THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 5 83 Ruth A. Davis Remembering a Consummate Diplomatic Professional By Stacy D. Williams 86 Lino Gutiérrez An Unsung Hero of the Foreign Service By Charles Ray 88 Richard Boucher “The Boucher Rules” Live On By Caitlin Hayden 90 Charles B. Rangel Supporting a Stronger Foreign Service By Horace G. Dawson and Patricia Scroggs September-October 2025 Volume 102, No. 6 FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE 20 The Challenges of Reorganizing the State Department By Maren Brooks 25 Development Diplomacy: The Strategic Imperative By Erin E. McKee 29 Congress: The Missing Link in State Department Reform By Evan Cooper 32 A Curriculum for the Foreign Service By Dan Spokojny 36 Competence Before Connections: Redesigning Assignments for the Modern Era By Charity L. Boyette 40 A Practitioner’s Framework: Science & Technology Integration at State By Lee E. Voth-Gaeddert 43 The Foreign Service Act of 1980 at a Pivotal Moment By Steven Alan Honley and Lisa Heller IN APPRECIATION: TRIBUTES TO OUR FALLEN GIANTS
6 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FEATURE: SERVICE DISRUPTED 47 Firsthand Accounts from the Field FS HERITAGE 54 A Cold War Ambassador’s Lessons for Today By Stephen R. Grand RETIREMENT SUPPLEMENT 77 Twelve Retirement Pitfalls to Avoid By John K. Naland 59 R eductions in Force at State 59 N ew AFSA Governing Board Takes Office 60 S tate VP Voice— Unprecedented Times 61 USAID VP Voice— A Long Nine Months 62 Retiree VP Voice— Trading Places, With Gratitude 62 AFSA Governing Board Meeting— May 21, 2025 63 M eet the 2025-2027 AFSA Governing Board 67 A FSA Welcomes New Manager of Membership and Events 67 A FSA’s Attorney List 68 A FSA Under Attack— Administration Goes After Unions 70 AFSA Scholarships— Meet the 2025 AFSA Merit Award Winners 75 2025 AFSA Strategic Writing Award Winner: Erik Black 76 A Win for Minnesota’s FS Retirees AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF AFSA ON THE COVER: Design by Nathan Putens. 107 59 PERSPECTIVES 7 President’s Views AFSA Carries On, With You By John “Dink” Dinkelman 9 Letter from the Editor Beyond the Reorg By Shawn Dorman 18 Speaking Out The Way Ahead By Eric Rubin 107 Reflections Srebrenica Doomed: 30 Years After the Genocide in Bosnia By Fletcher M. Burton 110 Local Lens New South Wales, Australia By Carole Fenton DEPARTMENTS 10 Letters 12 Talking Points 92 In Memory 97 Books MARKETPLACE 103 Real Estate 105 Classifieds 106 Index to Advertisers
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 7 AFSA Carries On, With You BY JOHN “DINK” DINKELMAN John “Dink” Dinkelman is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. For more, see his Aug. 14 Foreign Policy op-ed (https://bit.ly/Dink-Foreign-Policy) and Aug. 19 Newsweek op-ed (https://bit.ly/Dink-Newsweek). PRESIDENT’S VIEWS AFSA’s Foreign Service Journal team was kind enough to provide me with samples of my predecessors’ inaugural columns. Each incoming president looked forward to constructive, collaborative cooperation with agency leadership. They were inspirational, positive messages meant to assure readers of a bright future filled with lofty goals and clear horizons. This is not such a message … AFSA is now engaged in the fight of its life. While I would hope that by the time this article is published, level heads would prevail and recognize the error of discontinuing AFSA’s collective bargaining rights (for which AFSA will continue to seek legal remedy), I am not optimistic that leadership will come to its senses. I would also hope that—given AFSA remains the professional association of the Foreign Service that it has been for more than a century—leadership would recognize it is in the best interests of all concerned that AFSA be involved in noncollective bargaining discussions on the range of issues affecting its members. But because of the continued lack of any response from leadership, I can only continue to “sojourn in the wilderness” here at AFSA headquarters—hoping that, at some point in the not too distant future, AFSA is again allowed to cross Virginia Avenue and regain its rightful position at the table. Until then, under my guidance, AFSA’s Governing Board and staff will utilize every tool available to continue to fight for our membership during this unprecedented assault on the Foreign Service and its membership. To our USAID colleagues: I will continue to work for your return to the critical development work you masterfully oversaw for decades. Barring that, AFSA will continue to help ensure an orderly processing of your individual affairs with the dignity your many years of dedicated service merit. To our USAGM colleagues: As your voice is silenced, I will amplify your message. The damage created to our nation’s public diplomacy efforts by your absence will place greater burdens on those left to perform your critical work. AFSA will not allow this travesty to be swept under the rug. To our “RIFed” State colleagues: As a member of your ranks, I know the feeling of betrayal that such a capricious, ill-conceived, and poorly executed mass action has had on you and your families. The loss of such a valuable pool of foreign affairs expertise will hurt our nation in ways that the present short-sighted leadership on HST’s seventh floor will eventually regret. AFSA will continue to seek legal remedy for the damage caused by this monumental failure to effectively manage human resources. To those “left behind” in this mess: I can only imagine the loss of faith in your leadership that you suffer every day. I am grateful to the scores of you who have proactively provided me with valuable insights into the feckless management practices you are being subjected to as well as your reports of the massive influx of work you are being asked to shoulder due to the loss of more than 1,300 of your former colleagues. I lament the loss of any semblance of esprit de corps that such a moralebusting series of events has exacted over the past eight months. I see you. I hear you. I will not give up on you. And finally, to all AFSA members: Just as AFSA will not give up on you, I ask you to not give up on AFSA. Leadership may have kicked us out of our offices, abolished our leadership positions, and even ceased to collect our membership dues. Nevertheless, AFSA will carry on! To do this, your membership and your membership dues are needed. If you are now paying your dues directly to AFSA, thank you! Please tell your colleagues to visit https://afsa.org/staywith-afsa to do the same. Only together can we fight this battle. Rest assured we will win. n We will utilize every tool available to continue to fight for our membership.
