State Magazine, October 2008

OCTOBER 2008

MAGAZINE

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

Amsterdam’sDiverse Tradition

SPECIAL SECTION

The AIDS Crisis

One-StopProcessHR enhances travelforms processing.

12Post of theMonthDigging beneath the tulipsand other stereotypesreveals Amsterdam’scomplex culture.

26The Gift ofGuardianshipDecision can ensurecontinuity for children.

32

S T A T E M A G A Z I N E | I S S U E 5 2 7

OCT2008

Special Report:

HIV/AIDS16 Multi-agency StrategyDepartment coordinatesworldwide U.S. efforts

18 Frontlines ReportAIDS battle promotesgrowth, democracy

20 Moving MountainsAn embassy evolves tofight HIV/AIDS

08 Next Stop: U.S.A.Mission Russia runs world’s largestwork/travel program.

10 Listening EarOutbriefings aid returnees fromhigh-stress posts.

22 A Cultural BuffetLE Staff from Mexico experiencesEmbassy Baghdad.

24 Focus on UNESCOU.S. Mission emphasizes literacy,world heritage.

34 Office of the MonthOffice of the Chief of Protocol pro-motes international understanding.

FEATURES

14Fightingto win

08

ON THE COVERNight settles over the gabledhouses along KeizersgrachtCanal in Amsterdam.Photograph by Getty Images.

2 From the D.G.

3 In the News

37 State of the Arts

38 Safety Scene

40 Appointments

42 Obituaries

43 Retirements

44 The Last Word

COLUMNS

2 | STATE MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2008

D.G. HARRY K.THOMAS

If I can stop one Heart from breakingI shall not live in vain.If I can ease one Life the AchingOr cool one PainOr help one fainting RobinUnto his Nest againI shall not live in Vain.

– Emily Dickenson

This month, we are kicking off our 2008Combined Federal Campaign, the largestworkplace fundraising campaign in theworld. As we do so, I would like to take thisopportunity to publicly express my appreci-ation to those dedicated and enthusiasticemployees who volunteered to serve as CFCkey workers and coordinators. I also want tothank Worklife Programs Division ChiefPatty Pittarelli and Program CoordinatorShelly Kornegay from the Office ofEmployee Relations for managing the CFCcampaign for the Department.

Last year, approximately 40 percent of military,civilian and postal workers in the National Capital areamade a pledge, demonstrating Americans’ overwhelminggenerosity. Those pledges totaled $60,799,022.84 to char-ities. Department employees generously donated morethan $2.1 million. Our goal this year is $2.195 million,and in the past 10 years, we have exceeded ourdesignated goal and achieved huge success.

Department employees have a history of beinggenerous donors to CFC. In fact, the average gift givenby our employees is one of the highest of all averagedonations in the National Capital area.

As the Director General, I serve as vice chair of theDepartment’s CFC campaign, and I am delighted toreport that in 2007, our agency earned the prestigiousMillion Dollar Circle Award for the sixth year in a row.Twenty-two bureaus met or exceeded the dollar goal thatwas set for the campaign, and 19 bureaus qualified for aCFC special award.

The 2008 CFC theme is “Be a Star in Someone’s Life.”I urge you to think of the difference you can make bycontributing to a worthwhile cause. As Secretary Rice hassaid, the most basic public diplomacy is helping others.

Through the CFC, you can make a difference in thelives of others. Because of their association with CFC,four organizations affiliated with the Department—theAmerican Foreign Service Association Scholarship Fund,the Fund for American Diplomacy, Diplomatic SecuritySpecial Agents Foundation and Diplotots Inc.—willreceive contributions.

State Department employees have a history of helpingothers. You can build on this culture of public serviceand make the 2008 CFC a tremendous success. I lookforward to sharing the end results of this campaign withyou early next year.

We want to serve you efficiently and well. If you havequestions regarding the CFC, please send them viaunclassified e-mail to “Combined Federal Campaign”on the GAL. If you have any other comments orsuggestions, please feel free to send them to me viaunclassified e-mail at “DG Direct.” ■

The Largest WorkplaceFundraising CampaignIn The World

news

OCTOBER 2008 | STATE MAGAZINE | 3

The schools of Language Studies and Applied Information Technology at the ForeignService Institute have partnered in an innovative pilot program that uses state-of-the-arttechnology to teach language skills from a distance.

The effort got underway because Ambassador-designate toGuatemala Stephen McFarland wanted to learn K’iche’,the nation’s indigenous language. Part of the Mayanlanguage family and with nearly a million speakers,K’iche’ is the second most widely spoken language inGuatemala after Spanish.

However, FSI could not locate a K’iche’ instructor inthe Washington, D.C., area. The closest availableinstructor was at a language institute in Guatemala City.

With technology, however, distance is no longer abarrier to learning. Ambassador McFarland nowstudies with that instructor online every morning,using the Adobe Connect distance learning platform.The Web-based platform supports phone bridges,Webcams, chat, notes and file-sharing.

Those features and one-on-one instruction makefor “a very effective learning platform,” said Ambas-sador McFarland. “FSI’s initiative in facilitatingindigenous language instruction will aid my effortsto reach out to Guatemalan society.”

Language StudyDone From a Distance

The 48th annualBOOKFAIR of the

Associates of the Amer-ican Foreign Service

Worldwide will open onOctober 17 from 2 p.m. to 5

p.m. for employees, spousesand escorted guests. From

October 20-24, it will be open tothis same group from 11 a.m. to

3 p.m. On the weekends ofOctober 18-19 and 25-26,BOOKFAIR will be open to thepublic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As usual, the BOOKFAIR willinclude an Art Corner with itemsfrom all over the world and aStamp Corner. This year, themerchants Silk Road Importsand Imperio Otomano will sell a

variety of quality importedgoods, including oriental carpets,on behalf of the AAFSW.

The event takes place in theExhibit Hall of the Harry STruman Building. Public access isfrom C Street, N.W. BOOKFAIRaccepts Visa and Mastercard andpersonal checks. For additionalinformation, call 202-223-5796.

Under a bright sky, the U.S. embassy community in Nairobi, Kenya,gathered August 7 on the grounds of the new embassy to honor the218 persons killed 10 years earlier in the terrorist bombing of theembassy.

In attendance in Nairobi were more than 150 wives, husbands andchildren of the 44 embassy employees who were killed that day. Theywere joined by hundreds of Kenyan and American staff members andrepresentatives of the many organizations that answered the post’s callof distress in the attack’s aftermath. The mission’s Christian, Hinduand Muslim communities joined in prayer at the ceremony.

Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger and former U.S. Ambassadorto Kenya Johnnie Carson spoke about the terrible loss, and said theattackers failed to break the bonds between the Kenyan and Americanpeople and will be brought to justice. The speakers called for a recom-mitment to the future.

The reading of the names of those killed left attendees in tears. A similar ceremony was held the same day in Dar es Salaam,

Tanzania, where nine Tanzanians, one Kenyan and one Somali citizenwere killed in the Aug. 7, 1998, attack on that post. The ceremonyincorporated a wreath-laying, a local gospel choir, anthems by theembassy choir and invocations and benedictions by local clerics.Victims’ family members, including 10-year-old Happiness Mwila,whose father was killed, joined current Ambassador Mark Green andthen Chargé d’affaires John Lange for a memorial tree planting.

Ambassador Lange later wrote that the event “showed the bonds offriendship remain strong, and I am grateful for that.”

At the event, Tanzanian government officials, the diplomatic corpsand Tanzanians and Americans working for the embassy now and atthe time of the attack spoke of the strong ties between Tanzania andthe United States, and how the ties have strengthened.

EmbassiesCommemorateBombing Victims

BOOKFAIR Opens This Month

Former Ambassador to Kenya Johnnie Carson speaksat the embassy's commemoration event.


news

In April, U.S. Ambassador to Nepal NancyPowell, former Ambassador to Nepal RalphFrank and A. Peter Burleigh, the embassy’sformer deputy chief of mission, brokeground on a memorial garden to honor theAmerican and Nepali staff who died inNepal while in service to the United States.

The 15 names engraved on the memorialnear the main entrances to the new embassycompound are those of former employeesof the U.S. Agency for International Devel-opment, Peace Corps and Department ofState who died in Nepal since 1954. Theyinclude two local guards killed by Maoist

rebels in 2002, several who died of diseaseor natural causes, a Peace Corps volunteerwho was murdered in a remote village, andthen-USAID Deputy Mission DirectorMargaret Alexander and USAID ForeignService National Dr. Bijnan Acharya, killedin a 2006 helicopter crash.

Embassy Kathmandu Establishes Memorial

The entry-level officers’ committee and the employee associa-tion at the U.S. Consulate General in São Paulo, Brazil, recentlycompleted a fundraising drive for the group Meninos doMorumbi, which offers youth an alternative to drugs and crimeby teaching them music and dancing, and encouraging them intheir studies.

In less than two months, consulate employees raised more than$3,400 for Meninos, which had lost a sponsor. The check waspresented by the groups’ representatives and Ambassador CliffordSobel at the post’s Fourth of July party. Meninos, one of the mostsuccessful nonprofits in São Paulo, helps more than 4,000children through artistic programs and provides more than 1,000meals a day. The group performed once for President Bush. Moreinformation on Meninos is at www.meninosdomorumbi.org.br.

Donation BenefitsSão Paulo Youth

Ambassador Nancy J. Powell, left, speaks to Mission Nepal staffat the dedication ceremony. Bureau of South and Central AsianAffairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Evan Feigenbaum is at right.

Members of the group Meninosdo Morumbi perform.


What may be the first official WiFiaccess terminal, or “hot spot,” at a U.S.embassy information resource centeropened recently in Ashgabat,Turkmenistan. The hot spot is the firstwireless access point in all ofTurkmenistan.

Many participants in the opening cere-mony stayed afterward to learn how touse the WiFi system. One participantexclaimed, “This is so cool—I want tohang out here.”

Laptops are relatively inexpensive inTurkmenistan, but the Internet reachesonly an estimated 1 percent of the popula-tion. While the government has promisedadditional public Internet access, progresshas been slow. There are long lines at theIRC, one of the few public Internet accesspoints in the country. IRC patrons canwait in line for two hours or more for a

mere 30 minutes of Internet use. The fewstate-run Internet cafés, the only alterna-tive, are either prohibitively expensive orhave painfully slow Internet service.

