AAFSW: Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

AAFSW's April Program: Spring Recital

17 Mar 2010 14:49:18 GMT

AAFSW members Francesca Kelly and Debbi Miller will present a recital on Tuesday, April 20th. The program will be held in the Benjamin Franklin room at the Department of State. AAFSW members please check the April issue of Global Link or visit www.aafsw.org for more information and to make your reservation.

Family starts scholarship to spur government careers

17 Mar 2010 14:47:00 GMT

Heirs to a supermarket fortune will launch a multimillion-dollar scholarship foundation on Tuesday that is designed to encourage graduate students to pursue government careers in national security, foreign policy and international development.

The Robertson Foundation for Government plans to eventually provide full financial support to hundreds of graduate students in those fields who agree to at least three years of service with a federal agency within five years of graduation. The Washington Post.

Few blacks serve in top U.S. diplomatic posts

17 Mar 2010 14:46:21 GMT

The State Department is searching for new ways to bring minorities to high-profile positions. New assignments this summer will increase diversity, one official promises. The Los Angeles Times.

The April 2010 issue of Global Link is now available.

15 Mar 2010 15:56:11 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

Two Drug Slayings in Mexico Rock U.S. Consulate

15 Mar 2010 12:25:42 GMT

Gunmen believed to be linked to drug traffickers shot a pregnant American consulate worker and her husband to death in the violence-racked border town of Ciudad Juárez over the weekend, leaving their baby wailing in the back seat of their car, the authorities said Sunday. The gunmen also killed the husband of another consular employee and wounded his two young children. The New York Times.

Overworked U.S. Embassy in Kabul straining to meet administration's demands

11 Mar 2010 16:16:42 GMT

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, which may soon overtake its counterpart in Iraq as the world's biggest diplomatic mission, is overworked, underappreciated and struggling to meet the demands placed on it by President Obama's new strategy, according to the State Department's inspector general. The Washington Post.

State Department plans 7 new posts in public diplomacy

11 Mar 2010 16:14:49 GMT

The State Department plans to create seven new senior positions to ensure that a public-diplomacy perspective is always "incorporated" in policymaking around the world, as well as to respond quickly to negative coverage of the United States in foreign media. The Washington Times.

Hillary Rodham Clinton widens her circle at the State Department

11 Mar 2010 16:12:01 GMT

A little over a year into her tenure as secretary of state, allies and detractors alike say Clinton has made a vigorous effort to widen her circle, wooing and pulling into her orbit the agency's Foreign Service and civil service officials, many of whom said in interviews that she has brought a new energy to the building. The Washington Post.

Students hear the path from here to there starts now

8 Mar 2010 15:58:57 GMT

The goal of the Pickering Fellowship is to diversify the Foreign Service. Not just racially, but socio-economically and geographically -- to better reflect the face of America. Lincoln Journal Star.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Hillary Clinton

8 Mar 2010 15:55:58 GMT

Biographical information from U.S. News and World Report.

Op-Ed: American diplomats shun "hardship posts"in third world countries

4 Mar 2010 15:10:23 GMT

The U.S. Department of State has labeled virtually every non-European country a "hardship post” for American diplomats. Last year, the State Department told auditors from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) that American diplomats deserve extra money for having to live in such harsh and uncomfortable environments. Atlantic Free Press.

Builders of Baghdad Embassy strike again - in Saudi Arabia

4 Mar 2010 14:55:26 GMT

Another State Department construction project has gone awry, and once again the builders of the troubled U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad are involved. This time, the problem is in Saudi Arabia. McClatchy News.

Should U.S. foreign policy get religion?

27 Feb 2010 17:55:47 GMT

A God gap impedes U.S. foreign policy.

That's the conclusion of an independent two-year study by the well-connected Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The study, released Tuesday, recommends that President Obama and his National Security Council make religion "an integral part of our foreign policy."

The study identified six patterns that "reflect religion's increasing importance in international affairs . . . making them impossible to ignore in the conduct of foreign policy." The Washington Post.

KieranTimberlake chosen to build 'modern, open' U.S. Embassy in London

27 Feb 2010 17:53:26 GMT

The State Department has announced that a Philadelphia-based architecture firm has won the closely watched competition to design the new U.S. Embassy in London. The Washington Post.

The March 2010 issue of Global Link is now available

16 Feb 2010 19:25:29 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

State Department cafeteria will lead the way on healthy dining

13 Feb 2010 14:43:05 GMT

The State Department's 6,500-employee office in downtown Washington will be the first government facility to follow a new healthy foods model developed for federal cafeterias, the General Services Administration announced on Wednesday. GovExec.com.

Former Blackwater employees accuse security contractor of defrauding government

13 Feb 2010 14:41:41 GMT

In court records unsealed this week, a husband and wife who worked for Blackwater said they have firsthand knowledge of the company falsifying invoices, double-billing federal agencies and improperly charging the government for personal expenses. They said they witnessed "systematic" fraud in the company's security contracts with the State Department in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. The Washington Post.

AAFSW Announces 50th Anniversary Fellowships for Small Business Start-Ups

5 Feb 2010 19:26:19 GMT

The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) is pleased to announce a special one-time award of a limited number of fellowship funds to Foreign Service family members to support small business start ups. Visit www.aafsw.org to read more and to download an application form.

AAFSW's March Program: Celebrating Women's History Month

1 Feb 2010 19:32:58 GMT

AAFSW cordially invites you to a special event commemorating Women's History Month that we are delighted to be co-sponsoring with the Woman's National Democratic Club (WNDC). Please join us for a panel discussion entitled Women's History in the Making, to be held Tuesday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room at the Department of State. The AAFSW/ WNDC panel will feature several accomplished women who have contributed to advancing women's causes in important ways. AAFSW members may read more and reserve their seat online at www.aafsw.org or in the upcoming March issue of Global Link.

Clinton Signals Not a Two-Term Secretary of State

28 Jan 2010 18:02:49 GMT

In an interview to air at 8pm tonight on PBS's Tavis Smiley Reports, Hillary Clinton tells Smiley she does not envision serving as Secretary of State for a second term. Politico.

Audit hits State on failures to monitor Iraq work

28 Jan 2010 18:01:28 GMT

For nearly $4.5 million a year, the State Department in June assigned a 16-person security detail to protect six U.S. contractors in Iraq who already had a team of hired guards they didn't really need.

The expensive miscue is one of many described in an audit issued Monday of a $2.5 billion State Department contract with DynCorp International for training Iraq's police force.

The department repeatedly failed to oversee the contract properly, according to the audit by the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. The findings also suggest the department remains ill-equipped to watch over the vast amount of U.S. money flowing into Afghanistan. Associated Press.

Statement on State Department Family Members Killed in Earthquake

28 Jan 2010 18:01:01 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today paid tribute to members of the State Department family killed in the earthquake in Haiti. Speaking to State Department and USAID staff at a town hall meeting, the Secretary honored the memories of Victoria DeLong, a Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and the family of Andrew Wyllie, a decorated State Department officer working for the United Nations in Haiti. He lost his wife Laurence and his two young sons Evan and Baptiste in the disaster.

The February 2010 issue of the Global Link newsletter is now available

19 Jan 2010 16:42:17 GMT

In PDF format in our members-only section. Please note that the password recently changed. AAFSW members should contact office@aafsw.org to obtain the new password.

Diplomat identified as 1st American quake victim

14 Jan 2010 23:54:07 GMT

The first American reported killed by the earthquake in Haiti was a foreign service officer crushed when her home collapsed. Victoria J. DeLong, 57, died Tuesday, said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. The Washington Post.

US reports dozens of Americans at embassy in Haiti

14 Jan 2010 16:31:52 GMT

The State Department says that at least 66 Americans have made their way to the American Embassy in Haiti for medical attention or other assistance in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley says that another group of about 160 Americans is at the airport outside the capital of Port-au-Prince, seeking a way to leave the Caribbean nation.

Crowley said Wednesday that U.S. C-130 military aircraft are expected to begin evacuating Americans in the coming hours and days. Associated Press.

