State Magazine, June 2003

U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F S T A T E

June 2003

StateStateM a g a z i n e

ZambiaThe Real Africa



State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly, exceptbimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department of State,2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postage paid atWashington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations. POSTMAS-TER: Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG,SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. State Magazineis published to facilitate communication between managementand employees at home and abroad and to acquaint employeeswith developments that may affect operations or personnel. The magazine is also available to persons interested in workingfor the Department of State and to the general public.

State Magazine is available by subscription through theSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,Washington, DC 20402 (telephone [202] 512-1800) or on the web athttp://bookstore.gpo.gov.

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Deadlines: July 15 for September issue.Aug. 15 for October issue.

StateStateMagazine

Carl GoodmanEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dave KreckeWRITER/EDITOR

Paul KoscakWRITER/EDITOR

Deborah ClarkDESIGNER

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Florence FultzCHAIR

Jo Ellen PowellEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Sylvia BazalaCynthia Bunton

Bill HaughBill Hudson

Jim LawrenceJim Trommatter

The Ambassador BrothersIn our next issue:

Fam

ily p

hoto

John and Larry Dinger at home in Iowa. John is U.S. Ambassadorto Mongolia and Larry is U.S.Ambassador to Micronesia.

8 Post of the Month: ZambiaWelcome to the “real Africa.”

13 Office of the Month: Multi-Media ServicesIt’s not your corner print shop.

16 The Royal TreatmentVIP stand-in savors agents’ attention.

18 On the War’s EdgeTaking cover for real in Kuwait.

20 Mission in AfghanistanDiplomats support Army civil affairs.

23 Keeping the Oral Tradition AliveUnder secretaries share their experiences.

24 On a Fulbright in Latin AmericaHistorian learns from his Bolivian students.

26 Baltic SummitPartnership yields high return on investment.

28 Cultural Programming Pristina does a lot with $50.

30 Take Your Child to Work DayMore than 600 participated in the special program.

31 A Silver AnniversaryFamily Liaison Office observes 25 years of service.

StateContents

D e p a r t m e n t o f S t a t e • U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a

StateMagazine

June 2003No. 469

C O L U M N S

2 From the Secretary

7 Direct from the D.G.

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

32 Safety Scene

32 Personnel Actions

33 Education and Training

34 People Like You

35 State of the Arts

36 Obituaries

On the CoverZambia’s famed Victoria Falls.

Photo © Galen Rowell/

Mountain Light/Stock

Connection/PictureQuest

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Raymond Cox, Diplomatic Securityofficer, and his bomb-sniffing dogBelia search the Dean AchesonAuditorium for explosives.


June 2003

StateStateM a g a z i n e




A group of Zambianwomen wearing traditional costumes perform a cultural danceat the Maramba CulturalVillage.

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FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

Millennium ChallengeAccount: a New Tool for U.S. Foreign Policy

The headlines about Iraq and the continuing war onterrorism often obscure the many important efforts

we are making to build a world free of fear and misery. The worldwide advance of political and economic lib-

erties has opened unprecedented opportunities to lift thelives of millions on every continent. And President Bushis determined that we seize those opportunities.

His innovative Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)will provide aid to countries that demonstrate a willing-ness to govern justly, invest in their people and open theireconomies to growth and entrepreneurship. As thePresident has said, the MCA is a powerful way to “drawwhole nations into an expanding circle of opportunityand enterprise.”

Proposed last March and awaiting congressionalapproval, funding for the MCA by FY 2006 will representan historic increase of 50 percent over today’s core U.S.development assistance. From 2006 onward, the MCAwill maintain an annual budget of $5 billion.

The MCA is part and parcel of a new approach todevelopment assistance. It was forged at the U.N.Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey,Mexico, in March 2002 and reinforced that September atthe World Summit on Sustainable Development inJohannesburg, South Africa. Developed countries agreedto provide more and more effective, assistance to coun-tries taking strong steps to create the political and eco-nomic conditions that generate growth, attract invest-ment and empower their citizens.

This new thinking on development aid is featuredprominently in President Bush’s National SecurityStrategy with the major objective of unleashing the pro-ductive potential of people in all nations.

The challenge is immense. While many of us live well,and hundreds of millions far better than just 20 years ago,half of the human race still survives on less than $2 perday. By spurring economic growth and helping countriesfinance their own futures, the MCA aims to help theworld’s poor put food on their tables, roofs over theirheads and hope in their hearts.

Countries that qualify for MCA assistance will contractwith the United States to meet shared goals. They will

2 State Magazine

receive aid based on performance criteria such as theaccountability of their governments, their investment in health and education and their support for a vibrant private sector.

Recipient countries will propose that the MCA supportspecific programs to address the greatest obstacles to theirdevelopment. Governments, nongovernmental organiza-tions and private organizations will implement the pro-grams. MCA funds, for example, could be used to trainentrepreneurs, provide rural farmers with needed technolo-gy and otherwise help hard-working men and women har-vest the self-respect that comes with earning a decent living.

Unlike traditional aid programs, the MCA will be runas an independent government corporation. PresidentBush will nominate a CEO. I will chair a cabinet-levelMCA board that will include the Secretary of theTreasury and the director of the Office of Managementand Budget. The board will make final recommendationsto the President about which countries to fund.

A lean and nimble MCA staff in both Washington andin the field will rely on tight collaboration with ourembassy teams. The U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment will work closely with countries that seekMCA assistance to help them get to the point where theyqualify for MCA aid. And the MCA will provide a natu-ral bridge to discuss broader economic and politicalreform issues with developing countries.

I am looking to all of you, not just our economic offi-cers and USAID staff, to help poor countries view theMCA as a chance to take the hard but needed steps forlasting progress. I need you to help potential candidatecountries understand how they can qualify for assistance.Let them know that our purposes are rooted in partner-ship and in helping them help themselves. Help us mon-itor how MCA projects and countries are faring. Use theMCA to showcase President Bush’s broad, foreign policyagenda – from encouraging good governance to bolster-ing economic freedom and promoting stability.

To advance democracy, prosperity and security in a21st century world, we must apply all the tools of state-craft—political, economic, military and diplomatic. TheMCA will give us a powerful new tool. ■

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

More Than MaliI was delighted to

read your post featureon Bamako, Mali, inthe April issue. Thearticle offered someexcellent insights intoMali and its rich cul-tural heritage. We in

African Affairs share the ambas-sador’s pride in her country teamand delight that Mali will be featuredat the Smithsonian Folklife Festivalthis summer.

At the same time, I would like toclarify a statement that appears inthe article—that “Mali is the onlyMuslim country in Africa whosepopulation supports the war on ter-rorism.” Ties between Mali and theUnited States are indeed strong andgrowing. And we are thankful forMali’s support on the war againstterrorism.

It would be unfair, however, tooverlook other African nations withMuslim majorities or significantMuslim minorities that have beenlongtime friends of the United Statesand who have strongly supportedU.S. efforts to fight terrorism.

Cynthia EfirdDirectorOffice of Public Diplomacy and Public AffairsBureau of African Affairs

Coming to TermsI was very disappointed to see the

outdated term “nonessential” usedfour times in your April article“Evacuations Challenge Evacuees,Department.” I thought that termhad disappeared with the 1995 fur-lough. In the latest cable from theunder secretary for Managementauthorizing departure for Chinaposts, he used the terms “emergencyand non-emergency.”

If what we are doing is “nonessen-tial” then we probably should not bedoing it at all. While we value thecontributions of all our hardworkingand dedicated staff, in a crisis somethings must be postponed until thesituation improves. Everyone isessential to a successful post, includ-ing family members. Old habits arehard to break, but it is essential thatwe challenge ourselves to use termsthat are current and appropriate.

Joseph ZadroznyManagement OfficerShenyang, China

Off the ChartI call your attention to the chart,

“Coca Eradication in Columbia,” onpage six of your April edition.

Indeed, it’s about time the Mary-land legislature cleaned up thestreets of that model town.

Patricia AttkissonForeign Service OfficerInternational Information Programs

e

A Place in History Your April issue announced the

restoration of the historic TalleyrandHotel in Paris where the MarshallPlan was developed in detail.

You also reported in the sameissue on the massive modernizationof the Harry S Truman Building,already begun with “the oldest partof the building, built in 1939 as theWar Department.” Senior alumniwill remember that oldest part asNew State. In the summer of 1947 itbecame the focus of the disciplinedpreparations for the European recov-ery program enacted by Congressthe following April.

Now that old New State is beingworked on, I hope there are plans tohonor its place in history with atleast a bronze plaque or some appro-priate words in stone. SecretaryMarshall’s office was right there onthe fifth floor.

Al TonerRetired FSOArlington,Va.

The writer worked on the Marshall Planin the committee branch of the ExecutiveSecretariat.

Letters to the EditorLetters should not exceed 250 words andshould include the writer’s name, addressand daytime phone number. Letters will beedited for length and clarity. Only signed letters will be considered. Names may bewithheld upon request. You can reach us at [email protected].

From thLike parents, we’re very fond of our People Like You

feature. Obviously, what people do when they’re not attheir jobs speaks volumes about them. We introduced thefeature back in 1997 and over the years we’ve met somepretty interesting folks—from entertainers and antiquecar collectors to re-enactors and knife makers.

We hope you enjoy the latest People installment—about our deputy director of recruiting who is also min-

Editorister of organ music at his church—and that you will con-tinue to support the feature with your submissions andsuggestions.

The June issue is much too varied to describe. Think ofit as the kind of package you can pack easily with thebeach towels, suntan lotion or camping gear and enjoy inthe sun or shade.

June 2003 3

I N T H E N E W S

The State of ‘Old State’
Buildings are more complex than their bricks and mor-
tar. They are also the people who use them. And it’s thishuman scale that planners must recognize and respectwhen building or renovating structures.

The Bureau of Administration has taken special note ofthis fact during the renovation of “Old State” by involv-ing the proposed tenants. They include the Bureaus ofEconomic and Business Affairs, Arms Control, Veri-fication and Compliance, Oceans and InternationalEnvironmental Scientific Affairs, Democracy, HumanRights and Labor, and Intelligence and Research.

Involving the tenants has created a strong sense ofinter-bureau cooperation and coordination, according to

4 State Magazine

Assistant Secretary of State for Administration William A. “Bill” Eaton, third sea

William A. “Bill” Eaton, assistant secretary forAdministration, who joined members of the “Old State”space planning team recently to celebrate the completionof the general office layouts for the building.

The bureau’s special projects division has had the leadfor the past two years, Mr. Eaton said, in meeting the challenges of maintaining the building’s historic integri-ty while providing the latest technological advances incommunication and environmental systems.

