The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

32 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 3 espite its name, civil servants predominantly staff the Foreign Agricultural Service. In fact, Civil Service personnel account for approximately 70 percent of the nearly one thousand FAS employees. Foreign Service personnel (officers and administrative assistants) comprise only about 17 percent, while our dedicated Foreign Service National staff account for the remaining 13 percent. FAS personnel serve in 70 agricultural offices around the world, covering almost 130 countries. Our smallest offices may be run by a single Foreign Service National without a resident FS officer, while the largest offices can F O C U S O N F A S D Kevin Rechin L IFE I N T HE FAS L ANE P RECISELY BECAUSE FAS IS SUCH A SMALL AGENCY , ACHIEVING SUCCESS REQUIRES DEDICATION AND COORDINATION FROM ALL PERSONNEL , F OREIGN AND C IVIL S ERVICE ALIKE . B Y E D P ORTER