The Foreign Service Journal, March 2014

46 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL STATE VP VOICE | BY MATTHEW ASADA AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP. Contact: asadam@state.gov or (202) 647-8160 AFSA’s strategic plan out- lines how we are working to make the department a bet- ter, safer and more rewarding place to serve. This month, our efforts to improve ben- efits and the quality of work/ life as it relates to employee travel. For several years now, AFSA has advocated for employee enrollment in various Trusted Traveler pro- grams. Given the frequency of employee travel, it is in the government’s financial interest to enroll employees in two specific programs that can same time and increase productivity: Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check. G l oba l En t r y The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program was designe d to facilitate customs and immigration clearance for frequent, low-risk interna- tional travelers. To enroll, applicants must be finger- printed and interviewed by an immigration officer, and meet strict eligibility criteria. On return to the U.S., enrollees may verify their identity and complete the immigration process at an electronic kiosk without speaking with an officer. While traditional lines can have waits of more than 20 minutes before U.S. citizens have the opportunity to speak with an immigra- tion officer, the expedited immigration process at the Working to Make Travel Easier kiosk takes approximately one minute, and the kiosks are usually available without a wait. The benefits of Global Entry continue to grow as the program partners with foreign trusted traveler pro- grams—now in the Nether- lands and South Korea. TSA Pr e - c he c k The Transportation Security Administration’s program, TSA Pre-Check, facilitates passenger security screening at airports. Pas- sengers enrolled in TSA Pre- Check may leave their belts, shoes and lightweight jackets on and do not have to remove laptops from their bags. These enhanced protocols result in quicker and more comfortable screening of passengers who have already been determined to have a low-risk profile, thus enabling TSA employees to focus on less regular, non-vetted pas- sengers. En r o l lmen t Cos t s Global Entry membership costs $100 for five years, and TSA Pre-Check is $85 for the same period. Global Entry membership currently includes membership in TSA Pre-Check, making it a far better value for the fre- quent international traveler. Several premium credit cards reimburse Global Entry enrollment fees, and some airlines complimentarily enroll frequent fliers in TSA Pre-Check. The productiv- ity savings realized through participation in these two programs quickly cover the cost of the programs themselves. For instance, after just two trips, an FS-03 employee’s productivity sav- ings exceeds the annualized cost of membership. An even better value than Global Entry is enrollment in the U.S.-Canadian trusted traveler programs, NEXUS. As members, individuals liv- ing on or close to the border are given expedited land border crossing. The $50 fee includes what is essentially a “passport” card, in addi- tion to membership in Global Entry and TSA-Pre-Check. (For me, as a Michigander, the NEXUS card was the only way to go—half the price of Global Entry, and a free “passport” card!) AFSA Ac t i on s AFSA has encouraged the department to enroll employees in TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry. In late 2013, TSA announced automatic enrollment and expansion of TSA Pre-Check to active- duty members of the military (in or out of uniform). We understand the department is working to extend this benefit to our Foreign Service colleagues holding security clearances. A larger challenge is advocating for automatic Foreign Service enrollment in Global Entry. We are pursu- ing a strategy directed at the individual and institutional levels. The General Services Administration’s current travel circular prohibits agency reimbursement of an employee’s Global Entry fees. This circular was issued before Global Entry was even a program, and cites a privately administered security clearance program instead of a government-run, trusted traveler, customs/ immigration program. We have written and spoken to GSA requesting a review of this travel regulation. At the same time, we have written to and met with the CBP to discuss auto- enrollment of Foreign Service employees with security clearances in Global Entry. CBP explained that Global Entry has more stringent eligibility criteria than TSA Pre-Check. These criteria are not addressed by the department’s employee security clearance investiga- tion program. We continue to engage CBP and the depart- ment to see if there is a way to harmonize these require- ments and facilitate auto- enrollment. We are also exploring a third-party partnership to bring the benefit of Global Entry to members through an AFSA-branded credit card. Please think what you can do to support AFSA in these efforts. n Next month: AFSA Partners