Putting the “Foreign” in foreign service

There’s been a lot of watercooler talk around the State Department halls these days about upcoming changes in the fundamental framework of the Foreign Service. With Secretary Rice’s focus on Transformational Diplomacy and a new Director General (essentially the head of all matters HR in the State world), there is a big push to get Foreign Service Officers out of Washington and Western Europe and out into the more challenging parts of the world.

This post requires a few obvious disclaimers. First of all, I’ve only been in the Foreign Service for just over three months I can hardly claim much in the way of institutional knowledge and whether these changes are for the best. Second, the process of being assigned to a post is different for junior officers (like myself) then it is for tenured officers. Third, administrations change relatively quickly in DC so all of these proposed changes could be wiped away in just a few years.

The proposed problem is that far too many Foreign Service Officers are spending a large chunk of their careers in DC jobs or “cushier” posts like Western Europe, Australia, Japan, and others. This is a rather contentious issue because many would claim that those posts are just as important as any other place and that as one gains some seniority you have earned a right to some easier living after some of our more challenging missions around the world.

I can certainly see why people would be upset about the changes. The new rules would limit you to two tours maximum in DC before you’d be kicked out and forced overseas again. You would also no longer be allowed to extend your tour for an additional year unless you are at certain hard to fill posts.

To be honest, I agree with the proposed changes for the most part. It is the Foreign Service after all and spending a third to half of your career in Washington doesn’t really match what you signed up for. Also, we do have some easier and some more difficult postings around the world and we should all have to do our own share.

Of course, I would be roundly criticized by many more experienced FSOs for my thoughts. I can understand why. I’m young, new to the service, and I don’t have any kids so it is relatively easy for me to travel around and work at our hardship posts. I don’t have to worry about yanking my kids out of school every two years (at least not yet) and can understand the lure of wanting to stay put longer. Also, it is largely known that to reach the upper echelons of the service that you need face time in DC and that’s hard to accomplish when you’re in Ouagadougou.

As for me, I’m not worrying too much yet. My first two tours (at least four years) are directed and I have little say over where I go. By the time I’ll be trying to secure my own spot, these rules will probably have changed several times.