The Foreign Service Journal, October 2003

targeted to JOs. Why weren’t special- ists invited to apply? The topics cov- ered in the classes were general in nature and would have benefited the specialists who participated. All employees should be viewed as equal and without classification. I con- tinue to hear and feel the competition and separation which definitely exist throughout the Department of State. There are often references made to the Civil Service vs. Foreign Service; and now generalists vs. specialists. Yet we are all expected to work as team members/players. When does it end? Luberta Abraham General Services Officer Embassy Port of Spain Specialist Or FSO — What’s the Difference? The Foreign Service has been my home since 1987 — first as an Eligible Family Member and then as a Human Resources Specialist. My first posting as a specialist was in Addis Ababa, where I was also responsible for assisting Embassies Asmara and Djibouti. Like most HR specialists and officers around the world, I dealt with the foreign min- istries of those three countries near- ly every day on many diverse issues, primarily bilateral work agreements and visas for family members. Throughout my tour, I worked alongside Foreign Service officers who welcomed my contributions and appreciated my expertise. The same was true during my next tour at the American Institute in Taipei and in Kampala, where I now serve. Yet the State Department has refused to approve a diplomatic title for the position, leaving me feeling like a second-class citizen. Because the Human Resources Office at most posts deals with the Foreign Ministry on substantive issues that affect both individual employees and bilateral relations, I am convinced that the HRO position should carry a diplomatic title regardless of whether it is held by an Foreign Service officer or a Foreign Service specialist. I also believe the HR specialist new-hire program needs to be reviewed. Currently, even experienced HR spe- cialist employees are hired at the entry-level grade of FP-4. (In my case I actually lost a grade when I accepted the position.) Despite this frustration, the chal- lenge of serving the United States is still a great privilege. As a natura ized American, I think that I bring a unique perspective to the Foreign Service and am proud to represent the U.S. abroad. Thank you for this opportunity to share this with you. Elenita M. Shorter Human Resources Officer Embassy Pretoria Not Everyone’s An Officer At one post where I served, some colleagues started a group for “Women’s Issues.” I went to the first O C T O B E R 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 51 I can only hope things will continue to improve, and I believe they will when the older generation of officers retires. But I’ve already seen JOs who are following in their footsteps. korman communities arlington CORPORATE SUITES arlington, va 880 north pollard street 866.korman.4 : kormancommunities.com live better. brand new luxury high rise : fully appointed one, one bed- room dens and two bedroom corporate suites : state of the art fitness and business centers : heated outdoor lap pool : custom made mahogany furniture : fully equipped kitchens : luxury towels and linens : soft, firm or hypoallergenic pil- low selection : weekday club breakfast serving Starbucks ® Coffee : afternoon Tazo ® Tea : digital premium cable and high speed internet : 27” and 20” sony wega tv and dvd : sony cd stereo : free local phone : on-site management, maintenance, housekeeping : concierge services : walking distance to ballston common mall, ballston and virginia square metro stops