8 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL www.sfiprogram.org SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE SFI-01268 Certified Sourcing Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Deputy Editor Donna Gorman: gorman@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Managing Editor Kathryn Owens: owens@afsa.org Associate Editor Mark Parkhomenko: parkhomenko@afsa.org Publications Coordinator Vacant Business Development Manager— Advertising and Circulation Molly Long: long@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith Editorial Board Vivian Walker, Chair Suzanne August David Bargueño Lynette Behnke Ben East Hon. Jennifer Z. Galt Mathew Hagengruber Steven Hendrix Peter Reams Dan Spokojny THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published bimonthly, with March and June as monthly issues, by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board, or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. AFSA reserves the right to reject advertising that is not in keeping with its standards and objectives. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply endorsement of goods or services offered. Opinions expressed in advertisements are the views of the advertisers and do not necessarily represent AFSA views or policy. Journal subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual dues; student–$30; others–$50; Single issue–$4.50. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by the Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS). Email: journal@afsa.org Phone: (202) 338-4045 Fax: (202) 338-8244 Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Address Changes: member@afsa.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2025 PRINTED IN THE USA Postmaster: Send address changes to AFSA, Attn: Address Change 2101 E Street NW Washington DC 20037-2990 AFSA Headquarters: (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 State Department AFSA Office: (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA Office: (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA Office: (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 GOVERNING BOARD President John Dinkelman: dinkelman@afsa.org Secretary Sue Saarnio: saarnio@afsa.org Treasurer John K. Naland: naland@afsa.org State Vice President Rohit Nepal: nepal@afsa.org USAID Vice President Randy Chester: chester@afsa.org FCS Vice President Jay Carreiro: jay.carreiro@afsa.org FAS Vice President Vacant Retiree Vice President Hon. John O’Keefe: okeefe@afsa.org Full-Time State Representative Vacant State Representatives hannah draper: draper@afsa.org Donald Emerick: emerick@afsa.org Connor Ferry-Smith: ferry-smith@afsa.org Christina Higgins: higgins@afsa.org Stephanie Straface: straface@afsa.org USAID Representative Austan Mogharabi: mogharabi@afsa.org FCS Alternate Representative Joshua Burke: burke@afsa.org FAS Alternate Representative Vacant USAGM Representative Gunter “Eric” Schwabe: schwabe@afsa.org APHIS Representative Joe Ragole: ragole@afsa.org Retiree Representatives Hon. Michael Kirby: kirby@afsa.org Julie Nutter: nutter@afsa.org STAFF Executive Director Ásgeir Sigfússon: sigfusson@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Jahari Fraser: fraser@afsa.org Office Coordinator Therese Thomas: therese@afsa.org PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES AND ADVOCACY Director of Professional Policy Issues Lisa Heller: heller@afsa.org Director of Advocacy Kim Sullivan: sullivan@afsa.org Advocacy and Policy Manager Sean O’Gorman: ogorman@afsa.org FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Director, HR and Operations Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Member Accounts Specialist Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: pavlovich@afsa.org COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH Director of Communications and Outreach Nikki Gamer: gamer@afsa.org Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach Nadja Ruzica: ruzica@afsa.org Online Communications Manager Jeff Lau: lau@afsa.org Communications and Marketing Manager Hannah Harari: harari@afsa.org MEMBERSHIP Director, Programs and Member Engagement Christine Miele: miele@afsa.org Membership Operations Coordinator Mouna Koubaa: koubaa@afsa.org Coordinator of Member Recruitment and Benefits Perri Green: green@afsa.org Counselor for Retirees and Alumni Vacant Manager, Membership and Events Glenn Stanton: stanton@afsa.org Program Coordinator Indigo Stegner: stegner@afsa.org OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Sharon Papp: papp@afsa.org Deputy General Counsel Raeka Safai: safai@afsa.org Senior Staff Attorneys Zlatana Badrich: badrich@afsa.org Neera Parikh: parikh@afsa.org Labor Management Counselor Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan: colleen@afsa.org Senior Labor Management Adviser James Yorke: yorke@afsa.org Labor Management Coordinator Patrick Bradley: bradley@afsa.org Senior Grievance Counselor Heather Townsend: townsend@afsa.org Grievance Counselor Ed White: white@afsa.org Attorney Adviser Erin Kate Brady: brady@afsa.org FOREIGN SERVICE CONTACTS www.afsa.org
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 9 Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. Beyond the Reorg BY SHAWN DORMAN LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to our firstever SeptemberOctober double edition. Yes, your FSJ is still here, still in print and online, and still serving as an essential forum for voices of and for the Foreign Service. Our new publishing rhythm—six issues a year instead of 10—is part of AFSA’s effort to trim costs as we rebuild membership rolls after the loss of payroll and annuity dues deductions. If you haven’t already, please convert your membership to direct payment. Every member matters. This is an exigent moment for AFSA— and for the Foreign Service itself. The threats are real. As AFSA President John “Dink” Dinkelman notes in President’s Views this edition, AFSA carries on, defending the Service and its members. The FSJ carries on as well. Reform—Past, Present, and Perilous Reform is not new to our community. The FSJ has devoted entire issues to the topic regularly (see, for example, March 2023 and January-February 2021), and for decades, the monthly Speaking Out column has given members a platform to propose