PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION MARCH 2014

TELLING OUR STORIES THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

BALKAN DREAMS

A QUOTE FOR MY MARQUEE

FOREIGN March 2014 SERVICE Volume 91, No. 3

AFSA NEWS FOCUS F. Allen “Tex” Harris Receives Human Rights Award / 45 Telling Our Stories: State VP Voice: Working to The Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection / 23 Make Travel Easier / 46 Excerpts from the oral histories of six diplomats, one from each decade from USAID VP Voice: ePerformance Is On the Horizon / 47 1940 to 2000, give a flavor of the challenges, as well as the lighter moments, of a Foreign Service career. AFSA President Meets FS Retirees / 48 COMPILED BY SUSAN B. MAITRA Memorial Plaque: 1940s—Diplomat and World War II Heroine The Forgotten, Found / 49 CONSTANCE RAY HARVEY A Thought Experiment / 50 1950s—The McCarthy Witch Hunt: Who “Lost” China? AFSA Welcomes Spring Interns / 51 AFSA Tax Guide JOHN S. SERVICE 2013 Correction / 51 1960s—More Talk than Peace AFSA Kicks Off 90th PHILIP C. HABIB Anniversary / 52 Life in the Foreign Service / 52 1970s—Nixon Goes to China Upcoming Events / 53 CHAS FREEMAN ASFA Supports Volunteerism / 54 1980s—Stranded in Siberia Celebrating Amy Ostermeier / 54 EILEEN MALLOY Active After Active Duty: A Desire to Serve / 55 1990s—Prelude to Disaster PRUDENCE BUSHNELL COLUMNS President’s Views / 7 FEATURES Are Social Media Overrated? BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN Some Dreamers of the Impossible Dream / 35 Letter from the Editor / 8 Is it possible that the various ethnic groups in the Balkans might finally Coming Home be in the process of overcoming the region’s fractious history? BY SHAWN DORMAN BY JAMES THOMAS SNYDER Speaking Out / 19 Hispanic Representation at A “Trailing” Spouse? / 40 USAID: Why So Low for So Long? A millennial commentator shares her reaction to joining the ranks BY JOSÉ GARZÓN of the Foreign Service community. Reflections / 77 BY JESSIE BRYSON A Quote for My Marquee BY DONALD M. BISHOP

DEPARTMENTS Letters / 9 Talking Points / 14 Books / 57 In Memory / 61 Local Lens / 78

MARKETPLACE On the cover: “Ben Cool,” the iconic emblem of the Association for Diplomatic Classifieds / 68 Studies and Training, is the model for our main cover image, designed by Jeff Lau. Real Estate / 72 Benjamin Franklin, the “First American” and America’s original diplomat, remains Index to Advertisers / 76 a source of inspiration for today’s practitioners.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 5 FOREIGN SERVICE

Editor Shawn Dorman: [email protected]

Managing Editor Susan Brady Maitra: [email protected]

AFSA News Editor Donna Ayerst: [email protected] CONTACTS AFSA Headquarters: LABOR MANAGEMENT Ad & Circulation Manager (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 General Counsel Ed Miltenberger: [email protected] State Department AFSA Office: Sharon Papp: [email protected] Art Director (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 Deputy General Counsel Caryn Suko Smith USAID AFSA Office: Zlatana Badrich: [email protected] (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 Labor Management Specialist Editorial Intern FCS AFSA Office: James Yorke: [email protected] Bret Matera (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 Senior Staff Attorney Neera Parikh: [email protected] Advertising Intern GOVERNING BOARD Staff Attorney Yuting “Cibil” Lu President: Raeka Safai: [email protected] Robert J. Silverman; [email protected] Contributing Editor Staff Attorney Secretary: Angela Dickey: [email protected] Steven Alan Honley: [email protected] Andrew Large: [email protected] Treasurer: Hon. Charles A. Ford; [email protected] Labor Management Counselor Editorial Board State Vice President: John Long: [email protected] Matthew K. Asada; [email protected] Jim DeHart, Chairman Executive Assistant USAID Vice President: Hon. Gordon S. Brown Elizabeth Lee: [email protected] Sharon Wayne; [email protected] Stephen W. Buck USAID Senior Labor Management Adviser FCS Vice President: Ruth Hall Douglas Broome: [email protected] Steve Morrison; [email protected] Maria C. Livingston USAID Staff Assistant FAS Vice President: Richard McKee Chioma Dike: [email protected] Beth Payne David Mergen; [email protected] John G. Rendeiro Jr. Retiree Vice President: MEMBER SERVICES Duncan Walker Lawrence Cohen; lawrencecohenassociates@ Member Services Director Tracy Whittington hotmail.com Janet Hedrick: [email protected] Clayton Bond (AFSA Governing Board liaison) State Representatives: Deputy Director, Member Services and Events Clayton Bond Kristy Pomes: [email protected] Everett “Alex” Copher Coordinator, Retiree Counseling THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Todd Crawford Todd Thurwachter: [email protected] PROFESSIONALS Chuck Fee Associate Coordinator, Retiree Counseling The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), 2101 E Ken Kero-Mentz and Legislation Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is published Elise Mellinger Matthew Sumrak: [email protected] monthly, with a combined July-August issue, by the Nancy Rios-Brooks Administrative Assistant and Office Manager American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a private, Sue Saarnio Ana Lopez: [email protected] nonprofit organization. Material appearing herein repre- sents the opinions of the writers and does not necessarily Michael D. Thomas COMMUNICATIONS represent the views of the Journal, the Editorial Board or Lillian Wahl-Tuco AFSA. Writer queries and submissions are invited, prefer- David Zwach Director of Communications ably by e-mail. The Journal is not responsible for unso- USAID Representatives: Kristen Fernekes: [email protected] licited manuscripts, photos or illustrations. Advertising Andrew Levin Director of New Media inquiries are invited. The appearance of advertisements Ásgeir Sigfússon: [email protected] herein does not imply endorsement of the services or Jason Singer Publications Manager goods offered. Journal subscription: AFSA member–$20, FCS Representative: included in annual dues; student–$30; institution–$40; Barbara Farrar Shawn Dorman: [email protected] others–$50; Single issue–$4.50. For foreign surface mail, FAS Representative: Mark Petry Online Communications Specialist add $18 per year; foreign airmail, $36 per year. Periodi- IBB Representative: Andre de Nesnera Jeff Lau: [email protected] cal postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional Special Awards and Outreach Coordinator mailing offices. Indexed by the Public Affairs Information APHIS Representative: VACANT Perri Green: [email protected] Services (PAIS). Retiree Representatives: Marshall Adair Speakers Bureau Director E-mail: [email protected] Hon. David Greenlee Thomas Switzer: [email protected] Phone: (202) 338-4045 F. Allen “Tex” Harris ADVOCACY Fax: (202) 338-8244 Hon. Edward Marks Advocacy Director Web: www.afsa.org/fsj STAFF Javier Cuebas: [email protected] © American Foreign Service Association, 2014 Executive Director Senior Legislative Assistant Ian Houston: [email protected] David Murimi: [email protected] PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Executive Assistant to the President SCHOLARSHIPS Patrick Bradley: [email protected] Postmaster: Send address changes to Scholarship Director AFSA BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Lori Dec: [email protected] Attn: Address Change Director of Finance Scholarship Assistant 2101 E Street NW Femi Oshobukola: [email protected] Jonathan Crawford: [email protected] Washington DC 20037-2990 Controller Kalpna Srimal: [email protected] Assistant Controller Cory Nishi: [email protected] www.afsa.org

6 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL PRESIDENT’S VIEWS

Are Social Media Overrated?

BY ROBERT J. SILVERMAN

n the spirit of creative dissent, which animates all of us in AFSA, let’s take a My main concern is that we just don’t look at the utility of social media as a know how effective these social media Idiplomatic tool. really are for diplomacy. Yes, this is serious heresy. Twitter and Facebook are important, we are reminded daily, sometimes along with Social media can enliven our policy American-style celebrity culture. The the minor deities of YouTube and Insta- messaging with new forms and ensure we puffed-up holiday letters from friends is gram. I enjoy them for their entertain- reach online audiences. the beloved, old-fashioned counterpart; ment value, and appreciate their utility in All true. but those come only once a year. disseminating linked longer pieces and My main concern is that we just don’t In the realm of public diplomacy, by signaling informal messages; but I still know how effective these social media attempting to exploit public curiosity have concerns. really are for diplomacy. They may offer about diplomats, Facebook and Twit- I commend the State Department for no more than marginal or superficial ter may unintentionally reinforce an using social media to expand our over- ways of influencing foreign audiences. unattractive self-regard (“Look, here’s seas audiences. But overemphasizing this (Note: I am not addressing here their what I did today!”) that doesn’t necessar- tool may come at a cost to hours spent value for intelligence purposes.) ily advance any U.S. policy message or in face-to-face interchanges, prefer- For instance, an Egyptian organizer of value. ably in local languages. That’s where we the 2011 Tahrir Square protests told me Finally, there is social media’s develop the type of trusting and commit- she dismissed Facebook for mobiliza- demand for constant input—otherwise ted relationships needed to advance U.S. tion in her country. A distinct minority your short-attention-span followers and interests. of Egyptians are online, she noted; and friends could go elsewhere. If one is faced The utility of social media is the kind Facebook was not a key factor in getting with a need to send three or four tweets a of issue that deserves more space for the million-plus people to the Square day to keep one’s audience, doesn’t that discussion than Twitter’s 140 characters, and keeping them there, or in sparking lend itself to trivial messaging? or even this column’s 600 words, and I protests elsewhere in Egypt. In short, social media are fun and welcome your feedback. Perhaps the main harm with spending relatively new tools whose full utility is as So, let’s take a moment to admit how daily time drafting Facebook posts and yet unclear. I hope that in our fascination much fun it is to stay in touch with friends tweets is the lost opportunity to get out with the new we don’t lessen our focus from former posts over Facebook and to and meet contacts and engage foreign on the proven, effective work of direct follow our ambassadors and audiences, as well as exchange outreach to key contacts and audiences. principals over Twitter. At their ideas with one’s colleagues and Doing that well is more satisfying and best, tweets offer a haiku-like staff. Those are well-established fun. artistry of messaging. ways of making an impact and Be well, stay safe and keep in touch. Following news on Face- influencing others. Bob book and Twitter can save us Here is another concern. [email protected] n time, by providing a daily take My wife doesn’t use Facebook curated by others we trust, because it reminds her of instead of visiting dozens of websites. Robert J. Silverman is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 7 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Coming Home

BY SHAWN DORMAN

am honored and humbled by the landing safely onto a sheet of ice—a day opportunity to serve as the editor of The early with one hour’s notice. Foreign Service Journal. The problem (other than not being I When I was a first-tour officer in consulted about the article) was the FSJ building greater synergy with other AFSA newly independent Kyrgyzstan in the typo. My sentence—“Most people appear publications and media, and continue to early 1990s—before reliable Internet to like President Akayev”—had been take on the tough issues. access, blogs and regular e-mail, when a changed to “Most people do not appear As editor of this 90-year-old publica- phone call cost $3 per minute—I saw The to like President Akayev.” The ambassador tion, my primary aim is to make sure that Foreign Service Journal as a lifeline (even was contacted by the foreign minister. AFSA’s tag line—“The Voice of the Foreign if it did take three months to arrive by Thankfully, no real harm was done; but it Service”—actually plays out in the pages pouch to neighboring Kazakhstan, only struck me at the time, as it does now, that of the Journal. The magazine is both for to sit awaiting a Bishkek vehicle to make a small but well-placed magazine can get you and about you. the trek over the mountains to fetch it). noticed and spark discussion! TheJournal occupies a unique space. I appreciated the Journal then, as I As a former Foreign Service political It is an in-house publication for the pro- do today, as a connection to home, to officer and AFSA veteran with a dozen fession and union, with our AFSA News Washington, to colleagues far and wide years’ experience as an FSJ editor and FS department regularly covering associa- and to the Foreign Service issues of the Books editor and publisher, I feel ready for tion business. At the same time, it is an day. I also felt the connection to AFSA in this job. I can promise to build on Steve outward-facing platform for discussion of the background, there just in case. I didn’t Honley’s track record, with commitment the profession and the role of the Foreign know much about what AFSA did for us and dedication to the magazine, our read- Service in diplomacy and development. members other than send the Journal, but ers and authors, and our elected AFSA The military has dozens of publications for me that was enough. leaders. and institutions for their own to share That sentiment held in spite of an As you know, diplomacy is one of the perspectives on their role in world events unfortunate miscommunication with the most interesting and least understood and foreign affairs. The Foreign Service, magazine in 1993, when I shared a copy professions. Doing outreach related to not so much. As AFSA’s flagship publica- of a letter home with the FSJ editor to ask AFSA’s Inside a U.S. Embassy books, I’ve tion—nonprofit and nongovernmental— if she might be interested in “this type” of given talks about the Foreign Service at the Journal is in an ideal position to air story. universities and high schools, and at the perspectives from inside and outside the I didn’t get a response, but about U.S. European Command. I have seen foreign affairs agencies. five months later an issue of the Journal firsthand the utility of sharing Foreign Together, we can use The Foreign showed up featuring an excerpt from Service experience and views. Service Journal to share ideas, help raise my letter. It was a somewhat wide-eyed Under the upgraded and expanded awareness and, potentially, even move the account of Embassy Bishkek’s early days, AFSA Communications umbrella, our conversation forward. I invite you to write including my third week on the job, serv- small team will do its utmost to maintain for these pages; after all, they are your ing as airport control officer for a 24-hour high standards and take the magazine pages. Please be in touch with your ideas visit from then-Vice President Al Gore. to the next level. Specifically, we want and your submissions. You can always Prevented by fog from landing in Almaty, to establish a more robust online pres- reach me at [email protected]. Air Force Two had headed to Bishkek, ence for Journal content and discussion, I look forward to working with you. And I promise to let you know before we Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. put your article into print! n

8 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LETTERS

A Rich Legacy age; and a more So Much for Merit Steve Honley fully deserves subtle, but still I was one of the naive souls mentioned all the praise he has received important, change by George B. Lambrakis in his Decem- for the 12½ years he in character from a ber 2013 Speaking Out column, “A Plea dedicated to refining and relatively autono- for Greater Teamwork in the Foreign enriching the content of The mous publication Service.” In it, he observed that “Failure Foreign Service Journal— (though obviously to manage one’s career in a way that longer than any previous closely affiliated maximizes the chances of rapid promo- editor-in-chief except with AFSA) through tion, and simply trusting the system on Shirley Newhall three which Foreign Ser- its own to reward one’s performance, can decades earlier. vice personnel can now lead to premature retirement.” During my 10 years express themselves Failure to cross the Senior Foreign as an FSJ Editorial Board in print, into a policy Service threshold led to my own prema- member, six of them as instrument with ture and involuntary early retirement in chairman, I became a great admirer of First closer supervision by, 1993 at the age of 51, a personnel deci- redesigned Steve—not only for his editorial skills, but and increasingly spe- sion that was profoundly wasteful for the Journal, for his patience and adaptability in deal- October 2012. cific guidelines from, Service and the country. ing with the often-competing demands of the AFSA Governing The case achieved some notoriety readers, the Editorial Board (some mem- Board. at the time; I publicized it widely. In bers of which were fond of proposing Taking over from Steve will be a big brief, as an FS-1 political cone officer, I arcane topics, then leaving it to Steve and challenge for Associate Editor Shawn followed my career counselor’s advice to Senior Editor Susan Maitra to find con- Dorman, but her own proven track accept an assignment in the Bureau of tributors) and the AFSA Governing Board. record with the Journal and FS Books, Oceans and International Environmental Today’s magazine has been trans- and the “dream team” she has inherited and Scientific Affairs to achieve eligibil- formed from what it was at the beginning from Steve, are good omens for success. ity to compete for promotion to Officer- of Steve’s tenure, due in large part to his Ted Wilkinson III Counselor rank in the multifunctional attention to ambitious focus sections FSO, retired cone. addressing specific themes, and chal- Washington, D.C. However, before the 1992 promo- lenging Speaking Out columns offering tion panels met, the State Department the opinions and insights of outliers. Happy Trails! arbitrarily changed its multifunctional Steve was also an innovator, establish- I was pleased to learn in the recent Jour- criteria in abstruse ways and denied ing the Talking Points (formerly Cyber- nal of Editor Steve Honley’s departure. I me eligibility to compete in that cone. notes) department, featuring wide-rang- say that only because he is moving on to Thereby disadvantaged, and despite ing reporting on items of interest to the other pastures. superb efficiency ratings, I was not Foreign Service community, as well as Steve and his colleagues have done promoted in the political cone and was periodic FS Heritage and FS Know-How an excellent job in bringing a new and involuntarily retired for time-in-class. columns. He also conducted 15 exclusive active, exciting feel to the Journal. There To be sure, at the time there were interviews with the winners of AFSA’s is not only more content to read, but other budgetary and legal pressures annual Lifetime Contributions to Ameri- more of interest. And the balance is good. on the department bearing on total can Diplomacy Award, and regularly So thank you, Steve, for the many promotion numbers and, within those previewed projected content to stimulate years you have given the Journal and numbers, opportunities for women and contributions from AFSA members. AFSA. I wish you good fortune in your minorities. A sizable cohort of colleagues In addition, Steve presided over the new adventures. was caught up in this situation. magazine’s recent redesign, which by Douglas Watson I grieved the decision, but the Foreign all accounts has been a great success; FSO, retired Service Grievance Board (Case No. its ongoing efforts to adapt to the digital Arlington, Va. 93-23, State), eschewing consideration

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 9 of merit principles, simply asserted that about that? I would point out that not the department had legal authority to everybody shared those views; indeed, do what it did in denying me multifunc- many people were free of the conven- tional eligibility. tional prejudices of Kennan’s day. This Now Mr. Lambrakis calls into ques- problem occurs over and over through- tion the wisdom of the department’s out history: someone has accomplished up-or-out system itself. He writes of great things for which civilized humanity the pernicious effects of a system that is grateful, yet that same individual also obliges officers “to compete actively, if has committed shameful acts or has seri- not ferociously, against their colleagues ous character flaws. for promotion.” I also don’t know (yet) whether Gad- I had not thought of my experience dis discusses Kennan’s outstretched hand as the fault of the up-or-out system to Stalin’s daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva, but rather as a woeful skewing of merit who stayed with the Kennans for some principles within that system. But Mr. time after her arrival in the United States. Lambrakis’ comments come as a breath I was a consular officer at our embassy in of fresh air. New Delhi when she defected (though I As such, his Speaking Out column is wasn’t involved in the procedures during essential reading for anyone seriously the hours she spent at the embassy, and I concerned about the integrity and future wasn’t the one who issued her visa). But of the Foreign Service. I believe that the embassy handled the D. Thomas Longo Jr. matter extraordinarily well. FSO, retired My hat is off to Bob Silverman for Lawrenceburg, Ind. writing on something less stuffy than the customary President’s Views column— Thinking about and for writing well, in the finest tradi- George Kennan tion of the Foreign Service. I enjoyed reading Larry Lesser Robert J. Silverman’s FSO, retired President’s Views Washington, D.C. column in the January- February Journal, and Minding Couriers was inspired to order Thanks for publishing James a copy of John Gaddis’ B. Angell’s “The Island biography of George Hopper” (December), a Kennan as Silverman fascinating account of a suggested. diplomatic courier run. It Kennan is certainly made me realize that dur- a mixed bag. While he ing my 27-year career in was prescient about the the Foreign Service, I never geopolitics of the Cold met a courier. War and the Soviet Union, and is rightly But what most astounded me was celebrated for that, as Silverman notes, this passage, pertaining to his arrival in “he seems to have shared many of the Guam: “The diplomatic courier is not prejudices of his day.” allowed to descend planeside at Won Yet is that really all we have to say Pat International Airport to retrieve our

10 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL classified material [i.e., unlike at every Barriers to Equity on other airport on the long itinerary], so USAID FS Evaluations a second courier is sent from Bangkok AFSA USAID VP Sharon Wayne deserves ahead of time to act as a praise for her December AFSA cleared escort. … The escort News column, “USAID has to be joined by a U.S. Needs a Transparent Transportation Security Promotions Process,” Administration employee which advocates for clear planeside.” agency communication Is a commissioned U.S. on the promotion process. government courier who Like many other is cleared to handle top- Foreign Service officers at secret documents really the U.S. Agency for Inter- not trusted to stand next national Development, I to the plane and retrieve have often wondered about the classified pouches the number of promotions he has brought to Guam? Think given, how the cutoff was of the expense required to have a second determined and how many FSOs were courier sent from Bangkok to carry out considered. Transparency and commu- that task. And even this second courier nication about the process would give needs a minder from the Transportation employees a sense of equity, but barriers Security Administration? are not limited to the promotion board I find that difficult to fathom, espe- process. cially since it is a regular occurrence with As stated in USAID Human Resources the same limited group of couriers—all Automated Directive System Series of whom must already be known to 300, appraisal committees—involved in TSA personnel in Guam. Has the State every aspect of the Employee Evaluation Department even tried to rectify this Program—are responsible for ensuring nonsense with the Department of Home- evaluations are equitable and objective, land Security? while principal officers form and select Harvey Leifert the members of those bodies. FSO, retired Overlooked or ignored in this is the Bethesda, Md. supervisor who evaluates an employee of the same rank and backstop, creat- A True Story ing a culture of competition (instead of I enjoyed James B. Angell’s article, mentorship) for finite promotion oppor- “The Island Hopper,” in the December tunities. The promotion board may not Journal. However, his characterization of be aware of the supervisor’s rank (the Unbroken as a novel (p. 26) is an error. annual evaluation form only includes the Surely Mr. Angell knows that this grip- employee’s rank), even though appraisal ping account of Louis Zamperini’s life committees and principal officers have from the 1930s and 1940s is all too true. access to that information. That is what gives it its power. As a recently retired contracting Samuel V. Smith officer, I can still remember my supervi- FSO, retired sor—who was the same rank as I—tell- Arlington, Va. ing me, “Chris, you need a mentor, but

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 11 it just can’t be me. That would be a and committed FSOs into the agency. conflict of interest.” My colleagues and I For that, they should be commended. were shocked and disheartened by that However, such progress could easily be comment. No matter how committed squandered if FSOs discouraged by the and effective we were, we had to accept inequity of the promotion and evalua- this inequity, a lukewarm evaluation tion system make the difficult decision to and a promotion culture of “wait your leave USAID. turn.” We wondered with every work Chris O’Donnell assignment whether we were being set USAID FSO, retired up for success or failure. Suspicion and Founder, Development Essentials mistrust quickly became the USAID mis- Alexandria, Va. sion’s culture. This inequity is not limited to a Hiring Domestic Workers

Moving? specific FS rank, and it may be growing. As a Foreign Service labor officer who Many of the more than 500 New Entry worked to combat trafficking in persons Professionals hired since 1998 at the FS-4 and child labor and employed domes- level are now FS-3s, who are supervising tics overseas, I found Laura Fabrycky’s and evaluating other FS-3 officers. The “Rethinking the Role of Madam” nearly 900 Development Leadership Ini- (December) thoughtful and moving. tiative FSOs hired and quickly promoted Over the years I have seen and heard may face the same situation before long. many cases of abused domestics and Concerned about the culture of com- workers—male and female, and some petition at USAID, I wrote to Administra- still children—and understand her con- tor Rajiv Shah when I retired, but got no cerns about the practice. However, I must response. Moreover, even though senior disagree with her conclusion that we agency leaders have the authority to should not hire adult domestic workers make a quick and meaningful fix, they overseas because doing so perpetuates have not yet taken the necessary steps. an abusive system. Addressing the inequity would reduce As an economic officer focused on the plethora of supervisory and deputy development, I would argue that Ameri- Take AFSA director positions (54 percent), and a cans serving overseas make a valuable flatter agency would provide staff greater contribution to the local economy when With You! access to, engagement with and mentor- they hire local domestics and house- ship by senior, experienced leaders. hold workers. Our family has hired such Change your address online, Evidence of employee dissatisfaction employees in Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, with the promotion and evaluation pro- Poland, South Korea and Kenya, and visit us at www.afsa.org/address cess surfaced in the Federal Employee brought them with us to the United Or Viewpoint Survey conducted between States. Send changes to: April 30 and June 14, 2013. That dissatis- When we first hired live-in help, we AFSA Membership faction may be reflected in survey results felt the same concerns as Fabrycky about showing that 34 percent of employees privacy and whether our children would Department are considering leaving USAID in the grow up spoiled and unable to keep a 2101 E Street NW next year. neat house. However, the ability to hand Washington, DC 20037 USAID Administrator Shah and the the baby over to someone at 10 p.m. and U.S. Congress have worked diligently get a good night’s sleep, to come home over several years to bring talented to a cooked meal after work and to have

12 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL someone home to let in repair people is the best I have encountered. In Seoul, or watch a sick child was irresistible. (As when we hired a Filipina housekeeper a bonus, our boys learned to vacuum, who had been let go by another U.S. dust, do dishes and cook.) embassy family, we had to submit a copy We have always made a point of com- of our contract with her to the Philippine plying with local labor laws and paying embassy for approval of the terms and high salaries overseas, because doing so conditions; only then would the Korean makes an important contribution to the Immigration Department extend her local economy, represents good labor visa. practices and is just common sense. Each year, she had to go to her After all, these are the people with full embassy for an interview so officials access to our house and children every could check on her treatment and con- day! firm we were abiding by the contract. Besides treating our staff with respect Our housekeeper’s paycheck enabled and friendliness, we also provided her to support an extended family back training to enhance their skills and home, expanding their house and send- employability for when we departed. For ing children to school. example, in Nairobi I had our driver/gar- So on balance, while I appreciate Ms. dener and cook/housekeeper cross-train Fabrycky’s concerns about perpetuat- one another so that each could fill in for ing the kafala system she experienced in the other, which enabled both of them to the Middle East, I believe that our best take paid vacations and sick leave. I have course is to hire domestics so they can no doubt that our staff communicated support their extended families, whether what good employers Americans were to in the host country or a third country. their families and neighbors, building up Offering fair compensation and safe local good will. working conditions is a great way to As a labor officer, I established several inject money into low-income house- initiatives to protect Kenyans who went holds, constitutes a good model for other to the Middle East for work. I obtained employers and employees, and builds a copy of Saudi labor regulations and good will for the United States. protections for migrants for distribution For all those reasons, we should not in Kenya, collected the laws and protec- shrink from hiring foreign domestics and tion programs in European and other miss these opportunities. countries, and trained Kenyan diplomats Randy Fleitman on how to protect compatriots facing FSO abusive employers. Washington, D.C. n I also worked with nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations to build awareness of the abuse of child domestics in Kenya. The State Depart- Share your ment’s annual human rights and traffick- thoughts about ing reports highlight such conditions and this month’s issue. encourage reforms around the world. The countries where these employees Send your letters to originate can also do a lot to protect their [email protected] migrant workers. The Philippines’ model

