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P U B L I S H E D BY T H E A M E R I CA N F O R E I G N S E R V I C E A S S O C I AT I O N APRIL 2020
CAREER MANAGEMENT TODAY
DISCOVERING A POST’S HISTORY
RETIREMENT 101
FOREIGN
SERVICE April 2020 Volume 97, No. 3
Focus on Career and Feature
Performance Management
53
The Power of Language
Here’s how an “English For Work”
program improved security in Kabul.
By Krishna Sharma
Retirement Supplement
JEFF MOORES
67
Retirement Planning 101
It may be years away, but the sooner
24 37 you think about and plan for your
Needs of the Service and State’s New MSI Program: retirement, the better it will be.
Those of Our People: Preliminary Results Are In By John K. Naland
The New HR By Raeka Safai
B y P h i l i p W. K a p l a n
73
41 AFSA Membership
27 What’s Next for SNEA? in Retirement:
By Donna Scaramastra Gorman
What’s in It for You?
Evaluation Reform at Besides camaraderie, there are paths
State: A Work in Progress to engagement and advocacy, access
By Alex Karagiannis
45 to unique practical information and
Balancing Act’s assistance—and it’s a good deal!
Formula for Driving By Dolores Brown
32 Institutional Change
Redesigning Foreign Life After the
B y L i l l i a n W a h l -Tu c o
Service Performance and Foreign Service
Promotion at USAID 48
By Martha Lappin
From the FSJ Archive
75
Managing a Foreign The Theater and
Service Career Policy Salon
B y M i c h a e l Fe l d m a n
78
FS Heritage The Inn by the Lake
By David Summers
49
Discovering Our Consulate’s History,
80
We Discovered Ourselves—Matamoros, Mexico Try the Smaller Pond
By Moises Mendoza B y J a n i c e We i n e r
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 5
FOREIGN
SERVICE
Perspectives
Departments
7 89 10 Letters
President’s Views Reflections
The Legacy of Tex Harris On the Road from Sibiu 12 Letters-Plus
By Eric Rubin By Jonathan B. Rickert
14 Talking Points
9 82 Books
Letter from the Editor
Diplomacy in the Time of Corona
By Shawn Dorman
Marketplace
20
Speaking Out
84 Classifieds
Breaking Away from
“Born, Not Made” 90 85 Index to Advertisers
By Andrea Susana Martinez Local Lens
D o n n a l l y a n d C h r i s t i n a T. L e Cessy, France 86 Real Estate & Property
By Kevin Keen Management
AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION
57 The Passing of F. Allen “Tex” Harris 57
58 State VP Voice—Giving the MSI the Attention
It Deserves
59 USAID VP Voice—Labor Management Relations
59 AFSA Governing Board Meeting
59 Everything You Need to Know about the TSP
60 FCS VP Voice—We’ve Seen This Movie Before
60 AFSA Seeks Volunteers for Elections Committee
61 AFSA on the Hill—Building on Fiscal Year
2020 Gains
65 Call for Nominations:
61 Retirement Planning Five to 10 Years Out 2020 Exemplary Performance Awards
62 Foreign Service Artists Featured at 66 AFSA Outreach Campaign Highlights the
AFSA Showcase Foreign Service as the First Line of Defense
64 AFSA Welcomes Incoming Classes 66 AFSA Hosts Breakfast for Ambassadors
On the Cover—Illustration by Jeff Moores.
6 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS
The Legacy of Tex Harris
BY ERIC RUBIN
T
he U.S. Foreign Service lost a Our country’s security and prosperity depend
giant in February when Tex
Harris left us. Tex did more than
heavily on our international engagement.
any single individual to build
today’s AFSA, and to lay the groundwork simply doing their jobs, reporting accu- the world still needs the United States
for AFSA to serve not only as the voice rately on what they observed, or for being to be a leader among nations to work
of the modern Foreign Service, but as its homosexual or suspected to be. At that for peace and progress. The post–World
stalwart defender and advocate, as well. time, AFSA did not stand up for them. War II era was shaped by the United
Tex also believed passionately that Let me be clear about where AFSA States. Its institutions were largely our
members of the Foreign Service could stands today: We will fight for our mem- creation. And the result was the single
not simply count on the goodwill of bers, and we will fight for the practice of longest period of peace and prosperity
management, but needed rules and diplomacy, which is the alternative to war. in human history.
procedures in place to make sure that We are passionate about our com- We serve our country, with dedica-
individual members of our Service were mitment to nonpartisan, nonpolitical tion and loyalty. But in working for
treated fairly and were able to defend service to our country. We will loyally our country, we work for the world.
themselves. serve whomever the American people Our country’s security and prosperity
At AFSA, we take seriously our obliga- elect as their leaders and work assidu- depend heavily on our international
tion to defend our members when they ously to ensure the success of the poli- engagement. No one can or will replace
encounter difficulties. We are proud that cies established by our elected leaders. the United States if it withdraws from
we raised enough money for our Legal But we expect respect for our patriotism engagement in the world’s affairs.
Defense Fund so that not one AFSA and service in return. Americans need us—and the world
member who was called to testify in the There are other things to say about needs us.
recent impeachment battle is left with a the legacy of Tex Harris. More than any Tex also passionately believed in
single cent of liability for legal fees. We other U.S. diplomat, Tex advanced the the importance of constructive dissent.
also have a significant balance of dona- notion that America is about values, that The culture of the U.S. Foreign Service,
tions to cover our members facing legal our country stands for more than just our and the value that we bring to the table,
bills in the future—and to defend our own self-interest. Along with Assistant emphasizes the importance of speaking
association if AFSA itself should encoun- Secretary of State Patricia Derian, he pio- truth to power—confidentially and inter-
ter legal challenges. neered the idea that our diplomacy must nally—and insists that we can only get
The lessons of the McCarthy period in include a commitment to basic norms of the right results in policy deliberations
the 1950s resonate to this day. Hundreds human rights, and that ignoring or sup- when there is a real discussion informed
of members of the porting gross violations of those values by career expertise and knowledge.
Foreign Service undermines our standing in the world. For those of you considering whether
were investigated, His human rights work in 1977-1979 to remain in public service, I repeat the
pilloried, perse- Argentina still stands as an outstanding request I have made before. Please stay.
cuted and fired for example for the Service. Please continue serving our country,
specious reasons— Surely we have not always lived up and know that the work you do mat-
in some cases for to that standard, to our principles. But ters—a lot. n
Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 7
FOREIGN
CONTACTS
SERVICE
www.afsa.org
Editor-in-Chief, Director of Publications
Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org
Senior Editor
Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org
Managing Editor
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Associate Editor (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Advocacy
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The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543),
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8 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Diplomacy in the Time of Corona
B Y S H AW N D O R M A N
A
s I write this letter (just before some very “inside baseball” elements of Our April Speaking Out argues against
we go to press in mid-March) managing a Foreign Service career and, in the notion that diplomats are “born,
from Baltimore, AFSA has particular, changes to the State HR Bureau not made.” The column’s authors make
moved operations to all-remote (in addition to its new name, Bureau of a compelling case for a change in State
work in response to the coronavirus out- Global Talent Management), as well as Department culture and for more system-
break, now pandemic. The president has to the evaluation processes at State and atic training, education and mentoring.
just held a press conference to announce USAID (the EER and the AEF). Perhaps the most significant space
a “national emergency.” Universities are We bring you updates on the MSI pilot in the Journal, the Speaking Out column
sending students home, sports events are and the special needs education allow- is where we can share different views
being canceled, and travel restrictions ance (SNEA) program, and a look at the on current issues for the FS community.
grow by the hour. Balancing Act organization, which shows In recent months, we’ve received fewer
News about the spread of the virus how employees can make change happen. Speaking Out submissions than ideal.
and how it’s being handled worldwide In addition, a special retirement section In hopes of inspiring wider participa-
changes hourly, and the U.S. domestic offers useful guidance on planning and tion in the Journal, I share here thoughts
response is still in the early stages. But profiles of life after the Foreign Service. from Editorial Board Chair Alexis Ludwig.
from the time the first cases in China
were made known, members of the U.S. Ours is an age of hyperventilation. or small, external or internal, large for-
Foreign Service posted all over the world There’s quite enough yelling and scream- eign policy questions or vexing person-
have been on the front lines, involved ing going on as it is, and no good reason nel problems. Whatever deserves a fair,
in helping track developments, marshal to join in. But how about reasoned transparent or different kind of airing.
data and information, liaise with foreign dialogue? How about cool-headed Whatever might need fixing.
governments and international organiza- argument with one’s inside voice? Isn’t A few possible examples:
tions, and keep U.S. citizens informed that what diplomats are supposed to do • Security clearance updates take too
about public health and travel. best, including amid intense and even long; here’s what needs to be done.
A monthly publication planned far in structural disagreement? • Here’s how to better utilize the
advance, the Journal is not a vehicle for We put forth a dispassionate, broadly diverse professional skills family mem-
breaking news. The stories, insights and informed perspective on a several-sided bers bring to the Foreign Service.
lessons learned from the diplomats grap- or controversial topic in the hopes of • The tangible value of a nonparti-
pling with this new world health crisis persuading others to take action, accept san, professional Foreign Service in a
have yet to be told. When they are, you a compromise course or at least under- polarized environment.
will find them here. stand where we’re coming from. Such • Here’s what’s wrong with the
In the meantime, we continue cover- engagement would seem welcome and assignment system and a plan to fix it.
ing topics relevant to our community, even tonic at a time like this. Please join the discussion. I urge you
such as this month’s Why am I writing this now? The FSJ to contribute your two cents or more—
focus on career depends on the Foreign Service com- if only to further ensure that the differ-
management. We munity as authors. Right now, we need ent sides of issues that matter to us are
take a close look at more submissions for Speaking Out, our duly aired, reflected on and argued.
opinion page. Speak Out! Because silence, too, can be
Shawn Dorman is the Issues worthy of speaking out about deafening. n
editor of The Foreign are not in short supply. They can be big —Alexis Ludwig
Service Journal.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 9
LETTERS
An Inspiring Look Every day across the ingly overwhelming obstacles. You chal-
at the U.S. globe, you work on the lenge powerful dictators and entrenched
The front section of the front lines to prevent wars authoritarian regimes, often in face-to-
January-February Foreign from breaking out, protect face encounters and on their home turfs.
Service Journal does a good American citizens, promote You press on.
job in reviewing the chal- economic prosperity, defend You are American diplomats and pub-
lenges of recent months democracy and prevent lic servants who have brought American
in the President’s Views, human rights abuses and ideals and values to the rest of the world
letters from readers and in atrocities. These are noble for decades—showcasing America as a
excerpts from online post- causes. powerful ideal and a counterweight to the
ings, and I plan to keep this Thank you all for your allure of centralized authoritarian rule
issue for its apt record of the important efforts to prevent the spread and use of that has captured much of the world’s
current events affecting our Service. nuclear weapons, chemical weapons and population for decades.
But it was Alexis Ludwig’s “Outside other weapons of mass destruction. Thank You work in an organization that is not
Observers See the United States in Ways you for engaging in continuous dialogue without its faults, and you face many of
We Ourselves Cannot” that I found with our allies and with our adversaries the same challenges that come with any
especially profound and uplifting. I day in and day out, year after year and large institution. You have no choice but
recommend it to all who on occasion decade after decade. to operate under conditions that are often
doubt the grandeur and endurance of Your work to promote and demon- constrained by regulations and layers of
the United States’ spirit. strate democratic values and advance a internal safeguards that have been put
With close to 20 years in the Foreign free, peaceful and prosperous world is into place to help ensure the integrity of
Service now, I found Ludwig’s piece not largely unseen to most Americans, yet the organization and provide accountabil-
only historically and intellectually well you continue to serve with little praise or ity to the American people.
researched and written (as are many FSJ recognition. But you overcome these and other
articles), but also simply—at the risk of You serve in challenging environments, hurdles, and strive on a daily basis to
sounding trite—good for my Foreign often risking your own lives in war zones, deliver excellence in service to our great
Service soul. in regions where there are dangerous pub- country and to all Americans.
Kristin M. Kane lic health epidemics and where the rule Thank you for doing all this and more.
Deputy chief of mission of law is oftentimes very little rule at all. Joseph Domask
U.S. Embassy Lisbon There are countless unsung heroes among DoMar Learning & Leadership founder
you who devote time, energy and internal Potomac, Maryland
Thank You for Your Service fortitude toward serving our country and
Thank you to all members of the promoting the security of Americans in Your Special Collection
Foreign Service for your service to our large and small ways. on McCarthyism and the
country. I write this to pay tribute to what Many of you spend years separated China Hands
I believe is one of the greatest institutions from family, often missing your children’s I learned about your addition of a new
in the world—the State Department—and special milestones, such as graduations, special collection on McCarthyism from a
to give thanks to all those who serve in this performances and more. Sacrifice is recent AFSA Daily Media Digest. I applaud
important institution and in the other U.S. required on a continuous basis to carry the timeliness of this initiative, and would
foreign affairs agencies. out the work that is required to help pro- respectfully suggest several additions for
I have spent half of my career in the tect America and our values. the sake of completeness.
State Department, most recently as a Even where the circumstances From the July-August 2008 FSJ, the
director and senior adviser within FSI’s sometimes appear hopeless and where following should also be on that list: the
Leadership and Management School, and authoritarian regimes have been in power letter from Ambassador Robert Service,
I have worked hand-in-hand with many of for many decades, you press on with the “Getting History Wrong”; the letter
you over these years. work at hand and challenge those seem- from Dana Deree, “Smearing the China
10 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALHands”; and my article, “Grace Under
Pressure: John Paton Davies.” I would
note that the latter was cited by historian
Bruce Cumings in his epilogue to Davies’
autobiography. [All of these can be found
in the FSJ Archive at www.afsa.org/fsj-
archive.]
Bob Rackmales
FSO, retired
Belfast, Maine
A Puzzling Statement
Kudos for the excellent interview with
Ambassador Hank Cohen in the Decem-
ber FSJ. We can be grateful for his service
and expertise in navigating the waters of
post-colonial Africa.
One of his comments puzzled me,
however: “The Cold War never had any
influence on U.S. policy toward Africa.”
I believe volumes could and have been
written saying that it did, and this was
certainly my experience during my tours
in Ethiopia and South Africa in the 1970s
and 1980s.
Chuck Ahlgren
FSO, retired
Incline Village, Nevada n
CORRECTION
In the March FSJ focus article
“When Lightning Struck Twice:
Drawing Down Mission Russia,”
Sergei Skripal is mistakenly identified
as a former officer of Russia’s Federal
Security Service (FSB) on pp. 39 and
40. Skripal was an officer of the Rus-
sian Main Intelligence Directorate
(GRU). We regret the error.
Please send
your letters to
journal@afsa.org
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 11LETTERS-PLUS
RESPONSE TO DEC. 2019 FSJ COVER STORY ON USAID TRANSFORMATION
The Purposes and Use of writes that “the purpose of foreign assis-
tance should be to end the need for its
Foreign Economic Assistance existence. All of our reforms are designed
to accelerate development progress and
work toward the day when partner coun-
BY RAYM O N D M AL LEY tries can finance and implement solutions
to their own development challenges.”
