10 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS Revisiting “Henry of the Tower” I was so intrigued by Thomas Hull’s article “Henry of the Tower Revisited” (June 2024 Foreign Service Journal) that I revisited the June 1969 FSJ article, “Henry of the Tower,” he critiqued. Mr. Hull’s article did a great service in highlighting the role Henry Laurens played in the slave trade between England and the United States, and the self-interest of his insertion of a clause in the Treaty of Paris that protected this trade in the new United States. As William Faulkner wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Thank you to Mr. Hull and the FSJ for providing this important perspective on the actions of one of our earliest diplomats. Richard LeBaron Ambassador, retired Heathsville, Virginia Time for a Chaplaincy Program Given the State Department’s continuing focus on workplace well-being and overall mental health services for Foreign Service members abroad (FSJ, April 2024 and July-August 2024), it is overdue for the department to create a chaplaincy program such as those in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Department of Defense (DoD). The new program should supplement (not replace) the robust mental health programs currently offered, such as the regional medical officer psychiatrist (RMO/P) program. A chaplaincy program would be the next logical step. The department’s “20222026 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan” states that one of its priorities is to “foster greater respect ... for religious diversity.” A chaplaincy program would do just that. State should not reinvent the wheel but learn from existing programs. For example, DoD operates a successful chaplaincy program (via the Armed Forces Chaplains Board) and integrates this into the workplace while showing respect for all belief systems through their program. A regional chaplaincy program would allow the department to recognize that mental health services go far beyond just psychiatry. We should expand to meet employees’ holistic needs and recognize the unique challenges of working abroad. An acknowledgment of the psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs of employees would suggest the need for a comprehensive mental health program that includes chaplains. U.S. direct hires and their family members serving in embassies and consulates abroad experience many stressors. An expansion of mental health services to include a chaplaincy program would help support employees and their families facing extreme pressures. Regional psychiatrists visit posts in their region, and a chaplaincy program could be managed in a similar way. Officers from dozens of agencies serving in embassies and consulates around the world represent a broad swath of religious and spiritual backgrounds, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and many others. The DoD chaplaincy program respects those various faiths by employing chaplains from different religions. A regional chaplaincy program could be modeled after the DoD program, albeit on a much smaller scale. In recognition of officers serving around the world in difficult conditions who need a multipronged support structure, the department should expand its workplace well-being services to include a chaplaincy program. Philip Wilson, Benjamin Dieterle, and Darryl Woolfolk FSOs New Delhi, India Workplace Well-Being I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to your team for elevating this topic in the April 2024 FSJ and providing resources and practical tips related to workforce health and well-being for all industries and settings. I also wanted to offer additional resources to support the FS community and any other interested readers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) offers useful tools at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/. Further, “The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being,” issued in October 2022, offers “Five Essentials” in reviewing organizational strategy, policy, and practice to support well-being in the workplace. Thank you to AFSA for all you do to lead and support us. As a Foreign Service family member and workplace leader and peer myself, onward together with you, in service and strength. Jeane Garcia Davis MSN/MPH, RN Washington, D.C.
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