State Magazine | Issue 530

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

MAGAZINE

Geneva Europe’s Harmonic Heart

JANUARY 2009 JAN2009 STATE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 530

Cai Guo-Qiang’s Eagle Landing on a Pine Branch highlights connections between China and the United States. This gunpowder polyptych alludes to Chinese scholar paintings while obliterating the paper through the ignition of gunpowder, an allusion to the eighth-century Chinese alchemists who invented it. The eagle and pine trees were chosen for their symbolic value in both China and the United States, representing friendship and cooperation. 10 24 38 West Meets Post of the Perfect East Month Match Art inspired by nature Geneva serves as Consulate handles all graces new Beijing the U.S. Mission to American adoptions embassy. the world. in China. 03

FEATURES COLUMNS

14 Winning Vote 32 Dare to Share 2 From the D.G. Embassy Nairobi uses U.S. election Shared Services initiative aims to 3 In the News to teach democracy. transform Human Resources. 9 Diversity Notes Helping Hands 16 44 Education and Training Department honors volunteers for 34 Office of the Month charitable work. Foreign Policy Advisors are ambassa- 45 Appointments 18 Generalists dors to Department of Defense. 45 Retirements Approaching 46 Obituaries HR readies for new hires. 40 Major Move 48 The Last Word 20 Birthday Book New compound boosts post’s office Consulate General helps Bermuda space and security. ON THE COVER celebrate 400th anniversary. Geneva, long considered to be the center of international negotiations, 22 Working with ‘Ops’ 42 Medical Report is home to the United States’ largest Operations Center offers tips for Claims section processes payments for overseas multilateral mission. meeting needs. medical services. Photograph by Getty Images D.G. HARRY K. THOMAS

Office of Recruitment, Examination and Employment— New Year/New Inroads

Department Civil Service and Foreign skills. The entire hiring process, which previ- Service recruitment efforts, e.g., Boise State ously took more than a year to complete, has University, Hiram College and the University been streamlined. As a result, we are getting of South Dakota. The program provides a people into the Foreign Service faster. For paid internship, either domestic or abroad, example, some candidates who took the that will be awarded to applicants, vetted by September 2007 written test entered A-100 Diplomats in Residence, who exhibit poten- in July 2008. tial and an interest in a career in the In my visits to high schools, colleges and Department. This new program is in professional organizations around the addition to other ongoing programs directed country, I always emphasize that the Depart- toward undergraduate and graduate ment needs men and women with diverse students, such as the Rangel and Pickering backgrounds, vast intellectual interests, a Fellows programs, which are open to strong work ethic and an interest in serving all Americans. our country. We need folks who understand • For the third year in a row, the Depart- how U.S. interests interact with the rest of ment has placed among the top five ideal the world, whether the subject is science and employers in an annual poll of undergradu- the environment or combating international ates reported by BusinessWeek. The narcotics trafficking. Department is the highest ranking federal As I’ve said before, all members of the agency. In addition, out of hundreds of State Department family are potential I wish you and your loved ones a happy, employers, including write-ins, the Depart- recruiters. We are gratified that more than healthy and successful 2009. In this new year, ment ranked first as an ideal employer for 600 of our colleagues have answered the call I would like to let you know about the liberal arts undergraduates. to help with recruitment, and I know many outstanding work being done by Luis • The Department also ranked high as an more of you volunteer on your own. Your Arreaga and his team in the Office of ideal employer in the annual poll of minority stories inspire future candidates to become Recruitment, Examination and Employment. undergraduates. Out of the top 100 our colleagues. I encourage you to direct In July of 2008, Mr. Arreaga came to us employers, the Department has ranked third young people to our award-winning Web site from Panama, where he served as Deputy as an ideal employer for African-American (www.careers.state.gov). If you are planning Chief of Mission. Prior to that, he served undergraduates. Moreover, in 2008, the Black a visit to your alma mater or your as the Principal Officer in Vancouver. Now, Collegian ranked the Department a top professional organization, or as a hometown Mr. Arreaga leads the office that is respon- recruiter of college graduates. It was the only diplomat, please contact volrecruiter@ sible for recruiting and hiring the federal agency listed in the top 100. state.gov to request support materials. We Department’s Civil Service employees, • We have an improved Foreign Service have updated the Intranet resources for you, Foreign Service generalists and specialists officer selection process, which includes an and we have full-time talent scouts around and interns, as well as managing online written test and review by a Qualifica- the country serving as Diplomats in Department-wide student programs. tion Review Panel of candidate test scores Residence who can provide follow-up to The HR/REE team has made great inroads and application materials to determine candidates you meet. We have great opportu- over the past year: which candidates should be invited to the nities for Americans who want to make a • In September, the Department launched daylong oral assessment. The Qualification positive difference in the world, and it is up the Internship Fellows Program to identify Evaluation Panel process allows us to to all of us to share that information. talented students from colleges and universi- consider the “total candidate,” including such If you have any general comments or ties throughout the United States that have things as candidate work and study suggestions, please feel free to send them to not traditionally been the focus of State experience, leadership and foreign language me via unclassified e-mail at DG Direct. ■

2 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 news

NBA Star Employs Slam-Dunk Diplomacy

In July, the U.S. Mission in Indonesia contact—they see us as bureaucrats,” he attending the events and inundating combined two American cultural said. “We needed to clearly show our value Granger with their warm and positive phenomena—basketball and hip-hop and understanding of their goals.” response soon dispelled these doubts.” music—for a slam-dunk in public When Indiana Pacers star Danny In Jakarta, Granger attended a reception diplomacy. For the National Basketball Granger was invited by an Indonesian at Ambassador Hume’s residence, where a Association’s first foray into Indonesia, the basketball league, the NBA signed on, and crowd of Indonesians—including young U.S. Consulate in Surabaya and the U.S. its participation attracted other sponsors athletes, entrepreneurs, basketball fans and Embassy in Jakarta worked with the who provided sports gear and support. media moguls—danced to live hip-hop Foreign Commercial Service on In Surabaya, Granger participated in a performances by popular Indonesian community outreach that combined sports major high-school championship tourna- musicians and snacked on basketball- diplomacy and commercial advocacy for ment, an orphanage visit and a basketball themed donuts. The event culminated in a the NBA. clinic for high-school boys and girls. free-throw contest. Ambassador Cameron R. Hume laid “Despite being used to fan adulation The next day, the embassy hosted a the groundwork by meeting with the and large crowds, Granger was unsure how basketball clinic where Granger taught lay- NBA leadership in New York. FCS officer this majority-Muslim society would receive ups and defense to children from local Lawrence Johnson said it was not an an American,” Public Affairs Officer John orphanages. Indonesian girls and boys easy sell. Taylor said. “Thousands of cheering fans played enthusiastically, and these images “You have to think creatively as you were transmitted worldwide by the media craft your presentation. Typically, the as a symbol of U.S. outreach to NBA does not look to the U.S. the Muslim world government as a primary through sports. news

FARA Celebrates 30 Years The Foreign Affairs Recreational Association celebrated its 30th anniversary in November with a bazaar at Main State featuring many Gathered at the FARA celebration were, from left, Brigitta Drewes, the Department’s liaison to FARA’s board; board member Irene Lucas; Under Secretary Patrick Kennedy; board member William Amoroso; FARA General of the merchants who sell their wares Manager Clement Jackson and board member Hudson Byrd. in FARA’s Foggy Bottom shops. FARA also operates a fitness center in Main State that held an open house A private nonprofit organization, FARA provides recreational, the same day. educational, social, wellness and convenience services for its Under Secretary for Management Patrick Kennedy cut the members, who may be Foreign Service or Civil Service employees. birthday cake at FARA’s celebration, saying he had come to For instance, it offers discounts on housing, movies, museums, celebrate the Department’s “great symbiotic relationship with sports events and theme parks in the Washington, D.C., area. More FARA—we provide space and you provide services.” information on FARA is at www.recgov.org/state.

HR Expands Roster of Automated Services The Bureau of Human Resources has eliminating the need to visit the ESC. report also lets employees update their expanded its suite of online self-service Once approved, the form goes to the emergency contacts and eligible family applications with automated versions of the Global Employment Management System to member information. DS-1707, Leave, Travel and Consultation generate an electronic SF-50, Notification of Automation of the OF-126 and DS-1707 Status form, and the OF-126, Foreign Personnel Action. The approved DS-1707 is reduces the delays and costs associated with Service Residence and Dependency report. also automatically placed in the employee’s paper forms. Future self-service initiatives Foreign Service employees moving from electronic Travel Folder in electronic Official include implementing ePerformance for the overseas to domestic assignments or Personnel File. The folder is accessible only Civil Service, Foreign Service and Senior between domestic assignments can now to employees who have Permanent Change Executive Service, and automation of several complete and submit their DS-1707 and of Station travel orders and authorized users. Travel Message cables. revise their OF-126 through the HR Online The automated OF-126, also available in HR’s Executive Office is seeking system, which has a link under “Employee HR Online, allows Foreign Service and Civil representatives from Department bureaus Self-Service” to the automated DS-1707. Service employees converting to limited to become “Champions for Change” who The electronic form will include assignment non-career Foreign Service appointments to will provide guidance in designing training notification and departure information, update multiple addresses such as home for self-service applications, participate in requiring employees to add only the data to leave, separation and legal addresses. system testing and encourage bilateral confirm their leave status and its time Changes to an employee’s official payroll communication with HR and other stake- frame. Once completed and validated by the address, however, must still be processed holders. Those interested in becoming a employee, the form is submitted electroni- through Global Financial Services in Champion for Change should contact cally to the Employee Services Center, Charleston, S.C. The automated OF-126 GEMSChangeManagement @state.gov.

4 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Embassy Baghdad Helps American Voters walk-in inquiries and aid voters in confirming their conducting weekly outreach registration and ballot requests. events in a café within Saddam “For many overseas voters, Hussein’s former presidential each national election is a bit of palace. The section also reached a refresher course in American out to Americans living outside democracy,” said Embassy Voting the Green Zone with warden Assistance Officer Steven Gillen. messages alerting voters to elec- “It’s hard to promote democ-

Army Lt. Colonel Thomas Goodfellow, left, gets voting assistance at a café in tion deadlines and referring racy if you don’t practice it,” what was Saddam Hussein’s presidential palace. them to the Federal Voter Assis- agreed Master Sergeant Patrick tance Program Web site. McDonald, an Army reservist During the 2008 presidential able to cast their votes. The embassy’s consular offi- monitoring Iraq’s provincial campaign, Americans in Iraq Beginning in early September, cers also distributed voter elections. “It’s the responsibility were just as excited as their the embassy’s consular section registration forms and federal of American soldiers and diplo- compatriots at home, and the rendered voting assistance to “back-up ballots” and called mats to practice what they U.S. Embassy in Baghdad helped more than 300 Americans by local election authorities preach by participating in our ensure that eligible citizens were answering telephone, e-mail and throughout the United States to electoral process.” Department Urged to Hire the Disabled Although the federal govern- She advised employees with ment had 28,000 disabled disabilities to point this out to employees in 1997 and has regu- their managers when a job lations that encourage hiring of opening at a higher-paid grade the disabled, it has 4,000 fewer becomes available but has not disabled employees today, said been posted. The disabled the speaker at the Department’s person can be appointed via National Disability Month event Schedule A hiring authority at Main State in October. provided he or she meets the “We have a long way to go,” requirements of the position said Beth Bienvenu of the and has been medically certified Department of Labor’s Office of as disabled, Bienvenu said. Disability Employment Policy. Managers can also seek out To increase federal hiring of qualified disabled employees individuals with disabilities, she themselves through the DOL’s pointed to managers’ ability to online job bank, hire in the Civil Service through www.earnworks.com, and the In the foreground, Pam Collins, an interpreter with Sign Language Associates, the noncompetitive Web site of the Workforce does signing, while in the background Beth Bienvenu answers a question. appointment of individuals with Recruitment Program, severe disabilities under https://www.wrp.gov, which monitor or keyboard they can to all federal employers under Schedule A of the regulation 5 includes disabled students use. Bienvenu said DOL’s the Computer/Electronic CFR 213.3102(u). This, she said, seeking internships. State agen- research across the federal Accommodation Program run allows a manager to hire eligible cies for the disabled and government found 46 percent of by the Department of Defense. employees with severe disabili- organizations of the disabled are such accommodations involve Employees can request ties without posting the job and also good sources of candidates, no cost, and the rest have an accommodations from their waiting for a list of qualified she said. average one-time cost of $500. supervisor or the Bureau of applications. The practice cuts Federal employees with Among the free Human Resources, Work/Life to three weeks or less what can disabilities have a right under accommodations for most Programs, on the Intranet at be a two- to six-month process, federal law to workplace accom- federal employees are the http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/ she said. modations, such as a computer computer-related ones offered prd/hrweb/er/worklife/wl.cfm.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 5 IRM Consolidates IT Operations In November, the Bureau of Information Resource Management’s Information Technology Operations Center opened at the Department’s Beltsville, Md., Information Management Center. The IT center allows IRM to consolidate its Tier 1 and Tier 2 support organizations from its IT Service Center, the Enterprise Network Management Operations Center and the Combined Technical Operations Center. The IT center will provide domestic and overseas operations support around the clock. Having these functions in one location enhances customer service and spotlights IRM’s progress in creating a consolidated IT support model for the Department, the bureau said. At the ribbon-cutting are, from left, BIMC Division Chief John Cabral, The Beltsville IMC opened in 1987 and provides command Customer Service Office Director Kay Gotoh, Under Secretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy (with scissors), Chief Information Officer and control communications to overseas posts and other Susan Swart, Deputy CIO Charlie Wisecarver and Teresa Scott from IRM’s federal agencies. In 1991, it gained IRM’s Enterprise Server Technical Controls Office. Operations Center.

