The Foreign Service Journal, June 2004

16 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 4 ot long ago, an FSO was preparing to move with his girlfriend to his next post when he got an e-mail from the post administrative officer titled, “Welcome to Dhaka!” After a warm greeting, the e-mail stated: “Although we welcome Ms. A at post, because she is not an Eligible Family Member [i.e., a spouse or minor dependent], she will not be able to receive or send mail through the pouch. Nor will she be eli- gible to obtain medical treatment from our medical unit, unless the ambassador approves this on an exception- al basis. She will not be able to receive support from the General Services Office. ... She will have neither diplo- C O V E R S T O R Y N OT Q UITE F AMILY : “M EMBERS OF H OUSEHOLD ” AT S TATE N S TATE ’ S “M EMBER OF H OUSEHOLD ” POLICY IS NOW MORE THAN THREE YEARS OLD . H OW HAS IT FARED SO FAR AND WHAT ARE ITS PROSPECTS IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD ? B Y B OB G ULDIN Jennifer Kalis