The post’s public affairs section andinformation management personnel sawwireless Internet access as a way ofproviding more people with Internetaccess and relieving pressure on theIRC’s landline Internet access points.Public Affairs Officer Andrew Paul, Infor-mation Management Officer MichaelFotheringham and colleagues worked withWashington to facilitate the revisedDepartment regulations that now allowWiFi to be offered in embassy IRCs orlibraries.

In Ashgabat, users will have fasterInternet access and more options whenthey begin bringing their laptop computersto the IRC.

Embassy Ashgabat Opens WiFi ‘Hot Spot’

As the world prepared for the 2008 Beijing SummerOlympics, the U.S. Embassy in Manila, The Philippines,hosted its own second annual Mission Games.

With nearly 1,500 Americans and Locally Employed staffrepresenting 27 U.S. government agencies, the post is alwayslooking for creative ways to unite mission members. Thegames involved some 200 participants divided among 10teams pitted against each other in physical challenges thatpromoted cooperation, teamwork and fun. The gamesincluded Human Sodoku, Modern Patintero, the Padyak TrikeRace, the Swimming Pool Challenge and everyone’s favorite,the Team Tribal Dance and Cheer Competition.

“The Mission Games have become a much-anticipated wayto bring our entire community together,” said AmbassadorKristie Kenney.

Medals were won, but everyone came away a winner in thiscelebration of diversity, collaboration and communication.

Olympic Salute:Mission HoldsIts Own Games

Cheerleaders atthe MissionGames thrilledattendees with ahuman pyramid.

news


MAGAZINE

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

Ed WarnerDeputy Editor

Bill PalmerWriter/Editor

David L. JohnstonArt Director

Advisory Board Members

James A. ForbesExecutive Secretary

Kelly Clements

Annette R. Cocchiaro

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165)is published monthly, except

bimonthly in July and August, by theU.S. Department of State, 2201 C St.,

N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicalspostage paid at Washington, D.C.,and at additional mailing locations.

Change of AddressSend changes of address to State

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State Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,

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DeadlinesThe submission deadline for theDecember issue is October 15.

The deadline for the January 2009issue is November 15.

Assistant Secretary ofState for Consular AffairsJanice Jacobs presentsDeputy Secretary of StateJohn Negroponte with hisnew passport card.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs hasbegun issuing the new passport card,which allows U.S. citizens to re-enter theUnited States by land, sea and air fromCanada, Mexico, the Caribbean andBermuda.

CA began accepting applications for thecard February 1 and began producing iton July 14. By early September, more than500,000 passport card applications hadbeen received.

The credit-card-size passport card wasdesigned for the residents of communitieson the northern and southern borders ofthe United States who cross into Canadaand Mexico frequently. It is less costly and

more portable than the passport book buthas the same validity period, 10 years foradults and five years for children. The cardcosts $45 for first-time adult applicantsand $35 for children under 16. Adults withvalid passports can apply for the passportcard by mail for $20.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initia-tive requires that Americans returningfrom Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean andBermuda after June 1, 2009, present eitherthe card or a passport book. As always,Americans returning from all otherforeign destinations must have a passportbook. For more information about thepassport card, visit www.travel.state.gov.

CA Begins IssuingPassport Cards

At 5:30 on a cold, damp morning in earlyMarch, buses from the Russian cities ofKazan, Vladimir, and Bryansk beganarriving at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.The bleary-eyed university students whoshuffled off the buses had been on the roadfor 24 hours but were excited because theywould soon complete their last step beforeembarking on the journey of a lifetime—a chance to spend their summer university

break working and traveling in theUnited States.

This year, Mission Russia issued visas toapproximately 32,000 Russian universitystudents as part of the SummerWork/Travel Program, the largest suchprogram in the world. Embassy Moscowalone interviewed 25,000 applicantsbetween February and May.

The program’s long-term goal is tocontribute positively to U.S.-Russianrelations by increasing mutualunderstanding. Former U.S. Ambassador toRussia William Burns, now Under Secretaryfor Political Affairs, said the program is “agreat means of connecting to the next

generation of Russians, opening up theirunderstanding of America and buildingbridges between our two societies at acomplicated moment in relations betweenour governments.”

Embassy Moscow’s consular staff, he said,“deserves credit for its initiative and hardwork, another reminder of theextraordinarily valuable role consular staffsplay in American diplomacy.”

Erasing SuspicionsOld suspicions about the United States

remain in Russia, some 17 years after thefall of the Soviet Union. The work ofchanging Russian attitudes is thus a long-

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MISSION RUSSIA RUNSWORLD’S LARGESTWORK/TRAVEL PROGRAMBY ERIC MORIN

Next Stop: U.S.A.

The SWT's agency representativeorganizes SWT applicants.

term project, and the SWT Program plays akey role. The real payoff will be in 20 to 30years when the Russian SWT Programstudent of today becomes a high-levelmanager, teacher or elected official. Theprogram lets the next generation ofRussians see the United States, experienceAmerican culture firsthand, and developtheir own opinions about it.

When the students arrived in theembassy’s consular waiting area, green-shirted travel agency representatives movedthem into lines and encouraged them asthey headed off for their interviews. Manystudents were nervous: They’d neverspoken to an American before—let alone aconsular officer.

Vice Consul Vincent Moore calls theinterviews “a nice change from the normalinterview schedule.

“On SWT days we speak to hundreds ofenthusiastic students from all over Russia,”he said. “Many come from places wherewe’ll probably never go, so it is satisfyingto be a part of their positive experience inthe United States, and they give us an

interesting glimpse into the lives ofRussian students.”

Focus on StudentsOn SWT interview days, the embassy’s

entire consular section focuses on thestudents. Normal nonimmigrant visa inter-views are not scheduled, waiting areas arereconfigured, and Locally Employed staffhelp manage applicant flow. This teamworkallows the embassy to process more than1,300 SWT applicants each morning.

On the street outside the consularsection, the students were all smiles andgiggles as they learned their visas wereapproved.

“My best friend and I are going togetherto Myrtle Beach,” said one, from Bryansk.“It’s going to be so cool!”

Her friend called it “the chance of alifetime.”

There are many reasons why they see it asa chance of a lifetime. Almost allparticipating Russian students view theSWT Program as a great way to improvetheir English language skills and learn about

the United States. However, most do not seethe program as a money-making endeavor;they plan to use their earnings to travelaround the United States and shop.

There are also intangible benefits for thestudents. Those who return for a second orthird year say they become self-reliant andmature while being on their own in theUnited States for the summer.

Most will return home to share theirexperiences with friends and families.Embassy Moscow, like many posts, followsup on the students who receive visas to findout if they returned. A recent study showedthat more than 95 percent of the SWTProgram students did so.

After the exhausting morning at theembassy, the students were off for a quicklunch and then back on the bus for the longride home. They were already mentallypacking their bags and preparing for theirsummer—a summer that will educate, chal-lenge and show them the real America. ■

The author is the U.S. Embassy in Moscow’sSWT coordinator.

Clockwise from above: Vice Consul Vincent Moore interviews an SWTapplicant; two friends from Bryansk get ready for a summer in Myrtle Beach,S.C; former U.S. Ambassador to Russia William Burns, now under secretaryfor Political Affairs, speaks with SWT students.


The High-Stress Assignment Outbrief Program representsa successful collaboration between the Foreign Service Insti-tute’s Transition Center and the Office of Mental HealthServices within the Office of Medical Services. The four-year-old program has aided hundreds of employees from avariety of agencies after they completed high-stress assign-ments. A mandatory part of out-processing for employeesreturning from assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan, theprogram is highly recommended for returnees from any

high-stress posting. Family members who were separated byan unaccompanied assignment are also encouraged toparticipate in special, individual sessions.

The program helps participants share information thatmay aid successful decompression and re-integration intotheir lives, families and careers. It also allows employeestransitioning from dangerous and difficult tours to shareobservations and reflections, and offer advice to the Depart-ment and their successors.

OUTBRIEFINGS AID RETURNEES FROM HIGH-STRESS POSTSBY RAY S. LEKI

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Listening Ear

Unaccompaniedassignments andother high-stresstours create new

concerns foremployees andfamily membersand call for newskills, knowledge

and attitudes.

The program is infor-mational, not therapy ora screening. During thesessions, common read-justment issues arediscussed and explained,and the realities of post-traumatic stress disorderand related psycholog-ical conditions aredescribed. Employeesare asked to commenton the quality, adequacyand relevance of pre-departure training,problems encountered,leadership strengths and

weaknesses, meaningfulness of assignments, personal growth andsatisfaction with follow-on assignments.

Several OptionsThe outbriefings are available as a group-training event or as one-

on-one programs with the employee’s choice of either the TransitionCenter director or mental health practitioners in the newly createdDeployment Stress Management Program. Employees who havetransferred directly to another overseas post may arrange outbrief-ings with the regional psychiatrist. Employees may also bring theirspouse or a family member to an individual session.

After working with several couples who used the outbriefprograms, the Transition Center produced a video for any employeedeciding upon, separated by or returning from an unaccompaniedassignment. The DVD Making Sense of Unaccompanied Tours:Insights for Couples is available at post through career developmentofficers, community liaison officers, regional medical officers andpsychiatrists, and from the Transition Center.

On the DVD, Chrissy Miller, wife of Bill Miller, former regional

security officer at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, said, “One of thebiggest helps when Bill came back was when he… participated inthe Outbrief Program—when he talked to other people who hadbeen through the same thing. That day was the first time he reallystarted sharing with me.”

The lessons arising from the outbrief program have beenforwarded to the Under Secretary for Management and theDirector General over the last five years and were added to the FSItraining and briefings for deputy chiefs of mission, advancedconsular officers, senior human resource officers and career devel-opment officers. The lessons were also used by FSI’s leaders,tradecraft and language trainers, and in other offices. The DirectorGeneral has sent leadership lessons arising from the outbriefings toall posts, setting higher expectations for supervisory performanceworldwide. Finally, ideas expressed in the sessions have beenincluded in several new FSI leadership and management courses ondealing with high-stress assignments.

Promoting AdjustmentUltimately, the biggest benefit of the outbrief program may be

for those who are experiencing difficulty readjusting, by helpingthem to understand they are not alone. Returnees are generallyhealthy individuals who are decompressing from prolonged expo-sure to abnormal situations. Although no one can describe orpredict what any particular individual will face, a range of probableresponses can be anticipated and understood.

The outbrief program is changing the culture of theDepartment, making it more supportive of employees and familymembers and more resilient as a community. Unaccompaniedassignments and other high-stress tours create new concerns foremployees and family members and call for new skills, knowledgeand attitudes. The outbrief program helps individuals and theDepartment community become stronger and better prepared forthe challenges ahead. ■

The author is director of the FSI Transition Center.

