THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2025 21 SPEAKING OUT Monica Jean Normil is a diplomat, globetrotter, and author with a passion for connecting cultures through food and storytelling. As a diplomatic technology (DT) officer in the U.S. Foreign Service for more than five years, she shares her unique journey to inspire and empower others to explore the world and embrace our differences. Jean Normil’s works, including Road to Table: Cooking My Way Around the World (2021) and Riley Explores Being a Diplomat (2022), showcase her dedication to fostering global connections and creativity. She currently serves as the Africa DT rover covering 46 sub-Saharan countries. “What does she do at the embassy?” I asked an acquaintance, a political-economic officer at the U.S. embassy. “Oh, she’s just an OMS,” he responded matter-of-factly. Seeing my quizzical expression, he clarified, “A secretary.” That single word—“just”—immediately minimized the role of office management specialists (OMS) without acknowledging the critical work they perform. The word “just” is often used to diminish or downplay someone’s contributions, and in this case, it reinforced a perception that specialists play a lesser role in the embassy’s mission. As someone whose career had always been specialized and technically focused, I was taken aback by the dismissive attitude toward what I knew to be a vital support position. This acquaintance went on to explain the cultural separation between generalists and specialists in the Foreign Service. The year was 2012. At the time, I was a Peace Corps volunteer considering career options after the Peace Corps. Now, more than a decade later, and having served as a diplomatic technology officer (DTO) for more than five years, I can confirm this divide remains palpable. Specialists continue to face both subtle and overt exclusion across our organization. In conversations with my fellow specialists, many share feelings of being undervalued. Add to that the perceived disparity in upward mobility and in-country benefits favoring generalists, and it’s clear that this separation persists. To build a strong Foreign Service team, we must first confront our own internal divisions. These internal divisions are most visible in three key areas: the way we refer to specialists, the opportunities for upward mobility and professional growth available to specialists, and the admin-technical designations used for some specialists serving abroad. The Language We Use Internally and in public-facing materials, phrases like “Foreign Service officers and specialists” are common, reminding us that specialists aren’t officers. But if we’re not officers, what are we? The language itself separates us and devalues the critical operational expertise we bring to the mission. Decision-making is often dominated by generalists/officers, leaving out specialists who possess invaluable on-theground operational awareness. Many specialists have decades of experience, yet we are frequently left out of crucial policy or mission discussions, treated primarily as implementers rather than strategic contributors. This division is further reinforced by the occasional use of the “admin- technical” designation, which publicly marks us as different. Room for Growth and Leadership This divide isn’t just in words; it’s reflected in the opportunities available for professional growth. Generalists are often groomed for leadership positions such as deputy chief of mission or ambassador, while specialists remain in support roles. As a diplomatic technology officer, I’ve had the opportunity to challenge this norm by going beyond the technical box I was placed in. I’ve taken on leadership roles in conversations that are mission-critical, leveraging my technical expertise to inform decision-making and demonNot Just Specialists Anymore BY MONICA JEAN NORMIL Specialists continue to face both subtle and overt exclusion across our organization.
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