The Foreign Service Journal, January 2013

10 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL relate to young political leaders as gen- erational peers. Now, according to the Journal report, the average entry age is 32. Since some FSOs join while as old as 59, this sug- gests that fewer than half must still be in their 20s. If an ambassador wanted to ensure that his or her embassy had at least two or three officers in their 20s who might most productively relate to rising local leaders, could the depart- ment still deliver today? In addition to being effective, we all want our Foreign Service to be repre- sentative and diverse. But surely the American age group of 20 to 30 is under- represented. There are at least three other practical reasons to consider re-establishment of 32 as the maximum entry age. First, ours is a career service. If we’re to have the most experienced Senior Foreign Service, then expecting 20 to 25 years of positions en route up seems quite justified. Second, having interviewed hun- dreds of FS candidates while working at the Board of Examiners, I know that it is fairly simple to evaluate experience. But assessing potential is much harder. Older folks have more experience, while younger ones may have mostly poten- tial. And isn’t it the potential for growth that we’re seeking? The fairest way to ensure that those with potential don’t get overrun by those with much experi- ence is to restore the 32-year-old cutoff. And finally, there’s the simple fact of declining health as we age—and thus of constricting worldwide availability. The older we are when we enter, the sooner we, and the system, will experi- ence these limitations. Take it from an old-timer. Bob Dickerman FSO, retired Swoope, Va. Diversity at State Speaking as an EEO counselor, I believe that we in the State Department are like one big family. Our new employ- ees are recruited from such a variety of backgrounds that they truly reflect diversity in every sense of the word. That is a great beginning, amplified by the camaraderie and close relationships we establish with our co-workers. Building on this, active education about the value of diversity through classes, workshops, symposiums and individualized instruction should be offered and, perhaps, required across the department. Resources and support must be given to the responsible programs, and periodic reviews of their effectiveness, including individual feedback, should be conducted. Still, official programs to promote diversity can only do so much. The real effort must come from the heart to be effective and meaningful. Those whose parents were in the Foreign Service or military may remem- ber how they were continually exposed to people from cultures and backgrounds different than ours. But they were assimi- lated in school, on sports teams, in places of worship and so on. They experienced diversity every day, even before there was a term for it. All of us in the Foreign Service who serve overseas have the privilege of expe- riencing diversity firsthand every day as a matter of course. But no matter where we are posted, all of us should refuse to toler- ate discrimination in any form. I absolutely believe that the State Department is and must remain at the forefront of the U.S. government’s efforts to achieve this. Krishna Das FS Specialist Washington, D.C. n