The Foreign Service Journal, April 2004

ees that is played overseas by DCMs. There are also regular sessions at which they receive further advice, information, and mentoring. As mid-level positions overseas increasingly are filled by newer col- leagues needing Foreign Service expe- rience, mid-level officers, in turn, are filling ever-larger numbers of domestic vacancies —many of which have been vacant for years. (Contrary to fears that this approach could set up “green” officers for failure, Foreign Service managers are uniform in their high praise for the quality of the new per- sonnel.) Tangible Progress The difference DRI has made is already palpable, despite the fact that many of the people hired through the initiative are still in training en route to post. Almost 300 vacant mid-level positions have been made available to junior officers, including — when deemed appropriate — some straight out of A-100. Most embassies, even the smallest, now have at least two information man- agers and two office managers, per- mitting a healthier approach to issues such as work hours, overtime, R&R, home leave, TDYs and career development. Both specialists and generalists in almost all cases are arriving at post with the full comple- ment of professional and language training required to excel in their new jobs. Ceilings on language training are being raised for all employees, particularly to permit greater proficiency in critical languages like Arabic, Chinese and Russian. F O C U S 24 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 0 4 The single most important lesson from the DRI experience is that continuous recruitment and hiring must always be the department’s highest priority.