“Old State,” the first phase of the Harry S TrumanBuilding renovation project, will be ready for occupancyin 2005. The remainder of the building will be renovatedin phases, with a target completion date of 2012.

t, row one, celebrates with members of the “Old State” space planning team.

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I N T H E N E W S

News Videos Seek to Enhance U.S. Image Overseas

Responding to anti-American rhetoric—particularlysince the liberation of Iraq by coalition forces—and toencourage balanced coverage in the foreign media, theDepartment is distributing video news releases.

These video versions of printed news releases are usu-ally two-minute packages that feature backgroundfootage, narration and interviews.

The releases offer views of United States policies andprograms mostly ignored by overseas journalists, espe-cially in the Middle East. The videos can be aired as pre-sented or used for background footage by foreign broad-casters, according to Robert Tappan, the principal deputyassistant secretary who coordinates the new program forthe Bureau of Public Affairs.

“We’re trying to offer the perspectives of theDepartment and the Administration,” he said.

The videos are produced in-house by the Office ofBroadcast Services and transmitted via the Department’sAmerican Embassy Television Network to U.S.Embassies worldwide. Embassy officials then offer thefootage to local media. A selection committee thatincludes Department spokesman Richard Boucher and

Collection Goes on the Roa

public affairs officers in the regional bureaus meets peri-odically to devise topics and plan strategy.

A recent video, for instance, shows Free Iraqi Forcesbeing trained by the U.S. Army at Taszar Air Base inHungary. These noncombatant forces are composed ofIraqi volunteers from the United States and Canada whoasked the Administration to include them in the rebuild-ing of Iraq.

The volunteers, many of whom left comfortable, some-times prosperous lives as engineers and sales representa-tives, are being trained for humanitarian and publicdiplomacy missions as well as translators and guides.

Another video shows food and other aid being distrib-uted within the first days of the war to free Iraq.

Although new, the program is showing results.Portions of the videos were broadcast in news or featureprograms in nearly a dozen nations in March, includingPanama, Taiwan, Georgia, Chile, Colombia, Albania,Mexico and Australia, according to placement reportsfrom posts throughout the world.

“Many countries are starved for programming,” Mr.Tappan said. “We offer prepackaged programs for free.”

d
An exhibition of works from the collection of the
Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the State Departmentopened April 11 at the Portland Art Museum in Portland,Ore., where it will remain through June 8.

The traveling exhibition, entitled “Becoming a Nation,”contains 170 outstanding pieces of furniture, paintings, sil-ver and porcelain from the Department’s collection ofAmericana, according to curator Gail F. Serfaty.

The exhibition, including paintings by John SingletonCopley and Gilbert Stuart and silver by Paul Revere andMyer Myers, along with masterpieces of baroque, rococoand neoclassical furniture, was organized by the Office ofFine Arts in conjunction with the Trust for MuseumExhibitions.

After Portland, Ore., the works will be on display at theGeorgia Museum of Art, Athens, July 3–Aug. 31; FresnoMetropolitan Museum, Fresno, Calif., Sept. 26–Dec. 14;

Society of the Four Arts,Palm Beach, Fla., Jan.2–Feb. 8, 2004; CincinnatiArt Museum, Cincinnati,Ohio, Feb. 27–April 25;Huntsville Museum ofArt, Huntsville, Ala., May21–July 18; Sioux City ArtCenter, Sioux City, Iowa,Aug. 13–Oct. 10; andPortland Museum of Art,Portland, Maine, Nov. 4–Jan. 2, 2005.

You may view theexhibition’s illustratedcatalogue at www.the-magazineantiques.com.

I N T H E N E W S

Debra Filipp, an evacuated office manager from Tel Aviv, works on thetask force.

The Iraq Task Force, staffed by more than a dozenbureaus and offices, has been monitoring events in Iraqand the Middle East since being activated March 18.

Through regional missions and other sources, thegroup gathers, evaluates and relays information aboutpeople and events, responds to breaking news, assess-es rumors about missing persons and monitors printand broadcast news from both U.S. and foreignsources.

The task force is composed of the Bureaus of Europeanand Eurasian Affairs, International Organizations,Counterterrorism, Economic and Business Affairs,Consular Affairs, Diplomatic Security, Political-MilitaryAffairs, and Public Affairs as well as Population,Refugees and Migration. The Bureaus of Near EasternAffairs, Economic and Business Affairs, and InternationalInformation Programs also make up the group. It worksout of the Operations Center.

“Shifts run from midnight to 0800, from 0800 to 1600and from 1600 to midnight,” said Liz Dibble, a task

Iraq War Gets 24-Hour Coverage

6 State Magazine

The Iraq Task Force processes information.

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force coordinator and publicaffairs officer at the U.S.Embassy in Syria, before herdeparture from Damascus.“We synthesize mountains ofinformation.”

The task force will continueits 24-hour vigilance untileach bureau is able to serviceinformation requests inde-pendently, said Ron Schlicher,task force director. He willrecommend to ExecutiveSecretary Karl Hoffmann thatthe task force be disbandedwhen regular Departmentoperations can handle Iraq-related issues.

“There’s no one definingevent that would close downthe center,” he added. “But Ithink there will be a collectivesense of when that momentarrives.”

DIRECT FROM THE D.G.AMBASSADOR RUTH A. DAVIS

The Diplomatic Readiness Initiative Up Close and Personal

In my two years as director gen-eral, my highest priority hasbeen implementing the Sec-retary’s Diplomatic ReadinessInitiative or DRI. Despite this

focus, I realize many of you may beunclear about what we are doing,why DRI matters and where the ini-tiative will lead us. Let me entertainthose questions.

DRI fundamentally addresses ourstaffing shortfalls by hiring 1,158 newemployees above attrition through2004. We are now just past thehalfway point in this three-year ini-tiative. We are on target and onschedule for both Foreign Serviceand Civil Service hiring. For exam-ple, with the May 2003 specialist orientation class, wereached our office management specialist (OMS) andinformation management specialist (IMS) targets of 80and 114, respectively, for this fiscal year. We used to hitthese targets at five minutes to midnight on Sept. 30.Thanks to the timely intake of Foreign Service specialists,our new colleagues report for work much earlier.

As for junior officers, the 113th A-100 class, whichbegan on May 5, 2003, was the 10th consecutive class ofmore than 85 JOs since the DRI was launched. We havehired more JOs, in fact, over the past 18 months than wehired in the six years between 1992 to 1997. For the CivilService, we still have a staffing deficit of approximately200 employees. That number has fallen, however, fromnearly 480 at the onset of the DRI.

But DRI is much more than a recruitment drive. Yes,the higher numbers are important, but the real issue iswhat we are doing and will do with the significantlyincreased workforce. First, we have filled virtually all ouroverseas vacancies and we look forward to filling ourdomestic gaps as employees rotate back to theDepartment. Second, we have increased staffing overseasto effectively address our full foreign policy agenda at agrowing number of posts—with openings in Kabul andsoon in Iraq. These new positions and employees are alsohelping us meet the critical and expanding consular chal-lenges of our post-9/11 environment. The Secretary fre-

quently has called the DepartmentAmerica’s “first line of offense.” DRIis putting clout in that offense.

Where this leads next is a matter ofmuch interest and requires visionfrom us all. To put this in perspective,you may recall that we have justspent more than a decade operatingbeyond our corporate “red line” withour gas tank hovering on empty.Training has suffered as we put ourpriority on staffing instead. Careerdevelopment also suffered as we nec-essarily avoided broadening assign-ments that would help us develop asfuture leaders and managers.

Those days soon will be behindus. After DRI, full staffing—plus an

additional personnel complement to allow a greater cor-porate investment in ongoing training—will become thenorm. Employees will have career-developing alterna-tives to challenging back-to-back assignments on front-burner issues. Language training will be given theattention it deserves in all career tracks and also for spe-cialists who live and work abroad. Our investment inour future leaders and managers will help address con-cerns and perceptions that not all of our senior officershave prepared fully and properly for the challenges ofleadership.

This is not small stuff. This goes to the core of our role,to the strength of our future, to our capacity for contin-ued success on behalf of the American people. So, take amoment to reflect on what this means for you and yourcareer. Is it time now for you to take advantage of thisnew flexibility by seeking training as your next assign-ment? Is it time really to improve your skill in a criticallanguage to the 4/4 level? Or should you broaden yourperspectives by taking your next assignment beyondfamiliar territory—in, say, the Bureaus of Economic andBusiness Affairs, Oceans and International Environ-mental Scientific Affairs or Human Resources?

Think about it. We need to change our collective mind-sets and our corporate culture about these and otherissues. And thanks to the Secretary and DRI, we have theopportunity to do so. But it all starts with you. ■

June 2003 7

8 State Magazine

ZAMBIAPost of the Month:

Zambia is home to one of the great naturalwonders of the world, Victoria Falls. “TheSmoke That Thunders” is what it was called at the time of Livingstone’s arrival in Zambia.

ZAMBIA

By Anne Mozena

gainst the thundering roar of Victoria

Falls is the deep bone-chilling growl

of a lioness cornering her prey. In

Zambia, the wild is never far away.

The country prides itself on being

“the real Africa,” a place

unspoiled by commercialization and deeply

rooted in the culture and customs of its people.

A

June 2003 9

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Chancery grounds at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka.

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Lusaka, the capital in the southern part of the countrysurrounded by rolling plains, is proud of its heritage anddetermined to enter the 21st century without losing itsuniqueness.

The U.S. Embassy in Lusaka stands on the corner ofIndependence and United Nations Avenues, near StateHouse, the home of Zambia’s president. Flame treesshade the entrance and flowers bloom with abandon yearround, thanks to a caring grounds crew. Melissa Jones,who supervises the crew of locally hired staff, remarked,“The gardeners have worked diligently to transform theembassy grounds into such lovely surroundings becausethey take great personal pride in the appearance of thechancery grounds.”

10 State Magazine

Beatrice Mfula, Aggripa Namapama and Leslie Livingood from the con-sular section.

The embassy compound hosts a richdiversity of native birds and plants. Asgeckos zip up the white walls of thechancery, it’s easy to forget you’re in themiddle of a city of more than a millionpeople.

Besides State Department elements, theembassy hosts an active component of theCenters for Disease Control and Preventionand a new Defense Attaché Office. TheCDC is working closely with the U.S.Agency for International Development andthe Zambian government to combat AIDS,while the Defense element is working tomake the country safe from land mines.USAID offices are just down the street fromthe chancery, while the American Center isin the heart of the city, perfect for walk-invisitors.

