PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION OCTOBER 2024 FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TODAY ALSO INSIDE Reforming Discipline Procedures Diplomats in the Pacific Islands PD for the Digital Age
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 5 20 USAID: A Critical National Security Tool By Steven E. Hendrix 25 Foreign Assistance Lessons from Afghanistan: How to Balance Accountability and Learning By David H. Young October 2024 Volume 101, No. 8 38 Reimagining Public Diplomacy for the Digital Age By Vivian S. Walker Focus on Foreign Assistance Today FS Heritage 47 Through His Lens: The Legacy of Pioneering U.S. Foreign Service Officer Griff Davis By Dorothy M. Davis Summer Camps and Programs Supplement 69 Traditions and Community: Summer Camp for FS Kids By Jessica Powley Hayden 42 Making Our Rhetoric Real: U.S. Diplomacy in the Pacific Islands By John Hennessey-Niland Features 31 15 Minutes That Mattered: Wartime Assistance to Ukraine By David Schlaefer 34 South Sudan at 13: Reflections on Crisis, Aid, and the Road to Recovery By Julius Kaut
6 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 80 Reflections Beijing Beginnings By Beatrice Camp 82 Local Lens Abu Dhabi, UAE By Carole Fenton Cover art—Images from top left (clockwise): Afghan National Army (ANA) cadets practice drills on the parade grounds at the Afghan National Defense University in Kabul, on May 7, 2013 (courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense); a worker unloads bags of sorghum for distribution in South Sudan, June 2024 (courtesy of Julius Kaut); Indian women trained through a USAID program prepare mango bars (courtesy of Heather Sullivan/USAID/India); farmers in Afghanistan inspect wheat from seed USAID provided (courtesy of USAID’s Afghanistan’s ASAP Program); and Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the U.S. Congress on Dec. 21, 2022 (courtesy of the Office of U.S. House Speaker). Marketplace 76 Real Estate 78 Classifieds 79 Index to Advertisers 7 President’s Views Welcoming New Hires By Tom Yazdgerdi 9 Letter from the Editor Looking Ahead By Shawn Dorman 17 Speaking Out The Case for Reforming State’s Discipline Procedures By Jennifer Davis Perspectives Departments 10 Letters 12 Talking Points 73 Books AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 52 2024 AFSA National High School Essay Contest 52 Dog Ban Negotiations Underway 53 S tate VP Voice—Deconstructing Accountability at State 54 USAID VP Voice—Prepping for Your Retirement 55 FCS VP Voice—A Season to Harvest 56 AFSA Welcomes New Foreign Service Cohort 56 2023 Annual Report: Legal Defense Fund 57 2024 AFSA Professional Development Program Survey 59 Medical Clearance Modernization 60 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, July 17, 2024 60 N otes from the Office of General Counsel— Your Weingarten Rights 61 AFSA Meets with D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds 61 AFSA Meets with New Employee Organization 63 FSJ Editorial Board Welcomes and Farewells 63 Foreign Service Selection “Bump Up” 64 E mployee Spotlight—25 Years of Service: Zlatana Badrich 64 AFSA Welcomes New Program Coordinator 64 AFSA’s FSJ Wins APEX Award for Publication Excellence 65 What Is Foreign Policy Expertise? 65 AFSA Hosts Book Notes Webinar 66 AFSA’s Good Works—Congressional Advocacy 67 AFSA National High School Essay Contest: The Winning Essay
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 7 Welcoming New Hires BY TOM YAZDGERDI Tom Yazdgerdi is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS One of the most satisfying aspects of my job is hosting lunches at AFSA headquarters for new Foreign Service orientation classes to encourage them to join AFSA, as more than 80 percent of active-duty FS members have done. We are expecting another large State Department class this month and potentially two USAID classes by the end of 2024. I want to take this opportunity to thank all our table hosts, both retired and active-duty members, who share their wealth of knowledge and experience with our newest colleagues. It is also satisfying that we are still seeing incoming classes at State as large as 230 members, reflecting and responding to the overriding need to boost the size of the Foreign Service and fill the many vacant mid-level positions overseas that have strained our workforce. We need robust hiring in the other foreign affairs agencies as well. We do not yet know what the budget reality will be in 2025. Class sizes will likely decrease markedly, although we have been assured by State that hiring will remain above attrition. There remains some uncertainty at USAID on hiring levels for 2025 and beyond. While we expect that hiring will exceed attrition, new hires will fall well short of the goal of reaching 2,500 USAID FSOs by 2025. With such large classes coming in, there will also need to be a renewed effort to mitigate the effects of the so-called “pig in the python” problem, so that promotion opportunities are not skewed by the size of one’s orientation class. The makeup of orientation classes is different from when I joined the department back in October 1991. First, the average age has increased, from 28 to nearly 34. These new hires also have a lot more government and overseas experience, speak more languages, and are more diverse. State Department FS orientation classes now comprise generalists and specialists, who learn together what the State Department is about and what each type of employee does. It took a pandemic to bring these two groups of new hires together, virtually. And AFSA successfully advocated to keep it that way when inperson training resumed. I know I would have benefited from learning what my specialist colleagues do by sitting side by side with them in class. With greater life and government experience, today’s new hires are more inclined to speak up about issues they see within our agencies. They have raised the lack of per diem for local hires, a decadeslong inequity at State. That resulted in AFSA’s successful effort to have a provision mandating per diem for all hires included in the Senate version of the 2023 State Department Authorization Act (SDAA). Unfortunately, the provision was cut when the Senate and House met in conference. It was reintroduced in the 2024 Senate SDAA, and we remain hopeful that it will be accepted by the House this time. New hires also drew attention to the four- to six-week gap from hiring until health insurance begins that created a real hardship for many employees and their families. That led AFSA to push State to direct the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to draft a new rule requiring health benefits to begin immediately upon entry—and for the entire federal workforce, not just the Foreign Service. The rule is currently in interagency clearance, and we expect it to be implemented this fall. Today’s new hires also stand out in that they aren’t necessarily looking at the Foreign Service as a lifetime career. Back in the day, most of us were “lifers,” thinking that this was what we would do for 20-plus years and then retire. This shift means that State and the other foreign affairs agencies need to focus even more on retention—instituting greater job flexibility and opportunities that may have been inconceivable years ago, but that will invest in this new talent and keep them on board. What has not changed is the sense of duty and sacrifice I see in these newest additions to our proud Foreign Service. They are focused on our mission and ready to serve. Please let me know your thoughts by writing yazdgerdi@afsa.org or member@ afsa.org. n As we go to press in mid-September, the issue of the possible lapse in overseas comparability pay (OCP) on September 30 is AFSA’s top priority. We are working this day and night, doing all we can to help secure extension of this mission-critical pay in the continuing resolution of Congress. We are optimistic that OCP will be extended by the time you read this.
8 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL www.sfiprogram.org SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE SFI-01268 Certified Sourcing Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Deputy Editor Donna Gorman: gorman@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Managing Editor Kathryn Owens: owens@afsa.org Associate Editor Mark Parkhomenko: parkhomenko@afsa.org Publications Coordinator and Content Strategist Hannah Harari: harari@afsa.org Business Development Manager— Advertising and Circulation Molly Long: long@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith Editorial Board Vivian Walker, Chair Lynette Behnke, Gov. Bd. Liaison Suzanne August David Bargueño Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Gaïna Dávila Hon. Jennifer Z. Galt Matthew Hagengruber Steven Hendrix Paul Oliva Dan Spokojny THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published monthly, with combined January-February and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Material appearing herein represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board, or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by email. The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. AFSA reserves the right to reject advertising that is not in keeping with its standards and objectives. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply endorsement of goods or services offered. Opinions expressed in advertisements are the views of the advertisers and do not necessarily represent AFSA views or policy. Journal subscription: AFSA member–$20, included in annual dues; student–$30; others–$50; Single issue–$4.50. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. Indexed by the Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS). Email: journal@afsa.org Phone: (202) 338-4045 Fax: (202) 338-8244 Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Address Changes: member@afsa.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2024 PRINTED IN THE USA Postmaster: Send address changes to AFSA, Attn: Address Change 2101 E Street NW Washington DC 20037-2990 AFSA Headquarters: (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 State Department AFSA Office: (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA Office: (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA Office: (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 GOVERNING BOARD President Tom Yazdgerdi: yazdgerdi@afsa.org Secretary Sue Saarnio: saarnio@afsa.org Treasurer Hon. John O’Keefe: okeefe@afsa.org State Vice President Hui Jun Tina Wong: wong@afsa.org USAID Vice President Randy Chester: chester@afsa.org FCS Vice President Joshua Burke: burke@afsa.org FAS Vice President Evan Mangino: mangino@afsa.org Retiree Vice President John K. Naland: nalandfamily@yahoo.com Full-Time State Representative Gregory Floyd: floyd@afsa.org State Representatives Lynette Behnke: behnke@afsa.org Kimberly McClure: mcclure@afsa.org Heather Pishko: pishko@afsa.org C. Logan Wheeler: wheeler@afsa.org Whitney Wiedeman: wiedeman@afsa.org USAID Representative Christopher Saenger: saenger@afsa.org FCS Alternate Representative Jay Carreiro: jay.carreiro@afsa.org FAS Alternate Representative Zeke Spears: spears@afsa.org USAGM Representative Steve Herman: herman@afsa.org APHIS Representative Joe Ragole: ragole@afsa.org Retiree Representatives Mary Daly: daly@afsa.org Edward Stafford: stafford@afsa.org STAFF Executive Director Ásgeir Sigfússon: sigfusson@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Jahari Fraser: fraser@afsa.org Office Coordinator Therese Thomas: therese@afsa.org PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES AND ADVOCACY Director of Professional Policy Issues Julie Nutter: nutter@afsa.org Director of Advocacy Kim Sullivan: greenplate@afsa.org Policy Analyst Sean O’Gorman: ogorman@afsa.org FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Director of Finance Femi Oshobukola: oshobukola@afsa.org Director, HR and Operations Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Member Accounts Specialist Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: pavlovich@afsa.org COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH Director of Communications Nikki Gamer: gamer@afsa.org Manager of Outreach and Internal Communications Allan Saunders: saunders@afsa.org Online Communications Manager Jeff Lau: lau@afsa.org Manager, Outreach and Strategic Communications Nadja Ruzica: ruzica@afsa.org Communication and Educational Outreach Coordinator Erin Oliver: oliver@afsa.org MEMBERSHIP Director, Programs and Member Engagement Christine Miele: miele@afsa.org Membership Operations Coordinator Mouna Koubaa: koubaa@afsa.org Coordinator of Member Recruitment and Benefits Perri Green: green@afsa.org Counselor for Retirees Dolores Brown: brown@afsa.org Member Events Coordinator Hannah Chapman: chapman@afsa.org Program Coordinator Indigo Stegner: stegner@afsa.org OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Sharon Papp: PappS@state.gov Deputy General Counsel Raeka Safai: SafaiR@state.gov Senior Staff Attorneys Zlatana Badrich: BadrichZ@state.gov Neera Parikh: ParikhNA@state.gov Labor Management Counselor Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan: FallonLenaghanC@state.gov Senior Labor Management Adviser James Yorke: YorkeJ@state.gov Labor Management Coordinator Patrick Bradley: BradleyPG@state.gov Senior Grievance Counselor Heather Townsend: TownsendHA@state.gov USAID Labor Management Adviser Sue Bremner: sbremner@usaid.gov Attorney Advisers Erin Kate Brady: brady@afsa.org Benjamin Phillips: PhillipsBE@state.gov FOREIGN SERVICE CONTACTS www.afsa.org
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 9 Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Looking Ahead BY SHAWN DORMAN In this month’s focus, we offer a multifaceted look at U.S. foreign assistance—from a development professional’s take on how USAID is the frontline national security tool in many parts of the world, to views on how foreign assistance succeeds, and sometimes doesn’t, in places like Ukraine, South Sudan, and Afghanistan. There is much food for thought here on improving effectiveness to meet new challenges. Of special note elsewhere in this edition—as AFSA prepares to present its 2024 awards for constructive dissent this month—is a Speaking Out article from 2022 Rivkin Award winner and Senior FSO Jennifer Davis, who makes a compelling case for transparency and reform in the State Department’s discipline procedures. A Speaking Out piece can lead to more attention to an issue of interest, lively discussion, and sometimes even change. We encourage you to write to us and share your ideas for change on these pages to inspire new ways forward. And speaking of change: After reaching my own little centennial this spring—100 letters from the editor in 10 years at the helm of the Journal—I paused to consider that monthly framing exercise in the context of today’s reader of this 100-year-old publication. Reading habits have changed. How many of you read the magazine front to back, and how many of you see the contents online, one article or soundbite at a time? What should we do to ensure that the FSJ continues to serve the foreign affairs community with content you want and also tells the story (your story) of the Foreign Service from an insider’s perspective? As the FSJ team and Editorial Board put together the editorial calendar of focus topics for 2025 over the coming weeks, we welcome your input and ideas. What issues do you want us to cover more, or less, in the Journal? And what format works best for you: print, digital, or a combination? We are committed to print but also expanding the ways we bring you content, including a new series of videos introducing each edition and showcasing some of our authors—have you seen any yet? We invite you to engage with the FSJ across all AFSA social media channels, and especially FSJ LinkedIn. Keep an eye out for an FSJ reader survey this month, and please do respond. We look forward to your input. I also encourage you to consider writing for the FSJ. Find the author guidelines at https://afsa.org/fsj-authorguidelines, and send your submissions or pitches to us at journal@afsa.org. n
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.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 11 A “Creating Unity” Precept I was glad to read that AFSA remains engaged in discussion and negotiation of Foreign Service core precepts, as State VP Tina Wong stated in her AFSA News column in the April 2024 FSJ. Much has been made about the newest core precept for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the past few years. We have seen a strong focus in the State Department on recognizing that we all come from different backgrounds and that everyone needs to be included. DEIA committees were created in Washington and at many overseas posts. And, of course, every FSO now needs to find ways to showcase their efforts to support DEIA when bidding or drafting their annual evaluations (EERs). These are all steps in the right direction, but I believe we are missing the mark. Having a core precept that in large part is focused on diversity merely glorifies our differences. We should instead focus this precept on a skill—like creating unity—that will help us accomplish our mission. DEIA should be a subset of a newly named core precept: Creating Unity. We should establish a unified diplomatic corps where everyone feels needed and wanted. All the other five core precepts— Leadership, Interpersonal Skills, Communication, Management, and the combined Intellectual Skills and Substantive Knowledge—focus on skills we need as diplomats in the 21st century. Put bluntly, DEIA is not a skill. Learning how to create unity with foreign governments