Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
DEPARTMENT OF S TAT E
MAGAZINE
MOTHER
EARTH J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
CONTENTS
S TAT E M A G A Z I N E + J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 + N U M B E R 5 1 4
20 Crate Ideas
American ingenuity helps Swazi schoolchildren.
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36 Foreign Affairs Day
Frontline diplomats confront a changing world.
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42 Security First
Diplomatic Security team supports Transformational
Democracy in Liberia.
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ON THE COVER
Mother Earth and the world environment,
as seen by 15-year-old Mariya Nikolova of
Kazanlak, Bulgaria, one of three winners
in the Department’s 2007 international
Earth Day art contest.
POST OF THE MONTH:
Kigali
Modern Rwanda Reflects a
Calm and Pleasant Beauty.
COLUMNS
2 FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY 54 APPOINTMENTS
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READERS’ FEEDBACK
Larry Chasteen
Management Professor/Foster Fellow
Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 3
D.G. GEORGE STAPLES
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NEWS
The AIT climbers used the Stars
and Stripes to accessorize.
SKY-HIGH STAIRS
senior Locally Employed staff, Francis Li,
an avid mountain climber, and Jean
Pierre-Louis from AIT’s Kaohsiung office
American Climbers Conquer World’s Tallest Building in southern Taiwan, who traversed most of
the island by train just to take part.
Looming just a mile west of the Taipei money for charities. Jogging jauntily through the lobby to
office of the American Institute in Taiwan On May 5, a climb was held to raise the stairwell, the AIT team looked fit and
is Taipei 101, the world’s tallest building— funds for Garden of Hope, an organization confident. Taking the stairs two at a time,
for now. Completed in 2003, this that helps disadvantaged girls and young the team attacked the first 10 floors. But
statuesque structure is noted not only for women who have been abused. A couple of then, the reality of the challenge slowly
its height, but also for its graceful design. persuasive fellows at AIT’s U.S. Commer- began to sink in. Every landing looked the
With the soon-to-be-completed Tower of cial Service office talked a dozen or so of same as the one before, seen only through
Dubai waiting to usurp the “world’s tallest their colleagues into spending this partic- sweat-blurred eyes. Yet the team struggled
building” title, Taipei 101 is savoring its ular Saturday morning huffing and puffing upward. Eventually every member crossed
moment in the sun. in a windowless stairwell without air the finish line with a smile.
Besides shopping, restaurants and abun- conditioning—for a good cause and for A sweaty Director Young, who
dant office space, Taipei 101 features the the glory. completed the climb in a mere 19 minutes
world’s longest stairwell, tailor-made for AIT Director Steve Young, an and 35 seconds, was interviewed by
challenge-seekers. A couple of times a year, enthusiastic runner and veteran of a Taiwan’s eight TV news networks on the
organizations sponsor climbs to raise previous charity climb of 101, led the AIT rooftop, while the rest of the team enjoyed
team. Others included one of the most the view from the world’s tallest building.
PLUS>>>
HR Automates Paper-Based Personnel Processes +
New Web Sites on U.S. Diplomacy Launched +
Resource Center, Visa Services Return to Kabul +
Managua Seeks Help on History Collage
HR Automates Paper-Based Personnel Processes
The Bureau of Human Resources is trative tasks such as review and approval. and assignments. The new TM-8 process
constantly evaluating antiquated, paper- The employee will be able to review prior automatically transmits the date of arrival
laden processes. Looking to make performance documents and update and at post and other assignment-related data
improvements through automation, HR is enter notes for planning purposes. During from the Post Personnel System to GEMS.
rolling out several initiatives that will the pilot period, employees and managers The new process will replace the manual
support the employee performance will be given a choice of using the creation of the TM-8 cable and the SF-
planning, review and approval process; electronic or paper process. 52/50 personnel action forms. It should
reengineer Foreign Service travel messages; Employees and managers will have eliminate duplicate data entry, reduce
and provide greater employee and manager greater self-service capabilities at their processing errors, integrate existing systems
self-service capabilities. desktops through added functionality and databases and speed up data
This fall, HR will pilot an electronic within HR Online. Self-service functions processing times.
ePerformance component of the Global will allow employees to initiate data HR/EX expected to release this long-
Employee Management System, which will changes in their personnel records. awaited solution to a very labor-intensive
allow employees and managers to complete Managers will have a mechanism to process by early summer and will automate
the performance appraisal process online. approve employee-initiated transactions the remaining travel messages shortly
ePerformance enables managers to create and initiate personnel actions. thereafter.
and maintain performance documents, HR is also reengineering the cable-based HR is working closely with program
enter preliminary ratings and notes for Foreign Service travel message process to offices and labor unions to capture require-
planning purposes, and perform adminis- automatically process employee transfers ments and receive feedback.
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Resource Center, Visa Services Return to Kabul
In a sign of gradual return to society and institutions. It offers books,
normality, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul research services, a video collection, satel-
recently experienced two historic events: lite TV and high-speed Internet access.
“This Information
Resource Center repre-
MAGAZINE STAFF
sents one way of
looking beyond war Rob Wiley
and crisis,” Ambassador EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Neumann said, “to Ed Warner
focus on the things that WRITER/EDITOR
bring people together Bill Palmer
—the exchange of WRITER/EDITOR
information, the chance David L. Johnston
to talk about the issues ART DIRECTOR
that mean something to
all of us.” ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Just a few weeks
later, the U.S. Embassy Maurice S. Parker
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
in Kabul’s Consular
A religious leader from Paktika, left, is interviewed by section inaugurated the Kelly Clements
Bashir Mamnoon, senior American Citizen Services assistant,
first stage in expanded Annette R. Cocchiaro
and Jessica Simon, vice consul.
nonimmigrant visa Margot A. Sullivan
the opening of an American Information services, conducting the first NIV
Resource Center and the commencement interviews at post since 1979. The accom- State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is
of limited visa services. Both services had plishment was the culmination of months published monthly, except bimonthly in
ceased in 1979 following the murder of of coordinated effort by the Consular, July and August, by the U.S. Department
of State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington,
the U.S. ambassador in Kabul and subse- Regional Security, Management, Informa-
DC. Periodicals postage paid at
quent deterioration in diplomatic tion Systems and Facilities Maintenance Washington, D.C., and at additional
relations between the United States and offices. Support from Washington was mailing locations.
Afghanistan. also essential.
On April 5, U.S. Ambassador Ronald E. Newly arrived Ambassador William B. CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Neumann, along with Afghan Minister of Wood greeted a group of eight NIV appli-
Information and Culture Abdul Karim cants, all of them Paktika Province Send changes of address to State Maga-
Khuram, inaugurated the AIRC. The new government or tribal representatives who zine, 2401 E Street, N.W., SA-1, Room
facility is inside the recently renovated are participating in a special International H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. You
may also e-mail address changes to
embassy building, which Neumann’s Visitor Program organized by the
statemagazine@state.gov.
father, Ambassador Robert G. Neumann, embassy’s Public Affairs section and
dedicated in 1967. The center will serve Provincial Reconstruction Team Sharana’s
Afghan audiences who want to gain a political officer, Timm Timmons, and SUBSCRIPTIONS
better understanding of U.S. culture, political assistant Rashid Hassanpoor. State Magazine is available by subscription
through the U.S. Government Printing
Office by telephone at (202) 512-1800 or
MANAGUA SEEKS HELP ON HISTORY COLLAGE on the web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.
A question for Department employees Squier arrived as the first official U.S.
SUBMISSIONS
who served in Nicaragua: Do you have representative in Nicaragua. Since then,
any old photographs, pictures, slides or many Foreign Service officers, specialists For details on submitting articles to
magazines from your tour in Nicaragua and Locally Employed staff have made State Magazine, request our guidelines,
that you would be willing to share? history in Managua. “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at
After many years, the U.S. Embassy in The mission is looking for pictures of statemagazine@state.gov; download
Managua will move from its temporary people, buildings and events. Please send them from our Web site at www.state.gov;
or send your request in writing to
buildings into a new embassy scanned images to WyrickME@state.gov. State Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,
compound and is putting together a Brief descriptions of the scanned images HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,
collage to be displayed in the new office would be greatly appreciated. Hard Washington, DC 20522-0108.
building. This work of art is designed to copies can be sent to:
proudly display the history of the U.S. Embassy Managua The submission deadline for the October
embassy and the people who have Attn: Transition Coordinator issue is August 15. The deadline for the
November issue is September 15.
worked there. Unit 2702, Box 1
On June 22, 1849, Ephraim George APO, AA 34021
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 7
In an activity organized by the
Andean Desk, Take Your Child to
Work Day attendees learn from
Janine Keil, back center, how to use
popsicle sticks and yarn to make
ojos de dios, a traditional craft sold
in Andean markets.
Child to Work
SPECIAL DAY BRINGS CHILDREN TO THE WORKPLACE BY ED WARNER PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): BILL PALMER; (OPPOSITE PAGE TOP): ROB WILEY;
(CENTER): KATE RAY; (BOTTOM): VERONICA VASQUEZ
This year’s Take Your Child to Work Day meeting the Department’s bomb-sniffing Oceans and Environmental and Scientific
was unique for running concurrently with dogs, a Bureau of Diplomatic Security pres- Affairs and the Tin Man Recycling
the Department’s Earth Day activities. As a entation that is traditionally among the Workshop, a new-for-2007 presentation by
result, some of the 625 or so children who most popular activities. The children, the Bureau of Administration.
came to see their parents’ workplace on however, could only go to the dogs if they Penny McMurtry, the day’s coordinator
April 26 also got a chance to see Mickey were registered in advance via the Bureau of in HR, said the recycling workshop was just
Mouse, an Earth Day invitee who came to a Human Resources’ online system, which one of eight A Bureau presentations, a
general assembly session focusing on both helped ensure seating for the most popular record number for any bureau. The bureau’s
celebrations. events. The list of events that filled early “just phenomenal” involvement, she said,
Take Your Child to Work Day gave atten- included the DS dogs, the outing to the Air also included garnering plenty of rooms for
dees a choice of activities, including and Space Museum hosted by the Bureau of the day’s activities and hosting Jamestown
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Above: Deputy Secretary John
Negroponte swears in attendees
as Department employees for a
day. Left: IRM Web Developer Lisa
Thomas helps Take Your Child to
Work Day attendees design Web
sites. Below: U.S. Ambassador to
El Salvador Charles L. Glazer
greets his post’s Take Your Child to
Work Day contingent in his office.