How to Donate to the FSN Emergency Relief Fund

14 Jan 2010 16:31:02 GMT

The Foreign Service National (FSN) Emergency Relief Fund enables the Department of State to respond to crises affecting our FSN employees overseas, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti. To donate to the fund, send a check to the Department’s Gift Fund Coordinator, Donna Bordley, RM/CFO, Rm. 7427, 2201 C Street NW, Washington DC 20520. Make checks payable to the U.S. Department of State, designation for the FSN Emergency Relief Fund.

Many U.S. embassies lack additional layer of visa security

13 Jan 2010 21:16:28 GMT

The expansion of a seven-year-old federal program designed to tighten the visa application process at U.S. embassies is moving too slowly, said a Republican lawmaker in a Jan. 11 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, blamed "objections and roadblocks from the State Department" for the delay in creating visa security units at high-risk overseas posts. GovExec.com.

'Hillary effect' cited for increase in female ambassadors to U.S.

11 Jan 2010 17:34:02 GMT

There are 25 female ambassadors posted in Washington -- the highest number ever, according to the State Department. The Washington Post.

U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has plans to double in size

8 Jan 2010 14:09:18 GMT

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is planning to double its ranks as it takes over a host of missions for the military there, according to America's No. 2 diplomat in Iraq. Foreign Policy.

Suicide bomber attacks CIA base in Afghanistan, killing at least 8 Americans

31 Dec 2009 15:51:08 GMT

A suicide bomber infiltrated a CIA base in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least eight Americans in what is believed to be the deadliest single attack on U.S. intelligence personnel in the eight-year-long war and one of the deadliest in the agency's history, U.S. officials said. The Washington Post.

Meeting of the Diplomats

23 Dec 2009 11:38:29 GMT

Hillary Clinton and Henry Kissinger talk about presidents, priorities--and the difficulty of winding down wars. Newsweek.

Training for the Civilian Surge

23 Dec 2009 11:36:55 GMT

A former mental hospital in the woods is the staging ground for one of the biggest deployments of U.S. civilians since the Vietnam War.

Dozens of U.S. agriculturists, legal experts and development-aid administrators pass through elaborate mock-ups of foreign courtrooms and bazaars here each week -- part of training for nation-building work in some of Afghanistan's most unruly provinces.

The White House hopes to have 1,000 State Department, Treasury and Department of Agriculture personnel in Afghanistan by next month, up from 300 a year ago. The Wall Street Journal.

The January 2010 issue of Global Link is now available

16 Dec 2009 16:10:08 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only. In this issue:

Holiday Essentials
From the President's Desk
Christmas Photos from Around the World
Singing the Winter Blues: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Happy Holidays to AAFSW members and to the Foreign Service community from all of us at AAFSW!

In the Service of Whose Country?

14 Dec 2009 19:04:26 GMT

For many years no expert on China stood higher in the opinion of American students of China, including myself, than John S. "Jack" Service. A fluent Mandarin speaker born in China, he later entered the Foreign Service, only to become a victim of the McCarthy period and a subject of State Department loyalty probes.

Service, who died in 1999, was eventually judged innocent of disloyalty to the U.S. and abetting Chinese communism. But for years he was accused of being one of the State Department China hands who had "lost China" to the Communists. "Honorable Survivor: Mao's China, McCarthy's America, and the Persecution of John S. Service," a new biography by journalist Lynne Joiner, who was also his close friend, makes it clear—and this is her chief contribution—that at a minimum Service was "recklessly indiscreet" in his contacts with Communist sympathizers in the U.S. to whom he gave documents or disclosed details of U.S. policy. The Wall Street Journal.

Diabetic to begin career as diplomat

14 Dec 2009 19:02:25 GMT

Anna Balogh became interested in pursuing a career as a diplomat in 1990, when she lived in Hungary the summer after her freshman year at Wellesley College. Communism was collapsing in Europe. Her roommate was an East German, and they urgently discussed Germany’s looming reunification. History was unfolding at stunning speed before their eyes.

Thirteen years later, the Lincoln woman applied for a highly competitive job as a Foreign Service officer and received an offer in November 2003. But her excitement soon gave way to crushing disappointment when the State Department withdrew the offer for a reason she found unfathomable: Balogh is an insulin-dependent diabetic. The government denied her medical clearance because she had to be fit to work at any of about 270 posts worldwide, including some in remote locales.

This week, days before Balogh’s civil rights lawsuit against the State Department was to go to trial in US District Court in Boston, the 38-year-old and the government settled the dispute out of court. Balogh will be appointed as a Foreign Service officer for a three-year trial period, she said, and hopes it will become permanent. The Boston Globe.

Off hours, Diplomat families teach swimming in Baghdad, Battle of the Bulge

10 Dec 2009 12:33:08 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented awards Tuesday recognizing half a dozen American foreign service workers or their family members for outstanding volunteer work abroad. Clinton said the award recognized those who “have furthered our nation’s diplomacy and development efforts.” Recipients did everything from providing medical services to the poor and disadvantaged in Indonesia to teaching swimming to adults living under tight security in the Green Zone in Baghdad. Reuters.

Magazine editors bedeck 17 envoy spaces for Mission 'Diplomacy at Home'

10 Dec 2009 13:43:41 GMT

With just two weeks' notice, editors from a half-dozen lifestyle magazines, including Martha Stewart Living, This Old House and Traditional Home, created trees hung with quartz crystals and wrapped in red "Truman Family" tree skirts for Blair House, the president's guesthouse; and at the State Department Diplomatic Reception Rooms, they swagged greenery (very, very carefully) around $100 million worth of American antiques. Their deadline was a reception Monday night at the State Department to honor families of government employees currently serving unaccompanied tours overseas in places considered too dangerous to bring family along. The Washington Post.

A System in Need of a Large Broom: Buyer Beware

10 Dec 2009 13:49:24 GMT

Every so often, I write a post on the internal workings or non-workings of the State Department. I haven’t done so for awhile – but I guess it’s that time again – especially since the Department is set to expand the number of Foreign Service Officers by 1,000 over the coming year. Let’s face it, State, the executive branch’s oldest department, has often attracted top talent – but its personnel system and the way it treats too many of its officers has been its weakest link. It remains so.

This, in a nut shell, means State continues to fail to make use of the talent it has so assiduously recruited nearly as well as it could. Or should. A Human Resources Bureau that has been allowed to run amok with little or no outside oversight over the past decade remains a major obstacle. This is most visible at the senior levels where financial and assignments stakes are highest, but the problems have also trickled down the ranks in deleterious and mysterious ways. Whirled View (blog).

Obama sets 2 percent civilian pay hike for 2010

10 Dec 2009 13:44:24 GMT

President Obama late Monday reiterated that he will limit the base pay raise for civilian federal employees to 2 percent in 2010. GovExec.com.

New in Foreign Service Books: The Unofficial Diplomat

8 Dec 2009 14:19:59 GMT

The Unofficial Diplomat is the memoir of the wife of a U.S. Foreign Service officer who, caught in extraordinary circumstances, was able to do some extraordinary things. Read more about it in AAFSW's Foreign Service Books section.

Become a Fan of AAFSW on Facebook

1 Dec 2009 18:16:09 GMT

We invite you to "fan" us on Facebook to receive AAFSW announcements in your news feed.

CIA Cookbook Dishes Up Spy Tales

1 Dec 2009 18:14:22 GMT

And now, just in time for the holidays, here's something for that special someone who has everything: It's the CIA's latest cookbook, "More Spies, Black Ties & Mango Pies." This is the sequel to the spy agency's out-of-print 1997 cookbook. The bureaucracy moves slowly, it seems, or maybe good cooking just takes time. Al Kamen in The Washington Post.

Bill to extend benefits to same-sex partners advances

19 Nov 2009 18:26:59 GMT

The effort to expand domestic benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees took another step forward Wednesday when a House committee advanced legislation to do just that. Federal Diary in The Washington Post.

Barack Obama rewards big donors with plum jobs overseas

19 Nov 2009 18:24:41 GMT

He may have promised to change Washington, but President Barack Obama is continuing one of its most renowned patronage traditions: bestowing prized ambassadorships on big donors.

Of the nearly 80 ambassadorship nominations or confirmations since Obama’s Inauguration, 56 percent were given to political appointees and 44 percent have gone to career diplomats, according to records kept by the American Foreign Service Association. Politico.com.

