The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2015

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PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015

TEACHING DIPLOMACY ACROSS THE DIVIDE

2014 AFSA TAX GUIDE

FOREIGN January-February 2015 SERVICE Volume 92, No. 1

FOCUS ON TEACHING DIPLOMACY AFSA NEWS AFSA Hosts FS Authors Teaching Diplomacy As Process (Not Event): Book Market / 45 A Practitioner’s Song / 21 New Labor Management Sta / 46 State VP Voice: Marijuana Diplomacy is a collaborative process over time involving a and the FS / 47 number of players with di ering perspectives and strengths. FCS VP Voice: All Quiet on How does a practitioner convey that in a classroom? Set. Ready. Action? / 48 Retiree VP Voice: The FSPS BY BARBARA K. BODINE Annuity Supplement / 49 The Burden of the BlackBerry / 50 Diplomacy Education Unzipped / 27 Former AP State Correspondent at AFSA / 50 Who is a diplomat in today’s world? The di erences between the academic’s FSO Explores Social Media and the practitioner’s approach to teaching diplomacy point to some answers. and Diplomacy / 51 AFSA Visits Charleston / 51 BY DONNA MARIE OGLESBY Shower Diplomacy / 52 AFSA Presents Midterm Review Diplomacy Works: at FSI / 52 AFSA Increases Dues for 2015 / 53 A Practitioner’s Guide to Recent Books / 34 Family Member Matters: The publication of books on diplomacy as a distinct discipline A Daughter Reflects on FS Life / 54 has increased recently. Hopefully, it is a trend that will continue. 2014 AFSA Tax Guide / 55 BY ROBERT DRY COLUMNS President’s Views / 7 The Blood Telegram Practitioners, Scholars and the Study of Diplomacy / 39 BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN The relationship between practicing diplomats and international relations Letter from the Editor / 8 academics is fraught, and they are certainly not on the same wavelength Crossing the Divide of when it comes to teaching diplomacy. Does it matter? Mutual Misunderstanding BY SHAWN DORMAN BY PAUL SHARP Speaking Out / 18 Defining Diplomacy BY EDWARD MARKS FEATURE Reflections / 93 They Also Serve How to Intern at State Without Leaving Home / 42 BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY The virtual internship is a unique avenue for students DEPARTMENTS to gain experience in a particular field. Letters / 9 BY AHVA SADEGHI Talking Points / 13 In Memory / 76 Books / 84 Local Lens / 94 SPECIAL ANNUAL FEATURE MARKETPLACE Classifieds / 86 Real Estate / 89 AFSA 2014 Tax Guide for the Foreign Service / 55 Index to Advertisers / 92

On the cover: “Academics and Practitioners: Across the Divide,” by Adam Niklewicz. Tax Guide: iStock.com/retrorocket

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 5 FOREIGN SERVICE

Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Managing Editor www.afsa.org Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Associate Editor

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6 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS

The Blood Telegram

BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN

y new year’s recommenda- was U.S. silence about the aforemen- reports, leading over a period of two tion to you is e Blood tioned genocide, committed with U.S.- weeks to increasing advocacy as the Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger supplied arms. outlines of genocide became clear. “e M and a Forgotten Genocide, e dissent cable, drafted by young silence from Washington was deafening,” by Princeton professor Gary Bass. It political o cer Scott Butcher during the Blood recalled later in an oral history tells the story of Archer Blood, a Foreign round-ups and shootings, calls our policy interview. Service o cer who as consul general in “morally bankrupt” and urges the U.S. e cable provoked Kissinger to call Dhaka in 1971 supported his subordi- government to use its considerable inu- Blood “this maniac in Dhaka” and have nates’ dissent cable, knowing that doing ence with the Pakistani government to him recalled. Henry Kissinger’s manage- so would derail his career, which it did. stop the genocide. Consul General Blood ment style as it emerges from the White Spoiler alert: Blood wins in the end, at could have merely authorized the cable House tapes is euphemistically known as least in my reading. to be sent. Instead, he added his endorse- “managing up.” He attered Nixon and e genocide described in the book is ment to the cable: “I support the right of supported Nixon’s worst instincts, while the Pakistani military’s systematic target- the above-named o cers to voice their suppressing policy options such as those ing of the Bengali Hindu minority in East dissent … I also subscribe to these views.” presented by Blood. Kissinger’s NSC Pakistan in the spring of 1971, during the He added pragmatically that the Bengali team appeared quiescent on the matter events that led to the creation of an inde- nationalists were pro-American and likely of Blood’s dissent. “One did not want pendent Bangladesh. e military went to prevail and establish an independent to be perceived as being too much on into villages, rounded up the Hindus, Bangladesh, so “one-sided support of the Blood’s side,” said one. and shot them en masse. About 300,000 likely loser” was foolish. He didn’t know In my reading, the result is an indel- Bengalis in total were murdered. e vast about the Pakistan channel to China. ible stain on Kissinger’s reputation for majority were Hindus. I am neither an expert on South Asia leading a groupthink policy process e book illuminates U.S. relations in nor in a position to judge the policy nar- that worked brilliantly in some cases South Asia during the Cold War. Kissinger rative of this book, which assumes that but failed in others. Bass’s book makes passed messages to China and arranged the U.S. could indeed have been eective the case for East Pakistan as one of the Nixon’s historic visit to Beijing through in slowing down the massacres. I just failures. Pakistan’s military dictator General don’t know. But I enjoyed the book for And Archer Blood? He never got a Yahya Khan, even as the massacres were another reason—its contrast between the chief of mission job, with another six taking place in East Pakistan. is secret choices of FSO protagonist Archer Blood years of Kissinger in power after Dhaka. Pakistan channel, India’s leadership of and NSC antagonist Henry Kissinger. His moral courage at the moment of truth the non-aligned movement, Nixon’s Both men were 48 years old in 1971. inspired others, and his reputation con- near pathological dislike of Indian Prime Archer Blood was a rising political o cer tinues to shine bright with the publica- Minister Indira with 23 years in the Foreign Service. tion of the Bass book. He also won AFSA’s Gandhi—all come Recently promoted into the Senior Christian Herter Award for constructive out in the salty Foreign Service, he was pleased to get dissent by a senior o cer. Nixon-Kissinger Dhaka, where he had served earlier, as Be well, stay safe and keep in touch, dialogue of the his rst command position. When the White House massacres started, his team responded Bob tapes. e result with a steady stream of detailed spot [email protected] n

Robert J. Silverman is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 7 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Crossing the Divide of Mutual Misunderstanding

BY SHAWN DORMAN

onna Oglesby, a retired FSO inbox and the immediate, rarely nding lection of experts with assorted skills. and former counselor for the space or time for pondering trends and Robert Dry, a retired FSO and chair of U.S. Information Agency who theorizing about international aairs. In AFSA’s Committee on the Foreign Service Dteaches diplomacy at Eckerd bringing scholars and diplomats together, Profession and Ethics, teaches diplomacy College, oered the spark for this month’s a more complete understanding could at New York University. His “Diplomacy focus on teaching diplomacy. I met her emerge. Works: A Practitioner’s Guide to Recent at the International Studies Association Our focus on teaching diplomacy Books” is a survey of the books he consid- convention in Toronto last year, and she begins with “A Practitioner’s Song” from ers key to understanding, and teaching, described her research on how schol- Ambassador Barbara Bodine, director of diplomacy. ars and diplomats teach diplomacy. the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy Paul Sharp, a professor of political She found vast dierences in their at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Ser- science at the University of Minnesota approaches. vice. Speaking to diplomats who venture Duluth and co-editor of e Hague Talking with many academics at into the foreign world of academia, she Journal of Diplomacy, describes the the convention, I was struck by the gap oers guidance on how to use their expe- fraught relationship between academics between academics and practitioners. rience as an eective teaching tool. She and diplomats. He oers suggestions for e work of each group seemed elusive oers suggestions for how to bring theory improving understanding, but explains to the other. Could the divide be bridged? to life and make the study of diplomacy why we needn’t be too concerned. Should it be? relevant to policymakers and future poli- In this month’s Speaking Out column, While this issue was in production, cymakers alike. “Dening Diplomacy,” Ambassador AFSA was fortunate to have a visit from In “Diplomacy Education Unzipped,” Edward Marks cautions that there is Professor Abe Lowenthal, who had just Donna Oglesby declares that the much confusion among academics, as published a new volume with Mariano literature on diplomacy is essentially well as practitioners, as to what exactly Bertucci, Scholars, Policymakers, and unknown to most members of the For- diplomacy is. He spells out the progres- International Aairs, that makes the case eign Service, including those teaching sion from foreign aairs to foreign policy for more collaboration between scholars diplomacy. She points out that the study to diplomacy, which he denes as the and practitioners (see book review, of “foreign policy” has been excluded instrument of communication rather p. 85). In his view, the gap between from the “diplomatic studies paradigm” than the message. them is actually widening. for decades. U.S. diplomats tend not to Finally, we are pleased to bring you To succeed in academia, scholars accept that distinction. our most boring, yet popular, feature must publish works based on theory, Oglesby argues that the dierences of the year, the annual tax guide for the methodologies and between how academics and practitio- Foreign Service. data that will be read ners teach diplomacy, and the lack of a Please let us know what you think primarily by other common core, raises the key question about how diplomacy should be taught, scholars. Diplomats, of whether U.S. diplomacy today is a what role academics should play in dip- on the other hand, unique profession with a dened body of lomatic practice and what role diplomats face the tyranny of the knowledge, or rather a practice by a col- should play in the academy. Send your letters to [email protected]. n Shawn Dorman is the editor of e Foreign Service Journal.

8 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS

Accountability should signicant ndings be omitted or Furthermore, the Virginia Court of for USAID/IG withheld from Congress. Appeals has declined to presume that Recent reports in e Washington ose USAID/IG o cials who alleg- moving will harm a child’s relationships, Post and other media highlight allega- edly engaged in or condoned the unjus- even when moving a “far distance” tions made by auditors working for tiable suppression of important audit (Goodhand v. Kildoo, 560 SE 2d 463, USAID’s inspector general that some ndings need to be held accountable for 2002). audit reports were altered by IG upper their actions. Nonetheless, trial court judges can management to omit certain ndings. Fred Kalhammer be a conservative crowd, preferring ese allegations have caused consider- USAID Senior FSO/supervisory past acts and known circumstances to able dismay among former USAID IG auditor, retired unpredictable onward assignments and auditors. Sun City Center, Florida promises of future good behavior. Federal inspectors general have For the parent who plans to remain unique disclosure responsibilities under How to Combat in the Foreign Service and seek custody the Inspector General Act of 1976. ey Inadvertent Judicial Bias while living abroad, the importance of report not only to their agency heads, e October FSJ article, “Child Cus- hiring a credible child psychologist to but also to those congressional com- tody Issues in Foreign Service Divorces,” testify to the benets and advantages of mittees that provide funding for agency oers a well-rounded primer on the a mobile, international lifestyle cannot operations and exercise oversight. unique chal- be overemphasized. e extra money While omission of inconvenient or lenges facing a preparing for judicial education on the sensitive matters from audit reports Foreign Service advantages of growing up overseas will may well ingratiate inspectors with their parent going be well spent. agency heads, the practice not only less- through a Failing to do so may subject a Foreign ens the possibility that corrective actions divorce. Service parent to the discretion of a will be taken by cognizant program Based on judge who has inadvertently equated a managers, but corrodes the morale of my observa- static lifestyle with a stable one. audit sta. More importantly, it denies tions litigating Sam Schmitt, Esq. disclosure of such matters to the taxpay- family law FS family member ers’ representatives in Congress. cases in Fairfax Vilnius, Lithuania Worse yet, perhaps, revelations of County, Virginia, my sole critique is this sort tend to transform the public’s that the article understated the adver- Looking Back to the Fall perception of inspectors general from sity often faced by an FS parent seeking On Nov. 1, a group of now mostly that of alert monitors of agency pro- to take a child overseas. All else being retired U.S. o cials celebrated the 25th grams and operations (“junkyard dogs” equal, family law judges tend to prefer anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. in the words of Edwin Meese, Ronald custody arrangements with the parent is symbolic victory was clearly the Reagan’s attorney general) into lap dogs who will remain in what has become result of great teamwork conducted over of agency management. a child’s hometown—the “non-posted the years by those in the U.S. and Allied In short, inspectors general have an parent.” military forces, their respective foreign obligation to report their audit ndings Unconscious judicial preference for a o ces, Western intelligence services, in a thoughtful, balanced and objec- stationary lifestyle should be combated and the underlying dogged, unrelenting tive manner, letting the chips fall where by a competent legal advocate with the spirit of the German citizenry. they may. Findings deemed so sensitive help of a credible scientic expert wit- Much credit has already been given that they might harm vital American ness. e applicable Virginia statute to various individuals who played dier- interests if shared are always subject to (§ 20-124.3) does not expressly address ent roles in the events leading up to that classication and special handling in the impact of a custodial parent’s plans historic day, with particular importance consultation with agency and IG upper to regularly relocate on the “best inter- attached to President Ronald Reagan’s management. In no case, however, ests” of the child. “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down is Wall”

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 9 speech, Mikhail Gorbachev’s internal oral histories of these two men in the workplaces” in State and overseas, which reforms and Pope John Paul II’s 1979 visit Oral History Collection at www.LOC.gov] endanger our security and diplomacy. to Poland. William F. Rooney at kind of attitude from an active- I had the privilege to be part of the Senior Service Ocer, CIA Directorate duty Senior Foreign Service o cer is most senior U.S. decision-making team of Operations, retired precisely what moved me to write “A Plea in West Berlin on that memorable day Bethesda, Maryland for Greater Teamwork in the Foreign in 1989, and would like to single out two Service,” in the December 2013 FSJ. members of that team for special praise: Up or Out Mr. Weiller says my comments are Harry Joseph Gilmore and James “Jim” As a former director of Foreign Service “severely dated” and appear to be the Alan Williams, the two leaders of the training assignments, I was gratied to “bitter musings of a handful of retired U.S. mission in West Berlin when the see Robert A. Mosher’s comment in the policy o cers.” I can assure him I am not wall came down. Gilmore was “U.S. November letters section bitter. minister” in West Berlin and Wil- regarding my September It would be wonderful to hear from liams was his deputy, designated Speaking Out, “‘Up or more active-duty o cers today whether “political adviser.” Out’ Is Harming Ameri- my criticism of “up or out” and my call Both men maintained outstand- can Foreign Policy.” He for more Foreign Service teamwork are ing professional relationships with agrees that longer career dated. the U.S. commandant, the top paths for FSOs should Concerned FSOs, AFSA is your orga- leadership of the U.S. Army Berlin be allowed, especially if nization. Please take the time to express Brigade, the Central Intelligence those paths could incor- your opinions. You owe that to yourselves Agency and the Defense Intelligence porate more extensive and your colleagues. Agency. mid-career training George B. Lambrakis Gilmore and Williams were team play- similar to that of the military. FSO, retired ers, mentors, problem solvers and lead- e training budget could be London, England ers. ey were also great friends of the increased, though I suspect that the mini- West Berliners and shared their dream mal respect promotion panels used to A Little Respect that better days were coming for all who pay such departures from active assign- I support wholeheartedly Larry believed in freedom. In the nest tradi- ment probably has not changed much Cohen’s Retiree VP Voice column (“When tion of U.S. diplomacy, they served their over the years, and FSOs may still gamble It Comes to Facility Access for Retirees, country with distinction and performed when they accept longer training breaks Mother State Shows No Love”) in the in a remarkable fashion. in their career trajectories. November Journal. I am such a retiree, Now, as I look back 25 years later, I But, more training or not, experienced having put in more than 35 years of com- am still impressed at the teamwork we FSOs should, indeed, be granted longer bined service with both the military and shared in West Berlin. My experience career paths, with minimal worries about State Depart- over the course of a long career is that “up or out.” ment. embassy teams that face daily adver- In complete contrast, I was saddened My last over- sity tend to work together almost like a by Matt Weiller’s letter, “Move Up or Out, seas posting was family. anks to Gilmore and Williams, Please,” in the same issue. He asks for as consul gen- the teamwork we shared in West Berlin even more “up or out” in the Service, to eral in Munich, stands out as a great, even exceptional, weed out FSO “poor performers” who followed by example of leadership in the Foreign lack proper “conduct, suitability and a stint as an Service. discipline.” He adds that the enabling o ce director Speaking for the West Berlin leader- supervisors of the poor performers in the Bureau ship team, I oer sincere thanks to these should suer career consequences. of European and Canadian two State Department professionals. Mr. Weiller also claims that there are Aairs. I also served as a senior area [Editor’s note: You can read the complete far too many “dysfunctional and hostile adviser (for Europe) to the 42nd and 43rd

10 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL United Nations General Assemblies. On leaving government service, I accepted the presidency of a private foreign policy organization in New York City, a job that entailed close liaison with the State Department and other agencies in Washington. What I quickly discovered was that neither my years of service nor my retiree ID card were of any practical use when it came to gaining access to the department. Although I was not one of the annuitants cited by Cohen, my experience corresponds exactly: it was one of humili- ation and a total lack of endorsement. Ultimately, to avoid further embarrass- ment, I stopped trying. is has been my position for more than 20 years, and, unless the policies and procedures now in place change, I feel disinclined to return. Sadly, this indierent attitude toward retirees is not limited to Washington; my recent experience with the consulate general in Amsterdam is yet another example. In June, I emailed both the consul general and the head of the American Citizens Service Unit asking for an appointment to have a document notarized before an onward trip through Europe. No response. At the State Department’s Benelux desk, no one returned my calls or otherwise acknowledged three detailed voice messages. Next, I contacted the AFSA retiree counselor, who later reported that his own follow-up calls to the desk were similarly ignored. Finally, my son, who lives in the Neth- erlands, managed to get us an appointment, but we had to change our travel plans to keep it. My experience at the consulate was eye-opening in a way that went beyond my status as a retiree. Identifying myself as a retired FSO, I was told to join a

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 11 long line of people, mostly visa appli- those otherwise well-disposed towards cants, seeking admission. We were also us and the values we claim to uphold. informed that cell phones could not be All around, I expected a more brought inside the building. e Dutch approachable and genuinely American guards could oer no advice as to what welcome during these several encounters everyone was supposed to do with their with the State Department and the con- devices—which are ubiquitous in mod- sulate general. I was instead confronted ern life—and this odd stance triggered by the monolithic and indierent face of reactions ranging from consternation to a rulebound authority. I am chagrined mirth and outright scorn. that no one inside the very bureau in e applicants seemed otherwise which I spent the bulk of my career felt perfectly resigned to tolerating an already moved to return my phone calls. inconvenient and intrusive battery of Larry Cohen’s column notes that the

Moving? security precautions, but this was hardly U.S. military actively promotes continued leaving them with a stellar rst impres- interaction between its active-duty and sion of America. retired personnel. Shouldn’t the State Ultimately, my son and I gained Department do the same? entrance. We were informed that there I built my career on a conviction would be a $100 fee to have two sig- that public service was an unequivocal natures notarized, a process requiring force for good. But recently, in darker no more than a few moments of a vice moments, I fear that this may not neces- consul’s time. sarily be the case, and that my experi- In my day, a visiting retiree would ences of failure in the daily workings of have been treated with innitely more government at State are not just minor, common courtesy throughout a pro- quotidian anomalies. cess like this. I am not suggesting that I fear they are symptomatic of a more consulate employees, American or local, distressing failure on a structural scale, were derelict in the performance of their the kind of failure that predictably fol- formal duties. But overall, I do see a dis- lows when we neglect the core values tressing lack of common sense and basic that should inform everything we do. Take AFSA courtesy at work here. ose values have always been (and must Not only did I feel personally let remain): courtesy, proportionality and With You! down when my modest appeal for an common sense. appointment was disregarded, but I was Carroll Brown Change your address online, professionally unsettled by the seemingly Minister Counselor, retired irrational and disproportionate behavior New York, New York n visit us at www.afsa.org/address I saw exercised “at the gates” in the name Or of security. Send changes to: We have all come to perceive at least Share your thoughts AFSA Membership some of these measures as unfortunate necessities in geopolitically complex about this month’s issue. Department times; but there is also a point where, if 2101 E Street NW Submit letters unleavened by some modicum of com- to the editor. Washington, DC 20037 mon sense, such measures threaten to alienate the very people whose support [email protected] we are tasked with cultivating, and all

12 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS

The World Reacts to do is to concentrate on to Ferguson solving its own problems he fatal shooting of Michael Brown rather than always point- Tin Ferguson, Missouri, the grand ing ngers at others.” jury’s decision not to indict the white And a story from the police o cer who shot him, and the Moscow Bureau of the strong reaction to both in Ferguson and Associated Press noted throughout the United States sparked that “Moscow appeared headlines around the world. How to relish turning the are other countries reacting to recent tables on the U.S. after events? repeated U.S. criticism A Nov. 25 Hungton Post report of Russia’s rights records summarizing media coverage from a and its policies toward number of outlets noted that Spain’s El Ukraine.” Pais newspaper characterized the Fer- e article quoted the guson protests as uniting young blacks Russian Foreign Minis-

who may not have known the victim. try’s human rights envoy Wingard USAID/Morgana “is is not America’s or the black com- Konstantin Dolgov’s Health care workers suit up at the U.S. Navy Mobile Ebola lab in Bong County, Liberia. munity’s problem. It is a global problem remarks on Russian state of people who feel oppressed,” the television: “e develop- newspaper quoted a source as saying. ments in Ferguson and other cities high- Crowdsourcing In the United Kingdom, e Tele- light serious challenges to the American Innovation to graph speculated that the recession, society and its stability,” he said. Combat Ebola which increased disparities of wealth Blogger Allison Sommer Kaplan he ght against Ebola in West Africa between the races, was partly to blame reected on comparisons of the Ferguson Tcontinues. USAID Administrator for the backlash. “All of this is made protests and the clashes between Israelis Rajiv Shah called the Ebola crisis “one of worse by a police and judicial system and Palestians in the Israeli newspaper the toughest challenges we face.” Making that seems not just imbalanced against Haaretz. She wrote: “I do see one major it even worse is the physical climate: the blacks but actually designed to put more similarity between the Israel-Hamas con- heat and humidity of the region make of them in prison,” it wrote in an article ict and Ferguson, as I watch the talking the already di cult and dangerous tasks on Dec. 4. heads on the U.S. media and their counter- health care workers do every day more e German publication Spiegel parts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem endlessly arduous. Online criticized the degree of police try to work out how to solve their respective e personal protective equipment reaction in Ferguson by comparing problems during this long, hot summer: (PPE) suits these workers wear to guard weapons use. In Germany “weapons are dangerously short-term thinking.” against infection save their lives, but are the last resort,” it wrote. “But in the U.S. —Brittany DeLong, Assistant Editor also often a source of great discomfort. police o cers make use of them much faster.” Chinese media pointed out the Contemporary Quote hypocrisy of the United States’ human So many kids at the top schools apply for Teach for America. I’d like rights position. “e United States to talk to those young people and say: Consider government. It’s assaulted almost 200 countries across real service too, and you can aect hundreds of millions of the world for their so-called poor people. And if you’re working for USAID and the State Department, human rights records,” the Chinese you can aect billions of people. news agency Xinhua wrote in a com- —Chief Technology Ocer of the United States Megan Smith, interviewed by mentary. “What the United States needs e New York Times Magazine, Nov. 2.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 13 USAID notes that the maximum amount were selected from this group to go on to of time aid workers can stand to wear the the next stage. suit without a break in the hot climate e ideas pitched took novel is 40 minutes, severely limiting the time approaches to the problems of the hot AFSA Dissent Awards they can spend caring for the sick and PPE suits. One group of undergradu- afsa.org/awards dying. ate students from Columbia University AFSA Scholarship To nd a solution to this problem, demonstrated a suit that included an AFSA.org/Scholar USAID joined with the White House internal cooling pouch and an absorbent AFSPA O ce of Science and Technology, the lining to soak up sweat. Another company AFSPA.org Centers for Disease Control and Preven- group pitched cooling packs—originally tion and the Department of Defense to intended for athletes—as inserts for the Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. launch “Fighting Ebola: A Grand Chal- PPE suits. ameripriseadvisors.com/ theodore.s.davis lenge for Development.” Wendy Taylor, director of USAID’s Part of a program USAID rolled out in Center for Accelerating Innovation, told Clements Worldwide 2011, the “Grand Challenge” initiatives e Washington Post that USAID will help clements.com are rooted in the agency’s belief that sci- selected teams create prototypes and Embassy Risk Management ence and technology can have “transfor- mass-produce the designs quickly. Embassyrisk.com mational eects,” and that engaging the USAID announced the winner of the The Hirshorn Company world in the quest for solutions is “critical Ebola Grand Challenge as this issue went Hirshorn.com/USFS to instigating breakthrough progress.” to press. Look for more in the March (ere have been ve previous Grand edtion of “Talking Points.” IE School of Challenges, covering literacy, safe water —Debra Blome, Associate Editor International Relations Mir.ie.edu and maternal health). e Ebola Grand Challenge (see www. Reel vs. Real Inside A U.S. Embassy ebolagrandchallenge.net) seeks to iden- ov. 4 was not just Election Day, but afsa.org/Inside tify ideas that would deliver practical and Nalso the 35th anniversary of the rst McGrath Real Estate Services cost-eective innovations quickly. e day of the Iran hostage crisis. To mark McGrathRealEstate.com prize for the winning ideas is $5 million in the occasion, the Central Intelligence PROMAX Management Inc. grant money. Agency’s social media team spent the promaxrealtors.com e challenge opened for submis- day sending 20 tweets about “Argo,” Ben sions in early October and accepted Aeck’s 2012 lm about the CIA’s rescue University of Kentucky/ ideas through a formal grant process and of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran during Patterson School www.pattersonschool.uky.edu through an open platform. As the open the crisis. platform website noted, “some of the ose tweets are now available in a WJD Management brightest solutions may be found in the slideshow contrasting the “Reel Argo” wjdpm.com most unthinkable corners.” (To view with the “Real Argo” at: www.bit.ly/ some of the open platform ideas see Argo_factcheck. https://openideo.com/content/ Of course, faithful FSJ readers are ghting-ebola.) already well aware of the dierences USAID reports that 1,250 ideas were between the ctionalized account and submitted: 600 through the open innova- what actually happened. We ran FSO tion platform and 650 through the formal Mark Lijek’s rst-person account, “‘Argo’: grant process. Of these, 25 seminalists How Hollywood Does History,” in the were invited to Washington, D.C., on Nov. October 2012 issue. 14, to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges —Steven Alan Honley, from USAID, CDC and DoD. Five nalists Contributing Editor

14 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL From the FSJ Archives This photo of a young Julia Child was one of a number of portraits illustrating the “Behind the Shutter” feature in the January 1965 FSJ. Her husband, then-retired FSO Paul Child, wrote the regular feature, giving

FSJ/Paul Child FSJ/Paul tips for taking good photos and showing a few examples of his own photography. In the January 1965 “Behind the Shutter” column he wrote: “In portraits, try to concentrate on the human (or animal) interest. If it’s a person, try to catch your subject before he can get his face set in one of those ‘ideal’ masks—probably learned in front of his mirror—which inevitably make people sti, unnatural and self-conscious. Animals and babies are wonderful, but most grown-ups are a pain in the lens.”

