The Foreign Service Journal, October 2018

52 OCTOBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL When I describe the process for returning FAS FSOs to land jobs in Washington, D.C., colleagues from other foreign affairs agencies look at me in bewilderment. During the fall of our final year at post, we bid on specific positions overseas or simply on “Washington.” However, we have no idea what positions will be avail- able in Washington until early spring of the following year, and we don’t receive our Washington assign- ments until June. Transition planning and preparation is a genuine challenge: many FSOs depart post permanently without knowing where they will work, what they will be doing or when they are expected to start. And our job options in Washington? Not many and generally not great, espe- cially for the higher grades. For the five returning FO-01 and Senior Foreign Service officers in 2017, there were only five available posi- tions; and two-thirds of the agency’s program areas had zero vacancies. The situation was even worse in 2018—there was only one available position at the FO-01 level outside of the Office of Foreign Service Operations. OFSO is the only program area with Foreign Service-designated posi- tions, so we compete with the Civil Service for all other openings. Our agency has a classic chicken vs. egg conundrum. Are FSOs reluctant to come back to Washington because there are so few decent job options? Or are there so few jobs because FSOs prefer to be overseas? Civil Service managers are understandably reluc- tant to keep positions open for FSOs since we tend to jump ship and head back overseas quickly, especially when the job options in Washington are under- whelming. However, once sought-after positions are occupied by members of the Civil Service, they rarely open up again, thereby perpetuating the cycle. Our current shortfall of FO-01 and FO-02 officers exacer- bates the problem. Why can’t we develop a better process for assigning returning FSOs? We have tried a parade of potential remedies over the decades, and all have left both the Foreign Service and Civil Service feeling short- changed and unfulfilled. In my next column, I will explore options for a new and improved system. Stay tuned! n Mission (Almost) Impossible: Landing a Desirable Position in D.C. For the five returning FO-01 and Senior Foreign Service officers in 2017, there were only five available positions. Appreciation: Willard Ames ‘Bill’ De Pree FAS VP VOICE | BY KIMBERLY SAWATZKI AFSA NEWS Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA FAS VP. Contact: kim.sawatzki@usda.gov | (202) 720-3650 AFSA is saddened to learn of the passing of Ambassador Bill De Pree, a longtime friend and supporter of AFSA and the Foreign Service. Amb. De Pree died on July 2 in Bethesda, Md. Amb. De Pree spent 38 years as a Foreign Service officer, including assignments as ambassador to Mozam- bique and Bangladesh. After retiring, Amb. De Pree served on AFSA’s Governing Board as interim president (1997), vice president for retirees (1999- 2001) and retiree representa- tive (1995-1999). Ambassador De Pree also chaired the AFSA scholarship committee from 1996 to 1997. Amb. De Pree started AFSA’s Road Scholar program in 1996 (under its original name, Elderhostel) to raise public awareness of the need for a strong and effective U.S. Foreign Service; the program has since reached close to 15,000 Americans from all parts of the United States. AFSADirector of Com- munications and Membership Ásgeir Sigfússon said: “Bill was very kind to me when I started working on AFSA’s Elderhostel programs in 2005, and generously shared his knowledge and contacts. He had a great sense of humor, and when he spoke at our programs the audience always loved him. He is remembered fondly by many AFSA staff and board members. He did so much for AFSA. His death is a big loss for us and the Foreign Service community.” AFSA extends its con- dolences to Amb. De Pree’s four living children, Thomas, Birgitta, Susie and Anita. See “In Memory,” page 59, for his complete obituary. n AFSA