The Foreign Service Journal, October 2010

global affairs. We do so with a great appreciation for our colleagues, the challenge of the job and the privilege of serving. As Steve del Rosso says, “Although I rub shoulders every day with a lot of smart people in the aca- demic and nongovernmental worlds, I have never met smarter, more dedi- cated professionals than I had the pleasure to serve with in the Foreign Service.” My informal poll of classmates indi- cates that, on balance, most would do it all again, and gladly. Despite danger and dissent, we share a strong belief that we, collectively and separately, have made a positive difference. We also, however, acknowledge frustrations that inform our various de- cisions to consider next steps. As one classmate comments: “The dilemma many FSOs face is the choice be- tween staying with the best job they can imagine while working for the worst employer.” Among frustrations are issues in- volving families and partners, issues that seem to grow more acute as the number of unaccompanied posts rises. There is a perception among many that belonging to the Foreign Service takes a toll on relationships. As Harold Fos- ter notes, “One of the psychic costs of serving abroad is extended absences from your family and the consequent difficulty that such potentially great distance imposes on helping family members cope.” Since she left the Foreign Service, Janet Bogue notes, “I have rebuilt neglected relationships with family members and pre–Foreign Service friends, as well as making new friends from a wide spectrum of the community.” Some colleagues cite the inflexibil- ity of State Department regulations as a source of frustration as they plan moves, search out schools and manage medical conditions. “I left [the FS] be- cause my wife and son developed chronic health problems that pre- cluded overseas assignments,” says one classmate. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 41 The Foreign Service has become more diverse, more effective and more operational in recent years — but the world we work in has changed even more dramatically.