The Foreign Service Journal, December 2019

36 DECEMBER 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Ms. Boulos worked with AFSA to guide its discussions with the Visa Office in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, explaining that 2018 revisions to the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 307) unfairly broadened the scope of VLA violations. She raised the profile of the problem, explaining that the Visa Office was issuing VLA violations in record numbers to Mexico adjudica- tors, and that many of those individuals’ careers were placed on hold because they were following the mission’s erroneous guidance. As a result of Ms. Boulos and AFSA’s efforts, the Consular Bureau’s Visa Office announced significant changes to VLA procedures in 9 FAM 307. These changes have benefited all officers who adjudicated H-2 visas in Mexico, as well as all visa adjudicators worldwide. Today, FSOs know the Visa Office is more fairly conducting its VLA violation process. But Ms. Boulos continues to advocate for dozens of officers held up in the disciplinary process for old violations. “Moving forward, I hope our story reminds everyone that we have a voice, and we should use it to speak up in areas big and small,” Ms. Boulos said Oct. 16 on receiving her award. “For me, dissent is the opposite of cynicism; dissent is forward-looking and optimistic. We didn’t dissent just because the department is imperfect, but because we cared and believed the department could be better. And even though we’re still facing pushback from HR, I remain optimistic. So, I ask anyone who sees other imperfections, don’t be cynical. Dissent. And count me in when you do.” Anna Boulos received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tufts University, and a master’s degree in public policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke Uni- versity. She joined the State Department in 2013. William R. Rivkin Award for a Mid-Level Officer Timmy Davis Courage and Conviction in Southern Iraq A s Basrah consul general, Timmy Davis embodied the best traditions of the Foreign Service and constructive dissent. During the lead-up to the September 2018 decision to suspend operations and evacuate the consulate and its nearly 1,000-member staff, and throughout the subsequent evacuation itself, Consul General Davis showed courage and conviction in presenting the case for the continued operation of U.S. Consulate Basrah. For speaking out on this issue, he was selected as a recipient of the 2019 William R. Rivkin Award. CG Davis made the conscious decision to lay out his case “For me, dissent is the opposite of cynicism; dissent is forward- looking and optimistic. We didn’t dissent just because the department is imperfect, but because we cared and believed the department could be better.” –Anna Boulos Basrah Consul General Timmy Davis greets a child in southern Iraq in 2018. COURTESYOFTIMMYDAVIS Timmy Davis. COURTESYOFTIMMYDAVIS