The Foreign Service Journal, May 2010

58 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 1 0 Fairness in specialist assignments: Only 6 percent of DS special agents re- sponding feel that assignments in their area of specialization are fair and transparent. Twenty-eight percent feel they are somewhat less fair than for other FS employees, and 31 percent feel that they are much less fair and transparent. Likewise, only 6 percent of informa- tion management specialists expressed satisfaction with the fairness and trans- parency of the assignments process. Twenty-three percent feel that assign- ments are somewhat less fair and 16 per- cent feel that they are much less fair and transparent. [There is a] lack of professional and as- signment opportunities available to spe- cialists, even if they are otherwise highly qualified, and in some cases, more so than the generalists. Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Se- curity assignments are not remotely trans- parent; gaining posts/geographic bureaus have no voice whatsoever. That must change. Assignments, employee evaluation re- ports and promotions have been corrupted to the point where the only things missing are secret envelopes of money being passed to decision-makers . Security Clearance Adjudications Informed that, unlike the Office of Personnel Management and the Depart- ment of Defense, the Department of State does not use a standard of evidence in security clearance revocations, only 8 percent of respondents indicated that they had confidence that such clearance revocations are being adjudicated fairly. I am very concerned that State De- partment employees can be fired, or have their careers destroyed, without any evi- dence that they did something wrong. This is ill-worded. As a DS agent who has conducted background investigations overseas, [I assure you that] FS members receive all fairness. I have seenmany cases where FS members have absolutely wacky stuff in their backgrounds that they try to cover up or “dance around.” Adjudication of five-year recertifications is difficult be- cause the general culture of the FS is to be- come completely defensive at being re- investigated. I hope that AFSA will never waver in its advocacy on behalf of more transparent procedures in the security clearance process. Mandatory Retirement Age: Respondents Divided More than half of our respondents (52 percent) favor raising or at least ex- ploring raising (44 percent) the manda- tory retirement age from 65 to 67. A fifth (21 percent) oppose raising the mandatory retirement age, and 16 per- cent urge AFSA not to further explore this issue. As a man of 30, I fear the burden im- posed by ever-longer retirement periods by retirees on our basic social fabric far more than I fear the impact of elderly but continually retrained workers above me. If people want to work, let ’emwork. Just don’t force people to stay in who are worn down. I think AFSA should be very careful about raising any issue that could reopen the Foreign Service Act of 1980. If this issue would result in congressional recon- sideration, the FS might lose many of the benefits that FS employees currently enjoy. I personally have doubts about the ef- fectiveness of an FSO overseas over the age of 65. Please look to see if there is a corre- lation between length in service and views on this issue. I am in favor of AFSA working with other groups to increase the mandatory retirement age for federal law enforcement officers. This greatly affects the ability to recruit and hire individuals who could benefit the service, both from within and outside the Foreign Service. Worldwide Availability: How “Foreign” Should the Foreign Service Be? A large majority — 83 percent — feel that FS members should be world- wide available upon hiring, but only 27 percent think that they should be world- wide available throughout their careers. Slightly more than half feel that if an FS member ceases to be worldwide avail- able at any point in his or her post- tenure career, the department should find or create positions in which that employee can serve. FS members should be judged based on their ability to contribute to the FS, not on their ability to be worldwide available. Additionally, those who want to serve worldwide should be allowed to do so. If not available for overseas service for an extended period of time, separate or convert to Civil Service. It is the Foreign Service . In many cases, employees are declared to have limited availability against their own wishes, and with little option to chal- lenge that determination. More should be done to allow FS candidates andmembers to challengeMED decisions; decisions and practices need to be reviewed, and more work should be put into finding reason- able accommodations for employees to allow service at all possible posts. Benefits for Opposite-Sex Partners: Is Requiring Marriage Fair? Forty-nine percent of respondents think that AFSA should advocate for of- ficial recognition and benefits for un- married opposite-sex domestic partners of Foreign Service members; 34 percent do not; and 18 percent are not sure. The most important issue is opposite- sex partner benefits. I am part of a tan- dem couple, but was told we could only be guaranteed an assignment together if we were married by a certain date. I do not think that it is right that my employer can dictate when I must get married, and that I should be married at all in order to be A F S A N E W S Survey • Continued from page 57