I
In my view and long experience, this
reflected with great interest ligan mentions affect and statement is too narrow. True, the prime
on Chris Milligan’s article, overlap with the work purpose of foreign assistance is to foster
“USAID Transforms,” in the of these other agencies. economic and social development. In
December 2019 edition of Some examples: USAID practice, however, that is far from the only
the Journal. It is hearten- and MCC often support purpose. Under every administration,
ing to hear that the agency development projects in USAID has been and continues to be a
continues to reform to keep up the same country; all agen- soft foreign policy tool with an array of
with the times, and I presume cies stress private-sector purposes. It is a flexible instrument, never
that the changes in structure and free-market-based used solely for development—no matter
are substantive and not mere approaches where possible; how much purists wish it were so.
movements on the administrative tableau. MCC and DFC, in addition to USAID, The additional purposes of USAID’s
But I have two comments. seek to co-finance with the private sec- work over the years and today are legion.
tor; the State Department also has major Many, of course, are closely related to
What About the Overlap? programs in health and humanitarian development, but some are only tangen-
First, in addition to USAID, U.S. eco- activities; and State, USAID and Treasury tially related and others are not related
nomic assistance relations with develop- manage relations with the various multi- at all. Here are some examples of other
ing countries are the prime responsibility lateral development institutions. purposes: to reduce civil strife and create
of four other agencies—namely, the Peace I assume that USAID took into account stability, including in failed states; to sup-
Corps, the Millennium Challenge Corpo- and discussed with these agencies how ply humanitarian assistance to the world’s
ration, the U.S. International Development the reforms relate to and affect their numerous refugees inside and outside
Finance Corporation, formerly the Over- responsibilities and operations, and that camps, and to assist victims of natural
seas Private Investment Corporation, and there are no problems in this regard. But, disasters such as hurricanes and earth-
the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. surprisingly, there is no mention of other quakes; and to promote countries’ transi-
Also, major departments of govern- agencies in the article. tions to democracy and free markets, as
ment—such as State, Treasury, Justice, was so important with the collapse of the
Agriculture and others—have assistance The Question of Purpose Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
spigots in their areas of competence. My second comment relates to the pur- Still other purposes are to support
Many of the USAID reforms Mr. Mil- poses of foreign assistance. Mr. Milligan friends and allies, even authoritarians
if necessary, such as South Korea’s Park
Raymond Malley, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, had a long and Chung-hee and Zaire’s Mobutu Sese
varied career with USAID and State. He negotiated and managed develop- Seko yesterday and Egypt’s President
ment and security projects in many countries, including Korea, India, Nepal, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi today; to spread
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Congo/Kinshasa; was U.S. representative to OECD’s influence and help counter the influ-
Development Assistance Committee; and was USAID’s contact with U.S. ence of adversaries, as in Eastern Europe
International Development Finance Corporation and Treasury. He also briefly headed the and the South China Sea right now; and
U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Later, he was a senior executive with the global Korean to uphold integral parts of treaties—for
manufacturing group Hyun Dai/Halla. He lectures, writes and teaches at Dartmouth’s lifelong example, assistance to Israel and Egypt
learning program. He and his wife live in Hanover, New Hampshire, and McLean, Virginia. under the Camp David Accords.
12 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALMultiple Objectives More Efficient
Further, U.S. assistance is supposed Organization
to support major foreign policy initia- These skills and budgets need not
tives and complement military opera- be centered in USAID, but they must be
tions, as in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghani- housed somewhere. Given political reali-
AFSPA
afspa.org
stan; assist in acquiring the use of ties, it is likely that things will remain as
foreign military bases; and support they are for the time being.
ASU Thunderbird School
U.S. exports and investments in That said, there are better ways to of Global Management
developing countries and create future organize these necessary capabilities that thunderbird.asu.edu/emagam
profitable markets. (Note that DFC and would result in greater efficiency and
TDA were created within USAID; when substantial administrative savings. One is Chambers Theory
proved successful, they were spun off to merge MCC into USAID. USAID would chamberstheory.com
under pressure from U.S. business be the major partner in such a merger,
interests.) but the MCC name would better describe Clements Worldwide
Of rapidly growing importance the wide range of responsibilities and clements.com/fsj
today, assistance is also used to address activities. Or create another name.
major issues that transcend boundaries, Our country then would have two
Episcopal Church Schools
of Virginia
such as global warming and the great main foreign economic assistance oper-
episcopalschoolsva.org
number of problems that stem from it, ating entities—the merged USAID/MCC,
as well as diseases, possible pandemics, dealing with most of the matters outlined Federal Employee
population pressures and mass migra- above; and the DFC (merging the smaller Protection Systems
tions. TDA into it), promoting finance and fedsprotection.com
USAID collaborates with other parts private investment in, and trade with,
of the U.S. government and bilateral developing countries. Some donor coun- Jake Realty Group
and multilateral donors in most of tries do, in fact, divide their assistance jackrealtygroup.com
these undertakings, and it contracts organizations in this way.
with numerous companies, universities Yet another approach would be to Property Specialists, Inc.
and nongovernmental organizations. merge USAID into State as a separate propertyspecialistsinc.com
It also represents the United States on bureau and specialty; now the two are
Richey Property
the Development Assistance Commit- partly joined and partly separate. At the
Management
tee of the Organization for Economic same time, State could seek control of or
richeypm.com
Cooperation and Development in Paris greater influence over the other assis-
and often to United Nations agencies in tance spigots. I have discussed these WJD Management
Rome and elsewhere. options in previous FSJ articles (see wjdpm.com
Are many of these wide-ranging Speaking Out in December 2010 and
activities likely to disappear or decline November 2009).
in importance in the near future?
