On February 16, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Jeffrey D. Levine to the next Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia. The WH released the following brief bio:
Jeffrey D. Levine, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has served as the State Department’s Office Director of Recruitment, Examination and Employment since September 2010. Prior to this position, he was Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, Hungary from 2007 to 2010. From 2003 to 2006, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Sofia, Bulgaria. Other overseas positions include: Management Counselor in Brasilia, Brazil (1999-2002); Management Officer in Nicosia, Cyprus (1995-1998); Consular/General Services Officer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1988-1990); and Consular/Political Officer in Lima, Peru (1985-1987). In Washington, Mr. Levine served as Special Assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary for Management (1994-1995), Hungary Desk Officer in the Office of Eastern European Affairs (1993-1994), and Watch Officer in the State Operations Center (1992-1993).
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Humboldt State University and a Master’s Degree from National Defense University.
US Embassy Tallinn was established on October 2, 1991, with Robert C. Frasure as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, also subsequently commissioned as Ambassador. If confirmed, Mr. Levine would succeed career diplomat, Michael C. Polt who was appointed chief of mission to Tallinn by President Obama in 2009.
A nice coincidence of note — the most recent Office Director of Recruitment, Examination and Employment (HR/REE), that is, Mr. Levine’s predecessor was appointed Ambassador to Iceland in 2010. Another previous Office Director who served in HR/REE was appointed Ambassador to Cape Verde in 2008. So just in the last five years or so, all career diplomats who served as top gun in REE went on to an ambassadorship. That is a pretty darn good record.
Related item:
February 16, 2012 | President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts
No surprises. I wrote a post on HR rewarding its own a couple of years ago on WhirledView. It’s really scandalous but the Department looks the other way and the OIG has been :”acting” since Cookie Krongard was tossed out on his rear end.so, in effect, there is no one around to function as an independent actor – which is one of the many things State needs desperately to regain its lacking integrity. :
Hi Patricia – I remember that piece you did in 2008 and your other State needs a broom posts. It seems the pit stop is as popular as ever since you wrote your Favoritism in the Ranks Saga. And Asia and Europe are still the favorite destination.