Rules for Re-entry Q breign Service Joui 1.25 JANUARY 1983 How muc can SUITES AS LOW AS $40* conference room facilities for both business meetings and pleasure entertaining. Why stay in a small hotel room, when you can live in one of our spacious suites, com¬ Our location is just where you want to be plete with fully-equipped kitchen, for only — centrally located — with the State $40* per day! Department, Kennedy Center, George Washington University, and many govern¬ And, we’ll provide many pleasant extras, in¬ ment agencies nearby. cluding valet service, laundry facility, groceries to stock your refrigerator and a Make your per diem dollar really stretch. complimentary morning newspaper deliver}'. Call or write for information and reservation. Enjoy the Sherry Cafe, well-known in the * Based on monthly rate. Equally attractive area for fine dining, plus a range of small rates for shorter stays. FORMERLY SHERRY TOWERS HOTEL 2117 E Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20037 (800) 424-2859 (202) 861-8200 ForeignService.Jou, ■! COVER: Will the ever-increasing stockpiles of superpower nuclear weapons make Atlas shrug? In this issue we look at a new proposal to help ease the burden. Pen and ink by Steve Mendel son. Officers and Members of the Counterpoint: State’s Ranking System 19 Governing Board DENNIS K. HAYS, President In response to the article by RaymondJ. Wach in the last ANTHEA S. DE ROUVILLE, Vice President issue, the director of personnel evaluation argues that State’s DOUGLAS P. BROOME, Second Vice ranking system is fair and dependable. By John Rouse. President IRVING A. WILLIAMSON JR. , Secretary BROOKE HOLMES, Treasurer Rules for Re-entry 22 RALPH E. BARNETT, JUANITA L. NOFFLET, Coming home and starting over is something most Foreign AID Representatives JAROSLAV J. VERNER, USIA Service employees will eventually face. These ten rules could Representative ADRIAN A. BASORA, BARBARA HUGHES make the transition easier. By Dick Irish. THOMAS J. MILLER, State Representatives Restarting START 26 L. DOUGLAS HECK, SPENCER KING, CHARLES S. WHITEHOUSE, Retired Representatives The START talks in Geneva seem stalled. Authors David Staff Linebaugh and Alexander Peters review existing arms-limi¬ CECIL B. SANNER, Acting Exec. tation proposals and suggest a plan of their own. Director!Administrative Director SUSAN HOLIK, General Counsel SABINE SISK, Members’ Interestl Journal: Memories of Saigon 32 Grievance Representative PAT GUILD, Executive Secretary A message from Washington sends a Foreign Service officer Congressional Liaison from the lazy pleasures of the Riviera to the coups, demi- ROBERT M. BEERS coups, and coupettes of 1964 Saigon. By Howard Simpson. Scholarship Programs DAWN CUTHELL Letters 2 Foreign Service People 36 Foreign Service Journal Book Reviews 8 Association News 38 Plus (Ja Change 18 Foreign Service Tax Guide .41 Editorial Board JOHN D. STEMPEL, Chairman DAVID WILSON, Vice Chairman FRANCIS X. CUNNINGHAM The Foreign Service Journal is the magazine of profes¬ persons having an active interest in, or close associ¬ JAMES ROUSH sionals in foreign affairs, published 11 times a year ation with, foreign affairs. Membership dues are: TAIRA ST. JOHN by the American Foreign Service Association, a Active Members—Dues range from $52 to $117 non-profit organization. Material appearing herein annually. Retired Active Members—Dues are $40 JAROSLAV VERNER represents the opinions of the writers and does not annually for members with incomes over $20,000; necessarily represent the official views of the De¬ $25 annually for less than $20,000. Associate partment of State, the U.S. Information Agency, Members—Dues are $25 annually. All dues pay¬ Staff the Agency for International Development, the ments include $7.50 allocation for the Journal and STEPHEN R. DUJACK, Editor United States Government as a whole, or AFSA. Association News, per AFSA Bylaws. Subscription to the Journal-, one year (11 issues), FRANCES G. BURWELL, Associate While the Editorial Board is responsible for general content, statements concerning the policy and ad¬ $10.00; two years, $18.00. For subscriptions go¬ Editor ministration of AFSA as employee representative ing abroad, except Canada, add $1.00 annually. under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 on the edito¬ Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. rial page and in the Association News, and all and at additional post office. POSTMASTER: Send Advertising Representatives communications relating to these, are the responsi¬ address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E JAMES C. SASMOR ASSOCIATES, bility of the AFSA Governing Board. St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. Microfilm copies of current as well as of back 521 Fifth Ave., Suite 1700, issues of the Foreign Service Journal are available ©American Foreign Service Association, 1983. New York, N.Y. 10017. through the University Microfilm Library Services, 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. (212) 683-3421 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, under a contract 20037. Telephone (202) 338-4045. Offices in JOSHUA B. POWERS, LTD., signed October 30, 1967. State Dept.: 632-8160/2548 Membership in the American Foreign Service 46 Keyes House, Dolphin Sq., Association is open to the professionals in foreign January 1983- Volume 60, No. 1. ISSN 0015- London SW1. 