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 13 TALKING POINTS

Plenty of Blame to Department must ensure that security a temporary basis, out of facilities that fall Go Around threats are quickly assessed and security short of these standards; however, these n Jan. 15 the U.S. Senate Select upgrades are put into place with minimal operations are extremely vulnerable, as OCommittee on Intelligence issued a bureaucratic delay. The State Department seen in Benghazi. bipartisan report on the tragic events of has made changes since Sept. 11, 2012, RECOMMENDATION: As appropri- Sept. 11, 2012, when four U.S. officials— including the creation of a new position ate, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for J. Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone of Deputy Assistant Secretary for High- High-Threat Posts should also find con- Woods and Glen Doherty—were killed at Threat Posts. Although this new position sistent ways to coordinate with the CIA to the special mission in Benghazi, Libya. will help the State Department focus on exchange best practices for high-threat Writing in the Jan. 16 Washington high-threat posts, the State Department posts and to discuss common security Post, Adam Goldman and Anne Gearan must make the institutional changes nec- concerns. note that the committee faults the essary to quickly and efficiently respond RECOMMENDATION: The IC and State Department for failing to increase to emerging security threats—especially State Department should ensure all security at its mission despite warnings, those threats that have been identified surveillance cameras at high-risk, high- and blames the intelligence commit- numerous times by the U.S. IC. threat facilities have sufficient resolution, tee for not sharing information about The committee urges the State nighttime visibility, remote monitoring the existence of the Central Intelligence Department to consider the recom- capabilities and redundancy to provide Agency outpost in Benghazi with the U.S. mendation of its Independent Panel on warning and situational awareness in the military command responsible for Africa. Best Practices to, “as a matter of urgency, event of an attack. The committee notes In addition, the Pentagon did not have establish an Under Secretary for Diplo- that the Independent Panel on Best Prac- the resources in place to defend the State matic Security” to “bring security gov- tices has recommended that the State Department compound in an emergency. ernance into the 21st century and align Department establish a new office “for Due to the document’s importance, security management with the realities field-expedient deployment of hardware, we are devoting this edition of Talking of a post-9/11 threat environment.” As cutting-edge protective technology and Points to its findings and recommenda- noted by the chairman of the Indepen- procedures.” tions, as excerpted from the report. dent Panel on Best Practices in his writ- ten testimony to a House committee, this FINDING #3: FINDING #1: structural recommendation is not new There was no singular “tactical warning” In the months before the attacks on Sept. and was suggested in a report written 14 in the intelligence reporting leading up to 11, 2012, the intelligence community [the years ago, following the 1998 East Africa the events on Sept. 11, 2012, predicting an IC] provided ample strategic warning that embassy bombings. attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi on the the security situation in eastern Libya RECOMMENDATION: Only in rare 9/11 anniversary, although State and the was deteriorating and that U.S. facilities instances—and only after a formal risk CIA both sent general warning notices to and personnel were at risk in Benghazi. management plan has been put into facilities worldwide noting the potential place—should State Department facilities security concerns associated with the FINDING #2: that fall short of current security stan- anniversary. Such a specific warning The State Department should have dards be allowed to operate. Facilities should not have been expected, however, increased its security posture more that do not meet these standards should given the limited intelligence collection significantly in Benghazi based on the be prioritized for additional security of the Benghazi area at the time. deteriorating security situation on the measures. In these cases, temporary RECOMMENDATION: The IC must ground and IC threat reporting on the facilities should have the physical place a greater emphasis on collecting prior attacks against Westerners in security, personnel, weapons, ammuni- intelligence and open-source informa- Benghazi—including two incidents at tion and fire safety equipment needed tion, including extremist-affiliated social the Temporary Mission Facility on April 6 to adequately address the threat. The media, to improve its ability to provide and June 6, 2012. committee understands the need for tactical warnings, especially in North RECOMMENDATION: The State State to have the flexibility to operate, on Africa, the Middle East and other areas

14 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL where the U.S. has facilities under high recent political upheaval. Analysis of RECOMMENDATION: Where threat. Given the current resource-con- extremist-affiliated social media should adequate security is not available, the strained budget environment, the com- be more clearly integrated into analytic Department of State should be prepared mittee is working with the IC to identify products, when appropriate. to evacuate or close diplomatic facili- resource gaps and realign assets to focus ties under the highest threat, as it has on those gaps, especially in North Africa. FINDING #5: in recent years in Sanaa, Yemen and There were “tripwires” designed to Damascus, Syria. FINDING #4: prompt a reduction in personnel or the RECOMMENDATION: The commit- Although the IC relied heavily on open suspension of operations at the mission tee supports the recommendations of source press reports in the immediate facility in Benghazi and although there the Accountability Review Board to bring aftermath of the attacks, the IC con- is evidence that some of them had been greater collaboration and connectivity ducted little analysis of open source, crossed, operations continued with mini- between the State Department’s Bureau extremist-affiliated social media prior to mal change. Some nations closed their of Diplomatic Security and the IC. The and immediately after the attacks. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi as the Department of State must pay special RECOMMENDATION: The IC should security conditions deteriorated during attention to the “on the ground” assess- expand its capabilities to conduct analy- the summer of 2012, but other nations ments of IC and State personnel in the sis of open source information, including stayed along with the United States, con- field and IC analytic products about extremist-affiliated social media, particu- trary to some public reports and state- assessed risks to specific U.S. facilities larly in areas where it is hard to develop ments that the U.S. was the last country overseas. human intelligence or there has been represented in Benghazi. FINDING #6: The State Department personnel at the SITE OF THE MONTH: American Diplomacy Temporary Mission Facility in Benghazi relied on the security officers at the CIA hile the Internet is home to countless websites dealing with various Annex as a last resort for security in the Waspects of diplomacy, American Diplomacy stands out for the sheer event of an attack. scope of its coverage. The online professional journal publishes commentar- RECOMMENDATION: There should ies, analytical pieces, feature stories, Foreign Service memoirs, scholarly be more specific information exchanged research and reviews of books and Internet articles, as well as comments between DOD and the IC, through the from readers and announcements of upcoming events of interest to Foreign appropriate channels, to make regional Service members. combatant commanders aware of the Established in 1996 by a group of retired FSOs in North Carolina, American general presence of IC personnel in their Diplomacy Publishers operates the site with the active cooperation of the areas of responsibility for the purposes of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s College of Arts and Sciences and emergency evacuations and rescue. This its Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense, as well as the Triangle Institute for information could have been helpful to Security Studies, which is a consortium of Duke University, the University of the commander of AFRICOM and should North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. have been more easily available to him. All members of the Foreign Service community are invited to contribute material to American Diplomacy, which also draws on submissions from FINDING #7: distinguished academicians. (All submissions are peer-reviewed.) The site’s There were no U.S. military resources in content is regularly refreshed. As of late January, it features artwork by “Dip- position to intervene in short order in lomats Who Are Painters,” as well as commentaries on Afghanistan, human Benghazi to help defend the Temporary rights and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ new memoir. Mission Facility and its annex on Sept. 11 Traffic to the site has grown steadily over the years, reaching almost and 12, 2012. 300,000 visits in 2013. RECOMMENDATION: It is imperative that the State Department, DOD and the

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 15 Contemporary Quote IC work together to identify and priori- Interlocutor: I wonder how many people outraged over the tize the largest gaps in coverage for the loss of lives in Benghazi ever gave a second of thought to the protection of U.S. diplomatic, military safety of Foreign Service officers and others working over- and intelligence personnel in the North seas (often in installations with limited security), and even now would Africa region and other high-threat posts tell Congress it should appropriate more money to this. How many around the world. The small number will forget about the issue should it fade as a political issue? of U.S. military resources devoted to Many more Americans died in the bombing of the U.S. embassy the vast and often ungoverned North in Beirut in the 1980s, but there was far less outrage and, much more African landscape makes it unlikely that importantly, no bipartisan push to spend enough money to make our DOD can respond in short periods to facilities secure. I was in the Foreign Service, so am acutely aware of all potential crises across North Africa. how little most Americans think about security at embassies, con- If DOD cannot always provide help in sulates, etc. I know people who have been attacked, and even killed, an emergency, U.S. personnel on the overseas, [and it] seldom makes the news. ground must make alternative plans to Robinson: You are absolutely right. It is obscene that critics will evacuate in the event of an attack or if try to use the chant “Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi” as a political weapon intelligence indicates that an attack is against President Obama and Hillary Clinton, but won’t propose or even imminent. support any increase in funding for State Department security. Note to conspiracy theorists: If you really cared, you would be looking for FINDING #8: ways to keep such a tragedy from happening again. Unarmed U.S. military surveillance assets were not delayed when responding to the — From a Jan. 21 livechat with Washington Post writer Eugene Robinson. attack, and they provided important situ- ational awareness for those under siege during the attacks against the Temporary re-evaluate its current procedures RECOMMENDATION: The commit- Mission Facility and the annex on Sept. to improve the speed and process tee urges the Director of National Intel- 11 and 12, 2012. with which operational reporting (for ligence and the State Department to con- example, eyewitness reporting) and raw duct a review of the types of intelligence FINDING #9: collection make it into disseminated products that INR prepares and to look In finished reports after Sept. 11, 2012, intelligence products. for ways to make INR’s products more intelligence analysts inaccurately RECOMMENDATION: The IC must timely and responsive to world events, referred to the presence of a protest at act quickly to correct the written record especially those that directly affect State the mission facility before the attack and address misperceptions in its fin- Department personnel. The committee based on open source information and ished analytical products. The IC should notes that the Independent Panel on Best limited intelligence, but without suffi- avoid repeating erroneous information Practices has also recommended that cient intelligence or eyewitness state- in its intelligence products as analysts the State Department audit and assess ments to corroborate that assertion. The continued to do when they wrote there “how quickly and effectively INR shares IC took too long to correct these errone- were “protests” at the Temporary Mission intelligence with DS and all other [State] ous reports, which caused confusion Facility, which then made its way into Department components.” and influenced the public statements of reports disseminated to U.S. policymak- policymakers. ers and Congress. FINDING #11: RECOMMENDATION: Intelligence The DNI’s Office of Analytic Integrity and analysts should more aggressively FINDING #10: Standards failed to provide complete request and integrate eyewitness report- The State Department Bureau of Intel- and accurate information to Congress ing—especially from U.S. government ligence and Research did not disseminate during its review of the Benghazi attacks. personnel—in the aftermath of a crisis. any independent analysis in the year The committee found AIS’s methodology The IC should establish a process or following the Benghazi attacks. in assembling documents to be flawed.

16 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Despite repeated requests from the security; but co-location often presents committee, AIS also refused to provide tradeoffs that should be carefully evalu- complete, accurate and thoroughly cited ated in high-threat environments. information to Congress. RECOMMENDATION: The com- RECOMMENDATION: In responding mittee agrees that IC and diplomatic AFSA Scholarship to future requests for unclassified talking personnel should generally be co-located AFSA.org/Scholar points from Congress, the IC should sim- overseas, except where the IC determines AFSPA ply tell Congress which facts are unclassi- that, for operational reasons, co-location Afspa.org fied and let members of Congress provide is not helpful in meeting mission objec- additional context for the public. tives or that it poses a security risk. In AKA those limited instances, the IC should StayAKA.com FINDING #12: work with the State Department in light The co-location of IC and diplomatic per- of chief-of-mission authorities. However, Arlington Court Suites Hotel sonnel in Benghazi could have enhanced the committee does not believe that co- arlingtoncourthotel.com

50 Years Ago Clements Worldwide clements.com

ore than 60 ambassadors, both active and retired, met at Pennsylvania Coldwell Banker Residential Bro- MState University in November 1963 to discuss the role of the American kerage ambassador in this period of rapid change. The conference was based on the (Mary Lowry Smith) idea that the ambassadorship is a responsible office for which definite prepara- dcredlinehomes.com tion and proper qualifications are essential. Diplomatic Automobile Everyone agrees that the office should be filled with the most qualified- per diplosales.com sons with the best preparation and background. But what is “best”? Problems at the post, instructions, facility in the language of the country of assignment, rela- Embassy Risk Management tions with the officials and nationals of that country, dealings with and control of Embassyrisk.com U.S. personnel and visits of Washington dignitaries, not excluding congressmen, are a few of the many subjects about which any ambassador, active or retired, The Hirshorn Company hirshorn.com/afsa has significant views. … Against this challenge a number of conclusions were reached. Chief among McGrath Real Estate Services them, an ambassador must be familiar with a wide range of subject matter, and homesdatabase.com/jimmcgrath able to delegate responsibility, adapt himself to the specialized personnel under his charge, qualify as a public speaker, and play a public role in the host country, PROMAX Management Inc. in addition to his ancient duties of negotiator and reporter. … promaxrealtors.com On the thorny and much-debated question of whether ambassadors should WJD Management be drawn from the career Foreign Service or from non-career sources, the con- wjdpm.com sensus was that ambassadors should be drawn from both sources. Non-career appointments, it was recognized, brought “new, informed approaches and new vitality in our representation abroad.” The existing ratio of two-thirds career as against one-third non-career seemed acceptable, but the establishment of any fixed ratio was not favored. —Excerpted from “The American Ambassador in a Time of Change,” by Thorsten V. Kalijarvi, FSJ, March 1964. A professor of international relations, Mr. Kalijarvi was appointed by the Eisenhower administration as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador (1957-1960).

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 17 location decisions should be subjected to risk facilities beyond solely the protection viduals responsible for the attacks. Some a broader interagency approval process. of classified information. of the individuals have been identified RECOMMENDATION: Based on with a strong level of confidence. How- FINDING #13: the fact that Ambassador Stevens and ever, insight into the current whereabouts The primary source of security for the Sean Smith perished due to the smoke and links between these individuals in Temporary Mission Facility, local Libyan from fires lit by attackers, State and the some cases is limited, due in part to the militia members, failed to provide any IC should review the fire safety and nascent intelligence capabilities in the significant defense of the compound high-threat training and equipment for region. from the attack. all employees sent abroad to ensure that RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. gov- RECOMMENDATION: The U.S. gov- proper fire safety equipment is avail- ernment must swiftly bring the attackers ernment cannot rely on local security in able at all facilities, and personnel have to justice, in spite of the unwillingness or areas where the U.S. has facilities under proper protective equipment in the event lack of capacity of the Libyan government high threat or where the host nation of smoke and fire emergencies. to assist in this effort. is not capable of providing adequate security. The committee supports the FINDING #14: —This month’s edition of Talking Points State Department’s initiative, working More than a year after the Benghazi was compiled by the Journal’s contributing with DOD, to request additional Marines attacks, the terrorists who perpetrated editor and former editor in chief, Steven and to expand the Marine Security Guard the attacks have still not been brought to Alan Honley. n Program to increase protection at high- justice. The IC has identified several indi-

18 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SPEAKING OUT

Hispanic Representation at USAID: Why So Low for So Long?

BY JOSÉ GARZÓN

eriodically, I am asked to HISPANICS IN SELECTED A social scientist by training, I decided speak to Hispanic and minor- U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES to peek behind the curtain and examine ity students aspiring to enter the evidence. It turns out that all these Department Percentage of Hispanics the Foreign Service or the U.S. responses are wrong. P in Workforce in 2011 Agency for International Development. (State data is from 2013) I can hardly resist the chance to tell my Re-Examining the own life story and describe the places Homeland Security 20.9 Conventional Wisdom Social Security Administration 14.3 where USAID has sent me. The Foreign Equal Employment First, let’s take the assertion that Service is a great career, I tell them, and Opportunity Commission 13.4 USAID is “doing no worse than everyone I encourage them to consider taking the Justice 8.7 else.” Oh yes, it is. As the table to the left, Housing & Urban Development 7.0 plunge. Veterans Affairs 6.8 based on the most recent data from the One reason I’m tapped to give these NASA 6.2 Office of Personnel Management and speeches is that I’m a 25-year veteran of State (combined FSO, FSS, USAID, shows, USAID is at the bottom Civil Service) 5.9 the Foreign Service, and also a member among federal agencies in Hispanic State FS Specialist 8.0 of an endangered species: mid-level State FS Generalist 5.0 representation. The percent of Hispanics Hispanic FSOs. My agency is sincerely State Senior FS 4.6 at the State Department is about twice as trying to recruit a more diverse work- Health & Human Services 3.2 high as at USAID, and in the case of State USAID (including FS & CS) 2.6 force, but has consistently failed in terms USAID FS 2.5 Foreign Service specialists (at 8 percent), of Hispanic representation since the late USAID SFS 2.2 almost three times as high.

1970s, when data on ethnicity began to Sources: OPM: Eleventh Annual Well, at least it’s “getting better,” con- be collected. Report to the President on Hispanic sistent with demographic trends, right? Recently I asked several members of Employment in the Federal Government, No, it’s actually getting worse. July 2012; USAID/OCRD Diversity USAID’s senior leadership and Office True, Hispanic representation in the Profiles, June 2012; Department of State, of Civil Rights and Diversity for their Diversity Statistics as of 9/30/13. U.S. government is improving, rising from thoughts on why the agency’s record is 6.5 percent in 2000 to 8.1 percent in 2011, so poor. Here are some of the responses according to OPM’s Eleventh Annual I got: Report. But at USAID, the trend is slip- n This is a governmentwide problem, n You need a graduate degree to ping backward. Twenty years ago official and USAID does as well as or better than obtain most positions in USAID, and the USAID/EEO staffing reports showed a other U.S. agencies. pool of Hispanics with graduate degrees Hispanic workforce of 3.1 percent out of n Things are getting better. is limited. 3,346 employees, according to the 1992

José Garzón, a 25-year veteran of the USAID Foreign Service, is currently deputy director of the agency’s Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation in Washington, D.C. He has served in Bolivia, Guatemala, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Wash- ington, D.C., and is the author of “Democracy and Development Reconsidered,” published in USAID Frontiers in Develop- ment (2012). In 2013, he was the first to utilize the newly created USAID Direct Channel, writing on the subject of the small number of Hispanics in the USAID Foreign Service.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 19 USAID is at the bottom among federal roster in Bolivia shows an even higher number—six out of 45, including the agencies in Hispanic representation. deputy director, or 13.3 percent—while the Dominican Republic staffing pattern features five Hispanic names out of 46, 10.9 percent. Report to the Transition Team by the munism in Latin America. In reaction Admittedly, this is an imperfect mea- Hispanic Council. In 2005, Hispanics to a perceived communist threat to sure. But it does indicate that when hiring comprised 4.1 percent of the USAID work Latin America, USAID quickly ramped large numbers of Hispanics was linked force. up Hispanic hiring, with no pretense of to a national priority, the agency made it But by 2008 the percentage had begun promoting affirmative action or diver- happen. slipping, and in 2012 it stood at just 2.6 sity. Old-timers I met when I first began That brings us to the third explanation percent. This is despite a significant working with USAID in the 1980s told me for the current shortfall in Hispanic hir- surge in overall hiring at USAID, a surge that recruiters went to Puerto Rico and ing: “Back in the 1960s and 1970s, USAID that has stopped and will likely usher in scooped up graduates, some of whom would hire people straight out of college. years of limited hiring—meaning that stayed on with the agency until about the Now you need a graduate degree. And it’s a golden opportunity to improve these 1990s. hard to find Hispanics with that qualifica- dismal numbers may have been lost for Perusing the 1970 staffing pattern, tion.” some time. which one can find in the recesses of Un momento. Yes, graduate degrees the USAID Library, one finds Hispanic are required for most positions (although Learning from Our Past surnames galore: Cabrera, Hernan- that practice should be re-examined). Here’s where the story gets really dez, Hinojosa, Romero, Vasquez, etc. But what the assertion ignores is that interesting. Back in the 1960s, USAID’s The Office of Public Safety lists 11 such the number of Hispanics with master’s top foreign policy priority (other than surnames out of 106, or about 10 percent degrees has more than doubled over the the Vietnam War) was combating com- of the staff. The 1970 USAID mission past decade, and the numbers earning law and doctoral degrees have shot up by 60 percent over the same period. Hispanics in the Federal Workplace and USAID, Is better recruitment the answer? 2000-2012 USAID’s Human Resources division and 9 Office of Civil Rights and Diversity have 8 launched some sincere efforts in this 7 Percent of regard, and more resources should be 6 Hispanics in

rkforce Federal Workforce devoted to recruitment. But I suspect 5 Wo these efforts may be falling short because 4 Percent of of the disconnect between recruitment Hispanics

ent in 3 in USAID and the technical panels, which actually 2 select candidates and are less focused on Perc 1 diversity goals. 0 I should know. I’ve served on these 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 panels.

Fiscal Year And Then There Were Four Sources: OPM Eleventh Annual Report, July 2012; USAID/M/HR, Annual Federal Equal Recruitment is to the lower ranks of Opportunity Recruitment Program, FY 2001; ICF Consulting, Incorporating Affirmative the agency, with the hope that a greater Employment Goals into USAID’s Work-force Strategies, Oct. 15, 2005; Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Diversity Profile FY 2007-FY 2008, Nov. 14, 2008; OCRD Diversity pool of junior officers will eventually Profiles, June 2012. push its way up the ranks. Little thought

20 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A time of service…a time of need Help for Seniors May When hiring Be Just a Phone Call Away— large numbers The Senior Living Foundation may be of Hispanics was able to help you or someone you know. linked to a national Some examples of assistance are: priority, as in the N Home Health Care 1960s, USAID N Adult Day Care & Respite Care N Prescription Drug Copayments made it happen. N Transportation to Medical Appointments N Durable Medical Equipment

For more information, please contact the SENIOR LIVING FOUNDATION has gone into the pull factor: the process OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE by which senior officials and officers 1716 N Street, NW N Washington, DC 20036-2902 recruit, mentor and promote junior offi- Phone: (202) 887-8170 N Fax: (202) 872-9320 E-Mail: [email protected] N Web Site: www.SLFoundation.org cers, giving them good opportunities and encouraging them to stay at USAID. SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION During the 1990s, USAID began to promote more women into the Senior Foreign Service, which in turn changed the agency’s culture and gradually increased the numbers of women in the Foreign Service. But the number of Hispanics in the Senior Foreign Service between 2009 and 2012 can literally be counted on one hand: four out of 176. OCRD identifies just two Hispanics out of 33 in the Senior Executive Service. And that is actually an improvement over 2009 and 2010. This illustrates a more serious discon- nect, between stated diversity goals and the goals of the people who make the actual selections—those at the top of the agency. I really believe USAID’s leadership is conceptually committed to diversity. But it has many other priorities, which crowd out diversity as a goal. During the Cold War, fighting commu- nism in Latin America was the agency’s priority, and that led to a major upsurge in Hispanic recruitment. Today, priorities such as USAID Forward, Feed the Future and Resilience draw executive attention

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 21 ADVANCED DEGREES EARNED BY HISPANICS, 1999-2000 AND 2009-2010

Degree Share of total Share of total Numbers of Numbers of degrees, degrees, degrees degrees 1999-2000 (%) 2009-2010 (%) awarded, awarded, 1999-2000 2009-2010

Master’s 4.8 7.1 19,384 43,535 M.D., J.D. and comparable 4.7 5.8 5,039 8,085 Source: Department of Education, NCES: Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, 2000-2010 (2011).