improvements. Our online FSJ Digital Archive Special Collection on reform goes back to even before the July 1924 piece “Mr. Carr Surveys the Rogers Act.” But in 2025, the word “reform” carries a sharper edge. USAID has been dismantled. USAGM is being silenced. The State Department’s “reorg” is eliminating offices and pushing out thousands of dedicated public servants. The damage goes far beyond the livelihoods of diplomats. With this backdrop, we need to not only focus on what is lost but also look ahead to diplomacy for the future. After the upheaval, what comes next? We open with a powerful Speaking Out essay, “The Way Ahead,” by Ambassador Eric Rubin. From there, a lineup of experts explore lessons from the past and possibilities for the future. In “The Challenges of Reorganizing the State Department,” longtime State Department official Maren Brooks writes about her time working on the “Modernization Agenda” during the previous administration. Ambassador Erin McKee reminds us of the need to ensure USAID’s unique contributions to U.S. security are not lost in “Development Diplomacy: The Strategic Imperative.” Research analyst Evan Cooper writes about “Congress: The Missing Link in State Department Reform.” FSJ Editorial Board member and former FSO Dan Spokojny outlines a forward-looking “Curriculum for the Foreign Service.” Special thanks to Dan for his assistance with this edition. Former FSO Charity Boyette, a professor of practice at Virginia Tech, suggests “Competence Before Connections: Redesigning Assignments for the Modern Era.” And Lee Voth-Gaeddert, a systems engineer with a broad foreign policy background, considers ways to bring technical expertise to the practice of diplomacy in “A Practitioner’s Framework: Science & Technology Integration at State.” This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, itself a sweeping reform. FSO alums Lisa Heller and Steve Honley lay out how that landmark legislation still shapes the Service today and what may come next. In a special “Tributes to Our Fallen Giants,” we present four appreciations: for Ruth A. Davis, Lino Gutiérrez, Richard Boucher, and Charles B. Rangel. We also present our newest Service Disrupted collection, “Firsthand Accounts from the Field”—keep them coming to Humans-of-FS@afsa.org, so we can keep telling the Foreign Service story. Looking Ahead Every administration attempts reform; not all do it well. AFSA supports change that strengthens the Foreign Service and has worked with Congress and agency leaders for decades to develop policies that make the foreign affairs agencies less reactive, more effective, and better able to serve the American people. As we navigate one of the most destabilizing periods in recent history, the conversation about what comes next is urgent. The FSJ will continue to report honestly, highlight innovative ideas, and preserve space for the candid, sometimes uncomfortable discussions that are essential to progress. I invite you to join this conversation. Share your vision for the future of the Foreign Service at journal@afsa.org. We will feature the most compelling letters and ideas in an upcoming issue. n
10 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS Why We Need AFSA Congratulations on the recent issues of The Foreign Service Journal with stories, some horrifying, of how our colleagues, especially USAID colleagues and families, have been tormented by sudden and capricious layoffs. Remarkable people and remarkable coverage. These developments and the shattering of the State Department that we watched in early July were a reminder of why we need AFSA. Thank you for what you are doing. As a retiree, I find it painful to witness our successors and our future being torn apart. Tell us what we can do to support you in the fight. Dave Keegan State FSO, retired Alexandria, Virginia Shattered Lives Reading the firsthand accounts from the field by our colleagues and friends working at USAID in the April-May Journal reminds me of the bad memories and shattered lives following the Aug. 7, 1998, East Africa embassy bombings. I was serving as an FSN (Foreign Service National) for USAID Mission Kenya at the time. The decision to freeze funding and reduce projects as we completely shut down USAID missions and recall mission staff in the field back home was quite shocking and depressing, to say the least. Nobody anticipated something like that would happen or the speed at which it happened. It was painful to not only the U.S. ranks or prizes loyalty to Trump, rather than competence and commitment to America, in the hiring process. Finally, an effective Foreign Service is needed to protect Americans abroad. In cities like Damascus and Belgrade, I routinely met with Americans who’d lost passports, fallen sick, been robbed, been arrested, or who were being held hostage—in some cases, without any criminal charges filed against them. It often took great persuasion for a government or regime to allow a person to be escorted to another country. I was effective, primarily, because I’d taken the time to develop working relationships with such figures as the city’s chief of police. What will happen to travelers if the Trump administration goes through with its plans to cut consular personnel and even close embassies, including some in Africa? In 1961, when I was sworn in as a Foreign Service officer, I was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural message: “Let every nation know … that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.” Today, our president treats our allies with contempt, and there’s talk of shrinking the programs that help secure international peace and the free flow of travel. I hope current and former Foreign Service members will write to news- papers, call their congressional representatives, and go to the voting booth to protect an agency that actually helps to make America great. Otho Eskin FSO, retired Bethesda, Maryland diplomats and their families but also the USAID FSNs, NGO partners, and the local communities that will no longer receive essential humanitarian assistance or disaster relief to address issues such as food insecurity, health, water, and sanitation. As one of the Foreign Service officers in your June collection put it correctly: “From the ashes of what remains, we will rise again. Stronger. Wiser.” Francis