The Foreign Service Journal, June 2008

in April, will honor the most signifi- cant contributions each year by an FSO and Civil Service employee, respectively, to the development or implementation of strategies and programs to advance the nation’s and department’s political-military, arms control, nonproliferation and verification and/or compliance agenda. These are the first-ever State Department awards conferred by an under secretary-level office, and will include a financial component comparable to that for department awards. All FSOs and civil servants at State, including those serving overseas, are eligible to compete. Runners-up also will be recognized. Expansion of relevant opportunities, including at overseas posts, along with positions to support them. The department’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget request includes proposals to fill 50 more political advis- er slots, and to create mid-level POLAD-type positions to provide advice to subordinate mili- tary units and commanders. Both proposals are important components of Sec. Rice’s transformational diplo- macy initiative, but will also be help- ful in expanding understanding of, and appreciation for, security issues within the Foreign Service. As such, they should evolve over time into attractive assignment options for FSOs to develop or hone their functional policy skills. While some contraction of FSO billets within T was required to meet departmental needs overseas, all three bureaus have taken steps to strengthen the remaining positions so that they provide even more of the types of responsibilities and opportunities relevant to promotion in the Foreign Service. And, consistent with the recom- mendations of the working group, the range of opportu- nities has been increased in some bureaus, and prior T- related experience is now a factor in selection for some of F O C U S J U N E 2 0 0 8 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 39 The T Bureau’s approach to attracting generalists warrants serious consideration.