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2 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 CONTENTS May 2002 I Volume 79, No. 5

Focus ON FS FAMILIES THE FOREIGN SERVICE SPOUSE NETWORK: A GLOBAL RESOURCE / 43 16 / A CAREER BUILT FOR TWO Spouse networks at each post are now linking together The “bicycle built for two” celebrated in song is a good online to form a cyberspace network that provides support image not only for tandem couples but for just about any for all interested in overseas life, wherever they are. cooperative relationship around. By Pat Olsen By Tatiana & Michael Gfoeller FEATURES 21 / DEATHWATCII Service to ones country may be moral compensation for GLOBALIZATION AS POLITICAL THEATER / 46 being away from ones family, but that knowledge doesn’t Looking at the Quebec City performance of this long- always help in times of crisis. running play from different perspectives yields insights into By Herbert L. Treger globalization and its voluminous literature. By Donna Marie Oglesby 24 / THE COUP: A FAMILY STORY As a family, we have rarely spoken about those U.S. POLICY TOWARD CUBA: IS CHANGE COMING? / 51 helpless days in Liberia, but they are a There hasn’t been a serious debate over Cuba policy in vital part of who each of us is today. years, but that could be changing. By Pamela C. Benson By George Gedda

27 / COMING HOME COLUMNS As a child, she lived all over the world — until her PRESIDENT’S VIEWS / 5 fathers death. Years later, on a trip back to Washington, Professional Issues she finally understood what it means to belong. By John K. Naland By Margaret Cheney SPEAKING OUT / 12 34 / THE REALITY OF FOREIGN SERVICE Do Family Member Associates Matter? SPOUSAL EMPLOYMENT By Rebecca C. Park Spousal employment is one of the top concerns for todays Foreign Sendee families. Here’s a look at the real situation POSTCARD FROM ABROAD / 68 for spouses who want their own careers. By Juliet Gole By Shawn Dorman DEPARTMENTS 41 / GOING WITH THE FLO: LETTERS/6 A TALK WITH DIRECTOR FAYE B ARNES CYBERNOTES / 10 By Susan Maitra BOOKS / 57 IN MEMORY / 58 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS / 66 Cover and inside illustrations by Edith Bingham FOREIGNQERVICE THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS _I_J O l! B N A L Ly Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published Editor Editorial Board monthly by the American Foreign Service Association, a private, non-profit organization. Material appearing here¬ STEVEN ALAN HONLEY CAROLINE MEIRS, in represents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Associate Editor SUSAN B. MAITRA CHAIRMAN Board or AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, preferably by e-mail. Journal subscription: AFSA Business Manager LISA BRODEY Members - $9.50 included in annual dues; others - $40. For foreign surface mail, add $18 per year; foreign air¬ MIKKELA V. THOMPSON WES CARRINGTON mail, $36 per year. Periodical postage paid at Manchester, N.H., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: ELIZABETH SPIRO CLARK AFSA News Editor Send address changes to Foreign Service Journal, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037-2990. Indexed SHAWN DORMAN MAUREEN S. DUGAN bv Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS). The Journal is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos Art Director JOHN DWYER CARYN J. SUKO or illustrations. Advertising inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements herein does not imply the CAROL A. GLYCOMO Market Development endorsement of the services or goods offered. FAX: (202) .338-8244 or (202) 338-6820. E-MAIL: [email protected]. SUE PARTYKE EDWARD MARKS Editorial Intern WEB: www.afsa.org. TELEPHONE: (202) 338-4045. © American Foreign Service Association, 2001. Printed SEBASTIAN SOSMAN ARNOLD SCHIFFERDECKER in die U.S.A. Send address changes to AFSA Membership, 2101 E Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037- Advertising Interns HOLLIS SUMMERS ANTOINETTE ZOUNCRANA 2990. Printed on 50 percent recycled paper, of which 10 percent is post-consumer waste. HALA GMIRA WILLIAM WANLUND

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4 /■’ O R £ / G N S E RV1 C E J O U R N A L / M AY 2 0 0 2 PRESIDENT s VIEWS Professional Issues

BY JOHN K. NALAND

As I have ex¬ ever there was one. Second, even plained to over as AFSA-PAC advocates “union” 2,000 new Foreign We must never issues such as pay and allowances, Service members lose sight of AFSA will take steps elsewhere to at AFSA recruit¬ maintain our credentials as a pro¬ ing luncheons over A PSA s vital role fessional association. the past three as a professional The issue that gives us the best years, AFSA is opportunity to do that is Foreign both a professional association and a association. Service reform. For example, no union. Given that the purpose of such “mere union” would have called, as luncheons is to convince new-hires to the exclusive representative of AFSA has, for increased service dis¬ join AFSA, I typically stress our role as Foreign Service employees at the cipline and greater efforts to separate a white-collar union that actively pro¬ Department of State. Similar recog¬ unsatisfactory performers. Thus, motes bread-and-butter issues of nition followed at the other foreign instead of defending the status quo importance to our members. But we affairs agencies. ante, we will continue to push for must never lose sight of AFSAs vital Over the last 30 years, the concerns reforming the Foreign Service so role as a professional association. of those who opposed unionization that it may most effectively discharge AFSA began as a social and profes¬ have proven to be unfounded. As its indispensable role in the active sional club in 1924, the same year former AFSA President (and current promotion of American interests that the Rogers Act created the mod¬ AFSA Governing Board member) abroad. ern Foreign Service. Originally William C. Harrop told the Foreign In pushing for personnel reform, closely aligned with State Depart¬ Service Journal for its 75th anniver¬ we will show that AFSA can continue ment management, AFSA became sary issue in May 1999: “AFSA is to serve its members and the public more vocal about personnel issues unique in American history in suc¬ interest as both a professional associ¬ during the 1960s. When an execu¬ ceeding to maintain both a profes¬ ation and as a union. We will show tive order by President Richard sional role and an organization with a that these two roles are not contra¬ Nixon opened the door for federal union agenda.” dictory, but complementary. We will unionization, some AFSA members But maintaining this balance show that AFSA can combine an strongly objected to the association between AFSA’s professional and altruistic concern for the profession becoming a union, saying it would union roles requires effort. Some of diplomacy with determined efforts conflict with the professional status members have told me that they to improve the balance between the of Foreign Service employees. view AFSAs recent founding of a rewards and burdens of a career in However, 86 percent of AFSA political action committee as tip¬ the Foreign Service. members voting in a referendum ping the balance toward AFSAs As always, I welcome your com¬ approved unionization. On Jan. 26, being more of a union and less of a ments and input. You may contact 1973, Secretary of State William P. professional association. I disagree me by e-mail at [email protected], by Rogers formally certified AFSA as for two reasons: First, a key focus mail at 2101 E Street N.W., of AFSA-PAC will be to seek ade¬ Washington, D.C., 20037, by phone John K Naland is the president of the quate resources for diplomatic at (202) 338-4045, ext. 502, or by fax American Foreign Service Association. readiness — a professional issue if at (202) 338-6820. ■

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 5 LETTERS

A Half-Baked “Embassy” Sept. 11 attacks, its inclusion is all die Foreign Service — as it must have to Some hopeful Foreign Service more offensive, diminishing, as it does, its producer — that our work carries souls might have thought, for a fleet¬ the genuine threats to which die ser¬ the germ of something fascinating, ing moment, that Fox Televisions new vice is subject. captivating to otiiers. The material is series, “The American Embassy,” As it happens, “The American tiiere: it simply awaits its craftsman. would put an honest, human face on Embassy” is not die first attempt by a What we don’t need, however, is the the Foreign Service. Alas, it was not to major network to use a U.S. mission as addlepated, sex-driven, wrong-headed be. This tale of a new vice consul at a dramatic backdrop. In 1985, ABC- burlesque that is “The American Embassy London turned out to be TV produced the movie pilot Embassy.” both asinine and pathetic, drowning “Embassy,” setting it in a fictional Mike Canning any promise of a fair depiction of over¬ American embassy in Rome. FSO, retired seas mission life in derivative hokum Conceived as a “Hill Street Blues”- Washington, D C. and steady sleaze. type drama within a mission context, Emma Brody, the freshly-minted “Embassy” was to feature, among die Stranger Than Fiction vice consul, played by Arija Bareikis, is running characters, an ambassador, a Nate Thayers March article on the about as realistic as a diplomat in press officer, a consular official, and a Cambodian drug lord Theng Bunma London as Ally McBeal is as a legal deputy chief of mission who would be (“The Cambodian Conundrum”) stat¬ representative in Boston. Her whole die star and around whom the stories ed tiiat Bunma attended die February motivation for the Foreign Service would revolve. Sure tiiat die innards 1994 Congressional Prayer Breakfast seems bound up in escaping from a of an overseas mission housed any “with President Clinton as the keynote cheating hometown suitor. Not to say number of great stories, die producers speaker.” President Clinton was tirat such a scenario has never hap¬ went out of their way to consult widi indeed there and spoke, as incumbent pened in our biz, but it is hardly what embassy officers (including die author, presidents usually do, but the featured a viewer would see as constituting a who was press attache in Rome at die speaker was Mother Teresa. And drive for public service. time), aiming to get die details just Theng Bunma receiving die wisdom Once at post, she is the lost waif, right. Success would mean opening an of Modier Teresa was a scene that sweet enough perhaps, but hardly the exciting window on die yet-to-be-dis- would not have passed muster for a self-confident soul we might hope our covered world of international affairs. bad novel. diplomats represent. The consulate So what happened? “Embassy” aired Fred Danner she is thrown into is full of random on ABC in late 1985 and disappeared Fortner FSO activity that mimics a frat house. without a trace. Falls Church, Va. The first episode ends with die As for “The American Embassy,” consulate wall being blown in by a ter¬ why should one even bodier to lam¬ Incomplete Picture of Africa rorist attack, and a stricken Emma baste a silly show on a six-episode trial, Mark G. Wentlings article in the wandering in the wreckage. This after which it too will almost surely dis¬ February FSJ, “My 30 Years in Africa: sequence is truly a cheap shot: a late- appear into die dustbin of TV history? Still Searching for Answers,” is inter¬ blooming, facile overlay of tragedy to Because it gives a false impression of esting but does not thoroughly explore add spurious weight and seriousness to Foreign Service life. If it is to be seen the cultural, political and historical fac¬ what has been a string of silly, navel- as a recruiting poster, it will attract tors associated widi die problems he gazing vignettes. If tins scene was only the wrong land of candidates. It identifies. For example, he does not added specifically to resonate witii the certainly occurred to some of us in the refer to die vast amount of literature,

6 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2 0 0 2 LETTERS

undertaken especially by Portuguese whether in Africa or elsewhere. In ethnographers as well as British spe¬ choosing lawmakers, voters should cialists, which sheds light on why tire have an authentic choice among indi¬ conditions Wentling cites still persist. viduals and policies — something (I cite this body of work merely to note which recently has been non-existent its existence, a situation which did not in countries like Zimbabwe, for exam¬ prevail when I began studying about ple. There should ideally be a gen¬ Africa over 50 years ago.) Nor does he uinely free press, substantial account¬ acknowledge that a survey of tire his¬ ability on the part of leaders, and tory of economic development across human rights — especially gender tire globe leads to the conclusion that equality — as well as an openness to Africa is merely experiencing the same new ideas, including those that come growing pains experienced hitherto by from other systems. One would also Europe and the United States. expect a process of education, perhaps Being the adopted paleface son of a undergirded by Africa's religious insti¬ late Ghanaian Cabinet minister gives tutions, and some meeting of minds me no special insights, any more dran regarding perceived needs. Wentlings marriage to several Africans provides article doesn’t really touch on any of Wentling widr them. However, I do these vital factors." Enjoy your stay. wish he had drawn on his own access In addition, my own experience Just don’t forget to address the cultural aspects of leads me to conclude that African African life, such as an almost total countries seemingly are of two types: to go home. absence of technological experience, one where no ethnic group is domi¬ often coupled with only a casual grasp nant (as in Tanzania) or one where one Nobody could blame you for of science. The majority of Africans group is dominant, such as in Kenya getting a little too comfortable at still approach fanning with a hoe (the Kikuyu), in Uganda (the Residence Inn® After all, it’s Marriott’s flagship all-suite hotel. applied to a few scattered acres that Baganda), or in Ethiopia (the To learn more or make a very grudgingly yield a years staple Ambaras). In those societies, the reservation, visit residenceinn.com requirements. Village life is crushing- dominant group often represses the or call 800-331-3131. ly dull; money exceedingly scarce; per¬ competing groups or the latter choose sonal conflict is rather constant; and to rebel. When these factors are com¬ people are frequently ill due to a lack bined and compounded, African gov¬ of accessible health facilities. All of ernments are forced to deal with a this inspires a rather fatalistic large portion of the population that are approach to life — one which ill-suited to participate in t he functions Wentling could have usefully por¬ of a modem industrial state. Room to work, room to relax, trayed but didn’t. Rather than lamenting what exists room to breathef In this situation, villagers feel quite in Africa, one should be cognizant of it isolated from tire supposed benefits and use that knowledge to design use¬ Residence Inn FairLakes which die government supposedly is ful programs that have sustainability. 12815 Fair Lakes Parkway there to provide. I would therefore If ways to engender economic activity Fairfax, VA 22033 pose the following questions: Can a in Africa are not fomid, continued 703-266-49OO government in the Anglo-Saxon sense instability and worse lie in tire future. Residence Inn Herndon/Reston of tiie word arise in Africa? Would it As pressures increase both internally 315 Elden Street make any sense for it to be placed and externally, regimes that are viewed Herndon, VA 20170 703-435-0044 there? Is the style of government in as exclusively authoritarian can antici¬ that part of the world good? The pate increasing difficulties in obtaining Residence Inn Fairfax/Merrifield aid, investment and international par¬ 8125 Gatehouse Road answers are uniformly negative. Falls Church, VA 22042 I would also note that economic ticipation. The new and better start 703-573-5200 development should occur hand in advocated by Wentling is needed but glove with political development, it must be based on tire fundamental

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 7 L E T T E R S

AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION

TERM LIFE conditions outlined in this letter. Nothing less will suffice. Only then can peace and stability in Africa be made to prevail and true and lasting LONG TERM CARE economic development occur And only then will Wentling and others find some of die answers which they Insurance for today- are seeking. Roy A. Harrell, Jr. FSO, retired and tomorrow Ozona, Texas

Not the Same Deity FOR MORE INI ORMATION: AMERICAN AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE Hume Horans superb analysis in FOREIGN PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION the February issue, “The U.S. and 1716 N STREET, NW Islam in the Modem World,” stum¬ SERVICE WASHINGTON, DC 20036-2902 bles at only one hurdle: the authors PROTECTIVE (202) 833-4910 - FAX: (202) 833-4918 E MAIL: afspa @ afspa.org suggestion that we “all stop using ASSOCIATION WEB SITE: www.afspa.org ‘Allah’ when we mean ‘God,’” because monotheists worship the same God. Would that this were true. However, Islam specifically rejects the following basic Christian teachings: • die Trinity: “Say not Trinity” in Surah 4.171; “Certainly diey dis¬ believe who say that Allah is the third of the three” in Surah 5.73. • die sonship of Christ: “It is not for God to take a son unto him” in Surah 19.35. • the crucifixion: see Surahs 4.156- 159. Whatever else we may believe about diese ideas, we cannot say that an orthodox Christian and an ortho¬ dox Muslim are speaking about the same deity. Michael Mates FSO Cluj, Romania

Endorsing Bad Policy Thank you for airing the “War on Drags” conundrum in your January issue. No amount of statistics on seizure of ever-changing drugs or eradication of coca or poppy fields can _ _ _ Director hide die essential failure of this misdi¬ (202) 537-3000 Voice / (202) 537-1826 Fax E-mail: [email protected] • www.martenscars.com rected effort. It is in essence a repeat 4800 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20016 of the Prohibition era’s war on alcohol, with its history of lawlessness, viola-

8 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 LETTERS

tion of individual liberties, police Demand Leads Supply nity programs for teens, alternative and political corruption, the breed¬ My congratulations on tire article sentencing for users under drug ing of a self-perpetuating bureaucra¬ by Peter Reuter, “The Limits of Drug courts instead of automatic imprison¬ cy and ultimate failure, despite Control,” in the January issue. The ment, school awareness programs countless gallons of bootlegged question we should be addressing is drawing on die Swedish experience, booze smashed by the revenuers. not legalization, but how to find the increased and more intensive com¬ Almost 25 years ago, during an most effective strategy for dealing with munity treatment facilities, and reha¬ inspection of Embassy Bogota, our our drug problem. It is clear that, bilitation programs. Unfortunately, then-ambassador listed as his prima¬ after 40 years, we need to objectively most programs are underfunded and ry concern the drug problem and its assess the effectiveness of our current community-specific. Expanding them growing impact on Colombian soci¬ strategy and determine why the and linking them to anti-smoking and ety at all levels. Now, a quarter-cen¬ results have not met our expectations. -drinking efforts need to be explored. tury of “drug wars” later, those fears As Reuter spells out, our national Giving priority to demand reduc¬ are full-blown reality. The basic strategy focuses primarily on supply tion does not imply dismantling sup¬ problem: American demand and the reduction when the evidence points to ply reduction efforts. Prudent efforts immense profitability of the drug our demand for chugs as the cause for to discourage domestic and foreign trade made possible by policies of its persistence. U.S. action programs, production and curtail supply are zero tolerance and indiscriminate including international projects, have important dimensions to demand criminalization. been and remain devoted principally reduction. But they should be part of Even FSOs are not immune to to the reduction of supply, especially a comprehensive effort. The goal enthusiastic endorsement of flawed from sources outside the country. We should be the progressive drying-up policies. In this particular case, an have tried to eradicate production, of the marketplace through sustained op-ed piece in the Washington Post interdict tire flow and round up traf¬ public awareness, treatment and pre¬ by one of our own in February saw fickers. Unfortunately, there hasn’t vention efforts at the local, regional, so much benefit in our Latin been a substantial downturn in supply. and national level. We must work in American anti-drug efforts from his Indeed, we have witnessed ever the real world. previous perch in Peru as to exhibit greater domestic production, both in Refocusing our national drug strat¬ a remarkable tolerance of the occa¬ marijuana fields and methampheta- egy is made all the more urgent by the sional death of innocents — or, in rnine and amphetamine laboratories. possible linkages between ding traf¬ our desensitizing current usage, Why? Because die profits generat¬ ficking cartels and terrorist organiza¬ “collateral damage” (as in the ed by the demand warrant the risks. tions. As early as the late 1980s, Peruvian downing of a missionary The record demonstrates tiiat, as long INTERPOL and other agencies aircraft last year). as the market in this country' produces reported concerns that drug funds In a yet more recent contribution huge profits, someone will keep die from Colombian and other drug traf¬ to the Post, this same gentleman, supply rolling in. Demand remains fickers were provided to terrorist while proclaiming the obvious point strung and widespread in our urban, groups in Latin America, Europe, the that we need shed “No Tears for suburban and rural life. Middle East and Asia. The human Terrorists,” again could find no com¬ U.S. strategy statements consis¬ tragedy wreaked by drugs is com¬ passion whatever for the parents tently call for measures to reduce pounded by the resources, which the caught up in the follies of their chil¬ demand, but the record shows diat illicit drug trade may be channeling to dren, specifically the “terrorists” almost all the resources and attention terrorists. John Walker Lindh and Lori go to programs to curtail supply. Irving G. Tragen Berenson. May I suggest that per¬ Nancy Reagans call in the 1980s for a FSO, retired haps our annual Foreign Service comprehensive attack on demand Former Advisor on Drug award ceremony should add one largely fell on deaf ears. Trafficking to the more category: the “Breckenridge The record shows that there is Secreta ry General of the Long Award for Moral Obtuseness enough experience at home and OAS, and Executive in Foreign Affairs.” abroad widi demand reduction efforts Secretary of the Inter- Gunther K. Rosinus to offer promise for success over time, American Drug Abuse FSO, retired at the community and national level. Control Commission Potomac, Md. This experience ranges from commu¬ Hanford, Calif. ■

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 9 CYBERNOTES

The Grit and the Glamour After the initial whirlwind romances, Romance and romanticism add prime¬ “The American Embassy” seemed to be 50 Years Ago time appeal to the Foreign Service in settling down to show the Foreign “The American Embassy,” which began a Service as an exciting lifestyle filled We now realize the need six-week run on Mar. 11 (but was not with well-meaning people — unsung picked up for the fall, Fox announced as and unwilling heroes -— who use diplo¬ for the closest integration die Journal went to press) in the “Ally macy to try and make a difference every McBeal” time slot on Fox. The show day. The third episodes candid portray¬ of politics and military revolves around the work and personal al of conflicts between State and the law life of vice consul Emma Brody, a first- enforcement/intelligence agencies at strategy at all command tour junior officer in the U.S. embassy in post, and the DCM’s demonstrated London. Produced by one of the develop¬ mastery of both statecraft and spycraft levels to a point where ers of dre “The West Wing,” die serial is a in investigating a mosques possible even tactical problems can land of modern-day Jane Austen saga in a involvement in terrorism, make the diplomatic service setting. Foreign Service look extremely good. be decided in a manner Originally named after the title char¬ This is a definite improvement from the acter and intended to be a light “dram- usual depictions of diplomats as prigs which will best serve edy,” the pilot was filmed a year ago and and bumblers. has die flirtations and giddiness that are Despite the series’ short run, the American objectives. Fox trademarks. Post-Sept. 11, the diplomatic corps can only benefit from show was renamed and refocused to the positive public buzz this series has This will require a corps of include grittier topics like terrorism and created for the Foreign Service. (The racial profiting. Fox Web site even provides a link to thoroughly trained and Arija Bareilds is charming as Emma State’s home page for those interested oriented Department of Brody, classier and less sassy tiian Bridget in joining the Foreign Service.) The Jones and not as neurotic as Ally McBeal. sentiment among many FSOs is that the State representatives Deputy Chief of Mission Janet dramatic recognition is “long overdue.” Westerman (played by Helen Carey) is And, there are certainly enough dra¬ working in closest perhaps the most realistic character; she matic stories and quirky characters in adds a dignity and believability to the cast the Foreign Service to assure an endless harmony with our military of feather-boa-wearing neighbors, quick- supply of colorful and engaging story¬ talking football-dirowing tough guys, and lines. establishment. eccentric travelers of the first episodes. — Mikkela V. Thompson A bevy of lords, secret agents and — Amb. Robert D. exes all contest for Emmas heart; but Personal Communication Murphy, in “The Soldier through the muddle of her personal life, Transformed After Sept. 11 and The Diplomat, ” Emma tackles her consular work with A special report produced by the FSJ, May 1952. enthusiasm and creativity. As one for¬ UCLA Internet Project and released mer vice consul in London said, Feb. 7 found that e-mail transformed “Emmas affection for a kidnapped 12- personal communication in the days fol¬ year-old, and her ambivalence about an lowing last September’s terrorist Algerian’s visa application, brought back attacks. More than 100 million intense emotions that I myself have felt Americans, or about 57.1 percent of e- on the job.” mail users, received or sent messages of

10 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 CYBERNOTES

emotional support, messages of concern converters. So whether you’re an inter¬ A little civility is what for others, or questions about victims of national investor, a career globetrotter, the attacks. or planning a vacation, or simply trying Afghanistan needs. “Sept. 11 was the first major national to figure out what to do during your If I had guns, people would crisis since the beginning of the Internet overnight layover in Quito, the follow¬ and e-mail,” said Jeffrey Coles, director ing sites are worth a bookmark. hate me. Who wants guns? of the UCLA Center for Communication Policy and founder of www.xe.com/ucc/

the Internet Project. “Tens of millions XE.com, the Universal Currency Converter™ — Hamid Karzai, of Americans shared an emotional con¬ Sure the Argentine peso’s been sliding Afghanistan’s interim nection through e-mail after the attacks against the dollar, but how’s it holding out leader, March 26, 2002,

— communication that in almost all against the Jordanian dinar and the in NYTimes.com instances would not have occurred Romanian lei? For the arithmetic-averse, through telephone or letters.” this site is a godsend, allowing quick The survey also found that about 23 conversion of major currency values at PISA percent of American Internet users up-to-the minute market prices. The site is George Washington University received e-mail messages of support or free, so it costs the same no matter what ONE-YEAR TEACHING sympathy from outside the U.S. “We you’re paying with. POSITION IN VIETNAM believe that most of this international Program for International Studies in correspondence represents a whole new www.oanda.com Asia (PISA), an independent, int’l land of communication that probably Oanda.com NGO based at GWU, seeks exp. would not have occurred without e- For the macroeconomically-inclined, instructor w/broad expertise in int’l mail,” said Cole. Oanda.com offers a more satisfying source relations to teach in a 9-month pro¬ gram in multilateral diplomacy for mid¬ At the same time, the study showed of information on the ebbs and flows of career profs, in Vietnam. Exp. in that most Americans turned to televi¬ international money markets. Here you can active learning teaching methods req. sion, not the Internet, for their news and do everything from checking the Courses, taught in English, offered in information about the terrorist attacks. Economist’s Big Mac Index of purchasing- Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City begin The UCLA Internet Project pro¬ power parity to playing an online currency Jan. 2003. Candidates of any nation¬ duces an annual comprehensive study of trading game. Less practical than XE.com ality, women and minorities, welcome the impact of the Internet on users and as a straightforward converter, perhaps, but to apply. See www.gwu.edu/~pisa non-users. The third in the series, chock-full of indicators, analysis, and real¬ which will continue to examine the time stats. Send application letter, curriculum vitae, teaching evaluations, and three issues emerging out of the Sept. 11 The site also offers a large collection of recommendation letters to: attacks, will be released in the fall. images of the world’s notes and coins, allowing you to have a look at everything Search Committee Following the Florin, from the Albanian lek to the Zimbabwean PISA Checking the Quetzal dollar (www.oanda.com/products/fxgallery). 2013 G St, NW Following the movements of the If you’re sentimental, however, be Washington, DC 20006 USA local currency against your own is one of forewarned: the site includes striking the fixtures of the expatriate s daily rou¬ images of all the former European Review of applications begins June 1 tine. With globalization, the market for currencies that have now been replaced by and continues until position filled. this information has exploded, and the the euro. GWU is an EO/AA Employer. Internet has kept up with the demand, Farewell, sweet escudo, we hardly knew spawning a gaggle of online currency ye. ■

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 11 SPEAKING OUT Do Family Member Associates Matter?

BY REBECCA C. PARK

You’ve heard of the “Foreign The term “PIT” heard the term “PIT” — part-time, Service National of the Year” intermittent, temporary — and award, mentoring for junior — part-time, thinking, “How could the depart¬ officers, maybe even the annual con¬ intermittent, ment come up with such an ugly ference for office management spe¬ acronym?! What does that say cialists. But have you ever heard of temporary — about their regard for these special counseling or recognition for accurately reflects employees?” Unfortunately, my family member employees at post? I experiences over my 14-year non¬ haven’t, and I’m now in my fourth State s fundamental career have only reinforced the family member job overseas. disregard for family perception that the term accurately I appreciate how bewildering it reflects State’s fundamental disre¬ is for junior officers to enter the member employees. gard for us: strange workplace that is the State • One of my bosses once sum¬ Department today, and I’m all in moned everyone to his office to favor of efforts to help them accli¬ confer a group meritorious honor mate. But as I watch management award for assistance with a presi¬ shepherd the JOs along, I think interpreted for senators and dential visit. Midway through about how much more bewildering watched paint dry. I’ve spent hours reading the citation, he noted that, State is for family member associ¬ at a stretch on airport tarmacs although I had worked alongside ates, who get no orientation pro¬ guarding cleared equipment, and the rest of the staff, my name could gram of their own and who are now I’ve worked late into the night not be listed on the certificate no longer even eligible to attend finalizing guest lists for state din¬ because I was a mere personal ser¬ their spouses’ A-100 classes. Even ners. I’ve inventoried representa¬ vices contractor. for veteran family member employ¬ tional china and revived failed • As an FMA/PIT, I am not auto¬ ees, the learning curve remains computer systems. In fact, I’m so matically entitled to the two steps steep; every job is out-of-cone, and good at blending in that many peo¬ normally awarded when a direct building on a base of expertise is a ple are surprised when I tell them hire employee moves to a higher rare, lucky happenstance. that I am “merely” a family mem¬ grade. Although I eventually got Over my husband’s 14-year ber appointment. the two steps when I went from career, I’ve been everything from FS-08 to 07 and from 07 to 06, it an FS-04 economic research ana¬ Second-Class Citizenship was not because of any protection lyst to an 09 administrative assis¬ There is a lot of talk these days in the regulations but rather tant. I’ve been an 07 systems man¬ about changing State Department because I qualified for a “previous ager and an 06 human resources culture and improving employment highest rate” based on my salary as specialist. I’ve worked on opportunities for spouses overseas. an 04 economic research analyst in “SecState” and presidential visits at Looking at FMAs as an essential Moscow. every post and lived through the component of the workforce, and a • But the most extreme form of same department crises as the rest constituency worth cultivating in its FMA ostracism I’ve encountered of the workforce: the 1995 govern¬ own right, would be a step in the was in a human resources class at ment shut-down, Y2K, and the right direction on both counts. FSI. One day our class of about 20 Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. I’ve I remember the first time I FSNs and American direct hires

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was split into two groups. The ity. Even I, the longest-serving FSNs were given a classroom FMA at my post, cannot meet the assignment while the Americans If the department th ree-year vesting requirement to were invited to Main State to can 7 offer training retain the automatic agency contri¬ observe a paneling session. butions to my retirement account Imagine my dismay when told I np front, it should at — even if I started my job as early would not be permitted to attend least stop financially as I could and worked until the last the paneling session! I was the possible day. Unless I am able to lone American singled out for this pen a lizing family find another FMA position at my exclusion — and no one tried to member employees husband’s next or subsequent post, conceal the fact that it was due to I wall not recover these lost U.S. my being an FMA. Never mind who are brave government contributions to my that I’d held a top security clear¬ enough to throw TSP, through no fault of my own. ance for years and drafted many a Or consider training. When classified cable: my “FMA-ness” themselves directly FMAs are fortunate enough to get evidently cast doubt on my loyalty into jobs without any formal instruction, it often and discretion. comes piecemeal and well into the Meanwhile, down in the trench¬ formal training. job. If the department can’t offer es, management wants the visas training up front, it should at least adjudicated, the warehouse man¬ stop financially penalizing family aged, the computer systems main¬ member employees who are brave tained, and, in my case, the Human did not alter the expectations enough to throw themselves direct¬ Resources Office run. They’re placed on me to work at the full- ly into jobs without formal training. happy to have us perform all the performance-level grade of 06, but In particular, language incentive work that was eliminated •— on my salary was kept at the 08 and 07 pay should be given to family mem¬ paper —• back in the era of Do levels pending completion of for¬ bers who have demonstrated lin¬ More With Less. The work still mal training. guistic proficiency in the work¬ needs doing, but there simply Following 18 months of work, place. Why shouldn’t FMA visa aren’t the permanent direct-hire and formal training at FSI, I have interviewers get the same compen¬ positions to do it. However, thanks gradually worked my way up from sation as FS personnel for using a to a small army of FMAs, the work the rank of 08 to a “full-perfor¬ hard language? Those skills is getting done. And we’re not mance” 06. Meanwhile, without weren’t any easier for us to acquire exactly stealing the glam jobs any change in responsibilities, the and are as valuable as those offered either. We’re doing what most job has been made a direct-hire by our fellow consular officers. direct hires prefer not to do: haul¬ position, which will likely be grad¬ ing classified pouches, delivering ed FS-03. So next summer, not And What About AFSA? furniture and escorting repair per¬ only will a direct-hire officer walk The AFSA take on FMAs seems sonnel in controlled-access areas. into a higher position, but he or she to be that we’re poaching on direct- will immediately start collecting a hire positions, trying to get into the Fair Treatment 15-percent hardship differential. Foreign Service through the back Yet not only are we FMAs doing The work will not have gotten door. This attitude doesn’t make what direct hires do, but we earn a harder, but the pay will certainly sense in light of AFSA’s professed lot less for it. Take my current fam¬ have improved! concern about the strain on direct ily-member position in Human Not only should the principle of hires caused by severe under¬ Resources. I started the job as an equal pay for equal work be intro¬ staffing. Surely FMAs should be FS-08 (and without any of the dif¬ duced, but benefits need to be thanked for stepping into the ferentials that a direct-hire employ¬ beefed up as well. Take the Thrift breach! ee gets) because, despite seven Savings Program. A few years ago, It is true that AFSA recently years of FMA experience overseas, FMAs were given the right to con¬ proposed that married, direct-hire I was told I brought “nothing” to tribute to their TSP. But that ben¬ Americans assigned overseas be the position. Being hired as an 08 efit turns out to be of dubious util¬ given an extra five percent of their

14 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 S P E A KIN G 0 U T

salaries if their spouses cannot find place. When I send my two girls ing. And if its that hard to fill a work. But the trouble is that this is off to school each day, I question CLO position, what about less a remedy for direct hires that does my own choice to take an embassy interesting FMA jobs? nothing for FMAs. It may even job. Would I be doing more good I realize that some of my pro¬ encourage family members to stay by staying home and making myself posals would require new legisla¬ away from embassy work. available to my daughters as they tion. But with signs of renewed How about this novel idea, return from school, supervising appreciation in Washington for the instead? Why not give the spouses their homework and escorting federal workforce — and U.S. who take FMA positions the same them to after-school activities? diplomats in particular — why not differential and incentive payments Until FMAs are seen as a class of begin setting that process in as their direct-hire sponsors? After employees — a distinct AFSA con¬ motion now? As the department all, is a spouse working full-time in stituency — entitled to protections wages its “War for Talent,” I submit the mission any less affected by and incentives similar to those it is overlooking talent in its own hardship conditions than the spon¬ offered to other employee groups, midst. ■ soring husband or wife? The cur¬ many family members will hesitate rent policy of depriving FMAs of to take jobs requiring American cit¬ During her 14 years as a family differential and incentive pay only izenship and security clearances. member associate, Rebecca C. increases our sense of alienation. At my post, we have been strug¬ Park, spouse of FSO Laurence E. The department needs to under¬ gling for months to recruit a Tobey, has lived in Krakow, stand that family members make Community Liaison Coordinator Moscow, Halifax and Washington. choices, and it should value those — one of the highest-graded posi¬ She is currently a human resources who opt to join the embassy work¬ tions that requires no formal train¬ specialist in Sofia.

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 15 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

A CAREER BUILT FOR Two

THE “BICYCLE BUILT FOB TWO” CELEBBATED IN SONG IS A GOOD IMAGE NOT ONLY FOB TANDEM COUPLES BUT FOR JUST ABOUT ANY COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP AROUND.

BY TATIANA C. GFOELLER AND MICHAEL GFOELLER

eople often ask us: How does it feel, being two diplomats married to each odier (since 1984, a month before entering the same A-100 class) and sharing full-time a home, an office and even a classroom for 18 years? After all, not only have most of our postings been joint assignments, but last year, we team-taught (tandem-taught) a grad¬ uate seminar at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, which we developed from shared personal experi¬ ences in pursuing U.S. national interests in Central Asia and the Caucasus. And we’ve co-written a book on the same subject, United by the Caspian, which we had researched together, in addition to co-authoring numerous articles. When we entered die same Foreign Service class in 1984 after both getting master’s degrees from Georgetown University in 1983 (Tatiana got her B.S. there, too), we were told that we had joined die ranks of tandem couples in die

16 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

State Department. Though at first the term surprised us, of cases. But it was not so for us. We are both in this to be we grew to understand that it was an apt analogy. It comes the best we can be. So we learned that just as each indi¬ from the “bicycle built for two” celebrated in song, which vidual is different, so is each tandem couple, and each has harnesses the energy of two individuals toward a common to work out joint career patterns best for it. goal: getting as efficiently and rapidly as possible to the Still, after 18 years of leading this challenging and mul¬ destination. One cyclist steers while tire other brings pow¬ tifaceted life (and remaining just as enthusiastic about it as erful rear power; when one’s energy flags, die other com¬ back in 1984), we believe we too have acquired some wis¬ pensates. We believe this is a good image not just for mar¬ dom which we could share. Maybe we would not go so far ried diplomats, professors or authors, but just about any as to call it advice — just “The Gfoellers’ Four Hints for cooperative relationship around. Tandem Couples.” Of course, “tandemness” has plenty of challenges as well as rewards. We will never forget driving home one fall 1. Volunteer for Tough Assignments evening in 1984, after an A-100 class session on families in We do not mean by this that members of tandem cou¬ the Foreign Service. A senior statesman had warned us ples should never aspire to be assigned to non-differential bluntly: “After a couple of tours at most, you can forget posts. (See Hint #2.) As we’ve mentioned, the personnel about ever serving together. The system just can’t bend system tries very hard to give members of tandems a vari¬ over backwards for you.” We were dismayed. Had we ety of opportunities, which are good for both their careers both really made the wrong career choice? In the old and their families. But it is obvious that if two officers bid days, only women had to choose between career and fam¬ on the same hard-to-staff post, they will have a better ily. Would both of us have to now? But we refused to chance of getting it than if both their bids are 1 out of 40. accept this limited view of our prospects and fortunately, We followed this policy during our first three assign¬ we discovered that “the system” is indeed humane and ments. To prepare for Warsaw, we both learned Polish at flexible. As our story proves, it will go a long way in accom¬ the 4+/4+ level in six months. Those were the grim days modating both families and the needs of the Service. We of Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski’s rule, when Solidarity was believe this is something the Foreign Service can be just¬ underground and hope of a free Poland some day ly proud of. appeared terribly optimistic, if not outright naive. But it There was plenty of other advice, too, both helpf ul and was an honor to mingle with the likes of Lech Walesa and not. For example, early in our careers, one senior officer we never regretted our choice. told us that while being part of a tandem was just fine, “It’s Riyadh posed a different sort of challenge. While tire really time you decided which one of your careers will material aspects of life there were superb, it took some dominate and which one of you will be tire more support¬ effort to adjust to a culture with considerably different ive spouse. It prevents a lot of heartache and misunder¬ standards from those of the West, particularly regarding standings later on if you just agree to it now, before either tiie public role of women and religion. Tatiana tackled this of you has invested too much.” We have no doubt that this dichotomy head on by researching the creative ways in advice was kindly meant and could be useful in a number which Saudi women do pursue careers and actively con¬ tribute to their society, while Michael used Iris 4/4 Arabic FSOs since 1984, Tatiana and Michael Gfoeller have to get to know the more influential religious leaders in die served in Warsaw, Riyadh, Manama, Moscow (twice), country. So this sometimes underbid post turned out to be Brussels, Ashgabat, Chisinau, St. Petersburg, Yerevan another excellent opportunity for us. and Washington. Tatiana is currently the director of So did Moscow in 1988, which was then actively multilateral affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, recruiting tandem couples out of security considerations. Human Rights and Labor, while Michael is the deputy While working conditions were difficult (the old embassy director of the Office of Regional Security Arms offices have now been replaced with superb new facilities) Transfers in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. and Americans were still perceived by many Soviets as They are also co-authors of United by the Caspian “the enemy,” nothing could ever compare with the exhila¬ (2001, Georgetown University Press) and have co¬ ration of being present at the emergence of 15 free written numerous articles. nations out of the redoubtable USSR. Subsequent evalu-

UAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 17 Focus

ations of him aside, Boris Yeltsin was a genuinely popular out transportation routes, etc., all on your own. Of course, hero when we had the privilege of working with him, and its also no fun living alone back home knowing that you only such a tough assignment could have given us the are missing something new of your child’s development chance. every day. But there are such things as telephones and airplanes (and e-mail, now) and time passes quickly when 2. Bid on Posts Where There Are Several U.S. you have set yourself a reasonable timetable and goal. Missions And when we were reunited together as a family a year Brussels has been called a “tandem mecca,” and justly later in Brussels, it had all been worth it. so. With three large U.S. missions (the U.S. Embassy to Belgium, the U.S. Mission to the European Union and 4. Be Prepared to Take Separate Assignments the U.S. Mission to NATO), as well as a fourth assign¬ at Some Point ment opportunity (U.S. Foreign Service slots on the Still, chances are that no matter how flexible you both NATO International Staff), it is probably unbeatable in are, at some point in your careers, your choice will be to this category. We lucked out with Tatiana joining NATOs either work in Washington or take separate assignments International Staff, where she served as die Secretary abroad. Generals adviser on post-Soviet affairs, and Michael This may be less necessaiy for those tandem couples doing fascinating economic work at USEU. where one partner is appreciably more senior than the But look around for other opportunities, too, particu¬ odier. Thanks to the personnel system’s commendable larly for tandems where one member is not from State’s flexibility, rating and reviewing patterns can often be Foreign Service. Paris, Geneva, Rome, Vienna and arranged to obviate tire nepotism problem, allowing cou¬ Nairobi are among die posts you should investigate for ples to serve together even in medium-sized posts. such possibilities. Flowever, another danger lurks in that case: that tire “junior” partner will have to take jobs that do not conflict 3. Be Flexible, Creative and Accommodating with those of tire senior partner, whether or not they do With all the best will in the world, botii “the systems” anything for his or her career. At the time, such trade-offs and your own, you still cannot expect everytiiing to always may seem reasonable, precisely because the more junior turn out “just so.” When it does not, it is as much up to officer “still has his or her career ahead.” However, care you as to die good men and women of Human Resources should be taken drat diis not become a persistent pattern, to come up with solutions that work for everybody. lest dre junior partner never get dre chance to develop a This happened to us after the end of our tour in the career comparable to his or her partner’s. USSR. After tiiree hardship posts in a row, we were real¬ Because we had bodr joined dre Service in the same ly keen on a post in Western Europe. In addition, we class and had been promoted at a similar rate, tirat unhap¬ wanted our toddler, Emmanuel, to have die chance to get py choice confronted us relatively early on. By the time to know his French family on Tatianas side. So we tried we were ready to bid on serious management jobs such as very hard to get Brussels. But while NATO was a cinch, deputy chief of mission slots, we realized that: a) we were tiiere were simply no openings at that time in eidier too junior to obtain a DCM position in a non-differential USEC (later changed to USEU) or the bilateral embassy. post such as Brussels, where there are several missions So Michael worked out a bridge assignment for himself in and b) the smaller embassies simply do not have two such a hard-to-fill assignment at the department for a year widi senior-level jobs. the understanding that he would join Tatiana in Brussels Making dre best of the situation, we each bid on DCM later. posidons in two relatively small embassies, Ashgabat (for Being (even temporarily) a single parent makes life in Tatiana) and Chisinau (for Michael). Having enjoyed a foreign country even more challenging tiian it would those management challenges, we followed up those otiierwise be, particularly when (as in Brussels) you have assignments with a DCMship in Yerevan for Michael and to use a living quarters allowance to find your own apart¬ a posting as deputy principal officer (as well as acting con¬ ment and negotiate your own lease, enroll a child in a for¬ sul general for half a year) in St. Petersburg for Tatiana. eign kindergarten, organize after-school child care, figure Choosing separate assignments for your professional

18 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

development is not easy and may not be for everyone, ment, we felt the old pledge of “worldwide availability” especially if children are involved. We were encouraged to had to take pride of place. So instead of going home to do so by a particular set of circumstances. Just as we were Washington, we ended up widi four straight years of sep¬ preparing to return to the U.S. after a second joint tour in arate assignments. Moscow, some senior-level officers suggested we help forge a new corps of post-Soviet experts by going out as Family Considerations DCMs to some of the new countries of die Former Soviet People often zero in on probably the most important Union. aspect of this: what impact did it have on our child? Not a These embassies had been open for only a couple of toddler anymore, Emmanuel made up his own mind years at most, set up by a group of pioneering FSOs who about things and was a full-fledged partner in this enter¬ should always be proud of diemselves for die miracles prise. We explained to him from the get-go our reasons for diey performed in often unimaginably difficult circum¬ opting for tiiis scenario and impressed on him both the stances. But there obviously remained plenty of adminis¬ sacrifices and the opportunities he would be sharing with trative challenges to be addressed, not least of which was us. His reaction was both spontaneous and sustained. He die need to raise morale. In addition, die host countries would miss one of his parents for sure, but he did not want diemselves had only recendy inherited ramp diplomatic to miss out on this common adventure and common ser¬ corps from die USSR and in some cases were only finding vice. By consulting him and empowering him to share his out dirough a process of trial and error how to run tiieir reactions with us every step of the way, we not only made own independent ministries of foreign affairs. him feel that he was an equal member of our team but — When put in diose terms, not only of professional paradoxically — we made this challenge much easier on development but indispensable service to the depart¬ ourselves. As Tatiana and Emmanuel were boarding the

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 19 Focus

Frankfurt-to-Ashgabat flight, she remembers feeling that archeology and outdoor activities, were equally available. she was not going there with an additional child-rearing responsibility, but with her best friend, who would see her Tag-Teaching through thick and thin. And that is exactly how it hap¬ Still, after these tours, all three of us were more than pened. ready to go home and live together in the U.S. In doing Again, telephones and airplanes played an enormous this, we fulfilled a dream we had cherished ever since role in tire next four years of our lives. There were fiascos, joining the Foreign Service: participating in the Virginia to be sure. For example, once we decided to meet for a and Dean Rusk Fellowship at Georgetown University’s mini-vacation in Istanbul (the easiest — albeit fairly round¬ Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, instituted by former about — halfway point between Ashgabat and Chisinau) Secretary of State Dean Rusk in his wife’s and his own for Michaels birthday. Because of tire press of business in name. Tandems are particularly encouraged to apply for both embassies, we each only had a weekend to spare. this year-long teaching and research fellowship, though On taking off from Chisinau, Michael’s plane ran into non-tandems are often also selected. trouble somewhere over Bulgaria. Denied landing privi¬ In the classroom, we put to good use our 18 years of leges, the plane had to return to Chisinau. By the time Foreign Service experience, as well as our experiences as Michael finally made it to Istanbul, we had lost a precious a married couple playing to each other’s strengths. For day and Michael had a raging fever. But Tatiana still got to example, Tatianas special area of expertise is Central Asia, visit the Topkapi Palace (alone), and Michael rallied for an while Michael’s comparative advantage lies in the excursion to the famous Istanbul Bazaar. And we still had Caucasus. Yet both of us have had lengthy stints in Russia, file birthday dinner on schedule. other post-communist countries, and the Middle East. So Mid-course adjustments constantly had to be made in whenever the subject matter was Central Asia, Tatiana other areas, too. Both of us have always been involved in would research and write tire lesson and lead the class. our child’s rearing on an equal basis, and the last tiling Michael would do tire same for the Caucasus. But we either of us ever wanted to be was an “absentee parent.” would each go carefully over the other’s material, make So to mitigate the pain of parental separation, we decided suggestions, and not be shy about jumping in with com¬ that Emmanuel would spend his first year in Ashgabat ments and comparisons with other countries during the with Tatiana, then move to Chisinau with Michael. But question and answer period of each class. when the time came for the switch, we realized the flaws Thus we ensured that our students got the feeling of a in our plan. While both were hardship posts, elementary real seminar, where constructive debate is not just tolerat¬ amenities (such as heat during the harsh winters) were ed, but actively encouraged. By the end of the course, we much more problematic in Chisinau, whereas Ashgabat were able to relax a bit, even as our students were going benefitted from a splendid compound (the first built in full throttle. We took the same tandem approach to grad¬ file former Soviet Union after the collapse of the USSR). ing. Both of us went over each student’s paper and overall Emmanuel had also developed a cadre of friends, was performance separately then we thrashed out a consensus doing well in school, and was thoroughly enjoying the evaluation. We followed die same approach when tan¬ unique opportunities of living in Turkmenistan, such as dem-writing our book. Initially we concentrated on our amateur archeological expeditions and camping in the individual strengths, then we turned our attention to desert. Wrenching him away from a lifestyle he was enjoy¬ improving the overall product and melding it into a seam¬ ing seemed pointlessly cruel. While all Foreign Service less whole. children go through this challenge, we realized it was In sum, having a tandem career is great, despite all the unfair to put him through this twice as often as we our¬ challenges, and maybe because of them. As our students selves would be switching posts. were preparing their evaluations of us as teachers, one of So Emmanuel ended up spending two uninterrupted them approached us to say this: “I just want you to know years with Tatiana, then two years straight with Michael in that I learned about much more than just Central Asia Yerevan. Luckily we found that Iris two posts had a lot of and the Caucacus in your course. I learned about how a continuity. The American school was administered by tire genuine partnership works.” We could wish for no better same outfit in both countries and Iris favorite pastimes, endorsement of our approach. ■

20 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

DEAIHWATCH

SERVICE TO ONE’S COUNTRY MAY BE MORAL COMPENSATION FOR BEING AWAY FROM ONE’S FAMILY, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T ALWAYS HELP IN TIMES OF CRISIS.

