BUILDING BRIDGESTHROUGH BASEBALL

BUILDING BRIDGESTHROUGH BASEBALL

StateStateM A G A Z I N E

U . S . D E PA R T M E N T O F S TAT E

SEPTEMBER 2005

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly,except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department ofState, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postagepaid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations.Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1,Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. You may alsoe-mail address changes to statemagazine@state.gov.

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Deadlines: September 8 for November issue.October 8 for December issue.

StateStateRob Wiley

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Paul KoscakDEPUTY EDITOR

Bill PalmerWRITER/EDITOR

Tara BoyleWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Teddy B. TaylorEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Larry Baer

Kelly Clements

Pam Holliday

Pat Patierno

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Don Simmons, a finance officer inBaghdad, adds some edge to hislife and inline skates to his feetjust outside the city.

On the Road to Peace in IraqIN OUR NEXT ISSUE:

2 Direct from the D.G.

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

32 Medical Report

34 People Like You

36 Education and Training

37 Appointments

38 Personnel Actions

39 Obituaries

ON THE COVERBaseball diplomacy touches all thebases in Chile, especially withSecretary Condoleezza Rice. Photo byJorge Sanchez; design by David L.Johnston.

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2005

NUMBER 493

Mt. Kenya is a majestic exampleof Africa’s diverse and sometimessurprising geography.

8 POST OF THE MONTH: NAIROBIAfter the 1998 attack, a rebuilt embassy symbolizes U.S. commitment to Kenya.

14 OFFICE OF THE MONTH: U.N. POLITICAL AFFAIRSVersatility rules in an office that mixes politics with policy and parking tickets.

18 PUBLIC DIPLOMACY: BASEBALL FEVER STRIKES CHILEWith an assist from the U.S. Embassy, Chile welcomes Little League International.

20 REBUILDING THE U.N. FROM THE INSIDEGeneral Manager Chris Burnham plans major overhaul of U.N. headquarters.

22 BEHIND THE SCENES: FLOATING STUDENT LOANSState ranks first in repaying student debt.

24 2005 FSN WORLDWIDE CONFERENCEForeign Service Nationals develop invaluable contacts and networks.

26 STATE SPONSORS MODEL U.N. CONFERENCEArea high school students learn about common goals and partnerships.

28 A FAMILY AFFAIRThree generations help keep U.S.-Philippine ties strong.

30 FURNISHING HISTORYDonors furnish diplomatic reception rooms with genuine links to history.

8KENYA: LAND OF STEEP CONTRASTS

2 STATE MAGAZINE

DIRECT FROM THE D.G.AMBASSADOR W. ROBERT PEARSON

Creating a moresecure, democraticand prosperousworld for allAmericans and theinternational com-munity requiresour employees toachieve theirmaximum poten-tial. That’s why I’d

like to highlight some of the outstanding career developmentopportunities available to our Civil Service colleagues.

The career development division in the Civil ServicePersonnel Management Office coordinates leadership andprofessional programs and develops policies to expand CivilService training and mobility. Career ladder programs, con-gressional fellowships, graduate programs and individualcounseling and support are also among the many opportu-nities.

The Bureau of Human Resources worked with the ForeignService Institute to expand Civil Service orientation fromthree days to two weeks, providing more time for newemployees to learn about the Department and its resources.

Civil Service mentoring has increased from 24 pairs in2002 to nearly 200 today. The year-long program includesworkshops, shadowing and other developmental activities.For those seeking a career change or advancement, theUpward Mobility Program offers opportunities to participatein a structured, accelerated training for up to a year.

The Career Entry Program allows employees to work inseveral locations while receiving a solid introduction to theCivil Service system. Positions are in professional and technicalfields such as contract, personnel and financial management;security and intelligence; foreign affairs; consular affairs; man-agement analysis and information technology. Employeesenter the two-year program at the GS-5 or GS-7 grades.

The Department participates in a range of leadership pro-grams lasting three months to a year for employees fromGS-5 to GS-15 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’sgraduate school. Classroom discussions, group exercises,learning teams, independent studies and rotational workassignments are all part of the curriculum.

Senior-level training opportunities are available for GS-15and high-potential GS-14 employees at the National WarCollege, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the

Army, Naval, Marine and Air War colleges. The trainingbroadens an employee’s strategic knowledge and is particu-larly valuable for those expecting significant managerialresponsibilities. Applicants are selected each fall for a limitednumber of slots. Senior fellowships at universities or institu-tions such as Tufts University’s Fletcher School, the AtlanticCouncil and the Hoover Institution offer additional options.

Congressional fellowship programs give our employees aworking knowledge of Congress. These full-time 7- or 12-month programs offer a hands-on education on how thelegislative branch of government works and how congres-sional decisions affecting federal agencies are made.

More leadership training is available through the Councilfor Excellence in Government, which sponsors two fellowsprograms: the Excellence in Government Fellows Programand the e-Government Fellows Program. Both offer leader-ship training through workshops and small group sessions,visits to corporations and coaching by experienced execu-tives. Candidates work with actual projects or problemsfacing their agency.

A number of advanced academic opportunities exist.The Joint Military Intelligence College offers employees a

free after-hours postgraduate program leading to a master’sin strategic intelligence, the only one of its kind in theUnited States.

The Department of State and Princeton University’sWoodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairsoffer a residential master’s program in public policy withconcentrations in international relations, economic develop-ment, domestic policy and economics and public policyduring the year-long program.

In partnership with the Navy Bureau of Medicine andSurgery, the Department established a master’s in businessadministration with Webster University on Navy Hill.Training focuses on business in a competitive environment.

Finally, our own Career Development Resource Center inSA-1 provides guidance, coaching and other services.Evaluations of skills, interests, values and work preferences, aswell as setting goals, are among its specialties.

The center’s experienced career counselors, library andcomputer resources are open to all employees, contractorsand Foreign Service families.

I urge our Civil Service employees to take advantage ofthese resources and training programs, and I encouragesupervisors to work with their employees to provide the timefor these very important career advancements. ■

Civil Service Employees HaveAbundant Career Resources

3SEPTEMBER 2005

FROM THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Play Ball!Few things touch more lives or arouse more passion

around the world than sports. As Ambassador CraigKelly and wife Kimberly prepared to assume their rolesin Santiago last year, they also started checking into waysto bring a slice of America. With support from MajorLeague Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, including Hall ofFamer Tommy Lasorda, Little League International andChilean officials, the Kellys and their embassy staffhelped inaugurate Little League Chile.

On opening day, working-class kids from some ofSantiago’s poorer districts shared the field with theirpeers from the international school. Late in the season,Little League Chile got an official “safe” sign fromSecretary Condoleezza Rice.

Words matter, especially in the ever-shifting environ-ment surrounding the United Nations headquarters inNew York. Every time the United States takes an officialposition on any issue at the U.N., the professionals at theOffice of United Nations Political Affairs draft the words.And the U.S. takes an official position on everything.

An early target in the international terrorists’ waragainst the United States, the U.S. embassy in Nairobi hasrebounded to become the largest U.S. mission in sub-Saharan Africa. With 18 agencies, more than 260American employees and some 800 locally engaged staff,the mission plays a crucial role in anti-terrorist programsin the region.

Starting Over in UgandaThe cover article on Kampala as

post of the month in the May 2005issue tells effectively how Uganda is“rising above a troubled past.” Itquotes Ambassador Kolker as saying,“The United States is a good ‘brandname’ here.” We set about launchingthat image as the first Americanmission to Uganda after an absence ofsome seven years forced by the reignof Idi Amin.

In 1979, shortly after the overthrowof the brutal dictator, I was assigned toKampala as public affairs officer. TheUnited States and other foreign gov-ernments had calculated that therewould be relative peace after Aminfled the country and a highly respect-ed university leader was installed aspresident. The new president lastedabout six months, and there were twocoups followed by a tainted election.

Uganda was in a state of anarchy.Gordon Beyer, our ambassador, andthe entire embassy staff were ready totough it out, and he gave me unlimit-ed support. I found a vacant buildingfor a “cultural center,” furnished it,hired staff, brought in books andopened the U.S. Information Servicelibrary, which was crowded fromday one. Relations with Makerere

University were reestablished and avisiting American professor broughtin. Ugandan scholars, journalists andother potential leaders were sent to theUnited States on International Visitorgrants.

Two projects stand out. We helpedrefurbish the National Theatre ofUganda for a productionof Thornton Wilder’s TheSkin of Our Teeth. I direct-ed an all-Ugandan cast,and the two leads in theproduction were honoredthat year with theUgandan equivalent ofBroadway’s Tony awards.The embassy, workinghand in hand with theUganda Sports PressAssociation, helped orga-nize the nation’s firstmajor soccer tournament in years. Fortwo weeks, a huge American flag flewatop the stadium next to the Ugandanflag as some 20,000 fans cheered theirteams.

I served in seven overseas postsduring a 22-year career. Kampalastands out as the most memorable.

Eddie DeerfieldRetired FSO

Cover Delights Bird LoverAs the Department’s self-appointed

“ornithologist in residence,” I wasabsolutely delighted with the cover ofyour May issue (a shoebill). A coupleof small issues: While the bird hasbeen described as one of “Africa’s mostwanted” and is a major draw for

eco-tourists visitingUganda, it is neitheras endangered, tallnor localized as youreport. According tothe book ThreatenedBirds of the World,it is merely “nearthreatened,” with ahealthy populationof between 10,000and 15,000. While itis certainly a magnif-icent beast, it stands

only about 1.2 meters tall and it isfound in 10 African countries fromthe Sudan and Ethiopia to Zambia andBotswana.

Thanks for publishing one ofthe wonders of the bird world,Balaeniceps rex!

Peter KaestnerConsul GeneralU.S. Embassy Cairo

4 STATE MAGAZINE

I N T H E N E W S

A PERFECT

TENStill Growing After All These Years

In 1995, the staff of theCharleston Financial ServiceCenter was so small that it fitinto a single building on theold Charleston Naval Base.

Now, 10 years later,the center employs 550people and is known asGlobal Financial ServicesCharleston—a name thatreflects its importance to theDepartment’s work over-seas. Today, the center isresponsible for all domesticfinancial operations andprovides support to posts in113 countries.

“Consolidation over thelast three years has fueledour growth,” said RobertNicolai, director of administrative operations. “Our staff now provides payroll services to all Departmentemployees worldwide and financial services both domestically and internationally.”

More than 55,000 employees and 15,000 retirees count on Global Financial Services Charleston for theirchecks—but payroll and pensions are only one part of the work done by the Charleston team. The center alsohandles domestic and overseas accounting, international banking, cash management and other responsibilities.

