The Foreign Service Journal, June 2004

retaining me in the FS. Tuition assistance and maternity leave are two big ones.” “Although I have learned much in my consular tour,” writes Rachel Schneller, “these past two years as a vice consul have been very difficult for me because this is not the area of international work that interests me and motivated me to join the Foreign Service. I feel as though my career aspirations have not been taken into account by the FS, and that I am here only to fill a slot at a visa window.” “The headaches of negotiating the State Department bureaucracy have ruined an otherwise satisfying career,” writes a management officer in Hong Kong. “It is the massively inefficient bureaucracy that will eventually cause me to leave the Foreign Service. I had originally planned to make the FS a career and stay until retirement. Now I think I’ll leave within the next five years.” “Failure to address the MOH issue could adversely affect my long- term career in the FS,” writes Mike Snyder. “Hundreds of gay and lesbian officers are proudly serving at the Department of State and their fami- lies need to be recognized and given equal status as their straight col- leagues. Not doing so gives us the impression that our service is not as valued and our families matter less than those we serve alongside. While I know none of my colleagues actual- ly feels this way, the policies of the department give that impression.” Digesting the Elephant The State Department and USAID were gutted during the 1990s by budget cuts, losing critical staff and the ability to adequately staff their missions. The new hires brought in under the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative at the State Department and the New Entry Professional program at USAID are the ones to fill the gaps and bring staffing up to functional levels. Their concerns need to be consid- ered, if for no other reason than because they make up a large part of today’s Foreign Service. The good news is that this new “generation” is highly professional, enthusiastic to serve, and willing to spend their career in the Foreign Service. More than a few employees described the Foreign Service as their “dream career.” However, they also come in with expectations that the system will take care of them. There are broad cultural changes that many new hires are promoting, and there are also specific concrete changes in training, benefits, and information sharing that would help convince new hires that they chose the right career (see box). It is too early to know if this gener- ation will change the current system or simply be absorbed by it. Hopefully, Foreign Service leadership will not emulate Saint-Exupery’s boa — who swallows his prey whole and sleeps through the digestion — and will take seriously the needs of the new generation. How well the boa digests the elephant will determine the health and vigor of the Foreign Service for years to come. J U N E 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 51 Suggestions Following is a list of some of the concrete changes that were suggested by survey respondents and focus group participants. Some are changes manage- ment could make today, while others — such as paid parental leave and equal treatment for domestic partners — would require a change in U.S. government policy for all agencies. • Management should resolve the inequity between Foreign Service salaries in Washington, which include locality pay, and salaries overseas, which do not. • Management should ensure that all posts honor the legal requirement to allow untenured officers overtime and comp time. • Customer service standards for all human resources personnel should be enforced. • Human Resources should provide more information to recruits and new hires about the reality of spouse employment opportunities overseas. • The State Department or AFSA should publish guidelines on how to navi- gate the system when planning a pregnancy and birth in the Foreign Service. Rules about leave options should be spelled out. • The FSI day care center, which currently closes at 4:30 p.m., should stay open at least until 5:30 p.m. for those who need it. • USAID should match the benefits given to State employees, especially to include language training for spouses. — Shawn Dorman Many State generalists and USAID officers said they want to see a better use of their skills earlier in their careers.