U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F S T A T E

June 2002

StateStateM a g a z i n e

A Retiree Recalls His 1950 Trek to His First Post

In our next issue:

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly, exceptbimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department of State,2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postage paid atWashington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations. POSTMAS-TER: Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG,SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. State Magazineis published to facilitate communication between managementand employees at home and abroad and to acquaint employeeswith developments that may affect operations or personnel. The magazine is also available to persons interested in workingfor the Department of State and to the general public.

State Magazine is available by subscription through theSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,Washington, DC 20402 (telephone [202] 512-1800) or on the web athttp://bookstore.gpo.gov.

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Deadlines: July 15 for September issue.August 15 for October issue.

StateStateMagazine

Carl GoodmanEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dave KreckeWRITER/EDITOR

Kathleen GoldyniaART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Pat HayesCHAIRMAN

Jo Ellen PowellEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Florence FultzWilliam Hudson

Jim LawrenceLes McBee

Erin RooneyDoug Ryan

FranceThe Louvre is minutes away fromthe U.S. Embassy in Paris.

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7 Post of the Month: MilanThe consular district includes all of northern Italy.

12 Bureau of the Month: Democracy, Human Rightsand Labor

The bureau celebrates its 25th anniversary.

16 On the Road to KabulA retiree recalls his treacherous trek to his first post.

19 Donors Celebrate 40th AnniversaryCurator Clement E. “Clem” Conger is honored.

20 Farewell, Mark and FrancEuros are heavy on the purse, light on conversion.

22 An Exercise in UtilityState, Defense practice mock chemical attack in Kuwait.

24 INet Makes Its DebutThe web site offers new look and easier access.

26 The DS SourceThis web site is for emergency planning and more.

28 Relief Fund Helps FSNs WorldwideFSNs in 20 countries have benefited.

StateContents

D e p a r t m e n t o f S t a t e • U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a

StateMagazine

June 2002No. 458

C O L U M N S

2 From the Secretary

6 Direct from the D.G.

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

29 People Like You

30 Education & Training

30 Personnel Actions

31 Obituaries

On the CoverAbdul the driver, a Red Cross

official and author Gordon King at the western end of the

Khyber Pass.

Map by Leo Dillon and Shawn Mason,Office of the Geographer and Global Issues

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Daniel Schuman, acting directorof DRL’s Office of ExternalAffairs, reviews the human rightslegislation governing the bureau.

Kids get special briefing inTreaty Room.

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2 State Magazine

FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

The success of U.S. diplomacy in this new centurydepends in no small measure on whether weexploit the promise of the technology revolution.

Just as an information edge can make the differencebetween success and failure in the corporate world, so,too, in the business of foreign affairs, we must beequipped with the best information available.

The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is fireup my home computer. Before anyone has given me anintelligence report or I’ve read any newspapers, myhome page pops up. Because I’ve set it to receive certainnews segments, I have about 20 messages waiting for meon what’s happening around the globe. So, long beforethe intelligence community and those wonderful systemswe have in the State Department start to feed me materi-al, I am online getting a pretty good sense of the world.And I have not had my first cup of coffee yet.

That’s the kind of access to information everyone in theState Department needs. One of my biggest priorities asCEO of the State Department has been to make sure thatyou, the men and women who carry out our foreign pol-icy, have the technology you need to succeed when youcome to work in the morning.

Whether it is your job to provide administrative sup-port, analyze events, represent the United States or reachout to a wider public, you must have rapid access toinformation and the ability to communicate swiftly. Thisis true across the board—whatever your job or rank,whether you serve stateside or overseas, whether you area Foreign Service officer, Foreign Service National or amember of the Civil Service.

In my first testimony before Congress as Secretary ofState and in all subsequent appearances to defend ourbudget requests, I have made upgrading our informationtechnology a top priority. The Congress heard and camethrough—with a massive increase in our informationtechnology funding for Fiscal Year 2002. I returned toCongress this year and reported our progress, seekingcontinued support for our plan.

Cyber-Tools for a 21stCentury State Department

We are buying thousands of workstations, wiringoffices and creating networks. We successfully testedOpenNet Plus, which will put Internet access and e-mailon each of your unclassified desktops. My goal is to getall 30,000 of you on that system by the end of 2003.

Our classified system is also being improved. By theend of next year, every classified desktop in each of ourembassies and consulates should be tied to the same StateDepartment network. Those of you who are already con-nected should also be experiencing faster, more reliableconnections.

We are also exploring whether we can put classified andunclassified cables, e-mails and memoranda onto one mes-saging system. Another project on the drawing board is anunclassified computer network for our overseas posts thatwill enable us and our colleagues from other federal agen-cies working under the same embassy roof to communicateelectronically, send instant messages and videoconference.

But none of this is enough. Technology is moving for-ward and we must move forward with it, changing theway we do business. I know that you will agree with methat we must deploy better systems than we have today.New ones will have to satisfy three standards: they mustbe smart, simple to use and secure. Training must becomecomprehensive and regular.

I have directed Grant Green, the under secretary forManagement, to review and oversee our cyber-agenda.He is soliciting ideas. He is making sure that your needsdrive our planning. He is working with teams across theState Department to set priorities and implement ourstrategy without delay.

U.S. diplomacy requires nothing less than the best peo-ple being supported by the best information available attheir fingertips. I want the State Department to set thestandard within the U.S. government on harnessing thepower of cyber-technology. I am confident that we are onthe right course and, with Congress’ continued help, wewill reach our goal. ■

June 2002 3

Why Pesticides?I tried, but in vain, to

relate your March safe-ty article on reducingpests and pesticidesto something aboutthe conduct ofinternational rela-tions abroad orat home. I ex-pected to find,

for example, mate-rial on the dangerous use

of harmful pesticides overseas ordos and don’ts of vegetable garden-ing in the tropics or desert climes.

Were there a dearth of informationon pests and pesticides in the domes-tic newspapers and magazines readby Foreign Service and Civil Serviceemployees, then such a topic mighthave its place in State Magazine.

To my mind, such is not the case.

Richard C. MatheronEscondido, Calif.

Pesticides and RecipesI liked your article on reducing

pesticides in the March issue.How about a recipe from the

countries that you write about(Chad—for example, March’s Post ofthe Month).

I think many of your readerswould be interested.

Genevieve O. BolijPost Management OfficerOffice of the Executive DirectorBureau of European Affairs

Who Edits the Editor?In your March column about land

mines in Afghanistan, you refer to“… unexploded ordinance.”

Who edits the editor?

John O. GrimesRetired Foreign Service OfficerArlington, Va.

Everyone! —The Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From the EditorIf you like trips and adventure, join us “On the Road to Kabul,” our

cover story and one of the gems in this issue. Gordon King, who retiredas consul general in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1974, received his first postingin 1950—to Kabul, Afghanistan. He had to get there first—fromPeshawar, Pakistan—by van. The 150-mile trek through high mountainpasses would have been a challenge anytime, but in blizzard conditionsit was treacherous. You’ll learn just how treacherous starting on page 16.

Upon his arrival in Venice, the late humorist S.J. Perelman wired his edi-tor in New York: “Streets full of water. Please advise.” The legendary citywith its gondolas and waterways is part of the Milan consular district thatencompasses all of northern Italy. Employees posted there are advised tosee it all—mountains, lakes, canals and cities. My advice: turn to page 7.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor is celebrating its25th anniversary. The bureau is widely known for its publications, espe-cially its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, a primaryresource in shaping and conducting U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy.One bureau official called it “the conscience” of the Department and U.S.government. The celebration begins on page 12.

For more than four years, State Magazine’s readers have enjoyed theenergy and vitality of talented art director Kathleen Goldynia. With theadvent of color, the magazine’s pages have come alive, mirroring the tal-ents of a designer very much at home with desktop publishing. Whateverher technical skills, she has an artist’s touch that’s harder to define. Youknow it when you see it and we have seen it in nearly 50 editions. Sadly,this issue is her last as family plans call for relocating to Texas. We willmiss her magic touch.

Visit Us on the Webwww.state.gov/m/dghr/statemag

26State M

agazine

under a new walkway will help block

future weeds.

While good preparation and

design will give the garden an

excellent start, the following

proper maintenance is critical, too.

Frequently mowing the lawn

so more than one-third of the

height is trimmed, yet the grass is

at least three inches, encourages

root growth, moisture retention

and competition with weeds.

Manual weeding, preferably

done before the weeds get estab-

lished, removes these undesirables that compete for

moisture and nutrients.

Mulching helps retain soil moisture, deter weeds and

conditions the soil.

Avoiding physical damage—for example, from string

trimmers or lawn mowers cutting into tree trunks—pre-

vents injury that makes plants more vulnerable to pests.

Monitoring for early signs of pests allows for prompt

action while the pest population is small.

When pests are detected, identify them and use the least

toxic means of control first. Control measures may include

traps, barriers, beneficial insects and pesticides. Traps such

as small pools of stale beer to catch slugs can make a dent

in, as well as indicate the size of, the pest population. Some

pests, such as aphids, can be physically removed by hand

or with a jet of water spray, suffocated with spray oils or

killed from contact with insecticidal soap.

Physical barriers can be established, too, to deter slugs by

encircling plants with diatomaceous earth, lime or saw-

dust. The demand for greener pest control products is on

the rise, making them more widely available than ever.

Even “organic” pesticides can be hazardous, however, and

users should always read and follow the pesticide labeling.

There are many sources of guidance for integrated pest

management. In the United States, agricultural extension

services are an excellent resource. Their advice is tailored

to the plants, climate and pests of the region and offered

at little or no cost. Extension services often do soil testing

as well. In addition, university agriculture or entomology

departments have helpful information, including easy-

to-use web sites with photographs or drawings to help

diagnose pest problems.

Of course, there are many reference books on garden-

ing, and many are touting integrated pest management

practices that organic gardening has long embraced. ■

The author is an industria

l hygienist in the Office of Safety,

Health and Environmental Management.

By Claire Huson

If spring comes, c

an

gardening be far behind?

With the unusually warm winter,

many people already have gar-

dening on their minds. Not only

will your family likely consume vegeta-

bles grown there, children and pets may

play in the garden as well.

For those reasons alone, pesticides

should be held to a minimum and you can accom-

plish that through integrated pest management

principles. They are ideal for the home garden since they

promote a healthy garden, make it less inviting to pests and

reduce the use of pesticides.

