DIPLOMACY IN TRYING TIMES - PULLING U.S. DIPLOMATS FROM THE FIELD - American Foreign Service ...
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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 2018
DIPLOMACY IN TRYING TIMES
PULLING U.S. DIPLOMATS
FROM THE FIELD
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FOREIGN
SERVICE April 2018 Volume 95, No. 3
Focus on the Journal’s Centennial Year
22 42
A Century of Journals
The Foreign Service Journal’s first
hundred years is a lively story of the DEFINING Now It Can Be Told
Steering a dynamic and
adventurous professional magazine
DIPLOMACY
development of an engaging and involves challenges as well as
authoritative professional magazine, accomplishments.
by and for the practitioners of By Steven Alan Honley
American diplomacy.
By Harr y Kopp
for
50
The Journal
34 Through Time
The Journal in Excerpts from Journal articles
Transition—The 1980s over the years highlight the
YEARS
As the Cold War lurched to an end publication’s rich legacy.
and the Foreign Service Act of 1980 Compiled by Dmitry Filipoff
came into force, new challenges and Susan B. Maitra
emerged and the Journal’s profile
got a refreshing boost.
By Stephen R. Dujack
Message
Feature
from the Hill
68
13 My Kingdom
Standing Up
for Diplomacy Above for a Door:
in SILVER FOIL on Cover
When Multitasking
B y S e n a t o r s C h r i s Va n H o l l e n
and Dan Sullivan
Goes Awry
Office Management Specialists
multitask perpetually, with masses
of detail and constant interruption.
A healthy dose of humor keeps
inevitable mishaps and all
the rest in perspective.
By Marsha Philipak-Chambers
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 5
FOREIGN
SERVICE
Perspectives 87
Family Member Matters Departments
International Day:
7 The American Problem 10 Letters
President’s Views By L aura Keyes Ellsworth
Pulling America’s Diplomats 15 Talking Points
from the Field 97 88 Books
By Barbara Stephenson Reflections
Those Unlikely Foreign Service
9 Friendships
Letter from the Editor By Dorothy Camille Shea Marketplace
Launching the FSJ Centennial
By Shawn Dorman 98 91 Classifieds
Local Lens
Hpa-An, 93 Real Estate
19 Myanmar
Speaking Out 96 Index to Advertisers
By James
Respect, Trust and Partnership: Adams
Keeping Diplomacy on Course
in Troubling Times
B y Te d O s i u s
AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION
73 AFSA President Asks Retirees to Speak Up for
the Foreign Service
74 State VP Voice—You Called?
75 FCS VP Voice—Commercial Service Promotes
Economic Security
75 AFSA at HBCU Conference
76 Retiree VP Voice—Continuing the Journey
76 AFSA Adds Two Names to Memorial Wall
77 AFSA On the Hill—The Ongoing Battle of the
Budget 76
78 Tax Tune-Up: What’s New in the Tax Cuts
and Jobs Act of 2017
85 AFSA Seminar: Retirement Planning
82 AFSA Meets with Global Ties Participants
Made Easy(er)
83 AFSA Seeks Award Nominations
85 AFSA Welcomes 15th Consular Fellows Class
84 Department Appeals 2014 MSI Case
86 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, February 21
84 Administrative Leave Policy
86 USAID Vice President Retires
84 Work Year: Did You Know?
On the Cover: A selection of Journal covers from 1919 to today. Design and composition: Caryn Suko Smith, Driven By Design LLC.
6 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS
Pulling America’s Diplomats from the Field
BY BA R BA R A ST E P H E N S O N
F
or all of us in the Foreign Service is that staffing cuts continue. In fact, by ranks of Minister Counselor, our two-
who have hoped that our fel- some reports, progress toward meeting stars, had fallen from 470 in December
low Americans might one day the goal of cutting 1,982 Foreign Service 2016 to 373 a year later, for a decline of
understand and value our work, I and Civil Service officers and special- more than 20 percent. These numbers
begin with the reminder that the state of ists from State’s rolls is running ahead of will continue to fall through the months
the Foreign Service and diplomacy is now schedule, even with Congress blocking to come.
front-page news. Let’s take a moment to the planned buy-out. One burning question: Will man-
savor that bump in recognition before I We see this downward trend most agement restore promotion numbers
move on to the bad news, the reason why clearly in the sheer decline in Foreign Ser- to normal levels, or repeat last year’s
the Foreign Service has become news- vice numbers. The number of Foreign Ser- unprecedented cuts?
worthy. vice officers at State fell by 236 between A restoration of healthy promotion
Just as no one thinks much about the March and December 2017 (from 8,176 to numbers is critical for the strength of
oxygen in the air until the rock rolls shut 7,940). With the hiring freeze still in place the Foreign Service as an institution,
at the cave entrance, so no one gave much at State (though lifted across the rest of designed to grow officers over the years
thought to the vital work of the Foreign the government), we expect the size of the by promoting the top performers in an
Service in maintaining America’s global FSO corps to be even smaller when the orderly flow up the ranks. It is also critical
leadership until it was in danger. In the Bureau of Human Resources releases the for mid-level officers, who see their path
face of sweeping cuts, our fellow Ameri- next quarterly figures March 31. to leadership blocked by the dramatic
cans are now alarmed about the conse- Entry-level hiring remains at the low- reduction in promotion numbers. For
quences of pulling America’s diplomats est level since the end of the Cold War, example, as promotions into the Senior
from the field. with just 101 new officers scheduled for FS were cut by more than half, the ranks
It started with the administration’s hiring in 2018, down from 370 in 2016. of FS-1s swelled, which in turn dims
proposed 32 percent cut to the Fiscal We see the loss also at USAID, where the promotion prospects for FS-2s.