“Managing down” needs to become part of “managing up,” not just a good deed.

tors, grantees and fellows to encourage become part of “managing up,” not just a them to apply for open positions, while good deed that has its own rewards. José Garzón speaking at the inauguration of a school project in Kosovo in 2011. monitoring the work of technical panels There are plenty of rewards for writing to ensure strong candidates receive due policies and strategies or getting involved consideration. with “what’s hot” at the moment. That’s elsewhere. In addition, despite genuine But that needs to be accompanied fine. But if I were the USAID Adminis- attempts to create more transparency, by a broader effort—not only on behalf trator, I would ask my senior manag- and with due respect to those who advise of Hispanics, but to benefit everyone at ers: “Tell me what you have done to on career management, promotion into USAID—to cultivate a diverse Senior help someone on your staff overcome a Senior Management Group position Management Group cadre. Of course, obstacles to promotion.” If they can’t depends heavily on sponsorship from managers will continue to recruit the answer that question in five seconds, I above. That is clear from the varied levels people they want, and they cannot be would send them back to come up with of experience in new SMG picks. blamed for that. But someone has to be a diversity strategy, on one page, in 24 The result is a vicious circle: limited an advocate for those groups who are hours. I would also make sure they pose promotion means limited mid-level consistently left out, and it has to be the same question to their own subordi- promotions and limited hiring. And that, someone with clout who can overrule a nates. And I’d pose the same question to I believe, is the reason why USAID is slid- selection. If a qualified Hispanic (or other the technical panels that make the actual ing backward when it comes to Hispanic minority) has applied for an SMG posi- personnel selections. representation. tion, there must be a compelling reason As I like to tell potential recruits, in not to select that candidate. “I like this my career I have seen dramatic changes A Better Way Forward person more” is just not acceptable. in USAID, as well as a return to old ways A great deal of energy has gone into Secondly, while I am pleased that of doing business. Then there are those better recruitment, and those efforts mission directors and others are being things which never seem to change. I should continue and be expanded. For held accountable for diversity, we need hope that one of these recruits, 25 years example, USAID might create and fund to reward those who demonstrate that from now, can say that USAID is an a recruitment unit that operates the way they can mentor and nurture other staff, agency that is fully representative of the college sport teams do: direct contact. It especially those from underrepresented American public. But it shouldn’t take could tap into the networks of contrac- groups. “Managing down” needs to that long to happen. n

22 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS TELLING OUR STORIES THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Excerpts from the oral histories n this 90th-anniversary year of the U.S. Foreign of six diplomats give a flavor of Service, it is fitting to remind ourselves and the the challenges, as well as American public of the vital role the Service plays in the lighter moments, of a ensuring our country’s prosperity and security. And Foreign Service career. what better way to understand the work of diplo- macy than to have diplomats themselves talk about their experiences? Here we present excerpts (with light editing for clarity) from the oral histories of six Foreign Service officers recorded by the Foreign Affairs Oral History program Iof the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. The selections, one from each decade between 1940 and 2000, give a window into the challenges, as well as the lighter moments, of a diplomatic career. ADST’s Oral History program conducts interviews for the largest collection of diplomatic oral histories in the world— there are now more than 1,800 transcripts, and the archive continues to grow under the direction of its founder, retired FSO and interviewer extraordinaire Charles Stuart Kennedy. ADST was founded in 1986 as a nonprofit organization to advance knowledge of U.S. diplomacy and support training at the Foreign Service Institute. To achieve those goals, it pursues programs in oral history, publishing, educational websites, social media and exhibits, and serves as a foundation to obtain

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 23 funds, provide services and develop materials for FSI. We had a lovely time getting Since ADST was last profiled in the Journal in August 2003, it has significantly increased its activities and outreach. Addition to out prominent people, the website of oral history excerpts that recall special “Moments practically all of the Belgian in Diplomatic History” and the careers of “Fascinating Figures” government in exile. has attracted a much larger audience. You can also follow ADST postings on Facebook and Twitter. –Constance Ray Harvey Perhaps most significant, the oral histories are now available online both at the ADST website and in the American Memory Collection at the Library of Congress website. was vice consul in Lyon under the Vichy government. I went Expanding its production of books under the guidance of Ithere on New Year’s Day of 1941. I still had an apartment in publishing expert Margery Thompson, ADST has issued 53 Bern, but I rented it to the British military attaché. I went back to volumes in the ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy Series, Bern rather frequently. I had a car and I sometimes drove back 26 in Memoirs and Occasional Papers, and 16 in its Oral History and forth. … Series. [General Barnwell R. Legge] was in Switzerland all during the The association has also continued its biennial Tribute to war. Years later, when I was back in Washington after the war was Excellence dinners, at which it recognizes accomplishments in over, I learned, not from him, but from somebody quite different, the fields of diplomacy, communications and international busi- that he sent the best information our government got during the ness. Award recipients have included George Shultz, Colin Pow- whole of the war about what was going on on the eastern front. ell, Chuck Hagel, John Whitehead, Tom Pickering, Lee Hamilton, Legge had people all over Europe, a network of people, and I Don McHenry, Ted Turner, Frank Carlucci, Carla Hills, James became one of his people. Billington, Ted Koppel and Robin Wright. We had a very good arrangement. The pouch went through James A. Baker is scheduled to receive the Ralph J. Bunche Geneva and Vichy, and then back through Lyon to Bern, and Award for Diplomatic Excellence at the next dinner, on May 6. then on the way across Spain to Portugal and on to Washington. Further information about ADST’s programs and how to When the pouch came back from Vichy to Switzerland, I was become a member can be found at www.adst.org. the last person in Lyon to buckle up this big bag. I put into it Special thanks to ADST President Ken Brown and ADST whatever I thought was suitable. Not even my chief knew all that Executive Director Chris Sibilla for their invaluable assistance in went into that bag. But I knew it went straight to Legge and was preparing this compilation. And a note of thanks to the DACOR one of the quickest and surest ways of communicating with our Library for providing a critical photo. government in Washington. —Susan Brady Maitra, Managing Editor I knew a lot about the Belgian situation. One of my clerks had been for many years the economic adviser to the American embassy in Brussels, and when Belgium was occupied, he was 1940s: Diplomat and World War II Heroine transferred to Lyon. The life ofConstance Ray Harvey (1904-1997) sounds at times We had a lovely time getting out prominent people, practi- like something from the movie “Casablanca.” During World War II, cally all of the Belgian government in exile. When we got out after tours in Milan and Bern, she was stationed in Lyon, where she the man who was the former Belgian military attaché in Vichy, worked with the Belgian and French Resistance movements. She with a nice passport under a false name to go across Spain, we smuggled documents to the U.S. military attaché in Switzerland, thought we’d done quite a good job. General Barnwell R. Legge, who helped arrange the escape of many These were all, of course, Belgian passports which had been interned U.S. fliers. In November 1942, Harvey was interned along fixed up, usually arranged by Jacques Lagrange and his wife. with other American diplomats when the Nazis took control of Jacques was the Belgian clerk who created these works of art Vichy France. After the war she received the Medal of Freedom for at home with the proper photographs and descriptions, which her courageous efforts. were quite imaginative. It looked right and official. And all of Constance Harvey was interviewed by Dr. Milton Colvin and these people went out with nice Belgian passports issued by the Ann Miller Morin in 1988. kindly protecting power, and signed by C.R. Harvey.

24 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL by Ann Miller Morin (Twayne, 1995). Ann Miller Morin (Twayne, by

Her Excellency From From Constance Ray Harvey, after receiving the Medal of Freedom in 1947 for meritorious service with the French Underground during World War II. At left is General Barnwell R. Legge, the U.S. military attaché in Switzerland with whom she worked.

After the war, one of these people came into our embassy in always. Some of them, we knew pretty well, were members of the Brussels and said, “Here’s the passport that was given to me by Gestapo, which was quartered right across the street from my Miss Harvey. I’ve always remembered her.” hotel, in the hotel where my consul general was lodged. The Belgians had a very good underground network. As a One had to be very careful with whom one spoke, because matter of fact, our office sometimes looked like a recruiting office, they might be on one side or the other and go and tell what you because when the Belgian radio, which broadcast from London said. So before you got into politics of any kind, you had to know to Belgium, began to urge young people who wanted to go out to the person really well with whom you were speaking. The French join either the Belgian Army in the Congo or to come to London, are apt to chatter a bit too much. I was traveling on a train from they’d say, “Make for the American consulate in Lyon.” They would Vichy back to Lyon once, and happened to sit next to one of the come in. Sometimes these people certainly looked rather “suspi- rather famous French generals, General de la Laurencie, and he cious,” and were the ones that we could not get out with passports. started to talk to me, you see, because he was very anti-Petain. I They had to be taken out “black”—i.e., by special guides. was terrified with what he was talking about. … People were divided about the Vichy government. We I want to back up a bit and tell you a little bit more about couldn’t help but see both kinds in a way, but people made little the work I’d been doing regularly for our attaché in Bern, Gen. waves. They didn’t dare talk too openly, you see, because they Legge. I went personally to Switzerland every once in a while, never knew when the Gestapo would arrive and scoop you up. carrying documents to him and reports which we had from We had Gestapo coming into the office constantly. We were very the occupied zone and from other places and, of course, from careful not to find out too closely who came into that office. We Belgium and so forth. didn’t ask too many questions. We found it better not to know Once, for instance, I arrived and we met in a field outside of

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 25 Geneva. I presented him with some documents that had been Originally, there had to be a brought down to me by one of the agents that we had working in the north, who brought information to us. They were the maps of reasonable basis to consider all the emplacements of the antiaircraft equipment of Germans you disloyal. That was all in and around Paris. He turned sort of white and said, “Oh, for changed to reasonable goodness’ sake, you just brought this in by hand?” I said, “Oh, yes, no problem.” I had a Ford car, and when you doubts as to loyalty. crossed the frontier, there was always a member of the Gestapo –John S. Service right at the frontier with a French officer, watching as you went back and forth. That Ford car had a glove compartment for which there was a separate key, not the key to the rest of the car, e were going by freighter from Seattle to Yokohama on the ignition. So when I went in, I just locked up papers inside the Wour way to India [and his new assignment]. One night at glove compartment and turned the key down inside my bosom. supper [the radio operator] said, “Say, is your name John Stewart When I went into the place to check out with the French officer Service?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “There’s been a lot of stuff about and the Gestapo to go into Switzerland, I left my car open, with the you on the radio news, talking a lot about you in Washington.” keys just hanging from the ignition. Sometimes people had hid- This was the first intimation we had. den things in the machinery under the hood, and they sometimes A day or two later I got a telegram from the department say- looked under the hood. I thought that was something to avoid. ing I should return because of charges by Senator McCarthy. The I remember the general said, “I shall remember that, Con- family could either remain in Japan or go on to India. stance.” So later, when he gave me the Medal of Freedom, I guess We decided they should go on to India. We expected that he remembered. n there would be a hearing. We knew from the radio broadcast that a Senate committee had been set up. [I was] certainly annoyed, uncertain of course, about what 1950s: The McCarthy Witch Hunt— was going on, but not particularly concerned. After all, I’d been Who “Lost” China? through the Amerasia case [Service was arrested by the FBI on In February 1950, months after Mao Zedong’s establishment of suspicion of passing classified government documents to a Far the People’s Republic of China, Senator Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., Eastern affairs journal in 1945] and gotten a unanimous clean bill. gave his infamous speech accusing the State Department of har- The department went all out. The department’s policy was boring communist agents and sympathizers. FSO John S. Service, obviously to meet McCarthy head-on. A big welcome was one of the State Department’s top experts on China, one of the so- planned for me. called China Hands, was among those caught up in the spurious v charges. With deep knowledge, and experience on the ground in enator Joseph] Tydings’ committee hearings had been China, Service had been reporting since the early 1940s that Mao’s [Sgoing on for three months and had produced a great deal forces should not be underestimated, and that the United States of furor, but no clear refutation in the mind of the public of could not assume that the Chinese Nationalists would succeed [McCarthy’s] wild charges. We had three days of hearings. The against them. The U.S. would need to deal with the communists. third day they insisted on being closed because they’d had this For this, Service was fired in December 1951. Six years later, so-called secret recording of a conversation between [Amerasia the Supreme Court ordered his reinstatement, but the damage to editor Philip] Jaffe and myself. It wasn’t a recording at all. It was a the Foreign Service, and U.S. Asia policy, was done. As Senator J. transcription, an alleged transcription, of some sort of a wiretap William Fulbright, D-Ark., would later say, during a hearing in or a listening device put in a room in Jaffe’s hotel. It was incom- 1971: For doing their job, reporting about conditions in China, plete and very garbled. “[the China Hands] were so persecuted because [they] were hon- We got, finally, a statement out of the Department of Justice; est. This is a strange thing to occur in what is called a civilized and they said that it was excerpts, portions, of a transcript and country.” that the original had been destroyed. It’s got me—as we say in Here are excerpts from John Service’s account of the McCarthy the testimony—saying things that I couldn’t possibly have said. witch hunt as he experienced it. It’s been argued that we should have made more of an issue—

26 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL perhaps by refusing to be interro- John Service answers a question at his loyalty hearing in 1950 on the cover of gated on the basis of such clearly Lynne Joiner’s book (Naval Institute illegal evidence. We took the point of Press, 2009) about his experience as a Foreign Service China Hand and a target view that when the loyalty of a pub- of the McCarthy witch hunt. In the lower lic officer is involved, we were not image, Service (center) meets in 1944 with, from left, Zhou Enlai, Chu Teh, Mao Zedong going to make an issue of whether and Ye Jianying in Yenan. or not the evidence was obtained in a proper way. In a court of law, of course, it would not have been admissible. had reaffirmed its findings that Service They had a terrific hassle in was neither disloyal nor a security risk; the Senate as to whether or not then on Sept. 4 it referred the case to the they would accept [the final Loyalty Review Board for “post-audit.”] report], and split on strict party A staff member of the Loyalty Review lines. Tydings went after McCarthy Chris Gamboa-Onrubia, FinelineBoard Graphics LLC asked some silly questions. He was hammer and tongs. The conclusion of the report was very favor- a real know-nothing type. The only one of able to me. his questions I recall was to the effect that I had referred to “C-C” v many times in reports, to the “C-C Clique,” and did this mean n the November 1950 elections, Tydings was defeated and a Chinese Communists? Well, of course, the C-C Clique is well Inonentity was put in. This really added greatly to McCarthy’s known to anybody involved in Chinese affairs. It meant the Chen political threat. After the election [the State Department] became brothers, Chen Kuo-fu and Chen Li-fu—the right-wing clique of very much more cautious. the Kuomintang. The State Department [Loyalty Security] Board [which had This was the expertise of the staff of the Loyalty Review Board. conducted its own investigation] had told me in June, when they We said later on that we would like to submit a memorandum, finished the case, that they were satisfied. But new information and they said we could. We got a delay until we could get the tran- kept being produced. New accusations would come in. Every time script. As soon as I read the transcript it was clear to me that they this happened, the case had to be reopened. It was very difficult to had in their minds quite different charges. The original charge [at ever bring anything to a close. the Department Loyalty Security Board] was that I was a commu- Then the standards were changed. Originally, there had to be nist or associated with communists in such a way as to betray the a reasonable basis to consider you disloyal. That was changed to security interests of the United States. The charge that they had in reasonable doubts as to loyalty. All cases had to be reconsidered mind was about “willful disclosure of confidential information.” under the new rules. What to do about the mixup in the charges? [The board] said, [The department] decided that I would have to be kept in “Well, we can have hearings all over again if you want.” But they Washington. [It] publicly announced in December 1950 that I had didn’t think it would make any difference. been cleared. But this was only provisional. v [As Service explained in his interview, there were two levels bout this time, my friend [FSO and China expert Raymond of boards under the Loyalty Security program set up by President AP.] Ludden had received an interrogatory. Many people were Truman in 1947. Each department had its own board, called the beginning to receive interrogatories. Ludden was very concerned Loyalty Security Board. Then up above, nominally under the Civil about how to handle it. There was some question of the proce- Service Commission, was the Loyalty Review Board. All cases dural details. I said to him, “Well, let’s go down to the Loyalty were decided by the department boards and then went up to the Security Board’s office.” LRB for this review process, usually called “post audit.”] So we walked in, and [the fellow at the desk]’s face froze. “How v did you know so soon?” he said. n Oct. 11, 1951, we got a letter rather surprisingly from the “Know what?” I said. OLoyalty Review Board saying that they were going to hold “The Loyalty Review Board has ruled against you.” They told us their own hearings on Nov. 8. [On July 31 the State Department about it. The secretary had red eyes. She obviously was upset.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 27 Everyone was upset. There wasn’t much to do. I called [my attorney] Ed, and he immediately asked for a delay. 1960s: More Talk than Peace Ed felt very strongly that we had a case, that the Loyalty Widely hailed as one of the outstanding professional diplomats Review Board did not have this authority to overrule cases of his generation, Philip C. Habib (1920-1992) served as deputy that had been decided in favor of the employee. They could assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs from be an appeal board, but since the State Department had not 1967 to 1969. He later served as ambassador to South Korea appealed, they couldn’t arbitrarily assume control of a case, as (1971–1974), assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific they were doing, and then decide against the employee. affairs (1974–1976), and under secretary of State for political affairs [But State] refused to consider any delay or hold it up: “Too (1976–1978). After retiring from the Foreign Service, Ambassador late. Press has already got these releases.” The State Depart- Habib was twice recalled to duty, first as a special adviser and then, ment had a lengthy press release, the full text of the Loyalty in 1981, as a special envoy to mediate the Lebanese civil war. Review Board’s decision, and the full text of their own board’s In this section of his ADST oral history, Amb. Habib recalls his decision, saying that I would be fired as of the close of busi- role on the U.S. delegation to the Paris Peace Talks, which began in ness the next day. 1968 and finally concluded in 1973 with the agreement on ending v the war and restoring peace in Vietnam. e don’t know for sure, but as far as we could find out, v Wthe State Department immediately got in touch with rom our standpoint, we were willing the White House and said, “What do we do?” Fto go for a total bombing halt, but we The White House said, “You’ve got to fire him. Too much wanted to get a proper negotiation going heat. The president has appointed the Loyalty Review Board, including the South Vietnamese. We had he can’t overrule them, and you’ve just got to go ahead and Philip C. Habib was South Vietnamese liaison guys there in fire him.” one of six distinguished Paris. But the actual negotiations were The whole attitude of the State Department people under American diplomats between us and the North Vietnamese. honored by the U.S. Dean Acheson was to save the Secretary as much as possible Postal Service with We had two levels of negotiations. For because he’d been burned so badly on the [Alger] Hiss case, a commemorative the formal talks every Thursday, we would stamp in 2006. you see. After Hiss was convicted, he made a statement, “I will convene at the Majestic Hotel at Avenue not turn my back.” The repercussions and backlash on this had Kléber. The delegation would file into this magnificent conference been venomous and terrible. hall, and we’d sit there and read statements to each other, and go One of McCarthy’s favorite ways of referring to me, for out and talk to the TV cameras, and go back to the office and meet instance, in public speeches was, “John Service, whom Ache- again the next Thursday. son will not turn his back on.” You know, this sort of thing. I’m Well, that went on for a while, and obviously we weren’t going not sure whether Acheson was involved. I suppose he must to do anything under that spotlight, so we had a couple of private have okayed it. meetings, and then we set up the formal secret negotiations. They A group of Foreign Service officers tried to talk to him about had a safe house, and we had a safe house. Nobody knew, nobody the case. I think he intimated to them that he just couldn’t do had a clue where they were. They knew that something was wrong, anything about it, his hands were tied. So I think it all points to but couldn’t figure out what. the fact that the real decision was made in the White House. I remember one CBS reporter said, “Now we’ve figured it out, I don’t think I was used as the [State] Department scape- you’re meeting on a houseboat on the Seine.” Yes, that’s right, goat. There’s just no basis for that. The department, as I say, on a houseboat, you get a rowboat and follow us out. They never was pretty much on my side. The State Department at the top discovered it, and why? We ran it, we were professionals. Nothing level tried to cut its losses at the last minute. They weren’t ever leaked from them, or from us. We had a whole series of good going to make any fight about it. But up to that point they had meetings. stuck by me through a lot of thick and thin. Cy Vance and I had carried on most of the secret negotiations. I was a scapegoat in a sense, a whipping boy… [but] that We would bring Averell Harriman in for the key ones. Cy and I had isn’t the right word. I turned out to be an easy, vulnerable meeting after meeting, and a couple of times I had meetings alone, target for McCarthy and for the China Lobby. n at the last stages when we were drafting terms in getting the agree-

28 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Clark Clifford was fit to be tied, and Averell Harriman was about to climb the wall. –Philip Habib

a famous woman called Anna Chennault. Anna Chennault went to the Vietnamese and told them: “We’ll get a better deal under Nixon.” So Thieu refused to accept the agreement and sent a del- egation to Paris. Clark Clifford was fit to be tied. Harriman was about to climb the wall. Well finally, of course, the election was held and Hum- phrey lost. I’m convinced that if Hubert Humphrey had won the election, the war would have been over much sooner. Instead, a new group came along. You couldn’t get the thing cranked up until after the inauguration, which meant you marked time until January 1969. Meanwhile the [South] Vietnamese agreed to come, so they formed their delegation, and the Viet Cong came with their delega- tion. People said it took us three months to decide on the shape of the table, but that was a bunch of shit. We knew what shape the table was going to be from the beginning; it was going to be a round table. It was the only way you were going to solve the problem. We knew that, but we had to go through this whole routine of satisfying the South Vietnamese, and beating down the argu-

Pierre Boulat/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images Pictures/Getty & Life Boulat/Time Pierre ments of the North Vietnamese who wanted the Viet Cong as an W. Averell Harriman, right, head of the U.S. delegation, and Cyrus R. Vance, left, leaving the Paris Vietnam peace talks on Oct. 24, 1968. equal delegation. They talked about a four-party negotiation, and we talked about an “our side, your side” negotiation. We finally ment on the shape of the table. All that was done in that period resolved the problem by a round table. We knew we were going under the secret negotiation. to do that. But you couldn’t solve anything when you didn’t have From May, June, July, August, [the North Vietnamese] wouldn’t delegations. give a thing. We had been pressing them: What would we get if we The new administration appointed Cabot Lodge as head of the gave a total bombing halt? For the total bombing halt we wanted, delegation and, of course, he had a so-called number two called specific things had to happen. Walsh, a lawyer from New York who didn’t know anything about Finally, all of a sudden one day, the head of their delegation, a the problem. He was a Republican lawyer from New York who was member of the Politburo, said to Harriman and Vance, “If we do so in the early Nixon administration. and so and so, will you stop the bombing?” Cabot came and we began sort of floundering around. At that At that point, you knew you had it. It was just that stubbornness point Henry Kissinger entered the negotiations by deciding that and reading reams of propaganda bullshit, even in the secret talks. he’s going to run the secret negotiating. He had Dick Walters, They finally agreed to what we needed, and what we wanted, and who was then the military attaché, set up the negotiation, and the deal was cooked in October 1968. said nothing to us. Henry lacked confidence in the secrecy of the And then something happened. ... before the election. Some- Foreign Service. body got to [South Vietnamese President Ngyuen Van] Thieu on [Kissinger] had with him Winston Lord, Tony Lake, and this behalf of Richard Nixon and said, “Don’t agree, come to Paris.” character, Walters. None of them knew anything about anything at It was done right here in Washington. A Republican went to that point compared to us. … n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 29 Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum Library Presidential Nixon Richard

President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai toast the opening of U.S.-China relations in February 1972 in Beijing.

I said, “Well, I know there’s a text; there’s got to be. Chinese is 1970s: Nixon Goes to China not French or Spanish. One has to consider carefully how this is After more than two decades of icy Sino-American relations, done if it’s to be done well. I’m sure there’s a text, and I’d appre- President Richard Nixon embarked on an historic trip to China ciate your getting it for me.” in February 1972. Not only did the visit strengthen Chinese- He went into the president’s office, and came out and again American relations, but it also served to encourage closer ties to said, “There is no text, and the president would like you to inter- the Soviet Union. pret.” Being a member of the official delegation was, of course, a I said, “Well, I happen to know that there is a text. And really I great honor, and everyone did what the White House directed him must insist on having that text. I have something approaching a or her to do. Everyone, that is, except FSO Chas Freeman, who photographic memory; I just need to read it once.” was the senior interpreter, for reasons he explains in this excerpt Dwight Chapin was the gatekeeper, the appointments secre- from his oral history. (You can also read Winston Lord’s account tary, I believe, for the president, later convicted of perjury. At any of the diplomacy underlying the trip at the ADST website.) rate, he went back in a third time, and he came out and said again, v “There is no text, and the president orders you to interpret.” little after 8 o’clock on the evening of Feb. 21, 1972, the ban- And I said, “Well, it might interest you to know that I did the Aquet having been moved down to about 9:30, I was called first draft of the toast tonight, and while I don’t know what was over to the president’s villa. [White House aide] Dwight Chapin done to it in detail at the National Security Council and by the came out and said, “The president would like you to interpret the speechwriters, I do know that some of Chairman Mao’s poetry banquet toast tonight.” was inserted into it. And if you think I’m going to get up in front And I said, “Fine. Could I have the text, please, so that I can of the entire Chinese politburo and ad-lib Chairman Mao’s work it over?” poetry back into Chinese, you’re nuts. …” He said, “Well, I don’t know. There may not be a text.” He said, “All right.”

30 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL I could see the president glaring 1980s: Stranded in Siberia at me across the table, with The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty marked a turn- his jowls down and a grim ing point in relations between the U.S. and the USSR. Signed in expression on his face. December 1987 by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, the treaty came into force on June 1, 1988. It –Chas Freeman was the first treaty ever to destroy nuclear missiles, rather than just cap the number each side could possess. Eileen Malloy was posted to Moscow right after the treaty And he took the text out of his pocket and gave it to the Chi- was signed and worked directly with the Soviet government to nese. And so they had it. facilitate the visits of U.S. inspection teams. In this part of her oral Later Ji Chaozhu, who did the interpreting, consulted with history, she describes an unexpectedly prolonged stay in Siberia in me on a number of points before he did it. Indeed, it did contain the dead of winter. some of Chairman Mao’s poetry, and it would have been cata- v strophic for me to do it. hen I arrived in Moscow in January 1988 to take on this So my first act as interpreter of Chinese (this was my debut as Whuge challenge, the Soviets were not very good about interpreter; I had never interpreted except in a classroom) was to dealing with women—and I was a pregnant female. They just did refuse to interpret. … not know what to do with me at all. As we sat through the banquet, I was at the head table with I was there for two years, working with the Ministry of Foreign Nixon and Zhou Enlai and Henry Kissinger and Ji Dengfei and Li Affairs and the Soviet Nuclear Military Center to make sure that Xiannian, later president of China, and, I think, Qiao Guanhua, the American teams who would land at the portal entries to who was, in fact, the brains in the Foreign Ministry, and [Secre- conduct surprise inspections were able to reach their sites. … President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai toast the opening of U.S.-China relations in February 1972 in Beijing. tary of State] Bill Rogers, of course, and Mrs. Nixon—interpreting The teams had to be able to land either in Moscow or the portal for them. I could see the president glaring at me across the table, that was in Siberia, Ulan Ude; announce where they wanted to with his jowls down and a grim expression on his face, obviously go anywhere in the Soviet Union; and reach that location within mighty annoyed that I had pulled this stunt. a certain number of hours. So it was very complex. I have thought a lot about why he might have wished to con- We were the ones who translated, met them at the airport, ceal the fact that there was a text. The fact is that he had a habit made sure that the U.S. military plane was serviced, just got the of memorizing speeches, and he liked to appear to be ad-libbing whole thing going, and then, whenever there was a dispute, we them, giving them extemporaneously, which is what Dwight would conduct negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chapin had told me he planned to do. And I think he was afraid I But it was all virgin terrain. Nobody had ever done this before so would stand up there with the text, which I wouldn’t have done, we were making it up as we were going along. … of course. Once, when I had to go to Ulan Ude [in 1990] to meet an In any event, he also had a predilection for using the other unannounced inspection, Captain Sandy Schmidt went with side’s interpreters, because they wouldn’t leak to the U.S. press me. The two of us were responsible for all the diplomatic escort and Congress. So all these things came together. duties, which involved getting up an hour before we had to go to Two days later, after some other things had happened, Nixon the airport to thaw out the Jeep, which was frozen solid because apologized to me. He called me over and said, “I’m sorry. I made it was minus 30 degrees in the garage. And then Sandy had to do a mistake. That was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that.” And all these complex things to get this Soviet Jeep running. I never there were tears in his eyes. Then he did some other things that learned to drive a stick shift, but fortunately she had. were by way of making amends. It was odd. We got ourselves out to the airport and planned to get the I did not smoke at that time. I had given it up nine years team off to their inspection site, hand them over to their Soviet previously, when I was in law school. I remember Li Xiannian, handlers, and be done with work for two days until the team then the sort of economic planner of China, later the president, returned to Ulan Ude. Or so we thought. offering me a cigarette. I took it, and I have smoked ever since. I The Air Force plane came trembling in over the horizon, this was terribly nervous. n enormous C-130, the big transport plane. It was so cold and the

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 31 The thing that I was most pleased with was the U.S. crew of the plane. They were trapped in Siberia unexpectedly for two days without as much as a change of clothes. We made arrangements for them to get hotel rooms, to be fed, but after that they were bored and wanted to go for a walk. They had not planned even to get off the plane. So they did not have Eileen Malloy in sub-zero weather winter gear or parkas to walk with the inspection around. … team’s plane. There was a winter ice festival

Photo courtesy of Eileen Malloy. Eileen of courtesy Photo going on with what seemed like the whole town out building ice We spent two days standing castles and sliding down these enormous runs of ice on rugs and stuff. The flight crew got into it and they started playing with the outside, unprotected on the local people. They had a great time. I think that little interaction tarmac in Siberia, trying to help did more for Soviet-American relations than anything else because the air crew negotiate with the they actually got to talk to people. People could see that the U.S. military men were not monsters. It was a really hard two days, but airport authorities. it was interesting. –Eileen Malloy v The treaty called for each side to pay for services. For instance when our plane came in, we had a payment that we would make to Moscow for the airport services that we were provided. But that would not actually get to the people running the airport at Ulan runway was in such bad condition that when it landed it broke Ude. They told me they never saw any of that money. So they had a strut. So we got the inspection team sent off, and we started to to provide the support, but they did not have enough funding to figure out what to do with the plane. And as fast as we can try and sustain the services. get it repaired, the plane starts to freeze. There were no hangars. It I suggested to them that rather than paying a cash amount, why was totally out in the open, in Siberia, in the winter. not have the U.S. government send them a used de-icing truck Every system on the plane that had any type of fluid started to from some airport in the United States? They thought that would freeze and break. So the air crew realized the only thing they could be absolutely wonderful. When I got back and recounted this con- do is open every system, just drain everything before it could freeze versation, the Washington policy group slapped me on the hand. I and rupture. We had to order another plane out of Yokota, and it had no authorization to make any such offer, to have any such dis- took two days to get it there with a repair crew. cussion with the Soviets. We were not here to help them. To me it Sandy and I both speak Russian, but my Foreign Service lan- was the most logical thing. It would have made our operation safer. guage instruction did not include aeronautic engineering terms. It was the only way we would know that the money we were paying We spent two days standing outside, unprotected on the tarmac them for services was actually getting to them. But there was still in Siberia, trying to help the air crew negotiate with the airport this reflexive, “We’re not helping the bad guys” kind of thing. authorities. I ended up with frostbite across my cheeks. There are I think in hindsight people realize now that had we started on a some great pictures of us desperately trying to keep warm in all more cooperative relationship back then, it might have been easier this. We actually got to be pretty good buddies with the airport to mount some of the national security programs that we did after people through all of this. the breakup of the Soviet Union. n

32 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 1990s: Prelude to a Disaster In one of the most horrific events in U.S. diplomatic history, on the morning of Aug. 7, 1998, suicide bombers parked trucks loaded with explosives outside the embas- sies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi and almost simultaneously deto- nated them. In Nairobi, at least 212 people were killed, and an estimated 4,000 wounded; in Dar es Salaam, the attack killed at least 11 and wounded 85. Prudence Bushnell, a career FSO, was ambassador to Kenya at the time. She had repeatedly warned Zweifel/Creative Commons Zweifel/Creative the State Department about gaps The Memorial Park Embassy bombing site in Nairobi was opened in 2001 to honor those who were injured and in the embassy’s security, but to no killed in the Aug. 7, 1998, terrorist bombing of the U.S. embassy there. avail—as she recounts in this section of her oral history. (To see a video interview with Amb. Bushnell, had to be done. Here was an ugly, brown, square box of con- go to usdiplomacy.org; you can also listen to a podcast there. For crete located on one of the busiest street corners in Nairobi. another perspective, see the Accountability Review Board on U.S. We were situated across the street from the train station. Street Embassy Nairobi bombing, also available on the ADST website.) preachers, homeless children, muggers, hacks and thousands of v pedestrians came by our threshold every day. The security offset n the 1990s, President Bill Clinton felt compelled to give prescribed by the Inman Report in the aftermath of the truck Ithe American people their peace dividend, while Congress bombing of our embassy in Beirut was non-existent. Three steps thought that now that the Cold War was over, there was no need from the sidewalk and you were in the embassy. for any significant funding of intelligence, foreign affairs or In the back we shared a small parking lot with the Coopera- diplomacy. There were discussions about whether we needed tive Bank, which was a 21-story building. We may have had embassies at all now that we had 24-hour newscasts, e-mail, etc. about 20 feet of offset from the rear parking lot, but no more. [House Speaker] Newt Gingrich and Congress closed the federal We had an underground parking lot, which was inadequate, government a couple of times. Agencies were starved of funding and we were squatting on some space in the front, but that was across the board. it. Needless to say, there was no money for security. Funding I had learned before I got to Nairobi that the Office of Foreign provided in the aftermath of the bombing of our embassy in Bei- Buildings Operations, now Overseas Building Operations, was rut in the 1980s that created new building standards for embas- planning [to spend between four and seven million dollars on] sies and brought in greater numbers of diplomatic security renovation of this building that was unsafe and much too small officers dried up. for us. Having spent three years in [the Bureau of] African Affairs As an answer to the lack of funding, the State Department dealing with an assortment of disasters, I thought it was dumb to stopped talking about need. For example, when we had inad- invest more capital in a building that would never be considered equate staff to fill positions, State eliminated the positions. If safe. There just was no way to protect the building. I suggested there’s no money for security, then let’s not talk about security that FBO sell it and pool the proceeds with the money proposed needs. The fact of increasing concern at the embassy about for the renovations to buy a new site. Washington’s response was crime and violence was irrelevant in Washington. So was the somewhere between “Are you nuts?!” and “Get out of the way, condition of our building. the renovation train has already left the station.” The first day I walked into the chancery, I knew something In 1997, I was told that we were under what was deemed to be

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 33 When they ended with the pro-forma “Is there anything we can do for you?” I angrily declared they could answer the goddamn mail! –Prudence Bushnell

a credible threat from a Somali quasi-humanitarian group called al-Haramain. I was also told that the intel side of the Washington interagency community wanted to let things unfold to see where the leads would go. I reported this back to State, along with mea- sures we were taking, but got no response. When I learned that the arms the group was waiting for were allegedly on their way, I asked the Kenyan government to break up the organization. [Kenyan President Daniel Arap] Moi per- sonally assured me they would comply. Some of the members of al-Haramain were deported and life went on. Then I got word of a threat from the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group in northern Uganda. Again, we advised Washington and, again, we got nothing back. Meanwhile we continued to do everything we considered reasonable and cautious. I remember that in early 1998 a delegation of counterterror- ist types visited. I met with them in the secure conference room, and when they ended with the pro-forma “Is there anything we can do for you?” I angrily declared they could answer the god- damn mail! The cursing was intentional because I wanted them to see how frustrated and annoyed I was. When I returned to Washington on consultations in Decem- ber 1997, I was told point-blank by the AF Executive Office to stop sending cables because people were getting very irritated with me. That really pushed up my blood pressure. Later, in the spring of 1998, for the first time in my career I was not asked for input into the “Needs Improvement” section of my performance evaluation. That’s always a sign! When I read the criticism that “she tends to overload the bureaucratic circuits,” I knew exactly what it referred to. Yes, the cables had been read. They just weren’t appreciated. In the years since the bombing, I’ve learned just how much I did not know about U.S. national security and law enforcement efforts against al-Qaida. The information was highly compart- mentalized, on a “need to know” basis, and clearly Washington did not think the U.S. ambassador needed to know. n

34 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FEATURE SOME DREAMERS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM Is it possible that the various ethnic groups in the Balkans might finally be in the process of overcoming the region’s fractious history?

BY JAMES THOMAS SNYDER

he late-model Audi, its left rear-view trafficked girls from the region, I had no idea what I had gotten mirror smashed, surged past a put- myself into after Aleksandr cornered me halfway to dinner at the tering Zastava on a dark, lonely road hotel and insisted that I join him and his friends. outside Struga, Macedonia. The driver, I was relieved to learn that the club was a sedate restaurant a boisterous Serb named Aleksandr, with the local equivalent of a mariachi band. Four men (two talked loudly and blasted pop music by guitarists, a fiddler and an accordionist) played old Balkan folk Ceca, the wife of the Serb war criminal songs for hire. An elated Aleksandr quickly ordered a round of universally known as Arkan (Željko potent rakia brandy, and joined the players in the performance. Ražnatovi). It was small comfort to be I was happy to see acquaintances from the conference I was up front, rather than squashed by the three passengers already attending in Struga: a Bulgarian doctoral student, the Macedo- Tin the back seat. nian foreign ministry’s chef de cabinet, a Croatian official, an Aleksandr boasted that he was taking us to “the best club” in Albanian member of parliament and a Greek brigadier general. I neighboring Ohrid. Fearful it would be a strip bar populated by had a couple of brandies with them, relaxed and began to enjoy myself. James Snyder is a former member of the NATO international staff. This Most of the patrons knew each other because they had piled article is adapted from his book, The United States and the Challenge onto a bus together on their way to the NATO summit in Istanbul of Public Diplomacy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013). Names have been in 2004—an experience they remember fondly if they remember changed to protect the identities of those who spoke with the author. it at all; by most accounts it was well-liquored. In Istanbul they

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 35 As the rest of us have been preoccupied by other challenges, the splintering of Yugoslavia is almost complete. James Thomas Snyder Thomas James Lake Ohrid, in Macedonia, is one of the oldest and deepest bodies of water in Europe. had advocated for NATO membership for their countries, and Croatia and Slovenia are all independent. Bosnia-Herzegovina they were continuing their activities at the conference. is also independent, but still shattered and governed under a virtual European Union protectorate. The Republic Formerly Known as Macedonia Serbia is alone and embittered over the loss of Kosovo, Macedonia is one of the former Yugoslav republics. I note which holds the final answer to the ultimate question of the this ostensibly obvious fact because, like many things in the Balkans. That is where Albanians and Serbs still kill one other, Balkans, it is in contention. Maps of the tiny country of two while Belgrade inches cautiously toward wider autonomy for its million often label it “the Former Yugoslav Republic of Mace- former province. NATO peacekeepers will likely remain there donia,” and all NATO publications attach an asterisk that notes long after U.S. forces leave Afghanistan. “Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia by its constitu- My NATO colleagues say, without irony, that young people tional name.” are the future in the Balkans. They are more likely to be edu- Greece does not recognize it, primarily because the Greeks cated, Western-oriented, liberal and optimistic. Their genera- have an old historical claim to the region. Alexander the Great, tion also provides the energy necessary to overcome decades of King of Macedon, spread Hellenic culture from here to the political inertia. They seem less attached to history, despite the Hindu Kush during the fourth century before Christ. More fact the recent conflicts mirror their grandparents’ memories of darkly, Athens worries that since its northernmost region is the Balkan Wars that led to World War I. named Macedonia, the locals might attempt to claim a Greater That energy was certainly on display as Aleksandr sang. He Macedonia. knew every song. They were native to Macedonia, but everyone This is perhaps not as absurd as it sounds, given more recent at the table seemed to know them. Ana, the Macedonian For- attempts to create a Greater Serbia and a Greater Albania. eign Ministry official, sat on my left, picking at her food when Moreover, it is an article of faith among many Greeks that not dragging on a cigarette. She expressed feminist contempt an essential heartland of ancient Greece has been somehow for these old folk tunes. “This is an ode to the beauty of the excised from the body politic. Macedonian woman,” she explained for my benefit, stubbing As the rest of us have been preoccupied by other challenges, out a butt. “This one now is about Maria, who broke my heart,” the splintering of Yugoslavia is almost complete. Montenegro she said about another, making a face. achieved a peaceful secession from Serbia, while Macedonia, That did not deter Aleksandr in the slightest. A big, effusive

36 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The mix of Balkan grammar bringing the book with me on social outings; and, without prompting, my companions would hold up the volume as they mashed into English made discussed the history and prospects of the region—just as West me feel as if I were listening and her companions had done with volumes of Tolstoy and through a lead pipe. Dostoyevsky. Earlier in the day we walked through Ohrid, exploring St. Sofia, a Byzantine church that the Ottomans had converted to a mosque before Christians knocked over its minaret and recon- secrated it. We passed the country’s best archaeology museum character, he crooned, and the Greek brigadier whistled, and on the way to the Church of Plaosnik on a high overlook, a the Albanian parliamentarian joined in on a drum passed site that dates to the Roman era. West describes the Orthodox around by the band. The music was usually in a low register church as a place where the priests understand magic, and it and the language was delicate. Language is the portal to any was easy to see why. culture, and I simply could not feel it the way everyone else did. We walked from there down to the small, 1,000-year-old But the quiet Bulgarian doctoral student told me from across Byzantine Church of St. John, which is perched on a promon- the table that even for her, the music and words raised the hair tory with a dramatic view of Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest and on her head. deepest bodies of water in Europe. To the brigadier’s delight, he Before I knew it, Aleksandr had his arms around the Croat found a Greek family performing a baptism in the tiny shrine. and they were belting out another song together. The Greek He insisted I witness this event and shoved me inside. brigadier, sitting on the other side of me from Ana, jabbed me The family was packed into the narrow sanctuary, and the in the ribs and said, “Look at them! Ten years ago, they were infant was passed around with a perplexed look on his face. ready to kill each other!” Naked but for a light cloth, the baby was held by the priest who dripped water from his hand onto the child’s head. The fam- West Meets Eastern Europe ily giggled at the baby’s reaction. Then he was handed to the This was very much the unspoken theme of my visit. It was godfather for a blessing. The room was dark but seemed to glow 2006, and I was in Macedonia for a conference to talk about and, despite the close quarters, the crowd was perfectly quiet. regional cooperation, the yin of the Balkan yang—the centrip- Leaving in the sunlight, the family pressed sweets on the etal force of political order and integration pressing against the buoyant brigadier to share with us in celebration. This seren- centrifugal force of ethnic strife and disintegration. More than dipitous encounter seemed a latter-day incarnation of West’s six decades ago, the statesman Robert Schuman wrote about experience on the same spot, when she stumbled across a wed- how European institutions could repair what centuries of war ding, the fields covered by well-wishers and people paddling had rent across the continent. But it was up to these people boats around the promontory, “singing ecstatically.” around this table to make that happen in a new region emerg- ing from conflict and institutional collapse. Greek to Me The conference was stupefying at times; the mix of Balkan History, like life, cannot be expunged from the landscape. grammar mashed into English made me feel as if I were listen- Visiting a traditional print shop in Ohrid, the Greek brigadier ing through a lead pipe. But it was also fantastically idealistic seized on a few lines by Grigor Parlichev, a 19th-century poet, and optimistic, a counterhistorical experiment operating as proof of the influence of Greece in Macedonia. This is a entirely against the conventional wisdom contained in Robert delicate thing to assert, and the brigadier was anything but Kaplan’s pessimistic Balkan Ghosts. delicate. I carried my own travelogue of the former Yugoslavia, the “He was Greek!” he insisted. tome Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West. Seventy- “But he was born in Ohrid,” asserted Biljana, a tiny but will- odd years after its publication, it vividly described what I was ful Macedonian college student who sparred with the brigadier seeing, and her experiences as she traveled with her husband all afternoon. “He is Macedonian.” and Yugoslav friends across the region during the 1930s mir- “But he wrote in Greek!” the general roared. “He was Greek!” rored mine. The coincidences were so striking that I started To appreciate the general’s ardor, it helps to know that Ohrid

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 37 History, like life, cannot be expunged from the landscape. But it can be overcome. James Thomas Snyder Thomas James The city of Ohrid, on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid, is a cultural-historical center and summer tourist destination. claims to be the cradle of the Macedonian language. Statues of is easy to be overwhelmed by the complexity of the region, to St. Clement, the local monk and patron saint who developed take the differences as inherent and unchanging, and conflict and propagated the Cyrillic alphabet among the Slavs, stand as an inevitable outcome of those dissimilarities. But all human overlooking Lake Ohrid. Cyrillic is based on the Greek alphabet, conflict is political, and all politics is choice; and with choice, we inserting new characters for complicated diphthongs and other have control. sounds in Old Slavonic that are not present in Greek. It may not matter that Parlichev was born in Ohrid under the Playing Three-Dimensional Chess Ottoman Empire and considered himself Bulgarian. Macedonia This is captured in a scene in Skopje 70 years ago that West alone has enough history, language and culture to fuel a dozen describes in Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. She watches as arguments about the claim to an old poet. Hellenic influence is Albanians, Macedonians, Turks and Gypsies all go about their manifest, and the Turks dominated the Balkans for centuries. The afternoon rituals—walks, dances, prayer, festivals—together French fought through here during World War I, and German but separate in their own customs. Her reverie is interrupted by Navy tugs are still sunk at the bottom of Lake Ohrid. The Bulgar- Gerda, the shrewish wife of her guide Constantine, and the senti- ians predominated for a time and share the Cyrillic alphabet. ments expressed are the difference between the hedgehog and Macedonia’s large Albanian minority speaks a language that the fox, between the cosmopolitan and the pure, between fascism has nothing in common with any other language in Europe. Turks and democracy, between the past and the future: live here too, as do the Roma Gypsies, and both have their own “‘I do not understand you [Gerda said]; you go on saying what languages that influence the others. a beautiful country this is, and you must know perfectly well that None of that deterred Biljana and the brigadier, who argued there is no order here, no culture, but only a mishmash of differ- all afternoon. But by the end of the day, the general was trying ent peoples who are all quite primitive and low. Why do you do to fix Biljana up with his son, a recently commissioned air force that?’ officer, on her next trip to Greece. “[West] said wearily, ‘But it’s precisely because there are so If politics is like playing three-dimensional chess, then many different peoples that Yugoslavia is so interesting. So many Balkan politics is like playing three concurrent games of three- of these peoples have remarkable qualities, and it is fascinating to dimensional chess where all the pieces are interchangeable. It see whether they can be organized into an orderly state.’

38 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The people I met in Macedonia seemed to recognize that they have to live with one another. And so must we all.

“‘How can you make an orderly state out of so many peoples?’ [Gerda] asked. ‘They should all be driven out.’” Then as now, it was extraordinarily compelling to see these people making the effort to organize themselves into an orderly state. As in a marriage, they were choosing to work together, to get along, to see past their differences and find their common humanity because they recognized a better future was only pos- sible in that choice. Their work was an individual act of politi- cal will, multiplied many times, to take themselves and their countries toward a world that they are imagining and creating for themselves.

The Art of the Impossible Since that bus trip to Istanbul almost a decade ago, many of the Balkan states have been stunningly, even miraculously suc- cessful. Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Albania have all joined NATO, and the first three joined the European Union, as well. Macedonia qualified for NATO membership, too, but was kept out of the alliance by Greece. Serbia joined the NATO Partnership for Peace, an extraordi- nary achievement. And with the arrests and extraditions of the war criminals Radovan Karadžic and Ratko Mladic, Serbia is two steps closer to entering the European Union itself. For these dreamers, politics is—in Václav Havel’s words—truly the art of the impossible. None of that kept Aleksandr, pink and perspiring after rounds of rakia and song, from debating the Albanian parliamentarian about whether a particular Kosovar Albanian was a terrorist and trying to dragoon me into his argument. But he was arguing, not fighting. Watching these friends—Serbs, Croats, Bulgarians, Albanians, Greeks, Macedonians—I thought they might just be in the pro- cess of loosening the bonds of history and tightening the bonds of fellowship at the same time. Is that possible? They seemed to recognize, perhaps as West did all those years ago, that there was simply no other way out. They were stuck. They’d have to live with one another. And so must we all. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 39 FEATURE A “TRAILING” SPOUSE?

A millennial commentator shares her reaction to joining the ranks of the Foreign Service community.

BY JESSIE BRYSON

am a trailing spouse. This isn’t a diagnosis for my own mid-life crisis or some existential metaphor for my relationship status. No, this is what I’m called, thanks to my dear husband’s Foreign Service position. To be more specific and, I suppose, far less incrimi- nating, it’s a term assigned to me by way of my hus- band’s job, if I really had to blame somebody. (But who’s blaming anybody in this career?) Thus, as I haul my worldly belongings from one continent to another, updating Imy Facebook location status as often as some do their relation- ships, I find myself thrown into the unexpected role of “trailing s p o u s e .” This lifestyle certainly does have its perks. The government goes to great lengths to ensure the stability of our family (and our future family’s) life. Housing is provided, cost-of-living adjustments are accounted for, and luxuries like dishwashers and lawn mowers are supplied to provide some semblance

Jessie Bryson has accompanied her husband, Barrett Bryson, who joined the Foreign Service in 2010, to Dar es Salaam by way of Guang- zhou and Washington, D.C. As a writer and photographer, she is active both online and in her local community. She keeps a diary of her obser- vations about overseas life at www.jessbopeep.com.

40 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL of American normalcy. Living on a single-income salary in Most young adults today, East Africa is far more manageable than it is in any American metropolis. myself included, are not I envy friends’ kids who already have more life experience comfortable playing a under their tweeny belts than I have accrued during my 30 years of existence. These kids have grown up in places like Italy, supporting role. Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Switzerland and Costa Rica. But it’s okay, because I take my immature self off to exotic locations on “holiday” to cope—places like Bali, Phuket, Taipei, Mumbai, Mexico City and Bozeman, Mont. (After living abroad for two years in Asia, Bozeman was as exotic as Penang.) Plus, it’s straight-up impressive that my husband is qualified enough, and has been selected, for his position abroad. I’m one of those “brains are attractive” kinds of girls, you know? I do occasionally whine about mosquitoes, lament that I only find myself residing in hot and humid locales, and dread sional opportunities abroad. But like the term “stay-at-home the fact that many of my clothes will forever have a slightly mom,” “trailing spouse” still has a negative connotation. dusty, storage-like smell because they sat in a shipping con- This has a lot to do with the feminist movement, but it also tainer for eight months last year. But eventually, mosquito bites reflects a strong desire among millennials for innovation and heal, and I’ll live in a city located at 45° North. And if I weren’t individualism. Members of the “Me, Me, Me” Generation so cheap, I would take my entire wardrobe in for dry cleaning. emblazoned on the cover of Time magazine months ago have I really only have one major issue with this lifestyle I’ve not been taught how to put themselves behind others. As a stumbled into, and that’s that I’m often labeled a “trailing result, most young adults today, myself included, are not com- spouse” (whether vocalized or not) on first introduction. It’s fortable playing a supporting role. a label that I’m finding difficult to accept, simply due to its eponymous implication of attaching oneself to another. Our Generation Back at home, many of my friends are DINKs, which is an It’s Not the Good Old Days unfortunate acronym for what I see as a fortunate situation: Decades ago, the outward appearance of a trailing spouse Dual Income, No Kids. As products of the Me Generation, we directly affected her husband’s work. The performance review grew up with walls adorned with soccer and softball trophies, of a member of the military or Foreign Service, especially those and adults cooing that we jump the highest and sing the loud- at high ranks, used to include an assessment of his spouse’s est and smile the prettiest. We post these facts all over our ability to entertain. I can’t imagine making a pot roast, let alone walls—on Facebook, that is, not in suburban homes. We’ve all being judged for one. gone on to earn college degrees, many of them postgraduate; In those good old days, as they’re misleadingly known, a and some of us have helped start a business or two. Foreign Service was almost always a man whose wife fol- As we reach adulthood, we millennials have specific ideals lowed him overseas. His spouse was expected to host dinners for life. Work hard and play hard. Learn another language. and cocktail gatherings while maintaining the home and her Book exotic and adventurous travel excursions. Know how to appearance with finesse. The spouse featured in the role of address a proper cover letter. Put off having a family in favor of supporting character was a big deal, and “trailing spouse” career stability. Learn to write a witty Match.com profile. Do was (and I do say this with a bit of hesitation) something of an what inspires, but also think about whether these actions look esteemed title. good to others. Luckily we’ve moved on, away from an obsession with pot Many of my friends are able to balance successful relation- roast and misogynistic tendencies. Both men and women play ships with their successful careers, and in their free time have the role of trailing spouse now, though it’s still more common successful social lives. When they casually ask me what I am up among the latter; and many of these spouses pursue profes- to these days, I scramble to find an answer that will impress.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 41 Armed with impressive CVs, we begin new lives abroad as housewives, mothers, volunteers, hobbyists.

Already, I feel I am failing my generation. “Oh, what am I doing, you ask? Ummm, I followed my husband to Africa.” In my mind, I might as well have made a pot roast.

What We Do Living overseas, I attend gatherings where fellow trailing spouses introduce one another as “Wife of X” or “Husband of Y,” and then immediately talk about what we did in a past life. Former lawyers, media planners, environmentalists, teachers, Peace Corps Volunteers and scientists (though, for what it’s worth, I notice that very few are former doctors). Armed with impressive CVs, we begin new lives abroad as housewives, parents, volunteers, hobbyists. More often than not, there are great barriers to overcome in seeking employment overseas, if spouses and partners are even allowed to work in a particular country. Often the job market is not what we expected, whether because of regulations in the country, heightened expectations and inflated U.S. pay scales, the lack of jobs in the local economy, or more obvious barriers such as language, visas, time commitments and the like. Last August, as I read the heavily circulated New York Times article, “The Opt-Out Generation Wants Back In,” I could not help making constant connections between my struggles in the fairly recent role as trailing spouse and those of modern- day stay-at-home mothers. In either situation, when a woman (or man) chooses family over career, feelings of responsibil- ity, guilt, envy, resentment and regret surface, no matter how confident the choice. Whether one is a trailing spouse or a stay- at-home mother, the issue of defining one’s personal identity is under microscopic scrutiny. But the challenges for the “trailing spouse” have an added

42 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL twist. Even if we find ways to pack days to the brim, and score an amazing role of a lifetime at our new home, we live with the constant, nagging awareness that when our spouse’s job is done, we will be required to pick up and pack out and move on and start all over again.

Leading, Not Trailing But recently, I’ve been inspired. I have met many a trailing spouse with enormous credentials who is doing magnificent things alongside their partner. No matter where they live, they find meaningful work, are graceful parents and become the backbone of their families’ lives. Plenty of spouses like me are assuming the role of freelancer, consultant or telecommuter, because the same online presence that feeds the Me Genera- tion’s self-absorption also facilitates working from home, and much more. Most of these Foreign Service spouses are in their element, on both a personal and professional level, and are the precise opposite of “trailing.” In the end, it’s not the process of finding work overseas that’s hard—because frankly, that’s hard every- where. It’s also more than finding a good OB-GYN, driving to four neighborhoods to find the right (safe) dog food or avoiding a pesky gluten allergy that would be a breeze to work around back in the States. If anything, as I suspect most trailing spouses will profess, we thrive under pressure. We may shed a few tears every now and then, but handling overseas life is easy, compared with answering what seems like a simple question, “What do you do?” Coming to terms with that has replaced cooking a perfect pot roast as the million-dollar dilemma. I wrote earlier that I’m a trailing spouse, thanks to my husband. But, of course, my husband isn’t tying me to the seat of every plane he boards. And I wouldn’t trade in my marriage, our travels or my job, however undefined, as a writer, for any- thing. My husband and I make some decisions independent of one another, but most are made together, including spending his career overseas. At the end of each assignment, when our worldly goods are being carried out the door in a crate that will spend eight months in storage, I can always bow out of this difficult role. But I ask myself: Would living in a shoebox apartment in a fifth-floor walkup in New York really be more glamorous? More fulfilling? I don’t think so. Trailing spouse? To me it looks more like prevailing spouse! n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 43

AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION

F. Allen “Tex” Harris Receives Human Rights Award

On Dec. 12, F. Allen “Tex” Har- ris, a former AFSA president CALENDAR (1993-1997), was honored by 3/5/2014 the United Nations Associa- 12:00 - 2:00 PM tion of the National Capital AFSA Governing Board Area with their Award for the Meeting Use of Diplomacy to Advance 3/6/2014 Human Rights. Deadline: AFSA Student Nominated by AFSA Financial Aid Applications President Bob Silverman, the award recognizes Harris’ 3/4/2014 extraordinary achievements 2:00 - 3:30 PM ”America’s First Globals: in saving lives during the Public Diplomats for the 21st Argentine military dictator- Century,” with John Zogby ship. The ceremony took place in the Caucus Room 3/15/2014 Deadline: AFSA High of the Cannon House Office PHOTO UNA-NCA School Essay Contest Building on Capitol Hill. F. Allen “Tex” Harris addresses members of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area after receiving an award recognizing his human rights work during the Argentine military dictatorship. 3/24/2014 Point of Hope 12:00 - 1:00 PM In 1977, Harris, a mid-level Job Search Program general in Durban, Harris Brown Bag @ FSI diplomat in Buenos Aires, Center for Human Rights focused on connecting the became a point of hope 3/25/2014 Owing to Harris’ efforts, racially isolated communities for thousands of families 2:30 - 4:00 PM through building grassroots whose loved ones had been the U.S. embassy became ”Diplomacy in Difficult institutions. He assisted kidnapped, tortured and a human rights center, Places” with in bringing the first black Amb. Gerald Feierstein clandestinely executed by collecting and reporting information first-hand. These players into South Africa’s the military junta. Through 4/2/2014 professional rugby teams his work, he helped raise con- efforts helped to organize an 12:00 - 2:00 PM and warned about the HIV/ sciousness worldwide about information-sharing program AFSA Governing Board AIDS pandemic threatening the human rights abuses. with other key embassies and Meeting the region. His initiative to collect with the few human rights first-hand reports from fam- groups in Buenos Aires. For- ily members of the more than eign journalists used Harris AFSA Leader During his tenure as presi- 14,000 cases of the “disap- as a source for their report- dent, Mr. Harris led efforts to peared” was unprecedented. ing. His work had a major improve working conditions He analyzed the files (this impact on public perceptions and to end ethnic, gender was before the computer and governmental policies and racial discrimination age) and reported the facts around the world. within the State Department. to the U.S. government and Mr. Harris’ human rights Mr. Harris currently serves the world press on the junta’s advocacy did not end in as a retiree representative on dirty war. This data gave Argentina. He also worked for the AFSA Governing Board. n critical veracity to reports of nine years on the diplomatic See 90th the excesses of the Argentine effort to bring democracy Kick-Off Coverage military junta’s secret pro- to South Africa. As consul On Page 52 gram to eliminate subversion.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 45 STATE VP VOICE | BY MATTHEW ASADA AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA State VP. Contact: [email protected] or (202) 647-8160

Working to Make Travel Easier

AFSA’s strategic plan out- kiosk takes approximately ity savings realized through individual and institutional lines how we are working to one minute, and the kiosks participation in these two levels. make the department a bet- are usually available without programs quickly cover The General Services ter, safer and more rewarding a wait. The benefits of Global the cost of the programs Administration’s current place to serve. This month, Entry continue to grow as themselves. For instance, travel circular prohibits our efforts to improve ben- the program partners with after just two trips, an FS-03 agency reimbursement of efits and the quality of work/ foreign trusted traveler pro- employee’s productivity sav- an employee’s Global Entry life as it relates to employee grams—now in the Nether- ings exceeds the annualized fees. This circular was issued travel. lands and South Korea. cost of membership. before Global Entry was For several years now, An even better value than even a program, and cites AFSA has advocated for TSA Pre-check Global Entry is enrollment in a privately administered employee enrollment in The Transportation the U.S.-Canadian trusted security clearance program various Trusted Traveler pro- Security Administration’s traveler programs, NEXUS. instead of a government-run, grams. Given the frequency program, TSA Pre-Check, As members, individuals liv- trusted traveler, customs/ of employee travel, it is in facilitates passenger security ing on or close to the border immigration program. We the government’s financial screening at airports. Pas- are given expedited land have written and spoken to interest to enroll employees sengers enrolled in TSA Pre- border crossing. The $50 fee GSA requesting a review of in two specific programs that Check may leave their belts, includes what is essentially this travel regulation. can same time and increase shoes and lightweight jackets a “passport” card, in addi- At the same time, we productivity: Global Entry on and do not have to remove tion to membership in Global have written to and met with and TSA Pre-Check. laptops from their bags. Entry and TSA-Pre-Check. the CBP to discuss auto- These enhanced protocols (For me, as a Michigander, enrollment of Foreign Service Global Entry result in quicker and more the NEXUS card was the only employees with security The U.S. Customs and comfortable screening of way to go—half the price clearances in Global Entry. Border Protection’s Global passengers who have already of Global Entry, and a free CBP explained that Global Entry program was designed been determined to have a “passport” card!) Entry has more stringent to facilitate customs and low-risk profile, thus enabling eligibility criteria than TSA immigration clearance for TSA employees to focus on AFSA Actions Pre-Check. These criteria frequent, low-risk interna- less regular, non-vetted pas- AFSA has encouraged are not addressed by the tional travelers. To enroll, sengers. the department to enroll department’s employee applicants must be finger- employees in TSA Pre-Check security clearance investiga- printed and interviewed by an Enrollment Costs and Global Entry. In late 2013, tion program. We continue to immigration officer, and meet Global Entry membership TSA announced automatic engage CBP and the depart- strict eligibility criteria. On costs $100 for five years, enrollment and expansion ment to see if there is a way return to the U.S., enrollees and TSA Pre-Check is $85 of TSA Pre-Check to active- to harmonize these require- may verify their identity and for the same period. Global duty members of the military ments and facilitate auto- complete the immigration Entry membership currently (in or out of uniform). We enrollment. process at an electronic includes membership in TSA understand the department We are also exploring a kiosk without speaking with Pre-Check, making it a far is working to extend this third-party partnership to an officer. better value for the fre- benefit to our Foreign Service bring the benefit of Global While traditional lines quent international traveler. colleagues holding security Entry to members through an can have waits of more Several premium credit clearances. AFSA-branded credit card. than 20 minutes before U.S. cards reimburse Global Entry A larger challenge is Please think what you can citizens have the opportunity enrollment fees, and some advocating for automatic do to support AFSA in these to speak with an immigra- airlines complimentarily Foreign Service enrollment in efforts. n tion officer, the expedited enroll frequent fliers in TSA Global Entry. We are pursu- immigration process at the Pre-Check. The productiv- ing a strategy directed at the Next month: AFSA Partners

46 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Contact: [email protected] or (202) 712-1631 ePerformance Is On the Horizon

In support of the administra- electronic initiatives such glitches would affect FSOs in no way be penalized by the tor's USAID Forward Talent as WebTA and the Global during this rollout, and to performance boards due to Management initiative, the Acquisition and Assistance begin close monitoring of any glitches in the system; Office of Human Resources System, have shown that it is remedy procedures, I met that alternate (or proxy) plans to pilot an ePerfor- nearly impossible to escape recently with the office of users be allowed in the sys- mance system. This new early glitches, no matter how the Chief Information Officer, tem; that multiple deadline tool is designed to facilitate much preparation is done. Labor Relations and OHR reminders be sent out; and Internet access to the annual personnel. that adequate and continued evaluation form from any- Transitioning OHR is looking to pilot training be provided. where, provide automated to electronic the ePerformance system General Schedule pilots workflow between employees document handling at several missions (pend- were initiated for the Senior and their managers, allow for holds much ing at this writing) to ensure Executive Service in Octo- electronic signatures, and that the system supports the ber 2013 (their rating cycle bring increased transparency promise; however, current performance man- begins Oct. 1) and for OHR and accountability to the initial start-ups agement processes for the in January 2014 (their rating evaluation process. are rarely, if ever, Foreign Service and Senior cycle begins January 1)—too Transitioning to electronic without glitches. Foreign Service. The pilot is recent for any feedback to be document handling holds planned for the 2014-2015 available. OHR will be provid- much promise; however, performance cycle, beginning ing more information once startups are rarely, if ever, The Foreign Service evalu- April 2014. The rollout for the pilot missions are identified without glitches. Many may ation is essential for promo- entire FS/SFS will be deter- and a rollout plan is finalized. remember the tedious proce- tion, tenure and career plan- mined based on the results of I will continue my close dures we faced instituting the ning. Therefore, a smooth the pilots. involvement in this transi- New Management System. rollout of ePerformance—and I relayed my initial con- tion and see that the initia- We learned a lot about what the assurance that any cerns during this meeting: tive provides the intended it takes to launch agencywide glitches that surface do not that the introduction to FS benefits. To make sure we are software in an agency that disadvantage any FSO—is members should include a fully heard, I am anxious to happens to be spread out imperative. To ensure that longer test period in Wash- know your concerns. Please over 80 countries. Yet, even the agency understands just ington; that those participat- do not hesitate to contact me some of the more recent how personally any potential ing in the overseas pilot must at [email protected]. n

AFSA Annual Report 2013 Is Out Women Ambassadors The report has been published and is available Through History online at www.afsa.org/annualreport. A hard copy Just in time for women’s history month, AFSA has was sent to all retired members. Copies are also debuted a new section of its ambassador tracking available on request. E-mail [email protected]. website. The page details the number of female The report details AFSA’s 2013 activities, ranging ambassadors who have served in each country from strategic planning to events. AFSA President since the U.S. began diplomatic relations with that Bob Silverman pens the introductory passage, fol- nation. There are some surprising statistics, ranging NEWS BRIEF NEWS BRIEF lowed by contributions from all constituency vice from shocking omissions (no female chiefs of mis- presidents, as well as AFSA’s professional staff. sion in Canada or China) to good news (women are For the first time, the report is published as a well represented in newer states). We hope that our stand-alone document. It is focused on member members will find this information interesting and services and our 90th anniversary. We hope you will useful. You may access the chart at www.afsa.org/ take the opportunity to peruse the report. femaleambs.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 47 AFSA NEWS

AFSA President Meets FS Retirees From Eight States

BY TOM SWITZER, SPEAKERS BUREAU DIRECTOR

In recent months, AFSA the passage of the Rogers President Bob Silverman Act of 1924—and the many addressed Foreign Ser- events taking place through- vice retiree associations in out 2014. Virginia, Maryland and New Discussion centered England on the challenges on the risk of reductions and opportunities facing U.S. to retiree pensions should diplomacy and the Foreign Congress impose a “chained” Service. Consumer Price Index provi- sion on federal pensions. Sil- Northern Virginia verman stressed that AFSA On Sept. 25, Silverman opposes such an action and gave a luncheon presentation is working hard to see that to 45 members of Foreign it doesn’t happen through Affairs Retirees of North- advocacy in all relevant con- PHOTO BY LIZ BARNETT, FARNE BARNETT, LIZ BY PHOTO ern Virginia. He noted that gressional committees. Amb. Tom Hull, president of Foreign Affairs Retirees of New England, and AFSA’s considerable growth FARNE officer Toni Stearns, greet AFSA President Bob Silverman before his in membership (now stand- New England luncheon presentation in Boston on Jan. 10. ing at more than 16,000) is Silverman traveled to a result of the rapid growth Boston on Jan. 10 to speak the ability to understand Silverman concluded by of the Foreign Service itself. to more than 50 retirees at foreign cultures. In his view, noting some issues AFSA He discussed the more a luncheon hosted by the maintaining these features is working on and made a limited policy role FSOs Foreign Affairs Retirees of as the core of the Foreign pitch for more retirees to join now play, due in part to the New England. Service is important. AFSA. To protect their retire- expansion of the number of Comparing the current Based on his experi- ment benefits, he stressed, political appointees in the generation of FSOs with ence in the Middle East and retirees need to weigh in with department. At the close of retirees, Silverman observed South Asia, Silverman told their congressional represen- the meeting, the audience there has been substantial the group he believes that tatives on the “chained” CPI. posed a number of questions growth in the numbers of Secretary of State John Participants also discussed regarding AFSA’s positions Foreign Service specialists, Kerry’s initiative in the Middle the When Actually Employed on issues affecting retirees. especially in the area of East Peace Process deserves process and overseas locality security. He also noted that support. He applauded the pay issues for generalists. Maryland virtually all members of the secretary’s decision to make AFSA has given priority to On Dec. 19, the Foreign Foreign Service will serve in a an Israeli-Palestinian accord reaching out to retired mem- Affairs Retirees of Maryland war zone. a priority at the beginning of bers’ associations around the hosted the AFSA president The AFSA president his tenure because as Silver- country to better understand at a luncheon in Bethesda shared his belief that the For- man said, he believes that an and respond to retiree con- attended by more than 50 eign Service is distinguished agreement is possible. cerns. n reitrees. Silverman high- by three features: flexibility, Subsequent questions lighted the 90th anniversa- especially worldwide avail- and discussion included ries of AFSA and the Foreign ability; discipline, as reflected skepticism that Kerry will Service—which began with in the “up- or-out” system; fare any better in the Middle and experience, especially East than his predecessors.

48 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA Memorial Plaque: The Forgotten, Found

BY JASON VORDERSTRASSE, CHIEF, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS SECTION, U.S, CONSULATE GENERAL TIJUANA

Nearly five years ago, I wrote Union, San Salvador, on July who died in a shipwreck off in The Foreign Service Journal 7, 1857; Seth Phelps, minister the coast of Long Island while about my discovery of three to Peru, on June 24, 1885; returning from France on Jan. U.S. diplomats who died in and William Tudor, chargé 17, 1820. the line of duty under “tragic d’affaires in Rio de Janeiro, George Atcheson Jr. or heroic circumstances,” on March 9, 1830. an FSO assigned to Gen. but their names did not Typhoid claimed the life of MacArthur’s staff in occu- appear on the AFSA Memo- Daniel Brent, consul to Paris, pied Japan, died in a plane rial Plaques in the C Street who died on Jan. 31, 1841; crash between Kwajalein lobby of the Harry S Truman cholera felled Joseph Cosag- and Hawaii on Aug. 17, 1947. Building (“Russ and I,” June eny, vice consul in Barcelona, Similar accidents claimed the 2009). who died in November 1865, lives of George Henderson, Since that time, I have and William Irvin, consul to consul in Dhahran, who died found an additional 32 Amoy (Xiamen), who died on April 15, 1948, and Carlin names. Almost all of them from the disease on Sept. Treat, vice consul to Casa- predate the establishment of 9, 1865. Dysentery took the blanca, who died on Oct. 10, the Foreign Service in 1924. lives of Edward Ely, consul to 1946. Because the department did Bombay (Mumbai), who died Several appointees died not maintain a list of those on Jan. 17, 1858; Hiram Lott, by violent means. These who died in the line of duty, I consul to Managua, who died include William Baker, consul turned to the ProQuest His- on June 6, 1895; Alexander in Guaymas, Mexico, who was torical Newspapers database McKee, consul to Panama killed by “Apaches” in Mazat- and Google Books to find City, who died Sept. 3, 1865; lan on Dec. 20, 1862; Henri- almost everyone listed below. and James Thornton, chargé cus C. J. Heusken, secretary All of the people I have d’affaires to Peru and Bolivia, at the U.S. legation in Edo found died either through who died on Jan. 25, 1838. (Tokyo), who was assassi- violence, accidents or Accidents involving nated by anti-foreign samurai due to diseases. Perhaps automobiles or trains caused on Jan. 16, 1861; Henry Saw- not surprisingly, diseases AYERST DONNA BY PHOTO the deaths of Constantine yer, consul in Paramaribo, caused the deaths of by far Corafa, vice consul in Athens, who was murdered by a sailor the greatest number. Yellow 1860; and James Torbut, died in March 1929; Henry in his custody on May 7, 1877; fever claimed many of them, consul at St. Thomas, on Dec. H. Ford, consul general in and William Stuart, vice con- including John Howden, 26, 1858. Frankfurt, died on March 9, sul in Batum, who was shot consul to Bermuda, who Various other fevers 1965; Allen Francis, consul to on May 20, 1906. n died of yellow fever in 1853 caused the deaths of numer- St. Thomas and Port Stan- after merely 19 days in office. ous appointees, including ley, Canada, died on Aug. 4, Note from AFSA: These Yellow fever also caused Samuel Shaw, first consul 1887; and James Parsons, Jr., names may be added to the deaths of William Little, to Canton, who died at sea consul general in Mexico City, AFSA’s Memorial Plaque in consul to Panama City, on on May 30, 1794. Fever also died on Dec. 5, 1905. the future. The AFSA awards Jan. 29, 1867; Louis Prevost, claimed the lives of Alexan- Boating accidents and committee is discussing the consul to Guayaquil, on May der Clark, consul in Monrovia, shipwrecks were responsible possibility of establishing 23, 1867; Elphus Rogers, on May 31, 1891; Samuel for the loss of William Ashby, a virtual memorial plaque consul to Veracruz, on Aug. 1, Collings, consul at Tangier, consul at Colon, who died in the new Museum of 1881; William Stapp, consul on June 15, 1855; William on Jan. 17, 1898; and Robert American Diplomacy. to Pernambuco, on April 13, McCracken, consul to La Sterry, consul to La Rochelle,

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 49 AFSA NEWS

AFSA BOOK NOTES A Thought Experiment on the Foreign Service

BY JULIAN STEINER, AFSA STAFF

On Jan. 30, AFSA’s Serwer sees national security as a joint operation of the Book Notes program military and the State Department, which requires state-build- welcomed Dr. Daniel ing capabilities that “are currently lacking in State and USAID.” Serwer for a presenta- As he sees it, part of the problem is the difficulty in training tion on his book, Right- for democracy building. The U.S. military is training foreign ing the Balance: How soldiers, but “we are not training civilians who have oversight You Can Help Protect over the military.” America, (Potomac Here, Serwer points to the importance of strengthen- Books, 2013). ing citizen and cultural diplomacy efforts to counter violent Daniel Serwer spent extremism and to enhance understanding of the United 40 years in public ser- States abroad. The problem he sees is that all of these efforts vice, 21 of these in the are “on the margin of traditional diplomacy,” and cannot be

PHOTO BY ÁSGEIR SIGFÚSSON ÁSGEIR BY PHOTO Foreign Service. During accomplished by the current institutions. On Jan. 30, at AFSA headquarters, Dr. Daniel his career, he served “If we were to design our institutions today, would we Serwer presents his book, Righting the as minister-counselor design something like USAID and State?” No, Serwer answers. Balance: How You Can Help Protect America, to an interested audience. at the Department of He describes the Department of State as a “static foreign min- State; from 1994-1996, istry with a 19th-century architecture” and embassies abroad as U.S. special envoy and coordinator for the Bosnian Fed- as “overblown.” Here he draws from his experience at the eration; and from 1990-1993, as deputy chief of mission and embassy in Rome, which had 800 employees during his tours chargé d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in Rome. His experience in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and still has 800 employees in foreign affairs has led him to an alternative view on our civil- today. Institutional architecture does not necessarily change ian institutions. with the change in foreign policy needs over time. A professor of conflict management and senior fellow at Although there have been attempts to improve, such as the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, Serwer School of Advanced International Studies and a scholar at the argues that these attempts do not go far enough: “We need Middle East Institute, Serwer believes that America faces an to rebuild from the ground up, or at least attempt the thought imbalance between civilian institutions and the military in pro- experiment of rebuilding from the ground up.” tecting national security and building peace and democracy While the book does not offer a detailed design of what abroad. In Righting the Balance, he offers a thought experi- a new foreign office might look like, it does suggest folding ment on what should be done, suggesting that the Depart- USAID into State to create a more unified organization. It also ment of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development stresses the importance of nongovernmental and civilian and the Foreign Service as we know them be abolished. efforts. According to Serwer, “public diplomacy is best done In explaining the imbalance, Serwer points to the origin of at an arms-length of the government, not under its thumb.” our institutional setting. The leading role the military plays and proposes a readily assignable corps, trained to react to a today, he says, has its roots in the French-Indian War of 1754 variety of scenarios around the globe. to 1763. Since then, the military has been the major player in Serwer ended his presentation by saying, “We need to build U.S. foreign policy. The Department of State is much more a new Foreign Service for a world in which almost everyone limited in its capacities, which, according to Serwer, has will soon be connected and ordinary citizens are going to be become apparent in recent conflicts, such as the Arab upris- counting more than ever before in world history.” ing and especially the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A lively discussion followed. “These conflicts left our diplomats puzzled on what to do. To view the event online, please see www.afsa.org/video. n The enemies of today are not often states,” Serwer argues. “We won those wars, but we lost the peace after the wars.”

50 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

AFSA Welcomes Spring Semester Interns

AFSA is pleased to welcome Editorial a Master’s degree in global our new crop of interns, Bret Matera will be work- politics. She has experience who will be with us through ing with The Foreign Service in the State Department and the spring semester. This Journal staff. He is a junior at the United Nations. incoming group is our largest American University, double ever, and we look forward to majoring in economics and Connie Zhang is pursuing an Yuting Cibil Lu Connor Doyle working with them over the international relations. Bret undergraduate degree from next few months. We also spent a semester as a The George Washington Uni- thank departing interns Tom program assistant for the versity. As a sophomore, she van der Stelt, Valerie Sanders Atlantic Treaty Association in has not chosen a major, but and Lauren Stabler for their Brussels. His home town is is interested in international contributions and wish them Chapel Hill, N.C. business, public policy, eco- the best. nomics and communication. Floyd Jones Kerrin Murphy Executive Office Advertising Connor Doyle is a senior Virtual Yuting ‘Cibil’ Lu attends the majoring in international Angela Mswabuki is our vir- Washington Semester at affairs at The George Wash- tual intern. She is currently a American University, study- ington University. freshman at the University of ing journalism and foreign Delaware, majoring in Inter- Doreen El-Roeiy Julian Steiner policy. Her home school Patrick Niceforo is a senior at national Relations and minor- is Xiamen University in Xia- the University of Maryland, ing in Japanese, Chinese and men, China, where she is a majoring in government Arabic. graduate student in commu- and politics, with a focus on nications. international relations and Scholarship Program duel minors in Korean and Kerrin Murphy is the scholar- Awards and Outreach terrorism studies. ship program intern. She is Patrick Niceforo Connie Zhang Floyd Jones is a junior at a senior at the State Univer- The George Washington Legislative Affairs sity of New York at Fredonia, University, double-majoring Doreen El-Roeiy recently majoring in Spanish and in international affairs and graduated from the London minoring in international music. Floyd is proficient in School of Economics with studies. She has studied in n Spanish and fluent in Krio. He Mexico and Puerto Rico. Bret Matera mentors inner-city youth on weekends and leads a gospel choir in Maryland. AFSA Tax Guide 2013 Correction: New York The AFSA Tax Guide 2013 contains an error concerning the tax status of Foreign Service Communications officers assigned to USUN New York. The 2001 opinion from the New York tax authorities Julian Steiner continues as cited in the AFSA Tax Guide was superseded in 2009. The Office of Tax Policy Analysis, Tax- the communications intern. payer Guidance Division, issued Tax Memo TSB-M-09(2)I on Jan. 16, 2009, amending the From Vienna, Austria, he is definition of permanent place of abode in the personal income tax regulations. The new a graduate student at The rules determine that Foreign Service members assigned to USUN have a permanent place George Washington Universi- of abode in the state of New York, and are therefore subject to New York and New York City ty’s Elliott School of Interna- income taxes. The 2009 memo can be found at www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/memos/income/ tional Affairs. m09_2i.pdf. A subsequent 2011 tax bulletin can be found at: www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_ bulls/tg_bulletins/pit/permanent_place_of_abode.htm. We thank USUN staff for drawing our attention to this important change and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 51 AFSA NEWS

AFSA Kicks Off the 90th Anniversary with a Packed House PHOTO BY ÁSGEIR SIGFÚSSON ÁSGEIR BY PHOTO On Jan. 16, AFSA hosted a kick-off happy hour ushering in the 90th anniversary year of the association and the Foreign Service. More than 150 AFSA members enjoyed wine, beer and snacks at the event. AFSA will be commemorating the anniversary with a series of special programs and events throughout 2014. We hope all AFSA members will make an effort to join us in celebration of the occasion. Please visit www.afsa.org/90 for an up-to-date listing of events.

LIFE IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE New AFSA Member Benefit: Vonage AFSA is pleased to announce a new member ben- efit. AFSA members are now able to enroll in Vonage World® at an exclusive discounted rate. Vonage offers phone service via a high-speed Inter- net connection at a lower rate than traditional land line/cell phone calls. Subscribers are given a regular U.S. phone number, wherever they may be located in

NEWS BRIEF the world. The service works where there is access to a high-speed Internet connection. Vonage World offers unlimited calling to landlines in more than 60 countries and unlimited calling to mobile phones in more than 10 countries (see below). Vonage World is currently offered at $9.99/month for the first three months, then $26.99 a month (plus taxes and fees), with a 12-month agreement and a 30-day money- back guarantee. AFSA members who subscribe to Vonage through AFSA will receive a $99 credit, provided in equal installments, as bill credits to their monthly service fee in months four through 12, following their initial subscription. As 60 percent of our members are overseas at any time, we hope this will be a useful benefit for them, their families and friends in the U.S. This exclusive offer is only available at: www.vonage.com/afsa.

52 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

Upcoming Events at AFSA

AFSA is pleased to highlight installment in our ongo- dent Obama has stressed, Letters, 2010), a biography these three excellent events. ing series on diplomacy in without a ‘change of thinking’ of the first proponent of the Middle East. Feierstein the U.S. may be drawn into professional diplomacy. His • MARCH 4: In association served from 2010 to 2013 more wars it does not need presentation will take place with the Public Diplomacy as the U.S. ambassador to fight. Laurence Pope is a at AFSA headquarters, 2101 Alumni Association, we to Yemen, where he faced retired FSO who lives in Port- E St NW, at 2:00 p.m. on present noted pollster and personal threats in a hostile land, Maine. He is the author April 29. RSVPs for all events commentator John Zogby, environment. He will address of François de Callieres: A should be sent to events@ discussing “America’s First the challenges of being the Political Life (Republic of afsa.org. n Globals: Public Diplomacy for face of U.S. foreign policy the 21st Century.” in a country that may not Zogby has teamed up with be receptive to its message AFSA Welcomes New leading Millennial Manage- and goals. Please note that Retiree Coordinator ment Consultant Joan Sny- this event is open to AFSA der Kuhl to co-author a new members only. It will take AFSA welcomes Todd Thurwachter as book that provides a detailed place at AFSA headquarters our new retiree coordinator, replacing analysis of why Americans at 2:30 p.m., March 25. Bonnie Brown, who retired last Novem- born between 1979 and 1994 ber after 10 years with AFSA. Todd, are truly more globally aware • APRIL 29: AFSA Book a native of Wisconsin, is a retired and sensitive, how they want Notes presents Ambassador NEWS BRIEF Foreign Commercial Service officer to make their workplace Laurence Pope in a discus- who was posted to Japan, China and and planet a better place, sion of his new book, The Germany. He brings a strong client-service orienta- and how we can begin to Demilitarization of Ameri- tion, gained from counseling and assisting thousands understand them and posi- can Diplomacy: Two Cheers of U.S. exporters over the years. A Foreign Service tion them better to play out for Striped Pants. Both an retiree himself, Todd has personal understanding of their destiny. It’s a revision- insider and a historian, the challenges faced by retirees. ist examination of who First Laurence Pope describes the As part of AFSA’s membership team, and in Globals really are, what they contemporary dysfunction cooperation with his associate, Matt Sumrak, Todd is have to offer, and how they of the State Department and committed to continuing the superb counseling and are the best equipped of its Foreign Service. While the advocacy for which AFSA is known. He is also keen all to thrive and solve the Defense Department and the on developing new areas where we can add value to problems of our shared American military services membership for retirees. Todd welcomes your ideas world today and tomorrow. have reinvented themselves and input at [email protected]. The book is a call to action, a in a decade of failed nation- handbook for those who lead building wars, the State and want to lead, and a more Department is promising The Family Liaison Office Releases holistic depiction this next to do a better job of nation- Family Member Employment Report generation of public diplo- building next time. Its policy mats—whether they realize functions have migrated to FLO collects Foreign Service family member employ- it or not. The program takes the White House. Secretaries ment statistics from more than 200 posts, show- place at AFSA headquarters, of State largely ignore the ing the number of adult family members employed 2101 E Street NW, at 2 p.m., State Department bureau- inside an embassy or consulate, or working on the March 4. cracy, circumventing it with a local economy. Statistics also indicate the number

personal staff. Pope contends NEWS BRIEF of adult family members at post. View the report at • MARCH 25: We welcome that in the information age www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c7900.htm. Email FAMER Ambassador Gerald Feier- diplomacy is more important questions to [email protected]. stein to present the latest than ever, and that, as Presi-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 53 AFSA NEWS

AFSA Supports Volunteerism

AFSA actively encourages its ates and IMPACT for a day of professional staff to take time service. With direction from out during the year to volun- the National Park Service, teer for a service project. The the group spent the better association firmly believes part of a day cleaning around that time spent focused on the monument and picking- helping others is time well- up trash. AFSA staff member spent. In January, AFSA News David Murimi (in To back up this belief, Editor Donna Ayerst spent the green cap) and others from AFSA gives each staff mem- a day with a group from the the Congressional ber up to one week of leave Semester at Sea alumni Black Associates specifically for this purpose. reunion voyage digging post- and IMPACT volunteer to clean Last month, to celebrate holes, painting signs, clearing around the Martin Martin Luther King Jr. Service brush from trails and picking- Luther King Jr. Day, Senior Legislative Assis- up trash in an environmen- memorial, while a National Park tant David Murimi joined the tally significant estuary near Service ranger Congressional Black Associ- Ensenada, Mexico. n offers assistance.

Celebrating Amy Ostermeier

BY JOSEPH CASSIDY

On Oct. 17 and 18, 2013, in influence on others would homa's College of Law (and lovely St. Paul, Minn., family, be celebrated through the former State Department friends and former col- launch of the Amy Oster- assistant legal advisor for leagues gathered at Macales- meier Human Rights Educa- human rights and refugees) ter College to commemorate tion Fund. Evelyn Aswad. and celebrate the life of Amy A small liberal arts college Evelyn’s moving speech Ostermeier. that challenges its students focused on Amy’s ground- An alumna of Macalester, to be citizens of the world breaking diplomatic work

Amy joined the State Depart- PHOTO FAMILY (one alum, Kofi Annan, took preserving freedom of ment in 2005 through the calm, principled and warm- that especially to heart), expression and freedom of Presidential Management hearted colleague. Her career Macalester cultivated Amy’s religion at the UN Human Fellowship program. She was at State was marked by the commitment to making the Rights Council. It was also a beloved colleague in the rapid assumption of greater world a better place. The a reminder of the things we International Organizations responsibilities and deep Oct. 17 event began with a loved about Amy: her fear- Bureau’s Office of Human respect from colleagues and performance by Macalester’s lessness in setting ambitious Rights and Humanitarian supervisors. African Music Ensemble, goals, her unflagging energy Affairs, when she tragically Amy’s husband Jim one of Amy’s passions when and determination, her lost a battle with cancer in Rosenberg and daughter she was on campus. Follow- infectious optimism and her September 2011, at the age Kira, now three years old, ing welcoming remarks by loyalty to her friends.Macal- of 34. were at the center of her acting Macalester President ester’s Human Rights and Amy was a superstar: a universe, as were her parents Kathleen Murray, a tribute to Humanitarianism Program gifted leader and mentor; Sally and David and brother Amy was given by the current Director Wendy Weber then a creative and tenacious Eric. They are responsible for Kaiser chair in international introduced Suzanne Nossel, multilateral negotiator; and a ensuring that Amy’s lasting law at the University of Okla- Continued on page 56.

54 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS

ACTIVE AFTER ACTIVE DUTY A Desire to Serve

After serving for five years as five technology states in the citizens of Minnesota, candidacy for the Minnesota a Foreign Service officer with the country. The more he one that defined marriage as State House of Representa- the Department of State in became aware of the science between a man and a woman. tives from his hometown of Nigeria, Mexico and Wash- and technology issues we If the amendment should Minnetonka. Citing his good ington D.C., Jon Tollefson face as a nation, the more he pass, Tollefson and others felt fortune at having received a returned home to his family became involved. it would, “enshrine discrimi- world-class public education and community in Min- Tollefson soon realized nation in our constitution.” and the opportunities he has netonka, Minn. that the best way to have an For more than two years, been given in life, he hopes He landed a job at impact in this arena—and he and his family, friends and that by running, “Perhaps I the Minnesota High Tech possibly help Minnesota the LGBT community worked can help to make sure oth- Association, where he came succeed—would be to run for to defeat the amendment. In ers enjoy some of the same in contact with engaging state representative. the end, with the support of benefits I have had.” policy leaders at the state In the meantime, he their fellow Minnesotans, the For more information, and national level. The immersed himself in the amendment was defeated. please see www.tollefsonfor- association’s goal is to make fight to defeat a proposed In December, former FSO house.com. n Minnesota one of the top marriage amendment before Jon Tollefson announced his

America Counts on CPAs

David L. Mortimer, CPA, has more than 20 years of experience in tax planning, research and com- pliance. This experience includes developing tax minimization strategies, planning business trans- actions and tax audit representation. • Income tax services • Financial planning • Practiced before the IRS • Electronic tax filing • Member AICPA F IRST C ONSULTATION F REE David L. Mortimer, CPA 5500 Holmes Run Parkway C4 Alexandria VA 22314 Tel: (703) 743-0272 Fax: (202) 204-5199 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.mytaxcpa.net

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 55 AFSA NEWS

Amy, continued from page 50. pressure abusive states. Nos- issues she cared so deeply her to pursue a life of public who delivered the first Amy sel explained how Amy was about. service. As we take advan- Ostermeier lecture. Nossel, at the center of an ongoing The two-day event at tage of the contacts made at currently executive eirector diplomatic struggle over the Macalester was a great Macalester to expand activi- of PEN American Center, extent to which freedom of success. It was a comfort to ties under the Amy Oster- served previously as head of religion and speech can be Amy’s family, friends, and meier Human Rights Educa- Amnesty International USA, limited by governments. colleagues; an opportunity tion Fund, you can follow our chief operating officer of Amy’s father David, a for professional exchange efforts at the website created Human Rights Watch, and as professor at the University between Macalester faculty by Amy’s brother Eric—www. deputy assistant secretary of Tennessee, has been a and human rights profession- amyostermeierhumanrights- in the International Organi- driving force behind the als from the NGO commu- fund.org—and learn how zations Bureau from 2009- Amy Ostermeier Fund, and nity, academia and the U.S. you can help us continue to 2012. In that latter capacity, the discussion provided him Government; and a source of celebrate Amy’s life. n she worked closely with Amy with a wide range of ideas to inspiration to Macalester stu- on America’s reengagement commemorate Amy’s impact dents, who could see in Amy Joseph Cassidy is the director of the Office of Policy and Regional at the UN Human Rights at Macalester, at State and in a role model for how to wield and Functional Organizations Council and utilized multilat- the NGO world by facilitating influence in public policy, in the Bureau of International Organizations. eral organizations to assist greater interaction between while remaining true to the human rights defenders and them on the human rights core values that prompted

56 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL BOOKS

Hope Meets Reality an escalating security threat. within the Iraqi government. In his account, Amb. Although exceptions could Talking to Strangers: The Struggle to Hussein focuses on the be made, they were very rare, Rebuild Iraq’s Foreign Ministry internal challenges the so the effect of this dictum Ghassan Muhsin Hussein and David Dun- Iraqis faced, not all of was to strip the Iraqi govern- ford, Southwestern College Academic Press, which were caused by the ment of most of its experienced 2013, $18.95, paperback, 212 pages. war. He helpfully explains civil servants. Amb. Hussein, Reviewed by Jack R. Binns how the ministry had who had spurned enticements operated before the U.S. to join the party, retained his It is difficult to think of an event in the invasion, laying out post, but many of his colleagues past 20 years that has been as thoroughly the central roles of the were removed even though they examined, probed and critiqued as security apparatus and lacked any meaningful attach- the George W. Bush administration’s Ba’ath Party oversight. ment to Saddam’s regime. ill-conceived and poorly executed Iraq Amb. Dunford’s portions of the book Both authors agree that the de- intervention, which took place 11 years recount his own daily bureaucratic, logis- Ba’athification order was a critical error. ago this month. Yet there remain untilled tical and security struggles. An experi- Coupled with general ignorance of the fields that yield new perspectives and use- enced Middle East hand, he was sensitive deep cultural differences between Iraqi ful insights, and this book is one. to the cross-cultural factors that colored and American societies, it instantly made As its title, Talking to Strangers: The the process of normalizing governmental Struggle to Rebuild Iraq’s Foreign Minis- Hussein and Dunford’s functions far more difficult. Citing their try, indicates, the book’s subject matter fruitful collaboration early success at the foreign ministry, has considerable intrinsic value. But Hussein and Dunford make a persuasive gives the reader a unique, because it combines the viewpoints of two case that the overall outcome in Iraq could experienced diplomats, an Iraqi and an ground-level perspective on have been far more positive and produc- American, it offers a unique, ground-level diplomacy. tive had the removal of government offi- perspective on diplomacy. cials been more thoughtful and nuanced. The task on which Iraqi Ambassador dealings with Iraqis, but found the U.S. I should note that the book is not an Ghassan Muhsin Hussein (no relation to military/civilian cultural conflicts nearly easy read, especially for those unfamiliar Saddam Hussein) and U.S. Ambassador impossible to overcome. In particular, he with U.S. governmental acronyms. The David Dunford collaborated after the describes the first leader of the Office of authors’ compilation of such terms is, U.S. invasion was daunting but relatively Reconstruction and Iraqi Humanitarian unfortunately, incomplete, leaving the straightforward, at least on paper: rebuild- Assistance, retired General Jay Garner, as reader in a quandary more than once. ing the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. Working well-meaning but lacking useful guidance. Similarly, the cast of characters (often only under the aegis of the U.S. Office of Recon- Apparently out of his depth, Garner identified by first names) is huge and, at struction and Humanitarian Assistance, lacked the authority to ensure adequate times, overwhelming. Again, the table of Hussein and Dunford were largely suc- support and security for his mostly civilian dramatis personae is incomplete even cessful, at least initially. staff. For that reason, most of the ORHA though it runs to 150 people. The reconstituted ministry quickly civilian component greeted Garner’s On the whole, however, anyone gained control of the country’s 31 embas- replacement in May 2003 by Ambassador interested in the continuing evolution of sies and overseas assets, purged Saddam L. Paul Bremer with great relief. Iraq will find Talking to Strangers full of Hussein’s remaining loyalists, re-estab- Within weeks, however, those hopes insights. The book is also a most valuable lished key bilateral relationships and were dashed. Bremer abolished ORHA, addition to the literature about working- regained international recognition. And it merging it with the new multilateral Coali- level diplomacy and governance. did all this despite dysfunctional bureau- tion Provisional Authority, and issued a cracy (think an amalgam of Franz Kafka draconian order expelling all senior mem- Jack R. Binns, a retired Senior Foreign Service and Joseph Heller), cultural ignorance and bers of the Ba’ath Party from positions officer, spent his 25-year diplomatic career

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 57 dealing with Latin American and Western used the fossils Addleton’s well-chosen European affairs. He is the author of he collected in anecdotes enrich our The United States in Honduras, 1980-1981: the Gobi Desert understanding of Mongolia’s An Ambassador’s Memoir (McFarland & during the distinctive culture and Company, 2000). 1920s to prove heritage—and its importance that dinosaurs as a new democracy. A Flourishing Relationship hatched from eggs. At the Mongolia and the United States: same time, American military cooperation and corporate invest- A Diplomatic History universities were becoming more and ment. Amb. Addleton makes good use of Jonathan S. Addleton, Hong Kong Univer- more interested in Mongolia, sponsoring his own front-row seat in the country for sity Press, 2013, Kindle Edition/ research and language studies. most of the past decade to describe this $20.99, 186 pages. Despite this network of connections, process and highlight its many successes. Reviewed by Ruth M. Hall as Ambassador Addleton explains, the For instance, since 2001 the U.S. establishment of formal bilateral relations Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Pres- Jonathan S. Addleton, a career USAID was a slow process. After Mongolia gained ervation has helped to maintain many FSO, was the agency’s mission director its independence from China in 1911, Mongolian cultural sites, including in Ulaanbaatar from 2001 to 2004, and U.S. commercial attaché Julean Arnold Buddhist monasteries and their troves of served as U.S. ambassador there from recognized the potential for trade with books, manuscripts, religious objects and 2009 to 2012. He devotes the bulk of this the new nation, but Washington still took traditional dance costumes and masks. It fascinating book to recounting the roughly a decade to open a consulate in Kalgan. has also supported the Mongolian Mon- 150 years of interaction between the two Sadly, growing Soviet influence led to its asteries Documentation Project (begun in countries preceding the establishment of closure in 1927. 2006), which collects information about formal diplomatic ties in 1987. In the early 1970s the State Department the many sites destroyed during the 1930s. Perhaps the most prominent American sent two young FSOs, Curtis Kamman and Hundreds of Peace Corps Volunteers visitor to Mongolia in the early 20th cen- J. Stapleton Roy, to study Mongolian at the have served in Mongolia since 1990, tury was Herbert Hoover, who frequently University of Seattle, but plans to establish assisting in health education, English- ventured into the country to prospect diplomatic ties went nowhere. Finally, language training, community projects, for mineral wealth while working as an in the mid-1980s, Vernon Walters, the libraries and computer labs. The Ameri- engineer in China. But many other Ameri- U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, can Center for Mongolian Studies, hosted cans also made the arduous trek, such as worked with his Mongolian counterpart, by the University of Wisconsin, opened in William Woodville Rockhill, who served as Nyamdoo, to make those plans a reality. 2004 in Ulaanbaatar. And private donors U.S. ambassador to Russia, China and the Nyamdoo (who, like many Mongolians, funded the Genghis Khan exhibit that Ottoman Empire, among other assign- had just one name) would become his toured the United States in 2012. ments. country’s first ambassador in Washing- Throughout the book, Addleton’s well- Rockhill spoke Mongolian (among ton, and the U.S. embassy in Ulaanbaatar chosen anecdotes enrich our understand- many other languages) and spent a good opened on April 17, 1988. (Addleton ing of Mongolia’s distinctive culture and deal of time in the country. He eventu- comments that the first residence for heritage—and its importance as a new ally acquired more than 6,000 books U.S. diplomats there was quickly dubbed democracy. Even if you have never served about Mongolia, which he donated to the “Faulty Towers.”) in Asia, Mongolia and the United States Library of Congress. The past 26 years have seen a surge will more than hold your interest. That extensive collection included of official, business and civil society books by Owen Lattimore (one of the activities binding the two nations ever Ruth M. Hall, a member of the Foreign Service many China experts later smeared by closer together, ranging from Fulbright Journal Editorial Board, joined the Foreign Senator Joe McCarthy, R-Wis., as a Soviet exchanges, sports and other cultural Service as an economic officer in 1992. She spy) and Roy Chapman Andrews, who diplomacy and sister-city partnerships to has served in Baghdad, Jakarta, Frankfurt

58 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL and Washington, D.C., and currently works in those serving with the Foreign Agricul- foods derived from genetically modified the State Department’s Office of Civil Rights. tural Service—as U.S. trade negotiators organisms, but acknowledge strong objec- debate these contentious and complex tions to GMOs from many quarters. Food for Thought issues with our global trading partners. Likewise, in analyzing the dramatic Fortunately, two new books offer helpful series of global food price spikes between Food Politics: background and advice, while steering 2007 and 2012, which they identify as What Everyone Needs to Know clear of overly technical economic and factors in the Arab Spring uprisings, Robert Paarlberg, Oxford University Press, scientific language. they concur on the main considerations 2013, Kindle Edition/$8.44, 260 pages. Paul McMahon, an adviser to the involved. However, Paarlberg is more suc- Prince of Wales’ International Sustainabil- cinct in his explanation, while McMahon Feeding Frenzy: ity Unit, offers a somewhat Eurocentric cites classical economics. The New Politics of Food view of food issues in Feeding Frenzy: The The authors also clash over large-scale Paul McMahon, Profile Books, 2013, New Politics of Food, while Robert Paarl- farming. Some nongovernmental orga- Kindle Edition/$9.99, 314 pages. berg’s measured tone makes Food Politics: nizations and activists doubt the world’s Reviewed by James Patterson What Everyone Needs to Know highly capacity to feed a population projected accessible in content and structure. to reach nine billion by 2050 with what A working knowledge of agricultural Refreshingly, neither author adheres to they believe is non-sustainable large-scale policy is more critical than ever for all a rigid philosophical orthodoxy. For exam- production. But Paarlberg dismisses such members of the Foreign Service—not just ple, both support production and trade of concerns, citing U.S. technological prow-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 59 ess, while McMahon Persian Gulf states continually educate themselves on the lacks confidence that actively seeking such changing global debate over food politics. science will advance territory. Curiously, There is no better way for them to do so sufficiently to meet neither author is than to equip themselves with Paarlberg’s global demand. willing to concede that thorough and highly readable book. n He instead argues the countries involved for increased might have found Former FSO James Patterson’s reviews, essays small-scale global these deals mutually and reporting have appeared in The Foreign production. beneficial. Service Journal, Agricultural History, the Both authors are critical of so-called Both McMahon and Paarlberg’s books Journal of Food Distribution Research, the “land grabs,” through which countries are worth reading, but this reviewer found Christian Science Monitor, In These Times and even some global commodity trading the latter superior in most respects. As and Choices, among many other publica- houses enter into food production agree- Paarlberg sagely says about the future of tions. He taught agricultural economics, ments by acquiring land (nearly 50 million agriculture: “Increasingly, it will be non- marketing and policy at the U.S. Department hectares worldwide, McMahon estimates). farmers without a livelihood stake in crop of Agriculture’s Graduate School for 10 years, The United Arab Emirates has acquired or livestock production who set the terms and has been an adjunct professor of econom- 1.5 million hectares in Sudan and other of the debate.” ics at Northern Virginia Community College. parts of Africa, and it is just one of several Members of the Foreign Service must

Moving? Take AFSA With You!