Where do you begin? Avoiding pest problems begins

with assessing your garden’s location. What’s the soil

like? Does it need to be enriched? How much sunlight

exposure is there? What’s the local climate? While some

garden characteristics can be modified, others, like cli-

mate, cannot. Accept what won’t change and move on.

And remember that approximately one-third of plant

losses have nothing to do with pests or disease anyway.

The backbone of a healthy, pest-resistant garden is fer-

tile soil. You can test the soil for pH and nutrient content

with test kits or soil testing services. Findings may indi-

cate that enrichment is needed and a tailored prescription

can be devised.

The next step is designing a plan based on how the gar-

den will be used and then selecting appropriate plants.

Perhaps there are high-traffic areas where a sturdy grass

or walkway is best suited. In addition to answering the

design goal, plant selections must be well suited to the

soil, light, moisture and climate.

Design considerations should also anticipate common

pest problems. Look for plants that are resistant to com-

mon pests, be they deer, other wildlife or a plant disease.

Combine plants vulnerable to pests with others that deter

them. For example, planting basil near tomatoes deters

tomato hornworms and garlic planted among vegetables

deters aphids, weevils and spider mites.

Similarly, include plants that attract such beneficial insects

as lacewings and ladybugs. Decreased pesticide use will also

protect beneficial insects that are part of nature’s way of con-

trolling pests. Don’t overlook physical design considerations

and the potential impact on pest problems. For example,

don’t plant too close to buildings since the irrigation require-

ments for the plants could invite termites to feed on the

structure. Installing landscape fabric or plastic sheeting

Reducing Pests and Pestic

ides

Safety Scene

CorrectionsWe reported in our April issue that

22 sailors were killed when terroristsstruck the USS Cole in the Yemenport city of Aden in October 2000.The actual number killed was 17.

Also in our April issue, we identi-fied Air Force Col. Chuck Wilson,director of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ Office of Internation-al Security Operations, as Army.

Letters to the EditorLetters should not exceed 250 words andshould include the writer’s name, addressand daytime phone number. Letters will beedited for length and clarity. Only signed letters will be considered. Names may bewithheld upon request. You can reach us at statemagazine@state.gov.

4 State Magazine

I N T H E N E W S

Bureaus Recognized for CFC Contributions

A smiling Claudia Finney, theCombined Federal Campaign loanedexecutive, opened the April 16awards ceremony recognizingemployees’ contributions to the 2001CFC campaign. John Campbell,deputy assistant secretary in theBureau of Human Resources, pre-sented plaques to the 17 bureaus thatexceeded their goals and to the 22that qualified for special CFC awards.

Campaign organizers set goalsabove the previous year’s level longbefore Americans gave so generous-ly to the families of victims of theSept. 11 attacks. Many predicted that

unprecedented giving would result in a precipitous drop in CFC contribu-tions when employees realized their charity budgets were already deplet-ed. Those predictions were wrong. Generous employees not only reachedthe assigned goal of $1.8 million, they exceeded it by more than 3.5 percent,earning the Department the coveted Pacesetter Award.

Mr. Campbell thanked the contributors and reminded them that theirdonations would go a long way toward helping to feed the hungry andproviding better medical care for those in need and scholarships fordeserving students. He also thanked the bureau coordinators and key-workers who worked tirelessly to make this year’s campaign a success.

CFC loaned executiveClaudia Finney

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Plant a Tree: Earth Day Observed in Nogales

The U.S. Consulate in Nogales celebrated Earth Dayon April 22 by distributing trees to the neighboring com-munity. Employees volunteered in shifts to distributethe trees and pamphlets with instructions in Spanish onhow to plant and maintain them. One of five distribu-tion points, the consulate coordinated the distribution ofmore than 5,000 trees with members of the Project forthe Reforestation of Both Nogales (the Mexican city inSonora state and the U.S. city in Arizona).

The Mexican army donated the trees and SuMex, aforeign-owned firm in Mexico that manufactures inkcartridges, provided transportation and pamphlets.SuMex and consulate employees along with studentsfrom the University of Arizona spent the entire weekendloading trees into trailers.Elementary school children came to the consulate to pick up their free trees.

Calling All BooksThe Associates of the American

Foreign Service Worldwide needs yourbooks for its BookFair 2002 to be held inOctober in the Exhibit Hall of the HarryS Truman Building.

All proceeds from the book fair areused for charitable donations and foradvocacy on behalf of the ForeignService community.

The AAFSW would welcome dona-tions for the Art Corner and theCollector’s Corner, especially rarebooks, as well as stamps and coins.

In the Department, donations may bedropped off in the Book Room (B816 ofthe Truman Building) Monday throughFriday from noon to 2 p.m. or byappointment; telephone (202) 223-5796.In the Washington area, pickups may bearranged by calling Virginia Jones at thesame number.

Employees overseas may pouchdonations to the AAFSW Book Room,B816, Harry S Truman Building.

If you’re moving or simply sortingthings out, BookFair 2002 is there to help.

Embassy and theDrug EnforcementAgency’s museum.

Penny McMurtry,who organized thisyear’s program, saideach child participat-ed in an average oftwo activities for atotal of 700 activityhours. “It was gratify-ing,” she said, “to seehow much care andeffort each bureauinvested in helpingthe young visitorsunderstand theiroperations.” In almost

every case, partici-pants were givenhandouts.

As for improving next year’s program, Ms. McMurtrysaid it would have been helpful if more parents had pre-registered their kids. At least 150 parents showed upthis year with their children without having signed up

June 2002 5

Despite a drea-ry, drenchingrain, a record

400 children of De-partment employeesaccompanied theirmoms and dads towork April 25 to learnmore about whattheir parents do andparticipate in scoresof activities arrangedfor them.

After registeringand picking up theirbadges, the kidsassembled in theDean Acheson Aud-itorium, where theywere sworn in as“honorary employeesfor the day.” Raising their right hands, they repeated theoath read by Under Secretary for Management GrantGreen, standing in for Secretary Colin Powell, who was inTexas meeting with President Bush and Saudi PrinceAbdullah.

Once sworn in, many kids followed their parents to theiroffices and spent at least part of the day shadowing theirmom or dad. Others got glimpses of the work performedby Department employees, from practicing sign languageto learning how Diplomatic Security agents protect theSecretary, from posing questions to the Departmentspokesman at the noon briefing to visiting the British

Take Your Child to Work

ahead of time. “It’s difficult to plan activities when youdon’t know how many to plan for. All in all, it was agreat event. Feedback from children and parents wasvery positive,” she said.

One parent summed up her thoughts on the day in an e-mailed thank-you note, “Walking around the halls, therewas a feeling of excitement in the air, among kids, parentsand even the employees without kids in tow. I really feltthis was a family-friendly State Department.” ■

Grant Green, under secretary for Management, swears in “honorary employees forthe day” in the Dean Acheson Auditorium. Sharing the stage with their backs to thecamera are, from left, acting Director General Ruth Whiteside, Special CoordinatorNiels Marquardt and program organizer Penny McMurtry.

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Young diplomats receivebriefing on UN peackeeping.

Honorary “employees” gettheir badges for Kid’s Day.

6 State Magazine

DIRECT FROM THE D.G.AMBASSADOR RUTH A. DAVIS

Just 12 short months ago, I arrived atthe Harry S Truman Building to joinSecretary Powell’s team, trading mylovely view of the Foreign Service

Institute campus for a sweeping sixth-floor vista of the Potomac and the LincolnMemorial. I’ll grant you that a year is nota very long time, but there’s nothing likean anniversary to focus the mind. In mycase, this first anniversary as director gen-eral has prompted me to reflect and askmyself, “Have we made a difference forthe Secretary? Are the American peoplebeing served better and is the Department a betterplace to work?”

I realize that one swallow does not a springtime make,nor does one year an entire institution remake.Nevertheless, as I review things in my mind, this reallyhas been an eventful year, maybe one of the most event-ful and productive in my entire Foreign Service career—which as you all know began sometime around the timethat Columbus sailed. That’s not simply because of lastSept. 11, the anthrax attack or the embassy evacuations.I’m not forgetting those events, but when I think of beingon this team, helping Secretary Powell make thisDepartment a better place that serves the American peo-ple more effectively, I have several other things in mind.

They include launching the Diplomatic ReadinessInitiative; establishing mandatory leadership and man-agement training milestones for Civil Service and ForeignService employees; analyzing and expediting the CivilService hiring process; expanding the PresidentialManagement Intern program; deploying our Civil Servicementoring pilot; implementing a more generous per diemfor employees in long-term training; and providing child-care subsidies for our lowest-paid employees. In spite ofSept. 11 and its aftermath, we’ve been able to address eachof these issues and adopt some new approaches.

Nothing has given me more satisfaction than theDiplomatic Readiness Initiative. The Secretary deservesall the credit for obtaining the money from Congress, andhe has challenged us to “seize the moment” to show thatwe can manage growth of this Department. I believe wehave risen to this challenge. Since last September, wehave filled several junior officer classes with more than90 members per class. Given adequate funds, we havepursued minority hiring with renewed intensity, and

more minorities than ever before have takenthe Foreign Service Exam. We have done allof this while reducing the processing time fornew Foreign Service generalist hires fromaround 27 months to fewer than 10. Our spe-cialist hiring pipelines are growing as well.

If you doubt that these efforts stand tohave a dramatic impact on the Department,all you need to do is take the shuttle to FSIand visit the cafeteria at lunchtime. That’swhere you can see the future of the ForeignService and where you can appreciate thegrowth that’s taking place.

There are other things that I think are worth noting aswell. Our corps of Foreign Service specialists has bene-fited from the Secretary’s personal interest. He took thelead in making USAA membership available to our spe-cialists, just as it has long been available to ForeignService commissioned officers. For our Foreign ServiceNational employees in places where they cannot counton adequate retirement programs, we have prepared anoffshore retirement benefits program that should beready for formal launch this year. Our Family LiaisonOffice has “been there” for all of our evacuees, helpingthem cope with the dislocations that followed Sept. 11.FLO is also working on long-range programs forenhanced employment opportunities for our spouses.We have made improved customer service one of ourmain tasks inside this bureau and relations with ourretiree constituency have improved in both tone and substance.