For posts that need additional support, Global Financial Services runs a help desk and offers 24 financial train-ing courses in Charleston, Bangkok and Paris. One thousand trainees participate in these courses each year.

On June 16, the Global Financial Services team celebrated the center’s 10-year anniversary with a barbeque atthe Charleston offices.

Participants in a training session for Foreign Service Nationals pose in the lobby of theCharleston center with members of the Office of Foreign Service Nationals Payroll Operations.

5SEPTEMBER 2005

I N T H E N E W S

Charity Campaign Begins Another Round

$199 Average giftamount to the2004 Combined Federal Campaign.

The annual Combined Federal Campaign at theState Department begins Oct.1 with an informationsession and kick-off in the Harry S Truman buildingexhibit hall. Considered the largest and most suc-cessful workplace charitable drive, the effortinvolves more than 300 agencies—both civilian andmilitary—throughout the country.

Charities must submit to extensive financial andmanagement scrutiny before being placed on the

CFC roster. Last year, about 24 percent of theDepartment’s workforce contributed more than$2 million, exceeding the campaign’s $1.9 milliongoal.

Donations are accepted in cash, by check or aspayroll deduction.

Because energy costs are expected to keeprising, the federal government wants to createrenewable energy sources. The Department ismaking significant strides in that direction, asevidenced, for example, by the use of solar-powered lights in the parking lot at theFlorida Regional Center. Recently, FacilitiesManagement Services completed phase oneof the installation of a rooftop solar energysystem for the Harry S Truman Building.

Executive Order 13123, Greening theGovernment Through Efficient EnergyManagement, calls for all federal agencies toincrease their use of renewable energy andto support the Million Solar Roofs Initiativeby working toward the installation of20,000 solar energy systems at federal facil-ities by 2010.

Michael Weimer, a University of Coloradoelectrical engineering student on a 2004summer intern assignment in the Office ofFacilities Management Services, was chargedwith developing a design for a solar energysystem to be introduced in phases for the Truman Building.The Department’s photovoltaic system concept is based onhis research.

Phase one of the installation was completed in June. Some104 photovoltaic modules —solar panels —of 300 watts each

were installed on the eighth floor roof near 21st and C streets.The panels can produce 31.2 kilowatts of power per day. Theremaining four phases are scheduled for installation in thenear future, based on availability of funding. The system’sexpected lifespan is 30 to 50 years.

New solar panels grace the roof of the Harry S Truman Building.

HST ROOF SPORTS NEW SOLAR PANELS

6 STATE MAGAZINE

I N T H E N E W S

45TH BOOKFAIRCOMING IN OCTOBER

October marks the 45th annual BOOKFAIR, sponsored by the Associates of the American ForeignService Worldwide. The sale, which raises scholarship money for Foreign Service dependents and AAFSWcommunity projects, began in 1960 with 7,500 books. Last year, more than 100,000 books were collectedand approximately $80,000 was raised. Art objects, collectibles, stamps and coins also will be sold.

The sale, in the Exhibit Hall of the Harry S Truman Building, starts Oct. 14, from 2 to 5 p.m., and contin-ues Oct. 17–21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for employees, spouses and guests. During two weekends, Oct.15–16 and Oct. 22–23, the sale is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Books are half price on thelast day. The entrance is on C Street between 21st and 23rd streets N.W. Visa and MasterCard are accept-ed. Call (202) 223-5796 for more information.

U.S. HONORS ISRAELI JEW, ARAB FORPROJECT ON CHANGING ATTITUDES

At a ceremony hosted by U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer at the American Center in Jerusalem on June 6, Professor DanBar-On, chair of the Department of Behavioral Science at Ben Gurion University, and Professor Sami Adwan, of theDepartment of Education at Bethlehem University, wereawarded the first annual Victor J. Goldberg IIE (Institute ofInternational Education) Prize for Peace in the Middle East.

The new prize was established to recognize outstanding workbeing conducted jointly by two individuals, one Israeli Jew andone Arab, working together to advance the cause of peace.

Bar-On, a former Fulbright scholar, and Adwan were select-ed for having developed an ambitious educational curriculumdevelopment project entitled “Learning Each Other’s HistoricalNarrative.” The ongoing four-year Israeli-Palestinian project,which was also supported by a U.S. Wye grant, focused onteachers and school classrooms in Israel and the Palestinianareas as critical forces for changing entrenched and polarizedattitudes on both sides.

The event recognized the work of IIE in advancing exchangesworldwide. Ambassador Kurtzer highlighted the role of people-to-people exchanges in increasing mutual understandingbetween Israelis and Palestinians and advancing chances forpeace in the region.

From left, Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer, Victor Goldberg and his wifePatricia Waldecks Goldberg, IIE Prize winners Sami Adwan and DanBar-On, and IIE Chief Operating Officer Tina Ravitz.

7SEPTEMBER 2005

I N T H E N E W S

BUCKEYES WIN DEPARTMENT COMPETITIONA team of graduate business students from Ohio State

University recently won a national management case studycompetition sponsored by the Department.The University of Texas-San Antonio andGeorgetown University placed second andthird, respectively.

As part of an effort to increase awareness ofState Department and Foreign Service careers,the Department invited target universities toparticipate in this real-world competition. The

Bureau of Administration and a consumer research andconsulting firm designed a scenario that management offi-

cers overseas might face.After six months of working on the case, the

top three teams presented their solutions to ajudging panel that included John Campbell,ambassador to Nigeria; Frank Coulter, actingassistant secretary of the Bureau ofAdministration; and Steve Nolan, executivedirector of the Bureau of African Affairs.

NEW HIGH-SPEED WIRELESS LINK BOOSTSCONNECTIONS IN KATHMANDU

When the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu needed reliable,high-speed, secure Internet and phone service to connectthe chancery to its new offices for the consular and publicaffairs sections, it gambled on a technology called WEXTEL.The gamble paid off.

WEXTEL is a wireless link using radios that are immune topoor air quality, dust or rain and that use directional anten-nas that limit exposure to interference. The result is almost100 percent reliability and only a few minutes of outages eachyear. It appears to be an ideal solution for embassies that needto communicate with off-site offices.

Kathmandu is the first post to achieve a first-class “carrier-grade” connection over a wireless, encrypted Departmentlink, representing a more-than-tenfold improvement overprevious solutions. All public affairs and consular businessnow flows through the WEXTEL link.

WEXTEL eliminates wire or fiber installation costs andrecurring monthly fees, delivering performance quickly at anaffordable price. In addition to the fast Ethernet connection,WEXTEL also provides a separate telephone connection,allowing switchboard connectivity between buildings withoutadditional lease-line costs.

WEXTEL connectivity can include voice, data, videostreaming or just about anything transmitted in a digitalformat. WEXTEL can create a portable videoconference wire-less link spanning tens of miles between a remote hotelconference center and the chancery, remote video monitoringand a secure multi-point network that simultaneously coversan entire campus.

One of the objectives of the Kathmandu WEXTEL pilot isto identify wireless technology that might be adopted as aDepartment standard and address the need for increasedbandwidth that is reliable and secure.

Contractor Brad Raupp uses his rappelling skills during the WEXTELinstallation in Kathmandu.

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P O S T O F T H E M O N T H

By Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau

NAIROBIAfter 1998 Blast, a Rebuilt Embassy

Symbolizes U.S. Commitment to Kenya

10 STATE MAGAZINE

Kenya’s people, too, form a mosaic of contrasts, with morethan 70 ethnic tribes and 30 languages. For many Kenyans,English is a third or fourth language, after a mother tongueand Kiswahili, the national language. Along parts of theKenyan coast, some children chatter more easily in Arabicthan English. However, while Kenyans may describe them-selves as Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba or Kisii, sinceindependence in 1963 they also identify themselves, proudly,as Kenyan.

This multiculturalism has led Kenya—and Nairobi, inparticular—to embrace international guests. Nairobi is theeconomic, cultural and media hub of East Africa, home tomultinational corporations, U.N. agencies and hundreds ofnongovernmental organizations. Nairobi is also a city ofcontrasts: A visitor can watch Maasai herd cattle throughblack clouds of diesel exhaust in gridlocked traffic and peerfrom a fairway of the Royal Nairobi Country Club into

Africa’s largest slum, Kibera, where some 700,000 people livein absolute poverty.

DIVERSITY AND BEAUTY Kenya offers much more than lions, elephants and the

annual migration of wildebeest. Split horizontally by theequator and north to south by the Great Rift Valley, Kenyaencompasses the fertile highlands of Nyeri, one of the mostproductive agricultural regions in Africa, and the other-worldly lava fields and deserts of the far northwest. Near thecountry’s geographic center, Mt. Kenya sparkles with gla-ciers, while the alkaline lakes of the Great Rift Valley arerimmed with millions of pink flamingos. In the west, thelush tea fields around Kericho roll to the shores of LakeVictoria. All this natural beauty is punctuated by seasonaldrought, devastating floods, periodic famine and persistentpoverty.

From the 14th-century Omani ruins that decorate Kenya’s

coast to the sun-scalded volcanic hills ringing Lake Turkana,

the physical beauty of Kenya is staggering in its contrasts.

The sun also rises near Mt. Kenya.

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A T A G L A N C E

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2005

Country name: Kenya

Capital: Nairobi

Independence: December 12, 1963 (from theUnited Kingdom)

Government: Republic

Population: 33.8 million

Median age: 18.2 years

Languages: English, Kiswahili and numerousindigenous languages

Total area: 582,650 square kilometers

Approximate size: Slightly more than twicethe size of Nevada

Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES)

Chief exports: Tea, horticultural products,coffee, petroleum products and fish

Export partners: Uganda (12.8 percent),United Kingdom (11.6 percent) and UnitedStates (10.4 percent)

In a country with high unemployment and an annual percapita income of around $400, all of Nairobi’s residents,from slum dwellers to suburban expatriates, face theproblem of increasing violent crime. Refugees enter thecountry through porous borders with Sudan and Somalia,and there is a growing trade in small arms, drugs and, morerecently, people. The country’s infrastructure—roads, elec-tricity, water and telecommunications—is crumbling, anddeforestation, pollution and poaching are increasing as thepopulation exceeds available resources.

Despite a Department travel warning, tourism has beenrising. Meanwhile, the African Growth and Opportunity Acthas multiplied Kenyan exports to the United States. Kenyaplayed a pivotal role in the negotiations that brought peaceto southern Sudan after more than 20 years of war and, fora while, was host to the transitional federal government ofwar-torn Somalia.

