PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION DECEMBER 2020 FACE OF THE FS AWARDEES IN ACTION EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT INSIDE FOREIGN SERVICE December 2020 Volume 97, No. 10 Focus on AFSA Awards: Honoring Excellence and Constructive Dissent Education Supplement 77 U.S. Boarding Schools: Resilient in the Pandemic and Beyond By David H. Charlton and Randal E. Brown 83 COVID on Campus: How FS College Kids and Their Families Are Managing the 22 Uncertainty By Donna Scaramastra Pioneer, Bridge Builder and Statesman— Gorman A Conversation with Ambassador Edward J. Perkins 2020 Recipient of the Award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy 94 College Options: 32 Community College 2020 Awards for Constructive Dissent with a Guaranteed Transfer Program 40 By Francesca Huemer Kelly 2020 Awards for Exemplary Performance FS Heritage Features 63 52 56 Idealism, Diplomacy and The Dayton Accords Implementing Dayton: Power: Tony Lake’s Story at 25 A Look Back Through six decades and A retired FSO and veteran Reestablishing interreligious and two major foreign policy crucibles— of the Balkan crisis offers a interethnic trust, tolerance and Vietnam and the Balkans—Tony Lake clear-eyed assessment of Bosnia coexistence among Serb, Croat and showed a steady commitment to and Herzegovina a quarter-century Bosniak proved a daunting task. public service, as well as a belief in after Dayton. By Robert M. Beecroft speaking truth to power. By Daniel Serwer By Rennie A. Silva THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2020 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Perspectives Departments 7 104 10 Letters President’s Views Reflections Foreign Service Proud: An Unexpected Foray into Albania 13 Letters-Plus Very, Very Proud By Dolores Brown and By Eric Rubin Maria Silver 14 Talking Points 9 98 Books Letter from the Editor Recognizing Excellence By Shawn Dorman Marketplace 19 99 Real Estate Speaking Out Food & Fun, or Debt & Despair? 101 Classifieds The Commissary Crisis and the Future of Employee Associations 103 Index to Advertisers By Llywelyn Graeme 106 Local Lens Colombo, Sri Lanka By Carille Guthrie AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 69 AFSA Works for Diversity and Inclusion: An Update 70 State VP Voice—2020: How Are We Doing? 71 USAID VP Voice—A Brief Reflection on Measuring Impact 71 AFSA Supports EEO Complaint for Equal Pay 72 Retiree VP Voice—Support Our Foreign Service Community 72 Early and Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar 73 USAID 2020 Promotion Boards: Concerns on Diversity, Inclusion and Transparency 74 Retirees Join AFSA for Outreach Efforts 75 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, Oct. 21, 2020 75 AFSA Dues Increase for 2021 On the Cover—AFSA Award Winners in Action. See photo captions in profiles starting on p. 22. 6 DECEMBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS Foreign Service Proud: Very, Very Proud BY ERIC RUBIN his month, we have the plea- struck by their spirit of sacrifice, generos- The dissent awards we announce this sure and privilege of honor- ity and patriotism. The thought occurred month honor our colleagues who spoke ing members of the Foreign to me: these are not cynical people. Like up, constructively and internally, with TService community for special the Foreign Service as a whole, they are the goal of advancing our national inter- contributions to our Service and to among the least cynical people I know. est and improving our policies. They our country’s security, prosperity and The stories of how our colleagues deserve our deepest thanks and respect. standing in the world. We are especially helped bring home more than 100,000 Dan Serwer’s essay on the 25th pleased to honor Ambassador Edward of their fellow Americans when COVID- anniversary of the Dayton Accords Perkins with the Lifetime Contributions 19 struck remind me of what service emphasizes that, at the end of the day, to American Diplomacy Award celebrat- really means. Service in the face of diplomacy is the chief alternative to war. ing his decades of public service and his danger, service to others, service to It should help us remember the good dedication as a teacher, mentor and role a larger ideal. We should be proud to that America and Americans can do in model for current and future genera- uphold that vision, and we should keep the world, and how much the world still tions in the Foreign Service. it in mind as our country and the world needs us to lead despite our own politi- Sadly, Amb. Perkins left us last month navigate uncharted waters. cal divisions and flaws. The Balkans are at the age of 92. His was a great American I am also gratified to know that the at peace today. It’s not a perfect peace, life and a great Foreign Service life. spirit of constructive dissent is still strong and there are still difficult challenges to In the compelling interview with in our Service. As a recipient of the AFSA overcome. Compared to the bloody days Amb. Perkins in this issue, he tells the William