After looking at all this, I hope you will share some ofmy satisfaction. I think we have served the taxpayers welland are poised to serve the American people even better.Looking down the road, however, we still have to showthe Congress that we need and can use wisely the moneyfor Years II and III of the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative.We will need to continue our efforts in recruitment andminority hiring. We have to make mandatory training aneffective and valuable reality, not just a ticket-punchingrequirement. We need to look for new ways to make this amore employee-friendly and family-friendly Department.We have more to do to make Civil Service hiring faster andprovide increased training and career development oppor-tunities for our Civil Service colleagues.

In summary, there’s plenty to look forward to everymorning. ■

Taking Stock: Year One

Milan

M

Post of the Month:

By Tom Skipper

ilan is the “capital” of a largeand dynamic consular district thatincludes the whole of northern Italy. Itis an extremely diverse region thatstretches from Genoa on the westcoast to the rugged coastline of Triestein the far northeast and as far south asthe Po River valley above Bologna.Within this area are the soaring ItalianAlps, the inland lakes of Como andGarda, and the beautiful beaches ofthe Italian Riviera. Among the manywell-known tourist destinations aresuch cities as Venice, Verona and theidyllic harbor of Portofino.

The district is home to some 25 mil-lion people—44 percent of Italy’s pop-ulation—who produce 60 percent ofthe country’s gross domestic product.Indeed, northern Italy is the birth-place of the post–World War II eco-nomic miracle that brought widespread prosperity to the region andcatapulted the national economy intofifth place in the world.

Though the north remains Italy’sindustrial engine, in recent years theregion’s economy has been boosted byan explosion of small and medium-sized businesses whose owners are onthe cutting edge of fashion and design,financial and business services, infor-mation processing, media and pub-

ilanMA Gatewayto NorthernItaly andEurope

June 2002 7

The Cathedral of Milan

Photo by Walter Bibikow/Folio, Inc.

lishing. These new euro-entrepreneurshave tapped into the global economyand buy and sell throughout theEuropean Union and the world. Buteven in this fast-paced, high-tech envi-ronment, northern Italy maintains itsagrarian roots. It is still the country’sleading agricultural producer, with suchdelicacies as Parmigiano cheese, pro-sciutto ham and the world-famouswines of Piedmont and the Veneto.

As the historic crossroads of northernItaly, Milan traces its origins to pre-Roman times. By the 4th century A.D.the city already had a population ofnearly 100,000. Today Milan’s popula-tion is 1.3 million, with nearly 4 millionresidents in the metropolitan area.

In many ways,Milan plays therole of NewYork City toR o m e ’ sWa s h i n g t o n .While Rome iswarm andsunny andteeming withpolitics, Milan is

cool and elegant, vibrant and businesslike. And despitethe inevitable big-city problems of traffic and pollution,Milan is one of Europe’s most livable cities.

The U.S. Consulate General in Milan occupies the topeight floors of a mid-rise glass and steel tower in the citycenter. On a clear day the view from the upper floorsstretches to the snow-capped Alps in the distance. Some 25U.S. and 50 Italian employees make it one of the largestU.S. consulates in the world. The consul general, a region-al security officer and administrative, political/economic,consular and public affairs sections represent the State

8 State Magazine

Human resources’ Marina Mannoand Rocco di Muzio downloadapplications for a consulatevacancy from the Internet.

Exterior and interior viewsof Milan’s famous operahouse La Scala.

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house TV messaging system, high-speed Internet access and the lat-est in digital video equipment.

Like the region, the consulateprides itself on being in the fore-front of innovation. For example,the administrative section makesextensive use of technology tooffer Internet recruiting and auc-tions, an electronic bulletin boardas well as numerous web-basedservices such as FSN employeeorientation and welcome kits andonline employee checkout.

The consularsection hasabsorbed largeincreases in workvolume withinnovations likeoff-site telephoneinformation serv-ices and a travel

June 2002 9

Department. Other agencies represented are the ForeignCommercial Service, the Drug Enforcement Administra-tion and the U.S. Secret Service. A NASA representative inTurin, a State officer assigned to the International Centerfor Theoretical Physics in Trieste and consular agents inGenoa and Trieste also report to the consul general inMilan. Employees of the consulate live in the city center,often steps from the famous La Scala or the city’s duomo (cathedral).

The consulate boasts modern offices, a spacious fitnesscenter that rivals commercial gyms, a state-of-the-art in-

agency–supported personal appearancewaiver program. Its assistance to the mil-lions of tourists who come to the areakeeps both consuls and duty officers busy.

FCS meets the demands of the sophisti-cated northern Italian market with itstrade–fair based matchmaking system,offering exhibitors at U.S. pavilions a fullschedule of screened one-on-one meetingswith Italian companies. The Milan fair year-ly sponsors large food and computer shows,where U.S. products are promoted.

Visiting a site near Genoa before last year’s G-7 summitare, from left, Annamaria Saiano, Genoa; Micaela Tascone,Tom Hufford and Ned Alford, Rome; and Eric Nelson, Milan.

Ambassador Mel Sembler, second from left,and Mrs. Sembler join Milan Mayor GabrieleAlbertini at the dedication ceremony of PiazzaStati Uniti d’America, a plaza in front of theconsulate, honoring the victims of Sept. 11.

Photo by Steve Krichevsky

Outdoor market in northern Italy.

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Photo by Claudia Dhimitri/Folio, Inc.

The consulate is activein all areas of the mis-sion’s program plan. Itfocuses extra attentionand resources, however,on issues of importance tonorthern Italy, such asregional politics, tradeand business, immigra-tion, international lawenforcement, biotechnolo-gy and the environment.Because the consular dis-trict contains two largeU.S. military bases, re-gional security and mili-tary relations are alsoimportant elements of theconsulate’s work.

Consulate staff travelwidely and often through-

out the region to meet with opinion leaders, report onlocal and regional affairs, participate in representationalevents, assist visiting U.S. delegations, conduct culturaland educational programs, promote trade and U.S.exports, consult with law enforcement officials and assistU.S. citizens in the area. Last year, the consulate workedwith the U.S. Embassy in Rome to stage the President’sparticipation in the G-7 Summit in Genoa. Among theregion’s visitors last fall was former President Bush.

Demonstrating the region’s concern for Americans andits ties to the United States, the consulate has collectedmore than $85,000 for victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

From the consul general down, media is the mission’smiddle name—with numerous appearances on Italiantalk and media shows. The ambassador visited thefamous Verona wine show, where the Gallo family from

10 State Magazine

David Elmo, at podium, does double duty as general services officer and colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. Hecommands citizen-soldiers at the headquarters of the Southern European Task Force in Vicenza, near Venice.

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Former President George H.W. Bush visits with consular section.

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A boat on Venice’s GrandCanal delivers suppliesfor a VIP visit.

Italy is home to more than 17,000 U.S. military person-nel, and the consulate boasts close working relations withAir Force and Army personnel at Aviano Air Base and atCamp Ederle in Vicenza.

As it has been since ancient times, Milan remains agateway to northern Italy and Europe. A tour at thisvibrant and busy consulate general offers a great oppor-tunity to enjoy the best of the Foreign Service while get-ting to know the region and the charms of Milan. ■

The author is the public affairs officer in Milan.

June 2002 11

California won first prize. The square near the consulatebuilding was named “Piazza Stati Uniti d’ America” dur-ing a recent dedication ceremony attended by the ambas-sador, consul general and mayor.

A raised fortressgate frames thecourtyard of Milan’sCastello Forzesco.

Photo by Alon Reininger/PictureQuest

In the heart of Milan’s shopping district is the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle.

Webmaster Aldo Bondiolivisits his home page.

Photo by Patricia Lanza/Folio, Inc.

By Sara Farinelli

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights andLabor marks its 25th anniversary this year.Created in 1977, the bureau reflects the congres-sional view that U.S. foreign policy should

place importance on supporting human rights andspreading democracy.

“Our bureau is the conscience of the Department, if notthe U.S. government as a whole,” asserts CynthiaBunton, director of DRL’s Office of Country Reports andAsylum Affairs. “Our work puts a human face on U.S.foreign policy and deals with the most fundamentalissues—the rights of people everywhere.”

12 State Magazine

Bureau of the Month:

The bureau’s Human Rights and Democracy Fund hasbeen recast during the past year to fund innovative, cutting-edge programs that assist struggling or nascentdemocracies and help improve human rights situationsin countries of strategic importance to the United States.In FY 2002, the fund will be used in China and, as part ofU.S. government efforts to combat global terrorism, topromote democracy and stability in Central Asia andother Muslim areas.

DRL developed and administers the Partnership toEliminate Sweatshops fund, which supports projects thatpromote international labor standards among multina-tional and U.S.-based international businesses, therebyencouraging corporate responsibility. The bureau is work-

Secretary Colin Powell greets Imam Yahya Hendi of GeorgetownUniversity at a DRL-organized Iftaar dinner. DRL’s Mike Parmly, center,NYPD chaplain Imam Izak-El Pasha, front left, and former DRL stafferAlex Kronemer, back right, look on.

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ing closely with the BritishForeign and CommonwealthOffice, leading human rightsand corporate responsibilitygroups, and six major U.S. andBritish oil, mining and gascompanies to implement theVoluntary Principles onSecurity and Human Rights.Working-level meetings toimplement those principles,the first guidelines to be devel-oped for the oil, gas and min-ing industries, have takenplace in Nigeria and Indonesia.

The bureau prepares one ofthe State Department’s mosthighly regarded and widelyread publications—the annualCountry Reports on HumanRights Practices. Mandated byCongress, the report has become a primary resource for thegovernment in shaping policy, conducting diplomacy andmaking assistance, training and other decisions.Nongovernmental organizations in the United States andabroad rely on the report for their advocacy efforts.

Starting in late September, the exciting and sometimesdifficult process of compiling the Country Reports onHuman Rights Practices begins. During the last quarter ofthe year, cables and e-mail messages fly back and forthamong U.S. Missions, the country desks and DRL offi-cers. By mid-December, DRL edits and reedits each reportto ensure its accuracy and integrity. As the Februaryrelease date nears, the bureau’s entire staff volunteersovertime to edit the final document.

