The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

opment. This would also require action by State to break down “conal” walls in assignments and reinstate the generalist to a stand- ing equivalent to that of the spe- cialist. (The importance of com- bining the talents of generalists and specialists in developing strategies in today’s world of rapid globalization is usefully discussed in The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas L. Friedman.) A Department of International Trade proposal would certainly find adherents, but even an apple-pie issue like homeland security had tough con- gressional sledding. Commerce, for its part, has not done as much with the overseas commercial function as it could have. The orga- nizational set-up within DOC has enabled appointees with strong personal beliefs to place emphases on areas or agendas that may not be universally appropriate. For example, supporting small and medium-size exporters is the stated raison d’ etre of the FCS. Yet, at Washington’s insistence and despite cautions from the field, we steered precisely those kinds of companies toward countries that were not, for their capabilities and experience, always appropriate. Lots of resources went into new export development efforts in markets that required staying power and deep pockets, things small exporters simply do not have. I felt then and now that we do them a greater favor by supporting them in devel- oped markets with better prospects of early rewards. FCS has frequently com- plained of a lack of resources but has, with only one exception of which I am aware, strenuously avoided tapping an inexpensive one already on hand: namely, retirees. In contrast to State, FCS’s attitude toward its retirees seems to be one of good riddance. There may have been cases, perhaps mine, where that was a conscious policy, but surely they could have used the help of others with recruitment efforts or to serve on promotion and assess- ment panels with good conscience and less expensively than by bringing officers from abroad to do the job. Would I move from State to the FCS if I had it to do over again? If the circumstances were the same, I would. Some FSO colleagues held that those who joined Commerce did so in hope of rescuing faltering careers. There may have been some who did so for that reason, but I know of several who, like me, had just been pro- moted by State. Still, it would be interesting to see the pre- and post-move career paths of those who jumped the ship of State. My experience has shown me that FCSOs, FSNs, Civil Service staff, private sector recruits and political appointees combined to help a lot of Americans do busi- ness and do it more profitably than they could have oth- erwise. The FCS has gained considerable maturity and there are opportunities — e.g., chief of mission — which did not exist in my time. There are now positions of suf- ficient responsibility in Washington to make them attrac- tive to Foreign Service personnel, enabling them to bring their experience to bear at the level of policy and pro- gram formulation. Those kinds of assignments should also moderate any temptation to use today’s speed of communications to micromanage overseas operations. That speed, by the way, represents the biggest change between the FCS of 1981 and that of today. Maybe work is not supposed to be fun, but I almost always thought that I was having a good time while doing some good. When I look at what some of the people with whom I was associated continue to accomplish in their careers, I prize even more having worked with them and hope that they had some fun, too. F O C U S 50 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 The FCS has gained considerable maturity and there are opportunities — e.g., chief of mission — which did not exist in my time. The Logic of Business T he FCS experience is not without its hilariously instructive moments. In Liberia, I had occasion to visit mines, lumbering operations, and rubber plan- tations throughout the country. One day I was visited in the embassy by a resident Lebanese importer (most of them were) who was seeking suppliers of miners’ helmets, the kind with lamps. I dug up some addresses but could not refrain from asking why, in a country where all of the mines were of the open pit variety, he thought that there was a market for helmets with lamps. “Sure,” he said. “Poachers will love them.” — Jack Bligh