The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2007

O n May 25, AFSA sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to express concern about the deteriorating security conditions in Baghdad’s International Zone and to request a meeting and briefings on mea- sures being taken to address security and other issues relating to Iraq service. Text of the AFSA Letter: Dear Secretary Rice, On behalf of the AFSA Governing Board and our members serving in Iraq, I amwriting toexpress our continuing, grave concerns about security conditions in Baghdad’s InternationalZone (IZ) and their impact on the ability of diplomatic per- sonnel to do their jobs. Asignificant number of ForeignService members assigned to Embassy Baghdad have contactedus following recent incidents in the IZ, which have included a suicide bombing at the Iraqi Parliament and a marked increase in incoming fire, which have resulted in casualties among con- tractors and civilian employees under Chief of Mission authority. The deterio- ration of security conditions within the IZ has also been widely reported in the news media and acknowledged by military spokespersons in Baghdad. We are aware that recent missionwide security notices have instructed employees to wear pro- tective gear at all times and have prohibit- ed employees from“congregating” outside reinforced buildings. These developments raise serious ques- tions about whether diplomats can oper- ate effectively in that highly insecure and restrictive environment, aswell as about the appropriateness of current staffing levels. MadamSecretary, as I amsure you know, there are reasonswhy every other embassy and consulate around the world has secu- rity “tripwires” that, once crossed, trigger automatic drawdowns of staff. Diplomats can do their jobs only if they can move about freely and have access to key inter- locutors at all levelsof government andsoci- ety. AFSA requests the following: •Abriefingonwhat additionalmeasures can be taken to address heightened risks within the IZ; • Adebriefing fromPat Kennedy onhis findings regarding security and Foreign Service staffing levels at EmbassyBaghdad, following his recent visit there; and • A meeting with you at the earliest opportunity to discuss, inter alia, the con- cerns of our members serving in Iraq. Thank you. Respectfully yours, J. Anthony Holmes, AFSA President J U L Y - A UGU S T 2 0 0 7 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 73 A F S A N E W S AFSA NEWS BRIEFS LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE AFSA Requests Briefings on Iraq and the FS High-Stress Outbrief Program AFSA was pleased to hear that the Foreign Service Institute and MED are partnering to offer a new one-day High Stress Assignment Outbrief Program, MQ-950. The program is mandatory for all employees serving 90 days or more in Iraq or Afghanistan, and is highly recommended for any employee returning from a high-stress or high-threat post. The creation of this program represents enhanced efforts by the State Department, with strong encouragement fromAFSA, to reach employees who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. (See AFSA State Vice President Steve Kashkett’s column on p. 71, “PTSD and the Foreign Service.”) As stated in the unclassified cable announcing the program, State 56401 (sent April 26), the objectives are to ensure that: the department understands and appreciates the full range of difficulties officers encounter in taking on hazardous assignments; officers transition as easily as possible back into their personal and professional lives and onward assignments; employ- ees understand the dynamics at play regarding coming back from a high-stress assignment; employees are empowered to understand their own decompression and share that under- standing with their family members and friends. Who Knew We’d Be So Popular? Serious Competition for FSJ Editorial Board Slots There were 36 applications for the six openings on the Foreign Service Journal Editorial Board. This is a record-high level of interest. Editorial Board members are volunteers who attend a monthly luncheon meeting to review article submissions, select upcoming focus topics and deliberate on the direction of the magazine.