The Foreign Service Journal, May 2008

MA Y 2 0 0 8 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 55 T hreedecades ago, inMarch1978, the Family Liaison Office opened its doors for the first time. FLO began its service to thebroadForeignService fam- ily with a staff of just two full-time employees. Itsmandatewas considerable: to both disseminate information to fami- ly members and communicate the views andneeds of ForeignService families on the policymatters that affect theirwelfare toU.S foreign affairs officials. To celebrate this milestone, Director General of theForeignService andDirector ofHumanResourcesHarryK. Thomas Jr. hosted a ceremony and reception in the Benjamin FranklinDiplomatic Reception Roomat theDepartment of StateonMarch 5. Deputy Secretary JohnD. Negroponte, Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy, FLO Director Leslie Brant Teixeira and one of the founders of FLO, Leslie Dorman, all spoke. For Teixeira and the current staff, this anniversary year is a time to step back and remember the past and the efforts of the small group of people who were respon- sible for the creationof the office. It is also a time to look to the future. The30th-anniversarycelebrationwasalso thelaunchingpadforabrand-newFLOlogo, which ties inwell with the event’s focus on meeting the needs of an ever-changing ForeignService. FLOwantedavisual image thatwouldreflect the fact that it is adynam- ic andenergeticorganization that embraces, supports and empowers a unique com- munity and is ready to respond to changes indemographics, family structureandclient needs. Teixeira says she is thrilledwith the new design, with its “movement, reassur- ing sense of encirclement and abstract fig- ures that represent our diverse client base.” FLOhas always beenpoised to adapt to the changing needs of the Foreign Service. In 1978, nobody was talking about family- friendly workplaces. The idea of an office designed to improve the morale of fami- lies, andby extensionemployees,was greet- ed with skepticism inmany quarters. But a revolutionary1977 report, “TheConcerns of Foreign Service Spouses and Families,” produced by the Association of American ForeignServiceWomen—nowknownas the Associates of the American Foreign ServiceWorldwide—changed that. The report recommended the creation of an officewithin theDepartment of State ded- icated exclusively to improving the quali- ty of life of the Foreign Service family. AAFSW went on to convince State management andmembers ofCongress of the necessity for such an office. When Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance opened FLO the following year, it was formally establishedas apresencewithin thebureau- cratic structure of the department. That same AAFSW report also sug- gested that overseas posts fund a similar office to coordinate community activities, locate community resources and work to maintain or improve post morale, thus heralding the creationof the FLOprogram overseas, which evolved into the Com- munityLiaisonOfficeProgram. Although family-friendly workplaces are nowmore common, back then the StateDepartment was aheadof the timeswith the creationof FLO and CLO. FLO was established primarily as an advocacyorganization, and for 30 years the FLO staff has worked to effect policy changes and create programs and services for the benefit of the ForeignService “fam- ily” — employees, spouses, partners, MOHs, children and other family mem- bers. FLO’s successes include theCLOpro- gram; improved educational allowances; voluntary and involuntary Separate MaintenanceAllowances; familymember employment programs like the Global Employment Initiative/StrategicNetwork- ingAssistanceProgram; access forMembers of Household to many services and re- sources (to the extent currently permissi- bleunder the law); expeditednaturalization help for familymembers; support forunac- companied tours; andahost of publications and support services designed to help employees and family members navigate significant life events including post evac- uation, divorce and adoption. For the past 30 years, FLO staff have been identifying issues of concern, advo- cating for solutions and providing pro- grams and client services to make the Foreign Serviceway of life easier andmore productive. Says Teixeira, “We havemade a difference, and we are proud of that — but we don’t want to rest on our laurels. There will always bemore we can do and, like our predecessors, we arewell prepared for the challenge.” A F S A N E W S FAMILY LIAISON OFFICE CELEBRATES MILESTONE 30 Years of Support for FS Family Members BY KATHRYN VIGUERIE, FLO COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR