State Magazine | March 2008 Readers’ Feedback
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE MAGAZINE BLUEAFGHANISTAN’S HAVEN MARCH 2008 >>> CONTENTS MARCH 2008 11 26 Key Ingredients One Big Idea FSNs play key roles in virtual Embassy Stockholm promotes presence posts. energy alternatives. CameroonPOST OF THE MONTH PAGE 18 Issue 521 FEATURES 08 Morning Danish Ambassador’s bike tour ‘pedals’ public ON THE COVER diplomacy. Afghanistan’s Band-i-Amir lakes made Time magazine’s 2006 list of the world’s “Best Natural Wonders.” 14 Cultured Communication Photograph by Alex Dehgan Mission seminar details Malawian way of life. 16 Blue Vistas Embassy helps protect Afghanistan’s mountain lakes. COLUMNS 2 From the DG 24 Total Recall 3 Readers’ Feedback Online system holds employee data, provides reports. 4 In the News 34 Safety Scene 28 Office of the Month: EPPD 36 State of the Arts On economics, this office has the answers. 37 Appointments 32 Patch Work 38 Obituaries Quilter’s art warms Walter Reed patients. 39 Retirements 40 The Last Word 32 08 D.G. HARRY K. THOMAS The Family Liaison Office–Here to Serve You On Wednesday, March 5, we will handbooks include a large selection of unaccompanied posts. Employees serving celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Family meaningful activities and exercises that will at an unaccompanied post can send the Liaison Office. Since 1978, FLO has been help children better understand and deal information on their children so that we dedicated to improving the quality of life of with the separation. For example, the hand- can arrange for them to receive a medal our Foreign Service employees and their book for preschool children has coloring and certificate of appreciation for their families, a mission I take very seriously, sacrifice. At the Foreign Service Youth particularly as the number of employees Foundation Award Ceremony held July 8, serving on unaccompanied tours continues 2007, Deputy Secretary Negroponte made a to grow. As we call on our men and women special presentation of these medals and to take on more challenging assignments, certificates, and more than 20 of the young we want to do all that we can to assist them people who had received these medals were and their families. present. His own children were among Although the Department is a relatively those honored, as they had endured the small organization, we have taken a number separation from their father while he of steps to better support employees and served in Iraq. families separated by unaccompanied tours. Unaccompanied tours can have an For instance, in 2005, FLO established a impact on the education of our children. dedicated position for a specialist, Nan For those going to Iraq, families may need Leininger, to answer questions, clarify to decide whether to stay at post or move to options and offer information and guidance another location. Our Education and Youth to employees who are serving on unaccom- staff can work closely with these families to panied tours and their families. Those of make sure that they understand all of the you who are considering an unaccompanied potential ramifications, particularly for tour and want information and guidance high school students. can contact Nan at [email protected]. I am excited about the things we are I am especially pleased that, with funding trying to do to help our people. The provided by the Cox Foundation, FLO activities and number games to help options that family members have today contracted with MHN—formerly the younger children understand what is are far different, and far more extensive, Managed Health Network—in July 2006 to happening to them, while the handbook for than they were when I joined the Foreign provide around-the-clock Web- and teenagers has exercises that help teens Service in 1984. telephone-based support services. Then, explore the complex emotions associated In today’s world, with nearly 60 percent with additional Cox support, FLO recently with a separation. All of the handbooks of our embassies classified as hardship expanded its contract with MHN to provide counseling sessions for family members of employees serving at any of the unaccompanied posts. MHN offers up to The options that family members three sessions per family member per issue, wherever they live. I am excited about what have today are far different, and far more they are trying to do to assist our people, and I encourage you to take advantage of extensive, than they were when I joined this valuable resource. To provide additional support to the chil- the Foreign Service in 1984. dren of employees at unaccompanied posts, FLO developed handbooks to help children understand and cope with the stress and are engaging and encourage family posts, we must pay close attention to family uncertainty of having a parent serving on communication and the development issues. Without proper family support, we an unaccompanied tour. Individual, age- of coping skills. will not be able