The Foreign Service Journal, March 2019

12 MARCH 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A Foreign Service Filament On the 65th anniversary, the November 1984 FSJ featured retired FSO Smith Simpson’s, “A Foreign Ser- vice Filament.” In this fascinating trek through FSJ and diplomatic history, Simpson wrote: “The Journal is not only a vehicle of thought with respect to U.S. foreign relations, and, more particularly, overseas experience, but a means of expressing professional per- spectives. It thus serves invaluably as one of those tender filaments joining Foreign Service officers to one another, to the foreign affairs agencies, and, to some extent, to the American public and its congressional representatives.” We are reminded that George Kennan was appointed to the FSJ Editorial Board in Oct. 1937, joining Henry S. Villard and Charles W. Yost. Villard would serve as chair from 1939 to 1948, a record-break- ing tenure. Only Ted Wilkinson came close, serving in that role from 2005 to 2011. And Simpson wrote that by 1947 the Journal served as “a catalytic agent. No longer is it … merely a weather vane, record- ing the direction the wind is blowing. It is now a stimulant, influencing the shape of thinking in the diplomatic establish- ment.” In the 1950s, “McCarthyism adds to the chaos and agony within the Service, all of which is clearly reflected in the Journal , as officers scattered around the world use the magazine to ven- tilate their views and frustrations.” He acknowledged: “While performance over the years is somewhat uneven, it never loses the editorial independence gained under the high-ranking forthright Villard. The ‘courage and open-mindedness’ for which it was praised in the mid-1940s is preserved. …The Foreign Service Act of 1980 has emancipated the Journal from departmental influence, so that it can print search- ingly analytical articles which, before, would have been impos- sible. …The Journal has helped considerably to provide that ‘air’ which has enabled those not content with mediocrity to express themselves with complete freedom. The Journal can be proud it has had that part in nurturing the spirit of analysis and criticism and freeing the minds of Foreign Service officers from the clichés which were once so pervasive.” That edition also contained an interview with Lawrence Eagleburger and an amazing collection of 29 comments on “How Can the Foreign Service Remain Effective for the Next 60 Years?” from the likes of George Shultz, George Kennan, Alexander Haig, Ron Spiers and Dante Fascell, to name just a few. At the 75th anniversary, Manag- ing Editor Nancy A. Johnson took “A Stroll Through 75 Years of the Journal ” in the May 1994 edition . Her closing sums up FSJ history well: “In its 75 years, the Journal ’s editorial content has changed, its budget has changed; its look has changed. Yet, as the torch has been passed down through the generations of editors and Editorial Board chairpersons, its role has remained the same: to be a forum for Foreign Service profes- sional issues and U.S. foreign policy issues through articles, column and readers’ letters. This mandate has never been more important.” On the occasion of the 100th birthday of The Foreign Ser- vice Journal , it’s worth remembering the unique space the FSJ occupies as “the independent voice of the Foreign Service.” As we celebrate a century of Journal s, we also celebrate the people who made it possible—the members of the Foreign Service com- munity who have served as authors, editors and Editorial Board members and, critically, as our readers. In my first editor’s letter after taking the helm from Steve Honley, in March 2014, which happened to be the 95th birthday of the Journal , I noted that “the magazine is both for you and about you.” Then and now, I invite you to write for these pages; after all, they are your pages. In our focus this month, we bring you something useful, perhaps lighter, for a change of pace. “Passport to Health and Wellness” offers a buffet of food, fitness and wellness articles, and a special spotlight on culinary diplomacy, along with deli- cious photographs. And in an Appreciation, we share memories of George H.W. Bush from a few of the many members of the Foreign Service who had the privilege of interacting with him. As always, please be in touch. n