The Foreign Service Journal, January 2008

A FSA’s third annual electronic opinion poll attracted a record number of respon- dents—nearly 4,300 active-duty State Foreign Servicemembers at virtually every overseas post and in every domestic bureau — and provides a window into the thinking of our colleagues worldwide on the major issues facing our profession. As was the case in our analysis of survey results in past years, the thousands of often lengthy personal comments entered by respondents were at least as interesting and reveal- ing as the basic statistical data, which are shown in the charts. The poll data and comments reveal a Foreign Service frustrated by the growing over- seas pay disparity, struggling with Iraq staffing concerns, disturbed by perceptions of pervasive unfairness in assignments/promotions and diminishing family-friendliness in the department and largely dissatisfied with the 7th floor’s leadership inmany key areas. Overseas comparability pay continues to rank as the top priority for our members. T wo weeks after the prime candidate exercise began—an effort to fill the 48 remaining open State Foreign Service Iraqpositions for summer 2008 (out of a total of 252) — it was called off. Enough volunteers had come forward to fill all the jobs. Once again, the Foreign Service answered the call to staff the biggest U.S. mission in the world. The twoweeks between the announce- ment of the directed assignments exercise and the cancellation of that exercise were dominated by an often emotional debate within the StateDepartment and awave of unjustified criticismof the ForeignService in the media. A brief chronology follows: Oct.26: Friday evening,DirectorGener- al Harry K. Thomas Jr. sends out an ALDAC telegram (“A Call to Service”) announcing that the StateDepartment had identified “prime candidates” for the 48 positions inIraqstill open for summer2008. AFSA’s companion message goes out shortlyafterwards, offering toprovide infor- mation and advice to thosemembers des- ignated as prime candidates. Oct. 26: The Associated Press reports that Statewill initiate “the largest call-upof American Foreign Service Association • January 2008 VIEWS FROM INSIDE THE SERVICE AFSA Opinion Poll Results Highlight Disturbing Trends BY STEVE KASHKETT, STATE VICE PRESIDENT VOLUNTEERS STEP UP TO FILL IRAQ OPENINGS, AGAIN Iraq “Prime Candidate” Exercise Canceled BY SHAWN DORMAN In This Issue: BRIEFS: BOARD CHANGES ...........58 SURVEY CHARTS...........................59 DISSENT AWARDS ........................61 VP FCS: ON THE JOB ....................62 VP RETIREE: DEFENDING OUR OWN ........................................63 ADAIR SPEAKER SERIES LAUNCH...65 AFSA SCHOLARS ...........................66 2008 DUES RATES........................70 CLASSIFIEDS .................................70 AFSA NEWS Continued on page 59 Continued on page 64 J A NU A R Y 2 0 0 8 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 57 AFSA-HQ UNDER RENOVATION Pardon Our Progress T he AFSA headquarters building, at 21st andEStreetsN.W., is being ren- ovated. Temporaryheadquarters are located in Suite 1250 of State Annex 15 at 1800 N. Kent St. in Rosslyn. (The Labor Management Office in the Truman Building has not moved.) Phone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses remain the same for all AFSA staff. AFSA Constructive Dissent Awards p. 61