to meet our mission. appropriate handbooks were designed for FLO also developed recognition awards We welcome your suggestions via unclas- several different age ranges, but all of the for the children of those serving at sified e-mail at “DG Direct.” ■ 2 | STATE MAGAZINE | MARCH 2008 READERS’ FEEDBACK IMPACT’s Impact The story “Accommodating Effort–the Department levels playing field for employees with disabilities” (State Magazine, December 2007) was informative and appropriately coincided with National Disability Employment Awareness month. It was disappointing, however, that there was no reference to the IRM Program for Accessible Computer/Communication Technology. IMPACT is the Department’s resource for achieving electronic and information technology accessibility for all employees and U.S. citizens and has a decade of service providing assistance to post and bureau implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. We address Section 508 policy and technology service requests and conduct technical analyses of Department Web sites and applications. Henrietta H. Fore, when Under Secretary for Management, spoke during the 10th anniversary celebration of the founding of IMPACT about its positive contributions and the commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. You can learn more about IMPACT services at http://impact.state.gov or by contacting [email protected]. Charmaine M. Iversen IMPACT Founder/Manager Department of State Section 508 Coordinator Polish Independence Date BNET History State. Before OpenNet, we found there was In the November 2007 Post of the While enjoying your informative and insufficient network bandwidth to push the Month article on the U.S. Embassy in interesting article about BNET in the signal to the desktop or expand overseas. Warsaw, I noticed that you cited November November 2007 issue (“Focus on BNET”), Early BNET was the subject of a cover 11, 1918, as Poland’s independence day. as the creator of BNET I can attest to a few story in State Magazine (January 1991). That is the date Polish independence was errors of fact. First, the station launched in I am pleased that BNET has grown and restored. People unfamiliar with Polish December 1990, not 1993. Robert Hawkins, remained a fixture of Department history may think Poland was not an the former A/EX budget officer, coined the communications. independent state until 1918, but Poland original name in a brainstorming session a was an independent and powerful month before the launch date. We had Robert Stephens European nation from 966 until 1795, wanted to call it BBNET, since from the Senior Media Advisor when a partition imposed by other nations outset the station was simultaneously a tele- National Cancer Institute extinguished Polish independence. vision broadcast and bulletin board. But Although the Poles fought valiantly for BBNET was a widely used term in the The Author Responds: more than a century to regain their inde- computer world, so we shortened the name I can only see one real error in my pendence, the dream was not realized until to BNET, which could imply either a broad- article, that BNET started in 1990 rather after World War I. cast or bulletin network. than 1993. Though it may be imprecise, Far from being a recent phenomenon, I don't think my statement about the back- Clifford Brzozowski Department events such as town meetings ground derivation of the term “BNET” is Liaison Officer were shown on BNET from the beginning, enough off the mark to say it's an error. Bureau of Information Resource as were live feeds from CNN, BBC and Management other news channels. The first expansion of David Hopwood BNET occurred in 1992 when the signal Media Specialist was sent to Department annexes from Main BNET LET US HEAR FROM YOU E-mail Fax Letters should not exceed 250 words and [email protected] (202) 663-1769 should include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. All letters Mailing Address become the property of State Magazine. Phone 2401 E Street, NW Letters will be edited for length, accuracy (202) 663-1700 HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236 and clarity. Only signed letters will Washington, DC 20522-0108 be considered. MARCH 2008 | STATE MAGAZINE | 3 NEWS Milton Green gives some fatherly support to Zachary. Those Who Are Left Behind Funding Sought for Children of Terrorism Victims The State Department has launched a “I didn’t know what terrorism was at FEEA promises a dollar-for-dollar campaign to raise money to fund scholar- the time,” he said. match of all funds raised by the State ships for eight Department dependents Media inquiries poured in after the Department or Department employees, who lost parents in overseas terrorist acts attack, and Zachary’s father, Milton up to the estimated $750,000 needed to between 1998 and 2002. Green, took a posting to Thailand to guarantee full scholarships to the eight The scholarships are provided by the protect his son from the onslaught.