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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 N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Diplomatic Couriers: “Eyes On”
Sensitive Cargo for 100 Years
IN THEIR OWN WRITE
FAMILY LIAISON AT 40
FOREIGN
SERVICE November 2018 Volume 95, No. 9
Cover Story:
Diplomatic Courier Service Centennial
Focus on
22 31 Foreign Service
None Swifter From Pouches to Cargo: Authors
Than These Diplomatic Couriers
A veteran courier salutes the Today
Diplomatic Courier Service’s first The couriers’ mission has not
34
100 years and a career that changed, but their scope of work
In Their Own Write
offers both satisfaction and and responsibility have expanded We are pleased to present this year’s
the opportunity to serve. dramatically. collection of books by Foreign Service
By James B. Angell By Vince Crawley members and their families.
53
Of Related Interest
Here are recent books of interest
27 to the foreign affairs community
U.S. Diplomatic that were not written by members
Couriers: of the Foreign Service.
A Historic
Timeline 59
Coming into
Their Own ‘Write’—
A Look Back at an FS
Women’s Writers’ Group
Feature
64
The Family Liaison Office—
Making a World of Difference for 40 Years
Each generation has redefined and built on the work of During the 1960s FS women writers
earlier colleagues, sharing a commitment to safeguard and from the Greatest Generation banded
improve the well-being of our Foreign Service community. together to polish their craft and
get their work published.
B y M e t t e O. B e e c r o f t
B y Fr a n c e s c a H u e m e r K e l l y
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 5
FOREIGN
SERVICE
Perspectives 85
Reflections Departments
7 An Unexpected Find
President’s Views in Deir al-Qamar 10 Letters
Telling Our Story to the By Daniel Morris
American People 13 Talking Points
By Barbara Stephenson 86
Local Lens
9 Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Letter from the Editor By Melinda McIntyre Marketplace
Tales from the Foreign Service
By Shawn Dorman 80 Classifieds
82 Real Estate
19
Speaking Out 84 Index to Advertisers
Radically Simple Ideas for a
Better State: Foreign Service 2.0
By JC Windham
AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION
72 16,914!
73 Retiree VP Voice—No Soup for You!
73 Last Chance to Update Your Information for the
2019 Retiree Directory
74 Stick with AFSA in Retirement
74 AFSA Welcomes Consular Fellows
74 AFSA Receives “Clean” 2017 Audit
75 AFSA on the Hill—The Race to the Midterms
75 FSJ Editor Gives Lecture on Diplomacy
74 76 AFSA Honors Amb. Tom Shannon
76 AFSA Welcomes New Governing Board Member
76 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, September 12
77 AFSA’s Outreach Goes from Coast to Coast
70 Foreign Service Night at Nationals Park 78 Notes From Labor Management—
71 State VP Voice—Foreign Service Family Ties Performance Management: A How-To Guide
72 FCS VP Voice—Working in Concert with State 79 AFSA Welcomes Incoming USAID Officers
to Advance Economic Security 79 AFSA Welcomes New Team Members
On the Cover—The Diplomatic Courier Service then and now. Photo: U.S. Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service.
6 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS
Telling Our Story to the American People
BY BA R BA R A ST E P H E N S O N
I
recently spent two weeks on the road, companies competitive, to keep them give us a shot at delivering some real
explaining to fellow Americans what viable and visible in overseas markets, wins for the American people—and a
we in the Foreign Service do and why it also materially contributes to America’s shot at proving your worth in a high-
matters to them. As AFSA president, I soft power, to our standing in the world stakes, highly competitive promotion
have been determined to increase aware- and to America’s global leadership. process.
ness of and appreciation for the vital In every talk, I remind fellow Ameri- Additional overseas positions, espe-
work of the U.S. Foreign Service. We have cans that, if they are concerned that cially for economic officers, would help
made real progress on this front, with America’s global leadership is being address serious commercial competition
your help. I hope each of you will join us challenged as China gains commercial, in the short term while also, over the
in the effort. economic and political ground (and Con- longer term, developing the leadership
In every talk, I explain how the gress, which has held a dozen hearings bench the American Foreign Service will
Foreign Service works to keep threats at on this topic, certainly is), they should need over the coming decades.
bay so our fellow Americans are safe at not overlook one key, cost-effective, How can you help? First, tell your
home, and I give examples that illustrate “shovel-ready” component of the solu- stories. Sincere thanks to each and every
the many ways we help level the playing tion set: the U.S. Foreign Service. We’re one of you who contributed to the “Eco-
field for American businesses. That not eager to get back on the field and cover nomic Diplomacy Works” collection for
only helps keep our country prosperous, all the bases. the upcoming January-February double
it also reminds host nations, through the I remind audiences that China’s edition of The Foreign Service Journal.
positive example American businesses spending on diplomacy has increased by These rich stories will reach members
so often provide, what they love about 40 percent over the past five years while of Congress (who all receive the FSJ) and
America—our cutting-edge innovation America’s spending on core diplomatic the American public (through AFSA’s
and design, our transparent and account- capability has fallen by a third. I let outreach), as well as serving as an inspi-
able business processes, our fair hiring them know that, while I am grateful to ration to fellow members of the Foreign
and promotion practices, our unparal- Congress for recognizing that America’s Service who see how you made economic
leled excellence at managing complex global leadership could not afford the diplomacy work at your post and try it at
projects and solving complex problems. deep cuts proposed to the international theirs.
