The Foreign Service Journal, January 2007

J A NU A R Y 2 0 0 7 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 63 A F S A N E W S arehigher for entry-level officers, 70percent ofwhomsaid theywould be opposed or strongly opposed. • Among the factors that motivate employees to volunteer for Iraq service, extra pay/benefits is the most common, followed by career enhancement. This is slightlydifferent for senior officers, who said they would be mainly motivated by patriotism. Among all employees, the most compelling reason for refusing to volunteer for Iraq is separation from family. • Although many members overseas have had negative experi- ences in securing employment for familymembers, amajority rated the department’s performance in this area as “fair” (38 percent) or “good” (31 percent). • By more than a 2-1 margin, employees believe the State Department shoulddomore to accommodate unmarriedpartners (Members ofHousehold) overseas. Thismargin is significantlyhigh- er (4-to-1) for entry-level officers. • Respondents indicated a deep level of concern over many issues that AFSA has sought to address with department man- agement. Aggregating those who said they were “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about the following issues, we can rank them accordingly: 1. Poor quality of managers: 80 percent 2. Fairness in assignment system: 80 percent 3. Unqualified political appointees: 79 percent 4. Effectiveness of EER form: 71 percent 5. Low promotion numbers: 71 percent 6. Family-friendliness within the FS: 67 percent 7. Voice of FS career members in foreign policymaking: 67 percent 8. Freedom to express dissent at State: 56 percent Should the department do more to accommodate unmarried partners (Members of Household) of Foreign Service employees serving overseas? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% No Yes 53 24 Don’t Know 23 How would you rate the job that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is doing in securing resources for the Department and its people? 90% 3 Excellent Good Fair Poor Abysmal 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 100% 18 43 29 8 Based on what you know of AFSA’s efforts on behalf of Foreign Service members until now, do you believe that AFSA should be vocal and assertive — or vocal and assertive — in its future dealings with State management and the administration? 0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % Stay the same vocal and assertive 65 2 vocal and assertive 33 No Yes Don’t Know Do you feel that the Separate Maintenance Allowance for people serving at unaccompanied posts is adequate? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 8 52 40 39 28 13 20 Family-friendliness within the Foreign Service Excessive or arbitrary security penalties Unclear rules for reporting contact with foreign nationals Freedom to express dissent at State Voice of FS careerists in U.S. foreign policymaking 25 19 27 29 32 11 24 33 19 25 31 25 13 33 34 24 Please indicate the level of your concern over the following additional issues that AFSA has addressed during the past year. Very concerned Somewhat concerned Slightly concerned Unconcerned 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 46 33 7 14 Unqualified political appointees at all levels Low promotion numbers Mandatory 5% low-ranking of employees Effectiveness of EER form Poor quality of managers Fairness in assignments system 10 35 36 18 31 24 25 19 10 38 33 19 16 16 43 37 4 49 31 5 How would you rate the job that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is doing in defending the professional Foreign Service? 90% 4 Excellent Good Fair Poor Abysmal 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 100% 19 38 28 11 Continued on page 64