Year 2018 foreign affairs budget, which number of FSOs serving today—1,685—is America must field an all-star Foreign
would translate into an 8 percent cut of well below USAID’s authorized strength Service team to deliver wins around the
personnel at State and USAID. Although of 1,850. world. Annual spending on core diplo-
Congress rejected such deep cuts as The higher an FSO rose in the com- macy, at $5 billion, has already fallen
tantamount to a “doctrine of retreat,” the petitive promotion system, the more by 25 percent since 2008. (For scale, the
personnel cuts continue apace, as though likely that officer is to no longer be on the defense budget is about $700 billion.)
Congress had actually enacted a budget Foreign Service team at State. Of the six Cutting diplomacy is not about balancing
slashed by a third. officers with the rank of Career Ambas- the budget.
There remains sador in December 2016 only two remain. The National Security Strategy says
confusion on this When Tom Shannon departs, State’s four- “We must upgrade diplomatic capability”
point: How can star ranks will be down to just one. to cope with escalating threats, so it’s hard
staffing cuts be To replenish the CA ranks, our institu- to argue that cutting diplomacy is about
proceeding when tion will look to the seriously depleted achieving our national security strategy.
Congress rejected Career Minister ranks, which stood at So what is the argument for pulling
the budget cuts? 33 in December 2016 and have fallen to America’s diplomats from the field and
The bottom line 18 today, for a decline of 45 percent. The forfeiting the game to our adversaries? n
Ambassador Barbara Stephenson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 7
FOREIGN
CONTACTS
SERVICE
www.afsa.org
Editor in Chief, Director of Publications
Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org
Managing Editor
Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org
Associate Editor
Donna Gorman: gorman@afsa.org AFSA Headquarters: BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Publications Coordinator (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 Director of Finance
Dmitry Filipoff: filipoff@afsa.org State Department AFSA Office: Femi Oshobukola: oshobukola@afsa.org
(202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Controller
Ad & Circulation Manager
USAID AFSA Office: Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org
Ed Miltenberger: miltenberger@afsa.org
(202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Assistant Controller
Art Director FCS AFSA Office: Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org
Caryn Suko Smith (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Administrative Assistant and Office Manager
Advertising Intern Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org
GOVERNING BOARD
Chenxiao “Johnny” Liu: adintern@afsa.org
President COMMUNICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP
Editorial Board Hon. Barbara Stephenson: Director of Communications and Membership
Eric Green, Chair stephenson@afsa.org Ásgeir Sigfússon: sigfusson@afsa.org
James “Jim” Bever Secretary Online Communications Manager
Angela Bond Hon. Tom Boyatt: tdboyatt@gmail.com
M. Allyn Brooks-LaSure Jeff Lau: lau@afsa.org
Treasurer Outreach and Communications Specialist
Lawrence Casselle
Hon. Earl Anthony “Tony” Wayne: Allan Saunders: saunders@afsa.org
Shawn Kobb
WayneEA@gmail.com Awards Coordinator
Alexis Ludwig
John G. Rendeiro Jr. State Vice President Perri Green: green@afsa.org
Priyadarshi “Pri” Sen Ken Kero-Mentz: keromentzka@state.gov Retiree Outreach Coordinator
Dinah Zeltser-Winant USAID Vice President Christine Miele: miele@afsa.org
Jeff Levine: jlevine@usaid.gov Retiree Counselor
FCS Vice President Todd Thurwachter: thurwachter@afsa.org
THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Daniel Crocker: Daniel.Crocker@trade.gov Member Accounts Specialist
PROFESSIONALS FAS Vice President
The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Ashley Dunn: dunn@afsa.org
2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is
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published monthly, with combined January-February Retiree Vice President LABOR MANAGEMENT
and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service John K. Naland: nalandfamily@yahoo.com General Counsel
Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. State Representatives
Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the Sharon Papp: PappS@state.gov
writers and does not necessarily represent the views of Lawrence Casselle Deputy General Counsel
the Journal, the Editorial Board or AFSA. Writer queries Anne Coleman-Honn Raeka Safai: SafaiR@state.gov
and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The Josh Glazeroff
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Email: journal@afsa.org Retiree Representatives USAID and FCS Staff Assistant
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Web: www.afsa.org/fsj
PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES
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ADVOCACY
Director of Advocacy
Vacant
8 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Launching the FSJ Centennial
B Y S H AW N D O R M A N
A
s we go to press with this issue about why one after another senior-
celebrating the start of The For- level diplomat has walked or been
eign Service Journal’s centennial pushed out the door.
year, I am thinking about the Is the U.S. Foreign Service as
editor 100 years from now looking back on misunderstood as that? Its founda-
this edition. I hope she can gain a sense of tion is the oath diplomats take to
the times from each issue of the magazine, the Constitution and a commitment
as we can today looking back. And I hope to serve the United States through
she is at her post in a powerful AFSA head- the administration in power. That’s
quarters, compiling bright voices from a what career diplomats do, making
strong Foreign Service. loyalty testing an alien concept.
Poking around in the incredible In the Journal Timeline, we have
archives of a century of Journals for high- pulled fascinating excerpts from
lights to share in this issue and during each decade that offer glimpses
the coming months, I am pulled in; I can of the rich legacy of diplomacy.
feel history come alive through the com- Frequent contributor and unofficial
mentary, the letters, the photos and ads. Foreign Service historian Harry
In another 100 years, what will Kopp leads the focus with the sur-
people make of the challenging time for prisingly lively story of the Journal’s
diplomacy we find ourselves in today? As first 100 years. Steve Dujack and
I write, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Steve Honley share their stories FSJ house ad that ran in multiple issues in the
late 1960s.
has just been fired by presidential tweet. of steering the Journal through the
His under secretary for public affairs 1980s and the 2000s.
released a statement about that firing, I started reading the Journal a would argue that the purpose and utility
and was himself fired just hours later. quarter-century ago, when I joined of the Journal endures—in both hard
The headlines today, March 15, include the Foreign Service and AFSA in 1993. copy form that arrives by old-fashioned
stories about new evidence of efforts to At my first post, Bishkek—where mail mail or pouch, and digital form that is
“clean house” at State of those suspected came only when we drove over the sharable and can boost engagement. A
of being “disloyal” to the Donald J. Trump mountains to Kazakhstan to pick it up, bridge between history and the present,
administration. Representatives Elijah email was just getting going (and all our it tells the story of our Foreign Service.
Cummings (D-Md.) and Eliot Engel messages were routed through the Kyr- Most magazines do not last, and
(D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the White House gyz president’s server!), and a call home almost none make it to 100. Please join
and the Deputy Secretary of State request- cost $3/minute—the Journal was a the FSJ Centennial Celebration by send-
ing information about lifeline. It was a connection to home, to ing us a note to fill in the blank regarding
reports of political Washington, to friends and colleagues your connection to the Journal: The Jour-
attacks on career around the world, and to the issues that nal is _____. Or send a photo of yourself
employees at State. concern us all. (or a friend or family member) reading
Rumors have Of course, we now have virtually the Journal wherever you are—the more
swirled for months unlimited options for connecting. But I distant from D.C., the better! Send sub-
missions to journal@afsa.org. n
Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 9
LETTERS
Appreciation for EERs and bidding are distinct and press the amount of time spent in writing
Creative Thinking separate instruments. Employee perfor- the EER and in Selection Board process-
I really enjoyed Rob Kirk’s mance reviews are designed to ing—the latter to perhaps as little as three
article “Applying Behavioral Eco- determine an employ- to four weeks—while enhancing its value.
nomics to the State Department” ee’s future capacity to Separately, overhauling the bidding
in the January-February Journal. be entrusted with greater and assignment systems—in part by
Kudos to the author for his responsibilities irrespec- adopting the planned Talent Map (and
serious and thoughtful insights tive of a next posting. eliminating multiple bidding seasons
into reform. Kudos to AFSA We’ve gotten into bad and streamlining the types, numbers
for printing the article, and habits by overfocusing and scale of differentials)—and impos-
to the Department of State on competencies—skills ing greater Service discipline could
as an organization in which and knowledge—instead of reduce that time sink, as well.
creative thinking can still be integration and the capacity Each system could share common
appreciated. to succeed when dealing with elements but would be tailored to
I hope management is paying greater complexity in people, policy and specific requirements. HR had moved
attention to some of these very good programs in both internal and external forward on both initiatives, but that was
ideas. I recall receiving a notice on a environments. superseded by the “Redesign.” So it is
travel voucher that I had “overclaimed Assignment decisions are different: unclear when they can be fully funded
approximately 15 miles” on a 300-mile they are designed to ascertain a good/ and implemented.
road trip. I detoured around a traffic better/best fit among candidates bid- More broadly, any future models,
accident, thereby saving approximately ding on a given position in a specific behavioral or otherwise, must account
an hour of time. cycle, and draw from a substantially for unique FS circumstances when it
I could have gone back and forth with smaller competition group than promo- comes to individual needs and corpo-
the voucher examiner, but the few dol- tion decisions do. rate requirements and goals.
lars difference was definitely not worth If EERs are a time sink now, imagine The department must avoid the chi-
my—or the Department of State’s—time. what they would be like if that assess- mera of free market/controlled economy
I don’t know what the procedure is ment information were not only subject dichotomy models. Rather, it should be
now, but at the time, employees were to negotiation between rater, reviewer relentlessly focused on outcomes that cut
being told to record actual mileage for and employee but would also be pub- clutter and complexity, reduce rigidities
each trip—in itself a waste of time if the licly available to bureaus. The integrity, and identify, adopt, adapt and apply sim-
department was already capturing mile- validity and usefulness of both instru- ple, clear and direct systems and processes
age using online mapping resources. ments would suffer. that strengthen institutional capacity.
Carol Stricker The answer is not to have one docu- This requires strong leadership in the
FSO, retired ment serve two purposes, but to refine department and AFSA and collabora-
Arlington, Virginia and revamp the two distinct systems. tion between them; and employees and
The first step would be to adopt a other stakeholders must be thoroughly
Refine and Revamp state-of-the-art performance manage- integrated into change management. The
Two Systems ment system (now increasingly used in the current climate of budget pain, work-
Rob Kirk’s “Applying Behavioral private sector) that incorporates frequent force reductions and a focus on process
Economics to the State Department” rater/employee conversations, taps into efficiencies suggests that those necessary
(January-February) makes many valid multidirectional input while minimizing structural and systemic changes are not
and interesting points. Some, though, unnecessary narrative, and asks salient immediately on the horizon.
conflate disparate principles or are questions about projected future capacity. Yet these changes are both necessary
impractical, most notably the proposal Such a system would require a new IT and doable, and should be priorities for
to “dual-use” Employee Evaluation architecture and would, if private sector both the department and AFSA. The Ser-
Reports for bidding and assignments. experience is a guide, considerably com- vice has precious little time to undertake
10 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALsignificant and meaningful change that early August and waited several weeks for
strengthens individual employees and them to deploy. When the team arrived
the institution as a whole. in September, they had access to funds
Alex Karagiannis and were able to procure desperately
FSO MC, retired needed supplies including body bags,
Falls Church, Virginia gloves, antibiotics, space suits, etc.
Thankfully the Centers for Disease
Deficiencies in Control and Prevention was in Sierra
U.S. Crisis Response Leone and in the region in numbers. It
I write in reference to Jim Bever’s was CDC expertise that saved the day.
article on Ebola preparedness in Ghana Experts understood the disease and
(January-February) and earlier articles by how it spread. They helped set up quar-
Jimmy Kolker, Nancy Powell and Gwen antine and treatment wards, as well as
Tolbert (May 2017) discussing how the laboratories. They taught public health
State Department organized to combat control measures, established a hot line
Ebola globally. Elsewhere, there was lots and counseled health officials—both
of press coverage of U.S. military assis- local and international—on mechanisms
tance in Liberia. to control the spread of the scourge.
While all of these reports are accurate, Back in Washington later in the fall,
all of the activities described came after the department organized itself to cope
the fact, and the reports gloss over defi- with Ebola, but the horse was long gone
ciencies in the U.S. government response. from the barn.