Of course not. Can the United States The Future
as a country cease to address them? We live in complex and turbulent
No. Thus, it follows that we must con- times. World problems will continue to
tinue to have mechanisms, skilled per- accumulate as the decades pass. Most
sonnel and budgets to deal with them, of them can be addressed only with
even if—and this is most unlikely— substantial and wise use of soft power.
most or all of the world’s countries That is the argument for a continued and
reach satisfactory levels of economic expanded organization like USAID, suit-
and social development. ably transformed for the long term. n
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 13TALKING POINTS
GAO Report: State thing is wrong when most of those occu-
Department Struggles pying our most powerful positions are
with Diversity overwhelmingly male and overwhelm-
W hile the overall proportion of
racial and ethnic minorities
at the State Department has grown in AFSA/KIM GREENPLATE
ingly pale,” stated Menendez.
View the report at bit.ly/gao-diversity.
recent years, the proportion of African Trump Envoys Push Out
Americans and women serving in the Career Diplomats
department has declined, according to a
Feb. 25 report from the U.S. Government
Accountability Office.
Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), at
podium, hosts a briefing on the GAO
O n Feb. 5, Foreign Policy maga-
zine featured an exclusive report
about an issue AFSA has been watch-
report on Feb. 25. On the panel are, from
From 2002 to 2018, the proportion ing closely—the pushing out of career
right, AFSA Director of Professional
of racial or ethnic minorities among Policy Issues Julie Nutter, Ambassador diplomats by some political-appointee
the department’s full-time, permanent (ret.) Mari Carmen Aponte, GAO’s Direc- ambassadors.
tor of International Affairs Jason Blair,
career employees increased from 28 to President Donald Trump’s envoys
and Ambassador (ret.) Gina Abercrom-
32 percent. On the Civil Service side, bie-Winstanley. have removed their deputy chiefs of
the proportion of minorities decreased mission (DCMs) in South Africa, Canada,
slightly from 44 to 43 percent, while in the France, Iceland, Romania and the United
Foreign Service, the number increased diversity and representation throughout Kingdom, Foreign Policy reports. Some of
from 17 to 24 percent. the ranks of its workforce,” GAO stated, the ambassadors did so shortly before or
Though the overall number of adding, “However, longstanding diversity just after they arrived at post.
department employees rose from 16,570 issues persist at the agency.” “We are deeply concerned by the
to 22,806 during that time frame, the “State may have an incomplete picture number of removals of deputy chiefs of
proportion of African Americans fell of issues affecting diversity in its work- mission overseas, which are happening
from 17 to 15 percent of all employees, force,” GAO noted. “Taking additional at way above the normal pace,” AFSA
GAO found. The proportion of African steps to identify diversity issues could President Eric Rubin told Foreign Policy.
Americans in the Civil Service decreased help State properly direct its resources to “It’s generally very rare for a DCM to
from 34 to 26 percent from 2002 to 2018, investigate, identify, and remove barriers be removed by the ambassador. It does
while it increased from 6 to 7 percent in to a diverse workforce.” happen. Sometimes it happens for a good
the Foreign Service over that time. On Feb. 25 AFSA Director of Profes- cause. But it’s rare. And it is now becom-
The proportion of women in the Civil sional Policy Issues Julie Nutter partici- ing an epidemic.”
Service decreased from 61 to 54 percent pated in a congressional briefing on the FP reports that in past administra-
from 2002 to 2018, while the propor- report, hosted by Sen. Bob Menendez tions, career officials, including DCMs,
tion of women in the Foreign Service (D-N.J.) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.). “felt they had the support of the State
increased from 33 to 35 percent. “The results of this important report Department if their ambassadors were
The proportion of minorities and unfortunately show that despite some causing issues.”
women was much smaller at higher laudable efforts, the Department of State Lewis Lukens, who was ousted as
ranks, GAO found. For example, women has yet to cultivate the kind of diverse DCM from U.S. Embassy London in 2018,
make up 69 percent of jobs at GS-10 or and representative national security told FP: “When I was being told I had to
below, but only 38 percent of executive- workforce we need,” Sen. Menendez, leave seven months early, the answer
level jobs in the Civil Service. Minorities ranking member of the Senate Foreign from the department was, ‘Look, the
make up 65 percent of jobs at GS-10 Relations Committee, said in a Feb. 25 ambassador is a friend of the president’s,
or below, but only 13 percent of executive statement. he’s a friend of Trump’s, and there’s noth-
jobs. “Whether we are talking about the ing we can do.’ I imagine that some of
“State has implemented several plans, boardrooms of the Fortune 500 or the these other people are facing that same
activities, and initiatives to improve upper echelons of government, some- situation.”
14 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALSite of the Month: outstanding American or foreigner who
Mapping the Coronavirus has shown distinction in the conduct of
(bit.ly/cor-virus-map) diplomacy.
“We need to build a constituency
I f you’re interested in
tracking the COVID-
19 coronavirus, Johns
among Americans,” Amb. Yovanovitch
said in accepting the award. “Over the
last few months, I have received hun-
Hopkins University’s dreds of letters, from all over the United
Center for Systems States, from individuals thanking me for
Science and Engineer- AS OF MARCH 13, 2020 explaining what diplomats do. Clearly,
ing has put together a we need to do a far better job at commu-
dashboard showing real-time data data sources, including the World nicating our story.”
on the number of patients diagnosed Health Organization and the Centers Ambassador (ret.) William Burns
with the virus, the number of deaths for Disease Control and Prevention. joined Yovanovitch on the stage for a
and the number of people who have The dashboard was first shared question-and-answer session following
recovered by country. publicly on Jan. 22. “It was developed her remarks. You can view the event at
The dashboard also features to provide researchers, public health bit.ly/trainor-award.
a map that lets you track where authorities and the general public
coronavirus cases have been found. with a user-friendly tool to track the United States, Taliban
At press time, there were 136,929 outbreak as it unfolds,” according to Reach Peace Deal
confirmed cases of coronavirus
worldwide, and 5,065 deaths, accord-
ing to the portal. CSSE uses several
Lauren Gardner, an associate profes-
sor in JHU’s department of civil and
systems engineering.
T he United States signed a peace deal
with the Taliban on Feb. 29 in Doha,
marking the potential end of America’s
longest war. But media reports suggested
that key elements of the agreement were
starting to buckle just days later.
White House to Purge tration has “assembled detailed lists The agreement includes a 14-month
“Disloyal” Feds? of disloyal government officials to oust.” timetable for the final withdrawal of U.S.
T he White House confirmed that it is
seeking out disloyal employees in
federal agencies, Government Executive
According to a Feb. 21 Washington
Post article: “The National Security Coun-
cil, the State Department and the Justice
troops from Afghanistan, according to a
Feb. 29 New York Times report.
In exchange for the withdrawal of U.S.
reported on Feb. 25. Department are targets of particular troops, the Taliban promises to cut ties
“It’s not a secret that we want people focus, according to two administration with al-Qaida, the terrorist group respon-
in positions that work with this presi- officials, and there have recently been sible for the 9/11 attacks, and prevent the
dent, not against him, and too often we multiple resignations and reassignments use of Afghan soil to threaten the United
have people in this government—I mean at each of those agencies.” States and its allies.
the federal government is massive, with Hours after the agreement was
millions of people—and there are a lot Yovanovitch Wins reached, the insurgent Taliban and
of people out there taking action against Trainor Award Afghan security forces had resumed
this president and when we find them
we will take appropriate action,” White
House spokesperson Hogan Gidley told
A mbassador Marie Yovanovitch, who
retired from the Foreign Service not
long after testifying in the impeachment
fighting, Politico reported on March 2,
“marking an end to the reduction in
violence that paved the way for the
Fox News on Feb. 24. hearings, received the Trainor Award on agreement.”
This follows a Feb. 23 report on the Feb. 12 from Georgetown University’s Also on March 2, the Taliban refused
online news website Axios that over Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. to take part in talks with the Afghan
the past 18 months the Trump adminis- The award is presented annually to an government, Politico reported, until the
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 15government releases 5,000 Taliban pris- “The request has been made by the build out a peaceful resolution to their
oners. Under the terms of the peace deal, United States for the release of prisoners, now, what for them, is a 40-year struggle.”
the government-held prisoners were to and it can be part of the negotiations, but The New York Times added that the
be released in exchange for up to 1,000 it cannot be a precondition,” he added. war has cost $2 trillion and taken the
Afghan captives held by the Taliban by “No one is under any illusion that lives of more than 3,500 American and
March 10. On that date, according to the this will be straightforward,” Secretary of coalition troops and tens of thousands of
agreement, the Taliban was to start intra- State Mike Pompeo told CBS News’ “Face Afghans. About 12,000 troops were still in
Afghan negotiations. the Nation” on March 1. “We have built Afghanistan at the time of the peace deal.
On March 1, Afghan President Ashraf an important base where we can begin
Ghani—whose government was not to bring American soldiers home, reduce The Costs of
involved in the negotiations or the U.S.–Tal- the risk of the loss of life of any American Reconstruction
iban deal—told reporters that “there is no in Afghanistan, and hopefully set the in Afghanistan
commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners.” conditions so the Afghan people can
O n Feb. 5 the Special Inspector Gen-
eral for Afghanistan Reconstruction
reported that there were 5,135 casualties
50 Years Ago
in Afghanistan associated with recon-
struction or stabilization between April
The Quiet Battles 2002 and December 2018.
That number, according to SIGAR,
R ecently, in a course on American
society, I tried to convey to my
students some impression of what
losing purpose, to retain purpose
while implementing other people’s
ideas. It may thus mean being able
includes at least 284 Americans (216 U.S.
service members and 68 U.S. civilians)
who were killed in Afghanistan. SIGAR
it was like being a bureaucrat, in my to hold two ideas in his head at found that an additional 245 U.S. service
case, a Foreign Service officer. … once, the official one, the one he members and 76 U.S. civilians were
At twenty-two, when I entered may disagree with but implements, wounded.
the Foreign Service, one of the first and his own, the one he hopes to The report, “The Human Cost of
things I learned was that the Organi- introduce, quietly and effectively, Reconstruction in Afghanistan,” is
zation was not simply an extension perhaps years hence at the proper believed to be the first official accounting
of my personal development. It had time. … by an independent agency of the human
work to be done, and this perforce A bureaucratic career does pose costs of reconstruction in that war zone.
took priority over the work’s interest moral dangers. It can be thought of SIGAR found that 2,214 people
or usefulness to me. … as a series of battles, some of which were killed and 2,921 wounded dur-
By the time an officer has the will be lost. They are quiet battles ing the time period. It also identified
opportunity to exercise a satisfying and often lack the glamour of sit- 1,182 people who were kidnapped or
amount of initiative ins and picket lines, went missing. The majority of casualties
will he still be able to? but they are no less, occurred between 2008 and 2011, the
How much will the and perhaps are more height of reconstruction efforts according
“system” get to him…? decisive for the future of to SIGAR.
