The Foreign Service Journal, April 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2018 67 FSJ May 2017 Leveraging Health Investments for U.S. Diplomacy Most State Department FSOs have only a glancing acquaintance with health. ... U.S. government-led health efforts have saved and improvedmillions of lives, and changed the very course of theAIDS pandemic—yet may not initially appear to fall within the direct purview of a chief of mission.Where is the room for a COM to lead?And how can health programs advance our broader agenda? –Mark Storella, Senior FSO and deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration FSJ July-August 2017 An Existential Threat That Demands Greater FS Engagement The State Department started laying the offi- cial U.S. government groundwork for climate negotiations in 1988. …Historically, State’s career civil servants have been the core of the U.S. government’s climate team. …It is long past time that the department align its FSO recruitment, training and incentives to create a stronger cadre of FSOs who are eager and fully prepared to play more active roles in the fight to keep Earth habitable. –Tim Lattimer, FSO FSJ December 2017 President’s Views: Time to Ask Why Congress rejected drastic cuts to State and USAID funding. The Senate labeled the proposed cuts a “doctrine of retreat” and directed that appropriated funds “shall support” staffing State at not less than Sept. 30, 2016, levels. …Given this clear congres- sional intent, we have to ask: Why such a focus on slashing staffing at State? Why such a focus on decapitating leader- ship? How do these actions serve the stated agenda of making the State Department stronger? –Barbara Stephenson, ambassador and AFSA president