State Magazine, June 2004

U . S . D E PA R T M E N T O F S TAT E

State
MAGAZINE

JUNE 2004

Peace Blooms in Island Nation
Contents

Pakistani troops receive commando training from the Department’s air wing to secure their western border with Afghanistan.

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE:
Poised to Strike in Pakistan
State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly, except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department of State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations. Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. You may also e-mail address changes to [email protected]. State Magazine is published to facilitate communication between management and employees at home and abroad and to acquaint employees with developments that may affect operations or personnel. The magazine is also available to persons interested in working for the Department of State and to the general public. State Magazine is available by subscription through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 (telephone [202] 512-1800) or on the web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov. For details on submitting articles to State Magazine, request our guidelines, “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at [email protected]; download them from our web site at www.state.gov; or send your request in writing to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. The magazine’s phone number is (202) 663-1700. Deadlines: July 15 for September issue. Aug. 15 for October issue.

State
MAGAZINE Carl Goodman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Koscak WRITER/EDITOR Dave Krecke WRITER/EDITOR David L. Johnston ART DIRECTOR ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Sylvia Bazala CHAIR Jo Ellen Powell EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Kelly Clements Tom Gallo Pam Holliday Joe Johnson Tom Krajeski Jim Trommatter

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PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): HOWARD LEEDHAM; (OPPOSITE PAGE): WALTER ASTRADA

CONTENTS JUNE 2004

MAKING DIPLOMACY SAFE

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Escorted by special agents Bart Brown, left, and Derrick Parker, U.S. representative to the Iraqi opposition, Zelmay Kahalilzad, center, arrives for a meeting.

NUMBER 480
10 POST OF THE MONTH: COLOMBO
Peace unleashes the potential of this energetic island nation. 3 Letters to the Editor 2 From the Secretary

16 OFFICE OF THE MONTH: NEAR EAST AND SOUTH ASIA INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS
They’re delivering an American message to two challenging regions.

4 In the News 7 Direct from the D.G.

20 RECRUITING HISPANIC AMERICANS
The search centers in the Southwest. 8 Profiles in Service 34 Medical Report 36 People Like You

22 MENTORING
Experienced employees invest in the future as mentors.

30 NEW DIRECTIONS IN ARMS CONTROL
Concern shifts to threats of terrorism and the spread of deadly weapons. 38 Our Town 39 Obituaries 40 Personnel Actions

32 NEW DIPLOMATIC SECURITY IS MORE ACTIVE AND INVOLVED
They’re making diplomacy safe at home and abroad.

FROM THE SECRETARY
SECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

Secure Borders, Open Doors
Like the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, the United States has a spine of iron and steel. We will guard our nation with vigor and vigilance, even as we hold high a welcoming light to good people across the globe who seek to enter in peace. Our nation’s strength comes from sharing our values and experiences, not closing us off from the world. Keeping America’s doors open tells our terrorist enemies that they cannot shake our will or shut down our free and democratic society. We at the State Department are proud of our role in implementing President Bush’s policy of Secure Borders, Open Doors. Security will always be our primary concern, but we are doing a better job than ever of combining and balancing security with openness. As we approach summer, there are encouraging signs that travel is on the upswing this year, both for Americans going overseas and for visitors coming to the United States. That is welcome news indeed after the two-year downturn in travel following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Our Passport Office is seeing a jump of more than 22 percent over last year in applications. That translates into many more Americans traveling abroad, carrying the values we want to share with the rest of the world. The best antidote for anti-American attitudes is individual Americans showing the world what makes our country special—our people. Though we still have a long way to go before we see the volume of visa applicants that we had before 9/11, applications for visitor visas to the United States also are on the rise. The number of international students enrolled in the United States has grown each year, even in the post-9/11 era, but the rate of increase has slowed. When we
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attract students from other countries, we make longterm investments in international understanding and goodwill. The world market for students is much more competitive than it used to be, so we must develop better ways of processing student applications so that they know we want them to come here. As we welcome the uptrend in travel, we are also doing more than ever to protect our country from its enemies. More consular officers have been hired and are on the job at the visa windows. Consular officers are being equipped with enhanced training. A strengthened and enlarged name-check system moves applicants through the clearance process faster but with stronger, more reliable verification. We contributed the TIPOFF terrorist name checklist as the basis for a national terrorist watch list, and we helped create the new Terrorist Screening Center with the law enforcement and intelligence communities. We also are adopting 21st century solutions, including biometrics, to combat age-old problems of visa and passport fraud. Future U.S. passports will have biometric features. For visitors, most posts are now taking two electronically scanned fingerprints of all visa applicants. By November, all 211 visa-adjudicating posts will have the fingerprinting equipment. Those scanned fingerprints, which are shared with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry, already have identified wanted criminals and stopped impostors. Our consular team has been superb adjusting to the realities of a post-9/11 world, but working to keep our homeland safe and our society open is not up to Consular Affairs alone. Whether it’s spreading the word among foreign publics that we welcome visitors, identifying candidates for exchange programs, coordinating with U.S. tourism-related businesses or any other effort that contributes to Secure Borders, Open Doors, all of us at the State Department must do our part. ■