The author outside his office atthe Foreign Service Institute.


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by clicking on a link. Electronic travel messages and corresponding personnel formswill also be transmitted into the employee’s PCS “eTravel” folder in their electronicofficial personnel folder.

“From the Foreign Service perspective, these travel messaging enhancements offeremployees an incredible outlet to a huge inventory of regulations, guidance andDepartment databases that all pertain precisely to what the employee wants to do,”said Foreign Service officer Rick Weston.

Some of the benefits arising from TM’s automation are: • Allows for timely initiation of employee post allowances/benefits,• Abolishes the “middle tier” in handling personnel actions and data,• Promotes faster processing,• Allows immediate TM status and greater visibility for the employee,• Increases communication between PCS travel support staff and employees, and • Reduces employee frustrations.

The Cornerstone Automation of the TM Eight arrival cable is the cornerstone to a fully reengineered

PCS travel process. TM Eight confirms the employee’s arrival by transmitting theeffective date of arrival at post and pertinent assignment-related data. This replacesmanual creation of the “arrival at post” cable and SF-50, Notification of PersonnelAction. TM Eight allows human resource officers to enter the employee’s actual date ofarrival at post into the Post Personnel System, and this information is then transmittedto the Global Employment Management System to generate an electronic SF-50. TheSF-50 is automatically forwarded to Payroll and used to initiate employee post pay andallowances. Automation of this process saves more than 1,300 labor hours in HR’sexecutive office alone.

The Proposed Itinerary Travel Message, or TM Two, is now being pilot-tested at

HR is leading the effort to reengineer PCStravel to provide employees with one-stopshopping for their travel needs. ProcessingPCS travel is shifting from a manual process toone that’s initiated electronically by theemployee. In creating a more efficient process,the Department aims to eliminate duplication,reduce processing errors and streamline traveltechnicians’ workloads to achieve greater effi-ciency. Employees will recognize theimmediate benefits: faster travel-orderprocessing and having travel informationavailable on their desktops. More important,thanks to automation, employee pay will sufferfewer hits when adjustments are made duringthe permanent transfer of station.

Leveraging DataBy reengineering such travel messages as the

TM Eight arrival, TM Five departure and TMTwo proposed travel itinerary/authorizationcables, HR can leverage the personnel datathat its systems already capture. As a result,users will need only to enter value-addedinformation. Cables that were once processedby mail will now be sent by e-mail, andemployees will be able to view their TM cable

HR ENHANCES TRAVEL FORMS PROCESSING BY SHANNON GALEY

One-Stop ProcessTaking a significant step tomodernize its global traveloperation, the Bureau ofHuman Resources isreorganizing themanagement and automa-tion of the PermanentChange of Station travelprocess. For years, ForeignService personnel traveledworldwide via an extensivepaper trail that relied onexternal triggers and in-person verifications, whichwas time-consumingand frustrating.

ment and include any approved leave ortraining. The forms will be processedelectronically for approval by the EmployeeService Center, and the informationtransmitted to GEMS to generate anelectronic SF-50.

HR/EX is also automating the HR/CDATravel Technician function of processingtravel orders and related actions. Becausethe function is now under the oversight ofHR/EX, HR travel technicians can providemore streamlined support to employeesand their eligible family members duringthe PCS travel process.

Efforts like the automation of theTM process will provide the accurate andimmediate information critical to movingemployees and their families aroundthe world. ■

The author is a project manager in theBureau of Human Resources.

several posts. It allows Foreign Service employees to electronically view, construct andsubmit for approval and authorization their travel itineraries from post. TM Two is avail-able via the Web from the Department’s HR Online system. Pilot participants in TM Twotesting say it “connects all the loose ends” and “brings the employee’s personal considera-tions alongside automated regulations.”

Automation AheadHR is now developing an automation of the TM Five departure from post cable, that

allows HROs to enter an employee’s actual date of departure from post into the PostPersonnel System. This information is also sent to GEMS to generate an electronic SF-50that places employees in an in-transit status. The SF-50 will be transmitted to Payroll andto gaining posts, as well as the bureaus and organiza-tions that require information to adjust employee payand allowances.

Employees will also notice an immediate change intwo travel forms. The first will be that used in thedomestic arrival process. Rather than completing apaper DS-1707, the Leave, Travel, and ConsultationStatus form, employees will be able to access a TMWeb page through HR Online. Assignment notifica-tion and departure information will already be there,and employees need only select their leave type andleave dates, and confirm their arrival information.

HR is constructing a similar automated process forthe DS-1552, theLeave Data-Departure forPost form, whichemployees willalso be able toaccess onlineprior todeparting forpost or domesticassignments.Employees willbe able tovalidate theform’s informa-tion, enter theirlast day at adomestic assign-

The TM automation team includes, fromleft, Stephen Backmeyer, Michael Wilson,Rob Aruta and Ray Wei.

Above: Members of the TMautomation effort are, fromleft, John Cleckner, Brent S.Gilmore, Kishor Bhojani,Biochau Nguyen and PatDuggan. Left: Other mem-bers of the TM automationeffort are, back row fromleft, Tracy Calhoun, DustinVuong, Nadia Trammell,Aveen Devaiah and MarieHensley. In the front rowthey are, from left, LoisteenClark, Kevin Phelps andKash Tajammul.


33.2MILLION

NUMBER

1

NUMBER

4

People around theworld living with

HIV/AIDS

Cause ofdeath in

Sub-Saharan Africa

Cause ofdeath

globally

2.6MILLION

15MILLION

90PERCENT

NewHIV infections

last year

Children have lostone or both parentsdue to HIV/AIDS

Of people livingwith HIV/AIDS

live in Africa

2.1MILLION

25MILLION

5,700

People diedfrom AIDS

in 2007

People have diedfrom AIDS sincethe beginning of

the pandemic

People dieevery day

due to AIDS

Source: United Nations JointProgram on HIV/AIDS, 2008


The scourge of HIV/AIDS is upending the developingworld, decimating families and souring whole nations’

economic prospects. The U.S. government is a leader in theworld’s battle against HIV/AIDS, and the government’s fight,coordinated by the State Department, is also changing. Now,

the effort often focuses on supporting local economicdevelopment, so that in nations such as Lesotho and

Guyana—profiled in the following pages—those who areliving with AIDS will have the means to earn livelihoods.

The battle has also called for wider coordination, involvingnot just the host nation and nongovernmental organizations,

but multiple federal agencies. In Lesotho, for instance,there are new AIDS programs that are administered by

the departments of Defense and Labor.

Interagency coordination is provided by the Department’sOffice of the Global AIDS Coordinator, also profiled in thisspecial section. The Coordinator’s office is not just talk: It

manages the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDSRelief, under which Congress has committed to spend

$18.8 billion in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

The U.S. effort will not stop AIDS in its tracks, but it willpromote survival for the millions of people afflicted so far

and for the nations such as Lesotho that see their veryexistence threatened by the disease.

THE FIGHT AGAINST

AIDS


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everal years ago in Tanzania, a youngwoman named Bertha became very ill. Afterlearning she was HIV-positive, she entereda program supported by the U.S. President’sEmergency Plan for AIDS Relief and startedreceiving antiretroviral treatment.

“If not [for this treatment], I would havebeen dead a long time ago,” she said. “Now,

I can do anything; I’m healthy and I’m strong.” Bertha’s story, told in the documentary “Saving Lives

Creating Hope”, available at www.PEPFAR.gov, reflectsthe personal impact of PEPFAR partnerships with localleaders around the world. Like 1.73 million other AIDS-infected people worldwide, Bertha has a second chancebecause of the treatment programs PEPFAR supports.

Before PEPFAR began its worldwide fight againstHIV/AIDS in 2004, the prospects for people living withHIV in the developing world were grim; and becauseHIV/AIDS mainly kills people between 15 and 50 yearsold, it was taking away a generation of adults in their

DEPARTMENT COORDINATES WORLDWIDE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDSBY DON YACOE

Multi-agency Strategy

Michele Moloney-Kitts, left, assistant U.S. Global AIDSCoordinator, visits a PEPFAR-supported program inKenya that provides treatment, care and other services.

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most productive years, creating instability and despair. At thebeginning of 2003, it is estimated that only 50,000 people in all ofsub-Saharan Africa were receiving antiretroviral treatment. Today,1.68 million people there do.

PEPFAR was launched by President Bush in May 2003 as a $15-billion program funding HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and careover five years. Since 2004, with bipartisan Congressional support,PEPFAR has committed $18.8 billion to the global fight againstHIV/AIDS, focusing on 15 countries in Africa, the Caribbean andAsia. PEPFAR also supports bilateral programs in nearly 100 addi-tional countries. On July 30, the president signed into law the TomLantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership AgainstHIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008.This legislation expands the U.S. government commitment to theprogram for five additional years, from 2009 through 2013. One ofthe keys to PEPFAR has been the public health strategy to pursueclose partnerships with the countries and people affected byHIV/AIDS. Programs are developed in coordination with hostnations’ national strategies to fight HIV/AIDS, collaboration thatstrengthens the capacity of the countries to respond to theirHIV/AIDS epidemics.

Bilateral and multilateral partners, private foundations, theprivate sector, nongovernmental organizations and community-and faith-based organizations all play key roles in setting upcomprehensive HIV programs in these countries. Especially impor-tant is the U.S. government’s close cooperation with the GlobalFund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in support ofnational strategies. The United States was the first and remains thelargest contributor to the fund, providing 30 percent of itscontributions. In fiscal 2007, PEPFAR partnered with 2,217 localorganizations, up from 1,588 in fiscal 2004.

PEPFAR also involves partnering by seven U.S. government agen-cies, coordinated through the Office of the U.S. Global AIDSCoordinator within the State Department. PEPFAR also involvesthe U.S. Agency for International Development; the Departments ofCommerce, Defense, Health and Human Resources, and Labor; andthe Peace Corps. The staff of the Office of the U.S. Global AIDSCoordinator is a mix of Department employees, contractors andpublic health professionals detailed from other agencies.

“The success of PEPFAR is firmly rooted in partnerships, in theAmerican people working hand in hand with the people of theworld to build systems and to empower individuals, communitiesand nations to tackle HIV/AIDS,” said Ambassador Mark Dybul,the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.

PEPFAR’s reach is impressive. From fiscal years 2004 though2007, it helped prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission duringmore than 10 million pregnancies and helped prevent anestimated 194,000 infant infections. Over the period, it alsosupported life-saving antiretroviral treatment for approximately1,641,000 men, women and children, and supported care for morethan 6.6 million people, including more than 2.7 million orphansand vulnerable children.

