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U.S.DEPARTMENT OF STATE SEPTEMBER 2009 Bogotá Colombia’s Capital Dances With the Stars September 2009 Contents Issue Number 537 12 16 22 Virtual Closer to One-Stop Possibilities Home Assistance VPPs expand Mission PD bureaus move to Center provides employees China’s outreach. Foggy Bottom. access to embassy services. 14 20 24 Keepers of Civics Post of the the Peace Class Month: Bogotá Department helps African Iraqi students learn value Colombia rebuilds nations preserve stability. of elections. with U.S. help. 10 Cultural Showcase Gallery opening puts Art Bank in the spotlight. September 2009 Issue Number 537 Features 30 Mission Ready RSO in Iraq promotes emergency preparedness. 32 Developing Peace USAID helps the Philippines fi ght terrorism. 34 Safer Schools 24 Program upgrades soft target security. 16 36 Offi ce of the Month Global Partnership Initiative promotes ‘smart power.’ Columns 14 02 From the D.G. 42 Safety Scene 03 Letters 44 Appointments On the Cover 04 In the News 45 Retirements The third-highest major city in the world at 8,600 feet, Bogotá lives up to 09 Diversity Notes 46 Obituaries its city slogan: “2,600 meters closer to the stars.” Photograph by Fotolia 41 State of the Arts 48 The Last Word *Direct from D.G. Nancy J. Powell Honored to Serve It is a great pleasure, as the new Director General, to better. My colleagues and I in HR are already working on begin a dialogue with the Department of State commu- a number of important issues. nity on the range of issues and challenges affecting the Among the most pressing: Department’s greatest resource -- you. Together and with • Aligning our human resource processes and systems the help of dedicated Human Resources professionals, we to meet the Department’s strategic objectives now and must ensure that our recruitment, assignment, profes- into the future. sional development and retirement systems support the • Ensuring that we are providing comprehensive needs of our diverse workforce and enable the Depart- support to our employees and their families before, ment to address effectively the during and after their overseas critical foreign policy oppor- assignments, particularly those tunities and challenges we face serving in difficult and/or unac- today and may face tomorrow. companied posts. We have seen significant • Recruiting people who have breakthroughs this year that skills in critically needed foreign demonstrate the high value the languages, career tracks and Administration and Congress specialist categories and who place on the Department reflect the diversity of our nation. of State and its employees’ • Finding more ways to give contributions around the world. Civil Service employees opportu- Thanks to funds appropri- nities for development at all levels. ated by Congress in the 2009 • Ensuring that the compen- Budget, we can hire 2,300 new sation packages of our Lo- FS and CS employees this year, cally Employed Staff reflect their including 1,200 new employees invaluable contributions to our above attrition. In addition, work and the importance we place the FY 2009 Supplemental on their service. appropriation will enable us at • Guaranteeing that all of last to start closing the overseas our people have the skills and pay disparity. Furthermore, leadership capabilities to meet our this year, when qualified, our complex foreign policy challenges. LE Staff received a wage increase of at least 2.9 percent • Giving our people the tools to navigate, cooperate as the result of a Department review of compensation. and collaborate more effectively within the interagency The Department also extended the full range of legally process both domestically and abroad. available benefits and allowances to same-sex domestic • Assuring that security and medical clearances for partners of members of the Foreign Service sent to new employees are handled as expeditiously as possible. serve abroad. In order to best serve you, we need to hear your ideas I was delighted that the Department of State ranked and get your feedback. I welcome your suggestions via first as an ideal employer for Liberal Arts undergraduates unclassified e-mail at “DG Direct.” in the 2009 Most Ideal Undergraduate Employer Survey, Members of the State Department family deserve and that federal employees placed the Department nothing but the best because that is what they have among the top five large federal agencies in the 2009 given—and continue to give—to our country. Thank Best Places to Work ranking. But I know we can do even you for the honor of representing you. n 2 State Magazine September 2009 *Letters Grassroots Diplomacy Your May issue was extremely insightful. The Diplomacy 3.0 vision with regard to hiring will provide the Department with the much-needed workforce to further the work related to global diplomacy. Other articles show the fantastic work our colleagues continue to perform in a number of areas. The work