PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION JUNE 2014 MEMORIAL CEREMONY HONORS USAID FSO REVAMPING THE SAT EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT FOREIGN DIPLOMATS ON DIPLOMACY FOREIGN June 2014 SERVICE Volume 91, No. 6 AFSA NEWS FOCUS OTHER COUNTRIES’ DIPLOMATIC CORPS The Foreign Service Remembers Antoinette “Toni” Tomasek / 43 A Legal Alien: Working at State As State VP Voice: Post-Benghazi Security / 44 a Turkish Diplomat / 21 FCS VP Voice: Reflections A Transatlantic Diplomatic Exchange Fellow from Ankara discovers more on the Past Year / 45 similarities than he expected when he spends a year in Foggy Bottom. AFSA Welcomes First APHIS BY ÖMER MURAT Governing Board Rep / 45 Agreement on Ambassador Certificates / 46 The Indian Foreign Service: The Glass Gets Fuller / 24 FSPS Annuity Supplement: Global winds of change are sweeping through the corridors of A Reminder / 46 India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Foreign Service, Retiree VP Voice: On WAEs / 47 opening up the process of foreign policy delivery. USAID Honors Antoinette BY KISHAN S. RANA “Toni” Tomasek / 49 USAID 2014 Survey / 50 AFSA Leaders Meet Life and Work in the Romanian Foreign Service / 30 Secretary Kerry / 53 A former Transatlantic Diplomatic Exchange Fellow reflects on the similarities AFSA On the Hill: Happy 90th from and differences between the Romanian and American diplomatic corps. the Virginia General Assembly! / 54 How to Reduce the Public BY DIANA TASE Diplomacy Deficit / 55 Book Notes: Diplomacy From Finland with Warmth / 34 in the Information Age / 56 Revision of FAM Regulations / 56 A Finish FSO explains some of the unique features of the Finnish Foreign Service, including “sauna diplomacy.” AFSA President Speaks in Austin and NYC / 57 BY AARETTI SIITONEN New TLG Intern Comes to Washington / 57 FEATURE COLUMNS Our Woman in Havana / 39 President’s Views / 7 Even in hostile environments, FSOs effectively represent U.S. interests through Telling Our Diplomacy Stories open communication. Here is one case study. BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN BY VICKI J. HUDDLESTON Letter from the Editor / 8 Diplomats of the World, Write! BY SHAWN DORMAN EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Speaking Out / 16 Publishing in the Foreign Service The Revamped SAT: A Much-Needed Overhaul BY YANIV BARZILAI or Cosmetic Surgery? / 59 Reflections / 93 Shirley Temple Black: The SAT is being overhauled. What does it mean? A Natural Diplomat BY FRANCESCA HUEMER KELLY BY TED WILKINSON DEPARTMENTS When School Is Hard / 64 Letters / 9 What do you do when your child is struggling in school? This primer Talking Points / 12 can help get you started on identifying and solving the problem. Books / 81 BY MICHELLE GRAPPO Local Lens / 94 Schools Charts / 75, 76 MARKETPLACE Marketplace / 15 On the cover: At AFSA’s May 2 Memorial Ceremony at the State Department another name was Classifieds / 83 added to the plaques honoring members of the Foreign Service who lost their lives while on active Real Estate / 87 duty. Antoinette “Toni” Beaumont Tomasek, a USAID FSO, died on June 26, 2013, in Haiti. Photo: Bob Index to Advertisers / 90 Burgess. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2014 5 FOREIGN SERVICE Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Managing Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected] Ad & Circulation Manager Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] CONTACTS AFSA Headquarters: LABOR MANAGEMENT Art Director (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 General Counsel Caryn Suko Smith State Department AFSA Office: Sharon Papp: [email protected] Editorial Intern (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Deputy General Counsel Bret Matera USAID AFSA Office: Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Labor Management Specialist Advertising Intern FCS AFSA Office: James Yorke: [email protected] Yuting “Cibil” Lu (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: [email protected] Contributing Editor GOVERNING BOARD Staff Attorney Steven Alan Honley: [email protected] President: Raeka Safai: [email protected] Robert J. Silverman; [email protected] Editorial Board Staff Attorney Secretary: Angela Dickey: [email protected] Andrew Large: [email protected] Jim DeHart, Chairman Treasurer: Hon. Charles A. Ford; [email protected] Labor Management Counselor Hon. Gordon S. Brown State Vice President: John Long: [email protected] Stephen W. Buck Matthew K. Asada; [email protected] Executive Assistant Ruth Hall USAID Vice President: VACANT Maria C. Livingston Sharon Wayne; [email protected] USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser Richard McKee FCS Vice President: Douglas Broome: [email protected] Beth Payne Steve Morrison; [email protected] USAID Staff Assistant John G. Rendeiro Jr. FAS Vice President: Chioma Dike: [email protected] Duncan Walker David Mergen; [email protected] Tracy Whittington Retiree Vice President: MEMBER SERVICES Clayton Bond (AFSA Governing Board liaison) Lawrence Cohen; lawrencecohenassociates@ Member Services Director hotmail.com Janet Hedrick: [email protected] State Representatives: Deputy Director, Member Services and Events THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Clayton Bond Kristy Pomes: [email protected] PROFESSIONALS Todd Crawford Coordinator, Retiree Counseling The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Chuck Fee Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is pub- Todd Thurwachter: [email protected] lished monthly, with combined January-February and Ken Kero-Mentz Associate Coordinator, Retiree Counseling July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Elise Mellinger and Legislation Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Nancy Rios-Brooks Matthew Sumrak: [email protected] Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Sue Saarnio Administrative Assistant and Office Manager writers and does not necessarily represent the views of Lillian Wahl-Tuco the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries Ana Lopez: [email protected] and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. The David Zwach Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, USAID Representatives: COMMUNICATIONS photos or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. Andrew Levin Director of Communications The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply Jason Singer Kristen Fernekes: [email protected] endorsement of the services or goods offered. Journal FCS Representative: Director of New Media subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] dues; student–$30; institution–$40; others–$50; Single Barbara Farrar issue–$4.50. 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I have been at many posts between her and Malala of Maiwand, a award winners on June 18, in where the need for a missionwide contact young Afghan heroine killed in battle in the State Department’s ornate database was frequently invoked, but no the 19th century. In fact, Malala of Swat’s A Benjamin Franklin Room. I one had the time or expertise to take own- parents had named her after Malala of hope you will come. For those who can- ership of it. In Ankara, Ms. Backman did, Maiwand, hoping she would be equally not attend, the September Foreign Service and it is now being relied on for July Fourth brave. Addleton believed the link to the Journal will provide full coverage. invitations and other events. famous figure would inspire courage and As usual there will be two broad catego- We had other strong OMS nominations. advance the cause of female education. ries recognized, outstanding performance Carol Johnson in Embassy Accra exempli- Addleton’s op-ed was “spiked” in and constructive dissent. I am always on fies the senior OMS in the front office who Washington, ostensibly out of concern that the look-out for good Foreign Service sto- projects the professionalism and com- it could strengthen conspiracy theorists ries, and this year’s nominations yielded a petence that sets the tone for the entire claiming that the U.S. government was bumper crop, so I decided to tell a couple embassy. In Embassy Baghdad, Mariam behind the