State Magazine, March 2007

M A G A Z I N E

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

M A R C H 2 0 0 7M A R C H 2 0 0 7

SUVAPOST OF THE MONTH:

Hoover the HeroExhibit honors ex-president’s role in saving Belgians.

The Winds ofGenerosityEmbassy helps community after typhoon and fire.

InternationalWomen’s IssuesEmpowering women strengthens democracy.

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ON THE COVERThe idyllic South Pacific Islands facethe same globalization growing painsas other developing nations.Photograph by Corbis

STATE MAGAZINE + MARCH 2007 + NUMBER 510

CONTENTS

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14 Bermuda ImpactPost practices successful public diplomacy on ashoestring.

16 La Paz LeadershipReaching out to Bolivia’s future leaders.

18 “Windows on America”Young GermanMuslims get a fresh view of the U.S.

28 Belle of the BosphorusAnAmerican icon plies the Bosphorus for 75 years.

30 Shores of TripoliNew embassy ushers in a new era.

36 Portable CareersAgency cooperation lets eligible family membersfill employment needs.

38 Second NatureLife after the Foreign Service.

40 Where’s My Step IncreaseA novice’s guide to senior pay.

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COLUMNS2 FROM THE SECRETARY

3 READERS’ FEEDBACK

4 FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY

5 IN THE NEWS

11 DIRECT FROM THE D.G.

42 MEDICAL REPORT

45 EDUCATION & TRAINING

46 OBITUARIES

47 RETIREMENTS

48 THE LAST WORD

Post of the Month:

SUVASouth Pacific Islands Aboundwith Challenges and Charms.

More than five years after the attacks ofSeptember 11, our nation remains engagedin a difficult and trying struggle againstviolent extremism. This is a confrontationwithout precedent, and we at the StateDepartment must approach our role in afundamentally different way. The President’srecently released 2008 budget will give usthe resources necessary for our mission.The budget reflects our substantial new

responsibilities. For the first time, the Presi-dent has designated the State Department anational security agency, alongside theDepartments of Homeland Security andDefense. We have the lead on most tasksunder our National Counterterrorism Strat-egy. Our international efforts to advancepeace and security, prosperity and freedomare more important than ever to ourdefense and security here at home.Our top priority as we proceed ahead is

you: your training, your advancement andyour security. We are investing in the toolsand technology necessary for you to exer-cise greater initiative. We are increasingcritical language and leadership training sothat you can have the most impact at yourposts. Most important, this budget dedi-cates substantial funding to protect you, aswe modernize the physical structures thathost our diplomatic efforts and preserve theintegrity of our information systems.The resources we are requesting will

enable us to continue transforming ourdiplomatic posture to reflect the strategicrealities of the 21st century. With thesupport of Congress, we are moving our

people off of the frontlines of the Cold Warand into the critical posts of this newcentury. At the same time, we are encourag-ing more of you to move beyond countrycapitals and into communities where we

have no formal presence, to forge new part-nerships not only with governments butalso with entire societies.A major tool that we have to empower

foreign societies is our development assis-tance, and we have taken important newsteps to use taxpayers’ dollars in the moststrategic, effective and efficient way possi-ble. The new Strategic Framework for U.S.Foreign Assistance ensures that ourresources are targeted to help build and

sustain democratic, responsible states thatrespond to the needs of their people andwork to fight poverty. In the 2008 budget,we have been able to shift billions of ourassistance dollars to more effective, andmore necessary, development programs.Our budget also reflects the fact that

public diplomacy is a vital component ofour national security strategy. It is moreimportant than ever for each and every oneof us to reach out to the people of the worldand tell them what we stand for: freedom,prosperity, equality and justice. We areincreasingly investing in our people-to-people exchanges, because private citizensare a vital part of our public diplomacy.Through our cultural and educationalexchange programs, we help the world tobetter understand our country, and we helpAmericans to better understand the peopleof the world.As all of you continue to promote Ameri-

can interests and ideals, both here inWashington and overseas, we are askingmore of you than ever. I remind people allthe time that we have the finest diplomaticservice in the world. So many of you areserving far from home at hardship posts,unaccompanied by your families. You arestanding with those who desire freedomand a better life and sacrificing greatly foryour country.Thank you for all that you do to protect

our nation and advance a more hopefulvision of the world. I pledge to continueworking to provide you the funding andsupport that you need to succeed.�

2008 Budget ReflectsNew Responsibilities

2 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | MARCH 2007

FROM THE SECRETARY

“Our international efforts to advancepeace and security, prosperity and freedom

are more important than ever.”

MARCH 2007 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | 3

Mailing AddressState Magazine2401 E Street, NWHR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236Washington, DC 20522-0108

[email protected]

Phone(202) 663-1700

Letters should not exceed 250words and should include thewriter’s name, address and daytimephone number. All letters becomethe property of State Magazine.Letters will be edited for length,accuracy and clarity. Only signedletters will be considered. Namesmay be withheld upon request.

Let Us Hear from You

R E A D E R S ’ F E E D B A C K

Since panels do not meet with employeesanyway, eliminating gender pronouns andpersonal names from the EER review panelsystem would seem a small yet meaningfulchange for the better.

Donald KilburgForeign Service officerU.S. Embassy, Santo Domingo

Puerto RicoSince I am of Puerto Rican descent via

New York City, or a Newyourican as we callourselves, I was glad to see an article onPuerto Rico in the February issue. I'd liketo point out two small mistakes, however.First, Puerto Rico is the smallest of the

Greater Antilles and not the largest of theLesser Antilles. Second, the island ofCulebra is a part of Puerto Rico and notthe Spanish Virgin Islands.I would also like to point out that the

Department has been remiss in launchingan active and viable recruiting effort on theisland. This is a significant omission, giventhat State has only two underrepresentedminority groups and they are AmericanIndians and Hispanics. The island's popula-tion has a much higher level of education

than can be absorbed by the local jobmarket. Combine this with the very highpercentage who are fluent in Spanish andyou get very fertile ground for recruitment.I'm sure the Department would not

want for volunteers to travel on recruit-ment trips to this beautiful island paradise.Just let me know where to sign up.

Raphael A. MirabalDeputy Executive DirectorHR/EX

Final PostingsI just wanted to tell you how much I

enjoy all of the excellent reporting, articlesand other news items you and your team atState Magazine make happen. One relative-ly new column is your own "The LastWord." Through it you always present anexcellent wrap-up of a given issue, but whatI like best is your sign-off, acknowledgingand recognizing our "colleagues en route totheir final postings." Very nice. Very appro-priate. And so very thoughtful.

Tim LawsonForeign Service officerU.S. Embassy, Seoul

Considering “The Case for Diversity” (January issue) and “ForeignService Promotion Statistics” (February), one thing the Departmentcould change is its routine use of gender pronouns and personalnames in the EER review panel system. Studies show that gender,ethnic and racial discrimination are significantly reduced whenevaluators are not permitted access to data that give away thesubject’s gender, ethnicity and race.One such study reported by Steven Levitt at the University of

Chicago compared the likelihoods of getting a job interview with theexact same résumé but a different name on top of the résumé (e.g.John Williams versus DeShawn Williams or DeShawna Williams).Result: different likelihoods of getting the interview.Perhaps the Department could create a system wherein gender pro-

nouns and personal names of employees are withheld or concealedfrom the tenure and promotion panel members to defend againstsubconscious stereotyping and prejudice. This measure could alsoserve to limit the biasing effects of privileged information that somepanel members may have on a given employee they are evaluating.Ironically, the Department has already eliminated mention of suchmerit-based information as educational degrees, but still includessuch birth-based information as gender and personal names.

Gender and EERs


UNDER SECRETARY HENRIETTA FORE

The President’s fiscal year 2008 budget forthe Department reflects our critical nationalsecurity role and transformational diplomacymission. It sustains the Department’s people,security, facilities, information technologyand management reform as well as publicdiplomacy and our role in internationalorganizations and peacekeeping.Fully funding State’s management func-

tions is essential to providing the globalplatform for American diplomacy and foreignassistance—a platform that serves not onlythe Department but also more than 40 otheragencies. This budget request will enable theDepartment to:

• Develop a workforce for transformation-al diplomacy that is diverse, well-trainedand able to carry out multiple tasks.Under Phases I and II of global reposi-

tioning, 200 positions are being redeployed,most to countries in Africa, East and SouthAsia, Latin America and the Middle East thatare focal points of transformational diplo-macy. This includes positions for 17 newAmerican presence posts in major regionalmetropolitan areas where there is currentlyno U.S. diplomatic representation.The Secretary has offset creation of these

new positions through a redeployment ofresources largely from lower-priority func-tions in Washington and Europe. In PhaseIII, 85 positions are being shifted fromWashington to Washington-based long-termlanguage training and to overseas posts. Thiswill be done through restructuring/delayer-ing and consolidating administrativefunctions. We have always envisioned GRPas part of a larger strategy wherein Congresswould also provide new funding to createother urgently needed positions.The 254 new positions we are requesting

for transformational diplomacy will increasethe U.S. diplomatic presence in transitionalcountries, expand our training and careerdevelopment programs including criticalforeign language training, and strengthen thereconstruction and stabilization program.

• Support the global war on terror.The $965 million request for worldwide

security upgrades will increase security for

diplomatic personnel, facilities and informa-tion in the face of international terrorism.This funding will extend the core program toupgrade security equipment and technicalsupport, information and systems security,perimeter security and security training.

• Protect America’s borders.Emphasizing “secure borders and open

doors,” the Border Security Program protectsU.S. borders against the illegal entry of terror-ists and others who threaten homelandsecurity while facilitating the entry of legiti-mate foreign visitors and students. Revenuefrom several fees will help fund improvementsin systems, processes and programs.

• Construct, upgrade and maintain securediplomatic facilities.The $1.6 billion request continues security-

driven construction projects and addresses themajor physical security and rehabilitationneeds of U.S. embassies and consulates. By theend of 2006, Overseas Buildings Operationshad delivered 41 new facilities since 2001 andhad an additional 36 under design or con-struction. These 77 new facilities represent39.5 percent of the 195most vulnerable diplo-matic facilities identified for replacement.

• Invest in information technology.We have greatly improved our global clas-

sified and unclassified informationaltechnology infrastructure. However, thefuture will demand more rapid exchange ofhigh-quality information, more effectivecollaboration of all agencies operating over-seas and more support for mobilecomputing anytime, anywhere—all withenhanced security. With every Departmentprogram now dependent on IT, from simplee-mail to specialized systems, these invest-ments are essential.We are not just asking Congress for more

money.We are at the same time undertakinga variety of efforts to improve operationalefficiency and ensure that the resources Con-gress provides us are used well.We have already made great progress. We

recently became only the second agency ofthe 26 participating in the President’s Man-agement Agenda to achieve green status (thetop score) on all five Government-wide ini-

tiatives—the strategic use of human capital;competitive sourcing; the expanded useof E-Government; improved financial per-formance; and budget and performanceintegration.Reform initiatives now underway include

regionalization, rightsizing, shared services,State/USAID integration/cooperation inthe management area and process standard-ization.Through regionalization and bringing

work back to the U.S., we will redefine andstrengthen regional support operations byconducting as many nonlocation-specificfunctions as possible from a remote location.We have established a regular rightsizing

review process for all posts overseas, includ-ing new embassy compound constructionprojects, focused on linking staffing tomission goals, eliminating duplication andpromoting shared services and competitivesourcing. All missions now must completesuch a study every five years.Shared services are key to changing the

way we do business. The Bureaus of Admin-istration, Human Resources, InformationResource Management and Resource Man-agement are piloting shared services projectsto streamline inefficient or redundantadministrative services, optimize bureaus’core competencies and lower costs whileimproving customer service.State and USAID are working to eliminate

duplicat ion and nonessential U.S.government presence overseas throughconsolidation of administrative supportservices. This will begin with those missionsthat will be collocated in embassies current-ly under construction or planned in the nextfew years through developing joint regionaladministrative platforms. State and USAIDare also working on integrating the twoagencies’ unclassified networks.Defining process flows is intended to

improve efficiencies and customer service bymandating the adoption of best practiceprocesses worldwide and eliminating thecurrent “island” approach that allows eachpost to individually adopt unique standardsand processes.�

2008 Budget Stresses Security, Diplomacy

(State Employees Honor Arlington’s Veterans

NEWSState Department

employees Thomas Bleck-ley and Alison Bowlingtook a personal leave dayon December 14 to partici-pate in what has become anew holiday tradition:placing Christmas wreathson more than 5,000 veter-ans’ graves at ArlingtonNational Cemetery.The volunteer program,

started by Morrill Worces-ter of Harrington, Maine,attracted national mediaattention this year. Worces-ter had for years beenlaying the wreaths, manu-factured by his privatelyowned company, at Arling-ton. Bleckley and Bowling,both military veterans whowork in the Office ofPolicy and Regulations inthe Bureau of InformationResource Management,joined some 600 volunteers in placing 5,260wreaths on a warm December day.“I served 25 years, active duty in the U.S.

Army, traveling all over the world, and I

have never been touched as I was on thisday,” Bleckley said. “We would like to seemore State personnel participate in thisproject next year.”

)

Tom Bleckley and Alison Bowling took personalleave to help honor veterans in ArlingtonNational Cemetery.

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


The U.S. Embassy in Belize City, with 76 years of rich history, hadlong been touted as the “last wooden embassy”—until November,when a new embassy building opened its doors in Belmopan, thecapital of Belize located 55 miles inland.The Belize City embassy building was erected in 1866 in New

England and then, along with a few other buildings, knocked downand sent as ballast in freighters to Belize City. The building wasreassembled there and served as a home to P.W. Shufeldt, a promi-nent U.S. citizen, until 1930 when the U.S. purchased it.The first U.S. consul who worked there, G. Russell Taggart, was

the victim of a tidal wave in 1931. He was swept out to sea and hisbody was never recovered. The first vice consul, Culver Gidden,married Shufeldt’s daughter, and the family lived on the second floorwhile business was carried out downstairs. Six Gidden children were

born in the building between 1931 and 1942. Consuls’ families livedthere as late as 1980.The second floor later served as offices for the ambassador and

deputy chief of mission.The structure has withstood extensive damage. Water from Hur-

ricane Hattie in 1961 was more than 12 feet deep—up to thesecond floor; mud from Hurricane Greta in 1978 was more than afoot deep.But local wildlife has caused the most destruction. During con-

struction of the consular unit, a crocodile was found living underthe embassy, and termite mounds more than six feet tall were foundwithin the walls.Columns have been replaced, exterior stairs built and a consular

unit added, but the charm of the building has remained.

Before their final farewell to thewooden embassy, AmbassadorRobert Dieter gathered theentire staff for a photo.

A FAREWELL TO CHARMS


State Honors Life and Legacy of Benjamin FranklinThe life and legacy of America’s first diplomat, Benjamin

Franklin, was honored January 10 at a gala dinner in the BenjaminFranklin State Dining Room.Kurt Volker, principal deputy assistant secretary for European

and Eurasian Affairs, welcomed the 130 guests, including formerWashington Redskins quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, philanthropistsRobert and Clarice Smith, Treasury Under Secretary Robert K. Steeland Lady Catherine Manning, wife of United Kingdom AmbassadorSir David Manning.Over the past few years, the British ambassador and consuls

general have hosted similar events for the Benjamin Franklin HouseFoundation, but this was the first time one had been hosted by theU.S. government.Volker grew up just outside of Philadelphia and recalled Franklin

as his hometown hero.“Franklin was our man,” he said. “My favorite part of trips into

the city was a visit to the Franklin Institute, a great, hands-onscience museum for kids and a tribute to his role as an inventor. Wetook pride in knowing that Franklin established our first publiccompany, our first public library, our first insurance company and

our first medical school, at the University of Pennsylvania, whichFranklin also founded. He was first in practically every field.“Most importantly for me, as a diplomat, is his embodiment

both of our values as a nation and their reflection abroad. Fewpeople have done more to make our country better. And few peoplehave done more to strengthen America’s critical alliances in theworld and export the American ideal of freedom.”The State Department co-sponsored the event with the Benjamin

Franklin House Foundation, a nonprofit organization whoseprimary grantee is the Benjamin Franklin House in London, theonly known existing home of Franklin. He lived in the housebetween 1757 and 1775, while lobbying for the American colonies.The house was recently restored and opened in January 2006, the300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth, as a living museum. It alreadyhas drawn 10,000 visitors.Walter Isaacson, renowned author and Benjamin Franklin biog-

rapher, spoke at the event, along with Dr. Marcia Balisciano,director of the Benjamin Franklin House in London.For more information, visit www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/

78632.htm.

How can a Foreign Serviceofficer influence who gets hiredand promoted and the contentof Foreign Service Institutetraining courses?Many FSOs may not realize

that the knowledge and skillstested by the Foreign Serviceexamination and oral assess-ment, the precepts used byselection boards and the coursesoffered by FSI—to name a fewexamples—are based on infor-mation collected in a “jobanalysis.”A job analysis is a systematic

procedure for collecting infor-mation on what employees doin their jobs and the knowledge,skills and abilities required todo the jobs. It is, in effect, asnapshot of Foreign Servicegeneralist work.A job analysis has been con-

ducted by State about everydecade over the last 50 years.One is underway right now.Every FSO will have the oppor-tunity to provide input.In Phase 1 of the job analysis

update, groups of FSOs acrossdifferent career tracks reviewedthe task and knowledge lists

from the last (1997-98) jobanalysis. Among other things,these officers identified what isnew about the work and whatknowledge, skills and abilitiesare needed to perform it well.Many FSOs have already partic-ipated in this phase.The results are being used to

develop Phase 2, an onlinesurvey that each FSO will beasked to fill out, with specificreference to his or her currentposition. The answers willprovide precise measurementsof what tasks are actually per-formed and what knowledgeand skills are truly needed toperform in each FSO position.The survey should be avail-

able in March and will takeabout an hour to complete. Asufficient number of FSOs mustcomplete the survey for theresults to be usable. Given theimportance of the job analysisto various human resourcefunctions, the Director Generalrequests that all FSOs completethe survey.Don’t miss this chance to

influence the hiring, trainingand promotion process.

FSOS NEEDED—TO COMPLETE JOB SURVEY State Uses Web to Clear

and Track GrantsThe State Department plays a key role in

research grants allocated to foreign recipi-ents by the National Institutes of Health.In 2005, the NIH spent nearly $700

million in grants that involved morethan 130 countries through collabo-rative research between U.S. andforeign scientists. The Department’srole is to facilitate communicationbetween NIH’s Fogarty InternationalCenter and overseas posts to reviewresearch programs and ensure consis-tency with the foreign policy objectives ofthe United States.A new system makes that process easier. In

the past, the Fogarty Center transmitted each requestto posts by cable for foreign policy clearance. Now the centerhas migrated to a Web-based Foreign Tracking System, whichallows for faster clearance through embassies and acts as adatabase, allowing for easy tracking of foreign NIH-fundedresearch by NIH, State and embassies.The Department and the Fogarty Center first tested the

system with three posts (London, Ottawa and Rome), thenexpanded the system to 27 others. As of January 1, all postshave started to use the new FTS.For more information on the FTS see http://www.fic.

nih.gov/news/fts/fts.html. The Office of InternationalHealth Affairs in the Bureau of Oceans and InternationalEnvironment and Scientific Affairs is the point of contactin the Department.


Foreign Affairs DaySet for May 4This year's Foreign Affairs Day, the annual homecoming for State Depart-

ment Civil and Foreign Service retirees, will take place Friday, May 4.In addition to the keynote address scheduled to be delivered by Secretary

Condoleezza Rice, this year's program will include off-the-record seminarsfrom the regional bureaus on topical foreign policy issues; a panel discussion

on "Maritime Security in our Ports—The Facts" about how the public and privatesectors work together to improve the security of our ports; the American Foreign

Service Association Memorial Plaque Ceremony and the elegant traditional luncheonin the Ben Franklin Room ($40 per person, 250-person maximum, first come first

served). There will also be lots of opportunities to catch up with old friends.Invitations were expected to be mailed out in early March. Those who would like to receive

an invitation should send an e-mail to [email protected] with full name, retirement date(month and year), street address, e-mail address and phone number.


How do you create a quality fitnesscenter in a small African post with fewamenities and little discretionary cash forquality-of-life improvements? All it tookfor Lilongwe was a creative managementofficer with an eye on the bottom line—and lots of patience.Management Officer Craig Cloud was

perusing the Frankfurt Excess PropertyUnit’s Web site in 2005 looking for a cheapdelivery truck, when he noticed a bunch ofexcess gym equipment. Cloud asked that theequipment be included in the same ship-ment with the truck, thinking he couldfigure out where to put it later.Gym equipment worth more than

$20,000 arrived in February 2006 and tookup a place of honor under the parking shed.Total cost to post: $400.Merging warehouse operations with the

U.S. Agency for International Developmenteventually opened up a gym-sized spaceabove the health unit, and 2005 rolloverfunds were used to renovate the formerwarehouse space into a fitness center. TheGeneral Services, Facilities Maintenance,Procurement and Information Managementsections worked on the project jointly andthe facility was ready to open in December.A contest was held to pick a name for the

facility. The winning entry—suggested by

Locally Employed Staff Chrissie Makham-bera and Dyson Nyaka—was Umodzi,which means “unity” in Chichewa.Umodzi opened in December and has

already attracted a loyal clientele ofMission staff.“Compared to what’s available in

Malawi, Umodzi has world-class equip-ment, great facilities and an excellent videoand sound system,” said embassy cashierRichard Mbaisa.

Ambassador Alan Eastham called the newaddition “a great improvement to quality oflife at Post” and commended Cloud for histenacity in making it happen. He encour-aged all Mission members to use the facility,adding, “Thanks to Craig, we now have noexcuse not to get in shape.”On his role, Cloud was characteristically

modest: “Where I’m from, it’s just hard toturn down something somebody’s givingaway for free.”

Regional Security Officer Maureen McGeoughshows colleagues how it’s done.

Free Equipment Leads to First-Class Fitness Center

A LITTLE HELP GOES A LONG WAY IN RWANDALast October, the Self-Help team and a caravan of the U.S.

Embassy in Kigali staff headed to Gicumbi District with 12 journal-ists in tow to visit four projects among 17 selected for fundingnationwide. This was the first chance to see how local associationswere using their first batch of funds.Just 70 kilometers outside Kigali, Gicumbi Dis-

trict is representative of much of Rwanda, whereclose to 90 percent of the population is stillengaged in agricultural activities. After an hour onthe tarmac road from Kigali, the convoy took anadditional 30 minutes to climb insanely steep, dirtroads and cross some very suspect bridges to reachthe first site, a carpentry and masonry project.As the convoy rolled up, several people were

hard at work with their new tools. Gunnery Ser-geant Vincent Juarez, the embassy sponsor for theproject, went straight to work reviewing receiptsand inspecting the equipment that had been pur-chased. Since there is no electricity in the region, allof the work is done with hand tools.At the next site, project members greeted

embassy staff members with a special song anddance that celebrated the group’s partnership withthe embassy. They took staff around to local house-holds that had used their grant to purchase pigs.The community intends to use proceeds from thesale of piglets to pay school fees for their children,buy medications and meet other basic needs. Project sponsor JackSibal, the Mission’s health practitioner, was a wealth of informationabout rearing pigs, since he owned pigs himself once.

Each association was appreciative for the assistance and for thevisit. The small amount of money they receive goes a long way inenabling them to improve their lives. But they are not the only onesto benefit from the Self-Help program. All of the embassy sponsors

were deeply affected by what they saw and agreed that visiting theseprojects offered a unique opportunity to see how ordinary Rwan-dans live.

CFC Donations Top $2 Million By George Staples

As Vice Chair of the Department ofState’s 2006 Combined Federal Cam-paign, I wish to thank everyone whoparticipated in the most recent campaign.The Department again exceeded its goalof $2 million in donations to the 2006CFC. As of February 27, State achieved108 percent of its goal, and cash, checksand pledges were still rolling in. Onbehalf of the Secretary, the CFC Chair forthe Department, I wish to thank all key-workers, the Secretary’s champion GlynDavies, CFC loan executive Cathy Tullisand the staff of the Office of EmployeeRelations for their extraordinary efforts toensure the success of this year’s campaign.The results of this year’s campaign

reveal that 3,777 employees—active andretired—contributed more than$2,171,000 to the campaign. The averageindividual contribution was $576, which

is one of the highest rates of contribu-tions within the agencies of the U.S.Government.The Office of Inspector General led the

Department in percentage of employeesparticipating in CFC. This year, 83.5percent of OIG employees made cam-paign contributions. The Bureau ofRefugees and Migration was in secondplace with 83.1 percent rate of participa-tion. PRM received the President’s awardsfor extraordinary support of CFC, andOIG will also receive this award.The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

exceeded its goal for collecting campaigncontributions by 203 percent. The Bureauof South and Central Asian Affairs fol-lowed with 180 percent. Eighteenadditional bureaus also exceeded theircollection goals for 2006, includingBureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs;

Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs;Bureau of International Narcotics andLaw Enforcement Affairs; Bureau ofAfrican Affairs; Bureau of European andEurasian Affairs; Bureau of InternationalInformation Programs; Bureau of NearEastern Affairs; Bureau of InternationalSecurity and Nonproliferation; Office ofInspector General; Bureau of Population,Refugees and Migration; Office of Execu-tive Secretariat; Office of Intelligence andResearch; Bureau of Educational and Cul-tural Affairs; Bureau of Oceans andInternational Environment and ScientificAffairs; Office of the Legal Advisers;Bureau of Consular Affairs; Bureau ofHuman Resources; and Bureau ofResource Management.

The author is Director General of theForeign Service and Director of HumanResources.


Association members put their new carpentry tools to work.

MAGAZINE STAFF

Rob WileyEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bill PalmerWRITER/EDITOR

Jennifer LelandWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Maurice S. ParkerEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiaro

Margot A. Sullivan

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is pub-lished monthly, except bimonthly in Julyand August, by the U.S. Department ofState, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C.Periodicals postage paid at Washington,D.C., and at additional mailing locations.

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The submission deadline for the June2007 issue is April 15. The deadline forthe July/August 2007 issue is June 1.

MarineReunion toHonor TehranCaptivesThe Marine Embassy Guard Asso-

ciation will hold its annual reunionApril 26–29 at the Marriott FairviewPark Hotel in Falls Church, Va.This year, the association will celebrate its

10th anniversary and honor those who served in the Tehran Marine SecurityGuard Detachment who were held captive from Nov. 4, 1979 to Jan. 20, 1981.Foreign Service and State Department personnel are invited to attend. For

more information, contact reunion chairman Tom Butler at 212-734-7668 [email protected].

In Poland, the economy isbooming for some, but manyfind themselves struggling tomake ends meet. An accidentor sudden illness can resultin a family spiraling out ofcontrol.Last Christmas, people

from the U.S. Embassy inWarsaw developed a partner-ship with a locally runcharity, the Warsaw Volun-teer Mission, to matchembassy families with local families who had fallen on tough times.WVM’s “Families in Crisis” program extends a helping hand to Polish families, many

with terminally ill children, parents who suffer chronic illness or recently released prison-ers trying to rebuild their lives.Embassy families were invited to sponsor 21 Polish families for Christmas. Not only did

every family find a sponsor, but WVM was also able to expand the program owing to thegenerosity of individuals and families within the Mission. Families shared their bakedChristmas cookies and found happy homes for many new and some gently used toys,including a pinball machine.The family of Przemek Wytrikowski was able to enjoy one last wonderful holiday season

with their terminally ill teenage son. Przemek, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, diedpeacefully in early January. The family’s embassy sponsors continue to work with them.They are not alone. Others have continued to provide financial and moral support forPolish families who have nowhere else to turn.For everyone involved, it was a wonderful way to share the holiday magic and make a

difference in the lives of dozens of Polish families.


EmbassyWarsawReachesOutto Familiesin Crisis

D.G. GEORGE STAPLES


When I was appointed Director General,I initiated a review of the way we selectForeign Service officers. I was determinedthat we continue our tradition of selectingthe best people, but I also wanted to improvethe process. I set three specific goals: toimprove our ability to find the best, tocompete more effectively with the privatesector to attract the best and to make ourprocess faster in hiring the best.I undertook this review with care, consult-

ing with the highly respected McKinsey &Company and many FSOs. Under SecretariesNick Burns and Henrietta Fore took anactive interest, and Secretary Rice stronglysupported the effort. In the end, we adopteda total candidate approach, which means wewill use a resume along with an online test toexplore the candidate’s full range of knowl-edge, skills and abilities.What kind of people are we looking for?

Principally, we want to keep getting the samehigh-caliber people we get now. But we alsowant to widen our field of vision to betteridentify candidates particularly suited to ourwork: people with proven leadership skills,relevant overseas and foreign language expe-rience, solid interpersonal skills, strongorganizational ability, a history of tenacityand achievement in difficult tasks.We also want to make faster decisions on

whom to hire, and then move quickly to hirenew FSOs without delay. It still takes anaverage of 14 months to bring a new FSO onboard. During that time, we often losesuperb candidates to other employers whomake it a point to decisively offer jobsquickly to the best candidates. We need todo the same.With these thoughts in mind, we are

redesigning the selection process to retainthe best aspects of the current system, butalso to improve it. This is how we anticipatethe new process will look.

The Personal Narrative: Candidates willsubmit a structured personal narrative whenthey go online to enter the selection process.

Completing the narrative will be a prerequi-site to taking the streamlined test. Thenarrative will elicit information on scholasticand work experience and will also invite can-didates to highlight special skills and

experience, such as language ability andexperience in jobs requiring direct engage-ment with people in hands-on programs.

The Foreign Service Officer Test: Thefamiliar paper-and-pencil test will no longerbe given. Instead, candidates will take anonline test that will be available multipletimes each year at commercial test centers inthe U.S., and overseas at diplomatic posts andpossibly at some commercial test centers. Thetest will be very similar to past ForeignService written exams, a recognized best prac-tice we are retaining, but shorter. Questions

will still be based on an analysis of ForeignService job requirements. As before, an essaywill be part of the test. Both the test and theessay will be scored, and candidates will needto pass both to advance to the next stage.

The Qualifications Evaluation Panel: A

qualifications evaluation panel will reviewthe files of candidates who have passed theonline test and essay. This panel, a newelement to the process, will follow preceptsthat we are now drawing up in consultationwith industrial psychologists and the LegalAdviser’s office. The panel will look at thetest score, essay score and personal narrativeto determine which candidates will moveforward to the oral assessment.

The Oral Assessment:McKinsey judgedour oral assessment to also be a best practice.We have decided to keep the oral assessmentjust as it is. The oral assessment will continueto be the bedrock of our selection process.Overall, this will be a very accessible

process.We will open this new onlineprocess this summer, starting with a limitednumber of candidates in the U.S. only. Then,starting in the fall, we expect a total of about20,000 candidates yearly to enter the processduring four windows each year. Abroad, weare working with posts to develop the capac-ity to administer the online test.In the end, the new Foreign Service

officer selection process will retain the fun-damental qualities that have alwaysdistinguished it: highly competitive andmerit-based. The integrity of the processwill remain its hallmark.But the changes will be noteworthy. The

selection process will become more accessi-ble, with the personal narrative and theForeign Service Officer Test available world-wide multiple times each year. The processwill be more competitive as the evaluationpanel weighs more information about each

candidate. The process will be faster,enabling us to hire new FSOs quickly. In theend, I am confident we will become evenmore effective at selecting dedicated, capablepeople to become our outstanding FSOs ofthe future.�

The New Foreign Service OfficerSelection Process

“Principally, we want to keep getting the samehigh-caliber people we get now.”


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How is it possible that one of the great-est humanitarian relief operations inmodern history has been almost completelyforgotten?The U.S. Embassy in Brussels wondered

the same thing last year and did somethingabout it.The operation started in Belgium in 1914

and relied on the heroic determination andmanagerial genius of Herbert Hoover. Itsaved 10 million people from starvation.More than $200 million was collected andthree million tons of food and clothingwere moved to desperate people in Belgiumand parts of France.Most Americans think of Hoover as the

man who was president when the stockmarket crashed and the Great Depressiongripped the country—a one-term presidentoverwhelmed by events. But in Belgium,

Herbert Hoover is a hero. Belgians remem-ber him as the brilliant engineer whoworked unstintingly with other volunteersto accomplish the impossible: persuade theBritish and Germans to permit the impor-tation of food through enemy lines tomillions of starving civilians.Just weeks after the German invasion of

Belgium, Hoover organized the Commis-sion for Relief in Belgium, which saved allof Belgium and a large part of northernFrance from famine during the Germanoccupation and British blockade from 1914to 1918.The commission had the blessing of, but

no official connection with, the govern-ments of the United Kingdom, France andthe U.S. Hoover won powerful supportersin those governments and wrestled largegrants from them, but much of the CRB

money came from small private donations,especially from Americans.Hoover worked with the Belgian leader

of humanitarian relief, Emile Francqui, toget the food efficiently to the people.Hoover set up a network of more than130,000 volunteers around the world. TheCRB chartered its own fleet of food ships.The British let them pass through the ever-tightening blockade. The Germans letsupplies enter Belgium through Rotterdamand kept their promise not to take the foodfor the German army.Hoover crossed the English Channel 40

times to negotiate to keep the CRB func-tioning. Powerful factions in the Britishmilitary, the U.S. and Germany took a dimview of the commission, which by all rightsshould have collapsed. Through hard workand single-minded determination, Hoover

EXHIBIT HONORS FORMER PRESIDENT’S ROLE IN SAVING BELGIANS BY BRIAN DICK

Hoover the Hero

President Herbert Hoover at his deskin the White House.


kept it going until April 1917, when the UnitedStates formally entered the war. At that time, heceded control of the CRB to agents in The Nether-lands and Spain.When Ambassador Tom C. Korologos arrived in

Belgium he discovered “Hoover this, Hoover that,Hoover everywhere,” as he put it.“There were Hoover streets, Hoover squares,

Hoover libraries, Hoover foundations and themore I looked, the more Hoover I found,” he said.The director of the Belgian American Educa-

tional Foundation mentioned to him that thefoundation’s endowmentoriginated from CRBfunds left over after thewar. More than 60Belgian graduate stu-dents conduct research in

the U.S. each year on BAEF grants,making the program comparable inscope to the more famous Fulbrightprogram.So Ambassador Korologos decided to

organize a program devoted to HerbertHoover and Belgium. His partners werethe BAEF, the Catholic University ofLeuven and the Free University of Brus-sels, plus the Hoover Institution atStanford University, the Hoover Presi-dential Library in West Branch, Iowa,and the Belgian Ministry of Defense.He invited four distinguished histori-

ans from the U.S. to give seminars inBrussels and Leuven. The central eventwas a major exhibit, “RememberingHerbert Hoover and the Commission for

Relief in Belgium.” It opened at theRoyal Military Museum in Brusselslast October and ran through theend of the year, before traveling toother Belgian cities. Several promi-

nent Belgian business leaders have begunan effort to make the exhibit permanent.President Bush sent a letter for the exhibit

opening and Secretary Rice provided a videotapedgreeting. Herbert Hoover’s grandson, Herbert“Pete” Hoover III, from the Hoover Institution atStanford, attended the opening, as did former Sec-retary of State George Shultz and otherdistinguished guests, including the Belgian ministerof defense and the presidents of the federal Houseand Senate.As Ambassador Korologos said: “Our project

seeks to remind Belgians and Americans that ourcountries have been friends for a longtime and that the United States hashelped when help was needed.”�

The author is a program assistant in the Office ofPublic Diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels.

Former Secretary and Mrs.Shultz view the exhibit.

Herbert “Pete” Hoover III shakes handswith Mrs. George Shultz, standing besideher husband. To Hoover’s right isAmbassador Tom Korologos.

School children listen toAmbassador Korologos atthe exhibit opening.


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Can a small post with no history ofpublic diplomacy to speak of and no budgetto start actually conduct an effective PDprogram?Hamilton, Bermuda, is a small post that

faced those same drawbacks, but it hasproven that innovation, dedication and dis-cipline can overcome most obstacles. WhenConsul General Gregory Slayton arrived inHamilton in 2005, he made PD a priority,focusing on Under Secretary Karen Hughes’“E” tactics: engage, exchange, educate,empower and evaluate.To jumpstart a program without funds or

staff, Slayton first reassigned a top LocallyEmployed Staff member as the post’s publicdiplomacy specialist. Together, they con-structed a PD portfolio matrix to ensuremaximum impact for minimum effort,while partnering extensively with like-minded organizations. In year one,

Hamilton completed more than 100 PDprojects and raised the post’s profile and theoverall respect for the U.S. role in Bermudato levels not seen in many years.

Keys to SuccessHamilton found four simple keys to a

successful PD program.• Appoint an LES member as PD special-ist to help build mutually respectfulrelationships with local media thatcould generate positive press coverage.

• Use TV and radio extensively and stayon message. Successful marketing is theeffective repetition of a message direct-ly relevant to the target audience. Thepost’s simple message—America Caresabout Bermuda—underscores everyPD effort in Hamilton.

• Diplomacy through deeds works. Posi-tive local news about consulate deeds

trumps news about even highly nega-tive international events.

• Use the portfolio matrix concept andpartner extensively. Avoid the “No Go”quadrant, focus on “Piggyback PD” andundertake “Partnership” projects onlywhen partnering with like-mindedorganizations. Effective partnershipsdramatically leverage PD reach andimpact.

Leveraging AssetsTo offset the budgetary problems, Hamil-

ton looked for ways to utilize existingoutreach assets within the Department. Forexample, post explored the VoluntaryVisitor Program, which sends local govern-ment and nonprofit professionals to theU.S. to confer with their U.S. counterparts.With support from Foreign Service

officer Dan Sreebny in London, Hamilton

POST PRACTICES SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ON A SHOESTRINGBY ASTRID BLACK AND MATTHEW JOHNSON

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

raised funds from locally-based Americancompanies to cover international airfare.The Bureau of Cultural Affairs coveredother costs, while Lucy Weber, chief of theVoluntary Visitors Division in the Bureau ofEducational and Cultural Affairs, and herstaff formulated VolVis itineraries.Hamilton used the VolVis program well,

with the 2005 and 2006 efforts getting posi-tive reviews and excellent press coverage.Bermuda Prime Minister Ewart Brownrecently said that VolVis has “captivated thecollective imaginations of our two countries.”While it was a challenge to start, VolVis is

now a key component in Hamilton’s annualpublic diplomacy arsenal. In 2007, post willadd a VolVis alumni program to furtherstrengthen U.S. ties with Bermuda.Post also found more traditional

methods to bolster public diplomacy.Although there had been no ART inEmbassies program in Bermuda for years,Marina Slayton worked with ART ProgramDirector Anne Johnson and Curator SallyMansfield to create an exhibit of memo-rable and illuminating American art for theofficial residence.Because of the program, hundreds of

Bermuda’s leaders have reflected on the her-itage of the U.S. as seen through the eyes ofAmerican artists. ART is a vital componentof overall public diplomacy efforts, especial-ly for a post with no PD budget.Hamilton partnered with the American

Society of Bermuda to celebrate the July 4thand Thanksgiving holidays. The partners

raised more than $300,000—a third ofwhich was donated to charity—to hostalmost 5,000 guests at an Independence Dayextravaganza themed “Celebrating Freedom,Giving Back to Bermuda.”The joint Thanksgiving Celebration drew

almost 500 guests, and again benefited alocal charity. Press coverage for both events,including op-eds in Bermuda’s largest daily,was substantial and uniformly positive.Changes in U.S. travel regulations gener-

ated inventive partnerships with private andpublic sector organizations. In addition toextensive TV, radio, Internet, press andposter/flyer efforts, Hamilton also workedwith local travel agents and other executivesto address key target markets.One innovative program was a free part-

nership with Bermuda’s largest milksupplier that resulted in eye-catching adsexplaining passport requirements on morethan 150,000 milk cartons. These effortsresulted in near-blanket coverage of theissue and widespread appreciation for U.S.efforts to prepare Bermudians and othersfor the upcoming changes.

PiggybacksTo celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the

famous Newport-Bermuda yacht race, thepost worked with the U.S. Coast Guard toensure the USCGC Eagle was in Hamiltonto host a reception for Bermuda’s topleaders and Her Royal Highness PrincessAnne. This celebration of friendship amongthe U.S., the U.K. and Bermuda resulted in

a wave of positive publicity for theU.S. Armed Forces.In another piggyback event, the

post used regular representationalfunds to host a “Harvard in Hamil-ton” reception for Bermuda’s topleaders at the official residence. Theevent featured four Harvard GleeClubs that were in Bermuda forother events.No-cost PD opportunities help

reinforce the message. One valu-able no-cost tool is post’s own Website, which is updated frequentlywith PD and other messages. Withthe support of the Bureau of Inter-national Information Programs,through its Content ManagementSystem, Hamilton’s Web site con-tinues to evolve as an effectivedistribution mechanism.As another example, CG Slayton

signs daily letters of congratulationto Bermuda residents who have

done something of note, a no-cost strategythat reflects post’s interest in local affairs.Using regular representational funds, hehosts quarterly breakfasts with prominentBermudians on topical issues such as educa-tion and youth development.Post also participates in non-State-spon-

sored programs. For example, Bermudiansare nominated to attend U.S. Patent andTrademark Office’s intellectual propertyrights training programs, with trainingcosts paid by PTO. Similarly, post nomi-nates Bermudians for scholarships to attendthe World Scholar Athlete Games. Expensesfor both these programs are covered bynon-State sources and local press is quitefavorable.

LessonsSo any post—small or large, budget or

no budget—can effectively practice publicdiplomacy, with some creative thinking andhard work. The first step should be appoint-ing a PD specialist dedicated to establishingmutually respectful relationships with themedia. Choosing a locally relevantmessage—and constantly reinforcing thatmessage—using the PD portfolio matrixhelps impose discipline on the project selec-tion process. And partnering withlike-minded organizations enables a smallpost to do far more than is possible alone.It is therefore possible—with innovation,

dedication and discipline—to conducteffective public diplomacy on a shoestring.Ask Bermuda.�

Astrid Black is the public diplomacy specialistand Matthew Johnson is the deputy principalofficer in Hamilton, Bermuda.


High impact projects require high effort initiallybut lower effort over time.

Azalea, a watercolor by artist Maruta Racenisof Richmond, Virginia, is part of the ART inEmbassies contribution to public diplomacyin Bermuda.

LOW HIGHEffort

PD Portfolio Matrix

HIGH

LOW

Impact

Annual PD(effort afterfirst year)

Piggyback PD

Annual PD(first year’s

effort)

Partnership PD

No Go ZoneNo Cost PD


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Bolivia is a diverse country with morethan 30 different indigenous groups, includ-ing Aymaras and Quechuas who live in thehigh plains and valleys of the Andean region.While indigenous and mestizo Boliviansmake up around two-thirds of Bolivia’s pop-ulation, they have long been excludedpolitically, socially and economically.The past few decades have seen a rise in

indigenous people’s political and culturalconsciousness and increased demands for agreater share in the country’s economic andnatural resources. In December 2005, Boli-vians elected their first indigenouspresident, Evo Morales Ayma.It was in this social and political context

that the U.S. Mission in La Paz decided tointensify its search for innovative ways toengage indigenous audiences, especiallyyoung people. The mission had alreadybegun reaching out to indigenous groupsseveral years ago when it hired an Aymaraadvisor for the economic and political

section and a fluent Aymara speaker tomonitor and translate radio programs inrural communities for the public affairssection. Similarly, the U.S. Agency for Inter-national Development had been targetingthe lion’s share of its development assis-tance efforts to the indigenous poor formany years, from support for microfinanceand increased access to justice to greaterengagement of indigenous microenterprisesin high-value export chains.USAID developed an inclusion initiative

in 2005 designed to diversify its workforce,launched an indigenous internshipprogram, provided Aymara language train-ing for staff and expanded public outreachto activities with indigenous communities.The Department of State requested andobtained post language grant funding fromthe Foreign Service Institute to initiateAymara language classes. Some Americanofficers and Locally Employed Staff are cur-rently enrolled in Aymara classes.

Priority OutreachThe public affairs section’s top priority in

Bolivia is to reach out to indigenous andyouth audiences in all its public diplomacyprograms. As part of this strategy, PAS pro-posed and received Bureau of Educationaland Cultural Affairs funding for a four-week Study of the U.S. Winter Institute, aprogram that introduced the students to thehistory and culture of the U.S. and providedthem with leadership training. The programtook place in January 2006 in Amherst,Mass., and Tucson, Ariz. Fifteen indigenousuniversity students, all from underprivi-leged backgrounds, from across Bolivia wereselected to participate in the program.In addition to gaining new perspectives

and a deeper understanding of U.S. cultureand democracy, the students also developeda strengthened desire to work for change intheir own country. To sustain the momen-tum from this positive exchangeexperience, the U.S. Embassy in La Paz

REACHING OUT TO BOLIVIA’S FUTURE LEADERS BY VALERIE O’BRIEN

La Paz Leadership

Narcotics Action Section intern Olga Cruz andNAS program assistant Arturo Cabrera pauseon the road to Uyuni during site inspectionsof counter-narcotics police posts.


offered the students scholarships to studyEnglish and implemented an indigenousinternship program for alumni of theexchange program.Three Aymara students from rural areas

near La Paz took part in the internshipprogram. Ruben Hilari worked in the man-agement section, Fernando Villca internedin the public affairs section and Olga MarinaCruz joined the narcotics affairs section.USAID’s also launched a similar intern-

ship program, which included theparticipation of six Aymara university stu-dents. Panfilo Montesinos and PolicarpioApaza works on alternative developmentissues; Joel Mendizabal works with the eco-nomic opportunities office on income-generating activities; Aurelia Montesinosassists the food security unit; Jhony Quispesupports the democracy team; and SeveroVargas works with the health team. Panfilo,Policarpio and Aurelia were all selected toparticipate in the PAS Winter Instituteprogram in January 2007.

Cultural GapsThe embassy internships recently con-

cluded, and the three embassy-sponsoredstudents presented a brief report to theentire mission on what they learned fromtheir experience. All three said they wereimpressed with the high standards, profes-sional ethics and collegial work environmentat the embassy.One of the interns said every time he

entered the embassy, it was like going to the

U.S. Though the U.S. embassy environmentwas markedly different from that of theBolivian public sector, in many ways the realchallenge was not in adapting to the Ameri-cans, but in overcoming the negativestereotypes held by other Bolivians in themission. Management Counselor KimberlyDeBlauw and USAID/Bolivia DirectorMichael Yates championed the internshipprogram as a way to begin bridging the deepcultural gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous Bolivians.“Local staff served as mentors for the first

time, and as such, acquired new skills as wellas insights from the interns on ways toimprove embassy and USAID programs,”said DeBlauw. “The experience has beeninvaluable for all.”The nine embassy and USAID interns

quickly formed part of their respectiveteams despite some initial concerns. Severalinterns said the experience surpassed allexpectations. Not only did they learn aboutthe various management and foreign assis-tance functions, NAS eradication and drugprevention efforts, USAID developmentprograms and PAS public diplomacy pro-grams; they also took computer and Englishclasses, assisted with PAS book donations invarious cities, visited USAID projects,attended official receptions and took part ina variety of other mission activities.In addition to the practical and profes-

sional skills they acquired, all learnedmuch about U.S. efforts to strengthendemocracy, expand economic opportuni-

ties and support alternative development inBolivia. The interns said they felt privilegedto have had the chance to get an insideview of the embassy and USAID, sincemost Bolivians are unaware of what theU.S. Mission actually does.“I was amazed to learn that USAID has

so many programs in Bolivia and howmuch the U.S. is doing to help us,” said oneUSAID intern.Yates notes that “the interns are now

anxious to share their very positive experi-ences working with the U.S. Governmentnot only with their home communities, butmore broadly.” The public relations benefitscould be important, especially as thisprogram expands.All sections came away satisfied and

agreed that they benefited greatly from thecontributions and unique perspectives theinterns brought to their work. One LESmentor working in PAS noted that insightsoffered by the PA intern helped the sectionfine-tune its programs and materials so itcould more effectively reach out to indige-nous audiences; USAID mentors workingwith the food security and health internsmade similar comments.Given the success, the U.S. Mission will

likely continue the internship programs.USAID says it is definitely continuing theprogram and is expanding it to implementa-tion partners.�

The author is the cultural affairs officer at theU.S. Embassy in La Paz.

Left: From left, National Coca Control Group chief Lt. Col. StanleyTintaya, NAS legal advisor Mario Montaño, NAS intern Olga Cruz,NAS program assistant Grace Dibos and Regional Coca ControlGroup chief Capt. Javier Olaguibel visit a counter-narcoticscheckpoint in the Cochabamba region. Below: Public AffairsSection Intern Fernando Villca, right, attends a reading sessionwith school children at the U.S. Embassy stand at theInternational Book Fair.

Ever since their arrival in August 2005,Ambassador William R. Timken and hiswife Sue have made it a priority to reachout and engage the Muslim community inGermany.One of the most exciting initiatives in

their first year has been the development ofthe program “Windows on America,” whichgives high school students with immigrantbackgrounds the opportunity to travel tothe U.S. for a 10-day educational program.These students, largely Muslim and under-represented in traditional exchangeprograms, have the chance to become per-sonally acquainted with Americans and theAmerican way of life.The program is a public-private partner-

ship, financed through donations fromGerman and American companies andorganized and administered by the

Mission’s public diplomacy sections.Ambassador and Mrs. Timken hope that theprogram will encourage more positive viewsof the U.S. among the next generation of

German youth from immigrant back-grounds and promote understanding and

encourage lasting relationships betweenAmerican and Muslim German youth.

Firsthand ImpressionsThe first group to participate in the

program was organized in Duesseldorf inJune 2006. Since then, two groups fromBerlin have had the opportunity to gainfirsthand impressions of American societyand culture.Participants travel to cities such as New

York and Washington for a very fullprogram that includes visits to well-knownplaces such as Ellis Island and Ground Zeroand to typical American gathering placessuch as community centers and museums.They also stay with host families and visitAmerican high schools, where they meetdirectly with their peers. The students comeback with greatly altered views about the


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MUSLIMS GET A FRESHVIEWOF THE U.S.

BY SCOTT RAULANDAND

RUTH ANNE STEVENS

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


United States, as well as lasting contactswith their new American friends.“This project has given me a new per-

spective of the U.S., and it has forced me toreevaluate my beliefs and prejudices aboutthe U.S,” said one German student.Efforts are now underway to organize a

fourth group of students for the “Windowson America” program, this time in Frank-furt with a focus on a girls-only group thatappeals to families of more conservativebackgrounds. Frankfurt Consul General JoEllen Powell visited the Ulu Camii Mosquenear Frankfurt in December to meet withstudents and interested parents. The chil-dren were very interested in hearing aboutAmerica and asked Ms. Powell numerousquestions about the United States and herpersonal life. The chairman of the Frankfurt

chapter of the Turkish-Islamic Union of theInstitute for Religion (Ditib) thanked theConsul General for her visit and expressed astrong interest in contacts with the Muslimcommunity in the United States.The visit not only attracted attention in

the German media, but the Turkish dailyHürriyet (60,000 circulation for the Euro-pean edition) also carried a story onDecember 12 about the visit and theefforts to organize a “Windows onAmerica” group.The idea for a girls’ group evolved out of

a roundtable for Muslim women leadershosted by Mrs. Timken and CG Powell inSeptember 2006. Special requirements forthe host families will be considered, andtwo female Muslim chaperones will accom-pany the group.

Together with Ms. Gonca Aydin, aTurkish theologian who is responsible forinterreligious dialogue with Ditib, the U.S.Embassy in Berlin and the ConsulateGeneral in Frankfurt invited girls to apply.The group was selected through a contestfor which the participants were asked towrite a short essay about their “Window onAmerica.” Ambassador and Mrs. Timkenmet with interested girls and their parentsfor a town hall meeting in Frankfurt onJanuary 18 to explain the program and theselection procedure.

Prior EngagementsThis “Windows on America” group is

building on several years of engagementefforts with Muslim groups in Frankfurt’sconsular district. This year’s Iftaar recep-tion hosted by Consul General Powelland attended by Ambassador and Mrs.Timken was well received by the Muslimcommunity.Army Chaplain Abdul-Rasheed Moham-

mad led the prayer. Before the Iftaar,Ambassador Timken and CG Powellopened an exhibition about Americanmosques at the Frankfurt City Library’sinternational branch, located in the Gallusdistrict where many Muslims and otherpeople with immigrant backgrounds live.This exhibit, which has since traveled toseveral other cities in Germany, shows newaudiences the diversity of Muslim life inAmerica and the successful integration ofMuslims in the U.S.Since the successful completion of the

pilot projects in Duesseldorf and Berlin,“Windows on America” has expanded into anationwide program. In addition to thegirls’ group from Frankfurt, public diplo-macy staff members are planning projectswith groups across Germany and anticipatesending approximately 100 students peryear on this program.Major German and American corpora-

tions have responded positively to theTimkens’ initiative by contributing morethan $250,000 to the effort to date. Thedemands of organizing a program of thisscale are more than offset by the rewards:the visible difference this program makes inthe lives of the students and a greatlyimproved image of the U.S. among youngMuslims in Germany.�

Scott Rauland is the public affairs officer inFrankfurt; Ruth Anne Stevens is the assistantcultural affairs officer in Berlin and coordina-tor of the “Windows on America” program.

Above: Ambassador Timken, right, and U.S. Army chaplain Abdul-Rasheed Mohammad greet a guestat an Iftaar hosted by Consul General Powell in Frankfurt. Below: Ambassador and Mrs. Timken lookat a picture at the opening of the exhibit on American mosques.

Blue skies and bluer seas are just partof the scenery surrounding the busyU.S. Embassy in Suva.


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South Pacific Islands AboundWith Challenges and Charms

By Heidi Gibson

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


Suva


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When they hear the words “South Pacific,” many people visual-ize gleaming white beaches with swaying palms, World War IIMarines fighting across islands inch by inch, scantily clad tribes oreven Rossano Brazzi singing “Some Enchanted Evening.”What they probably don’t visualize is Suva, Fiji, a commercial

and governmental center and a town with considerable charms.The U.S. Embassy in Suva, with 19 direct-hire Americans,

including the Peace Corps and Defense Attaché offices, hasresponsibility for all U.S. relations with five countries—Fiji, Kiri-bati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu—plus consular and defenseresponsibilities for France’s Pacific territories.The geography spans five million square miles, a huge swath of

ocean speckled with mostly small islands and plenty of scenicvistas, plus diverse cultures and challenging work.In the opinion of many, the greatest strengths of Fiji are its

friendly people and laid-back atmosphere. In an area where theusual foreigners are “Aussies” or “Kiwis,” Americans are a bit of anovelty. It is impossible to go anywhere without receivingbeaming smiles and friendly greetings of “bula,” which meanshello. Life is casual. At official functions, men wear Hawaiian-styleshirts. Locals refer to the relaxed pace as “Fiji time.”

Small Fish, Big PondAlthough many of the Pacific Islands look like picturesque out-

posts that the modern age has bypassed, they face issues similar tothose other developing nations face. They are struggling to

compete in an era of globalization without the advantages ofeconomies of scale or convenient location.With the expiration of the World Trade Organization Agree-

ment on Textiles and Clothing in 2004, Fiji’s textile industrylargely collapsed. Fiji’s other traditional export earner, sugar, isalso struggling. Tourism, though, is a winner, so long as there ispolitical stability.The U.S. has been a strong advocate for democratic values

throughout the Pacific, but the road has been bumpy in Fiji, withfour coups in 20 years. The most recent was last December, whenthe military commander grabbed presidential powers. That acttriggered tough international sanctions, including by the U.S.Abroad, the Fiji military has a more positive record, having con-tributed over many years to peacekeeping operations around theworld, including in the Sinai and with the United Nations in Iraq.

A Growing HubFiji has long been a crossroads for the Pacific, and its popula-

tion is a blend of Melanesians (like Papuans) and Polynesians(like Hawaiians). Suva, with a population of around 100,000 plusperhaps another 200,000 in nearby squatter settlements, hosts alarge number of regional and international organizations.The embassy is similarly developing into a regional hub. Last

summer, the Department established an environmental hub for thePacific in Suva. Fisheries, climate change and conservation of bio-diversity are all issues of vital importance to the region and to the

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


AT A GLANCE: FIJI

CapitalSuva

GovernmentRepublic

IndependenceOctober 10, 1970 (from theUnited Kingdom)

Population906,000

LanguagesEnglish, Fijian and Hindustani

Total area18,270 square kilometers

Approximate sizeSlightly smaller than New Jersey

CurrencyFijian dollar (FJD)

Per capita income$6,100

ImportsManufactured goods, machineryand transportation equipment

Import partnersSingapore (27.5 percent), Australia(23.7 percent) and New Zealand(19 percent)

ExportsSugar, garments, gold and timber

Export partnersUnited States (19.7 percent),Australia (17 percent) and theUnited Kingdom (12.3 percent)

Internet country code.fj

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2007

U.S. The new hub officer, Joe Murphy,coordinates environmental initiativesacross a dozen Pacific island countries inan area that encompasses both theworld’s largest and most productive fish-eries and the majority of the planet’scoral reefs and marine biodiversity.This summer, a regional public affairs

officer will arrive, dramatically increas-ing U.S. ability to engage with Pacificnations, which have 12 U.N. GeneralAssembly votes—more than 6 percent ofthe total.

Multicultural Pleasures and PainsIndigenous Fijians comprise more

than half the population of what wasonce known as the “Cannibal Isles.” Mis-sionaries, mostly Methodist, convertedthem to Christianity in the mid 1800s.About 40 percent of the population isIndo-Fijian, descendants of Indianworkers brought in during the Britishcolonial period to work on sugar planta-tions. The remainder of the populationis Chinese, European and other PacificIslanders.During the course of a year, embassy

staff sing carols at Christmas; dress insaris for Diwali, the Hindu festival oflights; and celebrate the birthdays ofboth the Prophet Mohammed andQueen Elizabeth II.An official visit to a traditional Fijian

village is always ceremonial and willinclude several bowls of kava, a mildherbal drug pounded from the root of apepper plant.The tightly knit embassy community

eagerly participates in local activities.The embassy took second place in therecent diplomatic “Mini Olympics,”which featured events such as sackracing, gumboot tossing and the hotlycontested tug-of-war. The embassy teamfor the annual “Clean-up Fiji” dayhelped tidy up Suva’s waterfront.Suva is on the eastern, rainy side of

Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, which isabout the size of the big island ofHawaii. Suva receives 120 inches of raina year, encouraging tropical blooms inprofusion. Pleasant resorts and theinternational airport range along thecoast of the western, sunny side.Even with the wet weather, outdoor

activities are plentiful. Embassy staffhike, scuba dive and golf. Fiji’s coral


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reefs are world-famous, and while Suva hasmangroves instead of the white sand manyassociate with the Pacific Islands, beachesare only an hour or two away.

Five for the Price of OneEmbassy Suva’s efforts to engage diplo-

matically with Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga andTuvalu can be an exercise in creativity andendurance. Trips depend on sometimes-unreliable airline schedules. One flightfailure can mean being stranded on a verysmall island for a week or more. Inevitably,embassy staff often must communicatewith the outlying governments by phone,fax and e-mail.These are truly tiny nations, and each

has a character all its own.Tonga, long governed by one of the

world’s last absolute monarchies, was neverformally colonized, though it has a longand close relationship with Britain and hasadopted a number of classic British tradi-tions. When Ambassador Larry Dingerpresented credentials to King Tupou IV, amorning coat and top hat were mandatory,even in tropical heat. That regalia wasexpected again for the late King’s funerallast September.Approximately half of all Tongans live

overseas, mostly in New Zealand, the

United States and Australia. Remittancesfrom expatriates are the main driver of theTongan economy.Politically, Tonga has lately been

inching toward a more democratic system,though not without difficulty. Disputesbetween activists and traditionalists overthe pace of political reform contributed toa riot last November thatresulted in 80 percent ofthe capital city Nuku’alofa’scentral business districtbeing destroyed. Fortu-itously, Consul DebraTowry was in Tonga at thetime and could comfort theresident American commu-nity and assist tourists inarranging departures.The U.S. has encouraged

political progress and wel-comed Tonga’s staunchsupport in the war on ter-rorism and itscontributions to interna-tional peacekeeping. TheTonga government recentlyapproved a second deploy-ment of troops to Iraq.Kiribati (pronounced

KIR-i-bas), a nation of

100,000 people, straddles the Equator foraround 3,000 miles. Tarawa, the capital,will be familiar to World War II buffs.Far to the east, Christmas Island hasregular flights from Hawaii and is anangler’s paradise.Nauru, with a population of approxi-

mately 9,000, is just eight square miles in

Approximately half of all Tongans live overseas, mostlyin New Zealand, the United States and Australia.

A narrow-gauge sugarcane train chugs throughFiji’s western region.


area. The mining of guano for phosphatefertilizer led to a brief period of wealth,but depletion of the resource and misman-agement of revenues eventually left onlyfinancial disaster and a denuded landscape.Nauru has the unfortunate distinction ofplummeting from one of the world’shighest per capita gross domestic productsto one of the lowest.

Over the last 20 years, Nauru’s govern-ment has changed 22 times. The countrywas put on the blacklist of the FinancialAction Task Force for Money Laundering,and the U.S. Export-Import Bank wasobliged to repossess Air Nauru’s sole air-craft. With embassy encouragement, thecurrent government has instituted appro-priate reforms.

Tuvalu, nine tiny coral atolls with a pop-ulation of 10,000, is about two hours northof Fiji via a propeller plane small enoughthat passengers can peer into the cockpitand look over the pilot’s shoulder.Landing at Funafuti, the capital, is an

experience. The nation’s sole fire enginecranks its siren to full blare and traversesthe length of the unfenced runway that wasbuilt by American soldiers during WorldWar II. Kids playing soccer scurry to theside. The government’s open-air meetinghouse, right next to the arrival hall, sus-pends its parliament session or judicialhearing or dance gathering. All handsgather to observe the new arrivals. For thenext several days, everyone, everywhere onthe island will smile and wave a “hello.”And that encapsulates life in the South

Pacific. Challenges abound for the smallislands and for the embassy, but the peoplegreet each day with an exuberant andinfectious spirit of joy.�

The author is a consular/commercial officerat the U.S. Embassy in Suva.

Left: Information Management Officer RydellFletcher teaches, seated from left, Jae Lee,Patricia Moore and Cherisa Roe how to usetheir new BlackBerries.

Located on Fiji’s “other” bigisland, Savusavu is oftencalled Fiji’s best kept secret.


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As the U.S. Embassy began disasterresponse for the mission community, manyof whom were without power, telephoneand water for several days, Ambassador

Kristie A. Kenney also wanted to reach outto suffering Filipino communities. Sheturned to the U.S. Embassy Club, a commu-nity service organization composed of

embassy families that strives to make a posi-tive difference through volunteerism andcharitable donations. USEC supports eightcharities in the metro Manila region, fromorphanages to the ever-popular ProjectSmile.USEC President Christiane Armstrong

was faced with an immense challenge: Withso many needing help in the wake ofTyphoon Milenyo, where could the club bemost effective? The answer was soon clear,as USEC volunteers found when theyvisited the Buting Bridge slums.Constructed along rivers, railroad tracks,

dumps and government land, Manila’s slumcommunities are the center of urbanpoverty in the country. Living in homesbuilt of cardboard, tin, discarded lumberand tarps, residents are at the mercy of alltypes of natural disasters, as well as devas-tating fires.

EMBASSY HELPS COMMUNITY AFTER TYPHOON AND FIRE BY KIM FULLERTON

The Winds of Generosity

known internationally as Xangsane, was the strongeststorm to hit Manila in more than a decade and passeddirectly through the Philippines’ capital on September28, 2006. The city was turned into an impassable mazeof uprooted trees, downed power lines, flooded roadsand damaged buildings. With torrential rains and gale-force winds of more than 100 miles per hour, thetyphoon was blamed for 179 deaths and nearly $120million in damage throughout the country.

Typhoon Milenyo,

Buting Bridge fire victims pose withU.S. Embassy Club volunteers.


Immediately after Typhoon Milenyo, aportion of a slum community locatedaround and under Buting Bridge inMakati—just minutes from many embassyhomes—burned down. Twenty-seven fami-lies were suddenly homeless; the fewpossessions they had been able to save fromthe typhoon were now lost forever.Trichet Learning Center, one of the chari-

ties supported by USEC, counts many

Buting Bridge children as students.Although USEC’s mission with Trichetusually supports its work with childrenafflicted with autism, cerebral palsy andDown’s syndrome, it was clear that theembassy community’s help was mosturgently needed to help the families ofButing Bridge get back on their feet.USEC engineered a two-day drive at the

embassy and the Seafront residential com-pound to collect animpressive amount ofcanned food, rice,clothes and toys fromembassy employees—both Americans andLocally EmployedStaff. Even thoughmany families werestaying with friends orin hotels after theirown homes weredamaged or flooded,they returned home tosort through theirclosets and cupboardsto find goods and sup-plies to donate.USEC volunteers

brought the donationto the Buting Bridge

fire victims, who were staying at a tempo-rary shelter. The 27 families who had losteverything in two back-to-back tragedieswere thrilled to receive the bags of donatedgoods, including everything from cannedfood to hygiene products to children’sclothes.The volunteers toured the fire-ravaged

neighborhood. They were amazed at thedevastation, but even more awed by theeveryday living conditions of Manila’s slumdwellers. The homes left standing arecramped, dark and stifling. A standardliving space for a family of as many as 10people is about 8 x 8 feet, with walls madeof found supplies such as cardboard. Furni-ture is rare and women cook on smallportable stoves. School attendance is unreli-able, as many children are sent to workbegging in the streets, and adult unemploy-ment is high. It was clear that the donationswould be put to good use in Buting Bridge.“Milenyo caused a lot of damage to many

of our homes,” Armstrong said. “But every-one immediately looked past their ownproblems to help those more in need.Whata great way to show our Filipino friends thatAmericans at the embassy really care.”�

The author is an Employed Family Memberat the U.S. Embassy in Manila.

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


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Now the longest-running ship on theBosphorus, the Hiawatha has becomea potent symbol of Turkish-Americanrelations and our committed presence inthe region.Constructed of teak and mahogany with

brass fittings by the American Car andFoundry Company in Wilmington, Del., in1922, the Hiawatha was brought to Istanbulby its first owner, Ambassador Charles H.Sherrill. At the conclusion of his tour in1933, and with the move of the capital and

the embassy to Ankara, Ambassador Sherrilldonated the Hiawatha to the U.S. govern-ment. For a period, she was included in theconsulate’s motor pool and crewed by con-sulate staff.Long operated by a private contractor at

no cost to the U.S. government—herupkeep is underwritten by American busi-nesses—the Hiawatha is managed by theconsulate general’s employees associationand may be rented by members and affili-ates for excursions during the April-

October sailing season. She can accommo-date 15 passengers, and a 160-horsepowerGeneral Motors diesel engine propels her tospeeds of up to 15 knots.

Manifest DestinyThe Hiawatha’s most important role

remains representational, however. ThreeU.S. ambassadors and 27 consuls generalhave proudly served as her custodiansthrough the years. Many have fond memo-ries of notable guests and adventuresaboard the vessel. Some of the VIPs treatedto Bosphorus cruises include first ladiesEleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton(1953 and 1999, respectively), GeneralDouglas MacArthur (1932) and NATOSupreme Commander General DwightEisenhower (1952). The passenger manifesthas sparkled with artists such as the greatAmerican writer James Baldwin, ground-breaking composer Philip Glass andrenowned glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.

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

Belle of the BosphorusIn 1932, the global economy sputtered and Germany, Italyand Japan had begun the machinations that would againplunge the world into war. The newly minted Republic ofTurkey, led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was transformingitself from Ottoman remnant to modern, Western state.And in Istanbul, then still the capital, a graceful, 50-footmotor launch called the Hiawatha began plying the watersof the Bosphorus. She continues to this day.

The Hiawatha plies the Bosphorusnear Rumeli Hisar.


Adding a further star turn to theHiawatha’s lore, in 1975 Consul GeneralHoward P. Mace took her to Imrali Island inthe Sea of Marmara to visit Americaninmate Billy Hayes. Upon arriving at thequay, he was informed that Hayes—whoseexperiences formed the basis of the 1978film “Midnight Express” (screenwriterOliver Stone subsequently apologized for itsscurrilous depiction of Turks andTurkey)—had escaped earlier that day.More recently, the Hiawatha has borne

Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia,Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth BaderGinsberg, as well as a host of Congressionalrepresentatives.The Hiawatha’s original captain, Naci

Bey, remained at the helm for more thanfive decades until his retirement in 1986.

Budgets and BombsSaved by the consulate’s employees asso-

ciation from being sold in the wake of

federal budget cuts in 1987 (when then-Consul General William E. Rau said hewould sell her over his dead body),the Hiawatha faced her gravest challengein 1989.Early on the morning of Dec. 6, the

leftist terrorist group “16 June,” well awareof the Hiawatha’s significance as an emblemof U.S.-Turkish amity, firebombed her ather moorings in Kurucesme, a historicneighborhood on the Bosphorus not farfrom the consul general’s official residence.Although much of her superstructure wasseverely burned, the Hiawatha remainedfundamentally sound and—following afour-month renovation—returned toservice in May 1990.With her classic profile and plucky char-

acter, the Hiawatha has continued to inspireship spotters in Istanbul and imitators whohave constructed replicas. However, withfourscore-and-five years of cruising to herkeel, she is showing her age. Significant

structural, drive train and safety upgradeslikely are required.Last November, the Hiawatha was taken

to a dry dock facility in Tuzla, southeast ofIstanbul, thanks to the generosity of Turkishindustrial magnate, sailor and longtimeHiawatha admirer Rahmi Koc.It is the sincere hope of current and

former employees of the U.S. ConsulateGeneral in Istanbul, and of all those whohave had the privilege and pleasure ofviewing the Bosphorus and Golden Hornfrom her deck, that the Hiawatha again willbe restored to prime condition, ready tothrill future generations of Americans andTurks as an enduring envoy of friendship inthe storied city where East meets West.The ongoing, vital assistance provided

by corporate sponsors will help realizethat hope.�

The author is a vice consul at the U.S.Consulate General in Istanbul.

Above: Turkish industrialist Rahmi Koc stands in front of the Hiawatha in drydock. Top right: Gen. Dwight Eisenhower smiles during his Istanbul visit in1952. Bottom right: The Hiawatha shows burn damage following the 1989terrorist bombing.


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New Embassy Ushers in a New Era By Rafik Mansour

Shores of Tripoli

Do you know where thenewest U.S. embassy in theworld is? No, it’s not Iraq,Afghanistan or East Timor.

It is Tripoli, Libya.


The United States restoredfull diplomatic ties with Libyaon May 31, 2006, after threedecades of isolation. The Libyangovernment renounced itspursuit of weapons of massdestruction and its support forterrorism in 2003. The U.S.Liaison Office in Tripoli wasestablished in 2004. Libya wasremoved from the list of statessponsoring terrorism a monthafter the upgrade to an embassy.Embassy staffers, including

25 direct-hire Americans, are atthe forefront of transformation-al diplomacy as they engagewith Libyans to advance thebilateral agenda. Promotingdemocracy in Libya is the workof a generation.A top priority is to restore

educational, cultural and artisticties between the two countries.Fifteen Libyans have participat-ed in the International VisitorsProgram. Another fifteen havebeen nominated for Fulbrightscholarships. Four are teachingArabic and taking universitycourses in the U.S. through theFulbright Foreign LanguageTeaching Assistant program.

USA DAYLast April, Libyans at the

Tripoli International Trade Fairapplauded the first U.S. partici-pation in more than 30 years.

The embassy, with the help ofthe Foreign Commercial Serviceoffice in Cairo, hosted a two-story pavilion with more than20 exhibitors, as well as infor-mation booths promotingeducational opportunities atU.S. institutions. In addition, thepublic diplomacy section hostedtwo performances by a reggaeband, Luna Angel, on the fair’s“USA Day.” Almost 10,000Libyans, mostly young people,cheered and waved U.S. flags asthe band performed.The embassy coordinates

closely with many U.S. govern-ment agencies to provideLibyans the assistance they needto eliminate their WMDs andretrain their scientists to usetheir expertise in peacefulendeavors.Experts participating in more

than 40 U.S. scientific delega-tions have conferred with theirLibyan counterparts during thepast two years. The most widelypublicized group was a NationalAeronautics and Space Adminis-tration team that conductedsolar physics experimentsduring the March 2006 solareclipse. Libya, in the eclipse’spath of totality, was deemed themost effective site for data col-lection.Many senior U.S. officials

have visited Libya, including the

deputy secretaries of Commerceand Health, who accompaniedUnder Secretary of State forDemocracy and Global AffairsPaula Dobriansky in July 2006to promote broader cooperationin science, health, the environ-ment and technology. Theywitnessed the signing of a $1million grant for pandemicinfluenza planning, disease sur-veillance and responsemeasures, and enhancing labo-ratory capacity.Assistant Secretary for

Oceans, Environment andScience Claudia McMurray fol-lowed up in November with avisit to develop implementationstrategies for additional cooper-ation in public health,renewable energy, water desali-nation and environmentalprotection.

PROMOTING STABILITYAs a founding member of the

African Union, Libya plays animportant role in the promo-tion of regional stability.Consequently, Assistant Secre-tary for African Affairs JendayiFrazer visited in February 2006to discuss developments in theDarfur region of Sudan with theLibyan leadership.Under Secretary for Manage-

ment Henrietta Fore, UnderSecretary for Arms Control and

International Security RobertJoseph and several congression-al delegations round out theroster of important visitors.Once the breadbasket of the

Roman Empire, Libya providesembassy families with a rangeof activities and travel opportu-nities both inside and outsideTripoli. Scuba diving is popularalong Libya’s 2,000-kilometerstretch of beaches. Severalemployees attend a martial artsschool operating inside an oldchurch building in downtownTripoli. Libya is world-renowned for the Roman ruinsin Leptis Magna and Sabratha,as well as Greek ruins inCyrene.The American School is open

and adding a 9th and 10th gradein 2007. The embassy will soonmove from its current hotellocation to a temporary sitepending the identification of apermanent embassy site andconstruction of a new building.Meanwhile, embassy employ-

ees value the chance toparticipate in a U.S. foreignpolicy success story and to livein Libya as it re-engages with theinternational community andtransforms its institutions.�

The author is the public affairsofficer at the U.S. Embassyin Tripoli.

Opposite page: Boats float by the El Mina mosque inTripoli. Left: Thousands of young Libyans cheer atthe Luna Angel concert in Tripoli. Above: Embassyofficers jump into the Ghadames Natural Spring.

According to the United Nations Development Fund forWomen, most of the world’s 1.3 billion “absolute poor” arewomen. On average, women receive 30 to 40 percent less pay thanmen for the same work. And everywhere, women continue to bevictims of violence, with rape and domestic violence cited as sig-nificant causes of disability and death.Despite such inequality, there is a growing awareness that peace

and social progress require the active participation of women. AsFirst Lady Laura Bush said, “No society can prosper when half ofits population is not allowed to contribute to its progress. Educat-

ed and empowered women are vital to democracy—and impor-tant for the development of all countries.”Created by Congressional mandate in 1994, State’s Office of the

Senior Coordinator for International Women’s Issues serves as thefocal point within the federal government for the integration ofwomen’s issues into broader U.S. strategic, economic and diplo-matic goals.“We are ramping up our focus on global women’s issues,” says

Deborah Emmert, senior advisor for the Broader Middle East andNorth Africa. “IWI is the loudspeaker to make sure women’s

STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY BY EMPOWERINGWOMEN BY JENNIFER LELAND

InternationalWomen’s Issues

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

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


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issues are integrated into policy. This is a very interesting timebecause there is more awareness that including women isabsolutely integral to successful democracies.”The nine-member staff of IWI—which reports to the Under

Secretary for Global Affairs—is comprised of Foreign Service andCivil Service personnel, contractors and an American Associationfor the Advancement of Science Fellow. The office brings attentionto issues such as the political and economic participation ofwomen, access to education and health care and protection ofwomen’s rights.“The mission of this office is really to make sure that women’s

rights are not segregated from human rights,” says AndreaBottner, who was appointed senior coordinator for InternationalWomen’s Issues last December. Bottner, an attorney who previ-ously directed the Office of Violence Against Women at the JusticeDepartment, says the office plays a coordinating role, linkingpeople and resources.IWI works closely with other State offices and posts. Working

with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad last June, for example, theoffice sponsored a delegation of Iraqi women leaders to partici-pate in an international economic forum in the U.S.IWI also works with posts on reporting on the status of women

worldwide for the annual Human Rights Report. Last July, IWIhosted a roundtable discussion on how Foreign Service officers canenhance their efforts to report on women’s issues from the field.

At a GlanceOffice nameOffice of the Senior Coordinator forInternational Women’s Issues

SymbolG/IWI

Office DirectorAndrea G. Bottner

Staff size9

Office LocationSA-22, 1800 G St. NW, Suite 2135

Web site(s)www.state.gov/g/wi

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


Political and Leadership TrainingThis mission directly affects the welfare not only of women, but

of whole societies. “Women account for half of the population,”says Bottner, “so democracy rings hollow if half of the populationis isolated.”To support the active political participation of women, the

office has been instrumental in implementing the Iraqi Women’sDemocracy Initiative since September 2004.“We really work to provide targeted training based on the needs

women have voiced,” says Emmert. “Topics may include how torun for office, be an activist for things in the constitution, get outthe vote, work with media or set up independent parties—and wework with sustainability in mind.”To date, IWI programs in Iraq have trained some 5,000 women of

all ages in key areas. Over 50 percent of the women elected to theCouncil of Representatives were trained by grantees of the Initiative.“This is the first time anyone has given us the political skills we

so badly need,” said one participant in a candidate workshop.“What you have shown us will make it possible to do a better jobfor the Iraqi people we wish to help.”The Initiative also established a Women’s Leadership Institute

in Baghdad and democracy resource centers in four universities.“I think this is exactly the kind of training Iraqi women need,”

said one leadership conference participant. “For so long, Iraqi

women have stayed out of power and have been prevented fromobtaining leadership positions, so they have very little experiencewith and no knowledge of leadership.”In February and March of 2006, IWI sponsored a delegation of

Iraqi women leaders, including newly elected members of theCouncil of Representatives and heads of nongovernmental organi-zations, to participate in the U.N. Commission on the Status ofWomen and International Women’s Day events. The women alsoshadowed members of Congress and took part in state and localgovernment assembly meetings in Maryland and Virginia.IWI, in coordination with the Bureau of Democracy, Human

Rights and Labor and the U.S. Agency for International Develop-ment, has also worked with the Bureau of African Affairs on theWomen’s Justice and Empowerment Initiative in Africa. Fourtarget countries were identified to receive assistance such as tech-nical training, the development of DNA labs and other specializedequipment, and the establishment of hotline numbers for report-ing rape or violence.

Business and Entrepreneurial TrainingThe economic empowerment of women is a major focus for

the office. “Part of our job is to think of solutions that are collabo-rative and bring a fresh perspective,” says Bottner. “We are veryinterested in public-private partnerships, because everything can’tbe done by government alone. It makes much better sense to havebuy-in by corporations on these issues.”The U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council Partnership with George-

town University is one innovative public-private initiative that

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


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Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky,left, joined then-Iraqi State Minister for Women’s Affairs Narmin Othmanin 2004 to kick off the Iraqi Women’s Democracy Initiative.

links governments, private sectors and NGOs to practical projectsbenefiting women. The council provided $1 million in seedfunding for literacy and job-training programs in new women’sresource centers in more than half of Afghanistan’s provinces.The council also supports microfinance programs to help womenestablish small businesses.As reported in IWI’s newsletter, the Iraq Women’s Economic

Empowerment Working Group met in Washington last July todiscuss Iraqi women entrepreneurs’ access to training, trainingmaterials, credit, mentoring and venues to sell their goods. Par-ticipants worked to create online business training in Arabic anddevelop an “Adopt an Entrepreneur Program,” a one-on-onementoring program that links U.S. women business owners withIraqi women entrepreneurs.

International Women’s DayIn commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day,

celebrated on March 8, Secretary Rice established an annualaward honoring women from each geographic region who haveshown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating forwomen’s rights. IWI administers the awards and will work withoverseas posts to bolster women’s rights.�

The author is a writer/editor at State Magazine.

Above: Andrea Bottner was appointed Senior Coordinator forInternational Women’s Issues last December. Below, left: Several of the350 delegates to a 2004 conference held in Baghdad signed this posterto show their commitment to democracy for Iraqi women.



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Through creative manage-ment, the Department’s Officeof Personnel Security and Suit-ability and the Office ofPersonnel Management haveforged an alliance that exempli-fies efficiency in government,while also benefiting EligibleFamily Members.The program involves hiring

family members at missionsabroad to fill the gap inemployment opportunitiesoverseas.Faced with the challenge of

meeting the provisions of theIntelligence Reform and Terror-ism Prevention Act of 2004 fortimeliness in processing securi-ty clearance investigations, the

Bureau of Diplomatic Securityand OPM combined resourcesto allow the processing of secu-rity clearances overseas toproceed faster, more efficientlyand at reduced cost. TheEconomy Act of 1932 allowsfederal government agencies topurchase goods or servicesfrom other federal governmentagencies when it is deemed tobe in the best interest of thegovernment.Donald R. Reid, DS senior

coordinator for Security Infra-structure, and Kathy L.Dillaman, associate director ofthe Federal Investigative Serv-ices Division at OPM,orchestrated this dynamic part-

nership. They hired 18 overseasEFMs as DS special investiga-tors who directly contribute tofaster security clearance inves-tigations.DS and OPM entered into a

Memorandum of Understand-ing, which outlined thiscollaborative arrangement. Itwas determined that OPM’sgreatest investigative needs werein the high-volume areas ofLondon, Frankfurt, Seoul andTokyo/Naha. A job announce-ment was posted for the EFMsat these embassies and con-sulates. After resumes werereviewed and selections made,the new investigator candidateswere flown to Boyers, Pa., to

Agency CooperationLets Eligible Family

Members FillEmployment Needs

By Margery Gehan

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


attend a two-week DS/OPMinvestigator training program.Most of the training was con-

ducted at OPM’s trainingfacility in Boyers, a former lime-stone mine converted into officespace 250 feet below theground. The investigatorsattended lectures, trained inreport writing and participatedin mock interviews to honetheir interviewing skills. OPMinstructors taught the course,with DS instructors providingState-specific training.Sixteen special investigators

graduated from the program inNovember and were issuedDepartment credentials author-izing them to conduct

personnel security investiga-tions for the federalgovernment. Two others hadalready met OPM standards toperform security clearanceinvestigations. As they transferto other posts, they are qualifiedfor continued employment withthe Department and OPM.“Identifying a talented pool

of candidates overseas who arequalified to perform securityclearance investigations was thecornerstone to this innovativesolution,” said James C. Onusko,director of the Office of Person-nel Security and Suitability.EFMs constitute a wealth of

work experience. According toAnn D. Greenberg, director of

the Family Liaison Office, ademographic study of EFMsserving at U.S. embassies andconsulates found that morethan three-quarters possess abachelor’s degree and morethan half of those have amaster’s or other professionaldegree.“This program will provide

spouses the opportunity todevelop a portable career thatthey can carry with them asthey move from post to postaround the world,” she said.A more efficient process for

security clearances will soonbecome a reality for militaryand civilian personnel assignedoverseas. In December, EFM

special investigators participatedin orientation sessions at mili-tary installations in London,Frankfurt, Seoul andTokyo/Naha to get an overviewof the Defense Departmentenvironment, as well as anintroduction to the securitycontacts on the bases. Theprogram is slated to expand toother locations.“This newly formed State

and OPM partnership is a win-win situation for the federalgovernment and the Americantaxpayer,” said Onusko. It alsoresponds to Secretary Rice’sgoal of employing EFMs toincrease retention and boostmorale among Foreign Serviceemployees. �

The author is an executive assis-tant in the Office of PersonnelSecurity and Suitability.

Who are the EFM Investigators?The Bureau of Diplomatic Security asked the Eligible Family Members to complete a questionnaire

during the course of the training program to learn a little about them.The group has more than 94 years of cumulative federal government service. Of the 18 investigators,

16 have bachelor’s degrees, seven have master’s degrees and one has a Ph.D. Three have past lawenforcement experience; one did background investigations in the U.S. for the Office ofPersonnel Management before moving overseas.

Many of the EFMs said they had given up careers in the States to accompany aspouse overseas and expressed frustration at not being able to find steadyemployment, given the limited job options for trailing spouses. One investigatorretired from the Foreign Service and is now accompanying his Foreign Servicewife. He said this position has provided a “new vista” for him.

Most said they decided to work as investigators because the job seemed chal-lenging. They also cited the independence and flexibility. One said the flexibility willallow him to stay at home with his one-year-old son.

The first class to graduate fromthe two-week State Department/OPM investigator training programincluded Eligible Family Membersfrom around the world.


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Second Nature


The Foreign Service RetireeAssociation of Florida, withapproximately 800 members, isthe largest such group in thecountry. Many of its memberssettled in the Sarasota-Braden-ton area because of its culturalattractions and active interna-tional organizations.Among the latter are the local

chapter of the United NationsAssociation of the United States,Sister Cities International,Rotary, the Sarasota Institute ofLifetime Learning, the U.N.Fund for Women and severalinternationally oriented socialand political organizations.Like others, I found life in

sunny Sarasota as a retiredForeign Service administrativeofficer to be a good place tostay active in internationalissues. My first involvementwas as a board member of theForeign Service Retirees Associ-ation. Later, I joined theSarasota Opera Guild and per-formed at senior nursinghomes. In 1999, I became aboard member of the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of UNA-USAand began introducing initia-tives to help the associationcarry out its mission to enhanceU.S. support of the U.N.Our chapter initiated several

major projects, beginning witha successful drive to raise fundsto remove landmines fromCroatia. Next was a presenta-tion of a film on the life of Dr.Ralph Bunche, followed by afundraiser to support thechapter's high school ModelU.N. programs. Then, for U.N.Day in 2000, I proposed thatour chapter organize a ModelU.N. Security Council debate,with local community leaders,college presidents and profes-

sors, Foreign Service retireesand college students role-playing delegates to UNSC. TheModel UNSC has since becomean annual U.N. Day event inSarasota-Bradenton. Ourmonthly meetings featurespeakers who address U.N. andother international issues.The chapter's current inter-

national project isAdopt-a-School for Girls inLiberia, an effort to supportthat country's newly electedfemale president, MadamJohnson Sirleaf, in her efforts torebuild Liberia's educationsystem. The project relates tothe U.N.'s eight MillenniumGoals adopted by 189 U.N.member states, includingthe U.S., to eliminatepoverty and hunger indeveloping countries by2015. The project is tar-geted on promotinggender equality, empow-ering women and girlsand developing globalpartnerships for devel-opment projects. Twolocal organizations, theU.N. Fund for Womenand Sister Cities, havejoined us in promotingthe Liberian project,and we have plans tolink Sarasota to a sistercity in Liberia.The chapter's board decided

to encourage the creation of anaffiliate organization, YoungProfessionals for InternationalCooperation, ages 20-40, whichwas formed in November 2005.YPIC organized the ModelUNSC on U.N. Day in 2006 andis planning an internationalcareer seminar.The membership of our

UNA-USA chapter includes

retirees from the ForeignService and other internationalcareers who remain active inlocal civic and service work.Dr. Daniel Luu, a former senioradvisor on population studiesat the U.N., is a former presi-dent of the Sarasota-ManateeUNA-USA chapter and presi-dent of the Florida UNA-USAdivision. He initiated and ledsix annual high school ModelU.N. programs.Retired FSO Paul Byrnes is

serving his second stint as pres-ident of the Florida FS RetireesAssociation, is a former presi-dent of our UNA-USA chapterand was assistant secretarygeneral with the World TourismOrganization before

retirement. Sinceretiring from the ForeignService in 1991 and moving toFlorida, Wade Matthews hasbeen president of our chapter,an enthusiastic participant inthe Model UNSC debates, amember of the Liberian projectand a frequent speaker. In hisspare time, he is conservationchair of the local AudubonSociety and has identified

1,802 species of birds aroundthe world.Retired ambassador Ken Hill,

who participated in his firstModel UNSC in 2003, is nowthe chapter's vice president forprograms, a frequent speaker atmeetings and a member of theSILL board. Retired ambassa-dor Shirley Barnes hasparticipated in our programs,including launching her debatein the Model UNSC in French.Retired ambassador Don Leidelis a member of the chapterboard, lectures on global issuesthroughout the area, has takenpart in the Model U.N. seriesand is a member of the SILLboard. Retired ambassadorJoseph Segars is a member ofthe chapter's board, a program

participant and anavid golfer who manages to getin two rounds each week.Yes, you can still share world

experiences and remain activein international affairs afteryou retire.�

The author is chapter presidentof the United Nations Associationof the United States.

LIFE AFTER THE FOREIGN SERVICE BY DOROTHY L. WATSON

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A NOVICE’S GUIDETO SENIOR PAY

BY NANCY SERPAAND PHIL LUSSIER

Where’s MyStep Increase?

Despite exten-sive press coverageabout “pay for per-formance” for theSenior ForeignService or SeniorExecutive Service, weget a surprising numberof questions fromemployees about howthe senior pay systemworks. So we decidedto make this effort toexplain the systemin simple terms.

In 2003, the Office of PersonnelManagement instituted govern-ment-wide “pay for performance”guidelines to implement legislatedsenior pay reform. In the 2004 ratingcycle, members of the SES and SFSbecame subject to performance-based pay adjustments. This meantno more time-in-grade-based stepincreases, fixed pay scales and annualCOLAs. Instead, all senior payincreases are based entirely on per-formance. People who do not receivean evaluation get no pay raise at all.

From 2004 to 2006, pay adjustments weremade in two parts: a base pay adjustmentbased on Congressionally-approved increas-es to the Executive Schedule in January andan additional performance-based adjust-ment in April. For 2007, OPM mandatedthat all pay for performance adjustments bemade in January to align more closely withthe end of the performance rating period.This year, the two-step adjustment was com-bined into one pay raise effective the firstpay period in January (and payable in theFebruary 1 paycheck).SES and SFS performance-based salary

increases are based on similar criteria. Payadjustments are made on a six-tier scale,with Tier I being the highest increase andTier VI the lowest (no increase). SFSmembers for whom the summer selectionboards recommend no pay adjustment ormembers who are involved in investigationsof wrongdoing are Tier VI employees andget zero pay adjustment. SES employees whoare rated “unsatisfactory” or have ongoinginvestigations are also in Tier VI. In bothservices, when the investigation is complet-ed, salary increases may be restored if theemployee is not disciplined or reprimanded.In Tier V are SFS members who were not

recommended by selection boards for sub-sequent consideration by performance payboards (about 40 percent of the SFS). Theyreceived a pay adjustment equal to theExecutive Schedule increase. In 2007, thatincrease was 1.7 percent of base pay. Tier Valso includes SES members who received“fully successful” performance ratings.Tier IV comprises SES members who

received a rating of “exceeds expectations,”but did not receive a summary rating by thePerformance Review Board of “outstand-ing.” There is no equivalent to Tier IV inthe SFS system.Tier III employees receive the Executive

Schedule increase plus two percent (a 3.7percent increase in 2007). These are SFSmembers who are reviewed by the perform-ance pay boards but do not receive cashperformance pay awards, and SES memberswho receive an “outstanding” summaryrating from the SES PRB but do not rankhigh enough to receive a cash award.Tier II includes SES and SFS members

who rank high enough to get a $10,000 cashaward and/or (for the SFS) are promotedfrom FE-OC to FE-MC. They received theExecutive Schedule increase plus threepercent (or 4.7 percent) in January 2007.Tier I pay adjustments are reserved for

SES/SFS members who received $12,500 or

$15,000 cash awards and/or SFS memberspromoted from FE-MC to FE-CM.They received a 5.7 percent increase (theExecutive Schedule increase plus 4 percent)in 2007.The chart below summarizes the criteria

for the six performance tiers and the associ-ated pay increases for 2007.

A couple of points of clarification:• Payment of performance pay cashawards to members of the SeniorForeign Service is limited by law to 33percent of the SFS. The SES does nothave a statutory limit, but generallyhovers around 50 percent. SES membersdo not have promotion opportunitieswithin the senior salary band.• Promotees within the SFS no longer geta pay raise effective on the date theirpromotion is confirmed by the Senateand attested by the President. Instead,they get January pay adjustments. Thosepromoted into the SFS receive a sixpercent increase in their FS-01 base pay(not including locality pay). Upon pro-

motion into the senior ranks, the Wash-ington locality rate is permanentlyincorporated into salary. Pay raises fornew OCs are effective the first payperiod after promotion is attested bythe President.• Some basic pay caps apply. OC basicpay is capped at 102 percent of EX III

($157,692 in 2007); MC pay is cappedat 107 percent of EX III ($165,422); andCM pay is capped at EX II ($168,000).SES members must have a summaryrating of “outstanding” by the PRB tobe paid above the EX III level($154,600) and are capped at EX II($168,000).Additional information and pay calcula-

tion examples can be found at the HR/RMAwebsite http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/hrweb/rma/compensation.html.�

Nancy Serpa was, until February, director ofthe Office of Performance Evaluation; PhilLussier is director of the Office of ResourceManagement and Organization Analysis.


Senior Pay for Performance System (Summary)

Pay Adj.

Tier V +4%

Tier V +3%

Tier V +2%

Tier V + 1%

Adjustment to EXor if no change toEX, equal to theadjustment to theGS exclusive oflocality pay

0%

CY 2007Pay Increase

5.7%

4.7%

3.7%

2.7%

1.7 %

Tier

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

SFS Criteria

$15K, $12.5KPerformance PayBonus, Promotion toCM

$10K Award, orPromotion to MC

Reviewed byPerformance PayBoard (approximately60%)

N/A

All others performingat fully successfullevel not otherwisedisqualified

Open Investigation/Referral toPerformanceStandards, no rating

SES Criteria

‘Outstanding’ Ratingand (PresidentialAward, or $15K, or$12.5K PerformancePay Bonus)

‘Outstanding’ Ratingand $10K Award

Remaining‘Outstanding’Summary Rating

‘ExceedsExpectations’ Rating

All others performingat ‘Fully Successful’level not otherwisedisqualified

OpenInvestigation/Referralto PerformanceStandards, no rating

CY 2007Pay Increase

5.7%

4.7%

3.7%

2.7%

1.7 %

OUTSTEPPING

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

Lunchtime walks arenow a daily eventBy Sandra Yeaman

<<<

42 || S TAT E M A G A Z I N E || MARCH 2 0 0 7

In August 2004, using a health promotionconcept from a company in Minnesota as amodel, I compiled walking tours of five conti-nents (North America, South America, Europe,Africa and Asia) using the corridor intersectionmurals installed as part of the Bureau of Admin-istration’s way-finding system in the Harry STruman Building. Since the number of murals representing dif-

ferent continents varied from four to 13, Icategorized each tour as for beginning, interme-diate or seasoned walkers. My thought was that the walks could be used

by individuals or small groups during theirlunch hour or breaks. I offered walking-tourmaps to Andrea Anderson, one of MED’s occu-pational health nurses, who displayed them atthe next MED health fair. In February 2006, MED’s Sarah Callinan

asked me if I would participate in the “A Health-ier State” event to promote a walking program.During the health fair, I collected names ofpeople interested in walking one day a week. Thenext Wednesday, about 40 people gatheredoutside the cafeteria and divided up into begin-ning, intermediate and seasoned groups. Isolicited volunteer leaders and handed out maps.About eight groups spread out throughout thebuilding, walking on one of five tours.Within a month, Paulette Claiborne and

Lorrell Doughty extended an invitation to seasoned walkers to jointhem on other days of the week. The walking program had grownfrom one day a week to five.Most employees who joined the walking program identified as

goals the desire to lose or maintain weight; improve or maintainhealth, including reduction in bad cholesterol and blood sugarlevels; reduce eating during lunch; increase stamina; or reducestress. Many say they have achieved their goals.

Different walkers reported dropping a dress size, losing 34pounds, getting more involved in other activities such as ballroomdancing and joining a fitness club. One said she dropped one pantsize while managing to control her diabetes without medication.The goal is not to fill Department hallways with walkers during

the lunch hour; it is to help anyone who wants to become moreactive to get started. Some participants have formed smaller groupsthat walk at other times of the day.

We invite new walkers to join us anyday of the week. Mondays, Tuesdays,Thursdays and Fridays, at least twogroups of seasoned walkers take offfrom the area at the bottom of theescalator just outside the Main Statecafeteria at 12:30 p.m. On Wednesdays,beginning walkers and those who mayneed some time to work up to the sea-soned level meet to work on developinggood habits, including walking for 30to 45 minutes each day. �

The author is a program analyst inthe Office of Global Support Servicesand Innovation.

MARCH 2 0 0 7 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | 43

The Office of Personnel Management has declared 2007 theyear of the Healthier Fed. This initiative encourages federal agen-cies to create new or improved fitness and wellness programs foremployees.

Sandra Yeaman has made a big difference in her lifestyle andthat of many other State employees. The impact of the StatelySteppers walking group increases as more people join in.

Do you have a special fitness, nutritional, stress-reducing orother healthy interest? Would you like to start a walking group inyour area? MED is here tohelp. Just contact theHealthier State office at202-663-3666. The officehas resources,ideas and personalincentives you canuse to initiate your ownprogram.

Get a jump-start byhaving your fitness level eval-uated at the Harry S Truman health unit, and find out what youneed to work on. The MicroFit system is a health and fitness eval-uation available to all Department employees. Call 202-647-2602for an appointment.

2007: The Year of the Healthier Fed

From left, Paulette Claiborne, Mira Piplaniand Sandra Yeaman wear their StatelySteppers t-shirts at an American DiabetesAssociation fund-raising walk in November.

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BANGKOK

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok has a longtradition of celebrating Black HistoryMonth with a number of activities through-out February. These celebrations highlightthe accomplishments and contributions ofblack Americans in different fields. The embassy has a dedicated group of

volunteers that has worked diligently toplan exciting events for Black HistoryMonth for the past several years. Activitieshave included a basketball tournament, adinner and dance cruise, a golf tourna-ment and a family day. The family dayevent, which includes food and entertain-ment, is open not just to Embassy

employees and their families but also tothe community at large.This year's Black History Month was

kicked off with an evening at a local hotelwhere guests listened to the smooth soundof Eldee Young, who plays the double bass. The support from the embassy commu-

nity has grown every year, as evidenced bythe strong participation and increasingsums of money raised. This year's bake sale,with Embassy families donating bakedgoods, was a great success. Ticket sales werevery strong for all of the events. Each year the Black History Month Com-

mittee decides on a charity to which the

proceeds from these events should go. Thisyear, the funds will be donated to BangkokEmergency Shelter for Minors and Women. To encourage members of the mission to

learn more about black history, questionsare published in the weekly newsletter,About Bangkok, for several weeks. DuringFamily Day this year, participants competedin an exciting game of Black History Jeop-ardy. Winners took home prizes and abetter knowledge of the history of blackAmericans. �

The author works in the Community LiaisonOffice at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

BANGKOK CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY AND SUPPORTS CHARITY BY HELEN LYNCH

History Lesson

Below: Well-known jazz musician Eldee Young helpedkick off the 2007 celebration with a sterling perform-ance on the double bass. Top right: Disbursing officerSteve Carignan donates a plate of brownies to LorraineDious. Bottom right: Ambassador Ralph L. Boycespeaks at the opening of the black history celebration.

44 || S TAT E M A G A Z I N E || MARCH 2 0 0 744 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | MARCH 2 0 0 7


Student Records OnlineNeed your class schedule or an unofficial

transcript of training taken through FSI?Visit the FSI Registrar’s Office web page onthe Department of State OpenNet athttp://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg.

Mandatory Leadership TrainingLeadership training is mandatory for

Foreign Service and Civil Service employeesat the FS-03/GS-13 levels and above toensure that they have the necessary prepa-ration for increasing levels of responsibility.FSI’s Leadership and Management Schooloffers the required courses to meet thesemandatory training requirements and otherleadership courses for all FS and GSemployees.

FasTrac Distance Learning:Learn at Your Own Pace,When and Where You Want!All State Department employees, FSNs

and EFMs are eligible. With your FasTracpassword, you may access the entire FasTraccatalog of more than 3,000 courses, fromhome or office (Intranet or Internet).Courses cover numerous topics, such asproject management, computer skills andgrammar and writing skills, as well as soft

Senior Policy SeminarsFSI’s Leadership and Management

School offers professional development andpolicy seminars for senior-level executivesof the Department and the foreignaffairs/national security community.For more information contact FSI’s

Leadership and Management School at(703) 302-6743, [email protected] orhttp://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms.

skills such as leadership. To view theFasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac web site athttp://fsi.state.gov/fastrac.

FSI Distance Learning ProgramAn extensive menu of FSI-developed dis-

tance learning courses is also available toeligible participants on the FSI learningmanagement system. See (U) State 009772dated January 14, 2005, or the FSI web page(Distance Learning) for information.

*

TRAINING

FS-3/GS-13PK245 Basic Leadership Skills

FS-2/GS-14PT207 Intermediate Leadership Skills

FS-1/GS-15PT210 Advanced Leadership Skills

Managers and SupervisorsPT107 EEO Diversity Awareness for

Managers and Supervisors

Newly promoted FS-OC/SESPT133 Senior Executive Threshold

Seminar

Mandatory Courses

Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all the coursesavailable at FSI, visit the Schedule of Courses on the Department of State’s OpenNet athttp://fsi.state.gov. See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and newcourse dates and periodic announcements of external training opportunities sponsored by FSI.For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144/7137.

Security Apr May Length

MQ911 SOS: Security Overseas Seminar 9, 23, 30 14 2 D

MQ912 ASOS: Advanced Security Overseas Seminar 16 8, 22 1 D

Foreign Service Life Skills Apr May Length

MQ104 Regulations, Allowances and Finances in theForeign Service Context 25 2 D

MQ107 English Teaching Seminar 14 2 D

MQ111 Making Presentations: Design to Delivery 16 3 D

MQ115 Explaining America 24 1 D

MQ116 Protocol and the U.S. Representation Abroad 21 19 1 D

MQ203 Singles in the Foreign Service 25 2.5 H

MQ703 Post Options for Employment & Training 31 1 D

MQ802 Communicating Across Cultures 4 1 D

MQ803 Realities of Foreign Service Life 13 1 D

MQ852 Personal Finances and Investment 11 2.5 H

MQ854 Legal Considerations in the Foreign Service 23 2.5 H

MQ856 Traveling with Pets 18 2.5 H

MQ916 Save Overseas Home 2 2.5 H

Career Transition Center Apr May Length

RV101 Retirement Planning Seminar 17 4 D

RV103 Financial Management and Estate Planning 19 1 D

RV104 Annuities, Benefits and Social Security 18 1 D

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

EDUCATION+

O B I T U A R I E S

Mary Sarita Cabanillas,68, a retired Foreign Service secretary, diedof leukemia Jan. 19 in Tucson, Ariz. Heroverseas postings during her 22-year careerincluded Lima, Caracas, Kinshasa,London, Mexico City, Paris and Dublin. She

had a quick wit and fun spirit, and loved travel, books, music,movies and good food.

Marino “Dorsey” Endrizzi,88, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedOct. 11 of pneumonia in Northern Virginia.He served in the Army during World War IIand the Korean Conflict. He joined theDepartment in 1966 and served overseas in

Syria, Ethiopia, Spain and Morocco. After retiring in 1979, heworked in the Freedom of Information Office and was involved inprograms regarding terrorism abroad.

Willie D. Hobgood,82, a retired Civil Service employee, diedJan. 12 at her residence in Alexandria, Va.She joined the Department in 1962 andserved in the Bureau of African Affairs andthe former Bureau of Equal Employment

Opportunity. She retired at the end of 1979. Throughout her life,she was active in church affairs.

George Der Koorkanian,79, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedJan. 20 in Manchester, N.H. He joined Statein 1954 and served in the DiplomaticCourier Service for 34 years, holding over-seas posts in Panama, Germany, the

Philippines and Thailand. After retiring to Manchester in 1988, hewas active in Democratic politics at the local, state and nationallevels as well as with community and civic organizations. He was apast board member of Child Health Services.

Thomas B. Larson,92, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedDec. 26 of a cerebral vascular accident anddysphasia in Hightstown, N.J. He served inthe Army during World War II beforejoining the Department in 1946. His over-

seas postings included Moscow and Paris. Before and after hisretirement in 1966, he taught at Amherst College, Williams College,the Russian Institute at Columbia University and the School forAdvanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.

Sinclair S. “Sandy” Martel,68, a former State Department appointee,died Oct. 4 of cardiopulmonary arrest inManassas, Va. While a career Navy officer,he served as special assistant for maritimeaffairs in the Bureau of Intelligence and

Research. After retiring from the Navy, he was appointed deputyassistant secretary for politico-military affairs in 1989 and serveduntil 1993. He was a scoutmaster and enjoyed golf.

Joyce Bernice “Judy” Munske,76, of Fairfax, Va., a retired Civil Service employee, died recently ofrespiratory complications due to pneumonia and polio. She workedfor 25 years as a photo editor with the U.S. Information Agency.Although wheelchair-bound most of her life, she traveled abroad,was an active volunteer and was active in her church. She was ascuba diver, ham radio operator and dog lover.

Nancy Leslie Pelletreau,72, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedDec. 10 of cancer in Greenwich, Conn.During her 32-year career, she served over-seas in New Delhi, Kingston, Kuala Lumpur,Lisbon, Palermo, Tokyo, Manila, Naples and

Bucharest. After retiring in 1996, she worked as a rehired annuitant,most recently to assist the Beirut evacuees in Cyprus last summer.

46 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | MARCH 2 0 0 7

Spiros Alexander Siafacas,88, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedOct. 13 in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was aWorld War II veteran. During his 30-yearcareer with the Department, he served over-seas in Greece, India, Guatemala and

Switzerland. He retired in 1977.

Ofelia S. Vargas,96, a retired Foreign Service secretary, diedDec. 27 in Tucson, Ariz. She joined theDepartment during World War II andduring her 25-year career served overseas inMexico City, Santo Domingo, Lima, Tokyo,

Jakarta, and Tel Aviv. She retired to Arizona and was active in thecommunity, particularly in programs supporting Hispanic educa-tion. She served on the boards of the American Red Cross and of alocal historical commission and Spanish-language theater.

In the Event of a DeathQuestions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Office ofCasualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302. Inquiries concerning deaths of retiredemployees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.


Brown-Williams, Gloria J.Buckbee, BettyCampen, Tomoko T.Cleveland, Lillian A.Frazier, Pamela L.Frye, Darlene F.Hokenson, Kathryn B.Jackson, Frederick H.

Johnson, Gail ReginaLewis, Eugene J.Pollard, Carol L.Savoy, Ernell B.Watson, Dan S.Williams-Fleming,CarolynZylman, Jon G.

CIVIL SERVICE >>>Adair, Vicki L.Alter, BernardAmmerman, Alan B.Bazala, Sylvia J.Beck, Maria Del RosarioBecker, Daniel C.Benedict, Gloria K.Brown, Norman C.Burnside, WilliamCrisp, Florence MedleyDerrick, Steven M.Durnell, Kevin W.Eastham, Terry RobertEvans, John M.Fiffick, Paul F.Garland, Elaine L.Glassman, DeborahGlatz Jr., Charles L.Greenlee, David N.Hamilton, Jerry

Haran Jr., Thomas F.X.Harris, Bonita G.Hasman, Melvia A.Hill, Lawrence N.Holbrook III, Morton J.Hucke, JohnJenkins, Henry M.Littlefield, Charles L.Lubow, Richard E.Lunstead, Jeffrey JohnMaher, Peter FrancisMaisto, John F.Marek, James A.Maybarduk, Gary H.McKune, ElizabethMiller, David RichardMohanco, JohnMoseley, Katharine P.Mulenex, David WayneNorvell, Yolanda

O’Neal, Molly L.Ortblad, Dennis J.Parker, Anita E.Parson, Ronald ScottPeterson, Paul T.Pillman, David C.Rogers, PaulSalmon, Sandra J.Scott, John F.Sheppard, Florita IndiraSmyth, Janice S.Stewart, Ann WellsSuarez, JaimeTulenko, Timothy AndrewWeller, Anthony R.Whitney, John L.Wigle Connors, MarilynWilczynski, AlecWilliams, Penelope Ann

FOREIGN SERVICE >>>

retirements*

What a difference a year or two canmake in the diplomatic world. Just threeyears ago, Libya was on the short list ofU.S. enemies. Today, this Mediterraneancountry, once an implacable foe of allthings American, now hosts the newest U.S.embassy in the world. Since full diplomaticties resumed in May 2006, the U.S.Embassy in Tripoli has supported numer-ous educational and cultural exchanges,coordinated with multiple other U.S. gov-ernment agencies to help Libyanspeacefully reintegrate into the internationalcommunity and facilitated visits by morethan 40 U.S. scientific delegations.As a phrase, Pay for Performance seems

fairly simple and direct. But in practice, theterm elicits huge emotions—and confu-sion—from many federal governmentemployees, including senior executives andsenior Foreign Service officers in theDepartment. With 2007 set by the Office ofPersonnel Management as the year when allpay-for-performance adjustments in thesenior pay system would be made inJanuary, colleagues from the Offices of Per-formance Evaluation and ResourceManagement and Organization Analysisthought the time was right for a novice’sguide to senior pay. Their story hopefullyanswers the anguished question: “Where’smy Step Increase?”

Sometimes, even in the federal govern-ment, pieces to a puzzle just seem to flowtogether. For example, the Department’sBureau of Diplomatic Security and Office

of Personnel Management’s Federal Inves-tigative Services Division recentlycombined resources to process overseassecurity clearances faster and more effi-ciently. Meanwhile, limited job options fortrailing spouses were frustrating many eli-gible family members who gave updomestic careers to accompany a spouseoverseas. Interagency cooperation found a

way to fit these puzzle pieces together andsolve several problems at the same time.Meanwhile, high in the Bolivian Andes

Mountains and far away from the shoresand sands of Tripoli, the public affairssection at the U.S. Embassy in La Pazjoined U.S. Agency for International Devel-opment colleagues in an ambitiousprogram designed to reach out to thecountry’s many different indigenous andmestizo groups. The outreach targetedyoung students with aggressive educationalexchange and internship programs, provid-ing young Bolivians invaluable experiencesin American culture and meaningful, pro-ductive work.Last but never least, a final salute to our

colleagues en route to their final posting:Mary Sarita Cabanillas; Marino “Dorsey”Endrizzi; Willie D. Hobgood; George DerKoorkanian; Thomas B. Larson; Sinclair S.“Sandy” Martel; Joyce Bernice “Judy”Munske; Nancy Leslie Pelletreau; SpirosAlexander Siafacas; and Ofelia S. Vargas.

From the Andes to the Shores of Tripoli

THE LAST WORD

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

COMING IN APRIL

• Dusty-Road Diplomats• ART in Embassies: Iceland• ART in Embassies: Kuwait• The World’s Newest Nation... and much more! Questions? Comments?

[email protected]

48 | S TATE MAGAZ INE | MARCH 2 0 07

U.S. Department of StateBureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use

If address is incorrect, pleaseindicate change. Do not coveror destroy this address label.POSTMASTER: Send changesof address to:

State MagazineHR/ER/SMGSA–1, Room H-236 Washington, DC 20522–0108

PERIODICALSPOSTAGE AND FEES

PAIDDEPARTMENTOF STATE

ISSN 1099-4165

*MAR.2007

WHO>WHAT>WHEN>WHERE

Remember

Foreign Affairs Day

May 4, 2007

State Magazine, March 2007

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