Ywaya FSN, retired USAID/Kenya & East Africa Nairobi, Kenya Diplomacy Imperiled As many of us retired from the Foreign Service know, retrenching the Service imperils our diplomatic efforts and threatens the lives of officers and the Americans they serve abroad. Why? Let’s start with diplomacy: Closing offices leaves the field to other nations such as China and Russia. Why would we forfeit our footholds in countries that don’t share our values? And why would we compromise standards for diplomats entering the field, especially when the world is so unstable? Next, our security. Having long served abroad, I know that the gig isn’t all cocktails and garden parties. Several of my colleagues were killed in the line of duty. Within a few days of arriving in Damascus, I myself had to hole up during an attempted coup d’état. Tanks rolled through the streets, and fighter planes flew at rooftop level. I shudder to think how much more vulnerable my successors will be if the Trump administration slashes their
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 11 Losing Real-Time Air Quality Data It’s not often that you get to witness, let alone be part of, government work that delivers immediate, tangible, and global impact. Many federal policies take years to implement and yield measurable results. But the State Department’s air quality monitoring network was a rare exception. From the moment the department deployed its first reference grade monitor in Beijing in 2008, it drastically reshaped the global conversation around air quality transparency and mitigation. I had the privilege of supporting the department’s air monitoring efforts from 2019 to 2025. At that time, the network had become a widely renowned, trusted global resource that included 80-plus reference grade monitors, spanned dozens of countries, and produced publicly available data in many places where no other reliable monitoring existed. Considering more than 80 percent of embassies and consulates are in areas with air quality that exceeds WHO standards, these monitors provided lifelines for U.S. personnel and their families abroad. Every day, this realtime data informed basic but critical decisions: Should children play outside today, should the Marines shift training indoors, is this post a healthy place to raise a family, or does hardship pay need to be considered or adjusted for personnel serving here? On a global scale, this data availability and transparency even extended beyond the embassy walls. In countries lacking air quality monitoring infrastructure, the data generated by U.S. monitors equipped local communities, researchers, and governments to advocate for cleaner air and to demand meaningful policy change. Yet today, this system of accountability and protection is at risk. The loss of this network is more than the loss of data. It’s the silencing of one of the most trusted and consistent voices in global air quality transparency. It’s a retreat from environmental diplomacy at a time when global climate challenges require more visibility, not less. This program proved that governments can do the right thing quickly, with global impact. Bringing back this program is not just possible, it’s necessary. The technical infrastructure already exists, and the data has already proved its value. What’s needed now is the institutional will to reinvest in this program, recommit to data transparency, and protect the health of our people. Mary Tran Monitoring and Evaluation Senior Specialist University of Chicago–EPIC Boston, Massachusetts n Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org
12 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS OIG Flags Gaps as State Formally Absorbs USAID The State Department officially took over USAID’s remaining foreign assistance programs on July 1. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that aid will now be delivered “with more accountability, strategy, and efficiency.” In recorded farewell messages shared privately with USAID staff, former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama condemned the move, with Obama calling the dismantling of USAID a “colossal mistake.” Humanitarian groups are already reporting major disruptions; the International Rescue Committee alone lost 40 percent of its funding and was forced to shutter critical programs in conflict zones. A May 2025 Inspector General report warned the transition was only “partially” aligned with Government Accountability Office (GAO) best practices. Though Congress was notified on March 28, State had just 96 days to complete the first phase. The working group guiding the shift is set to dissolve simultaneously, with no long-term leadership structure in place. Meanwhile, 898 active USAID awards worth $78 billion, including $8.3 billion still unobligated, are transferring to State. Despite newly authorized staffing levels—308 direct hires, 370 local employees, and 40 personal services contractors—the department lacks a strategic workforce plan or a full implementation road map, according to the report. OIG’s three recommendations— to establish lasting leadership, finish the road map, and design a workforce strategy—remain unresolved in practice. Critics cite a new Lancet study projecting more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030 due to USAID cuts, including millions of children under the age of 5. In describing this new approach, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is “prioritizing trade over aid, opportunity over dependency, and investment over assistance.” Online Passport Renewal Triumph Thanks to the State Department’s firstever online passport renewal system, Americans can now submit applications, upload photos, and pay fees without leaving home. Since its public launch in September 2024, the system has processed more than 2 million renewals and dramatically reduced wait times, earning a 97 percent approval rating in agency surveys. Led by Luis Coronado Jr., chief information officer at the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and Matthew Pierce, managing director for passport services, the effort transformed a decadesold process that hadn’t changed since the 1970s. (See story below for more on Coronado and Pierce.) Inspired by everyday consumer tech, the team overcame outdated systems and institutional skepticism to deliver this leap forward in federal customer service. Officials say the success of the passport system is opening doors for more digital upgrades, possibly including visas and other citizen services. 