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News, information, and occasional comments about the U.S. Foreign Service are posted here, to keep readers of current on what has happened since the book went to press. (Read more...)
Category Archives: Training and languages
Hiring in 2012, 2013
Secretary Clinton’s Diplomacy 3.0 initiative, launched in 2009, called for increasing the size of the foreign service by 25 percent in five years, by the end of fiscal year 2013. Despite budget pressures, by the end of FY 2012 the … Continue reading
State, Defense agree on personnel exchanges
The Departments of State and Defense have reached a formal agreement — a memorandum of understanding (MOU) — on exchanges of personnel between the two agencies. Under the agreement, State will provide almost 90 foreign policy advisors (POLADs) to the … Continue reading
Education and training for FSOs – report calls for changes
A new report by the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Stimson Center identifies shortcomings and proposes remedies for in-service training and professional education of foreign service officers. The full report can be downloaded from the website of the Academy … Continue reading
Hiring plans debated
The long overdue Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, a joint exercise by the State Department and USAID, hasn’t been released, but the department briefed the foreign service union, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), on some of its contents, and … Continue reading
Posted in Hiring, Promotion, Training and languages, USAID
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Language skills and hardship posts
The GAO released two reports on the foreign service. The first says deficiencies in language skills are “persistent” and calls on State to adopt a “comprehensive strategic approach” to the problem. The second says staffing gaps at hardship posts are also ”persistent” and … Continue reading