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Meet the
Future
Editor’s Note: As part of State Magazine’s “Writer’s Block” presentation for Take Your Child to Work Day, we offered to print the best short
stories written by the participants to describe their parents’ jobs. Here are the (slightly) edited versions from five future writer-editors.
thing Ed Warner has lots of patience. all about words. All I do is write. I’m planning on a profession
in writing books and novels, but don’t be surprised if, in the
future, there is an article in State Magazine by Ashley Uygur.
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Sitting and Editing Seething Diplomat Soother
By Jennifer Warner By Charlotte Fennell
Ed Warner may be known for bad jokes and dumb puns at My father, Steve Fennell, has worked at the State Department
home, but at work he has a way with words. My dad is one of the for a while now. He started out as a contractor, doing
technical writer-editors for the Office of Inspector General. His something. I’m not sure what it was that he actually did, but
job is to edit the reports of inspection results that people write. I’m sure it was very important to the welfare of the universe as
The reports that Dad edits are we know it. Eventually, he became a government employee.
about inspections of the embassies He worked in the inbound section of the Transportation
and divisions of the State Depart- Department, helping to make sure that the belongings of the
ment. These inspections are returning U.S. diplomats got back to America like they were
composed of two major things— supposed to. This job is a little more difficult than it sounds.
management and security. Not only did he have to actually figure out WHY Timbuktu lost
Management mostly deals with the diplomat’s cargo, find out where it went, then send it to the
financial and public diplomacy right place; he also had to explain to said seething diplomat
issues. Security is more about how that it wasn’t HIS fault that Timbuktu lost all their stuff, and if
the people and information of the they want to yell at someone that they should get in touch with
division are protected. When a Timbuktu.
report is written, my dad edits it, After he did that, I believe he
writes a summary, fills out any did the same thing, only for
needed forms and puts letters in for the people who should get diplomats in Europe.
the report. He makes a sort of package. Now my father works for the
But Dad does more than just sit around and edit papers all outbound section of the Trans-
day. One cool thing he does at work is to teach a class every year portation Department as a
on writing reports like the ones he edits. He tells his students “Traffic Management Specialist.”
what should be provided in a report and helps them get the hang When I asked him what that
of writing them. He also helps people who sometimes look for means, he said “Not much; it
just the right way to explain something, or make a statement. He just means I help our diplomats
helps them decide how to phrase things in their writing. One last get their belongings from the
thing that he does at work is to act as an “air traffic controller” U.S. to their posts.” He makes
for all the reports he edits; he keeps track of where each report is sure that diplomats going to a foreign country actually have
and sends it to different people to read and sign. their stuff when they get there. He makes the shipping arrange-
Dad loves his job as editor because he enjoys editing, but ments and informs the diplomats of how much and what kind
mostly because of the people he works with. He is great friends of stuff they can bring (No, sir, you may not make a shipment
with his coworkers and enjoys working with them. Also, Dad says of frozen dinners, there will be food there).
that his bosses are phenomenal. He describes his boss as honest, The diplomats are important, sure, but they wouldn’t be
kind and totally empathetic, and describes her boss as funny, very happy without their stuff. The reason that their stuff is
outgoing but not goofy, very down-to-earth. To me, being a tech- there and comes back to the states with them is my daddy and
nical writer-editor for the State Department sounds great. his colleagues in the Transportation Department.
Maddy’s and Jennifer’s dad, Ed Warner, was on Take Your Child to Ms. Fennell’s dad, Steven Fennell, is an EUR Transportation
Work Day a technical writer-editor for OIG. He recently joined Counselor in the Transportation Operations division of the
State Magazine as writer-editor. Transportation and Travel Management office.
e*Phone Home and sometimes helps solve extra problems after users
By Sheila Zhu have successfully logged onto the site.
She also does data analysis and fixes data mishaps.
My mother works to support the ePhone Web site There are many people who work at the State Depart-
and the help desk. She helps people log into the ment, so mistakes on data records are not
ePhone when they can’t log in and the Web site fails uncommon. She analyzes employee data. Would you
to recognize the user. Most of the time, she works on want my mother’s job? These are all the things she
tickets to help people solve problems. She also grants does during her work day. ■
people access—administrative, executive, special
access—to personal records and information, etc. Ms. Zhu’s mother, Xunli Zhu, works in the Applications
on ePhone. Programming Division of Information Resource
She instructs people on proper log-in procedure, Management’s Systems and Integration Office.
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Earth Day Artists
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Receiving the applause of the Take Your Child to Work Day audience are, from left, Beth Stevens, Soo-yun Ga, Anna Kutuzova, Mickey Mouse and
Mariya Nikolova.
In April 2007, transformational The three girls—Mariya Nikolova from three tired, yet excited, grand-prize winners
Kazanlak, Bulgaria; Soo-Yun Ga from were driven to the Department, where the
diplomacy took the form of three Bundang, South Korea; and Anna Kutuzova ambassadors of the Republic of Korea and
from Polatsk, Belarus—had won the grand the Republic of Belarus, the first secretary
young girls and their mothers,
prize in an international Earth Day art for political and cultural affairs from the
who were overwhelmed by their contest for children in the age groups Republic of Bulgaria and families from each
10–11, 12–13 and 14–15. nation’s embassy welcomed them.
first journey to Washington, D.C. The contest was conceived by Claudia A. The three girls mingled in the
McMurray, assistant secretary of state for Department’s Exhibit Hall and posed for
Two of the families had never oceans, environment and science, and spon- photographs with dignitaries. Then they
been to the United States, and sored by the Department of State. The entered the Dean Acheson Auditorium,
offices of the under secretaries for manage- where more than 500 children of
none spoke or understood ment, global affairs and public diplomacy Department employees were participating
and public affairs also helped run the in Take Your Child to Work Day. There, they
much English. contest and host the awards ceremony. received welcomes and congratulations
from two under secretaries, an assistant
Yet, for the next four days, they
The Environment’s Importance secretary and the Department’s second-
would all participate in a public The contest’s theme was “What is impor- ranking official, Deputy Secretary John
tant to you about the environment?” Its Negroponte.
diplomacy initiative that would goal was to highlight U.S. leadership on “I want to congratulate all three of you,”
environmental issues and inspire children Deputy Secretary Negroponte said, after
transform their lives and affect to help protect the world’s lands, water and asking each girl to stand. “Your fine works
and educate many more children wildlife. Thousands of children from 40 of art, as well as the thousands of other
countries participated. works submitted, show not only
around the world. Early on the morning of April 26, the tremendous artistic ability but also the
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PHOTOGRAPHS: MICHAEL GROSS; (OPPOSITE PAGE TOP): CORBIS
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“Everything that happened to me was
unbelievable, starting from the award cere-
mony in Washington to the visit in Disney
World. Every single minute of my stay in
the United States was unforgettable, and I
will remember this all my life.”
importance of the Earth to so many Florida that evening, and the next morning their hometowns by picking up trash in
children around the world.” were whisked to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. parks and along rivers, recycling, conserving
Beth Stevens, vice president of Disney Disney then filmed the children on the energy and spreading awareness of the need
Corporation’s Animal Kingdom, also spoke park’s Kilimanjaro Safari and a tour of the to protect endangered animals.
to the children about conservation and Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, where Each girl said the trip to America
introduced a special guest. To the delight of they learned about wildlife and Disney’s changed her life. The three girls and their
all, Mickey Mouse descended from the back conservation efforts. mothers also forged friendships with each
of the auditorium and gave Soo-yun, Anna The girls also got a behind-the-scenes other. On the morning they said goodbye,
and Mariya gifts from Disney. tour of Epcot Center’s The Living Seas the girls walked arm-in-arm a short
exhibit, where they saw a rare baby sea distance away from their mothers and the
Off to Disney World turtle, manatees, dolphins and sharks, and Disney tour guides to have a private
Stevens then announced that Disney was learned about Disney’s efforts to protect the moment together. Though they did not
flying the trio and their mothers to Walt oceans and their inhabitants. speak each other’s languages, they shared a
Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for a three- Finally, the three winners learned a few bond transcending language and culture.
night stay as VIP guests. They flew to simple ways to help the environment in Since the trip, they have kept in touch and
exchanged gifts.
Environmental Allies
Press coverage in Korea, Belarus and
Bulgaria on the contest and the winners’
visit to the United States was overwhelm-
ingly positive. The girls are now local
celebrities in their hometowns, where they
have shared their positive impressions of
the United States.
More than a thousand children partici-
pated in the art contest, and most are likely
to keep thinking about the environment and
see the United States as working hard to
protect it. They may also become future
U. S. partners in this effort. ■
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 15
Ed Johnetta Miller, left, and Linda
McMullen stand among weavers from
Tiébissou, a city near Yamoussoukro,
where the workshop was held.
To Market
CULTURAL ENVOY
AIDS IVORIAN ARTISTS
BY LINDA McMULLEN
In October 2006, once-prosperous Côte consultant, was ideally suited to address the but representative exhibit of the
d’Ivoire was entering its fifth year as a Ivorian artisans’ needs. Her work in Ghana participants’ art at the American Corner.
divided nation. There were toxic waste gave her unique sensitivity to developing- Despite the political crisis, Côte d’Ivoire’s
dumps in its economy’s chief city, and secu- world concerns, and her experience with creative community has continued to
rity was perpetually uncertain. It did not varied art forms ensured broadly relevant produce sophisticated works of art, inspired
seem like the right time or place for a presentations. Thanks to the Office of by centuries of custom as well as tourists’
cultural envoy, much less an arts specialist. Citizen Exchanges, Miller arrived in Abidjan tastes. Besides traditional masks, Ivorian
And yet it was. in October 2006 to undertake a whirlwind artists produce paintings, sculpture, leather
The public affairs section of the U.S. program of marketing-related presentations goods, pottery, ceramics, jewelry and more.
Embassy in Abidjan had determined that, to Ivorian artists at three locations around Miller’s favorite pieces, though, were hand-
while the quality of Ivorian artists’ work the county. woven pagnes—cotton or silk textiles
was technically superb, the artists had diffi- The program opened at the American designed as raiment for kings. The best
culty selling their work. Since the nation’s Corner in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire’s surprise was her clear connection with the
political crisis began, the tourist market had political capital, where Miller met excited artists, despite the language barrier.
PHOTOGRAPHS: MOHAMED CISSÉ
vanished. Selling art locally was largely faces—and a few surprises. Small business In each city she visited, the pacing and
unsuccessful—Ivorian elites bought from owners from various trades attended, which order of Miller’s presentation varied, but
European galleries. The artists needed meant Miller’s audience consisted of the messages never changed. She assured
access to a different, large, multicultural weavers, sculptors, musicians, jewelers, hair- the artists that the quality of their work was
market, meaning they needed training in dressers—and even air conditioner excellent and suitable for the American
management and marketing to Americans. repairmen. market. At the same time, she offered prac-
Ed Johnetta Miller, an arts management She was also greeted by an impromptu tical suggestions such as changing colors,
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Above: Miller discusses marketing with a workshop audience at the American Corner in Yamoussoukro. Below: UN peacekeeping troops escort Miller’s
vehicle on its way to an arts-marketing presentation.
patterns and materials to improve eager to hear of the artists’ experiences. She strides toward its goals. Beginning in
marketability. She also offered practical then integrated solutions for specific local October 2006, program participants went to
lessons in small business management, challenges, such as limited access to banks neighboring villages and began training
focusing on pricing, museum interactions, and post offices, into her presentation. fellow artisans. They also established a Web
trade show involvement and human In Abidjan, the participants—from site that will provide a platform for selling
resources. Her overall message remained government officials to ordinary weavers— their wares. Their greatest success, though,
simple: Join together because only a group took her unifying message deeply to heart. was in promoting Ivorian art.
can succeed. On the last day of the program, they spent The new embassy in Abidjan has been
The artists listened, especially in Bouaké. their lunch hour reflecting on how all hosting artists’ expositions since December
Côte d’Ivoire’s second-largest city became participants from her program could unite. 2005, doing so under the auspices of the
the capital of the New Forces-controlled Ambassador’s Art in the Atrium program.
North in 2002. Since then, the population Banding Together The artists’ federation participated in the
has been somewhat isolated. After an Their efforts bore fruit. In December Art in the Atrium program, which promotes
exciting journey into Bouaké—preceded by 2006, participants from each of the three Ivorian art for the benefit of embassy
two dozen Bangladeshi soldiers who were cities’ programs launched the Federation of employees and contacts. The fledgling
part of a UN peacekeeping force and Artists and Artisans of Côte d’Ivoire. At the organization also organized the fifth exhibit
followed by anti-aircraft guns—Miller was group’s general assembly meeting at the for this program, with a Black History
embassy, the Month focus. It opened in February 2007,
artists ratified and its multiplicity of art forms has gener-
their statutes and ated intense interest—and sales. To
elected a board. conclude the Month’s programs, the federa-
The group’s goals tion’s musicians shared their unique
are to promote sounds, providing a seven-band concert.
Ivorian art, Each program received extensive press
provide training coverage.
for Ivorian artists While the prospects of an artistic
and develop program in a country in crisis once looked
commercial and gloomy, the Office of Citizen Exchanges and
professional rela- Miller realized the difference such a visit
tions with the could make. The program has given Ivorian
United States. artists a brighter future. ■
The new artists’
group has already The author is the cultural affairs officer at the
made significant U.S. Embassy in Abidjan.
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Arts in Hospitals
FULBRIGHTER TAPS RUSSIA’S ARTISTIC SOUL tables, and patient rooms displayed new
wall colors and decorative trim. It was all
BY NAJ WIKOFF such a hit that four months later the project
was expanded to include the therapy clinic
Bringing the arts into hospitals is a of Lake Baikal. The rural hospital there and polyclinic. Also, a monthly music
creative opportunity to enhance health care serves a vast region with a small population program for patients was launched.
and further international relations through of 40,000. It provides a full range of health National newspaper and television
celebrating a country’s own culture and services from community clinics to acute coverage resulted in two children’s hospitals
using the talents of its citizens. care, all without the benefit of running in Ulan Ude, the capital of the Republic of
A case in point was my experience in water. Nearly all patients and staff, even in Buryatia, deciding to launch similar activi-
Russia as a Fulbright scholar at the East the depth of winter, use outhouses. Water is ties. A wide array of partnerships was
Siberian Academy of Culture in Ulan Ude. I brought in by truck from wells or the river. established that included students, faculty
taught courses on arts administration and The interior walls are mostly in rough shape and administrators from the Academy of
worked with local leaders on cultural and are painted an unrelenting white. Culture; a history and natural history
tourism, arts and economic development, as Beginning in the children’s clinic, with museum; the Buddhist University; two
well as the use of the arts in health care. full input from patients and staff, we after-school arts programs for students; the
Like hospitals elsewhere, Russian hospi- selected a new color motif and designs for ministries of arts and health; and a commu-
tals face challenges such as staff burnout, murals and decorative trim. Everyone nity volunteer association.
more patients and not enough time to see pitched in to scrape, repair, design and Local people developed motifs, drawing
them, reductions in government support, paint, including doctors, nurses, on resources from the museums, and
spiraling costs, outdated facilities, safety maintenance and administrative staff, volunteers from all the organizations did
concerns and limited medical resources. In patients, family members and community the work. They transformed a hospital
the small towns, these challenges sometimes volunteers. section for orphans, waiting areas, a
seem even greater. The result was a transformed space. The hallway that linked major buildings,
Orlik is a tiny village in the Saynee entry and waiting area sported a sky mural, ceilings of intensive care units, cafeterias
Mountains, about an eight-hour drive south the cafeteria featured a mural and decorated and patient rooms. Their enthusiasm for
Above: A volunteer at the hospital in Orlik helps paint one of its bright murals.
Right: John Mark Pommersheim, former consul general at the U.S. Consulate
General in Vladivostok, takes a break during painting at a local hospital.
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Left: A hospital café gets a makeover,
thanks to the volunteers. Bottom left: A
freshly painted mural gives the hospital in
Orlik an outdoorsy look. Right: Patients
at a hospital in Vladivostok join in the
painting effort.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 19
CRATE IDEAS
AMERICAN INGENUITY HELPS SWAZI SCHOOLCHILDREN BY NELDA VILLINES
During my tour in Swaziland, my assistance of several local, Canadian and women at a local firm to give them an extra
husband Mwana Bermudes and I have been American friends, we have been able to survival skill.
involved in volunteer work with the under- carry out several small projects with some In 2005, we received financial support
privileged people of this country. of these orphans and women infected with from the J. Kirby Simon Trust to upgrade
Swaziland has an official HIV/AIDS or affected by the pandemic. two classrooms at a rural school for
prevalence rate of 39.2 percent, reportedly With help from Community Liaison orphans in the Ntondozi community. With
one of the highest in the world. Mostly as a Officer Lisa Mooneyham, we have visited further financial assistance from local busi-
result of AIDS, the number of orphans in more than 40 rural schools and hospitals, nessmen, we built a kitchen and installed a
this small country is expected to grow from distributing clothing, books, school clean water supply in the same school. We
70,000 to 120,000—an eighth of the popu- supplies, blankets and toys. With financial also installed a basic irrigation system for
lation—by 2010. contributions from several friends, we are the school’s vegetable garden. With Ambas-
With the financial and technical offering computer training to young Swazi sador Lewis Lucke’s help, we secured a
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regular supply of food for the school’s our home. With personal funds, money All employees are entitled to their shipping
kitchen through the World Food Program. raised by Regional Security Officer Scott crates, so that is already 50 percent of the
The Ntondozi schools and many others Mooneyham and financial assistance from project. The other 50 percent is getting
that are not financed by the government or several friends in America, we employed a funds for the labor and additional materials
international agencies lack basic furniture local skilled carpenter, Mario Malamlela, to make the furniture. Mwana is available
and school supplies. We have witnessed and his assistant Pedro, and bought extra for consultation.
children sitting on the floor while the building materials to complete the work. In Because of our work with community
volunteer teacher presents her lessons a few weeks, we produced our first school projects in the rural areas of Swaziland,
standing up most of the day. furniture. Chargé d’Affaires Lynn Allison nominated
Commercial school furniture was too This experimental project has become a me for the 2006 Secretary of State’s Award
expensive for our modest budget, so Mwana real success, and new arrivals to the for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad.
had the idea of using the wooden crates that embassy in 2005 and 2006 donated their Along with four other regional winners, I
were used to ship our personal belongings wooden shipping crates to our project. With proudly accepted the award last December
to Swaziland. this wood, we built 20 “combos” and two on behalf of Mwana and the other embassy
He and our friend Bruce Jameson came heavy-duty teacher’s desks and distributed employees who care about the children of
up with a simple but solid design for a them to rural schools. We plan to continue Swaziland. ■
“combo unit”—a long table and bench— the project and hope to see more children
that can accommodate up to five young sitting on proper furniture. The author is the ambassador’s office
children per side. Something similar could be management specialist at the U.S. Embassy
We set up a workshop in the basement of implemented at other embassies overseas. in Mbabane.
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PHOTOGRAPH: (OPPOSITE PAGE): U.S. EMBASSY IN SEOUL
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A Worthwhile Weekend
‘IT’ SPECIALIST APPLIES SKILLS TO HOSTAGE VIDEOTAPE BY MICHAEL BRICKER
analyzing for vital clues about Samer’s loca-
I was looking forward to a three-day weekend tion. My 25 years in information technology
putting the finishing touches on my Army War have brought me some specialized skills that
would perhaps allow me to retrieve the text
College thesis when I was approached by Erik of the message of that brief tape.
In two hours I extracted six words and
Rye from the Office of the Coordinator for reported my findings to Rye. “So far you’ve
Counterterrorism to look at a grainy videotape. gotten us the first results we’ve seen,”
he said.
S/CT is the descendant of an office that Iraqi-American hostage in Baghdad I will Each bit was more difficult. I worked on
was created as a direct result of the Munich call Samer. the file the rest of the weekend. After 20 or
Olympics terrorist attack in 1972. Since Samer immigrated to the United States so hours, I was able to extract the full text.
9/11, the office has worked with other when he was in his teens. He joined the I hope my toil helps Rye and his team
bureaus and departments to block hundreds military as a way of saying thank you to his find Samer and get him out unharmed.
of millions of dollars in terrorism-related newly adopted country and was sent to Iraq After the time I spent with his image
assets and material support, assist in stop- after the war started. He was abducted by over that weekend, I feel a strange bond
ping numerous high-threat terrorists and armed gunmen in Baghdad. No word was with him.
help other nations build their counter- heard from him for months until a few days I finally handed in my thesis, too. ■
terrorism capacity. The office also before that three-day weekend, and then
coordinates with the Department of Justice only through a videotape that was released The author is completing an assignment
and other agencies to bring suspected by his abductors. as information management officer at the
terrorists residing overseas to justice. Rye asked me to look at the tape, which U.S. Embassy in Seoul. His next assignment
Through Rye, I first heard about an he and an interagency task force were is London.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 23
Kantara in Morocco, front from left—Ann
Marie Calhoun, Brennan Gilmore and Brian
Calhoun; back from left—Zack Blatter, Amel
Boukhchina, Riadh Fehri and Lassaad Hosni.
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Performing in Milan are, from left, Brian Calhoun,
Ann Marie Calhoun, Riadh Fehri, Brennan Gilmore,
Amel Boukhchina, Lassaad Hosni and Zack Blatter.
TRANSFORMATIONAL MUSIC
Most who have heard Kantara note the
seemingly limitless influence this ingenuous
alliance might have.
“The synergy of the convergence of East
and West in Kantara’s music speaks to the
hearts of young people in Tunisia,
contributing to the success of the programs
my staff has arranged,” said Patricia Kabra,
public affairs officer in Tunis.
FRESH AND ORIGINAL
Gilmore and his partners have answered Secretary Rice’s call for
Kantara’s repertoire ranges from original compositions to fresh transformational diplomacy with transformational music and a
interpretations of time-honored Appalachian and Arab folk songs, message that impresses even those normally wary of the U.S. and
with arrangements that blend the two traditions. And it’s not only its policies. In October 2006, Gilmore received the Secretary’s
the inventive and energetic melodies that attract audiences, but Award for Public Outreach for his work with Kantara. After a
also the message of cooperation and appreciation between Ameri- successful multicountry tour that wrapped up in March, the band
cans and Arabs. Newspapers hail their artistry as “a musical bridge spent the spring in the United States, recording an album and
between peoples” and “a message of love, peace and playing for audiences in Washington, D.C., and Virginia, including
communication.” a performance at the Kennedy Center.
In Tunisia, the group has played venues ranging from a school In July, the group returned to Italy to play with the Sicilian
for handicapped children to the prestigious music festival at the Symphony Orchestra, and brought contemporary harmony to the
Roman Theater at Carthage. Kantara has played at the residences ancient ruins of the Roman coliseum in El Jem, Tunisia.
of U.S. Ambassador Robert Godec and Deputy Chief of Mission Wherever Kantara finds itself next, its ability to offer tangible
David Ballard. At every stop the band talks to and connects with proof of cross-cultural understanding will most likely continue to
its audiences. be significant.
“Music is a powerful means of communication between “Kantara’s extraordinary music brings Americans and Arabs
cultures, and a way to accept each other’s differences while closer,” said Ambassador Godec. “It brings home, in a way that
focusing on similarities,” Fehri says. only music can do, our common humanity and inspiration. It is
Former Tunis Consular Chief Nora Dempsey organized the transformational.”
group’s performances for Arab immigrant communities in For a taste of Kantara’s unique sound, visit the group’s Web site
Florence, Italy, where she serves as consul general. The group has at www.kantaramusic.com. ■
since performed before audiences of all sizes during Department-
sponsored tours in Italy, France, Tunisia and Morocco, spreading The author is a first-tour consular officer at the U.S. Embassy
its message of cross-cultural understanding between two diverse in Tunis.
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PHOTOGRAPH: ADRIEL DOMENECH
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“I believe that the entire Department recognizes that those
security officers in the field are taking their own lives into
their hands to make it possible for the rest of us to do our jobs.”
—Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
Discovery-Times Channel interview,
Aug. 15, 2005
Saving Lives
EMBASSY SECURITY TEAM RESPONDS QUICKLY TO IRAQ BOMBING
BY ADRIEL DOMENECH
When a suicide bomber attacked the Iraqi Council of Represen- ambulances to run the casualties to the nearest military hospital.
tatives (parliament) in April, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad’s DS Agent Ricardo Gibert performed a preliminary analysis of
Regional Security Office team responded quickly, demonstrating the damage.
courage and commitment in a crucial front of the war against “We went upstairs to review the scene, looking for the obvious
terror. components of the bomber and the bomb,” he said. “As we looked
On the day of the deadly bombing, the Council of around, all the cell phones were going off as loved ones and friends
Representatives had adjourned for lunch and Iraqis sat together were trying to call, knowing something had happened.”
eating in the parliamentary cafeteria. Suddenly, a loud explosion After the severely wounded were on their way to the hospital,
shook the room. Smoke and dust filled the air, and people ran for RSO medical teams began searching for the walking wounded. One
their lives, leaving the wounded and dying behind. team climbed 13 stories in the Al-Rasheed Hotel to examine a
The International Zone police alerted the Regional Security woman who had staggered through the lobby. Others among the
Office that a suicide bombing had occurred. The Baghdad office is wounded had wandered over to nearby offices. They were soon
the largest in the world, complete with a team of Diplomatic Secu- located, checked and released.
rity agents and personal security details supported by fleets of
helicopters for airlift, fire support and medical evacuation missions UNIQUE PRIVILEGE
around Iraq. Around the International Zone, they work closely with In coordination with the U.S. Army K-9 team, the embassy’s
the military to ensure the safety and security of embassy personnel, Explosive Ordnance Disposal team searched and secured the
along with their Iraqi counterparts. building. That evening, following a joint Iraqi/ Coalition investiga-
The RSO teams dispatched more than 100 people, and 25 Black- tion, the RSO security teams began to dismantle their perimeter as
water medics joined the U.S. Embassy doctor and other specialists the Iraqi Army reclaimed responsibility for the site.
to begin treating wounded Iraqis. The bomb attack killed one council representative and seriously
wounded scores of others, but the effective response of the well-
MORAL RESPONSE trained RSO teams may have prevented further injuries.
This quick response, said Senior Regional Security Officer “There is not another Diplomatic Security team or operation like
Randall Bennett, was a moral issue, “just like when we send out this in the world,” Bennett said, “and the privilege that we all have is
our helicopters to carry soldiers back to the hospital. We have the phenomenal. When they leave here, they leave here with great pride
ability to help, and if we don’t, people may die. And that is just not and self-respect for the work they do, because they literally save
acceptable.” lives every single day.” ■
As the medics rushed to the injured, RSO security teams fanned
out across the compound to provide a cordon of security for the The author was until recently a member of the Public Affairs Global
people within. A shuttle system used the RSO’s armored and armed Outreach Team at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 27
A mountain gorilla strikes a
thoughtful pose in Rwanda's
Volcanoes National Park.
PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS
<<< POST OF THE MONTH
Kigali
Modern Rwanda Reflects a Calm
and Pleasant Beauty
By Brian George
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 29
Looking down meticulously swept streets, lined with trees and visited the gorillas last year, with Americans by far the largest
flowering tropical plants, it can be difficult to reconcile the calm group.
beauty of Kigali with the chaos and destruction the city witnessed Other tourism attractions and popular weekend destinations
during the 100 days of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. for mission staff include Gisenyi and Kibuye, resort towns on
People have used many phrases, such as “Rwanda rising” or Lake Kivu that enjoy spectacular vistas of the lake and
“Rwanda reborn,” to describe one of the most dynamic countries surrounding hills, and Akagera National Park, a game reserve that
in the region and one that has taken great strides toward is home to a wide range of savannah animals, including elephants,
overcoming the legacy of the genocide. As Rwanda’s largest bilat- giraffes, zebras, hippos and a number of antelope species.
eral donor, the U.S. government is an active partner in the A recent addition to Rwanda’s tourism trail is the Nyungwe
rebuilding process, making this an exciting time to serve at the Forest, where visitors can encounter more than 75 mammal
U.S. Embassy in Kigali. species, including chimpanzees and rare colobus monkeys. Devel-
Though Rwanda is just south of the equator, its average
altitude of 5,000 feet keeps temperatures mild throughout the
year. The average 24-hour temperature in Kigali is a comfortable
73 degrees.
In the Mist
Known as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda features low
mountains that give way in the east to the savannah of Akagera
National Park and in the west to the jagged peaks of Volcanoes
PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN KIGALI
30 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
opment of the forest as a sustainable
tourism site is being aided through a
U.S. Agency for International Develop-
AT A GLANCE: RWANDA
ment-supported biodiversity project.
Weekends in Kigali center on tennis,
golf and other sporting activities; restau-
rant outings; and the occasional cultural
event. New restaurants continue to
sprout up, including Kigali’s first
western-style coffee shop, complete with
wireless Internet access. Plans are afoot
for a number of entertainment venues.
Construction has reached an
advanced stage on a new embassy
compound scheduled to open next
January. The compound, which is to
house all mission elements, will
markedly improve working conditions,
accelerate the integration of foreign
assistance operations and more
accurately reflect the growing U.S.-
Rwanda bilateral relationship.
With more than 40 direct-hire Ameri-
cans from State, the Department of
Defense, USAID and the Centers for
Disease Control, along with a Marine
Security Guard detachment, the mission
has grown rapidly in the past five years.
Capital Currency
Focus Country
Kigali Rwandan franc (RWF)
Foreign assistance programs are likely
to total more than $150 million in 2007.
Rwanda is a focus country for both the Total area Per capita income
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 26,338 square kilometers $1,600
Relief and his Malaria Initiative, making
health programs the largest single Approximate size Population below poverty line
element of U.S. government assistance. Slightly smaller than Maryland 60 percent
CDC, DOD and USAID all are actively
involved in implementing the PEPFAR Import commodities
Government
program, while CDC and USAID are Food, machinery and steel
Republic
working to rapidly scale up the malaria
program. Import partners
In addition to its work with the Independence Kenya (18.9 percent), Uganda (6.6
Rwandan Defense Forces to combat July 1, 1962 (from a Belgium- percent) and Belgium (5.8 percent)
HIV/AIDS in the military, DOD funds a administered UN trusteeship)
number of humanitarian assistance Export commodities
projects and has facilitated the participa- Population Coffee, tea and hides
tion of Rwandan troops in the African 9.9 million
Union’s peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Export partners
Sudan. Through the Africa Contingency Germany (11 percent), China (6.5
Ethnic groups
Operations Training and Assistance percent) and Belgium (4.5 percent)
Hutu (Bantu), Tutsi (Hamitic) and
program, the U.S. provides critical assis-
Twa (Pygmy)
tance to Rwandan battalions before their
Internet country code
deployment to Darfur.
Languages .rw
Despite its successes, Rwanda is chal-
lenged by being a land-locked country Kinyarwanda, French, English and
with a small market and few natural Kiswahili SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2007
resources. It faces major obstacles in
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 31
attracting direct foreign investment, and its per capita gross domestic
product of $230 marks it as one of the poorest countries in the world.
While school enrollment and literacy rates are climbing quickly, the
country continues to suffer from the loss of a large percentage of its
educated class during the genocide, and skilled labor is in short
supply. The weak economic infrastructure presents both professional
and personal challenges for mission staff.
Overcoming Barriers
The mission is helping Rwanda overcome some of the barriers to
economic development. Most notably, with USAID assistance Rwanda
has moved from producing no specialty coffee to being recognized by
Starbucks, Intelligentsia Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee and others as
a source of some of the highest-quality coffee in the world. More
important, this new market is providing additional income for thou-
sands of farmers.
In 2006 the United States and Rwanda signed a Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement that provides a platform for
expanded cooperation on economic issues. The Ambassador’s Self-
Help Fund directly supports community-based, income-generating
projects and also provides an opportunity for the mission staff who
serve as project sponsors to get to know ordinary Rwandans and the
conditions in which they live.
Critical to Rwanda’s long-term development is peace and stability
in the Great Lakes region. While no longer a threat to Rwanda’s
national security, the presence of rebel groups in the eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be a drag on
economic development and regional integration.
As the facilitator of the Tripartite Plus mechanism—which provides
a forum for the governments of Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda and
Above: Traditional dancers perform for visiting embassy officials. Below left:
Former assistant regional security officer Matthew Golbus, middle, and USAID
program officer Christophe Tocco, right, set forth on Lake Kivu with a friend at
the helm. Right: Mist rises over an extinct volcano in Volcanoes National Park.
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Top: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael
Thurston joins a community group cel-
ebrating its embassy support. Left:
The embassy soccer team winds down
after a match. Above: A mountain
gorilla relaxes.
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A CDC community health worker coun-
sels a client at a PEPFAR-sponsored
HIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and
testing site. Below: Assistant general
services officer Andres Valdes, second
from left, and Major Danny Huynh, far
right, take a dugout canoe ride with
friends on Lake Muhazi.
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★ FOREIGN
AFFAIRS
DAY
Frontline Diplomats Confront
a Changing World
By Bill Palmer
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DACOR Foreign Service Cup winner
Robert H. Miller, center, is applauded by
DACOR President Daniel O’Donohue, left,
and Deputy Secretary John Negroponte.
Left: Paul Wackerbarth, of Falls Church, Va., said he has been to every Foreign Affairs Day since retiring in 2000 after a 34-year career. He was posted to
Warsaw in 1989, when communism fell. Other noteworthy postings included Tegucigalpa and Brasilia. Right: Marilyn and Reuben Lev attended from their
home in Aspen Hill, Md. Reuben joined the Foreign Service in 1961. Marilyn taught in Chile and Belgium while Reuben worked for the embassy and NATO,
respectively. He was a professor at Trinity College between two stints with the Department. “This is a special day,” Marilyn said.
With Secretary Condoleezza Rice in Egypt, Deputy Secretary “Increasingly, American diplomats are on the front lines.” They are
John Negroponte was the morning keynote speaker. He told more not just analyzing, he noted. “We increasingly ask young people to
than 400 Department retirees and their guests that while the core of go out and run programs.”
traditional diplomacy—maintaining relations with counterpart Deputy Secretary Negroponte said that despite a fourfold
states—hasn’t changed, we must increasingly work to help bring increase in limited-accompaniment and unaccompanied positions
stability to weak and failed states—places where we have no since 2001, both the Foreign Service and Civil Service have
effective counterparts. “Today’s problems require a new kind of answered the Secretary’s call to serve in difficult posts.
diplomat,” he said. He added that the United States is making it a priority to work in
Under Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns elaborated: those countries that need the most help and said the alignment
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 37
Keynote speaker James L. Jones
addresses luncheon guests in the
Benjamin Franklin Room.
between foreign policy and foreign Southeast Asia from the early 1960s through Henry W. Antheil Jr., a clerk at the U.S.
assistance is being tightened. the 1970s. He participated in the Vietnam legation in Helsinki, was in a passenger
Under Secretary for Management Henri- peace talks and dealt with the aftermath of plane that was shot down over the Gulf of
etta Fore outlined some manifestations of the war, including the refugee issue. In Finland near Tallinn, Estonia, in 1940,
Transformational Diplomacy, such as the retirement, he has written three books and while he was serving as a diplomatic
growth of one- or two-officer American been an adjunct professor at Georgetown courier. Burns thanked the ambassadors of
presence posts and no-officer virtual pres- and George Washington universities, as well Estonia and Finland, who were present to
ence posts that mobilize diplomatic as serving as president of DACOR. honor Antheil.
resources to build engagement with target American Foreign Service Association After the ceremony, retirees dispersed to
communities. President Tony Holmes and Under Secretary various seminars, including a panel discus-
She highlighted the Department’s contin- Burns presided at AFSA’s annual memorial sion on the safety of U.S. ports, then
uing effort to achieve greater efficiencies plaque ceremony. “Diplomacy is increasingly regathered for a luncheon in the Benjamin
through shared services, centers of dangerous,” Burns said. “We have diplomats Franklin Room. Director General George
excellence and centralized domestic living under incoming artillery fire in Staples toasted the 400th anniversary of the
procurement. She praised the new year- Basrah and Baghdad just over the last week.” founding of Jamestown and then presented
round, multistep recruiting process, which He and Holmes unveiled the names of three the two Director General cups.
will bring in new officers more quickly. additional fallen diplomats who join the 222 The Civil Service Cup winner was Thomas
Though most speakers focused on new others on the plaque. Jefferson, who was cited for his leadership in
diplomatic responses to a changing Margaret Alexander, a Foreign Service developing the terms of the consent decree
environment, Burns emphasized that officer with the U.S. Agency for in the settlement of class action lawsuits,
there is a continuum in U.S. foreign policy. International Development, was killed last which opened new career vistas for many
“We’re standing on your shoulders,” he told Sept. 26 in a helicopter crash in Nepal. She women and minority employees.
PHOTOGRAPHS: BILL PALMER
the audience. was developing a national park on the third The Foreign Service Cup went to Harriet
The annual presentation of the DACOR highest mountain in the world, Burns said. Elam-Thomas, who served as a senior U.S.
(Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired) The other two names were belated addi- Information Agency officer and ambassador
Foreign Service Cup harked back to the tions. Doris G. Knittle served as a Foreign to Senegal. She was recognized for her
Vietnam era. It was awarded to Ambassador Service nurse in Kabul, Afghanistan, where courageous efforts to bridge cultures in
Robert H. Miller, who was involved with she was murdered in her home in 1970. many different countries and change
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DG George Staples poses with Harriet
Elam-Thomas, winner of the Director
General’s Foreign Service Cup.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 39
Science &
Technology
Abroad JEFFERSON FELLOW PROMOTES
S&T EXCHANGES WITH AFRICA
BY OSAMA O. AWADELKARIM
Despite great tension, suspicion and misconceptions between the
United States and many countries in the developing world, American
science and technology capabilities are still viewed very favorably. The
Department has taken steps to broaden programs and contacts with
scientists in developing countries, especially Africa, where there is a crit-
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The audience, left, listens closely as Professor Awadelkarim,
below, explains his role at the State Department during his
Africa trip.
S&T issues or social and political issues. of the first of these centers, the Nelson Considering the large Chinese, Indian
Thus, my participation as a representative Mandela African Institute of Science and and European involvement in African scien-
of State in all the events was opportune and Technology in Abuja. It is expected to admit tist training, increased efforts by the United
well received. U.S. scientists are a valuable its first group of students next academic States in this area are critical. Enhancing
asset for reaching out to Africa to win the year. It is exploring ties with American Africa’s participation in the Fulbright S&T
hearts and minds of an influential sector of universities and communicating with Award Program, recently launched by the
African civil society. American researchers. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,
Mainly, material scientists and engineers There are several ways State can is a good start. Relaxing post–9/11 visa
participated in these gatherings. These contribute to boosting scientific capacity in restrictions for visiting scientists, especially
groups enjoy far less contact with their U.S. Africa. One is to initiate or reenergize S&T those coming from Africa, would help a
counterparts than the more visible agricul- programs and agreements with African great deal.
tural, environmental and health scientists. countries and agencies. This would promote The most important contribution the
The good news is that material scientists African scientists’ access to cutting-edge U.S. government can make in fostering S&T
and engineers in Africa have come together research and opportunities in the United awakening in Africa is in K–12 mathematics
to form several Pan-African research facili- States and facilitate collaboration with and science education. Education in Africa
ties, networks and associations. American scientists. Efforts are currently suffers from a legacy of underfunding, lack
Africa’s increased interest in S&T presents under way in the African Bureau’s Office of of trained personnel and inadequate facili-
an opportunity for U.S. public diplomacy. At Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the ties and materials. These adverse conditions
the African Union Summit held in Ethiopia Bureau of Oceans and International are more pronounced in mathematics and
in January, leaders of 53 African countries Environment and Scientific Affairs’ Office science education.
pledged to make 2007 “The Year of Science of Science and Technology Cooperation, The U.S. Agency for International Devel-
and Technology in Africa.” They promised and the Office of the Science and opment is providing valuable help through
that every country would attempt to allocate Technology Advisor to the Secretary to scholarships, textbooks and teacher and
at least 1 percent of its gross domestic examine the best ways of promoting S&T administrator training programs. But very
product to S&T. interactions with Africa. little, if any, of this help goes toward mathe-
Several African countries, such as More funding for scholarship and fellow- matics and science education. A shift in aid
Rwanda and Uganda, are already ship programs to increase the number of toward mathematics and science would go a
negotiating loans with the World Bank to African scientists trained and educated in long way in helping African countries build
finance S&T infrastructure. The Group of the United States is of prime importance, as their S&T capacity. ■
Eight has agreed to help rebuild some is increased funding for visits by U.S. scien-
existing research facilities and academic tists to research and education institutions The author, who is completing his assignment
institutions in Africa, as well as build new in Africa. These visits could involve re- as a Jefferson Science Fellow, is a professor of
centers of excellence in science. search, teaching or participation in engineering science and mechanics at Penn
During my African tour, I visited the site scientific meetings and workshops. State University.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 41
Liberian President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf waves
to well-wishers as
members of her DS
protective detail scan
the crowd.
SECURITY FIRST
Diplomatic Security Team Supports Transformational mission for President-elect Sirleaf. They
were joined two days later in Monrovia by
Democracy in Liberia By David Bates 18 additional agents from the Office of
Mobile Security Deployments and a tactical
42 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
“At the end of the inauguration,
This group of Liberian presidential security service
trainees received instruction at a Diplomatic Security President Sirleaf decided that she wanted to
Antiterrorism Assistance training facility in Louisiana. take a victory lap of the whole city of
Monrovia,” Bauer said. “We had to scramble
to make it possible.”
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 43
INSIDE LOOK: GUARDING A PRESIDENT ON THE GROUND IN LIBERIA
Liberian police and Special Security difficult working conditions and much about the camp, she nonchalantly
Service agents at the mansion—President sometimes intermittent compensation— replied that she had walked five miles to
Sirleaf was missing from the motorcade. the average monthly wage for a Liberian the camp the previous day, conducted an
“We need to get back to the airport,” police officer was the equivalent of $14, advance assessment by herself and camped
James yelled. “There’s no one in the limo.” $20 for an SSS agent—those assigned to among the displaced people that night.
“Stand by,” I responded. “It will all make protect President Sirleaf demonstrated Yet, when I met with her that morning,
sense in a minute.” remarkable dedication and she had returned with no overnight bag,
Within seconds, we heard a Russian professionalism. toiletries or even a sleeping bag.
MI-8 (Hip) helicopter thumping its way Most of them had not been paid in two What the SSS and police lacked in tech-
through the humid mid-morning air. And months. Several walked up to five miles nical proficiency, they made up for in
then we heard another Hip. every morning to be at work by 8 a.m. resourcefulness and dedication. Another
Special agent Joe Dogonniuk, “Joe-dog,” Many were actually homeless and SSS agent named Shedrick one day
signaled “all clear” for the
landing on the parade
grounds as the white UN Erik Antons, standing, third from right, found
Liberia’s SSS agents committed and devoted.
chopper slowed to a hover.
While one Hip circled the
mansion grounds, the first
landed amid a team of DS
agents. After the rotors came
to a stop, the door opened to
reveal Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,
the 67-year-old president of
Liberia, or “Oma” to her
constituents.
Now I could tell James,
the other police officers and
the SSS personnel hastily
assembled outside the execu-
tive mansion why we left the
airport without the
president.
I explained that 24 hours
before the president’s arrival,
information emerged about
a potential attack on her
motorcade. The DS team
leaders decided it would be
safer to transport Johnson
Sirleaf from the airport to the executive squatting in government buildings or explained to me his commitment to the
mansion by helicopter instead of by land. renting modest apartments with their mission of protecting the nation’s newly
44 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
efforts earned him the Department’s Award
A Liberian security force trainee participates for Valor.
in a mobile security protective detail exercise
at an antiterrorism training facility.
“We started entirely from scratch,” Frese
said of the Monrovia assignment, noting
that the Liberians had virtually no resources
to protect their new president. “The assets
were all shipped in on very short notice. I
don’t know of any other organization that
could do it so completely and quickly.”
As an added challenge, the DS team had
a limited pool from which to recruit secu-
rity professionals inside the country.
“In a place like that, you don’t put out
job ads,” Frese said. Instead, the DS team
vetted hundreds of SSS candidates
recommended by the new administration.
In Monrovia, DS agents and UN peace-
keepers trained SSS agents in basic security
tactics, such as defensive driving and
protective security operations. More than
100 SSS agents were selected to receive four
weeks of advanced training from DS
Antiterrorism Assistance program instruc-
tors in the United States.
By June 15, 2006, the day the last tempo-
rary DS security detail left Liberia, some
330 SSS agents had completed basic law
enforcement training at UNMIL’s training
academy in Monrovia. An additional 101
SSS agents had completed advanced
security training in the United States, and
basic security infrastructure had been
installed at the official presidential
residence.
Besides standing up the new presidential
protective force, the DS mission also helped
cement a special relationship with the head
of Liberia’s new government, who, Frese
said, placed her full trust in DS personnel.
“We developed an excellent relationship
with her,” he said. “She let us take the lead.
She was open to ideas. She pretty much let
us run the show. She treated us with respect
and dignity, and you can’t ask for more
than that.”
Epilogue: Following a September 2006
meeting between President Sirleaf and Secre-
tary Rice, it was agreed that DS would return
to Liberia to further the professional develop-
ment and administration of Sirleaf ’s SSS. ■
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 45
In her office at Main State, First Lieutenant
Martha Martir examines a map of Korea,
where she served with the Army.
Operation Warfighter
More than 25 State Department bureaus civilian work force. Folkerts was at Walter forward to going to that day,” he said. “I
and offices support Operation Warfighter, a Reed Army Medical Center undergoing have a real feeling of accomplishment at the
Department of Defense program that has treatment after being injured in a blast in end of the day.”
placed more than 200 wounded service Taji, Iraq, in 2005. Another participant, First Lieutenant
members in temporary positions in federal Martha Martir, serves as a foreign area
agencies. The program provides recuperating Amazing Experiences officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human
service members in the Washington, D.C., He said Operation Warfighter “has been a Rights and Labor.
area with meaningful activity outside the great experience” and that the Department “Working at State has been a rewarding
hospital environment and helps them return has treated him extremely well. and mentally stimulating experience for
to the military or civilian workforce. “I’ve had a lot of amazing experiences me,” she said.
One participant, First Lieutenant David and opportunities that I never would have Martir was injured in Korea and has been
Folkerts, works in the Bureau of Education had” otherwise, he said, pointing to visits to at Walter Reed for three months. She called
and Cultural Affairs as a staff assistant. He the White House and meeting Olympic her work at the Department “a welcome
believes that Operation Warfighter is an figure skater Michelle Kwan. change of pace” and identified her involve-
excellent way for recovering service Folkerts said his assignment in ECA has ment with the Organization of American
members to update their skills and acquire been “a lot of fun and very rewarding. States as a wonderful experience. Martir
PHOTOGRAPHS: ED WARNER
new ones and to receive help in “It feels good to wake up in the morning majored in history with a Latin American
transitioning from the military to the and know I actually have work that I look studies minor.
“This opportunity precisely mirrors my When first presented to Department tration, public affairs and security.
undergraduate studies,” she said. “I’m a managers in 2005, the concept of Operation Because the program is open to active
signal officer in the Army, and working with Warfighter was unanimously seen as a good duty service members and National Guard
DRL has been an exciting departure from idea. Service members also liked the idea, and Reserve members, many participants
what I’ve been doing for the past two years.” “So we pushed ahead,” said Patrick Brick, arrive with considerable civilian and
the DOD coordinator. military experience. REE said the
Learning Opportunity With Director General George Staples’ Department has had the most success
Captain Daniel Downs serves in the strong endorsement, the Department placed placing military officers.
Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Downs was 11 Operation Warfighter program When participants are assigned to an
injured in Iraq and had been at Walter Reed participants into positions. The Office of agency, their work hours depend on their
since June 2006. He termed Operation Recruitment, Examination and treatment schedules, and they normally do
Warfighter “a learning opportunity” that Employment coordinates the program. not work a 40-hour week. The length of the
provides “a better and broader When bureaus and offices want to partic- assignments can range from a few weeks to
understanding of government and how it ipate in the program, they send REE a short several months.
functions, especially in relation to position description of the work that needs At a briefing at the Director General’s
Congress.” to be done, preferably one that does not use meeting for Department executive directors
The fourth Operation Warfighter partici- Department jargon and has few acronyms. in late 2006, DOD’s Brick said that, for
pant in the Department is Sergeant Jeffrey REE said the descriptions should be brief, many recovering service members, the
Monk, who was wounded in January by an to-the-point and focused on the partici- program is their first work experience
explosive device in Al Fallujah, Iraq, on his pants’ work, and have job titles that will outside the military. Although Brick’s office
second combat tour. Monk works in the catch participants’ attention. is in DOD’s Military Severely Injured
Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Center, he and representatives from federal
“I was welcomed into DS very warmly, Numerous Positions agencies periodically interview program
and everyone is anxious to help me learn The Department has more than 75 posi- candidates at Walter Reed and Bethesda
and fit in,” he said. tion descriptions under consideration at Naval Hospital. ■
Program participants get to build their DOD, several for multiple openings. The
resumes, explore employment interests, positions are in analysis, finance, The author is a recruiter in REE and
develop job skills and gain valuable federal engineering, general services, human coordinates the Department’s efforts on
work experience. resources, information technology, adminis- Operation Warfighter.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 47
‘Gold Standard’
OMB CALLS DEPARTMENT’S DATA-SHARING form for capturing data centrally. OMB’s
designation of Post Personnel as the gold
SYSTEM THE BEST BY SHANNON C. GALEY standard for improving the quality and
accuracy of overseas position data reflects
Having the right number of people at the ized U.S.-government positions at post and how well Post Personnel data can be
right posts with the right expertise is a key stores pertinent information on the direct- integrated and/or shared with other finan-
goal of the right-sized overseas presence hire employees who hold those positions. cial, inventory and property applications
initiative in the 2002 President’s The local module supports the administra- within and outside the Department.
Management Agenda. Since approximately tive and personnel transaction-processing The Bureau of Human Resources has
80,000 executive branch personnel from needs for Locally Employed staff hired at championed these integration efforts, and
nearly 50 federal agencies make up the U.S. post. The OBO module is used for planning Post Personnel is now the exclusive data
overseas presence, the need to adequately the Capital Security Cost Sharing program source for the Bureau of Administration’s
plan and account for these employees is and the long-range overseas building plans. Post Profiles application, the Bureau of
daunting. Post Personnel resides on 175 servers Resource Management’s International Coop-
To help meet this challenge, the Depart- worldwide. Its data are stored locally and erative Administrative Support Services and
ment of State mandated the use of the Post transmitted back
Personnel System in 2004, and Post to Washington, “Post Personnel has resulted in a con-
Personnel now serves as the official data where the data
source for all U.S. personnel serving under are captured in siderable increase in the confidence
chief of mission authority overseas. The the Post
Office of Management and Budget has Personnel
of U.S. overseas personnel data.”
termed Post Personnel the “gold standard,” Consolidated
or the best means by which agencies with Database. The database allows aggregate Mission Performance Plan applications and
an overseas presence can meet the PMA’s reporting and data standardization and the OBO’s CSCS application.
right-sizing goals. reconciliation with other personnel systems. Peter Keys, HR’s chief of overseas human
For the first time, regional bureaus can use resources applications, noted that several
HUMAN RESOURCES SYSTEM Post Personnel to access accurate staffing key milestones (see time line) have been
Post Personnel is a human resources data on a nearly real-time basis. met since the Department mandated use of
management and tracking system that Post Personnel by October 2004.
resides in the Web-based Post Administra- QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS “Across the board, Post Personnel has
tive Software Suite. It has American, local Post Personnel implementation enabled resulted in a considerable increase in the
and Bureau of Overseas Buildings the Department to eliminate redundant confidence of U.S. overseas personnel data,”
Operations modules. post-specific personnel applications and he said. “What began as a small utility
The American module tracks all author- established a single, uniform software plat- application with minimal constraints has
Program
PHOTOGRAPH: SHANNON GALEY
Milestones
48 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
The Post Personnel staff, which also supports
HR overseas applications, gathers for a picture.
rapidly evolved into the definitive cost-sharing among agencies overseas. By Foreign Service Institute to assist FSI with
government-wide resource.” implementing the OBO module in Post the integration of Post Personnel data into
By centrally capturing data, Post Personnel, the Department significantly its student training management system,
Personnel allows the Department to share reduced the costs of managing the data call which will allow FSI to validate the employ-
position data with 47 other U.S. agencies and decreased lead time for headquarters ment of Locally Employed staff registering
with an overseas presence. These agencies validation, since posts routinely maintain for training. This will eliminate the manual
access their overseas position data in the their CSCS data in Post Personnel. validation process and increase the accuracy
Post Personnel Global Access System via the and efficiency of course registrations.
Department’s Web-based human resources BEYOND THE DEPARTMENT HR is also working with other
network. This allows the Department’s HR is further leveraging Post Personnel government agencies to improve the overall
agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for Inter- data for its other human resources manage- accuracy of their overseas personnel data,
national Development, to better validate ment system applications, such as which will, in turn, assist them in meeting
their overseas positions when supporting Permanent Change of Station Travel and the PMA right-sizing requirements.
the CSCS “data call.” the Transfer and Evacuation Management More information about Post Personnel is
The CSCS data call was a resource- System. These integration efforts will help it available at http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/ps. ■
intensive effort that involved manually fully automate the travel message process
gathering current and planned position data and better support post evacuations. The author is a communications consultant
from all U.S. missions, for building space HR is also working closely with the in HR’s executive office.
JUN ICASS uses Post Personnel JAN Post Profiles uses Post MAR FSI uses Post Personnel for
data Personnel data training verification
MAY Post Personnel MAR Post Personnel used at MAY ICASS mandates use of Post
Consolidated Database all missions Personnel position codes
established at Department
headquarters JUL OBO uses Post Personnel JUN Post Personnel data used
data in Department’s right-
DEC Data quality/analysis sizing report to Congress
review begun worldwide NOV MSP/RM uses Post
Personnel data
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 49
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and
Vice President Dick Cheney chat as they
tour the Operations Center.
Training ‘Ops’
Watch—the 24-hour-duty
office—has always been an
intensive professional develop-
ment experience, giving
employees broad exposure to
the inner workings of the
Department. In the past year,
the center’s training program
has vastly expanded. Once,
Dialing the Operations Center is like calling the learning the technical skills
needed to “take the chair” on
Department’s equivalent of 911 —It’s the nerve center the Watch involved on-the-job-
for high-profile information and communications. training. Now, watchstanders
receive a full week of
The “Ops Center” supports and wakes you up at three in the voice on the phone asking orientation that includes prac-
the Secretary, coordinating and the morning when you’re a duty for comment on a news story ticing oral briefings for
placing her calls with foreign officer. In addition, it produces that interests the Secretary or Department principals and
counterparts, writing the Afternoon and Overnight other Department principals. reviewing emergency
memoranda of conversations Briefs, spot reports on breaking procedures. Since the center has
and transmitting documents to news and the Watch Alerts that NEW ROLE nearly 100 percent turnover
and from her party when she pop up on your computer The Ops Center also now is every summer, this extra week
travels. It also ensures that monitor. And it recruits for task one of the premier training helps bring new members of
PHOTOGRAPHS: MICHAEL GROSS
accurate information gets to the forces and provides support and experiences for newer Depart- the Watch to top performance
people who need it quickly— guidance during crises. It’s even ment officers. The center’s quickly.
50 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
The Operations Center’s Watch team gathers for its official 2006-07 portrait with the Secretary.
As one member of the Ops seventh-floor operation. Watch- sional experience, clarifying rotating-shift schedule, it was
team put it, the better standers cross-train in the exactly what the Secretary and quite a feat to get all of the
understanding of customers’ center’s Crisis Management other principals need to know trainees together in one place
needs that comes from training Support section, learning how and when they need to know it. at one time—but definitely
makes the team more effective. to track hot spots around the Experience in judging which worthwhile.
Another veteran likened the globe and keep the Department news stories and issues should The training continuum also
first few weeks of working in on top of events and able to rise to the Secretary’s attention fits with an ambitious project to
the Ops Center to “drinking protect Americans, should a will become valuable to those upgrade the center’s
from a fire hydrant”—new political crisis or natural officers as their careers progress. information technology
arrivals take in an disaster occur. The center’s training infrastructure. The center has a
overwhelming amount of infor- continuum also provides time new teleconferencing system,
mation. This includes learning CLOSE CONTACT to meet informally with senior Web-based programs and
the names of principals at the The Watch also works closely Department officials, in revised training.
Department, the White House with the Line, the office that situations with no agendas But the center recognizes
and other federal agencies, reviews most documents other than hearing the officials’ that new technology is not
using a complex coming to the Secretary and views. In addition to a daylong enough and that it is training
teleconferencing system and supports her overseas travel. all-hands meeting with guests that supports its goal of seeing
writing concise, accurate and This year, watchstanders spent such as Under Secretary that every Ops Center trainee
timely briefings. The expanded two days with the Line and a Nicholas Burns, Assistant Secre- gains sharper skills and an
training alleviates the sense of few hours with the Secretary’s tary Maura Harty and Executive enhanced understanding of
drowning in information, that staff and shadowed the Execu- Secretary Harry Thomas, the U.S. foreign policy. ■
ops team member observed. tive Secretariat’s “duty deputy,” center’s trainees also spent a day
Training doesn’t stop when a senior seventh-floor officer at the Foreign Service Institute The author is a political officer in
watchstanders start work. This who has the final say on which for team building and the Bureau of Western
year, Ops developed cross- papers are ready for the Secre- discussion about where the Hemisphere Affairs and alterna-
training experiences that ensure tary the following morning. Department is headed. Since the tive representative to the U.S.
employees get the most out of These training opportunities 35-member Watch has a 24- Mission to the Organization of
their time in the center’s provided unprecedented profes- hour, seven-day-a-week, American States.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 51
What would you do
in a remote post with very poor medical resources if the following situation
occurred: An earthquake collapses the embassy building you are working in.
Injured coworkers are calling for help and others seem to be seriously hurt
but are not conscious. No medical professionals are present, and it may take
quite a while for them to get there. Which of the many victims should you
try to help first?
Whether the situation is a natural disaster, a terrorist event or a motor
vehicle accident, most of us are not prepared to step in and offer medical
assistance. Now, however, thanks to an Emergency Medical Training course,
many Foreign Service employees and Locally Employed staff overseas know
how to help save lives and make a difference in crisis situations.
The Office of Medical Services developed the EMT course for non-medical
employees in the Foreign Service community. The course is being taught at
the National Foreign Affairs Training Center and overseas.
The EMT course started with ideas a few Office of Career Development and Assign- consist of 8-12 volunteers, predominately
years ago from Richard Bienia, a regional ments says all Foreign Service generalists locally engaged staff, to whom the local-hire
medical officer then serving as chief of the and specialists are now being enrolled in the nurses and I have given the eight-hour
Emergency Medical Response Section for course before going overseas. training. In Delhi, we have also assembled a
MED, and Carol Dorsey, then director of Instructors for the FSI class, contracted responder kit of basic and intermediate
the Foreign Service Health Practitioner from All Source Consulting Group, have first-aid supplies assigned to each medical
Program, which plans and coordinates come from urban search-and-rescue responder. Each time I visit my regional
MED’s continuing medical education backgrounds and worked in either overseas posts, I now give refresher classes using
program. or remote rescue environments. Bruce practice scenarios.”
“It was clear that nowhere in the world Alexander, president and founder of All Gail Sims, FSHP in Kuwait, gives each
would the State Department have sufficient Source, says, “The instructors know that it’s participant an opportunity to triage a group
medical personnel to manage a true mass not if, but when the course participants will of patients during the class.
casualty situation without the involvement be called on to the use skills they learn in “Health Unit Kuwait plans to do case
of folks who have learned to take care of this class. They know firsthand the type of scenario drills to test skills throughout the
themselves,” Bienia says. environment Foreign Service employees year, using mock trauma costumes and
Dorsey adds, “Having served in some have to face every day.” makeup for ‘victims’ and having a three-
fairly austere postings during my career, I Overseas, the emergency medical course person rescue group respond,” she says.
have always believed that emergency is taught by the health care professionals Medical Director Dr. Laurence Brown is
medical training was an essential skill set from embassy health units, using the same pleased that MED has been able to provide
that should be incorporated
into the basic training for
Foreign Service officers, right
up there with security aware-
ness and other emergency
preparedness courses.”
The objective of the course
is to make Foreign Service
community members better
prepared and more self-
reliant in the face of medical
emergencies, particularly
those that could occur in
settings where an emergency
medical response system does
not exist or is not working as
expected. The course includes
medical triage, advanced
first-aid techniques, search-
and-rescue techniques and a
discussion of disaster-coping
techniques.
Edith Gidley, the Foreign
Service Health Practitioner
who acts as the current MED
adviser for the course, says, Two Emergency Medical Training students practice simple triage and rapid treatment of a mock victim.
“Our students learn how to
size up an emergency situation and really course objectives, syllabus and teaching the leadership and expertise needed to get
enjoy the hands-on part of the class, putting materials, but adapted to each particular this crucial training off the ground.
their skills to use right away in our mock post. The course is taught to LE staff, “The success of the course has been due
disaster scenarios.” employees and eligible family members of to everyone’s concerted efforts as a team,”
In a collaborative effort, the Crisis all foreign affairs agencies. The course focus he says. “With FSI, HR and MED working
Management Training Division of the is often on preparing to make the post’s together, we’ve been able to provide innova-
Foreign Service Institute’s School of Leader- Emergency Action Plan real, by running tive, practical training useful for any
ship and Management, MED and the mass-casualty incident drills. emergency.” ■
Bureau of Human Resources have moved In New Delhi, RMO Christine Hughes
the course from a pilot to a required course says that “we have established medical The author is deputy director of the Foreign
taught on a regular basis. Dean Haas of the responder teams at each of the posts. They Service Health Practitioner Program.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 53
APPOINTMENTS
54 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
U.S. Representative to the U.S. Ambassador to
United Nations Madagascar and Comoros
Zalmay Khalizad of Maryland, a defense R. Niels Marquardt of California, a
and foreign affairs specialist and former career member of the Senior Foreign
ambassador, is the new U.S. Permanent Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is
Representative to the United Nations. the new U.S. Ambassador to the
Previously, he was ambassador to Iraq Republic of Madagascar. He is to serve
and, before that, ambassador to concurrently as ambassador to the
Afghanistan. He has held other high- Union of Comoros. Previously, he was
level positions at State, the Department ambassador to Cameroon and
of Defense and the National Security concurrently to Equatorial Guinea. His
Council. He founded the Center for other overseas assignments include
Middle Eastern Studies at RAND. Germany, France, Thailand and Congo.
He was a Peace Corps volunteer in
Rwanda. He is married and has four
daughters.
*FOREIGN SERVICE
Busch, Cherryl D.
Dee, Diane
Garcia, Ricardo
retirements
Frisbie, Russell Louis
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 55
EDUCATION TRAINING
Student Records Online Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all the
Need your class schedule or an unoffi- courses available at FSI, visit the Schedule of Courses on OpenNet at http://fsi.state.gov.
cial transcript of training taken through See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and new course dates and
FSI? Visit the FSI Registrar’s Office Web periodic announcements of external training opportunities sponsored by FSI. For addi-
page on the Department of State tional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144/7137.
OpenNet at http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg.
Security Aug Sept Length
56 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
OBITUARIES
Tareyne A. Abraham, 26, a member of the Locally Employed Louis J. Carlucci, 61, a retired Foreign
staff at the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Service officer, died April 24 of cardiac
died suddenly on May 15. She had worked at the embassy for arrest in Stafford, Va. He served in the
more than five years. Coast Guard before joining the
Department in 1967 and the Foreign
Service in 1987. His overseas postings
included Lima, Mexico City, Munich and Port of Spain. After
retiring in 1999, he worked in the Office of Transportation as a
packing inspector. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 57
OBITUARIES
Eileen Janus, 79, a retired Foreign John J. Leech, 78, a retired Foreign Service officer, died March
Service secretary, died May 11 in Santa Fe, 22 in Manassas, Va. He was an Army veteran who served in
N.M. She joined the Department in 1956 Defense attaché offices in Lima, Quito and Mexico City. With the
and retired in 1993. Her overseas postings Department, he served overseas in Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia,
included Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Tokyo, Laos, Iran and Panama. His daughter Theresa is a Foreign Service
Burma, Buenos Aires, Monterrey, Paris, officer.
Rome, Zurich and Geneva.
58 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
Thomas P. Shoesmith, 85, a retired Etta Thurmond, 79, a retired Foreign Service nurse
Foreign Service officer, died April 26 of practitioner, died May 4 in Kerrville, Texas. She joined the Foreign
cancer in Springfield, Va. He served in the Service in 1977. Her overseas postings included Bucharest, Quito,
Army during and after World War II. He Mogadishu and Karachi. She retired to Kerrville in 1993 and
joined the Department in 1951, entered worked as a nurse at a girls’ summer camp.
the Foreign Service in 1955 and retired in
1987. His overseas postings included Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo,
Fukuoka and Malaysia, where he was ambassador. After
retirement, he was active in the Japan-America Society of
Washington.
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.
J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | 59
THE LAST WORD
COMING IN SEPTEMBER
• Department Inner-View—Under Secretary
R. Nicholas Burns
... and much more! Questions? Comments?
statemagazine@state.gov
60 | S TAT E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 0 7
*JULY/AUG.2007 Plan to attend the 47th annual
BOOKFAIR of the Associates of the
American Foreign Service Worldwide,
which will open on Friday, Oct. 13, and
continue through Sunday, Oct. 21.
It will be held in the Diplomatic
Exhibit Hall on the first floor of Main
State. In addition to thousands of
second-hand books from all over the
world, BOOKFAIR will feature the Art
Corner, Collectors’ Corner and an
assortment of coins and stamps.