The Foreign Service Journal, May 2017

12 MAY 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS Highlighting Diplomatic Security I want to thank you for the recent article, “Law Enforcement As an Instru- ment of National Power,” by Ronnie Catipon (March FSJ ). At this time in Washington, D.C., the Bureau of Diplomatic Security needs to advocate for itself, and we absolutely must have the support of our Foreign Ser- vice partners in this effort. The article succinctly and accurately demonstrated the unique value that DS provides to the United States, something that could potentially be overlooked dur- ing this period of transition. I truly hope the FSJ will continue to highlight our efforts and the important work that our bureau does, not just for the diplomatic community, but for the American taxpayers, as well. Joe Mahoney Resident Agent in Charge Hot Springs, Arkansas ‘One Team, One Fight’ Is No Cliché in Peshawar My four years of service in the United States Marine Corps ingrained in me the importance of the chain of command. Whether I was conducting combat opera- tions in Iraq or Afghanistan, or at my duty station in Hawaii, the chain of command was sacred. As an 18-year-old private first class, I did not socialize with noncommissioned officers, and certainly not with commis- sioned officers. The lines of demarcation were distinct, and we all followed and never questioned them. While this system works fantasti- cally in the Marines, evidenced by the proud battle record of the Corps, at U.S. Consulate General Peshawar, we have a different way of doing things. After read- ing the March Foreign Service Journal , which celebrated the centenary of the dip- lomatic security func- tion, I want to share my unique experience with this organization. When I arrived in Peshawar in November 2015 with five other brand-new Security Pro- tective Specialists hired specifically to supplement DS special agents in high-threat environments, I somehow expected to see the same rigid structure observed in the Marine Corps. Instead, I was immediately struck by the cohesion and camaraderie, not defined by rank or title, of a team unified by a common objective. During duck-and-cover, earthquake and overland evacuation drills, I recog- nized that we were not just a Regional Security Office team, but rather a consulate team . Within a fewmonths of our arrival, we had the opportunity to assist the politi- cal chief in a discussion of American col- lege opportunities with a room full of eager Pakistani university students. On any given day in Peshawar, we may be traveling in an early morning motorcade through one of the most austere and dangerous locations in the Foreign Service. By lunch, we could be assisting the political chief in choosing a caterer for an upcoming diplomatic reception. Obviously, this was not written into the SPS job description, but I am immensely satisfied with the exposure to other sections that I have been fortu- nate to experience at this unique post. Peshawar still feels more like a frontier town than a modern city, and in many respects it is, being the last stop before entering the tribal lands of Paki- stan and Afghanistan. It will never be confused with Paris; but for the right person, it can be a reward- ing experience. It has been so for me. As I start my second tour on our .9-acre slice of Pakistan, I look forward to another year of interaction with the people of Pakistan and challenging and interesting security work. Most of all, I look forward to being a contributing member of the consulate team, where “One Team, One Fight” is more than just a cliché. It is our reality. Nicholas Durr Security Protective Specialist U.S. Consulate General Peshawar An Eloquent Letter Much in the March FSJ interested me, but above all is the eloquent resignation letter of Timothy Lunardi. The FSJ could scarcely be accused of timidity in any case, but its publication of this letter with its explicit criticism of President Donald J. Trump showed outstanding courage. In my Theology and the Disciplines of the Foreign Service (reviewed in the April 2015 FSJ ), I described the distinc - tive ethos of the Foreign Service as I knew it. It included getting the facts that one reported back to Washington exactly right and employing rigor in drawing conclusions from them. This ethos conflicts inherently with what I perceive to be that of the Trump administration, which has perhaps a special potential for confrontation. I am glad that the FSJ is not shying away, but instead is providing resources out of which to respond. The Rev. Theodore L. Lewis FSO, retired Germantown, Maryland