I make clear that our economic and affairs budget, we could really use some Active-duty members who host
commercial diplomacy is about more additional funding to rebuild America’s members of Congress have an enviable
than successful transactions that keep core diplomatic capability so that our opportunity to highlight the excellent
us prosperous—as important as that is country can compete effectively in the work being done at their post, so I urge
(please see FCS current environment. all of you hosting a CODEL to plan ahead
VP Dan Crocker’s One hundred million dollars would go and polish your story. Effective story-
excellent column a long way: it would cover the overseas telling takes time and effort, but it’s a skill
on commercial support costs for shifting 300 mid-level worth mastering. And, if you are retired,
diplomacy in FSO positions from Washington to please join the Speakers Bureau and take
AFSA News). The embassies and consulates overseas, advantage of the rich library of material
work we do to where the Foreign Service works its real AFSA is developing on what the Foreign
keep American magic for the American people. It would Service does and why it matters. n
Ambassador Barbara Stephenson is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 7
FOREIGN
CONTACTS
SERVICE
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8 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Tales from the Foreign Service
B Y S H AW N D O R M A N
O
ne of our favorite tasks each Today.” Special thanks to the Diplomatic We hope this month’s celebration of FS
year is to bring together and Security Public Affairs team for the amaz- writing will inspire you to consider how
highlight as many new books ing photos. If you are in Washington this you might want to share your stories and
by Foreign Service authors month, please visit the courier centen- perspective.
as we can, showcasing the writing and nial exhibit in the U.S. Diplomacy Center The FSJ is always seeking submissions
storytelling talents of the U.S. diplo- pavilion. on topics of interest or concern to mem-
matic community through “In Their In this month’s feature, best friend of bers of the FS community. We are also
Own Write.” Along with that, we feature the Foreign Service family Mette Beecroft seeking authors for our upcoming focus
books that we think would be “of related shares the inside story of the creation of topics, listed here. Figure on at least 8 to
interest” to the Foreign Service reading the Family Liaison Office 40 years ago and 12 weeks from submission to publication,
community. its unique role helping FS families ever so please keep that in mind when submit-
This year’s collection features four since. ting for focus topics.
dozen books by FS authors. The range of And in President’s Views, Ambassador We want your transformational Speak-
topics is wide. A few standouts include Barbara Stephenson offers her take on ing Out submissions (1,500-1,800 words),
a memoir by Grace Kennan Warnecke, the importance of “Telling Our Story to opinion pieces that offer a critique and,
daughter of George Kennan (Daughter the American People,” encouraging all ideally, suggestions for a better way
of the Cold War) and a biography of of us to help the American public better forward. Or share a feature article (1,800-
Llewellyn Thompson (The Kremlinologist) understand and appreciate what the 2,000 words) or a Reflection (700-1,200
by his two daughters Jenny and Sherry Foreign Service does and why it matters. words). Every article is better with photos
Thompson. In Cold Waters, Raymond (and we welcome your favorite recent
Malley takes us to the Arctic and Antarc- photo as a submission to Local Lens).
tica. And in a treat for the senses, Tania 2019 FSJ Focus Topics We also seek submissions for occasional
Teschke brings us The Bordeaux Kitchen, features: FS Know How, FS Heritage and
filled with gorgeous photos taken by the January-February: Family Member Matters.
author in France. Economic Diplomacy Works Articles go to the FSJ Editorial Board
In “Coming into Their Own Write,” March: Health and Wellness for final consideration. For information
frequent contributor Francesca Kelly in the Foreign Service on how to submit and details about
introduces us to a writer’s group from the April: NATO at 70 each type of submission, please visit
1960s that inspired women of the FS com- May: The FS Career: What’s New www.afsa.org/fsj-author-guidelines.
munity to write and publish their stories. June: Migration Send all submissions to journal@afsa.org.
Through this month’s cover story, we July-August: Managing Competition And we want to know what you think
are proud to highlight the centennial of from China about what you read in the Journal, so
the Diplomatic Courier Service. Veteran September: Preventive Diplomacy please send comments over to us as
courier James Angell October: In Their Own Write letters to the editor (up to 500 words).
brings the history to November: 30th Anniversary, This year we added “Letters-Plus,” a
life in “None Swifter Fall of the Berlin Wall space for extended responses (up to
Than These,” followed December: AFSA Awards 900 words) to important issues raised in
by Vince Crawley’s + A Look at the New/Old Russia Journal articles that warrant a continuing
“Diplomatic Couriers conversation.
Thank you for reading, and for writing.
Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. We look forward to hearing from you. n
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 9
LETTERS
Everyday Strategy petence in strategic planning. I have expanded in the management and lead-
Matt Boland’s article in the September witnessed firsthand the costs ership courses offered at FSI. I hope we
FSJ, “You Have a Strategy: Now What?” this failure has wrought on the can also focus on that sweet
is great. I am a strong proponent of the institution, especially in the spot in strategic plan-
daily practice of strategic planning. past 17 years since 9/11, as ning between long-term
In Lomé, I organize the agenda of our we’ve served—in Washington objectives and short-term
country team meetings by integrated and overseas—alongside realizable goals that can be
country strategy (ICS) goals; every week agencies who have made measured, acknowledged
we go through each of the four goals, and this investment. and built on by every team
members share what their sections did Count on me to do member.
that week to advance our objectives. what I can to help Stephanie Syptak
I find that this generates very fruitful advance this initiative. Deputy Chief of Mission
talk “across the table” among country Henry Wooster U.S. Embassy Singapore
team members, who are prompted to Deputy Chief of Mission
think in new ways about the issues and U.S. Embassy Paris Helpful and Timely
how different sections can make a contri- Thank you for drawing my atten-
bution to each goal. We’ve come up with Worth Reading tion to this helpful and timely report
some unique and innovative collabora- and Teaching on strategic planning. I have shared
tions through that process, and we have “You Have a Strategy” in the Septem- this with the Bureau of East Asian and
a country team that works exceptionally ber issue is worth reading and teaching. Pacific Affairs leadership, here in D.C.