Change your address online, visit us at www.afsa.org/address Or Send change of address to: AFSA Membership Department 2101 E Street NW Washington, DC 20037

60 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL IN MEMORY

n William B. Edmondson, 86, a ests, and established strong relationships He joined the Foreign Service in 1957 retired Foreign Service officer and with South Africans of all races and and retired in 1985, serving as a commu- former U.S. ambassador to South Africa, political persuasions. nications officer in Asuncion, Copen- died on Dec. 5 in Prescott, Ariz. After returning from South Africa in hagen, Algiers, Saigon, Cairo, Reykjavik, Mr. Edmondson was born in St. 1981, Mr. Edmondson was assigned to Tokyo, Belgrade, Rome and Washington, Joseph, Mo., in 1927, but spent his for- the Office of the Inspector General in the D.C. After retiring from federal service, mative years in Nebraska. He joined the State Department, eventually serving as he worked as an office manager from army on graduating from high school in deputy inspector general. On retirement 1985 to 1995. 1944, and served for three years, reach- in 1986, he received the Wilbur J. Carr Mr. Forbes’ family remembers him as ing the rank of first lieutenant. Award (the Secretary of State’s career a devoted father and grandfather. After leaving the army he attended service award), which read in part as He was preceded in death by his the University of Nebraska, where he follows: brother, Daniel Forbes of Iowa. He is graduated with high distinction and was “. . .You have provided a model of ded- survived by his daughter, Rosette (and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1951, he ication to duty, of careful, sure judgment, her husband, Paul) Farello of Chantilly, earned a master’s degree in international of ready acceptance of responsibility, Va., and her mother, Thu Barnes of Pinel- affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and and of personal and ethical involvement las Park, Fla.; two brothers, Timothy (and Diplomacy in Boston, and later that in public decisions. You have influenced his wife, Alberta) of Texas, and Joel (and same year married the former Donna American policy toward southern Africa, his wife, Kathy) of Iowa; his sister-in-law, Kiechel, whom he had met at the Univer- and you have earned the respect and Annette Forbes of Iowa; and three grand- sity of Nebraska. admiration of your colleagues in the children: Natalie, Benjamin and Allison. Mr. Edmondson joined the Foreign Foreign Service of the United States.” In lieu of flowers, memorial dona- Service in 1952, and in 1953 left for his In retirement, Mr. Edmondson was tions may be made to VITAS Innovative first overseas assignment as vice consul president of Diplomatic & Consular Offi- Hospice Care (www.vitas.com). in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). In 1955 cers, Retired and served as a volunteer he was assigned to Bern for two years, at the Library of Congress in Washington n Nancy Keeney Forster, 85, an after which he returned to the United for 10 years. In 2008, he and his wife educator and wife of the late FSO Clifton States and took up African area studies moved from their home in Arlington, Va., Forster, died on Nov. 13 in Belvedere, at Northwestern University. He subse- to Prescott, Ariz. Calif. quently served in Ghana, Zambia and Mr. Edmondson is survived by his Mrs. Forster was born in Grand Rap- South Africa, as well as in various offices wife of 62 years, Donna Edmondson, of ids, Mich., to Catherine Baldwin Keeney at the Department of State in Washing- Prescott; his daughter, Barbara Schnei- and Roger B. Keeney. She attended the ton, D.C. der (and her husband, Richard) of Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and In 1978 President Jimmy Carter Prescott; his son, Paul Edmondson (and then headed west to study history at appointed Mr. Edmondson as ambas- his wife, Susan) of Washington, D.C.; and Stanford University. Before starting col- sador to the Republic of South Africa. four grandchildren: Aaron Schneider, lege, she traveled around Europe, spend- The assignment came at a time of Katie Schneider, and Michael and Masha ing much of the time in Paris to improve major political and social upheaval in Edmondson. her French. that country. Given the U.S. govern- While at Stanford, she met and mar- ment’s condemnation of South Africa’s n Thomas L. Forbes, 78, a retired ried Clifton Forster, who was born and apartheid laws and its support for civil Foreign Service specialist, died on Dec. raised in the Philippines and was attend- rights and democratic reform, tensions 8 at his home in Burke, Va., of natural ing Stanford on the G.I. Bill. In 1949 the between the host government and the causes. couple moved to the Philippines, where Carter administration were high. Mr. Forbes was born in Nevada, Iowa. Mrs. Forster completed her bachelor’s Despite these challenging circum- He faithfully served his country for 31 degree in Asian history from Stanford. stances, Mr. Edmondson actively and years, first with the U.S. Navy from 1953 to In 1953, she and her husband, who effectively represented American inter- 1957 and then with the State Department. had entered the Foreign Service, moved

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 61 to Japan. For the next 34 years, she would by the Japanese and the couple’s life of the French National Center for Scientific live and work in Japan, Burma, Israel, shared encounters with the cultures of Research from 1953 to 1956. Palestine and Washington, D.C. the East and West. Beginning in 1957, he held a series of Mrs. Forster enjoyed exploring the Mrs. Forster was also among the senior staff positions at the National Sci- cuisines of the countries where she lived, founders of Marin Village, a volunteer ence Foundation. He was instrumental preparing dinners for diplomats and service that helps seniors stay in their in creating the international office of the many other guests. She wrote about this homes. The organization established a foundation, and participated in estab- in her memoir, A Culinary Journey: Reci- volunteer award in her name and named lishing programs to strengthen science pes and Reminiscences of an American her its first recipient in 2013. She was and mathematics education. Diplomat’s Wife (Wind Shadow Press, also very involved in the activities of St. In 1965, Mr. Hemily was posted to 2013). The book received an honorable Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Belvedere. Brussels as science counselor to the U.S. mention in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Awards Her husband, Clifton, died in 2006. Mission to the Organization for Eco- for books. Mrs. Forster is survived by three nomic Cooperation and Development, Everywhere she lived, Mrs. Forster children: Thomas Forster of Brooklyn, a position he held until 1974. From 1976 joined local organizations. In Wash- N.Y., Cindy Forster of Los Angeles, Calif., to 1982, he served as deputy assistant ington, D.C., she was a docent at the and Douglas Forster of Naples, Fla.; her secretary general for scientific affairs at National Cathedral. In Tokyo, she orga- brother, Roddy Keeney of New York City; the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. nized print shows. five grandchildren: Nathan, Taylor Ann, He helped establish the NATO “Sci- Mrs. Forster taught world history in Makala, Wyn and Callum; a nephew, ence for Stability” program, strengthened international schools in Tokyo, Israel, Charles Howard of Sacramento, Calif.; national science and technology policy Honolulu and Washington, D.C. Many of and a niece, Karen Hawkins of New York structures in OECD nations through the her former students stayed in touch with City. organization’s Committee on Science her to the end of her life. Donations in her memory may be and Technology Policy, and developed Midway through her teaching years, sent to Marin Village, 930 Tamalpais regional agreements on measures for the Mrs. Forster became involved with the Ave., San Rafael CA 94901, or to Aca- protection of the environment. fledgling International Baccalaureate demia Semillas del Pueblo School, 4970 Mr. Hemily retired from the Senior program that promotes bilingual fluency Huntington Drive South, Los Angeles CA Foreign Service of the Department of and an advanced curriculum. She was 90032. State in 1983. invited to start a new IB school in Hawaii During the next decade, from 1984 in 1986 and persuaded her husband to n Philip W. Hemily, 91, a retired For- through 1995, Mr. Hemily was a trustee retire early to allow her to take up the eign Service officer, died peacefully on for the United Nations Educational, challenge. Jan. 7 in Sarasota, Fla., of natural causes. Scientific and Cultural Organization, Following their move to Tiburon in Born in 1922 in Newaygo, Mich., Mr. a consultant, a senior program offi- 1994, Mrs. Forster became the founding Hemily received a bachelor’s of science cer, and director of the Committee director of the California Association degree in mechanical engineering from on International Organizations and of IB World Schools. She remained a the University of Michigan in 1947 after Programs, the Office of International sought-after reviewer of IB programs serving three years (1943-1946) as an Affairs, the National Research Council of from Thailand to Dubai well into her ordnance officer in the U.S. Army during the National Academy of Sciences, the 80s and co-edited Journeys in Learning World War II. He was a research associ- National Academy of Engineering and Across Frontiers (IB Publishing, 2012), ate in physics and taught undergraduate the Institute of Medicine. an anthology of testimonials by students mathematics at Auburn University in Toward the end of this period, he gave and faculty members. Alabama from 1947 to 1949. priority attention to U.S. scientific and She self-published Encounters: A Mr. Hemily loved France, where engineering relations with UNESCO, Lifetime Spent Crossing Cultural Frontiers he spent many years. He received a the International Council of Scientific (Wind Shadow Press, 2009), an account doctorate from the Université de Paris Unions, the establishment of interna- of her husband’s wartime imprisonment in 1953 and was director of research at tional engineering organizations and

62 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL follow-up to the 1992 U.N. Conference the Philippines. She enjoyed traveling Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard on Environment and Development. and living abroad and had a large circle University, the D.C. Public Library or a During this same period he was also a of friends from around the world. charity of your choice. consultant to the Carnegie Commission After returning to Washington, D.C., on Science, Technology and Govern- from the last overseas assignment, Mrs. n Dolores Duke Ortiz, 88, the wife ment; the State Department’s Bureau of Jacobs worked for the National Abor- of retired FSO and former ambassador Oceans and International Environmen- tion Rights Action League from 1975 Frank V. Ortiz, died on Dec. 27 at her tal and Scientific Affairs; the Stanford to 1979, for Catholics for a Free Choice home in Santa Fe, N.M. Research Institute; and NATO. from 1982 to 1983 and for the law firm of Mrs. Ortiz was born on Aug. 8, 1925, Mr. Hemily’s marriage to Marion Winn Newman from 1983 to 1987. In all at Fort Riley, Kan., the daughter of McLatchy ended in divorce; she died in of these positions, she was a self-taught General James T. Duke and Guadalupe 2005. His partner of 37 years, Kathryn office manager, supervisor and legal O’Neill Duke. She referred to herself as Arnow, predeceased him by one year. secretary. She was proud to contribute an “Army brat” because her father was He is survived by his son, Philip to the cause of reproductive rights and posted in Europe after World War II, Brendon Hemily of Toronto, Canada; to the legal battle for comparable pay for so she lived and studied in France and daughters Valerie Hemily of Hilton Head women and minorities. Germany. Island, S.C., and Laurenne Hemily- In addition to her paid work, she On May 2, 1953, she married Frank Figus of Rome, Italy; and six grandchil- volunteered for many years as a Foreign V. Ortiz in the Post Chapel at Fort Myer, dren: Daphne, Julie, Oliviero, Orlando, Service wife and was active in commu- Va., and the couple celebrated 52 years of Amadeo and Rocco. nity organizations. She also served as a marriage before his death in 2005. member and president of the board of Mr. Ortiz joined the Foreign Service in n Carolyn B. Jacobs, 93, wife of the Woodward Condominium, where 1953. Mrs. Ortiz accompanied her hus- the late retired Foreign Service officer she lived for 40 years. She was able to live band on postings in Ethiopia, Mexico, George R. Jacobs, died peacefully on independently up to her death because Peru, Uruguay, Barbados, Guatemala, Dec. 26, in Washington, D.C., following of her many friends in the building and Panama, Argentina and Washington, a stroke. the support of Avis Johnson, Otto Cruz, D.C. Mrs. Jacobs was born on March 15, Lourdes DiGiulian and Elma Hidalgo. In 1990, the couple retired to Santa 1920, in Detroit, Mich., to Natalie Daboll Mrs. Jacobs’ husband, George, pre- Fe, where Mrs. Ortiz was a member Berry and Charles Harold Berry and deceased her in 2011, as did her sister of the congregation of the Cathedral grew up in Belmont, Mass., with her Ruth Allyn Berry Hilton in 2004. She is Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and was two sisters, Roberta and Ruth Allyn. She survived by her sister, Roberta Berry active in many organizations, including attended Bryn Mawr College and gradu- Humez; her sister-in-law, Nancy Jacobs; the National Dance Institute and Friends ated from Radcliffe College cum laude her children, Michael B. Jacobs and Deb- of the Palace of the Governors. with a degree in anthropology. orah Jacobs (and her husband, Robert Mrs. Ortiz is survived by her brother, She joined the Office of Strategic Ser- J. Evert); three granddaughters: Carol J. Leonard Duke (and his wife, Rosetta) vices in 1943 and was posted in London Smith (and her husband, Joshua), Susan of Louisville, Ky., and her four children: from 1944 until the end of World War II. Jablow (and her husband, Jonathan) and Tina of Santa Fe; Frank Jr. (and his wife, She then returned to live in the Washing- Zoe Evert-Jacobs; and four great-grand- Susan, and their children Corinna and ton area. children, as well as nieces and nephews Andrew) of Potomac, Md.; Stephen After a brief marriage to Richard Martha Sidahmed, Ellen Humez, Phyllis (and his wife, Mary, and their children Ruggles, in 1945 she wed George R. Humez, Jon L. Hilton, Jim Jacobs, Rich Victoria Marie and Alexander) of Taos, Jacobs, who joined the State Department Jacobs and Barbara Gaffen, and their N.M.; and James (and his wife, Nicola, that year and received his commission spouses and children. and their children Cassian and Lucas) of as a Foreign Service officer in 1956. Mrs. In lieu of flowers, please contribute Tampa, Fla. Jacobs moved with her husband and to Planned Parenthood, The Barker In lieu of flowers, the family would family to posts in Thailand, England and Foundation, the Peabody Museum of appreciate contributions to the Ambas-

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 63 sador and Mrs. Frank V. Ortiz Palace of peppered the Washington Post’s letters n Gerald (Jerry) Everett Snyder, the Governors Endowment Fund, c/o pages with missives on political history, 78, a retired Foreign Service officer, died Museum of New Mexico Foundation, martinis and the misuse of words (never on Dec. 20 in Tallahassee, Fla., after a P.O. Box 2065, Santa Fe NM 87505 (www. write “from whence,” he instructed; just decade-long struggle with cancer. museumfoundation.org). “whence”). Mr. Snyder was born on June 14, Mr. Pedersen was posted to Hong Kong 1935, in Akron, Ohio. He graduated n Wesley Niels Munkholm Peder- in 1960, but returned to Washington, D.C., from Green Township High School in sen, 91, a retired Foreign Service officer in 1963 to become head of a USIA interna- Greenburg, Ohio, in 1953, served in with the U.S. Information Agency, died tional publications program. He wrote and the U.S. Marines and went on to earn a on Dec. 4 at the Carriage Hill Bethesda edited Legacy of a President, which was bachelor’s degree from the University of nursing home in Bethesda, Md., as the published a year after the assassination of Akron in 1962. result of a heart ailment. President John F. Kennedy. That compila- After college, he joined the State Mr. Pedersen was born in South Sioux tion of speeches and photos became an Department Foreign Service. During a City, Neb., on July 10, 1922. In the 1940s, international bestseller. 25-year diplomatic career, Mr. Snyder he worked as a reporter at the Sioux City He also oversaw the production of served overseas in La Paz, Cochabamba, Journal in Iowa and served in the Army photo-heavy biographies of Presidents Porto Alegre, Bogotá, Moscow and Brus- Air Forces during World War II. Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. sels, along with assignments in Miami Mr. Pedersen joined the State Depart- Nixon, which required yielding to the and New York City. ment in 1950 and the U.S. Information subjects’ peculiar vanities. Johnson Mr. Snyder was particularly proud Agency in 1953. As Richard Leiby writes “favored his left profile and wouldn’t tol- of serving as chairman of the Admin- in an obituary for the Washington Post, erate photos taken of him from the right,” istrative Operations and Management Mr. Pedersen covered the Soviet Union, Mr. Pedersen said. courses for the Foreign Service Institute Eastern Europe and China, penning The Nixon White House was easier to from 1972 to 1975. In 1983, he was sent pseudonymous columns planted in work with, he said, objecting to just one to Beirut as part of the restoration team newspapers around the world, as part of photo for a particular project. “It showed after the bombing of the Marine Corps propaganda operations during the Cold then-Congressman Nixon, his wife and barracks. War. two young daughters on bicycles at Colleagues remember Mr. Snyder as Mr. Pedersen’s stories—under such the reflecting pool in Washington,” Mr. someone who never boasted about his phony bylines as “Benjamin West” and Pedersen said. “Herb Klein, Nixon’s press experiences or the dangers he faced in “Paul Ford”—had wide reach, Leiby secretary, asked only that Nixon’s face service to his country, but was always wrote. Some Central Intelligence Agency be airbrushed to eliminate an early five- willing to share his skills and wisdom. competitors in the propaganda game o’clock shadow.” After leaving the federal government, reportedly grew envious. After 30 years in government, Mr. he served as vice president and general As Mr. Pedersen recounted it in a letter Pedersen became communications manager of Halifax Security Services in in the Washington Post in 2008: “In the director at the Public Affairs Council, an Honduras, and as budget and financial mid-1950s, the CIA in Paris approached organization of corporate and trade asso- administrator at the Tallahassee State Lowell Bennett, the U.S. embassy’s press ciation public affairs executives, where Department of Administration. attaché, requesting that he prevail on he worked for 26 years. Mr. Snyder spent his retirement years USIA to stop distributing Ford. Why? A Chevy Chase resident, Mr. Pedersen as a full-time caregiver for both of his Because French editors weren’t publish- was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the parents and enjoyed giving the occa- ing the CIA’s similar column, but it might National Capital Chapter of the Public sional lecture and courses on interna- have a chance with Ford’s out of the way. Relations Society of America in 2005. tional affairs. He loved crossword puzzles Bennett, of course, said no.” Survivors include his wife of 65 years, and was a ferocious advocate for racial At heart he was a writer—a witty Angela Vavra Pedersen of Chevy Chase; freedom and justice, international peace, wordsmith who never lacked robust a son, Eric Pedersen of Glen Burnie, Md.; immigration reform, education and opinions, concludes Leiby. Mr. Pedersen and two granddaughters. universal access to safe drinking water,

64 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL hygiene and sanitation. Fluent in Span- heart and a critic by instinct. Her rapier tional Foreign Service wife, Mrs. Wolcott ish and Portuguese, his hero and inspira- mind inspired insights that illuminated was quickly employed as editor of the tion was Cervantes’ Don Quixote. her conversation, writing and poetry. She Social-Biology Resource Centre Journal. Mr. Snyder’s first marriage ended in was a loyal and devoted daughter, friend, In 1980 she was hired as one of the divorce. He is survived by his first wife, godmother and dog owner. first researchers at the Australian Insti- Martha M. Snyder, and their children, Ms. Whitney is survived by her father, tute of Family Studies. She researched Gerald R. Snyder and A. Cecilia Snyder; Robert Whitney; her sister, Karen Whit- and wrote 27 publications on fam- his second wife, Carolyn Marie Cain, and ney; and a niece, Whitney Smull, all of ily issues, which were widely cited by his stepchildren Marilou, Becky, Freder- Lakewood; a nephew, Neale Smull, and scholars around the world. She was also ick and Katrina; a daughter-in-law, Lisa god-daughters Sarah Baker and Kathryn a judge for the Australian and New Zea- K. Snyder; and grandchildren Jerry and Gibson; and by her faithful dog, Bailey. land Work and Family Corporate Awards, Amanda. He is also mourned by lifelong In lieu of flowers, donations may and a keynote speaker at Australian friends Frank and Helen Geig. be made to the Franciscan Hospice, bicentennial events on family and work- In lieu of flowers, remembrances can (253)428-8411, in Tacoma, Wash., or an family issues. be made to The United Church in Tal- animal rescue agency of your choice. Mrs. Wolcott loved to travel through- lahassee, The Alliance Education Fund out Australia, fearlessly riding on planes (empowering women and girls through n Ilene Harriet Wolcott, 72, the wife ranging from Air Force transports to education in Kenya), or The Westminster of retired FSO Peter Wolcott, died on Oct. single-engine desert hoppers. Oaks Benevolent Assistance Fund. 15 at University of Michigan Hospital in A passionate supporter of family Ann Arbor, Mich., as a result of leukemia. planning, Mrs. Wolcott was a Planned n Jane Whitney, 72, a retired Foreign Mrs. Wolcott was born in Newark, N. J. Parenthood volunteer at D.C. General Service officer, died on Nov. 12 at her She graduated from Kean College in 1963 Hospital and a host for teenage “rap” home in Lakewood, Wash., after a series and taught elementary school before sessions. In Australia she served as of strokes. She was attended by a devoted receiving a master’s degree in counseling president of the state of Victoria’s Family team of caregivers, who worked around from American University in 1973. Planning Association and vice presi- the clock under Franciscan Hospice She married Peter Wolcott in Leland, dent of the Australian Family Planning supervision. Mich., in 1972, and spent her first year of Association. Ms. Whitney was born on July 15, marriage studying Finnish at the Foreign She represented the Institute of Fam- 1941, in Champagne, Ill. After graduating Service Institute in Washington in prepa- ily Studies at the annual meetings of the from Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., she ration for her husband’s Foreign Service Marriage Guidance Council of Australia, joined the State Department, serving for assignment to Helsinki. where she not only gave annual lectures, 26 years on four continents. She served There Mrs. Wolcott taught sixth grad- but also mediated between feminists and as vice consul in Saigon, as consul in ers at the British School. On her return religious conservatives. Stuttgart, Ankara and Buenos Aires, and to Washington, she started a new career She also qualified and volunteered as as consul general in Perth. She retired to as the first manager of The Women a marriage and pre-marital counselor. Lakewood to be near her parents and to and Health Roundtable. As a national After her husband retired from the be a companion to her beloved mother, advocate, she researched, wrote, gave Foreign Service in 1999, Mrs. Wolcott Mussette Cary Whitney, who prede- speeches and testified before Congress spent several years working at Swin- ceased her in 2004. about the need for increased attention burne University in Melbourne as a In retirement she was a member of and resources for health issues affecting qualitative researcher, specializing in the Tacoma Country Club and the Rotary women. finishing projects for academic procras- Club. A supporter of animal welfare, she In 1979, the couple moved to Mel- tinators. At that time, the couple began was politically active. bourne, where Mr. Wolcott was posted spending the Australian winter months Ms. Whitney is remembered as an as public affairs officer in the American in Leelanau County in Michigan and extraordinary observer of the pageantry consulate. Determined to have her own the North American winter months in of life around her. She was a writer at work and identity rather than be a tradi- Melbourne.

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 65 In 2012, they built a home on Lake of Connecticut, Yale University and the career, the couple volunteered in their Michigan north of Northport. Mrs. New York Medical College. local churches, usually of the Presby- Wolcott was on the Board of the Leela- When mustered out of the U.S. Army, terian denomination. Mr. Wootton was nau Historical Society and the Northport he decided to study for a career in the ordained as an elder of the Scottish Area Historical Association. She wrote on U.S. Foreign Service, which had been his Presbyterian Church in Brussels in May local history for the Leelanau Enterprise, dream since high school. He graduated 1960. In Ottawa he was active as a Rotar- and was an active hiker, painter, writer with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia ian, working with disabled children, and and quilter. Her final wish was to become University. he volunteered with Meals on Wheels in a blue spruce; she will do so in Leelanau. While at Yale, Mr. Wootton married Bonn. Mrs. Wolcott is survived by her hus- his University of Connecticut sweet- On retiring from the Foreign Service band of 41 years, Peter; four children: heart, Elizabeth Grechko. Joining him in in 1980, Mr. Wootton joined the Gulf Oil Lauren Asher, Joel Wolcott, Jennifer Manhattan, where she earned a bach- Corporation, and later the Chevron Cor- Wolcott-Michelson and Victoria Wolcott; elor’s degree at New York University, poration, as coordinator for international and eight grandchildren: Adela, Nora, she was his strong support and partner public affairs. He retired again in 1992, Maya, Reggie, Joelyz, Rex, Alexander and throughout his various careers. After and he and his wife moved to San Diego. Elliot. both had graduated from college in 1947, There Mr. Wootton began his service Memorials may be directed to Leela- they moved to Mrs. Wootton’s hometown to the elderly and children of the com- nau Conservancy, P.O. Box 1007, Leland of Hartford, Conn., where Mr. Wootton munity. He served as ombudsman for MI 49654, or National Planned Parent- worked as a life insurance risk appraiser long-term health care and president of hood (www.plannedparenthood.org). in the Connecticut General Life Insur- the San Diego chapter of the Chevron ance Company. Retirees Association. n Charles “Chuck” Greenwood Mr. Wootton was commissioned as Later he worked for the Point Loma Wootton, 89, a retired Foreign Service a Foreign Service officer in 1949 and and La Jolla Parent Teacher Associa- officer, died on Jan. 11 in San Diego, served for 31 years, primarily abroad, in tions and fought for resources for the Calif. Stuttgart, Manila, Bordeaux, Brussels, Gifted and Talented Education program, Mr. Wootton was born on a farm near Ottawa, Bonn and Paris, as well as at the earning the 1997 Parent of the Year Karber’s Ridge, Ill., which was home- Canadian National Defence College in Award of the GATE Parents and Teachers steaded by his grandfather. He lost his Kingston, Ontario. Associations of San Diego County. He father when he was 9 years old, and the During an assignment in the United also joined Mrs. Wootton as a volun- family moved to Central City, Ky., to live States, he earned a master’s degree in teer working with infants and toddlers with Mr. Wootton’s maternal grandfather, economics from Stanford University. at the Polinsky Center for Abused and John Riley Greenwood, a local grocer. He served as minister-counselor for Neglected Children. There Mr. Wootton attended public economic and commercial affairs in Mr. Wootton was a tutor in the after- schools. He was co-valedictorian of his Bonn and, from 1974 to 1980, as senior school UPLIFT program organized by a high school class, earning the scholarship deputy secretary general of the Organi- number of San Diego churches and the prize, and received the highest grade on zation for Economic Cooperation and Kids at Heart program of his own church, a competitive examination on European Development in Paris, where he was the Point Loma Community Presbyte- history among Kentucky high schools. accorded the assimilated rank of chief of rian Church. For the past 11 years he Mr. Wootton attended the University diplomatic mission by the Government tutored in the Oasis Reading program at of Kentucky, majoring in chemistry, of France. the inner-city Washington Elementary but soon volunteered for the U.S. Army, While in Brussels, he received the school and in the Loma Portal Elemen- where he trained as an infantryman. State Department’s Superior Honor tary school, where he also earned $1,500 The army sent him back to college in Award for his work in resolving the U.S.– in classroom matching support from the the Army Specialized Training Program, European Common Market “Chicken Chevron Corporation. where he studied engineering, pre- War” of the late 1960s. He was honored as “Volunteer of the medicine and medicine at the University Throughout his Foreign Service Year” in 2011 by the city of San Diego.

