The Foreign Service Journal, April 2021

6 APRIL 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 85 Reflections The Case of the Bungled Blacklist By Kev i n Ch amb e r s 86 Local Lens Jurmala, Latvia By Pa u l Po l e t e s 59 AFSA Celebrates Win on Meritorious Service Increases 60 State VP Voice—Are Linked Assignments Worth It Anymore? 61 USAID VP Voice—Schedule F(SL): Noncareer Hiring Takes a Toll 62 FCS VP Voice—Our Biggest Untapped Resource 63 AFSA President Meets with Members in Virtual Town Halls 63 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, Feb. 17, 2021 64 State MED Director Briefs AFSAMembers on Slow Vaccine Rollout 65 AFSA Seeks Award Nominations for 2021 66 AFSAWelcomes New Hires to the Foreign Service 67 Save the Date: Foreign Service Day Virtual Events 68 AFSAWebinar: Reviewing Your Retirement Plan 68 USAID Seeks Assignment and Career Counselors 69 APHIS Offers Foreign Service Fellowship On the Cover— Illustration by Connie McLennan. Marketplace 80 Real Estate 83 Classifieds 84 Index to Advertisers FOREIGN SERVICE 7 President’s Views Taking Care of Our Colleagues—and Ourselves By E r i c Ru b i n 9 Letter from the Editor Virtual Diplomacy in an Age of Disruption By Sh awn Do rma n 23 Speaking Out Resilience Leadership By J o s h G l a ze r o f f Perspectives Departments 10 Letters 13 Letters-Plus 17 Talking Points 78 Books AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 65