Her Brilliant Career

19 Nov 2009 18:23:58 GMT

As Obama's surprise (and reluctant) pick for Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton brings her star power and stamina to the global stage. Vogue.

The December 2009 issue of Global Link is now available

16 Nov 2009 15:57:21 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

AAFSW's Holiday Awards Program December 8 2009

10 Nov 2009 15:48:52 GMT

Our December 8th program features the annual AAFSW awards presentations. We will bring in the holiday season by recognizing the outstanding volunteer efforts of the 2009 SOSA, Tragen, and Dorman Award recipients. Held in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception room at the Department of State, the event will be followed by a reception, and is free for AAFSW members. AAFSW members, please visit www.aafsw.org for more details and to reserve your seat.

Unaccompanied Tour Community Meetup November 15

10 Nov 2009 15:47:53 GMT

If you have a family member serving at an unaccompanied, high-risk post, you are invited to an Unaccompanied Tour Community Meetup. For details, please visit www.aafsw.org.

Some states weigh earlier primaries in 2010 to accommodate Americans abroad

30 Oct 2009 15:18:32 GMT

A new law meant to protect the voting rights of deployed troops and other Americans overseas is forcing at least a dozen states to consider holding their primaries earlier or to negotiate another plan that federal officials will accept. The Washington Post.

Matthew Hoh: new poster boy for critics of Afghanistan war

30 Oct 2009 15:17:02 GMT

Matthew Hoh, perhaps unintentionally and unavoidably, has instantly made himself the poster boy for Vice President Joe Biden, liberal Democrats, and every American who looks at a troop surge in Afghanistan with deep skepticism. The Christian Science Monitor.

U.S. official resigns over Afghan war

28 Oct 2009 14:52:55 GMT

Foreign Service officer and former Marine captain says he no longer knows why his nation is fighting. The Washington Post.

Blog: Before the Inevitable Criticism Starts...

28 Oct 2009 14:55:31 GMT

There is a story in today's Washington Post about Matthew Hoh, who is called a Foreign Service Officer, resigning in protest over the war in Afghanistan...for the record, he wasn't a Foreign Service Officer in the terms you think of. He was hired as a non-career, one-year renewable hire. He was one of those folks hired directly for his experience and expertise, the very kind many have said should be hired rather than the Department going through the time-consuming process of selecting generalists via the Foreign Service Officers Test (FSOT) selection process (which can take a year or more to navigate). Life After Jerusalem.

Auditor Faults Work on U.S. Embassy in Iraq

28 Oct 2009 14:58:05 GMT

As the measure of success in Iraq shifts from peacekeeping to reconstruction, one showcase for American aptitude is the new United States Embassy, the most expensive in the world. The embassy compound, which cost more than $700 million to build, covers 104 acres along the Tigris River and was built in a rapid 34 months amid often unstable conditions.

But according to a report issued last week by the State Department’s inspector general, the complex is a monument to shoddy work and incompetent oversight. Walls and walkways are cracking, sewage gas flows back into residences, wiring is substandard, fire protection systems are faulty and other safety provisions are not up to contract specifications. The New York Times.

Changes in sight for federal employees

28 Oct 2009 14:59:51 GMT

The defense authorization bill passed by the Senate on Thursday night included alterations to benefits and practices first announced earlier this month. Perhaps the biggest change is that members of the Federal Employees Retirement System will be able to get credit for unused sick leave when they retire. The provision will be phased in over the next four years. The Washington Post.

Former State Dept. employee charged

25 Oct 2009 20:44:52 GMT

A former State Department program manager in Iraq has been charged with accepting tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for steering contracts to Iraqi construction firms, according to court documents. The Washington Post.

Report: U.S. deserves refund on embassy building in Baghdad

25 Oct 2009 20:43:22 GMT

he sprawling U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad is rife with shoddy construction, and the government should demand a $132 million refund from the Kuwaiti company that built most of it, says an audit released Thursday by the State Department's inspector general. USA Today.

Recalling a Life Abroad

22 Oct 2009 15:38:33 GMT

Sixty years ago, William Blackerby was under house arrest in Qingdao (Tsingtao), China. When communist forces took control of the port city in 1949, they had quickly locked down all U.S. State Department staff, including Blackerby, a Foreign Service Officer. SnoValley Star.

US gov't cuts ties to worker in Iraq bribery case

22 Oct 2009 15:37:43 GMT

A State Department manager charged with taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks on contracts for Iraq reconstruction work is no longer employed by the government. Associated Press.

Is 65 really too old for today's Foreign Service? (Commentary)

13 Oct 2009 20:10:26 GMT

As the world grows more dangerous, and important cities in far-flung locations more hostile to foreigners, the State Department is having ever-increasing difficulty persuading Foreign Service officers to work in numerous places around the globe.

In Shenyang, China; Lagos, Nigeria; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; among dozens of other cities, positions for senior political, economic or management officers often remain unfilled for years. Every effort the department has used to solve this problem over the last 10 years has failed. In two-thirds of the nation's embassies worldwide, on average, 1 desk in 4 is empty. Government investigators say the department has 1,650 vacant positions.

Given all of that, why is the department dumping Elizabeth Colton? San Francisco Chronicle.

Obama looks to increase hiring of disabled workers

13 Oct 2009 19:58:10 GMT

The White House and the Office of Personnel Management this week announced hiring initiatives aimed at halting a decline in the representation of disabled employees in the federal workforce.

President Obama earlier this week said he hoped the government could become a model for other employers. GovExec.com.

Obama’s ambitious green goals

13 Oct 2009 19:56:48 GMT

Federal managers must begin measuring agencies' greenhouse gas emissions and set targets for reducing them under an ambitious plan the White House laid out last week to make the government more energy efficient.

Other goals require agencies to purchase green products and services, cut fuel and water consumption and develop plans to make operations environmentally sustainable.

The executive order, signed Oct. 5 by President Barack Obama, "is going to make all of us look at everything we do with a new eye," said Jeff Eagen, who coordinates the Energy Department's efforts to make its computers and other electronics more efficient. Federal Times.

The November 2009 issue of Global Link is now available.

12 Oct 2009 16:55:12 GMT

In Adobe PDF format for AAFSW members only.

State Department Muzzles Diplo-Blogger?

9 Oct 2009 17:26:26 GMT

For several years, the military has been wrestling with the rules of Web 2.0. And while its efforts to regulate online behavior have at times been ham-fisted, the Pentagon has made at least a genuine effort to understand social media — and to think about how troops can use online tools to their own advantage.

Not so, apparently, with their counterparts at the State Department. While the top-level folks are allowed to have (mostly inane) Twitter accounts and blogs, it looks like the department may be cracking down on genuine diplo-bloggers. Wired.

House Votes to Extend First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit for Service Members

9 Oct 2009 17:25:12 GMT

Amid mounting speculation over the future of the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, Congress moved today to give American service members another 12 months to claim the popular incentive. The House of Representatives voted 416 to 0 to pass the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009, which pushes the credit's current November 30 deadline back an additional year for members of the military, Foreign Service, and intelligence corps who served at least three months of qualified overseas duty in 2009. "This bill makes sure that the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day get to enjoy the same benefits as every other American who benefits from their service," said Rep. Charles Rangel, the New York Democrat who introduced the bill. U.S. News and World Report.

Obama picks openly gay lawyer for ambassadorship

9 Oct 2009 17:23:39 GMT

President Barack Obama said Wednesday he planned to nominate an openly gay lawyer as the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. If confirmed by the Senate, David Huebner would become the third openly gay ambassador in U.S. history and the first pick by this administration. Associated Press.

Art&Bookfair opens October 17th

7 Oct 2009 19:08:51 GMT

Two weekends in October for shopping 'til you drop. Used and collectible books, stamps, fabric, pottery, porcelain, jewelry, wood objects, baskets, paintings and frames and more. In the Exhibit Hall of the Department of State (C Street Entrance.) Click for more information.

Too Old for Foreign Service Work?

7 Oct 2009 19:07:03 GMT

Last month, Elizabeth Colton filed suit in federal court against Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton alleging age discrimination, and that the age restriction was unconstitutional and based on outdated stereotypes. The Washington Post.

