The Foreign Service Journal, October 2016

12 OCTOBER 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL tion and data, reach conclusions and recommend courses of action, but if one cannot write clearly and persuasively to convey the findings to decision-makers, it is all for naught. While the “total candidate” approach may result in a “diverse, motivated and productive workforce,” as the article states, there appears to be a serious prob- lem if the lack of writing skills is such that BEX must seek better ways to measure this important element. It would have been interesting if the article had been more explicit. Does this phenomenon cut across all groups entering the Foreign Service regardless of socioeconomic background, educational level, age, ethnicity, etc.? Is it a function of millennials spending so much time on social media that their writing skills have atrophied? In an effort to reach the department’s goal of a diverse workforce, has BEX at times been too quick to bring on board some who, upon closer scrutiny, would have been found to lack the qualities (including writing skills) necessary for a successful Foreign Service career? One hopes that BEX comes up with a method of evaluation that weeds out those who don’t measure up, and that the department will not have to resort to remedial composition courses for incom- ing officers. William H. Barkell FSO, retired Arlington, Virginia Life After the FS: No Regrets In the “Life After the Foreign Service” section of the July-August 2016 issue, D. Thomas Longo Jr. lamented having to retire “prematurely, and involuntarily, for reasons unrelated to job perfor- mance.” As I recall, since his retirement in the early 1990s, Mr. Longo has repeat- edly—every few years, at least—used the pages of the FSJ to complain about his premature, involuntary, and by implica- tion unfair, separation from the Foreign Service. In my own case, I mandatorily retired in 1999 after my six-year FS-1 to FE-OC window closed. At that point I had been in the Foreign Service just under 25 years. Retirement was not a big deal for me. I had no regrets. To use the military pay-grade analogy, not every colonel gets promoted to general. By 1999 I was ready for a change in the pace and focus of my life. My Foreign Service experience was overwhelmingly interesting, positive and beneficial. I wouldn’t trade it for any- thing. But my life in retirement has been enjoyable and fulfilling—and a lot less stressful than my last couple of years in the Service. If I had to offer Mr. Longo (and oth- ers involuntarily retired) a few words of unsolicited advice, they would be: “Get over it. Life does go on after the Foreign Service.” n Nicholas Stigliani FSO, retired Bellingham, Washington American Foreign Service Association Scholarships afsa.org/scholar AFSPA–FSBP afspa.org/FSBP AFSPA CIGNA Dental afspa.org/dental Clements Worldwide clements.com Collington Life Care Community http://collington.kendal.org/ The Hirshorn Company hirshorn.com/USFS McGrath Real Estate Services McGrathRealEstate.com Mercersburg Academy mercersburg.edu WJD Management wjdpm.com Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org