well and has high morale as a result. After four years as chief of mission, I and in the field, and encouraged close
I tell all the officers that I want them strongly believe that a strategy-driven consideration of the important recom-
to be able to explain to their mothers approach—with a common strategy mendations.
what we do here and why it’s important. built and understood by all—is vital to W. Patrick Murphy
That explanation begins with a thorough success. FSO, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
understanding and a clear explanation After three tours on the National East Asian and Pacific Affairs
of our strategic goals. I mention our Security Council staff, I’m convinced Washington, D.C.
strategic goals in every town hall or large that adopting this approach would
meeting with the staff, and emphasize make State a stronger interagency A Zero-Sum Game?
that every single employee in the mission player. I sent the article to Marc Ostfield Much if not most of the obstacle to
plays a role in achieving those objec- at FSI suggesting they teach it there. progress in reforming the State Depart-
tives. I tell the Locally Employed staff that Greg Schulte ment to reflect the world in which it
they are key messengers (“my ambas- Ambassador, retired operates is summed up in the article
sadors”) on whom I depend to explain U.S. Mission to the United Nations, ”The Demise of MED’s Child and Family
the embassy’s objectives to their families, Vienna Program” in the September FSJ.
friends and neighbors. Everything that happens seems to be
Dave Gilmour Don’t Forget viewed as a zero-sum game. If you get
Ambassador the Sweet Spot something, I must give something up;
U.S. Embassy Lomé My warmest congratulations to the and that must diminish my importance
FSJ for the excellent article on strategic within the department.
Tradecraft planning in your September edition. It was that way before my retirement
Matt Boland’s article is a valuable These recommendations draw from a in 2005, and it looks like nothing has
contribution to diplomatic tradecraft. I wealth of experience and represent con- changed in the ensuing years.
am disheartened that the State Depart- crete methods for improving this effort Harry Chamberlain
ment has never made a commitment across the department. FSS, retired
to require that officers develop com- It would be great to see this article Spring Hill, Florida
10 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALSaying No to Diversity Jay Porter, a European affairs desk
A trio of articles in the September officer, equates diversity with superior
Foreign Service Journal typifies the results: an embassy team containing a
diversity mania sweeping the Foreign diplomat who shares the ethnicity of the
Service: “Who Is the Future of the host country better understands that
Foreign Service?” by Barbara Bodine, host country.
“A Foreign Service for America” by Now, were that true, the department
Representative Joaquin Castro would promote better understanding
(D-Texas) and “Diversity: Not Just a by sending our Muslim diplomats to
Cause for the Underrepresented” Arab countries. It would be Catholics,
by Jay Porter. say, to Ireland, Italy or Poland. Atheists
Each largely ignores diversity’s and democratic socialists? Off you go
elephant-in-the-room question, the to Cuba, China, Venezuela and, when it
double-edged sword: What exactly does opens, North Korea.
diversity bring to the table in terms of And although it’s not clear whether
achieving optimal foreign policy formu- the writer extends his judgments on
lation and execution? ethnicity to include race, might not
Although making token mention African American and Asian American
of patriotism, intelligence, knowl- diplomats best serve in Africa and Asia?
edge and character (let’s call them the Heavens! What diversity here?
“Foreign Service essentials”), Ambas- Rather, it’s the double-edged sword:
sador Bodine’s article really focuses on diversity obtained by dividing Foreign
the need to recruit “the right people,” Service personnel into ethnic and racial
those who are the colors of the rain- groups, stereotyping and assigning
bow, LGBTQ and, if I read correctly, them accordingly.
women—at least half. Recruiting on the basis of diversity
Might, then, the Foreign Service admit necessarily comes at the expense of the
the less qualified by applying the “right “Foreign Service essentials.” How can it
people” criterion, while rejecting the be otherwise when, for example, diver-
most qualified if they are not, say, the sity recruitment’s modus operandi—
color of the day? Or, once the Foreign based as it is on race, ethnicity, gender
Service has enough LGBTQ officers, and sexual preferences—excludes broad
would it reject the next gay applicant groups of applicants (half the males,
though he or she has the diplomatic possibly) from fair competition?
qualities of a Talleyrand or Metternich? Frankly, those who are patriotic,
In effect, failure to maintain the intelligent, knowledgeable and charac-
“essentials” turns full-throttle diversity ter-filled don’t give a damn what people
recruiting into a double-edged sword. look like; nor are they likely to recruit or
Here’s another double-edger: Only advance anyone on that basis. Rather,
by diversifying the Foreign Service, Rep. they hold the “essentials” close and are
Castro writes, can we gather minorities’ the best champions and practitioners of
support behind American diplomacy both effective diplomacy and successful
and global leadership. In other words, diversity. n
the congressman and his adherents Richard W. Hoover
want a Foreign Service that (as the old FSO, retired
saw goes) looks like them. Front Royal, Virginia
12 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALTALKING POINTS
order to confer deriva- white, non-Hispanic males. Not a single
tive diplomatic status to African-American female has been nomi-
their spouses. nated for an ambassadorship.
A third official said Foreign Policy echoed Zeya’s argu-
that if the marriage ment on Sept. 17, writing that nearly a
requirement couldn’t dozen current and former State Depart-
be met, the depart- ment officials told FP that “Trump’s
ment would “work with failure to address the problem would
individuals on a case- likely exacerbate recruitment challenges
United States Denies by-case basis to help them try to legally at Foggy Bottom and could undercut U.S.