U.S. Won't Seek Death Penalty for Suspect in Embassy Blasts

7 Oct 2009 19:06:04 GMT

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has decided not to seek the death penalty against a former Guantánamo detainee who was ordered by President Obama to face trial in a civilian court in New York.

Mr. Ghailani faces federal charges of conspiring in the 1998 bombings of the United States Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, attacks organized by Al Qaeda that killed 224 people and wounded thousands. The New York Times.

U.S. Vice Consul Disappears in Curacao

30 Sep 2009 19:34:52 GMT

Five FBI agents have arrived on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, one of the Netherlands Antilles, to join the search for the US Vice Consul James Hogan who went missing on Thursday evening.

The manhunt is being carried out by a 150-strong team including the Curaçao police, the Dutch coastguard, US Marines, a US Navy helicopter crew and the Curaçao Citizen Rescue Organisation.

The 49-year-old diplomat apparently told his wife he was going for a walk but never returned. On Friday his jeans were found in a remote spot near Caracas Bay on the east coast of the island and the US Consulate officially reported him as missing. Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

Homebuyer tax credit may be extended, but cost is an issue

28 Sep 2009 16:16:27 GMT

On Sept. 17, the leadership of Congress' primary tax legislative committee introduced a tax credit bill that's likely to zip through the House and move to the Senate rapidly. Charles B. Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sponsored the bipartisan Service Members Homeownership Tax Act (H.R. 3590), which would extend the credit for another 12 months for thousands of military, Foreign Service and intelligence agency personnel who've been posted abroad during 2009. Chicago Daily Herald.

US diplomat: post-9/11 embassies too fortress-like

25 Sep 2009 15:46:36 GMT

The outgoing U.S. ambassador to Poland criticized the "fortress-like" feel of American embassies built since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, saying Thursday that some are excessively expensive and send an unfriendly message to non-Americans.

Victor Ashe is calling on U.S. authorities to reassess policies put in place after 9/11, which require equally tight security standards in both hot spots and places deemed much safer. He said there should not be a "one size fits all" approach. Associated Press.

State Department Gets an "F" in Language Designate-Positions

25 Sep 2009 15:45:39 GMT

A recent report released by the GAO, “Comprehensive Plan Needed to Address Persistent Foreign Language Shortfalls” (September 2009) announces that Foreign Service Officers do not have the necessary language skills they need to do their jobs effectively. While GAO has reported before that State Department personnel working overseas are in profound need of language skills it is disturbing that this trend has continued. According to the report: “As of October 31, 2008 31 percent of officers in all worldwide language designated positions did not meet both the foreign language speaking and reading proficient requirements for their position. The Heritage Foundation.

Too many soldiers in foreign service roles

24 Sep 2009 18:55:37 GMT

Shortages among diplomats and civilian staff abroad have left U.S. reconstruction projects too reliant on military personnel to take their place, a nongovernment organization warned Wednesday. Associated Press.

US Embassy in South Africa plans to reopen Friday

24 Sep 2009 18:54:27 GMT

The U.S. Embassy and other American offices in South Africa are expected to reopen Friday after being closed for two days because of unspecified security concerns. Associated Press.

US complains to Russia about sex tape 'smear'

24 Sep 2009 18:53:30 GMT

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has complained to the Russian Foreign Ministry about a sex tape that U.S. officials call a smear of an American diplomat. Associated Press.

AAFSW's October Program

23 Sep 2009 17:11:48 GMT

Our October 20th program will be a talk on U.S.-Egyptian Relations and Developments in the Middle East presented by Egyptian Ambassador Sameh Shoukry. AAFSW members may reserve their seat online at www.aafsw.org.

Technology and 21st Century Diplomacy (audio)

23 Sep 2009 17:08:56 GMT

They're the new tools of 21st century diplomacy: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The Obama administration says "new media," coupled with older technologies like radio, can transform America's foreign policy and development goals. WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi talks with Alec Ross, senior adviser on innovation to Secretary Hillary Clinton at the State Department.

US Embassy in South Africa closes for security

23 Sep 2009 17:08:22 GMT

The U.S. Embassy and other American offices in South Africa have been ordered closed for at least two days this week because of unspecified security concerns, U.S. and South African officials said. Associated Press.

State Department, Clinton Accused of Age Bias in Suit (Update2)

21 Sep 2009 20:05:14 GMT

he U.S. State Department denied a promotion to a foreign service officer because she would have turned 65 during her term, according to a lawsuit filed today in Washington that named Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a defendant. Bloomberg.

Hitting Bottom in Foggy Bottom

21 Sep 2009 20:02:59 GMT

The State Department suffers from low morale, bottlenecks, and bureaucratic inepititude. Do we need to kill it to save it? Foreign Policy.

Civilians in War Zones Face Inconsistency From the Government

21 Sep 2009 20:02:04 GMT

When we think of Uncle Sam's men and women overseas, our thoughts understandably go toward the troops in uniform who risk their lives in the name of the United States.

But there are many other federal employees, with no uniforms or weapons, who also subject themselves to daily war zone dangers. The civilians, however, face an inconsistent set of compensation, benefits and services that can generate confusion and damage morale. The Washington Post.

A Team Player Who Stands Apart

19 Sep 2009 18:53:56 GMT

With the exception of former senator Edmund S. Muskie's brief turn as secretary of state at the end of the Carter administration, Hillary Rodham Clinton is the first politician in the job in six decades -- the rest have hailed from the fields of foreign policy or the military.

By all accounts, she is the consummate team player and is often the best-briefed, most prepared person in the room. President Obama's aides say he values her advice and appreciates her dedication, dampening speculation that he and his erstwhile rival would not work well together.

But after eight months in office, Clinton, 61, sometimes seems torn between her inclination to lead and her need to function effectively within the administration, creating a certain tension between her aspirations and her status. The Washington Post.

High School Honors Slain Diplomat

19 Sep 2009 18:51:39 GMT

A graduate of Whitehall-Yearling High School who was killed while serving as a diplomat in Africa was honored at his former high school Thursday night. Brian Adkins may have been a citizen of the world, but his father said he never forgot his central Ohio roots, 10TV's Kurt Ludlow reported. Channel 10 News.

Sutherland Represents Woman Diplomat Suing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for Age Discrimination

19 Sep 2009 18:50:05 GMT

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, together with the Washington Lawyers` Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, on behalf of Dr. Elizabeth O. Colton, a 64-year-old foreign service officer whom the Department of State has subjected to discrimination by denying her the opportunity to serve at certain posts simply because of her age. Reuters.

New in Foreign Service Books: A Broad Abroad: The Expat Wife's Guide to Successful Living Abroad

16 Sep 2009 19:52:31 GMT

Robin Pascoe has updated Culture Shock: A Wife's Guide. Buy your copy through AAFSW's website today!

Envoys Hesitate to Report Bad News

16 Sep 2009 19:51:35 GMT

U.S. embassies are discouraging or suppressing negative reports to Washington about U.S. allies, sometimes depriving officials of information they need to make good policy decisions, current and former diplomats say.

One diplomat told The Washington Times that he has decided to resign in part because of frustration with "rampant self-censorship" by Foreign Service officers and their superiors that has gone so far as to ban "bad news" cables from countries that are friendly with the United States. The Washington Times.

Four Mortar Shells Land Near U.S. Embassy in Green Zone as Biden Visits Baghdad

16 Sep 2009 19:50:46 GMT

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived here on Tuesday for two days of talks with Iraqi leaders, and shortly after saying he was headed to bed for the night at the American Embassy, four mortar shells landed nearby around the heavily fortified Green Zone. The New York Times.

Prosecutors in Iraq Case See Pattern by Guards

14 Sep 2009 18:28:16 GMT

Private security guards who worked for Blackwater repeatedly shot wildly into the streets of Baghdad without regard for civilians long before they were involved in a 2007 shooting episode that left at least 14 Iraqis dead, federal prosecutors charge in a new court document. The New York Times.

Two Say They Reported Abuses at Embassy

14 Sep 2009 18:26:03 GMT

Two former employees of a private contractor hired to provide security at the United States Embassy in Afghanistan charged that State Department officials were aware as early as 2007 that guards and supervisors were involved in lewd conduct. The New York Times.

The October 2009 issue of Global Link is now available.

