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Why Listen:

There is so much to appreciate about today’s interview. First of all: diplomacy. This is the first interview I’ve done around diplomacy, and I started off in the deep end of the pool, to say the least. Gary went from Air Force Officer to the US Ambassador to Oman. He had an incredible career in which he was involved in monumental work around the world. However, what I appreciate most about Gary is the humility and specificity he brings to this interview. It’s not just about why Veterans may enjoy a career in the foreign service (and, by the way, Gary makes a pretty solid argument for this). It’s the texture he brings to the conversation, of finding his own career path, starting over again in foreign service after earning his MBA and working in the corporate world, of being diligent in learning a new craft and working his way up… after having done just that in both the military and the corporate world. It was a privilege to be able to learn from Gary, and I hope you enjoy this candid and enlightening conversation.

About Ambassador Gary Grappo:

Gary Grappo is a Distinguishe Fellow at the University of Denver and the CEO & Founder of Equilibrium International Consulting. He served as the United States Ambassador to Oman from 2006 to 2009, and previously Grappo was Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Counselor of the United States Mission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He served in the US Air Force for over 8 years, and holds a BS in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy, an MS in Geodesy and Survey Engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

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Partners:

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Selected Resources: 

Transcript & Time Stamps:

2:55

Joining me today from Denver, Colorado is Ambassador Gary Grappo. What was your transition out of the Air Force like?

I planned to leave the Air Force in 1980. I started looking around and thought I had something lined up. In the end, though, I had to serve an additional year and half of time with the Air Force so I wasn’t able to take that job. But that gave me time to really think about what I wanted to do. That’s when I thought about returning to graduate school. I ended up going to Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. 

6:30

How did you end up in the Foreign Service?

In the Air Force, I spent eight years working in cartography. In that role, I traveled extensively around the world. That really sparked an interest in me in international affairs. I started religiously reading The Economist and other internationally focused books. 

After I left business school, I went to work in finance at companies that did extensive work abroad. But I missed public service. I decided to take the Foreign Service exam and passed. 

9:40

How did your military experience benefit you in this career path?

I thought that my background gave me a real advantage. I had worked on some fairly large international projects. By the time I got to the State Department, I had already accomplished quite a bit. I had to work more to become familiar with the specifics of the structure of the State Department. 

11:05

Was there a paycut to go to financial management to the Foreign Service?

Yes, there was quite a significant pay cut. It was difficult for the first year but we adjusted after that and accommodated ourselves to life in the Foreign Service. 

12:40

What advice do you have for people that are thinking about taking a big leap in their career?

The kind of clarity that I have regarding my career now was not always present in the moment in which I had to make a decision. Even after I joined the Foreign Service, I had some doubts throughout the first year. I was working as a Political Officer in Nicaragua. I found the work enormously interesting and exciting. That’s when I knew that’s where I belonged. 

The advice that I would pass on is to be very patient and keep all your options open. Don’t forget what interests you the most. That will often come through if you’re working in the right place. 

You shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone else. You need to go down the path that’s right for you. That can be very difficult. 

I came into the Foreign Service at a relatively late stage. I was 35 years old. Often, I would be consumed about what others in the Foreign Service were doing and whether or not I was behind career-wise. But I learned to focus on taking the path that was right for me and my family. 

21:40

How is the Foreign Service organized?

It’s not unlike the ranking structure in the military. The career path for most Foreign Service Officers is quite standard. The first two tours will be overseas at an embassy. After I completed those tours, I came back to Washington, DC. I was on the staff of senior State Department officials. I was working in the office of Soviet Union affairs during the collapse of the Soviet Union. I traveled back and forth to the Soviet Union quite a bit. After that, I spent two years studying Arabic and was posted in Jordan as an Economic Counselor. After that, I served in Oman as the Deputy Chief of Mission. Then, I went back to Washington, DC. Next, I went to Saudi Arabia as the Deputy Chief of Mission. Finally, I was named by the the President to be the Ambassador to Oman and later as the Ambassador to Iraq. My final assignment was with the United Nations working on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. 

It’s usually at the 18-22 year mark that you are considered for the most senior levels of embassy staffs. 

26:40

What does an Ambassador’s day-to-day look like?

You’re managing a lot of people. You also have a Deputy that helps you with those duties. But at the end of the day, the Ambassador is the decision maker. 

There’s quite a few social functions to attend as the United States representative. The US Ambassador cultivates relationships with all functions of society in a particular nation such as education, women, economy, etc. When I was the Ambassador to Oman, I wanted to visit a tribal region within the country. We had to stock up with supplies and camping gear to head out to that area. You want people in these countries to understand that the United States values a relationship with them. 

Typically, I would get into the office around 8 or 9 in the morning. Often I would work until late into the night. 

31:20

What skills did you learn in the military that you were able to take with you to the Foreign Service? 

There were many aspects of the military that I felt gave me an advantage. In the military, we’re accustomed to working together to achieve a goal. In the Foreign Service, I was already accustomed to working in groups and that really helped me. I also believe that in the military, we take for granted how diverse the people you work with are. You learn to work with people from all backgrounds. Certainly, the Foreign Service is similar in that respect as well. 

I was also able to bring extensive leadership skills to the Foreign Service. Typically, new Foreign Service Officers don’t have much leadership experience. I was lucky to have my military experience which gave me leadership skills that I was able to take into the Foreign Service. 

No matter what career path you take, you’ll pick up experiences along the way that will help you as you move forward. 

39:50

What kind of work have you done since leaving the Foreign Service?

I’m on the faculty at the University of Denver. I teach two classes a year and make myself available to students that are interested in foreign affairs. I also do a lot of public speaking and writing. 

Within the past week, we saw rising tensions between the United States and Iran. We hosted an event here to discuss the implications for those events. 

When I left the State Department, I really wanted to go into a field that would allow me to share my experiences. Service has always been important to me. I view academia as a way that I can use my experiences to educate students and the public about events that are going on in the Middle East. 

44:00

Are there any resources that you would recommend?

There are many career paths in the Foreign Service. There is the Diplomatic career path that I was in but there are many others as well. If the State Department is something that interests you, I encourage you to go to the State Department website for more information. 

There are also many social media groups that offer more information about what day-to-day life is like in the Foreign Service. 

There’s also a book you can access on the State Department website that will help you get prepared for the Foreign Service exam. 

48:15

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

My career has been enormously satisfying. It was challenging but deeply rewarding. My colleagues were exceptional people. But I don’t want to leave the impression that this is a road paved with golden bricks. I served three years apart from my family. My wife had to take on all of the child raising responsibilities. Those assignments are not uncommon. In fact, you are required to do hardship tours. So I just want to give a complete picture of this type of career.