‘Trunk-or-Treat’ Halloween in Bucharest Since most countries don’t celebrate Halloween and mission housing can be spread throughout a city where security requirements may limit trick-or-treating, it can be a challenge to give American children exposure to this unique American experience while overseas. At the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, the community liaison office organizes a chance for the post’s children to enjoy Halloween together. Every year, the children assemble at the American Interna- tional School parking lot, which becomes a small “neighborhood” that provides a safe and friendly arena for trick-or-treating. The children first do a costume parade around the lot and then go from car to car to load up on goodies. The past Halloween was the embassy’s largest and best, with 28 families decorating their cars and trunks. A Boy Scout troop provided cookies and hot chocolate for the crowd and awarded three prizes for the spookiest-looking cars.

A trick or treater at the latest “trunk or treat” prepares to seek out Halloween goodies.

6 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 news Department Adds 15 Colleges To Internship Program The State Department already recruits at more than 50 colleges list was recommended by Director General for Human Resources and universities around the country, but “we want to reach out to Harry K. Thomas and approved by Secretary of State Condoleezza colleges we don’t usually reach out to,” said Luis Arreaga, director of Rice. It is another way to increase the Department’s diversity, the Office of Recruitment, Examination and Employment. Arreaga said. To that end, REE has created a new Internship Fellows Program, Because each school may nominate up to four students, initially targeting 15 institutions, many of them small ones. This allocating them to either the summer or fall or spreading them over pilot program will put the interns to work in the Department this both periods, the program could bring the Department as many as summer and fall in paid positions domestically and worldwide. 60 new interns this year. The Department employed almost 1,400 The list of colleges includes Valdosta State in Georgia, Wiley interns in summer 2008. College in Texas, the University of South Dakota, Bowie State in The outreach is being done by REE and the Department’s Diplo- Maryland and the University of Maryland–Baltimore Campus. The mats in Residence, 16 Senior Foreign Service officers who are based at a college or university and cover wide recruiting regions nationally. Deborah Graze, REE’s DIR coordinator and Outreach Branch chief, said recruiting Foreign Service officers from colleges that are too small to specialize in foreign affairs could enrich the FSO ranks. “Good talent comes from all over, and we need to keep up that talent pipeline,” she said. The interns will be paid and may receive travel allowances. They are nominated by their colleges in consultation with their regional DIR, and REE reviews the application to ensure that it qualifies. Applications for the program were due in November, and selected students have been placed in the bureaus.

Top officials of several institutions participating in the Internship Fellows Program stand with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, center.

Airline Industry Trainers Aid Fiji Antifraud Effort Two representatives of the airline binding for signs of tampering. They also every bit of knowledge helps in detecting industry’s Carrier Liaison Program and learned to sniff the visa or passport to see if fraudulent activity,” Coble said. members of the U.S. Embassy in Suva team a chemical wash was used to remove infor- The CLP, which last sent trainers to Fiji fighting visa fraud conducted a weeklong mation to change the biometric data. in 2000, trains airline employees and others antifraud training session in Fiji in “The consular sections are the first line who help board passengers. In Fiji, Tonga September. of defense [on travel document fraud], and and Kiribati, officials from the departments The training team visited communities of immigration, customs and police assist on Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island. More than with passenger loading and off-loading. 150 people attended the sessions, including They also do much of the final boarding representatives from the New Zealand High check at smaller airports. A week prior to Commission and the French Embassy. the training, one Fiji immigration officer The training focused on visa and travel- stopped an imposter at the boarding gate of document fraud prevention. Heather Coble, a flight destined for the United States. The vice consul at the U.S. Embassy in Suva, training included passenger assessment and said attendees learned to examine passports imposter identification. and visas for the security features that ensure the documents are real. For instance, Among those attending the training were, from they learned to use black lights, loupes and left, Christopher Mendoza, a U.S. immigration officer; Joe Ravatudei, a Fiji immigration officer; “the five senses approach,” which involves Heather Coble, vice consul at the embassy; and such actions as feeling the passport’s Richard Campbell, a U.S. immigration officer.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 7 news

MAGAZINE

Magazine Staff

Rob Wiley Editor-in-Chief

Ed Warner Deputy Editor

Bill Palmer Writer/Editor

David L. Johnston Art Director

Advisory Board Members

James A. Forbes Executive Secretary

Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiaro

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

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Embassy Bucharest Subscriptions In September, TV star Fran Drescher, a uterine cancer survivor and author State Magazine is available by paid subscription through the U.S. Government Printing Office by telephone at of the best-selling book Cancer Schmancer, visited the U.S. Embassy in (202) 512-1800 or on the Web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov. Bucharest, Romania, in her new role as Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health Issues. Drescher is best known as the star of The Nanny, a TV series of Submissions the 1990s. For details on submitting articles to State Magazine, The embassy health unit, community liaison office and public diplomacy request our guidelines, “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at [email protected]; download them from our Web section sponsored the event to mark the end of Ovarian Cancer Awareness site at www.state.gov; or send your request in writing to Month and the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. State Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W., HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Drescher spoke about her odyssey through the medical system, which Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. finally led to her diagnosis of uterine cancer. Her survival inspired her to start a nonprofit organization—also named Cancer Schmancer—and to begin Deadlines The submission deadline for the March issue is January 15. speaking out about the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of gyne- The deadline for the April issue is February 15. cologic cancers. With her trademark Queens accent and distinctive voice, she spoke about Environmental Notes the importance of women taking charge of their health. State Magazine is printed in the USA on While in Bucharest, Drescher worked with Renasterea, a Romanian recycled paper that contains 10% post-consumer women’s health organization, to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month by waste and is SFI-certified. lighting Bucharest’s Arcul de Triumf monument with the color of breast cancer awareness, pink. She also appeared on a popular Romanian talk show and met with local celebrity cancer survivors to promote women’s cancer awareness and early detection. Romania was the first stop on her Eastern European tour, which included Kosovo, Poland and Hungary.

8 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 DIVERSITY NOTES From John Robinson

The Business Case for Diversity While valuing diversity may be an intrinsic belief for many people, the business case describes how diversity contributes to the effectiveness and productivity of the Department. It’s about leveraging the most vital workplace asset—employees. All employees need to be fully engaged and all of their talents fully utilized for the Department to be as successful as possible. The Department’s commitment to the business case for diversity positively affects the following areas:

Diplomacy The Department’s workforce forges and maintains vital relationships with a multitude of nations, organizations and customers. A diverse workforce that includes individuals with thorough knowledge of various cultural norms, language competencies and diverse perspectives will advance global diplomatic efforts.

Democratic Ideals Pursuant to the Strategic Plan, the Department has a goal to In last month’s article, I defined diversity promote and strengthen effective democracies. A workforce and discussed my role as Chief Diversity that includes individuals from diverse backgrounds and Officer. This month, I’d like to expand on perspectives demonstrates to the global community that that definition and introduce the well- inclusion is critical to the pursuit of a more democratic, developed construct known as the business secure and prosperous world. case for diversity. The Department of State is committed to Innovation a heterogeneous and inclusive workforce The influx of a diverse array of employees, as well as full that reflects the diversity of the United utilization of current employees, can bring an infusion of States. Diversity is one of the core values of fresh ideas, suggestions and methods that have not been the Department’s Strategic Plan; not just a previously considered. Leveraging the innovation and worthy cause, it is a business necessity. creativity of employees will aid the Department in Workforce diversity is a competitive advan- addressing and solving complex issues in a challenging and tage, a hallmark of democratic ideals and an ever-changing global society. opportunity for the Department to advance. Diversity brings innovative ideas and Succession Planning intellectual capital to the workforce. Diver- Approximately one-third of federal government employees sity is about recognizing, respecting and will be eligible to retire by 2012. More than ever, employees valuing differences based on ethnicity, are looking for an environment that provides equal opportu- gender, color, age, race, religion, disability, nity, work-life balance and potential for advancement. national origin and sexual orientation. It During this critical transition, the Department must attract, also includes an infinite range of unique retain, motivate and develop human capital from a diverse individual characteristics and experiences, array of backgrounds and perspectives. such as communication style, educational The Department must continue to advance the diversity background, geographic location, income that makes America the epicenter of fairness, equity and level, military experience, parental status inclusion. The process has begun, and it is up to all Depart- and other variables that influence personal ment employees to continue to promote diversity as a core perspectives. value and business necessity. ■

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 9 paint, ceramic, photography, mediaincludes breadth of and exterior spaces. The thecompound’sgraces interior Chinese-American artists American, Chinese and by 29 art works of porary the U.S. EmbassyinBeijing. the newembassycompound of collection for art permanent thenew and finalinstallationof completeddivision thethird Embassies andCompounds Embassies Program’s New 10 West MeetsEast ART INSPIREDBYNATURE GRACESNEWBEIJINGEMBASSY The collection of 48contem- of collection The In October, the ART in | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Chinese landscapepainters Sung andMing dynasties. The theTang, andliterature of arts emerged amongtheflourishing Chinese landscapepainting nature. of tion the beauty, power andinspira- acollectionforming reflecting andtechniques,rials thus mate- of despite thevastrange Each work relates culturally, gouache andlacquered wood. resin, textiles, watercolor, pins, gunpowder, porcelain, stainless steel, paper, collage, With nature asmuse, nations andcultures to come. centuries, of and writers would inspire theartists, poets work that abodygenerated of Chinese landscapepainters for man’s innerharmony, the natureconcept asthebasis of the Buddhist andTaoist nature matter assubject and atmosphere andemotion. With by theirmediawith permeating exceeded nature therealism of attainable innature, butthey only experience ahigher with visions theirpersonal imbued Celebrating this Celebrating “landscape BY VIRGINIASHORE and HenriMatisse. American folkart,textiles Chinese landscapes, place. Theworkreferences within anunidentifiable effect ofacolorfullandscape thick paintheightenthe abstract gesturesofthinand upon aflatsurface.Her three dimensionalshapes that heightenstheeffectof layered withanopenness untitled canvasappear resin inLauraOwens’ in paint,metal,fabricand landscapes andwaterscapes The mountainscapes, American andChinese cultures.American apursuitthathasconnected of tial andunderscores thebeauty nature’s transformative poten- of reminds viewers collection history.Chinese cultural The nature inthecontextof of contemplateartists thehistory and philosophical allusions, the stylistic, literary, metaphorical to universality. ponder Through usenature who together artists Embassy inBeijingbrings thenewU.S.nent collection of nature to enlighten, theperma- themind”of andthepower of

PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIJING Above: In the main public space of the new embassy compound’s atrium, the viewer experiences Chinese landscape paintings as exemplified in Russell Crotty’s Landscapes of the Mind. The work’s three globes refer to the cosmos as well as our planet, a spherical template that conveys subtle visions of nature via ballpoint-pen ink on paper. Scrolls of land and sky are transferred to Lucite spheres suspended from the ceiling, reflecting nature as sketched in his notebooks. Left: Four Mountain Views, vertical landscapes by Anne Chu, dominate the vista in the atrium and are reminiscent of Southeast Asian prayer banners. The dramatic, colored-resin bases of the works amass the weight of the “mountain” while the peak is composed of fabric attached to a metal core.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 11 12 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Above: Embassies Program,gatherintheConsularBuildingtoinstallartist’swork. structural engineer;artistXuBing;VirginiaShore,ClaireD’AlbaandImtiazHafizoftheARTin work involvesthepursuitofacommongoalthatcannotberealized. more than20languages.ReferencingapopularChinesefolktalewithphilosophicalundertones,the Moon the latitudebetweenNorthernChinaandSouthernEurope. lotus pond.SymbolizinggoodlucktotheChinese,tulipsoriginatedthousandsofyearsagoalong recalls thedynamismandexpressivepossibilitiesofcalligraphyidentifies“monkeys”in Jeff Koons’monumental Tulip weighs morethan7,000poundsandfloatsintheNEC’s Left: Xu Bing’s Below: Monkeys Graspingthe From left,PeterLee,

PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIJING As of March 2008, China and the United Asian and Western forms, conceptual States are two of the world’s top three art modes of painting often produce hybrids markets. The new contemporary art of that can be stronger and more beautiful China and the United States approaches, than their individual parts. The representa- modifies and revitalizes long-standing tradi- tional and abstract works featured in the tions. Like so many of their predecessors, exhibit embody the emotions triggered by the American artists in the embassy’s collec- landscapes. Transcending time, place, tion are inspired by China’s philosophy, culture and philosophy, each of these artists calligraphy, ceramics, ornamentation, archi- successfully achieves communion with tecture, religion and culture. In past nature. This collection highlights the fusion decades, beginning after the Cultural Revo- of West meeting the East in extraordinary lution, China has similarly been stimulated and breathtaking ways. by the art of the West. As environmental The catalog of the collection can be issues abound and awareness heightens, viewed on the Web site of the U.S. Embassy nature continues to serve as fodder and in Beijing. ■ muse, as it did in ancient China. By pondering the universality in classical The author is curator of the exhibit.

Left: Betty Woodman’s Chinese Pleasure is a 24-foot work melding ceramic, paint, canvas and wood and spans three moments in Chinese history: abstracted Shichuan bronze “money trees,” Tang Dynasty ceramics and colorful still lifes referencing pop-imagery from firecracker labels. Below: Arlene Shechet transforms porcelain into objects of beauty referencing historic Chinese ceramics and stupa architecture. Shechet’s Building/Beijing includes approximately 30 separate elements that form a single installation.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 13 ELECTION USEDTOTEACHU.S.DEMOCRACY Winning Vote own elections and their violent aftermath, andtheirviolent elections own national holiday. a native son, declared November 6a consider amanthey of celebrate thevictory and,elect to give Kenyans achance to immediately congratulated thePresident- joy.of Kenyan President MwaiKibaki Kenyaall of shouts seemedto with erupt onNovember early presidential election 5, theU.S. would win Obama Barack 14 After a year of turmoil following Kenya’s following turmoil After ayear of When itfirstbecameclearthatSenator | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 secondary schools,secondary universities andIslamic mission officers more visited than30 Michael E. Rannebergerandadozen peaceful political transition. Ambassador alessonin with boundaries andtribal gious across regional, thecountry reli-corners of Nairobi to reach anopportunity outto all U.S. gave election theU.S. Embassyin represented themall. hadcomeoutsider they to believe Kenyans were reunited seemingly by an The extraordinary level of interest inthe level of The extraordinary BY INMIPATTERSON the firsttovoteinmockelection. by Kenya’snextgenerationofvoters,wasamong Nobel PeaceLaureateWangariMaathai,surrounded rule of law. of rule ican democracy, including respect forthe cycleAmer-election andthefoundationsof explain theU.S. electoral system and ElectionDayacademies inadvance to of Basic Lesson maintain afunctioningdemocracy. Their whatittakes to outlined thebasicsof toral experience, themission’s speakers which reflected Kenya’s own difficultelec- Responding to thestudents’ questions,

PHOTOGRAPHS: (LEFT): NAIROBI STAR; (OPPOSITE PAGE TOP): GILBERT OTIENO; (BOTTOM): PETER GICHINGA Above: Ambassador Ranneberger raises a toast to the U.S. President-elect. Left: Public Affairs Officer T.J. Dowling speaks with the students of the Nairobi Muslim Academy as part of the pre-election outreach program. Kenyan national media, including six television and several radio stations, broadcast live segments at the event. Among them was FM Pamoja, a radio station operating in a low income area that has received technical assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development. The ambassador gave 20 impromptu interviews. Crowd Roars The announcement of Senator Obama’s victory just after 7 a.m. local time brought a roar from the crowd, which shouted, jumped and danced. An embassy-sponsored mock vote had already elected Senator message: Regardless of who won, the rule pre-dawn darkness on November 5, Obama by an overwhelming margin. of law had to prevail. Senator John hundreds of Kenyan officials and friends of The ambassador addressed the crowd McCain’s concession speech reflected this the embassy—including Nobel laureate shortly afterward and noted the rigor of the crucial lesson. Wangari Maathai—joined American U.S. electoral process, the diversity of the In addition to the embassy’s election citizens and 1,000 students from the electorate and the peaceful transfer of outreach, Ambassador Ranneberger gave secondary schools and universities visited in power. Five secondary-school students read more than 35 media interviews between the outreach effort. prize-winning letters they had written to early September and Election Day, offering Beneath six large tents, big television senators McCain and Obama on their hopes Kenyans insights into the U.S. process. He monitors allowed guests to track the results, for a new U.S. president. emphasized the principles of democracy to while Web-chat and Web-casting programs The embassy will continue the outreach young people, who would be voting in gave students an opportunity to pose ques- program on peaceful political transition Kenya’s next presidential election in 2012. tions to experts in the United States and through the January 20 inauguration and The embassy’s efforts climaxed with an Paris. These technologies and the presence beyond. ■ event at the ambassador’s residence, where of so many embassy officers ready to answer more than 2,000 Kenyans witnessed the any questions turned the residence grounds The author is a press officer at the U.S. election returns. There, beginning in the into an outdoor classroom. Embassy in Nairobi.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 15 16 abroad. Chosen from 27nominees, the State’s Award foroutstandingvolunteerism inDecemberwho received of theSecretary State family of theDepartment members of refugees inTurkey. that provides lunch five days aweek for Republic. Another establishedaprogram festival forchildren intheDominican These volunteers were amongthesix One volunteer organized a10-day music | STATE MAGAZINE Traveling Notesprogram. children attendingthe Ellen Bragergatherswith VOLUNTEERS HONOREDFORCHARITABLE WORK | JANUARY 2009 Helping Hands Turkey, shereceived saidtraining from a rero, afamilymemberstationed in Ankara, Worldwide, which picksthewinners. the Associates ForeignAmerican of Service worldwide have beennominated, saidthe were established, 375volunteer efforts Over the18years since theSOSAawards coveredregion bureau. by aDepartment each representSOSA winners ageographic One of the2008winners, Guer- Bridget One of she can in a short period of time atapost of period she caninashort “A person can try to do as much as he or to make adifference. theability nationashindering particular shouldn’t timeposted ina seetheshort change many thelives andthatone of she said, can told herthatsmallefforts to aidrefugees.her ineffort Thenuns, nuns inRomania while helped group of BY EDWARNER “Life is a matter of perspective,”“Life isamatter of shesaid.

PHOTOGRAPHS: ASSOCIATES OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE WORLDWIDE Clockwise from above: Burmese families walk over a bamboo bridge, carrying food donated by a relief effort in which Amy Robinson was involved; Sherilynn Tounger works with children served by the preschool she helped establish; like all of the award winners, Susan Mattes took a few minutes to tell attendees about the activity for which she was honored. or decide not to act, thinking they don’t did the design and fundraising, and created post’s staff to purchase local crafts. have enough time to make a difference. the Chasing Lions organization to keep the “We got our people to come back” to the “The award recipients are all people who $60,000 project on track. The group is on association, he said. choose to act.” the Web at http://web.mac.com/alekosher/ At the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Susan iWeb/Chasing%20Lions. Mattes, a “Section 3161 employee,” was Feeding Refugees The project, she said, made her aware of honored for taking the nascent employee The Ankara Refugee Support Group she the kindness and gentle nature of Burkina association quarters and making it a place formed provides food and clothing to Faso’s people. where employees could hang out and relax. refugees and asylum seekers, mainly women Another family member who volunteered This American Club now has 20 volunteers and children from Iraq, Iran and Somalia. in a developing nation, Amy Robinson, and will soon move into the new embassy. The volunteer honored for creating the organized a relief effort for seven Burmese Section 3161 employees are full-time, U.S. Traveling Notes music festival in Santo villages devastated by Cyclone Nargis in direct-hire staff in Washington, D.C., and Domingo, family member Ellen Brager, said May 2008. AAFSW said she risked her safety Iraq on one-year, renewable, noncareer she sees music as a bridge across cultures. to transport food, clothing and building appointments. The festival, which also traveled to Peru, supplies to the victims. Her grass-roots Mattes, who has served in Baghdad for brings American classical musicians fundraising will help establish a school to a year and a half, “is a good example of together with local young people for lessons educate 145 children, AAFSW said. the ways in which our 3161 employees and concerts. Brager gained scholarships for contribute to the success and well-being the children, organized performances in Better Posts of our embassy community, just as our hospitals and orphanages, and said that, in Two other SOSA winners undertook Foreign Service and Civil Service doing so, she “discovered a new passion of efforts to make life at post more bearable. colleagues have always done while abroad,” my own.” Calvin McQueen, a Foreign Service officer said embassy Human Resources Officer In the developing nation of Burkina in Karachi, Pakistan, revived the consulate’s Darian Arky. ■ Faso, family member Sherilynn Tounger employee association by, among other identified a poor village’s need for a actions, getting the cooks trained by a local The author is deputy editor of State preschool. Tounger, a former educator, then hotelier and creating opportunities for the Magazine.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 17 Kerry Hyre, a graduate of the A-100 class for new FSOs, and Under Secretary Patrick Kennedy attend a recent Flag Day at the A-100 course. Generalists Approaching HR READIES FOR FOREIGN SERVICE NEW HIRES BY EARL IRVING

Late last year, Congress gave the State Department an Each course contained an average of 30 more students than appropriation to hire an additional 179 Foreign Service in previous years. generalists. This was welcome news for the Department, Cathy Hurst, who heads the generalist entry-level because for years the Office of Career Development and division, said she has recruited an additional career devel- Assignments has had to paper over staffing gaps. In the opment officer to cope with the new FSOs. summer 2009 assignment cycle, hiring was frozen for more than 200 mid-level positions, and at least 100 positions Understanding Needed beyond those frozen will also go unfilled. Hurst said she wants her A-100 students to understand Once these new officers enter the Foreign Service, the the work of a CDO. She teaches them to think of their first Bureau of Human Resource’s Entry-Level division and the two tours as a whole, one that gives them the knowledge orientation staff of the Foreign Service Institute take the and experience to become tenured and go on to a lead in these employees’ career development and early successful career. CDOs serve entry-level officers by acting assignments. In 2008, the Department graduated six classes as position managers, controlling an FSO’s positions and

of the A-100 introductory Foreign Service officer course. direct assignments for his or her first two tours. To secure EARL IRVING PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): MICHAEL MORRISON; (OPPOSITE PAGE):