Visas to Same-Sex adjust their status to remain in the United foreign-policy priorities abroad.” Accord-
Partners of Foreign States after the deadline.” ing to FP, of the 52 political appointees
Diplomats The New York Times reported on Oct. Trump has nominated, 48 are white,
O n Oct. 1, the Trump administra-
tion announced that it would begin
denying visas to the unmarried, same-sex
2 that former U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations Samantha Power called
the new policy “needlessly cruel and
while 38 are men.
On Sept. 28, State Department official
Kiron Skinner responded. Skinner, who
partners of foreign diplomats and other bigoted” in a tweet. became the department’s director of
employees of the United Nations. The policy planning in September, told the
same-sex partners of these diplomats Diversity in Diplomacy? Washington Examiner that while “most
have until the end of the year to either
marry or leave the country.
The decision was made despite the
O n Sept. 17, Politico published an
article by former Foreign Service
Officer Uzra Zeya lamenting the decline
institutions” in the United States aren’t
adequately diverse, “given some of the
trends in the U.S. against diversity—espe-
fact that many of these diplomats hail in diversity since the start of the current cially racial diversity—the State Depart-
from countries that do not recognize administration. Wrote Zeya: “Our prog- ment is doing much better.”
same-sex marriage and would face pros- ress on diversity was far from adequate, Skinner, who is African-American, told
ecution in their home countries if they but for most of my career, across both the Examiner that diversity is a priority for
were to marry in the United States. Democratic and Republican administra- Secretary Mike Pompeo, saying: “I think
The decision was widely covered by tions, I could say with confidence that me joining the State Department is one
the U.S. press, including The Washington my government was striving to build a example of it—in a leadership role, on the
Post, Politico, NPR, Time, CNN, Fox News, diplomatic corps that looked more like seventh floor, near Mahogany Row, run-
USA Today and other major outlets. America as a whole. …That is, until the ning the historic think tank shop for the
In a teleconference conducted “on Trump administration.” State Department.”
background,” an unidentified senior Zeya notes that in the first five months Ambassador (ret.) Linda Thomas-
administration official said that the of the current administration, the State Greenfield, who up until her retirement
new policy, which they called “forward- Department’s three most senior African- in 2017 was the most senior African-
leaning,” will affect approximately 105 American officials “were removed or American woman at the State Depart-
families currently in the United States. resigned abruptly from their positions,” ment, disagrees. “Diversity is not a
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/WALDEMARUS
Another official on the call said that along with the top-ranking Latino officer, priority for this administration. It’s not
the policy change is merely intended to all of whom were replaced by whites. on their agenda,” she told Foreign Policy.
“mirror what U.S. policy is now,” refer- She used public data from AFSA to point “We can’t have a Foreign Service in which
ring to the fact that as of Sept. 30, 2018, out that 64 percent of President Trump’s the world sees and thinks our entire lead-
U.S. diplomats must be legally married in ambassadorial nominees have been ership is white and male.”
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 13Cars are parked outside of the
Saudi consulate in Istanbul on
Oct. 13 as the waiting continued
after the disappearance of
prominent Saudi journalist
Jamal Khashoggi (inset).
ARIF HUDAVERDI YAMAN/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES
BY ALFAGIH AT ARABIC WIKIPEDIA
Saudi Journalist ability Act to punish any Saudi citizens ‘Thank you very much. We’ll buy it from
Disappears in Istanbul or political leaders found to have been China.’ That doesn’t help us—not when it
T he disappearance and possible mur-
der of Saudi journalist and dissident
Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post
involved in the alleged murder of Mr.
Khashoggi.
A bipartisan group of senators asked
comes to jobs and not when it comes to
our companies losing out on that work.”
Mr. Khashoggi’s disappearance also
columnist, is bringing renewed attention President Trump on Oct. 10 to trigger raises questions about just how tough
to U.S.-Saudi relations. the act, which would give the president the administration is willing to be on
Mr. Khashoggi, a legal U.S. resident, 120 days to decide whether to impose Saudi Arabia, a close ally. The president’s
went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul sanctions on any specific individuals first overseas trip was to the Kingdom
on Oct. 2 to obtain paperwork he needed involved with the journalist’s disappear- and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin
for his upcoming nuptials to a Turk- ance. Salman is known to be close to the presi-
ish citizen, Hatice Cengiz. But he never However, in her Oct. 11 press briefing, dent’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
came out. State Department Spokesperson Heather The incident has also shined a light
The Washington Post reported on Oct. Nauert pushed back, saying: “I under- on the fact that the United States still
11 that the Turks claim to have audio stand that Congress may be interested in does not have ambassadors in place in
recordings of Khashoggi being interro- that, in a Global Magnitsky investigation, either Saudi Arabia or Turkey. An Oct.
gated, tortured and murdered inside the but we don’t know the facts of this case 10 press briefing grew contentious when
consulate while his fiancée waited for just yet. So I think they’re getting ahead State Department Deputy Spokesperson
him outside. of themselves at this point.” Robert Palladino was asked by a reporter
Turkey agreed on Oct. 11 to a request The Magnitsky Act allows for targeted to name the ambassadors to Turkey and
by Saudi Arabia to form a joint com- sanctions against specific individu- Saudi Arabia.
mittee to probe what happened to als, rather than countrywide sanctions, Foreign Policy quoted the evasive
Khashoggi. It is unclear whether the such as halting arms sales, which the answers given by Palladino, who seemed
United States will join that committee. president has said he would not con- unwilling to admit that not only do we
In an Oct. 11 op-ed in The Washington sider. The Washington Post on Oct. 11 not have ambassadors in either of these
Post, Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) called quoted Trump as saying: “If we don’t sell two important countries, but no names
on the United States to use the Global it to them, they’ll say, ‘Well, thank you have even been put forward for confir-
Magnitsky Human Rights and Account- very much. We’ll buy it from Russia.’ Or mation.
