54 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FEATURE Thomas Lyons is a Foreign Service officer serving as political-economic counselor in La Paz. He also serves on the board of directors of the GRACE employee organization and is an ordained deacon in the Global Methodist Church. Note: FSO Ben’s account is an anonymized version of an actual reported incident. Three faith-based employee organizations are making strides in the realm of religious diversity and inclusion at the State Department. BY THOMAS LYONS Employee Organizations Advance Religious Inclusion at State Ben, a Foreign Service officer serving overseas, was happy to go to training. Serving in back-to-back overseas assignments and having arrived at post with no time for training during his permanent change of station, Ben felt lucky that post had authorized him to return to the Foreign Service Institute. The week of leadership training went well, and he got some time to catch up with some former colleagues. The trouble arose after he returned to post and filed his travel voucher. “Voucher returned,” said the notification from E2. The comment read: “Traveler is not authorized lodging on Saturday following the end of training. Lodging should be paid at traveler’s expense.”
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