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U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

M A G A Z I N E

POST OF THE MONTH:

SUVA MARCH 2007


CONTENTS
S TAT E M A G A Z I N E + M A R C H 2 0 0 7 + N U M B E R 5 1 0

12 Hoover the Hero


Exhibit honors ex-president’s role in saving Belgians.

*
The Winds of
26 Generosity
Embassy helps community after typhoon and fire.

*
International
32 Women’s Issues
Empowering women strengthens democracy.

*
ON THE COVER
The idyllic South Pacific Islands face
the same globalization growing pains
as other developing nations.
Photograph by Corbis
* Post of the Month:

SUVA
South Pacific Islands Abound
with Challenges and Charms.

20
14 Bermuda Impact 30 Shores of Tripoli
Post practices successful public diplomacy on a New embassy ushers in a new era.
shoestring.
36 Portable Careers
16 La Paz Leadership Agency cooperation lets eligible family members
Reaching out to Bolivia’s future leaders. fill employment needs.

18 “Windows on America” 38 Second Nature


Young German Muslims get a fresh view of the U.S. Life after the Foreign Service.

28 Belle of the Bosphorus 40 Where’s My Step Increase


An American icon plies the Bosphorus for 75 years. A novice’s guide to senior pay.

COLUMNS
2 FROM THE SECRETARY 42 MEDICAL REPORT

3 READERS’ FEEDBACK 45 EDUCATION & TRAINING

4 FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY 46 OBITUARIES

5 IN THE NEWS 47 RETIREMENTS

11 DIRECT FROM THE D.G. 48 THE LAST WORD


FROM THE SECRETARY

2008 Budget Reflects


New Responsibilities
More than five years after the attacks of people off of the frontlines of the Cold War sustain democratic, responsible states that
September 11, our nation remains engaged and into the critical posts of this new respond to the needs of their people and
in a difficult and trying struggle against century. At the same time, we are encourag- work to fight poverty. In the 2008 budget,
violent extremism. This is a confrontation ing more of you to move beyond country we have been able to shift billions of our
without precedent, and we at the State capitals and into communities where we assistance dollars to more effective, and
Department must approach our role in a more necessary, development programs.
fundamentally different way. The President’s Our budget also reflects the fact that
recently released 2008 budget will give us public diplomacy is a vital component of
the resources necessary for our mission. our national security strategy. It is more
The budget reflects our substantial new important than ever for each and every one
responsibilities. For the first time, the Presi- of us to reach out to the people of the world
dent has designated the State Department a and tell them what we stand for: freedom,
national security agency, alongside the prosperity, equality and justice. We are
Departments of Homeland Security and increasingly investing in our people-to-
Defense. We have the lead on most tasks people exchanges, because private citizens
under our National Counterterrorism Strat- are a vital part of our public diplomacy.
egy. Our international efforts to advance Through our cultural and educational
peace and security, prosperity and freedom exchange programs, we help the world to
are more important than ever to our better understand our country, and we help
defense and security here at home. Americans to better understand the people
Our top priority as we proceed ahead is of the world.
you: your training, your advancement and As all of you continue to promote Ameri-
your security. We are investing in the tools can interests and ideals, both here in
and technology necessary for you to exer- Washington and overseas, we are asking
cise greater initiative. We are increasing more of you than ever. I remind people all
critical language and leadership training so the time that we have the finest diplomatic
that you can have the most impact at your have no formal presence, to forge new part- service in the world. So many of you are
posts. Most important, this budget dedi- nerships not only with governments but serving far from home at hardship posts,
cates substantial funding to protect you, as also with entire societies. unaccompanied by your families. You are
we modernize the physical structures that A major tool that we have to empower standing with those who desire freedom
host our diplomatic efforts and preserve the foreign societies is our development assis- and a better life and sacrificing greatly for
integrity of our information systems. tance, and we have taken important new your country.
The resources we are requesting will steps to use taxpayers’ dollars in the most Thank you for all that you do to protect
enable us to continue transforming our strategic, effective and efficient way possi- our nation and advance a more hopeful
diplomatic posture to reflect the strategic ble. The new Strategic Framework for U.S. vision of the world. I pledge to continue
realities of the 21st century. With the Foreign Assistance ensures that our working to provide you the funding and
support of Congress, we are moving our resources are targeted to help build and support that you need to succeed. ■

“Our international efforts to advance


peace and security, prosperity and freedom
are more important than ever.”
2 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007
READERS’ FEEDBACK

Gender and EERs


Considering “The Case for Diversity” (January issue) and “Foreign
Service Promotion Statistics” (February), one thing the Department
could change is its routine use of gender pronouns and personal
names in the EER review panel system. Studies show that gender,
ethnic and racial discrimination are significantly reduced when
evaluators are not permitted access to data that give away the
subject’s gender, ethnicity and race.
One such study reported by Steven Levitt at the University of
Chicago compared the likelihoods of getting a job interview with the
exact same résumé but a different name on top of the résumé (e.g.
John Williams versus DeShawn Williams or DeShawna Williams).
Result: different likelihoods of getting the interview.
Perhaps the Department could create a system wherein gender pro-
nouns and personal names of employees are withheld or concealed
from the tenure and promotion panel members to defend against
subconscious stereotyping and prejudice. This measure could also
serve to limit the biasing effects of privileged information that some
panel members may have on a given employee they are evaluating.
Ironically, the Department has already eliminated mention of such
merit-based information as educational degrees, but still includes
such birth-based information as gender and personal names.
Since panels do not meet with employees than can be absorbed by the local job
anyway, eliminating gender pronouns and market. Combine this with the very high Let Us Hear from You
personal names from the EER review panel percentage who are fluent in Spanish and
system would seem a small yet meaningful you get very fertile ground for recruitment.
change for the better. I'm sure the Department would not Mailing Address
want for volunteers to travel on recruit- State Magazine
Donald Kilburg ment trips to this beautiful island paradise. 2401 E Street, NW
Foreign Service officer Just let me know where to sign up. HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236
U.S. Embassy, Santo Domingo Washington, DC 20522-0108
Raphael A. Mirabal
Puerto Rico Deputy Executive Director
Since I am of Puerto Rican descent via HR/EX E-mail
New York City, or a Newyourican as we call statemagazine@state.gov
ourselves, I was glad to see an article on Final Postings
Puerto Rico in the February issue. I'd like I just wanted to tell you how much I
to point out two small mistakes, however. enjoy all of the excellent reporting, articles
Phone
First, Puerto Rico is the smallest of the and other news items you and your team at
(202) 663-1700
Greater Antilles and not the largest of the State Magazine make happen. One relative-
Lesser Antilles. Second, the island of ly new column is your own "The Last
Culebra is a part of Puerto Rico and not Letters should not exceed 250
Word." Through it you always present an
the Spanish Virgin Islands. excellent wrap-up of a given issue, but what words and should include the
I would also like to point out that the I like best is your sign-off, acknowledging writer’s name, address and daytime
Department has been remiss in launching and recognizing our "colleagues en route to phone number. All letters become
an active and viable recruiting effort on the their final postings." Very nice. Very appro- the property of State Magazine.
island. This is a significant omission, given priate. And so very thoughtful. Letters will be edited for length,
that State has only two underrepresented accuracy and clarity. Only signed
minority groups and they are American Tim Lawson letters will be considered. Names
Indians and Hispanics. The island's popula- Foreign Service officer may be withheld upon request.
tion has a much higher level of education U.S. Embassy, Seoul

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 3


UNDER SECRETARY HENRIETTA FORE

2008 Budget Stresses Security, Diplomacy


The President’s fiscal year 2008 budget for diplomatic personnel, facilities and informa- tiatives—the strategic use of human capital;
the Department reflects our critical national tion in the face of international terrorism. competitive sourcing; the expanded use
security role and transformational diplomacy This funding will extend the core program to of E-Government; improved financial per-
mission. It sustains the Department’s people, upgrade security equipment and technical formance; and budget and performance
security, facilities, information technology support, information and systems security, integration.
and management reform as well as public perimeter security and security training. Reform initiatives now underway include
diplomacy and our role in international • Protect America’s borders. regionalization, rightsizing, shared services,
organizations and peacekeeping. Emphasizing “secure borders and open State/USAID integration/cooperation in
Fully funding State’s management func- doors,” the Border Security Program protects the management area and process standard-
tions is essential to providing the global U.S. borders against the illegal entry of terror- ization.
platform for American diplomacy and foreign ists and others who threaten homeland Through regionalization and bringing
assistance—a platform that serves not only security while facilitating the entry of legiti- work back to the U.S., we will redefine and
the Department but also more than 40 other mate foreign visitors and students. Revenue strengthen regional support operations by
agencies. This budget request will enable the from several fees will help fund improvements conducting as many nonlocation-specific
Department to: in systems, processes and programs. functions as possible from a remote location.
• Develop a workforce for transformation- • Construct, upgrade and maintain secure We have established a regular rightsizing
al diplomacy that is diverse, well-trained diplomatic facilities. review process for all posts overseas, includ-
and able to carry out multiple tasks. The $1.6 billion request continues security- ing new embassy compound construction
Under Phases I and II of global reposi- driven construction projects and addresses the projects, focused on linking staffing to
tioning, 200 positions are being redeployed, major physical security and rehabilitation mission goals, eliminating duplication and
most to countries in Africa, East and South needs of U.S. embassies and consulates. By the promoting shared services and competitive
Asia, Latin America and the Middle East that end of 2006, Overseas Buildings Operations sourcing. All missions now must complete
are focal points of transformational diplo- had delivered 41 new facilities since 2001 and such a study every five years.
macy. This includes positions for 17 new had an additional 36 under design or con- Shared services are key to changing the
American presence posts in major regional struction. These 77 new facilities represent way we do business. The Bureaus of Admin-
metropolitan areas where there is currently 39.5 percent of the 195 most vulnerable diplo- istration, Human Resources, Information
no U.S. diplomatic representation. matic facilities identified for replacement. Resource Management and Resource Man-
The Secretary has offset creation of these • Invest in information technology. agement are piloting shared services projects
new positions through a redeployment of We have greatly improved our global clas- to streamline inefficient or redundant
resources largely from lower-priority func- sified and unclassified informational administrative services, optimize bureaus’
tions in Washington and Europe. In Phase technology infrastructure. However, the core competencies and lower costs while
III, 85 positions are being shifted from future will demand more rapid exchange of improving customer service.
Washington to Washington-based long-term high-quality information, more effective State and USAID are working to eliminate
language training and to overseas posts. This collaboration of all agencies operating over- duplication and nonessential U.S.
will be done through restructuring/delayer- seas and more support for mobile government presence overseas through
ing and consolidating administrative computing anytime, anywhere—all with consolidation of administrative support
functions. We have always envisioned GRP enhanced security. With every Department services. This will begin with those missions
as part of a larger strategy wherein Congress program now dependent on IT, from simple that will be collocated in embassies current-
would also provide new funding to create e-mail to specialized systems, these invest- ly under construction or planned in the next
other urgently needed positions. ments are essential. few years through developing joint regional
The 254 new positions we are requesting We are not just asking Congress for more administrative platforms. State and USAID
for transformational diplomacy will increase money. We are at the same time undertaking are also working on integrating the two
the U.S. diplomatic presence in transitional a variety of efforts to improve operational agencies’ unclassified networks.
countries, expand our training and career efficiency and ensure that the resources Con- Defining process flows is intended to
development programs including critical gress provides us are used well. improve efficiencies and customer service by
foreign language training, and strengthen the We have already made great progress. We mandating the adoption of best practice
reconstruction and stabilization program. recently became only the second agency of processes worldwide and eliminating the
• Support the global war on terror. the 26 participating in the President’s Man- current “island” approach that allows each
The $965 million request for worldwide agement Agenda to achieve green status (the post to individually adopt unique standards
security upgrades will increase security for top score) on all five Government-wide ini- and processes. ■

4 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


(NEWS)
State Employees Honor Arlington’s Veterans
State Department
employees Thomas Bleck-
ley and Alison Bowling
took a personal leave day
on December 14 to partici-
pate in what has become a
new holiday tradition:
placing Christmas wreaths
on more than 5,000 veter-
ans’ graves at Arlington
National Cemetery.
The volunteer program,
started by Morrill Worces-
ter of Harrington, Maine,
attracted national media
attention this year. Worces-
ter had for years been
laying the wreaths, manu-
factured by his privately
owned company, at Arling-
ton. Bleckley and Bowling,
both military veterans who
work in the Office of
Policy and Regulations in
the Bureau of Information
Resource Management,
joined some 600 volunteers in placing 5,260 have never been touched as I was on this Tom Bleckley and Alison Bowling took personal
wreaths on a warm December day. day,” Bleckley said. “We would like to see leave to help honor veterans in Arlington
“I served 25 years, active duty in the U.S. more State personnel participate in this National Cemetery.
Army, traveling all over the world, and I project next year.”

PLUS >>> A Farewell to Charms + State Honors Life and Legacy of Benjamin Franklin
+ FSOs Needed—To Complete Job Survey + State Uses Web to Clear and Track Grants
+ Foreign Affairs Day Set for May 4 + Free Equipment Leads to First-Class Fitness
Center + A Little Help Goes a Long Way in Rwanda + CFC Donations top $2 Million +
Marine Reunion to Honor Tehran Captives + Warsaw Reaches Out to Families in Crisis

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 5


Before their final farewell to the
wooden embassy, Ambassador
Robert Dieter gathered the
entire staff for a photo.

A FAREWELL TO CHARMS
The U.S. Embassy in Belize City, with 76 years of rich history, had born in the building between 1931 and 1942. Consuls’ families lived
long been touted as the “last wooden embassy”—until November, there as late as 1980.
when a new embassy building opened its doors in Belmopan, the The second floor later served as offices for the ambassador and
capital of Belize located 55 miles inland. deputy chief of mission.
The Belize City embassy building was erected in 1866 in New The structure has withstood extensive damage. Water from Hur-
England and then, along with a few other buildings, knocked down ricane Hattie in 1961 was more than 12 feet deep—up to the
and sent as ballast in freighters to Belize City. The building was second floor; mud from Hurricane Greta in 1978 was more than a
reassembled there and served as a home to P.W. Shufeldt, a promi- foot deep.
nent U.S. citizen, until 1930 when the U.S. purchased it. But local wildlife has caused the most destruction. During con-
The first U.S. consul who worked there, G. Russell Taggart, was struction of the consular unit, a crocodile was found living under
the victim of a tidal wave in 1931. He was swept out to sea and his the embassy, and termite mounds more than six feet tall were found
body was never recovered. The first vice consul, Culver Gidden, within the walls.
married Shufeldt’s daughter, and the family lived on the second floor Columns have been replaced, exterior stairs built and a consular
while business was carried out downstairs. Six Gidden children were unit added, but the charm of the building has remained.

6 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


State Honors Life and Legacy of Benjamin Franklin
The life and legacy of America’s first diplomat, Benjamin our first medical school, at the University of Pennsylvania, which
Franklin, was honored January 10 at a gala dinner in the Benjamin Franklin also founded. He was first in practically every field.
Franklin State Dining Room. “Most importantly for me, as a diplomat, is his embodiment
Kurt Volker, principal deputy assistant secretary for European both of our values as a nation and their reflection abroad. Few
and Eurasian Affairs, welcomed the 130 guests, including former people have done more to make our country better. And few people
Washington Redskins quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, philanthropists have done more to strengthen America’s critical alliances in the
Robert and Clarice Smith, Treasury Under Secretary Robert K. Steel world and export the American ideal of freedom.”
and Lady Catherine Manning, wife of United Kingdom Ambassador The State Department co-sponsored the event with the Benjamin
Sir David Manning. Franklin House Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose
Over the past few years, the British ambassador and consuls primary grantee is the Benjamin Franklin House in London, the
general have hosted similar events for the Benjamin Franklin House only known existing home of Franklin. He lived in the house
Foundation, but this was the first time one had been hosted by the between 1757 and 1775, while lobbying for the American colonies.
U.S. government. The house was recently restored and opened in January 2006, the
Volker grew up just outside of Philadelphia and recalled Franklin 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth, as a living museum. It already
as his hometown hero. has drawn 10,000 visitors.
“Franklin was our man,” he said. “My favorite part of trips into Walter Isaacson, renowned author and Benjamin Franklin biog-
the city was a visit to the Franklin Institute, a great, hands-on rapher, spoke at the event, along with Dr. Marcia Balisciano,
science museum for kids and a tribute to his role as an inventor. We director of the Benjamin Franklin House in London.
took pride in knowing that Franklin established our first public For more information, visit www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/
company, our first public library, our first insurance company and 78632.htm.

FSOS NEEDED—
TO COMPLETE JOB SURVEY State Uses Web to Clear
How can a Foreign Service
officer influence who gets hired
from the last (1997-98) job
analysis. Among other things,
and Track Grants
and promoted and the content these officers identified what is The State Department plays a key role in
of Foreign Service Institute new about the work and what research grants allocated to foreign recipi-
training courses? knowledge, skills and abilities ents by the National Institutes of Health.
Many FSOs may not realize are needed to perform it well. In 2005, the NIH spent nearly $700
that the knowledge and skills Many FSOs have already partic- million in grants that involved more
tested by the Foreign Service ipated in this phase. than 130 countries through collabo-
examination and oral assess- The results are being used to rative research between U.S. and
ment, the precepts used by develop Phase 2, an online foreign scientists. The Department’s
selection boards and the courses survey that each FSO will be role is to facilitate communication
offered by FSI—to name a few asked to fill out, with specific between NIH’s Fogarty International
examples—are based on infor- reference to his or her current Center and overseas posts to review
mation collected in a “job position. The answers will research programs and ensure consis-
analysis.” provide precise measurements tency with the foreign policy objectives of
A job analysis is a systematic of what tasks are actually per- the United States.
procedure for collecting infor- formed and what knowledge A new system makes that process easier. In
mation on what employees do and skills are truly needed to the past, the Fogarty Center transmitted each request
in their jobs and the knowledge, perform in each FSO position. to posts by cable for foreign policy clearance. Now the center
skills and abilities required to The survey should be avail- has migrated to a Web-based Foreign Tracking System, which
do the jobs. It is, in effect, a able in March and will take allows for faster clearance through embassies and acts as a
snapshot of Foreign Service about an hour to complete. A database, allowing for easy tracking of foreign NIH-funded
generalist work. sufficient number of FSOs must research by NIH, State and embassies.
A job analysis has been con- complete the survey for the The Department and the Fogarty Center first tested the
ducted by State about every results to be usable. Given the system with three posts (London, Ottawa and Rome), then
decade over the last 50 years. importance of the job analysis expanded the system to 27 others. As of January 1, all posts
One is underway right now. to various human resource have started to use the new FTS.
Every FSO will have the oppor- functions, the Director General For more information on the FTS see http://www.fic.
tunity to provide input. requests that all FSOs complete nih.gov/news/fts/fts.html. The Office of International
In Phase 1 of the job analysis the survey. Health Affairs in the Bureau of Oceans and International
update, groups of FSOs across Don’t miss this chance to Environment and Scientific Affairs is the point of contact
different career tracks reviewed influence the hiring, training in the Department.
the task and knowledge lists and promotion process.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 7


Foreign Affairs Day
Set for May 4
This year's Foreign Affairs Day, the annual homecoming for State Depart-
ment Civil and Foreign Service retirees, will take place Friday, May 4.
In addition to the keynote address scheduled to be delivered by Secretary
Condoleezza Rice, this year's program will include off-the-record seminars
from the regional bureaus on topical foreign policy issues; a panel discussion
on "Maritime Security in our Ports—The Facts" about how the public and private
sectors work together to improve the security of our ports; the American Foreign
Service Association Memorial Plaque Ceremony and the elegant traditional luncheon
in the Ben Franklin Room ($40 per person, 250-person maximum, first come first
served). There will also be lots of opportunities to catch up with old friends.
Invitations were expected to be mailed out in early March. Those who would like to receive
an invitation should send an e-mail to foreignaffairsday@state.gov with full name, retirement date
(month and year), street address, e-mail address and phone number.

Free Equipment Leads to First-Class Fitness Center


How do you create a quality fitness Locally Employed Staff Chrissie Makham- Ambassador Alan Eastham called the new
center in a small African post with few bera and Dyson Nyaka—was Umodzi, addition “a great improvement to quality of
amenities and little discretionary cash for which means “unity” in Chichewa. life at Post” and commended Cloud for his
quality-of-life improvements? All it took Umodzi opened in December and has tenacity in making it happen. He encour-
for Lilongwe was a creative management already attracted a loyal clientele of aged all Mission members to use the facility,
officer with an eye on the bottom line— Mission staff. adding, “Thanks to Craig, we now have no
and lots of patience. “Compared to what’s available in excuse not to get in shape.”
Management Officer Craig Cloud was Malawi, Umodzi has world-class equip- On his role, Cloud was characteristically
perusing the Frankfurt Excess Property ment, great facilities and an excellent video modest: “Where I’m from, it’s just hard to
Unit’s Web site in 2005 looking for a cheap and sound system,” said embassy cashier turn down something somebody’s giving
delivery truck, when he noticed a bunch of Richard Mbaisa. away for free.”
excess gym equipment. Cloud asked that the
equipment be included in the same ship-
ment with the truck, thinking he could
figure out where to put it later.
Gym equipment worth more than
$20,000 arrived in February 2006 and took
up a place of honor under the parking shed.
Total cost to post: $400.
Merging warehouse operations with the
U.S. Agency for International Development
eventually opened up a gym-sized space
above the health unit, and 2005 rollover
funds were used to renovate the former
warehouse space into a fitness center. The
General Services, Facilities Maintenance,
Procurement and Information Management
sections worked on the project jointly and
the facility was ready to open in December.
A contest was held to pick a name for the
facility. The winning entry—suggested by

Regional Security Officer Maureen McGeough


shows colleagues how it’s done.

8 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


A LITTLE HELP GOES A LONG WAY IN RWANDA
Last October, the Self-Help team and a caravan of the U.S. Each association was appreciative for the assistance and for the
Embassy in Kigali staff headed to Gicumbi District with 12 journal- visit. The small amount of money they receive goes a long way in
ists in tow to visit four projects among 17 selected for funding enabling them to improve their lives. But they are not the only ones
nationwide. This was the first chance to see how local associations to benefit from the Self-Help program. All of the embassy sponsors
were using their first batch of funds.
Just 70 kilometers outside Kigali, Gicumbi Dis-
trict is representative of much of Rwanda, where
close to 90 percent of the population is still
engaged in agricultural activities. After an hour on
the tarmac road from Kigali, the convoy took an
additional 30 minutes to climb insanely steep, dirt
roads and cross some very suspect bridges to reach
the first site, a carpentry and masonry project.
As the convoy rolled up, several people were
hard at work with their new tools. Gunnery Ser-
geant Vincent Juarez, the embassy sponsor for the
project, went straight to work reviewing receipts
and inspecting the equipment that had been pur-
chased. Since there is no electricity in the region, all
of the work is done with hand tools.
At the next site, project members greeted
embassy staff members with a special song and
dance that celebrated the group’s partnership with
the embassy. They took staff around to local house-
holds that had used their grant to purchase pigs.
The community intends to use proceeds from the
Association members put their new carpentry tools to work.
sale of piglets to pay school fees for their children,
buy medications and meet other basic needs. Project sponsor Jack were deeply affected by what they saw and agreed that visiting these
Sibal, the Mission’s health practitioner, was a wealth of information projects offered a unique opportunity to see how ordinary Rwan-
about rearing pigs, since he owned pigs himself once. dans live.

CFC Donations Top $2 Million By George Staples


As Vice Chair of the Department of is one of the highest rates of contribu- Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs;
State’s 2006 Combined Federal Cam- tions within the agencies of the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and
paign, I wish to thank everyone who Government. Law Enforcement Affairs; Bureau of
participated in the most recent campaign. The Office of Inspector General led the African Affairs; Bureau of European and
The Department again exceeded its goal Department in percentage of employees Eurasian Affairs; Bureau of International
of $2 million in donations to the 2006 participating in CFC. This year, 83.5 Information Programs; Bureau of Near
CFC. As of February 27, State achieved percent of OIG employees made cam- Eastern Affairs; Bureau of International
108 percent of its goal, and cash, checks paign contributions. The Bureau of Security and Nonproliferation; Office of
and pledges were still rolling in. On Refugees and Migration was in second Inspector General; Bureau of Population,
behalf of the Secretary, the CFC Chair for place with 83.1 percent rate of participa- Refugees and Migration; Office of Execu-
the Department, I wish to thank all key- tion. PRM received the President’s awards tive Secretariat; Office of Intelligence and
workers, the Secretary’s champion Glyn for extraordinary support of CFC, and Research; Bureau of Educational and Cul-
Davies, CFC loan executive Cathy Tullis OIG will also receive this award. tural Affairs; Bureau of Oceans and
and the staff of the Office of Employee The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs International Environment and Scientific
Relations for their extraordinary efforts to exceeded its goal for collecting campaign Affairs; Office of the Legal Advisers;
ensure the success of this year’s campaign. contributions by 203 percent. The Bureau Bureau of Consular Affairs; Bureau of
The results of this year’s campaign of South and Central Asian Affairs fol- Human Resources; and Bureau of
reveal that 3,777 employees—active and lowed with 180 percent. Eighteen Resource Management.
retired—contributed more than additional bureaus also exceeded their The author is Director General of the
$2,171,000 to the campaign. The average collection goals for 2006, including Foreign Service and Director of Human
individual contribution was $576, which Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs; Resources.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 9


Marine
Reunion to
Honor Tehran
Captives M A G A Z I N E S TA F F

Rob Wiley
The Marine Embassy Guard Asso-
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ciation will hold its annual reunion
April 26–29 at the Marriott Fairview Bill Palmer
WRITER/EDITOR
Park Hotel in Falls Church, Va.
This year, the association will celebrate its Jennifer Leland
10th anniversary and honor those who served in the Tehran Marine Security WRITER/EDITOR
Guard Detachment who were held captive from Nov. 4, 1979 to Jan. 20, 1981. David L. Johnston
Foreign Service and State Department personnel are invited to attend. For ART DIRECTOR
more information, contact reunion chairman Tom Butler at 212-734-7668 or
butler_dugan@msn.com.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Embassy Maurice S. Parker


EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Warsaw Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiaro
Reaches Margot A. Sullivan

Out
to Families State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is pub-
lished monthly, except bimonthly in July

in Crisis and August, by the U.S. Department of


State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Periodicals postage paid at Washington,
In Poland, the economy is D.C., and at additional mailing locations.
booming for some, but many
find themselves struggling to CHANGE OF ADDRESS
make ends meet. An accident
Send changes of address to State Maga-
or sudden illness can result zine, 2401 E Street, N.W., SA-1, Room
in a family spiraling out of H-236, Washington, D.C. 20522-0108. You
control. may also e-mail address changes to
Last Christmas, people statemagazine@state.gov.
from the U.S. Embassy in
Warsaw developed a partner- SUBSCRIPTIONS
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charity, the Warsaw Volun- through the U.S. Government Printing
teer Mission, to match Office by telephone at (202) 512-1800 or
embassy families with local families who had fallen on tough times. on the web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.
WVM’s “Families in Crisis” program extends a helping hand to Polish families, many
with terminally ill children, parents who suffer chronic illness or recently released prison- SUBMISSIONS
ers trying to rebuild their lives.
For details on submitting articles to State
Embassy families were invited to sponsor 21 Polish families for Christmas. Not only did Magazine, request our guidelines,
every family find a sponsor, but WVM was also able to expand the program owing to the “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at
generosity of individuals and families within the Mission. Families shared their baked statemagazine@state.gov; download them
Christmas cookies and found happy homes for many new and some gently used toys, from our web site at www.state.gov;
including a pinball machine. or send your request in writing to
The family of Przemek Wytrikowski was able to enjoy one last wonderful holiday season State Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,
HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,
with their terminally ill teenage son. Przemek, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, died
Washington, DC 20522-0108.
peacefully in early January. The family’s embassy sponsors continue to work with them.
They are not alone. Others have continued to provide financial and moral support for The submission deadline for the June
Polish families who have nowhere else to turn. 2007 issue is April 15. The deadline for
For everyone involved, it was a wonderful way to share the holiday magic and make a the July/August 2007 issue is June 1.
difference in the lives of dozens of Polish families.

