The Foreign Service Journal, March 2006

through the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative. Many respondents expressed concern that the personnel gains made because of the DRI are being erased by the creation of so many new positions to fill in Iraq and, to some extent, Afghanistan. Iraq staffing is creating “a lot of uncertainties every- where else,” writes an officer who has served in Iraq. “We don’t know what positions will be offered up to the Iraq tax. I also think it creates an unfair perception. Lots of people serve in very difficult places, but those who served in Iraq (and Afghanistan) are perceived as having served in a much more dangerous or difficult place. My hat goes off to the individual who spends two years in the Congo or Karachi as much as to someone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan.” “Other priorities that used to be important are being shifted to the back burner so that Iraq can be staffed,” says an officer who has not served in Iraq. Another says, “the Iraq tax is keeping important jobs vacant.” “My current position has been ‘Iraq-taxed,’” com- ments a public diplomacy officer serving in Latin America. “In other words, it will go vacant for a year (2006-2007). This had a negative effect on my family and career since I was not allowed to extend at post, even though I’ve only been here two years. My supervisors wanted me to stay on for another year. My spouse has a great job with the Department of Homeland Security and his supervisor also lobbied for us to stay at post, and our child is excelling here. [Yet] these factors could not outweigh the ‘Iraq tax.’” “It has made getting my successor harder,” writes an officer in a Russian-language-designated position. “As part of the Iraq tax, no language training will be avail- able for anybody bidding on my language-designated position.” “The Iraq tax is reducing assignments elsewhere and breaking some assignments,” says one mid-level officer. “My post is about to lose an employee for several months to Iraq — he does a key administrative job here.” An FSO serving in a hardship post in Africa notes: “Staffing in Iraq is having a negative ripple effect all over the world. … Posts around the world have lost positions and resources to support Iraq. The military got extra money for Iraq; why can’t the Foreign Service?” “From experience in my last post in Africa,” writes an officer now serving in Iraq, “it is reducing resources (both human and financial) available to other posts. The administration’s new policy of transformational diplomacy just signals more shifting of resources away from lower-profile posts to political hot spots.” “Do we need to have hundreds of officers in Iraq?” asks an FSO who has not served there. “If so, why? What is the justification for destroying the benefits of the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative?” A mid-level offi- cer who has not served in Iraq notes: “It appears that the same mistake is being made now as when the Soviet Union broke up. We try to take on a bigger world with- F O C U S 36 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A R C H 2 0 0 6 Rachel Schneller Provincial Action Officer | Basra | 2005 At 6 a.m. I am waiting for a helicopter to come to take me and others to the monthly meeting on recon- struction and development. The helicopter ride lasts about an hour, during which time all 12 or so of us are wearing body armor, helmets and ear plugs to block out the noise. My colleagues are representa- tives from USAID, the United Nations, the British Department for International Development and other partners. Once we arrive at 8 a.m., we have a hurried meet- ing in a military tent over a cup of instant coffee. We discuss the issues that are going to come up in the meeting and how to present a unified voice to our Iraqi partners as donors. We then go to the meeting in a heavily-armored military vehicle. Once we arrive at the government building where the meeting is to take place, we are escorted by armed guards to the meeting room. The meeting generally lasts about three hours. The different sectors for development — water, power, health, etc. — present their accomplishments along with lists of needs. The local government rep- resentatives ask questions about donor funding and procedures for submitting grant proposals. During breaks, I snatch much-needed brief meet- ings with local officials, journalists and others to find out about developments in the province. When the meeting is over, we head back to the military camp to wait for our return flight. A Day i n t he L i f e o f . . .