Despite progress in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, thepandemic remains an emergency. With PEPFAR coordinatedthrough the Department, the government developed a unified,strategic approach to an international health care problem,bringing together the HIV/AIDS programs of many agencies inone unified initiative. ■

The author was a senior communications adviser in the Office of theU.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and is now a technical writer in theBureau of Information Resource Management.

THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

Left: Bertha, who is receiving AIDS treatment, works as a hos-pital counselor in Tanzania. Right: Ambassador Mark Dybulgreets a child at a PEPFAR-supported preschool in Botswana.


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IV/AIDS can decimate a workforce andstunt a country’s growth. In hard-hitareas, fighting the disease is a first stepto economic success and democraticstability. But that’s only half the story.

The U.S. President’s Emergency Planfor AIDS Relief also fights poverty andhelps build strong democratic

institutions. In Guyana, PEPFAR creates jobs, supportstrade and shows that democratic institutions can respondto their most vulnerable citizens.

Many of the same tools that prevent HIV and treat AIDSalso boost trade, improve education, and build citizenconfidence in government services and private-sector part-nerships. In Guyana, PEPFAR is a catalyst for that synergy.Together, diverse partners support Guyana’s Ministry of

AIDS BATTLE PROMOTES GROWTH AND DEMOCRACY BY DAVID M. ROBINSON,KAREN LYNN WILLIAMS AND PETER R. HUBBARD

Frontlines Report

H

An HIV-positive child receives careat one of Guyana’s health facilities.


Health in providing universalaccess to treatment and care,helping HIV-positive peoplebecome more productive andeconomically independent, andpromoting trade.

Small LoansPEPFAR is helping people

living with HIV/AIDS accesssmall loans provided by a micro-financing program. These peoplehave been unable to receive loansthrough traditional means, andthe loans enable them to expandtheir small businesses andsupport their families.

Even after a short time, theprogram has helped many HIV-positive entrepreneurs attain abetter life. Before obtaining oneof the loans, one woman and herhusband worked long hours butcould not produce enough goodsto meet customer demand. Withtheir loan, they purchased mate-rial, increased production and hired several family members,expanding the loan’s benefits.

“This is truly the best thing that has happened to me sincelearning I had HIV,” said the woman, whose name was withheld forprivacy. “I am able to make ends meet and give my daughter whowas born HIV-positive more nutritious food. Even my doctor sayshe has never seen me so happy.”

As of June, more than 90 loans had been completed, with acumulative value of $38,000. These were disbursed to HIV-positive entrepreneurs in such fields as poultry, livestock, lawnmaintenance, sanitation, graphic design, craft production andInternet café services.

Through PEPFAR Guyana’s strong private-sector partnershipinitiative, an estimated $206,000 worth of financial and in-kindresources were provided to support orphans and vulnerablechildren, media campaigns, national and community events, andtransportation for physicians to reach patients in remote areas.Through these partnerships, companies receive support forworkplace prevention of HIV/AIDS and policy development forsustainable approaches to protecting the workforce and communi-ties where they operate.

Trade and TreatmentAnother dimension of the PEPFAR Guyana program is the

convergence of trade and treatment that occurs through the supply-chain management program. Guyana’s highly profitablenontraditional agricultural sector exports butternut squash, peppersand fresh fish to the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.However, such products need access to cold storage and controlleddistribution—as do AIDS drugs. PEPFAR Guyana saw the connec-tion and with partners from the Economic Growth program,private sector and Guyana’s ministries of Agriculture and Health constructed a state-of-the-art cold-storage warehouse that serves

farmers and doctors. The only facility of its kind in Guyana, thewarehouse is the gateway for exporting to new markets and guaran-tees that the HIV-positive will get safe, effective medicine.

Using partnerships to fight HIV/AIDS involved a joint centraland local focus. One outgrowth of this was the creation of an infor-mation technology laboratory at a secondary school in one ofGuyana’s remote areas. The Ministry of Education offsets the lab’smonthly Internet costs, and the regional government financed thematerial and labor costs for the facility’s modifications. The lab’scomputers introduce HIV/AIDS information to students andyouths in the community and enhance their computer skills.

There are also capacity-building initiatives underway tostrengthen civil-society organizations and better equip them toinfluence national decision-making. Thus, a number of civilsociety partners have engaged in various advocacy activities,including combating trafficking in persons and domestic violence,and supporting the Child Protection Act and HIV/AIDS policydevelopment.

PEPFAR in Guyana involves a strong country team approach thatincludes representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Devel-opment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, theDepartments of Defense and State, and the Peace Corps. Thismulti-dimensional, multi-sector approach demonstrates the directrelationship between HIV/AIDS treatment, economic success anddemocratic stability. It also underscores how, whether through amajor program like PEPFAR or short-duration activities such ashospital ship visits, medical diplomacy is becomingTransformational Diplomacy. ■

David M. Robinson was Ambassador to Guyana, Karen LynnWilliams is the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Guyana andPeter R. Hubbard is director of the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment Mission in Guyana.

HIV-positive workers do tin smithing in an activityunderwritten with microfinancing from theInstitute of Private Enterprise Development.

have seen the light!” During a period of upheaval that

scorched Southern Africa in the early 1800s,the chance of being murdered by maraudingtribes was so great that King Moshoeshoe,the founder of Lesotho, shouted thatgreeting each morning at dawn. Hiscompassionate brand of diplomacy—

he offered gifts to defeated enemies—forged anindependent nation that was largely created from refugees.

Today, Moshoeshoe’s diplomatic acumen provideslessons to fight a modern enemy in this isolated but proudcountry: HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The fight against HIV/AIDS in the Kingdom of Lesotho,a country the size of Maryland, is literally an uphill battle.The mountainous nation has the highest low point of anycountry in the world. Eighty percent of its 1.8 millioninhabitants reside in rural mountain villages, many morethan 9,000 feet in elevation. More than 60 people becomeinfected with HIV/AIDS each day. One out of every fourmembers of the dominant Basotho tribe are infected,nearly half of all sexually active adults.

HIV/AIDS stymies development, burdens families whomust care for the sick and creates new generations oforphans—nearly 200,000 Basotho children have lost one orboth parents. AIDS has reversed many of the nation’s


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HAN EMBASSY EVOLVES TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS BY MATT STREMLAU,CHRISTOPHER M. SMITH AND W. PATRICK MURPHY

Moving Mountains

“I

A teenage girl asks a U.S.-fundedpeer-mentoring group a questionduring a presentation on HIV/AIDS.


public health victories, which were realized after independence,when life expectancy climbed to nearly 60 years. A Basotho childborn today can expect to live only 38 years.

Winning HeartsUnder the leadership of Assistant Secretary for African Affairs

Jendayi Frazer and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Mark Dybul, theDepartment has responded to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, wherethe disease has been most devastating. The Department’sundertaking in Lesotho, a tangible example of Secretary Rice’s Trans-formational Diplomacy, has won the hearts and minds of apopulation that is vulnerable to poverty and disease but increasinglyappreciative of U.S. development and foreign policy objectives.

U.S. Ambassador to Lesotho Robert B. Nolan and an interagencyteam at the U.S. mission stand at the epicenter of Lesotho’s fightagainst the HIV epidemic. In recent years there has been a transitionfrom using a regional platform to implementing a more effective in-country presence under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan forAIDS Relief. This has led to the return to Lesotho of the U.S. Agencyfor International Development and to new programs administeredby the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and thedepartments of Defense and Labor. The ability to monitor programslocally allows the post’s PEPFAR team to tailor approaches to localconditions and help people get the treatment they need morequickly. Peace Corps is an active member of the PEPFAR Task Force,and its 85 volunteers are involved in the HIV programs.

Mission Lesotho, a once-small U.S. mission, has become adynamic command center that supports dozens of U.S.-baseduniversities such as Columbia, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown, andnongovernmental organizations such as Population Services Interna-tional. The mission’s PEPFAR budget has grown from $4 million in2005 to the nearly $30 million projected for 2009.

Side by side with PEPFAR stands the U.S.-funded MillenniumChallenge Account Compact, a new $362 million poverty-reduction initiative designed by the Basotho people. One-third ofthe new compact will fund health-related activities, representingthe MCA’s first venture into the health sector. These efforts includerenovation of 150 health clinics and more than a dozen ART/TBservice centers, and the construction of a new national referencelaboratory, a blood collection center and dormitories for theNational Health Training College.

Strengthening RelationsMuch as Moshoeshoe enhanced Lesotho’s defenses by providing

cattle and grain to refugees, PEPFAR strengthens relations betweenthe United States and Lesotho through humanitarian interventions.PEPFAR’s policy objectives focus on preventing mother-to-childtransmission, behavior change that reduces multiple-concurrentpartnerships, integrated TB/HIV services, universal access for coun-seling and testing, and addressing the urgent need to train morehealth care workers.

Not just a state-to-state arrangement, PEPFAR reaches previouslyuntouched sectors of Basotho society by partnering with diverseorganizations to battle HIV. These include military forces, theprivate sector, and international donors such as Irish Aid and theGlobal Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.PEPFAR also coordinates with U.S.-based organizations operatingindependently in Lesotho, such as the Clinton Foundation, Partnersin Health and the Baylor College of Medicine.

Embassy EvolvesThe embassy combats the spread of HIV/AIDS by having

mission employees participate in quarterly HIV-awareness training.The embassy also partners with the Lesotho Defense Force toundertake community prevention efforts in remote corners of thecountry, and the public diplomacy section sponsors activities incor-porating HIV/AIDS prevention messages such as puppet shows andspeakers on HIV vaccine research. The post’s special projects officeassists community organizations that care for those affected byHIV/AIDS and grants scholarships to high-achieving childrenorphaned by AIDS-related deaths. It is launching a new PEPFAR-funded grants program focused exclusively on mitigating thevillage-level impact of the disease.

Lesotho was created and has survived by deftly using its power tohelp as a means to win the loyalty of tribes alienated by violent chaos.Taking that lesson, Mission Lesotho and PEPFAR are transforminghealth care in Lesotho and changing how the U.S. government fightsthis disease. In the process, the embassy has changed its presence inLesotho by stepping up to defeat the world’s greatest epidemic andhelping Lesotho in its latest fight for survival. ■

Matt Stremlau is acting PEPFAR coordinator, Christopher M. Smithwas a public diplomacy political/economics officer and W. PatrickMurphy was the deputy chief of mission at Mission Lesotho.

