By definition, the Foreign Service of the 21st century will not be the Foreign Service I joined. It is evolving into a career rather than a commitment, as young officers look at the truncated length of service of their seniors and vow that the same will not happen to them. With the improved economy, the State Department's long-unprecedented retention rate for young FSOs is sliding. It shows that you were smart enough to get in and wise enough to get out. To deal with this phenomenon, the Foreign Service needs more truth in recruiting.
Promotions come more quickly early in a career and slow down as it progresses.
Since all ambassadors are appointed by the president, it depends, to a certain extent, on the president. Approximately 70 percent of ambassadors come from the ranks of career FSOs. These statistics might cheer some new FSOs and depress others. The retirement course is wasted on retirees. The key financial and legal briefing at the core of the retirement course should be mandatory in a shortened form when an officer is promoted into the Senior Foreign Service.