2025 Sammies: Excellence in Public Service The 2025 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies, honor extraordinary federal employees whose work delivers meaningful results for the nation. Several foreign affairs professionals were among this year’s winners. Kathleen Kirsch of USAID was honored for her role in helping Ukraine withstand devastating Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure. She coordinated the rapid delivery of critical supplies to keep power and heat flowing to millions through the harsh winter months. From the State Department, Luis Coronado Jr. and Matthew Pierce earned recognition for launching the first-ever online passport renewal system. Their modernization effort reduced wait times by replacing a decades-old, paper-based process. As of May 2025, more than 2 million Americans had used the new system. The Chinese are laughing every day at the moves of this administration. I speak to them, and they just can’t believe the self-destruction on the economic and diplomatic front. … The president’s budget has us spending $100 billion a year just on nuclear weapons—my favorite topic—more than twice as much as what we spend on diplomacy that is meant to prevent war and conflict around the world. —Tom Countryman, retired FSO and former assistant secretary of State for international security and nonproliferation, on NPR, July 11. Contemporary Quote Talking Points offers a snapshot of recent developments affecting the Foreign Service. The following items were finalized for publication on July 21, 2025.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 13 From Interrogators to Students Abroad 50 Years Ago E mbassies should especially welcome congressional visitors. Washington is the congressman’s home turf, and his dealings with American diplomats have a different chemistry there than they do abroad. In Washington, the diplomat, figuratively, and often quite literally, looks up at a raised horseshoe of congressional interrogators. Abroad, the relationship alters. The congressman does not have to take an instant formal position on all that is said. He has come to learn, and it is the diplomat who knows. The good ones come as students with the raised-dais atmosphere totally absent. Temporarily separated from many of the burdens that harass them in Washington, they can devote themselves exclusively to the subject at hand as they often cannot at home. And while members of Congress rarely single out for special praise American diplomats they have first encountered in Washington, time and again they will speak well of a diplomatic official they have met abroad. —William B. Macomber, “The Diplomat and Congress,” in the October 1975 edition of The Foreign Service Journal. Also recognized this year is Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Lydia Carpenter of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), who designed and implemented a program to protect the U.S. pork industry from African swine fever. Her initiative, which now covers more than 12,000 facilities across 36 states, brings together regulators, farmers, and producers to establish disease prevention and rapid response systems. The annual Sammies continue to spotlight public servants whose work often goes unseen but is vital to national security and public trust. Fulbright Board Resignations Eleven of the 12 members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board resigned en masse the week of June 12, citing unlawful political interference by the Trump administration in the scholar selection process. According to resignation letters and interviews, nearly 200 approved American Fulbright scholars were rejected by the State Department’s public diplomacy office based largely on their research topics, which included climate change, gender studies, migration, and public health. An additional 1,200 foreign grantees were subjected to an unauthorized review process. Former Congressman David Price, one of the resigning board members, said the political interference “grossly distorts” the Fulbright Program’s mission for the first time in its nearly 80-year history. “This is precisely what Senator Fulbright feared,” said Price in a PBS interview. “The board was created to protect academic freedom and to ensure that no administration could politicize the selection process. Trump appointees ignored that statutory safeguard.” The controversy centers on Trump appointee Darren Beattie, under secretary for public diplomacy at the State Department. Beattie and his team reportedly blocked grants on ideological grounds, with no response to objections raised by the board. The administration has further proposed slashing funding for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and eliminating Fulbright funding entirely in its upcoming budget. The State Department called the Fulbright board resignations a “political stunt,” claiming the board had no rightful final say in the selection process and needed to align with President Trump’s executive orders. However, the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 clearly outlines the board’s statutory authority over participant selection. This mandate has been repeatedly upheld across administrations for decades. With only one board member remaining, Fulbright’s future is uncertain. Price warned that the consequences are both immediate and longterm: “This program is a linchpin of U.S. soft power. Undermining its integrity damages our credibility abroad and compromises the goodwill built through decades of global academic exchange.” Applications for the 2026–2027 cycle remain open, but the status of current and future cohorts is now in flux. USAID Emergency Food Aid Destroyed The Trump administration has ordered the destruction of nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food originally purchased by USAID to feed malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The high-energy biscuits, which are valued at $800,000 and capable of feeding 1.5 million children for a week, will be incinerated at a cost of $130,000 to U.S. taxpayers.
