The Foreign Service Journal, June 2003

H aving served for three years as thedeputy assistant sec- retary for international operations and four years as theAFSAvice president for FCS, I have a unique per- spective on theUS&FCS, which should be called the Agency That Almost Got It Right (ATAGIT). Over the years, FCS has come close todoing the right thingmany times, but can- not claim complete success. For example, separating from State in1980was right for FCSmissiongoals but not for logis- tics coordination. FCShas yet to feel it has receivedgoodvalue for its International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) payments. Officers report to Commerce management, but at post, the ambassador — not the director general — is in charge. FCSmoved intoCommerce,whichwas almost the right place at the time. ButCommerce, amas- sive domestic department, had little idea how to manage a small foreignaffairs agency. Commerce lawyers knewtrade lawbut not theForeignService Act. Human Resources professionals knew reg- ulations covering the Civil Service but not the ForeignService. Forming a seamless international market promotion organization by merging FCS with Commerce’s domestic offices was almost a good idea. Both organizations share the mission of helping American invested companies profit from international business. However, each has different personnel policies, promotion and reward procedures, challenges and benefits. There has never been a question about the ability of FCS officers to accomplish their mission. FCS is considered one of the best-performing government organiza- tions within and outside the Beltway. But there have always been questions about the ability of FCS to manage its operations: many in the foreign affairs community use FCS as an example of hownot tomanage resources. Last year, for example, 22mem- bers of the Senior Foreign Service were selected to receive awards or promotions in recognition of outstanding accomplishments. It took 19 weeks to get the necessary clearances. The files are full of examples of how we almost got it right. That’s probably why the last four years have been so challenging. The day I started as VP, I was asked to accept a change to the commissioning and tenure policy. Three years later, after sev- eral false starts, we signed an agreement and the C&T board has had two meetings. Right, finally. But it has taken over three months to get the secretary to accept the board’s recommendations. Not quite right. We agreed on a new assignments poli- cy and signed all the appropriate documents. Right! But two months later manage- ment reopened the negotiations demanding the right to assign whomever they want to whichever post regardless of incumbents, bidders or the Foreign Service Act. Not right. In early 2000, AFSA and FCS agreed to a completely new evaluation procedure andprecepts for the selectionboards. Right! But after three years of “technical review,” we have begun the negotiations again. Not right. FCS should not be part of Commerce, but we are. FCS management should do a better job supporting its officers. Not every teamcan experience an undefeated sea- son: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. However, if you can win more than your share of the close ones, you’ve had a good year. These have been four good years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve. ▫ JUNE 2003 • AFSA NEWS 5 FCS is considered one of the best-performing government organizations within and outside the Beltway. V.P. VOICE: FCS ■ BY PETER FREDERICK Almost Getting It Right policies and have led to the collapse of the Department of State as an effective instrument …. Sir, these are serious charges indeed. If you have proof you should run, not walk, to the offices of the nearest U.S. attorney. However, you do not have proof. Your charges are spuri- ous. As such, they will be consigned to the dustbin of history where they belong, along with that paper Senator Joseph R. McCarthy held up in a speech in Wheeling,W.Va., on Feb. 9, 1950, claim- ing to ‘have in my hand a list’ of traitors in the State Department.” AFSA’s response to theGingrichspeech was quoted in the press, including the Chicago Tribune , the Los Angeles Times, Reuters and AFP. There was substantial coverage of rebuttals from State Department officials, including Secretary Powell, Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage, Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Jones, and Spokesman Richard Boucher. At a Senate Appropriations subcommit- teehearingonMay1, SecretaryPowell said that State is “alwayswilling to receivehelp- ful, constructive comment as to how to improve our operation.” Secretaries of State, he said, have all “been criticized at one time or another for being like diplo- mats, for trying to find peaceful solutions . . . creating alliances. That’s what we do. We do it damn well, and I am not going to apologize to anybody.” ▫ Vietnam Reunion AFSAmember Lillian (Lillums) Alger writes to inform us that there will be a reunion of U.S. govern- ment employees (all agencies) who served in Vietnam up to the fall of Saigon in 1975. The reunion will be held in New Orleans Sept. 10 – 13. For more information or to request a flyer, contact Mary M. Collias by e-mail: mjcollias@aol.com or by mail: 5119 Bellemeade Ln., Alexandria, VA 22314.