The Foreign Service Journal, May 2019

32 MAY 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Future for Tandems As technology advances, there are far more opportunities for creative work arrangements and rational policies for a flexible organization that cares about families. In recent years, the depart- ment has made strides on some tandem issues. HR has formed a tandemworking group—including participants from regional and functional bureaus, the Office of the Legal Advisor and HR— and WiT has a seat at that table. The Bureau of Consular Affairs improved its policy on passport endorsements. The new 01B endorsement allows for a more accurate reflection of the legal status of many tandem employ- ees who have different status at post (e.g., one is on a DETO or LWOP, while the other is assigned). The endorsement allows the nonassigned spouse to have the same privileges and immunities as other eligible family members while still being able to use the passport for work-related travel, and it reduces administrative waste by not requiring multiple passports. AFSA has been a strong partner, advocating for the Director General’s office to expand and promote DETOs to keep tandem families together so they can contribute to the important work of the department. When LWOP is the only option, AFSA has been an invaluable partner in promoting the easing of administrative restrictions so tandems can stay connected on OpenNet and get back to paid status quickly. AFSA also noted a dramatic increase in the number and length of anti-nepotism reviews (ANRs) man- dated for tandems in recent years and sought clarity on behalf of WiT from the DG’s office. The creation of a new position in HR/ CDA helped bring the time to adjudicate an ANR down from as much as six months to as little as two months. It’s a step in the right direction, but there remains a need for more transparent guidance on when ANRs are required. AFSA is also studying the legality of the department’s SOP mandating that tandem couples must be in the same status when assigned to D.C. There is still much to be done. WiT survey results showed that tandem employees regularly serve separated tours or accept positions that stall career advancement to prevent family separation. Like all members of the Foreign Service, tandems want the opportunity to represent the U.S. government while keeping their families together. As WiT’s vision statement says: “Retaining the best employees and staying competitive in today’s dynamic work environment require the department to invest in its employees and ensure they can balance their work and personal lives.” n I t was not until the early 1970s that tandems were permitted in the Foreign Service. Though the first woman, Lucile Atcherson, joined the U.S. Diplomatic Service in 1922, women were expected to resign when they married. A department policy directive in 1971 ended that practice, and women who had resigned were given the opportunity to re-apply. About 40 women rejoined in the first five years. Carol Rose and Peter Wood were the first married couple in the same orientation class in December 1974; they were assigned together to Hermosillo, Mexico. And before “tandem” had its current meaning, Carol Laise and Ellsworth Bunker were an early and famous such couple. After their marriage in 1967, they served simultaneously as ambassadors, she in Nepal and he in South Vietnam. Neither Laise nor Bunker was a member of the Foreign Service, however: Laise was a civil servant and Bunker a political appointee. President Lyndon Johnson offered Bunker a special government plane to facilitate monthly visits to Laise and entice him to take the post of ambas- sador. Today, nearly 15 percent of the Foreign Service work- force is tandem couples. —KF & KG TANDEMS IN HISTORY The “two-for-one deal” that tandems offer creates value for the American taxpayer.