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FORE I GN COMMERC I AL SERV I CE V I CE PRES I DENT ’ S REPORT
Steve Morrison
The year began and ended with a frank discussion
about the need to hire replacement officers if we are
to avoid “back-sliding“ or a return to a time when the
Commercial Service had too few officers covering too
many parts of the globe. The point was made through-
out the year by AFSA that we are an “up-or-out” system
that needs replacement officers just to stay even. In
between, we had a healthy discussion with Manage-
ment regarding priorities and why so much power,
influence, and resources continue to flow to Washing-
ton/headquarters when we are primarily a field, cli-
ent-facing organization. In an interesting development,
the 2017-2018 Commercial Service Strategic Plan was
finalized on November 10, immediately after the election
and roughly two months before the incoming Trump
Administration.
2016 saw some other key developments. Promotions
increased year-over year – for the third straight year.
MSIs and performance awards stayed roughly the
same. Management, meanwhile, succeeded in bring-
ing on board only one-half dozen new commercial of-
ficers, roughly half the size of the prior two classes.
That has us up to a rough steady-state complement of
255 officers. This is down somewhat from our high-wa-
ter mark of 265 officers from only two years ago but
still very good given historical standards (as low at
195 in 2008) and given the many challenges facing the
country and newly-remonikered Commercial Service.
Headquarters travel and spending generated a lot of
debate, questions and comments from the field, and
puzzled looks. The fact that the Commercial Service –
through appropriated funds and user fees – effectively
pays roughly three-quarters of these expenses gener-
ated considerable discussion. Finally, the fact that the
cost to remain physically in the Herbert Hoover building
was going up faster than any other cost category –
faster than security or ICASS – was a source of concern
and one that will have to be watched closely if we are
going to make it through tough, turbulent budget days
ahead.
The end of the year saw the Director General formal-
ly hand in his resignation for January 20 at noon, but
not before cataloging the many accomplishments of
the Obama Administration trade team. That followed
an important win in its own right as AFSA and FCS
Management signed an MOU to settle an Implementa-
tion Dispute filed by AFSA. The disagreement was over
Management’s unilateral decision to suspend officer
participation in FSI’s pre-retirement training courses.
As an indication of the popularity of these courses, 15
percent of commercial officers participated in one form
of pre-retirement training or another in FY 2016. With
the signing of this agreement and restoration of officer
long-term language training back in September, we are
back to where we started the year facing a difficult
year ahead.
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