Overseas Staffing: U.S. Government Diplomatic Presence Abroad (Testimony,
04/06/95, GAO/T-NSIAD-95-136).

In 1994, the State Department, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), and
about 35 other agencies employed nearly 38,000 personnel at 260
diplomatic posts around the work.  About half of these personnel are
Americans.  It is expensive to maintain U.S. government workers abroad.
According to agency estimates, it costs roughly two to three times more
to assign staff overseas than in Washington.  GAO concludes that
significant savings would result if overseas staffing were reduced.
State, USIA, and other agencies need to consider the extent to which
their diplomatic presence is essential and affordable given world
changes and efforts to reduce the cost of government.  By developing
more systematic staffing allocation systems that use complete cost data,
agencies will be in a better position to determine needed staffing
levels and make appropriate reductions.  GAO also found that mechanisms
to review and monitor aggregate staffing levels are fragmented and weak.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-95-136
     TITLE:  Overseas Staffing: U.S. Government Diplomatic Presence 
             Abroad
      DATE:  04/06/95
   SUBJECT:  Americans employed abroad
             Personnel management
             Diplomats
             Federal employees
             Employment of foreign nationals
             Embassies
             Consulates
             Administrative costs
             Cost control
             Compensation
IDENTIFIER:  Foreign Affairs Administrative Support System
             
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