Another of the bureau’s annual rituals is DRL’s rite ofspring, the six-week-long session of the Commission onHuman Rights. The commission, the highest-profilehuman rights forum, convenes in mid-March in Geneva.DRL’s multilateral affairs officers, working with regionalbureaus, use every diplo-matic tool—from draftingdemarche cables on some100 resolutions to writinginstructions to the U.S.Mission in Geneva oninnumerable contentiousissues to authoring posi-tion papers and speechesfor the U.S. representa-

tives to themeeting. Forthe first timein the organi-zation’s 58-year history,the UnitedStates wasnot a com-m i s s i o n e dmember thisyear, but wasplaying an active role as an observer. As oneof the founding members of the commis-sion, the United States values the organiza-tion’s work. Through quiet diplomacy andopen lines of communication, the UnitedStates has since regained a seat on the com-mission.

In June, the draft reports on religious free-dom begin arriving from posts around theworld. Prepared in part by staff from DRL’s

June 2002 13

Intern Valerie Vanosdale waitsoutside a congressional committeeroom with a group of Tibetanmonks before they testify in ahearing on religious freedom.

Photo by Patrick Ryan

Connie Braxton, a secretary inDRL’s front office, greets a visitor.

Photo by Dave Krecke

Susan Kovalik and Cynthia Buntonreview a human rights document.

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A vibrant and growingnetwork of NGOs and pub-lic-private partnerships hashelped change the humanrights landscape. AssistantSecretary Lorne Craner, astrong advocate of public-private partnerships,remarked, “Protectinghuman rights and laborrights and promotingdemocracy is a tall order.”DRL’s ability to work close-ly with such groups asHuman Rights Watch,Amnesty International, theNational Endowment forDemocracy, FreedomHouse and Business forSocial Responsibility hascontributed to the progressbeing made on the humanrights, labor and democra-cy fronts.

DRL foreign affairs and program officers travel to everycorner of the world to research human rights conditionsand monitor progress in democratic reforms. In the pastyear, the assistant secretary has led two DRL missions to

most recent addition, the Office of InternationalReligious Freedom, the Annual Report onInternational Religious Freedom is issued in Septemberand describes the progress of U.S. efforts to promotereligious freedom in 195 countries.

The U.N. General Assembly, which convenes inSeptember, brings DRL’s calendar full circle.Working with international organizations andother Department bureaus to shepherd 54 resolu-tions to successful conclusion in the 2001 UNGAsession, DRL played a role in passing crucial reso-lutions on human rights and terrorism, Burma,Iran and Afghanistan.

“The challenge in human rights work,“ says LynnSicade, deputy director of the Office of MultilateralAffairs, “is to convince people to do the right thing.

We are fighting forpeople’s heartsand minds. It is aslow, sometimespainful process,but since the inter-national humanrights movementbegan just afterWorld War II, wehave seenprogress in theUnited States,Europe, Asia,Africa and LatinAmerica.”

14 State Magazine

Assistant Secretary Lorne Craner,far right, meets with families ofUzbek political prisoners on arecent trip to Central Asia.

Photo courtesy of Patricia Davis

Chris Camponovo, left, from the Office of the Legal Advisor,Maria Pica from DRL and Andrew Woodcock of the BritishForeign and Commonwealth Office visit a mine in Irian Jaya,Indonesia, to review progress in the implementation of theVoluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

T.J. Grubisha and Tatiana Gfoellerfrom the Office of MultilateralAffairs display a copy of Kosovo’sonly Serb-language newspaper,which DRL supports.

Photo courtesy of Tatiana Gfoeller

On a recent trip to southern Africa, Ms. Gordon metwith a range of political leaders and communityactivists to develop ideas and strategies for democracypromotion programs. “It makes sense of your work,”she observes, “so you don’t feel like you’re just push-ing paper when you get back to Washington, D.C. Youknow from your travel experiences and the peopleyou’ve met that your work makes a difference.” ■

The author is a public affairs specialist assigned to theBureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.

June 2002 15

China and one each to Vietnam, India, Colombia, Peru,Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.

Mr. Craner has encouraged DRL staff members toobserve situations in other countries firsthand. “In thepast year and a half,” says Alethea Gordon, who coverssub-Saharan Africa, “I’ve traveled to 11 countries on thecontinent.” She is convinced travel helps foreign affairsofficers gain a better understanding of human rightsissues and obstacles.

Burma Desk Officer, DavidSchlaefer, left, with U Tin Oo, DRLofficer Jean Geran and U Lwin inthe headquarters of the NationalLeague for Democracy in Rangoon.

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An anthropologist from the International Commission on MissingPersons exhumes unidentified remains in Sarajevo to match withDNA samples from families claiming missing relatives. DRL helpedestablish and maintains oversight of the commission.

DRL’s Frank Crump and Armenia Desk Officer Sharon Bowman, back tocamera, discuss human rights issues with FSN Anahit Martirosian fromthe U.S. Embassy in Yerevan.

Photo by Dave Krecke

By Gordon King

In January 1950, whenmy wife Elizabeth and I,with our infant son Tom,stepped off the “Up

Mail” train from Lahore,Pakistan, into the balmy airof the bustling railway sta-tion platform in Peshawar,capital of the North WestFrontier Province, little didwe suspect what lay aheadon the far side of theKhyber Pass. We were enroute to my first assign-ment as an American diplo-mat at the U.S. Embassy inKabul, Afghanistan.

A taxi at the Peshawarstation took us into thecity’s Cantonment area anddeposited us at Dean’sHotel, then the onlyEuropean-style hostelryavailable for wanderingwesterners. A large, sprawling one-story whitewashedaffair, Dean’s spelled comfort and a place to catch ourbreath before the final leg of our long journey to Kabul.

A white-turbaned bearer in white shalwar pajamas andwhite knee-length coat bound with a broad dark cum-merbund escorted us to our spacious room. His fellowstaff members served us good solid English meals in thelarge dining room and tea at one of the tables on thehotel’s wide lawn, where we had to protect our biscuitsfrom swooping kites. We drank our tea and laughed atour son’s eyes wide with wonderment when we first metRoy Percival.

Perce, a handsome young man with black hair and anopen friendly face, told us he was there from the embassyto, among other things, greet us and provide onwardtransport. He said Afghanistan had no commercial air-port or commercial plane service—or paved roads—so analternative way of keeping in touch with Washington,D.C., had been devised. One member of the embassy staffbrought down the diplomatic pouch weekly andexchanged it at the Peshawar airport with one brought

out from Washington by the Department’s diplomaticcourier. Perce showed us the pouch (a canvas bag with animpressive lock) that he would be carrying back to Kabulin a green International Carry-All van—along with me,my family and our luggage.

At that moment one of the bearers emerged from thehotel with a telegram from Ambassador Louis Dreyfusinstructing only Perce and me to proceed and for my wifeand son to remain in Peshawar until blizzard conditionsimproved in Kabul and the Lataband Pass, the only roadinto the city until years later when a highway was blast-ed out of the rocky gorge of the Kabul River.

So I left my wife and son at the Dean Hotel, threw mysuitcase into the big green van and joined Perce; thepouch; the driver Abdul, a bearded, turbaned man whowas someone’s bearer (and looked like my mental pictureof Jesus); and a Red Cross worker who needed a ride.

We made our way under gray skies and intermittentrain westward out of the city on good asphalted roadsthat wound through scruffy land that could have beenimported from the deserts of New Mexico. We drove

16 State Magazine

On the Road to KabulA Retiree Recalls His 1950 Trek to His First Post

Photo by Roy Percival

Abdul the driver, a Red Cross official, author Gordon Kingand the “carry-all” van aftercrossing the Khyber Pass.

toward a wall of low mountains 10 miles away, passingoccasional tribal settlements surrounded with high grayadobe walls, looking like medieval fortresses. And thenthe barren, jagged mountains reared up on either sideand we were in the famous Khyber Pass itself with 30winding miles of it ahead of us. On an uneven wall ofrock were carved shields with full military insignia.“There,” pointed Perce, “are the various British regi-ments that saw action in the pass!” Shades of Kipling, I thought.

We passed the village of Landi Kotal and the fortifiedheadquarters of the Khyber Rifles in the pass’s center,stopped for a cup of tea at Pakistan’s border post while ourpassports were stamped and crossed the unimposing bor-

der itself. Wavinggood-bye to pavedroads, we bumpedour way to theAfghan border sta-tion for our entrystamps.

We drove on, hourafter hour of drum-ming across endlessrugged plains, sawthe occasional tribalvillage, passed theoccasional Powindahnomad encampment

with its camels and crude tents and always in the back-ground in every direction were the walls of snow-cappedmountains.

It was agonizingly slow going over the rutted road. Atnoon, we ate a bowl of soup and used the basic facilitiesat the Afghan government’s hotel in Jalalabad. Wepushed on through sagebrush plains and rain. It wasdark and 8 p.m. when we arrived at a teahouse in thesmall town of Sarobi at the foot of the abrupt mountainwall between us and the high plains of Kabul.

“Have tea, have nan bread here,” Abdul said, gettingout of the van. “Maybe have to stay tonight.” He walkedoff into the dim light and the rain.

Perce looked askance at the small gray teahouse light-ed by hanging lanterns and flanked by a half dozenloaded old trucks. We all got out, stretched our bone-weary frames, walked in and wolfed down the tea andnan while Abdul engaged the tribesmen–truck drivers inanimated conversation. Finally, he came over to share theinformation with us.

“Lataband very high pass,” he said. “Eleven thousandfeet. But two trucks just go on up mountain. Trucks go,we can go.”

We all breathed sighs of relief and piled back into thevan. A few hundred yards later we turned onto a climb-ing mountain road. After a few hundred yards more thesteady rain changed to snow. But ahead of us, clear in thevan’s headlights, were the tracks of the two pioneeringtrucks showing us the way. Higher and higher weclimbed, snow clinging to the bare rocks of the mountainwall off our right shoulders, a depth of blackness off tothe left.

“Abdul,” I asked, “what was that funny smell backthere in the teahouse?”

He drove for a long minute silently, then gave a shortlaugh. “That hash, Sahib.”