14 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL I n this month’s edition, we spotlight SoftPower/ FulStories, a new podcast launching September 5. This weekly show brings listeners into the human side of U.S. soft power through the stories of those who have lived it. Created and hosted by former U.S. diplomat Christopher Wurst, the series moves beyond policy discussions to share personal stories from Peace Corps volunteers, USAID workers, Fulbright scholars, and others whose work abroad has left a lasting mark. The debut season will feature 40 narrative-driven episodes, beginning with four launch-day releases. Guests include former USAID health worker Carl Henn, entrepreneur Elizabeth Gore, returned Peace Corps volunteer Glenn Blumhorst, and former U.S. Ambassador Pamela White. From village life in Guatemala to public health crises in Africa, these stories illustrate how foreign assistance and cultural exchange shape communities and the people serving in them. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms. Learn more at www.softpowerfulstories.org or follow @softpowerfulstories on Instagram. Podcast of the Month: SoftPower/FulStories The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. The biscuits, stored in a Dubai warehouse, were ready for handoff to the World Food Programme, which typically handles such distributions. But following a Trump executive order that froze nearly all foreign aid and dismantled USAID as a stand-alone agency, career staff were stripped of the authority to act. Requests to release the food, sent repeatedly from January to April, went unanswered. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured Congress in May that he would ensure food aid reached its intended recipients, the destruction order had already been issued. The administration offered no public rationale for withholding aid from Pakistan and Afghanistan but previously cited “terrorist risk” as a reason for halting aid to Yemen. In Afghanistan, the World Food Programme now reaches only one in 10 people in urgent need. According to one USAID estimate, the biscuits alone could have fed every child facing acute food insecurity in Gaza for a week. USGLC Releases “Blueprint for America” On May 7, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition unveiled a 10-point “Blueprint for America” that urges the next administration and Congress to treat international assistance as a core pillar of a renewed “Peace Through Strength” strategy. Ten proposals call for giving the private sector a “meaningful seat at the table,” expanding development-finance tools and negotiated compacts, and requiring greater burden-sharing from allies to stretch every U.S. dollar abroad. To sharpen competition with China, Russia, and other rivals, the document recommends aligning aid with U.S. strategic interests: securing critical minerals, fortifying supply chains, and integrating economic statecraft into embassy operations. USAID, and other foreign affairs personnel from unjustified reductions in force (RIFs). The bill responds to Trump administration plans for widespread cuts in the federal workforce. Endorsed by AFSA, the bill aims to preserve a strong, professional diplomatic corps at a time of rising global instability. The legislation requires agencies to justify major RIFs, assess their impact on U.S. competitiveness and mission readiness, and ensure decisions are based on performance. It also mandates adequate notice to affected employees and advance congressional notification before changes to personnel policies. On July 11, the State Department laid off more than 1,300 staff in a RIF, including approximately 250 Foreign Service personnel. See page 59 for more details. Read the full text of the act at https:// bit.ly/RIFbill. It also presses for faster, betterbranded humanitarian responses, streamlined global-health programs, and data-driven accountability, arguing that $1 in conflict-prevention spending can save $16 in crisis costs. The coalition notes that U.S. foreign assistance has fallen to 0.2 percent of GDP—a third of the Reagan-era level— and contends that “modernizing, retooling, and strongly deploying” diplomacy and development alongside defense is essential to keep America “stronger, safer and more prosperous.” Read the full document at https:// www.usglc.org/blueprint2025/. Safeguarding the Workforce On July 1, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and nine Democratic colleagues introduced the Protecting America’s Diplomatic Workforce Act (S.2204) to shield State Department,
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 15 State Department Changes Core Precepts In its latest three-year update to promotion and tenure guidelines, released in early July, the State Department added “fidelity” to the core precepts and specifically included “protecting and promoting executive power” and “zealously executing” policy goals as core criteria for evaluating Foreign Service members. The updated core precepts, effective for the 2025–2028 evaluation cycles, apply across all ranks and extend to promotion and performance pay decisions within the Senior Foreign Service. The new standards emphasize loyalty, and FSOs are expected to demonstrate how they align themselves and their teams “quickly and completely” with the administration’s priorities, resolve uncertainty “on the side of fidelity” to leadership, and conform their performance to the strategy goals of political principals. The precept on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which was included in the 2022–2025 precepts, has been removed entirely. AFSA has strongly objected to the changes, warning that they undermine the Foreign Service’s nonpartisan foundation and threaten the merit-based system that has long defined diplomatic professionalism. In social media postings, AFSA highlighted that “officers will now be judged on their willingness to bend to political winds rather than on their skills, expertise, and steadfast dedication to nonpartisan service.” U.S.-Bahrain Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement On July 16, President Trump welcomed Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to the White House, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on civilian nuclear cooperation. The agreement paves the way for a formal “123 agreement” that would allow U.S. companies to help develop nuclear energy infrastructure in Bahrain. “This is an important signing,” said Rubio. “It serves as the first step towards
