The Foreign Service Journal, September 2006

Technology in the workplace: OpenNet Everywhere has launched a long-overdue revolution in the work habits and flex- ibility of FS employees, who can now answer e-mails and com- plete unclassified tasks outside the office. Remote-access tech- nology facilitates communication overseas when postsmust close for security reasons. In order to bring the Foreign Service into the 21st century, AFSA proposes: Making ONE access universal among Foreign Service employees Expanding the availability/use of laptops andwireless devices (PDAs, Blackberries, etc.) Per diemfor long-termtraining: The declining scale of per- diem in the D.C.-area remains a source of anguish to our mem- bers, many of whom find themselves seriously out of pocket at the end of a lengthy training period. The new Cost-Effective Lodging Initiative is a good start to addressing housing costs, but more needs to be done, including: Findingways to ease the financial burden of the sliding scale, such as providing a flat rate for all periods of training beyond 60 days Establishing different per-diem rates depending on an employee’s family size Pets in the Foreign Service: For many employees overseas, pets are their household companions and support structure. We need to: Allow reimbursement of the costs of transporting and quar- antining pets Include pets in post evacuation plans Outreach to retirees: HR/RET uses an e-mail–based work- load management system to communicate with Foreign Service retirees and provide the information and services they need. This tracking system cannot fully accomplish this task because many retirees —probably more than half —do not have e-mail capa- bility. HR/RET should: Use other methods to communicate with these retirees, in addition to e-mail, and ensure that the period statements of annuity changes are printed out andmailed to all retirees who do not choose to receive them only electronically Finally, as a general observation, we all share the view that the Foreign Service should honor the experience and expertise of its career diplomats and give thema pre-eminent role in the formu- lation of U.S. foreign policy. Too often, our members today feel as if non-career appointees chosen for a particular ideological point of view and/or personal loyalty are the only ones who play a role in developing policy, while the professional Foreign Service is side- lined. Anything you can do to combat this trend would be wel- comed by our membership. Some of the suggestions in our “wish list” challenge conven- tional wisdom and seek new ways of doing things. We under- stand that this fits inwith your thinking about the Foreign Service. As we have told you before, we hope you will see AFSA not as an adversary, but as a partner, as a conduit for feedback frommem- bers worldwide, and as a source of creative ideas for developing a Foreign Service for the 21st century. Respectfully yours, J. Anthony Holmes AFSA President Steven Kashkett AFSA State Vice President A F S A N E W S 72 F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L / S E P T EMB E R 2 0 0 6 AFSA NEWS BRIEFS BOOKFAIR For months, volunteers have been sorting, pricing and storing books to prepare for the 46th Annual AAFSW BOOKFAIR, which opens on Friday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall of Main State. Employees, their escorted guests, retirees and their spouses are cordially invited. Between Oct. 16 and Oct. 20, this same group of people will be admitted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. BOOKFAIR is open to everyone, including the general public, on two weekends: Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. On the last day, some items will be discounted by 50 percent. VISA, MASTERCARD and checks are accepted. Questions? Please call (202) 223-5796. Briefs • Continued on page 77 DG Wish List • Continued from page 71 JOSH