The Foreign Service Journal, April 2010

A P R I L 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 7 Cover the Dissenters Congratulations to AFSA President Susan Johnson on her editorial in the February Journal on the subject of dis- sent and how to make it meaningful again. I particularly agree that “taking dissent seriously is essential.” While there are probably many ways to highlight the importance of con- structive dissent, there is one obvious first step we can take: changing the way we handle the dissent awards in our own magazine. Each year when the awards are given, we bury — yes, bury — the an- nouncement in the blue pages of AFSA News . Why is this event not treated as the major story it is — at least for us? Why do we not make it the cover story for the Journal ? Upgrading our treatment of our very own awards for dissent could be accomplished quite easily. AFSA has only to decide to do so. After all, if we cannot be bothered to treat this event (unique in the U.S. government!) as significant, why should anyone else? In other words, if we want people to take dissent seriously, we at AFSA have to do so ourselves. Respect, like char- ity, begins at home. Edward Marks Ambassador, retired Washington, D.C. Another Option for Retirees The February issue, with its focus on “Exploring New Worlds: Life & Work after the Foreign Service,” was particularly useful. I read it cover to cover. I had to come to terms with life after the Foreign Service earlier than most, both because I was selected out after 18 years of service (1981-1999), and be- cause I was only 43 years old — far from age 50, when I would have re- ceived an immediate annuity. (I will re- ceive a “delayed annuity” at age 62.). It seemed fruitless to file a griev- ance; I had already fought and won one several years earlier, and State would not allow me to fight this one from Bern, my last posting. If I had to leave that fabulous post, then I might as well look elsewhere for my next career. Surprisingly, nobody in any of the articles, even the potpourri “Retirees Speak Up,” mentioned defense con- tracting in any detail. One did write about a counterterrorism-related con- tractor position with the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla. In fact, defense contracting is where I have found my second career —which seems a logical follow-up tomy work on political-military issues. It was tough finding a job as a “mediocre FSO” (not a former ambas- sador) in the Washington, D.C., area. But now I have worked as a defense contractor with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Navy Inter- national Programs Office, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and, most recently, the Joint Impro- vised Explosive Device Defeat Organ- ization. In the process, I have devel- oped a rather unique expertise in foreign disclosure, technology transfer, munitions licenses, official and unoffi- cial foreign visitor controls, antiterror- ism/force protection, international agreements, liaison with foreign em- bassies, etc. To me, this career direction was a logical choice for a political officer in- terested in the Department of De- fense. Every position has had inter- national involvement, something I in- sist on in my after-Foreign Service life. And when I was suddenly launched into job-search mode again last August, it took a mere month to become se- curely ensconced in a better-paying, more responsible and interesting de- fense-contractor position that requires foreign travel. The travel is minimal, just enough to remind me of why I am relieved not to have to move every few years. Mary Ann Singlaub Former FSO Vienna, Va. More on Move Managers Since submitting my February arti- cle — “Should We Move to a Senior Living Facility?” — in which I recom- mend retaining a consultant to assist in the process, I have learned of a nation- wide organization of specialists in the field. It is called the National Associa- tion of Senior MoveManagers, and can L ETTERS