50 Years Ago

The Trouble with the Venetian Blinds he Department of State building is something of Ta shock for the homecoming diplomat. Whatever else may be said of our embassy buildings abroad, they o er variety and with a few exceptions they are scaled to the human dimension. The mass, the Spartan angularity, the rectangular maze of this New State require some adjustment. It is not a building that caters to human idiosyncrasy, or even to individuality. Elevators go when you don’t want them to, and refuse to go when you want them to, and snort when you interfere with their plans. Venetian blinds can be tilted down, to see the ground, but not up, to see the sky. (This feature is intended to give a uniform appearance from the outside.) The heating system can be made bearable only by adjusting the locked thermostats with a straight- ened paper clip (one of the few small triumphs of the spirit over the system). The unfortunate do not have a window to look out of. The fairly fortunate are permitted to stare out on a prison courtyard, with giant ﬂoodlights peering down. Only the very fortunate may look out upon the Lincoln Memorial and one of the more spectacular views available in any capital. —Foreign Service Journal Editorial, January 1965

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 15 A Snapshot of the and Science: Rep. John Culberson 114th Congress (R-Texas) he 114th Congress, in which • Subcommittee on State, Foreign TRepublicans control both houses, Operations, and Related Programs: will be sworn in Jan. 6. e new U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) Senate is comprised of 54 Republicans, e biggest challenges for the Foreign 44 Democrats and two Independents, Service during the 114th Congress will be: who caucus with the Democrats. e 1. e FY 2016 Budget: Words like new composition of the House of “continuing resolutions” and “cuts” will Representatives is 246 Republicans, 188 continue to take center stage. e inter- Democrats and one to be determined. national aairs budget, in particular, In relation to the work of the foreign may face additional scrutiny. aairs agencies, here are some of the 2. Compensation and Benets most relevant U.S. Senate and House Package: e squeeze on federal leaders and likely committee chairs: employees will be renewed. Legislative proposals focusing on everything from U.S. Senate: comp time to chained CPI will gain • Majority Leader: Senator Mitch U.S. House of Representatives: momentum starting in January. McConnell (R-Ky.) • Speaker: Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) 3. 2016 Presidential Election: • Foreign Relations: Senator Bob • Foreign A airs: Rep. Ed Royce Given former Secretary of State Hill- Corker (R-Tenn.) (R-Calif.) ary Rodham Clinton’s standing as the • Homeland Security & Governmen- • Oversight and Government Reform: virtual Democratic frontrunner, and tal A airs Committee: Senator Ron Rep. Jason Chaetz (R-Utah) the prospect of Senators Ted Cruz Johnson (R-Wisc.) • Select Committee on Benghazi: (R-Texas), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and • Appropriations: Senator ad Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) running for the Cochran (R-Miss.) • Homeland Security: Rep. Michael GOP nomination, foreign aairs will • Subcommittee on State, Foreign McCaul (R-Texas) most likely play a bigger role than it has Operations, and Related Programs: • Appropriations: Rep. Harold Rogers in recent elections. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) (R-Ky.) AFSA members, please let the advo- • Commerce, Science and Transpor- • Subcommittee on Agriculture and cacy team know what issues you care tation/Subcommittee on Tourism, Rural Development: Rep. Robert Ader- most about and how to better serve you by Trade and Innovation: Senator Tim holt (R-Ala.) sending an email to [email protected]. Scott (R-S.C.) • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, —Janice Weiner, AFSA Policy Adviser

U.S. Diplomacy Center lives to U.S. diplomacy. exhibition space within the Harry S Tru- Previews “Faces of e United State Diplomacy Center, man building, where it recently gave a Diplomacy” Exhibit currently under construction at the 21st sneak preview of the kinds of exhibits to n the nation’s capital we are spoiled Street entrance of the Department of State, come. “e Faces of Diplomacy,” held in Ifor choice when it comes to museums. and due to open in 2016 (see FSJ October), November (and which will be included in From art history to science to culture, we is the rst museum committed to shining the center when it opens), proled a few of have exhibits of every make and model. a much-needed spotlight on the hows and America’s diplomats and others involved So it’s apt that in a city lled with muse- whys of diplomacy. in diplomacy in a series of nearly life-sized ums we will soon have one dedicated to Until the museum is completed, the photos accompanied by personal anec- the men and women who devote their U.S. Diplomacy Center is maintaining dotes.

16 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SITE OF THE MONTH: Charity Navigator

he start of a new year is a good time to reassess based in the United States. Tour charitable giving. With the thousands of The site assesses a charity’s charities operating in the United States, the task of financial information based on choosing a worthy cause can be daunting. Most peo- its IRS 990 forms. A charity ple don’t have time or inclination to scour through a will receive a high score (4 charity’s website to find overhead numbers, expense out of 4 stars) if it is deemed breakdowns, annual revenue or CEO salaries—yet we financially eªcient, spends value charities that are transparent and clear about less money to raise more and their mission and how they plan to accomplish it. devotes the majority of its There are thousands of small charities scattered spending to the programs and services it exists to provide. throughout the country. Is anyone keeping track of their The site also assesses transparency, which it defines performance? Since 2001, Charity Navigator (Charitynavi as “an obligation or willingness by a charity to explain its gator.org ) has been keeping donors, and potential donors, actions to its stakeholders and publish critical data about informed. The site aims to “advance a more eªcient and the organization,” by performing a comprehensive review responsive philanthropic marketplace, in which givers and of the charity’s website and IRS forms. Charities that are the charities they support work in tandem.” completely transparent are more likely to act with integ- The site evaluates a charity’s performance with a rating rity and strive to accomplish their mission and are unlikely system that examines the charity’s financial health, account- to mismanage donations or engage in other unethical ability and transparency. The ratings evaluate eªciency with practices. donor funds, sustainability of the program and service over Last year alone, the site was visited approximately time, and how open it is with information. These ratings can seven million times. As a tool for those interested in the help people make informed decisions about donating to all nonprofit sector, this website is an excellent resource. The types of charities, large and small and in numerous catego- comprehensive analyses of a multitude of charities the site ries. The Top 10 lists include “10 Charities Expanding in a provides allow donors to select worthy causes. Through Hurry,” “10 Charities Worth Watching,” and “10 Charities in Charity Navigator’s work, millions of people can funnel Deep Financial Trouble.” their donations to high-performing, reputable organiza- Charity Navigator only evaluates organizations that are tions and thereby help to solve the world’s most pressing tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue problems more quickly. Code, have been in existence for at least seven years and are —Trevor Smith, FSJ Editorial Intern

e U.S. Diplomacy Center’s aim is to e exhibit highlight the achievements and role of the adds a human Foreign Service, Civil Service and other aspect to what colleagues contributing to this work, as is, for many well as promote understanding of the chal- Americans, lenges they face. a mysterious e November exhibit invited visi- world. n tors to take an in-depth look at how U.S. —Lindsey diplomacy aects our everyday lives. We Botts, Labor learn about individuals, what they do and Management how they work to move U.S. foreign policy Executive AFSA/Lindsey Botts AFSA/Lindsey forward. Assistant “Faces of Diplomacy” Exhibit at the State Department.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 17 SPEAKING OUT

to the conduct of business between and Deﬁning Diplomacy among governments, carried out through bureaucratic institutions and processes. BY EDWARD MARKS Or, to put it another way, the former is loosely intended to refer to a country’s ost countries provide profes- macy”—which, in addition to its formal “foreign policy,” while the latter concerns sional education for their reference to a specialized activity of gov- the activity of a country’s foreign policy diplomats, and some operate ernments, has come to denote personal bureaucracy. Mestablishments specically qualities involving pleasing manners. Obviously, these terms and what they for that purpose. Few of us would claim Even in the context of its original mean- represent overlap. e continuing and that the Department of State or any other ing, there is much confusion among sev- inevitably intimate relationship between U.S. foreign aairs agency provides the eral terms that many people erroneously foreign policy and diplomacy—between equivalent with any degree of seriousness believe are synonyms for diplomacy: e.g., the objective and the means—ensures or comprehensiveness. Our Foreign Ser- foreign aairs and foreign policy. they can never be completely separated, vice Institute, for all its virtues (and our Using some fairly standard dictionary at least in the mind of the general pub- fond memories), is essentially a training, denitions, we nd that “foreign aairs” lic. But there are fundamental dier- not an educational, institution. means “matters having to do with inter- ences between them. However, there are signs of grow- national relations and with the interests For instance, most Americans would ing interest in diplomacy education, of the home country in foreign countries.” probably agree that U.S. foreign policy expressed, for example, in a paper the e term “foreign policy” introduces a includes support for democratic govern- American Foreign Service Association further distinction: it means “the diplo- ments; consequently, it is appropriate for recently submitted to the Quadrennial matic policy of a nation in its interactions our diplomats to pursue activities that Diplomacy and Development Review with other countries.” support democratic governments. Yet drafting team. If that proposal is pursued, In contrast, diplomacy is generally that objective is a comparatively recent we may yet see a serious program of dened as “the art and practice of con- addition to our foreign policy structure. professional education put in place for ducting negotiations between nations” For most of our history, John Quincy America’s professional diplomats. in order to implement those polices and Adams’ 1821 declaration that the United First, though, we need to reach agree- pursue those interests. States “does not go abroad in search of ment on what diplomacy means. ere is monsters to destroy” was a more accurate much confusion about the concept—and A Semantic Overlap representation of American diplomacy. not just among lay people, but among its is gives us a nice progression from In any case, as we know, many other practitioners, as well. Part of this derives the general subject (foreign aairs) to a governments do not include democracy from the fact that English is a tricky specic manifestation (foreign policy), promotion in their foreign policy; nor do language, requiring a good deal of care to and on to implementation (diplomacy). their diplomats pursue such activities or ensure that what is said is what is meant. But that leads, in turn, to another poten- work with those who do. Even at the level of single words, misun- tial source of confusion. Diplomacy is the instrument of com- derstandings can occur, given that words In the policy context, each govern- munication, not the message commu- often have multiple meanings. ment has its own diplomacy. But in the nicated. George Kennan, who thought A good example is the word “diplo- operational sense, diplomacy also refers about his profession as seriously as he did about foreign aairs and foreign Edward Marks spent 40 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, including an as- policy, noted: “is is the classic function signment as ambassador to Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. A senior men- of diplomacy: to eect the communica- tor at various military institutions, Ambassador Marks currently serves as tions between one’s own government and a retiree representative on the AFSA Governing Board, a member of the other governments or individuals abroad, American Diplomacy board and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at George and to do this with maximum accuracy, Mason University. imagination, tact and good sense.”

18 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Diplomacy is the instrument of communication, not the message communicated.

Diplomacy’s Two Forms In other words, the medium is not the message—though the widespread confusion between the two obliged the legendary academic student of international politics, Hans Morgenthau, to comment that there was a common “confusion of functions between the foreign o ce and the diplomatic representative.” But the medium does have a corporal form; in fact, it has two. e rst is the activity itself, when o cials—from presidents to third secretaries and the occasional “special representative”—practice diplomacy: that is, conduct o cial communications between governments. e second form is an established institution. Even the Internet operating through the cloud requires some form of instrument at either end of a conversation. For diplomacy, that physical instrument is a foreign service (the diplomatic and consular personnel of a country’s foreign o ce) such as the United States Foreign Service (a government service of diplomatic and consular sta established by law as part of the executive branch.) is corps of o cials is an instrument of the government, one of the tools in the foreign policy toolbox—not an independent force. Most countries try to organize that instrument in the form of a professional cadre, recruited, trained and educated for their task as representatives

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 19 and interpreters of their country’s foreign Foreign Service of the United States. “e scope and complexity of policy. Changes and reforms were introduced the foreign aairs of the nation have However, diplomacy has never been over the rest of the century as the country heightened the need for a professional a popular, or even understood, activity moved from its traditional policy of Foreign Service that will serve the foreign in most Western countries. So, after the hemispheric isolationism to world lead- aairs interests of the United States in an remarkable performance of Benjamin ership. integrated fashion and that can provide Franklin in Paris, the United States pro- a resource of qualied personnel for the ceeded to conduct its diplomacy for more A Clear Deﬁnition president, the Secretary of State and the than a century via an ad hoc mixture of e current organization and mission agencies concerned with foreign aairs.” personalities chosen largely by means of the Foreign Service were mandated So perhaps the problem of denition of the political tradition of the “spoils by Congress in the Foreign Service Act of is not really that di cult, after all. We system.” 1980, which states: only need to turn to the relevant legisla- Fortunately, by the early 20th century “A career Foreign Service, character- tion, and listen to our elected leaders. If Americans came to accept the idea of a ized by excellence and professionalism, is Congress understands that the busi- professional Foreign Service as important essential in the national interest to assist ness of the Foreign Service is to conduct to the country’s independent existence. the president and the Secretary of State diplomacy on behalf of the United States, at awareness produced the Rogers Act in conducting the foreign aairs of the and to serve the nation’s foreign aairs of 1924, which created the professional United States. interests, why can’t everyone else? n

20 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS ON TEACHING DIPLOMACY

Teaching Diplomacy As Process (Not Event) A Practitioner’s Song

Diplomacy is a collaborative process over time involving a number of players with diering perspectives and strengths. How does a practitioner convey that in a classroom?

BY BARBARA K. BODINE

he story goes that when Ambassador appointees has gone up immeasurably since I moved over to the Robert Gallucci, negotiator extraor- academic world more than a decade ago. dinaire, became dean of the Edmund e degree to which we are welcomed varies by institution A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at and our ability to adapt to, but not compete with, the estab- Georgetown University, he quipped: “I lished order. e rap on practitioners, and the trap that we fall now have to teach in theory what I have into—beyond our naiveté that an AMB is roughly equivalent to done in practice.” a Ph.D.—is that we are just storytellers. We are an oral history at is the challenge all diplomats tribe; indeed, Stu Kennedy has made a career of collecting our face as we move to the academic world stories for posterity. in some version of that anomalous position, the practitioner-in- We are our stories. Used properly, they eectively illustrate a Tresidence. We are not tenure-track faculty, even those of us with narrative and bring theory down to practice. It is how we dene Ph.Ds. Nor are we hired for our writings on the applicability of ourselves and frame events. We are also, we must admit, sus- neorealism vs. liberal institutionalism to the development of U.S. ceptible to the blandishments of our young charges—who either policy toward Southern Cone states in the late 1870s. Rather, we encourage us in our worst habit because they enjoy the story, or are hired because of our work to implement U.S. policy toward Southern Cone states in the 1970s and beyond. Barbara K. Bodine, a retired Senior Foreign Service o cer, served as Most of us are area specialists, a highly endangered species ambassador to Yemen from 1997 through 2001, among many other in the academic world, and many of us understand program assignments. She is currently Distinguished Professor in the Practice of management, an exotic if nearly mythological creature outside Diplomacy and director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at of business schools. Yet we are not hired in spite of these dier- Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. ences but (at least at the smarter institutions) because of them. is article is adapted from a discussion paper prepared for the Ameri- We are not unlike many of the political appointees with can Academy of Diplomacy’s Conference on Diplomacy and Education. whom we worked during our careers. Having attained a mea- Held in partnership with the International Center for Jeerson Studies, sure of success in one eld, we have to navigate a wholly new the conference took place in Monticello, Virginia, on June 13, 2011. environment—language, culture, histories, hierarchies, rival- (Ambassador Bodine was a member of the faculty at Princeton Univer- ries—and add value to the process. My empathy for political sity’s Woodrow Wilson School at the time.)

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 21 Neither mastery of data manipulation nor the current “ism”—particularly when divorced from history or regional context—gets to the day-to-day dynamics of diplomacy.

they have gured out it is a great way to get us o topic and away be quantied. Like Sgt. Friday of “Dragnet,” these theoreticians from the syllabus, at least for a while. How wonderful it is to have work assiduously to stick with “just the facts, ma’am.” a fresh crop every year for whom our stories are new and excit- One top senior’s thesis I read used regression analysis to pre- ing, if increasingly out of the misty past. dict the length of stay of enemy combatants at Guantanamo. e research was impressive, the manipulation of the data masterful, The Academic Approach and the quality of analysis superb and worthy of recognition. Yet To understand where the practitioner ts in, we need to it took 125 pages of data to conclude that detainees from friendly understand the world in which we now live. Scholars of politi- countries are released sooner than those from less friendly coun- cal science and international relations chronically lament that tries, irrespective of threat indices, and that those from Yemen the very nature of their disciplines has disconnected them from, have close to no chance of ever seeing Sanaa again. and made them irrelevant to, the practice of policymaking and e study may help inform the debate on release policies, but implementation. ey cite the dearth of academics from those it was noticeably devoid of policy recommendations itself. Given disciplines recruited by presidential administrations compared the ideological polemics that have surrounded the question of to their colleagues in economics. On the one hand, there is Guantanamo, this is commendable and may enhance the cred- increased emphasis on quantitative analysis and grand strate- ibility of the thesis, but it deferred to others to determine policy gies and, on the other, the demise of diplomatic history and options. A tool dependent on access to credible and sucient area studies. ese trends are self-reinforcing as tenured faculty data, and sucient time for analysis, is of marginal direct utility work with, hire and promote the next generation of like-minded to the policymaker. scholars. Grand strategies seek determinative patterns to events. Sev- Diplomatic history, notably as practiced by the late Ernst eral years ago, John Waterbury, a Princeton University professor, May of Harvard, can illuminate patterns and lessons that can reviewed, with a large measure of humor, the waves of theoreti- be usefully and pragmatically applied going forward. Regret- cal fashions and fads he had watched sweep over academia dur- tably, diplomatic history has fallen out of favor in the academic ing his career. Each of these approaches had merit, and a solid world, perhaps in part a reection of the ahistorical nature of understanding of each provides useful skills and frameworks in Americans. Few new diplomatic historians are being produced, assessing policy options. If storytelling is all trees, these are criti- hired and tenured, as history is increasingly written by journal- cal eorts to understand the forest. However, neither mastery ists. Similarly, regional studies departments and contemporary of data manipulation nor the current “ism”—particularly when area studies majors have been eclipsed by anthropologists divorced from history or regional context—gets to the day-to-day and linguists. L. Carl Brown of Princeton’s Near East Studies dynamics of diplomacy, of the decision-making and decision- Department has voiced a lament similar to Professor May’s. Even implementing processes, or the skills necessary to be eective. qualitative analysts feel embattled. ey are of limited utility in framing options for Afghanistan, Diplomatic historians and regionalists have been replaced developing an assistance strategy or prepping the Seventh Floor by the theoreticians of international relations, whose warring for a deputies’ meeting. factions compete for space and their share of footnotes in each other’s works and the works of graduate students. Quantitative Teaching Across the Divide analysis seeks to apply the standards and rigors of science to ere is a lack of clarity whether diplomacy is the process, the the study of politics, to reduce events to numbers, matrices and tool or means of the process, or discreet events. e term is used problem sets. Quantitative analysis excludes that which cannot interchangeably with foreign policy, international aairs, global

22 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL

There is a lack of clarity whether diplomacy is the process, the tool or means of the process, or discreet events.

aairs, etc. Or, equally damaging, it is dismissed as little more a cottage industry of “Day After” exercises in the run-up to than good manners and a pleasing, if overly cautious, personal the change in administrations that did seem to inform policy style. choices. But to be useful, they must assume a certain level of For this article, I will take “diplomacy” to mean the process familiarity with the issues and understanding of the dynamics. of the formulation and the implementation through ocial Since students rarely have either, such exercises are of limited channels of the broad elements of national strategic policy, to use in a classroom setting or for the apprentice practitioner. include public diplomacy, development policy and security “Games” that work well at war colleges or at defense consulting strategy as much as core diplomacy and, in some circumstances, firms like SAIC or Booz Allen Hamilton, on a college campus track-two diplomacy. It includes the following, in unequal parts: devolve rather rapidly into theater, and too often into high camp. • History and an appreciation of the “persistence of political With little frame of reference, students take on what they believe culture” is the persona of a Cabinet secretary or a foreign leader based • Area and cultural competence, including language skills on their perception of a current incumbent. As demarches, press • Economics, at least familiarity with political economy and releases and meetings y back and forth, orchestrated with a macro-economics deus-ex-machina quality by Control, a “gotcha” quality can • Governmental structure and process of policy and decision- creep in, at times egged on by team advisers. Bright students making become policy divas. In an unscientic survey of graduate stu- • Organizational management: resources and personnel dents, the consensus was that the games were “fun but silly.” Few • Leadership: the skills to manipulate processes, both formal saw them as constructive lessons on the practice of diplomacy. and informal, to attain goals Simulations reinforce the notion of diplomacy as an event or • Writing and presentation skills. series of events, of crisis management or negotiations done in a Few practitioners are competent to eectively teach all those matter of days. ey leave students with an unrealistic expec- components with equal depth and sophistication. Fortunately, tation that diplomacy is fast-paced, the clever resolution of a we don’t have to. Scholars—the faculty—devote their careers to crisis or conclusion of a short-fuse negotiation, rather than an these disciplines, and students have the option to craft interdis- appreciation of the incremental process that precedes and fol- ciplinary courses of study. lows crises or negotiations, and inevitable disappointment when A senior professor of American foreign policy at West Point they become practitioners. Diplomacy is to simulations as the once described “diplomacy” to his cadets as the negotiation of practice of medicine is to the TV show “ER.” bilateral and multilateral treaties. Not inaccurate, but certainly Finally, simulations place an emphasis on the what or the insucient. Ross Perot, in his presidential run, suggested that how of diplomatic practice at the expense of the why. e skill diplomats be replaced by fax machines—as though we were no set the next generation of policy players needs is to understand more than the sum of our demarches. Finally, emphasis on crisis the role of public diplomacy, or of public aairs, not practice in management reinforces the perception of diplomacy as events. drafting a press release. Practitioners-in-residence need not rep- For practitioners, active and emeriti, as well as the think-tank licate the role of FSI or the apprentice stage in their new careers. crowd, simulations, games, role-playing and tabletop exercises e value-added of the practitioner-in-residence is to work can be invaluable mechanisms to work through issues. I am a with students to understand how the parts can successfully be strong supporter of tabletop exercises/simulations, and moved brought together to make and implement a policy, to bridge the the State Department’s crisis management exercises to the divide between theory/research and policymaking/implementa- Foreign Service Institute when the Diplomatic Security Bureau tion above the level of the Gullah storyteller. opted to shut them down in the early 1990s. In 2008, there was e substantive components—history, economics, political

24 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A tool dependent on access to credible and sucient data, and sucient time for analysis, is of marginal direct utility to the policymaker.

theory (yes, an understanding of theory is important), language “Great Man” or an ambassador. It is a collaborative process over and culture—are important, and the practitioner must be able time involving a number of players with diering perspectives to incorporate these, albeit at a level dierent than that of the and strengths. academic. e practitioner, however, can also focus on the core How does a practitioner convey that in a classroom? One intellectual components—the ability to identify critical issues, to model, used successfully for years at the Woodrow Wilson synthesize information and data, to extrapolate from history and School, is based on policy task forces/workshops. is format precedent to craft policy—to understand the decision-making reinforces core competencies, the concept of process, the role process and players. e role of the practitioner-in-residence is of collaboration and the importance of strong writing skills, and not to replace, but to complement, the academic. plays to the strengths and unique perspective of the practitioner- in-residence. e format provides a framework that is more Two Approaches to the Bridge practical than the conventional academic approach and more ere are two approaches that can bridge the divide between conceptual, structural and historical than simulations or even theory and games: case studies and policy task forces/work- case studies. It is also considerably more labor-intensive than shops (known as PTF/PWS). Both can be used to convey the conventional teaching. importance of historical context, contain a measure of structure e objective is not to create one-semester experts on a spe- and patterns drawn from academic theory, and include impor- cic region or issue, but to convey the sense of diplomacy as an tant lessons on the complex development of policy and the incremental process, the complexity of factors that go into policy limitations of its implementation. formulation and implementation, the give-and-take of compet- Case studies elevate the value of the storyteller-in-residence ing interagency interpretations of national policy objectives, beyond their personal experiences. e case study approach has the need to understand “the persistence of political culture” proved eective in other graduate professional schools, includ- and familiarization with policy writing (as opposed to academic ing law and business, and is equally applicable and eective in writing)—all lessons that can be applied to other policies, other teaching the practice of diplomacy. Georgetown University’s regions and in any department or agency. Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, for example, developed Each PTF/PWS focuses on a single major, ongoing policy over several decades about 300 case studies covering decades of issue: e.g., childhood obesity, rogue states, rebalancing U.S. post–World War II diplomatic history that can be used either as policy in the Arab Gulf states, or crafting a comprehensive strat- core or supplemental readings. A course on “Invention: Limita- egy for fragile states. Students focus on one facet of the issue, tions and Opportunities” can draw on studies of Somalia, the and produce both a two-page executive summary and a 25-page Philippines, the Shah’s Iran and the Balkans. policy paper. e former exposes students to the rigors of the e better case studies include sucient back story to pro- short-version paper; the latter reinforces the rigors of academic vide necessary, but not burdensome, context, as well as foot- research and analysis. Because this is an academic environment, notes for further research. e great ones include teaching notes. far more space is devoted to history and strategic context than would be found in a proper policy paper, even one issued by a Task Forces/Workshops: Lessons in Leadership, think-tank. Collaboration and Policy Trade-os Papers must reect an understanding of the broad policy To underscore this notion of process, and to borrow from issue and its relevance for U.S. national interests; how the Marc Grossman’s introduction to e Embassy of the Future elements t into the broader policy issue, current policy and (Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2007), diplo- programs; and recommendations for new policy and programs macy is not the result of a single person’s actions or work, even a (strategic and programmatic). In the process, students must

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 25 develop a sucient appreciation of the historical context of the bilateral or regional issue and the domestic political and economic dynamics, as well as an understanding of the policy players; the dierences between a policy, a strategy, an initiative, a program and a project; and how they relate to each other. A critical component of this format, and one that plays directly to a diplomat’s expertise and the student’s wonkish aspirations, is the requirement to produce a joint policy report that incorporates the class’s collective judgment on the issue, relevant background and context, and a single set of recommendations that must be presented and defended before a panel of senior (albeit often retired) practitioners.

Not for the Drive-by Practitioner-in-Residence ese exercises are admittedly far more labor intensive than regular lecture-based teaching. Both the individual and joint papers demand considerable guidance and editing as the students shift from pure research/academic writing to policy analysis and recommendations. ey grapple not only with unfamiliar subject matter, but new writing formats (framing a three-sentence “issue for decision” is a particular challenge). ey come to understand the role of both history and policy organizations and players, and learn to develop complex, inter- related and innovative, yet practical, recommendations. Most students start out with policy from 30,000 feet: “ e president needs to give a speech.” ey have a very declaratory and directive approach to diplomacy and international relations. Initial recommendations often begin: “ e United States must tell the host government to do…” and end with a coercive diplomacy approach of “… or else.” As the semester works toward the joint report, there is an increased appreciation of the responsibility of each participant to the collective product. ey face the reality of negotiated policy, of balancing between competing or conicting recommendations or even assessments of core issues to produce a coherent report. e satisfaction each experiences with the nal, collaborative rst-rate joint report and its successful presentation to a panel of practitioners is exceeded only by that of their director. en again, if diplomacy is a long, iterative process, an art to be rened and a skill to be honed with practice, we cannot expect to competently and credibly teach diplomacy with any less commitment. We are our stories—but we are more than a collection of our stories. n

26 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS ON TEACHING DIPLOMACY

DIPLOMACY EDUCATION Unzipped

Who is a diplomat in today’s world? The dierences between the academic’s and the practitioner’s approach to teaching diplomacy point to some answers.

BY DONNA MARIE OGLESBY

he concept of diplomacy has long departments of international relations and history, most often in lacked cultural resonance in the United member institutions of the Association of Professional Schools States. e late R. Smith Simpson, of International Aairs, and they are taught by both academics a career U.S. Foreign Service ocer and practitioners (mostly retired FSOs). Course content varies credited with stimulating the creation widely, based on the personal experiences and the disciplines of of the Georgetown Institute for the those teaching. I could not nd a common core. Study of Diplomacy in 1978, was said Whereas academics traditionally teach an understanding to have been an “absolute pit bull” on of what the international institution of diplomacy is and how making the intricacies of diplomacy it changes over time, FSOs emphasize how American foreign a key component of the curriculum. He left ISD in 1992, when affairs institutions are organized, how foreign policy is deter- Tthe curriculum strayed from that objective. “Diplomacy was a mined and conducted, and what the specics of foreign policies neglected eld. It wasn’t sexy,” Dean Peter Krogh noted at the are. But beyond that distinction, I found greater patterns of time of Simpson’s death. “Everyone wants to talk about what we dierence between courses designed by academics and those want to do in the world; not a lot want to talk about how to get it created by American practitioners than would be expected from done.” at is still true today. a close reading of the literature on the gap between international Diplomacy has been squeezed out of the course catalogs in American higher education by the two master frames driving Donna Marie Oglesby spent more than 25 years as a Foreign Service American views of how to deal with the world: defend against o cer with the United States Information Agency, serving in ai- it, or transform it. Americans are far less interested in managing land, Paraguay, El Salvador, Austria, Brazil and Washington, D.C. international relations through perpetual systemic engagement. She capped her career by serving as USIA counselor, the agency’s ey want either to avoid or to x problems, transcending the highest-ranking career position. While in the Service, she received the never-ending compromises of diplomacy, which seem to many Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange Award both old-world and old-hat. for Outstanding Service, the Presidential Distinguished Service Award Yet, while they are few and far between, courses on diplo- and the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy. macy do exist. After an extensive search in 2013, I found and Since retiring from the Foreign Service, Ms. Oglesby has taught at Eckerd reviewed more than 60 diplomacy course syllabi, with a subset College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her articles on diplomacy have been on public diplomacy, and conducted lengthy interviews with a published by the United States Institute of Peace, e Foreign Service majority of the teachers. e courses are found occasionally in Journal, e SAIS Review and USC’s CPD Perspectives.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 27 Diplomacy has been squeezed out of the course catalogs in American higher education by the two master frames driving American views of how to deal with the world: defend against it, or transform it.

relations theory and practice. Something else is going on here engagement with it. ey want military and intelligence options that we need to understand. What the two communities teach in to prevent, shape and win conicts that they believe threaten the terms of skills and procedures, as well as the beliefs that inform continued existence of the exceptional American way of life and them, the values that sustain them and the theories that lie the global order that sustains it. e corresponding academic behind them, dier signicantly. track in international policy schools is security studies, including ese dierences get at the heart of whether diplomacy in intelligence. the United States is a unique profession with a dened body of Academic and societal embrace of the boundary-less term knowledge and skill set, or merely a practice by a collection of “global,” instead of the boundary-crossing term “international,” experts with assorted technical knowledge and skills. Who is a erases the very idea of the “foreign.” Without that concept, diplomat in today’s world? e U.S. Foreign Service has a vital interdisciplinary area studies—the focus on the particularities of stake in the answer to that question, given the displacement of regions and nations with palpable histories, cultures, languages the State Department as the central axis of ocial American and concerns of their own—diminish in value. As a subject of external relations and the encroachment by politically well-con- study, diplomacy, which provides understanding of the political nected Americans, intent on replacing members of the career means needed to achieve any foreign policy goal, given those Service. complex external realities, is barely visible. Nor is there much demand for it. The American Fabric In the American system of higher education, students are e main institutions of American society do not support consumers who choose to ll the seats in the classrooms. diplomacy as either a professional practice or a eld of study. Research shows that members of the millennial generation, Many Americans have no idea what diplomats do. Others think shaped by 9/11 and the 2008 recession, are hyper-individualistic, diplomacy is no longer necessary because the fabric of global identify as global citizens, and distrust government and large society is one felted whole, so densely matted together that sov- bureaucratic institutions. ese characteristics drive their career ereign boundaries are irrelevant and slight national dierences goals and, therefore, course preferences. eir identity as global can be managed. ey see no need for a corps of uniquely skilled citizens also might explain why courses on public diplomacy, in professionals, deeply knowledgeable in the histories, languages which they imagine themselves as technologically empowered and cultures of foreign societies. individual actors, are more subscribed than those on diplomacy In this rosy vision of attened, brous, global unity, where itself. there is no “foreign,” foreign policy is optional, and diplomats Over the last decade, while diplomacy has been sidelined, are unnecessary. Instead, private individuals, with technical foreign aairs job growth in America has been in the intel- knowledge, functional expertise and global reach, network to x ligence/security sector and in nongovernmental human rights the problems created by rapid compression into global oneness. and development organizations. American students who are Readily available in civil society, such expertise is best assem- inclined toward international aairs want to acquire the skills bled around issues of concern to bind societies one to another and concepts that will qualify them to get the jobs that American apolitically, without distrusted national governments getting in society has on oer. International students, by contrast, many the way. e corresponding academic track in APSIA schools is of whom are already diplomats or aspire to become diplomats human development, including public health. for their countries, do want to study the eld. ey comprise, on By contrast, those Americans who view today’s newly felted average, a third of students in all the classes I surveyed. Diplo- world as a pathological mess want protection from it, not macy course instructors also frequently mention the subsidized

28 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Donna Oglesby Eckerd College students in Donna Oglesby’s spring 2012 “Diplomacy and International Relations” course work in country teams playing the online international relations game called “Simulating Statecraft.”