and cultures is, and it will better help us achieve our foreign policy and national security goals. While recognizing our diversity highlights our differences, creating unity with others will actually make a difference. DEIA should be a subset of a wider focus on a skill that will translate into success. To create unity, you need to recognize the diversity of a group, its varied backgrounds, experiences, and its value as the group moves toward a common goal. In fact, every aspect of DEIA is a precursor to creating unity in any organization or diplomatic relationship. Creating this kind of “unity” culture at State will reap great benefits in our work. The threats to our national security and to the world are only growing in number and complexity. The need for skilled diplomats to match these challenges has never been stronger. Diplomats focused on creating unity, not merely recognizing our differences, can help create longer-lasting, sensible solutions to these challenges that truly make the world a better place in which to live and thrive. Jessup Taylor FSO U.S. Embassy Bucharest Documenting Nonpartisanship Recent press reports about Republican congressional staffers investigating allegations that Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, sought to gain the support of a U.S. ambassador for a foreign investment project remind me of a similar situation 30 years ago and illustrate how much the Foreign Service’s strictly nonpartisan stance matters. I was serving in a G-7 country when the career U.S. ambassador asked me to sit in on a meeting with an American business executive and major donor to the political party in power. The businessman sought the ambassador’s support for a sensitive investment, and the ambassador gave a noncommittal reply. After the meeting, the ambassador twice reviewed my draft memorandum of conversation (memcon) and added more detail. Eight years later, a congressional staffer with the political party not in power telephoned me to discuss that meeting, asking whether the U.S. embassy had inappropriately intervened with the host government on behalf of a political donor. I insisted, truthfully, that “everything substantive that was said is in the memcon.” Finally, the disappointed staffer gave up. Wise ambassadors know that these sorts of efforts often attract later congressional interest, and they take appropriate action to prevent future problems. Because of the well-drafted memcon, that congressional inquiry was stopped in its tracks. Frederic Maerkle FSO, retired Vallabrix, France n Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org
12 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS U.S. Joins Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell represented the United States at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, held in Tonga Aug. 26-30, 2024. Campbell, a key figure in U.S. IndoPacific strategy, attended the summit in Nuku’alofa on Aug. 28, where he engaged with Pacific Island leaders on the U.S. Pacific Partnership Strategy, launched in 2022. Following the summit, Campbell visited Vanuatu to dedicate a new U.S. embassy and highlight a U.S. Peace Corps project and repatriation of cultural artifacts. Campbell’s regional tour concluded in New Zealand, where he co-chaired a U.S.–New Zealand Strategic Dialogue meeting and launched a high-level technology dialogue in Auckland on Aug. 30. Campbell’s visit highlighted the U.S. commitment to strengthening ties in the Pacific region amid growing competition with China. The trip followed Pacific Nation leaders pose for photo ahead of the leaders’ retreat during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Vava’u, Tonga, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. concerns raised by the U.S. over Chinese security influence in the Pacific, particularly in Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. The Pacific Islands Forum, which once struggled to gain international attention, has now become a focal point for global powers vying for influence in the region. This year’s summit, attended by more than 1,500 delegates from more than 40 countries, is a testament to the growing importance of the Pacific in global geopolitics. The event began with a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Nuku’alofa. During the opening ceremony, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a powerful speech, praising the Pacific leaders for their leadership in climate action and calling on the world to support the region’s efforts. “If we save the Pacific, we save the world,” Guterres said. For more on Pacific Islands diplomacy, see the article on page 42. Military Aid Package for Ukraine On Aug. 23, the United States announced a significant new military aid package for Ukraine as the country marked 33 years of independence. The assistance, drawn from Department of Defense stocks, includes weapons and equipment critical to Ukraine’s defense against ongoing Russian aggression. In a statement, President Joe Biden emphasized the enduring nature of Ukraine’s sovereignty: “Tomorrow— as the people of Ukraine mark their Independence Day—let it be clear: When Russia’s senseless war began, Ukraine was a free country. Today, it is still a free country. And the war will end with Ukraine remaining a free, sovereign, and independent country.” Additionally, Biden announced new sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals aiding Russia’s war efforts. He referenced recent international efforts, including the transfer of F-16 fighter jets, delivery of air defense interceptors, and the formation of the Ukraine Compact with 20 nations to bolster Ukraine’s long-term defense capabilities. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the administration’s stance that the U.S. and its international allies will continue to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression. This comes after a surprise Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions beginning on Aug. 6. Ukrainian forces claimed to control almost 400 square miles of Russian territory after the first week of fighting. Despite the ongoing drone and missile attacks, Russia and Ukraine exchanged more than 100 prisoners of war on Aug. 24, the third Ukrainian Independence Day since the start of the Russian invasion. AAP IMAGE/LUKAS COCH
