A TEETERING BALANCE

Before Watergate became known as a location for sinister activities, it was regarded by some as a place with a fine fitness center. It was a short walk from the Department of State for a lunchtime workout. It was here that I met newscaster Marvin Kalb. As we chatted, he encouraged me to write a book about my Foreign Service experiences. He stressed the point by declaring that virtually every Foreign Service Officer (FSO) has interesting and important stories to tell. Marvin is one of many people who have urged me to put pen to paper and reflect.

There is no such thing as a standard career in the Foreign Service. There are targets and goals that one should set in aspiring for a successful career. It is easy enough to look forward to becoming an Ambassador and/or Assistant Secretary of State, but there are hidden bends in the road. For some, they are fortunate to have a relatively straight road with few or no detours and limited obstacles. Many of us, however, deviate somewhat as we proceed along the path, sometimes the results of our own decisions, other times because of extraneous actions. Robert Frost perhaps said it best as he mused on life’s decisions that people confront at one point or another. As in “The Road Not Taken”, I took the road “less traveled by”. However, the fortunes of a Foreign Service Officer do not rest solely on his/her performance and decisions. Superior Officers, known as Rating Officers for the critical evaluations they write on a subordinate’s performance and potential, have a great capacity to assist or impede an underling’s progression. Then there is the bureaucratic system, insensitive and aloof, although improvements have been effected in recent years, largely through employee engagement.

This is the partial story of a twenty-five year time span that has its origins in youthful idealism invigorated by the vision of Jack Kennedy. While I touch upon other aspects of the story, the focus is on the most challenging segments, to wit, Congo and Madagascar. In my view, diplomacy calls for a blend of the idealistic and the pragmatic. The latter is gained through experience. In Third World countries, compassion and empathy are most useful tools in understanding and being accepted by the local population. However, it is essential never to lose touch with a diplomat’s paramount mission, which is to represent and foster the interests of the United States. A successful diplomat accomplishes “what is good for America” adorned with a sensitivity to local conditions.

It is an honor to be selected as an emissary for one’s country. There are other professions where greater financial rewards are tantamount to being guaranteed. However, the potential for job-satisfaction is perhaps no greater anywhere than serving as a diplomat overseas. The conditions of one’s work location might be challenging, even life threatening, but the rewards of diplomatic successes are immeasurable. As it is with all professions, there are frustrations to be handled and adjustments to be made. It is my belief that the Foreign Service has more than its measure of both.

A variable element influencing a Foreign Service career is family. Some FSOs end up in divorce because their spouses refuse to continue living abroad. Other FSOs leave the Foreign Service to seek other careers because of family concerns. The majority handles the family issue on an individual basis, making adjustments depending on assignments and family needs. Particularly in Third World countries, considerable adjustments and deprivations could be involved with a greater impact on family members. During my career, the Department of State, as an institution fostering compassion for people of other countries, failed badly in its sensitivity to its employees. This manifested itself in a variety of ways and one quickly learned this reality. In addition to the establishment in Washington, there were occasions on overseas assignments when superiors lacked compassion for those serving with them. I was blessed with some fine bosses but, to illustrate the point, I cite an incident. My wife was chided by my supervisor’s wife for not being available for one of her afternoon tea receptions. The issue in contention, from the perspective of my boss’s wife, was choosing between husband and children. My wife, to her credit and my pleasure, stood her ground despite the implied threat of her husband’s retribution on me. In those days, a commentary on the spouse’s behavior was included in a FSO’s performance evaluation. In this case, my wife was unable to obtain a babysitter and refused to abandon our young sons.

My assignments to the Congo (1966-68) and Madagascar (1981-83) came while the United States was fully engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. In addition to the Soviets, the Communist Chinese and the Cubans, aided by African allies such as Egypt, viewed the Congo with strategic interest. Whereas in Madagascar, the Soviet Union, North Korea and East Germany provided the most active opposition to American interests. My colleagues and I served as the appointed advocates in promulgating the interests of the United States while stymieing the efforts of our political adversaries. In the Congo, I was a team player under the leadership of the Ambassador, as we pursued American interests, while in Madagascar, I was both a team player and team leader. The timeframe of my Foreign Service career began in the final days of the Dwight Eisenhower Administration and continued through the Ronald Reagan Administration, encompassing several Democratic and Republican White Houses.

Regardless of the Cold War or any other considerations, the American Embassy in any given country has an on-going responsibility to look after American interests. These diverse functions are performed by the staff at each of our embassies and consulates overseas. This includes the protection of American citizens, promoting American causes and sensing the pulse of the host country. In addition to looking after American political and military interests, we assess the economic climate in terms of resources and facilities. We endeavor to gain a good understanding of the living conditions of the population, as well as to provide assistance with regard to American commercial interests. Herewith is an accounting of my activities while in the Foreign Service, highlighting two countries of assignment. This is the story of an American diplomat, with a focus on Africa,