10 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


D.G. GEORGE STAPLES

The New Foreign Service Officer


Selection Process
When I was appointed Director General, Completing the narrative will be a prerequi- qualifications evaluation panel will review
I initiated a review of the way we select site to taking the streamlined test. The the files of candidates who have passed the
Foreign Service officers. I was determined narrative will elicit information on scholastic online test and essay. This panel, a new
that we continue our tradition of selecting and work experience and will also invite can- element to the process, will follow precepts
the best people, but I also wanted to improve didates to highlight special skills and that we are now drawing up in consultation
the process. I set three specific goals: to with industrial psychologists and the Legal
improve our ability to find the best, to Adviser’s office. The panel will look at the
compete more effectively with the private test score, essay score and personal narrative
sector to attract the best and to make our to determine which candidates will move
process faster in hiring the best. forward to the oral assessment.
I undertook this review with care, consult- The Oral Assessment: McKinsey judged
ing with the highly respected McKinsey & our oral assessment to also be a best practice.
Company and many FSOs. Under Secretaries We have decided to keep the oral assessment
Nick Burns and Henrietta Fore took an just as it is. The oral assessment will continue
active interest, and Secretary Rice strongly to be the bedrock of our selection process.
supported the effort. In the end, we adopted Overall, this will be a very accessible
a total candidate approach, which means we process. We will open this new online
will use a resume along with an online test to process this summer, starting with a limited
explore the candidate’s full range of knowl- number of candidates in the U.S. only. Then,
edge, skills and abilities. starting in the fall, we expect a total of about
What kind of people are we looking for? 20,000 candidates yearly to enter the process
Principally, we want to keep getting the same during four windows each year. Abroad, we
high-caliber people we get now. But we also are working with posts to develop the capac-
want to widen our field of vision to better ity to administer the online test.
identify candidates particularly suited to our experience, such as language ability and In the end, the new Foreign Service
work: people with proven leadership skills, experience in jobs requiring direct engage- officer selection process will retain the fun-
relevant overseas and foreign language expe- ment with people in hands-on programs. damental qualities that have always
rience, solid interpersonal skills, strong The Foreign Service Officer Test: The distinguished it: highly competitive and
organizational ability, a history of tenacity familiar paper-and-pencil test will no longer merit-based. The integrity of the process
and achievement in difficult tasks. be given. Instead, candidates will take an will remain its hallmark.
We also want to make faster decisions on online test that will be available multiple But the changes will be noteworthy. The
whom to hire, and then move quickly to hire times each year at commercial test centers in selection process will become more accessi-
new FSOs without delay. It still takes an the U.S., and overseas at diplomatic posts and ble, with the personal narrative and the
average of 14 months to bring a new FSO on possibly at some commercial test centers. The Foreign Service Officer Test available world-
board. During that time, we often lose test will be very similar to past Foreign wide multiple times each year. The process
superb candidates to other employers who Service written exams, a recognized best prac- will be more competitive as the evaluation
make it a point to decisively offer jobs tice we are retaining, but shorter. Questions panel weighs more information about each
quickly to the best candidates. We need to
do the same. “Principally, we want to keep getting the same
With these thoughts in mind, we are
redesigning the selection process to retain
high-caliber people we get now.”
the best aspects of the current system, but will still be based on an analysis of Foreign candidate. The process will be faster,
also to improve it. This is how we anticipate Service job requirements. As before, an essay enabling us to hire new FSOs quickly. In the
the new process will look. will be part of the test. Both the test and the end, I am confident we will become even
The Personal Narrative: Candidates will essay will be scored, and candidates will need more effective at selecting dedicated, capable
submit a structured personal narrative when to pass both to advance to the next stage. people to become our outstanding FSOs of
they go online to enter the selection process. The Qualifications Evaluation Panel: A the future. ■

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 11


President Herbert Hoover at his desk
in the White House.

Hoover the Hero


EXHIBIT HONORS FORMER PRESIDENT’S ROLE IN SAVING BELGIANS BY BRIAN DICK
How is it possible that one of the great- Herbert Hoover is a hero. Belgians remem- money came from small private donations,
est humanitarian relief operations in ber him as the brilliant engineer who especially from Americans.
modern history has been almost completely worked unstintingly with other volunteers Hoover worked with the Belgian leader
forgotten? to accomplish the impossible: persuade the of humanitarian relief, Emile Francqui, to

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): CORBIS; (OPPOSITE PAGE): U.S. EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS


The U.S. Embassy in Brussels wondered British and Germans to permit the impor- get the food efficiently to the people.
the same thing last year and did something tation of food through enemy lines to Hoover set up a network of more than
about it. millions of starving civilians. 130,000 volunteers around the world. The
The operation started in Belgium in 1914 Just weeks after the German invasion of CRB chartered its own fleet of food ships.
and relied on the heroic determination and Belgium, Hoover organized the Commis- The British let them pass through the ever-
managerial genius of Herbert Hoover. It sion for Relief in Belgium, which saved all tightening blockade. The Germans let
saved 10 million people from starvation. of Belgium and a large part of northern supplies enter Belgium through Rotterdam
More than $200 million was collected and France from famine during the German and kept their promise not to take the food
three million tons of food and clothing occupation and British blockade from 1914 for the German army.
were moved to desperate people in Belgium to 1918. Hoover crossed the English Channel 40
and parts of France. The commission had the blessing of, but times to negotiate to keep the CRB func-
Most Americans think of Hoover as the no official connection with, the govern- tioning. Powerful factions in the British
man who was president when the stock ments of the United Kingdom, France and military, the U.S. and Germany took a dim
market crashed and the Great Depression the U.S. Hoover won powerful supporters view of the commission, which by all rights
gripped the country—a one-term president in those governments and wrestled large should have collapsed. Through hard work
overwhelmed by events. But in Belgium, grants from them, but much of the CRB and single-minded determination, Hoover

12 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


kept it going until April 1917, when the United
States formally entered the war. At that time, he
ceded control of the CRB to agents in The Nether-
lands and Spain.
When Ambassador Tom C. Korologos arrived in
Belgium he discovered “Hoover this, Hoover that,
Hoover everywhere,” as he put it.
“There were Hoover streets, Hoover squares,
Hoover libraries, Hoover foundations and the
more I looked, the more Hoover I found,” he said.
The director of the Belgian American Educa-
tional Foundation mentioned to him that the
foundation’s endowment
Herbert “Pete” Hoover III shakes hands originated from CRB
with Mrs. George Shultz, standing beside funds left over after the
her husband. To Hoover’s right is war. More than 60
Ambassador Tom Korologos.
Belgian graduate stu-
dents conduct research in
the U.S. each year on BAEF grants,
making the program comparable in
scope to the more famous Fulbright
program.
So Ambassador Korologos decided to
organize a program devoted to Herbert
Hoover and Belgium. His partners were
the BAEF, the Catholic University of
Leuven and the Free University of Brus-
sels, plus the Hoover Institution at
Stanford University, the Hoover Presi-
dential Library in West Branch, Iowa,
and the Belgian Ministry of Defense.
He invited four distinguished histori-
ans from the U.S. to give seminars in
Brussels and Leuven. The central event
was a major exhibit, “Remembering
Herbert Hoover and the Commission for
Relief in Belgium.” It opened at the
Royal Military Museum in Brussels
Former Secretary and Mrs. last October and ran through the
Shultz view the exhibit.
end of the year, before traveling to
other Belgian cities. Several promi-
nent Belgian business leaders have begun
an effort to make the exhibit permanent.
President Bush sent a letter for the exhibit
opening and Secretary Rice provided a videotaped
greeting. Herbert Hoover’s grandson, Herbert
“Pete” Hoover III, from the Hoover Institution at
Stanford, attended the opening, as did former Sec-
retary of State George Shultz and other
distinguished guests, including the Belgian minister
of defense and the presidents of the federal House
and Senate.
As Ambassador Korologos said: “Our project
seeks to remind Belgians and Americans that our
countries have been friends for a long
School children listen to time and that the United States has
Ambassador Korologos at helped when help was needed.” ■
the exhibit opening.

The author is a program assistant in the Office of


Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 13


Consul General Gregory W. Slayton, back row, third from right, visits with the new Alumni Association to help plan the next public diplomacy project.

Bermuda Impact
Can a small post with no history of Hamilton completed more than 100 PD trumps news about even highly nega-
public diplomacy to speak of and no budget projects and raised the post’s profile and the tive international events.
to start actually conduct an effective PD overall respect for the U.S. role in Bermuda • Use the portfolio matrix concept and
program? to levels not seen in many years. partner extensively. Avoid the “No Go”
Hamilton, Bermuda, is a small post that quadrant, focus on “Piggyback PD” and
faced those same drawbacks, but it has Keys to Success undertake “Partnership” projects only
proven that innovation, dedication and dis- Hamilton found four simple keys to a when partnering with like-minded
cipline can overcome most obstacles. When successful PD program. organizations. Effective partnerships
Consul General Gregory Slayton arrived in • Appoint an LES member as PD special- dramatically leverage PD reach and

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): ASTRID BLACK; (OPPOSITE PAGE): MARUTA RACENIS


Hamilton in 2005, he made PD a priority, ist to help build mutually respectful impact.
focusing on Under Secretary Karen Hughes’ relationships with local media that
“E” tactics: engage, exchange, educate, could generate positive press coverage. Leveraging Assets
empower and evaluate. • Use TV and radio extensively and stay To offset the budgetary problems, Hamil-
To jumpstart a program without funds or on message. Successful marketing is the ton looked for ways to utilize existing
staff, Slayton first reassigned a top Locally effective repetition of a message direct- outreach assets within the Department. For
Employed Staff member as the post’s public ly relevant to the target audience. The example, post explored the Voluntary
diplomacy specialist. Together, they con- post’s simple message—America Cares Visitor Program, which sends local govern-
structed a PD portfolio matrix to ensure about Bermuda—underscores every ment and nonprofit professionals to the
maximum impact for minimum effort, PD effort in Hamilton. U.S. to confer with their U.S. counterparts.
while partnering extensively with like- • Diplomacy through deeds works. Posi- With support from Foreign Service
minded organizations. In year one, tive local news about consulate deeds officer Dan Sreebny in London, Hamilton

POST PRACTICES SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ON A SHOESTRING


BY ASTRID BLACK AND MATTHEW JOHNSON
14 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007
raised funds from locally-based American raised more than $300,000—a third of
companies to cover international airfare. which was donated to charity—to host
The Bureau of Cultural Affairs covered almost 5,000 guests at an Independence Day
other costs, while Lucy Weber, chief of the extravaganza themed “Celebrating Freedom,
Voluntary Visitors Division in the Bureau of Giving Back to Bermuda.”
Educational and Cultural Affairs, and her The joint Thanksgiving Celebration drew
staff formulated VolVis itineraries. almost 500 guests, and again benefited a
Hamilton used the VolVis program well, local charity. Press coverage for both events,
with the 2005 and 2006 efforts getting posi- including op-eds in Bermuda’s largest daily,
tive reviews and excellent press coverage. was substantial and uniformly positive.
Bermuda Prime Minister Ewart Brown Changes in U.S. travel regulations gener-
recently said that VolVis has “captivated the ated inventive partnerships with private and
collective imaginations of our two countries.” public sector organizations. In addition to
While it was a challenge to start, VolVis is extensive TV, radio, Internet, press and
now a key component in Hamilton’s annual poster/flyer efforts, Hamilton also worked
public diplomacy arsenal. In 2007, post will with local travel agents and other executives
add a VolVis alumni program to further to address key target markets. Azalea, a watercolor by artist Maruta Racenis
strengthen U.S. ties with Bermuda. One innovative program was a free part- of Richmond, Virginia, is part of the ART in
Embassies contribution to public diplomacy
Post also found more traditional nership with Bermuda’s largest milk in Bermuda.
methods to bolster public diplomacy. supplier that resulted in eye-catching ads
Although there had been no ART in explaining passport requirements on more done something of note, a no-cost strategy
Embassies program in Bermuda for years, than 150,000 milk cartons. These efforts that reflects post’s interest in local affairs.
Marina Slayton worked with ART Program resulted in near-blanket coverage of the Using regular representational funds, he
Director Anne Johnson and Curator Sally issue and widespread appreciation for U.S. hosts quarterly breakfasts with prominent
Mansfield to create an exhibit of memo- efforts to prepare Bermudians and others Bermudians on topical issues such as educa-
rable and illuminating American art for the for the upcoming changes. tion and youth development.
official residence. Post also participates in non-State-spon-
Because of the program, hundreds of Piggybacks sored programs. For example, Bermudians
Bermuda’s leaders have reflected on the her- To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the are nominated to attend U.S. Patent and
itage of the U.S. as seen through the eyes of famous Newport-Bermuda yacht race, the Trademark Office’s intellectual property
American artists. ART is a vital component post worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to rights training programs, with training
of overall public diplomacy efforts, especial- ensure the USCGC Eagle was in Hamilton costs paid by PTO. Similarly, post nomi-
ly for a post with no PD budget. to host a reception for Bermuda’s top nates Bermudians for scholarships to attend
Hamilton partnered with the American leaders and Her Royal Highness Princess the World Scholar Athlete Games. Expenses
Society of Bermuda to celebrate the July 4th Anne. This celebration of friendship among for both these programs are covered by
and Thanksgiving holidays. The partners the U.S., the U.K. and Bermuda resulted in non-State sources and local press is quite
a wave of positive publicity for the favorable.
U.S. Armed Forces.
PD Portfolio Matrix In another piggyback event, the Lessons
post used regular representational So any post—small or large, budget or
HIGH funds to host a “Harvard in Hamil- no budget—can effectively practice public
ton” reception for Bermuda’s top diplomacy, with some creative thinking and
Annual PD Annual PD leaders at the official residence. The hard work. The first step should be appoint-
(effort after (first year’s event featured four Harvard Glee ing a PD specialist dedicated to establishing
first year) effort) Clubs that were in Bermuda for mutually respectful relationships with the
Impact

other events. media. Choosing a locally relevant


Piggyback PD Partnership PD No-cost PD opportunities help message—and constantly reinforcing that
reinforce the message. One valu- message—using the PD portfolio matrix
able no-cost tool is post’s own Web helps impose discipline on the project selec-
site, which is updated frequently tion process. And partnering with
with PD and other messages. With like-minded organizations enables a small
No Cost PD No Go Zone
the support of the Bureau of Inter- post to do far more than is possible alone.
national Information Programs, It is therefore possible—with innovation,
through its Content Management dedication and discipline—to conduct
LOW
System, Hamilton’s Web site con- effective public diplomacy on a shoestring.
LOW HIGH tinues to evolve as an effective Ask Bermuda. ■
Effort distribution mechanism.
High impact projects require high effort initially As another example, CG Slayton Astrid Black is the public diplomacy specialist
but lower effort over time. signs daily letters of congratulation and Matthew Johnson is the deputy principal
to Bermuda residents who have officer in Hamilton, Bermuda.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 15


Narcotics Action Section intern Olga Cruz and
NAS program assistant Arturo Cabrera pause
on the road to Uyuni during site inspections
of counter-narcotics police posts.