Pickering-Rangel Fellows as faithful enrollees. Without the Comprehensive Strategy for a Fragile State” or “U.S. Borders and presence of these two groups in the classrooms, the seats would Borderlands.” Even when the course titles carry the more generic go empty. Courses taught by FSOs do attract other students, not “Creating a 21st-Century Diplomacy” or “Doing Diplomacy,” the because of their interest in diplomacy, but because of their thirst focus is on the bilateral and multilateral relationships repre- for the practical skills and knowledge required to operate in the sented by human actors (their motivations, personalities and international policy sphere, inside or outside of government. interests), as well as on case-specic foreign policy decision- making and implementation. Practitioner Course Design True to the society from which they come, American diplo- Courses on diplomacy designed by American practitioners mats focus their courses on the foreign policy problems that the exemplify statecraft. ey are usually extended case stud- United States confronts. ey pay attention to the institutional ies grounded in the soil of the particular: “Yemen: Crafting a and operational infrastructure that must be managed, as well

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 29 Doing diplomacy for decades prior to teaching gives the practitioner a background understanding of the subject, guiding them to insights and intuitions about the realities of the practice.

as the formulation of sound policy advice at home and eective already chosen to teach as they search for materials to support representation abroad. As heirs of George F. Kennan, American their course objectives. Often, they adopt material used by other diplomats do not experience diplomacy in a compartment by teaching FSOs. itself. Kennan explained why in Measures Short Of War: “ e stu of diplomacy is in the entire fabric of our foreign relations with Think of a Zipper other countries, and it embraces every phase of national power In spite of the limitations of the material chosen, the story of and every phase of national dealing.” Today, we are accustomed to American diplomatic practice that emerges from syllabi writ- seeing our national diplomatic system range across departments ten by practitioners is one of professionals for whom power, responsible for diplomacy, development and defense. process and values are inherently linked. ey go into the world Some FSOs teaching diplomacy write their own case studies representing the United States and, repeatedly crossing sover- and simulations. Others make use of the rich collection devel- eign boundaries, gure out the personalities of the people who oped and made available by the Harvard Kennedy School Case count on the issues that matter to the United States, and then Program and the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Diplo- build personal relationships to manage national dierences and macy. Although there are wonderful case studies on negotia- align them politically to achieve objectives. ey succeed when tions, international bargaining and conict resolution, the vast they understand the political communities in which they work majority center on the domestic struggle to determine American well enough to advance the objectives of the community they foreign policy, rather than the means by which policies, once represent with knowledge, tact and integrity. determined, are carried out. So again, the techniques of diplo- One metaphor for this approach is a zipper. We ask a lot of macy as an instrument of statecraft receive minor attention. a zipper slider, that small little piece with a tiny handle that we e diplomat, however, writes a syllabus with the wisdom operate by hand to mesh or separate the alternating teeth on gained and hands dirtied from hard work in the eld. Knowledge chains attached to adjacent exible parts. We know from experi- does not precede and is not separable from practice; it is created ence that when the slide fastener fails, when it is no longer able by it. Doing diplomacy for decades prior to teaching gives the to couple and interlock the teeth protruding from fabric tape practitioner a background understanding of the subject, guiding attached to the separated sides, we are in trouble. Jackets are no them to insights and intuitions about the realities of the prac- longer warm, luggage is no longer safely sealed shut, and blue tice. e challenge is how to share this understanding. To teach jeans are a bit more exposing than we intended. e slider is an eectively, practitioners rst have to structure their own thinking inexpensive part, really. But when it does not work properly— and reect upon what they might oer students, while being true when it does not engage the articulated teeth, align the sides and to who they are. withstand the tension between them—the expense of xing the Reading assignments convey regional or issue-specic ensuing problem can be quite substantial. knowledge; they are interdisciplinary, sometimes biographical Diplomacy is like that. As diplomacy studies theorist Paul and policy-relevant. Very rarely do FSOs assign readings from Sharp conceives of it, diplomacy routinely enmeshes sepa- the academic subeld of diplomatic studies; somewhat more rated political communities into a single international whole, often, they include material from the elds of foreign policy while recognizing the plurality of interests and values that analysis and diplomatic history. Most admitted in our interviews keep nations wanting to be apart. Fundamentally, diplomacy that they had no time for reading academic literature while functions politically through a series of nearly imperceptible practicing their profession and began doing so only after decid- adjustments along the chain of relationships between repre- ing to teach. us, their reading is governed by what they have sentatives of states and the international organizations created

30 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL by states to manage international order. Like the humble zipper, diplomacy is a modest everyday tool with a signicant function. It is a permanent dialogue conducted on a daily basis by American representatives with their foreign counterparts. We take it for granted when diplomacy succeeds in protecting and advancing our national interests, as it should; and we pay the price when, by abuse, neglect or ignorance, the profession fails in its responsibility.

Academics: Think Velcro For academics teaching diplomacy, the zipper conveys an image of classical interstate diplomacy, but it does not capture the complexity of diplomacy in today’s mixed-actor global environment. Diplomatic studies scholars continue to see diplomacy as a recognized international institution dened by international conventions and laws that must be learned. Yet, because they are interested in teaching how systems change, they Joe Johnson of Courtesy Donna Oglesby speaks at the Nov. 12, 2013, forum, “U.S. Public Diplomacy: look beyond the ocial diplomatic corps to bring A Look to the Past, A Look to the Future,” held at the Department of State. the tumult of international societies, and civil society acting transnationally, into sharper relief. The changes brought by globalization and technology affect Bruce Gregory, believe that diplomacy’s public dimension has so the practice of diplomacy itself. e hand of the State Depart- intensied that public diplomacy is no longer a distinct func- ment no longer controls the little handle on a zipper that binds tion. He would merge the two roles to more eectively conduct separated entities one to another. e national interest is harder a “new diplomacy” better adapted for the times. Because of their to determine and harder to pursue because corporations, NGOs attention to the public dimension, the work of diplomacy studies and individuals work their politics across sovereign borders scholars is well represented in the syllabi of practitioners teach- when necessary to achieve their objectives. ey even carry their ing public diplomacy courses in American universities, as it is in concerns to the United Nations and other multilateral institu- those taught by aliated academics. tions directly when thwarted domestically. Academics teach about multilateralism and conference Because of this power diusion within and among states, diplomacy with actors whose expertise is not diplomacy. ey the international policy environment has experienced a sharp highlight the diplomatic practices of small states and middle increase in participation by global actors who are not states; powers that approach the world as a collection of challenges ocials who are experts in matters other than diplomacy based that only a worldwide cooperative process can address. In their outside of foreign ministries; and private citizens acting trans- classrooms, academics note the whole-of-government global nationally. Overlap, not separation, sets the context for modern engagement that is shrinking the traditional primary role of diplomatic engagement. Multiple policy venues, parallel bodies foreign ministries around the world. ey explore the expanding and agreements, and thousands of international institutions missions of domestic government agencies migrating abroad in create unending choice, if not chaos. ese conditions require response to complex problems that know no sovereign boundar- a “hairier,” more intricate diplomatic process that resembles ies. eir courses also address the boundaries between global fastening the many hooks and loops of Velcro to get agreement governance and diplomacy, asking pointedly who is a diplomat rather than zipping together the official, sovereign teeth of old. in today’s world. Some scholars, like e George Washington University’s As one would expect, diplomatic studies scholars do teach

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 31 As American economic, political and military power wanes, however, the achievement of American foreign policy objectives will depend to a greater extent on Foreign Service professionals’ knowledge and skills.

theory. More surprising, perhaps, they also teach diplomatic diplomats do not accept that distinction and do not employ it practice by incorporating memoirs, case studies and compara- in their teaching. As master American practitioners, FSOs teach tive examination of the structures and processes of dierent what they have experienced and know. states and regions in their syllabi. ey consider the ethical Whether American diplomats are outliers because of our dimension of diplomatic practice as well as diplomatic law. particular political culture or because of our predominant Some non-American practitioners, like the former ambassadors power position in the world is a matter of debate. As American Kishan S. Rana (India), Jorge Heine (Chile) and Georey Wise- economic, political and military power wanes, however, the man (Australia), are active diplomatic studies scholars. eir achievement of American foreign policy objectives will depend work is important in highlighting the dierences in Western and to a greater extent on Foreign Service professionals’ knowledge non-Western diplomatic structures, processes and styles. and skills. Studying both the American diplomatic tradition and the evolving international diplomatic culture within which The Tapestry of International Diplomacy Americans must operate will be essential to succeed. Academics take care in their texts and course design to illu- Keeping faith with the calling to serve the United States as a minate non-Western diplomatic traditions and systems in order diplomat, in an era when Congress cannot manage to conrm to highlight the Eurocentric principles of traditional diplomacy career ambassadorial nominees for months on end, must be that many assume to be natural and universal. ey separate out dicult. ese prescient words of George F. Kennan, from 1961, the American diplomatic style as only one of many to be studied might oer some solace: “Diplomacy is always going to consist and compared, and discuss the diering national negotiating to some extent of serving people who do not know that they are styles. being served, who do not know that they need to be served, who Diplomacy studies scholars also speculate on the future of misunderstand and occasionally abuse the very eort to serve.” diplomacy. Some wonder if, among the possible futures, there A profession that stands still for its portrait in our rapidly might be a return to the rules of Westphalia—mutual non-inter- changing world, however, runs the risk of becoming a still life. ference, an emphasis on sovereignty and the formal equality of e times demand rededication to the quality of American states—once rising powers like China and India gain power and diplomacy. Professional renewal requires continuing education inuence. in diplomacy, understood to be an international institution, a is literature on diplomacy is essentially unknown to most national practice and a set of expectations members of the inter- FSOs teaching diplomacy. When I mentioned the names of national community have of one another. prominent diplomacy studies scholars, such as Paul Sharp, Try as we might to avoid being in the world politically, work- Jan Melissen and Brian Hocking, during my interviews with ing with others and having our objectives modied by them, the practitioners, most did not recognize them. Similarly, with few United States has no choice. Exceptional as we might be, we do exceptions, I got no reaction when I mentioned recent texts on not have the wherewithal to reweave global society on a univer- diplomacy: Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: eories and sal loom we control. Nor can we pull our national threads out of Practices (2013), e Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy the fabric of international society without unraveling the whole (2013), or Diplomatic eory of International Relations (2009). that serves our interest. is is neither surprising nor alarming. Although by design, Consequently, we need to master diplomacy: the practice of the study of foreign policy has been excluded from the diplo- sustaining ocial international relationships capable of with- macy studies paradigm since Harold Nicolson made the distinc- standing vigorous political argument, even conict, increasingly tion between foreign policy and diplomacy in 1939, American conducted in the public square. n

32 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL

FOCUS ON TEACHING DIPLOMACY

DIPLOMACY WORKS: A Practitioner’s Guide to Recent Books

The publication of books on diplomacy as a distinct discipline has increased recently. Hopefully, it is a trend that will continue.

BY ROBERT DRY

e are witnessing a new Oct. 23, used the expression “measures short of war,” alluding high-water mark in to George Kennan’s seminal lecture on preventive diplomacy important works on diplo- on Sept. 16, 1946, at the National War College. Kennan’s lec- macy not seen since the ture remains noteworthy and should be read by every entrant early 18th century, when into the Foreign Service. In many ways, it is a platform to build De la manière de négocier on. avec les souverains (“On While practitioners of diplomacy may possess an intuitive the Manner of Negotiating understanding of “how” their profession works, close study with Sovereigns”) and e of the institution of diplomacy can improve the knowledge of Ambassador and His Functions, by de François Callière and even seasoned practitioners. What I would have given, when WAbraham de Wicquefort, respectively, made their appearance. I rst entered the Foreign Service, to have been able to read In arguing this, I adhere to the distinction between works on former FSO Harry Kopp’s Career Diplomacy (Georgetown diplomacy and those on foreign policy, a distinction often University Press, 2011); AFSA’s Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplo- credited to the eminent diplomatic thinker of the 20th century, macy at Work, now in its third edition (FS Books, 2011); or any Sir Harold Nicolson. of the works of former Indian ambassador Kishan Rana of the Granted, the printing presses constantly bring us books and DiploFoundation! articles on foreign policy and diplomatic history, including Similarly, I would have beneted from exploring the books the many memoirs of diplomats and statesmen, but the high I discuss below, which draw on the legacy of earlier diplomatic incidence of works concentrated on diplomacy as a separate thinkers. Each provides rich context for the eorts performed discipline or institution is remarkable, and very welcome. daily at diplomatic and consular missions in the eld, or at Hopefully, this trend will continue and lead to a greater under- headquarters. standing of the diplomatic instrument of power. Former Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns, in his Robert Dry, a retired FSO, is chairman of AFSA’s Committee on the For- swan song presentation to State Department employees on eign Service Profession and Ethics, and teaches at New York University.

34 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Oxford Handbook the complexity for the benet of the peace of Modern Diplomacy process, form a part of a mediation process My rst reaction to e Oxford Hand- design. Often the potential of several tracks book of Modern Diplomacy (Oxford Univer- of diplomacy is underutilized.” I often tell sity Press, 2013) was that it was anything but my students that what is sometimes lacking a handbook at 950 pages! But after reading in conict resolution is not the will of the many of its standalone chapters, I consider parties, critical as that is, but the design of it an important contribution to modern the negotiation process. It would be prot- diplomacy. able, as Ahtisaari suggests, that mediations Inspired by work done in the Center for be analyzed to determine what made them International Governance Innovation, and successful or not. edited by distinguished CIGI practitioner- While e Oxford Handbook approaches scholars Andrew Cooper, Jorge Heine and traditional areas of diplomacy with a mod- Ramesh akur, e Oxford Handbook ern focus, much of its value comes from the contains a range of insightful articles and sections devoted to the evolving realms of case studies by practitioners and theoreti- Commons Wikimedia “non-traditional” forms, such as the chap- The Dutch diplomat Abraham de cians from around the world. Many of these ters on “Economic Diplomacy” and “Trade Wicquefort (1606-1682), above, experts are familiar, like Joseph Nye, who wrote one of the ﬁrst great texts on and Investment Promotion.” Anyone who writes the article on “Hard, Soft and Smart diplomacy, The Ambassador and His has served in the Bureau of Economic and Power” in the “Tools and Instruments” sec- Functions. Business Affairs, or at the Organization tion. But other authors I rarely nd in print. for Economic Cooperation and Develop- In that regard, consider the superb chapter on “Mediation” in ment, will appreciate that these authors possess a strong grasp the “Modes of Practice” section by former Finnish president of the subject matter. Other sections discuss the role global and and Nobel Prize recipient Martti Ahtisaari, written together with transnational rms play in the “network” diplomacy of the 21st Kristiina Rintakoski. century. Two of the 10 case studies in the concluding section After describing mediations in which he served as a United also treat economic matters: “ e Doha Development Agenda” Nations special envoy and the lessons he learned from them, and “ e Economic Diplomacy of the Rising Powers.” Ahtisaari concludes his chapter on an important note about the Speaking as a former environment, science, technology relevance of mediation today and urges his fellow mediators to and health ocer, I was pleased to nd chapters in e Oxford tap the comparative advantages that non-state entities Handbook addressing subjects like health, climate can bring to conict management and resolution. change and food security. I had hoped to also “ e old techniques of power and deterrence seem see the subject of religion and diplomacy among increasingly less relevant to deal with the problems the chapters on nontraditional diplomacy, and conicts confronting us,” he writes. “Media- because the appointment by Secretary of State tion may well oer the most coherent and eective John F. Kerry of Dr. Shaun Casey as director of the response to these issues. To ensure that it can also new Oce of Faith-Based Community Initiatives be successful, we need to develop a better under- is a long-overdue watershed event in American standing of the process and oer consistent guide- diplomacy. Its absence from the Oxford tome is an lines to the many actors involved in mediation.” indication that diplomacy continues to evolve. Moreover, Ahtisaari continues, “Networks have I recommend e Oxford Handbook of Modern become a vital tool for a mediator. Actors include Diplomacy to students and practitioners alike. Its transnational nongovernmental organizations, content is up to date and largely free of the jargon multinational corporations, international organiza- one nds in too much academic writing. While there tions and regional organizations. Engaging a considerable is footnoting, it is accessible and useful to anyone wishing to number of players at dierent levels of diplomacy, and exploit- go deeper into the material. I plan to keep this work on ready ing their comparative advantages while being able to manage reserve for the course I teach at New York University and assign

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 35 The Oxford Handbook approaches traditional areas of diplomacy with a modern focus, but much of its value comes from the sections devoted to the evolving realms of “non-traditional” forms.

several chapters from it. I have no doubt eager a book one picks up and reads from start to nish. students will read beyond the assigned parts. Rather, it is more a handy reference tool—mar- velously written—to dip into when dealing with Other Notable Works complex issues of diplomatic law and practice. I’ve Alas, I cannot as wholeheartedly recommend used it on several occasions to get quickly up to the 2011 Routledge Handbook of Diplomacy and speed. Statecraft, edited by B.J.C. McKercher. While it is While there is a bias toward British diplomatic certainly handier than e Oxford Handbook at practice in the book, the editors do highlight just 489 pages, its typeface is so small that I had divergent practices on a topic of diplomatic law to squint to read it. Moreover, three-quarters of and practice, especially when the other view its content discusses the foreign policy of various is that of the United States. For instance, Sir nations, not diplomacy. As something of a purist, I Ivor furnishes a succinct yet clear analysis of had hoped for the reverse ratio, in keeping with the dierent governments’ approaches to asylum, a book’s title. subject for which there is no settled practice. at said, I found some useful material here. ough Satow may seem quaint now, it can Christer Jönsson, a Swedish professor and co- still be extremely useful for entry- and mid-level author of Essence of Diplomacy (2005), contributed FSOs confronting serious questions like agré- the excellent chapter on “ eorising Diplomacy.” ment or asylum for the rst time. So I urge every Not being an expert on this topic, I found Jöns- embassy, however meager its book allowance, to son’s explanation lucid and useful. But I found splurge on this impressive update of Satow’s clas- Professor Jeremy Black’s opening chapter, sic. You and your successors will appreciate it. “Diplomatic History: A New Appraisal,” to be a Another handy reference work is Marjorie M. bit obscure, particularly in comparison with his Whiteman’s Digest of International Law, which the excellent book, A History of Diplomacy (Univer- State Department published in 1963. Sadly, it is out sity of Chicago Press, 2010). of print, but most post libraries probably have a copy. Speaking of Routledge, I would encourage readers inter- A more recent general work well worth acquiring is Diplomatic ested in public diplomacy to peruse the 2009 Routledge Practice Between Tradition and Innovation (World Scientic, Handbook of Public Diplomacy, published in association 2010) by Juergen Kleiner, former German ambassador and with the University of Southern California’s Center on Public emeritus professor of international relations at Boston Univer- Diplomacy. I often review the Center’s website for insightful sity. research and discussions on PD (www.uscpublicdiplomacy. Probably the most prolic contemporary writer on diplo- org/publications). macy is Professor Geo R. Berridge, formerly of the University of Another sweeping work on diplomacy is Oxford’s sixth Leicester and now a senior fellow at the DiploFoundation. Each edition of Satow’s Diplomatic Practice (originally published in of his many books is impeccably written and full of insights into 1917, and reissued as a paperback in 2011), edited by Sir Ivor the fascinating formation of modern diplomacy. His textbook, Roberts, the former British diplomat and scholar. is is not Diplomacy in eory and Practice, now in its fourth edition

36 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL (Palgrave, 2010), is almost certainly required reading for almost Each of Prof. Geo R. all courses in diplomacy in the English-speaking world. Unlike the tomes described above, Berridge’s treatment is succinct, Berridge’s many books is yet it covers the essential ground. Its centerpiece is diplomatic impeccably written and negotiation. I also recommend two other recent Berridge works: e full of insights into the Counter-Revolution in Diplomacy and Other Essays (Palgrave, fascinating formation of 2011) and Embassies in Armed Conict (Palgrave, 2012). All diplomats should read the latter book just in case they one day modern diplomacy. nd themselves serving in a country embroiled in war. My only criticism of these books is that they are costly. Get your library to buy them for you. han Rana. Ambassador Rana has written a series Foundational Approaches of books, the most recent of which is 21st Century For those who seek to teach a foundational Diplomacy: A Practitioner’s Guide (Continuum, course in diplomacy covering a larger palette, 2011; part of the Key Studies in Diplomacy Series there are now a number of competitors to edited by Professor Lorna Lloyd), that are true go-to Berridge. ese include Georey Pigman’s guides for every diplomat. Contemporary Diplomacy (Polity, 2011); I would be remiss, however, if I left readers with Jean-Robert Leguey-Feilleux’s e Dynamics the impression that these new volumes in any way of Diplomacy (Lynne Rienner, 2008); and— supplant the great classics, such as Sir Harold Nicol- probably the most readable and interesting son’s Diplomacy; George Kennan’s lectures from his account—former Canadian diplomat Daryl service at the National War College following World Copeland’s Guerrilla Diplomacy: Rethinking War II, including “Measures Short of War”; and International Relations (Lynne Rienner, 2009). Henry Kissinger’s Diplomacy (Simon & Schuster, Even newer works include Corneliu Bjola and 1994). ose are all on par with the seminal works Markus Kornprobst’s superb treatment of diplo- of de Calliéres and de Wicquefort I mentioned at macy, Understanding International Diplomacy: the beginning of this essay. eory, Practice and Ethics (Routledge, 2013) at said, books are far from the only excellent and—my hands-down favorite and one of the materials available about diplomacy. Among the texts I require my students to read—Diplomacy many periodicals practitioners will nd useful is in a Globalizing World: eories and Practices e Hague Journal of Diplomacy (Brill Publishers), (Oxford University Press, 2012), edited by scholars specially designed to capture research into diplo- Pauline Kerr and Georey Wiseman. macy. Professor Paul Sharp, author of Diplomatic eory of Kerr and Wiseman have brought together 23 essays by International Relations (Cambridge, 2009), and Professors Jan experts in the eld of diplomacy. ese were all subject to strict Melissen and Georey Wiseman provide the editorial steward- editorial review, enhancing accessibility for those new to the ship of e Hague Journal. I particularly commend the special subject. e book has a clear logical structure, as each chapter edition devoted to American diplomacy (Vol. 6; Nos. 3-4, builds on the earlier ones. Among the topics covered is East 2011), now available as a book, American Diplomacy (Martinus Asian diplomacy, a subject modern students of diplomacy Nijho, 2012). would do well to spend some time on. And as a bonus, the Add to the list online publications from institutes around book includes an instructor’s guide with supplemental mate- the world—from the U.S. Army’s Strategic Studies Institute and rial. the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, to Clingendael and the Finally, I would like to commend the contributions of a Norwegian Institute of International Aairs—and professional retired Indian ambassador who now devotes himself to teach- diplomats will nd much to support and develop their knowl- ing and writing about the practical aspects of diplomacy, Kis- edge and skills. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 37

FOCUS ON TEACHING DIPLOMACY

PRACTITIONERS, SCHOLARS AND The Study of Diplomacy

The relationship between practicing diplomats and international relations academics is fraught, and they are certainly not on the same wavelength when it comes to teaching diplomacy. Does it matter?

BY PAUL SHARP

enerally speaking, practitioners of in the index of many new international relations textbooks; and diplomacy are not interested in what when it does, the listing usually directs readers to the briefest the people who study international discussion of ideas like immunity and asylum, before moving relations have to say about them. them along to the much more developed subelds of negotiation, When they do glance at an academic mediation and bargaining. book on diplomacy, they will often To add insult to injury, even the relatively few academics who be puzzled as to why so much time are genuinely interested in diplomacy tend to spend their time and space was required to make the investigating its declining importance and critiquing its estab- point in question. lished practices. ey argue that it must be overhauled to be of any A visit to an academic conference on international relations use in a networked world where information is plentiful, cheap Gcan be similarly fruitless. Good luck to practitioners who seek and easy to generate, and in which news travels fast among a host a panel on diplomacy as a safe haven in a sea of mathematical of new international, transnational and global actors. What these modeling and impenetrable discussions about how identities students of diplomacy do not do is spend a great deal of time actu- are constructed and constituted. ey are likely to nd instead a ally looking at professional diplomats and their work, or what they group of people who speak in tongues and beat their insights to have to say about their chosen profession. death, talking about things which seem as remote from the world With this in mind, e Hague Journal of Diplomacy, which I of ordinary diplomats as one could imagine. co-edit, has a section called “Practitioner’s Perspectives,” in which Fortunately (at least if one values symmetry in relationships), we ask diplomats to reect on what they actu- the diplomats’ lack of interest in academics is fully reciprocated. Within academia, diplomacy is not one of the hot research areas Paul Sharp, a professor of political science at the compared with, for example, international theory, international University of Minnesota Duluth, was founding political economy, international organization or global gover- co-chair of the Diplomatic Studies Section of the nance (although public diplomacy has made something of a International Studies Association and is founding showing recently). e subject of diplomacy does not even appear co-editor of e Hague Journal of Diplomacy.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 39 Fortunately (at least if one values symmetry in relationships), the diplomats’ lack of interest in academics is fully reciprocated.

ally do. e best of what we publish in this section is very good research to justify themselves in terms of their usefulness, not just indeed, but most of the submissions we get from diplomats in the to the direct beneciaries of their work but, in public institutions eld are not quite what we are looking for. Instead of reecting at least, to the taxpayers who fund them. on their own professional experience, they tend to describe the e second factor has been the emergence of an attempt to great international episodes they were privileged to witness in the place diplomacy at the center of the academic study of interna- course of their careers, or ponticate on the great international tional relations by claiming precisely this practical quality for it. In issues of the present and what, in the author’s view, should be this view, the majority of important international relations work done about them. done today continues to be undertaken by diplomats. So it would appear, at times, that even diplomats are not inter- Furthermore, in an era where the strategic interplay of super- ested in the nitty-gritty work of diplomacy. Instead, many of them powers and the adventures of the unipolar interlude have been would very much like to be statesmen orchestrating and presiding replaced by a steady slide towards multipolarity, in which no one over the sort of “l’unité de direction” (literally, unied direction) country dominates, it has been argued that we should expect in policy for which Cardinal Richelieu argued, but to which even diplomacy to become more important. Diplomacy should there- Henry Kissinger could only aspire. fore be a primary focus of academic research because it remains, in Raymond Cohen’s phrase, “the engine room of international Theory vs. Practice? relations.” It should also be a principal focus of international Everyone feels a bit embarrassed about this state of aairs. e relations instruction because it oers one of the best chances for academics acknowledge that diplomacy ought to be important, obtaining a job in the eld. Discourse analysis, deconstructions of and the diplomats keep showing up at professional conventions, constitutive ideas and theories about the international system, in hoping that academics will have something interesting, impor- contrast, may equip a student only for staying in school. tant or useful to say about diplomacy (though they often leave Despite these pressures and eorts, however, the study of disappointed and determined to write a book about diplomacy diplomacy remains on the margins of consciousness for both themselves). diplomats and international relations academics. Why is this so, Of course, worrying about the relationship between theory and should we worry? and practice is nothing new. e American political scientist Alexander George spoke many years ago about bridging the gap What Do Diplomats Want? between international relations and foreign policy by generating Part of answering these questions lies in asking what diplo- hard propositions about what sort of coercive diplomacy is likely mats would really like to hear from the people who study them. to work and under what conditions. And back in the 1970s, retired In the main, they seek usable insights from the management FSO Smith Simpson found himself in a battle with his colleagues sciences about how to organize complex organizations and how at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign to operate eectively within and between them. Practitioners are Service over whether they should be teaching diplomatic theory to not interested in hearing from academics about the mysteries future diplomats, or exposing them to what were regarded as more and particularities of being a diplomat, any more than professors practical things which it might be handy for them to know as they are interested in hearing from outsiders about the mysteries and embarked upon their careers. at debate led to the founding of particularities of teaching and undertaking research. Rightly or the school’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy in 1978. wrongly, both camps think they have this covered. However, the intensity of that argument has sharpened over e other part lies in asking what the people who study diplo- the past couple of decades for two reasons. e rst has been the macy are interested in and, perhaps more importantly, whom they increasing pressure on those teaching and conducting academic consider their primary audience. On the whole, they are not inter-

40 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL ested in nding out what diplomats do—this is a known. ey are a bit more interested in helping diplomats “do diplomacy” better, but this seems to require an understanding of elds other than diplomacy. Moreover, as academics they have no stake in solving the problems of particular diplomatic services and their political masters. Such eorts cross over into the realm of policy advocacy, and there is no shortage of people who already engage in that. What students of diplomacy are interested in is demonstrating why the work of diplomats is so important and ubiquitous—not just to their colleagues but also to the public at large. As long as people live and work in separate groups, each having a strong sense of its separate identity, but each needing relations with others, then these relations will have a distinctive and potentially dangerous character. Experience suggests that such relations are best handled by people steeped in the understandings, conventions and rules which have emerged over centuries and continue to develop, and which we associate with diplomacy. is is what is unique to diplomacy, those who study it say. Yet paradoxically, it is not particularly interesting to diplomats because they already know it. (At least if they are any good.) What can diplomats do with the information that their symbolic and representational signicance is as important, and sometimes more important, than anything they might actually accomplish? And does it really matter to members of the diplomatic corps that their role is one of the very few tangible expressions of the international society or community to which everyone routinely makes reference?