A mission priority is helping Zambiacurb the AIDS pandemic. Thousands ofpeople are infected every year and the

Ambassador Martin Brennan, right, and his wife Giovanna visit Zambianfarmers in a field of paprika.

number is growing. Those who are HIV positive havefew opportunities for treatment, and the stigma attachedto being HIV positive discourages many from being test-ed. USAID and CDC are working with government offi-cials and other donors to establish and maintain a betterinfrastructure for testing and treatment. One of the mosthorrific aspects of the AIDS pandemic is the staggeringnumber of children left orphaned and destitute by thedisease. Caring for these orphans shows the true great-ness of Zambia’s heart as almost every family has takenin orphans.

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Faye Dube, budget analyst, fields calls.

ry grounds are, from left, Melissa Jones, assistant facilities manager; Dan of mission; and Samuel Lungu and Malama M’soka, grounds crew.

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The 120 Peace Corps volunteers are helping thoseinfected with AIDS, too. During their two- to three-yearstays in Zambia, the volunteers also promote fish farm-ing, health education and primary education.

Embassy staff members frequent the game ranches andpreserves near Lusaka. Victoria Falls, which crashes intothe Zambezi River Gorge, is a populardestination during a long weekend.This natural wonder spans the Zambia-Zimbabwe border and is worth everyminute of the five-hour journey along abumpy road. One can only imaginehow Dr. Livingstone must have feltwhen he saw the falls for the first time.A drive to the game lodges of theLower Zambezi River takes just threehours.

The embassy’s political and economicsection has teamed up with their USAIDcolleagues to help Zambia defeat pover-ty and tap the nation’s bountifulresources. Despite its natural wealth,especially boundless arable land, amplewater and rich mineral resources,Zambia’s per capita income is only $303.That’s a third of what it was in 1964,when Zambia gained its independencefrom Britain. Working to reverse thistrend, the embassy is helping Zambiastrengthen small-scale agricultural pro-duction by promoting crop diversifica-tion and minimum tillage planting, andintroducing technology and crop mar-keting. Complementing this effort, themission is supporting small and medi-

Surveying the chanceMozena, deputy chief

um-size business development. To create an environmentconducive to economic growth, the mission is supportingthe government’s efforts to root out the corruption that hassapped much of the nation’s energy and wealth.

Lusaka’s thriving art scene adds another dimension tothe posting. There are frequent art openings, linkingartists from around the country. Western-style rap musicis popular. While Zambian rappers may borrow from theWest, they infuse their music with legends and tradition-al instruments. This fusion of old and new creates a mod-ern culture accenting its unique qualities.

Surrounded by neighbors ravaged by war and instabil-ity, Zambia is an oasis of peace and tranquility with nat-ural resources and phenomenal beauty. Its possibilitiesare endless. The U.S. Embassy in Lusaka reflects thepeace and beauty of its host.

Consular Officer Leslie Livingood observed, “It’s notjust the beautiful weather, the profusion of flowers, ourcomfortable homes and landscaped gardens, or even theherds of elephants, zebras and giraffes. It’s the people.”They are warm and friendly.

Junior Officer Lance Kinne added, “Since the day mywife and I arrived, we have been truly impressed by thecollegial environment at the embassy and the warm wel-come we have received here.”

Welcome to the “real Africa.” ■

The author, a 2002 summer hire at the embassy, is the daugh-ter of Deputy Chief of Mission Dan Mozena.

June 2003 11

CDC Partners With U.S. Embassies

Headquartered in Atlanta, the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention maintains a global healthpresence. As the recent cases of severe acute respira-tory syndrome, or SARS, have shown, both new and

old diseases in one part of the world, however remote, arejust one airplane flight away from profoundly affecting thehealth and well-being of people in other countries.

CDC’s many activities in Zambia range from trackingand preventing infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS,malaria and tuberculosis to battling vitamin deficiencies.In range and scope, these activities reflect CDC’s focus onfive strategic areas: public health surveillance andresponse; infrastructure and capacity-building; diseaseand injury prevention and control; applied research foreffective health policies; and exchange of informationand lessons learned.

Zambia, for example, is one of 14 sub-Saharan Africannations participating in the Global AIDS Program, orGAP. CDC’s six-person office in Lusaka works with thecountry’s Central Board of Health, Ministry of Healthand National AIDS Council to support strong workingrelationships, train staff, build the infrastructure of clinicsthroughout the country and conduct research that willlead to more effective responses to both HIV/AIDS andother sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.

12 State Magazine

Dr. John Ridderhof, right, and Davies Chisenga discuss the need for an upgrthe recently renovated Chest Diseases Laboratory in Lusaka, Zambia.

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While HIV/AIDS and SARS are more recent arrivalson the communicable disease scene, TB is an old enemythat continues to take a serious toll around the world. In2000, CDC’s Zambia-based staff helped sponsor a nation-al conference on TB that brought together healthcareworkers, managers, teachers and representatives of thepublic and private sectors from 65 of Zambia’s 72 dis-tricts. The conference was important in raising awarenessabout TB because many of Zambia’s trained TB workershad moved on to other roles in the wake of nationalhealth reforms. Today, a newly trained group of workersincludes community members who will help convey themessage of TB prevention and treatment throughout thecountry, using a curriculum developed by CDC’s Lusaka-based staff and their colleagues.

Much of public health’s day-to-day work occursbehind the scenes, whether in Lusaka or Atlanta. InZambia, CDC has helped refurbish the country’s labora-tories with new equipment and offers training so that dis-eases can be diagnosed accurately and quickly. Labor-atories also are essential to public health research toidentify specific strains of disease and to determinewhether treatments are effective. For example, a currentstudy is assessing the syndromic management of STIsamong 1,500 Zambian STI patients. Results will con-

tribute to updated treatment guidelines.Whether it takes place in a laboratory,

a provincial health clinic or on a re-searcher’s computer, CDC’s global publichealth work requires strong partnershipswith counterparts in ministries of health,nongovernmental organizations and U.S.embassies around the world.

As Ross Cox, deputy director of CDC’sOffice of Global Health, puts it, “In coun-try, we are both CDC and a part of theU.S. Mission. Our strongest working part-nership is with the ambassadors andembassy staff who have the experience insupporting programs overseas.”

In Zambia, as elsewhere, CDC’s publichealth work dovetails with diplomatic,relief and foreign aid efforts. In the mod-ern world, no disease outbreak is localand no health issue remains “just” ahealth issue for long. It’s how publichealth becomes another powerful exam-ple of an interconnected world.

—Kristen McCall, CDCaded centrifuge at

Office of the Month:

Pressman Bertand Treadwell keeps a sharp eye on quality control.

M U L T I - M E D I A S E R V I C E S:

It’s Not Your

Corner Print Shop
Story and photos by Paul Koscak
hen it comes to media services, the StateDepartment is its own biggest customer.Think about it: booklets, posters, letterhead,

manuals, even the perennial telephone directory—in fact,just about everything you work with that can be dis-played, read, watched or listened to is likely a Multi-

W
Media Services product. That even includes compact discduplication, conference badges, buttons and other pro-motional trinkets.
Somewhat hidden in the recently renovated basementat one end of the Harry S Truman Building, the Bureau ofAdministration’s office of 70 employees—120 world-wide—handles more than 4,000 orders per year, accord-ing to Director Gregory Liverpool.

June 2003 13

Spencer Ingram, left, and Avonne Stewart prepare envelopes.

“We’re not just printers anymore,” he emphasized.“We like to think of the operation as ‘diplomedia,’ printstrategies for the world.”

14 State Magazine

Public Affairs customer Luke Forgerson,left, confers with Sidney Johnson.

The click-clack of well-inked offsetpresses isn’t what you see or hearwhen entering the office’s huge buttidy duplicating shop. Sure, a few off-set presses remain. But most printingis now digital. Clean, computer-driv-en, high-speed duplicators, some asbig as a Buick, quench theDepartment’s thirst for copies.

Here in Washington, Multi-MediaServices specializes in quick turn-around jobs of fewer than 5,000copies. Larger orders with longerdeadlines are printed in Manila,where the State Department oper-ates newspaper-capable presses, Mr.Liverpool, a 36-year State Depart-ment veteran, said. Low Philippinelabor costs help keep large orderscompetitive. Shipping costs, howev-er, can sometimes offset that advan-tage, he noted.

Another shop in Vienna, Austria,employs seven. It’s operated by theBureau of European Affairs and also

finds its niche in jobs of fewer than 5,000.“Last year we did 400 million impressions,” Mr.

Liverpool said of the three facilities.

fixes labels in the bindery area.

The emphasis on high-speed duplica-tors has improved efficiency and reducedoverhead because there’s no need for stor-age, overruns or wasteful press setups,Mr. Liverpool explained.

“We call it ‘print on demand,’” he said.“It can be 10 or 1,000 copies. It doesn’tmatter.”

The Washington facility, which keepstwo eight-hour shifts busy Mondaythrough Friday, also provides pre- andpostpress services. Prepress is simplywhatever is needed to prepare the job forthe press. That could be as basic as designand layout assistance to reproducing anexisting product for additional copies.

Projects usually begin with a meetingbetween the customer and office employ-ee who helps design and plan a product.The customer service conference roomdisplays trademark products, demonstrat-ing the magic of paper and ink.

“Sometimes they don’t know what theywant,” said Sidney Johnson, a customerrepresentative with 32 years in the print-ing business at the State Department.

“We show them samples, work up cost estimates andrefer them to our graphic artist if necessary.”

Spiral binders with black and white text and a colorcover is the most prolific product. Posters are not farbehind, he said.

Anything that can be collated, folded, stapled or lami-nated is done in-house as well. That includes perfectbinding, a process that uses an adhesive to bind pagesand that is commonly used to hold together paperbackbooks or directories.

Joseph Brooks af

Clarissa King enjoys the recently refurbished office.

Multi-Media Services distributes employee literaturesuch as Thrift Savings Plan and health insurance booksand pamphlets, said Spencer Ingram as he preparedsome booklets for shipment.

Although enthusiastic about all the upgrades that havetransformed his operation from print shop to multi-media center, Mr. Liverpool is still focused on old-fashionedcustomer service.

“I want people to feel comfortable that—no matterwhat it takes—the job gets done.” ■

June 2003 15

Maurice Bullock prepares negatives.

Getting the Royal Treatment...

So to Speak
Story and photos by Paul Koscak
Hmmm, let’s see…Picked up at Dulles International Airport; whisked by

limousine to the National Air and Space Museum—guid-ed tour, of course; then lunch—downtown at Mackey’s.

