The Foreign Service Journal, September 2011

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 1 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 9 the nature of the career has always been that it involves, as an integral, indispen- sable component, a commitment to serve the nation, at the direction of the president, wherever one’s service is re- quired—even when that service brings personal danger and hardship. There are many people who are un- able or unwilling to make such a com- mitment. Their “mature self-aware- ness” may indeed be respectable, but do they have some sort of right to a For- eign Service career? Mr. Hirsch’s column is titled “The Better Part of Valor.” Appropriately enough, the phrase originates with Shakespeare’s cowardly knight, Sir John Falstaff, who attempts to redeem a cowardly act with a pompous procla- mation: “The better part of valor is dis- cretion, in which the better part I have sav’d my life.” In extending it to the Foreign Service, Mr. Hirsch seems to proclaim that courage and dedication to duty are discretionary decisions for the individual FSO — not part of the organizational culture, not fundamen- tal virtues to be rewarded — and that no one should be subject to censure for lacking these characteristics. Have we so degraded traditional Foreign Service values that cowardice and malingering are now redefined as “mature self-awareness”? Mr. Hirsch begins his column with a story of a friend who is an excellent swimmer but is “terrified of deep ocean water.” She might make a fine lifeguard at the local swimming pool. She should never be hired as a lifeguard on an ocean beach. People who lack the courage and dedication to serve in unaccompanied and war-zone posts may make fine do- mestic civil servants, but they should not be hired or retained as Foreign Service officers, for whom danger and hardship are often integral parts of the profession we have chosen. I hope AFSA’s other leaders will dis- associate themselves fromMr. Hirsch’s views on this matter. James R. Bullington Ambassador, retired Williamsburg, Va. Bloggers Beware! I wish I shared your enthusiasm about Foreign Service bloggers (“The Foreign Service Blogosphere in 2011,” June). Don’t get me wrong: I support social media for professional and per- sonal use (I am on Facebook and Twit- ter, and have written in these very pages about using social media for con- sular outreach.) It is the mixing of the two uses that concerns me. Many bloggers use the hook of their Foreign Service connection to attract readers. Despite the standard dis- claimer that most of these blogs in- clude, the public often does not distinguish between personal and offi- cial views. Another concern is privacy and security. Here is a sampling of troubling blog entries: • A consular officer posted his top 10 pet peeves in visa interviews, including applicants who dress like “whores” and who “haven’t showered for days.” An immigration attorney then put that list on his own Web site as advice from a Foreign Service/consular officer. • An officer working in a geographic bureau posts views on foreign policy that are not always in line with the ad- ministration’s policy. • A consular officer blogged about visiting an orphanage in a country where the adoption issue is extremely sensitive. An adopting parent then questioned the objectivity of the officer when adjudicating orphan visa cases. • An Eligible FamilyMember wrote about her next-door neighbor’s position in the embassy, how many weeks he had been at post, and the imminent ar- rival of his wife. • Members of A-100 classes blog about their colleagues. Others are posting information that could lead to identity theft. One blog- ger, “Madam le Consul,” revealed in various entries her exact date and place of birth, her assignment history, her health issues, and other personal infor- mation. Though “Madam” took her blog down following rants about a pol- icy issue that were not in line with of- ficial views, it did not take long to figure out who this “anonymous” blog- ger was. I am not calling for the prohibition of FS blogs. But if being a pundit is your calling in life, apply to The Huff- ington Post . And if you really need to write down all of your thoughts about official policy or the negative attributes of your A-100 classmates, I suggest doing it the “old-fashioned” way: in a diary kept under your pillow. William Bent Acting Deputy Director, Office of Policy Coordination & Public Affairs Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, D.C. Life Care from State We in the Bureau of Human Re- sources’ Office of Employee Relations were delighted to see the May FSJ focus on work-life balance, for we share the goal of maximizing work-life balance for all employees of the De- partment of State. The department provides numerous resources to assist and support employ- ees with work and family concerns. L E T T E R S