BY HERBERT L. TREGER

he first phone call came the Friday before Easter last year. There was a momen¬ tary dead spot when I put the receiver to my ear, the sure sign of an international call. “Dad fell out of bed this morning,” my brother said. “He’s in Overlook Hospital for observation. We don’t think it’s anything seri¬ ous.” “Keep me posted,” I answered, adding parenthetically, “and if I don’t talk to you beforehand, have a happy Easter.” My brother was the sibling who stayed at home to look after our parents while I moved around the world, making 20 transfers in 30 years, first in the Air Force and then with the State Department. He looked after our parents; I sent the checks for support. Dad was 94 and had lived on his own in the family home for five

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 21 Focus

years after Mom had died. My brother was the Going Home Although, like the rest of my Once I had booked a flight family, he had been annoyed sibling who stayed at back to New York, the rest of the when I extended my Kampala week passed quickly. Colleagues tour, we all marveled at his home to look after murmured condolences in the longevity and I figured he would halls of the embassy. The ambas¬ last forever. Another trip to the our parents while sador stopped by but somehow hospital for observation was we ended up talking about a more nothing unusual at his age. I moved around pressing concern — how to add On Easter Saturday, I was anti-retrovirals to the embassy boating on Lake Victoria when the world. health care plan — rather than the second call came. “Dad has what was on both of our minds. pneumonia and isn’t expected to My staff and 1 met daily to plan live through the day,” my brother said. “I’m sitting in the minute-by-minute schedule for the dedication of a boat in the middle of Lake Victoria,” I replied. the new embassy to which the president of Uganda “Everything is closed for a four-day holiday. I can’t and 800 guests were invited. And there was always get out of here until next week. Phone me tonight the time-sensitive work — EERs and the MPP — to and let me know what’s going on.” keep my mind off Dad’s death. My brother’s call that night was more promising. Kampala is a small town, and both good and bad “Dad’s awake and complaining about the news travel quickly. When I checked in with British hospital food.” That was more in character. After all, Airways at Entebbe Airport for my homeward flight, I reasoned, he had been in the hospital often enough the agent said, “We are all so sorry to hear of your to be a connoisseur of hospital food, so he was in a loss, Mr. Treger,” adding as an aside, “but you are good position to judge its quality on this visit. lucky tonight.” My boarding pass read “First Class.” Still, while I was encouraged, I went into the office Eight hours later, my cell phone rang in the that night to work on employee evaluation Gatwick Airport transit lounge. It was Sister reports and the Mission Program Plan — just Catherine, one of the long-suffering Franciscan nuns in case. who lived behind the new embassy and had to I got my brother’s fourth and final phone call endure 15 months of around-the-clock construction of the week in the Sheraton Plotel locker room on noise, dirt and debris. She was checking on delivery Easter Sunday. “Dad died yesterday afternoon,” of surplus bulletin boards from the vacant he said quietly. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, prob¬ Administrative Annex. I assured her they were on ably at the end of the week,” I promised him. the way and asked her to say a Mass for Dad. She (It was always difficult to explain what an admin offi¬ promised me that she would and offered her condo¬ cer does for a living and why I couldn’t just pick up lences. and leave, so I didn’t bother this time.) With a My brother had sent a company car to pick me up at towel wrapped around me, I worked out with Kennedy Airport. On my last trip home, the company him the date for the memorial service, the driver was Egyptian. Once he learned I was with the meetings with the lawyers, the date for probate State Department, he grilled me all the way home on court, and all the other details we would have to how his sister in Morocco could get a visa to America. attend to. Fortunately, this driver was Peruvian and didn’t speak much English, so I was left in peace. “What exit?” the driver asked. With that, it sank in Herb Treger, an FSO since 1988, has served in Tunis, that I was headed home to New Jersey, where all Paris, Washington and Kampala. He is currently a communities seem to exist in relation to a Turnpike Portuguese-language student at FSI with an onward exit. “Exit 11, then take Elmora Avenue to the assignment to Maputo. tracks, and go left. I’ll show you the way from there.”

22 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

I was amazed that after having Dad’s memorial as soon as diplomatically possible. left New Jersey more than 35 One month later, I’m back at years ago, I could still remember service made me post. The family home has a con¬ the names of the streets in our tract for its sale, and I’m filling county. realize how rootless out my TM-2 as I prepare to Dad’s memorial service made leave post for Portuguese training me realize how rootless I had I had become at FSI. The form asks for a home become in the Foreign Service. leave address, and for the first My brother had never moved in the Foreign time in my 14 years with the from town, and apart from a few department, I don’t have one. people from the old neighborhood Service. Dad and the family home had who still remembered me, all the always provided an anchor for my mourners were his friends. Some peripatetic existence. And for the gamely tried to make conversation with me after the first time since those four phone calls, the full service. “Where are you living now?” “Uganda,” I impact of his death on my rootless life stuns me with would reply. If they misunderstood me, their its fury. I know that sometime in the future I’ll response was “Ghana, what a lovely country.” Even decide that service to my country is moral compen¬ if they did know where Uganda was, their reply was sation for leaving Dad’s care to my brother over the either “Is Idi Amin still in power?” or “Whatever years and not being there when he died. happened to Idi Amin, anyway?” I made a quiet exit A year later, however, I’m still not sure. ■

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 23 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

THE COUP: A FAMILY STORY

As A FAMILY, WE HAVE RARELY SPOKEN ABOUT THOSE HELPLESS DAYS IN LlRERIA, BUT THEY ARE A VITAL PART OF WHO EACH OF US IS TODAY.

BY PAMELA COHELAN BENSON

n Monrovia, Liberia, I fell in love with a girl in my sixth-grade class. I learned the sub¬ tleties of firing an American-made M-16 fully automatic machine gun from a friendly, slightly drunk Liberian soldier. There I also saw a picture of our star Little League batters father on the front page of the country’s only newspaper. The ex-cabinet minister was tied to a post with bullet holes marking his torso...” The words are our son’s, taken from an autobiographical statement he wrote as a college entrance requirement. Though he never shared the final draft with us, an early version of his law-school essay also included a reference to his childhood in Africa — specifically, the extent to which he had idealized the power of the American judicial system after having lived through a revolution.

24 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

As a family, we have rarely spoken My mind refused to relentless pounding of treacherous about those helpless April 1980 days surf and the maddening clatter of in Liberia, when a coup d’etat top¬ picture the men with rusty air conditioners straggling to pled the government of President keep us cool against the humidity Tolbert. But we lived through them weapons or the weapons and salt spray. But at some point and, along with other less dramatic following the radio announcement, memories of our years abroad, themselves. I became aware of the gunfire. I they are a vital part of who each of us recognized the sound of the is today. weapons — some distant, some close, some automatic. My husband David and I had been out late tire night My mind refused to picture the men with the weapons or before, dining and dancing at a party several miles up tire the weapons themselves. The sound, however, would not beach. Our children had each spent tire night with a spe¬ be shut out. Fear crept toward terror. cial friend and we were to have picked them up at We had remarkably little to say to one another, yet our 8:00 a.m. so they could play a softball game with their silence communicated everything. The unspoken ques¬ Litde League team. As I showered and dressed, David tions had no answers. Without a two-way radio or a tele¬ went to the kitchen to make the coffee. He returned a phone, we were utterly cut off . We had to believe our few minutes later to tell me that our neighbor had come children were safe. We agreed that our 12-year-old son to the back door to say that President Tolbert was dead; was taking events calmly, and was probably more interest¬ there had been a military coup. Our aged security guard ed in the political and military aspects of the episode. We had told him not to drive our car out of our compound as allowed ourselves a moment of anxiety to acknowledge soldiers would surely commandeer it. He had seen it hap¬ that our 10-year-old daughter was most certainly fright¬ pen on his way to work. ened and in need of family. Rifle fire was now very close Both of us felt the excitement that comes with the by. Our dog was barking wildly. unexpected, the unexperienced — not yet fear, only a Despite the fact that he came from neighboring wordless quickening of the pulse and the beginnings of Guinea and spoke only French, Mohammed, the man questions. We turned on the radio. African dance music. who worked for us, communicated no fear. His every Lively, always danceable. No announcements yet. Music, movement in the kitchen was confident, deliberate. reggae music with uniquely African words of protest. “Avez-vous peur? [Are you afraid?]” I asked. “Who Owns the Land? Papa’s Land. Revolution!” “Moi? Non, madame. [I? No, Madame.]” From very close by there was a loud explosion of auto¬ Are You Afraid? matic rifle fire. I felt the vibrations in the pit of my stom¬ The beginning of fear: where would the anger be ach and suppressed the urge to vomit. Mohammed directed? The music stopped and a recorded announce¬ closed the louvered window above the kitchen sink. ment told us in a deadly serious voice that the government “What happens next?” I asked David. ‘Will they come had fallen, that the airport was closed (“No one will enter into our house? What shall we do?” or leave the borders until further notice...”), that the new “I don’t know. Maybe pack a suitcase...” head of state was Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe and, finally, that “In the cause of the people, the struggle con¬ What’s Important tinues.” Then, more music. I welcomed the need to concentrate on packing. We lived with a constant background of noise — the I began making choices of what to take and realized how little I cared for any of die things in the house, how unim¬ Pamela Cohelan Benson and her husband David, a for¬ portant they were. I stuffed the family photo albums in mer FSO, were Peace Corps Volunteers in the Philippines the suitcase and wondered how I would carry the small and India, respectively. Folloiving their marriage in handmade chest of drawers that held my trinkets. My 1965 they lived in Turkey, India, Zambia, Liberia, Kenya eyes filled witii tears as I remembered my grandfather’s and Cote d’Ivoire. Today Ms. Benson teaches at Sidwell death only a few weeks before, far away in Washington, Friends School in Washington, D.C. D.C. He had made one of these boxes for each of his

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 25 Focus

daughters and all of his grandchil¬ The trinket box was a government were tied to posts dren using wood from a walnut tree planted on the beach and publicly in my parents’ garden. symbol of everything executed. Believing that it was I pictured Iris workshop in the important to let our children basement of the house where I had important to me. express their feelings about the grown up, his tools hanging above chaos and brutality we were living the workbench. I remembered his telling me as we drove through, we raised tire subject of the executions. “I past late-August goldenrod on our way to Dulles Airport know,” said our son. “They shot Kauwi’s fatirer. Kauwi is for our departure that when one of his cousins had mar¬ our best pitcher. I wonder if he’ll still be able to play on ried, she had decorated her house with the yellow flowers. our team.” The trinket box was a symbol of everything important to School ended several weeks early that year and depen¬ me. I would leave everything else behind, but not this dents were flown to the United States. For the rest of the box. I would endure any invasion or abuse to keep this summer, in a neighborhood of tree-lined streets in box. My children are sale, I told myself. Washington, D.C., we winced at tire sound of firecrackers More gunfire, loud shouting, a dogs crazy barking. A and marveled at tire predictability and peace of our lives. soldier, drunk and armed, had entered our gate. A shot For dre rest of our years overseas, I left our family silenced tire dog. I pictured him dead and felt nothing. albums in storage but nry grandfathers box always sat on The soldier wanted food. I knew he wanted pepper my dresser, as it does now, holding my treasures: silver soup and rice, but we only had absurd offerings: pumper¬ bracelets, a tiny rock from tire top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, a nickel bread, ham, and chocolate cake. Mohammed car¬ plastic flower from nry sister’s wedding cake. ried the food down the back stairs. The soldier ate it and Our children long ago left tireir childhood in Africa, as politely returned the empty plate. I told myself that the well as our nest. Like parents everywhere, nry husband heavy food would sober him up. As I peered out the back and I have watched with interest as them lives unfolded. door, tire disheveled man lurched to Iris feet, hoisted an Following her college graduation, our daughter joined the oak swivel chair that he must have taken from an office Peace Corps, as she had said she would since tire fourth onto Iris head, retrieved his heavy rifle and ambled off grade. She was assigned to Nepal and spent two year's down tire beach. teaching in a Himalayan village. She married a man who Was this dre beginning? What would the next drunk¬ had served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania. en soldier want? I walked down the back stairs and across In partial fulfillment of the requirements for her mas¬ dre sand into dre neighbor’s house — one of four in dre ter’s degree at George Mason University, she wrote about compound where we lived. My neighbor and I were not her life as a “global nomad” and of her own sometimes good friends. She was busy with young children and I was crippling unresolved grief in a thesis tellingly entitled “A a high school teacher; we had lithe to say to each odrer. Yet Childhood In-Between.” “Global nomads will forever be the brief visit was a welcome distraction for us both. Her different from monocultural people,” she wrote. “For small son played quiedy with blocks on dre carpet. She tirose of us who are global nomads, learning to understand and I huddled at opposite ends of the sofa. I curled up, these differences and to understand what patterns of my head pulled into nry shoulders, closed my eyes and behavior stem from die benefits and challenges of our saw myself in a tiny canoe, somehow paddling out tirrough lives is critical in learning to relate to others with depth the heavy surf into dre safety of the sea, away from where and autiienticity.” She and her husband departed in June I was. 2001 to live and work in Ukraine. Our son Colin, husband, parent, and cancer survivor, A Return to Normal? works as a public defender in one of Oregon’s poorest Two days later our children were delivered to our counties. If you ask him why he went to law school, he home under police escort. I unpacked dre suitcase, and will tell you tiiat after having worked for two years on a we cautiously resumed a limited version of our daily rou¬ landscaping crew, he wanted an indoor job. But when you tine, within dre confines of a dusk-to-dawn curfew. go back and read his early introspective writing, you’ll per¬ In the weeks drat followed, the ministers of tire Tolbert haps agree that he’s given you the short answer. ■

26 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

COMING HOME

As A CHILD, SHE LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD — UNTIL HER FATHER’S DEATH. YEARS LATER, ON A TRIP BACK TO WASHINGTON, SHE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANS TO BELONG.

BY MARGARET CHENEY

was a Foreign Service child. I grew up following my father around die world. My family moved from continent to continent, stopping for three or four years in each post: Malaysia, Holland, Nicaragua, India, Peru. After eveiy two posts, the State Department would recall us to Washington for a spell at home. That life changed utterly on Sept. 13,1976. During a heavy rainstorm, a Piper Navajo disappeared in the mountain¬ ous jungle outside Manila. The small plane carried two Philippine pilots and six diplomats: one German, two Japanese, and three Americans. They were returning from Naga City, where they had visited an internationally-funded irrigation project. My father, Edward Cheney, the economic counselor at the American embassy in the Philippines, was among them.

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 27 Focus

I was living near San Francisco, where I had a job as a • Sept. 17: SOS BEEPS BUOY HOPES FOR SUR¬ reporter my first year out of college. It was 5 in the morn¬ VIVORS. ing when the phone rang. My mother was on the line half • Sept. 18: PRESIDENT MARCOS ORDERS 2,000 a world away. “Dad flew to soi ithern Luzon this morning,” MORE TROOPS IN SEARCH FOR MISSING she said. “But now his plane is missing. He hasn’t come DIPLOMATS. home.” • Sept. 20: SEARCH TEAMS FIND NO TRACE OF She spoke calmly and slowly, but she was always most PLANE. composed in times of crisis. She had no answers to my • Sept. 21: DISTRESS BEEPS HEARD ANEW. frightened questions. “Just get here as soon as you can,” One afternoon a search plane iced up over the moun¬ she said. “I need you here. ” tains and almost crashed. The rescuers were clearly at risk At first, waves of grief alternated with glimmers of diemselves. Given die growing unlikelihood of finding hope. My fathers plane was missing — it might have anyone in the almost-impenetrable jungle, Amb. Sullivan crashed or been hijacked. He might be dead. But as long warned us that diey might soon give up the search. as it was missing, he might still be alive — it was just like Then, on the 11th day, the crew of a U.S. Air Force my father to go off on some risky mission and show up fine helicopter spotted the tip of a wing near die top of Mount a few days later. Palagyo. Twenty minutes later, a paramedic was lowered I caught die next plane to Manila. A massive ground- through the canopy of trees to the crash site. He found the and-air search was under way, its command center die pieces of a twin-engine plane, its wings sheared off. There comfortable modem residence of U.S. Ambassador were no survivors. William Sullivan. Here my mother and I stayed for the A few days later, my father was down back to next week and a half. Overhead we could hear helicopters Washington for the last time, to be buried in a military and other military aircraft flying low over the city, one cemetery next to die two Americans who had died with after another, as they headed out to scour the mountains, him. He was 49 years old. often returning after a few hours because of fierce winds and heavy rain. Back to Washington More than 3,000 Philippine soldiers and jungle rangers With my fadier gone, our family was suddenly without took part in die hunt, supported by U.S. Ah' Force and a home, a group of displaced Americans with few roots in Navy pilots from Clark Air Base and Subic Bay. Every day, die United States and no State Department directive this thousands of soldiers combed die steep terrain outside time on where to go next. We vacated our Manila house Manila, hacking their way dirough the forests. Every in three days. night, I dreamed diat my fadier walked back through die After the funeral at the National Cadiedral, my moth¬ door — sometimes unscadied, sometimes wounded, but er took an apartment in Washington so my youngest always home. Eveiy morning we sat down to breakfast brotiier could finish his year at St. Albans School, where with the Sullivans to read the latest headlines. Then the he had been a boarder. I eventually settled in the city daily noise of the helicopters would begin again, like die before moving on again 12 years later. soundtrack from “Apocalypse Now.” Then last year, out of die blue, the State Department For two weeks die story was front-page news in die called me home again. The letter bore die familiar eagle Manila newspapers. The headlines mirrored my own seal — stationery I’d seen so many times on my father’s swings between hope and despair. desk — but diis time it was in my mailbox in Vermont. • Sept. 15, 1976: BAD WEATHER HAMPERS It was an invitation to a ceremony at the State SEARCH. Department. The occasion was die inscription of my father’s name on a plaque at the C Street entrance. I Margaret Cheney was an editor at The Washingtonian learned that on Sept. 10, 2001, Secretary of State Colin magazine from 1978 to 1989. Her most recent publication Powell would unveil the names of 10 men and women is a history of Norwich, Vermont, where she now lives with who had “lost their lives in the line of duty while serving her husband and three children. This article is reprinted overseas.” There would be a color guard and a wreath-lay¬ with permission from the December 2CX11 Washingtonian. ing. The names would join those of 186 colleagues who

28 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

had fallen since the United States first My mother spoke A Life of Public Service engaged in diplomatic activity. My father was typical of many new On Sept. 10, the auditorium in the calmly and slowly, Foreign Service officers in 1952. He had State Department was packed with peo¬ grown up in a small town: Saxtons River, ple from the Foreign Service, the U.S. but she was always Vermont. He had been a soldier briefly Agency for International Develop¬ in World War II and attended Harvard ment, and others who had come to most composed in on the GI Bill. He wanted the adventure hear Powell speak. It was Foreign of die larger world, but he also wanted Affairs Day. times of crisis. the security and benefits the govern¬ “Welcome back to the family,” ment could give him. He shared the Powell said. As he spoke, I imagined that many of the sense of purpose, die postwar idealism, of other young people in the auditorium had put their own lives in dan¬ men and women in the State Department and the CIA ger overseas and that each of them frequently passed die who set out in the early 1950s to help shape Americas des¬ plaques at the entrance to the State Department. I tiny overseas. remembered my father showing them to me when I was I grew up with little sense of myself as an American but nine or 10 years old and how fascinated I’d been by die a sharp awareness of my family as a unit. We moved stories hidden in the lists of names. through the world like numbers on a roulette wheel, The first name, on the west side of die cavernous wherever the State Department spun us. We adapted. My lobby, is that of the consul general to France who set sail first word was Chinese, learned from my amah in Penang. for Paris in 1780 and was never heard from again. Other My parents always enrolled us in local schools, so I spoke names follow, along widi die place, date, and cause of Dutch in first grade and Spanish in seventh, when I sang death: Exposure. Yellow fever. Murdered. Lost at sea. the Nicaraguan national anthem every morning at assem¬ Cholera. Earthquake. Volcanic eruption. Drowned while bly. While Americans watched tire moon landing on TV in saving a life. Malaria. Shot by sniper. The most common 1969,1 sat in a packed classroom in Bombay listening to cause of death: tropical disease. Neil Armstrongs words over a crackling radio. The pattern changes as die roll call continues onto the Washington was the tiiread that tied these posts second plaque, into the modem era. This one was erect¬ together. It was the Foreign Service’s way of making sure ed on the east side of die lobby in 1972 “in honor of those we didn’t forget where we came from. Three years in Americans who have lost tiieir lives abroad under heroic Washington, living in a brick rental in Northwest D.C., or other inspirational circumstances while serving die was enough to remind us: Washington was our hometown. country. ” No longer is the cause of death listed, though it It was our cultural touchstone, the place where we chil¬ can be surmised — especially as the names appear not just dren learned the national character, American slang, the singly, but more and more in groups. A long string of sequence of seasons and national holidays. names is paired with die simple words VIETNAM 1968. If Christmas in Bombay was just another hot day in Thirteen names stack up with the embassy bombing in December, my sister, my brothers, and I could at least BEIRUT 1983. Four more appeal' next to SAN SAL¬ remember die Santa displays at Woodies, decorated yards VADOR 1985. There are more single names, more small on 32nd Street, die rare snowfall tiiat brought traffic to a groups. And then the most recent victims of embassy ter¬ stall. Spring in Nicaragua brought the wind and the dust, rorism: eight names in a row, KENYA 1998. but we knew it also brought opening day for the Orioles. This second plaque redects the dangers of life in the Washington was an orderly place, where the streets modern Foreign Service. After World War II, disease had names and numbers and we could ride our bikes to was no longer considered sufficient reason for inclusion school, but die foreign world we lived in was not so safe. on the plaque, and violence directed against Americans By the time I was 11 and living in Nicaragua — a country became increasingly common as the cause of death. with a long history of political disorder — I had begun to There are 81 names on the west plaque and 115, accept diose risks as a pail of life. including my fathers, on the east plaque, for a total Our house in Managua had no address. Locals gave of 196. directions by die number of blocks from accepted land-

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 29 Focus

marks: “From la Casa del Obrero, 13 blocks toward the tions. A scuffle broke out. An Aguerista shot and killed a mountain, half a block toward the lake...” Coral snakes lieutenant. Soldiers started shooting into the crowd and and tarantulas ventured into our house, so we learned to bayoneting men and women. check the floor before getting out of bed. “During the unequal battle with the National Guard,” A family trip to the beach, on the other side of the low my father wrote, “Aguero and liis principal chieftains mountains between Managua and tire Pacific Ocean, (along with about 30 wild kids armed with machine guns risked ambush by bandits. Volcanoes — some active, oth¬ and things, plus about a thousand campesinos) holed up ers dead — dotted the landscape. Earthquakes occurred in tire Gran Hotel with about 90 American guests as with unnerving frequency, though none was as bad as the hostages.” disastrous quake that would level the city' in 1972. It was my father who finally' negotiated the release of On the playground of the convent school I attended, tlie American hostages, partly because in his three years in classmates whose affluent families opposed the 30-year- Managua he had built friendships widr Aguero, anti-gov- old Somoza dynasty told tales of reprisals — ranging from emment newspaper editor Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, and harassment to murder — against their fathers and uncles. other opposition members. Telephone lines had been cut, I recently found a 1967 letter my father wrote to his so at 7 a.m. the Agueristas gave permission for one emis¬ mother in Vermont. It described a bloody' riot in down¬ sary from the American embassy to cross the lines. That town Managua. On Sunday' Jan. 29, 1967, a noisy' crowd was Ted Cheney. He would go back and forth four times. had gathered at a rally for Anastasio Somozas presidential “There was still some sniper fire,” he wrote, “and we opponent, Fernando Aguero. Speakers railed against the found a pretty desperate crew when we got inside. corrupt and repressive regime and demanded fan' elec¬ Although I knew Aguero and the other leaders pretty well,

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30 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

I wasn’t at all sure about the boys with the guns.” home that Sunday night. He appeared on Monday after¬ At 7 that evening tire Aguero group surrendered, with noon to shower and shave, then left again. From inside a short-lived promise of amnesty from Somoza. “It took our one-story house a mile away, we could hear the somrd three more visits,” my father wrote, “to effect die release of artillery and machine guns and the endless sirens of of tire hostages and to get tire hotel warriors home under ambulances rushing the wounded to General Hospital. safe conduct, but by 7 Monday night everybody had been Later that week, a few of the released American hostages taken care of and I could go to bed — although, as you can stayed at our house. imagine, still so keyed-up I couldn’t sleep for a while.” My father summed up our reaction, or what he must My father concluded Iris letter in simple words, have hoped it to be: “The children, of course, are much intended for Iris mother in rural Vermont. “A massive taken up with the drama of the past week ... Not a bad wave of arrests followed the trace, and many of my thing to give them some exposure to this at an early age. friends are in jail... I am not sure that I am at all fond of Sally, too, is getting used to shots, explosions and sirens. my first taste of true Latin violence. The more so because It doesn’t bother the cats.” I always thought it would be easy to distinguish the goods from the bads, and I find it isn’t so. From my point of Healing the Wounds view, there is almost an equal mixture of right and wrong For years I felt a lingering resentment toward die on both sides, and I hate to think of people I like on both State Department. I blamed it for taking my father away sides being so bloody-minded about one another.” from me, for sending him into harm’s way. I blamed it His children experienced that week somewhat differ¬ more vaguely for its legacy to me, which I came to rec¬ ently. All we knew at first was diat Dad wasn’t coming ognize only as I grew older — the discomfort I feel stay-

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 31 Focus

ing in one place for too long, the sense of being an out¬ memorial plaque and spoke of tire commitment of those sider in my own conn tty. But on Sept. 10, 2001,1 was able 10 men and women who had died overseas in tire line of to put the blame aside. duty, I thought how right it was that my father was being Colin Powell was talking about the State Department remembered in his workplace, not in some cathedral or as his troops — and more than that, as a large family. “I hilltop cemeteiy. I knew that diplomats like him would am especially pleased in seeing you all,” he said, “in that continue to risk their lives and that nry fathers death had we are reorienting this a little bit and calling it Foreign not gone unappreciated by this, his extended family, even Affairs Day to embrace the entire family, everyone who 25 years later. He had been one of those who would pay, has contributed in some way or another to the greatness as Powell was saving at the podium, “tire ultimate sacrifice of this department.” for Iris country.” He went on to remind the bureaucrats that career That sacrifice left a wound in nry family that may never diplomats were on tire front lines: “My operating philoso¬ completely heal. But I took some comfort in seeing his phy is drat tire embassy is always right and you guys here, name on my way out of tire State Department that morn¬ especially on the seventh floor, are always wrong. Trust ing. There it was, at eye level, in verde marble, where I comes from allowing our youngsters, allowing our mis¬ could touch it: EDWARD R. CHENEY, PHILIPPINES sions out there to take risks in order to accomplish great 1976. purposes.” I like to think the marble canre from Iris home state of When Powell turned to the names to be added to the Vermont. ■ One Mission, One Team I had spent many years in Washington since my father’s death in 1976, but I had not been back to the State Department — not until Sept. 10, 2001, when Secretary of State Colin Powell was due to honor my father and nine others who had died in the line of duty while serving overseas. Walking through the C Street doors, I expected to feel out of place among the State Department people who would fill the auditorium that day. I was, after all, only a former dependent—the grown child of a Foreign Service officer whose career was cut short in the mid-1970s. I soon learned how wrong I was. Once a year, retirees from the Foreign Service and Civil Service return to Main State for a homecoming celebration. This time it was called Foreign Affairs Day, and it took place on Sept. 10, 2001 — on what would turn out to be the last day of normalcy in Washington. The theme was “One Mission, One Team," and the schedule included a keynote address by Secretary Powell, a wreath¬ laying at the AFSA memorial plaque, and an afternoon of seminars. For me, the main event was the wreath-laying, a ceremony I’d been invited to attend by AFSA President John Naland. The letter I received from Naland described the plan for Sept. 10: The ceremony would take place in the Dean Acheson Auditorium, with Secretary Powell presiding over the presentation of the colors by the U.S. Armed Forces Color Guard and the laying of a wreath. The event was to honor 10 men and women newly eligible for inscription on the AFSA plaque at the C Street entrance. The recogni¬ tion, retroactive to 1972, was the result of a change in the criteria for inclusion on the plaque, which have been broadened to include all those who die in the line of duty overseas. My father, Edward R. Cheney, had been on a mission with five emissaries from the U.S., Japan and Germany when his plane went down in the Philippines. USAID’s Garnett A. Zimmerly was also on that plane; he, too, was among the 10 to be remembered on Sept. 10. In his remarks, Secretary Powell used the theme of the State Department as a family, and of Foreign Affairs Day as a homecom¬ ing. “We are a team,” he said. “We are a family. We are knitted up across the generations.” He said he wanted to embrace that entire family — “to show that we care about everyone who has made a contribution to American diplomacy, about everyone who has con¬ tributed in some way or another to the greatness of this department.” Powell was referring, literally, to the fact that the day included both active and retired employees. More generally, I felt his message embraced real family members as well: the spouse and children of every employee overseas — “on the first line of offense,” as Powell said, where they take some of the same risks and represent the United States abroad in their own way. AFSA, through its inclusion of these dependents in its ceremony, made it clear that we contin¬ ue to be appreciated as part of the extended State Department family. After Powell and USAID Deputy Administrator Janet Ballantyne unveiled a facsimile of the plaque names and a wreath was placed in front of the easel, there was a moment of silence. The color guard marched out. Secretary Powell walked slowly down the row of family members in the front of the auditorium. I was the last he came to. He paused, took my hand, and said, simply, “Thank you.” — Margaret Cheney

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 33 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

THE REALITY OF FOREIGN SERVICE SPOUSAL EMPLOYMENT

SPOUSAL EMPLOYMENT IS ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS FOR

TODAY’S FOREIGN SERVICE FAMILIES. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE REAL SITUATION FOR SPOUSES WHO WANT THEIR OWN CAREERS.

BY SHAWN DORMAN

June 1957 State Department publication, “Suggestions for Wives from Other Foreign Service Wives,” offered the following advice: “Being married to a man in die Foreign Service gives you the satisfaction of using your mind and developing your capabilities in working more closely with your husband than would be true in some odier occupations. There is a real job for you to do in supporting your husbands effort, and satisfaction in doing so. You can be a great help to your hus¬ band in his career, and can live a rich and rewarding life by helping him in serving our country.” The Foreign Service has come pretty far in 45 years for the Foreign Service spouse who wants his or her own career. But has it come far enough?

34 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 AFSANEWS American Foreign Service Association • May 2002

WELCOMING ALUMNI BACK Come to Foreign Affairs Day May 10 NEWS BRIEFS: We hope many of our retiree asked to come to the 23rd St entrance, SPECIALISTS AND USAA 2 members will join us for this where guests who are pre-registered will BEING SERVED? 8 year’s Foreign Affairs Day on receive name tags and programs. Others THE NEXT GENERATION 4 May 10 at the State Department and for will proceed to registration at the Dean LOCALITY PAY S AFSA’s Day on the Hill on May 9. Foreign Acheson Auditorium, where the plenary RETIREES IN ACTION: MUHIN fi Affairs Day is an annual homecoming for session will be held. Registration will begin AFSA ELDERHOSTEL 7 retired employees of the State Department at 8:00 a.m., and the program will begin SECURITY MATTERS 8 Day on the Hill participants will join AFSA at 8:45 a.m. Secretary Powell will address Q&A: RETIREES q officials and staff on a visit to Capitol Hill the participants and will unveil the new EXPERT EXPATS 10 to attend meetings with congressional rep¬ names on the AFSA Memorial Plaque. resentatives and staff. This event provides Seminars will start following the secretary’s a unique opportunity for retirees to meet address. 663-3600. For more information on Day with key legislators and discuss Foreign For further information, e-mail on the Hill, contact AFSA’s Marc Goldbetg Service and foreign affairs issues. [email protected] or call the at [email protected] or call him at (202) Participants in Foreign Affairs Day are event coordinator, Peter Whaley, at (202) 338-4045, ext. 506. □

AFSA LAUNCHES PAC of the Foreign Service and in encour¬ aging support for increases in funding Toward a Strong, for diplomatic readiness. However, AFSA has found it difficult Effective Foreign Service to find opportunities to make the case directly to the busy senators and repre¬ sentatives who ultimately decide legisla¬ The AFSA Governing Board, after done to the Foreign Service: “The tion. Congressional staffers have often months of study and intense Foreign Service just doesn’t have a Continued on page 3 deliberation, has voted to estab¬ domestic political constituency.” lish a Political Action Committee, Political constituencies are made, not AFSA-PAC. The purpose of the PAC, bom. People, money and effort must which will enhance AFSA’s already sig¬ be dedicated to gaining congressional nificant lobbying efforts on the Hill, is support at the micro level and public to make the U.S. Foreign Service a more support at the macro level. effective agent of U.S. international lead¬ AFSA has traditionally enjoyed good ership by helping to elect senators and access to congressional staffers who representatives who support adequate appreciate AFSA for its role as the “voice resources for a strong, effective Foreign of the Foreign Service.” AFSA has had Service. success in recent years, largely through We have all heard this refrain, usu¬ the efforts of our Legislative Affairs staff, Focus on Elderhostel. ally in explanation of some damage in securing legislative changes on behalf See pages 6-7. Positive Pouch News Specialists Can Join USAA The department announced in mid-March that the U.S. The United Services Automotive Association, known by the acronym USAA is a compa¬ Postmaster General approved the State Department’s request ny providing insurance, banking and related services to active military personnel and that a private non-government (non-irradiated) zip code be their families. Foreign Service generalists have long been eligible for membership as well. created for employees serving at the 110 pouch-mail posts. Specialists have been denied insurance and services from USAA because they did not This mail will not be sent to Ohio for irradiation. The request meet membership criteria. During a January meeting with Secretary Powell, AFSA for a private zip code, supported by AFSA, had previously requested that he use his contacts with USAA to make the case for USAA membership been denied by the Postal Service. A breakthrough occurred for Foreign Service specialists. The secretary agreed that specialists should be given after a senior State Department official appealed directly to the access to USAA services. A phone call from the seventh floor to USAA senior leadership Postmaster General. AFSA applauds the State Department resulted in a change in policy. Department of State specialists who wish to apply for officials who persevered on this issue in order to “take care of USAA insurance will be able to do so as of the fourth quarter of 2002. Implementation the troops.” AFSA will keep members informed on the details will be available in the coming months. implementation of this new decision. Life in the Foreign Service AFSA Pushes for Pouch Allowance ■ BY BRIAN AGGELER, FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER & CARTOONIST Prior to the decision to create a new zip code for pouch posts, AFSA proposed to management a new allowance for employees headed to pouch posts. Mail troubles for AFSA members and other USG employees overseas at pouch posts have not abated. All mail headed to official USG zip codes (including 20521) is still being sent to Ohio for irradiation before being forwarded to its destination, leading to weeks of delay and damaged mail. In true Foreign Service fashion, employees have shown them¬ selves remarkably patient and innovative in coping with this hardship. Flowever, employees are incurring additional costs for commercial mail services, faxes and international calls. Some employees are using stateside mailing addresses of relatives who forward mail via commercial carriers such as DHL or FedEx. AFSA believes the department should help employees with the increased financial burden of coping with the mail problem. To this end, AFSA formally proposed to the director general that, beginning with the 2002 summer transfer cycle, the transfer allowance be increased for all employees going to pouch posts. AFSA proposed the allowance for a 3-year posting be $750 for a single employee and $1,250 for a family. AFSA is making a separate request regarding compensation "SURE, IT'S A BIT OUT OF THE WAY, BUT AT LEAST WE QUALIFIED FOR THE for employees and families already at pouch posts. BUSINESS-CLASS UPGRADE ON THE WAY OUT HERE!" Briefs continued on page 4.

AFSA HEADQUARTERS: Staff: Governing Board: Executive Director Susan Reardon: [email protected] (202) 3384045: Fax: (202) 33&6820 PRESIDENT: John KNaland STATE DEPARTMENT AFSA OFFICE: Business Department STATE VICE PRESIDENT: Louise K. Crane 3 Controller Kaipna Srimal: [email protected] Ho (202) 647-8160; Fax: (202) 647-0265 Accounting Assistant Christa Nyamekye: USAID VICE PRESIDENT: Joe Pastic USAID AFSA OFFICE: u Labor Management FCS VICE PRESIDENT: Peter G. Frederick (202) 712-1941; Fax: (202) 216-3710 General Counsel Sharon Papp: [email protected] FAS VICE PRESIDENT: Edwin Porter Labor Management Attorney Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] RETIREE VICE PRESIDENT: Robert W. Farrand Labor Management Specialist James Yorite: [email protected] AFSA Internet and E-mail addresses: USAID Labor Management Specialist Douglas Broome: [email protected] SECRETARY: FA “Tex” Harris AFSA WEB SITE: www.afsa.org USAID Office Manager Suzan Reager [email protected] TREASURER: Thomas D. Boyatt [email protected] Grievance Attorneys Harry Sizer [email protected], and Neera Parikh: [email protected] AFSA NEWS: [email protected] Office Manager Christine Warren: [email protected] STATE REPRESENTATIVES: John P. Boulanger, FSJ: [email protected] Member Services George W. Colvin, Lisa S. Kierans, Hugh M. a PRESIDENT: [email protected] Director Janet Hedrick: [email protected] STATE VP: [email protected] Neighbour, Lynn G. Sever, Hollis S. Summers Representative Ingrid Hubbard: [email protected] a RETIREE VP: [email protected] Administrative Assistant Ana Lopez: [email protected] USAID REPRESENTATIVE: Woody Navin USAID VP: [email protected] FCS REPRESENTATIVE: James Joy FAS VP: [email protected] Outreach Programs FCS VP: [email protected] Retiree Liaison Ward Thompson: [email protected] RETIREE REPRESENTATIVES: Director of Communications Thomas Switzer [email protected] William C Harrop, David E. Reuther, Congressional Affairs Director Ken Nakamura: [email protected] AFSA News Executive Assistant Marc Goldberg: [email protected] Richard G Scissors, Theodore S. Wilkinson, III Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected] Scholarship Administrator Lori Dec: [email protected] £ IBB REPRESENTATIVE: Vacant (202) 3384045 x 503; Fax: (202) 338-8244 Corporate Relations Tema Razavi: [email protected] Professional Issues Coordinator Barbara Berger [email protected] FAS REPRESENTATIVE: Eric Wenberg

2 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2002 PAC • Continued from page 1 STATE ■ BY LOUISE CRANE told AFSA staff that AFSA legislative pro¬ posals are solid and reasonable, but AFSA Are You Being Served? lacks a member of Congress at the table during the legislative end-game who can Recently, I had to seek help from our consulate at an tell colleagues that it is personally impor¬ overseas post. In February, I flew abroad with my tant to him or her that it be included in son to see his father who was gravely ill. Fie subse¬ the final bill. Most lawmakers simply do quently died. It fell to me to get the required paperwork not view Foreign Service issues as con¬ — the permit to take his ashes out of the country, the death stituent issues. AFSA should be able to certificate, a lawyer to handle his effects, etc. get on their radar screen through the It helped that I had previously served at this mission. activities of a PAC. But as I took my number and waited to be called, I thought Let’s face it: members of Congress about those Americans who had no contacts to reassure spend a lot of time raising money to get them. Among those in the waiting room were several senior citizens whose pass¬ re-elected. AFSA-PAC will be able to host ports had been stolen and someone like me who needed a death certificate for the events attended by members of Congress, sudden death of a loved one. Most of us were sad or distressed. There was one happy during which AFSA can make the case on citizen — he wanted a passport for his newborn son. As I waited, I was reminded that American Citizen Services provides one way to build a constituency for the Foreign Service. AFSA works hard to get the Foreign Let’s face it: Service the recognition and appreciation you deserve. We have an outreach pro¬ gram to inform Americans why foreign policy is important and why the Foreign members of Congress spend a lot Service deserves their support. At of time raising money to get many posts, there is a regular flow of Americans through ACS. When re-elected. AFSA-PAC will be able there is a problem like a death or to host events attended by theft, they turn to the embassy staff. This is the human side The embassy can’t always solve members of Congress, during their problems — but staff can of diplomacy and it’s critical. which AFSA can make the case sympathize, offer advice and, above It is our job to serve those all, listen. Even I, an FS veteran, on key professional as well as who knew the country and the lan¬ who pay our salaries, guage, found the process of seek¬ “bread and butter” issues. the American taxpayers. ing a death certificate and coping with an alien legal system confus¬ key professional as well as “bread and but¬ ing and distressing. ter” issues. The primary objective of the I am happy to report that PAC will be to ensure appropriations suf¬ although the waiting room was impersonal and shabby, and the bulletproof glass ficient to enable the professional Foreign intimidating, we citizens were given time to explain our problems. The local staff s Service corps to carry out its worldwide explanations of the procedures for replacing lost passports and obtaining death cer¬ responsibilities. tificates were clear. The staff expressed sympathy for our losses and took the time AFSA will maintain its traditional to ooh and aah over the baby. This is the human side of diplomacy and it’s criti¬ bipartisan stance, and AFSA-PAC con¬ cal. It is our job to serve those who pay our salaries, the American taxpayers. tributions will be evenly divided between There’s another way to get attention: lobbying the men and women who make the two major political parties. the legislative decisions (i.e., congresspersons) on issues important to us. Readers Resources for the PAC will come entire¬ who are AFSA members have received a letter from AFSA President John Naland ly from voluntary donations from indi¬ announcing the formation of a PAC. This is not a dirty word! A PAC is a use¬ viduals. AFSA membership dues have ful device to get AFSA past the receptionist into the solon’s inner sanctum where no connection to the PAC. No dues will AFSA can make the case on issues that affect us, like comparability pay for all of ever be transferred to the PAC. you dealing with American citizens in distress overseas. Anyone who wants more informa¬ AFSA-PAC will make us more effective in representing you on the Hill. Now tion about AFSA-PAC can e-mail that campaign finance reform has passed this session, PACs will gain even more [email protected] or call Marc Goldberg respect from legislators, those who sponsor the legislation and round up at (202) 338-4045 ext. 506. □ the votes. □

MAY 2002 • AFSA NEWS 3 dW3PB!B3E usflip ■ BY jQEPAsnc MCAIIKUICDQICKC Grooming the Next Generation More New Members The USAID Foreign Service is changing rapidly. At an During the first week of March, AFSA annual attrition rate of 10 percent, one-half of its pre¬ welcomed more new-hire members sent cadre will likely be gone within five years. As the than in any previous week in its 78-year history. During four separate lun¬ primary intake vehicle for the USAID Foreign Service, the cheons for new employees, AFSA New Entry Program has recruited approximately 180 FSOs signed up 122 dues-paying members: since 1999, mainly at the FS-04 level, with plans to recruit 10 FCS officers (66 percent of atten¬ another 102 by March 2003. The long-range plan is to recruit dees); 26 FS specialists; and 86 FSOs (91 approximately 90 NEP FSOs per year. Will this present course percent of attendees). As of March 1, alone be enough to meet agency FSO human resource needs membership stood at 11,150. AFSA’s over the medium and long term? goal is to reach 12,000 by year’s end. Human Resources provides some short-tenn, backstop-specific training to new hires and is striving to provide all new hires with management training. But the lack of adequate training resources, as well as an acute shortage of mid-level FSOs, com¬ pels the agency to recruit new hires who already have substantial technical skills. They are not, however, experienced in USAID management and teamwork style or famil¬ iar with the responsibilities of a direct-hire officer in the overseas environment. To acquire these skills, on-the-job experience under a mentor is essential. Furthermore, Washington-based Civil Service and Administratively Determined officers have no regular way to acquire first-hand experience of the unique challenges of working in an overseas mission. This is the one common work experience that can best form a strong Junior recruits can best diverse agency workforce. match career aspirations 4 1 1 1 b-* The agency will have to recruit at more junior levels soon if it is to avoid a new bulge in work¬ to agency needs and grow force demographics that will only lead to anoth¬ professionally within Long-Term Care er staffing crisis within 10 years. Junior recruits The Office of Personnel the agency. can best match career aspirations to agency Management has posted a needs and grow professionally within the agency. calculator for employees and retirees The agency in turn has greater opportunity to spot and cultivate leadership and tech¬ to use to find out the cost of long¬ nical talent early in an FSO’s career. Recruiting junior officers at the FS-06 and FS-05 term care. Go to http://opm.gov/ levels with relatively little hands-on experience means structured on-the-job training (OJT) insure/ltc/calculator/index.htm under the tutelage of a mentor in an overseas mission will be essential. Some posts, by virtue of size, program type and overall staff, are better suited to pro¬ vide an initial OJT experience. The “Training Mission” concept is not new. It has been AFSA Wins Favorable used with varying success in such posts as Cairo, Botswana and Nairobi. Without a Judgment for Member serious long-term commitment to a network of training missions, USAID will not be A four-year-long AFSA effort to assist a member resolve a personal property claim dis¬ able to deliver the required number and types of trained staff to meet agency needs. pute with the State Department ended in The positive and negative considerations in the use of training missions need to be exam¬ March. The employee received a $4,500 ined. Issues such as resource requirements (additional operating expenses, higher staffing judgment in her favor. levels) and ambassadorial clearances must be resolved. The State Department correctly identified and argued for more U.S. direct-hire positions. USAID must do the same. SDFCU Sending Credit Cards Consideration of all the factors relating to creation of a training mission pro¬ Commercially gram again points to the importance of strengthening workforce planning. One Some employees at pouch posts were HR stalwart cannot do it alone. There is not enough staff time available to devel¬ receiving melted credit cards in the mail fol¬ lowing irradiation. In part due to AFSA op the training mission, or any other similar concept, to the point of a go-no go efforts, the State Department Federal Credit decision. Moreover, watershed decisions like this must be made with active par¬ Union has stopped sending out credit cards ticipation of senior management. The training mission may not be the only answer through the U.S. postal system. Cards are to grooming the next generation of Foreign Service leaders. But the time to find now delivered via commercial carrier and are those answers is now. □ not irradiated.

4 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2002 JtfSAMEWSBRJEFS CMEE FAS ■ BY ED PORTER Overseas Locality Pay Makes Sense Get the Real Scoop You’ve read the official post report. You’ve Wanted: some common-sense management of checked books out of the library. You’ve visit¬ Foreign Service compensation. I am talking about

ed the Overseas Briefing Center. You’ve done the lack of locality pay for officers serving overseas. When I began my last foreign assignment, locality pay did everything you can to research that post not exist. Thus, I arrived at post with the same salary I had you’re thinking of bidding on. when I left Washington, D.C., a few days earlier. This situ¬ ation has dramatically changed, as officers and families over¬ seas are experiencing first-hand. Today, an officer arriving at post will earn nearly 12 percent less than a colleague work¬ ing in Washington, D.C. As locality pay continues to rise, financial common sense will force a growing number of officers, especially those approaching retirement, to remain Stateside, rather than continue to put their considerable Foreign Service expe¬ rience to work for our country overseas. We joined the Foreign Service to serve overseas. As we move from post to post, we become more effective at what we do. We develop language skills and unique expertise critical to our overseas missions, and our families become adept at adjust¬ ing to new cultures. Our professional development is a major investment, on our part and that of our colleagues and agencies. Absent change, however, our compensation But have you gotten the real scoop? system will increasingly force senior The honest talk? The word on the street? employees to return home earlier than they Absent change, Real Post Reports, a feature of the Web would otherwise in order to avoid losing employees serving overseas magazine Tales from a Small Planet thousands of dollars in retirement income. (www.talesmag.com), give you uncensored Absent change, employees in the United will continue to incur a

commentary from Foreign Service personnel States nearing retirement will seek to financial penalty that and others in more than 100 cities woridwide. remain in the U.S. Absent change,

With insightful, truthful and often humorous employees serving overseas will continue will increase annually. to incur a financial penalty that will increase answers to questions such as “What do you annually. In sum, absent change we all lose, individually and as a service. Will the wish you’d brought with you?’ Real Post Foreign Service be mortally damaged if change is not forthcoming? Probably not. Reports will round out your research on over¬ The vast majority of us enjoy our work and will continue to request overseas assign¬ seas postings and entertain you as well. ments, even as the salary penalty for doing so increases. But, we should not be thrust You can find Real Post Reports on the Web into this situation. at www.talesmag.com and www.realpostre- Civil service colleagues often ask why Foreign Service employees should receive local¬ ports.com. Tales Editor Francesca Kelly wel¬ ity pay when we receive post differentials and free housing. The question reveals a basic comes input from Foreign Service visitors to misunderstanding of the difference between locality pay and overseas benefits. Post

the site. Let them know what’s real where differentials are an attempt to compensate for differences in living costs between

you’re posted. The more opinions they get on Washington and overseas locations. Housing is provided to ensure that adequate, safe

each city worldwide, the better, because, one lodging is available for a highly diverse (single, married, married/single with children), transient American community. In contrast, the purpose of locality pay is to bridge person’s dream post can be another’s night¬ the gap between public and private sector salaries, so the government has at least a shot mare assignment at being a competitive employer. Thus, locality payments are based on differences in To contribute a Real Post Reports, or any public and private sector salaries, not consumer prices or the cost of living. other article or commentary about where you What must be done? Locality pay should not be left on the airport tarmac. FS live, please contact Victoria Hess at employees must arrive at post with their salaries intact. To this end, AFSA must [email protected] or Francesca Kelly at continue to press for change in locality pay legislation. We must continue to work [email protected]. To join the Tales from a with key management leaders to convince Congress to extend locality pay to employ¬ Small Planet team of volunteers, please con¬ ees overseas. To their credit, top management in some departments appears to

tact Francesca Kelly at [email protected]. realize change is needed and are working with us to get it done. It makes com¬

Briefs continued on page 8. mon sense. □

MAY 2002 • AFSA NEWS 5 This is the second article in our series, “Retirees in Action,” which focuses on Foreign Service retirees mak¬ ing a difference, promoting awareness of foreign affairs issues and support for the Foreign Service.

RETIREES IN ACTION Mullin Pioneers AFSA Elderhostel Program BY SHAWN DORMAN

The AFSA Elderhostel program exists because of the lead¬ the Virginia organizers to fig¬ ership and dedication of retired Foreign Service officer ure out if the idea would fly. Lillian Peters “Petey” Mullin. It is one of AFSA’s key out¬ It did. Many hundreds of reach programs, serving to educate the American public about work-hours later, Mullin the important role of the Foreign Service. The program has now knows what she was getting into — but she also knows already succeeded in reaching over 2,500 participants, in 46 it was worth the effort. states, since its inception in 1996. The first Foreign Service-related Elderhostel program was Elderhostel is the country’s largest educational travel orga¬ held in 1996, and Mullin served as the coordinator. It was a nization for adults age 55 and great success. As AFSA Retiree over. It is a non-profit orga¬ Liaison Ward Thompson puts The first Foreign Service-related Elderhostel nization that provides a wide it, “If this was a pilot program, variety of programs to about program was held in 1996, and Mullin served as then Petey was the pilot.” 250,000 people per year. Mullin helped define and the coordinator. It was a great success. As AFSA It was 1994 when Mullin refine the program, which attended her first Elderhostel Retiree Liaison Ward Thompson puts it, “If this always consists of three main program, as a participant. components: an explanation of was a pilot program, then Petey was the pilot.” She found that the other par¬ what the Foreign Service is; a ticipants were as interested in focus on one specific country her Foreign Service experi¬ of interest; and case studies in ences as they were in the pro¬ diplomacy. gram for which they had In early 1997, AFSA signed up. “Most people had became the official sponsor of no idea what the Foreign the program. As of April 2002, Service was,” she told AFSA 60 AFSA Elderhostel pro¬ News, but there was tremen¬ grams had been held, 39 in the dous interest. She had the Washington, D.C. area and same experience during others in Florida, Arizona, another Elderhostel program NewYork, Georgia, California in 1995. She decided and Texas. Mullin has served Elderhostel might provide an as coordinator and “den ideal vehicle for “getting the mother” every time, staying in word out” about the Foreign the hotels with the participants Service and American diplo¬ and being present throughout macy. the program. Sometimes she Mullin approached Elderhostel leadership at their Boston participates as an official lecturer as well. headquarters and pitched her idea. The response was positive, Thompson says, “Petey is responsible for the fact that by the but they told her she would have to go directly to the state office end of the program, the participants are ardent supporters of closest to the program location. Mullin received an enthusi¬ American diplomacy.” As one participant wrote in an evalua¬ astic response from the Virginia coordinator, who asked, “Do tion, “Thank you, Petey, for making us proud of our govern¬ you know what you’re getting into?” Mullin admitted she had ment and particularly the Foreign Service.” Another wrote of only a loose idea of what it might take to get a program up and his “renewed faith and confidence in the Foreign Service.” running. She and retired ambassador and AFSA supporter Bill Prior to bringing the Foreign Service to Elderhostel, Mullin DePree gathered together about 25 retired FSOs to meet with had an outstanding career in the Foreign Service. She passed the

6 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2002 Foreign Service written exam in the late AFSA ELDERHOSTEL PROGRAM 1940s. While awaiting her oral assess¬ ment, she went to work at the Pentagon Bringing the Foreign Service to and took a position as a geographer in Germany. While there, she met and America’s Retirees married Harry J. Mullin, Jr., a Foreign BY SARAH MARTIN, AFSA NEWS INTERN Service officer, at which point she was removed from the FS candidate list. (At '^^"he AFSA Foreign Service Elderhostel Institute, and they attended an event at the that time, female Foreign Service I program was created in 1996 in an Turkish Embassy. After a discussion about employees had to resign if they married.) I effort to help AFSA raise public defense, one participant remarked, “It was She accompanied her husband to post¬ awareness of the Foreign Service and the absolutely fascinating.” ings in Bavaria, Australia, Romania, need for effective American diplomatic AFSA retirees are strongly encouraged South Africa, and Morocco. resources. The program caters to enthu¬ to participate in the program as lecturers. In 1960, the year her daughter siastic and inquisitive students over age 55 Sessions last 90 minutes and usually pro¬ Catherine was born, Harry Mullin who seek to learn more about the Foreign vide ample time for questions from the died in a car accident. Petey returned Service. Elderhostel participants come from audience and more informal discussions. to the U.S. with her baby and her 10- across the country for programs in Foreign Service family members are also year-old son Harry, and joined the Arlington, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; St welcome to speak about their experiences Foreign Service as a consular officer in Petersburg, Ha; Tucson, Ariz.; Atlanta, Ga; overseas. Elderhostel participants are 1961. She served in Rotterdam, and Chautauqua, N.Y. In 2001, AFSA always eager to hear “real fife” accounts Hamburg, Hamilton (Bermuda), and sponsored 17 weeklong Elderhostel from Foreign Service veterans, no mat¬ the Inspector General’s office in ter how long they have been retired. Washington. She served as Consul The AFSA Elderhostel program General in Winnipeg, Manitoba from provides an ideal environment 1981 to 1985. Her last post was as for spreading the word about Counselor of Embassy and Consul the Foreign Service to the General at Embassy Bonn, where she public. Participants served from 1985 until her retirement tend to be well- in 1989. educated and Among her many achievements, she active in their home highlights her 1978 participation in communities. The efforts to improve junior officer readi¬ engaging atmosphere ness, and her role in expanding the con¬ encourages partici¬ sular course. She gets the credit (or pants to inquire about some may say, the blame) for the fact particular topics of that all junior officers are now man¬ interest and relate dated to serve one year in a consular job. them to their friends, She still strongly believes that the programs, reaching a total audience of 900 families, and communities. By drawing exposure to the local community and people from 40 states. attention to the Foreign Service, the pro¬ language that a consular section offers Students include mostly retired profes¬ gram helps generate public support for is a key element in the development of sionals active in their own communities. U.S. diplomacy. An increasing number a successful officer. During the scheduled seminars, participants of retirees around the country are par¬ Mullin currently serves as a reserve receive an in-depth look at what happens ticipating as organizers and lecturers for officer for the Office of the Inspector behind the scenes in the Foreign Service. the AFSA Elderhostel program. General, and as an interviewer for the Pregrams typically have a regional or coun¬ AFSA greatly appreciates the Foreign Foreign Affairs Oral History Program. try-specific theme, but always cover gen¬ Service retirees who have made the pro¬ When she is not accompanying an eral Foreign Service topics as well, includ¬ gram a success, and encourages others to Elderhostel group, she resides in ing case studies in diplomacy. volunteer for future programs. For more Princeton, N.J. She works with In March, AFSA sponsored an information about the AFSA Elderhostel Princeton University foreign graduate Elderhostel program in Arlington, with a program, contact AFSA Retiree Liaison students and visiting scholars focus on Turkey. Participants were taken Ward Thompson by e-mail: and audits several courses there on a tour of the State Department, the [email protected] or by phone (toll- each semester. □ Library of Congress, the Foreign Service free): 1-800-704-3272, ext. 528. □

MAY 2002 • AFSA NEWS 7 Volunteer Award Winners AFSA would like to congratulate the winners of the Associates of the American Foreign Service Call for Worldwide/Secretary of State’s Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad. Winners will be hon¬ ored during Foreign Affairs Day, May 10. Book Contributions — Bureau Post Winner Your Best Day in May African Affairs GABORONE LAURIE B0PP East Asian & Pacific Affairs BEUING JANICE S. SK00G Do you have an interesting job in an European Affairs BUCHAREST CAROL AYERS interesting embassy or consulate? Near Eastern Affairs JERUSALEM ANN STAAL If so, please consider writing an South Asian Affairs ISLAMABAD EDWARD R. BROWN account of a day in May. Western Flemisphere Affairs UMA ELEANOR GEIGER AFSA is currently re-doing the book Inside a U.S. Embassy: How the Foreign highlight, we want to chronicle one day one in your type of job. Aside from Service Works for America. The middle in the life of a number of people in dif¬ being typical, however, the day should section of the book, "A Day in the Life of ferent types of positions around the also be interesting. a U.S. Embassy," seeks to illustrate how world. Submissions should be no more than an embassy actually works by following Submissions should be written in 600 words, and will be subject to editing. a number of employees through a real hour-by-hour format. The chosen day Please send submissions by e-mail to day. In the new version of the book, should be one that involves work that “Inside Embassy” Editor Shawn Dorman rather than picking a few embassies to can illustrate typical activities of some¬ at [email protected] by June 7. □

mxVUVMSm FAMILY MEMBER MATTERS ■ BY VICTORIA HESS Security Matters, Family Matters Life in the Foreign Sendee is usually a family affair. In recent until too late. Related to the need for better communication years, the State Department has provided increased on security issues is the need for posts to do better at getting other services to family members. But we need still more help kinds of information to family members: community events on the information front. Communication of security infor¬ notices, newsletters and job announcements, all of which have mation and embassy news to families is a critical service that a tremendous effect on community morale. embassies must provide, but too often the information does not It would be relatively easy to close the communications loop. get through. Unfortunately, too many embassies still rely entire¬ With e-mail almost universally available, most families could ly on employees to pass information to their families. With today s receive regular and timely communication of embassy affairs technology, there is no excuse for maintaining this limited form with only the click of a key. A “Home E-Mail Group” could be of communication. created on embassy address books just as easily as an “Embassy For family members, access to timely and accurate infor¬ E-mail Group.” Outlook, almost universally available, makes mation can increase both safety and morale. There are more this easy. After creating the address list, it is just a matter of pri¬ than 200 Foreign Service posts, and probably dozens of dif¬ oritizing its use for any notices that need to go home to fami¬ ferent methods used to communicate with family members. lies. This does not mean only the CLO would be forwarding At best, it can be vexing for family members who feel they notices, however. For one thing, CLOs are not always available do not get adequate information from their missions. At worst, either. Messages could be sent by their originators, making it it can be dangerous. It is not unusual for family members to more likely that the message will get home in a timely fashion. find themselves in the middle of a demonstration, or anoth¬ Some missions have done this, but not enough. er dangerous situation, that embassy employees had earlier Is this a perfect answer? No. But would it improve what is been warned to avoid. at best a shaky communication system for family members? Yes. Too often, we hear that it is the employed spouse’s respon¬ And any steps to improve communications with all members sibility to get post information home. This is an imperfect sys¬ of the embassy community can only benefit the Foreign Service tem at best. Even the most dedicated employee is not always in as a whole. □ a position to get critical infonnation home in a timely fashion.

People travel (this is becoming more frequent with the advent Victoria Hess is stationed in Harare. She has previously accompanied her of regional posts), have meetings or get distracted by important FS husband to Baghdad, Bonn, Bombay, and Peshawar. Victoria is the embassy business, and critical information does not make it home Editor and Webmaster forReal Post Reports, at www.realpostreports.com.

8 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2002 department’s Web site at www.state.gov/ e-mail promptly. The e-mail system is m/dghr/ret. There you can find infor¬ working well and we are experiencing an mation on retirement issues and on new increase in on-line inquiries. benefits like long-term care. There are Q: Can I receive information without also useful links to other sites. The con¬ using e-mail? tent of our site is expanding rapidly. For At Yes. If your assigned counselor example, we are looking at ways to • is not available, there is a back¬ Retiree Issues include more information on the Federal up assigned. If your question is a gener¬ Employees Health Benefits Program in al one, HR/RET has up-to-date handouts A CONVERSATION WITH the next open season. Annuitants have which we will mail to you. For individ¬ STATE DEPARTMENT RETIREMENT OFFICE indicated that they would like to be able ual benefits questions, a counselor will DIRECTOR CECELIA A COOPER to fill out the Health Benefits Registration respond to you as soon as possible. Form (Form 2809) online. This may not Employees and annuitants living in or vis¬ AFSA works closely witli the State be possible, but we will continue to look iting the D.C. area may also make Department Retirement Office in for improvements. And we are always appointments to call on their counselors. addressing member needs. At last open to suggestions for additional online Q: Are retiree ID cards being issued? year’s Foreign Affairs Day, Office Director topics. Please let us hear from you at At HR/RET will issue an ID card Cecelia A Cooper chaired a session on [email protected]. • to any annuitant in the Foreign retiree services, wliich have expanded sig¬ Q: Should I address my e-mail to a spe¬ Service retirement system. Cards are now nificantly under her direction. Expanded cific retirement counselor? being issued upon retirement. If you are services include new annuity deduction Although telephone inquiries already retired and do not have a card, options such as automatic deduction for • and regular mail should be we will issue you one on request if you AFSA membership. AFSA Retiree Liaison directed to the counselor assigned to cover provide us with the necessary photo. Ward Thompson recently asked her about your part of the alphabet, for e-mail it is Although these retiree ID cards are not some other retiree concerns raised at last better just to use the retirement mailbox, an accepted means of documentation for year’s meeting. [email protected]. This mailbox is the purpose of entering State Department Gfc At last September’s Foreign Affairs Day reviewed by four senior people in the buildings, I understand that many retirees you mentioned that your office would have office, to ensure that these communica¬ like to have a card as evidence of having a Web page. How is that coming along? tions receive timely responses. Workload been in the Foreign Service. We are I am pleased to say that changes often mean that a specific coun¬ happy to issue them as long as our work¬ • HR/RET is now included on the selor will not be available to review the load permits. □

THE FOREIGN SERVICE GOES PRIMETIME straight and quirky aspects of the con¬ AFSA Stands Ready to Help sular duties and If “Embassy” Flies personal life of junior officer BY MIKKELA THOMPSON Emma Brody. As Arija Bareikis, the AFSA governing board members and staffers attended the pre¬ star of the series, view screening and reception of the Fox-TV series pilot “The said, it is “merely American Embassy” on March 7 at the National Cable From left: Ambassadors Tom Boyatt, television,” and and Telecommunications Association. The producers and the Bill Harrop, and Bill DePree give the inside numerous liberties star of the show were on hand to discuss the appeal and authen¬ story to ‘The American Embassy” star Arija Bareikis. were taken to ticity of the fictional show with several former ambassadors as maintain a “mod” well as AFSA Governing Board members John Naland, Louise story line that will hopefully attract sufficient viewership to jus¬ Crane, Tom Boyatt, Bill Harrop, Bill Farrand and Lisa tify Fox extending the series for the frill season next fall. In that Kierens. Kierens previously served as a consular officer in event, AFSA will be well positioned to suggest to the produc¬ London, where the series is set. State Department spokesman ers varied positive treatments of the Foreign Service life and Ambassador Richard Boucher also attended. career. “The American Embassy” drew on some real (as well as con¬ NOTE: It did not fly. As we go to press, Fox has informed AFSA trived) stories from the London embassy, and depicted varied that “The American Embassy” has been cancelled. □

MAY 2002 • AFSA NEWS 9 EXPERT EXPATRIATES Melissa raised the idea of writing a book to Alma Powell wrote the foreword to the help newcomers adjust to expatriate life. book. Hess and Linderman will donate a Two Foreign Service Patricia agreed. After many months of portion of the proceeds from book sales dividing up chapters, e-mailing drafts to The Senior Living Foundation, an orga¬ Spouses Team Up back and forth between the two countries, nization that assists elderly, retired and revising and putting on the finishing Foreign Service employees and their to Write Book touches, the book is now a reality. spouses. Interested readers can leam more The Expert Expatriate is a comprehen¬ about the book at www.expatguide.info, Here’s a novel idea: write a book sive, up-to-date guidebook that provides and can order the book online through with a co-author you have never step-by-step guidance, support, and encour¬ www.amazon.com or www.intercultur- met in person, while each of you agement for anyone moving abroad The alpress.com. □ is living in a different country. This is 10 chapters give in-depth what Foreign Service spouses Melissa Hess coverage to issues such as and Patricia Linderman have done, all via moving with children, con¬ the Internet. The result of their unusu¬ fronting a new culture, al collaboration is a book called The Expert adjusting to life in a new Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful country, and preparing Relocation Abroad, which has just been for re-entry to the U.S. published by Nicholas Brealey in associ¬ Hess and Linderman draw ation with Intercultural Press. ion more than 30 years Hess, who is the managing editor of the combined overseas Associates of the American Foreign Service perience, along with Worldwide Web site, www.aafsw.org, met ecdotes and advice from Linderman through the AAFSW site’s patriates all over the e-mail group for Foreign Service family irld, to provide a clear, members. At the time, Hess was living in mest picture of the obsta- Kiev and Linderman was in Leipzig. The :s and opportunities of two started corresponding by e-mail and AFSACLASSIHEDS ■ GRIEVANCE ATTORNEY (specializing ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN areas of FS LEGAL SERVICES since 1983) Attorney assists FS officers cor¬ grievances at State, Commerce, USAID; ATTORNEY WITH 22 years successful rect defective performance appraisals, reverse MSPB; Employment Discrimination actions experience SPECIALIZING FULLTIME IN FS improper tenuring and promotion board deci¬ under Title VII and the Rehabilitation Act; and GRIEVANCES will more than double your sions, secure financial benefits, defend Privacy Act/FOIA litigation. Will write and file chance of winning. 30% of grievants win before against disciplinary actions and obtain relief your claims, complaints, and appeals, repre¬ the Grievance Board; 85% of my clients win. from all forms of discrimination. Free Initial sent you at hearings, and counsel you in chal¬ Only a private attorney can adequately devel¬ Consultation. Call William T. Irelan, Esq. Tel: lenging adverse employment decisions. Offices op and present your case, including neces¬ (202) 625-1800 Fax: (202)625-1616. in VA and D.C. Call George Elfter at sary regs, arcane legal doctrines, precedents E-Mail: [email protected] (202) 237-2047, Fax (703) 354-8734. E-mail: [email protected] and rules. Call Bridget R. Mugane at WILUESTATE PLANNING by attorney Tel. (202) 387-4383 or (301) 596-0175. who is a former FSO. Have your will reviewed E-mail: [email protected] and updated, or new one prepared: TAX ft FINANCIAL SERVICES Free initial consultation. No charge for initial consultation. M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, 307 ROLAND S. HEARD, CPA Maple Ave. W, Suite D, Vienna, VA 22180 ATTORNEY 1091 Chaddwyck Dr., (703) 281-2161, Fax (703)-281-9464 FORMER FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER Athens, GA 30606 E-mail: [email protected] NOW PRACTICING LAW IN DC/MD. General Tel/Fax (706) 769-8976 practice; estate planning: wills, trusts, living wills, PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: $1.25/word E-mail: [email protected] powers of attorney; probate administration; (10 word min.) First 3 words Bolded free, add'l • U.S. income tax services domestic relations; FS grievances. Gregory V. bold text $2/word, header, box, shading $10 • Many FS & contractor clients Powell; Furey, Doolan & Abell, LLP; 8401 Conn. ea. Ad Deadline: 20th of the month for pub * Practiced before the IRS Ave., #1100, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, Tel. 5 wks. later. Contact: Ad Mgr: Tel. (202) 944- • Financial planning (301) 652-6880, fax (301) 652-8972. 5507, Fax (202) 338-6820 • American Institute of CPAs, Member E-mail: [email protected] FIRST CONSULTATION FREE

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MAY 2002 • AFSA NEWS 11 APSACLASSIHEDS ■

ROOMMATES PREFERRED, LTD. BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT ONE bed¬ Looking for a place to live for 1 to 6 months, or room apartment,1 1/2 baths. All glass facing BOOKS longer? Have a home you would like to share? lake. Private entrance. Patio, fireplace, utili¬ Call Betsy Neal Egan at (202) 234-5789, or ties, sheets, towels, etc. Swim, fish, sail, canoe. State of Decay - An Oubangui Chronicle E-mail: [email protected] Non-smoker, No pets. 3 miles to NFATC. By Robert Gribbin A novel of diplomatic www.roommatespreferred.com Contact (703) 820-3109. intrigue, political violence, blood diamonds, witchcraft and poaching. Drawing from thirty PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: FLORIDA years experience in Africa, Gribbin weaves a Select from our unique inventory of fully fur¬ NO STATE INCOME TAX enhances gra¬ colorful tale of an African revolution. Order nished & tastefully decorated apartments & cious living in Sarasota, the cultural capital of from www.buybooksontheweb.com or toll free townhouses all located in DC’s best in-town Florida’s Gulf Coast. Contact former FSO Paul (877) BUY-BOOK. $13.95+$3.95 S&H. neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy Byrnes, Arvida Realty sales specialist, through Bottom & The West End. Two month mini¬ e-mail: [email protected] or Toll Free OLD ASIA/ORIENT BOOKS BOUGHT mum. Mother-Daughter Owned & Operated. (877) 924-9001. Lovely Sarasota is Paul’s main Asian rare books. Fax (212) 316-3408 (202) 338-3190. Fax: (202) 332-1406. focus but he can assist anywhere in the state. E-mail: [email protected] www.rentpied-a-terre.com

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12 AFSA NEWS • MAY 2002 Focus

Back in 1957, the vast majority “I’ve actually found they are less likely to sign on for a of Foreign Service officers were lifetime of non-employment than men. Until 1972, spouses were being an FS spouse an were the spouses of generations considered government employ¬ past. ees and dieir representational con¬ opportunity, career-wise, tributions were included in the FS Can An FS Spouse employees evaluations. A 1972 rather than a hindrance.” Have a Career? State Department directive ended As with so many questions that practice, leaving spouses post¬ about fire Foreign Service, die — Francesca Kelly, writer, editor ed abroad more freedom to host or it FS spouse answer is “it depends.” An infor¬ not host representational events, mal survey of FS spouses and dis¬ but not, in many countries, free to cussions with Foreign Service offi¬ find employment. cials concerned with spousal employment lead to the fol¬ Until 1972, female FS employees had to resign if they lowing conclusion: most FS spouses not part of a tandem married. Today, while tire Foreign Service still has a male couple will not have “normal” careers, but can, with a majority, the ratio is changing, and entering FS classes combination of die right skills and the right postings, are more evenly split between men and women. have a series of rewarding jobs in their chosen fields, if September 2001 data from the department show that those fields are ones that lend diemselves to Foreign todays Foreign Service is made up of about 66 percent Service life. Almost all spouses will have inevitable gaps men and 34 percent women, out of a total of 9,333 in employment as the Foreign Service lifestyle dictates employees. There are about 450 tandem couples in the frequent moves, as well as transition periods for training State Department, and an additional 81 “interagency and home leave. tandems,” in which one spouse works for another foreign FS spouse Melissa Hess says that a spouse cannot affairs agency. have a career in the traditional sense, “but spouses can Data from about 150 posts surveyed for the Family build a ‘career padi’ by taking jobs in their chosen areas Liaison Office (FLO) Family Member Employment of interest, whenever possible.” Hess has held many jobs Report in 1999 showed that 55 percent of eligible family teaching and training adult learners, and is currently the members were not working, 33 percent were working director of education and staff development at an inside the mission, five percent held jobs in education, Arlington hospital. Her overseas experience played a key one percent worked for an American company, three role in landing her this job. She’s also just published a percent were doing freelance work, and three percent book, Expert Expatriates, along with fellow FS spouse were in other kinds of jobs. Patricia Linderman. Most FS spouses today are well-educated and, in While some FS spouses find a peripatetic lifestyle many cases, just as professionally qualified in their own eidier ends or puts a significant damper on a career, oth- fields as their FS employee husband or wife. A survey ers, like Francesca Kelly, find it works well for those seek¬ from a few years ago found that 83 percent of FS family ing less traditional careers. Kelly told us, “In many ways, members had college degrees and 29 percent had I’ve actually found being an FS spouse an opportunity, advanced degrees. career-wise, rather than a hindrance, but that’s because Foreign Service spouses may be willing partners in the I’ve never felt like a true 9-to-5-er. I come from a long representation role and may spend some years not work¬ line of independent contractors, freelancers, entrepre¬ ing outside the home in order to care for children, but neurs and starving artists. I also did not want to have to work when I started producing offspring, so being an FS Shawn Dorman is the Journal’s AFSA News editor. She spouse allowed us to live on one income and I have been was an FSO from 1993-2000. Her accompanying hus¬ able to be home for tire kids.” band, Shawn McKenzie, worked in the public health field Many FS spouses choose to stay home with children during postings to Bishkek, Jakarta and Washington. for some years. As FS spouse Jan Fischer Bachman notes, “If you want to stay at home with kids, the FS

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 35 Focus

makes it possible because of perks Having a career while links to the FLO, and tire FLO site like free housing. The stay-at- does provide spousal employment homers-by-choice are probably serving as a Foreign information, many incoming FS among the happiest group of FS employees still complain that they family members.” Service spouse depends on were not informed about the Associates of the American spousal employment situation. Foreign Service Worldwide a combination of the right FLO’s Employment Program (AAFSW) President Mette Specialist Debra Thompson Beecroft, who notes that she has skills and the right acknowledged this is still a problem “made a career of not having a and says FLO is currently putting career,” explains that most FS postings. together a special guide for the spouses cannot have a regular recruiting office to use in helping career path in any occupation in which the work is better inform recruits about employment options for FS anchored in a company or a place and in which there is a spouses. It should be ready soon. prescribed progression of positions: “If people are com¬ In early 2001, the FLO published the second edition ing in with expectations of being able to have a regular of a useful book called Employment Options for Foreign career, they will be bitterly disappointed.” Beecroft said Service Family Members, which provides information on that back in 1978, when she was part of the efforts that job search techniques, portable careers and skills, feder¬ opened the FLO and established it in the department, al government employment and other employment she suggested to the board of examiners that recruits be options for the FS family member. It is available in the told more about the reality of spousal employment. She FLO office and on the FLO Web site remembers a negative response: they might lose people (www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo). The introduction is perhaps that way. a little too rosy: “Before 1972, being a Foreign Service Todays recruiters, while anxious not to paint too neg¬ spouse was a career. Today, the question is not whether ative a picture, are trying to provide more useful infor¬ a Foreign Service spouse should have a separate career, mation so people can make the right choice about but how the spouse manages a career along with the whether to join. Special Coordinator for Diplomatic other requirements of the mobile Foreign Service Readiness Niels Marquardt says, “Through pre-employ¬ lifestyle.” But in the middle of the book, the section on ment communications, we strive to portray to prospective portable careers gives a more realistic picture: “Since the employees the reality of spousal employment in the FS. definition of a ‘career means successive jobs with higher We recognize this to be tire leading issue for some poten¬ levels of responsibility and increased pay, few careers tial recruits and have no interest in misleading anyone. lend themselves to FS life. The best definition of a We say quite honestiy tiiat ‘the Foreign Service is not for ‘portable career’ might be finding employment in ones everyone — but it may be for you.”’ area of training on a regular basis.” Ray Leki, of the Foreign Sen-ice Institutes Transition The Canadian Foreign Ministry is up-front about let¬ Center, said spouses can definitely have careers, but those ting people know what the reality is for its Foreign careers are “probably not going to be tire ones they envi¬ Service. Displayed prominently on its Web site is tins sioned.” He said that on the second day of junior officer note about spousal employment, which seems just as rel¬ training, representatives from the Transition Center and evant for its American counterparts: “Continuous profes¬ related organizations spend several hours with spouses. sional employment overseas is usually not possible for “We all want our new-hires and families to start out with spouses. In many countries, despite the lifting of formal realistic expectations, but this is an area of communication barriers, it is difficult for spouses to find work due to lin¬ that is inherently problematic. It deals with aspirations and guistic and economic restrictions on the employment of expectations that are formed without context. Most peo¬ foreigners. Some spouses find salaried work with an ple will not have a good idea of what they are getting them¬ international agency, an embassy or an international selves into until after their first assignments.” school; others do volunteer work or studies related to Even though the State Department recruiting site has their careers or personal interests. Self-employment has

36 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/M AY 2002 Focus

been the approach taken by those Many spouses feel one, to put it higher on the agenda. with an entrepreneurial bent and Complicating this issue is the fact portable skills.” underappreciated and that in many countries that do have an agreement in place, there are few local The Bilaterals underpaid in their economy jobs available to spouses, In order for an FS family member and those that are available are often to work legally outside the U.S. mis¬ mission jobs. at pay far below U.S. standards. In sion while posted overseas, a “Bilateral addition, some of the official agree¬ Work Agreement” or a “De Facto Reciprocal Work ments that are in place do not function effectively, while Arrangement” must be in place for that country. A bilat¬ in some countries where no agreement is in place, FS eral is an official agreement between the U.S. govern¬ spouses are able to work outside the embassy anyway. ment and the host countiy enabling family members to seek employment on the local economy. It is established Best-Bet Professions through a formal exchange of diplomatic notes. At pre¬ Having a career while serving as a Foreign Service sent, there are 84 countries that have signed bilaterals spouse depends on attitude, flexibility, transportable with the U.S. (See chart on p. 39.) skills, strategic bidding, and luck. There are certain pro¬ The de facto reciprocal work arrangement also allows fessions that do lend themselves to the mobile and not family members to legally work on the local economy, but always predictable FS lifestyle. A basic list (not in rank the permission is not based on any official signed agree¬ order) might read like this: ment, but established by precedent. In these countries, • Teaching, training, translating/interpreting, writ¬ there is established practice for family members to apply ing/editing, Web design, Web-site management, for and receive work permits. There are 53 countries information technology, consulting and project man¬ with de facto arrangements in place. This leaves about agement, public health, accounting and finance, law, 30 countries in which we have a mission but no ait, freelancing, and home-based businesses. work agreement. There are, of course, many caveats that go with each Although the FLO supports efforts to establish bilat¬ type of occupation on die list. For example, tiiere are eral and de facto agreements with all countries, the teaching jobs all over the world, but salaries are low. FLO’s Thompson says it is the post itself that must take Wendy Schmitz, a certified K-8 teacher and FS spouse, the lead on negotiating an agreement with the foreign said, “When my husband joined the Foreign Service, we ministry of the host countiy. The FLO provides posts were told I would not have a problem finding work. To with all the necessary supporting documentation. The date this has been true. What everyone failed to tell us critical ingredients for successful completion of a bilater¬ was that I would be on a different salary tier than my al work agreement are post commitment and host coun¬ ‘international hire’ counterparts witii the same qualifica¬ try willingness. Some agreements take years to become tions.” The FLO’s Thompson confirms that teaching is final, and negotiations can be knocked off course by one of the most portable and marketable professions, but changes in host-country governments or by departure poor salaries and extremely limited benefits are consis¬ from post of whoever was taking the lead on the issue. tent problems for educators. Spouses at posts in countries without bilateral agree¬ Attorney spouses have mixed experiences finding ments complain about lack of concern from post man¬ employment overseas, and much depends on the kind of agement. It is often the Community Liaison Officer who law they practice and die specific country situation. takes the lead on negotiating a bilateral, but without sup¬ Lawyer Steve Payne, married to a former USAID lawyer port from the front office, the CLO — who does not and now practicing in Washington, told us, “There are hold an official diplomatic position — is unlikely to suc¬ opportunities for lawyers in civil society, democracy, legal ceed. Many FS employees and spouses point out that a reform and human rights programs in many countries. strong and clear mandate from Washington could The work is most suitable for lawyers witii litigation expe¬ encourage, or force, post leadership in countries where rience. In more commercial places, such as Indonesia, there either is no agreement, or where there is a faulty there are also opportunities in corporate law.” (Indonesia

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 37 Focus

is not one of the countries with a work It may never be possible beginning study of the local language. agreement in place, but that has not In certain parts of the world the spouse stopped many spouses from working for the FS spouse’s without die local language will have an outside the mission there.) extremely difficult time finding a job Writers don’t usually make a lot of career to take top on the local economy This problem money, but writing can be a rewarding seems to be most acute in countries profession that is highly portable. billing in a Foreign where Spanish or French is spoken. Some of die FS spouses who seem most at peace with Foreign Sendee life Service family. Jobs in the Mission are die writers. Francesca Kelly told Mission employment is an option us that “Nowadays, being overseas, especially in a posting for FS spouses in many posts around the world, though with reliable Internet connections, is perfect for a writer tiiese positions are, more often than not, “support” jobs — you can’t help having all tiiese incredible experiences and come with artificially low salaries. Paula Riddle, that you want to put on paper, and even the bad days are FLO’s employment program coordinator until recently, fodder for essays and articles.” Kelly, along witii Fritz told AAFSW in an interview that “We are painfully aware Galt, was the founder of die Spouses Underground of low salaries and are currently addressing this in our Newsletter, the SUN, which served to support and con¬ active working group. The Eligible Family Member nect spouses and give a forum for satire and humor. It positions were classified a number of years ago and we evolved into die Tales from a Small Planet Web site feel that many need to be reclassified.” (www.talesmag.com), which has a broader scope. Many spouses feel underappreciated and underpaid The field of public health can offer a highly flexible in their mission jobs. FSO Roger Street put it bluntly, career path for the FS spouse, offering employment or “The department more or less takes this deep and diverse consultancy options with international organizations, pool of talent for granted, tapping into it at the depart¬ USAID or USAID contracting organizations, and witii ments pleasure and assuming that tiiese folks will take nonprofit organizations. Public health professionals with anything that is offered.” expertise in traditional international health areas such as Many spouses working inside U.S. missions work on child survival, maternal health and family planning have Personal Sendee Contracts in positions that come witii no done well in developing countides, but find that jobs in benefits and that are not considered long-term positions. more-developed countries are scarce. In addition, tech¬ Others work as PITs (part-time, intermittent or tempo¬ nical skills in health education, epidemiology needs- rary appointments), who are eligible for only limited assessment, and program design are in demand in many benefits. developing countries. The good news is that many mission jobs are now According to the FLO’s Thompson, more spouses being designated Family Member Appointments as are finding ways to take their jobs with them when part of a program that started in 1998. FMAs are eligi¬ they go overseas, arranging contracts with their ble for full benefits including annual leave and retire¬ home-base employers for work that can be done ment, which accrue witii each subsequent FMA job. remotely via the Internet. Even some spouses work¬ The FLO's employment data from 150 participating ing for the federal government have found success posts in 1999 showed that of family members working with this approach. inside U.S. missions, 39 percent were on PSCs, 34 per¬ Language barriers to good jobs on the local economy cent were in FMA positions, 18 percent were in PIT can be significant for many spouses who were unable to positions, and nine percent were working for mission study the language of the country before arriving at post. recreation associations. Some FMAs fill FSO slots in Although the Foreign Sendee Institute tries to include short-staffed consular sections. However, spouses are spouses in language classes, many spouses are unable to worried that with the major increase in hiring currently study while still in the U.S. either because of a lack of under way at State and USAID, tiiese and other FMA space in a class or for financial and other reasons. Many jobs may become scarcer as junior officers retake some if not most spouses find themselves in-country before of those positions.

38 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

Namibia De Facto Morocco Cambodia Work Agreement Nepal Agreements Niger China Netherlands Austria Papua New Guinea Congo (Kinshasa) Status in Countries New Zealand Bangladesh Paraguay Cuba Nicaragua Belgium Portugal Eritrea with an American Norway Belize Qatar Fiji Presence Panama Burkina Faso Russia Guatemala Peru Burundi Senegal Holy See Bilateral Work Ethiopia Philippines Republic of Cape Seychelles Indonesia Agreements Finland Poland Verde Singapore Laos Albania Georgia Romania Central African South Africa Malaysia Antigua & Barbuda Ghana Rwanda Republic Sudan Marshall Islands Argentina Grenada Samoa Chile Suriname Federated States of Australia Greece Sierra Leone Cote D’Ivoire Swaziland Micronesia Azerbaijan Guinea-Bissau Slovakia Cyprus Syria Nigeria Barbados* Guyana Slovenia Dominican Taiwan Oman Belarus Honduras Spain* Republic Togo Pakistan Benin Hungary Sri Lanka Egypt Tunisia Palau Bolivia** India** Sweden France United Arab Saudi Arabia Bosnia- Ireland Switzerland Gabon Emirates Tajikistan Herzegovina Israel Trinidad/Tobago The Gambia Uruguay Tanzania Botswana Italy Turkey*** Germany Yemen Thailand Brazil Jamaica** Turkmenistan Guinea Uzbekistan Bulgaria Kazakhstan Uganda Haiti * Spouses Only Vietnam Cameroon Kyrgyzstan Ukraine Hong Kong Yugoslavia Canada Latvia United Kingdom Iceland Chad Liberia Venezuela Japan No Work Colombia** Liechtenstein Zambia Jordan Agreement in Congo (Brazzaville) Lithuania Zimbabwe Kenya Place Costa Rica Macedonia Korea Afghanistan Croatia Malawi * Limited number Kuwait Algeria Czech Republic Mali of family members Lebanon Angola Denmark Malta permitted to work. Lesotho Armenia Djibouti Mauritius ** Offer of employ¬ Luxembourg The Bahamas Ecuador Moldova ment required. Madagascar Bahrain El Salvador Mongolia *** Restricted Mauritania Brunei (Based on October2001 Estonia Mozambique employment fields. Mexico* Burma FLO data.)

What Is Being Done? top priority. One FS spouse, who declined to be named, What is being done for the FS spouse who wants to expressed dismay at die lack of interest she still sees have a career, including employment with each posting? from State: “State views spouse employment as some- A lot but, perhaps, still not enough. tiling to work on after everything else is done, which is State management finally seems to realize that there never.” is a connection between “recruitment and retention” — To be fair, the FLO and the otiiers tasked with work¬ priority issues for die Foreign Service under Secretary ing on this issue have a daunting task. Each host coun¬ Powell — and spousal employment opportunities. This try has different issues influencing work opportunities. appears to be leading to increased attention to spousal Each FS spouse is also unique, witii his or her own pri¬ employment. However, as die FLO s Thompson puts it, orities, goals, skills, and employment interests. FLOs “diere is no silver bullet.” efforts on the spousal employment front have expanded There are many spouses and FS employees who com¬ in recent years, and more information and assistance for plain diat State management has not done enough on FS spouses is becoming available, especially via e-mail die spousal employment front and has never made it a and the Web.

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 39 Focus

The FLOs Mexico Spouse Today’s recruiters are Global Employment Monthly is Assistance pilot program, known as published monthly for family mem¬ MESA, was established in Mexico trying to provide more bers seeking jobs overseas. City, Monterrey and Guadalajara in Network is published twice monthly 2000 to assist FS spouses seeking useful information so and is for family members seeking local economy employment in their employment in the Washington, professional fields. The assistance, people can make the D.C. area. (Subscribe to the GEM according to the FLO, “is in die fonn at www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/7236. of culturally-specific job search tips right choice about htm. To subscribe to Network, and techniques along with an estab¬ replace 7236 with 7237.) Family lished network of professional con¬ whether to join. members can find more employ¬ tacts.” The MESA program has not ment information on the FLO Web received rave reviews, however, in part because some site, and can link to related FLO publications from the family members mistakenly thought it was a job place¬ page: www.stat.gov/rn/dghr/flo/cT959.htm. FLO also ment service rather dian die less ambitious employment welcomes employment questions from family members assistance program it was. via phone: (202) 647-1076, or e-mail: [email protected]. The pilot program has been expanded into a new pro¬ gram called SNAP, the Spouse Networking Assistance A Final Reality Check Program, and is being extended to include London, Employment for FS family members has become an Brussels, Warsaw, Krakow, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, increasingly critical issue for recruiting and retaining Cairo, Buenos Aires and Santiago. There is interest FS employees as the dynamics of American society from State management in making it work, and the have changed over the last several decades and more program has received significant funding for the expan¬ and more families are two-career households. sion. Representatives from the FLO will visit each par¬ However, State and the other FS agencies will never be ticipating post this coming summer to check on the sta¬ able to ensure every spouse will have the kind of work tus of program implementation. he or she is seeking. State management has also formed a Family Here’s what the agencies can do to make spousal Member Employment Working Group made up of employment programs a priority: employee relations personnel from the FLO and relat¬ • Create as many post-specific networking and job- ed human resources offices. The group meets weekly search tools as possible (especially those accessible on to discuss spousal employment issues and the policies the Internet) so families can know the situation on the that impact on spouse employment. According to ground in every country on a bid list. Thompson, the group has come up with new ideas and • Push all posts without functional bilateral work solutions to problems, and has encouraged more open agreements to prioritize getting them in place. communication about the issue. • Provide realistic information on spousal employ¬ There are currently 162 posts participating in the ment to all recruits and new FS employees so that they FLO’s Family Member Employment Report pro¬ can make informed decisions. gram. The FAMER database is a collection of infor¬ As was true in 1957, the nature of the Foreign mation about local employment options from posts Service career still dictates that not only the FS around the world. It lists current vacancies as well as employee, but the whole family accompanying him or positions held by family members inside and outside her, represents the U.S. abroad. It may never be pos¬ the mission. Data are collected by each participating sible for the FS spouse’s career to take top billing in post’s CLO. The database can be accessed via States a Foreign Service family. But what has changed since Intranet site (http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/flo), but not 1957 is the notion that an FS spouse cannot have a via the Internet. separate and meaningful career of his or her The FLO also publishes family member employ¬ own. The real trick now is figuring out how to ment-related newsletters, now available by e-mail. The make it work. ■

40 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

GOING WITH THE FLO... A TALK WITH DIRECTOR FAYE BARNES

he Family Liaison Office, with are hired in Department of State posidons overseas, an unassuming name and a staff they are hired under a contract that gives them full T of just 14, has a mandate to 'pro¬ benefits. This has definitely made continuity more of vide services to all U. S. govern¬ an issue, and it has given a leg up to embassy employ¬ ment employees and their fami¬ ment. But for spouses who have a specific skill set, who lies posted abroad. The respon¬ are professionals and want to maintain an active career, sibilities are broad, and the con¬ it remains difficult. We continue to work to establish

stituency large — this past year, bilaterals and informal work arrangements that make it for instance, an in-house demographic study revealed possible for our family members to work on the econo¬ that there are 10,000 Foreign Service children over¬ my in a country. But just getting out tiiere and finding seas! And the Diplomatic Readiness initiative, with the job is difficult, and that’s why we have undertaken 1,200 new hires over three years, is boosting FLO’s the SNAP employment assistance project. client base sharply, Associate Editor Susan Maitra Probably the number two concern today is security learned in a talk with Family Liaison Office Director — the stress that goes with moving, and worry about Faye Barnes at her office on March 26. the safety of the environment. Since the 1998 bomb¬ Ms. Barnes came to the FLO directorship in 1998. ings in East Africa, we were all aware of transnational In overseas tours earlier with husband Richard L. terrorism. And, of course, we have all been made Barnes, a retired FAS officer, Ms. Barnes served as the much more aware of it since the events of Sept. 11. Community Liaison Office Coordinator in London, And number three, I would say, would be education Mexico City and Bonn. She speaks Spanish and of children. Its always a big concern because schools German, and previously worked in public relations. overseas are private institutions, and not all of the The Barnes have two daughters, both bom abroad. schools will have the programs that meet a family’s needs. FSJ: What are the top three problems for Foreign FSJ: The role of the community liaison officer seems Service families in 2002? to be expanding. Could you give us some background FB: The top concern, probably number one, as cor¬ on this? roborated by the McKinsey Study and other reports in FB: We laugh about this — what came first, the die last couple of years, would be spousal employment, chicken or the egg? Both the FLO and the CLO were and the expectation that many of our spouses have created, independently, in early 1978, but this office about maintaining some kind of career continuity. very quickly became the functional office for the CLO Working for die U.S. government has gotten a little program as they were working hand in glove. At its more appealing since the last time you interviewed our inception, the CLO’s responsibilities were limited to office [in 1994], because we now have somediing called welcoming and orientation and organizing social the Family Member Appointment program, adopted in events. Now there are 175 CLOs, and it’s a paid posi¬ 1998. Now, when American citizen family members tion, with eight areas of responsibility including securi-

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 41 Focus

ty liaison, education liaison, and There is a very easily. We were in fact one of the employment advocacy for all fami¬ first offices in State to get an ly members at a post. substantive role for Internet Web site, and we also have Now, when there's a crisis at an Intranet site. We have family post, the CLO will get the commu¬ the CLO today. member employment reports on the nity prepared, get the new infor¬ Intranet that can be accessed to see mation to share with them, orga¬ what kinds of jobs are available at nize a contingency planning workshop: how to get the next mission. There’s a bulletin board showing your papers in order, what to do with a pet, what to when jobs are advertised, a childcare report, and so pack in your suitcase. So there’s a very substantive on. role today for the CLO. We get a lot of direct e-mail from our Web site and One other CLO area of responsibility where we’ve through related links, such as the AAFSW’s Lifelines, seen an increase in activity is guidance and referral. that comes in to [email protected]; and we have a publi¬ People can come in and just chat informally; the cations coordinator who monitors this and directs the CLO has a pledge of confidentiality that has to be e-mails to the appropriate people in the office to posted in the office. Or, if needed, we have excellent answer. We get a lot of e-mails from new recruits as regional psychiatrists on call. well, because we are linked to the State Department’s FSJ: In December 2000 State issued a guidance Careers Web site (foreignservicecareers.gov). We get cable on assistance to individuals forming part of a a lot of emails from people thinking about joining the Foreign Service employee’s household who do not fit Foreign Service, asking questions. For evacuees, the definition of eligible family members (EFMs), FLO has set up e-mail networks to keep everybody such as aging parents, other relatives or adult chil¬ informed of what’s happening back here, give brief¬ dren, unmarried partners, gay or lesbian partners. ings, and keep them together as a community. What services does the FLO offer to such Members- FSJ: What are your plans for the future? of-Household (MOH)? FB: Well, first of all, we really want the SNAP FB: I wouldn’t say we have any specific services. program to work. We are putting a lot of effort into But when we train CLOs we do a little segment on that this fiscal year and the next. It’s an exciting pro¬ MOH, reminding them that anybody who is desig¬ ject, and, quite frankly, it’s a risky one; it’s a pilot. We nated as an MOH at your post is part of your com¬ are quite hopeful and optimistic that we’re going to munity. Whether they are elderly parents, have success, but we need to concentrate our efforts boomerang kids or partners, they should be included on that. in any of the activities you plan. At the FLO, our role Professionalization of the CLO core is another one is getting people the information they need to make of our key goals. This year we will be increasing the the right decisions. If an FSO’s partner wants infor¬ length of the CLO training from 5 to 7 days. We have mation from us, we see them like we would any other changed CLO training over the past two years to client. If an officer is taking an elderly family mem¬ incorporate a lot of new segments — for example, the ber on a tour overseas, we would, for instance, advise crisis management segment has been augmented — the employee to be sure to have insurance because and have reached a situation of information overload Medicare does not apply overseas, and the parent will for trainees. And because employment for spouses is not be eligible for medical assistance in the mission so important we are planning to spend one whole day, under our medical program. rather than just three hours as is done now, on FSJ: Since our last talk with your office, in 1994, employment issues. We will begin the extended

the communications revolution — with e-mails, training in the fall.

instant messaging and the Internet — has burst upon Finally, setting up a subscription database is some¬ the stage. How has this affected your work? thing that we’re looking at for the future, so we can FB: People can get to us much more easily, and fill the orders for our publications via the Web site we can supply people with information much more more easily. ■

42 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/M AT 2002 Focus ON FAMILY ISSUES

THE FOREIGN SERVICE SPOUSE NETWORK: A GLOBAL RESOURCE

he first words we heard were even call the post unless you paid personally for the call. “You won’t want to enroll your And even then, would the personnel officer really be will¬ T oldest child into the embassy- ing to discuss the realities of life at post candidly? supported school here — the While the thrill of the unknown is pail of the FS first graders aren’t learning to lifestyle, a little knowledge gives a measure of comfort that read.” “Don’t let GSO put you statistics, generalities and vague assurances don’t. After and your three litde children into all, who knows the outside community, the job possibili¬ that apartment building widi the ties, the cultural considerations surrounding local employ¬ open staircases and water only three days a week.” “Even ment better than the spouses on the scene? Who else can if you can type, don’t ever mention it when you’re looking describe the local schools’ weaknesses and strengths, as for an embassy job.” well as the local transportation system and the local mar¬ The year was 1983, at the stall of our first tour, and I kets, as authoritatively? And who can advise new families was welcomed and initiated with unexpected warmth what they need to bring with them to post and what they and candor into die Foreign should be prepared to order?

Service spouse network. SPOUSE NETWORKS AT EACH POST We have fewer non-work¬ Drawing on the excellent ing spouses at posts today, but ARE NOW LINKING TOGETHER advice of an experienced, their traditional role as infor¬ savvy group of spouses, we ONLINE TO FORM A CYBERSPACE mation-sources is as impor¬ chose a private school and NETWORK THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT tant as ever. Fortunately, tire found more suitable housing; FOR ALL INTERESTED IN OVERSEAS digital age has provided new opportunities for spouses to I even found a part-time job LIFE, WHEREVER THEY ARE. in my field. That first experi¬ expand and solidify their net¬ ence was my vivid introduc¬ work into a global forum. tion to the important role BY PAT OLSEN By consolidating forces spouses have traditionally and channeling energies into taken on — that of accurately assessing realities, sharing online projects, tire traditional spouse networks at each information witii one another, and working togetiier for post are now linking together to become a powerful the benefit of die entire FS community at post. cyberspace network, exchanging information and provid¬ In those distant, pre-electronic message times, howev¬ ing support for all interested in overseas life, whether they er, the spouse network’s strengdi and effectiveness were are in Washington or overseas, at small, medium or large accessible only at individual posts, and the system relied posts, all around die world. on personal contacts and everyday interactions. Post reports were typically years out of date and aimed as much Extending a Lifeline to avoid host country sensibilities as to provide useful Foreign Service Lifelines was the first electronic ven¬ information. Unless you knew someone who had served ture of FS spouses who recognized the potential for there, solid, practical, current information about other extending the information-rich spouse network into a uni¬ posts was not available until you got diere and could take fied, powerful resource and making it available world¬ direct advantage of the spouse network. Nor could you wide. Created by Melissa Hess, an FS spouse, in 1998,

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 43 Focus

the Web site was initially privately We have fewer Tales from a Small Planet (www.tales financed, expanding through contin¬ mag.com), providing an online resource ued collaboration from spouses near non-working spouses for overseas living not just for die FS, and far. Lifelines now has a perma¬ but for the world community of expatri¬ nent home on die Web site of die at posts today, but ates. Now assisted by a team of volun¬ Associates of die American Foreign teer managers, Editor-in-Chief Kellys Service Worldwide (AAFSW), their traditional role compilation includes the accurately www.aafsw.org. The articles and named “Real Post Reports”: up-to-date, resources, contributed by spouses as information-sources first-hand descriptions of what it’s like to with been-there-done-diat knowledge live in many cities around die world, of overseas living, address the practi¬ is as important as ever. written by those who have lived there. cal side of life in die Foreign Service Editor Victoria Hess (no relation to diat has traditionally been at the heart Melissa) offers a writers template to of the spouse network agenda. Managing editor Melissa encourage and simplify submissions about each post. The Hess and webmaster Kelly Midura, anodier FS spouse, “webzine” portion of Tales from a Small Planet offers propel from local to worldwide distribution die sharing of essays, fiction, poetry and humor about surviving overseas information and the posing of questions, as spouses con¬ life, a cheerful forum both for tiiose who like to read and tribute articles on their own experiences and opinions. diose who like to write. The site’s discussion group, Through the sites archives, resources remain available on abroadview, follows the ups and downs of expats who the wide variety of topics that active Foreign Service per¬ share their personal experience and perspectives. (You sonnel and families address eveiy mondi on Lifelines. can sign up from die talesmag.com home page.) An online discussion group, Livelines, is a vital pail of the site. Subscription is free, and because it is a moderat¬ Electronic Collaboration ed group restricted to family members and employees of The global electronic spouse network continues to die Foreign Service, die online discussions are direct and generate new resources, too. In March, Intercultural frank, with all participants free to address the highs and Press published The Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to lows of FS life. This private, unofficial forum is proving to Successful Relocation Abroad, widi a foreword by Mrs. be a particularly valuable resource for new hires and their Colin Powell. The two authors, Melissa Hess and Patricia families, who are full of questions and anxious to tap die Lindennan, bodi FS spouses, developed the book pro¬ resources of knowledgeable people. Information man¬ posal, exchanged chapter draffs back and forth between agement specialists have started their own online forum as their posts in Germany and Ukraine, submitted die man¬ a result of initial discussions on Livelines. (You can sub¬ uscript, and received die publisher’s acceptance entirely scribe to the discussion group by clicking on the Livelines by e-mail. In fact, die writers first met each other face-to- icon on AAFSW’s home page.) face only at a pre-publication meeting at their publisher’s Meanwhile, the Spouses’ Underground Newsletter, office. stalled by FS spouses Francesca Kelly and Fritz Galt as a Drawing from the audiors’ wealtii of experience living small print publication in 1991, has also reinvented itself overseas in die FS, The Expert Expatriate is a persuasive and expanded into cyberspace under the new name example of the possibilities opening up for FS spouses to share their knowledge and expertise tiirough both elec¬ Pat Olsen is currently in Chisinau, where her husband tronic and print communication. Authors Hess and Norm is DCM. Previous postings with their th ree chil¬ Linderman were so struck by die ease and power of elec¬ dren have included Geneva, Tel Aviv, Majuro, Oslo, tronic collaboration diat they have decided to join forces Kingston and Washington. Her article “Homeschooling as editors on a second book, Realities of Foreign Service FS Kids? It Worked for Us” appeared in the December Life, to be published by AAFSW later this year. This com¬ 2000 Journal. She also recently completed a revision of pilation of essays, written from die individual perspective The Essential Guide to Moldova, published by the of Foreign Service spouses located in posts around the International Women’s Club of Moldova. globe (who submitted their material to Hess and

44 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Focus

Linderman electronically), will The spouse network is now more accessible than we could have address such topics as spouse imagined even a decade ago, when employment, culture shock, for- more accessible than we most of us did not have e-mail. It’s eign-bom spouses, kids, pets and already hard to remember, even for transitions. It is worth noting that could have imagined even a FS veterans, the posting when we these issues are of particular inter¬ didn’t have a telephone at home, est to newcomers to the Foreign decade ago, when most of us and the days when we couldn’t Service, as well as those consider¬ check tire bank balance until tire ing a Foreign Sendee career. did not have e-mail. diplomatic snail mail crept ashore. Societal changes are increasing And for tire new generation of FS tlie need for such conduits to spouses and employees, global unprecedented levels. If spouses ever were completely communication is already a fact of life. Secretary of State content to flit from liidier to yon with dieir own options Powell’s mandate that every State desktop have Internet severely limited, they are no longer. Now many couples access will only encourage the continuing growth of an are desperately looking for ways to keep two careers thriv¬ Internet network accessible to everyone in the Foreign ing, despite the transitory and overseas lifestyle required Service. by an FS career. Similarly, single employees want and Precisely because global networking allows tire sharing expect access to such information just as much as families of questions, insights, ideas and empathy, FS spouses will and couples. continue to find innovative ways to carry on tire irreplace¬ Fortunately, the lore of the spouse network is now able tradition of the Foreign Sendee spouse network. ■

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 45 GLOBALIZATION AS POLITICAL THEATER

LOOKING AT THE QUEBEC CITY PERFORMANCE OF THIS LONG-RUNNING PLAY FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES YIELDS INSIGHTS INTO GLOBALIZATION AND ITS VOLUMINOUS LITERATURE.

BY DONNA MARIE OGLESBY

lobalization as made for media globalization literature inundating us today. Lets revisit G political theater burst onto the Quebec and see what we can see. world stage in “Seattle 2000.” Fresh, raw and shocking, the per¬ The Basic Story formance captured public attention. Quebec City, the old walled city in the French-speak¬ The whys began: Why is this hap¬ ing province of Quebec, in the predominantly English- pening? Where did it come from? speaking country of Canada, high astride the Western What does it mean? Where will it all go from here? Hemisphere, is the perfect setting for the globalization After Seattle, the spectacle went on tour playing drama. The kind of political, cultural and geographical under the media spotlight in Washington, D.C., Prague, ironies inherent in the play are built right into the set. Davos, Quebec and finally — tragically — in Genoa. The cast of characters features 33 men and one woman Admittedly, the death of a protester in Genoa rocked in suits; some 50,000 casually-clothed environmentalists, the touring company, and script changes will no doubt union workers, students, “Raging Grannies” and indige¬ be made by the time the G-8 treads the boards on the nous people; and several hundred helmeted, shielded isolated snow peaks of Kananaskis, Alberta on June 26. officers of the law, clothed all in black. Still, the questions linger from the performances to The plot is straightforward. The 33 men and one date, and the answers offered depend on the frames woman in suits — the elected heads of state and gov¬ used to view the world spinning before our filtered eyes. ernment of the 34 democratic countries of the hemi¬ Quebec City, the only walled city in North America sphere — meet behind closed doors within the walls of and the venue for the Third Summit of the Americas in Quebec’s old city to discuss tearing down the barriers to April 2001, unquestionably provided the best stage for trade between the countries in the Americas to create a this play of the new century. Why it worked so well as Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). For them, narrative and how it lent itself to interpretation provides borderless trade means prosperity, modernity and us insight into both the globalization road show and the democracy. It is good. The anti-globalization forces in tire Americas — the Donna Marie Oglesby served with USIA for 26 years, retiring thousands of environmentalists, unionists, students, in 1996 after three years as Counselor of Agency. Earlier in enraged grandmothers (also known as “Raging Grannies” her career she served as Director of Latin American Affairs or Little Old Lady Activists, LOLAs), indigenous peoples, and in embassies in Brazil, El Salvador, Paraguay, Austria and others — go to Quebec because they do not want the and Thailand. Her awards include: Edward R. Murrow trade barriers between nations removed. They insist that Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy, Presidential the only protection against multinational corporate assault Honor, US1A Distinguished Honor and the Alliance for on workers and the environment lies in the sovereignty of International Educational and Cultural Exchange Award for states. For the “antis,” unfettered trade means environ¬ Outstanding Service. Since 1997 she has been teaching inter¬ mental destruction, poverty and the eradication of cultur¬ national affairs at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. al diversity. It is bad.

46 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/M AY 2002 To prevent the anti-globalization protesters from dis¬ networks, then one might characterize the Summit of rupting the closed deliberations of the democratically the Americas as a major step on the road to the global elected leaders of the hemisphere, the government of age. That age will arrive when there is one perfectly Canada builds new, higher walls around the summit site integrated global economy — one open market — one within the old walled city of Quebec. When anti-glob¬ borderless, one-price world. alization protestors try to tear down those walls around From this perspective, apolitical technological and the closed discussion about the removal of walls, economic forces compelled democratically elected, sov¬ the officers of the law are sent in to repel them with ereign leaders to come together to relinquish some state tear gas. power. This was necessary to secure greater well-being A riot ensues. for the people who elected them by creating a larger economic space within which private forces could Audience Perspective employ the magic of the marketplace and create oppor¬ Now, we know this story because the media spotlight tunity for individuals to improve their lot in life. shone on the battle of the walls in Quebec City. It gave As Tom Friedman would say, the heads of state and great visuals — full color, close up, and moment-to- government in the Americas had no choice; they were moment — that swept round the globe instantaneously. compelled by globalization to put on a “Golden And we are all familiar with the classic story line about Straightjacket” designed by global technology and eco¬ insiders and outsiders and the walls between them. Of nomic forces and act in this fashion (see his The Lexus course, where we find the good and the evil in this and the Olive Tree). Friedman says this one-size-fits-all drama depends on our per¬ jacket shrinks politics and sonal values. makes the economy grow, But is that it? Is this all Is the globalization drama however uncomfortable the fit there is to the great globaliza¬ for certain groups. According tion drama? Is it the same old simply multinational soap opera, to neo-liberals, the concepts story with a new title? Are we stitched into the “Golden to pass it off as multinational McTheater? Straightjacket” mark the tri¬ soap opera — “McTheater”? umph of individual autonomy According to some, it’s just and market principles over that simple. state power and are the welcome consequence of Others, such as London School of Economics globalization. One can hear this view, celebrating the Professor of Political Science David Held, contend the freedom-enhancing properties of trade, in the official globalization drama is more than cliche. Held and his rhetoric of the Summit of the Americas. colleagues offer a useful guide to the meaning of the From a radical or neo-Marxist perspective, globaliza¬ globalization theatrics in their book Global tion is accurately described as a necessary product of Transformations (1999, Stanford University Press). The economic forces, but it hardly represents the triumph of professors see three distinct patterns of argument in the the individual over the state; it is, rather, the triumph of globalization debate: the first is associated with what an oppressive global capitalism that reinforces structur¬ they call the hyper-globalist school, the second with the al inequality between people within countries and skeptical school, and the third with the transformation¬ between poor and rich countries along the north-south alist school. All three perspectives were on display in divide. You can hear this rhetoric in the declarations of the battle of walls in Quebec. many protesters and read it on their signs. Neo-Marxist and neo-liberal characterizations of The Hyper-Globalist View globalization are flip sides of the same coin. Both Let’s take another look at our story. This time we will groups share the same understanding of the globaliza¬ put on “hyper-globalist” glasses and watch events unfold tion process. They both see it as a matrix in which cap¬ through the eyes of scholars of this first school. italism rules; they simply value it differently. David If nation-states have become impossible business Held calls those who hold this view of globalization, as units in a global economy and the discipline of the mar¬ an economically driven process, “hyper-globalist.” The ketplace demands that people everywhere conform to dance of the walls in Quebec City was portrayed this economic logic by “denationalizing” production, trade way in most of the media coverage because both the and finances and creating in their place transnational summit’s official rhetoric and much of the anti-global-

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 47 ization protest rhetoric framed the under tire proposed FTAA in much story in this fashion. the same way Wales and Scotiand By occupying achieved some degree of home rule Skeptical Shades from England when Great Britain Now, if we take off our hyper- the media space, the joined the European Union. If trade globalist eyeglasses and put on the walls come down in the hemisphere shades of the skeptical school — protesters framed and nation-states within the Americas reflecting the second line of argu¬ are weakened, new nation-states — a ment about globalization — we will the story for our Free Quebec for example — might see events in Quebec differently. be bom. Interestingly, die Quebec Through skeptical lenses, the consumption. separatists have already announced Summit of the Americas is not seen diey would join die FTAA. as progress along the road to one At die same time, we note that world market. The formation of an the Cree and Inuit, peoples indige¬ American free trade area does not ment, globalization is not a techno¬ nous to the land now encompassed indicate that a new and different logically driven economic process by the province of Quebec in die laissez faire global age is dawning. of integration into an actual one- state of Canada, oppose the FTAA. On the contrary, it is proof positive world framework; it is a politically They are only two of 11 indigenous that there is no such thing. It is driven fragmentation into several peoples in Quebec and although one more indication among many worlds. The drivers of this chang¬ they occupy two-thirds of the land in that old-fashioned trade blocs are ing world are not market forces; the province, they are few in num¬ being created by still-strong they are governments for whom ber. They have long wanted greater nation-states as a way to regulate power and culture matter. What sovereignty. If Quebec were to the international economy and we see today is nothing more than become a nation-state, representa¬ defend their state interests. a solidification of power by govern¬ tives of these so-called “First From this perspective, the very ments that are extending their Nations” say their interests would strong government of the United hegemony in their neighborhoods. not be served. They would prefer to States of America is trying to build By this account, some would agree be autonomous within the larger a hemispheric trade bloc to do eco¬ with Samuel Huntington’s thesis Canada. They oppose any weaken¬ nomic battle with the European that we are engaged in a clash of ing of Canadian sovereignty by Union and Asia. The real focus of civilizations, not the borderless which they might lose ground in the FTAA is not the removal of one-world of the hyper-globalizers. their struggle to retain their cultural trade barriers within the hemi¬ and political autonomy. Therefore, spheric trade zone — although that Kaleidoscopic Lenses some native Canadians — along would help the U.S. dominate the For the third and final version of with representative indigenous peo¬ region. Instead, the point is to what happened in Quebec and why ples from Brazil, Mexico and effectively create barriers around it defines globalization, we must Colombia — joined environmental¬ the hemisphere to impede remove our skeptical shades and ists and workers in protests against European and Asian economic put on new-fangled kaleidoscopic the creation of an FTAA. penetration of the Americas. Seen lenses. They move us to another These internal condicts raise an this way, the FTAA is a 21st-centu¬ plane where the whole panoply of obvious question. Despite the fact ry Monroe Doctrine. There is contradictions and ironies in the that there were as many as 50,000 nothing new there. We have seen globalization debate begins to anti-globalization protesters — American hegemony before. come into focus. including workers, environmental¬ Not surprisingly, this view of the Let’s look at the case of Quebec. ists, Little Old Lady Activists and Summit of the Americas is on display Many in Quebec would like to erect Native Americans — on the out¬ in the European media. In the con¬ sovereign walls around their province, side of the wall and only 34 demo¬ text of their own process of integra¬ separating it from the rest of Canada, cratically elected heads of state and tion into the European Union, which is English-speaking, and mak¬ government meeting inside the Europeans see the FTAA as an ing Quebec a French-speaking wall, the wall held. Why? American attempt to respond in kind. nation-state. Some Quebec sepa¬ The answer comes from the third According to this line of argu- ratists believe they will gain ground school of thought on globalization.

48 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 Professor Held calls this the trans¬ making it impossible for him to formationalist school. Their answer deliver a Free Trade Area of the is that the wall was porous and didn’t Globalization Americas Agreement without first need to be breached — the bound¬ taking it back to Congress. There, ary wasn’t really there at all in the transforms global congressional allies of the environ¬ first place. mental and labor forces could battle Thus, on some level, the anti¬ politics in ways we are to reshape it to their liking. globalization protesters knew they In similar fashion, the non¬ were engaged in theater. They only beginning governmental organizations from called it a carnival and catapulted Brazil, Mexico and Chile that co¬ teddy bears and hearts over the to imagine. hosted the People’s Summit in fence. They went to Quebec not to opposition to the FTAA were also occupy the Summit of the Americas outside the summit but inside the conference hall, but rather to cap¬ political space. Their new lease on ture media attention. The media peoples march down the streets of democracy within their nation¬ love controversy, and the dance of Quebec, did not have to join tire Black states gives them a voice at home, the walls in the only walled city' in Bloc and the Anti-Capitalist just as communication technology North America was great television. Convergence militants and throw and cheap air travel give them the By occupying the media space, the their muscles against the barricades means to carry their voices abroad protesters framed the story for our around the Summit of the Americas and network with others who share consumption. They got inside. because they, too, were already their values and interests. Being inside. They were inside because seen in Quebec in association with A New Political Space their political muscle back home in a network of like-minded people Look further. The U.S. Steelworkers the U.S. Congress had stripped the enhances their power both in the Union, which led the 50,000-strong president of fast track authority, domestic political arena and in the

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 49 global fora where their values and die casual clothes of a college pro¬ interests are at stake. fessor, I find that the kaleidoscopic The “secret” text of the FTAA It is a tumultuous glasses fit me best. I align myself was liberated from the closed delib¬ with this third camp because I no erations of the heads of state and process creating longer believe that the “suits” — government by some enterprising either corporate or state — are in mole and placed on the Internet for unpredictable change control of the forces that democracy, all to read. So now, wherever we are technology and capitalism have in the Americas or in the world, we and unexpected unleashed. Holding the next G-8 can evaluate for ourselves the merits meeting in far-off Kananaslds may and flaws of the FTAA and step into effects in a very give the host nation greater control the political space where the agree¬ over a single meeting site, but it will ment is debated, aligned with uncertain world. do nothing to make the self-selected whichever group articulates our val¬ G-8 seem more legitimate, democ¬ ues or serves our interests. ratic or fair to the uninvited, onlook- This, say the transformationalists, ing world. Seen through my not- is globalization. It transforms global necessarily-rosy refraction, global¬ politics in ways we are only begin¬ dictable change and unexpected ization is anything but a linear ning to imagine because it liberates effects in a very uncertain world. It process because over six billion politics and society, as well as eco¬ challenges each of us to sit up and human beings with appetites and nomics, from territorial limits. take notice, and refocus our sights to dreams are colliding and congregat¬ Because this transformation of iden¬ clearly comprehend the new reali¬ ing in patterns and at a velocity’ not tity and interest is happening with ties. seen before on tins planet. speed and force and depth, it is a For my part, having retired my It is going to be quite a show; tumultuous process creating unpre- diplomatic suits five years ago to don keep your glasses handy. ■

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50 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 U.S. POLICY TOWARD CUBA Is CHANGE COMING?

THERE HASN’T BEEN A SERIOUS DEBATE OVER CUBA POLICY IN YEARS. BUT THAT COULD BE CHANGING, WITH AN ADMINISTRATION READY TO TAKE ANTI-CASTRO POLICY TO NEW HEIGHTS.

BY GEORGE GEDDA

fter the first year of the Bush adminis¬ the job the previous spring and spent much of the interim A tration, there was grumbling in some period working out of a small, windowless first-floor office at Miami precincts that little had changed State. In January, he was finally able to move up to more ele¬ in U.S. policy toward Cuba. Tough gant and spacious surroundings on the 6th floor. He was the rhetoric had not been accompanied by only unconfirmed regional assistant secretary, but there was actions, prompting one disaffected no doubt that he had die unwavering support of bodi Bush Cuban-American leader to complain and Secretary of State Colin Powell. that, at least as far as Cuba policy was concerned, Bushs first Bush, of course, knows that a get-tough policy with Castro year in office looked more like President Clintons is good politics in Florida. Without die Cuban-American ninth year. vote, Bush might well have lost Florida in 2000 and would be As an example, Bush maintained the Clinton-era policy of sitting in Austin, Texas, instead of die cockpit of the free refusing to allow Americans to sue people or companies who world. As an added incentive to keep pressure on Castro, control property in Cuba confiscated from Americans 40 Bush’s brodier, Jeb, is up for re-election as Florida governor years ago when Fidel Castro took over. Hard-liners in Miami this fall. At any sign of a tolerant policy toward Castro by the and elsewhere were disappointed. But Bush, like Clinton, president, Cuban-Americans in Florida could well retaliate knew that a policy change would cause an uproar in Europe by sitting out die election, possibly delivering the governor¬ because Europeans would be the target of most of die ensu¬ ship to die Democrats. ing lawsuits. There also would be resentment among The president’s resolve on Cuba was demonstrated not Europeans that Washington was trying to impose its anti- only by his decision to stick with Reich, even though he could Castro policy on them. not be confirmed, but also by his appointment to senior posi¬ But accommodation with Havana is hardly what die tions of otiier officials with a well-documented opposition to administration has in mind. Just before Bush’s first anniver¬ Castro. These include Lino Gutierrez, a fonner ambassador sary in office, Otto J. Reich, a former ambassador to to Nicaragua, as Reich’s top deputy, and Emilio Gonzalez as Venezuela and a Miami community favorite, took charge of a Cuba specialist on the National Security Council. Gonzalez the State Departments Bureau of Western Hemisphere is a former West Point instructor who recently served at the Affairs. Witii his installation came the promise, at least, of a U.S. Southern Command in Miami. Like Reich, he and more pro-active Cuba policy. Reich’s opponents in the Gutierrez are Cuban-Americans. Senate, notably Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., had success¬ As die top official for Latin America, Reich has to keep fully blocked a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confir¬ tabs on 34 countries. He has to bone up on the finer points mation hearing for Reich on grounds that he was unqualified of a dispute with Canada over lumber imports, make recom¬ for the post. But Bush stood by Reich, granting him a recess mendations on Argentina’s efforts to overcome its financial appointment in January. crisis, and keep up-to-date on environmental problems along Reich’s long wait was finally over; he had been tapped for the U.S.-Mexican border. But how Reich handles Cuba may well define his tenure George Gedda is the State Department correspondent for as assistant secretary. He is more identified with that issue the Associated Press. than any of his predecessors. He fled the island with his fam-

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 51 ily after the 1959 revolution and, like But there me powerful currents in offered last fall to begin joint coopera¬ many others who followed the same Congress pushing in the opposite tion with Washington in fighting the path, is revolted by what Fidel Castro direction. Traditional critics of the smuggling of Cubans to the United has wrought. Partly because of Reich, embargo have been joined by many States and in combatting both drug the Bush administration projects a lawmakers from farm states who trafficking and terrorism. In March, more anti-Castro image tiian any pre¬ believe Cuba has die potential for Havana said it was holding Rafael vious administration since President becoming a significant market for U.S. Miguel Bustamante Bolanos, an Reagans early months in office, when farm products. They also favor an end alleged Colombian drug trafficker then-Secretary of State Alexander to restrictions on travel to Cuba by wanted by U.S. officials. It expressed Haig famously threatened in 1981 to Americans. Supporters of change a willingness to deport Bustamante “go to the source” of the turmoil in have banded togetiier in a “blouse to Washington if a countemareotics Central America — meaning Cuba. Cuba Working Group,” which, like the agreement with the United States Reagan eventually backed off this administration, has undertaken its were signed. But the State stand, contenting himself with more own review of Cuba policy. Department showed no interest, sug¬ peaceful ways of trying to gesting that Cuba could not be count¬ weaken Castro. The Charm Offensive ed on to be a reliable law enforcement Just how far the Bush administra¬ Castro, of course, has been watch¬ partner. tion will go in its effort to hasten ing these developments in Washington In January, Raul Castro, Fidel Castro’s demise is not clear. Not long with interest. He appears to be taking Castro’s brother and the No. 2 official after Reich assumed his duties, the steps to give encouragement to die in the Cuban hierarchy, said recent State Department initiated a review of advocates of change. He has promised visits by U.S. lawmakers and business Cuba policy to determine the extent to Cuba’s full cooperation concerning the people “have demonstrated there can which Havana has the potential to Arab and Afghan detainees incarcerat¬ be mutually beneficial rapproche¬ harm U.S. interests. One arc1 a of ed at the U.S. naval base at ment, done respectfully and without inquiry is Cuba’s reputed involvement Guantanamo, pledging to send back interfering in anyone’s internal affairs.” in terrorism. any who manage to escape. He also This prompted State Department

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52 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 spokesman Richard Boucher to say as an architect of the Cuban missile mined to block any effort by Congress that U.S.-Cuban relations cannot be crisis in 1962, his delivery of thousands that could rescue Castro from his mended by greater cooperation but of criminals and mental ly ill Cubans to plight. The most menacing proposal, rather by democratic change in Cuba. U.S. shores in 1980 and his recent des¬ as the administration sees it, relates to The issue, he said, is “the Cuban ignation by the Committee to Protect allowing Americans to travel freely to government’s continued denial of Journalists as one of the 10 worst “ene¬ the island, filling Castro’s hotels — not basic human rights.” Relations won’t mies of the press” worldwide. The to mention his depleted coffers. This, improve until Cuba has free elections, committee said Castro has engaged in officials believe, would end any hope releases political prisoners and repeals a “scorched earth assault on indepen¬ of reform and give Castro the where¬ laws that permit the imprisonment of dent journalists.” withal to resume international adven¬ Cubans who criticize the government, The signs that the U.S. Congress is turism. he said. willing to re-examine Cuba policy Over the past decade, they say, he Castro projects different images to come at a fortuitous time for Castro. has had to scale back on these cam¬ different people. He can be a Last year was a dismal one for the paigns, usually directed at the United charmer, as Sen. Maria Cantwell, D- island, with a dropoff in tourism States, because he has been too broke. Wash., discovered in January when resulting from tire post-Sept. 11 fall¬ To die extent diat he has adopted she and about 40 other women from out. Even worse, a hurricane struck reforms, including legalizing dollars Washington state visited Havana. die island on Nov. 8, devastating crops and allowing private business on a lim¬ Castro conferred with Cantwell for and causing extensive damage to hous¬ ited scale, it is because of die embar¬ two hours, leaving her anxious about ing and other structures. Beyond that, go, they say. These officials also say making her afternoon flight back Russia decided days after die hurri¬ diat Castro is as irretrievably anti- home. Showing gentlemanly instincts, cane to begin closing down an intelli¬ American now as he has been all his Castro personally escorted her to the gence-gathering facility south of fife. He has not retreated, they con¬ airport in his black Mercedes Benz. Havana, depriving Cuba of $200 mil¬ tend, from the sentiments he Don’t be taken in by such gestures, lion in annual rent. expressed in a letter he wrote to a say Castro’s critics, pointing to his role The Bush administration is deter¬ friend at age 31, in June 1958, during

Year-End Roundup of FOREIGN College Preparatory SERVICE AUTHORS Boarding School As we have done the past two years, the Foreign Service www.ConserveSchool.org ■ 866-547-1300 Journal once again w ill present a list of recenth published books by FS authors in an end-of-tiie- ENVIRONMENT V ' year special section: 'In Their Own Write. FS authors who ETHICS have had a book published either bv a commercial or academic INNOVATION publisher in the past two years (2001-2002) that has not previ¬ ously been featured in the roundup should send a cop\ of the book, along with a press Accepting release or backgrounder with information on the author, to: applications

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MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 55 ADVERTISEMENT tary communications. Vice Adm. Working Group, whose two main leg¬ Thomas Wilson, director of the islative priorities are lifting travel marketplace Defense Intelligence Agency, told restrictions and permitting private connections Congress a year ago that Cuba has the financing for agricultural sales to the means to use “information warfare or island. Direct access to our major computer network attack” to disrupt Cash sales of food to Cuba were advertisers about products and “our access or flow of forces to the services they promote in the permitted starting in 2000 but financ¬ region.” ing by the U.S. government or private Foreign Service Journal. There has been no public com¬ entities was barred. Nevertheless, ment on tire subject since then but a Cuba began importing U.S. food last Bukkehave senior official said the issue is still fall following hurricane-induced crop www.bukkehave.com alive. Castro has ridiculed Wilsons failures. As of March, total sales were Charles Smith Corp. Living suggestions as “craziness.” in tire $70 million range. www.SmithLiving.com According to a study Arkansas The View from the Hill farmers could export goods worth Chase at Bethesda www.avalonbay.com Meanwhile, the administration is $500 million to Cuba, more tiran any facing a Congress that is more dis¬ other state. California would rank Clements International posed to re-examine Cuba policy than second widr $287 million. Rep. www.clements.com any in recent memory. “Quite sim¬ George Netirercutt, R-Wash., says Diplomatic Auto. Sales ply, our Cuba policy has failed,” said Cuba is a potential $1 billion market www.diplosales.com Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., a member of for U.S. farm products. However, the Executive Club Suites the House International Relations administration maintains Cuba is too www.execlubdc.com Committee. “After 40 years, U.S. poor to be a major market. policy toward Cuba has yielded few Critics of the current no-holds- Harry Jannette International results. I tlrink it’s time to try some- barred stance toward Cuba say a www.jannetteintl.com tiring new.” new policy would be good politics Hirshorn Company, The Appearing widr like-minded col¬ domestically. Rep. Vic Snyder, D- www.hirshorn.com leagues at a news conference on Ark., says the policy should not be Laughlin Management March 21, Flake said that only guided “by a couple of counties in www.century21laughlin.com through engagement can the United South Florida.” As an example, he States promote democracy and points out that Arkansas, like Long & Foster www.simunek.com improve human rights in Cuba. He Florida, is a swing state but that sup¬ recommended an end to restrictions port for reconciliation with Cuba is Oakwood on travel by Americans to Cuba, but strong. The governor and all six www.oakwood.com offered the suggestion in a way drat House members, he says, want to Remington made clear he was not interested in see tire embargo lifted, since it “has www.remington-dc.com helping Castro. “Every American provided Castro with an excuse for State Department Federal should have dre right to see firsthand his own failed government.” Credit Union what a nress he has made of that Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., www.sdfcu.org island,” Flake said. says the embargo has done nothing to Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., promote democracy in Cuba. And he WJD Management www.wjdpm.com said it was an anomaly for dre govern¬ even questions tire mental stability of ment to bar most Americans from vis¬ the many U.S. government officials Windsor Communities iting Cuba while allowing tirenr to who, he says, “have a Castro fixation www.windsorcommunities.com visit Iran and North Korea. “By my that prevents tirenr from drinking calculation, that’s two-thirds of the rationally and reasonably.”

For more information regarding axis of evil,” Delahunt said, referring There hasn’t been a serious debate AFSA-branded products, to the description of Iran, Iraq and over Cuba policy in years, but tirat mission-related programs and North Korea by President Bush in Iris could be changing, with soft-liners in membership in the American Foreign Service Association, log onto State of tire Union address. Congress arrayed against an adminis¬ http: //www. afsa.org Flake and Delahunt are both tration that is ready to take anti- members of the House Cuba Castro policy to new heights. ■

56 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAUA1AY 2002 BOOKS

Former Yugoslav Republic of What’s In A Name? Macedonia, to avoid confusion with Randall hits his stride in the Greek province also known as Place Names: How They Define Macedonia. The World — And More the middle section of the Randall notes that when the Richard R. Randall, 2001, Scarecrow Burmese junta seized power in 1990, Press, $35.00, hardcover, 153 pages. book, when he focuses one of its first acts was to change the name of the country from Bunna to REVIEWED BY STEVEN ALAN HONLEY on the international Myanma (the subsequent change to “Myanmar” was supposedly for ease When we look at a map, an atlas or standardization of of pronunciation) — though the a globe, wherever it was produced, we United States has continued to refer tend to take it for granted that the place names. to the country as “Burma” to empha¬ borders are drawn correcdy, the vari¬ size the illegitimacy of its government. ous population centers and natural And following the 1997 ouster of landmarks are labeled accurately, and long-time dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, the depiction enjoys universal government will recognize and use, the country formerly known as Zaire approval. But as Richard Randall both at home and abroad. (capital: Kinshasa) reverted to its ear¬ explains in Place Names: How They (Incidentally, all you trivia buffs out lier identity as the Republic of the Define The World — And More, the there will be interested to know that Congo — promptly creating wide¬ achievement of such precision and the BGN — in conjunction with its spread confusion with the the standardization of place names British counterpart, the PCGN — has “Democratic Republic of the Congo,” were literally centuries in the making, also codified how we English-speak- whose capital is Brazzaville. and face constant challenges even ers transliterate Cyrillic languages The book gets off to a somewhat today. such as Russian into our Roman slow start, as Randall rather pedanti¬ Randall, who earned a Ph.D. in alphabet.) cally explains how people, places and political geography from Clark Even today, the BGN and its coun¬ things are named and depicted on University, not only has impeccable terparts around the world and at the maps. But he hits his stride in the credentials to address this subject but United Nations still have plenty on middle section, when he focuses more draws upon a wealth of professional their agendas. Like die periods fol¬ on the international aspects of the experience. In 1973, he was simulta¬ lowing die end of World Wars I and subject, including the State neously appointed the geographer of II, the post-Cold War era also caused Departments role in the process and the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency dozens of countries to change their efforts by the U.N. to standardize and the executive secretary of the names (and borders, in some cases). geographic nomenclature. And as a U.S. Board of Geographic Names, For example, the collapse of the bonus, he concludes tire volume with holding both positions until his retire¬ Soviet Union gave birth to some 15 amusing chapters listing “names in ment 20 years later. countries collectively known as die dispute” and “unusual and unaccept¬ As the author explains, the BGN is New Independent States. And the able names.” a small, relatively obscure interagency ongoing breakup of Yugoslavia into its Overall, while it addresses a rela¬ body created in 1890. It might well constituent republics over die past tively prosaic topic, Place Names is a have disbanded many years ago, were decade has created (or reincarnated) useful and interesting book — and it not for one power it alone (not the Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and not just for geography buffs, either. ■ State Department or White House, as Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and one might suppose) has: the authority Macedonia — which, at Greek insis¬ Steven Alan Honley is editor of the to decide which place names the U.S. tence, is formally known as the Journal.

MAY 2002/FORE 1GN SERVICE JOURNAL 57 IN MEMORY

of independent thought and intellec¬ television, hosting the WLS- The Foreign Service communi¬ tual courage that were so greatly Channel 7 “A.M. Chicago” show in ty offers condolences to Foreign admired and valued by Amb. Rivkin. 1967. In 1983, the Longs produced Service specialist Milton Green, Ms. Long convinced AFSA to spon¬ a medical education video, “Take his family and friends on the sor the award for “creative dissent” Charge of Your Pregnancy,” narrated tragic death of his wife, Barbara in the belief that U.S. policy is best by Candice Bergen. Green, and step-daughter served by open and rigorous debate, “She was a veiy elegant woman,” Kristen Wormsley, victims of a thus pioneering the AFSA institution said her son Robert Rivkin. “She terrorist attack on tire Protestant of “Constructive Dissent Awards.” was at home in the White House and International Church in Islama¬ Ms. Long continued to support and in the embassies and palaces of bad, Pakistan on March 17. The promote the Rivkin Award, recruit¬ Europe, and yet equally at home Journal received this news as we ing prominent individuals to serve as serving refugees in the jungles of were going to press. judges and personally presenting the Thailand and the mountains of award each year at the AFSA awards Peru.” According to her children ceremony at the State Department. and grandchildren, her constant Enid H. Long, 71, widow of Ms. Long, who also lived on reminder was: “Bloom where you Amb. William R. Rivkin, founder of Chicago’s Near North Side, was are planted! Wherever you find the American Foreign Service widely known for undertaking yourself, do your best.” Associations Rivkin Award, and humanitarian causes over the last 25 Survivors include husband Dr. humanitarian activist, died of cancer years with her third husband, John Long; two daughters, Laura Jan. 27 at her winter home in Chicago obstetrician Dr. John S. Ledford and Julia Wheeler; two Rancho Mirage, Calif. Long. The Longs were among the sons, Robert Rivkin and Charles Ms. Long (nee Hammerman) founders of the American Refugee Rivkin; a sister, Joanne Alter; 10 grew up in Glencoe, 111. Following Committee, which helps relocate grandchildren; six stepchildren; 21 graduation from New Trier High international refugees. Beginning in step-grandchildren, and one step- School in 1948, she attended Sarah the early 1970s, the Longs provided great-grandchild. Lawrence College in Bronxville, medical care and assistance in Peru, N.Y. In 1952 she left college to Thailand, Cambodia and several marry her childhood sweetheart, African countries. Three years ago, John Dreyfus, who died of cancer after her cancer diagnosis, they Frederick Dent Sharp III, 83, five years later. In 1959, Ms. Long worked in a refugee camp in retired FSO, died Dec. 14, 2001, at married Chicago attorney and Macedonia. Hospice by the Sea in Boca Raton, Democratic political organizer After her marriage to Dr. Long in Fla. William R. Rivkin, who served as 1971, Ms. Long completed her bach¬ The son of Colonel Frederick U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg elor’s degree, graduating from Dent Sharp, Jr. and Ellanor from 1962 to 1965, and to Senegal, Chicago’s Columbia College in com¬ Longstreth, he was born Sept. 3, where he died suddenly of a heart munications in 1973. She later 1918, at Ft. Sill, Okla. and spent his attack in 1967. joined the board of trustees, where primary years traveling as an “army One year after his death, in mem¬ she became known as a persistent brat” to various military posts. While ory of her husband, Ms. Long estab¬ voice for students’ concerns, and his father was stationed at Ft. Myer lished the William R. Rivkin Award served the college until illness forced he attended Sidwell Friends School for mid-level Foreign Service offi¬ her to resign. in Washington, D.C., and completed cers who demonstrate the qualities Ms. Long also had a brief stint in his secondary schooling at The

58 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 IN MEMORY

Hoosac School in Hoosick, N.Y. He Lisa Sharp Borger of Jacksonville, Clarence Adami Wendel, 89, attended Bard College (then part of Fla.; a son, Alexander Van Leer retired FSO, passed away Dec. 29, Columbia) and graduated in 1940. Sharp of Portland, Ore.; seven 2001, at Evergreen Nursing Home Mr. Sharp went to work for First grandchildren; and one great-grand¬ in Missoula, Mont, following a long National City Bank and was initially child. A requiem mass was held at struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. stationed in Buenos Aires because St. Peter’s Anglican Church in He was born in Butte on June 21, of his language fluency. World War Deerfield Beach on Jan. 9, with final 1912, to Mary Mamie Adami and II brought an abrupt end to his first interment in Arlington National Andrew John Wendel. The fourth career as he returned to New York Cemetery. of five siblings, he helped his father, and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air a stonemason, transport the large Force. Trained as an air intelligence pieces of granite to the foundry dur¬ specialist, he figured prominently in ing his teenage years. He graduated the success of the Italian campaign William E. (“Bill”) Wanamaker, in 1930 from Butte High School at the Po River and retired as a cap¬ 62, retired FSO, died Nov. 7, 2001, of with honors, which he continued to tain at the conclusion of the war. a heart attack at his home in Sanibel, achieve during his years at the Butte Mr. Sharp then embarked on a Florida. School of Mines, earning a B.S. in long career in the Foreign Service A native of California, Mr. mining engineering and an M.S. in that took him all over Latin Wanamaker graduated in 1960 from geological engineering. America, Spain and North Africa. Cal-Poly Pomona with a degree in Following graduation he traveled He held a variety of positions rang¬ business administration. He worked from mining town to mining town, ing from economic development to for the state of California in the wherever work could be found in nation-building, political-military administrative management area those Depression times. In 1938 he affairs and intelligence, eventually prior to accepting an assignment in married Helen Ciller of Grass rising to the position of DCM. His the Foreign Service with USAID Valley, Colo. They had two sons, proudest achievement in 26 years of in 1967. Terence Barton and Tracy Ciller. service was his position paper on the Mr. Wanamaker began his USAID During this period of his life, he was strategic insignificance of the career in personnel management, but offered a position at the Office of Panama Canal after the advent of later moved into general administra¬ Price Administration in Washington, the super aircraft carrier. tion, serving as executive officer the D.C. Shortly thereafter, his wife In 1973, Mr. Sharp was awarded last several years prior to retirement. died of nephritis, leaving him to the Superior Service Medal and He was assigned to seven countries, raise his two small sons. retired from the State Department. including Vietnam, Afghanistan, In 1947, Mr. Wendel joined the He returned to his initial banking Kenya, Yemen, Somalia, Nepal and Department of State as an interna¬ profession, joining the National the Philippines (twice), as well as tional mineral and nuclear energy Savings and Trust Company in Washington, D.C. He retired in 1994, specialist. This paved the way for a Washington, D.C. After retiring for but continued consulting with USAID long career of overseas appoint¬ a second time in 1983, Mr. Sharp on an intermittent basis, mostly in ments in various capacities. In lived briefly in Irvington and then Eastern Europe, until his death. 1951, he was sent to Bonn as con¬ Reston, Va. before finally settling in After retirement, he enjoyed life sultant to the U.S. High Yarmouth, Maine in 1985. In 1995, to the fullest. He was an avid scuba Commissioner in occupied West Mr. Sharp made contact with an old Divemaster, artist (using oil as his Germany. Foreign Service friend, Suska medium), ultralite plane pilot, When that work was completed, Massey, and the two were insepara¬ active tennis player, race walker (he he returned to the United States ble from that point on. They usually won any event he entered), with the boys and settled in enjoyed the warmth and social life and ham radio operator. Washington, D.C., where he found of South Florida where both were He is survived by his wife of 29 a position with the National active members in the Boca Raton years, Linda Hooper, who is also Academy of Sciences. It was at this International Club. retired from the USAID Foreign time that he met Nancy Nickerson Besides Ms. Massey of Boca Service; two daughters, and Ford, a divorced lady with three Raton, Mr. Sharp leaves a daughter, his father. sons. In time they decided to meld

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 59 I N M E M 0 R V

their families of boys, and married University of California with a Service, and served proudly as an in 1959. degree in anthropology, Mr. officer in Istanbul and Ankara, Hungering to return to the Stevens entered the Foreign Turkey; Hong Kong; and Foreign Service, he applied for and Service as a junior officer in 1956. Washington. In 1967 he retired received a posting with the He served in Mexico City, Seoul, from the Foreign Service to serve as Department of State to Ankara, Yokohama, Barranquilla, Vancouver, assistant dean of the Graduate Turkey, for a period of eight years as F rankfurt, Vienna, London, School at the University of Regional Minerals Attache for the Ciudad Juarez, Tokyo, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mr. Gustin Middle East. His travels took him to Caracas, as well as in Washington, was a former president of the Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and retired in 1985. Most of his United Nations Associations Pakistan, and Israel. service was in the consular field, Wisconsin Chapter. Following the end of his tour in and he was consul general at his last His wife of 57 years, Madge Turkey, he was posted to Rio de three posts. (Kenneda) Gustin, and his brother Janeiro until his retirement in Mr. Stevens is survived by his John preceded Mr. Gustin in death. 1974, at which time the family wife Soonai, whom he married in A Mass of Christian burial took returned to the United States to 1960, his daughter Susan Robinson, place on Jan. 22 at Roncalli settle in the Rattlesnake Valley in his son David, and his dog Jessica. Newman Center in LaCrosse, with Missoula. There he found time to interment at Green Mound enjoy his hobbies of fishing and Cemetery in New Amsterdam, Wis. hunting. He also enjoyed working Mr. Gustin is survived by his sis¬ with Friends of the Rattlesnake Mary Elisabeth Bagnal, 75, ter Elizabeth Hinkley of Portage, and several other environmental wife of retired Foreign Service spe¬ Wis.; sons John, Lawrence, committees. cialist John E. Bagnal, died Jan. 7 at Thomas, Frederick, and Richard; Mr. Wendel was preceded in Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. fol¬ grandchildren Kennedri, Melissa, death by his first wife; two brothers, lowing complications after recent Matthew, David, Michael, Johanna Herbert and Clifford; two sisters, surgery. and Kate; great-grandchildren Helen and Ruby, who also died of Mi's. Bagnal accompanied her Christian and Gabriel; and three Alzheimer’s disease; son Tracy; and husband on assignments to Japan, nieces and nephews. a grandson, Barton Ciller of Silver Germany, Bulgaria, the Philippines Spring, Md. and Hong Kong. She is survived by At Mr. Wendels request, there her husband John of Arlington, Va., was no formal service. Cremation her son John E. Bagnal, Jr., her Charles ‘Gray’ Bream, 87, has taken place, and there will be a daughter Menefee and her brother retired FSO, died Dec. 8, 2001, in gathering of family at a time conve¬ John Sasfai. Arlington, Va. nient for all, at which time his ashes Mr. Bream was born in Albion, will be scattered in the Rattlesnake Ind., son of the late Rev. Charles S. Wilderness Area he loved so dearly. and Margaret (Lott) Bream. He He is survived by his wife, James Ragan Gustin, 86, graduated from Midland College in Nancy, of Missoula; sons Terence, retired FSO, died at Martin Luther Nebraska, and went on to receive his Charles, John, and Richard; and Manor in Bloomington, Minn, on doctorate from the University of grandsons Christopher, Cory, Basil, Jan. 19. He was a devoted husband, Chicago in 1941. He joined the Elliot, Stephen, and Geoffrey. beloved father, grandfather and Foreign Service and from 1941 to great-grandfather. 1948 served as vice consul in Halifax, Mr. Gustin graduated from the Godthaab (Greenland), Stockholm U.S. Naval Academy in 1937, and and Copenhagen. He returned to Franklyn E. Stevens, 74, was a decorated combat veteran of Washington in 1948, and in 1952 retired FSO, died on Jan. 24 in World War II Pacific Theater cam¬ married Eleanor Harbison. Bellingham, Wash. paigns. He retired as a captain in Following his wedding, he was post¬ Following service in the U.S. the U.S. Naval Reserve. In 1947 ed to Dacca, and thereafter served Army and graduation from the Mr. Gustin joined the Foreign in Amsterdam and Bonn.

60 FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL/MAY 2002 / N M E M 0 RY

In 1960, Mr. Bream was named vate practice as an attorney, and was USS Pensacola, which suffered chief of the Western and Southern county district attorney from 1951 heavy battle damage. European Division of the State to 1955. Nick joined the Foreign Service Department, serving also as deputy He served the U.S. government in 1947, the same year he married director of the Office of Research for 25 years, as both a civil servant Jean-Louise Naffziger, and together and Analysis for Western Europe. and FSO. Following almost a they explored the world. His first He was posted as a political officer decade of government service with, assignment was in Karachi, capital to Geneva in 1966. After retire¬ first, the Agriculture Department of the newly created state of ment from the Foreign Service in and later the Housing and Home Pakistan. Subsequently, he served 1968, he taught history and political Finance Agency, Mr. Newton in Calcutta, where two of his chil¬ science at Loyola University in joined the Foreign Service in 1958. dren were born. He was posted to Chicago for several years. He served with the International Baghdad for two years before and Going to Nags Head Beach in Cooperation Administration in during the Iraqi revolution in 1958, North Carolina, visiting the Tetons, Port-au-Prince from 1958 to 1961. and subsequently to Jeddah. For and hunting and fishing were From 1962 until his retirement in five years he was Deputy Chief of among Mr. Breams great loves. 1974, Mr. Newton served with Mission in Tehran, and then His wife of 49 years preceded USAID in Bolivia, Brazil, Vietnam returned to Saudi Arabia as United him in death: Eleanor Harbison and Washington, D.C. States ambassador from 1970 to Bream died at age 86 on Aug. 2, He is survived by his wife 1973, when he retired from the 2001, of pneumonia at the hospital Mignon W. Newton of Klamath Foreign Service. in Arlington, Va. Mrs. Bream was Falls, Ore.; four daughters: Carolyn Returning to San Francisco, he cremated, and her cremains are Gueffroy, Mignon Kirishian, became absorbed in activities that interred at Highland Cemetery in Elizabeth Von Gunten, and Victoria drew on his knowledge of the Casper, Wyo. beside Mr. Breams. Dulaney; seven grandchildren; and Middle East. He was employed for Two sisters, Ruth Reeder and seven great-grandchildren. several years as vice-president in Sarah Dissette, and one brother, the International Department of Howard Bream, also preceded him Wells Fargo Bank and also taught in death. undergraduate seminars on the Survivors include Mr. Bream’s Nicholas Gilman Thacher, 86, Middle East for several years at stepmother, Noma Bream of retired FSO and former ambas¬ Stanford University. He gave many Casper; and numerous nieces and sador to Saudi Arabia, died at a San public talks on the Middle East. An nephews, great-nieces and Francisco hospital on March 11 of ardent student of international grand-nephews, and great-great- pulmonary fibrosis. affairs, he served for two years as nieces and -nephews. The family is A native of Kansas City, the president of the World Affairs planning a celebration of life in Missouri, Nicholas Gilman Council of Northern California and early summer in Casper, and Thacher was the son of John H. was a member of its board of requests that memorials be made to Thacher and a descendant of the trustees. He served on the boards a charity of the donor’s choice. Thachers who had settled in of many organizations concerned Kansas after the Civil War. His with the Middle East and the wel¬ mother, Edith Gilman, was from fare of its people, and, most recent¬ Cambridge, Mass. Nick was a ly, the American Near East Refugee George P. Newton, 89, retired graduate of Lawrenceville School, Aid. FSO, died Nov. 28, 2001, of a heart Princeton University and Fordham A season ticket holder of the San attack in Klamath Falls, Ore. He University Law School. His early Francisco Opera for 25 years, Nick had been ill for some time with employment was with Banker’s also enjoyed music and theater. He Alzheimer’s disease. Trust Company in New York. pursued his wide-ranging intellec¬ Mr. Newton received his law Entering officer training school at tual interests as an active member degree in 1949 from the the outset of World War II, of the “Chit-Chat” Club. Although Northwestern College of Law in Nick spent four years on a Nick traveled the world, he shared Portland. He then went into pri¬ cruiser in the South Pacific, the his wife’s love of The Cedars, a

MAY 2002/FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 61 / N M E M 0 R Y

retreat near Lake Tahoe, and spent many happy summers there among Year-End Roundup of family and friends. A memorial service was held FOREIGN SERVICE AUTHORS March 21 at Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church in San Francisco. As we have done (he past two years, the Foreign Service Journal For those wishing to make a memo¬ once again will present a list of recently published books by FS rial gift, the family suggests Grace authors in an end-of-the-vear special section: "In Their Own Cathedral Episcopal Church in San Francisco, the American Near East \\rite. FS authors who have had a book published either bv a Refugee Aid in Washington, D.C., commercial or academic publisher in the past two years (2001- or the Tenderloin Neighborhood 2002) that has not prev iously been featured in the roundup Development Corp. in San should send a copy of the book, along wit 11 a press release or F rancisco. backgrounder with information on the author, to: In addition to his wife of 54 years, Jean-Louise, Mr. Thacher is survived by three children, all in Susan Maitra California: Edith Thacher Associate Editor of Sacramento, Scott of Costa Foreign Service Journal Mesa, and Adam of Piedmont. 2101 E Street, NW Mr. Thacher also has six grand¬ Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 children. ■

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Colombian Pet Tricks

BY JULIET GOLE

The next time Miss Colombia in a most organized fashion to pick appears on David Lettermans show, The pooch up the next client. I hope she will present an alternative Once I saw the most amazing ani¬ view of her capital city. Yes, Bogota emerged in the mal feat I’ve ever seen outside of has a bad rep; images of Bogota Letterman s “Stupid Pet Tricks.” An surely conjure up visions of violence. lobby alone, open-backed pickup full of large, Que pena — such a pity — as they happy, panting dogs, drove past me. say here. But why focus on drugs, walking himself. Some of them stood, others sat, but violence and kidnapping when one none tried to jump out. The little can discuss more pleasant things, truck pulled up to an apartment such as puppy dogs? building and the driver got out. He Colombian dogs are well-loved opened the back, and a single black members of the family. Every morn¬ Lab leapt out while all the other ing, evening and weekend, one can behind.” And many people actually puppies stayed put. The driver wander through the grassy, tree- do! Many of the people who walk the waved his arm toward the door, and lined parks of northern Bogota and dogs and clean up after them are not the dog trotted toward the entrance see purebred, stunningly healthy, just uniformed maids and profes¬ of the building. The doorman vibrant, and exceedingly well-man¬ sional dog walkers, but also my opened the door to allow the resi¬ nered pooches exercising with their wealthy neighbors themselves. dent pooch in. Meanwhile, the dri¬ wealthy owners. Colombians of all In the morning, I see a pack of ver closed the back of the truck and ages dress in workout clothes to puppies come to my building to get drove on to the next customer’s resi¬ walk, jog, bike, and socialize along the chocolate Lab who lives upstairs. dence. the paved paths. Others perform tai A boxer, a terrier and a couple of A few minutes later I saw the chi or yoga in the sun. Meanwhile, retrievers lie on my front step, same truck. It seemed the driver their tail-wagging children socialize, patiently waiting beside their adult was both picking up and dropping rolling on the ground, chasing each caretaker. The doorman calls off. He instructed the large white other, play fighting, sniffing.... upstairs to let the Labs owner know pup that he had just retrieved from My wealthy Colombian neighbors that the doggys friends and walker the apartment building to pee on a are wonderful, friendly, polite peo¬ have arrived. The owner puts one tree, which it did. Then he opened ple and these tendencies extend to end of the leash on the collar and the up the back and the doggie jumped their pets. Signs have been planted other end in tire dog’s mouth. She in to join his friends. They all drove in public areas and in front of apart¬ then puts him into the elevator alone off happily, ready for either their ment buildings instructing people to and presses the button for the romp in the fresh air or for their ride “pick up what your pets leave ground floor. The pooch emerges in to their respective homes. How can the lobby, walking himself. The you not love a city in which you see Juliet Gole is a vice consul on her first doorman opens the door, the waiting pickups full of smiling, well-behaved tour in Bogota, The stamp is courtesy animals calmly stand up, the new¬ doggies going for a ride to the park? of the AAFSW Bookfair “Stamp comer gives the others a good morn¬ Letterman should come and see for Comer. ” ing genital sniff, and they all walk off himself. ■

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