The Ebola crisis was well underway in Happily, lessons were learned, and
Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea by mid- we are, hopefully, better prepared for
summer 2014. (I was chargé d’affaires in the next round.
Freetown in August and September 2014.) Robert E. Gribbin
Surrounding nations, including Ambassador, retired
Ghana, stuck their heads in the sand, Springfield, Virginia
isolated their neighbors and did not
provide assistance. The U.S. government Retirement Ready
was also way behind the curve. The Ebola Here’s a note to congratulate The
response group for Sierra Leone in the Foreign Service Journal for wisdom and
department was headed by an intern! foresight, and to tell you how happy I was
Moreover, the U.S. military would not for all future FS employees when reading
even answer the phone until instructed the superb article by Donna Gorman,
to do so by President Barack Obama in “Are You Retirement Ready?” (January-
mid-September 2014. By the time mili- February), which encourages you to
tary personnel arrived in Liberia several prepare for retirement from your first day
weeks later, the crisis was beginning to on the job to your last.
subside, and even then they were hesi- I found the section “Going Beyond 20”
tant to engage. U.S. troops never made it especially important. I do not agree with
to Freetown. Thomas Cymer: You may get a higher-
USAID was slow to react in Sierra paying private sector job, but usually not
Leone, as well. It had no presence there, lower-cost rent, utilities, etc.
so there was no local ability to gear up. The last section, “Take Action,”
We requested a USAID DART team in rounded out the points beautifully, mak-
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 11ing you think of what state you want to be lack of local ownership, the gested I convert to the Civil
in after retirement. overwrought focus on indica- Service. When I opted not
I hope you will enclose this excep- tors and log-frame templates, to do that, but filled vacant
tional article or something similar in and the heavy emphasis on Foreign Service positions
the welcoming package of every new FS relieving extreme poverty at the State Department
employee—foremost secretaries (now FS (which P.T. Bauer, whom in Washington, D.C., I was
specialists). I quote in the piece, warned by the Director Gen-
If I’d had this information when I joined reminds us is “altogether eral in writing that I would be
in 1973, I certainly would have had a larger different” than development). fired if I did not go overseas. So
pension than I now have. Instead my article focuses on 40 years I volunteered for a position overseas and
The advice truly reveals a caring, of criticism by people with development went alone.
soul-reaching Foreign Service. Makes me aid experience who are thoughtful about Sounds like very little has changed,
even more proud to have been a member. it. And what they’ve said has not been sadly, to assist Foreign Service personnel
Kudos to the author! listened to—that, among other criti- with special needs children.
Catherine I. Postupack cisms, aid for development has become Robert Ward
FSO, retired a self-perpetuating industry; that it pretty FSO
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania much ignores political, cultural and social Washington, D.C.
structural complexity; and especially
On Foreign Development Bauer’s historically demonstrable point An Unfortunate Pairing
Aid: Tom Dichter Responds that “foreign aid is patently not necessary I want to point out the distasteful
I am writing in response to the critical to emerge from poverty.” juxtaposition in the March Journal of a
discussions of my November critique Myers and Malley seem to ignore the cover article on sexual harassment in
of development assistance by Desaix central point in my piece: the develop- the Foreign Service (“#StateToo: Ending
“Terry” Myers and Raymond Malley in ment aid industry cannot face Bauer’s Harassment at the State Department,”
the March “Letters-Plus.” critique because if it did, it would have by Ambassador (ret.) Leslie Bassett) and
Mr. Myers says I do not define what to commit to a reduced future for itself: the back page ad for liability insurance
I mean by foreign aid. Perhaps I failed a less central role, less money and fewer in case one is ever accused of “gender
by not being explicit enough. I thought jobs. My discussion of the growing discrimination.”
my repeated use of the term “develop- numbers of stakeholders and their addic- I’m going to assume this was an
ment,” along with the data on some of the tion to lucrative aid contracts serves as unfortunate coincidence, because it’s a
agencies that work in that sphere, would evidence of that self-interest. bad look for both AFSA and the adver-
make clear that I refer exclusively to aid for Thomas Dichter tiser if it isn’t.
development and thus not for diplomacy, Washington, D.C. Beth Milton
national security, disaster relief, military FSO
sales, etc. Parents of Special Needs Foreign Service Institute
Mr. Myers claims that “constant re- Kids Want to Serve
invention” undertaken by USAID, the I would like to comment on the March Correction
World Bank and others is evidence that Speaking Out, “Families with Special The name of the co-founder and
the aid establishment does listen to its Needs Kids Need Support,” by Kathi Silva. current CEO of the employment agency
critics. But the reinvention Meyers notes I am an FSO with two special needs Serving Talent, quoted in the March
amounts to a dumbing down of develop- children. In my experience, which began article, “Still Waiting: Family Member
ment aid in response to the public and 20 years ago, there was zero help from Employment Today,” was misspelled.
Congress. MED or HR. Though I asked both for assis- The correct name is Marcelle Yeager.
It is, indeed, these political pressures tance in identifying any post where I could We regret the error. n
that, as both Mr. Myers and Mr. Malley go overseas, I got no answer from either.
admit, give us the short-termism, the When I pressed the issue, HR sug-
12 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALA MESSAGE FROM THE HILL
Standing Up for Diplomacy
B Y S E N AT O R S C H R I S VA N H O L L E N
A N D D A N S U L L I VA N
T
he global challenges con- U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and the ment must remain
fronting the United States are U.S. Marine Corps—have been at the forefront of
evolving and growing. Roiling around for years and have American engage-
conflicts in the Middle East, formed a broad, bipartisan ment around the
Africa and Southeast Asia have led to base of supportive senators. world.