16 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Diplomacy Done Right The State Department reorganization plan that Secretary Rubio has shared with Congress is a good start and is sorely needed. I hope it is just this administration’s first step towards building a more effective U.S. foreign policy that is responsive to the needs of the American people. With that said, I hope that any reductions in force strongly focus on performance while ensuring that the department’s best and brightest personnel who rival any diplomatic service in the world, don’t just stay at the State Department but thrive there. … I’m always impressed when I go out of the country, and for that matter, here, about how State Department employees are probably the least partisan of any government agency that there is. And I’m always impressed with the way they conduct themselves, the way they treat us when we’re out in the field. —Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), in a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, “Reforming the State Department to Compete in the 21st Century,” on July 16. Undermining American Aid While the architect of the DOGE attack on the United States Agency for International Development, Elon Musk, may no longer be part of the Trump administration, the consequences of his actions will be felt by Americans and people around the world for decades to come. That includes serious impacts on American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses, as well as the safety of our domestic crops and livestock. —Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at a spotlight forum with experts, “The Role of Foreign Assistance in Supporting American Farmers and Protecting American Agriculture,” on June 12. Quality Over Quantity I count there are 16 additional bureaus and offices that were added over the last two decades. And to me, this is an indication that there could be bureaucratic bloat in your organization. ... And not that organizations shouldn’t change; organizations should change, and they should adapt to the new circumstances. In fact, I think, Deputy Secretary [Rigas], your position wasn’t even around a few years ago. But more does not necessarily translate to better. —Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), in a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, “Reforming the State Department to Compete in the 21st Century,” on July 16. The Human Cost of Budget Cuts The administration’s budget request slashes global health spending by almost two thirds. And a recent study estimates that in 10 years, these cuts could cause 14 million preventable deaths—14 million. I’ve worked all over the world, lived all over the world, and seen the power that the United States builds by the work that we do in other countries. I want to remind any public that may be watching that we spend less than a fraction of a percent of our budget on foreign assistance. —Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-N.Y.), in a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “FY26 State Department Posture: Management and Resources,” on July 15. Farmers Left Behind Our farmers are already facing major headwinds, and the administration’s cuts to foreign food aid and research have been another critical blow—threatening billions in lost revenue, closing off foreign markets, and leaving us vulnerable to plant and animal pests and diseases. We need to reverse course before it’s too late and lasting damage is done. —Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, at a spotlight forum with experts, “The Role of Foreign Assistance in Supporting American Farmers and Protecting American Agriculture,” on June 12. Invest in Diplomacy We face serious global challenges, from Russia’s war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East to great power competition with China. America’s diplomats and development experts are our first line of defense. If we are serious about leading globally, we need a capable, strategic and fully staffed diplomatic corps. —Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), in a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing, “FY26 State Department Posture: Management and Resources,” on July 15. JOSH Heard on the Hill
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 17 Devaluing FSOs What I see emphasized in this list of promotion criteria, is there’s not a single thing in it [about] developing regional expertise, language expertise, knowledge of complex issues, informing and helping shape the dialogue in a responsible way. There’s nothing like that. It’s all about loyalty, implementing whatever D.C. says. Are we completely devaluing our Foreign Service officers for their development of expertise that can help enlighten our own policy agenda? —Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), in a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, “Reforming the State Department to Compete in the 21st Century,” on July 16. deeper civil nuclear cooperation—an example that the United States is prepared to be a partner with any nation ... that clearly is not geared towards weaponization or threatening the security of their neighbors.” Foreign Minister Al Zayani described the MOU as “a further step forward” in the strategic relationship between the two nations. “There is no doubt that cooperation on nuclear technology will be a vital contributor to our shared responsibility and prosperity in the years ahead,” he said. The agreement builds on ongoing cooperation through the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program and follows a similar civil nuclear deal signed with Malaysia. It reflects a potential broader push by the Trump administration to enhance global energy security and expand U.S. influence in the Gulf region. n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Mark Parkhomenko.
18 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SPEAKING OUT Eric Rubin joined the State Department as a political officer in 1985 and retired in 2023. He served in Honduras, Ukraine, Thailand, Russia, and Washington, D.C., and as U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria from 2016 to 2019. He was president of AFSA from 2019 to 2023. The views expressed here are solely those of the author. The modern U.S. Foreign Service observed its 100th anniversary last year. The occasion was marked by celebrations, commemorations, and retrospectives on the history and achievements of America’s diplomatic corps. Despite the cause for celebration, there were many who thought the road ahead looked difficult. Members of the Foreign Service who served in the first Trump administration can be forgiven for assuming that the second Trump administration would proceed along similar lines. That assumption has been demonstrably disproven in the past half year. Some Things to Consider In that regard, here are several basic conclusions and assumptions I wish to offer for your consideration. 1. This administration has almost nothing in common with the first Trump term when it comes to the Foreign Service, American diplomacy, and the role of career, nonpartisan public servants. Like many of you, I served in the first Trump administration, first as an ambassador and later as president of AFSA. Today, our political leadership has revealed that it does not trust or respect career public servants and considers us untrustworthy. The administration’s attitude toward international development assistance was made clear by the rapid and complete destruction of USAID. 