Members of the Basotho tribeawait treatment at a remotevillage clinic that is slated foran upgrade funded by theMillennium ChallengeAccount.

THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

FAS also needed help organizing an agri-cultural conference to be co-hosted by FASAdministrator Michael Yost and Iraq’s seniordeputy minister of Agriculture and tosupport FAS participation in the Iraq-U.S.

Dialogue on Economic Cooperation, whichinvolved high-level visitors from the Depart-ment of State, U.S. Treasury, U.S. Agency forInternational Development and USDA.

The assignment seemed unique and

unprecedented, as are many other jobs inIraq. It also appealed to me because I knewit would represent a contribution to themission and because of the personal experi-ence I would gain.

My home nation of Mexico is anemerging country that is constantlychanging, and where citizens increasinglywant to learn about other cultures so as toidentify practices that will benefit Mexico’sdevelopment.

To get the Iraq assignment, I had severalinterviews, and then Agricultural CounselorJonathan Gressel confirmed my 29-dayassignment—one that stretched to 45 daysto allow me to assist with the agriculturalconference. P

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I first learned about the possibility of servingon a temporary assignment at the U.S.Embassy in Baghdad a year ago, and Iresponded almost immediately. The ForeignAgricultural Service office of the U.S.Department of Agriculture needed someoneto help train its new administrative assistant,also a Locally Employed staff member.

LES FROM MEXICO EXPERIENCES EMBASSY BAGHDADBY MARTHA PINEDA

A Cultural Buffet

The author ridesaboard a helicopter onher way to BaghdadInternational Airport.

Practical PointersI started preparing for a journey I will

never forget. Experience, flexibility and creativity

become your best tools on the job in Iraq. I found that it is important to have learnedin advance as much as possible aboutwhere you are going but to have nopreconceptions, and instead start buildingthe kind of experience you want to haveonce you arrive. For example, if you arelikely to arrive too late to reach the embassyand therefore must spend the night atCamp Sully, you should book a room therein advance. If you want to receive yoursalary and additional allowances on time,make sure everything is prepared correctlybeforehand. If you want someone to greetyou when you arrive, ask for a sponsorahead of time.

Generally speaking, do not take forgranted any recommendations in yourdeployment guide. For instance, if it saysyou need a country clearance, bring fivecopies of it with you.

Another bit of advice is to always keepthings in perspective, which will cultivatepatience. On arrival, you may beoverwhelmed by the paperwork required toprocess any request. But remember, this is ahuge mission with lots of people wantingthings and a limited number of peopleproviding those things. All those processeshelp keep the operation running smoothly.Sometimes, you will even have to stand inlines, but they are really not that bad.

Shortly after arrival, you may startmissing your loved ones back home. Thebest remedy is to try to meet new peopleand learn how things are where they comefrom. The mission is a “cultural buffet” ofnationalities, and it never hurts to learnfrom others who, like you, are also fromsomewhere else.

Keeping in TouchYou can call home any time, but some

prefer setting call schedules so that those athome will be expecting the call and notengaged in another activity.

It’s also good to remember that coopera-tion and interaction with representatives ofother bureaus and agencies is crucial. Forinstance, our office’s meetings in the RedZone had to be coordinated with theregional security office. Because all depart-ments and bureaus share goals andresources, those who serve in Baghdad mustbe ready for teamwork.

Otherwise mundane matters such asproviding for your well-being or your senseof community can become importantissues. In the end, though, these are yourresponsibilities. Only you can take care ofyourself and make connections with others.

Volunteering for Iraq requirescommitment and some proactive learning.I am grateful to have served in Baghdadwith a great staff at the office of agriculturalaffairs and a great embassy. ■

The author is a Locally Employed staffmember with the Foreign AgriculturalService at the U.S. Consulate General inMonterrey, Mexico.

Because all departments andbureaus share goals and resources,those who serve in Baghdad mustbe ready for teamwork.

Clockwise from top: The author in down-town Amman, Jordan; the author with Iraqichildren; the Two Swords Monument inBaghdad's International Zone.

However, philosophical and politicaldifferences led the United States towithdraw from UNESCO in 1984.

By 2002, however, these differences haddiminished to the point where the UnitedStates felt more comfortable with theorganization. As President Bush declaredwhen announcing his decision to rejoin

UNESCO, “The organization has beenreformed, and America will participatefully in its mission to advance humanrights, tolerance and learning.”

Since early 2004, the Department ofState has maintained a small delegation toUNESCO under the leadership of Ambas-sador Louise Oliver. The staff is a mix of

Foreign Service officers, locally employedAmericans and French, and detailees fromthe departments of Education and Healthand Human Services, and the NationalScience Foundation.

U.S. RepresentationThe mission’s staff works closely with

UNESCO’s Secretariat and delegations fromaround the world to advance U.S. goals. Thework includes representing the UnitedStates at twice-yearly meetings ofUNESCO’s 58-member executive board andat the General Conference, which brings allof UNESCO’s 193 member states togetherevery other year for program and budgetdecisions. In addition, the mission worksclosely with the almost 100 representativeson the U.S. National Commission forUNESCO. P

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The United States played a central role in foundingthe United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization in 1946 in the aftermath ofWorld War II. Such Americans as Eleanor Rooseveltand Senator J. William Fulbright aimed to build anorganization that would promote peace bypromoting mutual understanding through jointinitiatives in education, culture and science.

U.S. MISSION EMPHASIZES LITERACY, WORLD HERITAGEBY CAITLIN BERGIN

Focus on UNESCO

The Librarian of Congress,Dr. James H. Billington, left,meets UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.


The range of issues UNESCO covers is vast: education at alllevels, bioethics, ocean science, fresh water issues, natural andcultural preservation, and freedom of expression, to name a few.

The focus in education has been on literacy. First Lady LauraBush, as honorary ambassador for the United Nations LiteracyDecade, has led in the international campaign to significantlyreduce illiteracy by 2013. With strong U.S. support, UNESCO hasheld six regional conferences in all parts of the world to promoteliteracy and educational opportunity.

Another UNESCO initiative is the Literacy Initiative for Empow-erment, which focuses on countries with literacy rates of less than50 percent or those with more than 10 million people lackingliteracy skills. A third effort is the Teacher Training Initiative inSub-Saharan Africa, which helps countries train large numbers ofteachers—a necessity if Africa is to wipe out illiteracy. Additionaleducational programs focus on countries with special needs, such asLebanon and Afghanistan.

Scientific EmphasisHarnessing science and technology to improve lives is another

U.S. priority at UNESCO. The United States is a strong supporter ofUNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which

plays a central role in development of the new internationaltsunami warning system. The mission also works closelywith UNESCO’s International Hydrological Program, whichdevelops strategies for increasing the supply of cleandrinking water and emphasizes water management, particu-larly in Africa and in post-conflict countries such as Iraq.

Natural and cultural preservation is also a U.S. interest.UNESCO’s most visible and popular program in this area isthe World Heritage Program. Elected to the World Heritage

Committee in 2005, the United States helps monitor the conservationand preservation of 878 World Heritage sites and helps decide whichsites should be added to the World Heritage list. The United Statesalso tries to protect endangered movable objects by working withmuseums in developing countries and is active in issues relating tothe restitution of illegally removed cultural property.

In addition, the U.S. mission works with UNESCO’sInformation and Communication Sector to promote freedom ofexpression, an essential component of civic engagement anddemocracy. UNESCO is also working with the Library of Congressto establish a World Digital Library.

After four years of hard work, the United States now plays anactive and positive role in UNESCO’s various multilateral initiatives.However, keeping UNESCO focused on areas that advance U.S.interests will require a long-term sustained effort. With UNESCO’smember states having other agendas and the United States havingno veto power, the United States must stay focused and continue tostrengthen this organization to help promote U.S. goals and improvethe lives of people worldwide. ■

The author was the public affairs officer at the U.S. Missionto UNESCO.

At a June conference in Bahrain,Bahraini Under Secretary ofEducation Sheik Hisham BinAbdul Aziz al Khalifa respondsto announcement of the U.S.-funded Access Plus language andemployment training program.

The Literacy Initiative for Empowerment,another UNESCO initiative, focuses oncountries with literacy rates of less than50 percent or those with more than10 million people lacking literacy skills.

People enjoy an autumn dayat a sidewalk cafe along theLeliegracht Canal.


AmsterdamBeyond Canals and Tulips | By Shigh L. Sapp


Now, canals plus the ubiqui-tous cheese, tulips, windmillsand wooden shoes have becomethe most familiar images ofAmsterdam. And though thefirst three of these stereotypesare generally true, theysometimes hinderunderstanding of theNetherlands today. Beyond therenowned architectural veneersand lively entertainments thatmake Amsterdam one ofEurope’s top touristdestinations is a complexculture seeking to integrate adiverse population whilepreserving traditional values.For example, sometimes over-looked in this traditional“Dutch” cultural landscape is avibrant Muslim community,making up about 5 percent ofthe population. Integrating thatimmigrant population success-fully is seen by the governmentas an important social andpolitical priority.

Similarly, behind the U.S.Consulate General inAmsterdam’s historic brickfaçade, located near two of theworld’s great museums, adiverse team of Foreign Serviceofficers and Locally Employedstaff work to see through thestereotypes, provide consularservices and spread Americanideas and values.

History and Infamy The consulate general

building played an infamousrole in the history ofAmsterdam and theNetherlands. It wasconstructed by Baron WillemFrederik van Heukelom in1912. The glitzy familymansion, which housed a valu-able collection of Chineseporcelain, was sold to theGerman government in 1938and became the GermanConsulate General.

During World War II, thebuilding was the Naziheadquarters for theAmsterdam region in occupiedHolland. The German armyand police headquarters werehoused in adjacent buildings.

Early in the war, the Naziauthorities held frequent ralliesin front of their offices. And in1943, with Allied bombersheading for Germany flyingoverhead almost every day andnight, the area was fortifiedwith slit trenches, barbed wireand roadblocks guarded byGerman soldiers and declaredoff-limits to ordinary citizens.

The defeated Nazisabandoned the building in1945. The U.S. governmentpurchased it in 1948, and it hasbeen used as the consulategeneral ever since.

Amsterdamin the 1890s surprised U.S. diplomatand author James Weldon Johnson.“I had always thought of Venice as thecity of canals,” he wrote. “It had neverentered my mind that I should findsimilar conditions in a Dutch town.”

The Westerkerk or “western church”is the final resting place of famouspainter Rembrandt.