This, I believe, depends society. “While considerable effort is made
on him, on his quiet —Craig R. Eisendrath, to track the amount of U.S. dollars
day-to-day battles with a former Foreign Service spent, this review shows that we do not
himself, on his ability officer, excerpted from adequately capture the human cost of
to live fully into his his article of the same conducting reconstruction and stabiliza-
experiences, to retain title in The Foreign Ser- tion projects while combat operations
effectiveness without vice Journal, April 1970. are still ongoing, especially third country
nationals and Afghans,” the report states.
16 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALFreedom House Finds
Global Democracy Contemporary Quote
on Wane
D emocracy is under assault around
the world, according to Freedom
House’s “Freedom in the World 2020”
I’m confident we can handle it here. I’m confident we’ll
handle it better than any nation in the world.
—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in response to a question about whether the
report, released on March 4. United States could have as successful a response as China without imposing on
“This year’s report is deeply concern- people’s civil liberties, during an interview with CNBC, March 6.
ing, in that it finds that we are in the 14th
year of a global recession in democracy,”
says Freedom House president Michael
Abramowitz. “Almost twice as many States’ democracy ranking has fallen decade ago, its ranking was on par with
countries declined in their scores this several points, to 52nd on the list of 195 the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
year as improved, and those declines nations and 15 territories, according Twenty-five of 41 established democ-
aren’t just happening in places that you to the report. With a democracy score racies in the world have seen net losses
expect, like China or Russia, but also in of just 86 out of 100, the United States in democracy since 2006, according
established democracies.” falls behind Slovakia and Mauritius but to the report. “The most common areas
Over the past few years, the United just ahead of Argentina and Croatia. A of decline,” writes the report’s author,
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 17Sarah Repucci, “took place in functioning tool that our forces need to have available any confidence that they would respect
of government, freedom of expression to them in order to ensure mission suc- international law,” Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a
and belief, and rule of law.” cess and in order to reduce risk to forces,” former commander of U.S. Army Europe,
View the document at bit.ly/freedom- Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told told NPR. “So this is about being able
report. journalists on Jan. 31. to protect allies and protect our own
According to the Defense Department troops.”
U.S. to Allow Greater Use policy, the U.S. will continue to prohibit But many are opposed to the use of
of Land Mines? the use of any “persistent” land mines what they see as inherently indiscrimi-
I n January the Trump administration
rescinded the presidential policy on
anti-personnel land mines adopted by
(without a self-destruct/self-deactivation
function) per its commitment to the
Convention on Certain Conventional
nate weapons. The current policy, said
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in a Jan. 30
statement, “is the culmination of nearly
the Obama administration in favor of a Weapons. 30 years of incremental steps, taken by
new policy to be overseen by the Defense The United States did not join the both Democratic and Republican admin-
Department that will allow land mines to more than 160 countries that signed on istrations after extensive analysis and
be used in conflicts around the world. to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Russia and consultation, toward the growing global
The previous policy restricted the use China have not signed the treaty either. consensus that anti-personnel mines
of land mines to the Korean Peninsula. “I’ve seen nothing in my study of should be universally banned.”
“I think land mines are an important Russian or Chinese history that gives me “The Congress,” Sen. Leahy added,
“must be consulted before any decision
that would reverse the gains we have
made toward ending the carnage caused
by land mines.”
Senators Urge Field-
Forward Policy
I n early February, Sen. Chris Van Hol-
len (D-Md.) and Sen. Dan Sullivan
(R-Alaska), co-chairs of the Senate For-
eign Service Caucus, sent a letter to Sec-
retary of State Mike Pompeo urging him
to increase the deployment of members
of the U.S. Foreign Service overseas.
“From global health crises to emerg-
ing technologies to great power competi-
tion, the United States faces a diverse
and growing array of threats that demand
greater diplomatic engagement around
the world,” they wrote. “In addition to our
military and economic tools, diplomacy
is essential for advancing U.S. national
security interests.”
“Posting more State Foreign Ser-
vice abroad,” the senators continued,
“coupled with an increase in the Foreign
Commercial Service and Foreign Agri-
cultural Service, will help underpin U.S.
18 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALProud to Help Foreign Service
Families
Heard on the Hill needs of those we aim to help. I salute your
dedicated cadre of development profession-
Foreign Service officers play a crucial als that too often are working in or near very
role in furthering our national security dangerous circumstances. …
interests and promoting our values abroad, Turning to the matter at hand, the presi-
and their patriotic family members endure dent’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2021 is
frequent moves to support that service. nearly a 20 percent cut from the Fiscal Year
I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill to help 2020 enacted budget. I look forward to work-
remove the hurdles that make it difficult ing with the chairwoman in the weeks ahead
for Foreign Service families to access job on a bill that provides more appropriate levels
opportunities. of funding to address the serious global chal-
JOSH
—Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), in a Feb. 7 press lenges that we are confronted with this year.
release on the Foreign Service Families Act. —Representative Hal Rogers (R-Ky.),
ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations and
Supporting Commercial Policy Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee, at the
We’re also putting commercial diplomacy at the fore- hearing on the USAID budget request for FY 2021 with
front of our foreign policy to help confront China around USAID Director Mark Green, March 3.