14 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALNikki Haley Resigns
O n Oct. 9 U.S. Ambassador to
the United Nations Nikki Haley
announced her resignation, saying that
she would leave her post at the end of
the year. The announcement has led to
considerable speculation.
Sources close to Amb. Haley said there
was nothing suspicious about the timing,
insisting Haley merely wanted to make
the announcement before the midterms
to give the president ample time to
choose her successor before year’s end.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
CNN commentators suggested three
other reasons Haley might have decided
to resign. In an Oct. 9 column, the news
outlet suggested she was upset at being USUN Ambassador Nikki Haley, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary
“edged out” by John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a press conference on the margins of the 73rd Session of the
United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 24.
of State Mike Pompeo. Or, they said, not-
ing she is more than $1 million in debt,
she might simply need to make some considering a run for the presidency in Oct. 8—the day before Haley submitted
money in the private sector. 2020 or 2024 and wanted to leave while her resignation—a federal government
Finally, CNN brought up the most still relatively unscathed. watchdog, Citizens for Responsibility and
talked-about reason: Haley might be Another possible reason is that on Ethics in Washington, asked the State
Department to investigate whether the
U.N. ambassador broke any regulations
For someone who cares about institutions and Heard on the Hill by accepting multiple flights on private
building institutions that will last, it’s heartening jets belonging to three South Carolina
to me that someone from within is coming in this executives. Haley was also reprimanded
position. I’m sure cheering you on today.” by the Office of Special Counsel in Sep-
—Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), tember 2017 for using her official Twitter
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Nomination account to advocate for a political candi-
Hearing for David Hale for appointment as Under date in direct violation of the Hatch Act.
Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Aug. 16. And then there was “Curtaingate,”
launched by the Sept. 13 New York Times
It is equally important that we adequately fund the article calling out the $52,701 the State
JOSH
State Department, USAID and others so that our Department spent to equip her New York
diplomats and our foreign assistance advisors can provide a better, more durable residence with customized mechanized
alternative to quick Chinese inducements. Only such a multi-faceted approach curtains (initially ordered during the
will truly help us meet the growing challenge that China poses. Understanding and Obama administration).
then solving these challenges are upfront investments that will pay unmeasurable Otherwise, however, her tenure as U.N.
dividends in the end. ambassador has been relatively blemish-
—Ranking Member Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Foreign Relations free and her favorability ratings are much
Committee Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, in a hearing, higher than those of the president. An
“The China Challenge, Part 2: Security and Military Developments,” on Sept. 5. April 2018 Quinnipiac University poll
showed 63 percent of American voters
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 15approved of her job performance, while Diplomat Killed
75 percent of Republicans viewed her in Madagascar
performance favorably. The same poll
showed the president’s own approval
rating at just 39 percent.
I n a press statement released on Sept. 24,
the State Department confirmed that a
U.S. Foreign Service officer was found
SITE OF THE MONTH: RADIO.GARDEN The race to replace Haley has only dead in his residence in Antananarivo
begun. Dina Powell, an early frontrun- on Sept. 21. Multiple news outlets, includ-
L isteners can tune into thousands
of radio stations across the world
using a free radio service called
ner who was formerly a Trump official
and now works at Goldman Sachs in
New York City, took herself out of the
ing Reuters, Time, CNN and ABC, reported
on the death.
According to the Daily Beast and others,
Radio Garden. Using an interactive running without explanation. President a suspect was apprehended while trying to
3D globe, listeners can hover over Trump told reporters that there are five scale the perimeter fence outside the resi-
icons that tune into radio stations, names on his short list to replace Haley, dence. The suspect is currently in custody.
whether Hitradio Dragon in the Czech but he declined on Oct. 11 to name any As we go to press, the name of the victim
Republic, Radio Xamsadine in Sen- of those people other than Powell. has been officially released: Kevin Webb.
egal or Mandalika FM Radio Lombok
in Indonesia.
According to one of the founders Contemporary Quote
of the project, Jonathan Puckey, “The
Dissent, and the energetic debate that underlies it, is an essential
main idea is to help radio makers and component of our duty. It is as important a part of our duty as discipline
listeners connect with distant cul- and obedience. Dissent, as understood and practiced in the Foreign Service,
tures and reconnect with people from is not just about personal integrity. It is also about professional integrity,
home and thousands of miles away.” and the integrity of our policymaking process.
In Radio Garden’s History section
When we took our oath, we swore to uphold and defend our Constitution.
listeners can tune into clips through- We committed ourselves to the values, rights and institutions that define
out radio history. Listeners can hear our democracy, and to respect the will of our sovereign: the American people.
Radio Moscow announce history as We cannot meet this commitment if we are unable to speak our mind.
Valentina Tereshkova becomes the
We must be able to provide our elected leaders our best understanding and
first woman to visit space in 1963. Or assessment of a situation, and we must be clear about the consequences of
listeners can hear a 1942 broadcast decisions and actions. Sometimes those consequences are moral and ethical;
from Warsaw where German propa- sometimes they are practical; sometimes they are strategic; and sometimes
ganda disseminates news of wartime they combine all three.
victory—and a jamming station joins
Dissent, no matter how purposeful, has a bitter aftertaste. By its nature it
in on the same frequency to counter reflects a failure to affect a change in thought, decision or action. Within
those claims and provide a different the world of foreign policy and diplomacy, we must become comfortable
perspective. with the understanding that we will not always prevail.