La Paz Leadership
REACHING OUT TO BOLIVIA’S FUTURE LEADERS BY VALERIE O’BRIEN
Bolivia is a diverse country with more section and a fluent Aymara speaker to Priority Outreach
than 30 different indigenous groups, includ- monitor and translate radio programs in The public affairs section’s top priority in
ing Aymaras and Quechuas who live in the rural communities for the public affairs Bolivia is to reach out to indigenous and
high plains and valleys of the Andean region. section. Similarly, the U.S. Agency for Inter- youth audiences in all its public diplomacy

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): ROLANDO DEL VILLAR; (OPPOSITE PAGE LEFT): ARTURO CABRERA;
While indigenous and mestizo Bolivians national Development had been targeting programs. As part of this strategy, PAS pro-
make up around two-thirds of Bolivia’s pop- the lion’s share of its development assis- posed and received Bureau of Educational
ulation, they have long been excluded tance efforts to the indigenous poor for and Cultural Affairs funding for a four-
politically, socially and economically. many years, from support for microfinance week Study of the U.S. Winter Institute, a
The past few decades have seen a rise in and increased access to justice to greater program that introduced the students to the
indigenous people’s political and cultural engagement of indigenous microenterprises history and culture of the U.S. and provided
consciousness and increased demands for a in high-value export chains. them with leadership training. The program
greater share in the country’s economic and USAID developed an inclusion initiative took place in January 2006 in Amherst,
natural resources. In December 2005, Boli- in 2005 designed to diversify its workforce, Mass., and Tucson, Ariz. Fifteen indigenous
vians elected their first indigenous launched an indigenous internship university students, all from underprivi-
president, Evo Morales Ayma. program, provided Aymara language train- leged backgrounds, from across Bolivia were
It was in this social and political context ing for staff and expanded public outreach selected to participate in the program.
that the U.S. Mission in La Paz decided to to activities with indigenous communities. In addition to gaining new perspectives
intensify its search for innovative ways to The Department of State requested and and a deeper understanding of U.S. culture
(RIGHT): CARMEN J. ARZE

engage indigenous audiences, especially obtained post language grant funding from and democracy, the students also developed
young people. The mission had already the Foreign Service Institute to initiate a strengthened desire to work for change in
begun reaching out to indigenous groups Aymara language classes. Some American their own country. To sustain the momen-
several years ago when it hired an Aymara officers and Locally Employed Staff are cur- tum from this positive exchange
advisor for the economic and political rently enrolled in Aymara classes. experience, the U.S. Embassy in La Paz

16 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Left: From left, National Coca Control Group chief Lt. Col. Stanley
Tintaya, NAS legal advisor Mario Montaño, NAS intern Olga Cruz,
NAS program assistant Grace Dibos and Regional Coca Control
Group chief Capt. Javier Olaguibel visit a counter-narcotics
checkpoint in the Cochabamba region. Below: Public Affairs
Section Intern Fernando Villca, right, attends a reading session
with school children at the U.S. Embassy stand at the
International Book Fair.

offered the students scholarships to study U.S. Though the U.S. embassy environment ties and support alternative development in
English and implemented an indigenous was markedly different from that of the Bolivia. The interns said they felt privileged
internship program for alumni of the Bolivian public sector, in many ways the real to have had the chance to get an inside
exchange program. challenge was not in adapting to the Ameri- view of the embassy and USAID, since
Three Aymara students from rural areas cans, but in overcoming the negative most Bolivians are unaware of what the
near La Paz took part in the internship stereotypes held by other Bolivians in the U.S. Mission actually does.
program. Ruben Hilari worked in the man- mission. Management Counselor Kimberly “I was amazed to learn that USAID has
agement section, Fernando Villca interned DeBlauw and USAID/Bolivia Director so many programs in Bolivia and how
in the public affairs section and Olga Marina Michael Yates championed the internship much the U.S. is doing to help us,” said one
Cruz joined the narcotics affairs section. program as a way to begin bridging the deep USAID intern.
USAID’s also launched a similar intern- cultural gaps between indigenous and non- Yates notes that “the interns are now
ship program, which included the indigenous Bolivians. anxious to share their very positive experi-
participation of six Aymara university stu- “Local staff served as mentors for the first ences working with the U.S. Government
dents. Panfilo Montesinos and Policarpio time, and as such, acquired new skills as well not only with their home communities, but
Apaza works on alternative development as insights from the interns on ways to more broadly.” The public relations benefits
issues; Joel Mendizabal works with the eco- improve embassy and USAID programs,” could be important, especially as this
nomic opportunities office on income- said DeBlauw. “The experience has been program expands.
generating activities; Aurelia Montesinos invaluable for all.” All sections came away satisfied and
assists the food security unit; Jhony Quispe The nine embassy and USAID interns agreed that they benefited greatly from the
supports the democracy team; and Severo quickly formed part of their respective contributions and unique perspectives the
Vargas works with the health team. Panfilo, teams despite some initial concerns. Several interns brought to their work. One LES
Policarpio and Aurelia were all selected to interns said the experience surpassed all mentor working in PAS noted that insights
participate in the PAS Winter Institute expectations. Not only did they learn about offered by the PA intern helped the section
program in January 2007. the various management and foreign assis- fine-tune its programs and materials so it
tance functions, NAS eradication and drug could more effectively reach out to indige-
Cultural Gaps prevention efforts, USAID development nous audiences; USAID mentors working
The embassy internships recently con- programs and PAS public diplomacy pro- with the food security and health interns
cluded, and the three embassy-sponsored grams; they also took computer and English made similar comments.
students presented a brief report to the classes, assisted with PAS book donations in Given the success, the U.S. Mission will
entire mission on what they learned from various cities, visited USAID projects, likely continue the internship programs.
their experience. All three said they were attended official receptions and took part in USAID says it is definitely continuing the
impressed with the high standards, profes- a variety of other mission activities. program and is expanding it to implementa-
sional ethics and collegial work environment In addition to the practical and profes- tion partners. ■
at the embassy. sional skills they acquired, all learned
One of the interns said every time he much about U.S. efforts to strengthen The author is the cultural affairs officer at the
entered the embassy, it was like going to the democracy, expand economic opportuni- U.S. Embassy in La Paz.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 17


Consul General Jo Ellen Powell receives a poster made by girls who attend the Ulu Camii mosque in Bad Homburg, a suburb of Frankfurt.

“Windows on America”
Ever since their arrival in August 2005, Mission’s public diplomacy sections. encourage lasting relationships between
Ambassador William R. Timken and his Ambassador and Mrs. Timken hope that the American and Muslim German youth.
wife Sue have made it a priority to reach program will encourage more positive views

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): KIRSTEN GERSTNER; (OPPOSITE PAGE): MIRIAM JASTER


out and engage the Muslim community in of the U.S. among the next generation of Firsthand Impressions
Germany. The first group to participate in the
One of the most exciting initiatives in program was organized in Duesseldorf in
their first year has been the development of June 2006. Since then, two groups from
the program “Windows on America,” which
YOUNG GERMAN Berlin have had the opportunity to gain
gives high school students with immigrant MUSLIMS GET A FRESH firsthand impressions of American society
backgrounds the opportunity to travel to VIEW OF THE U.S. and culture.
the U.S. for a 10-day educational program. Participants travel to cities such as New
These students, largely Muslim and under- York and Washington for a very full
represented in traditional exchange BY SCOTT RAULAND program that includes visits to well-known
programs, have the chance to become per- AND places such as Ellis Island and Ground Zero
sonally acquainted with Americans and the and to typical American gathering places
American way of life. RUTH ANNE STEVENS such as community centers and museums.
The program is a public-private partner- They also stay with host families and visit
ship, financed through donations from American high schools, where they meet
German and American companies and German youth from immigrant back- directly with their peers. The students come
organized and administered by the grounds and promote understanding and back with greatly altered views about the

18 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Together with Ms. Gonca Aydin, a
Turkish theologian who is responsible for
interreligious dialogue with Ditib, the U.S.
Embassy in Berlin and the Consulate
General in Frankfurt invited girls to apply.
The group was selected through a contest
for which the participants were asked to
write a short essay about their “Window on
America.” Ambassador and Mrs. Timken
met with interested girls and their parents
for a town hall meeting in Frankfurt on
January 18 to explain the program and the
selection procedure.

Prior Engagements
This “Windows on America” group is
building on several years of engagement
efforts with Muslim groups in Frankfurt’s
consular district. This year’s Iftaar recep-
tion hosted by Consul General Powell
and attended by Ambassador and Mrs.
Timken was well received by the Muslim
community.
Army Chaplain Abdul-Rasheed Moham-
Above: Ambassador Timken, right, and U.S. Army chaplain Abdul-Rasheed Mohammad greet a guest
at an Iftaar hosted by Consul General Powell in Frankfurt. Below: Ambassador and Mrs. Timken look mad led the prayer. Before the Iftaar,
at a picture at the opening of the exhibit on American mosques. Ambassador Timken and CG Powell
opened an exhibition about American
mosques at the Frankfurt City Library’s
international branch, located in the Gallus
district where many Muslims and other
people with immigrant backgrounds live.
This exhibit, which has since traveled to
several other cities in Germany, shows new
audiences the diversity of Muslim life in
America and the successful integration of
Muslims in the U.S.
Since the successful completion of the
pilot projects in Duesseldorf and Berlin,
“Windows on America” has expanded into a
nationwide program. In addition to the
girls’ group from Frankfurt, public diplo-
United States, as well as lasting contacts chapter of the Turkish-Islamic Union of the macy staff members are planning projects
with their new American friends. Institute for Religion (Ditib) thanked the with groups across Germany and anticipate
“This project has given me a new per- Consul General for her visit and expressed a sending approximately 100 students per
spective of the U.S., and it has forced me to strong interest in contacts with the Muslim year on this program.
reevaluate my beliefs and prejudices about community in the United States. Major German and American corpora-
the U.S,” said one German student. The visit not only attracted attention in tions have responded positively to the
Efforts are now underway to organize a the German media, but the Turkish daily Timkens’ initiative by contributing more
fourth group of students for the “Windows Hürriyet (60,000 circulation for the Euro- than $250,000 to the effort to date. The
on America” program, this time in Frank- pean edition) also carried a story on demands of organizing a program of this
furt with a focus on a girls-only group that December 12 about the visit and the scale are more than offset by the rewards:
appeals to families of more conservative efforts to organize a “Windows on the visible difference this program makes in
backgrounds. Frankfurt Consul General Jo America” group. the lives of the students and a greatly
Ellen Powell visited the Ulu Camii Mosque The idea for a girls’ group evolved out of improved image of the U.S. among young
near Frankfurt in December to meet with a roundtable for Muslim women leaders Muslims in Germany. ■
students and interested parents. The chil- hosted by Mrs. Timken and CG Powell in
dren were very interested in hearing about September 2006. Special requirements for Scott Rauland is the public affairs officer in
America and asked Ms. Powell numerous the host families will be considered, and Frankfurt; Ruth Anne Stevens is the assistant
questions about the United States and her two female Muslim chaperones will accom- cultural affairs officer in Berlin and coordina-
personal life. The chairman of the Frankfurt pany the group. tor of the “Windows on America” program.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 19


Blue skies and bluer seas are just part
of the scenery surrounding the busy
U.S. Embassy in Suva.

PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS

20 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


<<< POST OF THE MONTH

Suva
South Pacific Islands Abound
With Challenges and Charms

By Heidi Gibson

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 21


Below: Like a scene from Hollywood, the sun sets over Suva.
Top right: Two future leaders of Kiribati show confidence in
the small nation’s future. Bottom right: The Suva embassy
team lends several hands for Clean-up Fiji Day.

When they hear the words “South Pacific,” many people visual- compete in an era of globalization without the advantages of
ize gleaming white beaches with swaying palms, World War II economies of scale or convenient location.
Marines fighting across islands inch by inch, scantily clad tribes or With the expiration of the World Trade Organization Agree-
even Rossano Brazzi singing “Some Enchanted Evening.” ment on Textiles and Clothing in 2004, Fiji’s textile industry
What they probably don’t visualize is Suva, Fiji, a commercial largely collapsed. Fiji’s other traditional export earner, sugar, is
and governmental center and a town with considerable charms. also struggling. Tourism, though, is a winner, so long as there is
The U.S. Embassy in Suva, with 19 direct-hire Americans, political stability.
including the Peace Corps and Defense Attaché offices, has The U.S. has been a strong advocate for democratic values
responsibility for all U.S. relations with five countries—Fiji, Kiri- throughout the Pacific, but the road has been bumpy in Fiji, with
bati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu—plus consular and defense four coups in 20 years. The most recent was last December, when
responsibilities for France’s Pacific territories. the military commander grabbed presidential powers. That act
The geography spans five million square miles, a huge swath of triggered tough international sanctions, including by the U.S.
ocean speckled with mostly small islands and plenty of scenic Abroad, the Fiji military has a more positive record, having con-
vistas, plus diverse cultures and challenging work. tributed over many years to peacekeeping operations around the
In the opinion of many, the greatest strengths of Fiji are its world, including in the Sinai and with the United Nations in Iraq.
friendly people and laid-back atmosphere. In an area where the
usual foreigners are “Aussies” or “Kiwis,” Americans are a bit of a A Growing Hub
novelty. It is impossible to go anywhere without receiving Fiji has long been a crossroads for the Pacific, and its popula-
PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN SUVA

beaming smiles and friendly greetings of “bula,” which means tion is a blend of Melanesians (like Papuans) and Polynesians
hello. Life is casual. At official functions, men wear Hawaiian-style (like Hawaiians). Suva, with a population of around 100,000 plus
shirts. Locals refer to the relaxed pace as “Fiji time.” perhaps another 200,000 in nearby squatter settlements, hosts a
large number of regional and international organizations.
Small Fish, Big Pond The embassy is similarly developing into a regional hub. Last
Although many of the Pacific Islands look like picturesque out- summer, the Department established an environmental hub for the
posts that the modern age has bypassed, they face issues similar to Pacific in Suva. Fisheries, climate change and conservation of bio-
those other developing nations face. They are struggling to diversity are all issues of vital importance to the region and to the

22 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


U.S. The new hub officer, Joe Murphy,
coordinates environmental initiatives AT A GLANCE: FIJI
across a dozen Pacific island countries in
an area that encompasses both the
world’s largest and most productive fish-
eries and the majority of the planet’s
coral reefs and marine biodiversity.
This summer, a regional public affairs
officer will arrive, dramatically increas-
ing U.S. ability to engage with Pacific
nations, which have 12 U.N. General
Assembly votes—more than 6 percent of
the total.