Adjusting Expectations e answer to whether or not diplomacy is useful echoes the old defense of the liberal arts. Diplomacy is useful, but only once you take it on its own terms and stop looking for proof of its utility. So, yes, diplomats should continue to glance at academic publications about their profession and attend the occasional international relations conference, hoping not for revelation so much as the odd insightful nugget for future use. ey should also speak up when academics seem to have missed the point, and say that, in their experience, at least, “Diplomacy is not like that at all.” Academics, for their part, should hang out with diplomats once in a while, to remind themselves both of what is special and what is mundane about their profession. Finally, neither party should worry if the relationship between them is not as close as others—often their respective managers, administrators and consultants—press them into expecting it to be. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 41 FEATURE How to Intern at State Without Leaving Home

The virtual internship is a unique avenue for students to gain experience in a particular ﬁeld.

BY AHVA SADEGHI

high grade-point average and a degree At rst, I was quite skeptical about an online internship are not enough anymore. In the and how much I could gain from it. I know that my experience increasingly competitive job mar- with online classes has not measured up to in-class lectures. ket for young people, there is a new However, as a student studying in Arizona, a virtual internship trend that is now a “must-have” on a was an exciting opportunity. I could work for the State Depart- resume. It is an internship, more often ment while I was studying at my home institution thousands than not, unpaid. is new require- of miles away! ment can be a very rude awakening ere were more than 300 dierent internship jobs posted for many poor college students. After for VSFS when I applied in June 2013, so students are bound all, internships are not just competitive; they are also extremely Acostly. Students have to pay for transportation, housing, profes- Ahva Sadeghi is a senior studying philosophy, poli- sional clothes, food and more, to work for free. tics, economics and law at the University of Arizona. However, with the tools of globalization, students can cir- She was a summer 2014 intern with the AFSA Labor cumvent the burdensome costs of an internship by undertak- Management o ce. As a participant in the 2013- ing a virtual internship. e Department of State has designed 2014 State Department Virtual Student Foreign Ser- the Virtual Student Foreign Service to allow American students vice Internship Program, she worked with the O ce the opportunity to intern for dierent agencies and posts to Combat and Monitor Tra cking in Persons, performing 20+ hours of abroad without leaving home. research a week to contribute to the 2014 TIP Report. She has continued Although there are many opponents of this type of intern- her engagement with the VSFS for the 2014-2015 academic year and is ship, I can personally vouch for its eectiveness. After having now working for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor to interned in the oces of the Peace Corps, Colibri Center for help prepare the 2014 Human Rights Report on the Middle East. In addi- Human Rights, Southwest Research Center and the Depart- tion to her work with the VSFS Internship Program, Sadeghi has taught ment of State, I could be considered something of an intern- English in Korea, founded the University of Arizona’s rst human rights ship expert. club and is a cellist in the UA Philharmonic Orchestra.

42 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL to nd something that interests them. I “e-interned” for the Oce to Combat and Monitor Tracking in Persons. I am the founder of the Human Rights Club on my campus, and am passionate about combating human tracking, so this was a dream internship for me. I poured my heart into it, and invested more than 20 hours a week doing media research and translating from Farsi and French on a variety of human tracking topics: individuals tracked for the sake of suicide bombing, forced begging and Quranic schools, forced labor and tracking in the hospitality industry. Some say that a virtual internship does not provide students with real professional development and networking. However, that is far from the truth. I had to learn to communi- cate with formal language via phone, email and Skype with my VSFS supervisors. I was expected to promptly return emails and had to be on time for all phone and Skype sessions, for which I dressed professionally. My intern supervisors acted as mentors, oering me professional development, academic advice and valuable letters of recommendation. ey even made the eort to introduce me virtually to other professionals in my eld to expand my network. Maybe I was not sitting at an oce desk from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but I gained valuable professional experience working directly in my eld. Overall, the internship surpassed my expectations, and the virtual component enabled me to apply myself to meet high standards. Like any internship, you get as much out of it as you put into it. U.S. News & World Report states that “internships are a near necessity in the quest to nd a job in today’s market.” e virtual internship is a unique avenue for students to eectively gain experience in their eld. Now it’s time for more students to capitalize on globalization and technology. Financial and geographic obstacles are no longer an excuse. As the saying goes, “Where's there's a will, there's a way.” Take advantage. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 43

AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION

“IN THEIR OWN WRITE” IN PERSON AFSA Hosts FS Authors Book Market ISTOCK.COM/RETROROCKET 2014 AFSA TAX GUIDE P. 55 CALENDAR January 7 12-2 p.m. AFSA Governing Board Meeting

January 8 AFSA Book Notes AFSA/ASGEIR SIGFUSSON AFSA/ASGEIR Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy AFSA hosted Amb. Christopher R. Hill its first-ever Book Market in On Nov. 13, AFSA’s main January 19 November, giving MLK Day floor conference room Foreign Service AFSA Oces Closed was transformed: Foreign authors and readers the chance Service authors displayed to sell, shop and February 2 their books to sell, shoppers mingle. Deadline for Nominations meandered and mingled, and AFSA Governing Board Election new connections were made. February 4 The first-ever AFSA Book stream of visitors from all of Robert Mearkle, author of 12-2 p.m. Market was a resounding the foreign aairs agencies and the novel The Feller from For- AFSA Governing success. related organizations, as well tune, told the Journal he found Board Meeting Following the growing as a few who showed up via the Book Market “impressively popularity of the Novem- word of mouth. Authors were organized and well advertised.” February 6 ber Journal’s “In Their Own able to reach new audiences He added, “[It] showcased Deadline for Applications AFSA Merit and Community Write” section, which features and connect with old friends some impressive and enter- Service Awards descriptions of books written and former colleagues. taining literary talent among by Foreign Service authors, The books covered a wide State’s ranks.” February 16 AFSA introduced this new range of topics, from in-depth Greg Willis attended on Presidents’ Day event and invited all of the accounts of overseas experi- behalf of his father, Nicholas AFSA Oces Closed featured authors to sell their ences to biographies of Civil Willis, nephew of the first February 28 books at AFSA. Seventeen War heroes, from calorie-con- woman to make the Foreign Deadline for Nominations authors, some from as far scious cookbooks to cultural Service a career and the AFSA Dissent Awards away as Texas and Georgia, analysis. “In Their Own Write” author of Frances Elizabeth turned up to introduce them- books from authors who were Willis: Up the Foreign Service March 1-5 selves to readers. unable to attend the Book Ladder to the Summit—Despite AFSA Road Scholar Program The event saw a steady Market were displayed, as well. Continued on p. 46

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 45 AFSA NEWS

Continued from p. 45 time working with Ms. Willis: “I was AFSA Welcomes New Labor very intimidated. Management Sta I was young and heard that Frances was strict, but Two new sta investigations. I was looking members have Colleen is a native forward to working joined our Labor of Pittsburgh with her. I learned Management and earned her so much.” Oce. We would law degree from “The event like to welcome Duquesne Univer- assembled a rich Colleen Fallon-Len- sity. diversity of authors aghan and Jason AFSA also and subjects under Snyder. welcomes Jason AFSA/DEBRA BLOME AFSA/DEBRA one roof, and Colleen Fallon- Colleen Fallon- Snyder as the new that made it truly Lenaghan replaces Lenaghan Labor Manage-

AFSA/ASGEIR SIGFUSSON AFSA/ASGEIR inspiring,” said John Long as ment Assistant. He Retired FSO Allen Hansen (left) joined retired AFSA’s Executive AFSA’s Labor recently received USAID FSO Stephen Grant (right) at the Book Market to help set up and run his table. Grant was Director Ian Hous- Management his Ph.D. in inter- selling his recent book, Collecting Shakespeare: ton. “It was a privi- counselor. Colleen national law with The Story of Henry and Emily Folger, included in lege for AFSA to served previously an emphasis on the November 2014 FSJ, as well as his previously published works. Hansen’s Nine Lives: A Foreign host and organize as an AFSA sta human rights from Service Odyssey had been included in the this gathering and attorney from the National Uni- November 2007 “In Their Own Write.” to open our doors 1992 to 1998, versity of Ireland, to our members when she relo- Galway. Jason will AFSA/DEBRA BLOME AFSA/DEBRA and these talented cated to Michigan. Jason Snyder be focusing on the Limitations of Her Sex. authors and thinkers.” As part of the constituents in our Willis Jr. recounted a For a complete listing of AFSA labor management bargaining units. memorable interaction he had books and authors featured in team during that time, she A native of Kentucky, Jason with one of Frances Willis’ for- “In Their Own Write,” see the assisted in the negotiation of formerly contributed to The mer colleagues, George Grin, November FSJ and the AFSA collective bargaining agree- Santiago Times, covering labor who worked with Frances in Sri online book store. n ments for Foreign Service and human rights issues in Lanka and came to the market —Allan Saunders, employees in the Department South America. Most recently, speciﬁcally to get his copy of Advertising/Marketing Intern of State, USAID, FAS and FCS. he worked in labor relations in the book signed. and Brittany DeLong, She also represented Foreign Hawaii and continues to follow Grin commented on his Assistant Editor Service employees in matters labor and human rights issues ranging from disciplinary globally. n issues to security clearance

MOVEMENT ON CAREER AMBASSADOR CONFIRMATIONS

Over the past many months, AFSA has made consistent eorts on Capitol Hill on behalf of the career ambassadorial nominees awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation. AFSA ocials and sta have met with U.S. senators and their stas to emphasize the critical role chiefs of mission play overseas. Following the midterm elections, the lame-duck Senate has been clearing the docket of backlogged ambassadorial nominations. In November, it confirmed the appointments of 21 long-waiting career Foreign Service nominees. In early December the Senate also confirmed two controversial political appointee nominees, soap opera producer Colleen Bell for Hungary and political consultant Noah Mamet for NEWSBRIEF Argentina. For a complete list of ambassadorial appointments visit www.afsa.org/ambassadorlist.

46 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL STATE VP VOICE | BY MATTHEW ASADA AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP. Contact: [email protected] | (202) 647-8160 | @matthewasada

Marijuana: Decriminalization, Legalization and the Foreign Service

In November 2014, voters The department needs to be as progressive with its workforce in Alaska, Oregon and the development and discipline policies as it is with global drug policy. District of Columbia decided to join Colorado and Wash- ington in legalizing the use of marijuana. Recent polling is inversely correlated with Foreign Policy we conduct our foreign indicates a majority of Ameri- age. It is particularly strong In 2011 the Global Commis- drug policy. In October 2014 cans support its legalization. among millennials (those sion on Drug Policy, a high- Assistant Secretary for Inter- However, federal law born after 1980) and weakest level 22-member interna- national Narcotics and Law continues to classify mari- among the silent generation tional commission including Enforcement Aairs William juana as an illicit Schedule (those born between 1928 former United Nations Brownfield spoke about the 1 controlled substance. This and 1945). Secretary General Kofi Annan importance of more flexible month’s column explores and former Secretary of interpretations of interna- these contradictions and Increased Department State George Shultz, issued tional conventions and more their implications for Scrutiny an indictment of the global tolerance for national poli- workforce development and Despite the changing legal War on Drugs, stating that it cies, noting the challenge of foreign policy. framework and societal had failed “with devastating enforcing state and federal norms, the Department of consequences for individu- law in the United States. Changing Legal State has continued with als and societies around the So the question remains, Framework an employee disciplinary world.” as the department seeks to Four states and the District program more appropriate In September 2014, the develop and build support for of Columbia have legal- for the 1980s War on Drugs commission released its a more flexible and tolerant ized the recreational use of than that for managing and second report, Taking Control: global drug policy, why does marijuana, while dozens of developing a 21st-century Pathways to Drug Policies that it paradoxically seek the other states have legalized its workforce. Work, reiterating its recom- opposite for its current or medicinal use. In November It’s hard for me to under- mendations to decriminalize, future employees? New York City announced stand the rationale for the identify alternatives to incar- The department needs that its police would no department’s increased ceration, and place greater to be as progressive with its longer arrest individuals for focus on an area that is emphasis on public health workforce development and low-level marijuana crimes, increasingly being liberal- approaches, in addition to discipline policies as it is with but would issue summonses ized. At a time when the now advocating for the legal global drug policy. Until it is, instead. department is seeking to regulation of psychoactive AFSA will continue to encour- However, against this rap- recruit the nation’s best and substances. age our senior leadership to idly changing legal backdrop, brightest from a generation Their work is a prelude to rethink its approach to the U.S. federal law has remained in which marijuana use is eorts to reshape global drug issue while advising employ- constant. no longer demonized, and policy at a time when U.N. ees to comply with federal when the department needs member states are respond- law and existing department Changing Societal to retain employees in which ing to internal democratic regulations—if they wish to Norms the federal government pressure to change (Uruguay remain with the department. Polling from the Pew has already invested decriminalized marijuana in I look forward to hearing Research Center indicates hundreds of thousands of 2013). your thoughts on the issue at that a majority of Ameri- dollars, such a discretionary The State Department’s [email protected]. n cans support regulating and heavy-handed approach leaders are beginning to Next month: The Foreign instead of prohibiting the may not be the most eec- realize that we need to Service Open Assignments use of marijuana. Support tive policy. fundamentally rethink how System.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 47 FCS VP VOICE | BY STEVE MORRISON AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA FCS VP. Contact: [email protected] or (202) 482-9088

All Quiet on Set. Ready. Action?

The results of the 2014 year’s Commercial Service positive responses was oce- nary report on ITA consoli- Employee Viewpoint Survey, scores, a dierent picture space improvements (noise dation. Fifty percent more as it relates to the Foreign emerges. levels, temperature, lighting, respondents felt management Commercial Service’s new Negative ratings were up in etc.). would not successfully act parent agency, Global Markets, more than half the 71 work- The area with the highest on employee feedback than are in. The news is not good. related categories surveyed. overall negative rating was thought it would. Indeed, they should be cause (Work-life balance results “resources.” Fully 58 percent, As Ken Hyatt reported for concern. were roughly the same as last (virtually no change from last two years ago, there is “much The U.S. Oce of Person- year.) Comparatively, only year) responded that they room for improvement.” More nel Management released its eight negative ratings went still did not have sucient recently, he has stated that agency-level reports on Oct. down somewhat from a year resources to get the job done. “our future depends very 24. Deputy Under Secretary ago. The remaining 27 work- Two areas did see a sig- much on what you think about of Commerce for International related survey results were, niﬁcant increase in negative ITA and how we go about Trade Ken Hyatt emailed them eectively, the same (within scores: whether employees accomplishing our mission.” to employees a few days later. two to three percentage felt a sense of empowerment Under Secretary of Commerce Hyatt stated that there points) as last year. and whether respondents for International Trade Stefan was “no improvement in the Negative responses believed the survey results will Selig’s “Dare to Be Great” International Trade Adminis- increased most in the areas of be used to make the agency a challenge is partly designed to tration’s scores over last year.” dealing with poor performers better place to work. help in that regard. That may be true. However, and awards and recognition. This last data point is The questions are, when comparing this year’s By contrast, one area that especially troubling, given the “Is it enough?” and “What’s Global Market scores to last drew an increased number of inspector general’s prelimi- next?” n

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS DEADLINES APPROACHING APPROACHING: CONSTRUCTIVE FOR AFSA YOUTH DISSENT AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS Nominate someone—or yourself!— for an AFSA Con- The children of active duty or retired AFSA structive Dissent Award. The nomination deadline is members can apply for college aid. Graduating Feb. 28. AFSA proudly recognizes constructive dissent high school seniors can apply for $2,500 aca- within the system with four separate awards: demic and art merit awards, while incoming/ The W. Averell Harriman Award is for entry-level current undergraduates can apply for need- (FS-6 through FS-4) ocers; the William R. Rivkin based financial aid scholarships ranging from Award is for mid-level (FS-3 through FS-1) ocers; the $3,000 to $5,000. ANNOUNCEMENT Christian A. Herter Award is for Senior Foreign Service ANNOUNCEMENT The merit award program submission ocers; and the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Award is for For- deadline is Feb. 6, and the need-based finan- eign Service specialists. cial aid scholarship submission deadline is Recipients receive prize money and are honored at a March 6. ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Not all who submit an application will Reception Room at the State Department. receive an award. For more details on the awards and to file a nomina- Visit www.afsa.org/scholar for details, or tion online, visit www.afsa.org/dissent. Please contact contact AFSA Scholarship Director Lori Dec at Special Awards and Outreach Coordinator Perri Green [email protected] or (202) 944-5504. at [email protected] or (202) 719-9700 for more information.

48 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL RETIREE VP VOICE | BY LARRY COHEN AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA Retiree VP. Contact: [email protected] or (703) 437-7881

Making Sense of the FSPS Annuity Supplement

Most Foreign Service person- While the FSPS annuity supplement is a nice financial benefit nel today are in the Foreign for younger Foreign Service retirees, I do not recommend it as Service Pension System retirement system. One of the sole driver in determining whether to retire earlier than its most confusing aspects you otherwise plan. is the FSPS annuity supplement. until the retiree reaches his By the way, earned While the FSPS annuity If you have yet to par- or her minimum retirement income includes all wages supplement is a nice financial ticipate in the Retirement age (MRA). For someone from employment covered by benefit for younger Foreign Seminar or Job Search Pro- born before 1965, the MRA is Social Security and various Service retirees, I do not gram, you may not ever have 56 years. The MRA ramps up, other cash-based incomes. recommend it as the sole heard an explanation of it in gradually, to 57 for a person It does not include pensions driver in determining plain English. I will try now to born in 1970 or later. and annuities, distributions whether to retire earlier than describe it. In essence, then, as long from a Thrift Savings Plan you otherwise planned to The FSPS annuity supple- as you are under your MRA, or Individual Retirement do. Retirees who are initially ment is a benefit—on top of you should be able to earn as Account, unemployment eligible often discover when the monthly pension—pay- much as you want in another compensation, interest or they reach their MRA that able to certain individuals job without fear of reducing dividends not resulting from they quickly surpass the low who retire before age 62, are your FSPS annuity supple- a business or trade, or most earned income cap. in the “new” FSPS retirement ment. To show continued rental income. So make your retirement system and are entitled to supplement eligibility after For more information on plans, commit to fulfillment an immediate annuity. If this reaching their MRA, annui- the FSPS annuity supplement, of your dreams, and don’t fret applies to you—and it does tants must submit an FSPS visit the Retiree Services page the annuity supplement. n apply to many—read care- Annuity Supplement Report on the AFSA website at www. fully. (DS-5026) to the HR Service bit.ly/AFSA_AnnuitySupp. The supplement’s pur- Center at the end of each pose is to provide a level of calendar year. income before age 62 that On this form the annuitant REMINDER: is similar to what an annui- declares earned income for ANNUAL HS ESSAY CONTEST tant would receive at age 62 the previous year. The cur- NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES as part of Social Security rent (2014) earned income benefits. It is calculated as if cap is $15,480, after which AFSA’s 2015 National High School Essay Contest is the annuitant is 62 (the earli- the supplement is reduced by now accepting entries. est eligibility for full, though $1 for every $2 of additional All students who are U.S. citizens and whose reduced, Social Security earned income. parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to benefits) and fully eligible to If you reached your MRA participate if they are in grades nine through 12. receive them on the day of and are receiving an annu- The winner will receive $2,500, a trip to Washing- actual retirement. When the ity supplement, don’t for- ton, D.C., to meet the Secretary of State and a full- ANNOUNCEMENT annuitant actually reaches get to send in the DS-5026 tuition scholarship for a Semester at Sea voyage. The 62, any annuity supplement form by early January. Oth- runner-up will win a full scholarship to participate in ends. erwise, the State Department the International Diplomacy program of the National The supplement is subject may ask for repayment of Student Leadership Conference. to an annual earned income any overpayment. Reduction, The deadline for entry is 11:59 p.m. EST on March earnings test, similar to the termination or reinstatement 15. Details and essay topic can be found at www.afsa. one applied to Social Secu- of benefits becomes eective org/essaycontest. rity benefits. However, the on Jan. 1 of the year following earnings test does not kick in the year of income reported.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 49 AFSA NEWS

The Burden of the BlackBerry: AFSA Addresses Email Overload

On Nov. 4, AFSA hosted a ing Board member Homeyra from the Oce of Medical be times when after-hours discussion aimed at helping Mokhtarzada as emcee. Services, and Senior Human work is necessary. But there foreign aairs agencies for- Panelists were AFSA State Resources Specialist Jacque- are ways to ameliorate the mulate guidelines to address Vice President Matthew line Ridley. demands and the impact on a common problem: email Asada, Bureau of Informa- Asada initiated the dis- employees.” overload. tion Resource Management’s cussion with a presentation Panel members expanded Titled “No Relief: The Strategic Communica- on AFSA’s interest in starting on the various aspects of the Challenges of 24/7 Email,” tions Adviser Joel Wisner, the conversation on issues problem, focusing on indus- the event featured a panel of Health and Wellness Pro- of work-life balance: “We try trends, employee well- speakers, with AFSA Govern- gram Manager Darrel Kniss know that there are going to ness and tips for reducing burnout. They also discussed what steps to take next to address the problem. The audience shared personal experiences and proposed solutions in the question-and-answer session that followed. To view the event, visit www.afsa.org/video. n —Brittany DeLong, AFSA/DANIEL THWAITES AFSA/DANIEL Panelists lead a discussion on the burden of after-hours emails. From left: Darrel Kniss, Joel Wisner, Jacqueline Assistant Editor Ridley, AFSA VP Matthew Asada and AFSA Governing Board member Homeyra Mokhtarzada.

BOOK NOTES AP’s Former State Correspondent Speaks at AFSA

On Oct. 27, AFSA welcomed former Associated Press State Depart- ment correspondent George Gedda to speak on his recent book, The State Department: More Than Just Diplomacy, published in April 2014. Gedda shared stories from his 40 years on the diplomatic beat and recalled his travels to 88 countries while covering nine Secre- taries of State, from Cyrus Vance to Condoleezza Rice. Gedda arrived in Washington, D.C., in 1968, and was assigned to cover the State Department, with a focus on Latin America. On his style of reporting, Gedda explained his philosophy: “I was never that aggressive. I was supposed to cover and uncover stories, not oend people.” AFSA/BRITTANY DELONG AFSA/BRITTANY Video of his presentation, as well as all previous Book Notes Former AP correspondent George Gedda spoke about his 40 n years on the diplomatic beat and his book on the same topic as talks, are available at www.afsa.org/video. part of AFSA’s regular Book Notes series. —Sarah Kay, Communications Intern

50 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

FSO Explores Social Media AFSA Visits State’s and Diplomacy Charleston Facilities

On Oct. 2, AFSA welcomed by posting an article, “21st- As part of AFSA’s foreign aairs interns to its Century Book Burning,” on its outreach to mem- third Brown Bag Series event, DipNote blog. The article was bers and agency “Social Media and Diplo- widely circulated, appearing management alike, on the front page of State Vice President three Turkish news- Matthew Asada papers. and Labor Manage- Chawla noted ment Senior Adviser that John Kerry James Yorke visited became the ﬁrst the State Depart- Secretary of State ment’s Global Finan- to hold a Google cial Services Center Hangout, which in Charleston, South

AFSA/BRITTANY DELONG AFSA/BRITTANY included an interac- Carolina, in Novem- State’s Director of Digital Engagement Vinay tive discussion on ber. Chawla spoke on the power of social media at an intern event. the United States’ They met with response to the use Acting Comptroller macy,” featuring FSO Vinay of chemical weapons in Syria. General Chris Flaggs AFSA Chawla, the State Depart- Chawla also described and other senior From left: AFSA Senior Labor Management Adviser James Yorke, HR Shared Services ment’s director of digital how his team looks at data ocials in the Oce Director Tracey Mahaey, and AFSA State Vice engagement in the Bureau of to determine what content is of the Comptroller President Matthew Asada. Public Aairs. popular, what is being shared General of Finan- Chawla spoke on the and where trac is coming cial Services, to discuss the Shared Services. There they power of social media as a from. This type of informa- procedures for debt recovery, met with Director Tracey platform to inform the public, tion has the potential to help emphasizing ways to ensure Mahaey and toured the specifically young adult audi- the State Department build more timely notification to facility, learning how HRSS ences. He discussed the nine relationships it might not employees about overpay- interacts with oces and social networking tools the otherwise have established. ments and to reduce the employees throughout the State Department employs: During a question-and- current large number of State Department. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, answer session, Chawla overpayments (see “AFSA Of particular interest were YouTube, Google+, Tumblr, acknowledged that incor- Files Cohort Grievance on the oces devoted to helping Instagram, the DipNote blog porating risky pictures and State OCP Adjustments” in retirees, annuitants and sur- and the long-form online videos has a positive eect the November 2014 FSJ for vivors navigate the complexi- magazine, Medium. on circulation, but explained more details). ties of the Foreign Service “We really have oppor- that decisions on content Yorke and Asada also retirement system. tunities to interact in new need to be based on how the visited the Charleston Pass- They concluded the visit formats,” Chawla said. “We’ve post will reflect on the State port Center, where they met with a roundtable discus- been able to take on some Department. with Deputy Director Teyako sion with AFSA members in important topics,” he added, The series will continue Gibbs-Woods and with Boyd Charleston. n demonstrating how social in 2015. Interested students Hinton, the senior steward —James Yorke, Senior media extends the State and interns should check the at the National Federation of Labor Management Adviser Department’s reach. For AFSA website for upcoming Federal Employees, one of example, when Turkey events. n AFSA’s sister unions. banned Twitter in March, the —Brittany DeLong, Later, they visited the State Department responded Assistant Editor Oce of Human Resources

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 51 AFSA NEWS

AFSA’s Shower Diplomacy

On Oct. 8 AFSA and the State than two years ago during Department’s Bureaus of an after-work conversa- Administration and Human tion between Asada and Resources celebrated the Adam Bodner, director of opening of two new shower the Oce of Real Property rooms in State Annex 3, on Management at Main State’s Virginia Avenue N.W. own shower facilities. They Deputy Assistant Sec- questioned whether it would retary for Operations Keith be possible to get a similar

Miller, Deputy Assistant Sec- facility in SA-3 to support the THWAITES AFSA/DANIEL retary for Human Resources department’s wellness initia- Deputy Assistant Secretary Keith Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary Marcia Bernicat, Division Chief Judy Ikels, AFSA State Vice President Matthew Marcia Bernicat, Division tives and encourage exercise Asada and Project Manager Matthew Lindstrom inaugurating the new SA-3 Chief of the Bureau of to, from or at the workplace. shower facility. Human Resources Work Life The SA-3 shower project Division Judy Ikels and AFSA is an excellent example of State Vice President Matthew AFSA’s commitment to mak- there is at least one free and a panel discussion on Asada each spoke brieﬂy ing the department one of shower facility in every managing after-hours email on the origins of the shower the premier employers within annex. SA-3’s new shower (see p. 50). project and the importance the federal government. facility is the latest down AFSA is also contributing of employee wellness initia- AFSA is a strong sup- payment on that pledge and to the department’s response tives. porter of this and other joins 12 other department to the White House’s June They were joined at the department wellness initia- annexes with free showers. 23 memo (www.bit.ly/ ceremony by Project Man- tives and included a quality The ceremony was the WorkLifememo) on improv- ager Matthew Lindstrom of of work/life goal in its 2013- ﬁrst in a series of AFSA ing work-life wellness across the Oce of Real Property 2015 Strategic Plan (www.bit. events supporting the the federal government. n Management. ly/AFSAplan). department’s Work-Life —Daniel Thwaites, The idea for an SA-3 AFSA has called on the Wellness Month. AFSA also Labor Management Intern shower originated more department to ensure that organized an after-work run

AFSA President and State VP Present A video of the event is available at www.afsa.org/video. Midterm Review at FSI AFSA held another outreach meeting on Nov. On Oct. 22, AFSA President communication eorts to answer session that followed, 25 at Main State, and has Robert Silverman and State active-duty State members members raised concerns on scheduled a similar event VP Matthew Asada hosted a currently at FSI. FSI training, child care and IT on Jan. 20 with active-duty “Midterm Review” lunch at They highlighted progress skills-incentive pay. Diplomatic Security special- the Foreign Service Institute. made on AFSA’s 2013-2015 Silverman and Asada ists at Diplomatic Security As they had done in a sim- strategic plan and FSI- encouraged members to get headquarters (SA-20). n ilar outreach event at AFSA speciﬁc successes, such as involved with their union and —Lindsey Botts, headquarters in August, the the launch of the Capitol professional association by Labor Management AFSA ocials presented an BikeShare station (see Sep- joining an AFSA committee, Executive Assistant overview of the association’s tember 2014 AFSA News). becoming a post representa- advocacy, engagement and During the question-and- tive, or standing for election.

