VZCZCXRO4416
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #6140/01 0211925
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211918Z JAN 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 2256
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 3195
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 0459

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 006140 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT APER AFSN
SUBJECT: RECRUITING LOCALLY EMPLOYED (LE) STAFF TO SERVE 
AS TRAINERS AND MENTORS TO NEW LE STAFF IN AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF:  10 STATE 006085 
 
STATE 00006140  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
POST MANAGEMENT IS REQUESTED TO ENSURE THAT THIS 
TELEGRAM IS SEEN BY ALL STATE LOCALLY EMPLOYED (LE) 
STAFF. 
 
¶1.  Recurring TDY Opportunities for worldwide LE staff 
members in the US Mission in Afghanistan: 
 
The U.S. Mission in Afghanistan and the Department of 
State request the assistance of highly qualified Locally 
Employed (LE) Staff to support the vital work of 
Afghanistan reconstruction by volunteering for short- 
term TDYs to act as mentors and teachers for new Afghan 
staff employees.  LE Staff are also needed periodically 
for long-term TDY assignments.  Both short- and long- 
term TDY assignments require formal approval from 
supervisors, with written assurances from the Human 
Resources Officer that  staff members going to 
Afghanistan will be able to return to their positions 
after TDY service.  In addition, employees who are 
nationals of countries that prohibit such service for 
any reason cannot be selected for these assignments. 
 
Afghanistan remains one of the highest U.S. foreign 
policy priorities and the Department strongly encourages 
posts to approve and assist LE Staff volunteering for 
TDY duty in Afghanistan.  In addition to a TDY allowance 
of 50% of their basic pay, volunteers are entitled to 
benefits established in the 2009 LE Staff TDY 
Afghanistan Benefits Package (ABP), as amended.  The 
current critical position staffing needs required by 
Embassy Kabul are described in paragraph 9, but 
additional positions may be added at later dates. 
 
Please note:  the term "LE Staff" refers to Locally 
Employed staff members including those hired under 
Personal Services Agreements, or those with Third 
Country National Status.  It also includes LE Staff 
members who are Ordinarily Resident American Citizens. 
 
¶2.  TDY Volunteer Process 
 
If you are an LE staff employee interested in Afghan 
service, please read the capsule position descriptions 
in paragraph 9. Please note: 
 
--you must meet the qualifications of the position 
for which you wish to volunteer; 
--the duties of your current position must match 
the positions for which you wish to volunteer; 
--you must receive formal written approval from 
your American supervisor before volunteering for 
service in Afghanistan. 
--The Human Resources Officer (HRO) must also 
state, in writing, that you will be able to return 
to your present position after the agreed term of 
your TDY in Afghanistan. 
 
To apply, qualified LE Staff volunteers should 
contact the Afghanistan Post Management unit by 
email atAfghanistan-LES-TDY-Volunteers@state.gov 
 
Volunteers must provide the following information: 
 
Full name: 
Current FSN Grade: 
Nationality: 
Post of Assignment: 
Current Position Title: 
Years of USG Service in Current Position: 
Dates of Availability: 
Language Abilities: 
American Supervisor's Name: 
Brief Description of Duties 
Any additional information that may be useful: 
 
The LE Staff volunteer list will be maintained by 
the Afghanistan Support Unit (ASU), which is part 
of NEA-SCA/EX in Washington.  Embassy Kabul will 
make final selection decisions and recommend TDY 
time frames.  The ASU will notify the selected LE 
Staff volunteers and American supervisors and will 
work with them to ensure post concurrence and the 
successful resolution of all deployment issues. 
 
STATE 00006140  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶3.  Funding Responsibility 
 
NEA-SCA/EX is responsible for funding all expenses 
associated with the TDY, including salary and 
benefits, overtime, 50% (of basic pay) Afghanistan 
TDY allowance, travel and per diem, training, 
medical exam, health and accident insurance and 
other expenses the losing post will incur as a 
result of the absence of the employee.  The ASU 
will ask Post to provide an estimate of expenses 
before the TDY, and a final accounting when the 
employee returns. 
 
¶4.  Security Vetting 
 
In addition to routine background checks performed 
prior to employment with the home post, selected 
volunteers will undergo further security vetting as 
required by the RSO. 
 