18 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Clockwise from above: Cathy Hurst, left, head of HR's Entry- Level Generalist Unit, confers with Helen Recinos, the mid-level career development officer responsible for FS-03 and FS-04 economic officers; HR/CDA Director Scott DeLisi reviews his notes prior to the start of the interdivisional panel's weekly meeting. Seated next to him is Continuity Counselor Bernadette Cole Byrd; From left, NEA assignments officer Nancy Stafford, foreground, reviews cases with Senior-level career development officer Susan Alexander and Assignments Division Chief Joyce Currie, right. buy-in from the students, she asks each to think about his or her career goals and preferences and rank each available position “high,” “medium” or “low.” Depending on where they serve their first tour, officers earn “equity” for their second assignment. This is calcu- lated using the sum of the hardship and danger differentials of their included stops in Baghdad and visits with several provincial recon- first tour. struction teams, CDA Director Scott DeLisi commended the work “Equity works well because it is fair and transparent,” Hurst said. of the four CDA divisions and said clients in the field are well satis- She reported that roughly half of the first-tour officers bidding fied with their career development and assignments officers. Before for their next tour get their number-one bid and 90 percent get one the assignment season ends, about 5,000 generalists and specialists of their top five choices. will be processed through the panels. The EL division handles specialist assignments slightly At the beginning of the current assignment cycle, the Director differently, but its specialist CDOs strive for the same transparency General called on CDA to staff Iraq and Afghanistan vacancies first and fairness in placing new specialists, aiming to ensure their and conclude most of the remaining assignments by the end of the opportunities for growth and advancement. year. At year’s end, CDA appeared to be well on its way to meeting that goal. More important, its clients have found the 2009 summer Smooth Season assignment cycle to be more transparent and timely. CDA’s Mid-level and Senior-level Career Development divisions The 179 new FS generalists will not solve the Department’s work closely with the Assignments Division to ensure a smooth staffing shortage, however. According to HR, the Department needs assignments season, particularly for the heavy summer 2009 cycle. funding to hire roughly 1,500 additional Foreign Service employees Thanks to the redesigned assignment calendar, the 329 Iraq and to fill available positions and ensure opportunities for training. 134 Afghanistan bidders received their assignments first, and those Staffing shortages and the growth in foreign language training, bidding on Iraq had expanded opportunities to link to an onward combined with the need to fill an increasing number of one-year assignment upon completion of their tours. Overall, officers and unaccompanied postings overseas, pose HR’s greatest challenge in specialists looking at assignments in those countries had better the next four years. ■ information, quicker turn-around in the vetting process and more incentive options than ever. The author is a career development officer in the Senior-level division Returning from a trip to the Middle East in October that of CDA.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 19 20 Birthday BookBirthday BY ASTRIDBLACKANDMATTHEW JOHNSON CONSULATE GENERALHELPSBERMUDACELEBRATE 400THANNIVERSARY | STATE MAGAZINE years—is doing itspart. its400 formostof friend United States—Bermuda’s celebrated thisyear, andthe island’s be will history Va. Thismilestone inthe on theirway to Jamestown, ago, castaways whohadbeen 400yearsarrived inBermuda built two naval airstationsontheisland. Union. During World War II, theUnited States eracy, even enlisted asblackBermudans forthe provided to suppliesandarmaments theConfed- Americans. the Civil During War, Bermuda War, provided Bermudans gunpowder to the Jamestown colony survive. In theRevolutionary the start. shipfrom helpedthe Bermuda A relief 400th anniversary. alsocelebrate events the will and Thanksgiving a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. Thepost’s huge July 4 by visit foraport waiting room andhasarranged permanent “400 Years Friendship Wall” of inits perspective. Theconsulate alsoerect a will relationsBermuda from the American andMrs.General Slayton Gregory onU.S.- abookby Consul including thepublicationof specialevents in2009, inanumber of participate The U.S.-Bermuda relationship wasclosefrom The U.S. Consulate inHamilton General will The firstEuropean settlers | JANUARY 2009

PHOTOGRAPHS: (BACKGROUND): FOTOLIA; (OPPOSITE PAGE RIGHT): THE ROYAL GAZETTE Left: Image of a letter George Washington sent to Bermuda in 1775 seeking to advise American revolutionaries of a cache of gunpowder stored there. Above: Marina Slayton and Consul General Gregory Slayton.

Congress, it will be the first account of the U.S.-Bermuda partnership from an American perspective. The book aims to contribute to a better understanding of the U.S.-Bermuda alliance and help lay a foundation for closer relations. Friendship Wall As a further reminder of the nations’ shared past, the Slaytons are overseeing the design—and helping to finance—a “400 Years of Friendship Wall.” This three-dimensional montage of images portraying aspects of the U.S.-Bermuda alliance will cover a wall in the consulate waiting room and be seen by the consulate’s thousands of annual visitors. At center stage on the wall will be a American Interests wooden eagle believed by local historians to have been taken by The consulate general is the sole representative of American British forces during the sack of Washington, D.C., during the War interests in Bermuda and the estimated 9,000 Americans and dual- of 1812. The eagle had been bequeathed to the Bermuda Historical nationality citizens there. Bermuda’s thriving economy is based on Society by the wife of former U.S. Consul Clay Merrell and was financial services and tourism, and Americans now account for 85 subsequently donated to the Slaytons, who have made it a percent of all visitors and approximately 75 percent of the financial permanent donation to the exhibit. capital at work in Bermuda. The island’s world-class reinsurance During the summer, the consulate has for several years partnered industry provides coverage for approximately 40 percent of U.S. with the American Society of Bermuda to host a huge July 4 catastrophic events. celebration. The event brings together 7,000 Americans and Bermu- A self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom, dans and has raised more than $100,000 for Bermudan charities. Bermuda will focus its festivities in 2009 on the theme “Celebrating Last year’s celebration is thought by some to have been the largest Bermuda and Her People.” That celebration’s planning committee, July 4 dinner held outside the United States. This year’s July 4 event which included Consul General Slayton’s wife Marina, has organized and the post’s annual Thanksgiving celebration will celebrate the such events as the arrival into Hamilton Harbor of a fleet of tall U.S.-Bermuda friendship. sailing ships from around the world. One of them will be the U.S. That relationship is one of this nation’s oldest. Since consular Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, which will be in port for four days in agent William Higinbotham was posted there in 1818, more than 40 June, underscoring the strong seagoing tradition of the two nations. American diplomats have represented the United States in A more enduring record of the 400 years of history—and a look Bermuda. In this historic year, the consulate general is doing every- into the future—is the book conceived and edited by Consul thing it can to help its Bermudan friends know that America cares General and Mrs. Slayton. Titled Four Centuries of Friendship: about Bermuda and its 400th anniversary. ■ America–Bermuda Relations 1609–2009, the 150-some-page hard- cover, due out this spring, involved numerous sources, including Astrid Black is the public diplomacy/political assistant and Matthew many of the island’s most prominent historians and the State Johnson is the deputy principal officer at the U.S. Consulate General Department’s Office of the Historian. According to the Library of in Hamilton.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 21 Working With ‘Ops’ OPERATIONS CENTER OFFERS TIPS FOR MEETING NEEDS BY JASON MCINERNEY AND DANNY STOIAN

The Operations Center is the Department’s 24-hour alerting, of Defense and the National Security Council for military support. briefing, communications and crisis management center. The • Crisis Management: The center’s Crisis Management Support center, located within the Executive Secretariat in Room 7516, arm monitors crises worldwide, promotes contingency planning consists of the Watch, Crisis Management Support, a military and emergency preparedness, sets up and manages task forces, advisor, Diplomatic Security agents and a front office. Its four conducts task force training and supports interagency evacuation primary roles are: planning and implementation. CMS also facilitates foreign policy • Alerting: Ops provides alerts based on breaking media events, aspects of domestic emergencies, such as handling foreign offers of telegrams or telephone calls from post. Alerts are disseminated via assistance after hurricanes hit the United States. classified e-mail, BlackBerry devices or telephone calls. There are several ways employees are likely to interact with the • Briefing: Ops prepares several written products for Department Operations Center. One way is when Ops calls posts for comment principals, such as the Overnight and Afternoon Briefs available on on breaking news stories. Multiple posts might be asked for the Department’s classified network and Crisis Hot Spots, a perspective on breaking stories; it is extremely useful when a post synopsis of potential crisis points. can provide a meaningful comment on short notice. This is a post’s • Communications: Ops facilitates telephone-based diplomacy chance to help policymakers understand what’s going on. between Department principals and world leaders, processes infor- Another instance is when an employee calls in with a warden mation from around the world and interacts with other ops centers. message, an advisory to Americans abroad. During Washington Ops also assists posts with clearing warden messages after hours, office hours, posts with a warden message should contact their and advises and coordinates formal requests with the Department American Citizens Services desk officer in the Office of Overseas community, providing the post’s value-added comments to reports. Ops can also convene a conference call to mobilize Washington offices for a faster response to urgent requests for guidance and resources. Examples include natural disasters, civil unrest, military incidents, changes in government or policy, arrests or releases of opposition leaders, terror incidents and election results. Ops also interacts with employees regarding estab- lishing phone connections, Citizen Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. However, those since it provides communications support to Department with after-hours warden messages should call Ops to clear the principals and is the Department’s central after-hours duty office. message with OCS, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and regional Principals will often connect through the Watch to colleagues— bureau duty officers. Remember to copy Ops at [email protected] especially desk, staff and duty officers—for information after hours. when releasing the final message. Finally, employees may interact with Ops if the Secretary of State A third instance is when breaking events occur at post. Then, the visits a post. Ops is a bridge between the Secretary’s party, advance employee should call Ops at (202) 647-1512 with a heads-up advi- teams and principals in Washington, D.C. All information to and sory. Ops can alert Department officials and the interagency from the Secretary during a trip will go via the Executive Secretariat, primarily through Ops. Here’s how to help the Operations Center help you: • Crises can occur at any post at any time, so desk officers should provide Ops with accurate after-hours telephone numbers. Ops will not release private telephone numbers to anyone, even other Department employees. • For the Watch to keep a bureau in the loop, bureau duty roster points of contact should verify weekly the name and telephone numbers of the duty officer. Duty officers should verify their correct name and contact information with the bureau’s duty roster POC—there is no need to call Ops directly. When the Watch needs to contact a bureau duty officer, the bureau duty telephone is the first call. Additional contact information is only for backup purposes. Inability to reach the duty officer results in a call up the duty officer’s chain of command. • When requesting DOD or other interagency support, including airlifts for American or foreign personnel on DOD aircraft, humanitarian assistance or disaster relief and personnel support, start with the Ops Center’s military advisor at (202) 647- 6097. The CMS staff can also provide assistance, particularly with non-DOD support requests. The Operations Center can be contacted at (202) 647-1512 or by e-mail at [email protected]. More information about Ops is at http://diplopedia.state.gov/index.php?title=Operations_ Center_Portal, and information on crisis planning resources is at http://ses.state.gov/seso/crisis/resources.asp. The crisis portal on the Intranet is http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/ Category:Crisis. To request a group tour of the Operations Center, call (202) 647-2522. ■

Watch officers track information from the media and posts abroad to keep Department principals Jason McInerney is a watch officer and Danny Stoian is the informed. Above: The Ops Center team circa 1968. innovation/facilitation officer with the Operations Center.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 23 The famed Château de Chillon near Montreaux overlooks Lake Geneva.