14 Sep 2009 18:25:08 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

State Department contractor electrocuted

9 Sep 2009 18:24:56 GMT

A State Department contractor apparently has been electrocuted while showering in Baghdad even as U.S. authorities in Iraq try to remedy wiring problems that have led to the deaths of American troops there. Yahoo! News.

Yemen: 4 men with explosives caught near US embassy

9 Sep 2009 18:23:06 GMT

Four Yemenis carrying explosives and guns were arrested near the U.S. embassy in San'a, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday. Yahoo! News.

Administration will support pay parity — after 2010

9 Sep 2009 18:22:04 GMT

In February, the poor economy prompted President Barack Obama to call for giving civilian federal employees a lower pay raise in January 2010 than military service members, abandoning the concept of pay parity that Congress usually follows. But in an interview this afternoon with Washington radio station WAMU, Berry said the White House will resume supporting pay parity in the future, barring unforeseen circumstances. Federal Times.

Are US taxpayers funding the Taliban?

9 Sep 2009 18:20:28 GMT

The United States Agency for International Development has opened an investigation into allegations that its funds for road and bridge construction in Afghanistan are ending up in the hands of the Taliban, through a protection racket for contractors. Global Post.

Clinton outraged by guards' sexual misconduct

9 Sep 2009 18:19:50 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is "genuinely offended" by reports of misconduct by private guards working for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, a State Department spokesman said Thursday. Associated Press.

Misconduct Claimed at U.S. Embassy in Kabul

2 Sep 2009 15:57:29 GMT

Security at the United States Embassy in Afghanistan has been seriously compromised by mismanagement and misbehavior among civilian guards and their supervisors, according to reports by a Congressional subcommittee and a nonprofit oversight organization. The New York Times.

US extends Iraq contract for Blackwater firm

2 Sep 2009 15:56:10 GMT

State Department officials said Wednesday they have extended a contract with a subsidiary of the security firm once known as Blackwater USA despite the fact the company is not allowed to work in the country. Associated Press.

US asks judge to dismiss diplomatic immunity suit

2 Aug 2009 15:54:05 GMT

The U.S. government has asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by a former State Department official demanding diplomatic immunity against charges that she helped kidnap a terrorism suspect in Italy. Associated Press.

The ambassadors: A place where big money still talks

31 Aug 2009 16:06:18 GMT

President Obama said he would try to reduce the number of non-career appointees as U.S. envoys abroad. But the majority of his picks so far have been wealthy donors such as Minneapolis attorney Sam Kaplan. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

US resists £50m VAT claim on embassy work

31 Aug 2009 16:04:16 GMT

The US is standing firm against UK demands to pay up to £50m in value added tax on its new embassy building in south London.The American embassy, at present based in Mayfair, insists that under international protocol it should not have to pay tax on the building project. Financial Times.

Embassy Costs to Rise in Baghdad

31 Aug 2009 16:03:25 GMT

The cost of running the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is projected to rise in the coming years as the world's largest diplomatic mission weans itself from the support it receives from the U.S. military, the State Department's acting inspector general said in a report this week. The Washington Post.

State Department Interns Wait (And Wait, And Wait)

26 Aug 2009 13:15:03 GMT

Hillary Clinton Is Fed Up With The Slow Vetting Process For Top Appointees. The Lowliest Staffers Have It Even Worse. National Journal.

Saving Kim Dae-jung: A tale of two dissident diplomats

24 Aug 2009 14:28:28 GMT

Kim's obituaries have referred to the 1973 kidnapping by the Korean CIA that nearly ended his life and the US intervention that saved it. "[A]gents from General Park's notorious spy agency. . . kidnapped Mr. Kim from a hotel room in Tokyo, where he was leading an exile movement for democracy in South Korea,'' wrote Choe Sang-Hun in The New York Times. "He later said his kidnappers had attached a weight to him aboard a boat and were about to throw him into the sea when the United States government intervened.''

The account of the kidnapping is accurate, but to attribute Kim's survival to the US government is misleading. Kim was not saved by the US government; he was saved by a pair of US diplomats acting on their own initiative, without approval from their government - a government whose policy toward Korea may have contributed to Kim's plight in the first place. The Boston Globe.

It's 3 a.m. Do You Know Where Hillary Clinton Is?

24 Aug 2009 14:26:44 GMT

When it comes to Hillary Rodham Clinton, we're missing the forest for the pantsuits. Clinton is not the first celebrity to become the nation's top diplomat -- that honor goes to her most distant predecessor, Thomas Jefferson, who by the time he took office was one of the most famous and gossiped-about men in America -- but she may be the biggest. And during her first seven months in office, the former first lady, erstwhile presidential candidate and eternal lightning rod has drawn more attention for her moods, looks, outtakes and (of course) relationship with her husband than for, well, her work revamping the nation's foreign policy. The Washington Post.

Bored Bureaucrat Pleads Guilty to Passport Snooping

18 Aug 2009 17:59:55 GMT

A fifth person who has worked for the U.S. Department of State has pleaded guilty to illegally accessing passport application files stored in a computer database, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. PC World.

New U.S. Envoy Takes Up Post

18 Aug 2009 17:57:51 GMT

As Charles H. Rivkin prepares to take up the storied position of U.S. ambassador to Paris, a choice niche once occupied by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, he finds himself a particularly interesting case study in the long debate over America’s practice of appointing political favorites rather than diplomatic professionals to choice ambassadorships. The New York Times.

State Dept. adds more aid workers in Afghanistan

18 Aug 2009 17:56:38 GMT

Five months after President Obama announced a new Afghanistan strategy based on stepped-up civilian efforts to rebuild the country, the State Department has put 92 new people in the field, department figures show. That's about a third of its year-end goal of 313 additional aid workers and diplomats outside the Kabul embassy. USA Today.

Change of Guard in Baghdad's Green Zone

8 Aug 2009 12:47:17 GMT

Baghdad's storied Green Zone, for six years a bunkered refuge for Westerners in this beleaguered capital, is America's turf no more. The Washington Post.

The September issue of Global Link is now available

3 Aug 2009 15:10:34 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

Ambassadorships for Sale

3 Aug 2009 12:48:41 GMT

The modern American presidential campaign is a hungry beast. In the 2008 campaign, the three principal candidates raised in excess of $1.1 billion, and spending overall essentially doubled as compared with the 2004 campaign, itself a record-setter. And for generations, one unseemly aspect of fundraising has been the de facto sale of ambassadorships. As the Los Angeles Times noted in a recent editorial, the United States is the only major country that regularly hands out choice ambassadorships as a favor for campaign funding bundlers. The process cheapens our diplomatic relations and sends a bad message to the states to which these ambassadors are sent. And it’s getting cruder and greedier. A cynic studying the latest batch of nominees might conclude that the price of an ambassadorship has soared from roughly $200,000 under the Rovian regime to $500,000 under Rahm Emanuel. Harper's Magazine.

Dr. No Succeeds in Killing Sick-Leave Bill, For Now

3 Aug 2009 12:47:27 GMT

They don't call him Dr. No for nothing.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, a Muskogee, Okla., physician, earned that moniker with his consistent objection to legislation that he regards as an irresponsible use of the government's money.

His latest target was a bill eagerly awaited by many federal employees. The measure, among other things, would have allowed those in the Federal Employee Retirement System to count unused sick leave in their retirement calculations. The Washington Post.

Audit finds contractor oversight improving in Iraq

3 Aug 2009 12:46:06 GMT

The government has kept a closer eye on U.S. contractors in Iraq since a deadly 2007 shooting by Blackwater guards, but it still needs to do a better job tracking and investigating when private security guards fire their guns, two new Pentagon audits have found. Associated Press.

Report: Big cuts needed at huge Baghdad embassy built by Bush

23 Jul 2009 20:41:32 GMT

The U.S. Embassy in Iraq, the government's largest overseas diplomatic mission, is significantly overstaffed and needs to be downsized to reflect the reduced American role in the country, according to a new State Department report. McClatchy News.

