The Foreign Service Journal, September 2004

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 7 Returning the Favor I was the labor attaché at our embassy in San Salvador from 1985 to 1987. Jose Luis Grande Preza, the courageous leader of the General Workers Confederation trade union, once remarked to me: “You Americans are here now risking your lives to help El Salvador in its time of need. We will never forget this. A day will come when the United States will need the help of Salvadorans, and we will be there to give it.” While reading “Foreign Service Firefight” ( FSJ , June) in which Phil Kosnett described how members of the Salvadoran Army’s Cuscatlan Battalion helped to save his life in Iraq, I thought of how true Grande Preza’s statement was. Francis (Paco) Scanlan State Dept. Adviser for International Affairs Air War College Montgomery, Ala. Privileges for Specialists First When AFSA recently solicited comments regarding the department’s Members of Household policy for its June FSJ article, I took the opportuni- ty to express my views on what I see as an important issue that could have far- reaching effects on everything from morale to diplomatic readiness. I was impressed when I received an e-mail from the author of the article asking if I would be willing to discuss my com- ments on the phone. I provided a contact number but was never called. I found the June issue a bit ironic. First, there was a letter from Editor Steve Honley encouraging construc- tive dissent and expressing concern for the lack of it, and on the very next page began an otherwise excellent and informative article (“Not Quite Family: ‘Members of Household’ at State”) that did not express even one dissenting opinion about, nor discuss any negative consequences from, the department’s MOH policy. One may ask, “What negative con- sequence could possibly come from giving more benefits to employees, at little or no cost to the government?” But we have hundreds of specialists overseas who are still not afforded the same privileges and protections as their generalist counterparts. Now AFSA is working with the department to give unmarried domestic partners and family mem- bers benefits and privileges. While none of these privileges appear to be anything that all employees don’t enjoy, could this lead to full diplo- matic recognition and the benefits that accompany this distinction? How long will it be before those in the specialist grades will have to watch unmarried domestic partners and other MOH shopping at duty- free shops, buying tax-free gasoline, and driving cars with diplomatic plates, while they themselves are paying full price for basic essentials? I’m not in the least opposed to granting benefits to MOHs, and over- all, it is a wonderful program that I support. The Foreign Service, how- ever, is a unique lifestyle, as are the benefits we enjoy. Will AFSA and the department seek to grant diplomatic privileges to members of household while there continues to be significant inequality in the way an entire cadre of FS employees are treated in the field? Benefits for MOHs would un- doubtedly be an overall morale boost, but could have the opposite effect on certain ranks within the Foreign Service if they are afforded the bene- fits that come with being on the “dip list” while full-time FS employees at the same posts do not enjoy those privileges. It appears that the depart- ment values a domestic partnership more than my 18 years of government service. Perhaps the State Depart- ment and AFSA should first focus on pushing along those posts that make little to no effort in addressing the deficiencies that exist where diplo- matic status benefits one group of employees over the other. Randy S. Lea Information Management Specialist Washington, D.C. Putting a Value on Family I wish to salute the editor, author and the editorial board for the recent cover story on Members of Household (June). “Ineligible family members” is an important topic to many officers and it deserves manage- ment’s immediate attention. For 10 of my 15 years of service, my life has been enriched by sharing the FS experience with a domestic partner. But in addition to the costs that every FS spouse incurs in his or her own career, we face substantial L ETTERS