24 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Geneva The U.S. Mission to the World By Anna Chambers Strategic Strategic Arms Reduction Talks between President tions ontheComprehensive Test BanTreaty and document.often-cited human rights andtheworld’s framework rights best-known, most- Rights, theinternational human thecornerstone of that produced theUniversal Human of Declaration Roosevelt ledthesuccessful negotiationinGeneva Nations foritsseat. chose Geneva In 1948, Eleanor coming here fordecades. In 1919, theLeague of tional negotiations, andU.S. negotiators have been events andissues. global of the spectrum multilateral missionadvances U.S. interests across national cooperation, America’s largestoverseas builton In acity Woodrow Wilson’s dream forinter- 26 Geneva, Switzerland, More recently, hosted negotia- Geneva landmark interna- haslongbeensynonymousGeneva with | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 but theirefforts toucheveryremote of theworld. corner persons inGeorgia. anddisplaced security and conversations about on conventional forces Korea, U.S.-Russia talks North negotiations with Iran, nuclear weapons engaged in—talkswith Mission inGeneva hosted—and theU.S. talks.trade Development Round of andtheDoha Gorbachev leaderMikhailSoviet Ronald Reagan and In 2008alone, Geneva American diplomatsworkinbeautiful organizations address intheworld.staff These U.N.concentration of thelargest whom form bureaucrats—8,500 of 35,000 international staffed by some national organizations, hosts more than40inter- Geneva. now Geneva work getsdone in U.N. practical amount of Nations, by farthelargest the United of quarters boasts thepoliticalhead- Although NewAlthough York junction inSt.Cergue. forests. Thisonemarksa way throughtownsand along walkingpathspointthe outside Geneva;yellowsigns points intheJuraMountains at LaDole,oneofthehighest Specialist ChrisTejirianhikes Information Management 2008 MarineCorpsBall; Security Detachmentatthe of theaward-winningMarine Tichenor posewithmembers Ambassador andMrs.Warren Clockwise fromabove: Nations and Mission to theUnited officer intheU.S.every property. Withnearly change andintellectual refugees, health, climate response, human rights, as humanitarian topics diverse such cover annually. partners important than $2billionto these States provides more interests, andtheUnited numerous American U.S. Mission officers

PHOTOGRAPHS: (CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT): CHRIS TEJIRIAN; ERIC BRIDIERS; AND CHRIS TEJIRIAN; (OPPOSITE PAGE): DAVE GILMOUR A Swiss flag dominates this view from the Chateau de Gruyères, in the village where the famous cheese originated. 28 | at thePalaisdesNations. climate changeandhumanrights United StatesataU.N.meetingon Morawiec Mansfieldrepresentthe Deputy LegalAdvisorAnna Below: Mountains areinthebackground. the villageofBourdigny.TheJura summer morningfromherhomein office, commutestoworkona to theConferenceonDisarmament specialist withtheU.S.Delegation Colette File,anofficemanagement STATE MAGAZINE The author,left,and | JANUARY 2009

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): FRED FILE; (LEFT): ERIC BRIDIERS; (OPPOSITE PAGE TOP): DAVE GILMOUR; (BOTTOM): BOB HANNI International Organizations World Intellectual Property covering a different Organization and the Interna- organization, the level of indi- tional Organization for vidual initiative is high and Migration. rewarding. The U.S. Mission to the “I know that our day-to-day World Trade Organization is work in the halls of the Red headed by Ambassador Peter F. Cross or the Office of the U.N. Allgeier and represents the High Commissioner for United States in negotiations, Refugees has a direct impact in dispute settlement and all other providing protection to vulner- WTO matters. The mission’s able Iraqi refugees or conflict two dozen-plus staff members victims in the Democratic come from the Office of the Republic of the Congo,” said U.S. Trade Representative and Nicholas Hilgert of the refugee the departments of Agriculture and migration affairs section. and Commerce. Even entry-level officers find The U.S. Delegation to the themselves taking the floor in Conference on Disarmament, U.N. plenary sessions to speak headed by Ambassador on behalf of the United States. Christine Rocca, represents the Chief of Mission Ambassador United States in the one global Warren W. Tichenor has arms control negotiating body personally engaged in all of the that seeks to develop disarma- key issues for the mission, ment and nonproliferation Top: An alpenhorn choir at a festival in the village of St. Cergue including human rights and instruments on nuclear, chem- celebrates the autumn movement of milk cows down from their high U.N. reform. He and mission ical, biological and conventional summer pasture. Above: Peg Hanni, wife of Regional Security Officer Bob Hanni, and her son Jacob stand at the top of the Jura Mountains staff over the past two years arms and for space. overlooking Geneva. have focused on improving Unique among American leadership effectiveness at the diplomatic missions, the U.S.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 29 30 | the United Nations inGeneva. officer atthe U.S.security Mission to systems The authoristheinformation a timelyinvitation. technical, becauseof end-userview—all policy attheworld level, contributingthe technology information discussions of Numbers Authority. in participated They and Numbers and theInternet Assigned Internet for Corporation NamesAssigned andtwoBulgaria Internet regulators, the tion Bureau, China and thegovernments of the ITUTelecommunications Standardiza- Wells saw presentations by Cisco Systems, officer Douglas mation systems security member,Locally Employed staff andinfor- systems analystMohammed Zahid, a delegates to theITUworkshop. As aresult, atpostto joinhimas invited theIRMstaff Information Resource Management, andhe interest hiscolleagues from theBureau of addresses.prevent of ashortage anewscheme to to speedupdeployment of connecting to theInternet, theITUistrying devices new all kindsof addresses. With Internet of shortage the looming a workshop on tions Union held Telecommunica- the International themalong? not bring interest toof hisspecialistcolleagues, why be there might wasanevent subject whose idea: to anoriginal comeWhen upwith economic andscience affairssectionofficer, is often substantial. aresee thework they supporting, work that mission’s specialistsrarely Foreign Service other organizations. Thismeansthe Nations, World Trade Organizationand theUnitedattend theoffsite of meetings outside themission. officers Foreign Service organizations, itswork isdone much of international scoresrelationships with of W.By Douglas Wells World-level Talks Specialists Join STATE MAGAZINE Salazar recognized thatthistopic might camerecentlyHis firstopportunity when This situationcausedDavid Salazar, an Because theU.S. has EmbassyinGeneva | JANUARY 2009 Swiss landscape, in wasrated Geneva thebeautiful Located inthemiddleof greenest U.S. overseas facility. footprint, making itarguablythe the mission’s andcarbon bill energy lowerconditioning further system will chiller forthe air levitation amagnetic upcoming installationof energy.kilowatt-hours of The solar project hasproduced 320,200 day. Since itsinstallationin2005, the by footprint 800poundsper carbon annually anddecreasing themission’s to power energy enough 37 households needs, itsenergy producingpercent of power system suppliesmore than30 Embassies. Its award-winning solar Green tobelongs theLeague of scientificinnovationsin itsown and PresidentGore. Al former Prize in2007with Vice Change, which shared theNobel Peace Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Collider. alsohoststhe Geneva recently christened LargeHadron andthe physicsparticle laboratory which includes theworld’s largest European Center forNuclear Research, the the mission. isthehomeof Geneva for importance growing issues are of space and hotel liaisonservice. kitchen,full-service computer work center thathasfive conference rooms, a oversees aconference staff ence Services busy negotiatingcalendar. TheConfer- its of ayear6,000 visitors insupport Mission welcomes inGeneva nearly Geneva rates high on quality of living. of onquality high rates Geneva The U.S. Mission engages inGeneva Environment, science andtechnology The publicaffairsstaffenjoyslunchatthePAO’shome. personal opportunities. professional and provides awealth of to theU.S.assignment Mission inGeneva restaurants reflect thatdiversity. local of andthevariety trams on city nationonearth, andthelanguages every ishometo people from itself The city fromflight adozen European capitals. isnomore thanatwo-hour airport bus orcablecar. Geneva’s international canbereachedand crannies by train, hotsoupontheattackers’of heads. apot by pouring defendedthecity who role playedthe legendary by ahousewife chocolate cauldrons to commemorate in predictably smash Swiss They style: theSavoybrate their1602defeatof army minutes. Each December, cele- Genevans overperformed Lake for45 Geneva world’s largestmusical fireworks show, Fête deGenève concludes the with surrounding villages. Each August, the cheese atfestivals throughout theyear in alpenhorns, cows, of traditions and wine paths andstunningviews. and insummerprovide gorgeoushiking distance,Italy easydriving are allwithin Switzerland,The skislopes of France and John andJean-Jacques Calvin Rousseau. can walkinthefootsteps of Voltaire, Survey.Living Around Lake Geneva, one the 2008 amongthe10mostlivable citiesby in Geneva. the U.S. Mission totheUnited Nations officerThe authorisapolitical with Whatever one’s interests, an Switzerland’sMost of beautifulnooks Mission employees sampletheSwiss Economist and Mercer’s of Quality ■

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): DAVID GILMOUR; (OPPOSITE PAGE): FRED FILE The Jet d’Eau is reflected in Lake Geneva at night.

At a Glance

GERMANY Country Swiss Confederation Population 7.6 million Capital Bern Currency Swiss franc (CHF)

FRANCE Total area 41,290 sq km LIEC. AUSTRIA Per capita income $40,100 Approximate size Nearly twice Unemployment rate 2.8 percent the size of New Jersey Import partners Germany (32.6 Government type Geneva Formally percent), Italy (10.8 percent) and a confederation but similar in France (9.5 percent) structure to a federal republic ITALY Export partners Germany (20.3 Language German, French, Italian, percent), United States (9.7 percent) Romansch (all official), Serbo- and Italy (8.7 percent) Croatian, Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish and English Internet country code .ch

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 31 Dare toShare on thebest practices intheHR field. model,shared services which isbased using theprivate-sector-proven to reform HRservices Department HRprofessionals acrosswith the team areHR Shared working Services initiative.shared services HRandits theHR through implementationof delivery improving HRservice streamlining, automating and HumanThe Bureau of Resources is 32 BY CALLIFULLER SHARED SERVICESINITIATIVE AIMSTOTRANSFORMHUMANRESOURCES | STATE MAGAZINE Williams andJeffLee,thedeputydirector. Schafer. Atrearare,fromleft,JenniferZhorne,Ted team directorMelissaLytell,SteveHuttonandNatalie front, HRDeputyAssistantSecretaryLindaTaglialatela, Gathered withtheSharedServicesteamare,fromleftin | JANUARY 2009 Online Initiatives services thatcanbeinitiated by theemployeeservices andapproved elec- Department’s shiftfrom manual, paper-based processes to HR work onpolicy, andoversight. design Center, providers andtheHRbureau’s bureau-level HRservice (seerelated story), onlineself-helpservices anHRService service: approved theHRSSplan, which focusesonfourrelated tiersof resources. scarce increasingly HR managers andmore efficientuseof to employees,HR reform are better service to enhanced support this across theDepartment. Thegoalsof HRservices integrating major managementreforms, including strengthening and On theautomation side, HR’s Executive Office isleadingthe In May 2008, Under forManagement Secretary Patrick Kennedy StateIn Condoleezza 2007, Rice of announced Secretary several

