UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE StateJune 2002 StateMagazine A Retiree Recalls His 1950 Trek to His First Post In our next issue: France The Louvre is minutes away from the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Photo by Scott Gilchrist/Masterfile Photo by State State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly, except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department of State, Magazine 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations. POSTMAS- Carl Goodman TER: Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. State Magazine Dave Krecke is published to facilitate communication between management WRITER/EDITOR and employees at home and abroad and to acquaint employees Kathleen Goldynia with developments that may affect operations or personnel. ART DIRECTOR The magazine is also available to persons interested in working for the Department of State and to the general public. ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS State Magazine is available by subscription through the Pat Hayes Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, CHAIRMAN Washington, DC 20402 (telephone [202] 512-1800) or on the web at Jo Ellen Powell http://bookstore.gpo.gov. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY For details on submitting articles to State Magazine, request our guidelines, “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at Florence Fultz [email protected]; download them from our web site William Hudson at www.state.gov/m/dghr/statemag;or send your request Jim Lawrence in writing to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, Les McBee Washington, DC 20522-0108. The magazine’s phone number is Erin Rooney (202) 663-1700. Doug Ryan Deadlines: July 15 for September issue. August 15 for October issue. StateState Magazine June 2002 Contents No. 458 Department of State • United States of America 7Post of the Month: Milan 12 COLUMNS The consular district includes all of northern Italy. 12 Bureau of the Month: Democracy, Human Rights 2 From the Secretary and Labor 6 Direct from the D.G. The bureau celebrates its 25th anniversary. 16 On the Road to Kabul DEPARTMENTS Aretiree recalls his treacherous trek to his first post. 3 Letters to the Editor 19 Donors Celebrate 40th Anniversary 4 In the News Curator Clement E. “Clem” Conger is honored. 29 People Like You 20 Farewell, Mark and Franc 30 Education & Training Euros are heavy on the purse, light on conversion. 22 An Exercise in Utility 30 Personnel Actions State, Defense practice mock chemical attack in Kuwait. 31 Obituaries Photo by Dave Krecke Dave Photo by 24 INet Makes Its Debut Daniel Schuman, acting director of DRL’s Office of External The web site offers new look and easier access. Affairs, reviews the human rights legislation governing the bureau. 26 The DS Source This web site is for emergency planning and more. Kids get special briefing in 28 Relief Fund Helps FSNs Worldwide Treaty Room. FSNs in 20 countries have benefited. 5 On the Cover Abdul the driver, a Red Cross official and author Gordon King at the western end of the Khyber Pass. Map by Leo Dillon and Shawn Mason, Office of the Geographer and Global Issues Photo by Michael Gross Michael Photo by FROM THE SECRETARY SECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL Cyber-Tools for a 21st Century State Department he success of U.S. diplomacy in this new century We are buying thousands of workstations, wiring depends in no small measure on whether we offices and creating networks. We successfully tested Texploit the promise of the technology revolution. OpenNet Plus, which will put Internet access and e-mail Just as an information edge can make the difference on each of your unclassified desktops. My goal is to get between success and failure in the corporate world, so, all 30,000 of you on that system by the end of 2003. too, in the business of foreign affairs, we must be Our classified system is also being improved. By the equipped with the best information available. end of next year, every classified desktop in each of our The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is fire embassies and consulates should be tied to the same State up my home computer. Before anyone has given me an Department network. Those of you who are already con- intelligence report or I’ve read any newspapers, my nected should also be experiencing faster, more reliable home page pops up. Because I’ve set it to receive certain connections. news segments, I have about 20 messages waiting for me We are also exploring whether we can put classified and on what’s happening around the globe. So, long before unclassified cables, e-mails and memoranda onto one mes- the intelligence community and those wonderful systems saging system. Another project on the drawing board is an we have in the State Department start to feed me materi- unclassified computer network for our overseas posts that al, I am online getting a pretty good sense of the world. will enable us and our colleagues from other federal agen- And I have not had my first cup of coffee yet. cies working under the same embassy roof to communicate That’s the kind of access to information everyone in the electronically, send instant messages and videoconference. State Department needs. One of my biggest priorities as But none of this is enough. Technology is moving for- CEO of the State Department has been to make sure that ward and we must move forward with it, changing the you, the men and women who carry out our foreign pol- way we do business. I know that you will agree with me icy, have the technology you need to succeed when you that we must deploy better systems than we have today. come to work in the morning. New ones will have to satisfy three standards: they must Whether it is your job to provide administrative sup- be smart, simple to use and secure. Training must become port, analyze events, represent the United States or reach comprehensive and regular. out to a wider public, you must have rapid access to I have directed Grant Green, the under secretary for information and the ability to communicate swiftly. This Management, to review and oversee our cyber-agenda. is true across the board—whatever your job or rank, He is soliciting ideas. He is making sure that your needs whether you serve stateside or overseas, whether you are drive our planning. He is working with teams across the a Foreign Service officer, Foreign Service National or a State Department to set priorities and implement our member of the Civil Service. strategy without delay. In my first testimony before Congress as Secretary of U.S. diplomacy requires nothing less than the best peo- State and in all subsequent appearances to defend our ple being supported by the best information available at budget requests, I have made upgrading our information their fingertips. I want the State Department to set the technology a top priority. The Congress heard and came standard within the U.S. government on harnessing the through—with a massive increase in our information power of cyber-technology. I am confident that we are on technology funding for Fiscal Year 2002. I returned to the right course and, with Congress’ continued help, we Congress this year and reported our progress, seeking will reach our goal. ■ continued support for our plan. 2 State Magazine Why Pesticides? LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Safety Scene Reducing Pests and Pesticides I tried, but in vain, to By Claire Huson under a new walkway will help block future weeds. re If spring comes, can While good preparation and design will give the garden an late your March safe- gardening be far behind? excellent start, the following proper maintenance is critical, too. ith the unusually warm winter, Frequently mowing the lawn many people already have gar- so more than one-third of the Wdening on their minds. Not only height is trimmed, yet the grass is I think many of your readers at least three inches, encourages ty article on reducing will your family likely consume vegeta- bles grown there, children and pets may root growth, moisture retention play in the garden as well. and competition with weeds. For those reasons alone, pesticides Manual weeding, preferably done before the weeds get estab- would be interested. should be held to a minimum and you can accom- plish that through integrated pest management lished, removes these undesirables that compete for principles. They are ideal for the home garden since they moisture and nutrients. promote a healthy garden, make it less inviting to pests and Mulching helps retain soil moisture, deter weeds and pests and pesticides reduce the use of pesticides. conditions the soil. Where do you begin? Avoiding pest problems begins Avoiding physical damage—for example, from string with assessing your garden’s location. What’s the soil trimmers or lawn mowers cutting into tree trunks—pre- like? Does it need to be enriched? How much sunlight vents injury that makes plants more vulnerable to pests. exposure is there? What’s the local climate? While some Monitoring for early signs of pests allows for prompt garden characteristics can be modified, others, like cli- action while the pest population is small. Genevieve O. Bolij mate, cannot. Accept what won’t change and move on. When pests are detected, identify them and use the least to something about And remember that approximately one-third of plant toxic means of control first.