R. Rivkin Award for Constructive of the 1990s, however, it is something to story of calling on President Ronald Dissent myself, I know how intimidat- be valued and cherished. Reagan before departing for Pretoria ing it can be to challenge the system and The hashtag #FSProud is just that—a as the first Black U.S. ambassador to challenge senior leaders. It is lamentable hashtag. But it represents a lot more. South Africa (those were the days when that there have been very few Dissent We can and should feel justifiably proud American presidents routinely met with Channel messages sent in recent years, of the contributions that members of their outgoing ambassadors, not just as and that the Secretary’s Open Forum our Service have made to advance our a courtesy but as a sign of respect for is leaderless and seemingly moribund. country’s interests and to make life the Foreign Service). Both were a response to the difficult days better for others. We know it is not easy President Reagan asked Amb. of the Vietnam War, when members of duty, and frequently comes with a heavy Perkins what he hoped to achieve in the Foreign Service were unable to find a dose of sacrifice and danger. Pretoria, and Amb. Perkins said boldly channel for expressing their constructive We at AFSA are working hard to that he hoped to concerns about the war. share the news of what the Foreign Ser- help end the system Some, like former National Security vice is doing: with the American public, of apartheid. And Adviser Anthony Lake (also featured in with the media and with our represen- he did exactly that. this month’s edition), resigned in frus- tatives in Congress. I hope all of you Reading of the tration. Others suffered reprisals and in will as well, as we begin a new year with profiles of our award a few cases were the targets of wiretaps hopes for health, safety and a return to recipients, I am by State Department senior leaders. prosperity for everyone. n Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2020 7 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor-in-Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: [email protected] www.afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Managing Editor CONTACTS Kathryn Owens: [email protected] AFSA Headquarters: FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Associate Editor (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance and Facilities Cameron Woodworth: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Publications Coordinator Manager, HR and Operations USAID AFSA Office: Dmitry Filipoff: [email protected] Cory Nishi: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Controller Business Development Manager— FCS AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Advertising and Circulation (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Member Accounts Specialist Molly Long: [email protected] Ana Lopez: [email protected] GOVERNING BOARD IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Art Director President Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: Caryn Suko Smith Hon. Eric S. Rubin: [email protected] [email protected] Editorial Board Secretary Alexis Ludwig, Chair Ken Kero-Mentz: [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Treasurer Director of Communications Daniel Crocker Virginia L. Bennett: [email protected] Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] Joel Ehrendreich State Vice President Manager of Outreach and Internal Harry Kopp Thomas Yazdgerdi: [email protected] Communications Jess McTigue USAID Vice President Christopher Teal Allan Saunders: [email protected] Jason Singer: [email protected] Joe Tordella Online Communications Manager FCS Vice President Vivian Walker Jeff Lau: [email protected] Jay Carreiro: [email protected] Hon. Laurence Wohlers Awards and Scholarships Manager FAS Vice President Dinah Zeltser-Winant Theo Horn: [email protected] Michael Riedel: [email protected] Strategic Messaging Coordinator Retiree Vice President Nadja Ruzica: [email protected] THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS John K. Naland: [email protected] PROFESSIONALS State Representatives MEMBERSHIP The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Joshua C. Archibald 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Director, Programs and Member Engagement Maria Hart published monthly, with combined January-February Christine Miele: [email protected] and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Kristin Michelle Roberts Member Operations Coordinator Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Jason Snyder Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Tomoko Morinaga: [email protected] Tamir Waser writers and does not necessarily represent the views of Coordinator of Member Recruitment the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries Vacant and Benefits and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The USAID Representative Perri Green: [email protected] Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, Trevor Hublin photos or illustrations.