Multicultural Pleasures and Pains


Indigenous Fijians comprise more
than half the population of what was
once known as the “Cannibal Isles.” Mis-
sionaries, mostly Methodist, converted
them to Christianity in the mid 1800s.
About 40 percent of the population is
Indo-Fijian, descendants of Indian
workers brought in during the British
colonial period to work on sugar planta-
tions. The remainder of the population
is Chinese, European and other Pacific
Islanders.
During the course of a year, embassy
staff sing carols at Christmas; dress in
saris for Diwali, the Hindu festival of
lights; and celebrate the birthdays of
both the Prophet Mohammed and
Queen Elizabeth II.
An official visit to a traditional Fijian Capital Per capita income
village is always ceremonial and will Suva $6,100
include several bowls of kava, a mild
herbal drug pounded from the root of a Government Imports
pepper plant. Republic Manufactured goods, machinery
The tightly knit embassy community and transportation equipment
eagerly participates in local activities. Independence
The embassy took second place in the October 10, 1970 (from the Import partners
recent diplomatic “Mini Olympics,” United Kingdom) Singapore (27.5 percent), Australia
which featured events such as sack (23.7 percent) and New Zealand
racing, gumboot tossing and the hotly Population (19 percent)
contested tug-of-war. The embassy team 906,000
for the annual “Clean-up Fiji” day Exports
helped tidy up Suva’s waterfront. Languages Sugar, garments, gold and timber
Suva is on the eastern, rainy side of English, Fijian and Hindustani
Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, which is Export partners
about the size of the big island of Total area United States (19.7 percent),
Hawaii. Suva receives 120 inches of rain 18,270 square kilometers Australia (17 percent) and the
a year, encouraging tropical blooms in United Kingdom (12.3 percent)
profusion. Pleasant resorts and the Approximate size
international airport range along the Slightly smaller than New Jersey Internet country code
coast of the western, sunny side. .fj
Even with the wet weather, outdoor Currency
activities are plentiful. Embassy staff Fijian dollar (FJD) SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2007
hike, scuba dive and golf. Fiji’s coral

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 23


Approximately half of all Tongans live overseas, mostly
in New Zealand, the United States and Australia.
reefs are world-famous, and while Suva has United States and Australia. Remittances 100,000 people, straddles the Equator for
mangroves instead of the white sand many from expatriates are the main driver of the around 3,000 miles. Tarawa, the capital,
associate with the Pacific Islands, beaches Tongan economy. will be familiar to World War II buffs.
are only an hour or two away. Politically, Tonga has lately been Far to the east, Christmas Island has
inching toward a more democratic system, regular flights from Hawaii and is an
Five for the Price of One though not without difficulty. Disputes angler’s paradise.
Embassy Suva’s efforts to engage diplo- between activists and traditionalists over Nauru, with a population of approxi-
matically with Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and the pace of political reform contributed to mately 9,000, is just eight square miles in
Tuvalu can be an exercise in creativity and a riot last November that
endurance. Trips depend on sometimes- resulted in 80 percent of
unreliable airline schedules. One flight the capital city Nuku’alofa’s A narrow-gauge sugar
cane train chugs through
failure can mean being stranded on a very central business district
Fiji’s western region.
small island for a week or more. Inevitably, being destroyed. Fortu-
embassy staff often must communicate itously, Consul Debra
with the outlying governments by phone, Towry was in Tonga at the
fax and e-mail. time and could comfort the
These are truly tiny nations, and each resident American commu-
has a character all its own. nity and assist tourists in
Tonga, long governed by one of the arranging departures.
world’s last absolute monarchies, was never The U.S. has encouraged
formally colonized, though it has a long political progress and wel-
and close relationship with Britain and has comed Tonga’s staunch
adopted a number of classic British tradi- support in the war on ter-
PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN SUVA

tions. When Ambassador Larry Dinger rorism and its


presented credentials to King Tupou IV, a contributions to interna-
morning coat and top hat were mandatory, tional peacekeeping. The
even in tropical heat. That regalia was Tonga government recently
expected again for the late King’s funeral approved a second deploy-
last September. ment of troops to Iraq.
Approximately half of all Tongans live Kiribati (pronounced
overseas, mostly in New Zealand, the KIR-i-bas), a nation of

24 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Located on Fiji’s “other” big
island, Savusavu is often
called Fiji’s best kept secret.

Left: Information Management Officer Rydell


Fletcher teaches, seated from left, Jae Lee,
Patricia Moore and Cherisa Roe how to use
their new BlackBerries.

Tuvalu, nine tiny coral atolls with a pop-


ulation of 10,000, is about two hours north
of Fiji via a propeller plane small enough
that passengers can peer into the cockpit
and look over the pilot’s shoulder.
Landing at Funafuti, the capital, is an
experience. The nation’s sole fire engine
cranks its siren to full blare and traverses
the length of the unfenced runway that was
built by American soldiers during World
War II. Kids playing soccer scurry to the
side. The government’s open-air meeting
house, right next to the arrival hall, sus-
pends its parliament session or judicial
hearing or dance gathering. All hands
gather to observe the new arrivals. For the
next several days, everyone, everywhere on
the island will smile and wave a “hello.”
area. The mining of guano for phosphate Over the last 20 years, Nauru’s govern-
And that encapsulates life in the South
fertilizer led to a brief period of wealth, ment has changed 22 times. The country
Pacific. Challenges abound for the small
but depletion of the resource and misman- was put on the blacklist of the Financial
islands and for the embassy, but the people
agement of revenues eventually left only Action Task Force for Money Laundering,
greet each day with an exuberant and
financial disaster and a denuded landscape. and the U.S. Export-Import Bank was
infectious spirit of joy. ■
Nauru has the unfortunate distinction of obliged to repossess Air Nauru’s sole air-
plummeting from one of the world’s craft. With embassy encouragement, the
highest per capita gross domestic products current government has instituted appro- The author is a consular/commercial officer
to one of the lowest. priate reforms. at the U.S. Embassy in Suva.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 25


The Winds of Generosity
EMBASSY HELPS COMMUNITY AFTER TYPHOON AND FIRE BY KIM FULLERTON

Buting Bridge fire victims pose with


U.S. Embassy Club volunteers.

embassy families that strives to make a posi-

Typhoon Milenyo,
known internationally as Xangsane, was the strongest
tive difference through volunteerism and
charitable donations. USEC supports eight
charities in the metro Manila region, from
orphanages to the ever-popular Project
Smile.
storm to hit Manila in more than a decade and passed USEC President Christiane Armstrong
directly through the Philippines’ capital on September was faced with an immense challenge: With
28, 2006. The city was turned into an impassable maze so many needing help in the wake of
Typhoon Milenyo, where could the club be
of uprooted trees, downed power lines, flooded roads most effective? The answer was soon clear,
and damaged buildings. With torrential rains and gale- as USEC volunteers found when they
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHRISTIANE ARMSTRONG

force winds of more than 100 miles per hour, the visited the Buting Bridge slums.
Constructed along rivers, railroad tracks,
typhoon was blamed for 179 deaths and nearly $120 dumps and government land, Manila’s slum
million in damage throughout the country. communities are the center of urban
poverty in the country. Living in homes
As the U.S. Embassy began disaster Kristie A. Kenney also wanted to reach out built of cardboard, tin, discarded lumber
response for the mission community, many to suffering Filipino communities. She and tarps, residents are at the mercy of all
of whom were without power, telephone turned to the U.S. Embassy Club, a commu- types of natural disasters, as well as devas-
and water for several days, Ambassador nity service organization composed of tating fires.

26 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Above: The Buting Bridge fire left ruin in its wake. Below: Two young fire victims settle into their temporary housing.

Immediately after Typhoon Milenyo, a Buting Bridge children as students. fire victims, who were staying at a tempo-
portion of a slum community located Although USEC’s mission with Trichet rary shelter. The 27 families who had lost
around and under Buting Bridge in usually supports its work with children everything in two back-to-back tragedies
Makati—just minutes from many embassy afflicted with autism, cerebral palsy and were thrilled to receive the bags of donated
homes—burned down. Twenty-seven fami- Down’s syndrome, it was clear that the goods, including everything from canned
lies were suddenly homeless; the few embassy community’s help was most food to hygiene products to children’s
possessions they had been able to save from urgently needed to help the families of clothes.
the typhoon were now lost forever. Buting Bridge get back on their feet. The volunteers toured the fire-ravaged
Trichet Learning Center, one of the chari- USEC engineered a two-day drive at the neighborhood. They were amazed at the
ties supported by USEC, counts many embassy and the Seafront residential com- devastation, but even more awed by the
pound to collect an everyday living conditions of Manila’s slum
impressive amount of dwellers. The homes left standing are
canned food, rice, cramped, dark and stifling. A standard
clothes and toys from living space for a family of as many as 10
embassy employees— people is about 8 x 8 feet, with walls made
both Americans and of found supplies such as cardboard. Furni-
Locally Employed ture is rare and women cook on small
Staff. Even though portable stoves. School attendance is unreli-
many families were able, as many children are sent to work
staying with friends or begging in the streets, and adult unemploy-
in hotels after their ment is high. It was clear that the donations
own homes were would be put to good use in Buting Bridge.
damaged or flooded, “Milenyo caused a lot of damage to many
they returned home to of our homes,” Armstrong said. “But every-
sort through their one immediately looked past their own
closets and cupboards problems to help those more in need. What
to find goods and sup- a great way to show our Filipino friends that
plies to donate. Americans at the embassy really care.” ■
USEC volunteers
brought the donation The author is an Employed Family Member
to the Buting Bridge at the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 27


The Hiawatha plies the Bosphorus
near Rumeli Hisar.

Belle of the Bosphorus


AN AMERICAN ICON PLIES THE BOSPHORUS FOR 75 YEARS BY MARK CAUDILL

In 1932, the global economy sputtered and Germany, Italy October sailing season. She can accommo-
date 15 passengers, and a 160-horsepower
and Japan had begun the machinations that would again General Motors diesel engine propels her to
plunge the world into war. The newly minted Republic of speeds of up to 15 knots.
Turkey, led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was transforming
Manifest Destiny
itself from Ottoman remnant to modern, Western state. The Hiawatha’s most important role
And in Istanbul, then still the capital, a graceful, 50-foot remains representational, however. Three
motor launch called the Hiawatha began plying the waters U.S. ambassadors and 27 consuls general
of the Bosphorus. She continues to this day. have proudly served as her custodians
through the years. Many have fond memo-
Now the longest-running ship on the the embassy to Ankara, Ambassador Sherrill ries of notable guests and adventures
Bosphorus, the Hiawatha has become donated the Hiawatha to the U.S. govern- aboard the vessel. Some of the VIPs treated
PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL

a potent symbol of Turkish-American ment. For a period, she was included in the to Bosphorus cruises include first ladies
relations and our committed presence in consulate’s motor pool and crewed by con- Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton
the region. sulate staff. (1953 and 1999, respectively), General
Constructed of teak and mahogany with Long operated by a private contractor at Douglas MacArthur (1932) and NATO
brass fittings by the American Car and no cost to the U.S. government—her Supreme Commander General Dwight
Foundry Company in Wilmington, Del., in upkeep is underwritten by American busi- Eisenhower (1952). The passenger manifest
1922, the Hiawatha was brought to Istanbul nesses—the Hiawatha is managed by the has sparkled with artists such as the great
by its first owner, Ambassador Charles H. consulate general’s employees association American writer James Baldwin, ground-
Sherrill. At the conclusion of his tour in and may be rented by members and affili- breaking composer Philip Glass and
1933, and with the move of the capital and ates for excursions during the April- renowned glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.

28 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Above: Turkish industrialist Rahmi Koc stands in front of the Hiawatha in dry
dock. Top right: Gen. Dwight Eisenhower smiles during his Istanbul visit in
1952. Bottom right: The Hiawatha shows burn damage following the 1989
terrorist bombing.