“Hash? You mean, like marijuana?”“Right, Sahib. That hash.”I thought for a moment. “And who was smoking it?”He snorted again. “Truck drivers. Otherwise no drive

up pass.”By this time the snow was howling past us in the night,

a real blizzard, but the tracks still showed clear enoughfor Abdul to see. We all leaned forward as if to help.“Coming up 6,000 feet,” he said after some time. And justat that juncture, as we negotiated an “S” curve betweenpinnacles, the space to our right suddenly plunged intothe dark depths. One set of truck tracks disappeared offthe edge of the road.

June 2002 17

“Coming up 6,000 feet,” he said after some time. Andjust at that juncture, as wenegotiated an “S” curvebetween pinnacles, the spaceto our right suddenly plungedinto the dark depths. One setof truck tracks disappearedoff the edge of the road.

The author abovethe Khyber Pass.

The author and his wife Elizabethon the roof of their apartmentbuilding in Kabul.

Abdul stopped. Perce rummaged through some thingsand produced an old five-cell flashlight. We all piled outas Abdul searched the depths with the powerful beam.And suddenly, as if on cue, the howling snow held itsbreath and there, hundreds of feet below, we caught aglimpse of the truck jammed between massive boulderson the mountain’s flank.

Wordlessly, we all jumped back inside and Abdul droveon. “Other truck’s track still clear,” he said. Soon he point-ed ahead. “We coming to 6,000 feet. Top of pass.” Andthen he jammed on the brakes. Ahead of us, there could beno doubt, the second set of tracks disappeared off theedge. Again, we went through the torch routine and again,the well-rehearsed blizzard held its breath and we saw farbelow the remains of the second truck.

Back inside, Abdul said, “Can’t go back. Can’t stayhere. We go on.” And we did, moving slowly ahead throughthe crags and heights and defiles, sometimes at a crawl butmoving until, after what seemed a tense eternity, we wereclearly on the broad six-thousand-foot Kabul plateau andthe van began edging ahead slightly faster even though,unabated, the blizzard continued howling in from the north.“New road,” Perce said. “Unfinished—but the Afghans arefinally beginning to come out of the dark ages. Straight shotfrom here to Kabul. Watch out for the ditches, Abdul.”

“Very deep,” Abdul agreed, peering ahead into the night.And then we came to the first abandoned truck, crawled

carefully around it, soon a second, a third, fourth and fifth. “Bad sign,” Perce said. The words were no more than

out of his mouth when we came to yet another truck car-cas—and this one was sprawled sideways across the roadfrom ditch to ditch.

Silence. Finally Perce said, “Oh God. Okay, Abdul, howfar from here to the city?”

“Maybe seven mile.”“And how much petrol do you have?”“Have much petrol. Extra jerry cans.”“Okay. Here’s what we do. King Sahib and I are going

to take the pouch and walk to the embassy and sendsomeone out for you. The rest of you wait here. You’ll bequite comfortable. Abdul will keep the engine going sothe heater will continue to work.”

Somewhere in the van’s rear we found two blankets thatPerce and I wrapped around ourselves. We set off looking

like a pair of Afghantribesmen with the five-cell torch and the pouch.The cold cut like a knife(we learned later that thetemperature sank lowerthan 15 degreesFahrenheit); the blizzarddrove the snow so hardthat it streaked on a levelfrom right to left. Theroad moved into thedark, thickly frozen withrutted creviced ice.

We slipped occasionally but managed to grab eachother and stay upright as we trudged on. Finally I tappedmy companion on the shoulder.

“Perce!” I shouted. “Would you tell me what thosedogs are doing?”

Across the snow-packed ditch to our left four largedogs were methodically pacing us. They positionedthemselves about 20 feet apart, then, as we passed one, hemoved to the head of the line. Very neat. Very orderly.

“Perce!” I shouted again. “Will you listen? What arethose crazy dogs doing?”

Perce suddenly scooped up a chunk of ice and hurled itacross at the nearest animal, which retreated a few yards.

“Those aren’t dogs,” he shouted. “Those are wolves!”I joined him in scooping up and throwing the occa-

sional chunk of ice. From then on we didn’t talk. We justlooked to our left and walked faster. The wolves inspiredus. Suddenly, ahead, materializing out of the blackness,the city walls loomed up and a guard post and a huddledguard who waved us past. I glanced back. The wolvesstopped, formed a small group and watched us.

We walked along frozen streets lined on both sideswith walled compounds. We made several left- and right-hand turns before reaching the embassy. Inside the com-pound, the embassy building was well lighted. Waitingto greet us were Ambassador Dreyfus, Counselor FritzJandrey and others in the ambassador’s big office,warmed by a roaring pot-bellied stove.

A van was quickly dispatched to pick up our stalledcolleagues. Calls were made to the police and the InteriorMinistry. The ministry sent rescue vehicles the nextmorning and found the three men in each of the wreckedtrucks hundreds of feet below the Lataband Pass. Theywere injured but alive.

Perce winked at me. “The hash!”That was my introduction to Afghanistan and my first

diplomatic post. When an embassy van brought my wifeand infant son to Kabul a week later, all seemed rightwith the world. ■

The author is a retired Foreign Service officer living in England.

18 State Magazine

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul circa 1950.

The author with Kabulin the background.

June 2002 19

Standing in for Secretary Powell, who was ondiplomatic duty in the Middle East, Mrs. Powelland Grant Green, under secretary forManagement, received donors at an April 12

reception in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, an occa-sion marking the 40th anniversary of the AmericanProject to furnish the Diplomatic Reception Rooms.

In his remarks to the230 guests, Mr. Greenpraised former curatorClement E. “Clem”Conger as “a remarkableman whose vision, driveand persistence made allof this possible.” Mr.Conger, 89, who lives inFlorida and was unable toattend, served as curatorof the Diplomatic Recep-tion Rooms from 1961 to1992. In addition, heserved as curator of theWhite House from 1970until 1986 and Blair Housefrom 1976 to 1992.

During a 40-year span, nearly $40million has been raised and the muse-um collection is now valued at $100 mil-lion. In each room large photographs ofhow the rooms looked before renova-tion reminded donors of how much hasbeen accomplished since 1961.

Gail F. Serfaty, the current curator,announced that the Office of Fine Arts,in conjunction with the Trust forMuseum Exhibitions, is organizing amajor traveling exhibition entitled“Becoming a Nation.” The exhibitionwill contain 115 outstanding pieces offurniture, paintings, silver and porce-lain from the collection. It will travel toeight museums, opening in Portland,Ore., next April and ending inPortland, Maine, in January 2005.

The exhibition will share the collec-tion with the American public and illus-trate how the reception rooms assist gov-ernment officials in promoting U.S.foreign policy, Ms. Serfaty said.

As part of the 40th celebration, guests were invited tovisit the Treaty Room Suite as well as the Secretary andDeputy Secretary’s conference rooms on the 7th floor, anarea rarely seen by guests. ■

Donors Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Clement E. “Clem” Conger

Major acquisitions in 2001include a Chippendalemahogany card table(circa 1770), a gift fromfriends of “Clem” andLianne Conger, and a pairof Duncan Phyfe sidechairs (circa 1810), gift ofthe Diplomatic ReceptionRooms Endowment Fund.

Under Secretary for Management Grant Green, right, and Mrs. Powell thank trustees of the AmericanaFoundation for their gift of $50,000, honoring former curator Clement E. “Clem” Conger, to be used forthe traveling exhibition catalogue. Trustees include family members Jonathan Thomas, KatherineHarper and Barbara Livy, representing two of three generations of donors to the rooms, and MarleneFluharty, executive director of the Americana Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Diplomatic Reception Rooms

Photos courtesy of Diplomatic Reception Rooms

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ing his coins and has found French, German and Dutcheuros as well. Over time, he said, coins from other coun-tries will spread throughout Europe, reminding citizensof just how integrated the European economy is.

Kathleen Meyers, a secretary in the Overseas BuildingsOperations at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, admits shedidn’t have any “emotional tie” to the German mark.

The euro rate is so close to the U.S. dollar that she nolonger does rough conversions in her head. Moreover, thenew euro is practical for travel, she said. “I enjoyMallorca and now I don’t need to exchange pesetas andpay the fees for that service.” While stationed in theBenelux countries, she often carried as many as four cur-rencies: U.S. dollars, German marks, Dutch guilders and

By Carl Goodman

From the top of Norway to the toe ofthe Italian boot, more than 300 mil-lion people in 12 European countriesare embracing the continent’s newcommon currency, the euro.

The 15-nation European Union has morepeople than the United States andapproaches the U.S. output of goods andservices. The introduction in January ofcommon coins and bank notes in 12 of thecountries marked a new step towardEuropean integration.

Replacing a dozen familiar currencieswith a single money is a bold economicmove for the leaders of the increasinglyintegrated European Union. But money isa symbol of sovereignty and national iden-tity and has meaning far beyond finance. Acommon currency presumes a common culture or at leastan aspiration in that direction.

How are State Department employees, accustomed tojuggling many currencies in their careers, adjusting to theeuro? We asked about a dozen stationed in places likeAmsterdam, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Frankfurt and Vienna.Except for their lack of enthusiasm for the coins’ basicdesign and weight, most are adjusting well.

The ATMs dispense new bills so clean they are hard toseparate, according to Eric Nelson, administrative officerat the U.S. Consulate in Milan (see related Post of theMonth feature on page 7). Each coin has the same face,but the design on the back is unique to the country forwhich it was minted, Mr. Nelson noted. He’s been check-

20 State Magazine

A Farewellto Markand Francand All theOthers

June 2002 21

Belgian francs. “That huge coin purse will no longer benecessary there.”

“What a relief,” exclaimed Jim Gray, consul inAmsterdam, “to have a local currency that is about equiv-alent to the dollar, that is getting cheaper by the day andthat can be used without exchange throughout Europe.”

“Getting used to new coins and bank notes is not aproblem,” observed Mr. Gray’s assistant, Esther Borst.“But it takes longer to let it sink in that the euro is worthtwice as much as a Dutch guilder. I’m spending euros asif they were Dutch guilders.”

“There are too many really small coins,” complainedMarcia Nye, financial management officer at the U.S.Embassy in Paris. She and her colleagues predict thatonce the euros have been around for a while the one- andtwo-cent coins will disappear.

The coins have caused shopping lines to be longer andslower, but folks don’t seem to mind that much, accord-ing to Ms. Nye. As for speculation that there’s been“rounding up,” she agrees.

