How to Become an Ambassador: An American Foreign Service Odyssey

by Thomas Armbruster, Lesley Wyldbore (Editor)

Overview

Ambassador Thomas Armbruster is a field guy, a diplomatic foot soldier. He served overseas for 20 years and has the experience to tell future ambassadors what to expect. Global problems require global solutions and international institutions. America has led in so many ways on the global stage since World War Two. There is a lot of good work to be done and only by including all Americans in diplomacy can we advance further. This book is a call to service and adventure. Armbruster served as Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands from August 2012 to May 2016.  Since leaving the Foreign Service, he has worked as an international consultant and led inspections to Colombia; Denmark, Chad, Mauritania and the South and Central Asia bureau. Overseas postings include Vladivostok, Russia; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; Moscow, Russia; Havana, Cuba and Helsinki, Finland.  Domestic assignments include Diplomat in Residence at City College in New York City and Polar Affairs Officer in Washington, DC.   Armbruster was the Chief U.S. Negotiator for an emergency response treaty with Russia and led trade and counternarcotics missions to Afghanistan.  He is fluent in Spanish and Russian. Ambassador Armbruster is the only American diplomat to arrive in the (then) Soviet Union by kayak and is a private pilot and scuba diver.  Armbruster was born in El Paso, Texas and lives in Ithaca, New York with his wife Kathy and dog "Skipjack."  Tom and Kathy have two children, Bryan and Kalia, who grew up in the Foreign Service. A travel book might be just what you need right now!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781098308490
Publisher:	BookBaby
Publication date:	08/27/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	230
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Tom Armbruster served as Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands from August 2012 to May 2016.

Ambassador Armbruster is the only American diplomat to arrive in the (then) Soviet Union by kayakand is a private pilot and scuba diver. Prior to joining the Foreign Service Armbruster was a journalist with KGMB-TV, the Honolulu CBS affiliate. He has written for Chesapeake Bay Magazine, The Ambassadors Review, Inside A U.S. Embassy, Modern Diplomacy, State Magazine and The Foreign Service Journal.

Since leaving the Foreign Service, Ambassador Armbruster has worked as an international consultant and led State Department inspection teams to Colombia, Denmark, Chad, Mauritania, Nepal, and Bangladesh. He evaluates the Ambassadors executive direction and the execution of foreign policy. Overseas Foreign Service postings include Vladivostok, Russia; Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; Moscow, Russia; Havana, Cuba and Helsinki, Finland. Domestic assignments include Diplomat in Residence at City College in New York City and Polar Affairs Officer in Washington, DC. Armbruster was the Chief U.S. Negotiator for an emergency response treaty with Russia and led trade and counternarcotics missions to Afghanistan. He is fluent in Spanish and Russian.

Armbruster was born in El Paso, Texas and lives in New York with his wife Kathy and dog "Skipjack." Tom and Kathy have two children, Bryan and Kalia, who grew up in the Foreign Service. Earth-friendly editor with a keen interest in politics, travel and education. Specialising in academic papers, culture and smiles. Robin specializes in literary fiction, non fiction, memoir, bios, history, and sexual, racial and cultural identity. Former PenguinUSA designer.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part I Political Appointee 1

Part II Career Foreign Service Officer 3

Step 1 Get a Passport, Go to Moscow 3

Step 2 Get That Sheepskin Westminster, Maryland 1976-1980 14

Step 3 Grab a Partner 17

Step 4 Forget about the Foreign Service Honolulu, Hawaii, and Westminster, Maryland 1980-1988 20

Step 5 Listen to George Honolulu, Hawaii 1988 24

Step 6 Report to A-100 Washington, D.C. 1988 27

Step 7 Do Your First Tour Heisinki, Finland 1988-1990 30

Step 8 Get Off Probation Washington, D.C. 1990-1991 41

Step 9 Do Your Consular Tour Havana, Cuba 1991-1993 44

Step 10 Switch Career Tracks, Go to the North Pole Washington, D.C. 1993-1995 52

Step 11 Get Smarter Washington, D.C. 1995-1997 61

Step 12 Back to Moscow Moscow, Russia 1997-2000 65

Step 13 Putting on a Sheriff's Badge on the Border Nuevo Laredo, México 2000-2003 80

Step 14 Do The Right Thing (still Nuevo Laredo, Mexico) 88

Step 15 Do a TDY Tour Kabul, Afghanistan December 2002-January 2003 106

Step 16 Learn from Your Military Colleagues the Naval War College - Newport, Rhode Island 2003-2004 110

Step 17 Get Landlocked Dushanbe, Tajikistan 2004-2006 112

Step 18 Polish Up That Russian… Washington, D.C. 2006-2007 119

Step 19 Become a Diplomat in Residence New York City 2010-2012 140

Step 20 Get Confirmed Washington, D.C. 2012 148

Step 21 Fish and Drink Budweiser Majuro, Marshall Islands 2012-2016 153

Step 22 Connect Your Work to the World Still Majuro, Marshall Islands 2012-2016 186

Afterword 217