state magazine, november 2007

MAGAZINE

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

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7

WARSAWLIFE AND TRIUMPH IN

ART in SeoulAmerican crafts come alive forKorean audiences.

Giving TreeCombined FederalCampaign has strongroots within theDepartment.

28Post of theMonth: WarsawResilient Poles overcomea dark history.

2008

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2007

Survival at StakePage 10

12 Skill BoostersGrants help Foreign Service family members.

14 Peace Through ClarityNuclear Risk Reduction Center celebrates20 years.

16 Eye on DiplomacyPhotos capture 50 years of U.S.-Cameroonianrelationship.

18 Focus on BNETTV station puts Department in the camera’s eye.

26 Much To DoOutgoing chief diversity officer notes progressand challenges.

27 Helping the HelpersTrust aids Pretoria shelter for infants.

30 Global Publishing SolutionsThis office of the month is reinventing printingservices through competitive sourcing.

2 Direct from the DG

3 Readers’ Feedback

4 In the News

34 Safety Scene

36 State of the Arts

37 Appointments

38 Retirements

39 Obituaries

40 The Last Word

FEATURES

COLUMNS

ON THE COVERThe modern, cable-stayedSwietokrzyski Bridge hasbecome a Warsaw landmark.Photograph by Allan Baxter/Image Bank

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I would like to share with you what Iconsider to be our most important priori-ties in Human Resources.

We pledge to provide the best customerservice to the talented members of our StateDepartment family. But it doesn’t stop there.We are also committed to assisting retiredannuitants and those just contemplatingretirement. We will seek additionalprofessional development opportunities forCivil Servants, Locally Employed Staff andEligible Family Members. We are excitedabout our new Foreign Service Examinationand assure you that it will remain merit-based and free from outside influence. Wewill take advantage of new technologies tostreamline our services.

We in HR are dedicated to makingthe State Department an even better placeto work.

We value your service to our country.Your work is important and critical toAmerica’s success. We, however, now live ina post-9/11 world where the needs of theDepartment have changed considerably. Asa result, we have had to ask many of ourmen and women to serve while their fami-lies are elsewhere. I know that has not beeneasy. The number of difficult posts hasgrown, and we must staff them. We dopledge to have a transparent and fair assign-ment system that ensures that everyonedoes their part.

We all need to support each other. Onlyby drawing on the talents of the fine menand women who make up the State Depart-ment will we be able to meet the challenges

before us. We will seek your assistance inimplementing Secretary Rice’s vision oftransformational diplomacy. Most notably,this summer, many of us pitched in to helpmeet the record demand for passports fromAmericans wishing to travel abroad. Havingspent two weeks on “team passport,” I canattest to the dedication and teamworkinvolved in serving where we had anurgent need.

Like a successful family, we need to hearall voices. We in HR are here to serve ourcolleagues efficiently and well. We want tohear your ideas and feedback, as well. Wewelcome your suggestions via unclassifiede-mail at “DG Direct.” Please tell me whatyou think and how we are doing.

The Best Place to Work

“We in HR are here to serve ourcolleagues efficiently and well.”

2 | STATE MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2007

D.G. HARRY K. THOMAS

Ambassador CrockerOn a cold February 2002 morning in

Kabul, standing in a stone bunker next toan old kerosene stove, AmbassadorCrocker presented me a Certificate ofAppreciation for support work I did inreestablishing the American Embassy.That bunker no longer exists, but thecertificate is proudly displayed in my dennext to a personal note of thanks fromSecretary Lawrence Eagleburger givento me in 1993.

I recently sent Ambassador Crocker asimple note expressing heartfelt apprecia-tion for the professional, dedicated workhe has done for our country over theyears, often under difficult circumstances.

As a regional technical specialist, I servedat more than 100 embassies or consulates. Ialso provided direct service to secretariesfrom George Shultz through Colin Powellas we traveled to the four corners of theEarth. I only relate this experience toconfirm that I know of what I speak whenmy fellow citizens of South Dakota ask mewhat ambassadors are like. I most oftenrespond with fond memories of workingfor Ambassador Robert Kimmitt, Ambas-sador Bob Frasure and Ambassador RyanCrocker. All professional, but warm, caringhuman beings.

John G. MurphyForeign Service, retired

Comics PageStaff and students at FSI’s School of

Language Studies truly appreciate yourcomics page, especially when it refers tolearning languages. One of my responsibil-ities in the language school is to displaypictures of special events and programs onthe dean's bulletin board.

Previously, I had your "New LanguageCourses Offered!–IntermediateIckystanese" comics page (Brian Aggeler,2004) on display. Today, I eagerly put ondisplay the comics page "Lying in State:Keys to Learning Foreign Languages”(Aggeler, September). I have heardlaughing in the hallway.

We look forward to seeing more comicson language learning.

Faye HartgroveSchool of Language StudiesForeign Service Institute

READERS’ FEEDBACK

NOVEMBER 2007 | STATE MAGAZINE | 3

Glancing through some past issues of State Magazine, I cameacross “Just Measures” (April), depicting how State helps the worldremember the Holocaust.

We survivors are ever grateful for any efforts to help the worldremember. But we also must work toward keeping memories alivewithin our own families. As grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow, the Holocaust recedes further and furtherinto history. Soon, the only witnesses to the horrors may be oldyellowed documents saved by survivors.

A postcard written by my mother and smuggled from her placeof incarceration in Vienna, Austria, reads: “You simply cannotimagine the comings and goings here. Tomorrow we leave,whereto we do not know.”

On November 28, 1941, the cattle cars rolled eastward, to Minsk.On arrival there, my mother and hundreds of others were taken tothe nearby forests and shot by Nazi firing squads.

Frances NunnallyRichmond, Va.

Holocaust Memories

[email protected]

Phone(202) 663-1700

Fax(202) 663-1769

Mailing Address2401 E Street, NWHR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236Washington, DC 20522-0108

Letters should not exceed 250 words andshould include the writer’s name, addressand daytime phone number. All lettersbecome the property of State Magazine.Letters will be edited for length, accuracyand clarity. Only signed letters willbe considered.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

Program Management Office stafferJon Geair tees off on the course’s18th hole.

NEWS


Teeing Off for CharityMembers of the Bureau of Information

Resource Management’s GlobalInformation Technology Modernizationprogram competed in August with 15 otherorganizations in a charity golf event toraise money for the Association for theSupport of Children with Cancer, ASK.

GITM staff comprised the majority ofthe 102 golfers who participated at theGolf4ASK tournament. Together with

onset cancer, ASK now provides social,financial, spiritual and emotional supportfor children with cancer and their families.Its projects include funding for thepositions of nurse practitioner, chaplainand child life therapist in the VirginiaCommonwealth University health system;organizing recreational trips to museumsand amusement parks for children andtheir families; and providing financial aidto families facing the economic burden offighting cancer.

participants from such companies asHewlett Packard, ManTech Internationaland Continental Airlines, GITM helpedraise $18,500 for the association throughgolfer’s fees and the sale of mulligans andraffle tickets.

Founded in 1975 by a small group ofconcerned parents and pediatricians tocreate a support and information networkfor families facing the diagnosis of juvenile

IRM Golfers Support Juvenile Cancer Care

To meet industry standards for securing informationtechnology systems and data, the Department regularlycertifies and accredits its systems. Over the past year, theBureau of Information Resource Management’s Office ofInformation Assurance has transformed the domestic ITsystems certification and accreditation process to enablemore partnering with bureaus, provide transparency andreduce costs.

Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the ForeignService Institute, said there is now “more open, honestcommunication and collaboration” in the C&A experience.

Chief Information Security Officer John Streufert directedIRM/IA to change to the C&A process to provide bureauswith more control. Bureaus now contract with contractor-staffed Tiger Teams directly for C&A, and IA oversees theprocess to ensure requirements are met.

Cost has been a large concern. The new, more stream-lined C&A Tiger Team process helps reduce the C&A pricetag. All documentation is gathered before the C&A kickoffmeetings, increasing the effectiveness and productivity ofTiger Teams while they’re on the clock. To further reducecosts, bureaus are updating system patches and documen-tation before C&A and allowing Tiger Teams to access theirsystems. During the second and third quarters of 2007,many C&As were completed below initial cost estimates.

To provide transparency, Tiger Teams are placed at thedirection of the bureaus. No work begins until the bureausknow what will happen, when it will happen and who isresponsible. After work begins, bureaus get weekly statusupdates on the progress, costs and risks of their C&As.Bureaus also have a contact who coordinates meetings,answers questions and keeps communication open.

Russell said this means she “didn’t need to get engaged[in the C&A] because everyone knew their roles andresponsibilities and worked to fulfill them.”

IRM REVISES A COMPUTERSECURITY PROCESS

To commemorate World Clean Up Day in September, entry-levelofficers of the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá and representatives of theBogotá mayor’s office collected debris at one of Bogotá’s most scenicdestinations, Monserrate. Forty volunteers spent three hoursremoving more than 400 pounds of trash from the path to thisfamous shrine. Local television covered the event, and visitors toMonserrate cheered.

World Clean Up Day is an initiative begun by the United NationsEnvironment Programme to encourage environmental activitiessuch as walking to work or school, planting trees and cleaning uplocal parks and waterways.

Embassy Bogotá EmployeesRemove Trash at Scenic Site

The “Tri-IT-Ladies” from the Bureau of InformationResource Management took part in the Danskin 2007Women’s Triathlon in Sandy Hook, N.J., in September.The four—from left, Stacey Hopkins, Kathleen Lively,Shari Wagner and Maribel Pulido—swam a half-mile inchoppy bay waters, did a windy 11-mile bike ride andran three miles. They raised more than $1,000 tosupport breast cancer research.

On completing the race, Wagner, a two-time cancersurvivor, said, “You take what life throws at you andwork with it.

“Well, life has thrown me wonderful friends andfamily, and a now-healthy body. Being able to finishthis triathlon is a victory.”

The Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series is the largest,longest-running multi-sport series in the world andraises funds for the Breast Cancer ResearchFoundation and TeamSurvivor. The triathlon has 1,800participants, including first-time and veteran triathletes.

Triathletes Race forBreast Cancer Research

Embassy Bogotá’sNarcotics AffairsEnvironmental OfficerCourtney Beale, left,helps a local volunteercollect debris alongthe trail.


MAGAZINE STAFF

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

Ed WarnerDeputy Editor

Bill PalmerWriter/Editor

David L. JohnstonArt Director

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

James A. ForbesExecutive Secretary

Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiarn

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) ispublished monthly, except bimonthly inJuly and August, by the U.S. Departmentof State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington,DC. Periodicals postage paid atWashington, D.C., and at additionalmailing locations.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Send changes of address to State Maga-zine, 2401 E Street, N.W., SA-1, RoomH-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. Youmay also e-mail address changes [email protected].

SUBSCRIPTIONS

State Magazine is available by paidsubscription through the U.S.Government Printing Office by telephoneat (202) 512-1800 or on the web athttp://bookstore.gpo.gov.

SUBMISSIONS

For details on submitting articles toState Magazine, request our guidelines,“Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail [email protected]; downloadthem from our Web site at www.state.gov;or send your request in writing toState Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,Washington, DC 20522-0108.

The submission deadline for the Januaryissue is November 15. The deadline forthe February issue is December 15.


In July, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu opened a new embassy compound, an $80million, state-of-the-art facility housing, for the first time, the entire U.S. Mission to Nepal.The “green building” provides the American officers and Nepali staff with a clean, environ-mentally friendly work environment and is safe and secure. In his dedication speech,Ambassador James F. Moriarty said the new compound “...is a fitting symbol of America’scommitment to a lasting friendship with Nepal.”

NEW EMBASSY COMPOUNDOPENS IN KATHMANDU

The selection of a Foreign Service officer has historically been a time-consuming,paper-based process. The Bureau of Human Resources is automating the FSO selectionprocess and has developed a Web-basedQualification Evaluation Panel applicationthat organizes candidate information for easierreview and rating.

QEP captures key information, such as the testscores, personal information, narratives andessays that are part of a candidate’s electronicfile. The application allows panelists to reviewthese files in random batches and rate eachcandidate. After ratings are saved and thebatch is completed, panelists electronicallysubmit their results. Batches are then comparedand discrepancies can be resolved using theguides and tools in QEP. Thus, QEP acceleratesthe selection of candidates for the oral assessmentand eliminates reviewing thousands of paper files.

Web-based Tool Enhances FSO Selection

Cutting the ribbon to open the new compound were, from left, then Ambassador James F. Moriarty,Prime Minister Girija Prashad Koirala, Robert L. Hugins, then acting Deputy Chief of Mission, andShama Pande, a program management assistant with the U.S. Agency for International Development.


A group of Washington-basedDepartment employees who arrived at theNew Orleans Passport Agency in July tohelp alleviate the passport backlog alsohelped the city rebuild from the damage ofHurricane Katrina.

Two years after Katrina, thousands offamilies have still not settled into perma-nent homes, and entire neighborhoodsremain ghost towns. To help providehousing to some of those displaced by thehurricane, the Passport team volunteeredwith Habitat for Humanity, a faith-basednonprofit that builds simple, affordablehomes for the needy. For seven Wednes-days, starting at 7 a.m., between 12 and 25volunteers met to work on Habitat projects,mainly on Musicians’ Village, a neighbor-hood that will provide 70 homes fordisplaced New Orleans musicians andother families.

The volunteers ended their workdays atthe Habitat site at 2 p.m., had a couple of

hours to shower and change, and thenreported for a full eight-hour shift at thePassport Agency. Then, if they loved jazz orNew Orleans cuisine, they would go out to anightclub or restaurant, said volunteerShaun Coughlin, whose New Orleans foodfavorites included “po’ boy” sandwiches andalligator cheesecake—he likens it to quiche.

He also recalled how, in conversationsstruck up with local shopkeepers and home-owners, he and his teammates were alwaysbeing thanked for helping the city rebuild.

Coughlin said Musicians’ Village, aHabitat project inspired by the city’smusical heritage, looks much like otherlocal neighborhoods, except for the houses’bright yellows, greens and blues. The colorsare “an outward show of the vibrancy” theproject hopes to bring back to New Orleans,he said.

Coughlin admitted that he arrived withlittle in the way of construction skills but,being “good at taking directions,” he learned

roofing and how to install siding fromHabitat’s onsite specialists.

“The only skill I brought was sarcasm,”joked another volunteer, Brendan Doherty.Yet Doherty was far from sarcastic as hespoke of the warm feeling he felt as he sawvolunteers at one home site mingling withthe family that would call it home. Onevolunteer “had three kids in her lap,” he said.

To the team, he said that house “becamemore than a building, a physical structure.”

He and his teammates were alsopainstaking in their work. As he put it:“That house has to stand up to a hurricane;so we couldn’t be willy-nilly.”

Because passport processing hasreturned to normal, the volunteers arelargely back at their original jobs in theDepartment. Coughlin is a managementanalyst with the Office of ManagementPolicy, Rightsizing and Innovation, andDoherty is a foreign affairs officer in theOffice of War Crimes Issues.

PASSPORT VOLUNTEERS HELP NEW ORLEANS REBUILD

The Passport team takes a break from itsHabitat for Humanity construction work.

The State Department’s 2007 CombinedFederal Campaign officially got under wayin October with a kickoff event at MainState, but most employees likely learned ofthe CFC fund drive when contacted by their“keyworker.” The campaign is based on anetwork of keyworkers, who make thepersonal contacts, and on bureau-levelcampaign coordinators, who recruit andsupport the keyworkers.

But keyworkers and coordinators are notthe Department’s only link with the CFC;several Department-related organizationsare CFC-qualified charities. Those charitiesprovide scholarships to the Diplotots child-care program, pay for the travel of retiredForeign Service officers who voluntarilyspeak about U.S. diplomacy nationwide andease the financial needs of family membersof Bureau of Diplomatic Security officerskilled or injured in the line of duty.

The CFC annually gives federal employees

the opportunity to give to the roughly 3,600charities in its catalog, where each charity isaccompanied by a new five-digit code and ashort summary of its work. Alternatively,donors may give to the CFC general fund,which is disbursed to all of the catalog’scharities. Donors may remain anonymousor have their name associated with their gift.They can give as little as $1.

While donors can give a check or cash asa lump-sum gift, they typically specify a sumthat will be deducted from their paychecksover a year. They can allocate that sum to

any number of charities—the 2007 pledgeform now has spaces to list the codes of 10charities (only five were on last year’s form),and donors can even add more charities tothat list if they wish. Employees can also givevia Employee Express and print the resultingforms for tax purposes.

Among the charities in the CFC catalog isthe DS Special Agents Foundation, whichprovides financial assistance to relativesaffected by the illness or death of any secu-rity employee protecting the Department.The fund, therefore, assisted the children ofthe two Fairfax County, Va., police officerskilled near DS facilities outside ofWashington, D.C., last year. When the assis-tant regional security officer at the U.S.Embassy in Baghdad was killed, the founda-tion made a substantial donation to aneducation fund for the victim’s son, saidfoundation Manager Sheila Kagalis. Thefoundation’s only employee, Kagalis has a

COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN HASSTRONG ROOTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTBY ED WARNERGiving Tree

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Cheron Carlson, left, campaign manager of the CFCcharity Earth Share, discusses its programs withPrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary for HumanResources Heather M. Hodges during the kickoff event.

daughter who works for DS and a husbandat the Bureau of International Narcotics andLaw Enforcement Affairs.

The DS agents foundation also has acollege scholarship fund, as does the Amer-ican Foreign Service Association, anotherCFC charity associated with theDepartment. One of its two CFC charities,AFSA’s scholarship fund for Foreign Servicechildren, most recently gave $138,000 worthof scholarships to 52 college students, basedon need, and $28,000 to 25 other students,based on merit. AFSA’s other charity, theFund for American Diplomacy, underwritesan essay contest for students—first prize is$2,500—and runs a speakers program, bothwith the aim of broadening understandingof U.S. diplomacy.

A Department-related charity that’s newto the CFC lineup this year is the NationalCouncil for International Visitors, anongovernmental organization that workswith the Bureau of Educational and CulturalAffairs to operate the International VisitorsLeadership Program. Two other CFC chari-ties focus on Foreign Service officers. TheSenior Living Foundation serves retiredForeign Service officers and their families(State Magazine September 2007), and theAssociation for Diplomatic Studies and

Training supports the training of diplomatsand oral histories, publications and exhibits.

This year, the Department’s CFC goal is$2.1 million, just slightly higher than lastyear’s $1.95 million. The 2007 goal was setby the Department’s CFC campaignmanager, Patricia Pittarelli, in consultationwith others in the Department, and is a frac-tion of the National Capital Area’s overallCFC goal of $60 million.

To meet the Department’s target, eachbureau receives a goal, which Pittarelli saidis largely based on its number of employeesand last year’s total contributions. ForPittarelli, the campaign is part of her jobassignment as employee relations specialistin the Bureau of Human Resources’ Officeof Employee Relations.

But, she added, “There’s fun involvedwhen you run a campaign.”

Pittarelli said that, among the bureaus,the one that often meets its goal first eachyear is the Bureau of Population, Refugeesand Immigration. There, CFC coordinatorNancy Iris attributed PRM’s success to thebureau’s mission, humanitarian assistance.

“We’re willing to use our own money, notjust the taxpayers’, to do good works,” shesaid, noting that PRM has won ninePresidential Awards, CFC’s highest honor.

At the Bureau of Public Affairs, “Wealways meet our goal,” said its coordinatorsince 2004, Jacqueline Norris. To meet thegoal, the bureau has supplemented employeegiving by selling hot dogs and raffling giftbaskets, said Norris, a foreign missionsprogram specialist.

At the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain,Christine Lewis, chief of the nonimmigrantvisa unit, said she is coordinating thecampaign because “I love working for CFC[and assisting] organizations to be preparedto help when people need help.” She said theHurricane Katrina and September 11, 2001,crises made clear that the need for helparises unexpectedly and organizations “needmoney today to be ready to help whendisaster strikes.”

Even a small sum can have a big impact:$5 per pay period—about the cost of asandwich—underwrites the cost of fourHIV/AIDS patients attending a communityeducation program, observed Susan Parker,a Department of Labor executive on loan toState Department to facilitate its fund drive.

More information on the CFC campaign isavailable at hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/ hrweb. ■

The author is deputy editor of StateMagazine.


Top left: The Department’s CFC campaign manager, Patricia Pittarelli,shows campaign coordinator Shelly Kornegay a printout of CFC giving.Bottom: From left, Samuel Jones Jr. and Bunyan Bryant discuss theirCFC charity, Concerned Black Men Inc., with Teddy Taylor, deputy assis-tant secretary of the Bureau of Human Resources. Above: Susan Parker,director of disability policy and research at the Labor Department,instructs a class of the Department’s CFC keyworkers.

Indonesia’s central Kalimantan TanjungPuting National Park is a verdant, wildforest that we visited as an embassy delega-tion led by the chargé d’affaires from theU.S. Embassy in Jakarta, John Heffern.

There, we heard a sudden crashing in thetrees and saw a flurry of orange-red apescharge through the rain-drenched canopy—the elusive orangutans. We watched themswing through the vine-gripped foliage,peering down at us with penetrating,pensive eyes, and felt lucky to observe thesehuman-like primates deep in the primevalforest of Borneo.

Sadly, such moments may be transient:Orangutan habitat is in jeopardy. Withouturgent and critical conservation

intervention, the rain forest is at risk ofdestruction and the orangutan at riskof extinction.

Numbers DecliningTen thousand years ago, orangutans

(Indonesian for “people of the forest”)roamed in vast numbers all over the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Now found onlyon the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan(Indonesian Borneo), orangutans are thelargest tree-living mammals in the worldand share with humans 97 percent of theirDNA. For centuries, the region’s indigenouspeople did not harm them, believing orang-utans to be people.

Today, orangutans are threatened with

extinction as their numbers rapidly dwindleon both islands. In Sumatra, 7,000 exist butappear to be decreasing by 1,000 per year.On nearby Kalimantan, about 43,000 existbut the number is decreasing as habitat isdestroyed. Some estimates indicate thatlowland rain forest will disappear withinthe next 20 years.

The threats to orangutan survival inthe wild are numerous and difficult toresolve. Loss of habitat, due to illegallogging and the large-scale conversion ofland to oil palm plantations, is the mostsignificant threat.

As human populations have increased inIndonesia over the past 20 years, orangutanhabitat has decreased by more than 80

EFFORTS MADE TOPRESERVE HABITAT ANDSAVE ORANGUTANS

BY JEFFREY ASHLEY,BIRUTE MARY GALDIKASAND SUZANNE BILLHARZ

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Young female orangutanin the forest.

percent. Poor forest conservation practices,improper land use allocation andinadequate law enforcement degradedorangutan habitat and led to forest fires.Between 1997 and 1998, fires ravagedIndonesia, destroying almost 25 millionacres of forest and woodlands.

Building Safe HavensThrough the efforts of World Education

and the Orangutan FoundationInternational, which is funded by the U.S.Agency for International Development, theTanjung Puting forest is now a relativelysafe haven for orangutans, as nearby villageshave improved their agriculture. TheTanjung Puting is the largest, most diverseprotected portion of the rain forest thatonce covered most of southern Borneo. At400,000 hectares of fairly intact habitat, itprovides sanctuary for an orangutan popu-lation of 6,000, one of the world’s twolargest orangutan populations. It is alsohome to 180 species of mammals, sevenother primate species and more than 220species of birds and other threatenedanimal species unique to the region.

World Education and OFI have collabo-rated to unite the interests of the park andnearby villages by providing visible, dailysupport for the communities. OFI has alsoset up community patrolling of thenational park, established 17 guard posts atstrategic locations and co-manages thepark with the park authority. As a result,

illegal logging and otherillegal resource extractionhas stopped.

USAID, meanwhile, in2007 launched a new $8million program to maximizeprotection and long-termsurvival of viable orangutanpopulations in the wild. ThisOrangutan ConservationServices Project will mobilizestakeholders around land-usepolicy and decisions;establish improved networksamong law enforcement andconservation management;create sustainable financingfor long-term conservationgoals; and strengthenpartnerships andcoordination among conser-vation organizations, theprivate sector and Indonesianagencies. OCSP isimplemented by DevelopmentAlternatives, Inc., in partnership withOrangutan Foundation International, TheNature Conservancy and other nongovern-mental organizations.

These and other efforts will focus atten-tion on orangutan habitat and onmaintaining sustainable conservation fordecades to come. With concertedinternational and Indonesian support, theworld may continue to enjoy the beauty andecological importance of the rain forest andthe orangutans that grace its canopies.

Without focused attention, rain forestdestruction and extinction of these greatapes is inevitable. ■

Dr. Jeffrey Ashley is director ofUSAID/Indonesia’s Basic Human ServicesOffice. Dr. Birute Galdikas, an orangutanspecialist and founder and director ofOrangutan Foundation International, guidedthe delegation’s visit. Suzanne Billharz is anenvironmental specialist withUSAID/Indonesia.OES TAKES ACTION


The Bureau of Oceans and Inter-national Environmental and ScientificAffairs has also undertaken recent actionsto protect orangutans and their habitat.

The director of OES, AssistantSecretary Claudia A. McMurray, visitedIndonesia in July to meet with Indonesianofficials and underscore U.S. support forcombating illegal logging and protectingorangutans through such measures ascombating wildlife trafficking andsupporting cross-border efforts to estab-lish habitat corridors. On this trip, shevisited the Wehea Protected ForestResearch Station in East Kalimantan,Borneo, to engage and encourage Indone-sian field conservation staff.

In addition, McMurray formed theCoalition Against Wildlife Trafficking, apartnership of governments andnongovernmental conservation organiza-tions that will work to combat the $10billion annual illegal trade in wildlife. Thecoalition, with funding from the Depart-ment and USAID, facilitated theestablishment of the Wildlife LawEnforcement Network of the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations to improvecommunication and cooperation amongthe region’s wildlife law enforcementauthorities. One of that organization’searliest successes was the 2006repatriation from Thailand to Indonesiaof 48 illegally taken orangutans.

In November 2006, the United Statesand Indonesia signed a landmark agree-ment on combating illegal logging andassociated trade, the first of its kind forboth countries. The agreement isdesigned to promote forest conservationand to help ensure that Indonesia’s legallyproduced timber and wood productscontinue to have access to markets in theUnited States and elsewhere.

OES Protects Orangutans, Wildlife Habitat

Dr. Birute Galdikas holds a baby orangutan.

GRANTS HELP FOREIGNSERVICE FAMILY MEMBERSBY VICTORIA NIBLOCK ANDKATHRYN VIGUERIE

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Irina Wunder, a classically trained dancer,had spent her career in development, sowhen she moved with her Foreign Servicehusband to Lima, Peru, she used that expe-rience to establish a dance program at anongovernmental educational facility. Herprogram helps underprivileged youth whohave learning and physical disabilities usedance to overcome their challenges.

But, when Wunder wanted to improveher teaching skills, she found no accreditedtraining or continuing education programsin dance instruction in Peru.

Undeterred, Wunder took advantage of aCox Professional Development Fellowshipoffered by the Family Liaison Office. Thispilot program was funded by the UnaChapman Cox Foundation, which providescareer-enriching activities for ForeignService personnel and family members. Thefellowship helps family members,particularly those in hardship posts whereprofessional development opportunities arelimited, to maintain, enhance and developtheir professional skills.

Now in its third year, the programprovides grants of up to $2,000 for profes-sional enrichment activities, includingcontinuing education, distance learning,participation in professional conferences,dues for membership in professional orga-nizations and small business start-up costs.

Wunder used her grant to take an inten-sive training course in dance instruction at

the prestigious Laban University in London.She then returned to Peru with new ideasand innovations to transform her students’disabilities into “dance-abilities.” Wundercurrently serves on the board of directors ofthe Peruvian National Council of Dance,recently directed a community dancefestival and is about to begin a graduateprogram in dance science.

Because opportunities for ForeignService family members to develop theirprofessional skills are limited overseas, FLODirector Ann DeLong Greenberg said, “TheCox Professional Development Fellowship isa golden opportunity for family members topursue their career goals.”

Indeed, applications have steadilyincreased over the past three years, and theprogram is now one of FLO’s most popularemployment initiatives. Almost 400 applica-tions have been submitted and 155fellowships have been awarded, 80 percentof them to applicants at hardship posts.

Mwana Bermudes, an aspiringprofessional photographer and multimediaproducer in South Africa, used his 2006 Coxgrant to purchase a video camera for hishome studio, to professionalize hismultimedia business. With the new camera,he produced a video documentary of acommunity development project in Swazi-land. The video helped his fledglingbusiness and was also used as a fundraisingtool by the project, he said, adding that the

video spurred a significant increase incontributions.

Jocelyn Sindelar, a family memberemployed at the American Institute ofTaiwan, was granted a Cox Fellowship in2007 to get her certification for Teachers ofEnglish to Speakers of Other Languages.Sindelar had enjoyed teaching English toVietnamese refugees more than 20 years agoand knew the certification would allow hermore career opportunities. On receiving herTESOL certificate, Sindelar started her ownadvanced English class for Foreign ServiceNationals in Taiwan. She eventually hopesto teach English as a Second Language at aninternational school.

“I am truly grateful for this program,which allows [family members] to achievetheir professional and career goals andcontribute to life overseas,” she said.

As more spouses become aware of theCox Professional Development Fellowship,the program expands every year.

“This is an initiative whose time hascome,” Greenberg said. “The response tothe program each year reflects not only theneed for this type of family support, but alsothe scope of talent and entrepreneurshipthat family members bring to the ForeignService.” ■

Niblock was an intern in the Family LiaisonOffice; Viguerie is the office’s communicationsand outreach coordinator.


Children play at the SamukelweFamily Center in Swaziland, asshown in a still from the promotionalvideo produced by MwanaBermudes for the center.

Which State Department office gener-ates by far the most cables, accounting formore than 5 percent of SecState cableseach year? The answer is the Nuclear RiskReduction Center, which operates theUnited States’ communications links forexchanging with foreign governmentsinformation on arms control treaties andsecurity agreements.

September 15 marked the 20th anniver-sary of the U.S.-Soviet agreementestablishing the Nuclear Risk ReductionCenters. Conceived by a congressionalworking group sponsored by SenatorsJohn Warner and Sam Nunn in the mid-1980s, NRRCs were seen as a way to lessenU.S.-Soviet tensions. The U.S. NRRC andits Soviet counterpart were formally recog-nized in the NRRC Agreement, signed bythen-Secretary of State George Shultz andSoviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevard-nadze in 1987.

The tensions and distrust between theUnited States and the Soviet Union

spawned a novel and rather revolutionary concept: Rather than tryto hide everything, the two superpowers would engage in mutualtransparency through the NRRCs. The two sides were ready tobegin operations by April 1988, just in time for implementation ofthe Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty a few months later.

Nuclear Risk Reduction CenterCelebrates 20 Years By David L. Way

PeaceThroughClarity

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Paula DeSutter, Assistant Secretary of State for Verification, Complianceand Implementation, passes the pen to Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakovas they re-sign the agreement that, in 1987, established the NRRCs.

Risk ManagementFor 20 years, the centers helped reduce the risk of nuclear war by

using transparency and communications to avoidmisinterpretations, miscalculations or accidents. Clearly, the NRRCis a milestone of the late Cold War era.

In the 1990s, the NRRC’s responsibilities expanded as the focusof U.S. policy shifted from bilateral missile agreements to multilat-eral agreements and regional security. Today, multilateral andinternational security agreements comprise more than 50 percent ofNRRC communications. These communications now involve theConventional Forces in Europe Treaty, Vienna Document, OpenSkies Treaty and Chemical Weapons Convention.

Although “nuclear” remains part of its name, most of theNRRC’s workload now deals withconventional arms control andconfidence-building measures.Today, the NRRC supports morethan a dozen treaties andagreements, exchanging information24 hours a day in 6 languages withmore than 50 countries.

Despite its high-profile role, theNRRC is not engaged in crisismanagement. Nor would it be in theforefront of efforts to deal with anaccidental or unauthorized nuclearmissile launch. Instead, the NRRC reduces the threat of war byquietly building international confidence in U.S. intentions throughthe exchange of routine arms-control notifications.

However, “routine” should not be confused with trivial or incon-sequential. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001,attacks, when most Department employees had been sent home, theNRRC continued to operate. It even conveyed an extraordinarymessage to Moscow that the heightened U.S. state of military alertwas not directed at Russia. More recently, the NRRC helped leadU.S. efforts to understand and address Russia’s suspension of imple-mentation of the CFE Treaty.

Other RolesThe NRRC’s two-decade track record makes it an attractive tool

to address other transparency needs. The NRRC will almostcertainly play a role in any follow-on arrangement to the StrategicArms Reduction Treaty, which expires in 2009, and in U.S. imple-mentation of the International Atomic Energy Agency’sAdditional Protocol.

Other, more speculative uses for the NRRC run the gamut frommanagement of space debris to implementation of possible futureconfidence-building measures with other countries, such asChina. It may also prove to be useful in the Global War OnTerrorism or other new diplomatic initiatives of the 21st century.Wherever the solution to a problem involves intergovernmental

communication offormatted messages, theNRRC is the natural choice.

Few people outside of theDepartments of State andDefense have heard of theNRRC. Transparency doesnot make headlines, but itdoes make the world a saferplace, even after the end ofthe Cold War.

The NRRC Watch isstaffed by 14 Watch

Officers—7 Foreign Service and 7 Civil Service. The FS jobs areone-year postings and require a 3/3 proficiency in at least French,German, Italian, Russian or Spanish. NRRC jobs are the onlydomestic Foreign Service positions that are language-designated.Russian speakers receive the usual hard-language incentive pay,and jobs are posted early enough to permit language training.Watch Officers also receive a 13 percent shift differential andparking privileges. ■

The author is multilateral staff officer with the Nuclear RiskReduction Center.

Today, the NRRC supportsmore than a dozen treaties

and agreements, exchanginginformation 24 hours a day

in 6 languages with morethan 50 countries.

Communications officer Tony Decker works on agovernment-to-government communications link.


In July 1957, two months after the firstAmerican Consul was assigned toCameroon, a U.S. Consulate opened inYaounde. With the 50th anniversary of thislandmark in U.S.-Cameroonian diplomaticrelations fast approaching, U.S. AmbassadorR. Niels Marquardt was wondering howbest to commemorate it.

He decided on a photo exhibithighlighting the multiplicity of domainspermeated by diplomacy. AmbassadorMarquardt may have been inspired by anethereal photograph of young presidentsJohn F. Kennedy and Cameroon’s AhmadouAhidjo walking together shortly beforedestiny look a cruel turn for JFK.

Photo Focus on Diplomacy, the exhibitand companion booklet’s title, captured thelinks between the two countries. Under thesupervision of Deputy Chief of Mission

Rick Nelson and Project Editor JudithRavin, the eight-member editorial produc-tion team turned Ambassador Marquardt’svision into reality. The so-called “50-yearproject” had six months until its July 4th2007 debut, and the project had no moneyin its coffers.

A deluge of photos arrived by mail ande-mail from the United States andCameroon. Some photos traveled fromdistant provinces by messenger for handdelivery to the embassy. In a country wherea culture of volunteerism does not exist,the enthusiasm of photo contributorswas moving.

An overriding concern was balance. The50-year span had to equally depict eachdecade as well as historical events from theproductive and less-productive moments inthe relationship. The exhibit and book could

not emphasize one president or ambassadoror area of diplomacy over others. Even morechallenging was achieving a gender balancethrough times when the role of women indiplomacy and society was relegated tobehind-the-scenes support.

The team established a liaison with theMinistry of External Relations, where oneofficial, Dr. Joe Ewang Nzume, gave projecteditors insights into how the Cameroonianpublic might view certain images. Askedwhat he felt about the 32-page book’splanned cover image, a 1975 commemora-tive stamp of the sacred Afo Akom woodenstatue (returned by the United States toCameroon in a show of respect fornational patrimony), Dr. Nzume said itsymbolized the friendship between the twocountries and was a model of peacefulconflict resolution.

PHOTOS CAPTURE 50 YEARS OF U.S.-CAMEROONIAN RELATIONSHIP BY JUDITH RAVIN

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President John F. Kennedy greets President Ahmadou Ahidjo upon arrivalat Washington National Airport, March 13, 1962. Their joint communiqué,issued the next day, said the “two presidents agreed to take steps toencourage commerce and investment between their two countries.”

EYE ON DIPLOMACY

The team had three days tomount the exhibit at theAmbassador’s residence in advanceof the Fourth of July reception, andit teamed up with Facilities Manage-ment staff to do it. AmbassadorMarquardt returned from out oftown after a long weekend to findhis home transformed into a gallery.

At the press conference andpreview of the exhibit, held the daybefore its opening, the turnout wasmassive. The press felt honored byits place in history and saw itsmembers as protagonists in thebilateral relationship.

Some 2,500 copies of the bookPhoto Focus on Diplomacy weredistributed on the show’s openingnight. Cameroonians and Americansat the exhibit said the experiencehelped them value how documenta-tion can preserve national historyand, had captured unique momentsin the shared history of the UnitedStates and Cameroon. ■

The author is the information officerat the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde.


President George W. Bush and President Paul Biyaof Cameroon sit down to dinner in the White House’sOld Family Dining Room in March.

Peace Corps volunteer Mark White, a math and sci-ence teacher in Cameroon’s North West Province,makes a point in the classroom in October 1987.

TV Station Puts Department in the Camera’s Eye

By David Hopwood

Focus on BNET


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What started as the Bureau ofAdministration’s electronic message boardin 1993 has grown into BNET, a 24-hourtelevision station providing programming toemployee desktops in the United States andat 180 posts worldwide. It also feeds thecable television systems of the Harry STruman building and many Washington-area Department annexes. And a largevideo-on-demand archive is availabledomestically on BNET’s Web site.

BNET—originally, “BroadcastNetwork”—took its present form when theDepartment’s OpenNet computer networkbecame able to play streaming video. On atypical broadcast day, BNET broadcastsappearances by Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice, daily and special brief-ings, Congressional hearings, town hallmeetings and Department events, allpunctuated by domestic andinternational news. Additional program-ming includes documentaries focusingon foreign affairs issues.

BNET’s three-person staff keeps upwith daily demands through specialpartnerships. The Bureau of PublicAffairs’ Office of Broadcast Servicesprovides BNET with Capitol Hillproceedings and Foreign Press Centerbriefings. Internal events, such astown hall meetings and Bureau of

Human Resources programs, conferencesand cultural programs, are produced by theBureau of Administration’s VideoProduction Unit. The Bureau ofInformation Resources Managementprovides information technology supportand OpenNet access.

BNET programs on topics such as foreignservice issues and mentoring garner highratings. BNET also supports far moretargeted audiences and needs throughoutthe Department, such as enhancing collabo-ration between headquarters offices andposts and keeping bureau staff briefed onthe status of initiatives. For example, IRMhosts a series of programs focusing on tech-nical updates to get current informationabout the future of the Department’scomputer network out to posts andembassies.

“BNET is a great tool for directly reachingout to every member of our team overseas,”said Danny Toler, IRM’s director ofenterprise management.

BNET’s partnership with the OverseasBriefing Center led to a popular series ofdocumentary videos highlighting living andworking conditions at posts, and more postswant to be profiled as a result.

“It’s been a win-win situation,” said OBCCoordinator Connie Hansen. “Posts areseeing this new publicity avenue and are

now coming to us, asking if their post videoscan be involved.”

Most BNET broadcasts also reside in thevideo-on-demand archive.

“If someone misses a Congressionalhearing or can’t attend a live event, theycan simply go to the BNET Web site andwatch it,” said Melissa Morris, BNET’sproject manager.

An increasing number of programs in thearchive are never intended to be broadcastin the daily schedule.

“With online video so popular now,offices simply give us their programs andwe provide them [with] a link to ourarchives to post on their OpenNet Websites,” Morris said.

While sensitive diplomatic negotiationsare still held behind closed doors, much ofwhat affects diplomacy now takes placebefore TV cameras, meaning that employeeswho don’t check out BNET may be out ofthe loop. BNET’s challenge is to keep upwith employees’ expectations about onlinecommunications.

“Every day we get requests for additionalfeatures,” said Morris. “A big part of ourjob is being advocates for new streamingtechnologies on the network.” ■

The author is a BNET streaming mediaspecialist.


The BNET team gathers at its technical opera-tions center at the Harry S Truman building.They are, from left, Jay Battaglia, Sara Conant,Melissa Morris and David Hopwood.

Resilient Poles Overcome Dark HistoryBy Christopher Snipes

WARSAWLIFE AND TRIUMPH

COUNTRY>>> Poland

CAPITAL>>> Warsaw

TOTAL AREA>>> 312,685 square kilometers

APPROXIMATE SIZE>>> Slightly smaller thanNew Mexico

GOVERNMENT>>> Republic

INDEPENDENCE>>> November 11, 1918

POPULATION>>> 38.5 million

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH>>> 75.2 years

RELIGIONS>>> Roman Catholic, EasternOrthodox and Protestant

CURRENCY>>> Zloty (PLN)

PER CAPITA INCOME>>> $14,400

IMPORT PARTNERS>>> Germany (28.8 percent),Russia (9.6 percent) andItaly (6.3 percent)

EXPORT PARTNERS>>> Germany (27.2 percent),Italy (6.4 percent) andFrance (6.3 percent)

INTERNET COUNTRY CODE>>> .pl

POST OF THE MONTH>>>

Warsaw, Poland


A sunny day in Warsaw’sOld Town Square. Photoby Chris Snipes.


Henryk Sienkiewicz, the 1905 winner ofthe Nobel Prize for literature and for manyPoland’s historical conscience, onceobserved, “It has been said that Poland isdead, exhausted, enslaved, but here is theproof of her life and triumph.” Little did heknow how well this sentiment woulddescribe Poland’s capital today. From urbandesolation to symbol of the Soviet bloc tothriving economic and cultural hub of theEuropean Union’s sixth-most-populousnation, Warsaw’s transformation over thepast six decades is no less than miraculous.

Poland is finally playing the role in worldaffairs it anticipated for generations. As amember of the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization and the European Union, andone of the closest U.S. allies, it finds itself atthe center of discussions about missiledefense, a key contributor of troops to Iraqand Afghanistan, a major agriculturalexporter within the EU and a destinationfor investors from around the world.

As the 90th anniversary of U.S.-Polishrelations in 2009 nears, the staff of the U.S.Embassy in Warsaw is working in a rapidly

changing environment of bilateral andregional issues, whether facilitating themodernization of Poland’s military throughF-16 sales, introducing Poland to Americanart and music, facilitating U.S. investmentand trade or helping promote strong Polish-Jewish relationships.

A Mosaic of Old and NewA bustling sprawl of 1.7 million

residents, Warsaw strikes the newcomer as amosaic of architecture and lifestyles. Itscharming 16th-century Old Town stands

In October 1944, Nazi occupiers

razed Warsaw to the ground in

retaliation for the citizen uprising

that had begun in August. The

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beside sparkling glass and steel skyscrapersthat are not even a stone’s throw from thecrumbling gray infrastructure of the recentcommunist past. Bicycle commuters andBMWs rush toward the city center each daypast fruit and vegetable stands, corner newskiosks and contemporary shops.

One of the first words any student ofPolish should learn is “remont,” whichmeans repair or refurbishment. As Poland’seconomic growth continues apace (5.3percent in 2006), it seems every thirdbuilding in Warsaw is under construction.The fields that once spread out limitlesslyfrom the city’s old central neighborhoodshave sprouted modern townhouse commu-nities and apartment buildings. The city isslowly working to improve the agedinfrastructure, including Warsaw’snotoriously shoddy road system.

Embassy staffers are housed along thetram, bus and metro lines in the center andsouthern parts of the city. There arerelatively short commutes, great schools,indoor pools and tennis courts, modernmalls and restaurants offering excellentexamples of the world’s cuisines.

The short days of Warsaw’s cold wintersare more than made up for by the blue skiesand ubiquitous beer gardens of summer.Varsovians are changing from a vodka-drinking to a beer-drinking culture, a signthey are shedding economic hard times andembracing a hopeful future.

Residents put a high premium onoutdoor recreation. On weekends, students,young professionals and the young at heartset out on the city’s extensive network of

bike paths and park trails. On Sundays insummer, Varsovians gather in an openamphitheater for twice-a-day free Chopinconcerts in picturesque Lazienki Park.

The embassy is in midtown alongWarsaw’s diplomatic row, the prestigiousAleje Ujazdowskie, which is part of theRoyal Route connecting palaces,government buildings and former royalgardens. The compound, which houses a

dozen federal agencies, is splitbetween a main chancery and an

annex. Like the city around it, the embassyregularly engages in its own remonts. Itrecently converted the garage into a newnonimmigrant visa section.

Facing the Past Eighteen years after the end of commu-

nist rule, Poland is addressing aspects of itspast once too uncomfortable or legallyimpossible to raise in public.

Like many former communist states, thegovernment is coming to grips with theUPRISINGS LEAD TO DESTRUCTION

The 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising isfrequently confused with the 1944 Warsawuprising. For a month beginning in mid-April1943, 13,000 Jews interned in the WarsawGhetto died fighting against their Germancaptors in the largest ghetto uprising during theSecond World War. After the fighting, theghetto was destroyed and the remaining inhabi-tants sent to concentration camps.

On August 1, 1944, the Polish Home Armyled a resistance movement that battled theNazis for two months on Warsaw’s streets as theRed Army approached. The battle cost the livesof as many as 200,000 civilians and precipitatedthe near total destruction of Warsaw.

Both uprisings have been depicted throughpopular films: Roman Polanski’s The Pianistand Andrzej Wajda’s Kanal.

A reproduction of an American B-24Liberator is one of the WarsawUprising Museum’s attractions.

Ambassador Victor Ashe, left, presents thefirst annual Jan Karski Freedom Award toformer Polish labor leader Lech Walesa.


many hardships endured during 45 years ofSoviet-dominated rule, ranging fromsuppression of dissidents to domesticsurveillance by the hated secret police. TheInstitute of National Remembrancepreserves the files that document thispainful period.

Before World War II, 350,000 of Warsaw’s

1.3 million residents were Jews, the legacy ofa thousand-year Jewish presence in Poland.Today, Jews number a few thousand at most.In 2007, a U.S. presidential delegationparticipated in the groundbreaking for a $53million museum to showcase Jewish contri-butions to Poland and honor the memory ofthose killed in the Holocaust. Events such as

the weeklong Isaac Bashevis Singer Festivalcelebrate Warsaw’s Jewish heritage,presenting cultural offerings in theperforming, visual and fine arts, oftenfeaturing U.S. performers.

As a contributor of troops to the wars inAfghanistan and Iraq, Poland is a close andactive U.S. ally in NATO and the EU. The

Above left: Polish dancers at the American Days festival. Right: From left, Agnieszka Jakowiecka, Information Officer Andy Schilling, Dorota Hannoush andJanusz Buszynski review the Polish morning newspapers. Below: Lazienski Park is an oasis in the middle of downtown Warsaw.

Good weather and a Chopin concertdraw crowds to Lazienski Park on asummer Sunday.


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THREE WARSAW ‘HOSTAGES’ FREEDembassy is negotiating with the Polishgovernment on basing missile intercep-tors on Polish territory as part of theU.S. government’s missile defenseprogram, while directing a wide-reaching effort to explain the programand allay concerns about security.

The United States is the leadinginvestor in Poland, and U.S. foreigndirect investment shows no sign ofslowing. To date, U.S. companies haveinvested more than $15 billionand employ more than 140,000 Polishcitizens in almost every sector of theeconomy.

The main reasons for Poland’sbooming economy include EUmembership, a highly qualified andreasonably priced labor force and anenviable location between WesternEurope and the developing markets ofUkraine, Russia and the countries ofthe former Soviet Union.

Poles at every level of society bringup the matter of visa-free travel to theUnited States. U.S. legislation passed inAugust likely will speed up entranceinto the Visa Waiver Program forseveral EU countries, but did notchange Poland’s eligibility prospects forthe program in the short term.

Nevertheless, the U.S.-Polishrelationship remains strong, asevidenced by the 40 academics andstudents participating each year in thebilateral Fulbright exchange and thenearly 60 journalists, opinion leadersand government officials the embassysends to the United States annuallythrough the International Visitor andVoluntary Visitor programs. Theembassy sends entry-level Departmentofficers and other staff all over Polandto address schools and civic groupsabout American values and foreign anddomestic policy.

“Public outreach is a high priorityfor the mission and an area of unquali-fied success in Poland,” said U.S.Ambassador Victor Ashe.

Though Warsaw’s outward changesin government, economy, society andinfrastructure continue at lightningspeed, Warsaw remains at heart a cityof resilient people, proud of their iden-tity and actively rebuilding their oncebeleaguered city. ■

The author is the assistant informationofficer at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Embassy inWarsaw integrated its hostage-response activ-ities with those of Polish law enforcement byundertaking a no-notice, live-action crisismanagement exercise, involving a simulatedhostage-taking at the embassy. The exerciseinvolved simulated explosives and “live-fire”ammunition and extended negotiations withbarricaded hostage-takers.

The exercise arose from the close coopera-tion between the U.S. and Polishgovernments through the Proliferation Secu-rity Initiative and Embassy Warsaw’s JointCounterterrorism Working Group and gavethe embassy’s Emergency Action Committeea live-action situation for practicing itsresponse to a crisis.

Regional Security Officer ChipMcElhattan worked with the Foreign ServiceInstitute’s Douglas Kinney and embassycolleagues and Polish law enforcement toplan the exercise. During the exercise, McEl-hattan, Marine Corps Attaché Lt. Col. DonThieme and a team of Locally Employed Staffacted as “terrorists,” invading the embassyand taking six people “hostage” in the mainlobby. The hostages included two embassyemployees, two visiting private citizens andone Canadian and one Australian diplomat.

The terroristsbegan their attack onthe embassycompound usingnontoxic gascanisters, whichprompted theMarine SecurityGuard Detachmentto order all embassypersonnel to dontheir gas masks—a bit of a shock forvisa applicants in theconsular section.

The EAC, led byDeputy Chief of Mission Kenneth Hillas,integrated the responses and actions ofPolish authorities and the State Department’sOperations Center during the simulation.Neither the EAC nor the Polish tacticalcommanders knew the complete scenario ofthe exercise in advance. The Poles quicklydispatched to the embassy a command teamled by Poland’s Minister of the Interior at thetime, Janusz Kaczmarek. The team included

nearly 150 Polish police and emergencyresponders, a forward command unit, severalfire trucks and ambulances, a helicopter, abomb squad and a hostage negotiation andrescue team comprised of an elite SWATteam from the Polish Bureau of NationalSecurity. Nearly 500 Americans and Poleswere involved.

More than three hours of intense negotia-tions led to the release of three of the“hostages,” but not before one hostage was“shot dead” after the embassy’s lobby wasstormed by the Polish SWAT team usingmilitary-grade pyrotechnics, special-effectsrounds and rubber bullets. The realism ofthe “explosives” and the munitions that leftmarks enhanced the exercise.

Lessons LearnedDespite the successful outcome, some

lessons were learned from the simulation.A telephone malfunction in the EAC’smeeting room, for example, initially hinderedcommunication with the barricadedterrorists.

“No matter how well you’re prepared,chaos inevitably prevails in a crisis,” said Lt.Col. Thieme. “The goal of this exercise was toimprove the embassy’s response in the event

of a real crisis.That was undoubt-edly achieved.”

The lessonslearned on hostagenegotiation andcounterterroristresponse werereviewed jointly byU.S. and Polishauthorities imme-diately after theexercise and arecontributing tofurther jointplanning.

“This was the largest, most detailed, mostcomplex and most instructive crisis manage-ment exercise a U.S. Embassy has ever done,”said Douglas Kinney, leader of theDepartment’s Crisis Management Team.Kinney worked with the embassy and visitedWarsaw for the exercise. ■

The author was, at the time, assistant informa-tion officer at the embassy.

A fake improvised explosive device is being workedon after it was “disabled” by Polish authorities dur-ing the simulation.

Simulated Crisis Aids Planning By Edward J. Monster


The Office of Civil Rights plays a vitalrole in supporting the mission of theDepartment of State. A workplace free ofdiscrimination that values all its employees’contributions is essential to organizationalexcellence.

When I joined the Office of Civil Rightsas director in February 2006, I found a dedi-cated staff that was focused on processing abacklog of work under extremely short-staffed conditions. Over the years, the officehad worked hard to reduce the backlog, asdirected by the Secretary, and had greatlyimproved its efficiency.

It was time, however, to craft a new visionand direction. Following conversations withS/OCR staff, Department of Statestakeholders and customers, and those atother agencies and the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission, it was clear thatS/OCR would benefit from reenergizing,refocusing and realignment to become ateam that better served employees andmanagers in the areas of EEO, diversity andconflict management.

To provide better customer service, oneof my first priorities was to get our ownhouse in order. At a staff offsite meeting inJune 2006, we charted a new direction forS/OCR with measurable goals. Insubsequent months, we reorganized respon-sibilities, updated position descriptions andrecruited top new talent. Throughout, thestaff was given the opportunity to engage indefining these new directions. It was theirthoughtful, critical input that helpedS/OCR achieve success.

In January 2007, the Secretary made agroundbreaking decision to have theDepartment become the first Cabinet-levelagency to establish the position of ChiefDiversity Officer. Another breakthroughwas the Department’s inclusion of diversityas a core within its strategic plan. Theseactions sent a clear message that theDepartment’s leadership was serious aboutvaluing diversity. The subsequentlyestablished Assistant Secretary-level DiversityGovernance Council supports the work ofthe Chief Diversity Officer and echoes themessage that leadership on diversity startsat the top.

Attracting TalentIndeed, the Department has positioned

itself to be on the front lines of the war fortalent in the 21st century. Implementing theTransformational Diplomacy initiativesarticulated by the Secretary requires theDepartment to be the employer of choicefor the best and brightest potentialemployees. To be successful, we need to hireoutstanding people from differentbackgrounds who bring a variety of skillsand experiences to bear on the challengeswe face. In this way, we can broaden thescope of knowledge, skills and abilities inthe workforce.

As I reflect on the work of S/OCR thispast year, the achievement that stands out isthe degree to which we improved andexpanded communication. For instance,The Diversity Initiative: A Conversationwith Leaders was a day-long event wherebusiness leaders, nongovernmental organi-zations and academics joined the Secretaryand senior Department leadership todiscuss the business case for diversity andinclusion. The outcome of those discussionsreinforced our conclusion that good diver-sity and inclusion practices result in a more

successful business environment.We then took our case to the

Department’s infrastructure. After dataanalysis by an S/OCR staff member, S/OCRmet with bureau assistant secretaries andtheir senior staff members. We advisedthem of their bureau’s workforce profilesand discussed strategies for enhancingdiversity through workforce planning. Thebureau meetings resulted in follow-updiscussions and collaborations.

Strong Outreach With the outstanding help of the

Foreign Service Institute, S/OCR launcheda new Web site with a range of new tools,articles and important links. We are alsoproud of the issue of State Magazine(January 2007) that was dedicated to diver-sity issues.

It has been my pleasure to lead S/OCRand serve as the Department’s first ChiefDiversity Officer. The Department hasmade significant progress over the past

several years in becoming an employer ofchoice, as evidenced by its rankings inrecent national surveys.

There remains much to be done, however.Diversity and inclusion are not simply anissue of achieving numbers: Metrics domatter. As S/OCR builds on these successfulbeginnings, I urge everyone to make aneffort to contribute to this work—because,after all, it’s good business! ■

The author is the former director of the Officeof Civil Rights. P

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Much To DoOUTGOING CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER NOTES PROGRESSAND CHALLENGES BY BARRY L. WELLS


In 2007, the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria’s volunteer organization,Hearts & Hands, learned the Kirby Simon Trust would provide$2,600 toward purchasing office equipment to enable the TshwanePlace of Safety in Pretoria to better help babies and toddlers in

crisis. TPOS helps more than 170 infants and toddlers receivemedical care and social services, and places them in more than 100temporary and 30 permanent foster homes.

Established in the memory of Kirby Simon, a Foreign Serviceofficer who died in Taiwan in 1995 at age33, the trust operates an annual drive tofund small—but often life-changing—projects worldwide. The trust has fundedclean drinking water, sanitary toilet facili-ties, improvements to schools and thepurchase of educational materials. It hasalso supported orphanages and shelters,and financed projects that helpabandoned babies, abused children, home-less families, orphans and victims of rapeand human trafficking.

The fund was established by John andClaire Simon to memorialize their son in away that reflected his giving and service.The Web site kirbysimontrust.org details adecade of good deeds. In 1997, the trustspent $14,750 to fund sevenprojects. By 2006, that expenditure hadgrown to $87,287, financing 40 projectsin 33 countries.

TPOS serves abandoned babies who arehealthy enough to leave the hospital orwho are removed from homes for abuse orneglect. It also provides color photos todocument abuse. The organization wasthrilled that a new computer and faxmachine from the trust would finally giveit the technology it had long needed. InJuly, Hearts & Hands delivered a new faxmachine, color printer and computer toTPOS, and technicians paid for by thegrant made the equipment operable.

This project was especially important toone embassy family, which had providedfoster care to numerous babies from TPOS.That kind of personal involvement isimportant to the trust. The trust focuses onexpanding opportunities for professionaland community service, addressing proj-ects of active Foreign Service officers,specialists and their families that are beingdone unofficially on personal time. Simplyput, the trust funds opportunities for self-lessness and service. ■

The author is an office management spe-cialist at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria.

TRUST AIDS PRETORIA SHELTER FOR INFANTS BY LINDA INGALLS

Helping the Helpers

The author helps a foster child usea nebulizer to combat tuberculosis.

The July show, Flights of Fantasy, FourAmerican Crafts Artists from the ART inEmbassies Program, opened at SeoulNational University’s Museum of Art,drawing almost 400 Korean art lovers,students, artists, educators, business peopleand government officials.

With the assistance and cooperation of

the private sector, Flights of Fantasy was afirst for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and theART in Embassies Program. Sponsored bythe American Chamber of Commerce inKorea, United Airlines and Boeing Korea,the two-week exhibition included a week-long program of lectures and meetings inSeoul and Daegu, Korea’s third-largest city.

Korean artists, students and educators metthe four American artists and explored thesimilarities and differences in artistic trendsin their fields.

The idea for the cultural exchange camefrom David Ruch, Korea country managerfor United Airlines, who attended a 2006event at Habib House, the residence ofAmbassador Alexander Vershbow, andnoticed the home’s collection of Americancrafts. With the help of the ART inEmbassies Program, the Vershbows’ homedisplays contemporary quilts, glasssculptures, wood pieces and contemporaryjewelry. Ruch particularly noticed sculptorBrad Story’s large, elegant and whimsicalwood and fiberglass bird sculptures, three ofwhich hung from the rafters. He asked theambassador and Anne Johnson, director of

By mixing the work of craft artists with the can-do spirit

of the American local business community, an embassy

public affairs section and the State Department’s ART in

Embassies Program put together an exhibition of colorful

quilts, off-beat jewelry and a flock of large wooden birds

flying across a gallery ceiling.

AMERICAN CRAFTS COME ALIVE FOR KOREAN AUDIENCES BY JONATHAN L. YOOART in Seoul

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View of Flights of Fantasyexhibition at Seoul NationalUniversity's Museum of Art.

ART in Embassies, about who gets to seethe art collection and how it could be seenby a wider audience.

To mount the exhibition, Ruch proposedbringing additional works by some of theartists in the residence’s collection. From the20 artists represented there, the sponsorsinvited four of the artists—a sculptor, aquilter, a textile artist and a jewelry artist—to participate in the exhibition.

ART in Embassies has displayed originalworks of American art in ambassadors’ resi-dences since 1964. These exhibitions offer a

special opportunity to directlycommunicate the originality and varietythat characterize American art and culture.

Korea has a strong tradition of fiber arts,with its own version of patchwork known asbojagi. As a result, textile artists Michaeland Judith James were a sensation in theKorean quilting community. MichaelJames’s latest works use fabrics created withdigital photographs and challenge conven-tional notions of what constitutes a quilt.Judith James alters the colors of fabric anduses the material like a painter’s palette.

They lauded their opportunity to meet sucha range of audiences in Seoul and in Daeguand said the show will be a highlight oftheir careers.

Story, meanwhile, met kindred spirits atKyungpook National University. They werefascinated by his roots as a seventh-generation boat builder and his use of boat-making materials—wood and fiberglass—to create fantastic, imaginary creatures thatare part airplane, part boat and part bird.

“I came back [from Korea] feeling veryenergized, with lots of new ideas to chase,”he said.

Noting the Department’s limitedresources for promoting cultural exchanges,Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy andPublic Affairs Karen Hughes has said theDepartment “must develop effective ways tomarshal the great creativity of our privatesector. American companies, universities,private foundations [and] our travelindustry all have extensive contact withpeople throughout the world. I welcomeideas to more fully engage the private sectorbecause I believe this engagement is criticalto our success.”

Flights of Fantasy met this challengehead-on, creating a model for public-private partnerships. ■

The author was staff aide to AmbassadorVershbow at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.


Above: Artist Michael James, at center, examines an exhibition highlight with members of the Daegu American Quilt Society. Below: Artist Brad Story speaksto students at Kyungpook University in Daegu.

Spirit ofA-76REINVENTING PRINTING SERVICESTHROUGH COMPETITIVE SOURCINGBY ROBERTA MATHER

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E. Tamika Addison, one of the faces ofGPS's digital copier team, stands behindan Océ copier, with GPS's support staff.

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


The recently-launched Office of GlobalPublishing Solutions (A/ISS/GPS) resultedfrom the Department’s first full A-76competitive sourcing initiative, a public-private competition to improveperformance and efficiency in government.

GPS’ predecessor arose in 1953 when theUnited States Information Agency createdthe Regional Printing Center in Manila tosupport the Korean War effort by printingleaflets explaining the United States’ role.During the 1960s, the Vienna RegionalProgram Office was established todistribute publications in Eastern Europe.When USIA merged with the Departmentof State in 1999, the centers in Manila andVienna became a part of the Office ofMultimedia Services but there was redun-dancy and minimal leveraging of capacityand competencies.

“Changing the way MMS operatedbecame a necessity when Secretary Riceintroduced transformational diplomacy,”said Lee Lohman, former deputy assistantsecretary for Information Sharing Services.“The competitive sourcing process becamea catalyst for organizational change. Theprocess puts government employees in theunusual position of thinking like businesspeople and competing for work.”

The A-76 process requires governmentorganizations to look at the services

provided, processes inplace and associatedcosts in a businesslikemanner. It allows anoffice to reinventitself. In the case ofMMS, everyone in theorganization wasencouraged tocontribute ideas tohelp create the neworganization—GlobalPublishing Solutions.

“The A-76 processallowed employeeswith ‘real life’ produc-tion experience togive input,” said DeanCheves, director ofGPS. “These areemployees with aclear understandingof our capabilities,our customers’ needsand the requirementsfor completing multimedia projects.”

An example of this is MMS’s implementa-tion of a web-based ordering and proofingsystem, which responds to customerconcerns about the cumbersome cable/faxprocess. This e-commerce solution becamean integral part of MMS’s winning bid.

“Competitive sourcing lets an organiza-tion start with a blank sheet of paper andbuild an organization that is efficient andresponsive, even though located throughoutthe world,” said David L. Zwang of Zwang &Company, the process analyst and architectfor the new GPS organization.

GPS restructured to meet customerdemand and retained services inWashington, D.C., Manila and, to someextent, Vienna. It is also opening a newpublishing operation in Cairo, tentatively inthe spring of 2008. That full-serviceprinting facility will offer full-color high-end and digital printing, multimediaproduction, and document scanning andconversion that can done onsite at acustomer’s location.

On September 30, 2006, MMS learned ithad won the competition, which alsoincluded two well-established private-sectorgiants. In April, GPS was born as acustomer-focused organization with a newdirection. In keeping with that newness,GPS has already invested in improvedprinting and production equipmentbecause “the new printing presses havemore color controls and features, whichmeans a quicker turnaround for customers,”according to Mark Lundi, former GPSdirector.


At a GlanceOffice NameGlobal Publishing Solutions

SymbolA/ISS/GPS

Office DirectorDean Cheves

Staff Size120

Office LocationHST Room B934, Manila, Viennaand Cairo (opening in 2008)

Web Sitewww.gps.state.gov

Aida Sacks, left, a program specialist with theGlobal Employment Initiative, and GPS CustomerService Representative Denisa Antoine review amarketing package for GEI.

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Above: GPS CustomerService Representative

Reynaldo Powell shows acustomer a display panel

that GPS produced forthe Bureau of Western

Hemisphere Affairs.Right: The Vienna-based

GPS design team reviewsan Arts in Embassies

publication, whichGPS both designs

and produces.

GLOBAL PUBLISHING SOLUTIONS

The Department’sprinting and publishingoperation was given theopportunity to reinventhow it does businessthough the Department’sfirst A-76 competition.

Competitive sourcing,or A-76, is a managementtool to enable change. Theprocess, developed andmonitored by the Officeof Management andBudget, allows

government personnelperforming commercialfunctions to competeagainst private companies.The process involves:

• Writing down therequirements toprovide a cleardescription of thework required.

• Building a proposalthat identifies how theneed will be met andhow much it will cost.

The government teamcan flexibly design acreative approach toperform the work.Qualified privatesector companies willalso submit proposals.

• Evaluating theresponses using anindependent panelthat grades themaccording to standardcriteria and selects awinner.


GPS also implemented a global management information system named “GPSLink” that ties the entire operation together. GPS Link enables GPS employees toleverage all available resources worldwide. For instance, it allows GPS employeesand customers to track projects, determine schedules and plan deliveries. Anextension of the GPS Web site, GPS Link is available on a 24/7 basis via theInternet and OpenNet.

Additionally, the Regional Printing Center in Manila recently achieved ISO9001:2000 Quality Management Certification from the International StandardsOrganization.

GPS also has reorganized its domestic copier management program and nowoffers copiers from a single provider that must maintain 98-percent uptime oncopiers or provide replacements. Additionally, all copiers that are five years old orolder will be replaced. Customers can also expect faster delivery of parts, suppliesand service. GPS has also expanded its document scanning services, enablingcustomers to do away with more paper files.

GPS’ structure, services and locations were planned to supportTransformational Diplomacy and the Department’s needs worldwide.

“I tell all the GPS team members that we are not changing,” said Cheves. “Weare inventing and building, and the only real change is our ability to serve ourcustomers worldwide in a much more transparent manner.” ■

The author is the marketing director of Global Publishing Solutions.

A-76 EXPLAINED BY JASON PASSARO

GPS Director Chevesexamines several of theorganization’s recentlyprinted materials.

Clearing the Air

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUTPORTABLE ROOM AIR CLEANERSBY DR. SAEED RAHIMI



SAFETY SCENE

A plethora of advertisementsentices us to clean the air in ourhomes using portable room aircleaners. Some ads claim that aircleaners can generate mountain air;others claim they can alleviate allergysymptoms and kill airborne germs. Itis important to understand what aircleaners really can or can’t do beforepurchasing one.

Using portable air cleaners is theleast effective method for reducingindoor air pollution, yet it is the solu-tion most commonly sought.Aggressive housekeeping, prudent useof household chemicals and control-ling moisture by adequate ventilationor dehumidification when necessaryare the primary means for reducingdust, mold and other indoor airpollutants.

Nevertheless, under rareconditions, air cleaners may reducethe negative health effects from somesmall, invisible particles of dust ormist suspended in air.

Despite the fact that air cleanershave been marketed for more than 20years, there is still scientificcontroversy about whether theyreduce the allergic reactions producedby larger particles such as pollen,house-dust allergens, molds andanimal dander. These particles tend toaccumulate as dust on surfaces in thehome. An air cleaner is of little valueunless the settled dust is vigorouslydisturbed. Even then, the particles willquickly settle again.

Portable air cleaners may use oneof several methods to remove indoor

pollutants. An electronic precipitatortraps particulates in a paper filter orelectrical field when air passesthrough it. Ion generators charge theparticles in the air electrostatically.The particles are then pulled from theair and attracted to householdsurfaces (where they can be seen andremoved) or gathered in the unit’scharged collector. Activated carbonfilters theoretically can remove someorganic vapors.

Whatever method or combinationof methods is used, the performanceand efficiency of air cleaners areaffected by many technical factors thatpose significant design and use chal-lenges. For example, ion generatorsand electrostatic air cleaners can emitozone, a severe lung irritant.

Manufacturers tout the use of HighEfficiency Particulate Arresting filters,which are great for removing thetiniest of particles that can be inhaled.However, it is critical that the particle-laden air travel through the filter.Probably, much of the air goes aroundrather than through the filter, leavingmost of the particles circulating aboutthe room.

Effectiveness also depends on theamount of air handled by the unit. Anair cleaner may process only 10 cubicfeet of air each minute. It will takemore than 90 minutes for all the airin a room of 1,000 cubic feet to beprocessed. Meanwhile, pollutants aremost likely being generated morequickly than the machine can processthem. In addition, air is constantlymoving between rooms due to human

activity and air-flow dynamics. Unlessthe air cleaner is in a sealed room, it isnot possible for it to purify the spacecompletely.

Maintenance of the unit is criticalfor peak effectiveness. In the case ofelectronic air cleaners and ion gener-ators, maintenance is also necessaryto prevent high levels of ozone. Buthomeowners usually fail to clean theunits frequently and replace thecostly filters.

Some portable room air purifiersuse ultraviolet light, which is an effec-tive disinfectant of microbiologicalcontaminants. The efficacy of theseunits depends on the intensity of thelight and duration of time the lightcontacts the microorganism. In mostpurifiers, air travels at tremendousspeed, leaving little contact time withthe UV light. Also, UV light does notremove chemicals or particulates. Itsvalue as a portable room air cleaner istherefore minimal.

Making an informed decision onpurchasing a portable air cleaner canbe difficult since the federalgovernment has not issued guidelinesor standards for determining theireffectiveness or whether they performas manufacturers claim.

It is difficult to ignore theattraction of pure air, but “buyerbeware” remains the best guidancewhen considering a portable room aircleaner. ■

The author is an industrial hygienistwith the Division of Safety, Health andEnvironmental Management.

The Foreign AffairsRecreation Association and theState of the Arts Cultural Seriesrecently presented concertsfeaturing outstanding classicalpianists and a dramatic tenorand mezzo-soprano.

Antonio N. Adams, thedramatic tenor, presented arecital of arias and songs withgreat sensitivity. Adams, who isworking on a master’s degree atGoucher College and trainingunder vocal coach Dr. GeneFord, was brilliant in hisrendering of George Gershwin’s“A Woman is a SometimeThing” from Porgy and Bess. Theaudience showered applause onthis talented vocalist.

Michael L. Cu, 19, is from thePhilippines and provided arousing performance of musicfrom a variety of cultures,including Chinese, French,Polish and Filipino. He isstudying at Towson Universitywith Renaldo Rayes and has wonthe International Young ArtistCompetition. Especiallychallenging was his performanceof “Scarbo” by Maurice Ravel,

considered by many to be themost difficult solo piano piece inthe standard repertoire. A reju-venated audience providedspontaneous applause.

Four talented piano prodigiesranging in age from 8 to 16provided a compelling recitalthat often belied their ages.Eight-year-old Muli Yusensitively played Li-Ly Chang’s“Under the Tuscany Sun” andClaude Debussy’s “Le PetitNegre.” Fifth-grader Cynthia Liuplayed a riveting “Rhapsody on aTheme of Paganini ” by SergeiRachmaninov. Ashley Zhou, whois 12 and has just finished 6thgrade, played Amadeus Mozart’sFantasy in Dm, K397 and FranzSchubert’s Impromptu Op. 90No. 2, showing musical maturitywell beyond her age. George Fu,16, played works by Tan Dun,Johann Sebastian Bach andMaurice Ravel. His encore, the3rd movement from Gargoylesby Lowell Liebermann,captivated the audience, whichrewarded him with applause.

Classical pianist BarbroDahlman presented a programof traditional andcontemporary music that

included works by Jan Sibelius,Ulf Grahn, Edvard Grieg andGeorge Gershwin. Dahlmanbelieves contemporary musicprovides her an unique outlet forabstract thoughts and emotionsand that playing new music has

added a new dimension to herapproach to traditional music.She has been a faculty memberof The George WashingtonUniversity since 1987.

Carol Weiss Riches, mezzo-soprano, and piano accompanistTrudy Gelfand presented adelightful program entitledMusic in the Parlor. The recitalconsisted of turn-of-the-centurylove songs set in an Edwardianparlor complete with pottedpalms and performed in periodcostumes that Riches created.She is a soloist at CovenantChapel Reformed EpiscopalChurch, Basking Ridge, N.J., andhas sung with many operacompanies worldwide. Gelfandis co-organist at Holy TrinityReformed Episcopal Church inFairfax, Va. The truly relaxedaudience experienced a changeof pace and time. ■

The author is a computer special-ist in the Executive Secretariat.

Young Performers Show Talent Beyond Their Years

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Performances are onWednesdays at 12:30 p.m.

in the Dean AchesonAuditorium.

NOV 07

Hawaiian Hula Dancers

DEC 05

TBA

DEC 19

Holiday Program

STATE OF THE ARTS


BY JOHN BENT

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Pianist Muli Yu, 8, gets apre-performance hugfrom Caryl Traten Fisher,director and founder ofthe State of the ArtsCultural Series.


APPOINTMENTS

U.S. Ambassador to theCentral African RepublicFrederick B. Cook of Florida, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Central AfricanRepublic. Previously, he was foreignpolicy advisor to the Combined JointTask Force–Horn of Africa. His otherassignments include La Paz, Havana,Gaborone, Monrovia and Caracas, wherehe was deputy chief of mission. He ismarried and has two children.

U.S. Ambassador to VenezuelaPatrick Dennis Duddy of Maine, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the BolivarianRepublic of Venezuela. Previously, he wasdeputy assistant secretary for WesternHemisphere Affairs. His overseas assign-ments include Chile, the DominicanRepublic, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Panama,Bolivia and Sao Paulo, Brazil, where hewas consul general. He is married andhas two children.

U.S. Ambassador to the CongoWilliam John Garvelink of Michigan, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo. Previously,he was the senior deputy assistant admin-istrator for the Bureau of Democracy,Conflict and Humanitarian Assistancewith the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment. He also served in LatinAmerica and Eritrea, where he wasUSAID mission director. He is married.

U.S. Ambassador to TanzaniaMark Green of Wisconsin, who servedfour terms in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, is the new U.S. Ambas-sador to the United Republic ofTanzania. As a member of the HouseInternational Relations Committee, heplayed a leading role in crafting theMillennium Challenge Act, whichcommits the U.S. to invest in developingcountries that are pursuing reforms. Heand his wife served as secondary schoolteachers in Kenya in 1987–88 andtraveled extensively in East Africa.

U.S. Ambassador to PeruPeter Michael McKinley of Virginia, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of Peru. Previously, he wasdeputy chief of mission at the U.S.Mission to the European Union. Beforethat, he was a deputy assistant secretaryin the Bureau of Population, Refugeesand Migration. His overseas postingsinclude Brussels, Kampala, Maputo,London and La Paz. He wrote a historyof colonial Venezuela.

U.S. Ambassador to MontenegroRoderick W. Moore of Rhode Island, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of Montenegro. Previously, hewas deputy chief of mission in Belgrade.Before that, he was DCM in Sofia. Hisother overseas assignments include Port-au-Prince, Skopje, Zagreb and Sarajevo,the latter with the Office of Security andCooperation in Europe Mission.

U.S. Ambassador to LesothoRobert B. Nolan of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom ofLesotho. Previously, he was director ofthe Office of Career Development andAssignments and, before that, directorof the Office of Performance Evaluation.His overseas postings include Conakry,Antananarivo, Havana, Helsinki andMonterrey, where he was principalofficer. He is married and has threechildren.

U.S. Ambassador to UzbekistanRichard Boyce Norland of Iowa, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofUzbekistan. Previously, he was deputychief of mission in Kabul. Before that, hewas DCM in Riga. His other assignmentsinclude Manama; Tromsø, Norway;Moscow; Dublin; and Mazar-e-Sharif,Afghanistan. He was a peacekeepingmonitor in Georgia and Chechnya. He ismarried and has two children.

APPOINTMENTS


Director General of theForeign ServiceAmbassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. ofNew York, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the new Director Generalof the Foreign Service and Director ofHuman Resources. Until recently, he wasa special assistant to the Secretary andexecutive secretary of the Department.Before that, he was ambassador toBangladesh. His other overseasassignments include India, Zimbabwe,Nigeria and Peru. He is married and hasa daughter.

U.S. Ambassador to PakistanAnne Woods Patterson of Virginia, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Career Minister, is thenew U.S. Ambassador to the IslamicRepublic of Pakistan. Previously, she wasassistant secretary for InternationalNarcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.She has served as acting permanent repre-sentative at the U.S. Mission to the UnitedNations and as ambassador to Colombiaand El Salvador. Other overseas postingsinclude Saudi Arabia and Geneva. She ismarried and has two sons.

* Busch, John G.

Gallik, Daniel

Persinger, Martha Jane

Poindexter, Deloise L.

Prather, Sandra Elizabeth

Rickert, Gerd Granstrand

Vance, Merry S.

Wilson, Robert Clair

Adair, Marshall P.Ahmed, NaimAlderman, J. MikelAllegrone, Charles

RussellAndresen, David R.Anske, Ralph DheloAroian, Lois A.Baer, Lawrence ReaBalderas, BobbyBarbaro, Anne V. StenzelBedichek, LouiseBienia, Richard A.Bishop, Robyn M.Blaine III, William M.Boone, Hazel RobinsonBrown, KarenButterman, Judith M.Byrnes, Jill F.Campbell, JohnCataldi, Laura G.Clement, Kathryn A.Davnie III, William F.Dean, Margaret M.

Fairfax, Ben FloydFogarty, John FrancisFranke, Durwood L.Gadsden, James IrvinGaines Jr., William R.Gardner, Charles E.Goldstein, Jeffrey LouisGroh, Steven B.Hamill, John DavisHaraghey, Howard K.Hartley, Ronald R.Hartman Hart, Shirley

MarieHartwick, Douglas AlanHazzard, Carol LynnHelmer, Colin S.Hirst, Dennis F.Horn, William S.Iacobucci, NancyKeil, Todd M.Kilgore, VivianKirkpatrick, Alexander T.Kloth Jr., Edward WilliamKrause, Susan Annette

Kulla, MorganLa Fleur, Christopher J.Lamb, William H.Levine, Karen T.Londono, Peter VincentLundi, Mark C.Markey Jr., John P.McGhee, Janet M.McNeilly, JillMeigs, Michael AndrewMetzger, Janice DelMing, LiliMiotke, Jeffrey AllenMirabel, Raphael A.Mitchell, Michael L.Neumann, Douglas BruceNoble, Stephen VanceNorris, Raymond L.O’Brien, Linda K.Panos, A. JamesParker, William Van

RensaliPitterle, Kenneth JohnPressley Jr., Franklin B.

Rollins, Millard JamesRoss, Roberta SueannRubino, Samuel AnthonySadler, Frederick R.Schlosser, John K.Speidel, William DavidStruble, James CurtisVan Son, Paul BiggsWalser, John RaymondWalton, Michael RalphWanlund, William H.Warren, Thomas J.Weaver, Judith A.Wheeler, EvelynWiddison, Milton GaryWiley, Beverly M.Wilgus, Janet Wilson, Patricia Wollemborg, Leo R.

FOREIGN SERVICE >>> CIVIL SERVICE

retirements


OBITUARIES

William James “Bill” Johnson,77, a retired Foreign Servicecommunicator, died April 10 in Salisbury,Md. He served in the Air Force beforejoining the Department in 1978. His over-seas postings included Nigeria, Germany,

Belgium and Bahrain. He retired in 1990.

William T. Masingill Jr., 83, aretired Foreign Service employee, diedAug. 4 in Chattanooga, Tenn. He served inthe Army during World War II and joinedthe Department in 1949. His overseas post-ings included China, the Philippines, Italy,Germany, Mexico, France, India, Guinea,

Indonesia and Malaysia. After retiring in 1988, he worked for theVirginia State Police. He was an avid amateur radio operator.

Ann Marie Sinsabaugh, 87, a retired Foreign Service secre-tary, died Aug. 11 in Arlington, Va. She joined the Department in1976 and retired in 1985. Her overseas postings included Haiti,England, Rwanda, Thailand and Cameroon. After retirement, sheearned a degree in English from the University of Memphis.

Ozzie Lee Turner Sr., 88, a retiredgeneral services assistant in the Bureau ofEuropean and Eurasian Affairs, died April19 in Washington, D.C. He served in theArmy before joining the Department in1949. After retiring in 1973, he operated a

family dry cleaning business.

Sidney L. Woollons, 82, a retired Foreign Service officer,died May 28 in Morgan Hills, Calif. After working in the U.S.Consulate in Plymouth, England, until it was destroyed by bombsin 1941, he joined a Royal Air Force squadron composed mainlyof American volunteers. He returned to the Department in 1946and retired in 1977. His overseas postings included Antwerp,Vienna, Salzburg, Frankfurt, Winnipeg, Goteborg, West Berlin andBridgetown.

IN THE EVENT OF A DEATH

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


When the Department’s Nuclear RiskReduction Center and its counterpart inwhat was then the Soviet Union were estab-lished, the idea was to use transparency andaround-the-clock communications to avoidmisinterpretations, miscalculations or acci-dents that might lead to nuclear war. As thecenter celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2007,its mission has expanded to encompassmultilateral and international security agree-ments. While much of this office’s workcould be called routine, its 14 watch officersreduce the threat of war by building interna-tional confidence in U.S. intentions.

The center may not get many headlines,but at the end of the day it does make theworld a safer place.

When you need an information fix onDepartment business or the day’s news asseen through Department eyes, where canyou go? Try BNET, the Department’s 24-hour television station that providesprogramming to employee desktops in theUnited States and at 180 worldwide posts.Originally called “Broadcast Network,”BNET broadcasts appearances by Secretaryof State Condoleezza Rice, daily and specialbriefings, Congressional hearings, town hallmeetings and Department events, punctu-ated by national and international news.

If you miss a live broadcast of a must-seeevent, don’t worry; just log onto the BNET

Web site and access the video-on-demandarchive. If it’s important, it’s in there.

Giving seems to come naturally this timeof the year, with celebratory holidaysstretching from November into January.

For federal employees, the spirit of giving isoften personified by the Combined FederalCampaign, better known as CFC, whichofficially began in October. State’s goal thisyear is $2.1 million, according to theDepartment’s CFC campaign manager. Theoverall goal for the National Capital Area is$60 million.

Several Department-related organizationsare CFC-qualified charities, including onethat provides scholarships for the Diplototsday-care program and another that helpsease the financial burdens of familymembers of Diplomatic Security officerskilled or injured in the line of duty.

When Foreign Service families moveoverseas, especially to hardship posts, theyoften find limited opportunities to developprofessionally or to even maintain currentskills and abilities. Thanks to funding fromthe Una Chapman Cox Foundation, theFamily Liaison Office can help. Over the lastthree years, FLO has awarded 155 CoxProfessional Development Fellowships,mostly in hardship posts, to provide career-enriching activities for Foreign Servicepersonnel and family members. The pilotprogram has become one of FLO’s mostpopular employment initiatives.

Last but never least, a final salute to ourcolleagues en route to their final posting:William James “Bill” Johnson; William T.Masingill Jr.; Ann Marie Sinsabaugh; OzzieLee Turner Sr.; and Sidney L. Woollons.

A Safer World

THE LAST WORD

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

COMING IN DECEMBER>>> Cairo’s Mosaic–Color and Contrast

>>> American Values Through Film

>>> On-Demand Information Resources

>>> Chasing Visa Fraud in Hong Kong

... and much more! Questions? [email protected]

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

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PAIDDEPARTMENT

OF STATEISSN 1099-4165

Nov.2007The Bureau of Human Resources notesthat the 2007 Federal Employee HealthBenefits open season runs from Nov. 12through Dec. 10, 2007. The bureauencourages employees to visit itsIntranet Web site and the Office ofPersonnel Management Web site,http://www.opm.gov/insure. The sitesprovide information about these benefitprograms, including enrollment informa-tion, links to health plans’ Web sites andfrequently asked questions, and areupdated regularly.

HEALTH BENEFITSOPEN SEASON BEGINS

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state magazine, november 2007

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