Jim Melville, supervisory general services officer at theParis embassy, agreed that the small coins pose a prob-lem. But it’s “small potatoes” compared to the euro’soverall convenience. For example, his kids play basket-ball and all of their away games are in different countries.“It’s a lot easier for us now that we don’t have to run outand change money to a different currency every timethey head to a game.”

Mark McGovern, a diplomatic courier based inFrankfurt, is delighted with the new euro, saying it makeshis job easier. There’s also the novelty of getting uncircu-lated bills straight from the ATM and the “obsessive hunt”for the rare San Marino, Andorra or Vatican coin.

Helen Brudvig, community liaison officer in Vienna,thinks the conversion to the euro went easily because ofits similarity to the dollar. The only difference, she said, isthat “we now have to carry around loads of heavy coins.”

Sadly, in Ireland, another euro country, you can nolonger buy pints in your local pub with punts. ■

The author is editor of State Magazine.

Hail and Fare Thee Well▼ Austria: the schilling. Replacing currencies is nothing new for Austrians. They’ve had

four different monies in the past century—the guiden, krone (or “crown”) and, from1938 to 1945, the reichsmark.

▼ Belgium: the franc. Introduced in 1830, the franc was modeled on its French coun-terpart. Belgians have produced some of the world’s most colorful bank notes—inpeach, lime and lemon pastel tones—paying tribute to inventors and painters.

▼ Finland: the markka or “finmarks.” They first appeared in 1860, when Finland was stilla duchy of the Russian czar, as a statement of defiance. The new euro ties the Finnisheconomy much closer to Europe than Russia, traditionally the Finns’ biggest market.

▼ France: the franc. Celebrated in song and story, the franc dates from 1360 when thefirst gold pieces were minted to ransom the King of the Franks, Jean le Bon, fromthe English during the Hundred Years’ War.

▼ Germany: the mark. Created in 1948, the mark came to symbolize Germany’s re-emergence as an industrial andfinancial power after the war. It had been the continent’s strongest currency ever since.

▼ Greece: the drachma. Plato and Pericles used the drachma, making it one of the oldest currencies on Earth. Beforebowing to the euro, it had lost about 90 percent of its value on exchange markets.

▼ Ireland: the pound or punt. After the Irish won their independence from the British in 1928, they adopted their ownpound. Currency traders in London created the nickname punt to distinguish between the British and Irish versions.The punt was the only one of the 12 currencies worth more than the euro when conversion happened.

▼ Italy: the lira. Introduced by the doge of Venice in 1472 (20 years before Columbus sailed the “ocean blue”), the lirabecame a national currency in 1862.

▼ Luxembourg: the franc. The Grand Duchy’s franc dates to the 18th century and had been tied to neighboring Belgium’son exchange markets.

▼ Netherlands: the guilder. The term guilder derives from an Old Dutch word for gold. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles Vminted the first guilders in 1543 but they were silver.

▼ Portugal: the escudo or shield. A Spanish coin originally adopted by Portugal in 1523, the escudo bowed to the royal in1834. Later, in 1910, when Portugal deposed its royal family, the escudo was restored to power.

▼ Spain: the peseta. Introduced by Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother) in the 19th century, the peseta may have beena slang term for “little peso.”

Source: The Washington Post

By Michael Burnett

Since the Gulf War, the U.S. Embassy inKuwait has enjoyed the added securi-ty of a resident U.S. military force, pro-viding the embassy and, more specifi-

cally, the regional security office with manytypes of support. U.S. forces have assistedwith everything from explosive recognitiontraining for the embassy guard force to largenoncombatant evacuation exercises. TheDepartments of State and Defense cooperateby sharing information and protecting thelives of official and private Americans in Kuwait.

Recently, the regional security office coor-dinated a training exercise with a U.S.Marine Corps Fleet Anti-terrorism SecurityTeam. Deployed in Bahrain, the 1st Platoon,6th Fleet FAST team is trained to protect theU.S. Navy and other government organiza-tions under increased threat overseas. Thisunit recently provided security in Yemenduring the USS Cole investigation.

22 State Magazine

An Exercise in UtilityAn Exercise in UtilityState, Defense Practice Mock Chemical Attack in Kuwait

The Marineshave landed.

A Kuwaiti fire truckresponds to the embassy’ssimulated emergency.

Seeing the advantage of practicing on an actualworking embassy compound, the 1st Platoon, 6thFleet team accepted the RSO’s invitation to con-duct an embassy defense exercise.

The exercise scenario called for the FAST Marinesto work closely with the Marine security guarddetachment, embassy staff and Kuwaiti governmentemergency services. The primary objective was todeploy the FAST Marines to the embassy and to inte-grate them with the embassy’s security structure.The Marines would occupy observation posts, con-trol access to the com-pound and conductroving patrols andvehicle searches. Theregional security of-fice controlled allsecurity forces on theembassy compound.

Only 65 miles fromthe Iraq border, theembassy has alwaystaken seriously thethreat of weapons ofmass destruction. Toincrease the embas-sy’s readiness, achemical attack wasfolded into the scenario, involving the U.S. military’s JointTask Force-Crisis Management unit stationed at CampDoha, Kuwait. Created after Sept. 11 to serve as a U.S.Central Command military response element, the taskforce can respond to a variety of man-made and naturaldisasters. The task force evaluated the exercise, reviewedthe embassy’s chemical/biological attack plan, inspectedits first responder equipment and gave the mission addi-tional training.

The exercise covered three days. The Marines deployedto the embassy and set up 24-hour operations; when theembassy was hit with a simulated chemical weaponsattack, the Marines evacuated casualties and providedsecurity while embassy first responders established adecontamination station. Once patients were decontami-nated, they were transferred to Kuwaiti emergency teams

for evacuation.FAST Marines andembassy securityspent the balanceof the second daypracticing intrud-er and armedassault drills. Onthe final day, theMarines preparedfor redeploymentto Bahrain andsponsored a barbecue for the embassy staff. ■

The author is the regional security officer at the U.S. Embassyin Kuwait.

June 2002 23

A Marine “casualty” is decontaminated by embassy first responders and then prepared for transport by Kuwaiti paramedics.

Above, Marines in gas masks conduct personaldecontamination. Left, a Marine helps his colleagueout of his gear.

Cpl. David Palmersecures the embassy’smain entrance.

24 State Magazine

By Paula Lorfano

In 1998, the Information Resource ManagementBureau’s business center acquired a web server andintroduced a modest web site featuring aDepartment organization chart and an IRM page. Itwas the beginning of “Intranet Central,” a way of

finding useful information via the Department’s owninformation technology network. Since then, office con-nections and content on the Intranet have growntremendously.

Today, there are more than 300 sites across the sys-tem’s five network platforms: OpenNet, Internet,ClassNet, SIPRNT and PDNet. The development ofthese web sites and offices’ desire to “announce” theirpresence and highlight key content made the businesscenter rethink Intranet Central’s design.

The events of Sept. 11 underscored the need for redesignwhen the Bureau of Human Resources and the Office ofMedical Services needed to communicate critical crisismanagement information quickly and clearly. Requests fora presence on the OpenNet home page inundated the busi-ness center, forcing it to remove the links at the bottom ofthe page and replace them with broad categories, one levelremoved from more detailed or related links.

INet, the Department’s unclassified and classifiedIntranet portal pages, were unveiled in February 2002.They are the expanded gateways to the Intranet commu-nity, promoting one-click access to key informationresources within the Department.

INet: A New Look and Easier Access

Webmasters Jessica Dearie, left, and Kelly Keith discuss new INet website, as colleague Fred Wuench checks it out.

Above, organizing the home page by services makessearches faster. Below, carpool and classified pagesglobalize the Department’s bulletin boards.

June 2002 25

The web site of the Bureau ofAdministration’s Office of Oper-ations illustrates this expandedforum. INet debuted with online ver-sions of carpool and classified adforums. These forums connectDepartment employees worldwideand promote the free exchange ofitems for sale. Since its debut, 191employees have joined the carpooland classified ad forums. Anyone onOpenNet anywhere can now find

information previously available only tothose who read the bulletin boards in the

lobby of the Harry S Truman Building.As other offices see the potential forexpanding their reach to a worldwideaudience of Department employees,

IRM believes useful sites like these willproliferate.

INet’s new logo is morehip and reflects new devel-opments in OpenNet tech-

nology. As web designersJessica Dearie and MarkCole remarked, “We werelooking to use branding

principles for the main entry-way into the Department’s OpenNet.” The Octoberredesign was certainly affected by September events. Ateam of designers developed a banner that embodiedpatriotism. “We wanted something that incorporated the

themes of the United States, theflag and our mission, ” Ms. Deariesaid.

Both the OpenNet andClassNet web sites wereredesigned. The red color schemefor ClassNet depicts the net-work’s classification and distin-guishes it from OpenNet’s blue.The color schemes clearly indi-cate which network is active foremployees switching between

classified and unclassified networks with Raritan boxes.Webmaster Kelly Keith, the leader of the INet team, said,

“There was a need to improve Intranet Central on manylevels. We needed a better way to incorporate additions andalterations. INet is a way to familiarize users with portalsoftware principles and to encourage them to use the entirescreen to get information.“

In categorizing information by services and making itmore content-oriented, the design team made searchesmuch easier for users who don’t know which office pro-vides a service. In a large bureaucracy, new employeesare unfamiliar with acronyms or office responsibilities.Because organizing web sites by services results in fastersearches, more offices are beginning to reorganize theirweb sites in this way. Nevertheless, INet will continue todisplay organization charts and post-specific sites.

Another key reason for revising Intranet Central intoINet has been to conform to Section 508 legislation requir-ing access for disabled users. Drop-down screens, forexample, are space savers, but they do not comply withSection 508. The redesign, therefore, does not use the drop-down device. The INet design now complies with Section

508 and gives all users easieraccess to information.

What’s next? A newIntranet search engine. Thebusiness center is workingon an intelligent searchcapability for INet. Theteam is actively developingrequirements for such acapability and invitingemployees with ideas toparticipate in this effort. Inaddition to the intelligentsearch capability, the sec-ond generation of INet is onthe drawing boards. Thegoal is to move beyond one-click access to customizabledesktops with integratedcalendar, e-mail and toolsproviding Departmentusers with the best weboptions for performing theirjobs. ■

We wanted somethingthat incorporated thethemes of the UnitedStates, the flag andour mission.

