VZCZCXRO7268
RR RUEHAO RUEHRS
DE RUEHC #4932 0500035
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190033Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS STATE 014932 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR CHIEFS OF MISSION 
DEPUTY CHIEFS OF MISSION 
AND PRINCIPAL OFFICERS FROM A/S ARTURO VALENZUELA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: APER AMGT AFSI MX
SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF THE WHA ENTRY LEVEL OUTREACH WEBSITE 
 
SUMMARY: THIS CABLE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF THE WHA ENTRY 
LEVEL OUTREACH PROGRAM, A SHAREPOINT RESOURCE DESIGNED TO 
PROVIDE THE BUREAU'S ENTRY LEVEL GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS 
WITH A BASELINE EXPOSURE TO THE SUBSTANTIVE POLICY WORK 
ACROSS ALL CONES OF THE WHA BUREAU.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶1.    WHA LEADERSHIP HAS CONSISTENTLY WELCOMED INNOVATION IN 
ITS QUEST FOR THE OPTIMAL STAFFING OF ITS EMBASSIES AND 
CONSULATES.  OVER THE YEARS OUR BUREAU HAS BEEN A TESTING 
GROUND FOR BOLD MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO ENHANCE 
THE BUREAU'S ABILITY TO BETTER SERVE ITS EMPLOYEES AND THE 
PUBLIC.  THE RECENT SURGE IN THE ENTRY LEVEL RANKS HAS 
RESULTED IN LARGER NUMBERS OF FIRST AND SECOND TOUR 
GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS ASSIGNED TO WHA EMBASSIES AND 
CONSULATES.  TO BEST SERVE THIS GROWING POPULATION, I AM 
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE ROLL OUT OF THE WHA ENTRY LEVEL 
OUTREACH (ELO) PROGRAM, AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO MORE 
EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE, INFORM AND MENTOR OUR EXPANDING ENTRY 
LEVEL CADRE. 
 
¶2.    EFFECTIVE MENTORING IS ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL 
FOREIGN SERVICE CAREER.  IT IS NOT THE EXCLUSIVE PURVIEW OF A 
DCM OR A PO - IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL MIDLEVEL AND 
SENIOR LEVEL OFFICERS.  WHA IS BREAKING NEW GROUND WITH THIS 
PROJECT, ONE WE TRUST WILL BENEFIT THE BUREAU'S ENTRY LEVEL 
CORPS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. 
 
¶3.    THE WHA ELO PROGRAM IS A JOINT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT 
BETWEEN WHA AND HR/CDA.  DEPLOYED THROUGH THE SHAREPOINT IT 
PLATFORM, OUR AIM IS TO BUILD AN ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEE'S 
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CURRENT THEMES AND TRENDS IN THE HEMISPHERE 
VIA WEB-BASED MATERIALS SUCH AS DOWNLOADABLE INTERVIEWS WITH 
BUREAU, DEPARTMENT AND REGIONAL EXPERTS, INTERACTIVE CHATS, 
DVCS AND A LIVING LIBRARY OF CURRENT UNCLASSIFIED POLICY 
DOCUMENTS. 
 
¶4.    OUR WHA ELO PROJECT COORDINATOR, CHERIE FEELEY, IS 
BASED IN MEXICO CITY.  SHE, IN COORDINATION WITH WHA DEPUTY 
CHIEFS OF MISSION, PRINCIPAL OFFICERS, OFFICE DIRECTORS AND 
DEPUTY DIRECTORS, WILL HELP PRODUCE THESE PRODUCTS AND OTHER 
MENTORING TOOLS. 
 
¶5.    A KEY GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS THAT ENTRY LEVEL PERSONNEL 
AT YOUR POST DEVELOP A MORE IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF WHA'S 
DOMESTIC OFFICES AND THEIR ISSUES AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE 
7TH FLOOR AND THE INTERAGENCY.  ADDITIONALLY, WE SEEK TO 
PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION ON TRADITIONAL FOREIGN SERVICE 
MENTORING ISSUES.  FINALLY, WE HOPE DCMS AND POS WILL HELP 
WHA IDENTIFY THOSE ENTRY LEVEL GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS 
WHO SEEK POSITIONS OF INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR 
BUREAU. 
 
¶6.    THIS INITIATIVE HAS THE WHA FRONT OFFICE'S FULL 
SUPPORT, AS WELL AS THAT OF HR/CDA.  I ENCOURAGE DCMS AND POS 
TO CONTINUE TO SEND SUGGESTIONS AND PROVIDE CONTENT TO THE 
WHA EL SHAREPOINT DCM-PO GAL ADDRESS (WHASPDCMPO@STATE.GOV) 
AND FOR ENTRY LEVEL GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS TO SEND THEIR 
INPUT TO THE WHA EL SHAREPOINT ENTRY LEVEL GAL ADDRESS 
(WHASPEL@STATE.GOV). 
CLINTON