The Foreign Service Journal, September 2006

Holmes opened the meeting by high- lighting the compromises that AFSA and the department had reachedon incentives for Iraqvolunteers, noting thatAFSA’s sup- port for special benefits is combined with our strong desire to minimize unfairness to the rest of theForeignService and topro- tect the integrityof our performance-based promotionsystemandmeritocracy. Secre- taryRice expressedher viewthatmerit also encompasses willingness to take difficult assignments, and that there shouldbeways to reward those people without compro- mising basic principles enshrined in the Foreign Service Act. State VP Kashkett commented that AFSA’s recent electronic poll on Iraq PRT incentives,which2,500membersworldwide completed, revealed a strong sense of duty andawidespreaddesire tomaintainthevol- unteer nature of war-zone assignments, as well as a concern that proper recognition begiventoFSemployeesdoingsuperbwork all over the world, as well as in Iraq. The Secretaryaffirmedherhope tokeepstaffing Iraqwithvolunteers, but cautioned that the staffing imperatives of unaccompanied posts could be a long-term problem. AFSA officers briefed the Secretary on ongoing efforts to work out compromise language for the Foreign Servicemodern- ization legislation that would provide overseas comparability pay to all FS employees abroad while converting auto- matic within-grade step increases to per- formance-based salary adjustments. Holmes explained that AFSA wants to ensure that such adjustments will truly be based on quality of performance and that moneywill be available topay for them. He suggested that theSecretary’spersonal inter- vention might be necessary to break a potential executive branch deadlock and ensure that the final draft bill reaches Congress in time to be passed this year. Moving to transformational diploma- cy, the Secretarydescribedher visionof the Foreign Service as becomingmore “expe- ditionary” and requiring employees to deploymore frequently toareasof crisis and conflict, sometimes on short notice. This, she said, will require sacrifice and a broad acceptance that the FS career may involve a greater proportionof difficult, dangerous andunaccompaniedpostings in the future. We must start recruiting differently, she said, and new entrants into the Foreign Service will need to have different expec- tations. Holmes noted, and the Secretary agreed, that the newCareer Development Programsweredesigned todo just this, but he recognized that the CDPs are a medi- umto long-termsolution to staffing hard- ship posts and the Secretary was focused more on the short-termproblems related to filling jobs in Iraq, particularly those on provincial reconstruction teams. TheSecretaryagreedwithAFSAthat the departmentmust provide a better support structure for families, as themilitary does. This applies to familymembers at post and those separated fromemployees serving at unaccompanied posts. AFSA officers ob- served that the reality for familymembers falls far short of the department’s stated commitments inareas suchas employment and financial benefits, pointingout that the department has not given serious consid- eration to AFSA’s proposals for creating a family-member employment “equalization fund” and increasing the inadequate SeparateMaintenanceAllowance. Holmes observed that unmarried partners (Mem- bers of Household) still face even greater difficulties, and that the department con- tinues to use the Defense of Marriage Act to justify inaction in changing the regula- tions. He asked the Secretary to have the department’s legal adviser review this pol- icy and the relevance of theDMA to it; she said she would look into this issue. The recent successful negotiations to improve the fairness of theSFSpay-for-per- formance system, Holmes pointed out, serve as an example of how a sustained AFSA-StateDepartment engagement could lead to win/win outcomes in many areas. He reiterated AFSA’s desire to work with the department across the board, stressed the contributions the association can make even in areas outside of its bargain- ing rights, and stressed the need to be included much earlier in the process. Holmes also reported on several minority outreach programs that AFSA is ramping up in response to the Secretary’s request that we assist her efforts to make the Foreign Service more diverse. These programs include the AFSA Minority Intern Program, the AFSANational High School Essay Contest, and outreach con- nectedwithAFSA’s Inside aU.S. Embassy book. The Secretary concluded the meeting by expressing satisfactionwith the results of the AFSA-department partnership so far and stating that she looks forward to a continuing engagement on the many tough issues that will undoubtedly arise in the future. The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide are seeking nomina- tions for the AAFSW/Secretary of State’s Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Activities. These awards honor members of the Foreign Service community who have made exceptional contributions in one of the following categories: service to the U.S. government community at post, outstanding activities directed toward the host country and/or exceptional service during emergencies at post. Nominations for the SOSA awards must be received by Oct. 6, and should be sent by mail to AAFSW, 5555 Columbia Pike, Suite 208, Arlington VA 22305-3117; e-mail to office@aafsw.org or fax to (703) 820-5421. For further information, call AAFSW at (703) 820-5420. Beginning this year, nominations for a new award — the Eleanor Dodson Tragen Foreign Service Spouse Award — are being sought by Diplomats and Consular Officers, Retired. This award will recognize a family member who has effectively advocated for family member rights and benefits. The award is named after Ele Tragen, a long-time AAFSW member and advocate, and funded by income from a gift to DACOR from her husband, retired FSO Irving Tragen. Nominations must be received at DACOR by Oct. 6. Send them to: DACOR Bacon House Foundation, 1801 F St. NW, Washington DC 20006. Briefs • Continued on page 72 S E P T EMB E R 2 0 0 6 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 69 A F S A N E W S Secretary Rice • Continued from page 65 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS AAFSWSeeking Volunteer Award Nominations