¶5.  Medical Clearance and Medical Insurance Coverage 
 
The Afghan Support Unit will assist volunteers to 
obtain a modified physical examination and a valid 
medical clearance from the Department's Medical 
Clearance Unit before their TDY assignments to 
Afghanistan.  The Volunteers will also be helped to 
acquire the necessary health and accident, 
hospitalization and medical evacuation insurance 
coverage (03 State 328740) for the duration of 
training in Washington and the TDY in Afghanistan. 
 
¶6.  Training 
 
All personnel who will serve in Afghanistan for 30 
days or more must attend: 
¶A.      OT610: This one week Foreign Affairs Counter 
Threat (FACT) course is held in Dunn Loring, VA, 
and at a special training site in West Virginia. 
This course offers personal safety information 
essential to working in a dangerous environment. 
Full-time attendance at all sessions is 
mandatory. 
¶B.      FS415:  The one week Afghanistan Familiarization 
course, held at FSI's Arlington, Virginia, 
campus, covers essential information for all 
Mission employees. 
 
Travel orders for LE staff volunteers will 
include appropriate travel and per diem for these 
two courses. 
 
¶7.  Housing 
 
Staff members on long-term assignment to 
Afghanistan are housed in modular units on the 
heavily guarded and fortified Embassy compound. 
The units are protected by sandbags and/or concrete 
T-walls, but do not have fortified overhead cover. 
They provide little privacy, as they are placed 
close together.  The compound also houses U.S. 
military personnel.  Post makes every effort to 
ensure that each assigned employee is the sole 
occupant of one room, but this is not always 
possible. 
 
Modular Housing Units: Each modular unit consists 
of two separate rooms with a shared 
bathroom/shower.  Shared rooms currently contain 
two single beds, a small closet, air 
conditioning/heating unit, and a shared sink, 
toilet and shower.  Electrical power is 220v/50Hz 
with multi-plug outlets with round European plugs. 
The internal measurements of the residences vary, 
but average around 96 sq feet (9 sq meters).  The 
bathrooms are small, about 3 feet by 7 feet.  In 
general, the units are very small. Storage space is 
very limited, so volunteers need to think carefully 
about what items they bring with them. 
 
¶8.  Threat Assessment 
 
The U.S. Embassy is located on Great Massoud Road, 
about ten minutes from Kabul International Airport. 
It is near other Government Missions and Afghan 
government compounds. In 2006, the embassy 
inaugurated a new warehouse, recreation center, 
cafeteria, health unit, swimming pool, and tennis 
court, but all facilities, including housing, are 
 
STATE 00006140  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
very crowded.  There are a number of current 
construction projects with the associated mud, 
dust, and noise, which is likely to continue for 
years to come.  Travel outside the Embassy compound 
is extremely limited. 
 
¶9.  Current Position Staffing Needs: Short Term Only 
 
Embassy Kabul urgently needs short-term TDY 
volunteers to fill the following LE Staff positions 
as mentors for the Mission's new FSN employees. 
 
Human Resources: 
 
One (1) HR Assistant (FSN-6) with experience in 
tracking incoming personnel and with maintaining 
Microsoft Excel based spread sheets. 
 
General Services: 
 
Two (2) Travel Assistants (FSN 5 - 6) who have 
experience in booking and arranging travel.  The 
U.S. Mission maintains a number of aircraft - these 
TDY volunteers would assist in arranging field 
travel within Afghanistan. 
 
One (1) Contract Management Specialist (FSN-09 - 
11) with extensive experience. 
 
One (1) Procurement Agent (FSN 09-11) with 
extensive experience. 
 
Two (2) Procurement Assistants (FSN 09-11) 
 
Two (2)Storekeepers (FSN-6).  Ideally, volunteers 
should have experience in the procurement and 
maintenance of NXP stocks.  Experience in working 
with the U.S. military would be highly desirable. 
 
Financial Management: 
 
One (1)Cashier (FSN 07-09)with extensive 
experience. 
 
Administration: 
 
Two (2) Administrative Assistants (FSN 5-6) with 
experience in running customer service operations 
and in-processing services.  Volunteers should be 
willing to help newly arrived employees move into 
their dwellings, which will include helping newly 
arrived employees move and carry luggage. 
 
 
¶10.  Future needs:  Embassy Kabul may require additional 
assistance from both short and long-term TDY volunteers 
in the future, and will provide ALDAC notification when 
new positions are opened. 
 
¶11.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
CLINTON