52 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA Increases Dues for 2015

AFSA has increased dues for 2015 by 1.7 percent for all individual membership categories. In concrete terms, it amounts to an increase of between 5 and 25 cents per pay period, depending on an individual’s membership category. AFSA’s policy is to increase dues by an amount corre- lating to the third-quarter Consumer Price Index increase published by the Department of Labor, which is used by the Social Security Administration to calculate the next year’s Cost-of-Living Adjustment increases. This increase will provide the association with a stable and predictable income source, which allows AFSA to continue oering excellent member services and advance member priorities. Active-duty and retired members paying dues via payroll and annuity deduction will see a small, automatic increase in the amount automatically deducted from their paychecks and annuities. Those paying annually will be billed the new rate on their regularly scheduled renewal date. n

NOMINATION DEADLINE FINDING THE FSJ ONLINE APPROACHING: AFSA EXEMPLARY “FS Know-How” articles have covered PERFORMANCE AWARDS such topics as organizational tips for travel- AFSA is accepting nominations for its ﬁve awards recognizing, advice for spouses and coping mecha- ing exemplary performance until the Feb. 28 deadline. We urge nisms, to name just a few, and give useful members to nominate someone whose contribution has made a advice for dealing with life in the Foreign dierence. Service. “FS Know-How” columns can be The Nelson B. Delavan Award recognizes the work of a For- found at www.afsa.org/fsknowhow. NEWSBRIEF eign Service Oce Management Specialist. “Speaking Out” is a space for FS mem- The M. Juanita Guess Award is conferred on a Community bers to bring up concerns about or express

ANNOUNCEMENT Liaison Oce Coordinator who has demonstrated outstanding opinions on Foreign Service issues. Recent leadership. columns have addressed the role of Foreign The Avis Bohlen Award honors the volunteer accomplish- Service specialists, minority representa- ments of a family member of a Foreign Service employee at post. tion and ambassadorial qualiﬁcations. Go The AFSA Achievement and Contributions to the Associa- to www.afsa.org/speakingout to read this tion Award is for active-duty and retired members of AFSA. collection. The Post Rep of the Year Award honors a post representative These resources will be updated every who best demonstrates sustained and successful engagement time a new article is published in The with AFSA membership at post. Foreign Service Journal. We also encourage Recipients are presented with a monetary prize and are hon- submissions to each of these columns; ored at a ceremony in June in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic please send your contributions to journal@ Reception Room at the State Department. afsa.org. For details see the FSJ author For details on the awards and to ﬁle a nomination online, guidelines at www.bit.ly/FSJ_submission. go to www.afsa.org/performance. Contact Special Awards and —Sarah Kay, Communications Intern Outreach Coordinator Perri Green at [email protected] or (202) 719-9700 for more information.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 53 AFSA NEWS

FAMILY MEMBER MATTERS 1970s, he announced: “Mom, Dad, I’m moving to Central A Daughter Reflects on Foreign Service Life Africa.” BY MAGGIE ANTONIJEVIC The response was “You are moving where?” Maggie Antonijevic was born in Service, following my father My father joined Kinshasa, Democratic Repub- from post to post. This the Peace Corps and lic of the Congo—when it was career choice requires then the USAID Foreign still known as Zaire—while her monumental sacrifice. Service. In his 33-year father was on his first assign- Beyond the glamour of career he has served in ment with USAID. She grew up exotic homes and inter- Zaire, Haiti, Mali, Jamaica, in Haiti, Mali and Jamaica, and national travel, there has Guinea, Ghana and Nepal. spent summers with her father been a current of sadness Now, as he contem- in Guinea and Kenya while in in our lives: relationships plates his next post, I have college. As a child, starting in lost or broken from years a message for him and for second grade, she kept jour- of being uprooted. every Foreign Service man nals about life overseas, which As I became older, I or woman nearing retire-

she still has stacked in her wondered why. Is this COURTESY OF MAGGIE ANTONIJEVIC ment, especially those brave closet. Now she enjoys writing lifetime of saying good- enough to have raised their outside of her journals and is bye worth it? Then I would children overseas. overwhelmed with gratitude hear my father talk about his The author and her father in Haiti in I hope you take this mes- for the unique life the Foreign chosen profession. the mid-1980s. sage with you: Yes, you made Service gave to her. Maggie His voice would shake; he me leave my friends and currently lives with her family would close his eyes and take guaranteed that I would start in Chicago, where she teaches deep breaths. He would say to I understood, and I still do. over in school every three kindergarten. She wrote this me, “If I’m not helping others The Foreign Service is not an years and worry if Santa Claus reflection about her father, have a better life, then what easy calling. I have been shar- would find us. But your work USAID FSO David Atteberry. am I doing with my life?” ing my dad with the Foreign changed my heart; it taught He would continue: “We Service my whole life, saying me compassion and courage Foreign Service folk are are so lucky to be born some- goodbye to him almost as in a way I can never repay. accustomed to saying good- where we could go to school, quickly as we greet each other Beyond what your career bye. Life in the Foreign Service have clothes to wear, clean for a visit. choice did for me, hundreds demands that we leave water to drink and enough My father grew up in Texas. living in villages, towns and friends, family and homes food to eat. These are simple He remembers the Texas heat cities around the world will countless times. things that so many people on as he tore through National see better days because of I grew up in the Foreign this planet don’t have.” Geographic, eager to read you and your amazing work. about the world at large. I know how lucky I am to After a childhood spent in the have been raised in the midst suburbs of Dallas, he won- of such magnificent human dered: Why is there so much power and imagination con- inequality? Why do people dis- spiring to make the world a criminate against each other better place. Congratulations, based on race and class? Why Dad, on a job well done. do some people have so much So when you are lying on and others so little? the sand with your face up to He grew into a curly-haired the sun, as retirement life sur- man who loved the Beatles rounds you, never forget what and cute girls and wanted to you have done. help make the world a better The world is a better place COURTESY OF MAGGIE ANTONIJEVIC MAGGIE OF COURTESY FSO David Atteberry with local residents at his post in Nepal. place. One evening in the because of you. n

54 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Federal and State Tax Provisions for the Foreign Service

AFSA’s annual Tax Guide is designed as an informational and reference tool. Although we try to be accurate, many 2014 of the new provisions of the tax code and the implications of Internal Revenue Service AFSA regulations have not been fully tested. Therefore, use caution and consult with a tax adviser as soon as possible if TAX you have specific questions or an unusual or complex situation. Foreign Service employees GUIDE most frequently ask AFSA ISTOCK.COM/RETROROCKET about home ownership, tax liability upon sale of a resi- up to $73,801 for married percent and are reported on a personal exemption phase- dence and state of domicile. couples, $36,901 for singles. Schedule D, married taxpay- out starting in 2014. We have devoted special sec- The 25-percent rate is for ers with income greater than tions to these issues. James income up to $148,851 for $450,000 and singles greater Foreign Earned Yorke (YorkeJ@state. gov), married couples, $89,351 for than $400,000 pay a capital Income Exclusion who compiles the tax guide, singles. The 28-percent rate gains rate of 20 percent. Many Foreign Service would like to thank M. Bruce is for income up to $226,851 These rates are eective for spouses and dependents Hirshorn, Foreign Service tax for married couples and up all sales in 2014, except for work in the private sector counsel, for his help in its to $186,351 for singles. The those people who fall within overseas and thus are eli- preparation. 33-percent rate is for income the 10- to 15-percent tax gible for the Foreign Earned up to $405,101 for married bracket: their rate is either Income Exclusion. Ameri- FEDERAL TAX couples and singles. Annual 0 or 5 percent. Long-term can citizens and residents PROVISIONS income above $405,101 is capital gain is defined as gain living and working overseas For 2014 the six tax rates taxed at 35 percent. Income from the sale of property held are eligible for the income for individuals remain at 10, above $450,000 for married for 12 months or longer. exclusion, unless they are 15, 25, 28, 33, 35 and 39.6 couples and above $400,000 Also for 2014, since the employees of the United percent. The 10-percent rate for singles is taxed at 39.6 Supreme Court decision on States government. The first is for taxable income up to percent. same-sex marriages, same- $99,200 earned overseas $18,151 for married couples, Although long-term sex couples who were married as an employee or as self- $9,076 for singles. The capital gains are taxed at a before Dec. 31, 2013, in a state employed may be exempt 15-percent rate is for income maximum rate of up to 15 where it is legal must now file from income taxes. their federal tax return either To receive the exemption, as married filing separately the taxpayer must meet one PLEASE NOTE or married filing jointly, not of two tests: 1) the Physical This guidance applies to the 2014 tax year, for returns single. Presence Test, which requires due on April 15, 2015. Please bear in mind that while there that the taxpayer be pres- may be changes to the tax code for the 2015 tax year, we Personal Exemption ent in a foreign country for are not aware at present of any possible changes that are For each taxpayer, spouse at least 330 full (midnight likely to apply to 2014. and dependent the personal to midnight) days during exemption is $3,950. There is any 12-month period (the

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 55 2014 AFSA TAX GUIDE

period may be dierent from taxes paid by June 15, but the tax preparation fees; home at 7.5 percent until 2017, after the tax year); or 2) the Bona IRS does charge interest on leave, representational and which it rises to 10 percent. Fide Residence Test, which any amount owed from April other employee business This means that to be deduct- requires that the taxpayer 15 until the date it receives expenses; and contribu- ible, the medical cost would has been a bona fide resident payment. tions to AFSA’s Legislative have to exceed $3,000 for a of a foreign country for an Action Fund. Unreimbursed taxpayer with a $30,000 AGI. uninterrupted period that Standard Deduction moving expenses (includ- There is a reduction of item- includes an entire tax year. The standard deduction is ing unreimbursed expenses ized deductions for higher Most Foreign Service given to non-itemizers. For incurred in moving pets) are income taxpayers for 2014. spouses and dependents couples, the deduction is an adjustment to income, State and local income qualify under the Bona Fide now $12,400, and for singles, which means that you may taxes and real estate and per- Residence test, but they $6,200. Married couples filing deduct them even if you are sonal property taxes remain must wait until they have separately get a standard taking the standard deduc- fully deductible for itemizers, been overseas for a full deduction of $6,200 each, tion. However, the deduction as are charitable contribu- calendar year before claiming and head-of-household filers includes only the unre- tions to U.S.-based charities it. Keep in mind that self- receive a $9,100 deduction. An imbursed transportation, for most taxpayers (dona- employed taxpayers must additional amount is allowed storage and travel costs of tions to overseas charitable still pay self-employment for taxpayers over age 65 and moving your possessions and organizations such as local (Social Security and Medi- for those who are blind. yourself and your family to churches at post, are not care) tax on their foreign- Most unreimbursed the new location; it does not deductible). earned income. Only the employee business expenses include meals. Donations to the AFSA income tax is excluded. must be reported as miscel- Medical expenses (includ- Scholarship Fund and the Note: The method for laneous itemized deductions, ing health and long-term Fund for American Diplo- calculating the tax on non- which are subject to a thresh- care insurance, but not macy are fully deductible as excluded income in tax returns old of 2 percent of Adjusted health insurance premiums charitable contributions, as that include both excluded Gross Income. These include deducted from government are donations to AFSA via the and non-excluded income was professional dues and sub- salaries) are now subject to Combined Federal Campaign. changed, beginning in 2006, scriptions to publications; a threshold of 10 percent Individuals may also dispose so as to result in higher tax employment and educational of Adjusted Gross Income, of any profit from the sale of on the non-excluded portion. expenses; home oce, legal, unless the taxpayer is over personal property abroad in (See the box below for a full accounting, custodial and 65, in which case it remains this manner. explanation.)

Extension for IMPORTANT NOTE: FOREIGN EARNED INCOME Taxpayers Abroad The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion allows U.S. citizens who are not United States Taxpayers whose tax home government employees and are living outside the U.S. to exclude up to $99,200 of their is outside the U.S. on April 15 2014 foreign-source income if they meet certain requirements. Since 2006, you have been are entitled to an automatic required to take your total income and figure what your tax would be, then deduct the tax extension until June 15 to that you would have paid on the excludable income. file their returns. When filing the return, these taxpay- For example: a Foreign Service employee earns $80,000 and their teacher spouse earns ers should write “Taxpayer $30,000. Abroad” at the top of the first page and attach a statement Before 2006: Tax on $110,000 minus $30,000 = tax on $80,000 = tax bill of $13,121. of explanation. There are no Since 2006: Tax on $110,000 = $20,615; tax on $30,000 = $3,749; total tax = $20,615 late filing or late payment minus $3,749 = tax bill of $16,866. penalties for returns filed and

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For 2014 tax returns, for unreimbursed travel and rate for business miles driven interest on up to $1 million any interest paid on auto or lodging). Only the employee’s is 56 cents for 2014. Those of acquisition debt for loans personal loans, credit cards, (not family members’) who use this optional mile- secured by a primary or sec- department stores and other home leave expenses are age method need not keep ondary residence. This also personal interest will not be deductible. AFSA recom- detailed records of actual includes loans taken out for allowed as itemized deduc- mends maintaining a travel vehicle expenses. They must, major home improvements. tions. If such debts are con- log and retaining a copy of however, keep a detailed On home equity loans, inter- solidated, however, and paid home leave orders, which will odometer log to justify the est is deductible on up to with a home equity loan, inter- help if the IRS ever ques- business use of the vehicle $100,000, no matter how est on the home equity loan tions claimed expenses. It is and track the percentage of much the home cost, unless is deductible. Interest on edu- important to save receipts: business use. This optional the loan is used for home cational loans will be allowed without receipts for food, a mileage method applies to improvements, in which case as an adjustment to gross taxpayer may deduct only the leased vehicles, as well. the $1 million limit applies. income. Mortgage interest is federal meals-and-inciden- The $100,000 ceiling applies still, for the most part, fully tals (M&IE) per diem rate at Official Residence to the total of all home deductible. Interest on loans the home leave address, no Expenses equity loans you may have. intended to finance invest- matter how large the grocery For ORE, the only expenses The same generally applies ments is deductible up to the or restaurant bill. Lodging is that are deductible are those to refinancing a mortgage. amount of net income from deductible, as long as it is not above the 3.5 percent paid Points paid to obtain a refi- investments. Interest on loans with friends or relatives, or in out of pocket. Since Oct. 1, nanced loan cannot be fully intended to finance a business one’s own home. 1990, employees who receive deducted the same year, but is 100-percent deductible. The IRS will disallow use ocial residence expenses must be deducted over the Passive-investment interest of per diem rates and any have not been allowed to life of the loan. It is advisable on investments in which the expenses claimed for family reduce their reportable to save the settlement sheet taxpayer is an inactive partici- members. If a hotel bill indi- income by 3.5 percent. An (HUD-1 Form) for documen- pant (i.e., a limited partner- cates double rates, the single IRS ruling in 1990 states that tation in the event your tax ship) can be deducted only room rate should be claimed; “usual expenses,” defined as return is selected by the IRS from the income produced and, if possible, the hotel’s 3.5 percent of salary, are not for audit. by other passive activities. rate sheet should be saved deductible. These expenses Qualified residences are Interest on loans that do not for IRS scrutiny. Car rental, can be deducted as miscella- defined as the taxpayer’s fall into the above categories, mileage and other unre- neous business expenses. principal residence and one such as money borrowed to imbursed travel expenses, other residence. The second buy tax-exempt securities, is including parking fees and Home Ownership home can be a house, condo, not deductible. tolls, may be deducted. The Individuals may deduct co-op, mobile home or boat, as long as the structure Home Leave includes basic living accom- Expenses CHILD CARE TAX CREDIT WHEN OVERSEAS modations, including sleep- Employee business expenses, Bear in mind that in order to claim the Child Care Tax ing, bathroom and cooking such as home leave and Credit while serving overseas, you must submit IRS Form facilities. If the second home unreimbursed representa- 2441, for which the instructions say: “For U.S. citizens is a vacation property that tion, may be listed as miscel- and resident aliens living abroad, your care provider may you rent out for fewer than laneous itemized deductions not have, and may not be required to get, a U.S. taxpayer 15 days during the year, the and claimed on Form 2106. identification number (for example, an SSN or EIN). If so, income need not be reported. In addition to the 2-percent enter ‘LAFCP’ (Living Abroad Foreign Care Provider) in Rental expenses cannot floor, only 50 percent for the space for the care provider’s taxpayer identification be claimed either, but all meals and entertainment number.” property taxes and mortgage may be claimed (100 percent interest may be deducted.

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Rental of Home currently are carried forward you occupied it as a principal to the two-year occupancy Taxpayers who rented out and deducted in the year the residence for the first time. requirement, including a sale their homes in 2014 can property is sold. The only qualification for the due to a “change in place of continue to deduct mort- capital-gains exclusion is that employment” (this would gage interest as a rental Sale of a Principal the house sold must have include foreign transfers). expense. Also deductible Residence been owned and occupied This exclusion is not limited are property management Current tax laws allow an by the taxpayer as his or her to a once-in-a-lifetime sale, fees, condo fees, deprecia- exclusion of up to $500,000 principal residence for at but may be taken once every tion costs, taxes and all other for couples filing jointly and least two of the last five years two years. rental expenses. Losses up up to $250,000 for single prior to the date of the sale. When a principal resi- to $25,000 may be o- taxpayers on the long-term dence is sold, capital gains set against other income, gain from the sale of their Military Families realized above the exclusion as long as the Modified principal residence. One need Tax Relief Act amounts are subject to taxa- Adjusted Gross Income does not purchase another resi- As a result of the Military tion. This exclusion replaces not exceed $100,000 to dence to claim this exclusion. Families Tax Relief Act of the earlier tax-law provision $150,000 and the taxpayer All depreciation taken after 2003, the five-year period that allowed both the deferral is actively managing the May 7, 1997, will, however, may be extended for mem- of gain and a one-time exclu- property. be recaptured (added to bers of the Foreign Service sion of a principal residence Note that a taxpayer who income) at the time of sale by any period during which sale. retains a property manager and taxed at 25 percent. the taxpayer has been away Temporary rental of the does not lose this benefit, Since January 2009, gain from the area on a Foreign home does not disqualify as this is still considered from the sale of a home can Service assignment, up one from claiming the exclu- active management of the no longer be excluded from to a maximum of 15 years sion. The 2003 law requires property. All passive losses gross income for periods (including the five years). only that you have occupied that cannot be deducted when it was rented out before There are some exceptions the house as your principal residence for the required period (two years out of five, TAX WITHHOLDING WHEN ASSIGNED DOMESTICALLY extended). However, new The State Department has instituted new procedures to comply with U.S. Treasury regula- legislation in 2009 requires tions for withholding state taxes for all employees serving domestically. (See Department that the “two years out of five Notice 2014_11_016, dated Nov. 3, 2014.) (extended)” cannot start until As a general rule, state taxes will be withheld for an employee’s “regular place of duty”— the date the home is occu- in other words your ocial duty station. Those employees for whom the Controller General pied as a principal residence of Financial Services has identified state tax inconsistencies were notified late in 2014. for the first time. Bear in mind that this does not mean that you must relinquish your state of domicile, if Under Internal Revenue it is dierent than your ocial duty station. “Domicile” (legal residence) is dierent from Code Section 1031, taxpay- “residence” and so long as you maintain your ties to your home state you will be able to ers whose U.S. home may change your withholdings, if you so wish, back to your home state when you go overseas no longer qualify for the again. See the Overseas Briefing Center’s guide to Residence and Domicile, available on principal residence exclusion AFSA’s website at www.afsa.org/domicile. may be eligible to replace Bear in mind, too, that CGFS will not adjudicate state income tax elections when you the property through a are serving overseas, since in those circumstances it is the employee’s responsibility to “tax-free exchange” (the accurately elect state income taxes. However, on the employee’s return to a domestic so-called Starker Exchange). assignment, CGFS will evaluate the employee’s state tax withholding election based on his In essence, one property or her new ocial domestic duty station. being rented out may be exchanged for another, as long as that one is also

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rented. In exchanging the work performed during the vice employees, the domicile properties, capital-gains tax 90-day period ending on the STATE TAX might be the state from which may be deferred. Technically, day on which the contract PROVISIONS the person joined the Service, a simultaneous trade of to sell the old residence was where his or her home leave investments occurs. Actu- signed; 2) the expenses must Liability: Every employer, address is, or where he or she ally, owners first sign a con- be paid on or before the 30th including the State Depart- intends to return upon separa- tract with an intermediary day after sale of the house; ment, is required to withhold tion. For purposes of this arti- to sell their property, hold and 3) the expenses must state taxes for the location cle, the term “domicile” refers the cash proceeds in escrow, not be capital expenditures where the employee either to legal residence; some states identify in writing within for permanent improvements lives or works. Employees also define it as permanent 45 days the property they or replacements (these can serving overseas, however, residence. “Residence” refers intend to acquire, and settle be added to the basis of the must maintain a state of to physical presence in the on the new property within property, the original pur- domicile in the United States state. Foreign Service person- 180 days, using the money chase price, thereby reducing where they may be liable for nel must continue to pay taxes held in escrow as part of the amount of profit). A new income tax; the consequent to the state of domicile (or to the payment. It is impor- roof and kitchen counters are tax liability that the employee the District of Columbia) while tant to emphasize that the not “fix-up” items, but paint- faces will vary greatly from residing outside of the state, exchange is from one invest- ing the house, cleaning up state to state. In addition, the including during assignments ment property to another the garden and making minor many laws on taxability of abroad, unless the state of investment property—the repairs qualify. Foreign Service pensions and residence does not require it. key factor in the IRS evalua- annuities also vary by state. Members are encouraged tion of an exchange transac- The Affordable This section briefly covers to review the Overseas Brief- tion is the intent of the inves- Care Act both those situations. ing Center’s Guide to Resi- tor at the time the exchange The Aordable Care Act dence and Domicile, available was consummated. The IRS imposed two new tax Domicile and on AFSA’s website at www. rules for these exchanges increases beginning in 2013. Residency afsa.org/domicile. are complex and specific, There is a 3.8-percent net There are many criteria used with a number of pitfalls investment tax on net invest- in determining which state Domestic Employ- that can nullify the transac- ment income to the extent is a citizen’s domicile. One of ees in the D.C. Area tion. An exchange should it is in excess of modified the strongest determinants is Foreign Service employees never be attempted without adjusted gross income of prolonged physical presence, a residing in the metropolitan assistance from a tax lawyer $250,000 for those married standard that Foreign Service Washington, D.C., area are gen- specializing in this field. filing jointly, and $200,000 personnel frequently cannot erally required to pay income for those filing singly. Net meet because of overseas tax to the District of Colum- Calculating Your investment income includes service requirements. In such bia, Maryland or Virginia, in Adjusted Basis interest, dividends, rents, roy- cases, the states will make a addition to paying tax to the Many Foreign Service alties, pensions and annui- determination of the individu- state of their domicile. Virginia employees ask what items ties, and gain from the sale al’s income-tax status based requires tax returns from most can be added to the cost of property. Secondly, the on other factors, including temporary residents, as well. basis of their homes when rate of the Medicare tax that where the individual has family Most states allow a credit, they are ready to sell. Money is withheld from employees’ ties, has been filing resident however, so that the taxpayer spent on fixing up the home paychecks is increased by tax returns, is registered to pays the higher tax rate of the for sale may be added to the 0.9 percent on salaries or vote, has a driver’s license, two states, with each state basis. To qualify as legitimate self-employment earnings owns property, or where the receiving a share. We recom- fixing-up costs, the follow- over the same thresholds. person has bank accounts or mend that you maintain ties ing conditions must be met: other financial holdings. with your state of domicile— 1) the expenses must be for In the case of Foreign Ser- by, for instance, continuing to

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file tax returns in that state if Minnesota and Oregon are appropriate—so that when you that the individual not have a STATE OVERVIEWS leave the D.C. area for another permanent “place of abode” overseas assignment, you can in the state, have a permanent ALABAMA demonstrate to the District of “place of abode” outside the Individuals domiciled in Alabama are considered residents Columbia, Virginia or Maryland state, and not be physically and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of your aliation to your home present for more than 30 days their physical presence in the state. Alabama’s individual state. during the tax year. California income tax rates range from 2 percent on taxable income over Also, if possible, avoid using allows up to 45 days in the $500 for single taxpayers and $1,000 for married filing jointly, the D.C. or Dulles, Va. pouch zip state during a tax year. to 5 percent over $3,000 for single taxpayers and $6,000 for code as your return address All these 10 states require married filing jointly. on your federal return, since the filing of non-resident Write: Alabama Department of Revenue, 50 N. Ripley, P.O. Box in some cases the D.C. and returns for all income earned 327005, Montgomery AL 36132-7005. Virginia tax authorities have from in-state sources. Foreign Phone: (334) 242-1512. sought back taxes from those Service employees should Email: Link through the website, “About Us,” then “Contacts,” who have used this address. also keep in mind that states then “Income Tax.” See the box on p. 58 for could challenge the status of Website: www.ador.state.al.us new procedures within the overseas government housing State Department for state tax in the future. ALASKA withholdings. “State Overviews” and Alaska does not tax individual income or intangible or per- “State Pension and Annuity sonal property. It has no state sales and use, franchise or States That Have Tax” sections below give brief fiduciary tax. Some municipalities levy sales, property and use No Income Tax state information on tax liabil- taxes. There are currently seven ity, with addresses provided to Write: State Oce Building, 333 West Willoughby Ave., states with no state income get further information or tax 11th Floor, P.O. Box 110420, Juneau AK 99811-0420. tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, forms. Tax rates are provided Phone: (907) 465-2320. South Dakota, Texas, Washing- where possible. As always, Website: www.tax.state.ak.us ton and Wyoming. In addition, members are advised to dou- New Hampshire and Tennes- ble-check with their state’s tax ARIZONA see have no tax on earned authorities. While AFSA makes Individuals domiciled in Arizona are considered residents income, but do tax profits from every attempt to provide the and are taxed on any income that is included in the Federal the sale of bonds and property. most up-to-date information, Adjusted Gross Income, regardless of their physical presence readers with specific ques- in the state. Arizona’s tax rate ranges in five brackets from a States That Do Not tions should consult a tax minimum of 2.59 percent to a maximum of 4.54 percent of Tax Non-Resident expert in the state in question taxable income over $300,000 for married filing jointly or Domiciliaries at the addresses given. We $150,000 for single filers. There are 10 states that, provide the website address Write: Arizona Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Information under certain conditions, do for each in the state-by-state & Assistance, P.O. Box 29086, Phoenix AZ 85038-9086. not tax income earned while guide, and an email address Phone: (602) 255-3381. the taxpayer is outside the or link where available. Some Email: For general questions: [email protected] state: California, Connecticut, states do not oer email Website: www.azdor.gov Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, customer service. We also rec- New Jersey, New York, Oregon, ommend the Federation of Tax ARKANSAS Pennsylvania (see entry for Administrators’ website, www. Individuals domiciled in Arkansas are considered residents and Pennsylvania below) and West taxadmin.org, which provides are taxed on their entire income regardless of their physical pres- Virginia. The requirements for much useful information on ence in the state. The Arkansas tax rate ranges in six brackets all except California, Idaho, individual state income taxes. from a minimum of 2.5 percent to a maximum of 7 percent of net

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taxable income over $34,600. A: the domiciliary 1) did not maintain a permanent place of Write: Department of Finance and Administration, Income Tax abode inside Connecticut for the entire tax year; and 2) main- Section, P.O. Box 3628, Little Rock AR 72203-3628. tains a permanent place of abode outside the state for the Phone: (501) 682-1100. entire tax year; and 3) spends not more than 30 days in the Email: Use Contact Form on “Contact Us” page. aggregate in the state during the tax year. Group B: the domi- Website: www.arkansas.gov/dfa ciliary 1) In any period of 548 consecutive days, is present in a foreign country for at least 450 days; and 2) during the 548- CALIFORNIA day period, is not present in Connecticut for more than 90 Foreign Service employees domiciled in California must days; and 3) does not maintain a permanent place of abode in establish non-residency to avoid liability for California taxes the state at which the domiciliary’s spouse or minor children (see Franchise Tax Board Publication 1031). However, a “safe are present for more than 90 days. Connecticut’s tax rate for harbor” provision allows anyone who is domiciled in state but married filing jointly rises from 3 percent on the first $20,000, is out of the state on an employment-related contract for at in six steps to 6.7 percent of the excess over $500,000. For least 546 consecutive days to be considered a non-resident. singles it is 3 percent on the first $10,000, rising in six steps This applies to most FS employees and their spouses, but to 6.7 percent of the excess over $250,000. members domiciled in California are advised to study FTB Write: Department of Revenue Services, Taxpayer Services Publication 1031 for exceptions and exemptions. The Califor- Division, 25 Sigourney St., Suite 2, Hartford CT 06106-5032. nia tax rate for 2014 ranges in five brackets from 1 percent of Phone: (860) 297-5962. taxable income to a maximum of $4,479.42 plus 9.3 percent Email: Contact through the “Contact us” page on the website. of the excess over $191,738 for married filing jointly or over Website: www.ct.gov/drs $50,869 for singles. For taxable income over $259,844 for singles and $519,688 for joint filers, there are three further steps DELAWARE up to a maximum of 12.3 percent. Non-resident domiciliaries Individuals domiciled in Delaware are considered residents are advised to file on Form 540NR. and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless Write: Personal Income Taxes, Franchise Tax Board, P.O. Box of their physical presence in the state. Delaware’s gradu- 942840, Sacramento CA 94240-0040. ated tax rate rises in six steps from 2.2 percent of taxable Phone: toll-free (800) 852-5711 (inside the U.S.); (916) 845- income under $5,000 to 6.75 percent of taxable income over 6500 (outside the U.S.). $60,000. Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Write: Division of Revenue, Taxpayers Assistance Section, Website: www.ftb.ca.gov State Oce Building, 820 N. French St., Wilmington DE 19801. Phone (302) 577-8200. COLORADO Email: [email protected] Individuals domiciled in Colorado are considered residents Website: www.revenue.delaware.gov and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their physical presence in the state. Colorado’s tax rate is DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA a flat 4.63 percent of federal taxable income plus or minus Individuals domiciled in the District of Columbia are consid- allowable modifications. ered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income Write: Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Service Division, P.O. regardless of their physical presence there. Individuals domi- Box 17087 Denver, CO 80217-0087. ciled elsewhere are also considered residents for tax purposes Phone: (303) 238-7378. for the portion of any calendar year in which they are physi- Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab on the cally present in the District for 183 days or more. The District’s “Taxes” tab. tax rate is 4 percent if income is less than $10,000; $400 plus Website: www.colorado.gov/revenue 6 percent of excess over $10,000 if between $10,000 and $40,000; $2,200 plus 8.5 percent of excess over $40,000; CONNECTICUT and $28,550 plus 8.95 percent of any excess above $350,000 Connecticut domiciliaries may qualify for non-resident tax Write: Oce of Tax and Revenue, Customer Service Center, treatment under either of two exceptions as follows: Group 1101 4th St. SW, Suite W270, Washington DC 20024.

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Phone: (202) 727-4829. 1) you are an Idaho resident who lived outside of Idaho for at Email: [email protected] least 445 days in a 15-month period; and 2) after satisfying Website: www.cfo.washingtondc.gov/cfo/site/default.asp the 15-month period, you spent fewer than 60 days in Idaho during the year; and 3) you did not have a personal residence FLORIDA in Idaho for yourself or your family during any part of the Florida does not impose personal income, inheritance, gift calendar year; and 4) you did not claim Idaho as your federal or intangible personal property taxes. Sales and use tax is 6 tax home for deducting away-from home expenses on your percent. There are additional county sales taxes which could federal return; and 5) you were not employed on the sta of a make the combined rate as high as 9.5 percent. U.S. senator; and 6) you did not hold an elective or appointive Write: Taxpayer Services, Florida Department of Revenue, oce of the U.S. government other than the armed forces or 5050 W. Tennessee St., Bldg. L, Tallahassee FL 32399-0100. a career appointment in the U.S. Foreign Service (see Idaho Phone: toll-free (800) 352-3671, or (850) 488-6800. Code Sections 63-3013 and 63-3030). In 2014 Idaho’s tax Email: Link through website. Go to “Taxes,” then “Tax Informa- rate rises in eight steps from a minimum of 1.6 percent to a tion,” then “Questions?” maximum 7.4 percent on the amount of Idaho taxable income Website: dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/ over $10,718 for singles and $21,436 for married filers. A non-resident must file an Idaho income tax return if his or her GEORGIA gross income from Idaho sources is $2,500 or more. Individuals domiciled in Georgia are considered residents and Write: Idaho State Tax Commission, P.O. Box 36, Boise ID are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their 83722-0410. physical presence in the state. Georgia has a graduated tax Phone: (208) 334-7660 or toll-free (800) 972-7660. rate rising in six steps to a maximum of 6 percent of taxable Email: [email protected] income of $10,000 and above for joint married filers and Website: www.tax.idaho.gov $7,000 for single filers. Write: Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services ILLINOIS Division, 1800 Century Blvd. N.E., Atlanta GA 30345-3205. Individuals domiciled in Illinois are considered residents and Phone: (877) 423-6711 Option #2. are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their Email: [email protected] physical presence in the state. The Illinois tax rate is a flat 5 Website: dor.georgia.gov/taxes percent of Illinois taxable income for 2014. Write: Illinois Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 19001, HAWAII Springfield IL 62794-9001. Individuals domiciled in Hawaii are considered residents and Phone: toll-free (800) 732-8866, or (217) 782-3336. are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us,” then physical presence in the state. Hawaii’s tax rate rises in 12 “Taxpayer Answer Center.” steps from 1.4 percent on taxable income below $2,400 for Website: www.revenue.state.il.us single filers and $4,800 for joint filers, to a maximum of 11 percent for taxable income above $200,000 for single filers INDIANA and $400,000 for joint filers. Individuals domiciled in Indiana are considered residents and Write: Oahu District Oce, Taxpayer Services Branch, are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their P.O. Box 259, Honolulu HI 96809-0259. physical presence in the state. Indiana’s tax rate is a flat 3.4 Phone: toll-free (800) 222-3229, or (808) 587-4242. percent of Federal Adjusted Gross Income. Several counties Email: [email protected] also charge a county income tax. Website: www.tax.hawaii.gov Write: Indiana Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax, P.O. Box 7207, Indianapolis IN 46207-7207. IDAHO Phone: (317) 232-2240. Individuals domiciled in Idaho for an entire tax year are Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. considered residents and are subject to tax on their entire Website: www.in.gov/dor income. However, you are considered a non-resident if:

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IOWA Phone: (855) 307-3893. Individuals domiciled in Iowa are considered residents and are Email: Link through the website’s “Contact LDR Online tab.” subject to tax on their entire income to the extent that income Website: www.revenue.louisiana.gov is taxable on the person’s federal income tax returns. Iowa’s 2014 tax rate rises in nine steps from 0.36 percent to a maxi- MAINE mum 8.98 percent of taxable income over $68,175, depending Individuals domiciled in Maine are considered residents and on income and filing status. are subject to tax on their entire income. Since Jan. 1, 2007, Write: Taxpayer Services, Iowa Department of Revenue, however, there have been “safe harbor” provisions. Under the P.O. Box 10457, Des Moines IA 50306-0457. General Safe Harbor provision, Maine domiciliaries are treated Phone: (515) 281-3114. as non-residents if they satisfy all three of the following condi- Email: [email protected] tions: 1) they did not maintain a permanent place of abode in Website: www.iowa.gov/tax Maine for the entire taxable year; 2) they maintained a permanent place of abode outside Maine for the entire taxable year; KANSAS and 3) they spent no more than 30 days in the aggregate in Individuals domiciled in Kansas are considered residents and Maine during the taxable year. Under the Foreign Safe Harbor are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their provision, Maine domiciliaries are treated as non-residents if physical presence in the state. In 2014 the Kansas tax rate they are present in a foreign country for 450 days in a 548- is 2.7 percent on Kansas taxable income under $15,000 for day period and do not spend more than 90 days in Maine single filers and under $30,000 for joint filers, and 4.8 percent during that period. Maine’s tax rate in 2014 is 6.5 percent on on income over those amounts. Maine taxable income over $5,200 for singles and $10,450 Write: Kansas Taxpayer Assistance Center, Room 150, 915 SW for joint filers and 7.95 percent over $20,900 for singles and Harrison, Topeka KS 66612. $41,850 for married filing jointly. Phone: (785) 368-8222. Write: Maine Revenue Services, Income Tax Assistance, P.O. Email: [email protected] Box 9107, Augusta ME 04332-9107. Website: www.ksrevenue.org Phone: (207) 626-8475. Email: [email protected] KENTUCKY Website: www.maine.gov/revenue Individuals domiciled in Kentucky are considered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless MARYLAND of their physical presence in the state. Kentucky’s tax rate Individuals domiciled in Maryland are considered residents ranges from 2 percent on the first $3,000 of taxable income and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of to 6 percent on all taxable income over $75,000. their physical presence in the state. Individuals domiciled Write: Kentucky Department of Revenue, Frankfort KY 40602. elsewhere are also considered residents for tax purposes Phone: (502) 564-4581. for the portion of any calendar year in which they are physi- Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. cally present in the state for an aggregated total of 183 days Website: www.revenue.ky.gov or more. Maryland’s tax rate is $90 plus 4.75 percent of taxable income over $3,000 up to $100,000 if filing singly LOUISIANA and $150,000 if filing jointly. It then rises in four steps to Individuals domiciled in Louisiana are considered residents $12,760 plus 5.75 percent of the excess of taxable income and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of over $250,000 for singles or $15,072 plus 5.75 percent of the their physical presence in the state. Louisiana’s tax rate excess over $300,000 for married filers. In addition, Baltimore rises from 2 percent for the first $12,500 for single filers or City and the 23 Maryland counties impose a local income tax, $25,000 for joint filers; in three steps to 6 percent for over which is a percentage of the Maryland taxable income, using $50,000 for single filers or $100,000 for joint filers. Line 31 of Form 502 or Line 9 of Form 503. The local factor Write: Taxpayer Services Division, Individual Income varies from 1.25 percent in Worcester County to 3.2 percent Tax Section, Louisiana Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 201, in Baltimore City, and in Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baton Rouge LA 70821-0201. Howard counties (see website for details for all counties).

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Write: Comptroller of Maryland, Revenue Administration their physical presence in the state. Mississippi’s tax rate is Center, Taxpayer Service Section, Annapolis MD 21411-0001. 3 percent on the first $5,000 of taxable income, 4 percent Phone: (410) 260-7980, or toll-free (800) 638-2937. on the next $5,000 and 5 percent on taxable income over Email: [email protected] $10,000 for all taxpayers, whether filing singly or jointly. Website: www.marylandtaxes.com Write: Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 1033, Jackson MS 39215-1033. MASSACHUSETTS Phone: (601) 923-7000. Individuals domiciled In Massachusetts are considered resi- Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. dents and are subject to tax on their entire income regard- Website: www.dor.ms.gov less of their physical presence in the state. Salaries and most interest and dividend income are taxed at a flat rate of 5.2 MISSOURI percent. Some income (e.g., short-term capital gains) is taxed An individual domiciled in Missouri is considered a non-resi- at 12 percent. dent, and is not liable for tax on Missouri income if the individ- Write: Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Taxpayer ual has no permanent residence in Missouri, has a permanent Services Division, P.O. Box 7010, Boston MA 02204. residence elsewhere and is not physically present in the state Phone: (617) 887-6367. for more than 30 days during the tax year. Missouri calculates Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. tax on a graduated scale up to $9,000 of taxable income. Any Website: www.mass.gov/dor/ taxable income over $9,000 is taxed at a rate of $315 plus 6 percent of the excess over $9,000. MICHIGAN Write: Individual Income Tax, P.O. Box 2200, Jeerson City MO Individuals domiciled in Michigan are considered residents and 65105-2200. are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their Phone: (573) 751-3505. physical presence in the state. Michigan’s tax is 4.25 percent. Email: [email protected] Some Michigan cities impose an additional 1- or 2-percent Website: www.dor.mo.gov income tax. Detroit imposes an additional 2.5-percent tax. Write: Michigan Department of Treasury, Lansing MI 48922. MONTANA Phone: toll-free (517) 373-3200. Individuals domiciled in Montana are considered residents Email: [email protected] and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of Website: www.michigan.gov/treasury their physical presence in the state. Montana’s tax rate for 2014 rises in six steps from 1 percent of taxable income under MINNESOTA $2,800 rising in seven steps to a maximum of 6.9 percent Individuals domiciled in Minnesota are considered residents of taxable income over $17,100. See the website for various and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of deductions and exemptions. their physical presence in the state. Minnesota’s tax rate in Write: Montana Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 5805, 2014 is 5.35 percent on taxable income over $24,680 for sin- Helena MT 59604. gles or $36,080 for married joint filers, rising in three steps to Phone: (406) 444-6900. a maximum of 9.85 percent on taxable income over $152,541 Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. for single filers or $254,241 for married filing jointly. Website: www.revenue.mt.gov/home Write: Minnesota Department of Revenue, 600 North Robert St., St. Paul MN 55146-5510. NEBRASKA Phone: (651) 296-3781. Individuals domiciled in Nebraska are considered residents Email: [email protected] and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of Website: www.taxes.state.mn.us their physical presence in the state. The individual income tax rates range in four steps from a minimum of 2.46 percent to MISSISSIPPI a maximum of 6.84 percent of the excess over $27,000 for Individuals domiciled in Mississippi are considered residents singles and $54,000 for joint filers. If AGI is over $250,000 and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of for single filers or $300,000 for joint filers an additional tax of

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between 0.438 and 0.183 percent is imposed. Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Write: Department of Revenue, 301 Centennial Mall South, P.O. Website: www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation Box 94818, Lincoln NE 68509-4818. Phone: (402) 471-5729. NEW MEXICO Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Individuals domiciled in New Mexico are considered resi- Website: www.revenue.state.ne.us dents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their physical presence in the state. The basis for New Mexi- NEVADA co’s calculation is the Federal Adjusted Gross Income figure. Nevada does not tax personal income. There is a sales-and- Rates rise from a minimum of 1.7 percent in four steps to a use tax that varies from 6.85 percent to 8.1 percent depending maximum of 5.3 percent on New Mexico taxable income over on local jurisdiction. Additional ad valorem personal and real $16,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married filing jointly. property taxes are also levied. Write: New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, Tax Write: Nevada Department of Taxation, 1550 College Pkwy., Information and Policy Oce, P.O. Box 25122 Santa Fe NM Suite 115, Carson City NV 89706. 87504-5122. Phone: (775) 684-2000. Phone: (505) 827-0700. Website: www.tax.state.nv.us Email: Link through the website’s “Email Us” tab. Website: www.tax.newmexico.gov NEW HAMPSHIRE The state imposes no personal income tax on earned income NEW YORK and no general sales tax. The state does levy, among other There is no tax liability for out-of-state income if the individual taxes, a 5-percent tax on interest and dividend income of has no permanent residence in New York, has a permanent more than $2,400 annually for single filers and $4,800 annu- residence elsewhere and is not present in the state more than ally for joint filers, and an 8.5-percent tax on business profits, 30 days during the tax year. Filing a return is not required, but including sale of rental property. There is no inheritance tax. it is recommended to preserve domicile status. The tax rate Applicable taxes apply to part-year residents. rises in six steps from a minimum of 4 percent to 6.45 percent Write: Central Taxpayer Services, 109 Pleasant St., of taxable income over $20,850 for single filers and $41,800 Concord NH 03301. for married filing jointly; 6.65 percent on taxable income over Phone: (603) 230-5000. $78,500 for single filers and $156,900 for joint filers; 6.85 Website: www.revenue.nh.gov percent on taxable income over $209,250 for single filers or $313,850 for joint filers; and at 8.82 percent over $1,046,350 NEW JERSEY for single filers and over $2,092,800 for joint filers. In New A New Jersey domiciliary is considered a non-resident for New York City the maximum rate is 3.648 percent over $90,000 Jersey tax purposes if the individual has no permanent resi- and 3.876 percent over $500,000. Filing is required on Form dence in New Jersey, has a permanent residence elsewhere IT-203 for revenue derived from New York sources. and is not physically in the state for more than 30 days during Foreign Service employees assigned to USUN for a normal the tax year. Filing a return is not required (unless the non-res- tour of duty are considered to be resident in NY State for tax ident has New Jersey-source income), but it is recommended purposes. See TSB-M-09(2)I of January 16, 2009 at http:// in order to preserve domicile status. Filing is required on www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/memos/income/m09_2i.pdf Form 1040-NR for revenue derived from in-state sources. Tax Write: New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, liability is calculated as a variable lump sum plus a percentage Personal Income Tax Information, W.A. Harriman Campus, from a minimum of 1.4 percent of taxable gross income up to Albany NY 12227. $20,000, in three steps to 6.37 percent between $75,000 and Phone: (518) 457-5181. $500,000, and a maximum of 8.97 percent on taxable gross Email: Link through the website’s “Answer Center” tab. income over $500,000. Website: www.tax.ny.gov Write: State of New Jersey, New Jersey Division of Taxation, Tech- nical Information Branch, P.O. Box 281, Trenton NJ 08695-0281. Phone: (609) 292-6400.

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NORTH CAROLINA their entire income. For 2014 the tax rate ranges in five steps Individuals domiciled in North Carolina are considered resi- from 1.22 percent on North Dakota taxable income up to dents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless $36,250 for singles and $60,650 for joint filers; 2.52 percent of their physical presence in the state. North Carolina now over $87,850 for singles and over $146,600 for joint filers; to charges a flat tax rate of 5.8 percent for tax year 2014, reduc- a maximum of 3.22 percent on taxable income over $398,350 ing to 5.75 percent for 2015. Residents must also report and for singles and joint filers. pay a “use tax” on purchases made outside the state for use in Write: Oce of State Tax Commissioner, State Capitol, North Carolina. 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 127, Bismarck ND 58505-0599. Write: North Carolina Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 25000, Phone: (701) 328-1247. Raleigh NC 27640-0640. Email: Use email button against “Individual Income Tax” on Phone: toll-free (877) 252-3052. From overseas, call (252) “Contact Us” page. 467-9000. Website: www.nd.gov/tax Website: www.dornc.com OHIO NORTH DAKOTA Individuals domiciled in Ohio are considered residents and Individuals domiciled in North Dakota and serving outside their income is subject to tax, using the Federal Adjusted the state are considered residents and are subject to tax on Gross Income figure as a starting base. Ohio’s tax rate starts at a minimum of 0.534 percent on taxable income under $5,200, rising in seven steps to a maximum of 5.392 percent on taxable income over $208,500 for single and joint filers. Ohio also charges a school district income tax of between 0.5 and 2 percent, depending on jurisdiction. Write: Ohio Department of Taxation, Taxpayer Services Center, P.O. Box 530, Columbus OH 43216-0530. Phone: toll-free (800) 282-1780 or (614) 387-0224. Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Website: www.tax.ohio.gov

OKLAHOMA Individuals domiciled in Oklahoma are considered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their physical presence in the state. Oklahoma’s tax rate rises in eight stages to a maximum of 5.25 percent on taxable income over $8,700 for single ﬁlers and $15,000 for married ﬁling jointly. Write: Oklahoma Tax Commission, Income Tax, P.O. Box 26800, Oklahoma City OK 73126-0800. Phone: (405) 521-3160. Email: [email protected] Website: www.tax.ok.gov

OREGON Individuals domiciled in Oregon are considered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their physical presence in the state. For 2014, Oregon’s tax rate rises from 5 percent on taxable income over $3,300 for single ﬁlers and over $6,600 for married ﬁling jointly, in three steps

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to 9.9 percent on taxable income over $125,000 for single fil- regardless of their physical presence in the state. The 2014 ers and $250,000 for joint filers. Oregon has no sales tax. Rhode Island tax rate is 3.75 percent of taxable income up to Write: Oregon Department of Revenue, 955 Center St. NE, $59,600 for all filers, 4.75 percent for income over $59,600 Salem OR 97301-2555. and 5.99 percent of taxable income over $135,500 for all Phone: (503) 378-4988. filers. Also, a 2010 change treats capital gains as ordinary Email: [email protected] taxable income. Refer to the tax division’s website for cur- Website: www.oregon.gov/DOR rent information and handy filing hints, as well as for forms and regulations. PENNSYLVANIA Write: Rhode Island Division of Taxation, Taxpayer Assistance Pennsylvania’s tax rate is a flat 3.07 percent. Pennsylvania tax Section, One Capitol Hill, Providence RI 02908-5801. authorities have ruled that Pennsylvania residents in the U.S. Phone (401) 574-8829, Option #3. Foreign Service are not on federal active duty for state tax Email: [email protected] purposes, and thus their income is taxable compensation. For Website: www.tax.state.ri.us non-Foreign Service state residents, there is no tax liability for out-of-state income if the individual has no permanent SOUTH CAROLINA residence in the state, has a permanent residence elsewhere, Individuals domiciled in South Carolina are considered resi- and spends no more than 30 days in the state during the tax dents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless year. However, Pennsylvania does not consider government of their physical presence in the state. South Carolina’s 2014 quarters overseas to be a “permanent residence elsewhere.” tax rates rise in six steps from 3 percent on the first $5,760 of Filing a return is not required, but it is recommended to pre- South Carolina taxable income to a maximum of 7 percent of serve domicile status. File Form PA-40 for all income derived taxable income over $14,400. from Pennsylvania sources. Write: South Carolina Tax Commission, P.O. Box 125, Write: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Rev- Columbia SC 29214. enue, Taxpayer Services Department, Harrisburg PA 17128- Phone: (803) 898-5000. 1061. Email: [email protected], or through the “Contact Us” tab. Phone: (717) 787-8201. Website: www.sctax.org Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Website: www.revenue.pa.gov SOUTH DAKOTA There is no state income tax and no state inheritance tax. PUERTO RICO State sales and use tax is 4 percent; municipalities may add Individuals who are domiciled in Puerto Rico are consid- up to an additional 2.75 percent. ered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income Write: South Dakota Department of Revenue, regardless of their physical presence in the commonwealth. 445 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre SD 57501-3185. Normally, they may claim a credit with certain limitations Phone: (605) 773-3311. for income taxes paid to the United States on income from Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. sources outside Puerto Rico. Taxes range from 7 percent of Website: www.dor.sd.gov taxable income up to $25,000 to 33 percent of the taxable income over $61,500 for all taxpayers. TENNESSEE Write: Departamento de Hacienda, P.O. Box 9024140, Salaries and wages are not subject to state income tax, but San Juan PR 00902-4140. Tennessee imposes a 6-percent tax on most dividends and Phone: (787) 727-2020. interest income of more than $1,250 (single filers) or $2,500 Email: [email protected] (joint filers) in the tax year. Website: www.hacienda.gobierno.pr Write: Tennessee Department of Revenue (Attention: Taxpayer Services), 500 Deaderick St., Nashville TN 37242. RHODE ISLAND Phone: (615) 532-6439. Individuals domiciled in Rhode Island are considered Email: [email protected] residents and are subject to tax on their entire income Website: www.state.tn.us/revenue

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TEXAS Write: Utah State Tax Commission, Taxpayer Services Division, There is no state personal income tax. 210 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City UT 84134. Write: Texas Comptroller, P.O. Box 13528, Capitol Station, Phone: toll-free (800) 662-4335, or (801) 297-2200. Austin TX 78711-3528. Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Phone: (800) 252-5555. Website: www.tax.utah.gov Email: [email protected] Website: www.window.state.tx.us VERMONT Individuals domiciled in Vermont are considered residents and UTAH are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their Utah has a flat tax of 5 percent on all income. Individuals physical presence in the state. The 2014 tax rate ranges from domiciled in Utah are considered residents and are subject 3.55 percent on taxable income under $36.900 for singles to Utah state tax. Utah requires that all Federal Adjusted and $61,600 for joint filers to a maximum of 8.95 percent on Gross Income reported on the federal return be reported on taxable income over $405,100 for singles and joint filers. the state return regardless of the taxpayer’s physical pres- Write: Vermont Department of Taxes, Taxpayer Services Divi- ence in the state. Some taxpayers will be able to claim either sion, 133 State St., Montpelier VT 05633-1401. a taxpayer tax credit or a retirement tax credit, or both (see Phone: (802) 828-2865. website for explanation). Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Website: www.state.vt.us/tax

VIRGINIA Individuals domiciled in Virginia are considered residents and are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of their physical presence in the state. Individuals domiciled elsewhere are also considered residents for tax purposes for the portion of any calendar year in which they are physically present in the state for 183 days or more. These individuals should file using Form 760. In addition, Virginia requires non-residents to file Form 763 if their Virginia Adjusted Gross Income (which includes any federal salary paid during time they are residing in Virginia) exceeds $11,950 for single filers and married filing separately, or $23,900 for married filing jointly. Individual tax rates are: 2 percent if taxable income is less than $3,000; $60 plus 3 percent of excess over $3,000 if taxable income is between $3,000 and $5,000; $120 plus 5 percent of excess over $5,000 if taxable income is between $5,000 and $17,000; and $720 plus 5.75 percent if taxable income is over $17,000. In addition, using Form R-1H, Virginia allows employers of household help to elect to pay state unemployment tax annually instead of quarterly. Write: Virginia Department of Taxation, Oce of Customer Services, P.O. Box 1115, Richmond VA 23218-1115. Phone: (804) 367-8031. Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. Website: www.tax.virginia.gov

WASHINGTON There is no state income tax and no tax on intangibles such

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as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. Residents may deduct Washington sales tax on their federal tax returns if they item- STATE PENSION ize deductions. State tax rate is 6.5 percent and local addi- AND ANNUITY TAX tions can increase that to 9.5 percent in some areas. Write: Washington State Department of Revenue, Taxpayer The laws regarding the taxation of Foreign Service annuities Services, P.O. Box 47478, Olympia WA 98504-7478. vary greatly from state to state. In addition to those states Phone: toll-free (800) 647-7706. that have no income tax or no tax on personal income, there Email: Link through the website’s “Contact Us” tab. are several states that do not tax income derived from pen- Website: www.dor.wa.gov sions and annuities. Idaho taxes Foreign Service annuities while exempting certain categories of Civil Service employ- WEST VIRGINIA ees. Several websites provide more information on individual There is no tax liability for out-of-state income if the individual state taxes for retirees, but the Retirement Living Information has no permanent residence in West Virginia, has a perma- Center at www.retirementliving.com/taxes-by-state is one nent residence elsewhere and spends no more than 30 days of the more comprehensive and is recommended for further of the tax year in West Virginia. However, non-resident domicil- information. iaries are required to file a return on Form IT-140 for all income derived from West Virginia sources. Tax rates rise in four steps ALABAMA from 4 percent of taxable income over $10,000 for all filers, to Social Security and U.S. government pensions are not taxable. 6.5 percent of taxable income for all filers over $60,000. The combined state, county and city general sales and use tax Write: Department of Tax and Revenue, Taxpayer Services rates range from 7 percent to as much as 10 percent. See also Division, P.O. Box 3784, Charleston WV 25337-3784. www.revenue.alabama.gov/taxpayerassist/retire.pdf. Phone: toll-free (800) 982-8297, or (304) 558-3333. Email: [email protected] ALASKA Website: www.wvtax.gov No personal income tax. Most municipalities levy sales or use taxes of between 2 and 7 percent and/or a property tax. WISCONSIN Individuals domiciled in Wisconsin are considered residents and ARIZONA are subject to tax on their entire income regardless of where the Up to $2,500 of U.S. government pension income may be income is earned. Wisconsin’s current tax rate ranges from 4 excluded for each taxpayer. There is also a $2,100 exemption percent on income up to $10,910 for single filers or $14,540 for for each taxpayer age 65 or over. Arizona does not tax Social joint filers, rising in four steps to a maximum of 7.65 percent on Security. Arizona state sales and use tax is 5.6 percent, with income over $240,190 for single filers or $329,250 for joint filers. additions depending on the county and city. Write: Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax Assistance, P.O. Box 8906, Madison WI 53708-8906. ARKANSAS Phone: (608) 266-2772. The first $6,000 of income from any retirement plan or IRA Email: [email protected] is exempt (to a maximum of $6,000 overall). Social Secu- Website: www.dor.state.wi.us rity is not taxed. There is no estate or inheritance tax. State sales and use tax is 6 percent; city and county taxes may add WYOMING another 3 percent. There is no state income tax and no tax on intangibles such as bank accounts, stocks or bonds. State sales tax is 4 percent. CALIFORNIA Local jurisdictions may add another 4 percent. Pensions and annuities are fully taxable. Social Security is not Write: Wyoming Department of Revenue, Herschler Building, taxed. The sales and use tax rate varies from 7.25 percent (the 122 West 25th St., Cheyenne WY 82002-0110. statewide rate) to 10.5 percent in some areas. Phone: (307) 777-5200. Email: [email protected] COLORADO Website: http://revenue. wyo.gov Up to $24,000 of pension income is exempt if an individual

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is age 65 or over. Up to $20,000 is exempt if the individual is DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA age 55 to 64. State sales tax is 2.9 percent; local additions can Pension or annuity exclusion of $3,000 is applicable if 62 increase the total to as much as 9.9 percent. years or older. Social Security is excluded from taxable income. Sales and use tax is 5.75 percent, with higher rates for CONNECTICUT some commodities (liquor, meals, etc.). Pensions and annuities are fully taxable for residents. Social Security is exempt if Federal Adjusted Gross Income is less FLORIDA than $50,000 for singles or $60,000 for joint ﬁlers. Statewide There is no personal income, inheritance, gift tax or tax on sales tax is 6.35 percent. No local additions. intangible property. The state sales and use tax is 6 percent. There are additional county sales taxes which could make the DELAWARE combined rate as high as 9.5 percent. Pension exclusions per person: $2,000 is exempt under age 60; $12,500 if age 60 or over. There is an additional standard GEORGIA deduction of $2,500 if age 65 or over if you do not itemize. $35,000 of retirement income is excluded for those who are Social Security income is excluded from taxable income. Dela- 62 years or older or totally disabled. Up to $65,000 of retire- ware does not impose a sales tax. ment income is excludable for taxpayers who are 65 or older. Social Security is excluded from taxable income. Sales tax is 4 percent statewide, with additions of up to 3 percent depending on jurisdiction.

HAWAII Pension and annuity distributions from a government pension plan are not taxed in Hawaii. Social Security is not taxed. Hawaii charges a general excise tax of 4 percent instead of sales tax.

IDAHO If the individual is age 65 or older, or age 62 and disabled, Civil Service Retirement System and Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System pensions only qualify for a deduction in 2014 of up to $31,704 for a single return and up to $47,556 for a joint return. Federal Employees’ Retirement System or Foreign Service Pension System pensions do not qualify for this deduction. The deduction is reduced dollar for dollar by Social Security beneﬁts. Social Security itself is not taxed. Idaho state sales tax is 6 percent; some local jurisdictions add as much as another 3 percent.

ILLINOIS Illinois does not tax U.S. government pensions or Social Secu- rity. State sales tax is 6.25 percent. Local additions can raise sales tax to as much as 10.5 percent in some jurisdictions.

INDIANA If the individual is over age 62, the Adjusted Gross Income may be reduced by the ﬁrst $2,000 of any pension, reduced dollar for dollar by Social Security beneﬁts. There is also a

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$1,000 exemption if over 65, or $1,500 if Federal Adjusted additional standard deduction of $1,450 (single), $1,150 (mar- Gross Income is less than $40,000. There is no pension exclu- ried filing singly) or $2,200 (married filing jointly). General sion for survivor annuitants of federal annuities. Social Secu- sales tax is now 5.5 percent, 8 percent on meals and liquor. rity is not taxed in Indiana. Sales tax and use tax in Indiana is 7 percent. MARYLAND Those over 65 or permanently disabled, or who have a spouse IOWA who is permanently disabled, may under certain conditions Generally taxable. A married couple with an income for the be eligible for Maryland’s maximum pension exclusion of year of less than $32,000 may file for exemption, if at least $27,100. Also, all individuals 65 years or older are entitled to one spouse or the head of household is 65 years or older on an extra $1,000 personal exemption in addition to the regular Dec. 31, and single persons who are 65 years or older on Dec. $3,200 personal exemption available to all taxpayers. Social 31 may file for an exemption if their income is $24,000 or Security is exempt. See the worksheet and instructions in the less. The same income tax rates apply to annuities as to other Maryland Resident Tax Booklet. General sales tax is 6 percent, incomes. Iowa has phased out taxation of Social Security 9 percent on liquor. benefits and these will not be taxed in tax years 2014 and subsequently. Statewide sales tax is 6 percent, with no more MASSACHUSETTS than 1 percent added in local jurisdictions. Federal pensions and Social Security are excluded from

KANSAS U.S. government pensions are not taxed. Extra deduction of $850 if over 65. Social Security is exempt if Federal Adjusted Gross Income is under $75,000. State sales tax is 6.3 percent, with additions of between 1 and 4 percent depending on jurisdiction.

KENTUCKY Government pension income is exempt if retired before Jan. 1, 1998. If retired after Dec. 31, 1997, pension/annuity income up to $41,110 remains fully excludable for 2014. Social Security is exempt. Sales and use tax is 6 percent statewide, with no local sales or use taxes.

LOUISIANA Federal retirement beneﬁts are exempt from Louisiana state income tax. There is an exemption of $6,000 of other annual retirement income received by any person age 65 or over. Married ﬁling jointly may exclude $12,000. State sales tax is 4 percent with local additions up to a possible total of 10.75 percent. Use tax is 8 percent regardless of the purchaser’s location.

MAINE Recipients of a government sponsored pension or annuity who are filing singly may deduct up to $10,000 ($20,000 for married filing jointly) on income that is included in their Federal Adjusted Gross Income, reduced by all Social Security and railroad benefits. For those age 65 and over, there is an

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Massachusetts gross income. Each taxpayer over age 65 is MINNESOTA allowed an additional $700 exemption on other income. Sales Social Security income is taxed by Minnesota to the same tax is 6.25 percent. extent it is on your federal return. If your only income is Social Security, you would not be required to file an income MICHIGAN tax return. All federal pensions are taxable, but single taxpay- Pension benefits included in Adjusted Gross Income from a ers who are over 65 or disabled may exclude some income private pension system or an IRA are deductible, for those if Federal Adjusted Gross Income is under $33,700 and non- born before 1946, to a maximum of $47,309 for a single filer, taxable Social Security is under $9,600. For a couple, the or $94,618 for joint filers; public pensions are exempt. If born limits are $42,000 for Adjusted Gross Income and $12,000 after 1946 and before 1952, the exemption for public and pri- for nontaxable Social Security. Statewide sales and use tax vate pensions is limited to $20,000 for singles and $40,000 is 6.875 percent; some local additions may increase the total for married filers. If born after 1952, not eligible for any to as much as 9.53 percent. exemption until reaching age 67. Social Security is exempt. Full details at: www.michigan.gov/documents/taxes/Pension MISSISSIPPI BenefitsChart_444931_7.pdf. Social Security, qualified retirement income from federal, Michigan’s state sales tax rate is 6 percent. There are no city, state and private retirement systems, and income from IRAs local or county sales taxes. are exempt from Mississippi tax. There is an additional exemption of $1,500 on other income if over 65. Statewide sales tax is 7 percent.

MISSOURI Public pension income may be deducted if Missouri Adjusted Gross Income is less than $100,000 when married ﬁling jointly or $85,000 for single ﬁlers, up to a limit of $35,939 for each spouse. The maximum private pension deduction is $6,000. You may also deduct 100 percent of Social Security income if over age 62 and Federal Adjusted Gross Income is less than the limits above. Sales tax is 4.225 percent; local additions may add another 2 percent.

MONTANA There is a $3,980 pension income exclusion if Federal Adjusted Gross Income is less than $33,200. Those over 65 can exempt an additional $800 of interest income for single taxpayers and $1,600 for married joint ﬁlers. Social Security is subject to tax. Montana has no general sales tax, but tax is levied on the sale of various commodities.

NEBRASKA U.S. government pensions and annuities are fully taxable. Social Security is taxable. State sales tax is 5.5 percent, with local additions of up to 2 percent.

NEVADA No personal income tax. Sales and use tax varies from 6.85 to 8.1 percent, depending on local jurisdiction.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE may be deducted. Social Security is exempt. State sales tax is No personal income tax. There is no inheritance tax. There is 4.75 percent; local taxes may increase this by up to 3 percent. a 5-percent tax on interest/dividend income over $2,400 for singles ($4,800 married filing jointly). A $1,200 exemption is NORTH DAKOTA available for those 65 or over. No general sales tax. All pensions and annuities are fully taxed. Social Security is exempt. General sales tax is 5 percent, 7 percent on liquor. NEW JERSEY Local jurisdictions impose up to 3 percent more. Pensions and annuities from civilian government service are subject to state income tax, with exemptions for those OHIO who are age 62 or older or totally and permanently disabled. Taxpayers 65 and over may take a $50 credit per return. In Singles and heads of households can exclude up to $15,000 of addition, Ohio gives a tax credit based on the amount of the retirement income; those married filing jointly up to $20,000; retirement income included in Ohio Adjusted Gross Income, those married filing separately up to $10,000 each. These reaching a maximum of $200 for any retirement income exclusions are eliminated for New Jersey gross incomes over over $8,000. Social Security is exempt. State sales tax is 5.5 $100,000. Residents over 65 may be eligible for an additional percent. Counties and regional transit authorities may add to $1,000 personal exemption. Social Security is not taxed. State this, but the total must not exceed 8.75 percent. sales tax is 7 percent. OKLAHOMA NEW MEXICO Individuals receiving FERS/FSPS or private pensions may All pensions and annuities are taxed as part of Federal exempt up to $10,000, but not to exceed the amount included Adjusted Gross Income. Taxpayers 65 and older may exempt in the Federal Adjusted Gross Income. Since 2011, 100 percent up to $8,000 (single) or $16,000 (joint) from any income of a federal pension paid in lieu of Social Security (i.e., CSRS source if their income is under $28,500 (individual filers) or and FSRDS—“old system”—including the CSRS/FSRDS por- $51,000 (married filing jointly). The exemption is reduced as tion of an annuity paid under both systems) is exempt. Social income increases, disappearing altogether at $51,000. New Security included in FAGI is exempt. State sales tax is 4.5 Mexico has a gross receipts tax, instead of a sales tax, of 5.125 percent. Local and other additions may bring the total up to percent; county and city taxes may add another 6.625 percent 9.5 percent. in some jurisdictions. OREGON NEW YORK Generally, all retirement income is subject to Oregon tax when Social Security, U.S. government pensions and annuities are received by an Oregon resident. However, federal retirees not taxed. For those over age 59½, up to $20,000 of other who retired on or before Oct. 1, 1991, may exempt their entire annuity income (e.g., Thrift Savings Plan) may be excluded. federal pension; those who worked both before and after Oct. See N.Y. Tax Publication 36 at www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/publications/ 1, 1991, must prorate their exemption using the instructions income/pub36.pdf for details. Sales tax is 4 percent state- in the tax booklet. A tax credit of up to 9 percent of taxable wide. Other local taxes may add up to an additional 5 percent. pension income is available to recipients of pension income, including most private pension income, whose house- NORTH CAROLINA hold income was less than $22,500 (single) and $45,000 Pursuant to the “Bailey” decision, (see www.dornc.com/ (joint),and who received less than $7,500 (single)/$15,000 taxes/individual/benefits.html) government retirement ben- (joint) in Social Security benefits. The credit is the lesser of efits received by federal retirees who had five years of credit- the tax liability or 9 percent of taxable pension income. Oregon able service in a federal retirement system on Aug. 12, 1989, does not tax Social Security benefits. Oregon has no sales tax. are exempt from North Carolina income tax. Those who do not have five years of creditable service on Aug. 12, 1989, must PENNSYLVANIA pay North Carolina tax on their federal annuities. Beginning in Government pensions and Social Security are not subject tax year 2014 and later, the first $4,000 is no longer exempt. to personal income tax. Pennsylvania sales tax is 6 percent. For those over 65, an extra $750 (single) or $1,200 (couple) Other taxing entities may add up to 2 percent.

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PUERTO RICO both spouses are over 65), but must reduce this figure by any The first $11,000 of income received from a federal pension other retirement deduction claimed. Social Security is not can be excluded for individuals under 60. For those over 60, taxed. Sales tax is 6 percent plus 1 percent in some counties. the exclusion is $15,000. If the individual receives more than Residents aged 85 and over pay 5 percent. one federal pension, the exclusion applies to each pension or annuity separately. Social Security is not taxed. SOUTH DAKOTA No personal income tax or inheritance tax. State sales-and- RHODE ISLAND use tax is 4 percent; municipalities may add up to an addi- U.S. government pensions and annuities are fully taxable. tional 2 percent. Residents who are age 65 and older and have Sales tax is 7 percent; meals and beverages 8 percent. a yearly income of under $10,250 (single) or in a household where the total income was under $13,250 are eligible for a SOUTH CAROLINA sales-tax refund. Individuals under age 65 can claim a $3,000 deduction on qualified retirement income; those 65 years of age or over can TENNESSEE claim a $10,000 deduction on qualified retirement income. A Social Security, pension income and income from IRAs and resident of South Carolina who is 65 years or older may claim TSP are not subject to personal income tax. Most interest and a $15,000 deduction against any type of income ($30,000 if dividend income is taxed at 6 percent if over $1,250 (single filers) or $2,500 (married filing jointly). However, for tax year 2013 and subsequently, those over 65 with total income from all sources of less than $33,000 for a single filer and $59,000 for joint filers are completely exempt from all taxes on income. State sales tax is 5 percent on food, 7 percent on other goods, with between 1.5 and 2.75 percent added, depending on jurisdiction.

TEXAS No personal income tax or inheritance tax. State sales tax is 6.25 percent. Local options can raise the rate to 8.25 percent.

UTAH Utah has a flat tax rate of 5 percent of all income. For taxpayers over 65 there is a retirement tax credit of $450 for single filers and $900 for joint filers. This is reduced by 2.5 percent of income exceeding $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for joint filers. See the state website for details. State sales tax is 4.7 percent; local option taxes may raise the total to as much as 9.95 percent.

VERMONT U.S. government pensions and annuities are fully taxable. State general sales tax is 6 percent; local option taxes may raise the total to 7 percent (higher on some commodities).

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VIRGINIA Individuals over age 65 can take a $12,000 deduction. How- ever, this is reduced by one dollar for each dollar by which Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $50,000 for single, and $75,000 for married, taxpayers. All taxpayers over 65 receive an additional personal exemption of $800. Social Security income is exempt. The estate tax was repealed for all deaths after July 1, 2007. The general sales tax rate is 5.3 percent (4.3 percent state tax and 1 percent local tax, with an extra 0.7 percent in Northern Virginia).

WASHINGTON No personal income tax. Retirement income is not taxed. State sales tax is 6.5 percent; rates are updated quarterly. Local taxes may increase the total to 9.5 percent.

WEST VIRGINIA $2,000 of any civil or state pension is exempt. Social Security income is taxable only to the extent that the income is includ- able in Federal Adjusted Gross Income. Taxpayers 65 and older or surviving spouses of any age may exclude the first $8,000 (individual filers) or $16,000 (married filing jointly) of any retirement income. Out-of-state government pensions qualify for this exemption. State sales tax is 6 percent, with additions of between 0.5 and 1 percent in some jurisdictions.

WISCONSIN Pensions and annuities are fully taxable. Those age 65 or over may take two personal deductions totaling $950. Benefits received from a federal retirement system account established before Dec. 31, 1963, are not taxable. Wisconsin does not tax Social Security benefits included in Federal Adjusted Gross Income. For tax years after 2009, those over 65 and with an FAGI of less than $15,000 (single filers) or $30,000 (joint filers) may take a $5,000 deduction on income from federal retirement systems or IRAs. State sales tax is 5 percent; most counties charge an extra 1.5 percent.

WYOMING No personal income tax. State sales tax is 4 percent. Local taxes may add to another 4 percent. n

—James Yorke, Senior Labor Management Adviser

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 75 IN MEMORY

n Harold J. Ashby Jr., 66, husband the adoption of Benjamin Makoto Ashby Mr. Ashby is survived by his husband, of retired FSO Edward McKeon, died McKeon was also approved. Edward, and sons, Max and Benjamin. peacefully on July 29, at his family home in On July 21, 2008, Mr. Ashby and Mr. Chevy Chase, Md. McKeon married in California, shortly n Stephanie Mathews Bell, 90, wife of A native of Newark, N.J., Mr. Ashby after same-sex marriages became legal the late Ambassador James Dunbar Bell, graduated from Harvard University with there, with their sons present. e union, died on Aug. 8, 2014, in Davis, Calif. an undergraduate degree in international which began in 1980, lasted for 34 years, Prior to marriage, Mrs. Bell worked a airs. He later received his MBA from the cut short only by Mr. Ashby’s passing. for the Department of State. From 1950 to Wharton School of the University of Penn- Since retirement in 2011 to Chevy 1952, she served in Munich with the High sylvania and an M.Ed. from the University Chase, Md., Mr. Ashby spent even Commission for Occupied Germany in of Hawaii. From the late 1970s until 1982, more time caring for his two boys, who the Oce of the Land Commissioner for Mr. Ashby worked as the administrative remained the loves of his life. He was also Bavaria. From 1952 to 1955, after postwar director of Howard University’s Sickle Cell able to indulge a passion for gardening diplomatic relations were established Center. that had been put on hold while overseas, between the United States and Germany, With his partner, Edward, Mr. Ashby except for an ill-fated attempt to coax a she worked in American Consulate Gen- travelled the world, setting up his family’s rose garden to life in Osaka. eral Munich. overseas homes in Tokyo, Osaka, Guang- Among the things that shaped him On her return to Washington, D.C., zhou, Tel Aviv and Mexico, as well as most was his lineage to Sergeant George she worked in the Bureau of Near East- Honolulu and Washington, D.C. Ashby, who fought in the Civil War and ern, South Asian and African A airs. Mr. Ashby was a brave pioneer in was with General Ulysses S. Grant when When the Bureau of African A airs was creating a stable and loving same-sex General Robert E. Lee surrendered at established as a separate entity, she household in sometimes unwelcoming Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. transferred to it as an administrative cultures. Indeed, he created the rst such His uncle, Albert Forsyth, was an African- ocer. home that many foreigners had ever seen, American aviation pioneer and instructor Mrs. Bell received an Outstanding thereby leaving a lasting and positive to the Tuskegee Airmen. Performance Rating and a congratulatory example. He became the second person Mr. Ashby was also shaped by his letter from Secretary of State John Foster to receive a U.S. diplomatic passport as a experience as a 16-year-old selected to Dulles for her work in establishing the same-sex spouse. represent New Jersey at a national meeting new bureau. Mr. Ashby managed to nd jobs in of high school student body presidents. In 1960, she became an administra- each country, often as an English teacher He was one of only two African-American tive ocer in the Bureau of Far Eastern or as an administrator, all the while plan- selectees out of the 50 states. On arrival in A airs, where she met and married Mr. ning the family’s next move or adventure, Nashville, 48 student body presidents were Bell. She accompanied him to the United not to mention innumerable diplomatic placed with local families who arranged Nations in 1961, and to Embassy Kuala events. A lover of music, he was a disc social events for them. However, Mr. Lumpur, where he served as ambassador jockey at a radio station in Tokyo, where Ashby and his fellow African-American from 1964 to 1969. he enjoyed some of the happiest times student body president were simply In 1970, the couple relocated to of his life. From 2007 to 2011, he worked dropped o at a motel for “coloreds.” Mr. California, where Amb. Bell served as in the administrative section of Embassy Ashby’s father wanted him to come home, diplomat in residence at the University of Mexico City. but he decided to stay, vowing never to California at Santa Cruz. While on assignment in Guangzhou, let discrimination or prejudice steer him Mrs. Bell is predeceased by her son, Mr. Ashby and Mr. McKeon adopted from his path. Je erson M. Bell. Survivors include her a child. Although China frowned on Mr. Ashby’s smile and warm personal- daughter, Stephanie Susan Bell; son- adoptions by same-sex couples, the ity quickly helped him win lasting friend- in-law, Je ery Seiler; two grandsons: adoption of Max Albert Ashby McKeon ships around the world. He will long be Samuel and John Bell Seiler; several was approved. Later, despite Japan’s remembered as a loving husband, father, nieces, including Ambassador Marianne reluctance to allow foreigners to adopt, role model and friend. M. Myles, and nephews.

76 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL n Rosa Maria Cody, 85, wife of the Gregory Hickox of San Diego, Calif., and Mr. De Cou loved opera, jazz, plays, late USAID Director Peter M. Cody, died Robert Cody-Meisner of Silver Spring, Md. ethnic cuisine, learning new languages from colon cancer on Sept. 1 at her home and deep philosophical discussion about in Washington, D.C. n James Herbert De Cou, 85, a retired politics and world a airs. He sponsored Mrs. Cody was born to Francisca and FSO with the U.S. Information Agency, the immigration of many families from Alfredo Alatorre on Aug. 30, 1929, in the died after a brief illness on July 31, 2014, in Laos, Vietnam, China and other countries neighborhood of Coyoacán in Mexico Le Vesinet, France. to the United States. City. Mrs. and Mrs. Alatorre worked for Mr. De Cou, or “Jazz” as others later In doing so, he was heavily engaged Mexico’s Foreign Service. knew him, was born on Dec. 1, 1928, and in helping all family members develop Mrs. Cody and her husband-to-be raised in Atascadero, Calif. He attended careers, educational pursuits and success- met while working at the U.S. Embassy in Stanford University, graduating magna ful transitions into American society. Mexico City. Longing for new horizons cum laude in 1950. He served in the Air Friends and family will miss his wry and breaking with tradition, in 1957 Mrs. Force from 1952 to 1956, before joining the wit, engaging personality, political acu- Cody married FSO Peter Cody, a divorced Foreign Service in 1957. men and the exceptional reasoning, intel- man with three sons. During a 25-year career with USIA, Mr. ligence and insight he brought to every ey went on to live in El Salvador, De Cou served in Afghanistan, Rhodesia conversation. Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Paraguay, (now Zimbabwe), Honduras, Laos, Viet- Mr. De Cou is survived by his beloved Ecuador, the Philippines, Lebanon, nam, Martinique, Canada, Upper Volta wife of 28 years, Irene; three children: Sudan, Kenya and Guatemala, as well as (now Burkina Faso) and Cameroon. He Claire De Cou of Centreville, Va., Mike De in Washington, D.C., between overseas developed uency in six languages and Cou of Mesa, Ariz., and Jack De Cou of postings. was conversant in numerous others, as Alpine, Wyo.; a brother, Jerry of Atas- While overseas, Mrs. Cody learned to well. With an inherent interest in peoples cadero, Calif.; a sister, Susan Bailey of Rino, speak several languages, play the harp and their languages, he fully immersed Calif.; three grandchildren: Alex, Colette and became adept in various art forms himself in the local culture when overseas. and Shea-Mikhail; and many nieces and and cuisine. In Lebanon, she studied Mr. De Cou’s rst assignment was to nephews. interior design. In Sudan, she redesigned Kabul in 1957, followed shortly by a trans- Mr. De Cou also leaves a legacy of deep the guest quarters for visitors to the mis- fer to Salisbury (now Harare) as an infor- friendships too numerous to mention, sion. She was also responsible for the mation ocer in 1958. A year later he was but he would want that to be acknowl- mission’s eet of drivers. posted to Tegucigalpa, returning briey edged, as well—not as a testament to his Mrs. Cody joined her husband in his to USIA before being posted to Luang character, but rather as validation of the numerous adventures, which included Prabans as branch public a airs ocer importance he ascribed to such precious exploring the countryside of every coun- in 1961. He served for two years in Laos relationships. try they lived in, climbing mountains, before being transferred to Martinique as kayaking down rivers and getting to know public a airs ocer, which was followed n Mary Lee Deer eld, 78, wife of the countries and their inhabitants. She by an assignment to Saigon in 1965. retired FSO and U.S. Army Lieutenant embraced life as wife of the USAID direc- From 1967 to 1970, he held various Colonel Eddie Deereld, died on Oct. 23 tor, and was known for her hospitality positions at USIA, including branch public in Palm Harbor, Fla. She spent her nal and generosity to all. a airs ocer in Montreal, Africa programs days accompanied by her husband; two Mrs. Cody is predeceased by her ocer and public a airs ocer in Ouaga- stepsons, Jim and Rick Deereld; and husband, Peter, who died in 2012 at the dougou and Yaounde. Cantor Deborah Jacobson of Temple age of 86. Following divorce from his rst wife, Ahavat Shalom. She is survived by two daughters, Cor- Michelle, and retirement in 1979, he lived Mrs. Deereld enjoyed a remarkable nelia Cody of McLean, Va., and Cecilia in Herndon, Va., until his marriage to life. She accompanied her husband on Cody of Silver Spring, Md.; two stepsons, Irene Epstein in 1987. He then moved to overseas tours in India, Pakistan, Malawi, Michael Cody of Madrid, Spain, and Ryan the suburbs of Paris, France, where he Canada, Uganda and Nigeria. She was Cody of Kirkland, Wash.; two grandsons, remained until death. active in social welfare in each country,

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 77 and was often invited as a guest speaker at in Seattle, Wash., surrounded by her three In 1985, the Fosters settled in Stinson fundraising and other events. children and loving caregivers. Lake, N.H., where Mrs. Foster served as In Kolkata, she befriended Mother Born outside Boston on Nov. 9, 1929, Sunday lector in St. Matthew’s Parish in Teresa and assisted her Missionaries of Mrs. Foster spent her childhood in Plymouth. She is remembered for her Charity. In Kampala, she was awarded a Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Long Island, N.Y., elegant elocution. She also wrote and Tribute of Appreciation by the Depart- following the untimely death of her father. recorded commentary for National Public ment of State in recognition of outstand- She attended high school at Lawrence Radio, with stories about country living. ing service as headmistress of the Lincoln Woodmere Academy in Woodmere, N.Y., In 2001, Mr. and Mrs. Foster moved International School. and went on to study at Trinity College in into her parent’s home in Haverhill, Mrs. Deereld continued to shine in Washington, D.C., and e Julliard School where she remained until 2011. After Mr. private life after she and her husband in New York, N.Y. Foster’s death, she was diagnosed with retired to Florida in 1991. She was an Baptized into the Catholic Church Alzheimer’s and moved into assisted liv- avid gardener, a member of the East Lake as a young girl, along with her widowed ing, rst in Aptos, Calif., and later in the Ladies Bridge Club and a president of the mother, Ruth, and two sisters, Mary and Seattle area. Palm Harbor Garden Club. Leslie, Mrs. Foster made deep faith the Friends and family remember Mrs. Her Crown of orns, a owering hallmark of her life. Foster for the parts she played, the plant native to Madagascar, earned the She met the love of her life, John Foster, places she occupied and the people she blue ribbon in the club’s 1995 ower at CBS News in New York City in the early touched—and there were many. A won- show. She planted bougainvillea in her days of television. She worked in the lm derful wife and mother, social activist, garden as reminders of her years in South library and he in the mailroom. current events acionado and devoted Asia and Africa. During their 50-year marriage, the listener, she was by avocation a conver- She was also active in planning couple spent nearly 30 years in the Foreign sationalist. As her children put it, she had reunions for Mr. Deereld’s 303rd Bomb Service with postings to Greece, Iran, the gift. Group Association, a World War II veter- Afghanistan, Ghana, India, Jordan, the Mrs. Foster was predeceased by her ans’ organization, and was honored by Philippines and South Africa. husband, John; her parents, Ruth and the association with a plaque in recogni- Mrs. Foster served as president of the Harry Fogarty; and her sisters, Mary tion and appreciation for her many years American Women’s Club in several coun- Brintle and Leslie Nordin. of dedicated and outstanding service. tries. She was an active early supporter of Survivors include three children: Mr. and Mrs. Deereld celebrated Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, Kent (and his wife, Susanne), James (and their 51st wedding anniversary on Aug. assisting with their ministry to the poor in his wife, Jayne) and Mary Claude (and 3. Friends remember her as one-of-a- India, Jordan and the Philippines. her husband, Ahmad); nine nieces and kind—adventurous, courageous and She was a member of the Daughters of nephews; seven grandchildren and two warm-hearted. the American Revolution (Susquehanna great-grandchildren. Her stepsons recall that she was like a County Chapter) for 60 years, as well as Donations in her name may be made second mother and that she treated them e Mayower Society. to Missionaries of Charity (ATTN: Sr. as her own sons throughout her life. A powerful writer, her 1988 New York Maria Auxilia, MC) at 207 Black Diamond Mrs. Deereld is predeceased by two Times opinion piece, “At 85, Frightened by Canyon Drive, Gallup NM 87301. sons, Scott and Mark, and her parents, a Loss of Power,” chronicled her mother’s Leo and elma Decker. Survivors descent into Alzheimer’s and prompted a n George J. Krieger Jr., 82, a retired include her husband, brother, stepsons, multitude of readers’ response. Foreign Service sta ocer, died of four granddaughters and two great- Several years before her husband’s lung cancer on Aug. 12, at his home in grandchildren. retirement in 1985, Mrs. Foster took the FS Potomac, Md. exam, passed and got an o er. e couple A Philadelphia native, Mr. Krieger n Ruth Merrill “Jody” Foster, 84, wife debated transitioning so that Mr. Foster began his career as a sportswriter for the of the late U.S. Information Agency FSO would assume the role of trailing spouse; Miami Daily News from 1949 to 1953. He John P. Foster, died peacefully on Sept. 26 but, ultimately, she decided not to join. moved to the Washington, D.C., area and

78 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL joined the U.S. Marines in 1953, serving deputy assistant secretary of State in four in the last weeks of his life by hospice until 1955. di erent bureaus, one of very few people attendants. Mr. Krieger worked at the State Depart- to hold so many senior posts. Memorial donations may be made to ment for 37 years, from 1955 until his He led the advance team that rees- the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Founda- retirement in 1992. He began as a clerk- tablished a Foreign Service presence in tion (1414 Physicians Dr., Wilmington NC typist and went on to hold increasingly Cuba in 1977, and later was responsible 28401); or CancerGrace (GRACE, 4616 responsible positions, the last as budget for opening U.S. embassies in the newly 25th Ave. NE, #300, Seattle WA 98105). and nance chief in the Bureau of African independent republics of the former Mr. Langan is survived by his wife, A airs. Soviet Union, the former Czechoslovakia Anne; three sons and their wives: Mat- During his time as an FSO, he served and former Yugoslavia. thew (Michele), David (Jessica) and John two tours in Nairobi and two tours in His nal assignment was as deputy (Misha); six beloved grandchildren: Jacob, Ottawa. director of the Foreign Service Institute. Luke, Blake, Avery, Brayden and Evan; Mr. Krieger enjoyed movies, the study After his retirement in 1997, Mr. a sister and her husband, Debby (Dick) of history and the Redskins football team. Langan served as a consultant to the State Heller; a brother and his wife, Richard He was a member of Our Lady of Mercy Department. Most notably, he organized (Mary); and four nephews: Adam, Christo- Catholic Church in Potomac, Md. the new Oce of the Global AIDS Coordi- pher, Andrew and Gregory. He is survived by his wife, the former nator after the creation of the President’s He also leaves three stepchildren: Tad Mary Kirkpatrick. Emergency Program for AIDS Relief. Ryals, Tucker Ryals (Ericka) and Elizabeth In 2005, he chaired a task force that Bourgeois (Brennan); and was a lov- n Douglas L. Langan, 70, a retired reviewed the U.S. diplomatic presence in ing grandfather to their children: Taylor, FSO and former deputy director of the Iraq and made widely praised recommen- Emma, Maggie, Sam and Hudson. Foreign Service Institute, died of lung dations regarding the stang and organi- cancer on Aug. 25, at his home in Wilm- zation of the new embassy in Baghdad. He n Joseph H. Melrose, Jr., 69, retired ington, N.C. received a number of signicant awards FSO and former ambassador to Sierra Mr. Langan was born on Oct. 9, 1943, for his work. Leone, died on Nov. 8 at Lehigh Valley in Phoenix, Ariz., to Dolores and Leroy F. Mr. Langan was most proud, however, Hospital in Allentown, Pa., from injuries Langan. An army brat, Mr. Langan grew of raising three boys as a single parent. He su ered in a fall. up all over the United States and abroad retired to Wilmington, N.C., in 1998. A Pennsylvania native, Mr. Melrose in Korea. Baseball was a lifetime love, Mr. Langan reveled in his retirement graduated from Ursinus College in Colle- and he played from childhood through years, living near a beautiful beach and geville, Pa., in 1966. He taught in Philadel- college. A gifted pitcher, he earned both indulging his passions for shing, running, phia and Cheltenham while studying for a the nickname “Lefty” and a tryout with the reading and watching sports on TV. He master’s degree at Temple University, and major leagues. valued his family above everything and joined the Foreign Service in 1969. He graduated from the University of loved spending time with them. His began his career with overseas Pittsburgh and enrolled at Georgetown Friends and family members recall assignments to Vietnam and Syria. He was University Law School, but left to join the him as a very special person, with a gift consul general in Karachi when Pakistan Peace Corps where he served from 1967 to for listening attentively to every person President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and 1969 in a tin mining town at an elevation he encountered. He was knowledgeable U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel died in a of 14,000 feet in the Bolivian Andes. and accomplished, yet unassuming and plane crash during the start of Pakistan’s He went on to complete his law degree modest. His sense of humor, quick wit and third democratic era. at Rutgers Law School in 1971, and joined ready laugh made him a joy to spend time From 1995 to 1998, he was deputy chief the Foreign Service later that year. with. of mission in Lagos, during a time of great Mr. Langan’s career included posts Mr. Langan’s family is deeply grate- change and the start of Nigeria’s demo- overseas in Istanbul, Havana, La Paz and ful for the care provided by his doctors, cratic transition. Lima, where he served as deputy chief of who worked so valiantly to extend his life, Mr. Melrose served as ambassador to mission. In Washington, D.C., he served as as well as the outstanding care provided Sierra Leone from 1998 to 2001, brokering

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 79 the Lomé Agreement. During this time the president of AFSA and executive director terterrorism and as acting representative American embassy was severely damaged of the Bureaus of Political-Military, Near for management/reform to the United in the conict and was evacuated. To East and South Asian A airs. Nations, a position he was preparing maintain U.S. operations in Sierra Leone, He was instrumental in uncovering to take up once more at the time of his Ambassador Melrose and his sta ew to the connection between the illicit trade untimely death. the embassy every day by helicopter from in diamonds and conict, and helped From 2006 to 2008, he served as a Guinea. establish the certication program that senior adviser to the U.S. delegation to the During a second evacuation, he evolved into the Kimberley Process. United Nations General Assembly. Most remained in Sierra Leone with a lone Testifying before Congress on conict recently he served as vice chair of the sta er. rough it all, he was able to diamonds, he stated: “e customer Benghazi Accountability Review Board in secure humanitarian aid for the country should be able to know that the diamond 2012. and negotiate peace. He also helped he or she purchased did not get to the Amb. Melrose utilized his skills and establish the Special Court for Sierra retail counter by increasing the su ering abilities in a variety of endeavors, helping Leone to try those most responsible for of fellow human beings.” found the Special Olympics, Donkey Cart the devastating human rights violations Renowned for his ability to solve Races and a Boy Scout troop in Karachi. that occurred. problems, Amb. Melrose was sometimes He volunteered for International Medical Amb. Melrose also held a wide range referred to as “Mr. Fixit.” He led the Corp and was a board member of Restless of domestic positions, including vice Foreign Emergency Support Team that Development. deployed to Nairobi following the August He served from 2005 to 2008 as presi- 1998 U.S. embassy bombings, where he dent of the National Collegiate Conference helped oversee the reestablishment of Association and sponsor of the National embassy operations and the recovery Model U.N., doubling its size during his e ort. tenure and bringing his uniquely prag- He also played a role in reopening matic viewpoint to a broader audience. Embassy Beirut in 1983 and the evacu- Among the many awards he received ation of Karachi during the Persian Gulf were the Foreign Service Cup; honor- War. ary degrees from Hilla University (Iraq), In September 2001, he served as coor- Ursinus College and Francis Marion dinator for the post-9/11 Task Force. When University; the Department of State’s Dis- You Are Our Eyes & Ears! asked why he had so often been selected tinguished Honor Award; the Secretary to function as a diplomatic repairman, of State’s Career Achievement Award; Dear Readers: he said he merely had the experience of the Presidential Distinguished Service In order to produce a high-quality “being in the wrong places at the wrong Award; and the Award of Merit from the product, the FSJ depends on the time.” World Islamic Federation. revenue it earns from advertising. Amb. Melrose retired in 2002 and rough it all, Amb. Melrose lived his You can help with this. fullled a dream of returning to Ursinus life with a sense of humor and unassum- Please let us know the names of to give back that spirit of service which ing humility that will be missed by those companies that have provided inspired him, most recently serving as who knew him. good service to you — a hotel, insurance company, auto ambassador-in-residence and professor of Mr. Melrose is survived by his son, dealership, or other concern. international relations at the college. His Joseph Andrew; daughter-in-law, Binali; A referral from our readers mentorship was legendary, and he made and granddaughter, Nina Melrose of is the best entrée! time for every student, sta member or Washington, D.C., along with countless Ed Miltenberger four-legged friend that passed him by. former students, colleagues, friends and Advertising & Circulation Manager He was called again to serve on a one WWII jeep. Tel: (202) 944-5507 range of projects, including as senior Memorial contributions may be E-mail: [email protected] consultant to the coordinator for coun- made to the Joseph H. Melrose Fund

80 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL (c/o Ursinus College) or the Amb. Joseph n Harry I. Odell, 93, a retired FSO, H. Melrose Jr. International Scholarship died of cardiopulmonary arrest on Sept. 28 (c/o NCCA). in Margaretville, N.Y. Mr. Melrose’s family respectfully Mr. Odell was born in Cornwall-on- requests that stories of his adventures be Hudson, N.Y. He graduated from Brown shared with [email protected] to University and earned master’s degrees pass on to Nina. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Harvard University. n A.David Miller, 60, a retired FSO During July 1943, while a member of with the State Department, died on Nov. the U.S. Army Air Corps, his B-17 bomber 21 in Gaithersburg, Md., following a was shot down in a raid over Germany, battle with cancer. and he was held as a prisoner of war for Mr. Miller was born in Crystal Falls, almost two years in Stalag Luft III and Mich., on Aug.4, 1954, to Roy E. Miller other camps until the end of World War II. Jr. and Jane (Fay) Miller. When he was Mr. Odell joined the Foreign Service 4 years old, his family moved to Iron in 1949. In 1950, his 27-member entering Mountain, Mich. class went as a group to Germany to serve He graduated from the University of as resident ocers of the occupation. He Iowa in 1976 and earned an MBA degree began his diplomatic career managing an from the University of Minnesota in 1980. entire district of Bavaria. Other economic Mr. Miller joined the Foreign Service and consular postings included Germany, in 1983 and served in the economic cone, Israel, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Greece, retiring in 2012. During his career, he was Jordan and Washington, D.C. posted to the U.S. Consulate in Calgary Mr. Odell was chargé d’a aires in and to embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Mos- Jordan during the conict between the cow, Stockholm and Port of Spain. Jordanian army and the Palestinian mili- He loved music, was a natural musi- tants. He concluded his 28-year Foreign cian and an accomplished pianist. Wher- Service career as deputy chief of mission ever he was posted, Mr. Miller sought at Embassy Bern. out and joined a ne choir, including the Following retirement in 1978, Mr. Odell World Bank Choir in Washington, D.C., became executive director at the Ameri- performing many hours of choral music can Swiss Association based in New York and solo work as a baritone. City. He also worked part time for the State Friends and family remember Mr. Department declassifying documents Miller as a warm, gregarious man who under the Freedom of Information Act. has left many friends scattered across the For many years he was a member of world. the Town Council of Glen Echo, Md., and a He is survived by his wife, Maya; her longstanding member of DACOR. He had daughter, Ekaterina Miller (and her hus- split his time between homes in Washing- band, Julio Noguez) of Ann Arbor, Mich.; ton, D.C., and Margaretville, N.Y., since the his two children, Andrew Roy Miller and late 1990s. Kristjana Laura Miller of Calgary; his Mr. Odell was predeceased by his wife mother, Jane F. Miller of Kingsford, Mich.; of 51 years, Barbara Lohmann of Brooklyn, his sister, Marguerite J. Miller (and her N.Y. He is survived by his daughter, Debo- husband, Robert Lees) of Washington, rah Odell of Alexandria, Va., and Marga- D.C.: and several cousins. retville, N.Y.; his son, David Odell (and his

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 81 wife, Debra) of Altoona, Pa.; and nephews, ment career, joining the Congressional Mr. Schneider was born on Nov. 20, nieces and friends. Research Service as a senior specialist in 1922, in Glendale, Ohio, and spent most international economics. of his early years in Winchester, Mass. He n Alfred Reifman, 95, a retired FSO For 24 years, he continued his passion interrupted pursuit of a degree in political and senior specialist in international for international economic policy and his science from Yale University to join the economics, died of pneumonia on Oct. love of government service, writing for United States Army Air Force, serving as a 15 at an assisted living facility in Chevy Congress on legislative issues in interna- pilot during World War II, ying B-24 and Chase, Md. tional economic policy. He also taught B-29 bombers and training ights for B-29 Mr. Reifman was born and raised in seminars on foreign economic policy at gunners. After the war, he graduated with Elizabethtown, N.J. His father delivered Yale, Duke and American universities. honors from Yale. milk from a horse-drawn cart and was an In addition to a rich and fullling Mr. Schneider joined the Foreign Ser- avid reader, encouraging Mr. Reifman to career, Mr. Reifman was a founding mem- vice in 1950, specializing in South Asian read and learn. Every Saturday he walked ber of the Bannockburn Community in a airs. He served twice in both India several miles to the library, returning Bethesda, Md. In 1957, he was an origina- (Mumbai and New Delhi) and Pakistan with an armful of books. He graduated tor of the Bannockburn Spring Show, a (Karachi and Islamabad). While chargé from the University of Michigan with an community theater that pokes fun at social d’a aires in New Delhi, he was the rst undergraduate and a master’s degree with and political issues through song and skit. foreigner to be informed by the Indians honors and distinction in mathematics With Mr. Reifman’s perseverance, that they had detonated a nuclear device, and economics. hard work, warmth, open spirit and a which heralded the India-Pakistan nuclear Mr. Reifman served in World War II in bit of friendly arm-twisting, the show arms race. In 1966 and 1967 he attended England and with the OSS in France. He never missed a year and is now one of the National War College. moved to Washington, D.C., in the early the longest-running community theater Subsequently he served as deputy 1940s and joined the State Department in performances in the country. assistant secretary of State for South Asia, 1946. “Mr. Bannockburn Show,” as he was with particular expertise in Indian and He was intimately involved in major sometimes called, loved the show and Pakistani a airs, and was senior deputy U.S. international economic initiatives understood its value as an expression of in the Bureau of Near Eastern and South including development of the Marshall community spirit. Asian A airs at the time of the 1983 bomb- Plan, establishment of the Organization of Mr. Reifman played tennis three times ing of the Marine Corps barracks and the Economic Cooperation and Development, a week until he was 90 and won many U.S. embassy in Beirut. the evolution of U.S. trade policy through tournaments in his advanced years at his In 1978, President Jimmy Carter the General Agreement on Tari s and summer home in Eastham, Mass. appointed Mr. Schneider ambassador to Trade and, more generally, reform of the A vital and generous man who loved Bangladesh, where he served for three international monetary system. life, he was passionate about learning, years. During a 26-year Foreign Service service to others, his family and his com- After a 33-year diplomatic career, Mr. career, Mr. Reifman served in Paris, where munity of Bannockburn. As one person Schneider retired from the Foreign Service he helped implement the Marshall Plan, described, “Al Reifman never got o an in 1983 with the rank of Career Minister. He and, during the 1960s, was chief econo- elevator without making a friend.” served as chairman of the Foreign Service mist for the U.S. Mission to OECD. Mr. Reifman was predeceased by his Journal Editorial Board, and was a retiree He served on the Council of Economic wife of 72 years, Dr. Lucille Reifman, and representative on the American Foreign Advisers from 1952 to 1953 and from 1965 his daughter, Elizabeth. Survivors include Service Association Governing Board. to 1967, where he wrote the international two daughters, Dr. Ann Reifman and Kath- An avid sailor, Mr. Schneider often chapters of the President’s Economic erine Reifman, and three grandsons. raced sailboats where he was posted. He Report. also skied with friends in Colorado yearly In 1972, Mr. Reifman graciously n David T. Schneider, 91, a retired FSO until well into his 80s. Mr. Schneider and changed jobs to support his wife, Lucille, and former ambassador to Bangladesh, his wife, the former Ann Scannell, whom in her own distinguished federal govern- died on Sept. 24 in Charles Town, W. Va. he married in 1950, retired to Washing-

82 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL ton, D.C., and Hampstead, N.H., in 1994. Mr. Schneider was predeceased by his wife, Ann, in 2003. Survivors include children and grandchildren residing in New York, West Vir- ginia, Maryland, Virginia and California.

n Daniel Johnson Siglin, 97, a retired FSO who resided in Sarasota, Fla., and White Haven, Pa., died on Oct. 21. Mr. Siglin was born on May 16, 1917, in East Side Borough, White Haven, Pa., to Elmer E. and Nettie Hayes Siglin. He graduated from White Haven High School in 1936 and went on to attend American Technical School and Penn State Univer- sity. During World War II, he served with the 29th Division, 121st Combat Engi- neers, and then undertook a 40-year career with the Department of Defense and Department of State. As a Foreign Service ocer, Mr. Siglin served mainly in the Middle and Far East, namely Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Cyprus, Vietnam and the Philippines. Following retirement from the Depart- ment of State in 1973, he served several more years as a consulting engineer for World Bank and USAID projects in Egypt, Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. Mr. Siglin was a member of Masonic Lodge #442 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite 32nd Degree in Manila; the Mistic Shrine, Zembo Temple in Harrisburg, Pa.; Ameri- can Legion Post #400, Orlando, Fla.; and the American Foreign Service Reserve, Department of State, Washington, D.C. Mr. Siglin is survived by his wife, My- Zung Ngac-Siglin of Sarasota, Fla.; his daughter, Janet A. Siglin of Onley, Va.; and his son, Daniel Shaw Siglin, daughter-in- law, Beth, and grandson, Reid, of Wells- boro, Pa. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 83 BOOKS

A Walk in His Shoes: and from the education and advice that Foreign Service. e two major dier- A Fictional British others (supervisors, friends, British ences are size (the American presence Diplomat Gets Real colleagues and foreign counterparts) is substantially larger) and the need to give them. is is very eective, because deal diplomatically with the Americans. What Diplomats Do the author creates additional interest Concerning the latter, Sir Brian is gener- Sir Brian Barder, Rowman & through the personality of the adviser. He ally complimentary, though he has some Little eld, 2014, $44.00, hardcover, or she may be a critical—and sadly accurate—things to 226 pages. clever character say about inexperienced and clumsy R M A who is charming political appointee ambassadors. and compel- Reading this, I sometimes wished that Many retired American diplomats ling, or a boring in my own career I could have crafted wonder what can be done in our and pedantic some of the clever and sophisticated country to rectify the woeful lack character who word dances that he and his characters of interest in and understanding of is ridiculous or use to rebut accusations and still allow professional diplomatic service and shocking—but the their counterparts “face” and the room its many contributions to the nation. reader remains to back o; or that I had his patience to We write books, lecture, lobby and engaged. achieve the mix of clarity and ambiguity generally proselytize, but we are still In addition, the necessary for multilateral consensus. falling short. author periodically In What Diplomats Do, Sir Brian sticks What Diplomats Do, based on Sir takes the reader to his subject. He describes the interac- Brian Barder’s experience in the British aside and interjects his own actual tion of British diplomats with dierent Diplomatic Service, can make that eort experiences to expand the perspective of parts of their own government, but does more successful, and should be useful to ctional narrative. Some of these asides not digress into politics. He hints on universities and libraries, as well as inter- are impressive, such as quietly talking several occasions that various reforms esting and enjoyable for the general pub- the Ethiopian government out of bomb- of the diplomatic service have not been lic. It is a remarkably thorough account ing unauthorized relief convoys during improvements. And at the end of his of the many dimensions of diplomatic the famine. Some of them are amusing, career, Adam blasts private management work and life—not a turgid manual, but such as trying to explain to an Austra- consultants, perpetual reform, budget a simple story; not a novel, but almost a lian businessman in Sydney that as high cuts, increased workload, responding to parable. commissioner in Canberra, Sir Brian is circulars and questionnaires, etc. Sir Brian creates a ctional man, supervising the British consul general in For prescriptive solutions—either Adam, who applies to the UK Diplo- Sydney, not working for him. bureaucratic or diplomatic—you need to matic Service just as he graduates from e book addresses most of the go to Sir Brian’s blog (www.barder.com/ university. After going through a rigorous elements of diplomatic work and life: ephems), which also oers a 30-percent battery of tests and interviews, he is competing to get in and arriving at one’s discount on the book! accepted and goes on to serve in a variety rst overseas post; life and work in over- of assignments in Africa, North America seas posts; life and work at home; dealing Marshall P. Adair retired from the Foreign and the Middle East. Along the way, he with host country ocials overseas; Service as a minister counselor in 2007 after marries a woman, Eve, who is similarly dealing with home country ocials from a distinguished 35-year diplomatic career. new to international relations. Together, overseas; consular and commercial work; He is the author of Lessons from a Diplo- Adam and Eve work their way around the entertaining; and the impact on spouses matic Life: Watching Flowers from Horse- world and up Adam’s career ladder, shar- and children. back (Rowman & Little eld, 2013). He is a ing their experiences and their “on-the- ough the author is talking about former president of the American Foreign job” education with the reader. life and work in the British Diplomatic Service Association (1999-2001) and current We learn about the Diplomatic Ser- Service, the descriptions are remarkably retiree representative to the AFSA Governing vice from Adam and Eve’s experiences, similar to what one sees in the American Board.

84 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Creating Space for the California who has spent in other spheres, such as free “Scholar-Practitioner” his career working on Latin trade agreement discussions. America. Bertucci, a former As a result, academics built Scholars, Policymakers & student of Lowenthal’s, is networks with each other and International A airs a postdoctoral fellow at the became more connected to Edited by Abraham F. Lowenthal and Center for Inter-American government ocials. ey Mariano E. Bertucci, Johns Hopkins Policy and Research at engaged in new research University Press, 2014, $29.95, 260 pages. Tulane University. and, in some cases, younger R J B e book covers a broad scholars altered the course of range of topics—from secu- their careers. To paraphrase intellectual giant Hans rity to development—with Evans also notes how the Morgenthau: the search for truth leaves the most of the examples coming scholar-practitioner concept scholar oblivious to power and the pursuit from Latin America. Con- diers in Asia. Because scholarly institu- of power leads the politician to step on the tributors include scholars such as Mitchell tions in Asia are often sponsored, staed truth. Seligson, professor of political science at and administered by the state, the concept e challenge of narrowing the gap Vanderbilt University, and Peter Andreas, of scholars as separate from the state does between scholars and practitioners has professor of political science at Brown not necessarily hold true there. Moreover, long been noted, usually with the recogni- University, as well as practitioners such Evans notes, measuring the impact of tion that a greater ow of people and ideas as Rafael Fernández de Castro, former scholarship on various types of govern- between the rewalls of the ivory tower foreign policy adviser to the president of ments ranging from democratic to authori- and the stovepipes of government could Mexico, and U.S. Career Ambassador and tarian is challenging. He contends that it is produce rewards for everyone. It could Counselor of the Department of State Tom dicult to compare and draw conclusions result in improved development, measure- Shannon. (Full disclosure: Ambassador about how receptive dierent governing ment and evaluation of policies, as well as Shannon also happens to be my boss.) structures are to academic inputs. more targeted and applicable research and e essays present many excellent e Counselor’s Oce, for one, has analysis. But we’re not there yet. case studies based on the interaction or found the ideas in this book of great Policymakers are still constrained by integration of scholars and practitioners. interest. Among other initiatives, we have process, bureaucracy and politics. ey can Examples include the design and evalu- attempted to link to outside institutions view academic data as esoteric and narrow, ation of Mexico’s cash transfer programs and bring in outside experts to interact and shut the door to academic analysis. that have incorporated economic theory with Department of State leaders. e Academics, for their part, face challenging and resulted in widespread poverty allevia- broader foreign policy community and incentive structures. For example, selling tion, the development and application of diplomats everywhere will no doubt also their ideas to government ocials does not United Nations economic sanctions, and nd the book useful. result in tenure, whereas publishing in a the politicization of debates about the U.S.- e collaboration between scholar prestigious academic journal might. led international war on drugs. and practitioner is an undertapped but e authors attempt to explore that In his thoughtful essay, University of potentially powerful resource. By exhibit- gap, share their experiences and oer les- British Columbia Professor Paul Evans ing a degree of humility, and heeding some sons learned. Based on a symposium they describes how during the 1980s and 1990s of the lessons in this book, we can break organized in 2011 to increase the bonds an uptick in Canadian track-two diplo- down the insularity of the two elds to very between policymakers and academics, edi- macy—the practice of involving everyday benecial eect. n tors Abraham F. Lowenthal and Mariano E. citizens in informal discussions on topics Bertucci present a collection of readable, of policy import—led to many societal Joseph Bristol joined the Foreign Service in re ective essays written by scholars and changes. 2008 and has served in Beijing, Kabul and practitioners. Canada became more involved in Washington, D.C., where he served in the Lowenthal is a distinguished profes- resolving South China Sea claims and Executive Secretariat. He is currently in the sor emeritus at the University of Southern expanded participation by academics Oce of the Counselor.

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THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 87 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

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92 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL REFLECTIONS

that Saddam Hussein’s tanks were moving They Also Serve into the country. I then spent my shift on a secure line comforting a terried summer BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY intern who passed on developments as heavy artillery boomed in the background. ans of “Jeopardy” know that after essentially a gloried tourist who never Was that historic? Absolutely. But the rst commercial break, host even got cold. it’s not exactly fodder for a 30-second Alex Trebek chats with each of the In contrast, surviving the massive interview with Alex Trebek on national Fthree contestants briey, often September 1985 earthquake in Mexico television. about a hobby or a romantic or embar- City, my rst posting, certainly qualies as Indeed, I think that is the biggest rassing moment (ideally one and the a dramatic incident. And as if that weren’t drawback to Foreign Service work: some same) in the player’s life. traumatic enough, I happened to be the of our most valuable contributions entail ose conversations are not impro- deaths and estates ocer in the embassy’s working behind the scenes, monitoring vised on the spot, of course. Rather, those citizen services section at the time. crises and keeping overseas situations who pass the annual online audition and go to a tryout—the equivalent of the oral portion of the Foreign Service entrance exam—are asked to list ve “fun facts” Surviving the massive 1985 earthquake about themselves that could be the topic in Mexico City, my ﬁrst posting, certainly of an exchange with Alex. Coming up with those sounds like it qualiﬁes as a dramatic incident. should be a piece of cake for us Foreign Service folks, right? But when I worked on my own list after passing the online test But I got o lightly because, miracu- from making the news in the rst place. last spring (and two years ago, when I also lously, just a handful of Americans died Yet, to quote the nal lines of John Mil- passed, but wasn’t selected for the show), in the quake—and my intrepid Foreign ton’s sonnet, “On His Blindness,” written I found it a real challenge. Service National, Olga Meza, did just when the poet lost his eyesight in his 40s: My rst two entries were easy enough about all the work anyway. ( at tech- ousands at his bidding speed to identify: I stood at the South Pole on nicality didn’t stop me from dining out And post o’er land and ocean without rest: New Year’s Eve 1988 and, as a result, have on earthquake stories throughout home ey also serve who only stand and wait. set foot on every continent. Much as it leave, of course.) So to all the Foreign Service members pains me to admit this, however, I can’t As for the rest of my Foreign Service who toil in anonymity—whether in the honestly claim either of those distinctions career, spent entirely in Washington, I am Operations Center, the bowels of a govern- as an achievement. proud of the work I did as a desk ocer in ment annex or at a remote overseas post— I only got to Antarctica because I was the Political-Military Aairs Bureau and I say this: Take heart! Your hard-won the science ocer (one of many hats I the Bureau of African Aairs, as a watch expertise may not lend itself to a sound wore as a second-tour political/economic ocer in the Nuclear Risk Reduction bite, but it still matters. ocer) at Embassy Wellington, and all my Center, and as a bureau representative on Speaking of waiting, I’m still hoping superiors had either already gone down countless task forces. for a summons to sunny Los Angeles to to the ice or didn’t want to do so during But again, it’s hard to come up with a appear on “Jeopardy.” Even if I do get that the Christmas holidays. And while it was snappy story from those years—though call before my 18-month eligibility expires, an unforgettable experience, I was still the night of Aug. 1, 1990, might qualify. Alex may be more interested in my having Moments after I arrived to repre- perfect pitch than diplomatic exploits. Steven Alan Honley, a Foreign Service o cer sent PM on a task force monitoring the But I still have those Foreign Service from 1985 to 1997, is e Foreign Service Marines’ evacuation of U.S. citizens from highlights on my “top ve” list, just in Journal’s contributing editor. Liberia, Embassy Kuwait called to report case! n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 93 LOCAL LENS

BY ED MIRON n DAKAR, SENEGAL

female vendor, with her baby on her back and her older daugh- Ater trailing behind, walks along the beach in late afternoon. is was a familiar scene at the small, rocky beach used by locals in the Almadies section of Dakar, less than a mile from the new U.S. embassy. n

Regional Medical O cer Ed Miron joined the State Department For- eign Service in 2006 after 23 years of private practice as a family doctor in a small town. He spent two years in Riyadh, and was then posted to Dakar, where he took this photograph. In October, he completed an assignment as chief of foreign programs in the O ce of Medical Services in Washington, D.C., and is now at FSI for the eight-week Portuguese FAST course in preparation for his next assignment, São Paulo, in January. is photo was taken with a Canon EOS 5D Classic with a 70- 200 mm zoom lens.

Please submit your favorite, recent photograph to be featured in Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8 x 10”) and must not be in print elsewhere. Please submit a short description of the scene/event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used, to [email protected].

94 JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL