The Foreign Service Journal, October 2014

52 OCTOBER 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Thank you to all who responded to AFSA’s call for feedback after hearing the news that last-minute changes to bidding instruc- tions were in the works. The most dramatic change was the doubling of the length of service required, from one year to two, in a critical priority country before an employee is eligible for prior- ity bidding status. Many FSOs plan their bidding strategy around family needs such as chil- dren’s schooling, spousal employment and proximity to aging parents; the timing of priority bidding opportunities plays high in that strategy. AFSA used your thoughtful responses to stop this sud- den change and allow for an essential impact analysis. The agency declared that it will engage with all stake- holders to identify incentives, options and other potential changes to our CPC service package to better meet its continuity objective of having more ocers serve for two consecutive years to improve program implementation. For now, priority consideration remains a Foreign Service benefit for eligible employees completing a full CPC tour of 12 months. Postponing the change will allow agency leaders with dierent functional backgrounds, including those most aected by the decision, to think through its full impact and likely consequences and then, importantly, to ensure that the change is managed appropriately. In the feedback AFSA received, one concern sur- faced numerous times: post- traumatic stress disorder and its symptoms. PTSD is a likely consequence of extended CPC tours that must not be ignored. Many Foreign Service members suering from PTSD don’t realize it at first, only that they cannot focus or sleep and are constantly irritable—to name just a few symptoms. AFSA recently hosted Ron Capps for a Book Notes talk (see p. 59). He read from and discussed his memoir, Seri- ously Not All Right: Five Wars in Ten Years , which provides a unique perspective from a Foreign Service ocer (and reserve military ocer) who faced PTSD. It is widely accepted now that one does not have to par- ticipate in combat to experi- ence PTSD, and Capps vividly describes the cumulative eect of his experiences. A 2007 State Depart- ment survey revealed that 17 percent of FSOs serving in stressful environments acknowledged displaying some symptoms of PTSD. PTSD does not develop over- night, and the eects of work- ing in CPCs are showing up in various ways within USAID. For example, some ocers returning from CPCs find language training impossible (many cannot focus and need time to decompress after such high-stress posts). Clear best practices, analy- sis and guidance are lacking. It is time to step back and revisit the eect that serv- ing in a CPC can have on our employees and their lives. We must address the stigma and shame associated with PTSD, which are exacer- bated by the fact that PTSD is a very personal experience and does not aect everyone the same way. In addition, people fear that PTSD can aect security clearances. A 2010 State Department inspector general report on unaccompanied posts stated that “Many returnees experi- ence problems adjusting to their follow-on assignments,” and suggested that more counseling services may be needed. USAID’s vision statement suggests: “Nations and com- munities must increasingly be able to meet the needs of their citizens, whether by pro- viding health care, education or economic opportunity.” Organizations say many things, but the way they treat their own people is what demonstrates true integrity. If, after weighing whether to encourage lengthened tours in CPCs given the negative consequences and the associ- ated costs, USAID decides to move forward, it must be pre- pared to deal with the mental health aftermath. Someone’s life may depend on it. n Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Contact: swayne@usaid.gov or (202) 712-1631 USAID VP VOICE | BY SHARON WAYNE AFSA NEWS USAID Must Weigh Cost of Longer Critical Priority Country Tours Organizations say many things, but the way they treat their own people is what demonstrates true integrity. MED I A D I GEST FOR AFSA MEMBERS AFSA’s latest member benefit is a daily email digest of news items (articles, opinion pieces, blogs, etc.) related to the Foreign Service. Each day, we send out a list of five to 10 news items that we believe our members might find of interest. If you would like to sign up for this service, please send a request to mediadigest@afsa.org . Remember, this service is available for AFSA members only. NEWS BRIEF