PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION MARCH 2021 MANAGING RISK OFF-ROAD IN GREENLAND FOREIGN SERVICE March 2021 Volume 98, No. 2 Focus Feature 58 The Legacy of Jackie Robinson Through baseball diplomacy the youth of Romania and Uganda learned important lessons. By Ronald E. Hawkins Jr. 19 26 Changing a Risk-Averse Public Diplomacy: Paradigm at High-Threat Re-engaging the World FS Heritage Posts Abroad Eight steps to rebuild U.S. credibility Risk aversion is undermining as a world leader and a society diplomats’ ability to do their jobs. worthy of emulation. It’s an urgent problem, By Sherry L. Mueller and 62 says an experienced panel Joel A. Fischman Like Father, Like Son: that is proposing a solution. The Francis Greg Starr and Ambassadorships Ronald E. Neumann 28 Although John M. Francis and son Notes to the New Charles are not well known, they share an important distinction: 22 Administration Both served as ambassadors— Members of the U.S. Foreign Service in the same countries. State’s Influence on brief the Biden team, briefly. Foreign Policy: Is This By Stephen H. Muller Really as Good as It Gets? How to “get out of our own way” and secure a seat at the foreign policy table. By Keith W. Mines THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Perspectives Departments 7 96 10 Letters President’s Views Reflections What We Need Now Diplomacy and Arms Reduction: 12 Talking Points By Eric Rubin A Personal Story 81 In Memory By William H. Hill 9 88 Books Letter from the Editor 98 Foreign Service Suggestion Box Local Lens By Shawn Dorman Yangon, Myanmar By Lee-Alison Sibley 16 Marketplace Speaking Out On State Reform 91 Real Estate By Dennis Jett 94 Classifieds 95 Index to Advertisers 66 Off-Road with the Foreign Service One Morning in Nuuk By James P. DeHart AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 69 AFSA at Work Through the Pandemic 74 AFSA on the Hill—AFSA Advocacy: Year in Review 69 AFSA Meets with Secretary of State Blinken 75 AFSA Treasurer’s 2020 Report 70 State VP Voice—AFSA Needs a 76 Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine Second Full-Time Position at State 78 AFSA Partners with American Diplomat Podcast 71 USAID VP Voice—A Clash of Bureaucracies 78 AFSA High School Essay Contest 72 Retiree VP Voice—FSGB Appointments: 79 Apply for AFSA College Scholarships Mike Pompeo’s Dereliction of Duty 79 Briana Odom Joins AFSA’s 72 AFSA Governing Board Meetings, Labor Management Team Dec. 16, 2020, and Jan. 21, 2021 79 Carson Relitz Rocker Joins AFSA Governing Board 73 Where We Stand—Data-Driven 80 AFSA on Dissent Decisions in Foreign Policy On the Cover—Illustration by Jeremy John Parker. Image adapted from Shutterstock. 6 MARCH 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS What We Need Now BY ERIC RUBIN y the time you read this column, insisting on protecting the most impor- tory—led to an exodus of talent and diver- the Biden administration will tant elements of our career corps. sity from the Senior Foreign Service. be in its second full month, Expanding the Foreign Service is criti- The SFS is now close to 90 percent Band many of the top jobs in our cal to addressing our most important chal- white and two-thirds male, and it is foreign affairs agencies should have been lenges, including advancing diversity. An significantly less experienced than in filled with the consent of the Senate. expanded Service with a larger overseas previous generations. This does not just AFSA has had extensive contact with presence will enable new approaches to affect retention, but also recruitment. the transition teams in all the foreign recruitment and hiring—and will raise If the best applicants don’t see a career affairs agencies, and we have already morale and retention. The Service has path to senior leadership positions in the had the opportunity to speak with the lost enormous ground in recent years and career Service, they will conclude that the Secretary of State and other confirmed needs to turn things around fast. only way to achieve such jobs is as politi- officials. If previous transitions are a Expanding the Service is essential to cal appointees. guide, it will be late summer or early fall respond to the legitimate criticism that We need to staunch the bleeding now before most positions are filled. FS careers include far too little long-term and return our Service to health. We look We hope that they all will be filled: the training and professional education. We to the new administration to show confi- previous administration chose to leave a cannot fulfill the vision first voiced by dence in our members and their abilities. vast number of key jobs vacant, at great former Secretary of State Colin Powell AFSA knows that the new adminis- detriment to our institutions and our 20 years ago of a real training float—and tration will appoint a mix of career and country’s interests. benchmarks for professional educa- political appointees to ambassadorships So far, initial signals are positive that tion—without having more positions and and senior domestic positions. If the the Biden administration is ready to more employees. proportions are (at a minimum) returned engage and consult with career employ- China now has more embassies and to historical norms of 70/30 career/politi- ees in a way the previous administration consulates, and more overseas diplomatic cal ambassador appointments, and a did not. AFSA does not intend to be personnel, than we do. If the United States high bar is set to ensure that all political complacent, however. abandons its role as the world’s leading appointees are truly qualified, our system We will be pushing hard on all fronts for diplomatic power and falls back solely on will be well positioned to deliver the best major, visible steps to return the Foreign its strength as the world’s leading mili- results for the president, his administra- Service to its rightful place at the center tary power, we are going to have to use tion and the American people. of foreign affairs and foreign assistance that military power more often, and our Qualifications may be in the eye of policymaking. We will be engaging with national interests will suffer severely. the beholder, but we know them when Congress and the administration to urge The U.S. cannot maintain a world-lead- we see them, and when we don’t. This more funding for our people, programs ing diplomatic corps if our best and most is too important and dangerous a time and operations. successful colleagues are unable to aspire to entrust our country’s vital interests We will engage to and rise to senior leadership positions. to anyone other than those who have enthusiastically on The staffing crisis during the previous demonstrated the ability, experience and proposals to reform, administration—with zero Senate-con- judgment to get the job done. modernize and firmed career assistant secretaries of State As always, I welcome your sugges- reinvigorate our and the highest percentage of political tions, comments and concerns. Please Service, while also appointee ambassadors in modern his- write to [email protected]. n Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2021 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] Vacant Retiree Vice President MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS John K. Naland: [email protected] Director, Programs and Member Engagement PROFESSIONALS State Representatives Christine Miele: [email protected] The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Joshua C. Archibald 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Manager, Outreach and Maria Hart published monthly, with combined January-February Strategic Communications and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Kristin Michelle Roberts Nadja Ruzica: [email protected] Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Carson Relitz Rocker Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Coordinator of Member Recruitment Jason Snyder writers and does not necessarily represent the views of and Benefits the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA.