The Foreign Service Journal, April 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2017 11 grams and agencies. Thus the second seems best to me. Economic development purists argue that, if completely within State, long- term development objectives would be sidetracked in favor of short-term politi- cal considerations more than they are at present. I wonder. It seems to me that being an integral part of a powerful department such as State could make development consideration—both long- and short- term—more cohesive, prominent and stronger. A well-staffed bureau responsible for negotiating and managing hundreds of millions of dollars of the taxpayers’ money should be able to swing great weight in the department and achieve reasonable balance between long- and short-term considerations. Moreover, operating costs would decline by ending the overlaps men- tioned above and eliminating USAID’s separate management superstructure as well as those of absorbed spigots. There are also advantages in combin- ing the current separate USAID and State personnel systems. Development Foreign Service officers and specialists would be equivalent to economic, political and consular officers and specialists, with the same advantages and career possibilities. One can envision development specialists taking occasional out-of-cone tours as economic officers and deputy chiefs of mission, economic specialists having tours as development program officers and consular officers being involved on the ground in managing humanitarian relief operations. Raymond Malley USAID Senior FSO, retired U.S. Air Force Reserve, retired Hanover, New Hampshire, and McLean, Virginia Take AFSAWith You! Change your address online, visit us at www.afsa.org/address Or Send changes to: AFSAMembership Department 2101 E Street NW Washington, DC 20037 Moving?