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Non-immigrant Visa Specialist Heidi Westfa, seatedat left, and Vice Consul Shigh Sapp participate inthe “Destination Abroad” event hosted by theUniversity of Amsterdam.

Immigrant Visa Specialist VivianWyatt is honored for her 30 years ofservice to the Consulate General.

Enjoying the Independence Day celebration aboard the USSElrod are, from left, Mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen, ConsulGeneral Marjorie Ames, Commander Todd Beltz and Mayorof Amstelveen Jan van Zanen.


Small Country,Big Mission

The United States Mission tothe Netherlands has diplomaticfacilities in two cities that are rela-tively close together: the embassyin The Hague and the ConsulateGeneral in Amsterdam. TheHague is the seat of the Dutchgovernment, while Amsterdam isthe capital.

The embassy promotes strongbilateral ties between the UnitedStates and the Netherlands andworks to increase cooperation oncounterterrorism, enhance U.S.economic prosperity and fightinternational crime and drugs.

There is no consular section atthe U.S. Embassy in The Hague,so all consular services for theNetherlands, including assistanceto American citizens and visaservices for temporary visitorsand immigrants to the UnitedStates, are provided by theconsulate general.

More than one million Ameri-cans visited the Netherlands in2007. About 40,000 Americansreside in Amsterdam’s consulardistrict, resulting in hundreds ofConsular Reports of Birth Abroadand more than 4,000 passportsbeing processed annually. Repatri-ations, many involving individualssuffering from mental illness, andarrests of American citizens repre-sent a significant part of the post’sAmerican-citizen caseload.

The consulate general’s nonim-migrant visa unit adjudicatesmore than 21,000 applications peryear. Thirty-two percent of thoseapplicants come from other coun-tries and represent more than 150nationalities. The immigrant visaunit also faces a challengingworkload due to the diverse poolof applicants.

DevelopingLeaders

Beyond the numbers, nothingencapsulates the consulategeneral’s commitment to U.S.mission goals better than itsefforts to develop leadership andpromote involvement in the

Consulate General staff members visitAmsterdam’s Central Police Station duringConsular Leadership Day in 2007.

From left, Consul Daniel King, Maria De Armeteras,Johannes Fritzlin and Elisabeth Van Eyck poseduring the Independence Day celebration.

Consulate staffers wear red to show supportfor women’s heart disease awareness.

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At a GlanceCountry Netherlands

Capital Amsterdam

Total area 41,526 sq km

Approximate size Almost twicethe size of New Jersey

Government type constitutionalmonarchy

Independence January 23, 1579(from Spain); officially recognizedon January 30, 1648

Population 16.64 million

Language Dutch and Frisian(both official)

Currency euro (EUR)

Per capita income $38,500

Import partners Germany (17.6percent), China (10.5 percent) andBelgium (9.3 percent)

Export partners Germany (24.4percent), Belgium (13.5 percent) andthe United Kingdom (9.1 percent)

Internet country code .nl

Amsterdam

Amsterdam community. Since January2007, the consulate general has devotedone day each month to leadership andprofessional development through avariety of activities, resulting in a morecohesive staff, improved cross-trainingand increased productivity.

This commitment to leadership devel-opment has not come at the expense offun. In January, the consulate generalmarked the one-year anniversary of itsmonthly Consular Leadership Days byholding an improvisational comedyworkshop. The goal was to tie togetherall of the previous leadership activitiesand focus on nonhierarchical leadership.The day culminated with an improvisa-tional comedy performance by consulategeneral staff before 75 colleagues atthe embassy.

The staff also participates innumerous public outreach efforts,ranging from voter assistance meetingsto lectures on American politics. Thisyear’s Independence Day celebration onboard a U.S. naval vessel moored in thecenter of the city delighted guests anddemonstrated the consulate general’scommitment to fostering the bilateral rela-tionship and celebrating shared values.

The consulate regularly hosts publicevents and invites members of the commu-nity to discuss a variety of topics, from thearts to current affairs. A visiting assistantsecretary of state led a roundtable

discussion with returned Fulbright Fellowsthat centered on immigration policies in theUnited States and the fellows’ advocacyof American educational institutions andwork experiences with their colleagues inthe Netherlands.

“It’s not only cooks who wear longknives,” goes the Dutch adage about beingmisled by appearances. Those who think of

Amsterdam only by its postcard stereotypeswill miss what is really happening in thisdynamic European capital. Behind thescenes is a city tackling complex issues anddealing with 21st-century integration, whilealso maintaining its traditional culture. ■

The author is a vice consul at the U.S.Consulate General in Amsterdam.

The U.S. Consulate General inAmsterdam on a cloudy day.


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DECISION CAN ENSURE CONTINUITY FOR CHILDREN BY KELLY A. LONG


Every day, conscientiousparents work to provide what’sbest for their children: a nicehome, healthy food, trips tosoccer practice and perfectattendance at school concerts.

What about selecting a legalguardian?

Have you stopped to considerthe places you travel to andwhere you live and work over-seas while serving theDepartment? Who would carefor your children if you did notreturn home?

Parents often fail to imaginea situation in which they arenot present to raise theirchildren. However, we live in anunstable and often unfriendlyworld; parents should be proac-tive about their children’sfuture. It is not unthinkable thatchildren could lose both parentsin a fatal incident. If a parentdies or is incapacitated, therecould be legal intervention andcustody determination by ajudge if the parent failed tolegally establish a guardian.Officially designating childguardianship can be one of themost important and lasting giftsparents can give their children.

Time to TalkThe first step is to begin the

discussion. As with all

contingency planning, it is bestfor parents to consult anattorney when the time comesto legally designate a guardian.Parents should decide whoshould be entrusted withguardianship. By discussingyour possibilities and creating asound plan before visiting theattorney’s office, you are moreprepared to make a well-thought-out and practicaldecision.

When thinking about poten-tial guardians, experts say, itsbest to consider those who havesimilar values and parentingstyle, and are willing and finan-cial stable. In blended families,it’s best to reevaluate yourvalues as a parent and discussthem with the child’s birth orlegal parent. It is especiallyimportant for single parents toname a guardian since they aretheir children’s sole parent andalso know their children’s needs.It may also help to talk to aclose friend or family memberwhen considering a guardian.

Who would be the bestchoice? The most commonlychosen guardians are siblings,grandparents, godparents,aunts, uncles or close familyfriends. Whomever you areconsidering should be someonewith whom your children

would be comfortable and whocan offer your children thesame quality of life and valuesthey have now. Guardianship isnot an honorary title—it is aserious undertaking thatrequires immense responsibility.A guardian ensures a positiveliving environment and sense ofstability for a child and is notsupposed to add stress to analready traumatic situation.Parents must consider thecircumstances of each potentialguardian and not be swayed byemotion or family attachments.You must weigh the pros andcons carefully.

Crucial QuestionsDepending on your situation,

here are some questions toconsider when choosing aguardian.

• How old are your parentsand are they physically andfinancially up to the chal-lenge of guardianship?

• Does your brother have alarge enough home toaccommodate new familymembers?

• Does your younger sisterhave ambitions that wouldinterfere with parenting?

• Have your aunts anduncles been aroundchildren?

Asking the tough questionswill allow you to look at thelong-term picture. You may findthat a close family friend withchildren is a more appropriatesolution. Between parents, thisdiscussion can sometimes sparkan argument over whoserelative is best suited or mostdeserving, but it is a discussionthat must be held.

Whomever you select to bethe guardian, it is important tolegally formalize the choice.This designation can andshould be amended if circum-stances change or yousubsequently decide someoneelse would be more suitable.Once you have taken thisimportant step, however, youwill feel more comfortableknowing that you have securedyour children’s future.

For more information aboutestablishing child guardianship,visit the Family Liaison OfficeWeb site at www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo, call (202) 647-1076or visit room 1239 at MainState. FLO’s resources includelawyer referrals and “cheatsheets” to help make the toughdecisions. ■

The author was a summer internin the Bureau of HumanResources.

Guardianship

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simple lesson her mother taught her: “Leavethings better than when you found them.”

She spent more than 30 years of her lifefulfilling a promise made to her sister,Susan G. Komen. As Komen lay dying ofbreast cancer, Brinker promised to doeverything in her power to spare others thehorror of the disease and this became thepassion of her life. She also served as U.S.ambassador to Hungary.

Under Brinker’s leadership, the office ofProtocol modernized and evolved,promoting and strengthening bilateral rela-tionships. For instance, the office turned toforeign diplomats for information,surveying more than 180 ambassadors tolearn what they wanted to experience inAmerica, who they wanted to engage withand what issues were of most concern. Thediplomats’ responses focused on the U.S.economy, health care and disease, science,technology, energy and security.

As a result, the office created a newOutreach division to give foreign ambassa-dors the opportunity to experience more ofAmerica by exploring these topics andconnecting with American leaders andinstitutions. In the past 10 months, Protocolhas organized nearly 60 outreach events.

The Office of the Chief of Protocol is notsimply about shaking hands and greetingvisitors. Besides welcoming dignitaries,coordinating ceremonies and credentialingdiplomats, the office builds bridges ofmutual understanding because protocol isthe people side of diplomacy, the face ofAmerica to the world.

The Office of the Chief of Protocol has 69employees and five divisions: Ceremonialsand Outreach, Diplomatic Affairs, Visits,Blair House and Management, which keepsthe office within budget.

The Ceremonials division plans andexecutes arrangements for official functionshosted by the Secretary of State and other

U.S. officials, including state luncheons,swearing-in ceremonies and diplomaticdinners.

April Guice, a 20-year Protocol Officeveteran, said one of her earliest experienceswas the state luncheon given by then Secre-tary of State George Shultz in honor of thenSoviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

“I can still vividly recall my incredulity atseeing the Soviet flag being flown beside theUnited States flag in the Benjamin FranklinRoom,” she said.

Lessons LearnedWhen Nancy Brinker accepted the posi-

tion of U.S. Chief of Protocol, she recalled a

PROTOCOL OFFICE PROMOTESINTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGBY KATY BALLENGER MITARAI

The People Sideof Diplomacy

Ambassador Nancy Brinker,second from right, gatherswith diplomats at the KennedySpace Center in Florida.


Protocol has also created a new Speaker’sSeries for foreign diplomats to hear lecturesfrom experts in medicine, health scienceand the economy, and has hosted dinnersand events on American culture. Forinstance, there was a private viewing of theEdward Hopper exhibit at the NationalGallery of Art and a visit to a WashingtonNationals baseball game. AmbassadorBrinker has also hosted foreignambassadors at her home for lunch.

Because the foreign ambassadors wereinterested in getting outside Washington,D.C., to experience the full fabric of Amer-ican society, Protocol created the“Experience America Tour.” The tour hastaken ambassadors to Florida and Californiato meet top leaders and tour institutionssuch as the Kennedy Space Center, RonaldReagan University of California-Los AngelesMedical Center, Miami Port Authority,Hewlett-Packard and Google. The tour alsooffered briefings by venture capitalists,former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Secretaryof the Interior Richard Kempthorne andformer Secretary of State Shultz.

Close LiaisonThe Diplomatic Affairs division works

with 186 foreign missions in the UnitedStates, totaling 150,000 diplomats. The divi-sion is a liaison to the foreign missions onmatters concerning the rights and immuni-ties of each embassy, foreign governmentpersonnel and employees of internationalorganizations. Diplomatic Affairs welcomesforeign ambassadors as they begin theirservice in the United States and addressesissues or problems that may arise involvingmembers of the diplomatic community. Thisis a delicate matter, since the decisions madeand actions taken could have a reciprocalimpact on U.S. personnel serving overseas.

Diplomatic Affairs staff member IanMeyeroff said he serves the diplomaticcommunity with professionalism and cour-tesy because the members of thatcommunity are his customers.

According to Holly Coffey, deputy assis-tant chief of protocol for DiplomaticAffairs, “What we do and how we do it has avery direct impact on the lives of those weserve and reflects on our country and ourgovernment.”

The Protocol office also stays busyworking with visiting dignitaries. As ofAugust, the office in 2008 had supportedmore than 166 high-ranking visits,

Left: Protocol Officer DiAnne Owen meets Kenyan Ambassador Peter N.R.O.Ogego. Above: Yale Scott, left, a protocol officer, meets with CroatianAmbassador Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

At aGlance

Office nameOffice of the Chief of Protocol

SymbolS/CPR

Office directorAmbassador Nancy Brinker

Staff size69

Office location2201 C Street, N.W., Room 1238

Web sitewww.state.gov/s/cpr

including the historic visit of HisHoliness Pope Benedict the sixteenth.To ensure that every visit meets thehighest standards, the Visits divisionworks with the dignitary’sgovernment and the U.S. SecretService, Bureau of Diplomatic Secu-rity and the Department ofHomeland Security, andrepresentatives of Andrews Air ForceBase and the White House.

Trips CoordinatedThe Visits division also coordinates

Presidential delegations to overseasevents such as the Olympics and statefunerals. Penny Price, a protocolofficer in the division, has arrangeddozens of delegations and traveledwith many Cabinet secretaries andother prominent Americans on these missions.

“Working with Cabinet members, government officials andprivate citizens on Presidential delegations is challenging andrewarding,” she said.

When foreign leaders visit the President, they sometimes stay atBlair House, the President’s official guest house. With a staff of 14,Blair House has been behind the scenes of many notable events inAmerican history.

There have been numerous international Presidential tripsoverseas in the past year. The Protocol office provides guidance tothe White House on protocol matters, including forms of address,local customs, cultural nuances and gift exchanges. ■

The author is the director of public affairs in the Office of the Chiefof Protocol.

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Top: Ambassador Brinkergreets French PresidentNicolas Sarkozy at the WhiteHouse. Center: The author,right, and Congo'sAmbassador to the UnitedStates Faida Mitifu. Bottom:Gathered in a ProtocolOffice meeting room are,first row from left, OfficeDirector Ambassador NancyBrinker, Maria Graciela R.Enriquez, Dean Lewis, AngieYoung, Leslie Harnish, IanMeyeroff and VeronicaRuano. In the rear from leftare Sterling Watts, ShirleyStewart-Coates, MyrnaFarmer, John Pearson andAndrew McGarrity.

The Foreign Affairs RecreationAssociation and the State of the ArtsCultural Series recently presented concertsfeaturing an exciting array of pianists, aswell as the State Department’s own T-Toneschoral group.

Paulene Bowen led off the yearly recital ofCaryl Traten Fisher’s piano students fromthe State Department and MontgomeryCollege by playing The Whale by Cox. AnneQuinn beautifully performed Chapman’sBroken Dolly. Richard Livingston played fourchallenging selections: Gavotte by Telemann,Mignonette by Mozart, Theme fromSymphony #1 by Brahms and Pony Express.Returning for his fourth recital, Dana Floydplayed selections of America by H. Carey,Here and Now by Luther Vandross andPrelude in C Minor by Morovsky. YokoSawanobori performed Gillock’s Castanets.

For his first recital, Ricky Jackson playedLittle Prelude by Bach, Repos by Tansmanand Chopin (from Carnaval) by Schumann.Jo Lozovina presented Prelude in C Major#1, Well-Tempered Clavier by Bach and AvaMaria by Gounod/Bach. Dorothy Ryanplayed Beethoven’s Pathetique, 2ndMovement, Adagio. Diana Walker played

Bach’s Prelude #22 in B Minor, Well-Tempered Clavier, Schumann’sDavidsbundler #2 and Kobalesvsky’s Novel-ette. Carol Hoffman played Ponce’s MalgreTout, For the Left Hand Alone and Scriabin’sEtude #10. Erin Harbaugh closed the recitalwith Bach’s Prelude #16 in G Minor, Well-Tempered Clavier, and Handel’s Passacaglia,Suite #7.

Steinway Artist Virginia Hogan, a nativeof Rio de Janeiro, played an all-Chopinprogram with velocity, sensitivity and confi-dence, and provided insight into Chopin’slife and musical development. Her encorewas composed by fellow Brazilian HectorVilla Lobos. She studied under one ofBrazil’s foremost pianists,Arnaldo Estrella, and hasperformed as a soloistthroughout the Americas,Africa and Europe.

The T-Tones performedVivaldi’s Gloria, accompa-nied by a guestinstrumental group.Conductor Kathryn Schultzseamlessly brought togetherinstrumentalists and vocal-

ists. The T-Tones include Civil Service andForeign Service personnel from throughoutthe Department.

Pianist Valerie Stern proved to be musicaland engaging. Her Bach selection wassmooth, and the voices in the fugue weredelineated and clear. Her virtuosic Chinesepiece seemed to depict birds flitting backand forth. ■

The author is a computer spe-cialist in the ExecutiveSecretariat.

Arts

Cultural Series Features Pianistsand Choral Group By John Bentel

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

Coming Events

October 1

October 15

December 17

Dr. Sonya Sukuhee Kim,International Classical Pianist

Sonia Goulard,Classical Piano

Holiday Program

Are your tires old? If so, they mightpresent a safety hazard. Let’s look at whatcan happen with old tires, how you can tellif your tires are too old and what to do ifyour tires are getting old.

What happens as tires get older? Thematerials in the tire degrade. The NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration sayshigh temperatures, coastal climates,improper storage and infrequent useincrease the rate of degradation. Mostdegradation is due to chemical changes inthe rubber and could lead to catastrophictire failure while you are driving. TheNHTSA estimates that about 400 fatalitiesin the United States each year can be attrib-uted to tire failure. And you can’t always seeevidence of this gradual degradation bylooking at the tires.ARE YOUR TIRES READY FOR RETIREMENT?

BY TERRY CARRAWAY

RoadRules


Do you know how old your tires are? Youmay think you do, but most likely you knowonly when you bought the tires, not whenthey were made. Tire manufacturers maketires in batches. The tires are thenstockpiled in a warehouse waiting to besold. So your “brand new” tires could beseveral years old when purchased.

The good news is that the date of manu-facture is marked on each tire, as seen in theimage below. On the tire’s sidewall is a longnumber that starts with “DOT” and is thespecific code for that brand, model and size.At the end of the number are four digits inan oval patch. This number indicates theweek and year the tire was made; if your tireis stamped with 1008, it was made in the10th week of 2008.

On newer tires, this number is stampedinto the outside wall and is

readily visible. Older tires may have it onthe inside wall, requiring removal of thewheel and tire to see it. Don’t forget tocheck all your tires, including the spare.There is no guarantee they were all made atthe same time. If the car has different-sizetires on the front and rear, it is likely thetires were not made at the same time.

How old is too old? There is presently nolegal limit on the age of a tire. Tire life isaffected by the conditions and environmentwhere tires are stored and used. Manymanufacturers say 10 years is the maximumservice life for their tires. Both the UnitedStates and European Union are consideringlegal limits on the age of tires.

So, what do you do? Visually check yourtires regularly and have them examined byan expert, such as a tire dealer, every fiveyears for evidence of degradation ordamage that you might not recognize. Learn

how old your tires are by lookingfor the date code at

the end of

the DOT number. Finally, if your tires areapproaching 10 years old, consider buyingnew ones.

What can you do to treat your tires well?Check tire pressure regularly—preferablyonce a week. Low tire pressure can createexcess heat in the tires, causing fasterdegradation. Low pressure also reducesgas mileage. Tire pressure should bechecked before driving the vehicle or afterit has sat for at least three hours. Theproper tire pressure for your vehicle cannormally be found on a sticker inside thedriver’s door. If there is no sticker, checkthe owner’s manual.

Your tires are your car’s only contact withthe road, and if one fails, you could losecontrol of your car. Tires, unlike wines, donot get better with age. To avoid acatastrophic tire failure, check your tires. Ifthere are signs of degradation or if they areapproaching 10 years old, it is time to gotire shopping. ■

The author is a certified industrial hygienistwith the Safety, Health and Environmental

Management Division.

Safety


Know your Date: Manufacture Month & Year�

�


AppointmentsU.S. Ambassador toParaguayLiliana Ayalde of Maryland, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofParaguay. Previously, she was missiondirector in Colombia for the U.S. Agencyfor International Development. She alsoserved as mission director in Bolivia. Herother overseas assignments with USAIDinclude Bangladesh, Guatemala and twotours in Nicaragua.

U.S. Ambassador toMoldovaAsif J. Chaudhry of Washington state, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to the Republicof Moldova. Previously, he was deputyadministrator of the Foreign AgriculturalService in charge of the Office of GlobalAnalysis. His overseas postings with FASinclude Cairo, Moscow and Warsaw. Heis married and has three children.

U.S. Ambassador to theNetherlandsJames B. Culbertson of North Carolina,a businessman and political activist, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theKingdom of the Netherlands. Afterserving in the Army and working in theprivate sector for several years, hefounded Financial Computing in 1974.He was North Carolina co-chair for theBush campaign in 2000, chairman in2004 and one of eight co-chairs for the2005 inauguration. He is married andhas a daughter and two grandsons.

U.S. Ambassador to AustriaDavid F. Girard-diCarlo of Pennsylvania,a lawyer and community activist, is thenew U.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofAustria. Previously, he served asmanaging partner, chief executive officerand then chairman of Blank Rome LLP.He also was chairman of Blank RomeGovernment Relations LLC. He hasserved on state and national transporta-tion boards and held leadershippositions in business and cultural organ-izations in Philadelphia and elsewhere.

U.S. Ambassador to TogoPatricia M. Hawkins of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Togolese Republic.Previously, she served in the bureaus ofAfrican Affairs and Human Resources.Her overseas assignments with the U.S.Information Agency and the Departmentinclude Paris, Kinshasa, Ouagadougou,Bogotá, Abidjan and Santo Domingo.She is married to Foreign Service officerRichard Hawkins and has two children.

U.S. Ambassador toGuyanaJohn Melvin Jones of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Co-operativeRepublic of Guyana. Previously, he wasspecial advisor for the Office of theCoordinator for Stabilization andReconstruction in Iraq. He also served asProvincial Reconstruction Team leaderin Diyala Province, Iraq. His other over-seas postings include Burkina Faso,Honduras, Belgium, Thailand, CostaRica and the Dominican Republic.


AppointmentsU.S. Ambassador toGuatemalaStephen G. McFarland of Texas, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofGuatemala. Previously, he was director ofStability Operations Training at theForeign Service Institute. Before that, heled a Provincial Reconstruction Team inwestern Iraq. He has been deputy chief ofmission in Paraguay, Guatemala andVenezuela. Other overseas postingsinclude Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador andBolivia.

U.S. Ambassador toCape VerdeMarianne M. Myles of New York, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Republic of CapeVerde. In Washington, she was director ofthe Office of Recruitment, Examinationand Employment. Her most recent over-seas assignments were deputy chief ofmission in Montevideo and principalofficer in Naples. She has also served inBrasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre,Rome and Bogotá.

U.S. Ambassador toBotswanaStephen J. Nolan of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofBotswana. Previously, he was executivedirector of the Bureau of African Affairs.Prior to that, he was staff director of theForeign Service Board of Examiners. Hisother overseas assignments includeNairobi, Harare, Dakar, Berlin, Jerusalemand Cape Town.

U.S. Representative to theEuropean UnionKristen Silverberg of Texas, a lawyer andgovernment official, is the new U.S.Representative to the European Unionwith the rank of Ambassador. Previously,she was assistant secretary forInternational Organization Affairs.Before that, she was a deputy assistant toPresident Bush. In 2003, she was a senioradvisor to Ambassador Paul Bremer inBaghdad. Before joining the government,she practiced law at Williams andConnolly. She is married.

U.S. Ambassador toPanamaBarbara J. Stephenson of Florida, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of Panama. Previously, she wasdeputy senior advisor to the Secretaryand deputy coordinator for Iraq. Shealso worked for the Office of the Coordi-nator for Reconstruction andStabilization. Her overseas postingsinclude Belfast, Curaçao, South Africa,The Hague, San Salvador and Panama.She is married and has two children.

U.S. Ambassador to LiberiaLinda Thomas-Greenfield of Louisiana, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of Liberia. Previously, she wasprincipal deputy assistant secretary inthe Bureau of African Affairs. Prior tothat, she was a DAS in the Bureau ofPopulation, Refugees and Migration. Heroverseas postings include Nigeria, TheGambia, Kenya, Jamaica, Pakistan andSwitzerland.


Obituaries

Alice W. Davies, 91, a retiredForeign Service nurse, died July 1 ofnatural causes in Sun City, Ariz. Shejoined the Department in 1963 and servedin Afghanistan, Ecuador, Ethiopia, SriLanka, Indonesia and China. She also

served as chief nurse of the Foreign Service. She retired in 1979and moved to Hawaii where she traveled, developed her art workand was a museum docent. She later moved to Sun City. Sheworked all her life for pay equity for women.

Stephen Kurt Fischel,59, a retired Civil Service employee, diedJune 28 of an aortic aneurysm inVancouver, Canada. Before retiring in2005 after 30-plus years with the Depart-ment, he was chief of the Office of

Legislation, Regulations and Advisory Assistance with VisaServices. He was an expert on immigration law and representedthe Department in President Bush’s immigration reform effort.He served on the board of directors of the State DepartmentFederal Credit Union and was an avid hockey fan.

Herbert Donald Gelber, 76, a retired ForeignService officer, died Aug. 18 of complications from multiplemyeloma in New York, N.Y. He joined the Department in 1957and became a political-military specialist. He served in Greece,Turkey, Pakistan, India, Great Britain, Nigeria, Belgium and asambassador to Mali. He retired in 1995, but was recalled to activeservice and in 1996 served as deputy to the U.S. Representative tothe United Nations for management and reform.

Donald Edward Graves,79, a retired Civil Service employee, diedJuly 2 of cancer at his home inWashington, D.C. A leadingKremlinologist who predicted the collapseof the Soviet Union, he worked for the

Central Intelligence Agency before joining the Department in the1960s as chief of Soviet Internal Affairs in the Bureau ofIntelligence and Research. He served overseas in Moscow andBaku. After retiring in 1992, he was a Boy Scout leader and volun-teer reader for the blind and dyslexic. He enjoyed sailing, makingfurniture, gardening and music.

David J. Hakim, 89, a retiredForeign Service officer, died August 10 inSan Jose, Calif. He immigrated to theUnited States from Egypt in 1946. Duringhis 28-year career with the Department,he served overseas in Indonesia, Peru and

Australia. He retired in 1975 and lived in San Diego until 1999,when he moved to San Jose.

Lois B. Jassie, 67, wife of retired Foreign Service officerNewton “Larry” Jassie, died July 1 of bladder cancer at her homein Bethesda, Md. She accompanied her husband on postings toSouth America, Europe, Asia and Africa. She trekked in theHimalayas and did archeological work in Tunisia. She retired in1999 from CEM Corp., where she was a senior scientist. Sheplayed volleyball, tennis and softball and ran in a triathlon in2000. She enjoyed foreign films, opera and classical music.

Charles N. Van Doren,84, a retired Civil Service employee withthe Arms Control and DisarmamentAgency, died Aug. 23 of congestive heartfailure in Washington, D.C. He served inthe military during World War II and

joined ACDA in 1962. He worked on international agreementsdesigned to block the spread of nuclear weapons. After retiring in1981, he served as a consultant, wrote and taught seminars innuclear energy law at Georgetown University. He was a giftedpianist and composer and loved theater, poetry, short storiesand puns.

Barbara Loyce Ward,74, a retired Foreign Service secretary,died May 20 in Tampa, Fla. After a briefcareer as a circus elephant rider, shejoined the Department in 1975 andserved overseas in New Delhi, Bonn and

Lisbon. After retiring in 1988, she worked for the Air Force inTampa. She enjoyed international folk dancing and was an activeflamenco dancer.


Obituaries

Booth, William J.Bergner, Jeffrey T.File Jr., Loren F.Graham, Christopher P.Green, George B.Gregoire, J. PhilippeHahn, MichaelHamric, Mary SusanHeinsbroek, Donna M.Keough, Susan E.Liddle, Edward M.Lindsey, Lynette C.Lockwood, Danny Duane

Lowther, Charles AllenMartin, Eddie H.Matchey, Barbara A.Michaels, DonnaMiller, Clifton L.Oltyan, Andrew WalterRangel, Barbara J.Ren, Linda R.Ries, Charles ParkerSafta, Linda LavonneShockley, Lola KathleenTavernier, Penelope

Bailes, Kenneth NeilBlake, Donald E.Collins, Crystal L.Davis Jr., John JosephHeckman Carol S.Hibbard, Donald E.Hubbard, Virginia

Koniuszkow, ElizabethMagin, PatriciaNguyen, Bac HoangNoonan, Henry J.Rivera, Antonio CruzWilliams, Francis K.

FOREIGN SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE

retirements


When the United States launched theU.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDSRelief in 2003, the need for a coordinatedworldwide effort against the disease wasclear. For instance, just 50,000 people insub-Saharan Africa received antiretroviraltreatment at the time, and overall prospectsfor people living with HIV in thedeveloping world were grim. Since 2004,bipartisan Congressional supportcommitted almost $19 billion to the Plan,focusing on 15 countries in Africa, the

Caribbean and Asia.The Department’s Office of the U.S.

Global AIDS Coordinator was charged withcoordinating the partnership efforts ofseven U.S. government agencies, includingthe U.S. Agency for International Develop-ment; the Departments of State,Commerce, Defense, Health and HumanResources, and Labor; and the Peace Corps.With a staff filled with Departmentemployees, contractors and public healthprofessionals detailed from other agencies,this office helped support life-saving anti-retroviral treatment for more than 1.6million men, women and children andhelped provide care for more than 6.6million people, including more than 2.7million orphans and vulnerable children.

Here’s one way to combat the growingdiscord between the U.S. and Russia:increase mutual understanding for the longhaul while adding positive contributions tothe difficult relationship with currentprograms to alleviate old suspicions leftover from Cold War days. The U.S. Embassyin Moscow hits both targets with itssummer work/travel program, billed as theworld’s largest—and perhaps most effective.By mid September, Mission Russia hadissued visas to some 32,000 Russian univer-sity students. Under Secretary for Political

Affairs William Burns credits the programfor communicating American values to thenext generation of Russians and expandingtheir understanding of the U.S.

“Can we talk?” could be the motto forthe High Stress Assignment OutbriefProgram, a collaborative effort between theForeign Service Institute’s Transition Centerand the Office of Medical Services. Manda-tory for employees returning fromassignments in Iraq and Afghanistan, thefour-year-old program is highlyrecommended for anyone returning from ahigh-stress posting. The program focuseson information, not therapy. Participatingemployees are encouraged to shareinformation that might help others decom-press from stressful assignments andsuccessfully return to more normal profes-sional and personal lives.

Last but never least, a final salute to ourcolleagues en route to their final posting:Alice W. Davies; Stephen Kurt Fischel; HerbertDonald Gelber; Donald Edward Graves;David J. Hakim; Lois B. Jassie; Charles N.Van Doren; and Barbara Loyce Ward. ■

Coming in November• Recording a Typical Mission Mexico Day • Foreign Press Centers Go Conventional

• Office Practices Diplomacy’s “Golden Rule” ... and much more!

The Fight Against AIDS

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

THE LASTWORD

U.S. Department of StateBureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

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Documents

State Magazine, October 2008