Top: Embassy Nairobi’s Human Resources staff. From left, SusanMuigai, Rose Ogaya, Eva Osingo, Lucy Segero, Mildred Ahenda, FaithKnugu and Medrine Wendot. Bottom: Newlyweds Holly Waeger, left,and Edward J. Monster, third from left, pose with Ambassador WilliamBellamy and Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Rose at their Maasaiwedding ceremony.

12 STATE MAGAZINE

The 2004 Nobel Peace Prizewas awarded to Wangari Maathai,the first African woman to beso honored. She won for hercontribution to sustainable devel-opment, democracy and peace.Professor Maathai, a member ofParliament and assistant ministerof environment who studied inthe United States, joinedAmbassador Mark Bellamy on Earth Day last year to plant1,000 trees in Nairobi’s Karura Forest, which she helped savefrom developers.

PROGRESS AND OPPORTUNITYIn 2005, Kenya’s program under President Bush’s

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief had a budget approaching$145 million, the largest of any country. Successful preven-tion programs have reduced the prevalence of AIDS,community support is being strengthened and great progressis being made in the distribution of antiretroviral drugs. The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State, the U.S.Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps andthe Walter Reed Medical Research Unit, in partnership withKenyan and international organizations, have made thesegains possible.

The horrific attack on the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi onAugust 7, 1998, has led to strengthened antiterrorism pro-grams in the region. A memorial park on the site of theformer chancery honors the 46 Embassy employees andnearly 200 others who died in the attack, which alsowounded more than 5,000 Kenyans. The park has become a

Top right: A clinic for voluntary counseling and testing atKamiti Prison. Seated, from left: Mr. Zacharia, MaryKariuki, Evelyne Ojouk and Benta Museve, all from theCenters for Disease Control. Standing behind them isMary Chepkonga, acting assistant commissioner of pris-ons and coordinator of HIV/AIDS programs.

Above: Mary Ofisi of the embassy’sfinancial management centerspeaks at the Aug. 7 commemora-tion in 2004. Watching, from left,are former public affairs officerPeter Claussen, former manage-ment counselor Steve Nolan andAmbassador William Bellamy.Bottom right: Foreign ServiceNational employee Eliud Meja, inwhite T-shirt, helps build a schoolin a Maasai village.

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popular oasis, a retreat from the noise and crowds of down-town Nairobi.

The current embassy building on a compound in Nairobi’snorthwest suburbs, near coffee plantations and a largeUnited Nations complex, was dedicated in March 2003. It isthe largest U.S. Mission in sub-Saharan Africa, housing 18agencies, more than 260 American employees and some 800locally engaged staff. A new Marine House was dedicated thisyear, and in 2006 USAID will move into a new building onthe compound.

For Department employees, Kenya is a place of opportuni-ties. Mike Fitzpatrick, the Mission’s political counselor, hiswife Silvana and their nine-year-old daughter Michelle werestationed in Brussels before Nairobi.

“I never thought that I would serve in Africa,” he says. “Butoffered the chance to come to Nairobi, I thought ‘How manyopportunities do you have?’ Neither one of us had ever evenstepped foot in Africa.”

Silvana adds,“Nairobi is not a difficult city to know. Peopleare happy to be here. There are lots of smiling faces, things todo, groups to join, activities for families. The InternationalSchool of Kenya’s facilities are wonderful. There are notmany other schools where children have the chance to climbMt. Kenya or stay with a Maasai family.”

Or be married in a traditional Maasai wedding ceremony.In August 2004, Holly Waeger and Edward J. Monster, bothfirst-tour officers, tied the knot or, more precisely, tied 18knots in Holly’s bridal necklace—one for each cow or goatMr. Monster’s family gave Holly to symbolize the union—ina Maasai village.

It is precisely these opportunities that continue to attractDepartment employees to Nairobi. Mary Jo Rasing, financialmanagement officer, was serving in Senegal when she putNairobi at the top of her bid list.

“Professionally, Nairobi is a chance to stretch my abili-ties,” she says. “Mission-wide, we have a good group. Peopleare serious about their work and very professional and theleadership of the Mission reinforces the positive attitudehere.”

An accomplished photographer, Ms. Rasing has capturedher Kenya experiences on film. Pictures from her safaris canbe seen at the following web site, along with other spectacu-lar photography of Kenya’s diversity by the staff of the U.S.Embassy in Nairobi, at http://nairobi.state.gov/PostOfTheMonth/index.htm. ■

The author is a public diplomacy officer serving a tour inhuman resources at U.S. Embassy Nairobi.

Rukiya Mwinyi, Muslim outreach coordinator, and George Kamau, Information Resource Center director, rear, teach Internet skills to students from theNairobi Muslim Academy.

14 STATE MAGAZINE

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

Versatile might be the best way to describe the Office ofUnited Nations Political Affairs.

It’s the kind of place where shifting from editing an inter-national peacekeeping proposal to arm-twisting someforeign diplomat to pay up a mountain of New York Cityparking tickets isn’t unusual.

It’s where official positions are crafted, diplomats arebriefed and everyone from desk officers to the secretary—even the president—seeks guidance before visiting theUnited Nations.

And it’s where the United States will work its campaign toreform that august body, 60 years old this month.

“We provide the policy and make sure our delegations areinstructed on U.S. positions,” says Director Jim Warlick.“Press statements, meetings and negotiations at the U.N. arecoordinated through this office.”

There’s no shortage of positions to consider for the office’s16 foreign and civil service employees and two interns—more than 200, in fact—from global terrorism to dealingwith space debris. As Mr. Warlick says, the United States hasa view on every issue that comes up.

The office drafts resolutions for the U.N. Security Councilpromoting America’s interests in many of the world’s hotspots—Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo and North Korea,for example. A call for an international peacekeeping force inSudan, for instance, was recently proposed by the office.

WORDS MATTERIn this business, words matter. The guidance can some-

times be quite detailed, right down to the line-by-linelanguage of a resolution. But that’s usually the end product.Before that happens, the office spends considerable effort

Office ofUnited NationsPolitical Affairs

OFFICE MIXES POLITICS, POLICY ANDPARKING TICKETS BY PAUL KOSCAK

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gathering the information and intelligenceneeded to fashion an acceptable resolu-tion.

The work is similar to drafting a bill andgetting it through a congressional com-mittee—except in this case the 15 SecurityCouncil members represent nations. Ninevotes are needed to pass a resolution. Andlike bills that pass Congress and becomelaw, resolutions accepted by the SecurityCouncil become international law.

“It’s a lot of give-and-take,” Mr. Warlicksays. “This is true multilateral work.”

Proposals are “tested,” he explains, bydrafting the “elements” the United Statesneeds to promote and then “checking withthe British, the French, the Chinese and the Russians. We getsome good soundings before we submit it.”

In many cases that means negotiating with the depart-ment’s foreign counterparts and working out controversiallanguage. Depending on the sensitivity, getting consensusmay require top-level attention beyond the desk officer’s orambassador’s counterpart, he said.

“For the resolutions on Iraq, Secretary Colin Powellbecame a desk officer,” Mr. Warlick recalls. “He spoke withother secretaries and foreign ministers, going over each lineof the language. It went that high.”

The office also lobbies to impose sanctions on nationscommitting atrocities and works to bring war criminals tojustice, such as those in Sudan charged with crimes againsthumanity. It’s also where the president and secretary look fordirection when visiting the General Assembly each year.Taking into consideration the politics and issues of the

moment, the office devises an itinerary, recommends peopleto visit and suggests luncheons to host.

REFORM AGENDAReforming the U.N. is high on the office’s agenda, espe-

cially as the international assembly celebrates its 60thanniversary.

“It’s our single busiest issue,” Mr. Warlick says. “We wantthe U.N. to look like 2005, not 1945.”

He cited the recent oil for food scandal and the U.N.’sCommission on Human Rights Council as examples of lackof accountability.

“The commission as it meets in Geneva is a disaster,” hesays. “The Zimbabwes and Cubas of the world like to sit on itto protect themselves from charges.”

With new leadership in the Middle East and now thatformer Palestinian chief Yasser Arafat is gone, however, thedynamics for reform are favorable he says. “The time is right.”

The more than 35,000 foreign diplomats and their familiesliving in New York City create another responsibility for theoffice: ensuring that the United States, as host country,carries out its international legal obligations to the U.N.diplomatic community. Those obligations include arrangingfor the safety and security of the missions according to diplo-matic privileges and immunities, expelling diplomats,imposing travel restrictions, reviewing visas and dealing withcrimes such as driving under the influence, domestic vio-lence and overdue parking tickets.

Unlike dealing with foreign diplomats elsewhere in theUnited Statess where reciprocity determines how thoseissues are handled, civil and legal guidelines for resolvingproblems generated by the U.N. foreign community aredetermined by treaty.

One visa issue that’s sure to command the office’s atten-tion is deciding if Iran’s new hard-line president should beallowed into the United States to attend the U.N.’s 60thanniversary summit this month. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,Mr. Warlick says, is accused by some former hostages ofbeing a captor during the 444-day seizure in 1979 of theU.S. Embassy in Tehran.

“This may have to be decided by the secretary,” he speculates.

15SEPTEMBER 2005

Office name: Office of United Nations Political Affairs

Symbol: UNP

Office Director: Jim Warlick

Staff size: 16

Office location: Harry S Truman Building

A T A G L A N C E

Opposite page: Political Officer Rakesh Surampudi greets U.N. peace-keepers in West Africa. Below: Jim Warlick, who directs the U.N. PoliticalAffairs Office, says his staff may have months or just minutes to draft anofficial position.

16 STATE MAGAZINE

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

one or two days,” says Mr. Surampudi, apublic diplomacy officer who joined theDepartment in 2000 and has worked forthe Office of United Nations PoliticalAffairs for about a year. “The desk sets upthe meeting, but we’ll coordinate how thepaper goes to the 7th floor.”

He wrote talking points, for instance,on expanding the Security Council forNicholas Burns, under secretary for polit-ical affairs, who visited the U.N. July 20.

The U.S. opposes the proposal toexpand the council put forward by theG4—Japan, India, Germany and Brazil.

“The G4 plan isn’t clear,” says Mr.Surampudi, explaining the U.S. position.“There needs to be a larger debate.”

Geographical balance, efforts at peace-keeping as well as logistical and financialsupport to the U.N. are among the crite-ria for Security Council permanentmembership being overlooked, he noted.

Kaye Boesel, another office specialist,has developed a sixth sense for whatworks and what doesn't after dealing withU.N. politics for 16 years. When facedwith a challenging issue that needs to sailthrough the Security Council, Ms. Boeselknows how to grease the skids.

“You make lots of calls,” she says. “Youask the ambassador to approach theforeign minister to get his foreign missionto support a resolution. I provide thetalking points. We’re trying to find allies,to bridge opposition.”

Call her a political editor. Since resolu-tions are already crafted by the time theyreach her desk, she rewrites for advan-tage, adding and recasting the prose andjargon in a way that best promotes U.S.interests while at the same time helpingto create a resolution that satisfies othernations. Ms. Boesel’s input, along with alegal evaluation, ensures that documentsare ready for prime time at the U.N.

Right now she’s working to ready acomprehensive convention on terrorismfor the U.N.’s 60th anniversary. The con-vention has been languishing since 2001,when it was submitted by India. There are

When the secretary, an under secretaryor certainly the president speaks at theU.N. or when the Security Council takes aposition, it’s news. Making those eventshappen, isn’t.

Take Rakesh Surampudi. He’s busywriting official positions—”the paper,” asit’s called—for U.N. visits, especiallyduring the annual opening of the GeneralAssembly, where there are lots of last-minute meetings.

“All the countries are showing up at thesame time and the secretary stays only for

SPECIALISTSWORK ON THECUTTING EDGE

BY PAUL KOSCAK

U.N. peacekeepers and officials pose with Rakesh Surampudi, sixth from left,and Gerry Anderson, fifth from right, Office of Peacekeeping, Security andCounterterrorism director.

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13 terrorism conventions, or treaties,embraced by the U.N., each covering asingle issue, such as bombings, hostagesand finance.

Two concerns stalled the comprehen-sive convention: some nations wanted adeclaration that national liberation move-ments are not terrorist campaigns andthat military force can be a terrorist act.Both positions are opposed by the UnitedStates says Ms. Boesel.

“When we take it to the GeneralAssembly, we want to know there’s noopposition,” she says. “We don’t just wanta vote, we want it acclaimed.”

Then there’s Brooke Milton-Kurtz.After working two years in the office, thiscivil service specialist handles just oneissue, but it’s a big one—Iraq. Keeping theU.N. engaged in the U.S. mission there isher specialty.

“I work almost entirely with theSecurity Council,” she says.

That could mean months of negotia-tions to reach consensus on a resolutionor responding to an event where a resolu-tion is needed within hours, not weeks ormonths. When the Egyptian ambassadorwas assassinated in Iraq, on July 7, shewrote a press statement for the SecurityCouncil condemning the murder.Likewise, after Iraq’s successful Jan. 30election, Ms. Milton-Kurtz prepared acouncil statement supporting that his-toric day for democracy.

At other times, working with her coun-terpart at the U.N., she offers issues forthe council to support. Before anything ispresented, however, her counterpartmeets informally with the members togauge support.

“What’s going to be in the resolutionand the timing are all part of the strategy,”she says.

Since the U.N. returned to Iraq in 2004after its headquarters was bombed theyear before, she’s coordinated meetingsthat bring to the table military and gov-ernment leaders, including StateDepartment experts, to discuss plans forIraq security with U.N. officials. ■

The author is deputy editor of StateMagazine.

Above: Secretary Danielle Butler-Johnson, right, reviews a document with John Robertson,a political officer. Below: Kaye Boesel, a Civil Service specialist, helps write a convention.

18 STATE MAGAZINE

The Secretary of State steppedoff her aircraft in Santiago,Chile, on a brilliant southernhemisphere fall afternoon.

After protocol greetings, she walkedbriskly toward an assembled group ofChilean and American girls and boysproudly sporting their new LittleLeague Chile baseball uniforms. Sheposed with the players and two of theircoaches. As photographers snappedaway, the Secretary smiled and held upan official Little League baseball signedby future stars.

A few hours later, this would be theTV and newspaper shot seen aroundthe country. With one photo, SecretaryRice had given Little League baseball ahuge boost in its first-ever season inSantiago. We had come a long way fromthe puzzled question: “Why would youtry to start Little League in Chile? Chileis not a baseball country.”

Not quite true. Baseball arrived inChile in the pre–World War II years asAmericans flocked to the northern partof the country to work in the coppermining industry. From coastal desertcities, baseball quietly inched its way toSantiago and some port towns along thecentral coast. In the entire country, a fewhundred people played baseball, softballand T-ball. In soccer-mad Chile, base-ball enjoyed almost no support fromlocal communities, businesses or thenational sports federation. But players,coaches and organizers who loved thegame kept the tradition alive on a fewdusty diamonds.

As my wife Kimberly and I preparedto move with our kids to Santiago in thesummer of 2004, we decided to exploredeveloping Little League baseball inChile. We got in touch with LittleLeague headquarters in Williamsport,Pa., and soon we were armed with all

the information we needed to apply fora Little League charter, establish a boardof directors and find sponsors.

MAJOR LEAGUE SUPPORTMajor League Baseball also

expressed interest. Kimberly, a formerjournalist and as avid a baseball fan asI am, got in touch with an old friendwho writes for the Los AngelesDodgers web site. Shortly afterwards,we were in ex-manager TommyLasorda’s private box at DodgerStadium discussing possible supportfor a Little League program in Chile.

Once we arrived in Chile, Kim and Iorganized a lunch at our residence forleaders of existing Chilean baseball pro-grams. The Chileans realized that if theU.S. Embassy and Little LeagueInternational got involved in a seriousway, youth baseball in Chile would get atremendous shot in the arm. PH

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The power of baseball diplomacy:smiling T-ballers await their chanceto hit away.

Baseball DiplomacyCHILE CATCHES LITTLE LEAGUE FEVER BY CRAIG KELLY

19SEPTEMBER 2005

Consulting with the Bureau ofEducational and Cultural Affairs andthe Office of the Legal Adviser/Ethics,we set up a binational board of direc-tors. We applied for and received aLittle League charter. Little LeagueInternational President Steven Keenerand Latin America Director CarlosPagan gave us vital backing and prom-ised a starter kit of new equipment oncethe teams were ready to play.

We were excited, but knew that muchhard work remained before we could getteams on the field. We needed uniforms,equipment, umpires, field time, trans-portation for the kids and sponsors.

Over the next three months, theboard of directors hammered out aplan to start the first Chilean LittleLeague for players aged 9–12. Theleague would include four existingChilean teams and two new teamsformed at Nido de Aguilas, theAmerican international school.Working with the coaches, the boardscheduled an initial two-month seasonat the school and at Chile’s nationalstadium complex. Sponsors andparents provided new uniforms for thesix teams and paid other expenses.

Meanwhile, the teams were practic-ing for their Little League debut. On theeve of the season opener, a generous

shipment of new bats, gloves and otherequipment arrived from Little LeagueBaseball and Wilson Sporting Goods.

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLELittle League Chile kicked off as

scheduled on April 2, a sunny autumnSaturday. The embassy public affairssection turned opening day into a greatexample of people-to-people diploma-cy, as the Chilean press snapped away.After short speeches and nationalanthems, it was “play ball” for morethan four hours.

The kids—Chilean, American,Japanese and other nationalities—played their hearts out. The pitchersshowed they could find the plate andthere were plenty of solid hits anddefensive plays for parents to cheerabout. Kids from some of the poorerdistricts of Santiago were sharing thefield with “gringos” from the interna-tional school. Some Chilean parentswept and said they could not believethis sudden support for their kids.

Little League games continued everySaturday for the next two months. Wealso organized T-ball for younger kids,with embassy dads as coaches. As I paidcourtesy calls on the district mayorswho have teams in our league, I foundthem eager to galvanize local backing

for a sport that promotes teamworkand healthy competition. The teamscome from neighborhoods wheresports facilities are limited, so themayors are working with businessgroups to find practice fields.

The second Little League seasonbegan in August with an all-star gamebetween Santiago and the port city ofSan Antonio. This was our launchingpad for expanding Little League toother cities in Chile.

Chileans and Americans have wel-comed Little League Chile with greatenthusiasm. Our national pastime isbringing kids from both countriescloser together and building communi-ty support for youth sports. It is alsoboosting the image of the United States.Baseball diplomacy is a great tool tostrengthen people-to-people ties, andU.S. Embassy Santiago—along with ahighly dedicated board of directors,coaches, parents, sponsors and localChilean political leaders—is deter-mined to keep proving the adage:

“If you build it, they will come.” ■

The author is the U.S. Ambassadorto Chile.

Editor’s Note: Ambassador Kelly wrotethis article at our request.

Left: Ambassador Craig Kelly, left, daughter Cameron,wife Kimberly and son Evan share a moment with LittleLeague International President Stephen Keener at LittleLeague headquarters in Williamsport, Pa. Above:Ambassador Kelly plays some catch on Opening Day.

20 STATE MAGAZINE

U.N. Building,Management

Poised forRenovation

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As the United Nations marks its 60th anniversary thismonth with calls for reform and the publicity surroundingJohn Bolton’s appointment as U.S. ambassador, one formerdepartment official who recently joined the U.N. has somehigh-profile plans that are drawing little notice.

Chris Burnham, the former chief financial officer andacting under secretary of Management, is now the U.N.’sgeneral manager, specifically the under secretary general formanagement. Responsible for more than 1,000 employees inNew York, Vienna and Geneva, as well as the roofs over theirheads, the new boss is busy promoting improvement.

For starters, there’s the headquarters itself. Its signaturemodern architecture hasgraced the shore ofManhattan’s East Riversince 1953—and littlehas changed. He calls thebuildings a time warpwith an infrastructure—and even itsfurniture—more than50 years old.

“The physical plant ofthe U.N. in New York hasbeautiful 1950s architec-ture in a pristine state,but it’s horrible from apractical standpoint,”says Mr. Burnham, who’slaunching a $1 billionrenovation aimed atredesigning the halls andbringing the building upto code. The project isexpected to begin duringthe summer of 2007.

He’s applying thelessons learned fromremodeling the Harry STruman building, a pro-tracted project thatbegan in 1996 and isn’texpected to be completeuntil 2006.

“State’s renovationwas a great experiencefor me,” he explains. “It’svery cumbersome and disrupting doing a project in stagesover many years. That’s why I favor moving everyone out andthen back in three years.”

Mr. Burnham’s plans to improve U.N. management taketheir cue from his three years at State. “That’s why KofiAnnan selected me,” he says. “We need to set standards foraccountability, spending and transparency. The StateDepartment is recognized throughout government forleading the way by embracing the president’s transformationof government.”

Although he regularly speaks to Secretary General Annan,Mr. Burnham wants to establish regular morning staffmeetings to improve communication among U.N. seniorofficials. “I’m recommending the Powell-Rice model [ofmanagement],” he says.

While he’s not short on ideas and direction, Mr.Burnham’s first challenge is getting to know his staff. Theunder secretary general for management has traditionallybeen filled by an American in a workplace of few Americans.

“There’s no more multi cultural place on Earth—190nationalities in one location,” he says. “I’ve already met 50ambassadors so far. It’s really interesting.

“I’m impressed with the quality of people here. There’senormous support of management reform, and it’s a greathelp to have John Bolton here.”

Mr. Burnham, 50, brings to the U.N. an impressive back-ground in finance and management. In addition to his StateDepartment experience, he was a mutual fund executive, arepresentative in Connecticut’s General Assembly and thestate’s treasurer. ■

The author is deputy editor of State Magazine.

“

“

We need to set standards for accountability, spendingand transparency. The State Department is recognizedthroughout government for leading the way by embrac-ing the president’s transformation of government.

Former CFO Chris Burnhammeets with his new boss,Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Death, taxes and student loans—those are the threeunavoidable facts of life for many students finishing up their

college degrees. But for those whojoin the Department, hope may bein sight.

No, State can’t do anything aboutdeath or taxes, but it provided moreemployees with more student loanassistance than any other federalagency last year, according toa report by the Office of PersonnelManagement. More than 730

Department employees received $3.6 million in benefitsthrough the Student Loan Repayment Program. That toppedthe $3.1 million spent by the Department of Defense, whichprovided student loan benefits to 702 employees.

Participants included 547 Foreign Service officers and186 Civil Service officers working in 41 different occupa-tions. Each recipient received a maximum of $4,700 in loanassistance.

Teddy Taylor, director of the Office of EmployeeRelations, says the Department’s investment in the programis a reflection of the growing cost of higher education in theUnited States.

22 STATE MAGAZINE

BEHINDT H ESCENES

A LoanFloating

STATE RANKS FIRST IN REPAYING STUDENT DEBT BY TARA BOYLE

“A university education is very expensive in America,regardless of the school,” Taylor says. “Our goal is to providea sum that will allow employees to meaningfully reducetheir loan balances. Through SLRP, employees making theirregularly scheduled payments can reduce their loan balancemuch faster.”

Amy Scanlon, a staff aide to Ambassador AlexanderVershbow in Moscow, says the program has been a big helpin paying off her student loans.

“I’ve participated in SLRP since the program began,” saysScanlon, who began her Foreign Service career in Maputo,Mozambique. “This year it will likely pay off the remainderof the balance on my student loan. I’ve had this loan sincefinishing graduate school, and State has paid off a goodchunk of it—over $10,000. It’s a huge help to my financialsituation.”

Eligibility is limited to employees serving in hard-to-filldomestic positions or extreme hardship posts overseas.

“This program has been and continues to be of greatbenefit to both the Civil and Foreign Service,” says Taylor. “Itpermits the Department to be the employer of first choiceon college campuses, attracting bright and enthusiasticemployees in positions where we have had difficulty findingnew talent.

“Additionally, SLRP allows the Department to offer anincentive to some for staffing our most difficult posts aroundthe world.”

The program has also been useful for recruiting youngprofessionals into the prestigious Presidential ManagementFellowship program. According to the OPM report, 75 to 85percent of the Department’s fellows have student loan debtwhen they begin their employment.

For more information on the Student Loan RepaymentProgram, employees can e-mail slrp@state.gov. ■

Tara Boyle is a writer/editor for State Magazine.

23SEPTEMBER 2005

2002 2003

734Participants

$3.6Million

Disbursed

660Participants

$3.2Million

Disbursed

407Participants

$2Million

Disbursed

STATE DEPARTMENT’S STUDENTLOAN REPAYMENTPROGRAM

FEDERAL AGENCIES AND STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS, 2004

GROWTH INPROGRAM KEEPSSTATE ON TOP

Source: U.S. Department of State Student Loan Repayment Program

Source: Office of Personnel Management

BEHIND THE

NUMBERS

Departmentof

State

734

Departmentof

Defense

Participants

$3.6

MillionDisbursed

$3.1

MillionDisbursed

$1.9

MillionDisbursed

7 0 2

Participants

Securities andExchange

Commission

Departmentof

Justice

GovernmentAccountability

OfficeAll Others

3 8 4

Participants

3 3 1

Participants

2 3 7

Participants

5 5 7

Participants

$1.1

MillionDisbursed

$3.4

MillionDisbursed

$3.3

MillionDisbursed

2004

In the three years since it was launched, theDepartment’s Student Loan Repayment Programhas grown dramatically. Below is a look at howthe program has expanded—and how it stacksup against those run by other federal agencies.

24 STATE MAGAZINE

By Paul Koscak

More than 50 Foreign Service Nationals finally saw theiremployer up close and at the same time formed networks tostrengthen their skills and professional advancement.

The 2005 FSN Worldwide Conference, the fourth annualgathering in Washington, was a nine-day training and orien-tation event that also introduced the foreign employees toDepartment officials and even some of the local culture.

Sessions during the June 16–24 conference covered civilrights, diplomatic security, consular affairs and humanresources, and tackled such challenging issues as compensa-tion, retirement and workplace harmony. Participants viewedthe diplomatic rooms, held Saturday team-building exercisesand visited an information fair. A tour of downtownWashington and lunch at Phillips Seafood rounded out theexperience.

“This was a very enthusiastic group,” said Judy Picardi, ahuman resources Foreign Service specialist who helpedmanage the conference, which was sponsored by the Bureau

of Human Resources, the Office of Overseas Employmentand the Foreign Service Institute. “They see the high level ofattention the conference receives and it makes them feel partof our family.”

FSNs also learn about career development and what train-ing they’ll need to climb the ladder. Advancing as an FSN issimilar to Civil Service because promotions are tied to thejob, not the individual, she said.

But ask participants what they valued most about theirvisit and one answer seems to dominate: contacts.

“We’re sharing information between different sections anddeveloping contacts,” said Diler Bolgi, an 18-year employeewho manages immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy inAnkara. “Serving the U.S., we have common goals and inter-ests despite our geographic and cultural differences.”

Carolina Mendez, who works in the political section of theU.S. Embassy in Caracas, offered a similar opinion.

“As an FSN in the embassy, you feel isolated,” she said.“Here, you realize you’re not alone. You’re facing some of thesame issues other FSNs are dealing with.”

FSNs Use Conference toGrow Their Careers

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25SEPTEMBER 2005

An employee since 1997, Ms. Mendez compiles informa-tion on Venezuelan officials so “U.S. government visitorsknow who they’re talking to.”

Douglas Tobar Pea, who handles public affairs at the U.S.Embassy in San Salvador, said, “by talking to the participantsyou create a network and become aware of the issues othersface worldwide.”

“We get a lot of information here that makes us feel we’repart of a whole group,” added Georges Baron, who works forthe Department of Defense in the motor pool of the U.S.Embassy in Paris.

To encourage networking, participants received blank-page pocket notebooks that quickly filled with names,addresses, phone numbers and other important information.

The event also gave others a venue to promoteDepartment services.

Les deGraffenried, a post management officer in theBureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, touted the FSNExecutive Corps, groups of FSNs who volunteer to travel toposts and assist with backlogs and other workplace problems.Experts in such areas as human resources, general services,

maintenance, budget and information technology—and thesubtleties of local customs and culture—they offer unbeat-able support to the post in need.

“The FSNs know much more than us FSOs,” he said. “Wedon’t build expertise. We know the theory, but they know thepractice.”

Beth Nolte from the Foreign Service Institute stood beforea computer and demonstrated how FSNs—or any employee,for that matter—can take nearly 3,000 free FSI courses.Courses that can be completed online and added to anemployee’s record cover everything from leadership andcommunications to technical subjects geared to specific jobs,she said.

Bill Hoover represented the International CooperativeAdministrative Support Services, where U.S. agencies over-seas share payroll and services.

“This gives the greatest economy,” he said. “State, the PeaceCorps, Commerce and Defense can all share a cashier, forinstance. Many FSN salaries are paid by many agencies.” ■

The author is deputy editor of State Magazine.

Above: Evelyn Boccardo, left, a shipping assistant at the U.S. Consulate in Munich,speaks to Clarisse Young and Alyssa Baer representing Global Support Services andInnovation in the Bureau of Administration. Top right: A group of Foreign Service nation-als are drawn to Bill Hoover’s pitch on how U.S. agencies overseas can save money bysharing services and resources. Bottom right: Beth Nolte, left, promotes the ForeignService Institute’s vast online courses to Pravin Kumar Jira, a consular assistant fromSuva; Douglas Tobar Pea, an information specialist from San Salvador; and Dilar Bolgi,a visa supervisor from Ankara.

26 STATE MAGAZINE

By Paul Koscak

More than 300 city and area high schoolers—including 15Mexican students—met the secretary of state and becameambassadors for a day at the 2005 model United Nationsconference held in mid-May at the Harry S TrumanBuilding. The participants, looking official in their suits andties, got a taste of diplomacy and policymaking by debatingsuch international issues as child conscription and the plightof world refugees.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opened the programwith an inspiring address and town-hall-style forum, wherestudents had an opportunity to pose questions. “Freedom isa universal value,” she told the students. “Democracy takestime and patience, and over time it gets better.”

She explained how America and the United Nations areengaged in spreading democracy and tackling global prob-lems. In Africa, the United States has invested billions ofdollars to fight HIV/AIDS and resolve conflicts, she said.“We have created partnerships with African leaders who aresolving problems.”

The Secretary also offered the students career advice,encouraging them to follow their passions and not be dis-suaded by others. She said she abandoned a classical musicalcareer for her inspiration to pursue her interest in the SovietUnion.

Students quizzed the Secretary on how the internationalcommunity views American society, our involvement inAfrica and what it’s like being the first African-Americanwoman heading the Department. “I’ve been African-

Model U.N. Instills Confidence,Promotes Leadership

General Assembly reenactors observethe proceedings.

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American all my life—I don’t feel any pressure,” sheremarked.

One astute student even threw a Tim Russert–style hard-ball at the Secretary, asking “What kind of message are wesending to the international community” by nominatingJohn Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations?

“He’s been critical, but he’s responsible for making theU.N. work,” Secretary Rice responded, crediting the contro-versial nominee with successfully lobbying the U.N. toremove a resolution proclaiming that Zionism is racism.

“John worked to get that resolution repealed,” she said.“You don’t work that hard unless you care.”

Once the proceedings opened, it didn’t take long for theaction to begin. In the Loy Henderson Auditorium, whichserved as the General Assembly, each student represented a

country and received valuable public speaking experience bydebating the issues.

“The delegation from Spain sees refugees as a globalproblem,” one student proclaimed, standing before a micro-phone connected to the auditorium’s PA system.

Next door in the Dean Acheson Auditorium, whichbecame the Security Council, the topic was child militias. Atthe podium, a student playing the Romanian ambassadorsaid children could be traumatized if conscripted. “They’llsuffer. They’ll have flashbacks.”

For many participants, the model conference was morethan just debating issues. It was an uplifting socialexperience.

“This is the first time many of these students have workedwith their peers outside the region,” said Lucia Rodriguez, ofthe United Nations Association, the New York–based organ-ization that managed the event. “For some, this is the firsttime dressing in business attire, the first time doing publicspeaking.”

Merrill Lynch, The Annenberg Foundation, The BetterWorld Fund, The Goldman Sachs Foundation and theNational Geographic Education Foundation supported theconference. The State Department provided the facilities,policy advisers and library resources.

Sponsored by the Bureau of International OrganizationAffairs, in cooperation with the Bureaus of HumanResources and Population Refugees and Migration, the con-ference has been a Department event since 1992. ■

The author is deputy editor of State Magazine.

Above left: Taking a break with the day’s real foreign delegation—students from Mexico. Above right: What’s a conference without paper-work? Left: Time at the podium was limited to just a few minutes.

28 STATE MAGAZINE

After three generations, oneFilipino family is an institu-tion among the locally

employed staff. What began in 1945when Fidel Sicam worked as an attor-ney for the U.S. War ClaimsCommission continues today with hisdaughter and granddaughter, who bothwork for the embassy.

In the close-knit fabric of Filipinosociety, it’s common for relatives towork together or become business part-ners. Like many missions around theworld, the U.S. Embassy in Manilacounts several siblings, in-laws andother family members among its 1,429employees hired from the region.

But having three generations fromone family sets a record.

Fidel Sicam practiced law from aQuonset hut on the war-torn groundsof the U.S. Embassy, where he spent

nearly five years helping to compensateFilipinos who suffered propertydamage from the heavy Japanese andU.S. bombing campaigns during WorldWar II.

After hours, Mr. Sicam was a well-known Filipino playwright and actorwho codirected a local theatricalgroup. A friend of the cultural affairsofficer recommended him for a jobwith the U.S. Information Agency,where he was hired in 1949 as a cultur-al assistant.

Building National MediaHe spent the next 30 years producing

newsreels, radio shows and publicevents to educate Filipinos aboutAmerican values and culture during theCold War. A former American colony,the Philippines strived to shape itsnational identity after becoming inde-

pendent in 1946, but still maintained aclose alliance with the United States.

Mr. Sicam helped USIA provide thenascent Philippine media with much ofits content during the 1950s and 1960s.He produced “The News of the Week inReview,” a nationally broadcast Voice ofAmerica program, his familiar voiceadding zest to many a dull newscast.The embassy also produced newsreels,called “shorties,” for local cinemas,which was the way most Filipinosreceived their news until the late 1960s.

Mr. Sicam also managed visits byAmerican celebrities, such as theOlympic medalist Jesse Owens andApollo 11 Astronauts Neil Armstrong,Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.

When he finally visited Washingtonand met his Information Service col-leagues, he realized he was part of alarger worldwide embassy community.

Fidel Sicam, left, Ambassador Francis Ricciardone,Agnes Caballa and Agnes’ daughter, Ans Caballa,stand overlooking Manila Bay.

A Family AffairDYNAMIC DYNASTY KEEPS U.S.-PHILIPPINE TIES STRONG BY RUTH N. URRY

A Family Affair

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29SEPTEMBER 2005

“We were fighting for democracy,” heremarked about his work during theCold War.

As the eldest daughter of 10 Sicamchildren, Agnes Caballa practicallygrew up in the embassy, playing in herfather’s office in the chancery or beingtreated to a hamburger and chocolatemilkshake in the cafeteria. She recallsthe embassy Christmas parties, withSanta’s helicopter arriving from nearbyClark Air Force Base loaded with toys.

During college, Agnes studied speechand drama, and after graduating fromthe University of the Philippines in1971, she was hired by RPN-9, one ofthe Philippines’ largest broadcast net-works. She produced children’stelevision shows and advanced intomanagement. Being known as FidelSicam’s daughter helped.

“When I went to the television sta-tions,” Agnes recalled, “everyone said,‘Hey, you’re Fidel’s kid!’ “

Agnes’ admiration for her father as aplaywright rather than a cultural spe-cialist for the U.S. Embassy changedwhen she attended his retirement partyin 1979. The Americans presented himwith an album highlighting his work.

“I realized, ‘Hey, this guy had anotherjob, and that it was an important job.’ ”

Father’s FootstepsThroughout the 1970s and 1980s,

Agnes steadily built her career as a tele-vision producer as the Philippinesseethed under the 20-year dictatorship

of President Ferdinand Marcos. Theupheaval that finally ousted Marcosalso brought new management toRPN-9, with little experience and apenchant for second-guessing even themost basic employee decisions.

“I felt like I didn’t work there for 15years for a bunch of governmentbureaucrats to tell me how to do myjob,” she says, explaining why she even-tually quit in disgust.

By chance, a former colleague, nowworking at U.S. Embassy in Manila,called her to say she was leaving thecountry and that her job was vacant.Agnes was hired as an information spe-cialist in 1986 to produce news storiesabout the two U.S. military bases in thePhilippines—Clark Air Force Base andSubic Naval Base.

Although television was continuingto develop in the Philippines, not allstations had enough news crews tocover events in remote areas of theisland archipelago. Agnes traveled withher mobile production unit andcamera crew to cover the ambassador,the U.S. military and other activitiesimportant to the mission.

In 1988, she matched her father’sachievement, by being selected asForeign Service National of the year.During her 19-year career, she receiveda group meritorious award, severalFranklin awards and an individualmeritorious award in 2004.

The newest member of the Sicam-Caballa clan to join the U.S. Embassy isAgnes’ daughter, Ans, who began workas a claims examiner for the U.S. SocialSecurity Administration in 2004. Arecent graduate of the University of thePhilippines, Ans studied Japanese atRyuku University in Tokyo, Japan, aboon to her Manila office, which adju-dicates claims for U.S. citizens in Japan.

Ans is no stranger to the Embassy,having worked as a summer intern inthe immigrant visa section in 2001.

At 54 years of service and counting,perhaps no other family in the worldhas contributed as much to advancegood relations and friendship betweenthe United States and a host country. ■

The author is a public diplomacy officerat the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

Above: Ruth Urry, right, shows artifacts toAgnes Caballa, Fidel Sicam and Ans Caballa.Below: This 1950s photograph shows FidelSicam reading the “News of the Week inReview” for a Voice of America broadcast.

When I went to the

television stations,

everyone said, ‘Hey,

you’re Fidel’s kid!’

“ “

30 STATE MAGAZINE

By Tara Boyle

A chair that once belonged to President James Monroe. A150-year-old silver punch bowl. A chest of drawers owned bya signer of the Declaration of Independence.

These and other priceless antiques can be seen in theDepartment’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms, thanks to thedonations of hundreds of generous donors.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted a receptionMay 20 to thank the donors, who contributed more than$775,000 last year to maintain and furnish the ornate recep-tion areas. The rooms—42 in all—are used for state dinnersand other high-level events, as well as to swear in ambassa-dors and foreign and civil service officers.

“Like my predecessors, I have found these rooms to be aninvaluable diplomatic asset and I can tell you that for eachsecretary they are also a source of great pride,” Secretary Ricetold the audience. “Speaking personally, I can tell you that Ihave a deep sense of connection— that these rooms give us a

deep sense of connection with America’s democraticpromise.”

Through the donations of private individuals, foundationsand corporations, the Department has furnished theDiplomatic Reception Rooms with museum-qualityAmerican antiques. Last year, donors’ funds were appliedtoward a chest once owned by Declaration of Independencesigner Philip Livingston, a rare 18th-century mahogany chestand bureau table, and an antique coin-silver tea set made inWashington, D.C.

Other donors gave valuable antiques, including amahogany side chair once owned by President Monroe, afive-piece silver tea and coffee set made by New York silver-smith John Crawford and a New York “chest on chest” madein 1770 by Samuel Price.

The reception was also an opportunity to celebrate thereturn of Becoming a Nation: Americana from theDiplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State. Thetraveling exhibit was made up of more than 170 antiques,

Donors Help FurnishDiplomatic Reception Rooms

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31SEPTEMBER 2005

Gifts of Antiques(Pictured above) Philadelphia classical side chair of flame-grained mahogany, once the property of James Monroeat Oak Hill in Loudoun County, Va., circa 1815–1825Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Randy Schrimsher of Huntsville, Ala.

New York Chippendale mahogany chest on chest attrib-uted to Samuel Prince, circa 1770–1775Gift of Mrs. J. Simpson Dean of Palm Beach, Fla.

New York Chippendale mahogany chest of drawers attrib-uted to Samuel Prince, circa 1760–1780 Funds donated by Mrs. George Revitz of San Antonio,Texas

Classic revival silver punch bowl made by Samuel Lewis ofWashington D.C., 1850Funds donated by Washington Decorative Arts Forum ofWashington, D.C.

New York coin-silver tea and coffee service made by JohnCrawford, circa 1815–1820Gift of Mr. Thomas M. Roberts of Washington, D.C.

Adams-style coin silver tea set made by Thomas Rigdenand Charles Burnett of Washington D.C., circa 1801–1805Funds donated in honor of former Secretary of State andMrs. Colin L. Powell by The Honorable and Mrs. William F.McSweeny of Washington, D.C.; Mr. and Mrs. B. FrancisSaul of Chevy Chase, Md.; and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Smallof Bethesda, Md.

Stars and Eagle Gilt Trophy Frame, early 19th centuryFunds donated by Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle Eubank II

Two Chinese Export Vase Lamps, late 19th centuryFunds donated by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard L. Silverstein

The Department would also like to thank George P. Shultz,Henry A. Kissinger, and Colin L. Powell and Mrs. AlmaPowell for their generous gifts in 2004.

Special ThanksThe Department wishes to recognize and thank the fol-lowing donors who made major contributions to theDiplomatic Reception Rooms last year:

Gifts of $10,000 or more:

Mrs. Helen Harting AbellLouisville, Ky.

Mr. Hugh Trumbull AdamsNew York, N.Y.

Mrs. Sandrea Goerlich AlexanderMr. and Mrs. Braddock J. Alexander(Goerlich Family Foundation)Toledo, Ohio

Mr. Otto M. Budig, Jr. and Ms. Melody Sawyer Richardson(in-kind gift) Cincinnati, Ohio

Bunge North America Foundation(Mr. and Mrs. John E. Klein)St. Louis, Mo.

Estate of Mrs. Francis Horton(In memory of her husband, Francis M. Horton)Arlington, Va.

Mr. and Mrs. Norman V. KinseyShreveport, La.

F. M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.Morristown, N.J.

Mr. and Mrs. Peter MalkinGreenwich, Conn.

Mrs. D. Williams ParkerThomasville, Ga.

Estate of Edith du Pont Riegel Pearson Montchanin, Del.

Mrs. Elizabeth G. SchneiderSomerset, Va.

Williams Family Foundation of Georgia Inc.Thomasville, Ga.

including porcelain owned by President George Washingtonand silver made by Paul Revere. The show traveled tomuseums across the country.

“The public’s response to Becoming a Nation was reallyenthusiastic,” Secretary Rice said. “Over 150,000 visitorsfrom virtually every state in the union and 25 other countrieswere able to see, firsthand, outstanding examples ofAmerican craftsmanship from our State Department collec-tion.” ■

Tara Boyle is a writer/editor for State Magazine.

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33SEPTEMBER 2005

M E D I C A L R E P O R T

When it comes to workplace health and safety, the buckstops at the DASHO—the Designated Agency Safety andHealth Official. At the State Department that’s Larry Brown,who’s also the medical director. An executive order requiresevery federal department and agency to have a DASHOoffice.

The office in SA-1 contains three divisions: occupationalhealth, emergency medical response and coordination.

Occupational health, which is headed by a physician, isperhaps the most visible division, managing a broad range ofresponsibilities including patient evaluation. Contaminatedmail, carbon monoxide poisoning or an insecticide exposureare examples of overseas emergencies it would handle.

The division works with the Office of Employee Relationsto review medical evidence supporting worker’s compensa-tion claims. It evaluates requests for special equipment orworkplace accommodations as well as recommendations forreturning to work and reviews Foreign Service disabilityretirement applications.

The division’s team of six nurses ensuresinjured employees receive prompt and propermedical treatment, a Department of Laborrequirement for receiving compensation for lostwages and medical care.

Occupational health runs four clinics andoffers instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscita-tion and weight control and organizes thedepartment’s health fairs. Locations are in theHarry S Truman Building, the Foreign ServiceInstitute, SA-1 and SA-44.

The emergency medical response section pro-vides overseas missions with medical guidance inhandling emergencies. Currently, the greatestthreats are viral epidemics such as avian influenzaand severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS,as well as attacks using biological or chemicalweapons.

An emergency team stands ready to evaluatethreats. If an embassy is attacked with a biologicalagent, it can advise the post to dispense antibi-otics until it completes an analysis of thecontaminant.

Coordinating department safety and health programs andtask forces as well as establishing or interpreting policy arealso DASHO duties. The office organized a group of medical

experts to combat SARS outbreaks in 2003, for example.When the department’s mail facility in Sterling, Va., was con-taminated by anthrax in 2001, the office wrote guidelines forthe $40 million cleanup and the air sampling equipment todetect biological and chemical contamination.

The DASHO works with other offices and agencies to meetits goals. These include Safety, Health and EnvironmentalManagement; Domestic Environmental Safety Division;Employee Relations, Diplomatic Pouch and Mail as well asCasualty Assistance. Diplomatic Security, the DomesticEmergency Action Committee and the International HealthAffairs Office in the Bureau of Oceans and InternationalEnvironmental and Scientific Affairs also coordinate with theDASHO. In addition, the office works closely with theOccupational Safety and Health Administration, theDepartment of Defense, the Department of Health andHuman Services, the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention and the Department of Homeland Security.

For more information visit the Department’s Intranet pageand click on “Safety/Health” or “Office of Medical Services.” ■

The author directs the DASHO operations office.

OFFICES STRIVES TOKEEP YOU SAFE BY

PETERWOOD

Employees practice their survival skills.

34 STATE MAGAZINE

P E O P L E L I K E Y O U

t started as a pastime to share with her son and daughter. Almost three years later,Carol Fajardo is now competing in tournaments and advancing through the colorfulmartial arts hierarchy.

A Foreign Service Institute instructor, Ms. Fajardo spends at least three evenings a weekat Carl Runk’s World Karate in Fairfax, Va., swirling, kicking and twisting herself into a 50-minute sweat, perfecting the art of tae kwon do.

Developed during the 1950s in Korea, the sport is renowned for its exceptional kickingand jumping techniques. Tae means “to kick”; kwon means “to intercept”; and do means“the way of the art.”

Even after a few years, Ms. Fajardo admits the workouts still bring on some sore muscles.Most of the moves are performed with a group of about 25 students. For safety, practicematches avoid physical contact. But when contact is expected, students don helmets,gloves, mouthpieces, shin guards and other protective gear. Tae kwon do keeps opponentsat a distance determined by the radius of a jump or kick.

Special ForcesTAE KWON DO—A HOBBY WITH A KICK BY PAUL KOSCAK

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35SEPTEMBER 2005

P E O P L E L I K E Y O U

Students at her school first earn a white belt, which is wornaround a robe-like white cotton workout suit. Higher-ranking belts are awarded—yellow, green, blue, blue senior,red, brown, brown senior and black—as skills are perfected.After two and a half years, Ms. Fajardo holds a red belt.

“The moves become more complex asyou go up,” she says. “It takes as muchtime to go from red to black as it did togo from white to red. There are newskills and you have to do the funda-mental skills better. Your body must beconditioned to perform these moves.”

During matches, students compete in forms—choreo-graphed moves that increase in difficulty—and in sparring,where points are scored against an opponent. The bouts,which last just a few minutes, demand quick reaction,balance and concentration, says Ms. Fajardo. Sometimes stu-dents compete with weapons. A popular choice is the bo, along stick resembling a broom handle that can be thrust andtwirled. All contestants are grouped by belt color, age and,sometimes, sex.

Ms. Fajardo says tae kwon do’s emphasis on concentra-tion, balance and physical conditioning attracted her to thesport. There’s even a “student creed”: participants’ pledge tostrive toward mental growth, physical strength and self-dis-cipline and to use their protective skills only constructivelyand defensively.

During a recent tournament, those guidelines paid off. Ina division with six other women over 40, Ms. Fajardo, 44,placed first in sparring and second in forms. ■

The author is deputy editor of State Magazine.

Opposite page: Carol Fajardo practices her technique. Above: Winning isalways more fun.

Kick and throw or let it flow.

Tae Kwon Do is a Koreanmilitary martial art, characterized by theextensive use of high standing andjump kicks as well as punches. It is prac-ticed for sport, self-defense, andspiritual development.

Judo literally translates as “the gentleway.” It is a Japanese system ofunarmed combat, now primarily asport. The objective is to throw theopponent cleanly, pin him or masterhim by applying pressure to arm jointsor to the neck. Techniques are general-ly intended to turn an opponent's forceto one's own advantage rather than tooppose it directly.

Karate is a traditional Japanese martialart. It is a system of offensive anddefensive techniques utilizing thevarious parts of the body, mainly thearms and legs, as weapons and shields.Karate emerged on the island ofOkinawa in the late 1300's.

Tai Chi is a 14th-century Chinesemartial art that is primarily practiced forits health benefits, including a meansfor dealing with tension and stress. Itemphasizes complete relaxation and isessentially a form of meditation. Unlikethe hard martial arts, tai chi is character-ized by soft, slow, flowing movementsthat emphasize force rather than brutestrength.

What’stheDifference?

36 STATE MAGAZINE

Mandatory Leadership TrainingLeadership training is mandatory for Foreign Service and Civil Serviceemployees at the FS-03/GS-13 levels and above to ensure that theyhave the necessary preparation for increasing levels of responsibility.FSI’s Leadership and Management School offers the required coursesto meet these mandatory training requirements, and other leadershipcourses for all FS and CS employees.

Mandatory CoursesFS-3/GS-13 PK245 Basic Leadership Skills

FS-2/GS-14 PT207 Intermediate Leadership Skills

FS-1/GS-15 PT210 Advanced Leadership Skills

Managers and SupervisorsPT107 EEO Diversity Awareness for Managers

and Supervisors

Newly promoted FS-OC/SESPT133 Senior Executive Threshold Seminar

Senior Policy SeminarsFSI’s Leadership and Management School offers the following profes-sional development and policy seminars for senior-level executives ofthe Department and the foreign affairs/national security community:

PT301 Appearing Effective in the Media

PT302 Testifying before Congress

PT303 Crisis Leadership

PT305 Executive as Coach and Mentor

PT300 Leader as Facilitator

PT304 Deputy Assistant Secretary as Leader

For more information contact FSI’s Leadership and ManagementSchool at (703) 302-6743, FSILMS@state.gov orhttp://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms.

Dates for FSI Transition Center courses are shown at right. For infor-mation on all the courses available at FSI, visit the FSI Schedule ofCourses on the Department of State’s OpenNet at http://fsi.state.gov.See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and newcourse dates and periodic announcements of external training oppor-tunities sponsored by FSI.

FasTrac Distance Learning Program: Learn atYour Own Pace, When and Where You Want! All State Department employees, FSNs and EFMs are eligible. Withyour FasTrac password, you may access the entire FasTrac catalog ofmore than 3,000 courses, from home or office. Courses cover numeroustopics, such as project management, computer skills, and grammarand writing skills, as well as soft skills such as leadership training. Toview the complete FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac web site athttp://fsi.state.gov/fastrac.

FSI Distance Learning Program An extensive menu of FSI-developed distance learning courses is alsoavailable to eligible participants on the FSI learning management sys-tem. See (U) State 009772 dated January 14, 2005, or the FSI webpage (Distance Learning) for information.

Student Records OnlineNeed your class schedule or an unofficial transcript of training takenthrough FSI? Visit the FSI Registrar’s Office web page on theDepartment of State OpenNet at http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg.

education training

GEORGE P. SHULTZ NATIONAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS TRAINING CENTER

Security OCT NOV Length

MQ911 SOS: Security Overseas Seminar 11, 24 7, 21 2D

MQ912 ASOS: Advanced SecurityOverseas Seminar 18 29 1D

Foreign Service Life Skills OCT NOV Length

MQ104 Regulations and Finances 5 30 3D

MQ107 English Teaching Seminar 28 2D

MQ111 Making Presentations Designto Delivery 31 3D

MQ116 Protocol and U.S. RepresentationAbroad 29 19 1D

MQ302 Trans to Washington for ForeignBorn Spouses 15 1D

MQ703 Post Options for Employmentand Training 27 1D

MQ704 Targeting the Job Market 8 2.5D

MQ802 Communicating Across Cultures 28 1D

MQ803 Realities of Foreign Service Life 5 1D

MQ851 Raising Bilingual Children 16 2.5H

MQ915 Emergency Medical Care andTrauma Workshop 19 1D

Career Transition Center OCT NOV Length

RV101 Retirement Planning Seminar 29 4D

RV102 Job Search Program 3 8W

RV104 Annuities & Benefits andSocial Security 30 1D

&

Length: H = Hours, D = Days, W = Weeks

For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrarat (703) 302-7144/7137.

37SEPTEMBER 2005

A P P O I N T M E N T S

Under Secretary for Political Affairs.R. Nicholas Burns of Massachusetts, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, Class of Minister-Counselor,is the new Under Secretary forPolitical Affairs. Previously, he waspermanent representative to theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization.He was ambassador to Greece from1997 to 2001 and Department

spokesman, from 1995 to 97. Before that, he served on thestaff of the National Security Council and at overseas postingsin Cairo and Jerusalem. He is married and has three daugh-ters.

Assistant Secretary for EuropeanAffairs. Daniel Fried of the District ofColumbia, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, Class ofMinister-Counselor, is the newAssistant Secretary for EuropeanAffairs. Previously, he was specialassistant to the President and seniordirector for European and EurasianAffairs at the National Security

Council. He was ambassador to Poland from 1997 to 2000.His other overseas postings include Leningrad, Belgrade anda previous tour in Warsaw.

Under Secretary for Arms Controland International Security. RobertJoseph of Virginia, a professor andhigh-level government official, is thenew Under Secretary for ArmsControl and International Security.Previously, he was special assistant tothe President and senior director forproliferation strategy, counterprolifer-ation and homeland defense at the

National Security Council. Before that he was a professor ofnational security studies at the National Defense Universityand a deputy assistant secretary of Defense.

Inspector General. Howard J.Krongard of New Jersey, an attorney, isthe new Inspector General of theDepartment and also of theBroadcasting Board of Governors.Previously, he was in private practicewith Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer,an international law firm; a director ofthe National Legal Center for thePublic Interest and a public director of

the Pacific Exchange. He has two children.

Permanent Representative to theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization.Victoria Nuland of Connecticut, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor,is the new Permanent Representativeto the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization. Until recently, she wasprincipal deputy national securityadvisor to Vice President Cheney.

Before that, she was deputy permanent representative toNATO. Besides Brussels, she served overseas in Moscow,Ulaanbataar and Guangzhou. She is married and has twochildren.

U.S. Ambassador to Georgia. John F.Tefft of Virginia, a career member ofthe Senior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to Georgia. Previously, hewas deputy assistant secretary forEuropean and Eurasian Affairs. He wasambassador to Lithuania from 2000 to2003 and before that was deputy chiefof mission and chargé d’affaires in

Moscow. His other overseas postings include Rome, Budapestand Jerusalem. He is married and has two daughters.

38 STATE MAGAZINE

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Aasen, Ronald C.Allen, Bonnie JeanBell, Angelia TeresaBlair, Raymond E.Brandel, Sarah K.Brown, Sandra H.Dwyer, Veda R. L.Evans, Elizabeth AnnFlores, Sylvia C.Fussell, Angela Graham, HelenGrove Jr., Edward A.Hodges, Thomas R.Holmberg, Stephen A.Jackson, Marjorie W.Kirincich, Elizabeth AnnLindstrom, Geraldine A.Melcher, Margaret MonroeMoore, Vernor E.Parham Sr., Leroy P.

Pasek, Michael S.Petty, EarnestineRaether, Carl NobleSchoen, StephenSmith, Louis J.Wallace, Betty JeanWaters, Robert C.

Armor, William D.Bell, Tony R.Bellows, Michael DonaldBodle, Michael E.Bogue, Janet LynnBoland, Denise AnneBrowne III, JosephBurns III, Matthew JamesCosgrove, Ellen LeighDavison, Joseph D.Dejban, Donna DicksonDeleon, Barbara B.Demiray, Janet C.Desola, LindaDouglas, Peggy A.Efird Jr., Crayon CorneliusElliott, Carlyn J.Elliott, Diana J.Fork, Maureen P.Gibson, Marie L.

Grossman, Marc I.Gurwell, Carol DavisHarper, RamonaHead, Alfred F.Heffernan, Charles M.Hughes Jr., Morris N.Hughes, Sue A.Humphreys, Liam J.Johnson, Joe B.Jones, A. Elizabeth Klug, Leanette E.Kowitz, Johanna R.Kwik, Christine I.Larson, Alan P.Leary, Josef D.Luck, MurielMcGee, Diana F.Meek, JanetMiller, CharlesMonk, Amy Y.

Monk, David B.Moore, Judith S.Morrison, Bruce F.Pendleton, Mary C.Pope, William PinckneyRackley, Woody B.Reeves, Wendell F.Richmond, Jerry C.Robinson, James S.Sackett, Kenneth F.Schoeppl, Johanna E.Sickler Jr., Clarence HenrySnipes, Patricia R.Stefan, Adrienne M.Stutz, Stella P.Wilson, ErnestineWong, Mark F.Woo, Brian C.

FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENTSCIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENTS

A P P O I N T M E N T S

U.S. Ambassador to the Republicof Nicaragua. Paul A. Trivelli ofVirginia, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofNicaragua. Previously, he was direc-tor of the Office of Policy Planningand Coordination in the Bureau ofWestern Hemisphere Affairs. His

overseas postings include Mexico City, Quito, Panama City,El Salvador, Monterrey, Managua and Tegucigalpa, where hewas deputy chief of mission. He is married and has two chil-dren.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada. DavidHorton Wilkins of South Carolina, alongtime state legislator, is the newU.S. Ambassador to Canada.Previously, he served 25 years inthe South Carolina House ofRepresentatives—11 as speaker of theHouse—and wrote or cosponsoredseveral pieces of major reform legisla-

tion. He served as state chairman of the Bush-Cheney ‘04campaign and cochair of the South Carolina Bush forPresident campaign in 2000. He is married and has two sons.

Deputy Secretary. Robert B. Zoellickof Virginia, who has held key posi-tions in several administrations, is thenew Deputy Secretary. Previously,he served as the U.S. TradeRepresentative. During PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush’s Administration,he served as under secretary for eco-nomic and agricultural affairs as wellas counselor to the Department. In

1992, he was appointed White House deputy chief of staffand assistant to the President. From 1985 to 1988, he servedat the Department of the Treasury in various positions.

39SEPTEMBER 2005

Charles “Charlie” Raymond Bakey Jr.,86, a retired Foreign Service officer,died of a heart attack May 17 inHanover, Pa. He joined the ForeignService in 1957 and served in Egypt,Turkey, India and England until hisretirement in 1976. He was an Armyofficer during World War II andserved on General Eisenhower’s staff.

Margaret J. “Peggy” Barnhart, 76, aretired Foreign Service officer, died ofpneumonia May 13 in Washington,D.C. She joined the Department in1950 and retired in 1984. Her overseaspostings included Paris, Tokyo,Jerusalem, Bangkok and Rio deJaneiro. She also served as editor ofState Magazine. She was a member ofDiplomatic and Consular Officers,

Retired and made a major bequest to its Bacon HouseFoundation.

Robert “Bob” Bickle, 63, husband of retired Foreign Servicespecialist Lou H. Bickle, died June 14 in Orlando Fla. Heaccompanied his wife on assignments to London,Ouagadougou, Harare, Dhaka and Nairobi. A certified publicaccountant, he served as business manager of the HarareInternational School and as a contractor for the embassy inNairobi.

Rudy G. Hall, 66, a retired ForeignService officer, died May 17 inAnnandale, Va., of acute cardiacarrhythmia. He served in the Armybefore joining the Department. Afterretiring in 2000, he worked forthe U.S. Investigations Services.

Margaret Lorraine Herman, 78, a retired Foreign Serviceofficer, died April 9 of heart disease in Dunn Loring, Va. Sheretired from the U.S. Information Agency in 1980 after 34years of government service.

Robert J. LaPlante, 80, a retiredForeign Service specialist, died March18 in Manistique, Mich. He retired in1992 and wrote a book about his 10million miles of world travels as adiplomatic courier during a 42-yearcareer.

John A. Linehan, 81, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedMay 19 of bladder cancer in Sarasota, Fla. His overseas post-ings included Paris, Quebec, Adelaide, Monrovia, Accra andFreetown, where he served as ambassador. In retirement, hewas a board member of the Sarasota Opera Guild and theForeign Service Retirees Association of Florida.

Naomi Pekmezian, 95, a retired Civil Service employee, diedMay 18 in Bethesda, Md. She was a scientific linguist at theForeign Service Institute. Overseas, she worked for FSI inNice, France, and Athens. She retired in Italy before return-ing to Bethesda.

Michael Joseph Roberts, 41, a ForeignService specialist, died March 29.During his more than six years withDiplomatic Security, he served over-seas in Algiers. His domestic postingsincluded Washington, Boston and theSecretary’s protective detail.

Clement G. Scerback, 83, a retiredForeign Service officer, died May 20in Columbia, Md., of complicationsof diabetes. He served in the Army AirForce during World War II. He joinedthe U.S. Information Agency in 1955and served overseas in Belgrade, Linz,Graz, Vienna and Budapest. Heretired to Pinellas County, Fla., wherehe enjoyed golf, tennis and writing

articles, before returning to Maryland in 2000.

O B I T U A R I E S

Richard Stephen “Steve” Taylor, 59, aretired Foreign Service officer, died ofcancer Dec. 4 in Rayle, Ga. His over-seas posts included Frankfurt, Nassau,Mexico City and Budapest. He retiredin 2000.

G.A. “Tom” Thompson, 78, a retiredForeign Service specialist, died ofcomplications of pneumonia May 6 inCottage Grove, Ore. He served in theNavy during World War II, Korea andVietnam. His Foreign Service postingsincluded Reykjavik, Bonn, Tunis andIslamabad. He retired in 1977.

Walter Paul White, 74, a retired Foreign Service officer withthe U.S. Information Agency, died of cardiac arrest Jan. 13 inAlexandria, Va. He served in the Marine Corps before joiningUSIA in 1956. His overseas postings included Israel, Turkey,Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Morocco. Heretired in 1986. He enjoyed Persian poetry, fishing, hunting,carpentry, reading and photography.

40 STATE MAGAZINE

O B I T U A R I E S

IN THE EVENT OF DEATHQuestions concerning employee deaths should be direct-

ed to the Office of Casualty Assistance at (202) 736-4502.

Inquiries concerning deaths of retired employees should

be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.

Department of State, USABureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use

PeriodicalsPostage and Fees Paid

Department of StateISSN 1099–4165

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PeriodicalsPostage and Fees Paid

Department of StateISSN 1099—4165

PeriodicalsPostage and Fees PaidDepartment of State

ISSN 1099-4165

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