refugee crises across borders; terrorist Noticeably, however, the Senate Since its
networks have expanded their reach into had not formed an equivalent founding last year,
the information space; and North Korea’s caucus for the men and women of the 21 senators have come together from
rapidly developing nuclear program U.S. Foreign Service. both sides of the aisle, and all commit-
has tested the security of our regional Like the Armed Services, whose tees, in caucus meetings with Deputy
alliances. Russia’s election meddling members defend this country in uni- Secretary of State John Sullivan and
has sharpened societal divisions in the form, the Foreign Service is comprised of Under Secretary of State Tom Shannon,
United States and Europe. professionals who serve the elected lead- to engage in active and open dialogue,
In this unpredictable environment, ers of our country regardless of party and focusing on the critical role the Foreign
diplomacy—vigorous, tireless and opti- who sacrifice—alongside their families— Service plays in our national security and
mistic—is an absolute imperative. Rec- to advance American interests abroad. foreign policy. As we progress into 2018,
ognizing this critical need, and the need This mission underscores the purpose of we remain committed to continuing that
for broader discussion in the Senate, the the Senate Foreign Service Caucus and engagement with the State Department.
two of us undertook a bipartisan initia- the bipartisan view that the State Depart- In these discussions we all acknowl-
tive to form the Senate Foreign Service
Caucus in the spring of last year.
Congressional caucuses are typi-
cally formed as a way for members with
like-minded interests to come together
to support a common cause or constitu-
ency and advance specific policy priori-
ties. In the Senate, caucuses for every
branch of the military—U.S. Air Force,
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is a
member of the Senate Appropriations
Committee and the son of a Foreign Service
officer. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
is a member of the Senate Armed Ser-
U.S. SENATE
vices Committee and a former assistant
secretary of State for economic, energy and
Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan is flanked by Senator Chris Van Hollen,
business affairs under Secretary of State at right, and Senator Dan Sullivan in a meeting of the Senate Foreign Service Caucus
Condoleezza Rice. on Dec. 20, 2017.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 13In the face of proposed cuts, the Senate stitutional role in U.S. international
relations, the Senate has been steadfast
Appropriations Committee chose instead as one of the strongest champions for
to make key investments in American democracy and human rights abroad. As
diplomacy, development and national an institution, we have historically held
the view that promoting human rights,
security. democracy and the rule of law is not
only consistent with universal values but
edge that the public debate about In the report accompanying that also serves our long-term security and
America’s role in the world shifts from legislation, the senators stated: “Defense economic interests.
administration to administration in alone does not provide for American As our colleague Senator John
ways that can have a significant impact strength and resolve abroad. Battlefield McCain (R-Ariz.) said last May: “Our
on the work of the Foreign Service. technology and firepower cannot replace values are our strength and greatest
While Republicans and Democrats may diplomacy and development.” treasure. We are distinguished from
disagree on some of the contours of our That is why the Senate also bol- other countries because we are not made
foreign policy, there are moments of stered assistance to our trans-Atlantic from a land or tribe or particular race or
clarity when big issues—like fully fund- partners, particularly those on Russia’s creed, but from an ideal that liberty is
ing the State Department—come into front line. We provided comprehensive the inalienable right of mankind and in
focus and bipartisan resolve turns to funding for global health programs that accord with nature and nature’s Creator.”
action to ensure America maintains its help prevent the spread of disease. We We commend our Foreign Service for
leadership in the world. supported refugees, disaster assistance not only promoting these values and ide-
Given our unique backgrounds in for- and efforts to counter violent extrem- als, but for supporting others in achiev-
eign policy, we both feel strongly about ism. Our message could not have ing them. Our diplomats are the finest in
the crucial role our State Department been clearer: we believe a strong State the world. We in the Senate are tremen-
must continue to play. We have listened Department is critical for the security dously grateful for your service and your
closely as our nation’s military leaders and prosperity of our nation. sacrifice. You have our enduring support
emphasized the importance of the State Although our politics at home can in the pursuit of our common goal: a bet-
Department and its diplomatic mission sometimes seem divided, in its con- ter America in a better world. n
to the Defense Department. Secretary
of Defense James Mattis summarized it
best in his now famous admonition to
legislators: “If you don’t fund the State
Department fully, then I need to buy
more ammunition ultimately.”
And last September the Senate
Appropriations Committee voted
unanimously in favor of a bill appropri-
ating more than $51 billion for the State
Department and the U.S. Agency for
International Development. In the face
of proposed cuts that would amount to
one-third of the budget for these critical
agencies, the Senate Appropriations
U.S. SENATE
Committee chose instead to make key
investments in American diplomacy, On Dec. 20, 2017, the Senate Foreign Service Caucus held a roundtable discussion with
development and national security. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan on the international affairs budget.
14 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALTALKING POINTS
The Ongoing Push to
Slash State’s Budget … Contemporary Quote
and the Pushback Rex and I have been talking about this [his departure] for a long time.
W ith its FY 2019 budget proposal, the We got along actually quite well. But we disagreed on things. When
administration is once again trying you look at the Iran deal, I think it’s terrible. I guess he—it was O.K. I wanted to
to push through large cuts of 30 percent either break it or do something. And he felt a little bit differently. So we were
to the State Department and USAID. No not really thinking the same. With Mike, Mike Pompeo, we have a very similar
thought process. I think it’s going to go very well. Rex is a very good man. I
clear justification, or any justification, has
like Rex a lot. I really appreciate his commitment and his service.
been given for such drastic cuts.
And once again, there are members —President Donald Trump, speaking to the press on March 13 following his tweet announc-
of Congress and military leaders speak- ing that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would be replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
ing out against the cuts and in support
of strong budgets for diplomacy and
development. countries like Russia and China who are real answers.” The authors dispute State’s
On Feb. 11, a group of 151 retired already filling the void left by America’s claim that the Foreign Service is not
three- and four-star officers from across diminishing role in the world.” shrinking under Tillerson’s tenure.
all branches of the military sent a letter Fortunately, he continued, “it is Con- They point out that the department’s
to congressional leaders urging that they gress—not the president—that has power employment numbers include “low-
fight to fund the State Department. “As of the purse, and I urge my colleagues level visa examiners” who, by regulation,
you and your colleagues look ahead to the to join me in ensuring that like last year, cannot join the regular Foreign Service.
federal budget for Fiscal Year 2019, the these draconian cuts are dead on arrival “This is like saying that the Army has fired
world has not grown any safer since many to Capitol Hill.” generals and replaced the numbers with
of us wrote a similar letter to you last year,” In a Feb. 23 article in The Hill, Ambas- privates, so the Army is still the same,” say
they note in this year’s letter. sador (ret.) Ronald Neumann and Senior Neumann and Karagiannis.
