The Foreign Service Journal, May 2011

M A Y 2 0 1 1 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 43 I had been wondering for some time whether it was worth the has- sle for both of us, and now I had my answer: no. Shortly after I re- turned to Singapore, I informed my boss, apologized and began the arduous effort to curtail. Perhaps that decision betrays a certain generational sentiment: I love the Foreign Service, but I found that I was willing to give it up if I had to choose between my career and my family. And it nearly came to that. The bureau ended up opposing my curtailment and persuaded the assignment panel accord- ingly. On appeal, my request for leave without pay was approved. Making the System Work Better I learned a lot through that process. Most important, I learned the value of being true to yourself and to your relationship first. Once you make that decision, every- thing else will work out, somehow, and a lot of personal and bureaucratic heartache can be avoided. I also found that there were a number of trailing tandems who chose at the outset to accompany their spouses, and that individuals in the Department of State, on an ad hoc basis, helped them find creative ways to con- tinue working in active-duty status. There was one person in particular, in a regional bureau, whose name kept com- ing up as the go-to person for facilitating these sorts of work arrangements — which wasn’t, as far as I know, among her official work responsibilities. Still, considering the growing number of tandem cou- ples in the Foreign Service, and the financial and other benefits they bring the department, there really should be someone at State (perhaps in the Career Development and Assignments Office) whose official responsibilities in- clude actively identifying opportunities for trailing tandems who desire to continue working. By applying the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 and with the backing of senior management, it might be possible for that person to formally survey offices in the department and find out whether there might be projects that trailing tandems could complete while overseas, using Skype and other technology, including remote access to the intranet. This could be a coordinated effort, building on the department’s Domestic Employee Teleworking Overseas policy, which provides a formal mechanism for Washington, D.C.- based Civil Service or Foreign Service employees to continue working there, even as they ac- company their FS spouse or part- ner on an overseas assignment. Though technology presents opportunities, the bureaucracy does not always eagerly welcome change. There is institutional skepticism about teleworking. And there are those who are afraid of the future. But with bold leadership, such as Sec. Clinton demonstrated with respect to benefits for same-sex domestic partners, perhaps one day no trailing tandem who wants to work will have to take leave without pay to join a spouse or partner at post. F O C U S Some trailing tandems find creative ways to continue working in active-duty status. But there should be an official support mechanism for such situations.