U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE FEBRUARY 2010 MAGAZINE Honoring Those Who Serve ★ ★ ★ 2009 Awards Day and FSN of the Year February 2010 Contents Issue Number 542 10 Joint Effort Embassy exercise boosts preparedness. 12 Bridging Cultures Program helps posts promote community unity. 14 34 Freed Press Post of PRT supports women’s newspaper in Iraq. the Month: Freetown 16 Money-Saver Resilient Sierra PCS Lodging Program aids with Leone grows into D.C.-area stays. a beacon of hope. 18 Department Awards Award winners achieve excellence worldwide. February 2010 Issue Number 542 Features 26 10 Exemplary Service FSNs honored for extra-mile efforts in 2009. 32 12 A Welcome Relief Joint effort aids flood-ravaged El Salvador. 14 40 Corporate Partners Technology companies aid diplomacy in Iraq. 42 French Connections Embassy introduces Parisian firefighters to EMT services. 44 Office of the Month Pol-Mil office helps strengthen U.S. allies. Columns 16 2 From the D.G. 48 Appointments 3 Letters to the Editor 50 Obituaries 4 In the News 51 Retirements 9 Diversity Notes 52 The Last Word 47 Education & Training *Direct from the D.G. Debunking Common Civil Service Myths I am serious about Civil Service career development at State and • The Department’s Upward Mobility Program for GS-10 have appreciated the opportunity to hear from civil servants about (or wage-grade equivalent) employees who have completed the their interests and concerns over the past several months. We clearly one-year probationary period provides structured, formal training, have more work to do and I will be looking for your input. In the on-the-job training and developmental assignments, and waives meantime, I wanted to correct the record on two commonly held the experience normally required to qualify for positions under the myths about the Civil Service at State. Department’s Merit Promotion Program. • Advanced academic training opportunities include: Myth #1: Fewer women are being selected for SES positions. o The National Defense Intelligence College’s free after-hours Fact: Six career Senior Executive Service positions were filled postgraduate intelligence program; in 2009. Of these, four were women and two were men. That said, o The National War College, Industrial College of the Armed women remain in the minority in State’s SES ranks (35 percent). Forces and the War College of each branch of the armed forces While we continue to develop opportunities for programs for GS-14 and 15 employees; all staff to achieve their potential (see below, for o A one-year residential Masters in example), we also must encourage women and Public Policy degree program at others who are under-represented in the SES Princeton University. Students con- ranks to pursue promotions to the senior level. centrate on international relations, development studies, domestic policy, Myth #2: There are few career development economics and public policy. Further or training opportunities available to Civil information is available at: http:// Service employees. hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/hrweb/cda/ Fact: There are many outstanding career upload/fs_cs-longterm-training.pdf. development/training opportunities available o A Master in Business Administra- to Civil Service employees, including: tion program with the Navy • The Department participates in a range Bureau of Medicine and Surgery of government-wide leadership development offered by Webster University on programs for Civil Service employees, includ- Navy Hill. ing the Aspiring Leader Program (GS 5-7), New • The Foreign Service Institute offers Leader (GS 7-11), Executive Leadership (GS 700 classroom courses as well as more 11-13), and Executive Potential Program (GS than 180 custom-developed distance 13-15). The programs run from six months learning products and more than 3,000 to one year and involve classroom discus- commercial distance learning courses sions, group exercises and rotational work available through the Internet. assignments. • The Department also runs a very • Congressional Fellows Programs give mid-level personnel in popular Civil Service mentoring program, which currently has Grades GM/GS 13-15 a hands-on understanding of the legislative 430 participants. Information is at: http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/prd/ branch and how congressional decisions about federal agencies’ hrweb/mentoring. programs are made. Fellows may serve in the offices of Members of Congress or on the staff of a congressional committee. I urge all Civil Service employees to take advantage of these • The Excellence in Government Fellows Program and the e- development and training programs, and I encourage supervi- Government Fellows Program offer leadership training-site visits to sors to work with employees to provide them the time for these successful corporations and coaching by experienced executives, while important career advancement opportunities. candidates continue to serve in their current jobs. Employees interested in these programs should contact Paul • The Fellows Program with the Army’s Command and General Lawrence in HR/CSHRM: [email protected]. Staff College is open to GS-12 or GS-13 employees with bachelor’s If you have any general comments or suggestions, including degrees and country/regional affairs or pol-mil experience. topics you would like to see addressed in this column, please feel • The Civil Service Mid-Level Rotational Program, developed in free to send them to me via unclassified e-mail at DG Direct. n response to a need articulated by State’s Civil Service community, supports developmental assignments for GS-12 and GS-13 em- ployees, after which the employee will return to his or her position. Details are at: http://mmsweb.a.state.gov/asp/notices/dn_temp. Nancy J. Powell asp?Notice_ID=10034. Director General 2 State Magazine February 2010 *Letters Enhancing Diversity As I regularly peruse the monthly issues work in the areas of human rights and Kudos to State Magazine for continuing of State Magazine, I see letters and articles diversity and provide them with adequate to highlight issues related to human rights related to diplomacy, recruitment, diversity resources. One way to find out if these and diversity. and equality on a continuous basis. resources are being properly utilized would The United States always has done a be to conduct periodic reviews of those units. Krishna Das superb job in the areas of diversity and The best feedback may be from the Foreign Service specialist human rights. How is the Department of clientele themselves, based on their experi- U.S. Embassy in Bahrain State faring on this front with regard to its ences. Units of the Department’s bureaus myriad bureaus? could maintain an ombudsperson to act as a Unsafe Welding Under the Universal Declaration of facilitator with ample autonomy to deal with I was very impressed with the December Human Rights adopted by the United contentious issues. Many posts have Equal 2009 State Magazine article “Safe Sites,” being Nations, parts of Articles 1 and 2 state: “All Employment Opportunity officers who deal a Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations humans are born free and equal in dignity with some of these issues, but the Depart- project director proud of the safety record and rights” and “Everyone is entitled to all the ment may wish to take it up a notch. on projects under my direction. Then, to my rights and freedoms set forth in this declara- To become truly diverse, the State Depart- surprise and dismay, I noticed that in the tion, without distinction of any kind, such as ment should try to increase diversity among same issue the man welding the basketball color, race, sex, language, religion.” its administrative staff and among its leader- hoop in the “Reaching Youths” article does The State Department has been concerned ship at all levels. Special implementation not have eye, head, arm and hand protection. about the well-being of all its employees and must be placed on retention of minorities. I trust the ladder was at least safe. should be commended for that. The key will Recruitment is the easy part. be to not rest on its laurels but to do more. The key would be for the Department to Jeff Watts For that to happen, it must identify the units stand up to the challenges facing it and be Retired Foreign Service and people who are doing commendable true to its beliefs. construction engineer Letters should not exceed 250 words and should include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. All letters become the property of State Magazine. Letters Talk to Us will be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. Only signed letters will be considered. Via E-mail: Mailing Address: Phone: Fax: statemagazine@ 301 4th Street, SW, Room 348, (202) 203-7118 (202) 203-7142 state.gov Washington, DC 20547 February 2010 State Magazine 3 News Students from Escuela San Martin carry a banner to say they’ve chosen peace over drugs. Costa Rican Youth Say ‘No’ to Drugs More than 500 sixth graders from the Red Ribbon Week annually involves participation. The youths signed “Say No rural Costa Rican town of San Carlos millions of people worldwide participat- to Drugs” posters donated by a local radio publicly committed in October to saying ing in rallies. In Costa Rica, the embassy station, and presented them as a token of “no” to drugs during the week-long Red partnered with San Carlos’ municipal gratitude to the officials actively involved in Ribbon anti-drug effort supported by the government to launch the campaign, which organizing the week’s festivities. U.S. Embassy in San Jose. garnered national media coverage. “Every one of you here today can make The students from four public schools A public commitment event marked a difference in your schools and communi- engaged in such activities as soccer tourna- the close of Red Ribbon Week and was ties by spreading the word among your ments and competitions to create “Say No attended by parents, teachers, local friends and families that illegal use of drugs to Drugs” chants and slogans.