The Jingles section helps listeners
But we must also understand that the institutions we are a part of, and the
identify various stations and learn great Republic that we represent, have remarkable characteristics of intro-
types of radio programming. spection, reflection and rectification. In this sense, dissent, as we understand
Radio Garden was launched in and practice it, is not a single event that passes without effect. Instead, it is part
2016 using public funds from the of a larger conversation that we have with ourselves. It is designed to give
Netherlands Institute of Sound us pause, to think anew, and to have a touchpoint to return to when
and Vision. It was developed by the we have recognized that we have made a mistake.
Amsterdam-based Studio Moniker, —Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Tom Shannon,
and is now run by Studio Puckey. speaking at the Oct. 10 AFSA award ceremony on accepting the Christian A. Herter Award
for constructive dissent by a senior officer.
16 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL50 Years Ago
My Day with JFK
I have scanned in vain a
few thousand pages of
intimate memoirs of the
Secretary [of State
George] Ball, arriving
perhaps five minutes
life and work in the White before the appointed
House under John F. hour of 12:30 to
Kennedy for any mention deliver the requested
of my day. The most memorable oral briefing. We stood outside the
experience of my career to date was president’s office in a nervously
apparently just another workday in bustling corridor until Atomic Energy
the lives of Sorensen, Schlesinger, et Commission Chairman [Glenn T.]
al. I refer to the visit to Washington Seaborg, General Maxwell Taylor, Mr.
of the then Austrian Federal Chan- Bundy and one or two others whom I
cellor, Dr. Alfons Gorbach, in May could not identify emerged. At about
1962. 12:35 we were ushered into the oval
The planning and preparations office, which was so familiar from
for the visit, of course, began several countless photographs.
months before. During the final few The president came from behind
weeks I was engaged, as Austrian his desk, shook hands and invited
desk officer, almost full time in the us to sit on the two couches which
drafting and clearing of briefing extended from either arm of his
papers, advising the Office of Proto- rocking chair, flanking the fireplace.
col and the White House social staff Mr. Ball and Mr. Tyler took seats on
on preparation of the guest list for the president’s left, and I sat alone
the president’s luncheon, selection on his right. The president braced
of gifts to give the Chancellor, etc. his feet on the end of the coffee
A representative of McGeorge table between the couches in order
Bundy’s White House staff stopped to propel his rocker while he spoke.
at my office every few days to pick This put his feet almost in my direct
up copies of all available papers. line of sight, and I found myself star-
As a conscientious bureaucrat, I ing at them.
pointed out that in many cases these I had read that the president was
documents were only uncleared not known as a fashion leader, but I
drafts which did not yet have the was still surprised to see faded blue
concurrence of my departmental nylon socks with numerous pillings,
colleagues or superiors, but this did which are the customary drawback
not in the least deter him. He said he of such hose. This touch of mundane
wanted to have the original thinking reality brought home to me that this
of the desk officer, as well as the final was just another routine day for the
distillation of the entire bureaucracy. president.
When the day finally came, Acting —Jack Sulser, from his article by
Assistant Secretary Tyler and I rode the same title in the November 1968
over to the White House with Acting edition of the FSJ.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 17USAID Tests
Cash Transfers
A recent experiment conducted by
USAID made the news on Sept.
14 when The Atlantic published a story
about the “A/B Test” in Rwanda to deter-
mine which would be a more effective
way to disperse aid and prevent malnu-
trition: a “holistic” intervention involving
education, donations and sanitation, or
a simple cash transfer to each concerned
household.
In the $140 billion foreign aid sec-
tor, the authors wrote, “donors rarely
measure the effectiveness of individual
programs, let alone weigh one interven-
tion against another.” The authors lauded
USAID’s willingness to look hard at its
own effectiveness with traditional pro-
grams as “unusual, and quite brave.”
USAID released the results publicly
in September. They showed that “neither
the holistic intervention nor the smaller
cash transfers moved the needle much
on nutrition.”
However, large cash transfers of
approximately $530 per household made
a significant difference, as those families
were able to save 60 percent more while
at the same time purchasing healthier,
more varied foods for their families.
Children in those households were taller
and weighed more than children in other
households.
The results of the experiment show
that cash transfers should be considered
by donors when applicable, the authors
argue. They also remind us of the need
to consider the needs and desires of the
recipients themselves when designing
effective aid programs. n
This edition of Talking Points was com-
piled by Donna Gorman, Dmitry Filipoff
and Shawn Dorman.
18 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALSPEAKING OUT
Radically Simple Ideas for a Better State:
Foreign Service 2.0
BY JC WINDHAM
O
ur jobs are complex; the We need to revamp both our hiring process
environment we work in is
constantly changing, both at
and our current personnel system to better
home and abroad. We struggle execute today’s and tomorrow’s mission sets.
to learn languages, new cultures and
jobs; build relationships; effect positive
change; and then do it all again after a But the result will be worth it, and the skill sets and experience levels for each
couple of years. future Foreign Service will be better for it. specialty.
Unfortunately, the bureaucracy that c) Individuals with more experience
supports that Foreign Service has become Generalists Need to Go: and relevant skill sets can be hired at
equally complex, for both good and bad, Cones Become Specialties higher grades, based on the cost of labor.
potentially hampering the Department The idea of a “jack-of-all-trades, d) The number of new hires can equal
of State’s ability to effectively accomplish master of none” or an individual being the number of positions.
our mission and affecting morale. “a mile wide and an inch deep” is simply e) Tenure requirements can be
In the following I propose several not effective in today’s world. Businesses removed and replaced with a standard
changes to our bureaucracy that I con- and government agencies have been three-year probationary period.
sider radical because they are substantial shifting to specialization for decades, f) The consular tour requirement can
deviations from our current processes while our generalists are still expected be eliminated for non-consular special-
but are also simple. To be clear, “simple” to perform duties outside their field to ties.
does not necessarily mean easy: if our prove their initial worth (e.g., consular g) The foreign language requirement
leadership chooses to implement the tours). can be removed for tenure and probation.
ideas below, it will require substantial We need to revamp both our hir- h) A standardized orientation for all
work and, potentially, even legislative ing process and our current personnel Foreign Service officers can be followed
action. system to better execute today’s and by specialty-specific tradecraft training.
tomorrow’s mission sets. First, exist-
JC Windham is a financial ing generalists should be converted to Forget the Foreign
management officer, currently specialists, and their respective cones to Service Exam
serving in Washington, D.C. specialties. With the conversion of generalist
His previous assignments were This conversion would have the fol- fields to specialists, the Bureau of Human
to Khartoum and Asuncion. As lowing benefits: Resources can develop and tailor specific
an FS family member before that, he served a) Accurate data on the actual cost of hiring practices that will attract the most
in Brazzaville. Prior to joining the Foreign conducting diplomacy, “doing busi- talented, experienced and diverse indi-
Service, he worked as a civilian financial ness” and generating congressionally viduals to excel in each specialty (similar
manager with the Department of the Navy mandated reports can be derived from to the way specialists are hired now).
in the Washington, D.C., area for nine years. overtime compensation. Further, each specialty can adjust the
He lives with his wife and two four-legged b) Hiring practices and processes hiring grade (salary) based on the market
children in Arlington, Virginia. can be tailored to necessary and specific rate and cost of labor.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 19The deputy chief of mission should also be some embassies would fall under, but
the chief operating officer of the embassy. would not require the closure of any over-
seas facilities.
Home or Abroad?
Welcome, Consular ture of the employee’s accomplishments Move as many regional bureau Civil
Adjudicators than the current practice of providing Service positions as appropriate overseas
Create a new consular adjudicator/ bullet points to a reviewer with whom the to centralized regional support hubs
interviewer specialty to enable removal of employee may only rarely interact. to better provide real-time support to
the consular tour requirement for officers embassy operations. This may be Nairobi
and to improve consular services, perfor- A Better MED for AF, for example, or Bangkok for EAP.
mance and consistency. These positions It has become increasingly difficult to These positions could be staffed at five-
would have five-year assignments and hire competent medical professionals into year intervals, similar to how other agen-
would alternate between overseas and the Foreign Service because of the differ- cies announce and advertise for overseas
domestic to support domestic consular ence between private-sector compensa- positions (e.g., the Drug Enforcement
operations. tion and what the department offers. Administration).
The assignments for these positions Other government agencies, such as the A good litmus test for whether a posi-
would be based on foreign language skills. Veterans Administration, have overcome tion should be offshored would be to
For example, someone with Spanish-lan- this by developing specialized pay scales evaluate how much required HST/D.C.
guage fluency might serve in Mexico City, specific to the respective profession/posi- interaction that position involves by
then back in the United States, and then tion. comparison with the provision of services
in Bogotá to maximize the department’s The Bureau of Medical Services and directly to posts; if the scale tips more
investment in foreign language education department management should develop to the latter, then the position should go
and also the individual officer’s skill set in a separate pay scale for regional medical overseas. This would also free up head-
language nuances and local cultures. officer, regional medical officer/psychia- quarters space to allow for consolidation
trist and other MED professions to better of some offices back into Main State and
What Do You Really recruit and retain talented practitioners in reduce our Washington, D.C., footprint.
Think Of Me? those fields.
Modify the annual Employee Evalua- No More Bait and Switch
tion Report in two ways: One World An assignment to an overseas mis-
First, add three boxes that each man- The State geographic bureaus should sion should be a contract between the
ager checks: be aligned with the Department of employee and the department, yet the
a. Ready to Promote Defense’s Regional Combatant Com- State Department retains unilateral
b. Ready to Promote with Conditions mands to better coordinate support and authority to reduce the compensation
(spelled out in Manager Statement) missions. accorded to that employee.
c. Not Ready to Promote This would split the Bureau of Western The Hardship Allowance, Cost of Liv-
Second, in place of a rater and reviewer Hemisphere Affairs into South Ameri- ing Adjustment, Danger Pay Allowance
statement, have a rater/manager state- can Affairs and North American Affairs and number of R&Rs should be locked
ment, a peer statement and an employee (which would also oversee domestic in as a floor based on the panel date
statement. The selection of the peer/ operations), transfer most of North Africa of the employee. These benefits can
employee should be unique per year and into the Bureau of African Affairs and increase during the officer’s tour, but
per tour; in other words, the officer has to combine parts of the bureaus of Near they should not be reduced below the
use a different peer and different employee Eastern Affairs and South and Central amount at the time of paneling.
for each EER. Asian Affairs to form a new Bureau of Asia This will create more financial stability
While not a full 360-degree evaluation, Pacific Affairs. for the officer, as well as stability for per-
this system captures a more accurate pic- This would change which bureaus sonnel budgeting.
20 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALKeep Us Safe
Diplomatic Security should have two
different law enforcement professions—
DS investigation agents, who would be
domestically based and follow a career
progression similar to other domestic
federal law enforcement agencies; and
DS Foreign Service agents, who would
spend the majority of their careers over-
seas.
This would allow both sets of agents to
develop specialized skills specific to their
respective career fields.
The World Isn’t Flat,
But We Should Be
The deputy chief of mission should
also be the chief operating officer of the
embassy.
Having an additional layer of bureau-
cracy between the DCM and the current
management sections leads to a constant
game of “telephone,” where information
is selectively filtered both up and down
the chain of command. In most instances,
this is a severe detriment to embassy
operations and the morale of the largest
section in the embassy.
The management officer cone/spe-
cialty should be eliminated, with the
management sections reporting directly
to the DCM. Current management
officers can be offered early retirement
buyouts or select a specialty and transfer
based on availability.
Tomorrow
None of the above changes are easy,
and many will rail against them as at best
naïve or, at worst, malicious. My intent
is to generate conversations and effect
changes with these ideas that will both
make our organization more effective
and improve the lives of Foreign Service
officers tomorrow and in the future. n
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 21COVER STORY DIPLOMATIC COURIER SERVICE CENTENNIAL
None Swifter
Than These
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE/DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE
Couriers with U.S. ships in Danzig, March 31, 1919.
22 NOVEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALT
his year marks the centennial of the U.S. The first diplomatic couriers, informally known as the “Silver
Diplomatic Courier Service. Established Greyhounds” (named after King Charles II’s messengers), set
in Paris at the end of World War I to up shop at 4 Place de la Concorde on Dec. 2, 1918. Their motto,
ensure the inviolability of classified “None Swifter Than These,” was taken from Herodotus’ descrip-
communication between U.S. diplo- tion of the Persian couriers of 440 B.C. and remains the Diplo-
matic missions across Europe, the Dip- matic Courier Service’s motto today. Following World War II the
lomatic Courier Service has grown from Diplomatic Courier Service became part of the State Depart-
15 military personnel in a single city to ment’s Division of Communication (Information Management),
approximately 100 civilian profession- and in 1985 it was folded into the Bureau of Diplomatic Security
als serving in 11 divisions and hubs across the globe: Frankfurt, pursuant to recommendations the Inman Commission made to
Dakar, Abidjan, Pretoria, Nairobi, Manama, Bangkok, Seoul, São consolidate the department’s security efforts.
Paulo, Miami and Washington, D.C. These dynamic individuals Constant travel is inherently dangerous, and the six diplo-
are entrusted with the secure delivery of classified material to matic couriers who perished in the line of duty during the past
more than 270 U.S. missions worldwide. century have all died in plane crashes: Seth J. Foti in 2000 in
Yet even as the Diplomatic Courier Service approaches a full Bahrain; Joseph P. Capozzi in 1963 in Cameroon; Willard M.
century of dramatic history, and is at work all around the world, Fisher in 1953 in Tanzania; Richard T. Dunning in 1951 in Libe-
the vast majority of State Department ria; Homer C. White in 1945 on a flight
personnel (let alone the American A veteran courier salutes the that departed from Liberia and never
people) do not know it exists.
Diplomatic Courier Service’s reached its destination in Ghana; and
James N. Wright in 1943 in Portugal.
first 100 years and a career
The Silver Greyhounds
Major Amos J. Peaslee (who later that offers both satisfaction A Perilous Profession
served as U.S. ambassador to Australia) and the opportunity to serve. Others were more fortunate. For
conceived the idea of a trans-Atlantic instance, Henry E. Coleman survived
courier service during World War I to BY JAMES B. ANGELL with his diplomatic pouch after a Ger-
improve delivery of mail and official man U-boat torpedoed the British liner
messages to American troops fighting in France. General John J. Western Prince on Dec. 14, 1940, in the mid-Atlantic. And on
Pershing signed off on the initiative in March 1918, and a group April 20, 1968, Thomas Taylor was one of only six survivors
of seven Army officers led by Peaslee quickly cut delivery times aboard a South African Air 707 that crashed in mountainous ter-
between Washington and Paris from five weeks to less than rain outside Windhoek, Namibia. Miraculously, his diplomatic
two. The improvement was so dramatic that after the armistice, pouch remained intact after the crash.
the American Commission to Negotiate Peace asked Peaslee to More recently, on May 25, 2008, Andy Perez was on a Kalitta
report to Paris and set up a courier service to help U.S. diplo- Air plane that crashed at the end of a runway on takeoff from
matic missions across Europe support Herbert Hoover’s Ameri- Brussels with 4,000 kilograms of regional classified material
can Relief Administration. bound for Manama on board. He assisted the crew and secured
his classified pouches until cleared reinforcements arrived from
James B. Angell joined the Department of State in 1993 and was Embassy Brussels and Consulate General Frankfurt to set up a
promoted into the Senior Foreign Service in 2011. He has been command post for the huge salvage operation. In recognition
posted twice in Washington, D.C., most recently as the director of the of his bravery and dedication to duty, Perez received the State
Diplomatic Courier Service, and is currently director of the Frank- Department’s Heroism Award.
furt Regional Diplomatic Courier Division. Before joining the State Despite its small size, the Diplomatic Courier Service has a
Department, Mr. Angell was an archaeologist and interpretive ranger global reach. Last year, it securely transported 103,167 pouches
for the U.S. National Park Service. weighing 5,548,257 pounds, via 3,309 separate diplomatic cou-
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2018 23You can also read
