The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2016

Thinking Outside the Box As I have suggested in several recent articles, members of the Foreign Agricultural Service will find themselves in an extremely difficult position for the next five to 10 years, due to the dramatic dearth of officers in the FS-2 to Senior Foreign Service classes. To put it in baseball terms, we have no one left on the bench and everyone is in the field. Conventional wisdom suggests that creative thinking can provide inven- tive and intelligent ways to resolve problems. I want to use this column to further the discussion about ways to turn our challenges into opportunities. FAS AFSA members have widely differing views on this problem and the possible solutions to it. Senior offi- cers are under strain from forced assignments and the disregard FAS has shown for requests for consideration based on personal situa- tions. (We should acknowl- edge that it is a disservice to our senior members that retirement for many is acrimonious, rather than a celebration of a career of exemplary service.) At the same time, it is understandable that mid- level officers are eager to move up quickly and stretch into the many empty leader- ship roles. Similarly, the large classes of new FSOs are reluctant to embrace significant changes to the system that mitigate current problems but which they see as a potential disservice to their future. There are substantial con- cerns about short-termism, but there is common agree- ment on fundamental issues such as strong support for the new FSO hiring system and opposition to permitting mid-level FS entry or a “par- allel Foreign Service” of civil servants filling Agricultural Trade Office positions. There is no one, single solution to the problems FAS faces which is why an “all of the above” approach is necessary serve today’s needs while creating effec- tive future leaders. First, FAS should adopt several practices that are common among other agen- cies, namely State’s TIC/ TIS rules, giving credit for long-term language training Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA FAS VP. Contact: mark.petry@fas.usda.gov or (202) 720-2502 FAS VP VOICE | BY MARK PETRY AFSA NEWS and advocating the use of limited career extensions to permit retiring FSOs to com- plete full tours and depart on-cycle. Second, the Office of Foreign Service Operations must dramatically increase the number of back-office staff and experienced area officers to permit a greater level of oversight, direction and mentoring to the next generation of officers. Lastly, we must focus additional time and resources on training for emerging leaders and award promotions without delay to those operating at the next level. Only by retaining the best of our current staff and rewarding our future leaders will our common interests prevail. n 2016 ADAIR LECTURE TO FEATURE AMBASSADOR ROZ RIDGWAY This year the 10th annual Adair Memorial Lecture will be given by Ambassador (ret.) Rozanne L. ‘Roz’ Ridgway. The Adair lecture traditionally marks the beginning of the academic year for the American University’s School of Inter- national Service. A veteran diplomat who specialized in trans-Atlantic relations during the final decade of the Cold War, Amb. Ridgway was the lead negotiator at all five of the Reagan-Gorbachev summits, bringing the first substantive reduc- tion in nuclear weapons and signaling the beginning of the end of the Cold War. She served as ambassador to Finland (1977-1980), as well as to East Germany (1983-1985). She also served as assistant secretary of State for European and Canadian affairs (1986-1989) and as counselor of the department (1980-1981). The lecture series is the result of a partnership between AFSA and A.U.’s School of International Service in honor of Caroline and Ambassador Charles Adair. Generously funded by the Adairs’ son, former AFSA President Marshall Adair, through a perpetual gift to AFSA’s Fund for American Diplomacy, the lectures are designed to expose stu- dents to individuals who have spent their careers practicing diplomacy—adding practical insights to the students’ theoretical studies. The Adair lecture will take place on Wed., Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. at the Kaye Spiritual Life Center on the A.U. campus. For additional information on attendance, please contact Communications and Outreach Specialist Allan Saunders at saunders@afsa.org. n NEWS BRIEF 80 JULY-AUGUST 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL

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