66 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL He enjoyed traveling with his family, istrations, he was a senior staff officer at Marshall Wright Jr. (and his wife, Karen reading, writing, running, walking and the National Security Council, serving at Webster) of Arlington, Va., and Jefferson playing squash. various times as director of long-range Vaughan Wright (and his wife, Denise) Mr. Wootton is survived by his wife of planning and as director for Asian, African of Baltimore, Md.; two stepdaughters, 69 years, Bette, of San Diego; daughters and United Nations affairs. His final Mary Hawthorne Vaughan of Hilton Cheryl Brierton, Cynthia Wootton, Emily Foreign Service assignment was as assis- Head, S.C., and Dr. Sara Vaughan Salmon Zack Bates and Ginny Gallagher LaRowe tant secretary of State for congressional of Charlottesville, Va.; two grandsons, of San Diego, and Laurel Freeman of relations under Secretary of State Henry Tristan Webster Wright and Peter Huntington Beach, Calif.; a son, Charles Kissinger. Webster Wright; two granddaughters, (Chad) Wootton of Los Angeles, Calif.; In 1966, Mr. Wright received the State Alexandra Johnson Wright and Kather- eight grandsons and three granddaugh- Department’s Meritorious Service Award ine Vaughan Wright; a great-grandson, ters; one great-grandson and four great- and in 1972, the Distinguished Honor Crosby Fitzgerald Wright; and a step- granddaughters; and four sons-in-law: Award. He is the author of “Responsible sister, Mrs. Herman Vincent of Lake Chuck Freeman, Alan Clark, Randy Bates Restraint—An American Foreign Policy Charles, La. and Kirk LaRowe; and one daughter-in- Imperative,” which was published in the Memorial contributions may be made law, Amy Wootton. Journal of the National War College in to a favorite charity or to Thomas Jeffer- In lieu of flowers, the family requests 1968. son’s Poplar Forest, P.O. Box 419, Forest donations be made to the Kids at Heart Following retirement from the Foreign VA 24551. n program of Point Loma Community Service, Mr. Wright joined Eaton Corpora- Presbyterian Church. tion in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1974 as vice president for corporate affairs. He served n William Marshall Wright, 87, a there until 1991, when he retired. He retired Foreign Service officer, died on moved to Hilton Head Island, S.C., in 2005 Dec. 31 in Falls Church, Va., of complica- and, later, to Falls Church, Va. tions from a fall. While with Eaton, Mr. Wright served as Born on July 14, 1926, in El Dorado, chairman of the Public Affairs Council for Ark., Mr. Wright was the son of the late the Manufacturers’ Alliance for Produc- John Harvey Wright and Helen Vaughan tivity and Innovation; as chairman of the Williams. He graduated from Western Executive Committee of The Conference Military Academy in Alton, Ill., and later Board; as chairman of the Cleveland You Are Our Eyes & Ears! from Georgetown University’s School of Committee on Foreign Relations; and as Foreign Service. He also attended the Uni- a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dear Readers: versity of Arkansas, did graduate work at Citizens League Research Institute. In order to produce a high-quality Cornell University and L’Universite D’Aix He also served as a member of the product, the FSJ depends on the revenue it earns from advertising. Marseilles, and was a senior fellow at the Musical Arts Association of The Cleve- National War College. land Orchestra, chairman of the Ameri- You can help with this. During World War II, Mr. Wright served can Red Cross of Greater Cleveland, a Please let us know the names of in the U.S. Marine Corps as a scout and member of the board of the Town Hall of companies that have provided good service to you — a hotel, sniper. Cleveland, and a member of the Board insurance company, auto He joined the Foreign Service in 1953 of Trustees of the Cleveland Institute of dealership, or other concern. and served for more than two decades Music. He was a member of Church of A referral from our readers in Egypt, Canada, Burma, Thailand and the Cross Episcopal in Bluffton, S.C. is the best entrée! Washington, D.C. From 1963 to 1964, he Mr. Wright was predeceased by his Ed Miltenberger was the spokesman for the Department of first wife, Mabel Olean (Mickey) John- Advertising & Circulation Manager Tel: (202) 944-5507 State. son. He is survived by his wife, Lind E-mail: [email protected] During the Johnson and Nixon admin- Groseclose Wright; two sons, William

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 67 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n LEGAL SERVICES FREE TAX CONSULTATION for overseas personnel. We process federal and state returns as received, without delay. Preparation and represen- ATTORNEY WITH 33 YEARS’ successful experi- tation by enrolled agents includes TAX TRAX-a unique mini-financial ence SPECIALIZING FULL-TIME IN FS GRIEV- planning review with recommendations. Full financial planning also ANCES will more than double your chance of available. Get the most from your financial dollar! More than 30 years of winning: 30% of grievants win before the Grievance experience. Board; 85% of my clients win. Only a private attor- Financial Forecasts, Inc. ney can adequately develop and present your case, Barry B. DeMarr, CFP, EA & Bryan F. DeMarr, EA including necessary regs, arcane legal doctrines, precedents and rules. 3918 Prosperity Ave #318, Fairfax VA 22031 Call Bridget R. Mugane at: Tel: (703) 289-1167. Tel: (301) 596-0175 or (202) 387-4383. Fax: (703) 289-1178. Free initial telephone consultation. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.FFITAX.com EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING FS officers in griev- ances, performance, promotion and tenure, financial claims, discrimi- TAXES FOR U.S. EXPATS: Brenner & Elsea-Mandojana, LLC, is a profes- nation and disciplinary actions. We represent FS officers at all stages of sional services firm that specializes in U.S. tax, financial planning and the proceedings from an investigation, issuance of proposed discipline accounting for expatriates and their businesses. Jim Brenner, CPA/ABV, or initiation of a grievance, through hearing before the FSGB. We provide CGMA, has been a certified public accountant for over 30 years. He pro- experienced, timely and knowledgeable advice to employees from junior vides U.S. individual tax planning and tax preparation services tailored untenured officers through the Senior FS, and often work closely with toward individuals, partnerships, corporations, trusts and estates. Jim is AFSA. Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Pitch. also an IRS-certified Acceptance Agent for persons needing assistance Tel: (202) 331-9260. with taxpayer ID numbers. His firm can e-file most tax forms, including E-mail: [email protected] the Report for Foreign Bank and Financial Advisors Accounts (Fin- Cen114), directly with the U.S. Treasury. WILLS/ESTATE PLANNING by attorney who is a former FSO. Have your Tel: (281) 360-2800. will reviewed and updated, or a new one prepared. No charge for initial Fax: (281) 359-6080. consultation. E-mail: info@globaltaxconsult M. Bruce Hirshorn, Boring & Pilger, P.C. Website: www.globaltaxconsult.com 307 Maple Ave. W., Suite D, Vienna VA 22180 Tel: (703) 281-2161. Fax: (703) 281-9464. FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR FS FAMILIES. Carrington Financial E-mail: [email protected] Planning, LLC of Arlington, Va., provides financial planning services to Foreign Service families worldwide. Principal William Carrington ATTORNEYS EXPERIENCED IN representing Foreign Service officers is a Foreign Service spouse with 19 years of FS experience. Web-based and intelligence community members in civil and criminal investi- process provides customized, collaborative, financial planning services. gations, administrative inquiries, IG issues, grievances, disciplinary Specially approved to use Dimensional Funds. Fee-Only, Fiduciary-Stan- investigations and security clearance issues. Extensive State Depart- dard, Registered Investment Adviser (RIA). Licensed and insured. ment experience, both as counsel to the IG and in L, and in represent- E-mail: [email protected] ing individual officers. We have handled successfully some particularly Website: www.CarringtonFP.com difficult cases confronting Foreign Service and intelligence officers, both before the Foreign Service Grievance Board and in the federal and local IRVING AND COMPANY, CPA: Scott Irving, CPA, has more than 16 years courts. We work closely with AFSA when appropriate and cost-effective. of experience and specializes in Foreign Service family tax preparation Doumar Martin PLLC. and tax planning. Tel: (703) 243-3737. Fax: (703) 524-7610. Tel: (202) 257-2318. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.doumarmartin.com Website: www.irvingcom.com n TAX & FINANCIAL SERVICES n APPRAISALS

DAVID L. MORTIMER, CPA: Income tax planning MANDEL APPRAISALS and preparation for 20 years in Alexandria, VA. Personal property, antique and decorative arts valuation for insurance, Free consultation. estates and charitable donations, including inventories and consulta- Tel: (703) 743-0272. tions. Contact retired FSO Pamela Mandel. E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (703) 642-2572. Website: www.mytaxcpa.net E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mandelappraisals.com PROFESSIONAL TAX RETURN PREPARATION Arthur A. Granberg, EA, ATA,ATP, has more than 40 years’ experience in public tax practice. Our Associates include EAs & CPAs. Our rate is $110 per hour; most FS returns take just 3-4 hours. Located near Ballston Mall and Metro station. Tax Matters Associates PC 4420 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 500 Arlington VA 22203. Tel: (703) 522-3828. Fax: (703) 522-5726. E-mail: [email protected]

68 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n TEMPORARY HOUSING SHORT-TERM RENTALS • TEMPORARY HOUSING

ENJOY YOUR STAY in Washington in historic guest rooms just blocks WASHINGTON, D.C., or NFATC TOUR? EXECUTIVE HOUSING from the White House! Rooms available to DACOR members and their CONSULTANTS offers Metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s finest portfolio guests, $119/night/single, $135/night/double, all taxes and continental of short-term, fully furnished and equipped apartments, townhomes breakfast (M-F) included. and single-family residences in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. For reservations call: (202) 682-0500, ext. 11. In Virginia: “River Place’s Finest” is steps to Rosslyn Metro and E-mail: [email protected] Georgetown, and 15 minutes on Metro bus or State Department Website: www.dacorbacon.org shuttle to NFATC. For more info, please call (301) 951-4111, or visit our website at: www.executivehousing.com. DISTINCTIVE FURNISHED RESIDENCES FURNISHED APARTMENTS IN GEORGETOWN: Luxury 1-BR apart- AKA BALANCES THE style and hospitality of an intimate hotel with ments in an ideal location: 10-minute walk to Dupont Circle Metro the space and comfort of an elegantly appointed luxury apartment. station, yet within the elegance and charm of Georgetown’s east village. Designed for long-term comfort and value, AKA Virginia Square offers More than 450 shops and restaurants in one walkable square mile; fully furnished one- and two-bedroom suites with exceptional hotel- jogging/hiking/biking trails just steps from your front door. HDTV, high- style services and such amenities as state-of-the-art kitchens with speed Internet, washer/dryer, luxury bedding and weekly housekeeping stainless steel appliances, HD flat screen TVs, full-size washer and all included. Parking available at no extra charge. No minimum stay; per dryer, housekeeping, in-suite dining and complimentary Wi-Fi. Addi- diem rates accepted. tional complimentary onsite amenities include parking, a business Tel: (202) 643-1343. and fitness center, 24-hour resident services desk, weekday breakfast E-mail: [email protected] and a rooftop garden terrace with spectacular views. Website: www.FederalFlats.com Located in the heart of Arlington’s educational and cultural center, AKA Virginia Square is just steps away from fabulous restaurants and DC GUEST APARTMENTS: Not your typical “corporate” apartments- shopping and a short Metro ride away from Washington, D.C. we’re different! Located in Dupont Circle, we designed our apartments Tel: (703) 294-6415. as places where we’d like to live and work-beautifully furnished and E-mail: [email protected] fully equipped (including Internet & satellite TV). Most importantly, we Website: stayaka.com/virginiasquare understand that occasionally needs change, so we never penalize you if AKA Virginia Square you leave early. You only pay for the nights you stay, even if your plans 3409 Wilson Blvd. change at the last minute. We also don’t believe in minimum stays or Arlington VA 22201 extra charges like application or cleaning fees. And we always work with you on per diem. FURNISHED LUXURY APARTMENTS: Short/long-term. Best locations: Tel: (202) 536-2500. Dupont Circle, Georgetown. Utilities included. All price ranges/sizes. E-mail: [email protected] Parking available. Website: www.dcguestapartments.com Tel: (202) 251-9482. E-mail: [email protected] FIND PERFECT HOUSING by using the free Reservation Service Agency, Accommodations 4 U. CAPITOL HILL, FURNISHED housing: Tel: (843) 347-8900. 1-3 blocks to Capitol. Nice places, great location. E-mail: [email protected] Well below per diem. Short-term OK. GSA small Website: www.accommodations4u.net business and veteran-owned. Tel: (202) 544-4419. SERVING FOREIGN SERVICE PERSONNEL FOR 25 YEARS, ESPE- E-mail: [email protected] CIALLY THOSE WITH PETS. Selection of condos, townhouses and Website: www.capitolhillstay.com single-family homes accommodates most breeds and sizes. All within a short walk of Metro stations in Arlington. Fully furnished and equipped CORPORATE APARTMENT SPECIALISTS: Abundant experience 1-4 bedrooms, within per diem rates. working with Foreign Service professionals and the locations to best EXECUTIVE LODGING ALTERNATIVES. serve you: Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, E-mail: [email protected] Rosslyn, Ballston, Pentagon City. Our office is a short walk from NFATC. One-month minimum. All furnishings, houseware, utilities, telephone TURNKEY HOUSING SOLUTIONS: Experience working with Foreign and cable included. We work with per diem. Service professionals on standard and distinctive temporary housing Tel: (703) 979-2830 or (800) 914-2802. Fax: (703) 979-2813. solutions in the D.C. area’s best locations (NW DC, Arlington, Alexan- E-mail: [email protected] dria, Northern Virginia, suburban Maryland). Northern Virginia-based Website: www.corporateapartments.com company offers local customer service and a personalized touch. Tel: (703) 615-6591. PIED-A-TERRE PROPERTIES, LTD: Select from our unique inventory of E-mail: [email protected] completely furnished & tastefully decorated apartments & townhouses, Website www.tkhousing.com all located in D.C.’s best in-town neighborhoods: Dupont, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom and the West End. Mother-daughter owned and operated. Tel: (202) 462-0200. Fax: (202) 332-1406. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.piedaterredc.com

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 69 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n TEMPORARY HOUSING DC METRO AREA: Whether you’re buying, selling or leasing, Jack ARLINGTON FLATS: 1-BR, 2-BR and 4-BR flats in 2 beautiful buildings Croddy, a former Senior career FSO, will help you achieve your real 3 blocks from Clarendon Metro. Newly renovated, completely furnished, estate goals. An expert negotiator, Jack is affiliated with W.C. & A.N. incl. all utilities/Internet/HDTV w/DVR. Parking, maid service, gym, Miller Realtors, a Long & Foster Company and exclusive affiliate of rental car available. Rates start at $2,600/month. Per diem OK. Christie’s Great Estates. Min. 30 days. Tel: (301) 229-4000, ext. 8345. Tel: (571) 235-4289. Cell: (301) 318-3450. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] See 2-BR at website: www.dropbox.com/sh/6mkfwnz2ccrubv7/ FSM8fkHZz_ LONG-DISTANCE REALTOR Mary Lowry Smith makes technology work for you when you’re ready to sell or buy a home, even from overseas. A AS A FOREIGN SERVICE FAMILY MEMBER, Foreign Service spouse who has been a Realtor for eight years, Mary is I would like to offer my fully furnished, Cleveland Park house for rent licensed in DC, MD and VA with Real Living at Home (a “radically differ- July 21- September 30. Dates are flexible. Six bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, ent real estate company”), Dupont Circle-Chevy Chase. living, dining and family rooms, 2 studies, playroom and furnished Tel: (301) 652-0643. basement with bar, pool table and laundry room with shower. Beautiful Cell: (202) 247-5077. garden with pool. 10 minute walk from Metro, National Zoo, restaurants, E-mail: [email protected] bars and movie theater. WiFi, all utilities, garden and pool maintenance Website: www.dcredlinehomes , weekly maid service included. Per diem accepted. Security deposit required. Photos upon request. ADVANCING TO MAIN STATE OR FSI? I offer FS personnel 28+ years of E-mail: [email protected] experience providing Exclusive Representation. My focused approach to home buying/selling makes the transition easier for you and your family. n PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FS references gladly provided. Contact Marilyn Cantrell, Associate Broker, licensed in VA and DC. NORTHERN VIRGINIA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. Are you look- McEnearney Associates ing for a competent manager to take care of your home when you go to 1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd., Ste. 350 post this summer? Based in McLean, Va., Peake Management, Inc. has McLean VA 22101. worked with Foreign Service officers for over 30 years. We are active Tel: (703) 860-2096. board members of the Foreign Service Youth Foundation and many E-mail: [email protected]. other community organizations. We really care about doing a good job in Website: www.MarilynCantrell.com renting and managing your home, so we’re always seeking cutting-edge technology to improve service to our clients, from innovative market- WHAT ARE YOUR RETIREMENT/2nd HOME PLANS? We have a large ing to active online access to your account. We offer a free, copyrighted buildable lot below market price for sale on the 15th hole of a Champi- Landlord Reference Manual to guide you through the entire preparation, onship Golf Course at The Resort at Glade Springs, W.Va. rental and management process, or just give our office a call to talk to the Ray & Laurie Meininger. agent specializing in your area. Peake Management, Inc. is a licensed, E-mail: [email protected] full-service real estate broker. 6842 Elm St., Suite 303, McLean VA 22101. SARASOTA, FLA. PAUL BYRNES, FSO Tel: (703) 448-0212. retired, and Loretta Friedman, Coldwell E-mail: [email protected] Banker, offer vast real estate experience in Website: www.peakeinc.com assisting diplomats. Enjoy gracious living, no state income tax and an exciting market. n REAL ESTATE Tel: (941) 377-8181. E-mail: [email protected] (Paul) or [email protected] (Loretta) LOOKING TO BUY, sell or rent property in Northern Virginia? This former SFSO with 12 years of real estate experience understands your BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES FLORIDA REALTY. If needs and can help. References available. David Olinger, GRI Long & you’re considering retirement in the Sarasota area, contact Marian Foster, Realtors. Walsh, Realtor and FSO spouse, at (941) 483-0803 or e-mail: florida. Tel: (703) 864-3196. [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.davidolinger.lnf.com n HOME REPAIRS

PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE services provided by John Kozyn of NOW IS THE TIME to think about getting your home in NORTHERN Coldwell Banker in Arlington, Va. Need to buy or sell? My expertise will VIRGINIA ready to occupy or put on the market. Whether it’s a fresh coat serve your specific needs and timeframe. FSO references gladly pro- of paint or a bathroom and/or kitchen remodel, Door2Door Designs will vided. Licensed in VA and DC. do the work for you while you’re away. We specialize in working with Tel: (202) 288-6026. Foreign Service and military families living abroad, and have many won- E-mail: [email protected] derful references from happy families. Contact Nancy Sheehy. Website: www.cbmove.com/johnkozyn Tel: (703) 244-3843. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.DOOR2DOORDESIGNS.COM

70 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS n INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION SHOP IN AN AMERICAN DRUG STORE BY MAIL! Morgan Pharmacy ADOPT WHILE POSTED OVERSEAS! Adopt Abroad, Incorporated was 3001 P St NW created to assist expatriates with their adoption needs. U.S.-licensed and Washington DC 20007 Hague-accredited, we conduct adoption home studies and child place- Tel: (202) 337-4100. Fax: (202) 337-4102. ment services, using caseworkers based worldwide. E-mail: [email protected] Adopt Abroad, Inc. Website: www.carepharmacies.com 1424 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 7501 Snow Pea Court, Alexandria, VA n PET TRANSPORTATION Tel: (888) 687-3644. Website: www.adopt-abroad.com PET MOVING MADE EASY: Club Pet International is a full-service animal shipper specializing in domestic n EDUCATION and international trips. Club Pet is the ultimate pet-care boarding facility in the Washington, D.C., HEBREW SCHOOL ONLINE. No matter where you serve, ShalomLearn- metropolitan area. ing strengthens your family’s ties to the Jewish community, values and Tel: (703) 471-7818 or (800) 871-2535. culture. Find out more: www.shalomlearning.com/online E-mail: [email protected] Website: clubpet.com n SHOPPING PET SHIPPING WORLDWIDE: ACTION PET EXPRESS has over CRAVING GROCERIES from home? Order non-perishable grocery 44 years in business. 24-hr. service, operated by a U.S. Army veteran, products from our physical grocery store ($4.95 shopping fee), and we associate member AFSA. Contact: Jerry Mishler. will ship the order (additional cost) via the Dulles mail sorting facility or Tel: (681) 252-0266 or (855) 704-6682. APO/FPO/DPO address. E-mail: [email protected] Click here for full details. Website: www.actionpetexpress.com • www.lowesfoodstogo.com • Choose the Robinhood Road store in Winston-Salem, N.C. • Pay online via PayPal

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: $1.45/word (10-word min). Hyperlink $11 in online edition. Bold text 85¢/word. Header or box-shading $11 each.

Deadline: Five weeks ahead of publication.

Tel: (202) 944-5507. Fax: (202) 338-8244. E-mail: miltenberger@ afsa.org

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 71 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

72 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 73 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

u REGULAR INSPECTIONS u ENJOY PEACE OF MIND u u u RENTAL SERVICES Association for Diplomatic Who’s taking care of your home Studies and Training (ADST) while you’re away? Got an interesting story to tell? Want to read one? REGULAR REPORTS REGULAR REPORTS u

u o one takes care of your home like we do!

N 24 HOUR ON-CALL SUPPORT The Association for Diplomatic Studies While you’re overseas, we’ll help you and Training is a non-gov- manage your home without the hassles. ernmental, nonprofit organi- No panicky messages, just regular zation located at the State reports. No unexpected surprises, just peace of mind. Department’s Foreign Service Institute. Founded in 1986, Property management is ADST advances understand- rson G OVER 24 YEARS EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE YEARS 24 OVER r our full time business. eye ou ing of American diplomacy and p, Let us take care u M I supports training of foreign e n c. of the details. h u affairs personnel. We sponsor a publishing program and T

EXCELLENT REFERENCES our collection of more than 1800 oral history interviews includes such fascinating interviewees as Prudence Bushnell, Terence Todman, and Kathleen Turner. Excerpts from the collection highlight the monumental, Call us today! the horrifying, the thought-provoking, and the absurd. (301) 657-3210 They reflect the reality of diplomacy, warts and all, mak- ing them a great resource for foreign affairs profession- u als, scholars, journalists, and anyone else who likes a

COORDINATE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE COORDINATE 6923 Fairfax Road Bethesda, MD 20814

email: [email protected] u great read. Check us out at www.adst.org. u u PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS u

74 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 75 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

ADWhen contactin g oneINDEX of our advertisers, kindly mention you saw their advertisement in The Foreign Service Journal.

CLASSIFIED ADS Classifieds / 68, 69, 70, 71

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND TAX SERVICES David L. Mortimer, CPA / 55 James Burgess, CPA / 55 MCG Financial Planning / 56

HOUSING AKA, Flexible Stay Hotel Residences / Inside Front Cover Arlington Suites / 18 Attaché Corporate Housing / 43 Capitol Hill Stay / 42 CAS–Corporate Apartment Specialists / 39 Pied-a-Terre Properties Ltd. / 34 Signature Properties / 39 SuiteAmerica / 42 TurnKey Housing Solutions / 43

INSURANCE AFSPA–CIGNA International Dental Plan / 60 AFSPA–Foreign Service Benefit Plan / 71 Clements Worldwide / 4 Embassy Risk Management / Inside Back Cover Federal Employee Defense Services / 11 The Hirshorn Company / Back Cover

MISCELLANEOUS AFSA Book Store / 76 AFSA Resource Marketplace / 73 Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training / 74 Change of Address / 12 Diplomatic Automobile Sales / 3 Family Liaison Office, Dept. of State / 10 Fund for American Diplomacy / 34 Inside a U.S. Embassy / 59 Marketplace / 17 Oakland School & Camp / 13 Senior Living Foundation / 73 Social Media / 21

REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Cabell Reid, LLC / 72 Executive Housing Consultants, Inc. / 73 Mary Lowry Smith / 74 McGrath Real Estate Services / 72 Meyerson Group, Inc., The / 74 Peake Management, Inc. / 75 Promax / 75 Property Specialists, Inc. / 75 Washington Management Services / 72 WJD Management / 73

ANNOUNCEMENTS Foreign Service Youth Foundation Contests / 56 Support AFSA Scholarships / 44

76 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL REFLECTIONS

A Quote for My Marquee

BY DONALD M. BISHOP

ack in 1989, I was the informa- publishing team were not very talk- into publishing and tion officer and spokesman at ative, so for two hours Ms. Brown branding. our non-embassy in Taipei, the and I chatted. Truth to tell, I was Now, however, I BAmerican Institute in Taiwan. rather intimidated by meeting the could feel another The front office had received an invita- real-life figure Natalie Wood had panic attack com- tion to attend the opening ceremony for played in the movie version of her ing on. As the Steak the new Chinese-language edition of a famous book, Sex and the Single with Five Spices popular American magazine. Neither Girl. While I’d seen the film, I’d never arrived at our table, I realized I’d played the AIT director nor the deputy principal read the book. For that matter, while I my only conversational card on the officer could attend, and neither could had seen copies at the supermarket, I subject of women’s magazines, and my the public affairs officer. The invitation had never read Cosmo, either. What was I ignorance would soon become evident. duly landed on my desk. supposed to talk about as we enjoyed the Undaunted, I turned the conversation The magazine? Cosmopolitan. The Four Treasures in Bird’s Nest? to intellectual property and the extent of guest of honor? Its publisher, Helen Fortunately, my wife was a subscriber book and movie piracy in Taiwan. She Gurley Brown. to Working Woman magazine, and I had was quite interested, and at the mention I was hoping for a quick handshake looked through a few copies. So I asked of pirated videotapes of American block- with the famous “HGB,” a few conversa- what magazines were Cosmo’s main busters, her husband David, director of tions with contacts in publishing, some competitors, and was Working Woman “Jaws,” joined in. That discussion lasted clapping when the ribbon was cut and among them? I quickly learned a great through the Fish Fragrance Eggplant. a quick exit. But almost as soon as I deal about the overlapping demograph- The dinner continued, and I tap- entered the reception room at the ritzy ics and marketing of the two publica- danced and pirouetted about the econ- hotel, I was taken to the head of the line tions, all of it fascinating. But as the omy, political change in Taiwan, Chinese to meet Ms. Brown and her husband. I Abalone was being served, Ms. Brown regional cuisines, the end of the Cold remember being surprised at how ruth- turned the tables by asking, “So what do War and more. As I remember it, each lessly thin she was. you think of Working Woman?” of my topics informed and entertained Then I was pressed to stay for the ban- Thinking fast, I said that the magazine without revealing my lack of depth. quet. In unexpected situations like this, I illustrated basic principles of manage- After the Sweet Sesame Balls, the have always taken the advice of scripture ment, human relations and office culture meal concluded with Melon Slices. (Luke 14: 8-11) to stand by modestly. in everyday ways, but with a twist. Its When the dinner ended, HGB said to me, To my suprise, I was not only sum- take on these basic topics was that old- “Donald, you’re one of the best conver- moned to the head table but placed at boy networks hid this knowledge from sationalists I’ve ever met.” Heady stuff the right of Ms. Brown, with her hus- women, and now Cosmo was sharing the for a colorless diplomat! band on her left, as the banquet began secrets with ambitious women. This was If only FSOs had marquees rather with Peanuts in Old Vinegar and Spicy apparently different from anything HGB than resumés, perhaps that quote, in Cucumbers. had heard from others, and again I was lights, would have been just the ticket The members of the Chinese edition’s given some valuable high-level insight I needed to reach the Foreign Service stratosphere. I’ve always thought “Princi- Donald M. Bishop, a retired Foreign Service public diplomacy officer, was public affairs officer in pal Deputy Assistant Secretary” has a Dhaka, Lagos and Beijing, and twice a political adviser at the Pentagon. His last assignment was nice ring to it. But alas, there’s no Bureau Kabul. of Conversation. n

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 77 LOCAL LENS

BY JANIE JAMES-HIGH n TAKORADI, GHANA

uring my assign- ment on an observation mis- Dsion for the 2012 Ghanaian presidential race, children saw my camera and would run toward me—singing out for me to take their picture. This particular shot was taken in the city of Takoradi, in an outlying rural community that was both jubilant and peaceful during the elec- tions. I found the T-shirt of the young girl—the “Obama Girl”—to be very poignant on that Election Day. n

Janie James-High, a native of California but longtime resident of Arizona, has been with the State Department since May 2010 as an Office Management Specialist. Now posted in Accra, she served previously in Brussels at the U.S. mission to the European Union. She holds a B.A. in commercial photography, and previously worked in higher education and the business world. She took this photo in December 2012 with a Pentax K100 digital SLR camera.

Enter your favorite, recent photograph to be featured in Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8 x 10”) and must not be in print elsewhere. Please submit a short description of the scene/event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used, to [email protected].

78 MARCH 2014 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL