The foreign service officers' memorial (what I shove in the face of Republicans who say Benghazi)

[Recursion]

There actually is no Foreign Service Officers' Memorial, anywhere, which may surprise people. Not at Foggy Bottom in DC, or at FSI in Arlington, or on the Mall. There's a set of plaques that are kept updated as FSOs are killed in the line of duty. The plaques are displayed at State in DC, at I think every Embassy, and in a few Consulates General (we have a partial plaque here in Mumbai). (Also, I still don't quite grasp the distinction between a Consulate and a Consulate General; nobody I can ask seems to either.)

This will surprise nobody, but being an FSO isn't the safest job in the world. 245 have been killed in the line of duty, from William Palfrey (lost at sea, 1780) to Antoinette Tomasek (car crash in Haiti, 2013). The Marines are there to protect the records, not them (and only 1/3rd of posts have Marine guards, for that matter -- we should fix that, but Republicans keep blocking us).

I was a Marine for almost a decade, and get all kinds of kudos and cheers wherever I go. My wife has been an FSO for even longer, in some incredibly risky posts (Haiti during the quake, Sri Lanka during the civil war, etc.) but she doesn't get drinks bought for her at the bar like I do. That's messed up.

But it absolutely infuriates me when Republicans act like Benghazi was some kind of unprecedented thing: Foreign Service Officers put their lives on the line every ****ing day and get none of the thanks from Republicans for it that we military vets do. For those curious, here is the online Memorial to those officers who died serving the United States in the Foreign Service.

Despite the rumors, nobody in the FS "bought" their job, except by missing weddings, funerals, births, and other events for 2/3rds of their adult life. Even among ambassadors, who can be politically appointed, 3/5ths are career foreign service officers. This is a dedicated and brave cadre of people that we should be glad are working for us, and they deserve better than being political footballs for Darrell Issa.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Hearty K & R...

Well put.

[Richardo]

2. Can't rec this enough

but will keep it ed

Always appreciate hearing from someone who knows.

[giftedgirl77]

3. K & R

[WinkyDink]

4. You can also try: "IRAQ!" or "BEIRUT!" or, to the really impaired, "9/11/01!"

[pangaia]

5. K & R

[malthaussen]

6. "The Marines are there to protect the records..."

Deserves to be read twice.

-- Mal

[Recursion]

8. Probably. In what sense would you read it twice?

As a former Marine married to a Foreign Service Officer, what do you think is important to read again there?

[malthaussen]

9. For emphasis.

The substance of your post is that FSO's are underappreciated, and have a dangerous, mostly thankless job. The fact that the mission of the Marines is to the records first and the people second (however honored in the breach that might be) serves to illustrate that.

-- Mal

[Recursion]

10. Fair point

To be clear, I was never an embassy guard at any point in my tour. As far as that goes I'm just some other dude.

[malthaussen]

12. Not a post I'd like.

Remember the Embassy guard who was sent to Leavenworth for returning fire on the civilian who fired on the embassy? I still think that was a miscarriage of justice.

Anyway, I'd go crazy having to stand at attention for four hours.

-- Mal

[Control-Z]

34. My sister was an embassy guard.

Brutal training. Lots of secrets. Dangerous job, if you happen to be in the wrong place - like Tehran. Actually, a friend of hers was in Tehran. (My sister was in Ecuador at the time.) Her friend was lucky. She made it out safely a week or so after they were attacked.

It must have had its perks. I guess. They traveled the world. Met amazing people...

Then again, brutal training, lots of secrets, dangerous job.

[okaawhatever]

24. That has more to do with the fact that the host country is responsible for security. Another detail

overlooked by Fox news.

[riqster]

7. Size 13 Kick for these brave people.

You are right, they don't get the kudos they deserve. My thanks to you and your spouse for your service.

[Recursion]

11. Thank you (nt)

[The Wizard]

13. This is Murica

where we worship uniforms, not service.

[heaven05]

14. thank you

the truth is important in this day of rethuglican and teahadist obfuscation.

[IronLionZion]

15. K+R, Thanks for your service

I had an ex-girlfriend who lived in shipping containers in the Middle East and did all sorts of thankless work for our country that Republicans won't care about. I appreciate our foreign service officers, and our marines.

[JDPriestly]

16. K&R.

[Proud Public Servant]

17. As an FSO who has served in a war zone

I tip my hat to you. Well said.

[onecaliberal]

18. Very well said.

K&R

[malaise]

19. K & R

for truth

[mopinko]

20. there is only glory in battle

apparently.
sigh

[gtar100]

21. Republicans are reckless in their criticisms. Teachers, government workers, the unemployed,

scientists, foreigners, LGBT, environmentalists, etc., ad nauseum. They have no idea what props up their world as they chew away at the support structures.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. Nobody buys a drink for a coal miner either. 245? Largest single coal mining accident, US 3,242 dead

Makes Foreign Service look safe as houses. Until the 1990's, each year the US saw an average of 1,500 coal mining deaths. Still doing about 35 a year in the present day.
Of course FSOs and others who serve in dangerous places deserve great appreciation for that, but there are many more thankless and deadly lines of work that are wholly and entirely uncelebrated by the larger population. FSOs are not alone in that.

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. Way to miss the OP's point ...

Question: Are coal miners acting in service of the United States? Placed in harms way to service the US Government? Used as political props by the gop to feign patriotism?

[oldandhappy]

23. Well said and

absolutely true. Thank you.

[okaawhatever]

25. K & R nt

[mainer]

26. In my small town, they put up a memorial to military veterans

I asked, what about a memorial to peacemakers and diplomats? No one was interested.

[Hekate]

27. Thanks so much for setting the record straight; and thanks for you and your wife's service. nt

[WinstonSmith4740]

29. Well said!

I'm assuming after you hand them their ass, the subject is swiftly changed.

[Number23]

30. Consulate General provides a few more services than a Consulate

ie passport services, tax services etc.

Though to be honest, some full fledged embassies don't provide the services they should so who the heck knows anymore.

[3catwoman3]

31. You make the point very well, Recursion.

My very first thought, when all the shrieking started about this allegedly unforgivable and unprecedented breach of security, was precisely what you said so clearly - foreign service is dangerous, often extremely so, just as much as military service.

Thank you for standing up to misinformation.

[calimary]

32. Kicked and Recommended!!!

They'd do awfully well to remember the real world! And your sacrifice - AS WELL AS your wife's!

[daleanime]

33. K&R....