the world through bills like my Championing American
Business Through Diplomacy Act. The original mission of Telling the Truth
the Foreign Service was to advance American interests, There are some 24,000 Civil and Foreign Service officers,
American business interests. It’s in their charter, and yet Mr. Secretary, who are also listening to you right now. They
many diplomats seem to forget that that is a fundamental know that they have a duty to implement this president’s
mission of the State Department, to advance our business policies and they do. You called them just a moment ago
interests abroad. “amazing people.” You know they’re not working against
—Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), from remarks at a this president. But they also feel they have a responsibility
Feb. 4 American Enterprise Institute event in Washington, to share with you and their president their best judgment
D.C., “How to Counter China’s Global Malign Influence.” to tell you the truth as they see it, whether it’s what the
leadership wants to hear or not. … Are you going to back
Funding USAID them up when they speak what they believe to be the
Let me start by once again acknowledging the good work truth? Are you going to stand by while people in the White
that you are doing at USAID and the collaborative manner House talk about purging your employees?
in which you do it. These are not easy times to be engaged —Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), questioning Secretary of
in international development: the challenging operating State Mike Pompeo at a House Foreign Affairs
environments from insecurity continue to mount as do the Committee hearing, Feb. 28.
global leadership and economic compet- abroad. According to the index, China to meet with the Secretary in the near
itiveness, strengthen linkages between now has the largest diplomatic network future to discuss this important issue.
the U.S. and other countries, and contain in the world. AFSA has long promoted a field-for-
Chinese influence abroad.” The senators request specific data ward Foreign Service to restore America’s
In their letter, the lawmakers cite the from State and pose several questions core diplomatic capability. n
Lowy lnstitute’s “2019 Global Diplomacy about the pattern of diplomatic postings
Index” to underscore the urgency of in recent years and going forward, stating This edition of Talking Points was com-
increasing the U.S. diplomatic presences that they would welcome the opportunity piled by Cameron Woodworth.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 19SPEAKING OUT
Breaking Away from “Born, Not Made”
B Y A N D R E A S U S A N A M A R T I N E Z D O N N A L LY A N D C H R I S T I N A T. L E
T
he Department of State’s Dip- Without a more significant investment in
lomatic Readiness Initiative
hiring surge from 2001 to 2004
education, we are abdicating our responsibility
included active recruitment for to prepare the next wave of diplomats.
specialized languages and experiences.
The expanded hiring should have been
matched with relevant changes to our that diplomats are “born, not made”— ernize the personnel systems on which we
organizational culture and accompanying remains pervasive. rely to ensure they reward talent and merit
systems like promotions, education, eval- This organizational culture is pre- (not simply years of service).
uations and assignments. Unfortunately, venting the State Department from
it was not. It is often said by department realizing the full potential of the wide Training: Ready, Set,
leaders that great diplomats “rise to the spectrum of people that make up our Diplomat
top” and “hard work is rewarded,” but department, including not only the We describe ourselves as learned,
it isn’t clear how a person’s efforts will ethnic, racial and religious diversity of and the Foreign Service Act of 1980
deliver promotions and opportunities. In our colleagues, but also nontraditional explicitly directs the executive branch
fact, what allows some to rise over others? structures such as international or to develop a corps of well-prepared
Director General Carol Perez’s recent interagency marriages, single parents, officers, “representative of the Ameri-
personnel reform efforts have sounded divorced tandem spouses and second- can people” and “informed of current
the alarm, highlighting the need for career professionals, among others. concerns and trends in American life,
a new organizational culture. But her The situation, perpetuated now by knowledgeable of the affairs, cultures
endeavors alone will not right the ship mostly outdated systems, is unlikely to and languages of other countries.” If the
of State so long as our community con- change unless we are aware of our out- department’s role is to conduct foreign
tinues to act on our antiquated thinking, dated views of the traditional workplace policy, it would stand to reason that
and our personnel systems do not fully and break with this arcane thinking. It is continuous education is important.
capture or keep pace with the diversity incumbent upon each of us to recognize Yet although we pride ourselves on
of our people. The rigid institutional that diplomats should be made with expe- being smart, we do not hold education in
identity underlying these systems— rience, mentorship and training, and that high esteem. Many among us have fondly
which can be summed up as a belief it is essential that the department mod- referred to learning the art of diplomacy
as “on-the-job training.” A more accurate
Andrea Susana Martinez Donnally joined the State Department Foreign Service descriptor is “learn as you go.” Newly
in 2004 after six years as an international trade specialist with the Foreign Com- arrived staff at a post, including first-tour
mercial Service. She has served in Colombia, Iraq, Tunisia, India and Cyprus, officers, are lucky if they receive notes
in addition to assignments in Washington, D.C. After joining the department, handed over by their predecessors. The
she married and now has three young children, a dog and a working partner. majority of training (not education) a
Christina T. Le joined the Foreign Service in 2009 and has served in Mexico, generalist receives throughout their career
Greece and Japan, as well as in Washington, D.C. She was president of the is in foreign languages or technical skills
Asian American Foreign Affairs Association from 2015 to 2018. She was a (e.g., budgeting and contracting).
co-recipient of the 2017 William R. Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent Mandatory leadership training for mid-
and a National Security Fellow at the Center for a New American Security. level specialists and generalists is given for
20 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALYou can also read