Breaking the Diplomatic Ties That Bind Design

23 Jul 2009 20:39:46 GMT

Lots of people cringe when they think about the recent architecture of American diplomacy, and now a new report adds ammunition to the Massachusetts Democrat's charge. "Design for Diplomacy," written by the American Institute of Architects, is a classic Washington document: dull, dry and filled with recommendations that run from the tepid to the bland to the obvious. But the fact that it exists means that the age of the American embassy as architectural wasteland may finally be coming to an end. The Washington Post.

Under bills, U.S. would funnel more money into diplomacy

20 Jul 2009 17:06:19 GMT

The State Department is poised to realize significantly larger percentage budget increases than the Pentagon — a reflection, officials say, of a bipartisan consensus that civilians should play a greater role in U.S. foreign policy. USA Today.

Barack Obama's Obscure Ambassadors Bring Experience, Campaign Cash

20 Jul 2009 17:08:11 GMT

Ambassadors don't just represent U.S. interests in foreign countries like Germany, Japan or Belize. Some people with this rank represent the United States in international organizations or act as the nation's top statesman in issue-based arenas. To date, President Barack Obama has tapped 19 individuals to serve as ambassadors in such roles.

From Cabinet-level positions such as ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. trade representative to more general ambassador at large roles that tackle issues such as AIDS, war crimes, counterterrorism or women's issues, these chosen few don't only bring with them long pedigrees of related experience. Most have also contributed money to federal candidates. OpenSecrets.org.

State Department launches quadrennial review

20 Jul 2009 17:12:33 GMT

The State Department is launching a comprehensive quadrennial review of its operations and resources, modeled on similar assessments at the Defense and Homeland Security departments. The review, led by Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Jack Lew, begins immediately, and the department plans to publish the report in early 2010. GovExec.com.

Little Hope for Pay Parity in 2010, but the Fight Continues

15 Jul 2009 16:24:05 GMT

"Pay parity" is a mantra federal civilian employees have long chanted to bring about a desired state of income.

For most of the past 30 years, they have used the power of positive thinking, not to mention good, hard lobbying, to persuade Congress they should get the same pay raise as members of the military.

But at this point, for fiscal year 2010, Frankie and Flo Fed don't appear to have much more than a hope and prayer that Congress will give them the 3.4 percent increase that men and women in uniform are slated to receive. The Washington Post.

Hillary Clinton, Back After a Break

15 Jul 2009 16:22:52 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton kicks off her worldwide "I'm Ba-aack" tour today, starting with what's being billed as a "major policy address" at the Council on Foreign Relations here. She's then off tomorrow on a week-long trip to India and Thailand. The Washington Post.

Bomb explodes near U.S. ambassador's convoy in Iraq

15 Jul 2009 16:05:01 GMT

A small roadside bomb narrowly missed a vehicle carrying the U.S. ambassador to Iraq on Sunday. Ambassador Christopher Hill was traveling in a U.S. State Department convoy in southern Iraq when the bomb exploded, causing minor damage to the vehicle directly in front of his, he said. No one was injured. USA Today.

Clinton: Vetting for USAID job 'ridiculous'

15 Jul 2009 16:04:11 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is blaming an exhaustive White House vetting process for the fact that the Obama administration has not yet named a person to run the U.S. Agency for International Development. Associated Press.

Fundraisers win jobs as Obama envoys

8 Jul 2009 23:42:02 GMT

President Obama's campaign to bring change to the nation's capital hasn't kept him from continuing the Washington tradition of handing out ambassadorships to political friends and fundraisers. The Washington Times.

Former State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

8 Jul 2009 23:39:07 GMT

A new State Department report says some local employees hired by U.S. embassies and other posts around the world are so poorly paid they have to cut back to one meal a day or send their children to peddle on the streets.

The report from the department's Office of the Inspector General looked at how the U.S. pays more than 51,000 local, non-American employees in about 170 missions. In addition to the hardship caused to the workers because of inadequate pay, the report found that the U.S. is losing staff to other higher-paying employers and may not be able to fill vacancies with qualified people. CNN.

Diplomatic DX: A Foreign Service Officer’s Ham Radio Memoir

8 Jul 2009 23:38:02 GMT

When I first became involved in the hobby, as a teenager in the late 1950s, short-wave radio was still a cutting-edge technology, and the ability to sit in your bedroom or basement “ham shack” and talk to someone on the other side of the world, a DX station, was thrilling.

This early experience helped point me toward a Foreign Service career, as it provided my first awareness that there were such things as embassies and consulates, when I talked to some hams stationed at them. American Diplomacy.

Congress Considers Crediting Unused Sick Leave

6 Jul 2009 16:18:54 GMT

When senators return from their Fourth of July break next week, several measures affecting federal workers will be on their agenda. At least that's what employees hope.

One measure of importance to many workers would allow those covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System to count unused sick leave in their retirement calculations. The Washington Post.

A Boost for Those Burdened by Student Loan Debt

6 Jul 2009 16:17:49 GMT

Americans invest heavily in the future of the nation by providing loans to help put students through college. Yet the burden of that debt for many former students is so great that it interferes with investments they would like to make in a home, a family or even a good time now and then.

This is especially true for the public-spirited who are burdened by heavy debt. No one expects to get rich doing good, but getting paid enough to pay back Uncle Sam would be nice.

Now there are a couple of new programs that could make those debts much lighter. One of them is specifically designed to encourage young people to serve the public by working for federal, state or local governments, nonprofits or other public service employers. The Washington Post.

House unanimously approves FERS sick leave bill

29 Jun 2009 18:20:12 GMT

The House unanimously approved a bill that could increase the pensions for hundreds of thousands of federal employees covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

The measure credits the unused sick leave of retiring FERS employees toward their time-in-service when calculating their pensions. There are roughly 1.4 million employees in the FERS. Employees under the older Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) have always had this benefit. GovExec.com.

Bill would allow kids to remain in the federal employee health plan longer

29 Jun 2009 18:19:11 GMT

A House lawmaker has reintroduced a bill that would raise the age limit for coverage of dependent children under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program by three years. The bill (H.R. 2978), introduced by Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., would increase the cutoff age for coverage of unmarried dependent children from 22 to 25. GovExec.com.

Big Obama campaign donors get ambassadorships

29 Jun 2009 18:18:27 GMT

President Barack Obama on Thursday selected for ambassadorships in Europe two of his presidential campaign's biggest fundraisers, extending a pattern of rewarding political supporters.

Obama chose career foreign service officers to head U.S. embassies in Latvia, Benin and Zimbabwe. AP.

Mideast envoy Ross gets key White House job

29 Jun 2009 18:17:26 GMT

The White House Thursday named veteran Middle East envoy Dennis Ross to a key job overseeing policy in a vast region encompassing the Middle East, the Gulf, Afghanistan, Pakistan and South Asia. Ross's move from a low profile job in the State Department to the White House had been the subject of intense speculation in Washington's rumor-heavy foreign policy community. AFP.

Sudan: 4 sentenced to die for US diplomat killing

29 Jun 2009 18:16:13 GMT

Sudanese court convicted five people Wednesday in the slaying of an American diplomat last year and sentenced four of them to death. Gunmen firing from a car killed John Granville and his Sudanese driver on Jan. 1, 2008, as he was returning home from a New Year's party in Khartoum, Sudan's capital. Yahoo! News.

President Signs Bill Authorizing Overseas Comparability Pay!!

25 Jun 2009 13:15:49 GMT

It is now official President Barack Obama today signed into law a supplemental appropriation bill that will start the process of closing the overseas pay disparity, beginning in this fiscal year!

For those of you who missed our previous AFSANET announcing this major development several days ago, we have succeeded in achieving the first phase of our members number-one objective of getting Congress and the Administration to correct the historical injustice of excluding Foreign Service members posted overseas from the locality pay that all other federal employees assigned domestically receive. The Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies should now move quickly to close the first roughly ONE-THIRD tranche of that 23.1 percent pay gap in the current fiscal year. This should translate into a base salary increase in the vicinity of 7.7 percent, by October 1, for all Foreign Service members FS-01 and below assigned overseas.

Ideally, this adjustment will be followed by similar measures in FY2010 and FY2011 to address the second and third tranches of the pay disparity. AFSA will work hard to make sure that happens.

