The Foreign Service Journal, December 2008

past two decades. In 1990, USAID had nearly 3,500 person- nel assigned to the task of admin- istering a total of approximately $5 billion annually. The agency has too few staff responsible for managing billions of program dollars. For example, USAID currently has only 29 education officers to administer education programs in 84 countries. • There will be an increasing need for pre- and post-conflict stabilization efforts in many parts of the world, which should be staffed and managed by civilian leadership. While a presidential directive (NSPD-44) directs the State Department to coordinate governmentwide stabilization and reconstruction operations, the Department of Defense is actually assuming most of the responsibility for these ongoing efforts. There needs to be a perma- nent core of civilian experts who are ready to deploy when required; these experts should, in turn, be sup- ported by others in government and other sectors who can provide additional support. A bill to authorize fund- ing and personnel for the new “surge” capacity has passed the House and is pending in the full Senate. • The “militarization of diplomacy” is noticeably expanding as DOD personnel assume public diplomacy and assistance responsibilities that the civilian agencies do not have the trained staff to fill. In the area of secu- rity assistance — traditionally the authority of the Secre- tary of State, but implemented largely by the Defense Department — a number of new DOD authorities have been created, reducing the role of the Secretary of State even more in this vital area of U.S. foreign policy. Today, the United States faces a wide range of prob- lems ranging from al-Qaida and other terrorist organi- zations to the challenges of globalization, HIV/AIDS and other pandemics, environmental degradation and failed states. Opportunities also abound in relation to rising powers, nonproliferation, strengthening of inter- national trade and financial systems, and achieving improvements in the quality of life in developing and transitioning societies. These dynamic challenges and opportunities can only be met effectively through a sig- nificantly more robust foreign affairs capacity that fea- tures skilled diplomats and for- eign assistance professionals. STAFFING AND RELATED RESOURCES REQUIRED Having thoroughly reviewed the categories of core diplomacy, public diplomacy, foreign assis- tance, and stabilization and re- construction, we propose a set of staffing and related increases for the five-year period of 2010-2014 (FY 2010 being the first “budget year” of a new administration). We also recommend expanding cultural, exchange and other public diplomacy programs and shifting certain security assistance authorities back to the Secretary of State. I. Core Diplomacy — Department of State Recommendation: Increase permanent American staffing by 1,099 above FY 2008 levels by FY 2014, to meet current and expected international challenges and opportunities and to close existing staffing gaps. This increase in core staffing will cost $510.5 million annually by FY 2014. In addition, we recommend shifting 493 consular positions from fee to appropriated fund status, at a cumulative cost over baseline of $160.6 million. II. Training — Department of State Recommendation: Increase permanent American staffing positions by 1,287 from present levels by FY 2014, to support institu- tionalized work-force retraining, professional develop- ment, personnel transitions and temporary needs. The goal is to continuously update the specialized competen- cies of State to meet new policy demands. This staffing increase will cost $309.8 million annually by 2014. III. Public Diplomacy Recommendation: The Academy recommends the following staff and program increases for public diplomacy in the State Department: • Increase permanent American staffing by 487 F O C U S 56 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8 We also recommend expanding cultural, exchange and other public diplomacy programs and shifting certain security assistance authorities back to the Secretary of State.