U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE MAGAZINE RecifeBrazil’s Northeast Star FEBRUARY 2008 >>> CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2008 08 Commitment and Sacrifice Department leaders praise 2007 award winners. 14 FSNs of the Year ‘Unsung hero of Iraq’ is Worldwide FSN of the Year. Department Awards Issue 520 FEATURES 20 Standing Up Consulate General Juba helps southern ON THE COVER Sudan rebuild. In Olinda and Recife, sister cities since the 17th century, 22 Post of the Month: Recife old and new architecture blend by the sea. Small consulate covers Brazil’s booming Photograph by Corbis northeast. 28 Home Work Department employees increasingly telecommute. 31 Discovering America COLUMNS Interactive technology promotes public diplomacy. 2 From the DG Civil Service Rotations 34 In the News Job rotation expands professional horizons. 3 46 Medical Report 38 Growing Awareness First Lady spotlights Department programs 48 Education & Training with Middle East visit. 49 Appointments 40 Arts and Minds Cultural programs power Transformational 50 Retirements Diplomacy. 51 Obituaries 42 Office of the Month: BEX 52 The Last Word Board of Examiners builds Foreign Service’s next generation. 20 22 D.G. HARRY K. THOMAS My Recent Visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan In December, I visited Islamabad, March of 2006, which killed Foreign and economically successful. It is clear to Peshawar, Karachi, Kabul and the Provin- Service specialist David Foy and Iftikhar me that we are doing good work. In cial Reconstruction Team in Ghazni Ahmed, a local employee of the consulate, Ghazni, one of our PRTS, I visited FSOs Province along with Ben Embury, a Presi- serves as a constant reminder of the threats Zach Harkenrider and Rachel Grant, and dential Management Fellow in our Office that our colleagues face on a daily basis. their counterparts in the military, and of Policy Coordination. This was my learned that, despite the difficult environ- second overseas trip as Director General. ment, the efforts of this group of talented My objective was to survey the work of people have yielded positive, tangible each post, meet with American and Locally results throughout Ghazni. Employed Staff and determine how the Again, in talking with our people in Bureau of Human Resources can best serve Kabul, Dubai and at an airport meeting in the needs of our employees. Having served Munich, I got additional insights into what extensively in SCA, it was good to get back we in HR need to do to support our people to the region and learn of the changes first and posts overseas. As in all my stops where hand. It was a fascinating trip. time permitted, in private meetings I I left Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, listened to individual concerns and, where with a renewed understanding of the crit- possible, have sought to address them. ical importance that our Embassy I came away from my visits with a deep employees, under the able leadership of appreciation of the posts’ efforts to Ambassador Anne Patterson, play in promote America’s foreign policy goals combating the spread of global terrorism and the challenges they face in fulfilling and promoting the spread of democracy their mission. Meeting these challenges throughout Pakistan. The challenges are will not be easy. Many of the problems abundant—particularly in light of the they face are felt throughout the world: assassination of former Prime Minister persistent staffing gaps in crucial positions, Benazir Bhutto—but the stakes for both language deficits and the retention of LES. Pakistan and America are incredibly high. I was deeply impressed with the ongoing But we are committed to doing all that We also visited two consulates in- work of Lynne Tracy and of our employees is possible. country. The men and women at our in Peshawar, especially considering that the My colleagues and I in the Bureau of consulate in Karachi under Kay Anske’s massive growth of personnel at post has Human Resources are actively seeking able and inspired leadership, who operate stretched their resources to the bone. additional resources for the Department in the face of an extremely difficult I am equally proud and encouraged by and working to improve customer service. physical and security environment, are the work that our courageous men and We welcome your input via unclassified eagerly waiting the completion of a new women in Afghanistan are doing to help e-mail at “DG Direct.” Thank you for your compound. The suicide bombing in build a country that is stable, democratic continued service. ■ “I came away from my visits with a deep appreciation of the posts’ efforts to promote America’s foreign policy goals and the challenges they face in fulfilling their mission.” 2 | STATE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2008 NEWS Native American and modern American images encounter each other in art created by Larry McNeil. The Gift of Understanding Native American Art Made Available to Embassies The Smithsonian’s National Museum embassies throughout the world. expression,” said Kathleen Ash-Milby, of the American Indian and the Depart- Brochures produced by the ART in curator at the National Museum of the ment’s ART in Embassies Program have Embassies staff accompany the print American Indian. “Their work is an inte- produced a print portfolio by five influ- series and include an artist’s statement gral component of a larger web ential Native American artists from across about each work. connecting the past and present.” the United States, seeking to broaden The five artists and their tribes are The five prints were unveiled in international understanding and appreci- Norman Akers (Osage), Mario Martinez November at a ceremony at Blair House, ation for contemporary Native American (Yaqui), Larry McNeil (Tlingit), Jaune hosted by Nancy Brinker, chief of art. Quick-to-See Smith (Flathead Salish) and protocol. First Lady Laura Bush attended, Each of the five artists in the portfolio Marie Watt (Seneca). as did more than 100 guests, including is donating 20 copies of his or her “The artists in this portfolio inherited Under Secretary for Management Patrick print—a total of 100 works—to the the legacy of their ancestors and the 20th Kennedy, U.S. and foreign ambassadors Department for display in American century struggle for individual and Department personnel. FEBRUARY 2008 | STATE MAGAZINE | 3 Secretary Celebrates Toys for Tots Giving In mid-December, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosted a celebration at which she donated to the Marine Corps, sponsor of the Toys for Tots campaign, the toys collected during the Department’s collection drive. Standing at a podium whose base was heaped with new toys collected during the drive, she thanked donors and then Bureau of Diplomatic Security Acting displayed a stuffed animal that sang Assistant Secretary Greg Starr, left, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” listens as Secretary of State Rice speaks at the Toys for Tots ceremony. As the toy sang, the audience of about 100 joined the Secretary in singing along. She then walked the perimeter of the audience, shaking employees’ hands. In November, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Bureau hosts sixth annual Industry Day Operations and the American Small Business Coalition hosted the sixth annual Industry Day before an audience of 200 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, in Rosslyn, Va. OBO’s then Director Gen. Charles E. Williams, ret., opened the event by discussing his approach to leadership and his vision and strategy for transforming OBO. He also discussed the obstacles in the transfor-e mation, the leadership challenges facing the bureau and the bureau’s results, which include completion of 53 new diplomatic facilities during his tenure. Williams then led a roundtable discussion with corporate leaders. OBO’s managing directors for th areas of Project Execution, Planning and Development, Operations and Maintenance, and Real Estate chaired similar roundta- bles on their program areas. There was also a small-business roundtable conducted by staff from the Bureau of Administration’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. Deputy Secretary Negroponte signs a visitor’s registry as Mohamed Touré, deputy of the Haidara Center Deputy Secretary in Timbuktu, Mali, looks on. Meets African Leaders Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and Assistant Secre- tary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer traveled in November to Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Mali to meet national leaders and representatives of civil society. In Mali, the Deputy Secre- tary led the presidential delegation to the meeting of the Community of Democracies to highlight the U.S. commitment to promoting democracy, good governance and partnership with nations sharing common values. The delegation discussed democracy, security, rule of law and sustainable development with key partners in West Africa. 4 | STATE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2008 Awards Honor Department’s Top Volunteers Neill G. Krost intended to pay only one visit to the 250 children at the Abomey orphanage, located four hours from his office at the U.S. Embassy in Cotonou, Benin. Once there, however, he said he became overwhelmed. “My heart was opened up, and I made a commitment” to help the orphanage, he said during a recent ceremony where he was honored as one of five Department employees or family members worldwide who engaged in significant volunteerism. Krost organized a Christmas charity drive Above: Neill G. Krost, left, receives his award from Deputy Secretary John Negroponte. that delivered a large truckload of clothing, Below: Award winner Alison M. Padget addresses the awards ceremony audience. books, toys and furniture to the orphanage. He also convinced the mayor of Abomey to supply the orphanage with “inspired others in their communities.” electricity and water, and provided the orphanage with a new The honorees included Alison M. Padget, a family member in dining room, thanks to the ambassador’s Self-Help Program.