This victory is the culmination of a protracted, eight-year lobbying effort by AFSA and supportive senior officials at State. Outgoing AFSA President John Naland, who just departed earlier this month for his onward assignment in Iraq, deserves much of the credit for tenaciously fighting this battle over the past two years. Former AFSA President Tony Holmes did much to advance the cause and can also share in the credit. In our last AFSANET, we named the many Members of Congress and staffers who deserve our gratitude for defending the Foreign Service. We also have Secretary Clinton and her team to thank for working alongside AFSA to make this happen.

Congratulations to all of our members assigned overseas! From AFSA, the American Foreign Service Association

AFSANET: Closing the Pay Gap

23 Jun 2009 17:57:57 GMT

AFSA reports a major success to report in the long-standing effort to close the overseas pay gap suffered by entry-level and mid-level Foreign Service members stationed abroad. Legislative language to begin to close the pay gap is contained in the 2009 Supplemental for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Pandemic Flu that has now cleared the House and Senate and is headed for an expected Presidential signature in the coming days.

Change' still hasn't come to ambassador system, but nomination of 2 Minnesotans draws praise

23 Jun 2009 18:02:29 GMT

President Barack Obama vowed to bring change to the nation's capital, but there is at least one controversial White House tradition that he has embraced — awarding friends and big donors with plum ambassador positions abroad. MinnPost.com.

Transcript: President Obama Delivers Remarks on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination

23 Jun 2009 18:00:24 GMT

From CQ Transcript wire via the Washington Post.

US dedicates new diplomatic office in Taiwan

23 Jun 2009 17:59:12 GMT

The United States dedicated the grounds for a new representative office in Taiwan on Monday, making a visible commitment to the island at a time its rapidly improving ties with longtime foe China are diminishing U.S. influence. Associated Press.

AAFSW's July Program: Tsars of the East at the Freer-Sackler Gallery

19 Jun 2009 16:56:08 GMT

We cordially invite AAFSW members and their guests for a Monday, July 13th, educational tour of one of the most interesting exhibits at the Freer-Sackler Museum. "The Tsars and the East: Gifts from Turkey and Iran in the Moscow Kremlin." AAFSW members should click the link above for more information and to reserve a space online.

Clinton: Gay diplomats get key benefits

19 Jun 2009 16:54:51 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued an order Thursday granting diplomatic passports, access to medical care and U.S. government jobs overseas to same-sex partners of U.S. diplomats. The Washington Times.

It's SOSA time again

18 Jun 2009 17:14:28 GMT

Nominations are now being sought for the 2009 Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad. The deadline for nominations is September 11, 2009. Visit our SOSA page for more details.

AAFSW's September Program

18 Jun 2009 17:09:09 GMT

AAFSW cordially invites you to join us on September 22 for the classical music recital that was originally scheduled for April, but was postponed due to a scheduling conflict with the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. AAFSW members please make your reservations online as soon as possible using the link above.

Obama Directive to Bar Bias Based on Sexual Orientation

18 Jun 2009 17:02:55 GMT

President Barack Obama, offering a small win to the gay-rights community, will sign a directive Wednesday giving some new benefits to the domestic partners of federal civil service employees.

Specifically, federal workers will be allowed to add their gay and lesbian partners to the long-term care insurance program, and supervisors will be required to let workers use their sick leave to take care of domestic partners and non-biological, non-adopted children, according to a fact sheet released Wednesday.

In addition, Foreign Service employees will win a number of new benefits for their partners, including the use of medical facilities at posts abroad, medical evacuation from posts abroad and inclusion in family size for housing allocations. The Wall Street Journal.

Projects reveal high cost of poor coordination

16 Jun 2009 17:30:45 GMT

The empty health clinic in a remote part of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a legacy of what sometimes goes wrong when the military takes the lead on civil affairs projects, despite good intentions.

During a "hearts and minds" mission in the city of Nema a couple of years ago, U.S. special forces built the clinic in coordination with the local ministry of defense, but that’s where the consultations ended. With no local U.S. Agency for International Development officials on the ground to provide the regional political and social context, the clinic was built on military land restricted from public use. Now, the facilities remain vacant and unused. Stars and Stripes.

Audit Finds That U.S. Overpaid Blackwater

16 Jun 2009 17:28:38 GMT

A government audit found that the State Department overpaid the contract-security firm once known as Blackwater Worldwide by tens of millions of dollars because the company failed to properly staff its teams in Iraq. The Wall Street Journal.

Senate kills amendment for FERS sick leave credit

16 Jun 2009 17:27:06 GMT

The Senate yesterday struck down a measure that would allow employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System to get credit for unused sick leave when they retire. Federal Times.

Security Firm Is Pressed On U.S. Embassy Contract

16 Jun 2009 17:26:15 GMT

The State Department is investigating DynCorp International, which conducts police training in Afghanistan, over its handling of an employee who died of a possible drug overdose and has ordered the major U.S. contractor to replace its senior project managers. Yahoo! News.

Obama taps more big donors for ambassadorships

16 Jun 2009 17:25:08 GMT

President Barack Obama on Thursday tapped four big Democratic Party donors for plum ambassadorships in Europe and Latin America while naming six career diplomats to posts in Africa, the Mideast and the Pacific. Associated Press.

Dollar Signs Point to Many a U.S. Embassy

10 Jun 2009 18:19:35 GMT

President Obama has been taking flak of late for giving fat-cat donors cushy ambassadorial posts. Despite some early signals that merit -- knowledge of the local language, culture or region, or perhaps foreign policy experience -- might play a role in determining who gets those jobs, big donors and bundlers seem to have grabbed the lion's share of the most coveted spots. Al Kamen in the Washington Post.

How an American couple came to be spies for Cuba

9 Jun 2009 15:06:37 GMT

Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers were recruited from academia by Fidel Castro's intelligence service - one of the best in the world. The Christian Science Monitor.

Clinton reviews security after Cuba spying arrests

9 Jun 2009 15:00:22 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday she had ordered a review of State Department security practices after a former employee and his wife were accused of spying for Cuba last week. The Washington Post.

After Critical Report, State Dept.'s Historian Is Reassigned

9 Jun 2009 14:59:45 GMT

The head of the State Department's Office of the Historian has been reassigned after an inspector general's investigation found "serious mismanagement for which the director must be held accountable." The Washington Post.

Parental Leave Act Moves Closer to Law

6 Jun 2009 17:29:28 GMT

Supporters of legislation to give federal employees the right to take paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child had cause to celebrate on Thursday evening. The House passed the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 626) by a vote of 258-154, fending off criticism of its price tag. A companion bill, S. 354, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., is before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia. GovExec.com.

State Dept. Retiree Accused of Spying

6 Jun 2009 17:28:41 GMT

A former State Department official with top-secret security clearance and his wife have been charged with spying for Cuba over the past three decades, passing information by shortwave radio and correspondence exchanged in local grocery stores, federal prosecutors said. The Washington Post.

Committee Approves Two-Year Authorization Bill Bolstering U.S. Diplomacy, Development Efforts

4 Jun 2009 16:43:25 GMT

The House Foreign Affairs Committee today approved comprehensive legislation to shore up U.S. foreign policy efforts, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 (H.R. 2410).

“For far too long, we have failed to provide the State Department with the resources it needs to fill critical overseas posts, provide adequate training, and ensure effective oversight of the programs that it manages,” Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman (CA-28) said. “With the expansion of U.S. diplomatic responsibilities in the 1990s and the more recent demands of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Foreign Service has been strained to the breaking point. We simply must supply the needed resources now.”

Under this legislation, 1500 additional people could join the Foreign Service over the next two years. The bill also contains provisions on recruitment and training of officers to improve the Foreign Service’s ability to respond to modern challenges. It requires the State Department to conduct a quadrennial review of its policies and programs that defines objectives, budget requirements and how these programs fit into the President’s national security strategy. www.house.gov.

Wanted: Local Heroes

4 Jun 2009 16:44:59 GMT

Nominations are now being sought for the 2009 Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad. The deadline for nominations is September 11, 2009.

Big Dem Donors Score Plum Ambassadorships

29 May 2009 17:00:48 GMT

President Obama last night announced his intention to nominate a dozen individuals to key ambassadorships. Among them: entertainment executive and Democratic fundraiser Charles Rivkin, who the president has tapped to be Ambassador to France. ABC News.

Political ambassadors persist

29 May 2009 16:59:14 GMT

President Barack Obama pledged to bring change to Washington, but he is continuing one of the capital's most entrenched traditions: rewarding political supporters with ambassadorships.

After suggesting he would try to reduce the number of political appointees and boost the number of career diplomats serving as American envoys abroad, his early record is already mixed. Obama's first picks are drawn heavily from political and fundraising circles, raising concerns about inexperience and patronage. Associated Press.

State Dept. Plan Would Extend Benefits to Same Sex Partners

26 May 2009 19:15:54 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will soon announce that the partners of gay U.S. diplomats are eligible for many benefits currently denied them and allowed to spouses of heterosexual diplomats, according to lawmakers and others advocating the change. The Washington Post.

State Dept. has few who speak language of area where Taliban operates

26 May 2009 19:14:37 GMT

Complicating the Obama administration's plan to ramp up civilian aid to Pakistan and Afghanistan, the State Department employs just 18 foreign service officers who can speak the language of the region where the Taliban insurgency rages, according to records and interviews. USA Today.

Justice Department moves to dismiss Clinton suit

22 May 2009 16:38:21 GMT

The Justice Department is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that argues that Hillary Rodham Clinton cannot legally serve as secretary of state. The suit filed by conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch is based on an obscure section of the Constitution called the emoluments clause. It says no member of Congress can be appointed to a government post if the pay was increased during the lawmaker's current term. The Houston Chronicle.

For One Night, Baghdad Gets a Pink Zone

22 May 2009 16:35:27 GMT

Change has certainly come to Baghdad. And it appears that includes the U.S. Embassy, where they are holding what the invitation says is the first-ever U.S. Embassy Gay Pride Theme Party next Friday at Baghdaddy's, which is the embassy employee association's pub. The Washington Post.

Gay US diplomats to get equal benefits: lawmaker

20 May 2009 22:04:39 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has promised to provide equal benefits to partners of homosexual US diplomats stationed overseas, a congressman said Wednesday.

Howard Berman, head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had sought to require the State Department to offer benefits such as medical care, transport between postings and security training to partners regardless of sexual orientation.

Berman, in a hearing on funding for the Foreign Service, said he would drop his legislative bid as "it is my expectation, based on very recent conversations, that the Secretary of State will move forward with implementing all of the benefits provided in that provision in the very near future." Associated Press.

Foreign Service Officer Says Abandoned by U.S.

20 May 2009 22:02:01 GMT

One of the 26 U.S. foreign service officers facing criminal prosecution in Italy for their alleged involvement in the United States' "extraordinary rendition" program has sued Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for refusing to intervene on her behalf and declare her diplomatically immune from prosecution in Italy. Courthouse News Service.

Money's Nice, but a Good Boss Is Better

20 May 2009 21:59:58 GMT

When it comes to sizing up the quality of their workplaces, federal workers value strong leadership and straight answers from their bosses more than even pay and benefits, according to a new comprehensive study of the federal workforce. The Washington Post.

Same-Sex Partner Benefits on the Way for American Diplomats

15 May 2009 17:00:59 GMT

Congress has inserted a provision into the State Department authorization budget that would require the State Department to confer the same benefits to same-sex partners as it does to married couples. UN Dispatch.

Obama Administration Boosting US Diplomatic Corps

15 May 2009 16:58:42 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has promised to provide equal benefits to partners of homosexual US diplomats stationed overseas, a congressman said Wednesday.

Report: Some at U.S. diplomatic posts earn less than $1 a day

15 May 2009 16:57:05 GMT

Editorial: U.S. military giant, diplomatic dwarf?

15 May 2009 16:55:36 GMT

The U.S. armed forces, the world's most powerful, outnumber the country's diplomatic service and its major aid agency by a ratio of more than 180:1, vastly higher than in other Western democracies. Military giant, diplomatic dwarf? Reuters UK.

The Lighter Side of Leaving the Foreign Service

1 May 2009 14:30:17 GMT

Former FSO Andrea McCarley's lighthearted look at reverse culture shock. Originally published in AFSA's Foreign Service Journal.

Can America Change Hearts and Minds?

23 Apr 2009 16:56:29 GMT

Months after the president's inauguration, the Obama administration has finally selected an under-secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs: Judith McHale, a media and communications executive – close to the Clintons for years – who is little known to the general public...McHale, the daughter of a US foreign service officer and raised in England and South Africa, faces many challenges in her new job. The Guardian (commentary).

U.S. Senate confirms Hill as top envoy to Iraq

23 Apr 2009 16:50:56 GMT

State Department reviewing Dyncorp after death

23 Apr 2009 16:50:11 GMT

The Senate yesterday struck down a measure that would allow employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System to get credit for unused sick leave when they retire. Federal Times.

G.I.’s to Fill Civilian Gap to Rebuild Afghanistan

23 Apr 2009 16:49:16 GMT

Lawmakers grilled representatives of the State Department and a private security firm yesterday on the details and administration of a contract to provide protective services at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, suggesting that the company's deficiencies in the past two years may have placed the compound at risk of an attack. The Washington Post.

State Dept. Hosting High-Tech Execs in Iraq

21 Apr 2009 18:53:05 GMT

Several executives from well-known high tech firms are in Iraq this week as guests of the State Department, part of an effort to boost the use of online and social media in the war-torn country. The Washington Post.

Blackwater out of Iraq? No, not yet

21 Apr 2009 18:52:06 GMT

The May 2009 issue of Global Link is now available

15 Apr 2009 21:30:40 GMT

In PDF format for AAFSW members only.

Big Donors Will Still Get Some Sweet Embassy Spots

8 Apr 2009 18:01:46 GMT

The Obama folks have indicated they were going to at least limit the number of such "vanity" or "cash-only" ambassadors and maybe even try to send emissaries who are not completely clueless. But the buzz is that big donors and bundlers won't be shut out. The Washington Post.

Diplomatic Efforts Get Tech Support

06 Apr 2009 14:33:28 GMT

According to court documents, from June 1974 through September 2001, Lueders served as a Foreign Service Officer at the State Department. From October 2001 through February 2009, Lueders worked for the State Department as a retired annuitant, serving as a recruitment coordinator in various State Department bureaus. In the interim, from July 2005 to February 2008, Lueders also worked as a watch officer within the Office of Consular Affairs. PR Newswire.

SOSA Winners featured in Foreign Service Journal

06 Apr 2009 14:32:24 GMT

The Secretary of State's Awards for Outstanding Volunteerism Overseas (SOSA) 2008 winners were featured in the April 2009 issue of AFSA's Foreign Service Journal. Navigate to page 44 to read the article.

More Young People Lining Up for Government Jobs

26 Mar 2009 15:26:30 GMT

Career Specialists Cite Growing Interest, Driven by Dismal Economy and Desire for Public Service. The Washington Post.

An Especially Special Diplomatic Corps

26 Mar 2009 15:24:34 GMT

Hillary Clinton is reviving the tradition of the special envoy at the State Department. The Washington Post.

Uncle Sam Wants You for Foreign Service

26 Mar 2009 15:22:49 GMT

USAID, State, and other foreign affairs agencies are hiring big-time. The Washington Post.

Hillary Clinton, e-diplomat, embraces new media

24 Mar 2009 18:19:10 GMT

In less than three months, Clinton's State Department has embarked on a digital diplomacy drive aimed at spreading the word about American foreign policy and restoring Washington's image. Part of a broader Internet outreach by President Barack Obama's administration, Clinton's Web efforts already have outpaced those of her predecessors. Yahoo! News.

Foreign Service Jobs in Afghanistan to Grow

24 Mar 2009 18:17:50 GMT

The State Department will significantly expand its presence in regional capitals in western and northern Afghanistan in coming months, part of the Obama administration's plans for a "surge" in civilians going to the country. The Washington Post.

US diplomat cleared in Afghan arms shipment case

19 Mar 2009 16:09:03 GMT

The senior U.S. diplomat in Albania and his staff have been cleared of allegations that they were involved in covering up the illegal source of ammunition shipped to Afghanistan by an American military contractor, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. Associated Press.

Civilians to Join Afghan Buildup

19 Mar 2009 16:07:43 GMT