The Foreign Service Journal, May 2006

M A Y 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 33 wo years in the making, the Career Development Program aims to create a senior corps of specialists and generalists whose experience and training will enable them to grasp the “big picture” of the foreign policy challenges the United States faces. Their expertise will grow from several assignments in a geo- graphic area or within a thematic focus. The CDP also emphasizes language training, enhancing professional skills, leadership training, and requires a commitment to service in hardship posts. The CDP for generalists was launched on Jan. 1, 2005, and the one for specialists on Jan. 1, 2006. Because the program stresses commitment to serve in difficult parts of the world, using foreign languages and deep regional and functional expertise, it dovetails with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s ongoing transfor- mational diplomacy initiative. The CDPs for the 17 specialist career paths were pri- marily developed by drafting committees, called Contact Groups, drawn from the various specialties. These groups received support from several HR offices, as well. AFSA was a constant partner in the development of the career paths, and all regional and functional bureaus were consistently briefed during its development phase. When a draft career path was ready for consideration by the specialist group in question, it was sent to the field as an ALDAC message, with the request that comments and suggestions be sent back to the department by a cer- tain date. (HR/PE maintained an e-mail box for these replies.) This feedback from the field provided invaluable guidance as we finalized the draft career paths. Many GSOs and OMSs, for example, felt that it should be mandatory to demonstrate foreign language proficiency. Their respective career paths now reflect the feedback we received. Many Diplomatic Security Special Agents noted that the unique requirements of their work made participation in a physical fitness program highly desir- able; this mandatory requirement was added to their CDP career path. Director General W. Robert Pearson held a series of town hall meetings about the CDP in Washington in F O C U S O N S P E C I A L I S T C A R E E R D E V E L O P M E N T M ANY P ATHS , O NE G OAL T HE C AREER D EVELOPMENT P ROGRAM FOR F OREIGN S ERVICE S PECIALISTS EMPHASIZES TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION TO ENHANCE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS . . B Y J. C HRISTIAN K ENNEDY T