The Foreign Service Journal, June 2008

the more senior positions. Promoting understanding of T Bureau functions within the Foreign Service. In July 2007, T Family representatives presented a three-hour orienta- tion session open to all FSOs. This forum provided an opportunity for officers to learn about the respon- sibilities of each of the T bureaus, ask questions regarding issues that they expected to be asked to address in the next six months, develop contact lists, and schedule more in-depth con- sultations. To accommodate those who were unable to attend the orientation, the session and the supporting materials (including annotated directories of personnel and issues) were placed on the intranet (on the T and bureau pages). A similar session is plan- ned for this July; the video and written materials for it will also be posted online. The T bureaus have also been taking some steps individually to strengthen collaboration with re- gional bureaus and overseas mis- sions, including scheduling, when feasible, meetings by traveling assistant secretaries with embassy staffs, encouraging FSOs in T to network with their regional colleagues, and expanding training opportuni- ties, both in-house and outside (including DOD). Looking ahead, the T family of bureaus plan to hold an open house during the bidding cycle, broaden the bureaus’ participation in annual POLAD and regional bureau-sponsored conferences, and lobby for expanding functional-policy training opportunities through the Foreign Service Institute. Changing the Foreign Service Incentive Structure While commendable, the Working Group and T rec- ognized that the above efforts would provide only a par- tial remedy to the underlying problem. They therefore also recommended a number of structural changes to the way that the Foreign Service and State Department man- age the Foreign Service. From my perspective, implementing steps along the lines of their proposals also would go far in addressing my fundamental concern: ensuring that America has a Foreign Service capable of playing a meaningful role in solving the national security and foreign policy challenges of the 21st century. Here are their recommendations: Change the basis for promotion into the Senior Foreign Service. Eight of the department’s 12 strategic goals for Fiscal Years 2007-2012 relate directly to func- tional policy issues. In the order listed in the precepts, these objectives center on: regional stability, counterter- rorism, homeland security, weapons of mass destruction, international crime and drugs, American citizens, democ- racy and human rights, economic prosperity and security, social and environmental issues, humanitarian responses, F O C U S 40 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 8 The T bureaus have also been taking some steps individually to strengthen collaboration with regional bureaus and overseas missions. FUNCTIONAL POLICY BUREAUS AND OFFICES Functional policy bureaus and offices that do not have a conal or geographic affiliation include the following: Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security (T) • Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) • Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) • Bureau of Verification, Compliance and Implementation (VCI) Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs (G) • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) • Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) • Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science (OES) • Office of International Women’s Issues (G/IWI) • Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP) • Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) • Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO) • Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) • Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism (S/CT) • Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) • Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (S/GAC) • Office of War Crimes Issues (S/WCI) • Policy Planning Staff (S/P)