The Foreign Service Journal, October 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2014 27 in 1988. Currently director of the Enterprise Technology Division/ School of Applied Information Technology at FSI, he recalls: “Most of us were fresh out of the military, where we managed telex commu- nications and operated radios. We already had top-secret clearances, and we started as FS-8/9s. I was very happy to transfer my military skill code for a position in the For- eign Service.” But those days are gone. Jesser, who also serves as a subject matter expert for the Board of Examiners and holds a master’s degree in technology studies, has seen both the work and the caliber of specialists change dramatically. “ e move to system networks meant a great change in skill codes, and communications sta members needed to embrace this change if they wanted to be successful in their careers,” he says. IMS Robert Levay, now in Kabul, has also seen a rapid change in the department’s use of technology, claiming that State “is doing a tremendous job of catching up to the rest of the world.” But he admits that IMS personnel are “running ragged” to accomplish this. Diplomatic Security is scrambling to stay one step ahead, as well, but at least budget increases have helped beef up both personnel and technology in that domain. DS’s Catipon speaks glowingly of some of the new technologies that both enhance the mission and keep personnel safe, such as Forward-Looking Infra-Red cameras. When attacks did occur in Afghanistan, where he was recently posted, personnel had “great imagery” at their disposal, he reports. New technology doesn’t only a ect information and security specialists. Regional Medical O cers have a growing tele- medicine program for use in the eld. And digital architectural design and engineering technology has become more sophis- ticated, aiding FS Construction Engineers and Facility Manag- ers. Says one veteran Facility Manager: “New embassy designs have implemented the latest changes in technology, installing advanced equipment and systems. is has resulted in the need to recruit Facility Managers with technical degrees and experi- ence in facilities with similar technology, and to develop training programs so that existing FMs can learn the skills necessary to operate our advanced embassy systems.” OBO’s Rumpf has also observed the intertwined e ects of terror threats and technological advances. “In 2000, OBO’s initial response to get our colleagues placed into safer facilities included retool- ing itself to simplify its construction methodologies and nd ways to increase the speed of delivering new facilities,” he explains. ere has been an added bene t to the public, too. “ e department’s lessons learned and research and development e orts have also really helped the security and construction industries improve the materials and products sold on the market today.” Technology has also changed the way specialists (and gen- eralists) receive training. Jill E. Perry, Human Resources Course Chair at FSI’s School of Professional and Area Studies/Manage- ment Tradecraft Training Division, explains: “In the past few years, training and development for HR Specialists has moved far beyond the classroom. [FSI] promotes a climate of continu- ous learning for HROs by o ering digital video conferences on demand, animated training clips and online games. e HR Bureau is also reaching out to HR Specialists via webinars to o er a forum for discussion and collaboration.” High-Threat and Hardship Posts e last decade has seen an increase in FS personnel at the world’s hot spots. In the past, an embassy caught in a sud- den war zone might have been shuttered. Now, personnel are not necessarily evacuated unless the situation on the ground descends into chaos. For instance, as of this writing, Embassy Tel Aviv is still open despite hostilities between Hamas and Israel. Other missions, on almost every continent, are in a similar situ- ation: still open, still maintaining diplomatic relations despite an unstable political scenario. is is due at least in part to increased DS specialist presence and resources. e proliferation of high-threat and greater hardship posts puts pressure on specialists, just as on generalists. Both, after all, are “worldwide available.” For Human Resources O cers, high-threat posts translate into “high alert,” says Perry. “I was the HRO in Cairo in 2011, and assisted during one of the largest State Department evacuations. So frommy perspective, the biggest issue for HROs is maintain- ing a constant state of readiness for an evacuation at a moment’s notice.” She notes that “accounting for our people and their O ce Manager Elizabeth Babroski in front of OSCE headquarters in Vienna. Inside a U.S. Embassy (2011)