The Foreign Service Journal, September 2017

56 SEPTEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL issue that causes DS to be undervalued and frequently unrec- ognized within the broader interagency community for its work to protect the integrity of the global visa security program. The department’s response highlighted DS-specific initiatives within the context of what DS is trying to achieve as a single bureau negotiating and competing with large domestic agencies. Unlike other bureaus, DS does not wield influential com- mand of the department, especially pertaining to visa security and law enforcement matters within the interagency commu- nity. DS strategic initiatives in terms of visa and passport security measures and law enforcement action have not been fully adopted, understood or supported by the State Department. The point of my dissent was to show that the department does not empower or promote DS to achieve its Visa and Passport Security Strategic Plan. In responding, the department sup- ported my overall belief that it appreciates the contributions DS makes to the U.S. government’s visa and passport security and law enforcement programs, and will approve the expansion of the ARSO-I program in support of these initiatives. However, it seems that the State Department is still not ready to use its influence to raise DS’s stature within the law enforce- ment community. The idea of promoting DS to the interagency community as the lead for overseas visa passport security is still a bridge too far, and may result in overseas visa and passport security initiatives being completely outsourced to a third-party agency. Lessons Learned Perception and perspective are critical components to consciously weigh when forming and distributing an opinion. Everyone handles contradictory information differently, and possesses an instinctive and often emotional bias that can distort the way an author’s message is received. In addition, the importance of “framing,” and the effect it has on how a message is interpreted, cannot be overstated. n The idea of promoting DS to the interagency community as the lead for overseas visa passport security is still a bridge too far.