The Foreign Service Journal, March 2003

V.P. VOICE: STATE BY LOUISE CRANE Security at State S ince October 2000, the Department of State has implemented a series of policies to enhance its employees’ security awareness. First, discipline for security infractions and violations was tightened. It used to be that an employee had to incur three security inci- dents within a three-year period before discipline kicked it. Now, discipline (including letters to personnel files) kicks in after only 18 months. At the same time, it became mandatory for rating officers to comment on any pattern of failing to safeguard classified material. Both the Core Precepts and the Procedural Precepts that guide the annual pro- motion boards’ work were revised to strengthen the importance of the proper han- dling, storage and safeguarding of classified material for tenuring and promotion. Because some discipline letters remain in an employee’s performance file until the individual is promoted, selection boards now have greater knowledge of employ- ees’ security practices. The department has made employees’ security records a significant factor when selections are made to fill coveted chief of mission, deputy chief of mission and principal officer positions, as well as senior domestic assign- ments. Otherwise qualified employees have been chagrined to discover that their poor security practices had knocked their names off the list. The department’s most controversial decision was to remove temporarily from the lists of employees recommended for promotion, performance pay, presiden- tial pay andMSIs, those whose security records totaledmore than 30 points. Their names are reinstated only after they had undergone intensive security retraining. AFSA opposed the practice of removing names from lists on the grounds that it skirts dangerously close to undermining the integrity of the promotion panels. Instead, AFSA has urged that all employees with 30-plus security points undergo intensive retraining. We believe the goal here is to enhance security awareness, not punish people further for past security lapses. Some of these employees may have already been disciplined for the security lapses. It takes time for new policies to take effect. AFSA believes the department’s new policies are working well. Those whose past security problems washed them out of competition for senior positions of responsibility are now more security con- scious. Surely those whowant to become DCMs andCOMs aremore careful about security now, because they don’t want to damage their chances to advance. The Bureau of Human Resources’ own statistics provide some proof and basis for speculation. The Office of Employee Relations in HR handles discipline, from the misuse of a government vehicle andmisuse of the Internet to security. In 2002, the office dealt with 198 cases, over half of which involved security. While the out- come of many cases are still pending at this writing, the office did issue 28 letters of reprimand that will be seen by this year’s selection boards. Six individuals were suspended, some for as many as six days. Successive promotion panels will see these records. While many only received letters of admonishment, which are not placed in performance files, they serve to put individuals on notice that future secu- rity lapses will have serious consequences. Good security practice is as much a part of national security as visa issuance is. It is also a component of employees’ careers. AFSA believes State’s employees have gotten the security message, loud and clear. ▫ 12 AFSA NEWS • MARCH 2003 AFSA Personal Property and Transit Insurance D id you know that as a member of AFSA you could be taking advan- tageof theonly insuranceprogram to offer personal effects and transit cover- age everywhere outside the United States withoutrestriction? Forover25years,AFSA has offeredcomprehensivepersonal prop- erty insurance to its membership. Today, more than 1,000members are enrolled in our various insurance programs. For per- sonal property insurance, theypay the same rate theypaid in1973, just 75centsper$100 of basic coverage. This program, under- writtenbyChubb, remains unique. There is nothing else quite like it, and it is avail- able only to members of AFSA. TheAFSAplanwas the first tooffer full replacement value coverage for personal property, and fornoadditional charge. The rate remains the same even for high-risk posts. Nomatterwhether youare stationed inParis, IslamabadorKualaLumpur, your coveragewill cost the same andwill not be denied. The AFSA Plan also offers the broad- est coverage available anywhere. It includes coverage for earthquake, flood, mysterious disappearance,marring, break- age of non-fragile articles, denting and scratching. Coverage is available for stor- age even in theUnitedStates. Personal lia- bility insurance, if selected, applies world- wide. The claims process is anhonor pol- icy. It is simple, user-friendly anddoes not require the completion of forms. While on assignment abroad, consider taking advantage of the AFSA plan. Formore informationonAFSA insur- ance programs, please contact AFSA Member Services at (202) 338-4045, ext. 525 or member@afsa.org. ▫ The AFSA plan was the first to offer full replacement value coverage for personal property, and for no additional charge.