THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2024 11 have formed the training float, but that is a different story.) Powell also truly modernized State by getting access to the internet on every desktop and replacing the “War Games”–era Wang computers with their almost–21st-century technology. Again, this happened because he took the time to ensure we got additional resources, and he took the time to ensure senior leaders were held accountable for making it happen, despite some pretty serious resistance from those arguing the need to maintain the status quo. In a very short time, Colin Powell made dramatic and lasting changes to State Department culture through real leadership: delivering on his promises to support us and holding himself and other senior leaders accountable to us. Even as a first-tour officer at a small post in central Africa, I felt empowered, and we all strove to live up to his example. Powell knew that our priorities are reflected in how we use our resources. He didn’t just say we needed more people, more technology, new skills, and better training. He personally went to the Hill to argue for the resources to do it, and he spent his own time—perhaps the most precious resource in the State Department—to ensure it happened. We cannot modernize the department through rhetoric and directives alone. Michael Honigstein FSO Washington, D.C. Malcolm Toon’s Reminder I want to congratulate The Foreign Service Journal on a brilliant 100thanniversary edition (May 2024). I got a particular chuckle out of the excerpt in “The U.S. Foreign Service and AFSA Through 100 Years of the Journal” from a 1982 interview with Malcolm Toon, who was my very first ambassador in the Foreign Service, at Embassy Belgrade (and again at Embassy Moscow). In his candid and scathing fashion, he railed against the plague of unqualified political appointees populating the ambassadorial ranks: “It is no longer in the national interest to use the Foreign Service as a dumping ground for people who have been defeated in elections or who have made heavy contributions to the party.” His prescription: top career people should speak out, and if nothing was done, “Let them resign with a bang, slam the door, make a big noise about it.” Toon spared neither party in his criticism, noting that “for every David Bruce, you get ten Mr. Klunks.” His descriptions of a few of the political appointees in Europe at the time, although he named no names, were readily identifiable and hilarious. I recommend that everyone read the Toon interview to get an idea of what a real professional who spoke his mind was like. And by the way, the Soviets couldn’t stand him—also because of his candor. The full Toon interview is in the April 1982 edition of the FSJ. It is well worth reading both for the laughs and, for some of us, the memories. James F. Schumaker FSO, retired https://shoeone.blogspot.com/ San Clemente, California n
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