“Today’s crises do not have military FSO (ret.) Alexander Karagiannis urged The battle over funding appears poised
solutions alone,” the letter says, “yet Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to “provide to drag on for some time. Diplomats at
America’s essential civilian national
security agencies—the State Department, 50 Years Ago
USAID, Millennium Challenge Corpora-
tion, Peace Corps and other development
agencies—faced a significant cut last
The Resurrection of NATO
year. Many senior leadership positions
remain unfilled, undercutting America’s
global influence.
A mericans who work in international organizations are subject to a rather
specialized affliction. They have to get used to reading every week or two
that their organization is dead. I noticed this in the years I spent working on the
“We call on you to ensure our nation United Nations; and when I arrived in Paris two years ago, I found the death of
also has the civilian resources necessary NATO was also being widely and prematurely reported. … The North Atlantic
to protect our national security, compete Treaty Organization has been around long enough so that everybody thinks he
against our adversaries, and create oppor- knows about it. But the trouble is, what is known seems often to be badly out
tunities around the world.” The letter was of date. .… All in all, it’s an exhilarating time for an American to be working in
signed by, among others, former chiefs of Europe, and in the North Atlantic Alliance. For NATO has not only moved, bag
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and baggage, from Paris to Brussels; NATO has also moved from peacekeeping
and Special Operations. to peacemaking, from the management of a cold war to the management of a
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), ranking continuous peace.
member of the House Committee on —Ambassador Harlan Cleveland, “The Resurrection of NATO,”
Foreign Affairs, released a statement on April 1968 FSJ.
Feb. 12 calling the proposed cuts “a gift to
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 15posts across the globe continue to do civil, political and worker rights” as set discrimination be pared down.
their jobs in support of U.S. foreign policy forth in the Universal Declaration and Further, the “Reproductive Rights”
objectives even as they await news on the other international agreements. subsection is expected to be changed to
fate of their department. On Feb. 21, Politico reported that a “Coercion in Population Control.” Coer-
top aide to the Secretary of State ordered cive measures to control family plan-
Human Rights Report drafters of the 2017 Human Rights Report ning, such as forced abortions, are still
Missing Language on to remove language discussing women’s expected to be tracked in the new report.
Women’s Rights? reproductive rights and discrimination. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), the
T he Universal Declaration of Human
Rights turns 70 in December. Since
the late 1970s, the State Department
The directive, which came just days
before the report was to be released,
calls for removing passages that describe
ranking member of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, called the depart-
ment’s decision “appalling,” adding that
has been required to submit an annual family planning, including access to he is alarmed at the “alleged efforts to
report to Congress—Country Reports on contraceptives and abortion, according water down or delete critical sections.”
Human Rights Practices—documenting to Politico. It also orders that the sec- State Department Spokeswoman
“internationally recognized individual, tion detailing racial, ethnic and sexual Heather Nauert responded to ques-
tions about the report by noting that
SITE OF THE MONTH: REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS the changes “will sharpen the focus of
the report on abuses of internation-
ally recognized human rights and the
A ttempting to track journalistic
freedom in one country is itself a
daunting task, but Reporters Without
most egregious issues.” She said that
the way the department “presents the
report’s material has changed from time
Borders (RSF) does that globally. RSF to time,” insisting that “this year we are
ranks each country by the freedom better focusing some sections for clar-
extended to the fourth estate and ity.”
displays these rankings on a colorful, But another State Department official
interactive, map. The United States is in 43rd place told Politico that “this sends a clear signal
RSF, an independent nongovern- on the list of 180. “Despite the bleak that women’s reproductive rights are not
mental organization founded 30 years outlook under Trump, it bears repeat- a priority for this administration, and that
ago and based in Paris, has been com- ing that his predecessor left behind a it’s not even a rights violation we must or
piling the World Press Freedom Index flimsy legacy for press freedom and should report on.”
annually since 2002. access to information,” RSF notes. On Feb. 26, a letter from 165 human
The index is meant to be a snap- The Obama administration rights, health and development organiza-
shot of media freedom based on prosecuted more “leakers” than any tions was sent to Secretary Rex Tillerson
various aspects including pluralism, previous administration. “To this day,” “to raise our deep concern about news
independence of the media, quality RSF states, “American journalists are that the State Department’s annual
of legislative framework and safety of still not protected by a federal ‘shield Human Rights Report will no longer
journalists in each country. law’ guaranteeing their right to protect highlight the full range of abuses and
Norway tops the recently released their sources and other confidential human rights violations experienced
2017 list with a freedom score of 7.60, work-related information.” most especially by women, girls, LGBTQI
indicating the highest amount of With foreign sections, bureaus people, and other marginalized peoples
journalistic freedom in the world. By in 10 cities and 130 correspondents around the world.”
contrast, Eritrea and North Korea sit internationally, the RSF tracks and The letter calls on the Secretary to
at the bottom of the list, with scores of advocates for freedom of the press “uphold the credibility of this important
84.24 and 84.98 respectively. around the world. human rights tool” and calls on him to
intervene and reverse course.
16 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALOrdinary Citizens must inform families in the States when
Supporting the a loved one dies overseas, ensure fair
Foreign Service treatment of Americans in foreign pris-
A s a former Foreign Service offi-
cer who lives in London, Carol
Madison Graham knows a bit about the
ons and help in child abduction cases.