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 13 The 34th annual State of the Climate report, published by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information and the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, reveals alarming climate trends for 2023. The report, compiled by nearly 600 scientists from 60 countries, documents record-high global temperatures, greenhouse gas concentrations, sea levels, and ocean heat content. Key findings include the highest-ever global surface temperature, surpassing the previous record set in 2016. The transition from La Niña to a strong El Niño in the Pacific Ocean contributed to this record warmth, making 2023 the warmest year since recordkeeping began in the mid- to late 1800s. The report also notes that the last nine years have been the nine warmest on record. Greenhouse gas concentrations, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, reached new peaks, further exacerbating the global warming trend. The global mean sea-surface temperature also hit record highs, with approximately 94 percent of the ocean surface experiencing marine heatwaves in 2023. The report points to the effects of extreme weather events, including record-breaking wildfires in Canada and Greece, severe droughts, and the lowest recorded Antarctic Sea ice extent. The Arctic experienced its fourth-warmest year, with the seasonal minimum seaice extent being the fifth smallest in the 45 years since recordkeeping began. Despite below-average tropical cyclone activity, 2023 still saw seven Category 5 storms, reflecting the increasing intensity of such events. The full report is available online at https://noaa.gov. We believe that competition with China does not have to lead to conflict or confrontation. The key is responsible management through diplomacy. Beginning in May of last year, that diplomacy has been an all-hands-on-deck effort across the U.S. government and the Cabinet. —National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in an August 29 press briefing at the conclusion of a three-day visit to Beijing. Contemporary Quote Sauna Diplomacy In Washington, D.C., the embassy of Finland has turned an age-old Finnish tradition into a unique diplomatic tool, hosting gatherings in their sauna as part of their “Diplomatic Sauna Society.” Ambassador Mikko Hautala of Finland told The New York Times on Aug. 25 that the informal environment of the sauna fosters deeper and more open discussions, contrasting with the formalities typical of Washington’s diplomatic and political scene. “When you are half-naked or even sometimes completely naked, it allows for deeper discussion,” Hautala said. The embassy’s sauna gatherings have gained popularity, especially as Finland’s international influence grows following its recent accession to NATO. Seen as a healthier alternative to other networking events, they have become a coveted opportunity for Washington insiders to connect in a more personal and memorable way. Participants are awarded a “Sauna Diploma,” marking their initiation into the sauna society and their resilience in the 180-degree Fahrenheit heat. The entrance to the traditional Finnish sauna at the embassy of Finland in Washington, D.C. COURTESY OF THE EMBASSY OF FINLAND Rising Global Temperatures
14 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL C onflicts rarely resolve themselves—they require intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations, often out of the public eye. This month’s highlighted podcast, The Negotiators, a Foreign Policy podcast in collaboration with Doha Debates, offers listeners a front-row seat to some of the world’s most challenging negotiations. It takes you through the dramatic stories of mediators navigating nuclear stand-offs, hostage crises, and gang mediations. In each episode, one key player recounts the story of a significant negotiation—from the Good Friday Agreement that ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland to the thorny issue of water rights between Mexico and the U.S. Recent episodes delve deep into Afghanistan, with a seven-part series exploring the intricate and often perilous negotiations surrounding the country’s tumultuous recent history, from clandestine talks with the Taliban to the controversial Doha agreement. The podcast is hosted by Jennifer Williams, the deputy editor at Foreign Policy and former senior foreign editor at Vox, who brings her extensive experience to the podcast, guiding listeners through these gripping tales of diplomacy and deal-making. The Negotiators is about the process, the people, and the perseverance required to make peace and achieve justice. Podcast of the Month: The Negotiators (https://foreignpolicy.com/podcasts/negotiators/) The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. Challenges for Havana Syndrome Patients A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report documents the significant challenges faced by U.S. federal employees, contractors, and their families diagnosed with “Havana syndrome” in accessing medical care through the military health system. The condition, known officially as “anomalous health incidents” (AHIs), has affected individuals worldwide, including in Cuba, where the first cases were reported in 2016. Symptoms include severe headaches, tinnitus, vertigo, and cognitive dysfunction. GAO’s findings, based on interviews with 65 of the 334 individuals eligible for care, highlight the difficulties these patients continue to face in navigating the military health system. Issues include inconsistent support from home agencies, unclear points of contact, and challenges in scheduling appointments at military facilities. The report notes that many patients felt they received insufficient guidance from the Department of Defense (DoD) and often relied on informal support groups, which sometimes provided inaccurate information. In response to the report, Republican leaders on the House Homeland Security Committee have expressed deep concern over the Biden administration’s handling of the issue. In a letter to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Chairman Mark E. Green (R-Tenn.) and Subcommittee Chairman August Pfluger (R-Texas) criticized the administration for its lack of clear communication and demanded a briefing from the National Security Council. They also urged the administration to prioritize the allocation of unused funds to support AHI victims and to fully implement the HAVANA Act, a 2021 law that authorizes compensation for affected intelligence, diplomatic, and government personnel. GAO recommended that DoD improve communication by developing written guidance, establishing a formal mechanism to provide information to patients, and adding monitoring provisions to its plan. In a statement, the DoD concurred with GAO’s recommendations and noted that it is developing a handbook to guide patients and enhance monitoring capabilities. The report highlighted, however, that as of May 2024, only 33 of the 334 eligible patients had been entered into the AHI Registry, a database meant to support research and treatment. Republican lawmakers and others, including lawyer Mark S. Zaid, who has represented several AHI victims, have criticized the inconsistent standards for compensation under the HAVANA Act and the delays in DoD’s response. Zaid pointed out the disparities in treatment between different agencies, such as the CIA and State Department, and the lack of compensation mechanisms for active-duty military victims. GAO’s report calls for continued efforts to address the challenges faced by AHI patients and ensure they receive the care and support they need through the military health system.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 15 Nascituri . . . . 100 Years Ago Mindful of these legacies, the Editors of the Journal, representing both branches of the Foreign Service, desire to make it plain that the future of this magazine lies entirely with its readers, who are at the same time its owners, managers and contributors. The Board of Editors will reflect opinions impartially, receive criticisms graciously, and gladly attend to the technical details of makeup and form, if they can rely upon their colleagues in the field to supply material for publication. If, in this political year, the Journal should be called upon to enunciate the bases of its platform, it might be stated that its purposes are to add to the understanding of the tasks and surroundings of the Foreign Service, to maintain and enlarge the acquaintance with one another of widely scattered colleagues, and to preserve and increase the zeal of the officers in the Foreign Service for the protection and promotion of American interests. For the fulfillment of these ends the Editors must call upon the loyal cooperation of their colleagues, and it is to be hoped that the diplomatic branch of the Service will be as generous with its contributions as the consuls have always proven themselves to be, and that the Journal may receive from the officers of both Services occasional sidelights on foreign affairs, either political or economic, which may be of import in the formation of well-considered opinion. However, the main purpose of the Journal will be inspirational and not educational, and personality will be at a premium in its columns. Photographs, the light touch in the narration of experiences, and personal items will be constantly desired. —Opening note in the first issue of the newly renamed American Foreign Service Journal, October 1924. OMB Releases Telework Report The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released a comprehensive telework report to Congress, detailing the varied approaches of 24 major federal agencies in returning employees to office settings. The nearly 3,000-page report, submitted on Aug. 9, reflects a broad spectrum of strategies in response to an April 2023 OMB memo urging agencies to increase in-person staff presence, particularly at headquarters locations. The report reveals that while some agencies have already reinstated significant in-person work requirements, others are negotiating new terms with federal unions or tailoring telework policies based on specific job functions and managerial discretion. The State Department’s telework policy, codified in 3 FAM 2360, ensures that all employees, whether teleworking or reporting onsite full time, are held to the same performance measures. Supervisors have the discretion to cancel, suspend, or modify an employee’s
16 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL telework arrangement based on performance. Over the past year, USAID updated its Telework and Remote Work Program policy in ADS Chapter 405; required new telework agreements from its Washington, D.C., workforce; increased inperson presence to three days per week; and updated its Hours of Duty Policy to support work-life balance through the “Maxiflex” schedule. OMB emphasized that despite these varying strategies, most federal employees (about 56 percent) are in positions that necessitate full-time, in-person work. The agency expects continued adjustments to telework and office policies as offices refine their approaches to best meet their operational needs and ensure mission delivery. The release of the OMB report comes amid ongoing debates over federal telework policies. House Republicans have been pushing for a reduction in remote work arrangements, but their efforts have faced significant resistance from labor unions and political opposition, leading to limited legislative progress. U.S. and Russia Complete Largest Post-Soviet Prisoner Swap On Aug. 1, the United States and Russia carried out the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War, freeing 24 individuals in a high-stakes diplomatic deal. Among those released by Russia were Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been detained on so-called espionage charges since 2023, and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive held since 2018 on similar charges. Also freed was Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist at Radio Free Europe with dual U.S.-Russia citizenship who had been convicted of spreading false information about the Russian military. The Americans were greeted at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who welcomed them home alongside their families. The emotional reunion marked the culmination of months of complex negotiations between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. The swap took place despite the strained U.S.-Russia relations following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The negotiations, which reportedly included Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny until his death in February 2024, ultimately led to the release of a mix of journalists, political dissidents, and others. In exchange, Russia secured the return of several individuals, including Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 murder of a Chechen rebel in Berlin—a killing widely believed to have been ordered by Moscow’s security services. Other Russians released included alleged sleeper agents detained in Slovenia and convicted criminals in the U.S., such as Roman Seleznev, a notorious computer hacker, and Vadim Konoshchenok, accused of smuggling U.S.-made electronics and ammunition into Russia. The exchange involved six countries releasing prisoners, with Türkiye hosting the swap in Ankara. While Biden hailed the exchange as a significant diplomatic achievement, the deal also revealed the inherent imbalances in such negotiations. The U.S. and its allies released individuals convicted of serious crimes, while those freed by Russia were largely seen as political prisoners or individuals held on trumped-up charges by the Russian legal system. Despite the successful release of Gershkovich, Whelan, and Kurmasheva, several Americans remain in Russian custody. Among them are Marc Fogel, who taught the children of diplomats at the Anglo-American School of Moscow until his arrest on drug charges, and Michael Travis Leake, a musician convicted on similar charges. The Biden administration has vowed to intensify efforts to secure their release. The swap, while celebrated, has sparked debate over whether such deals encourage future detentions by adversarial nations. Critics argue that these exchanges may provide leverage to hostile governments, while proponents maintain that the priority must always be on bringing detained Americans home. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement: “I am thrilled Evan, Paul, Alsu, Vladimir, and many others who have been illegally held by Putin’s regime are finally coming home to their families. But I remain concerned that continuing to trade innocent Americans for actual Russian criminals held in the U.S. and elsewhere sends a dangerous message to Putin that only encourages further hostage taking by his regime.” In a symbolic gesture during the reunion at Joint Base Andrews, President Biden gave Paul Whelan the American flag pin from his lapel. n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Mark Parkhomenko.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 17 SPEAKING OUT Jennifer Davis is a career Foreign Service officer currently serving as the senior U.S. coordinator for lawful migration in the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. She previously served as the chief of staff at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, consul general in Istanbul, as the executive assistant to Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, as special assistant to Secretary Condoleezza Rice, and in several other overseas and domestic tours. She is the 2022 recipient of AFSA’s Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, she was an attorney in her native North Carolina. She is married to a fellow diplomat and is the proud mom of two sons. The opinions expressed here are offered in her personal capacity and are not intended to represent the positions of the Department of State. “This is every Foreign Service officer’s worst nightmare,” my career development officer said gently. It was 2020, and I had just been informed that my security clearance had been suspended while Diplomatic Security investigated my use of a certain phrase during an official media interview two years earlier, in 2018, while I was serving overseas. I was in shock. I had only learned of the investigation when my promotion was held in abeyance in 2019. What followed was a nearly five-year ordeal that involved both my security clearance, which was reinstated shortly after I was allowed to respond in 2021, and a subsequent lengthy disciplinary proceeding. As the disciplinary proceeding ground on, in 2021, I wrote a letter of dissent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken about my case and sent a set of recommendations to improve State’s administrative security clearance and discipline procedures to Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Brian McKeon. For this, I received AFSA’s 2022 Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent. At the award ceremony, I told the audience I never wanted to become an expert on this aspect of the State Department’s work. But my experiences had taught me that we cannot always choose what happens to us; we can only choose how we respond. In the end, the Foreign Service Grievance Board fully exonerated me earlier this year, ordering my retroactive promotion, reconstituted performance and promotion boards, back pay with interest, and payment of attorney fees. But the experience troubled me deeply. Several aspects of the State Department’s security clearance and discipline process lack basic elements of due process and fairness and must be reformed to protect the integrity of our institution and the rights of our employees. b The basic facts of my discipline case are these: In 2018, as a consul general, I gave a media interview overseas at the request of our chargé d’affaires, relying on the standard practices of public diplomacy to do so. I had a pre-brief with my public diplomacy team; I worked from cleared talking points; and I checked in with my leadership before the interview. During the media interview and after, while negotiating quotes and attribution, I used a phrase that is quite common in diplomatic parlance to explain our policy. The department would prefer I not share the details here, and I will honor that. But it is fair to say the phrase is one uttered publicly by U.S. diplomats every day, and, in my case, it was used in pursuit of our mission’s first priority—the protection of our staff and American citizens. The Case for Reforming State’s Discipline Procedures BY JENNIFER DAVIS Most antithetical to the basic principles of due process is that employees are not given the opportunity to provide evidence and be heard before department officials make decisions.
18 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL I have respect for the dedicated officials undertaking these cases, but they manage crushing caseloads without sufficient resources within systems that lack the basic elements of due process. The reforms I recommended in 2021 are straightforward. They were not implemented but should be now. Right to Be Heard and Review Evidence. Most antithetical to the basic principles of due process is that employees are not given the opportunity to provide evidence and be heard before department officials make decisions. This not only prevents the department from understanding all the facts necessary to render a fair decision but also puts the employee in the unfair position of challenging narratives already solidified without the benefit of relevant information. In this way, the burden is unwittingly shifted to the employee, who must prove that the department’s conclusions are incorrect, instead of requiring the department to determine that misconduct occurred after hearing all the facts. Also, it is self-evident that the department should not withhold relevant documents (in my case, documents that were the very basis of the department’s case) from an employee. Transparency. State should provide employees with fair and timely notice when they are alleged to have committed In providing the memorandum, the department failed to include its two unclassified attachments (saying they were “lost”), one of which contained cleared talking points on the topic for the mission’s use and the very messages I had shared. It took several months to obtain a copy of those attachments. b Currently, in security clearance and discipline cases, the department collects facts and information, sometimes without informing individuals that their conduct is under review. It prepares its conclusions of fact in a Report of Investigation and then determines whether misconduct has occurred and, if so, what penalty is appropriate. Only after making these decisions does the department allow an employee to offer their own evidence—essentially as an appeal of a decision that has already been made (without the benefit of the employee’s perspective and evidence). The employee is then asked to convince the supervisors of decision-makers in various offices that the offices should reverse themselves, overcoming all the bureaucratic inertia that comes with defending decisions already made. What became clear throughout my ordeal is that we have established systems that do not serve our institution, our diplomacy, or our employees. One might assume that if there had been concern in Washington about my use of a specific phrase at the time of the interview, someone would have raised that concern with me or the chargé right away. That did not happen. Instead, I was not made aware of the department’s concerns until two years later. By that time, I and the other officials involved had left post and no longer had access to our emails except the few we had burned onto disks (for those new to the department, I realize this will seem quaint). I was not informed until 2021—three years after the original media interview— why and how the department, based on its regrettably erroneous and incomplete understanding of the facts, had decided that my use of the phrase was grounds for discipline. b The department based its understanding of the phrase I used on an action memorandum to the Secretary from 2017, but would not provide me with a copy of that memorandum or its analysis of why my use of the phrase might be problematic. I would later learn that the department did not speak to the officials involved in drafting the action memorandum, nor seek to understand the context of our diplomacy or determine whether there were other contemporaneous unclassified documents that used the same phrase. When the department refused to share the action memorandum, AFSA filed a successful unfair labor practice action with the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA). Only then did the department provide AFSA and me with a copy of the memo and agree, as well, to send an ALDAC cable committing to avoid similar future unfair practices. Jennifer Davis in the peace garden the U.S. Consulate Istanbul staff created in appreciation for her efforts to protect them and wrongfully detained colleagues, 2019. U.S. CONSULATE ISTANBUL
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=