Since 2008 we've had 9,783 applications to get into the department. I think that's quite telling about how applicants see us and want to get into the department. In 2007 we hired 240 new foreign service officers to help eliminate some of the vacancies we had. Of the 160 we hired, 89 were visible minorities, which has helped add to the diversity of our workforce.
On May 25th, 2009. See this statement in context.