1(800)Home has already expanded
into Greece and Australia, and is look- AFSA Online Marketplace
mission of the U.S. State Department. ing to start chapters in other countries, afsa.org/afsa-marketplace
When proposed cuts to the Foreign Ser- as well.
vice were announced in AFSPA Ancillary Programs
2017, she saw members AFSPA.org
of Congress, academics
and military personnel Clements Worldwide
reacting negatively, and Clements.com/FSJ
publicly. But she didn’t
see a response from Greenway Funding Group
ordinary Americans like www.dannylends.com
COURTESY OF CAROL GRAHAM
herself.
Graham realized that Hirshorn Company
while many expats rely on Hirshorn.com
services provided at their
embassies—especially Supporters of the Foreign Service at the January launch
Homewood Suites
consular services—few of 1(800)Home in London. HomewoodArlingtonVA.com
knew how to express
their thoughts about the Foreign Service On their website, www.1-800Home. Jack Realty
in a way that would be heard by their org, the group explains American con- www.jackrealtygroup.com
representatives back home, or by the sular functions (in particular, American
diplomats themselves. So, along with Citizen Services), and provides links to Patriots Colony
a few other London-based expats, she information, such as travel alerts and www.riversideonline.com
decided to launch a new organization in social media sites, available on the State
January called 1(800)Home. Department’s website. ProMax
Most of the founders are long-term According to Graham, more than Promaxrealtors.com
expats, many of whom first went abroad nine million Americans live outside of
as college students and, as Graham the United States, with some 67 million WJD Management
explains, “we understand that when travelling abroad in 2016 alone. “Ameri- wjdpm.com
misfortune and tragedy occur far from cans abroad have been the missing part
home, we need our Foreign Service.” of the equation in speaking out for our
1(800)Home began as a non-partisan consuls and our embassies,” she says.
Facebook page, where expats and others “As ordinary citizens, we are proud to
could band together in support of the stand with members of Congress, mili-
work that the Foreign Service does, and tary leaders, education leaders and our When Contacting An
expanded to include in-person meetings. fellow Americans in support of a strong Advertiser, Kindly Mention
The group held a reception at which Foreign Service.” n The Foreign Service Journal
Ron Packowitz, head of American Citi-
zen Services at U.S. Embassy London, This edition of Talking Points was
spoke about the burden of responsibil- compiled by Donna Gorman, Shawn
ity carried by consular officers who Dorman, Theo Horn and Susan Maitra.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 17Don’t Downgrade Diplomacy An Irreplaceable Component
This administration has routinely denigrated the respon- I firmly believe that strong investments in diplomatic and
sibilities of our diplomatic and development corps and development programs are an irreplaceable component
deemed them low priorities for American foreign policy. … of our national security. In fact, our most senior military
Of 163 total Senate-confirmed positions to the State commanders have told us this “soft power” helps prevent
Department and USAID, the Trump administration has the need for military intervention and facilitates operational
failed to fulfill its duties to nominate individuals for 65 of success when military action is necessary.
those positions. This problem is further compounded by That is why I am once again disappointed by the severe
the poor management, dangerous political guidance and cuts proposed in the president’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget for
arbitrary hiring freeze at the State Department, which has the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
prompted an alarming exodus of seasoned diplomats from Programs. … We will certainly review this budget proposal,
the government, weakening our ability to but ultimately Congress has the respon-
Heard on the Hill
promote our interests. If we do not have sibility to equip our leaders with both the
voices present to speak, no nation can authority and resources needed to advance
listen to us, and America’s diplomatic our national security interests.
and development institutions and critical —Representative Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) in a
personnel cannot become an afterthought Feb. 12 press statement on President Trump’s
to the Trump administration. proposed budget for FY 2019.
We cannot continue to allow the
pulpits where we preach American values Frontline Civilians
to remain vacant. President Trump must Every day, diplomats work to advance the
understand American leadership can only interests of the United States often at embas-
occur if American leaders are present on sies and consulates in the most dangerous
the international stage. Prioritizing dip- pockets of the world. They risk their lives
JOSH
lomatic nominations only when there are to be our nation’s frontline civilians, and
sudden crises is not a strategy and not in are faced with having to adapt to changing
the national security interest of the United States. technologies that often come with security risks—including
—Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), ranking member of the location-tracking consumer devices that reveal movements
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a March 11 statement. around the world.
That’s why we introduced the Protecting Diplomats
We Will Act Again on the Budget from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act, which
A strong, bipartisan coalition in Congress has already acted requires the State Department to account for these devices
once to stop deep cuts to the State Department and Agency for in the security policies of U.S. embassies and consulates
International Development that would have undermined our worldwide. As lawmakers, we have a moral responsibility to
national security. This year, we will act again. take all necessary steps to ensure these brave diplomats and
As I’ve said, diplomacy helps keep America strong and our development workers have the protections they deserve.
troops out of combat. Our country faces urgent threats from —Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Rep.
North Korea, Iran and terrorists around the world. Programs Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), from a Feb. 12 press release.
that are vital to our national interests should be prioritized.
—Representative Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chair of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, in a Feb. 12 statement on President
Trump’s proposed FY 2019 international affairs budget.
18 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALSPEAKING OUT
Respect, Trust and Partnership: Keeping
Diplomacy on Course in Troubling Times
BY TED OSIUS
W
hen John Kerry swore me that I decided in 2017 to resign and join Closer to Home
in as U.S. ambassador to a number of other senior Foreign Service And then the outrages came even
Vietnam in 2014, I said it officers headed for the exit. While each closer to home. I was asked to press the
was a “dream come true” of us has a different reason for depart- government in Hanoi to receive from the
to be able to serve as America’s represen- ing, many of my friends and former United States more than 8,000 people,
tative in a country I have loved for more colleagues are deeply worried about the most of whom had fled South Vietnam on
than two decades. policy direction of the current adminis- boats and through the jungle in the years
A three-year tour as ambassador in tration, as am I. I fear that some policies immediately following the war.
