Personally I believe that 2 things have to happen to make the Foreign Service more functional:

A. Establish a stringent criterion for political appointments and limit their numbers and options. I have personally seen too many political appointees in key posts (regardless of administration). There has to be a sense in the Foreign Service of service to the constitution and the foreign policy interests of the U.S. beyond rewarding a dentist for large monetary donations to his party's efforts with an Ambassadorship

B. Model the Foreign Service on the military PME. Create a Foreign Service academy/FS ROTC program that encompasses State, AID, USIA, and perhaps CIA and start growing FSOs versus selecting them through skewed exams and old boy networking. And at later stages merge the FSO PME with the military and other gov agencies ala NDU.

Otherwise, current reform efforts are more political and bandaid in their effects than true changes.

best

Tom