The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2013 5 December 2013 Volume 90, No. 12 FOREIGN SERVICE AFSA NEWS Call for Dissent Nominations / 39 Dissent: Making the Right Decision / 39 State VP Voice: Diplomatic Security 101 / 40 USAID VP Voice: USAID Needs a Transparent Promotions Process / 41 FAS VP Voice: Surviving the Shutdown / 42 AFSA’s Exemplary Performance Awards / 43 Clements Worldwide: Proud Award Sponsor / 43 AFSA on the Hill: In the Middle of the Aisle / 44 AFSA Expands Its Congressional Outreach / 45 Support the Fund for American Diplomacy / 45 Apply Now for AFSA College Scholarships / 46 AFSA Book Notes: Mongolia / 47 Expeditionary Diplomacy WAE / 48 Bonnie Brown Retires / 49 COLUMNS President’s Views / 7 New Ideas from AFSA BY ROBERT J . S I LVERMAN Speaking Out / 16 A Plea for Greater Teamwork in the Foreign Service BY GEORGE B . LAMBRAK I S FS Know-How / 17 A Practical Guide to International Divorce in the Foreign Service BY ELIZABETH FITZSIMMONS AND RICHARD SEIPERT Reflections / 101 Despair, Hope, Perseverance BY ROBERT E . GR I BB I N DEPARTMENTS Letters / 8 Talking Points / 10 Books / 94 Local Lens / 102 MARKETPLACE Classifieds / 95, 96, 97 Real Estate / 98 Index to Advertisers / 100 On the cover: Island hopping: A classic diplomatic courier mission across the Pacific Ocean. Graphic Design: Jeff Lau. FEATURE The Island Hopper / 22 A classic diplomatic courier mission across the Pacific recalls the history of World War II. BY JAMES B . ANGE L L Rethinking the Role of ‘Madam’: Kafala and the U.S. Foreign Service / 28 What makes the kafala system so morally unsettling is the way it exploits vulnerable populations while claiming to be a benign safety net for them. BY LAURA MERZ I G FABRYCKY The Uses of History: Lessons from a Georgetown Classroom / 35 Whenever proponents of a policy cite a historical analogy as their main justification, listeners should beware. BY DAV I D GALBRA I TH EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT The Revised Common App / 53 Here is a timely guide that will help you make the most of the Revised Common Application and its new features. BY FRANCESCA KE L LY Education Charts / 64, 66, 68 A Parent’s Guide to Psychoeducational Evaluations / 72 The goal of a psychoeducational evaluation is to enhance a child’s ability to be as successful as possible. BY CHAD C . NE LSON The ABCs of Education Allowances / 86 Education allowances help federal employees posted overseas ensure an American-style education for their children. Here are the basics. BY PAME LA WARD