Hanoi was the high point of my 30-year are diminishing America’s role in the The majority targeted for deporta-
career in the Foreign Service and the world, and decided that I could not in tion—sometimes for minor infractions—
honor of a lifetime. The high-water mark good conscience implement them. were war refugees who had sided with the
of that tour was hosting President Barack Many of us who were determined United States, whose loyalty was to the
Obama during a history-making visit to to strengthen America’s role in Asia flag of a nation that no longer exists. And
Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City one mil- considered that abandoning the Trans- they were to be “returned” decades later
lion people turned out to welcome him, Pacific Partnership trade agreement was to a nation ruled by a communist regime
and I knew we had done something right. a self-inflicted wound. America left the with which they had never reconciled. I
I am deeply grateful to the Foreign playing field to those who do not share feared many would become human rights
Service, not only for the privilege and joy our values, and left American jobs there, cases, and our government would be
of three decades of adventures (mostly too. Others grieved the U.S. abdication of culpable.
in Asia), but also for my family. Thirteen- responsibility regarding climate change, I assessed that this repulsive policy
and-a-half years ago I met my future especially in a year marked by multiple would destroy our chances of success in
spouse in a business meeting of GLIFAA storms so immense that they are sup- pursuing President Donald Trump’s other
(formerly Gays and Lesbians in Foreign posed to happen only once in 500 years. goals for relations with Vietnam: reducing
Affairs Agencies), an employee affinity A large number of colleagues voiced their the trade deficit, strengthening military
group. By extension the Foreign Service dissent regarding the so-called “Mus- relations and coping with regional threats
gave us our 4-year-old son and 3-year-old lim travel ban,” abhorrent in a country to peace such as those emanating from
daughter. whose true strength derives from its North Korea. I voiced my objections, was
A diplomatic career also allowed me diversity. What happened to the nation instructed to remain silent, and decided
the great privilege of serving something that welcomed “your tired, your poor, there was an ethical line that I could not
bigger than myself: the United States of your huddled masses yearning to breathe cross if I wished to retain my integrity. I
America. So it was with mixed emotions free”? concluded that I could better serve my
country from outside government, by
Ted Osius is the vice president of Fulbright University Vietnam. He served as helping to build a new, innovative univer-
U.S. ambassador to Vietnam from 2014 to 2017. A founding member of GLIFAA, sity in Vietnam.
he was a U.S. diplomat in Indonesia, India, Thailand, Japan, the Vatican and At a ceremony in the Treaty Room at
the Philippines, and worked on Asian challenges from the White House, the State, with a portrait of Thomas Jeffer-
United Nations and the State Department. son looking on, I had the opportunity to
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 19Real, powerful partnership comes when real partnership was only possible if
we ended the ostracism. We showed
you build trust. And you build trust by respect and built trust with Indonesia
finding where interests converge, and by re-engaging with the special forces,
then doing things together. while respecting international human
rights norms.
Vietnam. The war left massive scars.
A real partnership was only possible
if we dealt honestly with the past. We
showed respect and built trust with
Vietnam by pursuing the fullest-possi-
reflect on three decades of service, behind The Power of Respect ble accounting of those lost, removing
me the flags of countries where I had For those who choose to remain and unexploded ordnance and cleaning
served as a junior-, mid-level and senior who love diplomacy as I do, I offer a few up dioxin. And we were honest and
officer. My spouse, an African American thoughts on what can be done to best respectful about even our most pro-
man, stood at my side. Our children, serve the United States, even in difficult found differences over human rights.
Mexican-American, rode on our shoul- times. I learned in my last three posts—
ders while Deputy Assistant Secretary India, Indonesia and Vietnam—about Building a Partnership
Constance Dierman acknowledged the the power of respect, trust and part- When I first visited Vietnam in 1996,
sacrifice of service, including the sacri- nership. The United States casts a long the year after we normalized diplomatic
fices that families make. My mentor of 26 shadow, and when we show respect relations, our countries could hardly
years, Ambassador (ret.) Cameron Hume, it has a big impact. Showing respect envision a partnership. The past was a
presented a U.S. flag to my spouse. means figuring out what is really, truly heavy burden, and the differences in
I reminded the mentors, mentees, important to our partners and taking our political systems were irreconcil-
colleagues, friends and family members that seriously. It costs America almost able. But Vietnam had, and still has,
attending of what another departing nothing and gets us almost everything. leaders who are committed to finding
diplomat, Tom Countryman, said at his Showing respect builds trust. Real, where interests converge and then
retirement: “We [must be] firm in our powerful partnership comes when you doing things together. And the United
principles, steadfast in our ideals, and build trust. And you build trust by find- States had leaders like Senator John
tireless in our determination to uphold ing where interests converge, and then McCain (R-Ariz.), former Secretary of
our oath—to ‘defend the Constitu- doing things together. The diplomat’s State John Kerry and, later, President
tion against all enemies, foreign and job is to find those shared interests and Obama, who were also committed to
domestic.’” make them the bases of our actions. All our comprehensive partnership.
Now more than ever. The chal- those cables, all that contact work, the So, together, our two countries deep-
lenges to the Foreign Service, and to outreach—all of it should lead to action. ened trade and security and people-to-
our democracy, are existential. Some Here are three examples: people ties. During my tour as ambas-
who remain at State feel besieged and India. India’s nuclear tests put it sador, we prepared for not one, but two
demoralized. Yet I urge those Foreign outside the nonproliferation regime. presidential visits to Vietnam, as well as
Service officers who believe in making a A real partnership was only possible if visits to the United States by Vietnam’s
difference to remain, if possible, because we ended the ostracism. So the United General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong
it is still a privilege to serve our country. States showed respect and built trust by and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
I continue to believe the experienced pursuing a civil-nuclear initiative with Building trust wasn’t easy, because
diplomat’s language, regional expertise India. we had to keep earning it. We had to do
and deep understanding of a global chal- Indonesia. Indonesian special forces what we said we’d do. For example, we
lenge will pay off, and give that individ- committed atrocities during the Suharto promised the Vietnamese people we
ual the chance to change a bit of history. regime, so we didn’t engage them. A would continue cleaning up dioxin, also
20 APRIL 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALYou can also read
