE FOR RENT: Cottage on a hill BLE landscaping — just breathtaking! 4 bed- in the woods between Lake Michigan and BUSINESS CARDS rooms, 3.5 baths. $600's Marilyn Cantrell, Crystal Lake- 35 miles west of Traverse City, BUSINESS CARdS printed to State McEnearney Assoc. (703) 790-9090, ext. 246. Michigan. Sleeps eight. Complete relaxation. Department specifications. 500 cards for as E-mail: [email protected] Short walk to Crystal Lake. Ten-minute walk little as $37.00! Herron Printing & Graphics to Lake Michigan. Sun deck. Screened-in (301) 990-3100; or WASHINGTON STATE ISLANdS: porch. Fireplace. Modern conveniences. Lake E-mail: [email protected] Spectacular views, wonderful community, climate, swimming. Great hiking. Tennis courts. Golf boating, hiking. Access Seattle & Vancouver, B.C. course - adjacent property. Salmon/Lake PET TRANSPORTATION Troutfishing charters - nearby Frankfort. Former FSO Jan Zehner, Windermere Real Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park - 15 PET MOvING MAdE EASY. Club Pet Estate/ Orcas Island. Tel: (800) 842-5770. minute drive. $400 per week. Contact: Tom International, is a full-service animal shipper www.orcas-island.com. www.orcashomes.net. Johnson, (703) 425-7705, or e-mail: who specializes in local, national and interna- E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]. tional trips. Club Pet is the ultimate pet care boarding facility in the Washington FLORIdA HOME LEAvE ON SANIBEL: Former Metropolitan area. Located in Chantilly FSO offers 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo on Virginia, Club Pet is ABKA-accredited, and LONGBOAT KEY, BRAdENTON/ Sanibel Island, Florida. Steps from famous licensed by the USDA as well as the TSA as SARASOTA: Area will exceed expectations. seashells and pristine beach of this vacation an Indirect Air Carrier. Tel: (703) 471-7818 or Don’t miss owning in Florida. Resales, new paradise. Available on monthly and weekly (800) 871-2535. www.clubpet.com. homes, rental management and vacation basis. Call: (703) 827-0312, or e-mail: rentals. Dynamic growing company offering [email protected] for availability and SHOPPING personalized professional service. Contact: rates. Sharon E. Oper, Realtor (AFSA Member) 110 - 220 vOLT STORE WEST COAST BARBAdOS: Diplomat's Wagner Realty. Tel: (941) 387-7199. MULTI-SYSTEM ELECTRONICS E-mail: [email protected] gracious totally furnished 3BR home, sea view, deck. Off-season rental $1,000/wk. Minutes PAL-SECAM-NTSC Tvs, NO STATE INCOME TAX enhances gra- to beachs, golfing, shops, restaurants. Contact: VCRs, AUDIO, CAMCORDER, cious living in Sarasota, the cultural capital of Zabriskie, Tel: (301) 587-4956. ADAPTOR, TRANSFORMERS, Florida’s Gulf Coast. Contact former FSO Paul E-mail: [email protected]. KITCHEN APPLIANCES Byrnes, Coldwell Banker residential sales spe- GMS WORLd WIdE PHONES cialist, by e-mail: [email protected], or NORMANdY, FRANCE: Large farm- EPORT WORLd ELECTRONICS Toll-Free: (877) 924-9001. house estate near D-Day beaches. 1719 Connecticut Ave NW www.laporterouge.net Contact: Michele (Dupont Circle Metro. Btwn. R & S Sts.) 15 min. from BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC: Lemmon, (202) 667-6756 TEL (202) 232-2244 or (800) 513-3907 Asheville, named 8th most ideal place to live E-mail: [email protected] in USA. Many FSOs retiring here — but not BOOKS URL: www.220AV.TV just a retirement community. Ideal family home NEW LOCATION full of light, 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, big cus- Captain Hogan: Sailor, MerCHant, DiploMat on Six ContinentS. By 1030 19TH ST. NW (between K & L Sts.) tom kitchen, hardwood floors, energy efficient, Washington, D.C. 20009, 2 fireplaces, 3,100 sq. ft. plus 1,800 on ground Michael Styles. True story of adventurous Irish- TEL (202) 464-7600. level (above ground) possible for office, American in late-18th/early-19th centuries. INq UIRE ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONS recreation or apt. In county (less taxes), close Available from SixContinents.home.att.net, or Government & diplomat discounts to town and interstate. Stimulating communi- MISCELLANEOUS ty, many cultural and intellectual opportunities OLd ASIA/ORIENT BOOKS BOUGHT and recreation, golf, tennis, swimming, hiking, Asian rare books. Fax: (212) 316-3408. SHIPPING exercise programs. Plenty of volunteer E-mail: [email protected] PLANNING TO MOvE OvERSEAS? opportunities, too — come join us for the good Need a rate to ship your car, household goods, life. Gay Currie Fox Real Estate, Inc. (828) JUngle patHS anD palaCe trea- or other cargo going abroad? Contact: Joseph 669-8027, P.O. Box 308, Black Mountain, NC SUreS (non-fiction). Set in India, a world of T. Quinn. at SEFCO-Export Management 28711, www.gaycurriefox.com. fabulous palaces, temples, crowded towns and Company for rates and advice. Tel: (718) 268- E-mail: [email protected]. remote jungles, monsoons, tigers and strange 6233. Fax: (718) 268-0505. VACATION customs. See FSJ, Nov. 2003, p. 23, for Visit our Web site at www.sefco-export.com description. river of pearls (non-fiction): trav- JUPITER BEACH, FL: Ocean Front, 3- el, history, Asia adventure, on the press now. INdEPENdENT SCHOOL OPTIONS: 1 bedroom, 2 /2-bath condo available with pool, $18.95 + shipping = $20.15. Contact: Mary Finding the best school placement for each gym and tennis. Golf courses close by. Seniff Stickney, 71 Fisherman's Cove, Ponte child in the Washington Metro area. Minimum three months rental. Tel: (703) 960- Vedra, FL 32082. www.independentschooloptions.org. 3386. E-mail: [email protected].

12 AFSA NEWS • JUNE 2004