2. The senior leadership of our foreign affairs agencies and the senior leadership at the White House appear determined to destroy the Foreign Service as we have known it since 1924. Starting with the closure of USAID, which ended thousands of careers dedicated to service, the administration has since moved at warp speed to de-staff and de-resource two more foreign affairs agencies, the U.S. Agency for Global Media and the State Department. The Foreign Service has already lost close to a fifth of its workforce due to the “fork in the road” retirement incentives, the start of reductions in force (RIFs), and a very visible exodus of career talent at all levels. The consequences in terms of lost capacity, lost experience, lost knowledge, and lost effectiveness cannot be exaggerated. Whether or not a significant number of posts are closed—it’s still unclear as I write this in July—our overseas presence will be a shadow of its former self, and John F. Kennedy’s vision of universal diplomatic representation will be in tatters. And, as the cliché goes, the Chinese will eat our lunch. They are already doing so across the globe. 3. Fear is an effective tool. In fact, it seems to be the primary tool in this administration’s tool kit as far as career employees are concerned. There are two explicit goals to instilling fear in the workforce: first, to get employees to quit or retire in large numbers to achieve the slash-and-burn reductions that have been promised, and second, to ensure that those employees who remain will be afraid to speak up, dissent, or disagree. We have fallen so far in half a year: Before Inauguration Day, we had a Secretary of State who encouraged constructive dissent, revived the Dissent Channel, and read every message submitted through it. 4. Diplomacy has been sidelined, and with it the Foreign Service. Senior career officers, Civil Service and Foreign Service alike, have been sidelined. There are no senior career officers on the National Security Council staff following the Laura Loomer–directed purges, and there are no senior career officers in policymaking positions at State. There are senior career officers in “Senior Bureau Official” or “Acting” positions, but these are not confirmed by the Senate and, by definition, are not policymaking jobs. The Way Ahead BY ERIC RUBIN We know that our country needs diplomacy and needs diplomatic expertise, experience, and talent.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 19 The fact that for the first time since the 19th century, the administration had not (as of early July) nominated a single career Foreign Service officer for an ambassadorship or assistant secretary position speaks volumes about the disrespect for and disregard of our career expertise and experience. This is an unprecedented development in the 101-year history of the modern Foreign Service and offers a pessimistic perspective for Foreign Service career development in coming years. Further, the proposed surge in defense spending, combined with the biggest proportional cuts in spending on diplomacy and development in our nation’s modern history, makes clear where the priorities lie. 5. We won’t soon recover from the devastation of the past six months, and further devastation lies ahead. Mid-level and senior expertise cannot easily be replaced and reconstituted. We can hope that a future president might ask Congress for the authority to bring back career employees who left on good terms and who want to return, but in real life, people move on. The number of those who might want to return is likely to be small. 6. We will not easily recover from the politicization of our nonpartisan, apolitical career Foreign Service. Members of Trump’s inner circle say that the Foreign Service is a hotbed of far-left radicals who hate their country and seek to undermine our elected leaders, but we know this is false. I never once saw a colleague try to undermine or fail to carry out a president’s policy instructions in my 38-plus years in the Service. Not once. The Way Forward All that said, it is incumbent on all of us to do what we can to prevent further destruction and to start thinking now about how we can repair the damage and reconstitute our Service in the future. USAID is never coming back, but development assistance must. The Foreign Service will not soon resemble what it was a mere six months ago; but we know that our country needs diplomacy and needs diplomatic expertise, experience, and talent. And that is what the U.S. Foreign Service has to offer. It is not incumbent on any of us to try to save our country from its elected leadership. Nor is any one of us responsible for the policies established by our leaders. It is a very personal decision whether to stay or to leave, but I would urge my active-duty colleagues to stay if they feel they can do so. The next president is going to need the Foreign Service, and it will be a huge disadvantage if even more of our best talent vanishes ahead of the next election. That said, anyone who is confronted by what they view as an illegal or immoral order must decide whether to carry it out. In the past, it was easy to request reassignment, but that may no longer be an option for most members of the Foreign Service in the current climate. The choice may be stark. It’s a lot easier for someone who already has qualified for full retirement benefits to decide to leave than it would be for someone with less than 20 years of service. At the end of the day, it has to be an individual decision: No one should tell friends and colleagues how to navigate this scary and difficult time. I hope that those who want to stay will be able to stay, RIFs notwithstanding. But I also have enormous respect for those who decide they cannot. Finally, in unity there is strength. If anyone was skeptical about the need for AFSA and for union representation in January, I hope that few are today. AFSA has spoken out forcefully and has won battles that individual employees could not possibly fight. This includes retired members of the Foreign Service as well. Membership is voluntary, but now more than ever active-duty and retired members of the Service need to stick together on the long road ahead. Retired members of the Foreign Service can, of course, choose to remain aloof from the current crisis, but I would argue that in doing so, they are failing to respond to the destruction of their life’s work. Our retired colleagues are free to speak and act in so many ways denied to active-duty employees. I hope more retired members of the Foreign Service will join efforts to save our Service, save our colleagues’ jobs, and save American diplomacy. Unwarranted optimism is not helpful in the current crises that have befallen the Foreign Service and our country generally. But I believe strongly that all is not lost. We must fight to preserve enough of the Foreign Service to enable it to be rebuilt and revived in the (hopefully not too distant) future. Let’s not sugarcoat the bitter realities we face today, but do not let that keep you from fighting for the Service we love, the profession we chose, and the country we have all willingly served with honor and for which many of our colleagues have died. n Speaking Out is the Journal’s opinion forum, a place for lively discussion of issues affecting the U.S. Foreign Service and American diplomacy. The views expressed are those of the author; their publication here does not imply endorsement by the American Foreign Service Association. Responses are welcome; send them to journal@afsa.org.
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