Fred Wuench mans themouse as Mike Cole notesINet’s new features.

By Dennis Ravenscroft

After two years of develop-ment, Diplomatic Securitylaunched its classifiedweb site called the Secure

On-line User Resource andCommunication Environmentor the DS SOURCE. The website was originally conceived asa central repository for crisisplanning material for all diplo-matic posts overseas. The infor-mation would be available tomanagers and crisis plannerswithin the Department of Stateand Department of Defense.Crisis planning material such asthe Emergency Action Plans,Facility Survey Reports, GlobalCondition Surveys and othersecurity-related reports forposts worldwide are all avail-able on the DS SOURCE.Persons having access to the NTC-LAN and/or SIPRNet (SecretInternet Protocol Router Net-work) can use this resource.

In addition to products suchas EAPs and Physical SecuritySurveys there are also links toother intelligence or security-related sites. For example, theweb sites for the DoD UnifiedCommands, National Imageryand Mapping Agency, and otherDoD and DIA elements areavailable through the DSSOURCE. The Security Environ-ment Threat List (SETL), theState Department’s semi-annualthreat analysis for all activeForeign Service posts, is the sin-gle most accessed document onthe DS SOURCE. It is located on

26 State Magazine

The DS SOURCEThe Diplomatic Security Services’ ClassifiedWeb Site for Emergency PlanningInformation and Much More

in the link for the Office of Counterintelligence andCriminal Investigations). As previously mentioned,hyperlinks to other government SIPRNT web sites suchas the joint military commands, CINCS and other DoDsites are also accessible through the DS SOURCE.

The DS SOURCE is maintained on the SIPRNet, theDoD’s worldwide-classified network. The DS SOURCE isaccessible via the State Department NT classified systemlocated at http://intranet.state.sgov.gov under KeyPrograms. The DS SOURCE can also be accessed directlyat http://ds.state.adnet.sgov.gov. If the DS SOURCE can-not be accessed, then there may be a connectivity or con-figuration problem requiring a systems administrator tointervene. Certain overseas posts may have to obtainaccess to the DS SOURCE through collaboration with aDoD element at post.

The creation of the DS SOURCE is a milestone for theBureau of Diplomatic Security Service. DS’s access to andability to share our resources with the security, intelli-gence and military organizations within the federal gov-ernment are greatly enhanced with the implementationof the DS SOURCE. Users are encouraged to explore thevarious links and tools available on the DS SOURCE.Comments about the site and suggestions for itsimprovement are solicited.

Questions/comments regarding access can be directedto Diplomatic Security via the DS SOURCE “Contacts”link or by telephone (703) 312-3488/3490. ■

The author is a special agent in the Bureau of DiplomaticSecurity’s knowledge management branch.

June 2002 27

the “Front Burner” link of the DSSOURCE web page.

The DS SOURCE’s extensive net-work of links offers the opportunityfor review of the latest intelligenceand threat analysis from civilian andmilitary sources such as theDepartment’s Bureau of Intelligenceand Research or the NationalReconnaissance Office. Military plan-ners fighting the war on terrorismroutinely access the site to ensurethey are using the most current infor-mation available regarding the physi-cal layout of diplomatic posts. Anexample recently occurred as a resultof the U.S. military action in Afghan-istan. The availability of the EAPsand other data online allowed mili-tary planners in the field to quicklyobtain the information needed withthe confidence to know that it wasaccurate and current.

In addition to the extremely impor-tant emergency planning data foundon the DS SOURCE, other products specific to theDepartment of State’s Diplomatic Security Service’s mis-sion are also accessible. Foreign Affairs Manual 12,Diplomatic Security’s structural, mission and organization-al guide, along with the seven associated Foreign Affairs

Handbooks thataccompany the 12FAM are aninformative addi-tion to the web site. They providethe basis for theD e p a r t m e n t ’ sSecurity Programand direction for itsimplementation.

Overseas postmanagement will

find the accessibility of post-specific information to be avaluable tool. The comprehensive descriptions of theDepartment’s facilities throughout the world are usefulboth in emergency situations as well as for planningphysical upgrades.

The DS SOURCE also contains items unique to theBureau but of interest throughout the Department, suchas a complete breakdown of the DS organizational struc-ture from the branch through office level; products fromthe Office of Policy, Planning and Budget, the Office ofIntelligence and Threat Analysis, the Office ofInvestigations and Counterintelligence, and the OverseasSecurity Advisory Council; DS news and informationwith an archive of items older than one year; and DS’s“most wanted” list of terrorists and war criminals (found

DS SOURCE is a milestone for sharingresources online withother U.S. security,intelligence and military organizations.

28 State Magazine

By Doug Frank and Donna Bordley

The tragic deaths and injuries of U.S. andForeign Service National colleagues in the1998 terrorist bombings of the embassies inNairobi and Dar es Salaam are all too famil-

iar. We are less familiar with other catastrophesand tragedies—from floods, hurricanes and earth-quakes to fires and politically motivated mur-ders—that frequently beset our FSN colleagues.

Because of unpredictable natural disasters andthe dearth of reliable insurance companies inmost countries, many FSNs lose their homes andfurnishings, even life or limb, with only limitedresources to compensate for such losses.

The FSN Emergency Relief Fund was created tohelp local national colleagues cope with suchlosses in a quick and nonbureaucratic way, supple-menting whatever compensation FSNs may receivethrough salary, insurance or post donations or intheir countries.

In the past few years, the Fund, administered by theDepartment’s chief financial officer, the Office of OverseasEmployment and the regional bureaus, has disbursedapproximately $270,000 to FSNs in more than 20 countries.Besides Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, the fund has assistedFSNs in Tegucigalpa, Dhaka, Santo Domingo, Niamey,Athens, Karachi, Algiers, San Salvador, Freetown, Maputo,Ndjamena, Caracas, Bamako, Islamabad and São Paulo.

Where does the money come from? Simply put, it comesfrom donations by generous American and FSN colleaguesaround the world; from individuals and groups ofAmerican employees; from FSN and Employee RecreationAssociations; from AFSA, AAFSW and DACOR; and frommoney raised through Department and embassy-wideappeals, bake sales and related social activities.

The Fund dates from April 1983 when FSN employeesat the U.S. Embassy in Santiago collected funds to sup-port the families of colleagues killed or injured in thebombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut—and byDACOR’s unsolicited donation to the U.S. Ambassadorin Lebanon to aid bomb victims.

Numerous subsequent donations were received fromother employees and overseas posts, from AFSA andfrom private individuals. Initially designated in 1983 asthe Fund for Assistance to U.S. Government Employeesat Overseas Posts, the Fund was renamed as the

Emergency Relief Fund for Foreign National Employeesand given permanent status in 1994 to respond to gener-al FSN crises and humanitarian requests. Today, FSNsfrom all over the world continue the tradition of sup-porting their fellow FSNs in times of need.

Any FSN or group of FSNs may request compensationfor losses caused by natural disaster or unanticipatedcalamity by submitting a memo detailing the lossthrough their FSN association, human resources oradministrative office to the regional bureau.

The bureau’s post management officer then presentsthe case before a review committee chaired by the Fundmanager to determine payments and for final approvalby the under secretary for Management.

The Fund offers a quick, representative and relativelynonbureaucratic way to respond, on a worldwide basis,to FSN catastrophes by matching employee generosity toFSN needs, officials said.

Friends and colleagues who wish to make a tax-deductible donation should send a check payable to theFSN Emergency Relief Fund, in care of Chief FinancialOfficer, Room 7427, U.S. Department of State, Washington,DC 20520. For additional information, contact the fundmanager at (202) 647-5031 or fax (202) 647-8194. ■

Mr. Frank directs the Office of Overseas Employment andMs. Bordley manages the FSN Emergency Relief Fund.

Displaying a mock-up of a check from the seventh A-100 class are, from left,Donna Bordley, Greg Engle, David Rabadan and Robert Scott Dean.

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Relief Fund Helps FSNsWorldwide

June 2002 29

People Like YouPeople Like You

So there’s no such thingas a free lunch?

Ask Forestine Berton. She’ll tell you how to get one.Ms. Berton, a budget assistant in the Bureau of Human

Resources’ executive budget office, is a regular listener toMagic 102.3 FM, a Washington, D.C., area, oldies butgoodies radio station. Once a week for the last threemonths or so, Natalie Case, one of the station’s disc jock-eys, has conducted a contest offering a free lunch ofPopeye’s chicken to the entire office of the listener whowrites the most persuasive essay about why their officedeserves a free lunch.

After hearing other offices win the prize for about sixweeks, Forestine decided to try her hand. She drafted aconvincing essay claiming that she and her colleagues

were so busy serving the interests of others that theyalways ate lunch alone at their desks and seldom gottogether as a team. “You know,” Ms. Berton wrote, “it’sjust ‘hello’ in the morning and right to work. We may getin a chit, but it’s hard to get a chitchat going in the courseof a day.” Ending her essay in a slightly cocky tone, Ms.Berton closed, “Thank you in advance for lunch.”

She dutifully faxed her essay to the station before the11 a.m. deadline on a Wednesday and tuned in again at 1p.m. “Sure enough, she announced my name.”

The next noon, a guy called Magic Tim delivered afew buckets of piping hot spicy chicken to Forestine andnine or ten of her colleagues, some of whom—if we areto believe her essay—she was almost meeting for thefirst time.

You can subscribe to the theory that there’s no freelunch, if you wish. But Forestine Berton and her colleaguesin the executive budget office know better.

There Is a Free Lunch!

Forestine Berton, the FreeLunch queen, is surrounded byher court—office colleagueswho shared the spicy chickenand camaradrie.

30 State Magazine

EXTERNAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES SPONSORED BY FSIOPM RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT SEMINARSFSI is accepting applications for three leadership seminars held at the Office ofPersonnel Management Management Development Center in Shepherdstown, W. Va.Check with your bureau training officer for registration procedures.Leadership Potential Seminar

(GS-11/FS-4 and above) 29 12 2WSem. for New Managers (GS-13/FS-3 and above) 29 2WManagement Dev. Sem. (GS-13/FS-3 and above) 15 12 2W

Learn at Your Own Pace, When and Where You Want.FSI is accepting applications for the FasTrac distance learning program. All StateDepartment employees, FSNs and EFMs are eligible. FasTrac offers over 1,000 coursescovering numerous subjects. Training is conducted online through the Internet. Studentsmay complete courses for inclusion on their official FSI transcript or take the coursemodule they need to “get the job done.” Course length varies from two to four hourseach and testing out of what you already know may shorten learning plans. Individualsinterested in participating in the program should obtain their supervisor’s approval andrequest a password by e-mailing FSIFASTRAC@STATE.GOV. For additional information,please contact Claudia Thomas at the Office of the Registrar, (703) 302-7148.

We hope to see you at the FSI Distance Learning Showcase in the Main State ExhibitHall this July. Length: H = Hours, D = Days

For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144.

TRANSITION CENTERSecurity SOS: Security Overseas Sem. MQ911 15,29 12,26 2DASOS: Adv. Security Overseas Sem. MQ912 9,23 20 1DTDY Security Overseas Sem. MQ913 15,29 12,26 1DSecurity Overseas Sem., Youth MQ914 9, 16, 23, 30 13 1D

Foreign Service Life SkillsRegulations Allowances & Finances (MQ104) 31 3DDeputy Chief of Mission, Spouse (MQ110) 22 3DExplaining America (MQ115) 9 1DProtocol & U.S. Representation Abroad MQ116 24 1DYoung Diplomats Day (MQ250) 15, 29 12 1DCommunicating Across Cultures (MQ802) 17 1DRealities of Foreign Service Life (MQ803) 3 1DPromoting U.S. Wines (MQ856) 31 2.5H

Career Transition CenterRetirement Planning Sem. (RV101) 30 4DJob Search Program (RV102) 5 8WFinancial and Estate Planning (RV103) 1 1DAnnuities and Benefits and Social Security (RV104) 31 1D

Course July August Length Course July August Length

Foreign Service Retirements

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Barnes Butler, Dorothy E.Barreyro, Hector P.Bender, Michael ClaytonBozilov, Lois L.Carroll, Joyce L.Caruso, John L.Clare, Gwen C.Claus, Robert E.

Cooper, Doyle E.Dove, Marguerite RoseDuvall, Gerald RaymondFerguson, Earl A.Filostrat, ChristianFogarty, Mark ThomasFurgal, JosephGain, Phyllis G.

Gangstead, Stephen EricGencalp, Hortencia T.Grant, Gail MilissaJenkins, Thomas S.Mackebon, Marlin K.Prophet, Eugene E.Spitzer, Craig A.Thuma, Barbara Ann

Civil Service RetirementsBisdee, Sharon C.Coleman, Joseph B.Daughtry, DeborahFerro, Evelyn A.

Hodges Jr, HaywardystemsPiasecki, Angret M. E.Shanklin, Phyllis D.

Scholarship Fund Established for Zachary GreenBarbara Green and her daughter Kristen Wormsley were killed in a terrorist attack

on March 17 while worshiping at the Protestant International Church in Islamabad,Pakistan. Barbara’s husband, Foreign Service Specialist Milton Green, and their sonZachary were injured in the attack.

Friends and colleagues have asked where contributions may be sent in memory ofBarbara and Kristen. At Mr. Green’s request, a scholarship fund has been established for11-year-old Zachary’s college education. It will be administered by the Federal EmployeesEducation and Assistance Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to pro-viding assistance to federal civilian and postal employees and their dependents. All con-tributions to the FEEA qualify as charitable contributions for tax purposes.

Voluntary contributions may be made directly to FEEA. Checks should be madepayable to FEEA, indicating either on the memo line of the check or in an accompanying letter that the donation isintended for the Federal Diplomatic Family Assistance Fund “ Green” or “FDFAFGreen.” Checks should be sent to:

Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund, 8441 West Bowles Avenue, Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80123

National Foreign Affairs Training Center

&Education Training

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June 2002 31

O B I T U A R I E S

Mary Elisabeth Bagnal, 75, wife ofretired Foreign Service specialistJohn E. Bagnal, died Jan. 7 inArlington, Va., following complica-tions from surgery. She accompa-nied her husband on assignmentsto Japan, Germany, Bulgaria, thePhilippines and Hong Kong.

Joan Ellen Bebick, 58, a retired Foreign Service secretary,died Feb. 8 at home in Sarasota, Fla., after a prolonged ill-ness. She retired in 1995 after serving 25 years as a secre-tary and office management specialist at posts in Haiti,East and West Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Poland, Turkeyand the Vatican.

Evelyn Bergman, 82, a retired Foreign Service secretary,died Feb. 9 of a heart attack in Louisville, Ky. She enteredthe Foreign Service in 1946 and served at U.S. Embassiesin Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw, Luxembourg, Conakryand Paris, in addition to assignments in Washington,D.C. An accomplished linguist, Ms. Bergman spoke flu-ent Swedish, French and German.

Richard Dale Christiansen, 70, a retired Foreign Serviceofficer, died April 26 of lung cancer in St. Petersburg, Fla.He joined the Foreign Service in 1956 after serving fortwo years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army.He served in Rome, Lagos, Garmisch (for Russian lan-guage training) and Moscow.

Balaji Doraiswamy, 55, a retiredForeign Service specialist, died ofbrain cancer Jan. 7 at his home inSpringfield, Va. Born in India, hejoined the Foreign Service in 1987and served as a general servicesofficer in Abu Dhabi, Mogadishu,Kathmandu, Riyadh and Colombobefore retiring with a medical dis-ability in March 2001.

Maureen Virginia Drinkard, 77, aretired Foreign Service communi-cations specialist, died Nov. 9 inLas Vegas, Nev. She served inSaigon, Tokyo, Bangkok, Manila,Paris and Athens as well as inWashington, D.C.

Jean Brownell Dulaney, 87, a retiredCivil Service employee, died Jan. 9of congestive heart failure inAlbuquerque, N.M. She was areporter for the Berkshire EveningEagle in Pittsfield, Mass., beforecoming to Washington, D.C., towork for the Washington Post. In1946, she joined the Department asan editor, translating and editing a

series of reports called Nazi-Soviet Relations and, eventu-ally, editing the Department of State Bulletin.

David E. Hanzlik, 36, a ForeignService officer, died Jan. 3 of braincancer at home in Spring Hill, Fla. Hejoined the Department in 1990 andserved in Oslo and London. He alsoserved in the Bureaus of Intelligenceand Research, Political-MilitaryAffairs and European Affairs.

Lillian Megerian, a retired Foreign Service secretary, diedDec. 10 at her home in Sun City Center West, Fla. Sheserved in Egypt, Brazil, Lebanon, Vietnam, Haiti,Switzerland, Côte d’Ivoire, Germany, the Central AfricanRepublic and the Department.

Horace H. Mitchell, 69, a retiredCivil Service employee, died Nov.28 of pancreatic cancer at his homein Cherry Hill, N.J. He joined theDepartment in 1958 and served as aspecial agent, an assistant specialagent in charge and a special agentin charge in Diplomatic Securitypostings in San Francisco, SanAntonio, New York City and

Philadelphia. Mr. Mitchell retired in 1990.

32 State Magazine

In the Event of DeathQuestions concerning deaths in service should be directed to the Employee Services Center, the Department’s

contact office for all deaths in service: Harry S Truman Building, Room 1252, Department of State, Washington, DC20520-1252; (202) 647-3432; fax: (202) 647-1429; e-mail: EmployeeServicesCenter@state.gov.

Questions concerning the deaths of retired Foreign Service employees should be directed to the Office ofRetirement on (202) 261-8960, Retirement@state.gov.

Questions concerning the deaths of retired Civil Service employees should be directed to the Office of PersonnelManagement at (202) 606-0500, http://www.opm.gov.

Marie O’Shea, 83, a retired Foreign Service specialist, diedFeb. 13 in Washington, D.C. She joined the Departmentin 1952 and served as an administrative assistant inRome, Geneva and London. She served as a personnelofficer in Manila, Tehran, Vienna and New Delhi beforeretiring in 1976.

Domnick G. Riley Sr., 81, a retired Foreign Service securityspecialist, died of congestive heart failure May 29, 2001,in Rockville, Conn. He joined the Foreign Service in 1964and served as a regional security officer in Venezuela, theDominican Republic, Iran, South Korea and Australia. Heserved as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army duringWorld War II and the Korean War.

Leonard J. Sherwin, 86, a retired Foreign Service officer,died of a stroke Oct. 28 in Durham, N.C. During his 30-year career with the U.S. Information Agency, Mr.Sherwin served in nine foreign countries. He also servedin the U.S. Army during World War II. An active volun-teer with the Duke University Library after his retire-ment, he established the library in the North CarolinaMuseum of Life and Science.

Franklyn E. Stevens, 74, a retiredForeign Service officer, died Jan. 24in Bellingham, Wash. He enteredthe Foreign Service in July 1956 andserved at 11 overseas posts and theDepartment. His last assignmentwas as consul general in Caracas.He retired in 1985.

Elvyn Arthur Stoneman, 82, a retired Foreign Service offi-cer, died Feb. 19 of complications related to diabetes inRockville, Md. After serving in the U.S. Army in Italyduring World War II, he earned a doctorate and taughtgeography at two universities before joining the ArmyMap Service in 1951. In 1960, Mr. Stoneman transferred tothe Department’s Office of the Geographer. He was post-ed to South Africa from 1962 to 1964 and returned to theDepartment as a boundary specialist. He represented theUnited States at many geographic conferences and co-authored a number of geography texts.

Bernard Wiesman, 97, a retired CivilService employee, died of cancerNov. 20 at his home in Arlington,Va. He came to Washington, D.C.,in 1942 as chief of labor informa-tion for the National WarProduction Board and joined theDepartment three years later aschief of the international labororganizations branch. He was a

labor information adviser and minority affairs adviser forthe U.S. Information Agency. He helped organize Local1812 of the American Federation of GovernmentEmployees and served as its first president, a position heheld until 1973.

Samuel Zweifel, 76, retired ForeignService medical officer, died of aheart attack Feb. 28 in Phoenix.During 23 years of practice as afamily physician with theDepartment, Dr. Zweifel served asregional medical officer in Quito,Pretoria, New Delhi, Mexico Cityand Lisbon. He was also assistantmedical director for foreign pro-

grams in Washington, D.C. He retired in 1992.

Department of State, USABureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

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