Adding a further star turn to the federal budget cuts in 1987 (when then- structural, drive train and safety upgrades
Hiawatha’s lore, in 1975 Consul General Consul General William E. Rau said he likely are required.
Howard P. Mace took her to Imrali Island in would sell her over his dead body), Last November, the Hiawatha was taken
the Sea of Marmara to visit American the Hiawatha faced her gravest challenge to a dry dock facility in Tuzla, southeast of
inmate Billy Hayes. Upon arriving at the in 1989. Istanbul, thanks to the generosity of Turkish
quay, he was informed that Hayes—whose Early on the morning of Dec. 6, the industrial magnate, sailor and longtime
experiences formed the basis of the 1978 leftist terrorist group “16 June,” well aware Hiawatha admirer Rahmi Koc.
film “Midnight Express” (screenwriter of the Hiawatha’s significance as an emblem It is the sincere hope of current and
Oliver Stone subsequently apologized for its of U.S.-Turkish amity, firebombed her at former employees of the U.S. Consulate
scurrilous depiction of Turks and her moorings in Kurucesme, a historic General in Istanbul, and of all those who
Turkey)—had escaped earlier that day. neighborhood on the Bosphorus not far have had the privilege and pleasure of
More recently, the Hiawatha has borne from the consul general’s official residence. viewing the Bosphorus and Golden Horn
Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia, Although much of her superstructure was from her deck, that the Hiawatha again will
Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader severely burned, the Hiawatha remained be restored to prime condition, ready to
Ginsberg, as well as a host of Congressional fundamentally sound and—following a thrill future generations of Americans and
representatives. four-month renovation—returned to Turks as an enduring envoy of friendship in
The Hiawatha’s original captain, Naci service in May 1990. the storied city where East meets West.
Bey, remained at the helm for more than With her classic profile and plucky char- The ongoing, vital assistance provided
five decades until his retirement in 1986. acter, the Hiawatha has continued to inspire by corporate sponsors will help realize
ship spotters in Istanbul and imitators who that hope. ■
Budgets and Bombs have constructed replicas. However, with
Saved by the consulate’s employees asso- fourscore-and-five years of cruising to her The author is a vice consul at the U.S.
ciation from being sold in the wake of keel, she is showing her age. Significant Consulate General in Istanbul.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 29


Do you know where the
newest U.S. embassy in the
world is? No, it’s not Iraq,
Afghanistan or East Timor.
It is Tripoli, Libya.

Shores of Tripoli
New Embassy Ushers in a New Era By Rafik Mansour

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): GETTY IMAGES; (OPPOSITE PAGE): U.S. EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI

30 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


The United States restored The embassy, with the help of deputy secretaries of Commerce International Security Robert
full diplomatic ties with Libya the Foreign Commercial Service and Health, who accompanied Joseph and several congression-
on May 31, 2006, after three office in Cairo, hosted a two- Under Secretary of State for al delegations round out the
decades of isolation. The Libyan story pavilion with more than Democracy and Global Affairs roster of important visitors.
government renounced its 20 exhibitors, as well as infor- Paula Dobriansky in July 2006 Once the breadbasket of the
pursuit of weapons of mass mation booths promoting to promote broader cooperation Roman Empire, Libya provides
destruction and its support for educational opportunities at in science, health, the environ- embassy families with a range
terrorism in 2003. The U.S. U.S. institutions. In addition, the ment and technology. They of activities and travel opportu-
Liaison Office in Tripoli was public diplomacy section hosted witnessed the signing of a $1 nities both inside and outside
established in 2004. Libya was two performances by a reggae million grant for pandemic Tripoli. Scuba diving is popular
removed from the list of states band, Luna Angel, on the fair’s influenza planning, disease sur- along Libya’s 2,000-kilometer
sponsoring terrorism a month “USA Day.” Almost 10,000 veillance and response stretch of beaches. Several
after the upgrade to an embassy. Libyans, mostly young people, measures, and enhancing labo- employees attend a martial arts
Embassy staffers, including cheered and waved U.S. flags as ratory capacity. school operating inside an old
25 direct-hire Americans, are at the band performed. Assistant Secretary for church building in downtown
the forefront of transformation- The embassy coordinates Oceans, Environment and Tripoli. Libya is world-
al diplomacy as they engage closely with many U.S. govern- Science Claudia McMurray fol- renowned for the Roman ruins
with Libyans to advance the ment agencies to provide lowed up in November with a in Leptis Magna and Sabratha,
bilateral agenda. Promoting Libyans the assistance they need visit to develop implementation as well as Greek ruins in
democracy in Libya is the work to eliminate their WMDs and strategies for additional cooper- Cyrene.
of a generation. retrain their scientists to use ation in public health, The American School is open
A top priority is to restore their expertise in peaceful renewable energy, water desali- and adding a 9th and 10th grade
educational, cultural and artistic endeavors. nation and environmental in 2007. The embassy will soon
ties between the two countries. Experts participating in more protection. move from its current hotel
Fifteen Libyans have participat- than 40 U.S. scientific delega- location to a temporary site
ed in the International Visitors tions have conferred with their PROMOTING STABILITY pending the identification of a
Program. Another fifteen have Libyan counterparts during the As a founding member of the permanent embassy site and
been nominated for Fulbright past two years. The most widely African Union, Libya plays an construction of a new building.
scholarships. Four are teaching publicized group was a National important role in the promo- Meanwhile, embassy employ-
Arabic and taking university Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tion of regional stability. ees value the chance to
courses in the U.S. through the tration team that conducted Consequently, Assistant Secre- participate in a U.S. foreign
Fulbright Foreign Language solar physics experiments tary for African Affairs Jendayi policy success story and to live
Teaching Assistant program. during the March 2006 solar Frazer visited in February 2006 in Libya as it re-engages with the
eclipse. Libya, in the eclipse’s to discuss developments in the international community and
USA DAY path of totality, was deemed the Darfur region of Sudan with the transforms its institutions. ■
Last April, Libyans at the most effective site for data col- Libyan leadership.
Tripoli International Trade Fair lection. Under Secretary for Manage- The author is the public affairs
applauded the first U.S. partici- Many senior U.S. officials ment Henrietta Fore, Under officer at the U.S. Embassy
pation in more than 30 years. have visited Libya, including the Secretary for Arms Control and in Tripoli.

Opposite page: Boats float by the El Mina mosque in


Tripoli. Left: Thousands of young Libyans cheer at
the Luna Angel concert in Tripoli. Above: Embassy
officers jump into the Ghadames Natural Spring.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 31


O F F I C E O F T H E M O N T H

An Afghan woman casts her vote in a women’s polling station in southern Afghanistan.

International
Women’s Issues
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY BY EMPOWERING WOMEN BY JENNIFER LELAND
PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): ELIZABETH DALZIEL/AP; (OPPOSITE PAGE): JENNIFER LELAND

According to the United Nations Development Fund for ed and empowered women are vital to democracy—and impor-
Women, most of the world’s 1.3 billion “absolute poor” are tant for the development of all countries.”
women. On average, women receive 30 to 40 percent less pay than Created by Congressional mandate in 1994, State’s Office of the
men for the same work. And everywhere, women continue to be Senior Coordinator for International Women’s Issues serves as the
victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence cited as sig- focal point within the federal government for the integration of
nificant causes of disability and death. women’s issues into broader U.S. strategic, economic and diplo-
Despite such inequality, there is a growing awareness that peace matic goals.
and social progress require the active participation of women. As “We are ramping up our focus on global women’s issues,” says
First Lady Laura Bush said, “No society can prosper when half of Deborah Emmert, senior advisor for the Broader Middle East and
its population is not allowed to contribute to its progress. Educat- North Africa. “IWI is the loudspeaker to make sure women’s

32 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


issues are integrated into policy. This is a very interesting time
because there is more awareness that including women is
absolutely integral to successful democracies.”
At a Glance
The nine-member staff of IWI—which reports to the Under
Office name
Secretary for Global Affairs—is comprised of Foreign Service and
Civil Service personnel, contractors and an American Association
Office of the Senior Coordinator for
for the Advancement of Science Fellow. The office brings attention International Women’s Issues
to issues such as the political and economic participation of
women, access to education and health care and protection of Symbol
women’s rights. G/IWI
“The mission of this office is really to make sure that women’s
rights are not segregated from human rights,” says Andrea Office Director
Bottner, who was appointed senior coordinator for International
Women’s Issues last December. Bottner, an attorney who previ-
Andrea G. Bottner
ously directed the Office of Violence Against Women at the Justice
Department, says the office plays a coordinating role, linking Staff size
people and resources. 9
IWI works closely with other State offices and posts. Working
with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad last June, for example, the Office Location
office sponsored a delegation of Iraqi women leaders to partici- SA-22, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 2135
pate in an international economic forum in the U.S.
IWI also works with posts on reporting on the status of women
worldwide for the annual Human Rights Report. Last July, IWI
Web site(s)
hosted a roundtable discussion on how Foreign Service officers can www.state.gov/g/wi
enhance their efforts to report on women’s issues from the field.

From left, Andrea Bottner and part of the IWI staff: Kenya Kyler, Kathryn Kargman, Valerie Keitt, Penny Rechkemmer, Deborah Emmert and Orna Blum.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 33


O F F I C E O F T H E M O N T H

Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, women have stayed out of power and have been prevented from
left, joined then-Iraqi State Minister for Women’s Affairs Narmin Othman obtaining leadership positions, so they have very little experience
in 2004 to kick off the Iraqi Women’s Democracy Initiative. with and no knowledge of leadership.”
In February and March of 2006, IWI sponsored a delegation of
Political and Leadership Training Iraqi women leaders, including newly elected members of the
This mission directly affects the welfare not only of women, but Council of Representatives and heads of nongovernmental organi-
of whole societies. “Women account for half of the population,” zations, to participate in the U.N. Commission on the Status of
says Bottner, “so democracy rings hollow if half of the population Women and International Women’s Day events. The women also
is isolated.” shadowed members of Congress and took part in state and local

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE; (OPPOSITE PAGE): JENNIFER LELAND


To support the active political participation of women, the government assembly meetings in Maryland and Virginia.
office has been instrumental in implementing the Iraqi Women’s IWI, in coordination with the Bureau of Democracy, Human
Democracy Initiative since September 2004. Rights and Labor and the U.S. Agency for International Develop-
“We really work to provide targeted training based on the needs ment, has also worked with the Bureau of African Affairs on the
women have voiced,” says Emmert. “Topics may include how to Women’s Justice and Empowerment Initiative in Africa. Four
run for office, be an activist for things in the constitution, get out target countries were identified to receive assistance such as tech-
the vote, work with media or set up independent parties—and we nical training, the development of DNA labs and other specialized
work with sustainability in mind.” equipment, and the establishment of hotline numbers for report-
To date, IWI programs in Iraq have trained some 5,000 women of ing rape or violence.
all ages in key areas. Over 50 percent of the women elected to the
Council of Representatives were trained by grantees of the Initiative. Business and Entrepreneurial Training
“This is the first time anyone has given us the political skills we The economic empowerment of women is a major focus for
so badly need,” said one participant in a candidate workshop. the office. “Part of our job is to think of solutions that are collabo-
“What you have shown us will make it possible to do a better job rative and bring a fresh perspective,” says Bottner. “We are very
for the Iraqi people we wish to help.” interested in public-private partnerships, because everything can’t
The Initiative also established a Women’s Leadership Institute be done by government alone. It makes much better sense to have
in Baghdad and democracy resource centers in four universities. buy-in by corporations on these issues.”
“I think this is exactly the kind of training Iraqi women need,” The U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council Partnership with George-
said one leadership conference participant. “For so long, Iraqi town University is one innovative public-private initiative that

34 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Above: Andrea Bottner was appointed Senior Coordinator for
International Women’s Issues last December. Below, left: Several of the
350 delegates to a 2004 conference held in Baghdad signed this poster
to show their commitment to democracy for Iraqi women.

links governments, private sectors and NGOs to practical projects


benefiting women. The council provided $1 million in seed
funding for literacy and job-training programs in new women’s
resource centers in more than half of Afghanistan’s provinces.
The council also supports microfinance programs to help women
establish small businesses.
As reported in IWI’s newsletter, the Iraq Women’s Economic
Empowerment Working Group met in Washington last July to
discuss Iraqi women entrepreneurs’ access to training, training
materials, credit, mentoring and venues to sell their goods. Par-
ticipants worked to create online business training in Arabic and
develop an “Adopt an Entrepreneur Program,” a one-on-one
mentoring program that links U.S. women business owners with
Iraqi women entrepreneurs.

International Women’s Day


In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day,
celebrated on March 8, Secretary Rice established an annual
award honoring women from each geographic region who have
shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for
women’s rights. IWI administers the awards and will work with
overseas posts to bolster women’s rights. ■

The author is a writer/editor at State Magazine.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 35


Margery Gehan, left, and Lynn Herzing, third from left, from the Office of Personnel Security and Suitability, join Office of Personnel Management instruc-
tors Tom Judge and Colleen Coleman at the EFM Investigators’ graduation ceremonies.

Portable Careers
Agency Cooperation Through creative manage-
ment, the Department’s Office
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
and OPM combined resources
nership. They hired 18 overseas
EFMs as DS special investiga-
Lets Eligible Family of Personnel Security and Suit- to allow the processing of secu- tors who directly contribute to
ability and the Office of rity clearances overseas to faster security clearance inves-
Members Fill Personnel Management have proceed faster, more efficiently tigations.
Employment Needs forged an alliance that exempli- and at reduced cost. The DS and OPM entered into a

PHOTOGRAPHS: OFFICE OF PERSONNEL SECURITY AND SUITABILITY


fies efficiency in government, Economy Act of 1932 allows Memorandum of Understand-
while also benefiting Eligible federal government agencies to ing, which outlined this
By Margery Gehan Family Members. purchase goods or services collaborative arrangement. It
The program involves hiring from other federal government was determined that OPM’s
family members at missions agencies when it is deemed to greatest investigative needs were
abroad to fill the gap in be in the best interest of the in the high-volume areas of
employment opportunities government. London, Frankfurt, Seoul and
overseas. Donald R. Reid, DS senior Tokyo/Naha. A job announce-
Faced with the challenge of coordinator for Security Infra- ment was posted for the EFMs
meeting the provisions of the structure, and Kathy L. at these embassies and con-
Intelligence Reform and Terror- Dillaman, associate director of sulates. After resumes were
ism Prevention Act of 2004 for the Federal Investigative Serv- reviewed and selections made,
timeliness in processing securi- ices Division at OPM, the new investigator candidates
ty clearance investigations, the orchestrated this dynamic part- were flown to Boyers, Pa., to

36 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


The first class to graduate from
the two-week State Department/
OPM investigator training program
included Eligible Family Members
from around the world.

special investigators participated


in orientation sessions at mili-
tary installations in London,
Frankfurt, Seoul and
Tokyo/Naha to get an overview
attend a two-week DS/OPM personnel security investiga- the Family Liaison Office, a of the Defense Department
investigator training program. tions for the federal demographic study of EFMs environment, as well as an
Most of the training was con- government. Two others had serving at U.S. embassies and introduction to the security
ducted at OPM’s training already met OPM standards to consulates found that more contacts on the bases. The
facility in Boyers, a former lime- perform security clearance than three-quarters possess a program is slated to expand to
stone mine converted into office investigations. As they transfer bachelor’s degree and more other locations.
space 250 feet below the to other posts, they are qualified than half of those have a “This newly formed State
ground. The investigators for continued employment with master’s or other professional and OPM partnership is a win-
attended lectures, trained in the Department and OPM. degree. win situation for the federal
report writing and participated “Identifying a talented pool “This program will provide government and the American
in mock interviews to hone of candidates overseas who are spouses the opportunity to taxpayer,” said Onusko. It also
their interviewing skills. OPM qualified to perform security develop a portable career that responds to Secretary Rice’s
instructors taught the course, clearance investigations was the they can carry with them as goal of employing EFMs to
with DS instructors providing cornerstone to this innovative they move from post to post increase retention and boost
State-specific training. solution,” said James C. Onusko, around the world,” she said. morale among Foreign Service
Sixteen special investigators director of the Office of Person- A more efficient process for employees. ■
graduated from the program in nel Security and Suitability. security clearances will soon
November and were issued EFMs constitute a wealth of become a reality for military The author is an executive assis-
Department credentials author- work experience. According to and civilian personnel assigned tant in the Office of Personnel
izing them to conduct Ann D. Greenberg, director of overseas. In December, EFM Security and Suitability.

Who are the EFM Investigators?


The Bureau of Diplomatic Security asked the Eligible Family Members to complete a questionnaire
during the course of the training program to learn a little about them.
The group has more than 94 years of cumulative federal government service. Of the 18 investigators,
16 have bachelor’s degrees, seven have master’s degrees and one has a Ph.D. Three have past law
enforcement experience; one did background investigations in the U.S. for the Office of
Personnel Management before moving overseas.
Many of the EFMs said they had given up careers in the States to accompany a
spouse overseas and expressed frustration at not being able to find steady
employment, given the limited job options for trailing spouses. One investigator
retired from the Foreign Service and is now accompanying his Foreign Service
wife. He said this position has provided a “new vista” for him.
Most said they decided to work as investigators because the job seemed chal-
lenging. They also cited the independence and flexibility. One said the flexibility will
allow him to stay at home with his one-year-old son.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 37


PHOTOGRAPHS: CORBIS

38 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Second Nature
LIFE AFTER THE FOREIGN SERVICE BY DOROTHY L. WATSON
The Foreign Service Retiree sors, Foreign Service retirees retirees from the Foreign 1,802 species of birds around
Association of Florida, with and college students role- Service and other international the world.
approximately 800 members, is playing delegates to UNSC. The careers who remain active in Retired ambassador Ken Hill,
the largest such group in the Model UNSC has since become local civic and service work. who participated in his first
country. Many of its members an annual U.N. Day event in Dr. Daniel Luu, a former senior Model UNSC in 2003, is now
settled in the Sarasota-Braden- Sarasota-Bradenton. Our advisor on population studies the chapter's vice president for
ton area because of its cultural monthly meetings feature at the U.N., is a former presi- programs, a frequent speaker at
attractions and active interna- speakers who address U.N. and dent of the Sarasota-Manatee meetings and a member of the
tional organizations. other international issues. UNA-USA chapter and presi- SILL board. Retired ambassa-
Among the latter are the local The chapter's current inter- dent of the Florida UNA-USA dor Shirley Barnes has
chapter of the United Nations national project is division. He initiated and led participated in our programs,
Association of the United States, Adopt-a-School for Girls in six annual high school Model including launching her debate
Sister Cities International, Liberia, an effort to support U.N. programs. in the Model UNSC in French.
Rotary, the Sarasota Institute of that country's newly elected Retired FSO Paul Byrnes is Retired ambassador Don Leidel
Lifetime Learning, the U.N. female president, Madam serving his second stint as pres- is a member of the chapter
Fund for Women and several Johnson Sirleaf, in her efforts to ident of the Florida FS Retirees board, lectures on global issues
internationally oriented social rebuild Liberia's education Association, is a former presi- throughout the area, has taken
and political organizations. system. The project relates to dent of our UNA-USA chapter part in the Model U.N. series
Like others, I found life in the U.N.'s eight Millennium and was assistant secretary and is a member of the SILL
sunny Sarasota as a retired Goals adopted by 189 U.N. general with the World Tourism board. Retired ambassador
Foreign Service administrative member states, including Organization before Joseph Segars is a member of
officer to be a good place to the U.S., to eliminate the chapter's board, a program
stay active in international poverty and hunger in
issues. My first involvement developing countries by
was as a board member of the 2015. The project is tar-
Foreign Service Retirees Associ- geted on promoting
ation. Later, I joined the gender equality, empow-
Sarasota Opera Guild and per- ering women and girls
formed at senior nursing and developing global
homes. In 1999, I became a partnerships for devel-
board member of the Sarasota- opment projects. Two
Manatee Chapter of UNA-USA local organizations, the
and began introducing initia- U.N. Fund for Women
tives to help the association and Sister Cities, have
carry out its mission to enhance joined us in promoting
U.S. support of the U.N. the Liberian project,
Our chapter initiated several and we have plans to
major projects, beginning with link Sarasota to a sister
a successful drive to raise funds city in Liberia.
to remove landmines from The chapter's board decided retirement. Since
Croatia. Next was a presenta- to encourage the creation of an retiring from the Foreign participant and an
tion of a film on the life of Dr. affiliate organization, Young Service in 1991 and moving to avid golfer who manages to get
Ralph Bunche, followed by a Professionals for International Florida, Wade Matthews has in two rounds each week.
fundraiser to support the Cooperation, ages 20-40, which been president of our chapter, Yes, you can still share world
chapter's high school Model was formed in November 2005. an enthusiastic participant in experiences and remain active
U.N. programs. Then, for U.N. YPIC organized the Model the Model UNSC debates, a in international affairs after
Day in 2000, I proposed that UNSC on U.N. Day in 2006 and member of the Liberian project you retire. ■
our chapter organize a Model is planning an international and a frequent speaker. In his
U.N. Security Council debate, career seminar. spare time, he is conservation The author is chapter president
with local community leaders, The membership of our chair of the local Audubon of the United Nations Association
college presidents and profes- UNA-USA chapter includes Society and has identified of the United States.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 39


Where’s My
Step Increase?
A NOVICE’S GUIDE
TO SENIOR PAY

BY NANCY SERPA
AND PHIL LUSSIER

Despite exten-
sive press coverage
about “pay for per- In 2003, the Office of Personnel
formance” for the Management instituted govern-
Senior Foreign ment-wide “pay for performance”
Service or Senior guidelines to implement legislated
Executive Service, we senior pay reform. In the 2004 rating
get a surprising number cycle, members of the SES and SFS
of questions from became subject to performance-
employees about how based pay adjustments. This meant
the senior pay system no more time-in-grade-based step
works. So we decided increases, fixed pay scales and annual
to make this effort to COLAs. Instead, all senior pay
explain the system increases are based entirely on per-
in simple terms. formance. People who do not receive
an evaluation get no pay raise at all.
PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS
From 2004 to 2006, pay adjustments were $15,000 cash awards and/or SFS members motion into the senior ranks, the Wash-
made in two parts: a base pay adjustment promoted from FE-MC to FE-CM. ington locality rate is permanently
based on Congressionally-approved increas- They received a 5.7 percent increase (the incorporated into salary. Pay raises for
es to the Executive Schedule in January and Executive Schedule increase plus 4 percent) new OCs are effective the first pay
an additional performance-based adjust- in 2007. period after promotion is attested by
ment in April. For 2007, OPM mandated The chart below summarizes the criteria the President.
that all pay for performance adjustments be for the six performance tiers and the associ- • Some basic pay caps apply. OC basic
made in January to align more closely with ated pay increases for 2007. pay is capped at 102 percent of EX III
the end of the performance rating period.
This year, the two-step adjustment was com-
bined into one pay raise effective the first Senior Pay for Performance System (Summary)
pay period in January (and payable in the
February 1 paycheck).
SES and SFS performance-based salary Tier SFS Criteria SES Criteria Pay Adj. CY 2007
increases are based on similar criteria. Pay Pay Increase
adjustments are made on a six-tier scale,
with Tier I being the highest increase and I $15K, $12.5K ‘Outstanding’ Rating Tier V +4% 5.7%
Tier VI the lowest (no increase). SFS Performance Pay and (Presidential
Bonus, Promotion to Award, or $15K, or
members for whom the summer selection
CM $12.5K Performance
boards recommend no pay adjustment or Pay Bonus)
members who are involved in investigations
of wrongdoing are Tier VI employees and II $10K Award, or ‘Outstanding’ Rating Tier V +3% 4.7%
get zero pay adjustment. SES employees who Promotion to MC and $10K Award
are rated “unsatisfactory” or have ongoing
III Reviewed by Remaining Tier V +2% 3.7%
investigations are also in Tier VI. In both
Performance Pay ‘Outstanding’
services, when the investigation is complet- Board (approximately Summary Rating
ed, salary increases may be restored if the 60%)
employee is not disciplined or reprimanded.
In Tier V are SFS members who were not IV N/A ‘Exceeds Tier V + 1% 2.7%
recommended by selection boards for sub- Expectations’ Rating
sequent consideration by performance pay
V All others performing All others performing Adjustment to EX 1.7 %
boards (about 40 percent of the SFS). They
at fully successful at ‘Fully Successful’ or if no change to
received a pay adjustment equal to the level not otherwise level not otherwise EX, equal to the
Executive Schedule increase. In 2007, that disqualified disqualified adjustment to the
increase was 1.7 percent of base pay. Tier V GS exclusive of
also includes SES members who received locality pay
“fully successful” performance ratings.
VI Open Investigation/ Open 0%
Tier IV comprises SES members who
Referral to Investigation/Referral
received a rating of “exceeds expectations,” Performance to Performance
but did not receive a summary rating by the Standards, no rating Standards, no rating
Performance Review Board of “outstand-
ing.” There is no equivalent to Tier IV in
the SFS system.
Tier III employees receive the Executive A couple of points of clarification: ($157,692 in 2007); MC pay is capped
Schedule increase plus two percent (a 3.7 • Payment of performance pay cash at 107 percent of EX III ($165,422); and
percent increase in 2007). These are SFS awards to members of the Senior CM pay is capped at EX II ($168,000).
members who are reviewed by the perform- Foreign Service is limited by law to 33 SES members must have a summary
ance pay boards but do not receive cash percent of the SFS. The SES does not rating of “outstanding” by the PRB to
performance pay awards, and SES members have a statutory limit, but generally be paid above the EX III level
who receive an “outstanding” summary hovers around 50 percent. SES members ($154,600) and are capped at EX II
rating from the SES PRB but do not rank do not have promotion opportunities ($168,000).
high enough to receive a cash award. within the senior salary band. Additional information and pay calcula-
Tier II includes SES and SFS members • Promotees within the SFS no longer get tion examples can be found at the HR/RMA
who rank high enough to get a $10,000 cash a pay raise effective on the date their website http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/
award and/or (for the SFS) are promoted promotion is confirmed by the Senate hrweb/rma/compensation.html. ■
from FE-OC to FE-MC. They received the and attested by the President. Instead,
Executive Schedule increase plus three they get January pay adjustments. Those Nancy Serpa was, until February, director of
percent (or 4.7 percent) in January 2007. promoted into the SFS receive a six the Office of Performance Evaluation; Phil
Tier I pay adjustments are reserved for percent increase in their FS-01 base pay Lussier is director of the Office of Resource
SES/SFS members who received $12,500 or (not including locality pay). Upon pro- Management and Organization Analysis.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 41


MEDICAL REPORT

STEPPING
<<< OUT
PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): CORBIS; (OPPOSITE PAGE): TRISHA MARKS

Lunchtime walks are


now a daily event
By Sandra Yeaman

42 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


In August 2004, using a health promotion
concept from a company in Minnesota as a
2007: The Year of the Healthier Fed
model, I compiled walking tours of five conti- The Office of Personnel Management has declared 2007 the
nents (North America, South America, Europe, year of the Healthier Fed. This initiative encourages federal agen-
Africa and Asia) using the corridor intersection cies to create new or improved fitness and wellness programs for
murals installed as part of the Bureau of Admin- employees.
istration’s way-finding system in the Harry S Sandra Yeaman has made a big difference in her lifestyle and
Truman Building. that of many other State employees. The impact of the Stately
Since the number of murals representing dif- Steppers walking group increases as more people join in.
ferent continents varied from four to 13, I Do you have a special fitness, nutritional, stress-reducing or
categorized each tour as for beginning, interme- other healthy interest? Would you like to start a walking group in
diate or seasoned walkers. your area? MED is here to
My thought was that the walks could be used help. Just contact the
by individuals or small groups during their Healthier State office at
lunch hour or breaks. I offered walking-tour 202-663-3666. The office
maps to Andrea Anderson, one of MED’s occu- has resources,
pational health nurses, who displayed them at ideas and personal
the next MED health fair. incentives you can
In February 2006, MED’s Sarah Callinan use to initiate your own
asked me if I would participate in the “A Health- program.
ier State” event to promote a walking program. Get a jump-start by
During the health fair, I collected names of having your fitness level eval-
people interested in walking one day a week. The uated at the Harry S Truman health unit, and find out what you
next Wednesday, about 40 people gathered need to work on. The MicroFit system is a health and fitness eval-
outside the cafeteria and divided up into begin- uation available to all Department employees. Call 202-647-2602
ning, intermediate and seasoned groups. I for an appointment.
solicited volunteer leaders and handed out maps.
About eight groups spread out throughout the
building, walking on one of five tours.
Within a month, Paulette Claiborne and
Lorrell Doughty extended an invitation to seasoned walkers to join Different walkers reported dropping a dress size, losing 34
them on other days of the week. The walking program had grown pounds, getting more involved in other activities such as ballroom
from one day a week to five. dancing and joining a fitness club. One said she dropped one pant
Most employees who joined the walking program identified as size while managing to control her diabetes without medication.
goals the desire to lose or maintain weight; improve or maintain The goal is not to fill Department hallways with walkers during
health, including reduction in bad cholesterol and blood sugar the lunch hour; it is to help anyone who wants to become more
levels; reduce eating during lunch; increase stamina; or reduce active to get started. Some participants have formed smaller groups
stress. Many say they have achieved their goals. that walk at other times of the day.
We invite new walkers to join us any
day of the week. Mondays, Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Fridays, at least two
groups of seasoned walkers take off
from the area at the bottom of the
escalator just outside the Main State
cafeteria at 12:30 p.m. On Wednesdays,
beginning walkers and those who may
need some time to work up to the sea-
soned level meet to work on developing
good habits, including walking for 30
to 45 minutes each day. ■

The author is a program analyst in


the Office of Global Support Services
and Innovation.

