The Foreign Service Journal, February 2012

by bestowing an annual award on a mid- level Foreign Service officer who best ex- emplifies the practice of constructive dissent, a practice we are deeply proud of. I have now served at Embassy Paris for more than two years, and have come to discover that the word “dissent” has no direct translation in French. In an effort to explain the concept to my French in- terlocutors, I describe the American For- eign Service Association’s annual awards ceremony, which, in part, honors FS em- ployees who have shown independent judgment by challenging the hierarchy on their own. This description never fails to interest and impress my counterparts — a real compliment in the country of l’esprit cri- tique. Not only does the word “dissent” appear to be quintessentially American, but presenting awards tomen andwomen who criticize policy and offer solutions is, as well. Encouraging Rigorous Debate My father encouraged (some might say demanded) rigorous debate among the dedicated FSOs with whom he worked. He particularly wanted to hear from those who disagreed with him. In a tribute to President John F. Kennedy — who first appointed him ambassador — he praised the president’s insistence on that too-rare quality of the “open mind.” The president “… surrounded himself with persons of high intellect, as well as those of dogged practicality, and relished both the exposition and the rebuttal of views,” recalled my father. Perhaps JFK best articulated this no- tion in one of his last speeches:“Men who create power make an indispensable con- tribution to the nation’s greatness, but the men who question power make a contri- bution just as indispensable, for they de- termine whether we use power or power uses us.” (To which I would, of course, add women.) As ambassador, I have developed an even deeper appreciation for those offi- cers who show leadership by bringing in- tellectual courage and constructive dissent to policymaking. Someone like Joel Ehrendreich, the winner of last year’s Rivkin Award, who, each year, submitted his dissent against a de facto policy until a representative of the U.S. government attended the annual PeaceMemorial Cer- emony at Hiroshima; or Rachel Schneller, who — afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from service in Basra, Iraq — committed herself to cor- recting the State Department’s failure to provide adequate mental health care to diplomats serving in war zones. Ahead of Their Time My brother and I have been proud to honor such individuals, whose intellectual courage is the real legacy of our family’s award. They are, in Ambassador Edward Peck’s words, individuals who “have demonstrated the courage to challenge the system from within, no matter the issue or the consequences of their actions.” Often ahead of their time, Rivkin Award winners have paved the way for new and innovative policies that have helped to define the role and place of the United States in an ever-changing world. Many have gone on to lead some of our most important diplomatic missions 52 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 A F S A N E W S “Serving Abroad ... Through Their Eyes” In 2012, the Department of Defense and the Department of State will recognize and cele- brate the 50th anniversary of the Office of ART in Embassies (art.state.gov) through a col- laborative photography exhibition, “Serving Abroad ... Through Their Eyes.” The exhibition will serve as a visual record of the experiences of U.S. military and Foreign Service members while abroad. The images — captured from their daily lives showing friendship, places, faces, loss or triumph — will bring their personal perspective and voice to a global audience. Each photograph submitted may be one of up to a thousand selected for display in nu- merous venues, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Pentagon and other prominent locations. Submissions will be accepted through Presidents’ Day, Feb. 20. For full rules and instructions on how to submit an image, please visit www.ourmilitary.mil. A panel of noted American experts will review the photographs and announce the selec- tions on Armed Forces Day, May 19. The 10 “best in show” photographers will be invited to Washington, D.C., where they will participate in the exhibition’s November VIP opening cele- bration. Rivkin • Continued from page 31 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS Panel on State of European Union and the Euro On Thursday, Feb. 16, at 2:30 p.m., AFSA, in conjunction with the Foreign Service Journal , will convene a panel discussion focusing on the state of the European Union and the euro as a common currency. This event, which will be held at AFSA headquarters, could hardly be more timely, as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty and the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the euro. My father encouraged (some might say, demanded) rigorous debate among the dedicated FSOs with whom he worked.