01-834-8023/9- affairs overseas or in Washington, as well as to 7279. International Representatives. What do LETTERS ike. JFK Questioning ‘Europe’ Robert Olson is probably right in empha¬ sizing the possibilities for and strengths of a more consensual and pluralistic decision¬ making structure within the Atlantic alli¬ & Nixon ance {“The European Question,” Novem¬ ber]. However, his view that a withdrawal by the United States from its European preoccupations will ease current East- West tensions can be challenged. It is pre¬ have in cisely the guarantee of American friend¬ ship, cooperation, and protection that makes possible the pursuit of European economic and political interests in the na¬ common? tional and supranational spheres. There is no guarantee that the Europe¬ ans would achieve a renewed sense of pur¬ pose and unity if left to their own devices. Indeed, any adjustment in the territorial They were moved by status quo—which has provided peace and stability for thirty-five years—would re¬ quire American and Soviet cooperation. FIDELITY STORAGE Also, the American presence in the alli¬ ance makes the German economic and military resurgence palatable to the French From presidents to outside of the Beltway, with and the British and encourages (albeit fre¬ plenipotentiaries, super-secure vault storage for quently in opposition to U.S. desires) Eu¬ Washingtonians choose Fidelity your silver and other valuables. ropean unity. Storage, the company with We are the only State A U.S. policy of withdrawal from Eu¬ more than 75 years of Department contractor with rope, which Olson claims would benefit experience. Fidelity is one of both a quality control program both the United States and Western Eu¬ the area’s largest moving and and fulltime inspector to rope, would not automatically be in the storage companies, with six ensure the highest standards. interests of the Europeans. It is true that during the 1970s Europe has developed locations throughout the metro increasingly different economic and securi¬ area—from the District to We have moved Patton, ty interests from those of the United Virginia to Maryland. MacArthur and Doolittle. States. We need to respond to these inter¬ Fidelity’s warehouses are the From generals to general ests and concerns and not act on a belief largest and most advanced service officers, join a moving that a policy that benefits us will naturally containerized facilities inside or crowd. be in the interests of our allies. Finally, by questioning the stability of the U.S. commitment to the defense of Europe, Olson’s provocative article may well push the Europeans away from unity and steadfastness of purpose. It is precisely the fear of gradual U.S. withdrawal from European concerns that recently led Chan¬ cellor Kohl—who is no Bismarck—to of¬ fer Americans repeated assurances of Ger¬ man military, political, and ideological allegiance. Although the pax americana of Inbound or Outbound, Storage or Air Freight, call Fidelity Storage the early post-war period is clearly over, (703) 971-5300 • PO Box 10257, Alexandria, Va. 22310 this is not the time for even a gradual disengagement from Europe. Only after 2 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Now Available to American Foreign Service Protective Association Members New High'Limit Accident Protection at Economical Group Rates. Even with today’s updated safety 1. WAR RISK COVERAGE — coverage is also provided while standards, serious accidents can Group Accident Protection pro¬ you’re driving or riding in a car. and do happen — anytime, any¬ vides up to $150,000.00 in bene¬ or while a passenger on common where. Having protection against fits for covered accidents result¬ carriers such as trains, ships, such misfortune is especially ing from an act of war. These subways, taxis or buses. important to Foreign Service types of accidents are usually ex¬ But that’s not all! You’ll also have personnel. cluded from coverage in other this protection for the countless That’s why AFSPA is pleased to accident plans. accident risks you face every day make available to its members, 2. 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