There’s a meeting, though, with the director ofDiplomatic Security’s training center. But then it’s off

16 State Magazine

Agent Joe Burnette, right, leads VIP actor Cheryl Coviello and agent candida

to the Double Tree Hotel. Dinner at Alexandria’sPotowmack Landing Restaurant is at 6 p.m. And let’snot forget the movie afterward at Potomac Yards.Wow—it’s 10 p.m!

Within a few yawns, the limo drives you back to thecozy Double Tree. You’ll need a good night’s rest.Tomorrow’s a full day of touring, restaurants, antiquingand botanical gardens.

te Rima Nassar, left, to a limousine.

VIP actor Cheryl Coviello, left, enjoys a Smithsonian tour from guide Bob Kavalchik, center, as agent Joe Burnette, right, keeps an eye out fortrouble.

Agent Matthew Lappé, left, keeps the crowds away from stand-in VIPduring visit to the Smithsonian. HR’s Marquita Barnes, right, tags along.

Sounds like a vacation. Right?Wrong.It’s just a workday.The two-day itinerary—motorcade and all—through-

out greater Washington is really an exercise in protectiveservices, capping the standard seven-month trainingcourse for new Diplomatic Security agents, according tosupervisory special agent Jeffrey Riner, who manages theprotective operations training unit at Dunn Loring, Va.

“It’s a very demanding operation,” he said of the VIPtraining. “You’ve got to be ready for something to hap-pen at any time. A terrorist needs to be lucky just once.”

Applying the protective tactics in the real world givesagents experience in making quick decisions as conditionschange. They’re forced to think on their feet, Mr. Rinersaid—to say nothing about being on their feet for hours.

At the Smithsonian, for instance, keeping a cordonaround the mock VIP, Cheryl Coviello, a StateDepartment employee, without being obtrusive provedchallenging. As the protective detail went from exhibit toexhibit through throngs of patrons, people occasionallywandered between the agents and Ms. Coviello, thehuman resources specialist who graciously agreed to actas VIP.

“It was a learning experience,” she said.Overall, she praised the detail for its professionalism,

commitment and tact. “Everything was handled verytastefully. At restaurants the agents were at a nearby tableand gave me my space.”

So what’s it like getting the royal treatment for twodays?

“You never have to worry about parking your car,” theForeign Service officer notes. “Directions are taken careof. But I personally wouldn’t want that kind of life. You

don’t have any personal time. You have people aroundyou all the time. Spontaneity is gone.”

Diplomatic Security prefers giving the VIP role toDepartment employees to “give them an appreciation forwhat goes into setting up a protective detail,” Mr. Rinersaid.

The best scenarios offer agents several days to pre-pare. That’s enough time to do advance work, such asstudying motorcade routes, inspecting locations andworking with business owners to accommodate lunch-eons or other visits.

“Ideally, we like to tell them [business owners] what’sgoing on,” he said. “We don’t want to bully waiters ormanagers. We don’t go in and say ‘this is how it’s goingdown.’ We don’t want to infringe on businesses.”

At times, the task can be a major production.“Nelson Mandela’s visit was a logistical nightmare,”

he said. “It involved 300 agents, coordination with theAir Force and travel throughout dozens of cities.”

Protecting foreign dignitaries can be especially chal-lenging because of cultural protocols or sensitivities, saidMr. Riner, who’s been an agent for 16 years.

Guiding a VIP along a sidewalk and into a puddle, forexample, could be as damaging to diplomacy in somesocieties as exposing the diplomat to danger. “We mustbe careful not only to protect the principal but to pre-vent embarrassment,” said Mr. Riner. “We also can’t letpolitics interfere with our mission. Foreign ministers ofunpopular states might be pretty controversial charac-ters but we have to focus on their security, not on whatthey’ve done.”

In reality, Mr. Riner adds, many protective details arescheduled on short notice with just enough time to forma motorcade and drive to the airport to pick up an arriv-ing dignitary. Only then do agents learn about the digni-tary’s itinerary, preferences and other special needs. “Wetell our agents to buy a lot of maps,” Mr. Riner said.

“This only looks easy on TV or in the movies—a bunchof guys just standing around.” ■

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Embassy Kuwait:

Embassy staff don gas masks and gather in a safe haven during a missile alert.

By L. Kirk Wolcott

“This is not a drill.…Scud missiles have been launchedfrom Iraq…duck and cover…gas, gas, gas.…”

So it began on Thursday, March 20, at 12:33 p.m., thefirst of 23 missile alerts to come and the start of an excep-tional time at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait.

Some of us were at home when the Marine securityguard made this disturbing announcement, sending us

18 State Magazine

On the Wa

scurrying to our safe havens, anxiously wondering whatwould happen next. Many of us were at the embassy,hearts racing, scrambling for gas masks, dashing underdesks, the Marines running in all directions to secureexits and entrances.

Still others were en route, listening to the wailingsirens, questions racing through their minds. How manymissiles launched? Did they contain chemical or biologi-cal agents? Would the Patriots do their job?

r’s Edge

Unlike the August 1990 invasion of Kuwait whenSaddam Hussein caught everyone off guard, this was dif-ferent. We had spent months preparing for this event.The regional security office led us through regular drills,the embassy’s office of military cooperation briefed us onpotential dangers, while other sections gathered and dis-tributed critical information.

Meanwhile, the health unit offered vaccinations—anthrax shots for 270 people and smallpox for 75 duringa hectic three-day period. They briefed us on chemical andbiological terrorism, including how to self-administeratropine injections without snapping your femur.

Throughout the next three weeks, after the initial mis-sile attack, we became conditioned to barking orders andscreaming sirens disrupting our work and sleep. Like acolony of insects in our protective masks, we would meettogether in safe havens, swap jokes to lessen anxieties orshare war stories. We’ll dine on those for years.

The embassy’s operations center, staffed around-the-clock by employees from nearly every section, coordinat-ed the information flow and fielded myriad telephonecalls. Watch-standers counseled and consoled agitatedAmericans who had chosen not to leave Kuwait. Theyhelped the families of NBC journalist David Bloom andWashington Post reporter Mike Kelly, who died in Iraq.

During one 24-hour period, shortly after fightingbegan, the operations center received more than 600 callsfrom Kuwaitis voicing support for the U.S. military effortand expressing sympathy for America’s wounded anddead. Some offered to donate money, others blood. Everycall was positive.

Mike Gallagher, information management office director, and Carolann Marinmakeshift operations center.

Sometimes, entire Kuwaiti families would get on theline, father passing the phone off to mother and to theiryoung children. One carefully coached two-year-oldKuwaiti girl told a duly impressed embassy watch-stander in decent English: “God bless George Bush. Godbless Colin Powell. God bless Donald Rumsfeld.”

Throughout this ordeal—from the months of buildupto the bombing of Baghdad and beyond— Kuwait was anindispensable ally. Its support never wavered, despiteharsh criticism from its Arab neighbors.

In contrast to other missions, the regional securityoffice had the pleasant task of managing the crowd for apro-American rally at the embassy’s front gates, wheredozens of Kuwaitis placed signs and laid flowers inappreciation. During a series of meetings and diwaniyas(nightly gatherings of Kuwaiti men), the ambassador,deputy chief of mission and others received praise forU.S. efforts. The only criticism expressed was why it tookus so long to return and finish the job.

In the end, the Patriots did their job. Saddam’s missileattacks failed. Of the 15 launched, they either wereknocked out of the sky or landed harmlessly in the Gulfor empty desert. Only one, a surface-to-surface“Seersucker” that slipped under the radar system, causedmaterial damage to a waterfront mall. Had it struckhours earlier, when hundreds of people were shopping atthe seaside mall, the outcome would have been different.

But that’s another story. ■

The author is serving a consular-economic tour at the U.S.Embassy in Kuwait.

o, office management specialist, oversee activities in the embassy’s

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Diplomats Support Army Civil Affairs

Mission in Afghanistan
By Richard Norland
Diplomacy, Afghan style: It’s one mighty chal-lenge. But thanks to a handful of adventur-ous diplomats working with U.S. Army civilaffairs teams, it’s working.

Winning the “hearts and minds” of newly liberatedpeople can sour quickly. In a political tinderbox, it’s easy

20 State Magazine

The author, lower right, poses with U.S. Army civil affairs team.

to see how a misplaced word, offending gesture orignored request could easily mushroom into an interna-tional issue. The United States is careful not to repeat themistakes of past powers that allowed hubris to imposeorder on this proud and independent nation.

Last October, it was my turn to help win some heartsand minds. Assigned to Mazar-I-Sharif, I was one of threediplomats working in Afghanistan’s most remote regions

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Factional leader Gen.Rashid Dostum, center,in green robe, marvelsat the cache of weaponsgathered in the success-ful effort to disarm thelocal population.

with the civil affairs troops. My job included meeting fac-tion leaders, gauging humanitarian needs and buildingpolitical stability.

The United States is supporting President HamidKarzai as he builds a legitimate, democratic, central gov-ernment. After 23 years of war, Afghans long for law andeconomic growth. Sadly, Afghanistan guidebooks writtenin the 1960s describe a more peaceful, prosperous landthan exists today.

Washington decided in the summer of 2002 to placediplomats in important regional centers to help the cen-tral government extend its authority into the provinces.

In the Afghan capital, I attended numerous briefin-gs. Embassy officers joined me for a brief respite fromtheir harried and confined existence at the virtual fire-base that is the embassy in Kabul. U.N. officials, non-governmental organizations, a Turkish commandinggeneral and Afghan officials—all seemed very interest-ed that the United States was broadening its diplomat-ic presence.

Soon, I was heading to the outback aboard a small, tur-boprop U.N. plane looking down at the majestic HinduKush. An hour out of Kabul, the plane descended fromthe mountains and landed on a partly bombed runway in

Mazar. Standing on the runway amid a small pile of bag-gage, men in battle dress utility uniforms carrying M-16rifles approached me.

“Are you Dick Norland?” one of the U.S. Army civilaffairs soldiers asked.

“You must be Major Wade Cook,” I replied.Civil affairs teams, usually supported by Special

Forces, make diplomacy possible. These teams of abouteight soldiers, usually reservists, have the delicate mis-sion of earning the trust of the local population.

Our missions complement each other. Without a mili-tary presence, the risks in these remote areas would betoo great. The Army provides protection, quarters andvital information on villages and leaders and channelshumanitarian assistance.

The soldiers, widely welcomed by local populations,give our diplomatic presence real clout. Diplomatsbecome prized contacts for residents and local officialsanxious to deliver “messages” to America or to Kabul.

One issue confronting many villages is landownercompensation. The governor of Balkh Province, forinstance, asked me to persuade authorities in Kabul tocompensate owners for property seized by factional lead-ers during the fighting to overthrow the Taliban.

June 2003 21

The author, far right, accompanies the governor of Faryab Province, center, o

Overall, village and town leaders, weary of banditryand economic stagnation, welcome the security andreconstruction the U.S. forces provide.

The civil affairs team quickly accepted me. We shared ahouse ringed by sandbags and concertina wire and guard-ed by Afghan soldiers. The U.S. soldiers who pulled guardduty every night graciously declined my offer to help. OurAfghan cook deep-fried almost everything we ate—main-ly potatoes and meat patties, which we called “hamsters.”My sleeping bag on an Army cot in my own room madefor an austere but comfortable existence.

After a week, we moved to a larger compound in a sec-tion of town serviced by the Uzbekistan power grid. Butthe power proved as sporadic as Mazar’s ability to pay itselectric bill. Water soon was intermittent, too—but notbecause of tardy bills. Water in the pipes leading from theconverted Russian fuel tank that served as our water tankfroze as temperatures dove.

Meeting local officials with my civil affairs counter-parts consumed most of my workday. I called on theBalkh provincial governor, recognizing his authority withKabul. Soon, I met the two factional leaders in theregion—the men who controlled the guns—GeneralsAbdul Rashid Dostum and Ustad Mohammed Atta.

Gen. Dostum led efforts to disarm villages in therugged Dara-i-Suf region south of Mazar, where U.S.forces joined the Northern Alliance to topple the Taliban.His skill at haranguing villagers and militia factions togive up their weapons eventually produced a pile of sev-eral hundred weapons under U.S. guard.

22 State Magazine

For three nights I enjoyed themagnificent Afghan night sky.The November air was frostladen and there were no lightsfor miles around. The nightswere cold, but a layered Armysleeping bag kept me warm.

Staying in contact with bothof these factional leaders is thepolitical officer’s job in Mazar.While some are willing tocooperate, others are reallyintent on resisting PresidentKarzai and are just biding theirtime, given the vagaries ofAfghan-American politics. Thecivil affairs team and I visitedthe central government’sprovincial representatives.These leaders, isolated fromtheir own capital, want evengreater U.S. support.

As winter snow and rainarrived and turned the dirtroads into channels of claylikemud, travel became a chal-lenge. Undaunted, the Armyused chains to tow stuck vehi-

cles, and trips to the most remote and isolated locationswere completed successfully.

Afghan hospitality is legend. Despite the suffering anddestruction, the people share what little they have whilelooking to the future without self-pity.

After three months, when I become more fluent in thelanguage, I learned how to gauge those with worthwhileinformation. Fortunately, I was able to overlap for sixdays with my successor in Kabul, sharing all I knewabout Mazar.

I prize the small American-flag patch that one of thesergeants gave me from his uniform the day I depart-ed Mazar. But the bigger prize is seeing the Afghanand American flags fluttering together, the HinduKush forming a dramatic backdrop to an emergingpartnership.

The return flight to Maymena took 40 minutes. Giventhe mud and horrible roads, the same route took 12 hoursby car two weeks earlier. Later, our plane landed inBamian, where the Taliban used artillery to destroy theancient mountainside Buddha statues.

Although a land of war-torn, isolated populations,Afghanistan is a place where U.S. diplomats can still offerstability simply by their presence and demeanor. Thereare nearly a dozen slots for State Department officers tospend six to 12 months assisting the Army in rebuildinga broken nation. ■

The author is to be deputy chief of mission at the U.S.Embassy in Riga, Latvia, in August.

n a town tour.

Keeping the Oral Tradition Alive

Former Under Secretaries Joseph Sisco, left, and David Newsom shareexperiences.

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By Leslie Hayden

Four former under secretaries for Political Affairs andjunior officers from the Operations Center and theLine participated recently in an oral history project on

the office of the under secretary for Political Affairs.Sharing their experiences and stories were former Under

Secretaries Joseph J. Sisco, 1974–1976; David D. Newsom,1978–1981; Robert L. Kimmitt, 1989–1991; and Thomas R.Pickering, 1997–2000. The March 26 event, in cooperationwith the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training,captured the stories and traditions of the Department’sleaders for future generations of Foreign Service officers.

The office of under secretary for Political Affairs wasofficially created in 1959. With the exception of three non-career appointees, the position has been the senior careerposition in the Department.

Ambassador Sisco recalled that he was primarily a cri-sis manager and that the assistant secretaries who servedunder him reported directly to the Secretary. He said it’simportant not to be a bureaucratic layer that hinders oth-ers from doing their job.

Ambassador Newsom said events during his tenurewere seen through a Cold War prism. He noted that healways seemed to be the bearer of bad news who com-pleted unwanted tasks.

Ambassador Kimmitt, the only noncareer appointeerepresented on the panel, said it’s important to surroundyourself with good career officers. He recounted the hec-tic feeling of “policy formulation on the run,” such asoverseeing the Cambodia cease-fire agreement in themidst of the Gulf War. Mr. Kimmitt recalled thatDepartment power flowed from a small group of officersand political appointees who lunched frequently withSecretary James Baker.

Ambassador Pickering recalled his role of making surerelevant players had the opportunity to influence deci-sions and ensuring that issues the Secretary and DeputySecretary had not addressed were included in the politi-cal process. Mr. Pickering said assistant secretariesshould have strong, broad responsibilities and warnedthat reducing the number of assistant secretaries wouldincrease their authority.

Current Under Secretary Marc Grossman observed thathis job description most resembles that of AmbassadorSisco, although today the role of the Operations Centerand the Management bureaus allow him to convene crisismanagers rather than manage crises himself.

The under secretaries had this advice for tomorrow’sleaders:

• Public diplomacy is increasingly important. Ambass-ador Kimmitt said 3 percent of his duties consisted ofpublic diplomacy. Mr. Grossman spends 30 percent ofhis time on public diplomacy.

• Important policy often generates disagreement. Theunder secretaries agreed the best papers include dif-ferent points of view.

• Use computers. Officers abroad can read the New YorkTimes and the Washington Post online hours beforeWashington wakes and send press guidance to deskofficers before the workday begins.

• Good special assistants well connected to the bureauscan offer valuable inside views to policy differences.

• Successful officers use common sense, love their jobsand aim to do something every day for their country.

• Interact with Congress and take advantage of overseascongressional visits to learn about foreign policy con-cerns.

• Personal and team skills are needed to work through-out the Department and with other agencies.Finally, the under secretaries urged officers to maintain

a moral compass. Although we work in ambiguous cir-cumstances, there are right and wrong choices. Thosewithout a strong sense of values will be overwhelmed bydifficult decisions.

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Trainingalso plans to interview the under secretaries who didn’tattend the March event. For further information on thisand other oral history projects, please contact the ADSTat (703) 302-6990 or www.ADST.org. ■

The author is a watch officer in the Operations Center.

June 2003 23

H i s t o r i a n L e a r n s F r o m H i s B o l i v i a n S t u d e n t s

By James Siekmeier

s a visiting Fulbrightteacher, I found teach-ing a graduate class inthe history of UnitedStates–Latin Americanrelations at the Univer-

sidad Mayor de San Simón, inCochabamba, Bolivia, a uniqueform of outreach.

Fulbright grants supportinternational teacher exchanges.An American teacher goes over-seas and a foreign teacher getsto teach in the United States.Since Fulbright grants cover allexpenses from traveling to liv-ing, I took unpaid leave for threemonths.

As a State Department historian specializing in U.S.-Bolivian relations, I chose to teach there. It’s my secondFulbright tour to that nation.

Bolivia is attempting to modernize its university sys-tem, offering more specialized master’s degrees, as ineconomics with an emphasis on sustainable develop-ment. Many of my students hoped to parlay a degree inpolitical science into a position as a policy analyst.

I taught the course in Spanish. It may surprise somethat Spanish is a second language in Bolivia. ManyBolivians grow up speaking an Indian language, primari-ly Quechua, which is prominent in central Bolivia. Noneof my students spoke English. Few could read it.

There was a wide range in student age, from 22 to 52years old, and ability. Overall, I was impressed with thestudents’ enthusiasm and patience with my American-accented Spanish. Many Bolivian schools still use rote-learning techniques, but the more ambitious students canmake subtle arguments backed up with good evidence.More commonly, students simply explain themselves onpaper by copying the textbook. Bolivia’s weak economyencourages university officials to admit anyone who canafford graduate school, forgoing standards common toAmerican universities.

AJames Siekmeier, outside

24 State Magazine

The course offered some inter-esting insights. Students tend tobe anti-American in class, butexpress more balanced views onpaper. They’re also more quick tosee race and racism influencinginternational relations comparedwith American students study-ing the same topic. Race, howev-er, is prominent in internationalrelations courses in the UnitedStates. At the same time, there’s asense of dependency on theUnited States and other nationsthat have historically bolsteredBolivia’s economy. Students feelthis dependency is shared byother Latin Americans.

Students often view LatinAmerica’s relations with the United States through aBolivian lens, and I persistently tried to expand their out-look. Many Bolivians, for instance, criticize the UnitedStates for working to eradicate coca leaves used to pro-duce cocaine. Cochabamba happens to be in the Chapare,a part of the Amazon basin that’s the second-largest coca-leaf cultivation area in South America.

The Andean people make a sharp distinction betweencoca and cocaine. They use coca for chewing, medicineand offerings to their gods. Shamans also “read” cocaleaves as some read tea leaves in other places. Althoughreports vary widely, about 70 percent of the coca grownfor cocaine production was eradicated during the pastfive years—largely with U.S. funding.

Some growers voluntarily gave up coca production foran alternative crop, receiving funds for the transition.Many Bolivians are unhappy with this policy becauseBolivian coca farmers have become impoverished at atime when Bolivia’s economy is weak.

Cochabamba was an excellent place to live. Situated nearthe center of the country, in a beautiful valley, its centrallocation attracts people from throughout Bolivia—and evenSouth America. Both the mountains and the lowlands areeasily accessible. It’s one of the centers of folklore culture inBolivia. Music and traditional dancing are popular.

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The weather is springlike all year and prices are lowfor those with dollars. The exchange is nearly six boli-vianos to the dollar. That means a two-bedroom housecan be rented for about $250 a month and a full-coursemeal, including tip, can be bought for $10.

For people from industrialized countries, the maininconvenience is coping with a public water system thatshuts down at 5 p.m. Most middle-class families have abackup pump.

Although petty crime has increased—mainly becauseof the nation’s sagging economy—Bolivia is still one ofthe safest nations in Latin America or the Third World.

Pollution, however, is a major problem. There areemission laws, but they’re hardly enforced. Left unabat-ed, the pollution that sometimes irritates the eyes mayone day spoil much of Cochabamba’s excellent features.Those with influence or polluters willing to bribe an offi-cial can easily avoid the law. The Cochabamba area is oneof the nation’s most industrial and continues to grow.

Bolivia’s mountains, some of the most beautiful in theworld, offer hiking, mountain climbing and, increasingly,mountain biking. Tour companies offer packages in citiesor outback.

Bolivia is famous for world records that attract thrill-seeking tourists: the highest navigable body of water,Lake Titicaca; the largest salt flat; the highest ski slopewith a rope tow; the most dangerous road in the world;and a jungle with the most biodiversity in the Americas.For archeology and history buffs, Bolivia has the bestSouth American pre-Inca archeological site, Tiawanaku.

Bolivian university students celebrate a holiday.

James F. Siekmeier, 41, grew up in Ann Arbor,Mich. An honors graduate of Oberlin College, heworked briefly for the Federal Reserve Bank ofCleveland as a research assistant. After receiving hisdoctorate in history from Cornell in 1993, he taughtLatin American history and inter-American rela-tions at colleges and universities in Iowa, Texas andBolivia. As a State Department historian, he com-piles sections of the Foreign Relations of the UnitedStates, journals tracing U.S. relations with SouthAmerica.

About the Author

Some visitors are understandably concerned aboutadapting to the altitude. La Paz and the altiplano, thehigh plain, are at 12,000 feet and 14,000 feet, respectively,and it takes a day or so to adjust. After the initial adjust-ment, there are few effects.

Many tourists appreciate the seemingly timeless cul-ture: adobe villages with thatched roofs, llama herderstending their flocks and festivals with native dancers. Inreality, Bolivia never stays the same. It’s a unique mixtureof the traditional and modern. ■

James Siekmeier is a historian in the Bureau of Public Affairs.

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Baltic Summit Offers High ‘Return on Investment’

By Victoria Middleton

On a sunny September day, 100 women businessleaders from the United States, Estonia, Latvia,Lithuania and Russia descended on Helsinki’s ven-erable House of Estates for the latest summit in thecity that hosted many during the Cold War.

What motivated 50 American women chief executiveofficers to meet with 50 of their counterparts in the BalticSea region? They included CEOs whose companies gen-erate $450 billion in annual revenues and employ 2.2 mil-lion workers—women like Muriel Siebert, Nancy Evans,Tammy Longaberger and Jane Friedman.

26 State Magazine

Participants in the Helsinki summit at Georgetown University.

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The Helsinki Business Women Leaders Summit, that’swhat.

The summit is an innovative public-private partner-ship targeted to promote regional economic developmentand entrepreneurship by sharing secrets for successamong U.S. business women and their counterparts inthe Baltic Sea region.

The brainchild of Ambassador Bonnie McElveen-Hunter,herself a successful entrepreneur and former CEO of PaceCommunications, the largest U.S. custom publishing firm,the summit was a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit inattaining prosperity and economic independence. In theUnited States, 70 percent of all new businesses launched

nnie McElveen-Hunter, right, with Finland’s President Tarja Halonen, left,esident Vaike Vire-Freiberga.

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today are women owned, generating $3.6 tril-lion in annual sales and employing more peo-ple than the Fortune 500 companies combined.

Finland is one of the world’s most egalitar-ian and innovative societies. And whilewomen enjoy positions of leadership in thepolitical arena, they are underrepresented inbusiness circles, where fear of failure ofteninhibits risk taking. In the Baltic and north-west Russia, women are only just beginningto take leadership roles in commerce.

Ambassador McElveen-Hunter shared hervision when she presented her credentials toFinnish President Tarja Halonen, who gaveher personal pledge that the Finnish govern-ment would be a full partner in making thesummit a success.

The summit’s format was threefold. First,there was the summit itself, held Sept. 27–29,2002, in Helsinki, with 100 CEOs sharingtheir best practices on accessing capital,secrets for success, surviving failure and giving back bybeing good corporate citizens.

The U.S. government underscored its commitment with astrong delegation that included Maria Cino, director gener-al of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service; MelanieSabelhaus, deputy administrator of the Small BusinessAdministration; Heather Conley, deputy assistant secretaryof State for European and Eurasian Affairs; Anita McBrideand Cindi Williams, White House, and Charlotte Ponticelli,senior coordinator, Office of International Women’s Issues.

Other governments also had impressive representa-tion, namely the presidents of Finland and Latvia,Finland’s prime minister and minister of trade andindustry; the mayor of Helsinki; Jorma Ollila, chairmanof Nokia; and Sari Baldauf, Europe’s number one busi-nesswoman entrepreneur.

The summit’s second phase brought the Finnish, Russianand Baltic CEOs to the hometowns of their partners for athree-day mentoring program. While their partners did theactual hosting, the Bureaus of European and EurasianAffairs and Educational and Cultural Affairs helped coor-dinate the visits. During their visits, the visiting CEOslearned about best practices in marketing and humanresources management and participated in their host com-panies’ inner workings.

One Finnish participant was impressed to see howwomen in the United States “invest in each other.”

The last phase was a two-day seminar at GeorgetownUniversity’s McDonough School of Business inWashington, D.C. The U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, workingwith the university and Department colleagues, created afollow-on program to draw lessons learned from theshadowing experience and to fold those lessons into take-home action ideas and plans.

Other highlights included a newsmakers conference atthe National Press Club, receptions at the Lithuanian andFinnish embassies and a question-and-answer session at

Ambassador Boand Latvia’s Pr

the White House with President Bush and NationalSecurity Adviser Condoleezza Rice—followed by a meet-ing at the State Department with Secretary Colin Powelland Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage.

The summit would have been impossible without a public-private partnership that contributed 28 percentof overall funding from the U.S. government and 72 per-cent from private and other sources. The summit hasadded a new term to the public diplomacy vocabularyof the embassy staff: “return on investment,” or ROI. It’sa term now firmly entrenched in staff thinking abouthow it conducts results-oriented diplomacy, both tradi-tional and public.

Many public relations executives volunteered their timeand expertise, including Judy Milestone of CNN, MyrnaBlyth of the Ladies Home Journal, and Barbara Taylor ofEdelman Communications.

To quantify the public diplomacy results of the sum-mit, staff used commercial advertising rates to estimatethe value of the coverage in newspapers and magazinesand airtime on radio and television. The total was morethan $1 million. Compared to the $144,000 the U.S. gov-ernment invested, primarily for travel, the ROI was morethan 600 percent.

The summit also generated a number of potential part-nerships for trade and travel.

There’s more to come. Finnish alumni of the summit planan entrepreneurial delegation to Lithuania this spring, andPresident Vaike Vire-Freiberga of Latvia has pledged to hostanother summit in Riga within the next two years. There istalk of exporting the summit’s best practices to the MiddleEast, China, Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.

Ambassador McElveen-Hunter described the summit asa trans-Atlantic link whose time has come. ■

The author is the public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy inHelsinki.

June 2003 27

MH O W T O I N F O R

Susan Strawn, from the Department of Justice, discusses the evolutionof women in sports.

By Robin Holzhauer

any Foreign Service officers lament that peo-ple in their host countries have a“McHollywood” view of the United States,knowing little about America beyond whattelevision syndicators and franchise opera-tors feed them. At the same time, officershave difficulty finding money for culturalprogramming, even with the post-Sept. 11

awareness that missions need to reach out to mass audi-ences to explain American values and ideals.

But there is hope.The U.S. Office in Pristina found a way to inform and

impress local audiences and achieve mission goals forless than $50 by using mission teamwork, cultivatingcontacts and working with the press.

The public diplomacy goal was to give local residentsan opportunity to learn more about U.S. history, encour-age mutual understanding and promote the use ofEnglish. But they had to do it with little money. Theyused National Women’s History Month as a theme andpresented a series of talks open to the public and focus-ing on important women in U.S. history.

28 State Magazine

F O R F

Audience members explore the selection of publications handed out atthe National Women’s History Month speaker series.

For the program to be a success, officers from othermission elements needed to get involved. So, the publicdiplomacy section recruited people to give the weeklytalks. Officers from the economic-political section and theDepartment of Justice volunteered to speak on topicsrelated to the National Women’s History Month theme,gathering information from books and the Internet andmaking use of International Information Program’s website: http://usinfo.state.gov.

In addition to discussing the history of women in theUnited States, speakers linked the values women foughtfor with today’s American values. Audiences received ahistory lesson and gained insights into American idealsat the same event.

The next hurdle was finding an appropriate venue forthe talks. In exchange for being listed as a sponsor, theNational Library offered its auditorium free of charge.

With no advertising budget, the public diplomacyorganizers devised ways of notifying people withoutresorting to costly ads. They targeted exchange programalumni, informing them about the program and encour-aging them to e-mail their own contacts to spread theword. English-language and American studies faculty at

I F T Y D O

M A N D I M P R E S S

L

Stephanie Miley, of the economic-political section, greets audiencemembers after her talk about journalist Ida B. Wells.

the university informed their students and public diplo-macy staff distributed fliers and posted informationwhile they visited the campus.

Working closely with the press yielded two benefits.It publicized the events, and, more important, it in-formed thousands of people who could not attend thespeeches about the achievements of women and U.S.foreign policy.

In one television interview, for example, the conversa-tion turned to the issue of trafficking in women. Thespeaker discussed the mission’s policy and work in thatarea. After attending one of the speaker programs, awriter from one of the largest daily newspapers wrote anarticle about aviator Amelia Earhart. These stories werein a local language so people who did not know Englishalso learned about U.S. history and values.

The chief of mission in Pristina introduced the firsttalk. Three main television stations showed clips from theseries on the evening news and several newspaperswrote reviews. One newspaper also published the U.S.official’s opening remarks on the value of recognizingdiversity and women’s contributions to society.

Each week, the public diplomacy section sent pressreleases reminding people about the program and gaveadditional interviews. Programs distributed at the eventincluded profiles of the women featured in the talks.

The embassy bought “Women’s History Month” postersfrom the National Women’s History Project and posted themin the library to promote the series—the only financialinvestment in the program.

In addition to the press coverage that reached thousands,more than 50 people attended the English-language speak-er series each week to listen and ask questions.

The series also stimulated local activism. Severalwomen’s groups were so impressed with the educationalaspects of National Women’s History Month that theydecided to organize their own speaker series next year,focusing on the achievements of Kosovar women.

By tapping the talents of mission officers, workingwith contacts and cultivating press interest, the U.S.Office in Pristina managed to promote the English lan-

L A R S O R

■ Pick a topic■ Recruit volunteers to give talks■ Find a venue (library or university)■ Target program alumni and American Studies/

English students■ Publicize like mad in the press■ Ask the ambassador or COM to give opening

remarks

guage and convey insights into the history and values ofthe United States. While a modest speaker series may beno substitute for the Art in Embassies or JazzAmbassadors programs, it is a way to tell America’s sto-ry to the world for $50 or less. ■

The author is the assistant public affairs officer in the U.S.Office in Pristina, Kosovo.

S T E P S T O S U C C E S SF O R $ 5 0 O R L E S S

June 2003 29

L E S S

Donald McAndrews,Benjamin Franklin impersonator, engages students in a conversation about the life of one of America’s first diplomats.

Take Your Child to Work Day

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Take Your Child to Work Day

More than 630 sons and daughters of StateDepartment employees raised their right handsand repeated the oath while Secretary Powell

swore them in as honorary “employees for a day,” launch-ing Take Your Child to Work Day.

This year, parents registered their children and the kidschose their favorite activities online. Nearly 50 activitieswere offered, each introducing the younger generation totheir parents’ workplace and to its mission.

On April 24, some kids crossed the river to OverseasBuildings Operations to learn how to design a new U.S.Embassy in Nairobi. Others visited the embassies ofGermany, Croatia or Lithuania. Some explored the heatingand cooling system on a behind-the-scenes tour of themechanical areas of the Harry S Truman Building. Othersheard refugees describe their escape to freedom. Manywatched spellbound as bomb-sniffing dogs and their han-dlers combed the Dean Acheson Auditorium for explosives.

“Mom, that’s the best day I’ve had in a long time,”exclaimed the daughter of Kathleen Stemplinski, deputydirector of the Office of International Conferences, after vis-iting the Embassy of Croatia and having her picture takenwith the ambassador.

She wasn’t alone in praising the well-planned program.“The kids I know thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Julie

Oettinger, an attorney in the Office of the Legal Adviser,“and they may even have learned a thing or two about theState Department.”

In her e-mail thanking Employee Relations’ SydneeTyson and her team for all their hard work in planning andstaffing the event, Emilia Puma, a policy analyst in theBureau of International Narcotics and Law EnforcementAffairs, commented, “The activities were enjoyable

30 State Magazine

and educational and really opened the children’s eyesto our work and our world. I feel privileged to work withsuch generous and creative colleagues who took time out oftheir busy workdays to reach out to these visitors.”

Ms. Puma offered special thanks to AmbassadorPrudence Bushnell, dean of the Leadership and Man-agement School at FSI, “who kept the kids (and the adults!)involved in her lively presentation on the history of diplo-macy and, of course, to the Secretary. It means a tremen-dous amount to the children, and to me personally, that hetakes such an active interest in the people important tothose he leads.”

After expressing his appreciation for the effort that wentinto organizing the program, Larry Mandel, director ofICASS, added, “I have no doubt events like this serve aspositive recruiting tools, years from now.”

—Dave Krecke

Secretary Powell greets employees and their children before swearingin the “honorary employees.”

FLO Celebrates 25 Years of Advocacy and Service

Director General Ruth A. Davis praises FLO for being nimble and flexible.

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By Sarah Genton

Before 1978, Foreign Service families were pretty muchon their own. Then along came the Family Liaison Office,and things haven’t been the same since.

About 200 people gathered March 18 in the BenjaminFranklin Room to celebrate FLO’s 25th anniversary, whichwas hosted by Secretary Powell, reflect on the office’saccomplishments and honor the many families andemployees uprooted during the recent wave of evacuations.

In his remarks, Secretary Powell addressed the impor-tance of supporting employees and their families over-seas. He congratulated FLO and its staff for personifying“our commitment to the State Department family.” A for-mer military officer familiar with frequent moves, Mr.Powell said, “It’s never easy to move your family fromplace to place or deal with the curveballs that a life ofservice throws at you.”

Some 200 people turned out for the FLO anniversary celebration.

The Secretary applauded FLO for being “a lifeline toDepartment families on the move” and for helping theDepartment remain “a nimble 21st century place to work.”

In her remarks, Ruth A. Davis, director general of theForeign Service and director of Human Resources, alsopraised FLO for its “nimbleness and flexibility that allowsit to change directions when the times require it.” She saidFLO recognized that “We do not just send employees over-seas. We send people.…” They are people, she said, con-cerned about their children and how they will be educatedand whether their spouse will be employed.

E-mails and cables also praised FLO for its contribu-tions. Daniel C. Kurtzer, U.S. Ambassador to Israel,wrote: “We are indebted to FLO for its ongoing advocacyof issues and policies that promote and recognize the val-ue of family members and make the Foreign Service abetter place for us all.” The ambassador described FLO’ssupport during the Iraq crisis as “exemplary.”

Special guests at the occasion were Mrs. Gay Vance,wife of the late Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance, andLesley Dorman. Both women were instrumental in FLO’sfounding. Mrs. Vance was also recognized at the eventfor contributing to an oral history of spouses in theForeign Service.

To view the full text of the Secretary’s remarks, visitFLO’s Intranet web site at http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/FLO/History/historyhtml. Copies of a special edi-tion of FLO Focus, with a historical retrospective, areavailable on the same site and on the Internet athttp://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c7156.htm. ■

The author is the publications coordinator in the FamilyLiaison Office.

A Voice for the CommunityDoreen Carlson-Doyle of the Jerusalem Community

Liaison Office remembers when there was no FamilyLiaison Office, no friendly CLO to greet you at post oron e-mail.

It was 1975 and she was a new Foreign Servicespouse heading to New Delhi with no one to ask whatthe post would be like for her or her children. She wasused to relying on her immediate family. The only oth-er people to look to for support were other spouses,she said, “and they were in the same boat as I was.”

The employee was the central focus, she recalled,“and we accepted that.”

Then along came FLO—which began advocating ontheir behalf. “Our concerns were validated,” she said.“The years have changed, but the concerns are thesame. We now have a voice for the community at large.”

June 2003 31

Safety Scene

From ‘Fatalities’ to ‘Saves’

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By Eileen Verity

Shortly after arriving at post, a first-tour family withtwin infants was saved from carbon monoxide, orCO poisoning, when the CO alarm in their residencesounded danger one evening. The family and post

responded according to the Department’s emergencyprotocol.

A carbon monoxide alarm also alerted a ForeignService officer and her visiting daughter that hazardouslevels of CO were accumulating in their residence in themiddle of the night. The post occupational safety andhealth officer, or POSHO, identified several locations inthe residence for CO alarms. The occupant followed postemergency procedures by immediately notifying postwhen the alarm sounded. Post and the host country util-ity company responded without delay and measured COlevels in the home. As a result, the furnace was taken outof service until repairs were completed.

In another incident, the mother of a three-year-old sonhad just removed his armband floats and was preparingto leave the swimming pool. When she stepped awayfrom the child momentarily to collect their belongings, hejumped back into the pool. A lifeguard rescued him whenhe began to panic and sink.

What made the difference in these scenarios? An activepost safety, health and environmental program.

During the past two years, the division of Safety,Health and Environmental Management has begun usingthe term “saves” instead of “fatalities.” The shift owesmuch to the safety officers’ efforts. Through their dili-gence in implementing a carbon monoxide alarm pro-gram, there have been 18 reported “saves” from carbonmonoxide poisoning during the past three years.

For almost a decade, two toddlers drowned, on aver-age, annually. No toddler has drowned at post during thepast four years. No doubt, adequate barriers and life-guards have contributed to this decrease.

32 State Magazine

Ever wonder aboutthose articles in the com-munity newsletter orwho organizes safety andhealth training? Whomakes sure that youroverseas residence is in-spected for minimumsafety requirements? It’sthe safety officers. Theyare responsible for man-aging a comprehensivesafety and health pro-gram in difficult andcomplex work and resi-dential environments. They’re also responsible for the safe-ty of visitors, family members and residences.

The role of safety officer is a collateral duty that man-agement officers, general services officers or facilitiesmanagers shoulder. While the role may appear minor, itaffects the safety and well-being of all who work or residein Department facilities overseas. The safety officer keepssafety on everyone’s mind.

The POSHO of the Year Award began six years ago torecognize safety officers’ extraordinary accomplishments.To date, 30 have received the monetary award. Out-standing efforts include safety fairs, extensive training forall post personnel, articles in post newsletters, thoroughmishap reports and follow-through on corrective actions.

During the past five years, safety and health programsat posts have improved significantly, due primarily to thesafety officer’s efforts and leadership. By ensuring thatDepartment safety and health requirements are met, seri-ous incidents have decreased—resulting in a shift fromtragic investigations of mishaps and fatalities to report-ing lives saved. ■

The author is a safety and occupational health specialist.

Daniel Russel, right, deputy chief ofmission in The Hague, and RodneyCoe, safety officer, display a certifi-cate recognizing Mr. Coe’s accom-plishments in Hong Kong.

PERSONNEL ACTForeign Service Retirements

Agostini, Olive M.Bridges, Thomas W.Filby, Robert WallaceHalpin, Dennis PatrickHuff, Bobby R.

McGuire, Harriet C.Million, Adda J.Molinaro, Cornelia W.Simmons, Eleanor M.Skelly, Mary Ann Frances

Szabados, Joan M.Szabados, Rudolph L.Watson, Dennis L.

Civil Service Retirements

IONS

Cassis, George G.Clarke, Richard AlanHegarty, Patrick H.Mitzel, Rita D.Nyo, Tin

Reilly, Daniel RaymondShields, Shirley C.Suter, Frances E.Waters, Betty P.Younger, Victoria

George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center

&Education Training

Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all thecourses available at FSI, visit the FSI Schedule of Courses on the Department ofState’s OpenNet at http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov. FY03/04 dates are now available in theonline catalog. See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and newcourse dates and periodic announcements of external training opportunities spon-sored by FSI.

Security SOS: Security Overseas Seminar (MQ911) 14,28 4,11,18,25 2DASOS: Advanced Security Overseas Seminar (MQ912) 8,22 12,19 1DTDY SOS: Security Overseas Seminar (MQ913) 14,28 4,11,18,25 1DYSOS: Youth Security Overseas Seminar (MQ914) 8,15,22,29 5,12 1D

Foreign Service Life SkillsRegulations, Allowances & Finances (MQ104) 16 3DDeputy Chief of Mission Spouse (MQ110) 21 11 3DExplaining America (MQ115) 12 8 1DProtocol & U.S. Representation Abroad (MQ116) 12 23 1DYoung Diplomats Day (MQ250) 14,28 11 1DPost Options for Employment and Training (MQ703) 29 1DTargeting the Job Market (MQ704) 27 2DCommunicating Across Cultures (MQ802) 16 1DRealities of Foreign Service Life (MQ803) 2 1DPromoting U.S. wines (MQ803) 30 2.5HEmergency Medical Care and Trauma Workshop (MQ915) 13 1D

Transition Center July Aug Length

The Department’s Mandatory Leadership and Management Training RequirementsThe Secretary of State has mandated leadership training from mid through seniorgrade levels for Foreign Service Officers and Civil Service employees to ensure thatthey have the necessary preparation for increasing levels of responsibility. FSI’sLeadership and Management School offers the required courses to meet thesemandatory training requirements and other courses for all FS and GS employees.

Mandatory CoursesFS 3/GS 13: Basic Leadership Skills (PK245)FS 2/GS 14: Intermediate Leadership Skills (PT207)FS 1/GS 15: Advanced Leadership Skills (PT210)Newly promoted FS-OC/SES: Senior Executive Threshold Seminar (PT133)EEO Diversity Awareness for Managers and Supervisors (PT107)

Career Transition CenterRetirement Planning Seminar (RV101) 29 4DJob Search Program (RV102) 4 8WFinancial and Estate Planning (RV103) 31 1DAnnuities & Benefits and Social Security (RV104) 30 1D

School of Language StudiesIncreased language enrollments due to the Secretary’s Diplomatic ReadinessInitiative have required FSI’s School of Language Studies to change class schedules.Classes are being run in double sessions. The morning session may begin as earlyas 7:30 a.m. and the afternoon session may end as late as 5:30 p.m.

FasTrac Distance Learning Program,Learn at Your Own Pace, When and Where You Want FSI is accepting applications for the FasTrac distance learning program. All StateDepartment employees, LES and EFMs are eligible. FasTrac offers over 1,800 courses covering numerous topics. Training is conducted online through the Internetand the Department’s OpenNet. Students may complete courses for inclusion ontheir official FSI transcript or take a course module they need to “get the job done.”Course lengths vary from two to eight hours and knowledge preassessments mayshorten learning plans. To view the complete FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac website at http://fsiweb.state.gov/fastrac. For additional information, please contact theDistance Learning Coordinator at the Office of the Registrar, (703) 302-7497.

Length: H = Hours, D = Days, W = WeeksFor additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144.

Transition Center July Aug Length

Some Nonmandatory Recommendations for all FS and GS employees:Employee Relations Seminar (PK246)Managing People Problems (PT121)Teambuilding (PT129)Performance Management Seminar (PT205)Creative Problem Solving Workshop (PT212)Managing Conflict Productively (PT214)Influence by Design (PT224)Valuing Diversity in the Workplace (PT225)Productively Managing Stress (PT251)Managing Up (PT252)

For more information contact FSI’s Leadership and Management School(703) 302-6743, FSILMS [email protected] orhttp://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms/default.asp

June 2003 33

People Like YouPeople Like You

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Bruce Cole at the organ.

Call It Luck or Divine Intervention
By day, Bruce Cole helps oversee
recruiting for the State Department.When he’s not doing that, he’s doing what

he has always wanted to do—play an organ.That opportunity came out of the blue

more than two decades ago when his priestat the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour inSilver Spring, Md., called to say the churchhad lost its organist and needed Mr. Cole toplay for the service that Sunday and next.He remembers the call vividly. It was theweek before Easter of 1981.

He had never played the organ beforeand found the pedals challenging, but hewas able to use his piano and harpsichordtraining to figure out the organ keyboards.Afterward, he took organ lessons everyweek for more than a year and practiced countless hoursuntil he had mastered the keyboards and pedals.

Music has always been part of Mr. Cole’s life. Hebegan taking piano lessons when he was 6. When he

Organist

34 State Magazine

was in high school in Beltsville, Md., heaccompanied instrumentalists, singersand the school’s choir. Later, at theUniversity of Maryland, he playedharpsichord for the university’s Mad-rigal Singers and accompanied othermusicians and singers.

As minister of organ music at hischurch, which serves some 400 house-holds representing more than 35 coun-tries, Mr. Cole plays for Sunday servicesas well as for weddings and funerals.

He has had his moments. OneChristmas Eve, while practicing for thefirst service, the organ locked into itsloudest volume possible. It would havebeen great for “O Come All Ye Faithful”

but not for “Silent Night.” Fortunately, a technician whohappened to be driving on the Beltway nearby got therepair call and came to his rescue.

Call it luck or divine intervention. —Carl Goodman

Bruce Cole.

STATE OF THE ARTS

Upcoming Calendar

Mezzo-soprano Marquita Raley.

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Performances are on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in the Dean Acheson Auditorium.

◆ June 4 Classical Trio with Li-Ly Chang

◆ June 18 Soprano Elizabeth Kluegel

◆ July 9 Jamie Turner on glass harmonica

◆ July 23 Classical pianist Larissa Smith

◆ Aug. 6 Mezzo-soprano Marquita Raley

◆ Aug. 20 Russian music

Celebrating Black History Month and Early Music
By John Bentel
To celebrate Black History Month, the State of the ArtsCultural Series and the Foreign Affairs Recreation

Association presented a concert by pianist KinishaForbes, 17, a student at Georgetown University. She hadperformed earlier, with the Dunbar High School DrillTeam, at the Equal Employment Opportunity Com-mission. Demonstrating an intuitive sense of music, sheperformed works by a wide variety of composers—fromOrlando Gibbons and Demetri Shostakovich to Braziliancomposers Piazzolla and Nazareth.

As a tribute to early music, the musical group DuoEncino performed an assortment of madrigals in March.Versatile Mark Cudek, who played an unusual assort-ment of instruments, including the vihuela, cittern, lute

Duo Encino, lutist Mark Cudek and vocalist Kristen Toedtman.

Madrigal performers: tenor Peter Burroughs, soprano Rebecca Ocampo,alto Caitlin Hughes and bass Brian Chu.

and renaissance guitar, accompanied soprano KristenToedtman, whose lyrical voice blended well with theinstruments’ timbre.

Other madrigal performers were soprano RebeccaOcampo, alto Caitlin Hughes, tenor Peter Burroughs andbass Brian Chu.

Returning for his third solo performance, classicalpianist Wayne Dorsey overcame a stuck key to performadmirably a difficult Bach Prelude and Fugue in A Minorand the familiar Chopin Scherzo No. 2 in Bflat Minor, op.31. The audience’s applause earned a Chopin encore. ■

The author is a computer specialist in the ExecutiveSecretariat.

June 2003 35

O B I T U A R I E S

Paul Boeker, 64, a retired Foreign Service officer, died April2 of a brain tumor at his home in San Diego. He served inGermany and Colombia and was appointed U.S.Ambassador to Bolivia by President Jimmy Carter in1977. Mr. Boeker served on the Policy Planning Staffunder Secretaries Henry A. Kissinger and George P.Shultz and was director of the Foreign Service Institutefrom 1980 to 1983. As U.S. Ambassador to Jordan from1984 to 1987, Mr. Boeker brokered meetings betweenJordan and Israel. After retiring from the Department, heserved for 14 years as president of the Institute of theAmericas at the University of California at San Diego.

Frank J. Haughey, 87, a retiredForeign Service officer, died April11 after a long illness at his farm inBrowntown, Va. He served inBrussels, Hong Kong, Edmonton,Aruba, Athens and Port-au-Prince.Mr. Haughey also served with theU.S. Army in Europe during WorldWar II. His wife, Francine, was aFrench instructor for 20 years at the

Foreign Service Institute.

Kenneth C. Humborg, 75, a retired Foreign Service officer,died March 31 of lung cancer in Arlington, Va. He servedabroad in Iran, Venezuela, Honduras, the Netherlands,Australia, South Vietnam, Turkey and Brazil and inWashington, D.C., in the Office of Munitions Control andthe Office of Security Enhancement. Before joining theDepartment, Mr. Humborg served in the U.S. Navy from1945 to 1947.

Donald W. Mulligan, 78, a retiredForeign Service officer, died ofprostate cancer April 5 at his homein New Carrollton, Md. A pre-medstudent when World War II brokeout, Mr. Mulligan joined the Armyas a medic. Dissuaded by his serviceon the battlefields of France andGermany from becoming a doctor,he returned to school at the end of

the war and majored in philosophy and international rela-tions. He joined the U.S. Information Agency in 1951, serv-ing first as a librarian and then as a cultural affairs officerin Uruguay, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Trinidad/Tobago, Ecuador, El Salvador and the Philippines. Inretirement, Mr. Mulligan wrote a novel about Henry Clay.

36 State Magazine

Thomas F. Murray Jr., 61, a retired Foreign Service com-munications specialist, died of cancer April 19 in Tampa,Fla. He served in France, Ethiopia, Germany, Norway,Canada and India.

George W. Ogg, 70, a retired ForeignService officer, died Jan. 29 of ideo-pathic pulmonary fibrosis in aRockville, Md., hospice. He lived inPotomac. After serving as a pilotand photo intelligence officer in theU.S. Air Force in Japan in the early1950s, Mr. Ogg joined the ForeignService in 1957. He served in Togo,Morocco, Guyana, Venezuela,

Costa Rica, Ottawa and Vancouver, where he was consulgeneral. He taught foreign relations at the NationalDefense University and served on a White House taskforce on reorganization of technical assistance for USAID.

Idar Rimestad, 86, a retired ForeignService officer, died Feb. 13 of com-plications due to Alzheimer’s dis-ease at his home in San Diego,Calif. He began his federal servicewith the National Youth Admin-istration in 1941 and worked inseveral civilian positions in the WarDepartment until 1949, when hejoined the Foreign Service. He

served in Frankfurt, Bonn, Moscow and Paris. In 1967,President Lyndon Johnson appointed Mr. Rimestaddeputy under secretary of State for Administration, aposition he held from 1967 to 1969. In 1969, PresidentRichard Nixon appointed him U.S. Representative to theUnited Nations Organizations in Geneva, where heserved until his retirement in 1973.

Virginia M. “Ginny” Wallace, 77, aretired Foreign Service specialist,died June 15, 2002, in Tucson, Ariz.She served in Antananarivo,Moscow, Bern, Seoul, USNATO inBrussels and Bonn. She was per-sonal secretary to Mrs. Dean Ruskduring the Kennedy Administra-tion and later served in the Officeof Protocol. From 1981 to 1983, Ms.

Wallace was special assistant to the Deputy Secretary ofState. After retiring in 1990, she was a volunteer with theSmithsonian Institution.