PHOTOGRAPH: ED WARNER tronically. Examples include self-service access to an employee’s Telework agreements or travel documentation. At the HRSC, customer service representatives review and respond to a range of HR inquiries in a clear, timely and consistent manner, referring complex questions to experts throughout the Department. HR consultants in the bureaus’ HR service providers offer in-depth, personal- ized analysis and support for employees’ strategic or difficult requests, such as those associated with an office’s reorgani- zation or recruiting for a highly specialized position. The HR service providers in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security were the first to join the shared services model. By partnering with the HRSS team, DS HR professionals took responsibility for HR Provides Employees contributing to the success of HRSS. Pilot Program With Online Options “We are honored that we were selected By Shannon Galey-Crist to be the pilot bureau for HRSS,” said DS Assistant Secretary Eric Boswell. “What In the spirit of sharing HR services, the HR bureau is giving employees online access we do together with HR will have a to and control over many of their personnel matters, from managing their federal profound effect on how all of you deal benefits to applying for work-life programs. The shift to self-service maximizes with HR and on the way business is done efficiency, reduces cost and improves HR processes. in the Department.” “We all have to accept that resources are scarce, and I am not sure we will ever get Meanwhile, in Charleston, S.C., the the full resources we need,” said HR Deputy Assistant Secretary Linda Taglialatela. HRSC opened in November to serve DS. “We have to work smarter, quicker and better to provide the customer service DS domestic employees now can make employees deserve.” HR service requests through one Web site, HR’s automated tools are available to employees around the clock through the e-mail address and telephone number. OpenNet network. One tool is HR Online, a single sign-on portal through which This is critical to testing and refining employees can access applications that allow viewing of recent personnel actions or HRSS. Staffed by trained professionals earnings and leave statements. Employees can also access tools to change their deduc- and equipped with the latest tools and tions for the Thrift Savings Plan or to apply for the Student Loan Repayment Program. technology, the HRSC provides quick and The HR Executive Office has more than 20 projects underway to promote greater concise responses, tracks customer online access to HR services and automate Permanent Change of Station travel inquiries and reports data on HR issues. processes. Recent automation projects include the OF-126 Foreign Service Residence The HRSS launch is just the beginning. and Dependency Report and the DS-1707 Domestic Arrival Form. By the end of 2009, The HRSS team, operating under the guid- all employees should be able to track and complete their performance evaluation ance of HR Deputy Assistant Secretary through the ePerformance system. Linda Taglialatela, is bringing today’s best Another service, AskHR, launched in November. It answers more than 1,000 HR practices in HR service delivery to questions through a searchable online database. It also lets employees submit questions employees and will incorporate new serv- via e-mail, routing them to the appropriate Department expert. Employees get a ices and additional bureaus until every personal response and help identify new questions and answers for addition to AskHR. employee benefits. The HRSS staff and its Also coming soon to the HR Online suite of automated resources is an electronic partners, a contracted team of IBM profes- position management application, the Automated Classification and Recruitment sionals, have brought significant changes to System. This system allows managers and HR specialists to search, create, edit and clas- HR service delivery—with more improve- sify position descriptions and provides the ability to create and fill positions in the ments to come. If you have comments, Global Employment Management System. The system captures the recruitment infor- submit them to HRSharedServices@ mation needed to support these processes and will provide data associating a position state.gov. ■ description with a career ladder.

The author is a human resources specialist The author is a communications adviser to HR’s Executive Office. in HR.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 33 34 tary responsibilities.tary thecommanders’ of the diplomaticandforeign policyaspects mili- on combatregional advice commanders andpolicysupport with and U.S. services themilitary leaderssuch asthechiefs of military POLADs—worldwide.policy advisors—or POLADsprovide senior But itpunches above foreign itsweight, dozens supporting of State. of theDepartment thesmallestunitswithin Affairs isoneof The POLADProgram Political-Military Office intheBureau of | STATE MAGAZINE OFFICE’S ADVISORS AREAMBASSADORSTODEPARTMENT OFDEFENSE | JANUARY 2009 Diplomatic Liaisons BY JONITA WHITAKER With expanding, thePOLAD program thebureau isseeking POLADs also: • Research andanalyze policymatters. foreign papersandbriefings, information • and Draft • Accompany oninternational travel, seniorcommand staff respon- • theirareaIdentify developments of affecting political • Provide oninternational relations anddiplomacy, expertise sibility, specialist DarciaStewart and officemanagement Rees, DirectorJonitaWhitaker David Pozorski,internMaegan are, fromleft,DeputyDirector Gathered inthePOLADoffice

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): ED WARNER; (OPPOSITE PAGE): BUREAU OF POLITICAL-MILITARY AFFAIRS bidders for newly established positions online POLAD community in which offering opportunities to serve in these POLADs and others interested in political- nontraditional interagency assignments. military matters share insights about the The POLAD office also supports State- rapidly expanding relationship between the Defense Exchange program participants at departments of State and Defense. The the Pentagon and at Joint Interagency office also has a monthly newsletter, The At a Coordinating Groups at select military Peripatetic POLAD, which has a “POLAD commands. of the Month” feature and offers views of military leaders on the POLAD program. Small Office Glance The POLAD Office has four employees: Fast Growth Director Jonita Whitaker, Deputy Director Although exchange programs between Office name David Pozorski, Office Management State and Defense date to 1960, there was Office of the Foreign Policy Specialist Darcia Stewart and intern no POLAD program until 2000, when 15 Advisor Program Maegan Rees. POLADs were assigned. Between 2006 and It is “a small office doing big things,” 2008, this total grew to 31, and recruitment Symbol Rees said. should expand it to 41 by mid-2009. PM/POLAD According to Pozorski, “The creation of Prospects for future growth are bright a separate office in support of POLADs and due to the departments’ mutual interests in Staff size State-Defense Exchange officers in the bolstering interagency cooperation and 4 Bureau of Political-Military Affairs in 1999 coordination, a reflection of Secretary of provided a focus to recruit for these posi- State Condoleezza Rice’s Transformational Office location tions and a base of support for those Diplomacy initiative. Recently, the office Main State, Room 2420 serving at the Pentagon and in the field.” received more than 30 requests from The designation of a POLAD director Defense to place POLADs with commands Web site position in 2006 gave the office a degree of at all levels. http://state.gov/t/pm/polad permanence, he added. “Wherever I visit, requests for POLADs The office stays in contact with POLADs are high,” Whitaker said. “Military through e-mails, by telephone and via the commands are hungry for POLADs due to

At the headquarters of U.S. Special Operations Command, are, from left, Deputy POLAD Phil Lawlor, POLAD Program Office Director Jonita Whitaker and JIACG POLAD James Bond, from U.S. Central Command.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 35 Annual Activities andthePOLADs.”the staff between Director partnership Whitaker, andthecohesivethe POLADprogram seen firsthandthecontinuous of growth “Since I’ve beeninthisposition, Ihave management assistant, Darcia Stewart. positivefilled with energy,” saidits front-line diplomat-warriors.” behind itsforeign policyadvisors, whoare PoliticalBureau of Military Affairs stands GregAssistant Secretary Delawie, “the national security. According to PMDeputy strengthened to supporting itvital ering complex conflicts.” the increasing needto respond to today’s diplomatic-Defense relationship,diplomatic-Defense andoffers Conference, ondeveloping the focuses Chief annual Combatant andService which usuallycoincidesthesemi- with J. McNair in Washington, D.C. Thisevent, National Defense University atFort Lesley gatherallPOLADsworldwide atthe will annual POLADconference, which in2009 round. In thewinter, itprepares forthe 36 “A day inthePOLAD office is typical The office promotes thisgrowth, consid- The office supports POLADsyear-The office supports | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Victor Renuart Jr., the thecommander of Auditorium where four-star General an October event attheLoy Henderson abilities.interpersonal communication skillsandsuperior motivation, strong verbal andwritten experience andmust havetary self- have exposure andpolitical-mili- military levels.and FS-02grade Bidders should which exist attheFE-MC, FE-OC, FS-01 biddersfor POLADpositions, generate National Foreign Affairs Training Center. in atwo-day atthe program training past three years, POLADshave participated foroutgoingofficers.orientation For the returning from theirtours andprovides summer, POLADs theoffice debriefs commands newPOLADs. foracquiring In frombenefiting, andgainsupport are doing andhow theircommands are POLADs to first-handhow learn POLADs thecommandsmembers visit hosting and bestpractices. commanders andPOLADs’ lessonslearned priorities, anupdate from seniormilitary U.S. of an overview political-military The POLADOffice’s outreach included In thefall, theoffice does outreach to In thespring, POLADoffice staff Policy ProgramAdvisor Director Jonita Whitaker theForeign istheOfficeof challenges of the21stcentury.challenges of adapt andrespond to themultifaceted strengthening the commanders’ to ability commanders as “force multipliers,” assistmilitary inthatthey transformational disposal cannot.” otherresourcesmyriad atthecommander’s mine whatthePOLADcanofferthat commander, andthechallenge isto deter- said. key the istherelationship“The with position anew,” Director Deputy Pozorski in akey interagency relationship. working recognizethey of theimportance employees have asPOLADsisthat served officers andtwo Civil Service Service the office’s 2009vacancies. biddersforeachof several generate helped their roles andresponsibilities. Theevent sidebar). POLADsdescribed A panelof and whatheseeksinaPOLAD(see Command, POLADs spoke onthevalue of Command andtheUnited States Northern North Aerospace American Defense The work of POLADsis The work of “Each POLADcreates hisorher One reason why more than110Foreign in thePOLADoffice. Maegan Reesisanintern ■

PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): ED WARNER; (OPPOSITE PAGE): BUREAU OF POLITICAL-MILITARY AFFAIRS Advisor provides insight to Defense commander By Ed Warner

When a top U.S. military commander needs to know the political situation in a nation or how the State Department would view a planned action, the commander can often turn to his or her “POLAD,” a foreign policy advisor assigned by the Department to the commander’s management team. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, for instance, a POLAD helped shape thinking and set up meetings between General Tommy Franks, then leader of the U.S. military’s Central Command, and foreign leaders. Speaking at a recent briefing at Main State on the role of POLADs, Air Force four-star General Victor Renuart Jr. said Franks sought the meetings to gain the United States unprecedented base-access rights in remote locations for the invasion of Afghanistan.

Above: Gen. Renuart makes a point during his speech. Left: On a panel at the POLAD open house were, from left, Kathy Johnson-Casares of the U.S. Transportation Command, Donald Bishop of the U.S. Air Force and Jerry Lanier of the U.S. Africa Command.

issues—for example, matters regarding Pakistan or Canada, which has also provided Renuart with a Canadian POLAD. Though distant from his command’s territory, Pakistan is important, he explained, because Pakistani terrorism threats can sometimes lead back to possible activity in the United States. As commander of the U.S. missile defense system, Renuart said he also needs to have a sense, for example, of North Korea’s or Iran’s intentions, another question he often poses to Glass. The other role of a POLAD, Renuart said, “Political advisors are put into a hot seat” support for civil authorities in a disaster. is to provide “a window into the State and have great opportunity to make an This mission touches on such issues as Department.” When DOD contemplates an impact, said Renuart, commander of the bi- Russian bomber flights, missile defense, action, Renuart said, a POLAD will point national North American Aerospace narcotics-related violence in Mexico, coun- out “if there’s a gap” between the plan and Defense Command and the U.S. military’s terterrorism and Arctic development. the views of the Department, and provide Northern Command. USNORTHCOM, one POLADs are typically experienced an independent assessment of the of seven major Department of Defense Foreign Service officers who must be able to command’s ideas. combatant commands, was set up after the advise on the political context worldwide. Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and focuses on Renuart said he turns to his POLAD, The author is deputy editor of warning and defense of North America and George Glass, for advice on political State Magazine.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 37 Twelve years ago, my wife and I were General in Guangzhou. As a result, the families celebrate their new addition. proudly photographed with our new thousands of American families and Some of the families endure waits as long daughter Sarah in front of the U.S. children come through Guangzhou each as three years. However, at a recent Consulate General in Guangzhou, China. year and have a chance to get to know one ceremony, Mary and Stephen Marler of Like thousands of other Americans, we had another, just as my wife and I did with our Houston held their one-year-old adopted come to China to adopt a child. Our experi- children. In 2005, after many years in a child as Mary Marler said, “The wait was ence was so positive that we returned four cramped facility, the consular section moved emotional, even excruciating, but it was years later to adopt another girl, our to new and spacious facilities where it can worth all of it.” daughter Anna. provide much better service. It is no surprise that consulate visitors— Our visits left us fascinated by China’s from U.S. Ambassador to China Clark culture and people, but I never imagined Final Step Randt to former world champion figure that a few years later I would join the A visa interview at the consulate is the skater Michelle Kwan—make a special Foreign Service and serve as the adoption final step in the adoption journey, and for point of attending the adoption ceremony. officer in Guangzhou, assisting other Ameri- most families the last stop on their two-to- There is no more compelling picture of the cans through the lengthy but emotionally three-week trip through China. About 30 open and generous spirit of the American rewarding adoption process. adopting families come to the consulate people than the Guangzhou adoption Since international adoptions were first every day, including the grandparents and waiting room. Today, one-third of adopted permitted in the early 1990s, more than older children of adopting families who children from China are older or have a 70,000 Chinese children have found new come to be part of the adoption experience special need. Many parents adopt special homes in the United States. All immigrant and see China.The high point of the needs children, in part because the wait can visas for China, including adopted child ceremony is the taking of the oath, after be as short as six months. visas, are processed at the U.S. Consulate which the room erupts into a loud cheer as The children come from across China,

Consulate Handles All American Adoptions in China...By Mark Carlson

PerfectMatch GENERAL IN GUANGZHOU; PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): U.S. CONSULATE FOTOLIA (OPPOSITE PAGE):

38 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 and many adoptive families return to China “Plus, there is a huge to adopt again. One family recently returned support network in Denver for its fifth adoption, all of them special and lots of Chinese cultural needs children. events for adopting families,” A variety of Americans come to China to Mary Gorbett added. adopt, including sisters from Los Angeles Dave and Deborah Jacob, and Manhattan who came together. Some- from Columbia City, Ore., times, identical twins are adopted. One set adopted an older child and recently went to the Twin Cities area of took Cantonese lessons Minnesota—wearing Minnesota Twins caps. before coming, since their Some adoptions involve Foreign Service child was already fluent in families posted in China. In another case, the language. They said the father was deployed in Iraq while his they want her to keep up wife adopted their daughter. with her Chinese instruction after she returns Some Challenges to the United States, and There are also difficult situations. Because they gave a computer to the The author, right, and his wife with one of their newly adopted many adopted children have special needs, child’s orphanage so she children, in October 2000. At left is John Norris, at the time U.S. consul general in Guangzhou. Opposite page: The swearing-in families may require medical care while in can communicate with her occurs during a recent adoption ceremony at the U.S. Consulate Guangzhou or need expedited processing to friends there via e-mail and General in Guangzhou. get home for treatment. In rare cases, a a Webcam. child’s needs may be far more severe than Parents adopting through Guangzhou especially when walking down the street the family knew, and the family must face maintain lifelong friendships and even accompanied by our blonde, blue-eyed son, the emotional decision of whether to return as a group together for “heritage all three children chattering in English. But proceed with the adoption. trips” that let their children experience their many Chinese have come to appreciate that The adoptive parents say their experience cultural legacy. Adopting parents have also such mixed adoptive families are a significant makes them culturally aware. Like many published accounts of their experiences, piece of America’s multicultural fabric. And adopting parents, Jason and Tracey Gorbett deepening an understanding in the United whenever adopted Chinese children celebrate of Castle Rock, Colo., also want their two- States of the difficult circumstances that their roots, they strengthen the bridge of year-old daughter, Gabriella Yi Li, to keep a have given rise to the large number of friendship between their adopted homeland connection with Chinese culture after orphaned children. and the nation of their birth. ■ getting home. In Guangdong Province, where both our “It would be a discredit not to give her daughters were born, my family attracts The author is a consular officer at the U.S. that part of her history,” Jason Gorbett said. curious looks, and even a few stares, Consulate General in Guangzhou. Steps in a Long Journey Long before an adopting family travels to government adoption office in Beijing. China, the adoption process involves multiple • The Beijing adoption office matches the steps and a series of applications and govern- family to a waiting child and sends the child’s ment approvals. Here is a snapshot: photos and information to the parents, • The family selects an adoption agency to requesting confirmation. Except when shepherd the process, out of the nearly 100 adopting a special needs child, parents do U.S.-based agencies facilitating China adop- not select their adopted child in advance, tions. The agency must be approved by the although they can request an age range State Department as meeting Hague Conven- and gender. tion standards. • The family travels to China about six • A social worker conducts a home weeks after the match, first to the child’s study and reviews factors such as the home province to adopt their child and then family history and financial background. to Guangzhou for their visa interview. With • The family files an immigrant visa increasing numbers of applications and fewer petition for the adopted child with the orphans available for foreign adoption, the Department of Homeland Security. wait for a healthy infant now stretches to three • The adoption agency forwards or more years. the documents to China for transla- For more information on intercountry tion and then onward to the Chinese adoption, go to http://adoptions.state.gov.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 39 Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli (middle) poses with employees of the moving company hired for the relocation. Major Move NEW COMPOUND BOOSTS POST’S OFFICE SPACE AND SECURITY BY DEBBIE A. CAMPBELL

January marks the one-year large as it needs to be to honor leading to favorable coverage in the United States for an anniversary of the inauguration the commitment to the of the new compound and aggressive form of leukemia. of the new U.S. Embassy in Nicaraguan people.” the mission. The new facilities provide Managua, Nicaragua. The Nicaraguans were well aware space to integrate the offices of embassy’s move from its facility of the post’s planned transition Previews several previously off-site U.S. of 34 years to a new embassy to a new compound due to a The consular section also agencies, including the U.S. compound offering greater public diplomacy campaign previewed its spacious new Agency for International Devel- security and space involved a conducted over the three years facilities to the press. Major opment, and brought the post major effort over several days in of the new embassy’s construc- television and print media into compliance with security November 2007. It culminated tion. Press outreach began outlets recorded the last visa standards. in a 2008 inauguration event with the announcement of interviews at the former site and Before the move, some highlighted by speeches by construction and included a noted the upgrades at the new employees wondered if they Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli and preview tour and the inaugu- site, including more pleasant would miss their former facility, Joseph W. Toussaint, managing ration ceremony. waiting areas. On the day the which included a prefabricated director of the Bureau of Over- The publicity work involved new compound opened, Consul chancery building that had been seas Buildings Operations. collaboration between the General Marc Meznar appeared designed as a temporary struc- Noting that the new facility public affairs section and the on Nicaragua’s premier ture after the nation’s 1972 is one of the largest buildings regional security office. For morning news show to take earthquake. in Nicaragua and arguably the instance, the PAS took photos calls from the public. The first On the other hand, one most modern, Ambassador and video of locations within visa issued at the new site was employee said she felt like she Trivelli told the inaugural the new building, and the RSO to a teenager who would be was “moving from a closet into

event, “Our new building is as approved them for release, receiving free medical treatment a luxury condo,” because the PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN MANAGUA

40 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 new compound’s cubicles are spacious compound that had been owned by the U.S. and comfortable. government since 1938. A structure there Employees now say the advantages of had once been the ambassador’s residence the move outweigh the disadvantages. and later became offices. It will be restored Moving For instance, the new compound has a as the ambassador’s residence beginning gym that is open to all of the post’s this year. Many items in this historic Tips 501 Locally Employed staff and 92 Amer- building were too heavy for the structure’s These ideas were helpful to the ican employees. old staircase and were moved the same way relocation effort: Employees then packed and labeled they had come in—by crane. their boxes and filled out inventory sheets. The embassy was formally inaugurated • Establish a “listserv,” an e-mail A moving company packed extremely on Jan. 24, 2008, before a crowd that communications list, and encourage heavy and fragile items and moved the included the vice president of Nicaragua, staff to use it to ask for advice. boxes to the NEC. the chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the • Consider using color-coded ship- Up and Running minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, ping labels and symbols to identify The transition started Nov. 14, 2007, USAID’s assistant administrator for Latin boxes destined for individuals and with the moving of heavy items. Through America and a host of other Nicaraguan sections. Giving each employee’s extensive planning and coordination, the government and civil society leaders. material a unique-symbol sticker information management staff minimized One day earlier, the moving company makes the move fast and smooth downtime of the post’s critical command had moved the last piece of equipment into because all boxes with the same-color and control communications systems the new compound, marking the last of 107 labels will go in the same direction. during the move. The communications and trips by the moving van. • Use unique numbers on the computer systems were up and running at Though sparkling new, the embassy has inventory sheets prepared by the the new compound within hours after in its atrium the last flag that flew over the post’s transition coordinator, being deactivated at the old embassy. old embassy compound and a collage of ensuring that no numbers are By the end of the third moving day, all more than 1,200 embassy-related photos, repeated. This lets the inventory embassy offices had relocated and were in reflections of the long U.S.-Nicaraguan controllers quickly check the boxes. operation. USAID also moved that day, relationship. ■ leaving offices located approximately four- • Use color-coded vests for the and-a-half miles away. The author is an administrative assistant move’s mobile and stationary escorts, On Nov. 19, the most adventurous part at the U.S. Embassy in Managua and was inventory controllers and truck of the move began, that of the offices at the transition coordinator for the move to escorts. Casa Grande, a 63-acre property on the new the NEC.

Forty-four pictures of previous U.S. ambassadors to Nicaragua hang in the Information Resource Center.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 41 CLAIMS SECTION PROCESSES PAYMENTS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES BY MICHAEL GONZALEZ PAYBACK

he Medical Claims section of the Office of Medical Serv- Processing medical claims requires a thorough knowledge of ices processes medical claims for Foreign Service how insurance reimbursements work, a good knowledge of the Temployees and their eligible family members and for Global Financial Management System and a clear understanding other government agency employees participating in of the medical claims regulations. Medical Claims has four full- International Cooperative Administrative Support Services. time and two contract staff members to ensure the work is done Medical Claims is mainly responsible for processing payments in a timely manner. for authorized medical services provided and received in the Because the skills are specialized, recruiting and maintaining United States. These include authorized physical examinations the required number of employees to do the work is a (in-service and separation examinations), specialist evaluations challenge. Medical Claims receives up to 1,500 claims a month and authorized domestic inpatient and outpatient treatment. from Department employees, other ICASS participating- Under certain conditions, the office also processes agency employees and outside providers. The office’s standard reimbursements to patients for pre-employment physicals is that a medical claim must be processed within five work provided overseas. days after receipt. Medical Claims is working to improve productivity. It recruits The Claims Process and trains new contract staff and scans and forwards medical- Medical Claims is the secondary payer for all medical billings claims vouchers to the Office of Finance in Charleston, S.C., and covers the allowable amount not paid by the individual’s instead of mailing them. It also is looking into ways to pay primary insurer. Bills related to authorized physicals or treatment medical claims using a government purchase card. must first be submitted to the employee’s health insurance carrier, either by the healthcare provider or the patient. Bills for Problems remaining balances not covered by insurance should be Medical Claims’ challenges arise from incomplete paperwork forwarded to Medical Claims with a copy of the Department’s and the misconception that it processes overseas claims. Incom- authorization form, all itemized provider bills and the insurance plete paperwork can add weeks to the process, delaying payment company’s explanation of benefits. as claims processors wait for the proper documentation. Thus, In addition to authorized physical exams, the Department anyone filing a claim must pay attention to detail and call or e- provides supplemental payment for authorized inpatient care mail the staff if questions arise. and related outpatient treatment of an illness, injury or medical The section gets numerous calls about claims filed overseas condition that requires hospitalization. The illness, injury or from employees expecting to get reimbursed. The section only condition must have been incurred while serving overseas to handles claims filed in the United States. If overseas employees qualify. The Department’s liability is limited to the balance of the require reimbursement of a claim, they must contact their primary payer’s approved amount. parent agency and request a fund-site transfer to their Payment for medically necessary outpatient care directly designated post, which will reimburse them. Medical Claims related to an approved hospitalization is limited to a maximum has no role in this process. of 12 months from the date an expense was incurred by the The section recommends sending claims via e-mail or fax. government, unless a MED grants a waiver. Medical coverage is If those options are unavailable, mail is acceptable. Questions not provided for illness or injury occurring in the United States, or concerns regarding the claims process can be directed to even if the employee is on home leave or rest-and-recreation (703) 875-4842 or [email protected]. ■ orders. Therefore, all employees should purchase private health insurance. The author is chief of Medical Claims.

42 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Medical Learn

FSI Web Page Find everything you need to know about FSI and its training Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all the courses available at FSI, visit the Schedule opportunities at http://fsi.state.gov. This site is constantly updated of Courses on OpenNet at http://fsi.state.gov. See Department to give you just-in-time information on services such as: Notices for announcements of new courses and new course dates • Online Catalog: Up-to-the-minute course schedules and and periodic announcements of external training opportunities offerings, from live classroom training to distance learning. sponsored by FSI. For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144/7137. • Online Registration System: Submit your training application for classroom, distance learning and even External Training, using the online registration link found Security Feb Mar Length on virtually every course description or the External Training MQ911 Security Overseas Seminar 2,9 2,9,23 2D Web page. • Training Continua: Road maps to help you effectively plan Foreign Service Life Skills Feb Mar Length your training for the year or beyond. MQ104 Regulations Allowances and • About FSI: Get a snapshot view of FSI’s history and Finances in the FS Context 26 2D enrollment statistics. MQ107 English Teaching Seminar 12 2D • Links to training resources: View information on specific MQ115 Explaining America 28 1D countries, language learning and testing, and a myriad MQ116 Protocol and the helpful reference materials. U.S. Representation Abroad 21 1D MQ117 Tax Seminar 18 4H Student Records Online MQ200 Going Overseas Without Children 7 4H Located on the FSI Web page, Student Records Online is a MQ210 Going Overseas for Families 7 4H secure, password-protected site that provides access to all FSI MQ220 Going Overseas – training information. Features include: Logistics for Adults 25 7 4H • Reviewing and printing your training schedule. MQ230 Going Overseas – Logistics for Children 7 4H • Reviewing and printing your student transcript. MQ500 Encouraging Resilience in • Tracking the status of your training request. the FS Child 11 4H • Canceling an already-scheduled FSI course. MQ703 Post Options for Employment • Requesting changes or canceling an external training and Training 26 1D registration. MQ801 Long Distance Relationships 21 4H • Creating and submitting your Individual Development Plan/ MQ803 Realities of the Work and Development Plan for Locally Employed Staff. Foreign Service Life 5 1D • Retrieving your FasTrac password. MQ950 High Stress Assignment Outbriefing Program 2H For more information and to establish your logon, visit the Web site at https://fsiapps.fsi.state.gov/fsirecs/Login.aspx. Career Transition Center Feb Mar Length FasTrac Distance Learning Program RV101 Retirement Planning Workshop 24 4D Learn at your own pace, when and where you want! All State RV102 Job Search Program 2 8W Department employees, FSNs and EFMs are eligible. With your RV103 Financial Management and FasTrac password, you may access the entire FasTrac catalog Estate Planning 26 1D of more than 2,500 courses from home or office. To view RV104 Annuities and Benefits and Social Security 25 1D the complete FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac Web site at http://fsi.state.gov/fastrac. Length: H = Hours, D = Days, W = Weeks For more information on all distance learning opportunities, visit the FSI Web site at http://fsi.state.gov and click on “Distance rights and remedies under federal antidiscrimination and Learning.” whistleblower protection laws. For more information, visit http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg/default.asp?EventID=PT401. PT401 No FEAR Act Training Students will learn about the No FEAR Act (Notification and Ask FSI Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of Looking for information on a specific course, training location 2002), which prohibits discrimination and retaliation in the or distance learning? Experiencing a problem with registration, workplace. They will learn what avenues of recourse are available accessing a course or technical issue? “Ask FSI” is your answer. to employees who suspect they are the victims of illegal discrimi- Found on the home page of FSI (http://fsi.state.gov), Ask FSI nation or retaliation. This course fulfills the No FEAR Act allows you to review frequently asked questions or submit your requirement to train government employees regarding their own inquiry. Questions are routed quickly for prompt response. ■

44 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Appointments

U.S. Ambassador to Libya U.S. Representative to the Gene Allan Cretz of New York, a career African Union member of the Senior Foreign Service, John A. Simon of Maryland, a high-level class of Minister-Counselor, is the new government official, is the new U.S. U.S. Ambassador to Libya. Until recently, Representative to the African Union, he was a deputy assistant secretary in the with the rank of Ambassador. Previously, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He has he was executive vice president of the served in posts throughout the Middle Overseas Private Investment East and Asia, including Tel Aviv, Corporation. Before that, he was senior Damascus, Cairo, Islamabad, New Delhi director for Relief, Stabilization and and Beijing. Development for the National Security Council. He has also been a deputy assistant administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development. U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia Carol Ann Rodley of Virginia, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, U.S. Ambassador to class of Minister-Counselor, is the new Djibouti U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of James Christopher Swan of California, a Cambodia. Previously, she was a faculty career member of the Senior Foreign advisor at the Foreign Service Institute Service, class of Counselor, is the new after returning from assignment in U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Kabul. Before that, she was acting assis- Djibouti. Previously, he was deputy assistant secretary and principal deputy tant secretary for African Affairs. Before assistant secretary in the Bureau of Intel- that, he was director of analysis for ligence and Research. Her other overseas Africa in the Bureau of Intelligence and postings include Germany, South Africa, Research. He was deputy chief of the Dominican Republic and Pakistan. mission in Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Other postings include Nairobi, Yaounde, Port-au-Prince and Managua.

retirements

FOREIGN SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE

Coffey, Steven James Hinson, Jill D. De Sanctis, Nicole Montgomery, Evangeline J. Couch, John P. O’Brien, Penelope R. Fleming-Simpson, Quick, Barbara Jenkins Gaseor, Kathleen M. Ordway, John Malcolm Gwendolyn A. Schroeder, Marshall John Giacolone, John Nicholas Schuman, Steven S. Geiger, James J. Sulzynsky, Wolodymyr R. Hermanson, Lynne D. Green, Eric A. Thomas-Jackson, Tijuana J. Hayes, Betty J. Urman, Sheila E. Imperati, Edward William Weldinger, Joseph C.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 45 Obituaries

Kevin E. Carroll, 72, a retired Marguerita “Maggie” Loomer, 80, a retired member of the Senior Executive Service, Foreign Service secretary and widow of Foreign Service officer died Oct. 6 of lung cancer at his home in Walter Loomer, died Oct. 17 in London, England. She married Silver Spring, Md. He served with the U.S. Loomer in Tunisia and accompanied him on postings to Saudi Army in Germany and joined the Depart- Arabia, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kenya, Poland, Bolivia and Costa Rica. ment in 1961. He worked as an After joining the Foreign Service in 1975, she served with her administrative and management analysis officer before joining the husband in Nigeria, the Soviet Union and Greece. After he retired, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, where he became a she served in Montreal and her native London before retiring director. He retired in 1993. there in 1993. She volunteered for the Red Cross and Oxfam.

Ferrell Lavon Cooper, 73, a retired Foreign Thomas Lucas Jr., 69, a former Foreign Service Service officer, died Nov. 9 at his home in Evanston, Ill. He served medical officer, died Oct. 6 of multiple myeloma. He lived in in the Air Force and joined the Department in 1962. He spent Charleston, S.C. He joined the Department in 1987 and served more than 30 years abroad, including postings to Helsinki, overseas in Mali, Zambia, Nepal and Russia before returning to Canberra, Lomé, Beirut, Tehran, Nicosia, Abidjan, Antananarivo, the United States to practice at various Veterans Administration Cairo, Rabat, Brussels and Paris. clinics. He volunteered with free clinics overseas and received the Department’s highest award for volunteerism. He enjoyed writing poetry and children’s stories.

Kathryn Lewman, 57, a project controls engineer with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Helen Parrish Nabti, 88, and wife of Raymond Lewman of the U.S. a retired Foreign Service officer, died Oct. Agency for International Development, 6 in Waterford, Va. After joining the died recently in Arlington, Va. She was an Department, her assignments included the architect but spent much of her time volunteering on projects Dumbarton Oaks Conference and first such as Habitat for Humanity and building schools and orphan- United Nations conference in San ages while living overseas with her family. Francisco. She later joined the Foreign Service and was posted to the Philippines, Japan and Lebanon. She retired in 1972.

46 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009 Obituaries

James D. “Dan” John W. Simms, 84, a retired Foreign Service officer, Phillips, 75, a retired Foreign Service died at his home in McLean, Va., on Oct. 31 of complications officer, died Oct. 6 from complications of from Alzheimer’s. He served in the Army in World War II. He microscopic polyangiitis in Washington, joined the Department in 1950 and during his 31-year career was D.C. He served in the Army and joined the posted to Germany, Japan, the Belgian Congo, the North Atlantic Department in 1962. He served overseas in Treaty Organization, Haiti, Paraguay, Barbados, Colombia and Paris, Zaire, Luxembourg and as chief of mission in The Gambia. Mexico. He was on the drafting committee for the Panama Canal After a tour in Casablanca, he became ambassador to Burundi and Treaty in 1977. After retirement, he was a consultant to the then ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After Department’s Crises Management Program for 10 years. retiring in 1994, he headed the Central Africa Foundation. He enjoyed skiing, golf, cooking, bridge, poker and writing poetry.

Gwendolene “Marky” Weigley, a retired employee of the U.S. Agency for International Development, died Norma Louise Rathner, Oct. 22 in Alpine, Calif. She served in Greece, Spain, Uganda, 77, wife of retired Foreign Service officer Nigeria, Yemen, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, India and Nepal. Herbert Rathner, died Sept. 29 of pancre- atic cancer at her home in Fairfax, Va. She accompanied her husband on postings to France, Germany, Sierra Leone, Korea, Bolivia, Switzerland and Jamaica. She loved to read, garden, study the Bible, create travel scrapbooks and make quilts, many of which she donated to charities.

Colin F. Wheeler, 66, a long- time Foreign Service National employee at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, died Sept. 14 of natural causes. He worked in the public affairs section. In his youth, he was a renowned Australian-rules football player and, in his later years, an avid and skilled gardener. Barbara J. Simmons, 69, a retired Foreign Service specialist, died Nov. 2 in Houston, Texas. She joined the Department in 1991 and served in Manila, Kuwait, Damascus, Chengdu and Beijing. She retired in 2004 and lived in Carmine, Texas. She collected art and antiques, and enjoyed gardening and gourmet cooking.

JANUARY 2009 | STATE MAGAZINE | 47 THE LAST WORD

Election Offers Outreach Opportunity ambassador grabbed that unique opportu- says. “Wherever I visit, requests for POLADs nity to reach out across regional, religious are high.” and tribal boundaries with the message of Meanwhile, colleagues in Human peaceful political transition. The personal Resources are hard at work preparing for attraction by many Kenyans opened the the additional 179 Foreign Service general- door to a basic lesson in U.S. civics, ists recently approved by Congress. Once including the wisdom behind the Electoral the newcomers enter the Foreign Service, College system, the election cycle and the HR’s Entry-Level division and the orienta- foundations of American democracy, tion staff at the Foreign Service Institute including the all-important respect for the take the lead in developing the new employ- rule of law. The intense outreach effort ees’ careers and early assignments. The culminated in an election night vigil at the division’s career development officers act as ambassador’s home. position managers, controlling positions In an era that requires more and more and direct assignments for the entry-level coordination between major government officers’ first two tours. The goal is always to agencies, the Office of the Foreign Policy promote opportunities for growth and Advisor Program has seen its stock rise advancement. significantly. Small in numbers—just four Last but never least, a final salute to our fulltime employees—this office supports colleagues en route to their final posting: Good diplomacy sometimes boils down dozens of foreign policy advisors posted Kevin E. Carroll; Farrell Lavon Cooper; to recognizing an opportunity and seizing throughout the world, from the Pentagon to Kathryn Lewman; Marguerita “Maggie” it, as our colleagues at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq and Afghanistan. These advisors, or Loomer; Thomas Lucas Jr.; Helen Parrish Nairobi did with the U.S. presidential elec- POLADs in acronym land, advise and Nabti; James D. “Dan” Phillips; Norma tion in November. Interest in this election support senior U.S. military leaders on the Louise Rathner; Barbara J. Simmons; ran especially hot in Kenya, which had diplomatic and foreign policy aspects of the John W. Simms; Gwendolene “Marky” recently emerged from a year of turmoil commanders’ military responsibilities. Initi- Weigley; and Colin F. Wheeler. ■ following its own elections and which ated in 2000, the POLAD program has could claim a personal stake because one grown from 15 advisors to 31. of the U.S. presidential candidates had a Office Director Jonita Whitaker expects Kenyan father. that growth to continue. “Military Rob Wiley Embassy professionals including the commands are hungry for POLADs,” she Editor-in-Chief

Coming in February • State Honors FSNs of the Year • Resident Diplomats Mine College Campuses • CIV Promotes Global Law and Order ... and much more!

48 | STATE MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2009

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