The Foreign Service Journal, January 2013

24 JANUARY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL packed by several movers in different locations. Alternatively, you can instruct the movers to be more specific about what they pack and how they describe the contents of each carton in their inventory notations. However, given the pressure under which they work, this is unlikely. Outside, you might want to check to make sure that the delivery information stenciled on the outside of the lift vans is correct. And you might even want to keep a record of which boxes go in which lift vans by referring to the so-called “bingo cards” which the movers prepare to record where a carton is being packed. Once you know how many lift vans you are sending, you can mark each one 1/6, 2/6, 3/6, etc., so it is clear how many are traveling together. Reach Out for Help It is important to learn as much as possible about the regula- tions for shipping one’s belongings, but knowing where in the department to turn for information is at least half the battle. Travel and Transportation, Human Resources and Allowances all play roles in the moving process, sometimes at the same time, which can be very confusing. The Division of Travel and Transportation offers a one-stop shop, TransportationQuery@state.gov, wh ere specialists usually answer questions promptly. But you should also try to develop your own network of reliable people within the bureaucracy who are specialists in each of these functions. Particularly when you’re overseas, don’t forget to reach out to other sources at State for information and guidance, such as the Family Liaison Office and the Overseas Briefing Center. Both of these organizations can guide you to a better source if they can- not answer your question. The same is true of AFSA, of course. Then there is “Livelines,” a listserv managed by the Associates of the Foreign Service Worldwide that offers a broad range of information about these issues. With 4,500 people on Livelines, many of them Department of State employees, there is often someone who has dealt with the particular situation you need help with and can steer you in the right direction. There needs to be more mutual understanding between travelers and sup- port staff in the department as to what particular stresses each group of people is dealing with. Employees are uprooting themselves and their families for new postings where just about everything will be unfamil- iar. The location may also be very unhealthy or potentially dangerous. At the same time, employ- ees in Washington often have large workloads, and because people don’t know the regulations, they ask for things that are unreasonable. This is another good reason to familiarize yourself with the relevant regulations: to know what requests are reasonable. That said, every office that serves Foreign Service employ- ees needs to develop an ethic of good customer service. This includes not only expertise but patience, kindness, promptness and sensitivity to the concerns of the customer. Perhaps there should be formalized training to cultivate this ethic. Some Recurring Issues There are a number of specific situations that have caused much stress over the years. Not all of these problems have clear solutions. Students at the Foreign Service Institute often complain that they are not permitted to leave classes to be present at a packout or to take receipt of HHE. It is assumed that there is a spouse to take care of this or, if you are single, that friends will cover for you. To resolve this, either FSI needs to become more flexible about time off, or students need to anticipate this problem far enough in advance to be able to round up people to stand in for them while they are attending class. Though there has been much improvement, people still com- plain about being put in a very stressful position because they get their final orders very close to the actual day of departure. From the point of view of planning and preparing, the earlier There needs to be more mutual understanding between travelers and support staff in the department as to what particular stresses each group is dealing with. Josh