From left, Paulette Claiborne, Mira Piplani


and Sandra Yeaman wear their Stately
Steppers t-shirts at an American Diabetes
Association fund-raising walk in November.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 43


Below: Well-known jazz musician Eldee Young helped
kick off the 2007 celebration with a sterling perform-
ance on the double bass. Top right: Disbursing officer
Steve Carignan donates a plate of brownies to Lorraine
Dious. Bottom right: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce
speaks at the opening of the black history celebration.

History Lesson
BANGKOK CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY AND SUPPORTS CHARITY BY HELEN LYNCH
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has a long employees and their families but also to proceeds from these events should go. This
tradition of celebrating Black History the community at large. year, the funds will be donated to Bangkok
Month with a number of activities through- This year's Black History Month was Emergency Shelter for Minors and Women.
out February. These celebrations highlight kicked off with an evening at a local hotel To encourage members of the mission to
the accomplishments and contributions of where guests listened to the smooth sound learn more about black history, questions
black Americans in different fields. of Eldee Young, who plays the double bass. are published in the weekly newsletter,
PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN BANGKOK

The embassy has a dedicated group of The support from the embassy commu- About Bangkok, for several weeks. During
volunteers that has worked diligently to nity has grown every year, as evidenced by Family Day this year, participants competed
plan exciting events for Black History the strong participation and increasing in an exciting game of Black History Jeop-
Month for the past several years. Activities sums of money raised. This year's bake sale, ardy. Winners took home prizes and a
have included a basketball tournament, a with Embassy families donating baked better knowledge of the history of black
dinner and dance cruise, a golf tourna- goods, was a great success. Ticket sales were Americans. ■
ment and a family day. The family day very strong for all of the events.
event, which includes food and entertain- Each year the Black History Month Com- The author works in the Community Liaison
ment, is open not just to Embassy mittee decides on a charity to which the Office at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

44 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


EDUCATION

Student Records Online


Need your class schedule or an unofficial
transcript of training taken through FSI?
Visit the FSI Registrar’s Office web page on
the Department of State OpenNet at
http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg.
+
FasTrac Distance Learning:
Learn at Your Own Pace,
When and Where You Want!
All State Department employees, FSNs
and EFMs are eligible. With your FasTrac
password, you may access the entire FasTrac
catalog of more than 3,000 courses, from
TRAINING
skills such as leadership. To view the
FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac web site at
http://fsi.state.gov/fastrac.

FSI Distance Learning Program


An extensive menu of FSI-developed dis-
tance learning courses is also available to
Mandatory Leadership Training home or office (Intranet or Internet). eligible participants on the FSI learning
Leadership training is mandatory for Courses cover numerous topics, such as management system. See (U) State 009772
Foreign Service and Civil Service employees project management, computer skills and dated January 14, 2005, or the FSI web page
at the FS-03/GS-13 levels and above to grammar and writing skills, as well as soft (Distance Learning) for information.
ensure that they have the necessary prepa-
ration for increasing levels of responsibility.
Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all the courses
FSI’s Leadership and Management School
available at FSI, visit the Schedule of Courses on the Department of State’s OpenNet at
offers the required courses to meet these http://fsi.state.gov. See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and new
mandatory training requirements and other course dates and periodic announcements of external training opportunities sponsored by FSI.
leadership courses for all FS and GS For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144/7137.
employees.

*
Security Apr May Length
MQ911 SOS: Security Overseas Seminar 9, 23, 30 14 2D
Mandatory Courses
MQ912 ASOS: Advanced Security Overseas Seminar 16 8, 22 1D

FS-3/GS-13
PK245 Basic Leadership Skills Foreign Service Life Skills Apr May Length
MQ104 Regulations, Allowances and Finances in the
FS-2/GS-14 Foreign Service Context 25 2D
PT207 Intermediate Leadership Skills MQ107 English Teaching Seminar 14 2D
MQ111 Making Presentations: Design to Delivery 16 3D
FS-1/GS-15
PT210 Advanced Leadership Skills MQ115 Explaining America 24 1D
MQ116 Protocol and the U.S. Representation Abroad 21 19 1D
Managers and Supervisors MQ203 Singles in the Foreign Service 25 2.5 H
PT107 EEO Diversity Awareness for MQ703 Post Options for Employment & Training 31 1D
Managers and Supervisors
MQ802 Communicating Across Cultures 4 1D
Newly promoted FS-OC/SES MQ803 Realities of Foreign Service Life 13 1D
PT133 Senior Executive Threshold MQ852 Personal Finances and Investment 11 2.5 H
Seminar MQ854 Legal Considerations in the Foreign Service 23 2.5 H
MQ856 Traveling with Pets 18 2.5 H
MQ916 Save Overseas Home 2 2.5 H
Senior Policy Seminars
FSI’s Leadership and Management
School offers professional development and Career Transition Center Apr May Length
policy seminars for senior-level executives RV101 Retirement Planning Seminar 17 4D
of the Department and the foreign RV103 Financial Management and Estate Planning 19 1D
affairs/national security community.
RV104 Annuities, Benefits and Social Security 18 1D
For more information contact FSI’s
Leadership and Management School at
(703) 302-6743, FSILMS@state.gov or Length: H = Hours, D = Days, W = Weeks
http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms.

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 45


O B I T U A R I E S

Mary Sarita Cabanillas, Thomas B. Larson,


68, a retired Foreign Service secretary, died 92, a retired Foreign Service officer, died
of leukemia Jan. 19 in Tucson, Ariz. Her Dec. 26 of a cerebral vascular accident and
overseas postings during her 22-year career dysphasia in Hightstown, N.J. He served in
included Lima, Caracas, Kinshasa, the Army during World War II before
London, Mexico City, Paris and Dublin. She joining the Department in 1946. His over-
had a quick wit and fun spirit, and loved travel, books, music, seas postings included Moscow and Paris. Before and after his
movies and good food. retirement in 1966, he taught at Amherst College, Williams College,
the Russian Institute at Columbia University and the School for
Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.

Marino “Dorsey” Endrizzi,


88, a retired Foreign Service officer, died
Oct. 11 of pneumonia in Northern Virginia. Sinclair S. “Sandy” Martel,
He served in the Army during World War II 68, a former State Department appointee,
and the Korean Conflict. He joined the died Oct. 4 of cardiopulmonary arrest in
Department in 1966 and served overseas in Manassas, Va. While a career Navy officer,
Syria, Ethiopia, Spain and Morocco. After retiring in 1979, he he served as special assistant for maritime
worked in the Freedom of Information Office and was involved in affairs in the Bureau of Intelligence and
programs regarding terrorism abroad. Research. After retiring from the Navy, he was appointed deputy
assistant secretary for politico-military affairs in 1989 and served
until 1993. He was a scoutmaster and enjoyed golf.

Willie D. Hobgood,
82, a retired Civil Service employee, died
Jan. 12 at her residence in Alexandria, Va. Joyce Bernice “Judy” Munske,
She joined the Department in 1962 and 76, of Fairfax, Va., a retired Civil Service employee, died recently of
served in the Bureau of African Affairs and respiratory complications due to pneumonia and polio. She worked
the former Bureau of Equal Employment for 25 years as a photo editor with the U.S. Information Agency.
Opportunity. She retired at the end of 1979. Throughout her life, Although wheelchair-bound most of her life, she traveled abroad,
she was active in church affairs. was an active volunteer and was active in her church. She was a
scuba diver, ham radio operator and dog lover.

George Der Koorkanian,


79, a retired Foreign Service officer, died Nancy Leslie Pelletreau,
Jan. 20 in Manchester, N.H. He joined State 72, a retired Foreign Service officer, died
in 1954 and served in the Diplomatic Dec. 10 of cancer in Greenwich, Conn.
Courier Service for 34 years, holding over- During her 32-year career, she served over-
seas posts in Panama, Germany, the seas in New Delhi, Kingston, Kuala Lumpur,
Philippines and Thailand. After retiring to Manchester in 1988, he Lisbon, Palermo, Tokyo, Manila, Naples and
was active in Democratic politics at the local, state and national Bucharest. After retiring in 1996, she worked as a rehired annuitant,
levels as well as with community and civic organizations. He was a most recently to assist the Beirut evacuees in Cyprus last summer.
past board member of Child Health Services.

46 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


Spiros Alexander Siafacas, Ofelia S. Vargas,
88, a retired Foreign Service officer, died 96, a retired Foreign Service secretary, died
Oct. 13 in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was a Dec. 27 in Tucson, Ariz. She joined the
World War II veteran. During his 30-year Department during World War II and
career with the Department, he served over- during her 25-year career served overseas in
seas in Greece, India, Guatemala and Mexico City, Santo Domingo, Lima, Tokyo,
Switzerland. He retired in 1977. Jakarta, and Tel Aviv. She retired to Arizona and was active in the
community, particularly in programs supporting Hispanic educa-
tion. She served on the boards of the American Red Cross and of a
local historical commission and Spanish-language theater.

In the Event of a Death


Questions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Office of
Casualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302. Inquiries concerning deaths of retired
employees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.

* retirements
FOREIGN SERVICE >>>
Adair, Vicki L.
Alter, Bernard
Ammerman, Alan B.
Haran Jr., Thomas F.X.
Harris, Bonita G.
Hasman, Melvia A.
O’Neal, Molly L.
Ortblad, Dennis J.
Parker, Anita E.
CIVIL SERVICE >>>
Brown-Williams, Gloria J.
Buckbee, Betty
Campen, Tomoko T.
Johnson, Gail Regina
Lewis, Eugene J.
Pollard, Carol L.
Bazala, Sylvia J. Hill, Lawrence N. Parson, Ronald Scott Cleveland, Lillian A. Savoy, Ernell B.
Beck, Maria Del Rosario Holbrook III, Morton J. Peterson, Paul T. Frazier, Pamela L. Watson, Dan S.
Becker, Daniel C. Hucke, John Pillman, David C. Frye, Darlene F. Williams-Fleming,
Benedict, Gloria K. Jenkins, Henry M. Rogers, Paul Hokenson, Kathryn B. Carolyn
Brown, Norman C. Littlefield, Charles L. Salmon, Sandra J. Jackson, Frederick H. Zylman, Jon G.
Burnside, William Lubow, Richard E. Scott, John F.
Crisp, Florence Medley Lunstead, Jeffrey John Sheppard, Florita Indira
Derrick, Steven M. Maher, Peter Francis Smyth, Janice S.
Durnell, Kevin W. Maisto, John F. Stewart, Ann Wells
Eastham, Terry Robert Marek, James A. Suarez, Jaime
Evans, John M. Maybarduk, Gary H. Tulenko, Timothy Andrew
Fiffick, Paul F. McKune, Elizabeth Weller, Anthony R.
Garland, Elaine L. Miller, David Richard Whitney, John L.
Glassman, Deborah Mohanco, John Wigle Connors, Marilyn
Glatz Jr., Charles L. Moseley, Katharine P. Wilczynski, Alec
Greenlee, David N. Mulenex, David Wayne Williams, Penelope Ann
Hamilton, Jerry Norvell, Yolanda

MARCH 2007 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 47


THE LAST WORD

From the Andes to the Shores of Tripoli


What a difference a year or two can Sometimes, even in the federal govern- way to fit these puzzle pieces together and
make in the diplomatic world. Just three ment, pieces to a puzzle just seem to flow solve several problems at the same time.
years ago, Libya was on the short list of together. For example, the Department’s Meanwhile, high in the Bolivian Andes
U.S. enemies. Today, this Mediterranean Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Office Mountains and far away from the shores
country, once an implacable foe of all and sands of Tripoli, the public affairs
things American, now hosts the newest U.S. section at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz
embassy in the world. Since full diplomatic joined U.S. Agency for International Devel-
ties resumed in May 2006, the U.S. opment colleagues in an ambitious
Embassy in Tripoli has supported numer- program designed to reach out to the
ous educational and cultural exchanges, country’s many different indigenous and
coordinated with multiple other U.S. gov- mestizo groups. The outreach targeted
ernment agencies to help Libyans young students with aggressive educational
peacefully reintegrate into the international exchange and internship programs, provid-
community and facilitated visits by more ing young Bolivians invaluable experiences
than 40 U.S. scientific delegations. in American culture and meaningful, pro-
As a phrase, Pay for Performance seems ductive work.
fairly simple and direct. But in practice, the Last but never least, a final salute to our
term elicits huge emotions—and confu- colleagues en route to their final posting:
sion—from many federal government Mary Sarita Cabanillas; Marino “Dorsey”
employees, including senior executives and Endrizzi; Willie D. Hobgood; George Der
senior Foreign Service officers in the Koorkanian; Thomas B. Larson; Sinclair S.
Department. With 2007 set by the Office of “Sandy” Martel; Joyce Bernice “Judy”
Personnel Management as the year when all Munske; Nancy Leslie Pelletreau; Spiros
pay-for-performance adjustments in the of Personnel Management’s Federal Inves- Alexander Siafacas; and Ofelia S. Vargas.
senior pay system would be made in tigative Services Division recently
January, colleagues from the Offices of Per- combined resources to process overseas
formance Evaluation and Resource security clearances faster and more effi-
Management and Organization Analysis ciently. Meanwhile, limited job options for
thought the time was right for a novice’s trailing spouses were frustrating many eli-
guide to senior pay. Their story hopefully gible family members who gave up Rob Wiley
answers the anguished question: “Where’s domestic careers to accompany a spouse Editor-in-Chief
my Step Increase?” overseas. Interagency cooperation found a

COMING IN APRIL
• Dusty-Road Diplomats
• ART in Embassies: Iceland
• ART in Embassies: Kuwait
• The World’s Newest Nation
... and much more! Questions? Comments?
statemagazine@state.gov

48 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | MARCH 2007


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