PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 U.S. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP MATTERS 2017 AFSA TAX GUIDE FOREIGN SERVICE January-February 2018 Volume 95, No. 1 Focus on U.S. Global Leadership FS Know-How 57 Are You Retirement Ready? Experts explain how to prepare for retirement throughout your career, from your first days on the job until you turn in your badge on the last day. By Donna Scaramastra Gorman 26 35 39 Helping Europe Help The Global Coalition Diplomacy Works Itself: The Marshall Plan to Defeat ISIS: Part II On the eve of its 70th anniversary, A Success Story Here are more stories about the the Marshall Plan remains one of The 74-member international day-to-day work U.S. diplomats do the most successful foreign policy coalition illustrates American around the globe to advance American initiatives in U.S. history and a model leadership in action. ideals, protect America’s prosperity of effective diplomacy. By Pamela Quanrud and national security, and help By Amy Garrett maintain a peaceful world. 31 53 Working with Reimagining the Future Ghana to Prevent of American Leadership American leadership today will be the Spread of Ebola defined by our grasp of future trends. The U.S. role in helping Ghana stave The under secretary of State for off a deadly epidemic showcases political affairs reflects on American diplomats’ perseverance, diplomacy for the 21st century. political astuteness and creativity, as well as interagency teamwork, By Thomas A. Shannon Jr. in fulfilling a vital mission. By Jim Bever THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Perspectives 109 Reflections Departments Meeting the Spirit Man 7 in Caliquisse President’s Views 10 Letters By Raymond Maxwell A Foreign Service Wish List 13 Message from the Hill By Barbara Stephenson 15 Talking Points 9 94 In Memory Letter from the Editor Global Leadership 100 Books By Shawn Dorman 22 Marketplace Speaking Out Applying Behavioral Economics to 103 Classifieds the State Department By Rob Kirk 110 105 Real Estate Local Lens South Kalimantan, Indonesia 108 Index to Advertisers By Maria Ining Nurani AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 63 AFSA President’s 68 AFSA Dues Change in 2018 Column Becomes 68 Hail and Farewell Headline News 69 Recognizing FS Children 63 AFSA Meets with for Their Sacrifices House Appropriations 69 After the Equifax Breach: Committee Chair What You Can Do 64 State VP Voice— 70 AFSA Welcomes 192nd Membership Has A-100 Class Its Privileges (and It’s a Bargain!) 63 70 Book Notes: Peacemakers— American Leadership 65 FCS VP Voice—U.S. and the End of Genocide Economic Security Through Trade Agreements in the Balkans 65 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, November 2017 71 Readers, FS Writers and 66 Retiree VP Voice—News You Can Use a Literary Agent Gather 66 AFSA: Your Partner in Retirement to Talk Books 67 AFSA on the Hill—Partnering with Congress 72 Holiday Happy Hour at AFSA and Others to Defend Our Institution 73 2017 AFSA Tax Guide 67 Good News for Foreign Service Parents On the Cover: Illustration by Earl Keleny. 6 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS A Foreign Service Wish List BY BARBARA STEPHENSON s AFSA president, I promised to dedication and sophistication have done We remember how that turned out: a raise awareness of the Foreign a great service to the American people. dozen years later, the Foreign Service was Service across our great country. Looking ahead to the new year, what desperately short of seasoned officers. AI am grateful beyond words for is at the top of AFSA’s wish list for the We were able to fill Foreign Service posi- the national conversation that has taken Foreign Service? tions in Iraq and Afghanistan only at shape about the tremendous value not First, a return to normal promotion the cost of gutting staffing at embassies only of American diplomacy but of Amer- numbers. The extraordinary, and perhaps across the world, undermining America’s ican diplomats, the extraordinary people even unprecedented, decision of early ability to keep allies in the fight. in the Foreign Service who spend two- 2017 to slash FSO promotion numbers Our wish for a return to normal hir- thirds of their careers deployed around into and within the Senior Foreign Service ing includes Foreign Service specialists, the world. Especially now, as Christmas by more than half cannot be repeated many of whose specialties are in deficit, lights go up around my neighborhood, next year without doing grave, long-term creating cascading management chal- their service and sacrifice, our service harm to the U.S. Foreign Service. The lenges. And it includes ending the coun- and sacrifice, speak to me. number of promotions from FS-01 to OC terproductive hiring freeze on eligible All of us active-duty members of the fell from 91 last year (2016) to just 43 this family members, which is eating up Foreign Service owe deep thanks to the year (2017), and the number of promo- precious management time, jeopardiz- Foreign Service alumni (as I like to call tions from OC to MC fell from 61 to 29. ing critical post operations, and putting our retirees) who have pitched in across Keep promotion numbers this low a significant strain on Foreign Service the 50 states to make the case that a again next year, and not only will the size families. strong professional career Foreign Service of the Senior Foreign Service officer corps Again, it is time to ask why. Why slash is very much in the national interest—and continue to shrink, but top-flight FS-01s promotion numbers? Why continue this in the interest of our fellow Americans. will also be forced out of the Service. self-imposed hiring freeze? I am thankful for the remarkable These are the very officers we need to As I have said repeatedly, including in bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, where lead this institution for the next 15 years. my May 2017 column “Seizing Transi- members from both sides of the aisle Second on our wish list is lifting of the tion Opportunities,” we, the members have spoken out and insisted on preserv- self-imposed hiring freeze and a return to of the career Foreign Service, are eager ing the diplomatic capacity that under- normal hiring levels. The State Depart- to be partners in an effort to streamline pins America’s global leadership role. ment has now confirmed its intent cumbersome bureaucratic processes, And I am thankful to every journalist to hire only 101 new Foreign Service increase efficiency and refocus on core who has been working to tell this story. officers (including 55 Pickering and diplomatic priorities. The free press is a Rangel Fellows) in 2018, down from 366 We love serving and want nothing critical guarantor in 2016 (which was in no way a high- more than to pull together to achieve the of the constitu- water mark). mission. tional order we are That hiring target—101—is the lowest Remove these impediments and sworn to uphold, in at least a quarter of a century. Even in give us a strategy to guide our work for and the journalists the depths of the mid-1990s cutbacks, the America and for our fellow Americans. who have covered annual intake of new officers never fell That would make being far from home for State with such below 100. the holidays completely worth it. n Ambassador Barbara Stephenson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 7 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: [email protected] www.afsa.org Managing Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Associate Editor CONTACTS Donna Gorman: [email protected] AFSA Headquarters: BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Publications Coordinator (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance Dmitry Filipoff: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Controller Ad & Circulation Manager USAID AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Assistant Controller Art Director FCS AFSA Office: Cory Nishi: [email protected] Caryn Suko Smith (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Advertising Intern COMMUNICATIONS GOVERNING BOARD Ho-Hsuan “Milo” Hsieh: [email protected] Director of Communications President Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] Editorial Board Hon. Barbara Stephenson: Online Communications Manager Eric Green, Chair [email protected] Jeff Lau: [email protected] James “Jim” Bever Secretary Outreach and Communications Specialist Angela Bond Hon. Tom Boyatt: [email protected] Allan Saunders: [email protected] M. Allyn Brooks-LaSure Treasurer Lawrence Casselle Awards Coordinator Hon. Earl Anthony “To ny ” Wayne: Shawn Kobb Perri Green: [email protected] [email protected] Alexis Ludwig Outreach Coordinator Suzanne McGuire State Vice President Catherine Kannenberg: [email protected] John G. Rendeiro Jr. Ken Kero-Mentz: [email protected] Retiree Outreach Coordinator Priyadarshi “Pri” Sen USAID Vice President Christine Miele: [email protected] Dinah Zeltser-Winant Ann Posner: [email protected] FCS Vice President LABOR MANAGEMENT Daniel Crocker: [email protected] THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS General Counsel FAS Vice President Sharon Papp: [email protected] PROFESSIONALS Kimberly Svec Sawatzki: [email protected] The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Deputy General Counsel 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Retiree Vice President Raeka Safai: [email protected] published monthly, with combined January-February John K. Naland: [email protected] Senior Staff Attorneys and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service State Representatives Neera Parikh: [email protected] Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization.