The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

as a junior professional, returned to Washington for 20 or more years, then served once more overseas before retir- ing. The yard dogs stayed out as much as possible. In an extreme case, Jerome M. “Jerry” Kuhl joined OFAR/State in 1952, and retired from FAS in 1989. In nearly 38 years of service he spent only 18 months in headquarters assign- ments, most of that in language training. FAS Rejoins the Foreign Service In 1954, when FAS was taking permanent shape, the agricultural attachés became civil servants instead of Foreign Service officers. This led to a number of prob- lems. First, rotational authority (the ability to “stretch” or “shrink” into assignments) is, of course, not inherent to the Civil Service. The ability to shrink was eventually written into Title 7 of the U.S. Code specifically for FAS, but with a limit of three years before an employee had to revert to a lower grade. This complicated overseas assignments and sometimes made matching the right person to the right job impossible for bureaucratic reasons. Benefits legislated for Foreign Service officers did not automatically accrue to FAS attachés, so follow-up legislation was always required — and was not always forthcoming. On top of that, some foreign countries were unwilling to accredit agricultural attachés as diplomats, since they did not hold presidential commissions. FAS was also irritated that State would not grant its attachés at important posts the title of counselor of embassy. Congressman Kika de la Garza, D-Texas, chair- man of the House Agriculture Committee, learned of this while on a congressional junket, and included language in a 1977 appropriations bill requiring State to grant no fewer than 10 counselor titles to agricultural attachés. State fumed, but granted the titles, then proceeded to upgrade its section chiefs at certain of those posts to the rank of minister-counselor. FAS asked State for that title, too, and was, of course, denied. In 1987, Chairman de la Garza struck again, with a rider in that year’s appropriations bill that accorded FAS up to 12 minister-counselors. In themeantime, FAS had rejoined the Foreign Service. F O C U S M A Y 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 41 * per night, single or double occupancy subject to availability Y our search is over, choose a hotel where the federal per diem rate is available year-round. * Luxurious Suites All rooms with full size kitchen & stove tops Fitness center Complimentary in-room coffee Full service restaurant Parking available Across fromMain State White House, The Mall, and Metro Foggy Bottom station (blue & orange lines) within walking distance Accommodations State Plaza Hotel 2117 E. St. NW Washington, DC 20037 Telephone: (800) 424-2859 (202) 861-8200 Parking Available Rated 1 / 2 by AAA www.stateplaza.com E-mail: reservations@stateplaza.com