related to justice reform and trafficking is commendable. Having grown up, studied and worked of comprehension of the rule of law. South experience with a fresh perspective. I plan on in the Indian sub-continent, I believe the and Central Asia is a region where we will sending a copy of it to the female officer who Department is moving in the right direction be concentrating a lot of our efforts in the replaced me and had the same experience with the Bureau of South and Central Asian near future. The call for volunteers to serve with this same supervisor. Affairs by working at the grassroots. The key in Pakistan and Afghanistan and expanded In short, I appreciate all that you do and I would be to create opportunities for public operations in the region prove its importance really appreciated Mr. Robinson’s article. and private partnerships through local citizen to our national security. groups, nongovernment organizations, A U.S. embassy officer educational institutions, government and Krishna Das international organizations, as well as visitor- Bureau of Diplomatic Security Remembering Joan Segerson exchange programs for students, scholars, The June issue carried the sad news of teachers and ordinary citizens. Fresh Perspective Joan Segerson’s unexpected passing on I had the opportunity to work on some I want to pass along my thanks for John March 4 and mentioned that she mentored U.S. Agency for International Development Robinson’s article in the June edition on bul- many young people. She was that kind of programs while serving as the international lying. I was on the receiving end of bullying generous person who was always helpful to liaison for the College of Education at the from a previous supervisor a few years ago her colleagues. During her years at RM/FA, University of Iowa. We collaborated with and felt all the things outlined in the article. she was a strong professional who provided ministries of education and public schools I felt that I was in a hostile work environment information and guidance. Joan understood in Eastern European countries and helped and that my male supervisor had a problem more than most the relationship between provide training in democracy and civics with female officers. (I was the only female policy goals and budget needs. Program and education. The train-the-trainer model pro- officer in the section.) I went so far as to apply policy interests are hard to separate, and she vided an opportunity for foreign teachers to for other jobs outside the State Department always managed them with the best interests study at Iowa, then go back to their countries because I felt strongly that I didn’t want to of the Department’s overall goals in mind. and train others in what they had learned, work for an organization that would promote Joan had some medical problems but was thus creating a ripple effect in democracy such an individual. looking forward to coming back to work. education. Rather than making a decision based on Many of her friends and colleagues have told The above model seems similar to the one experience, I decided to give State one me of their shock. justice reform program that has been initiated more tour and I’m glad I did because I went in Afghanistan. It may be wise to initiate into an office with incredible leadership and a Stuart Lippe something similar in parts of the world very positive, empowering atmosphere. Office of Andean Affairs where terrorism abounds and there is lack Your article caused me to reflect on that Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Letters should not exceed 250 words and should include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. All letters become the property of State Magazine. Letters Talk to Us will be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. Only signed letters will be considered. Via E-mail: Mailing Address: Phone: Fax: statemagazine@ 2401 E Street, NW, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, (202) 663-1700 (202) 663-1769 state.gov Washington, DC 20522-0108 September 2009 State Magazine 3 News Sounding Board Suggestion Cuts Waste Implementing one of the first suggestions posted to the Secretary storage spaces and finds excess supplies that can be listed on the site. It of State’s Sounding Board Web site, the Bureau of Consular Affairs has asked all employees to review the items on the site before placing has launched an internal program to reduce waste of office supplies new orders. by sharing them. The bureau now posts its excess items on its intranet Besides saving on the costs of the supplies, the bureau saves on site, a practice patterned after the popular Freecycle.org site, and supply ordering time and the “cost to stock,” which includes expenses bureau units needing supplies can review the postings before placing related to buying storage furniture and the hours spent searching for new orders and possibly save money.

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