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Rebels on the School Compound
I read with more than casual interest your January cover story on the Office of Overseas Schools. Before joining the Foreign Service in 1968, I taught in the American School of Vientiane, Laos, from 1964 to 1967. Here is a brief excerpt from my memoir, “The Siege of KM-6, Vientiane, Lagos, 1965.” “About a week after it started, the coup was fizzling, and soon, I thought, everything would be back to normal. That meant back to school, which I could see right outside my front window. But what did I just see? Several dozen armed soldiers trudging past my quarters and entering the school. I ran out with two other teachers from next door and followed the troopers through the building to the inner courtyard. Most of them, frightened and clearly exhausted, had collapsed on the grass in disorderly clusters. A few officers were standing on the far side and appeared relieved to see us. “Talking all at once, they asked for water and food and confirmed their rebel connection. They wanted to stay in the school, located in the American housing compound, to avoid being killed by the pursuing loyalist forces.” Fortunately, by the end of the morning, embassy defense attaché negotiators intervened and arranged for the rebels to exit the compound in U.S. vehicles. For me, it was back to writing lesson plans and grading papers. Robert W. Proctor Retired Foreign Service Officer La Luz, N.M. Everyone’s response has been enthusiastic, and we’re looking forward to the 39th reunion and your coverage in the July-August issue. Peter Whaley Special Events Coordinator Bureau of Human Resources

A Second Glance
In your April cover story on Lagos, under Nigeria at a Glance, you state the approximate landmass as “slightly more than twice the size of California.” California is 158,000 square miles. California, compared to Nigeria’s landmass of 574,000 square miles, is 3.63 times smaller than Nigeria. Texas, on the other hand, at 275,000 square miles, is 2.14 times smaller than Nigeria. Walter Shepherd Food for Peace Officer USAID, Bolivia Thanks, Walter, for correcting the math of our source, the CIA. —Editor

The State of Homecoming
Thank you for promoting Foreign Affairs Day, the State Department’s homecoming for former Foreign Service and Civil Service employees. As of April 22, we have registered 450 retirees—with more sure to come—and recruited a strong roster of speakers and volunteers to welcome our retired colleagues and assist them in finding the seminars they want to attend.

FROM THE EDITOR
Mentoring is alive and well in the Department, with active involvement from Secretary Powell on down. Looking after the welfare of colleagues is the way we build trust within and outside the Department, the Secretary said. In this issue, we look at the mentoring Foreign Service and Civil Service employees are receiving from every quarter of the Department. It’s an investment that will pay high dividends. Our coverage starts on page 22. Now that peace has come to tiny Sri Lanka, the nation is leading the region in literacy, life expectancy, low infant mortality and per capita income. American firms have recognized Sri Lanka’s emergence as a growing market and a gateway to India. The capital, Colombo, is a lovely city and a symbol of the energy peace has brought to the island nation. The Post of the Month begins on page 10. Crafting American messages for audiences in the Middle East is a challenge that employees in the Office of Near East and South Asia International Information Programs embrace enthusiastically. The office employs print and electronic products as well as speakers to explain U.S. policies in the regions. The Office of the Month is on page 16. Jon Martinson likes to test his diplomatic skills in and on the field. As a certified soccer referee in Togo, he has brought uniform rulings to the game as well as uniforms to local referees—courtesy of his stateside contacts. Our People Like You is on page 36.

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Diplomacy
State Transfers Records to Archives
The State Department and the National Archives and Records Administration recently completed the first electronic transfer of diplomatic records. Secretary of State Colin Powell handed a stack of CD-ROMs to John Carlin, national archivist, during a ceremony April 13 in the Benjamin Franklin Room, transforming a paper process dating from World War II to modern electronic Secretary Powell with archivist John Carlin and Under Secretary Grant Green. technology. The first set of records consists of diplomatic correspondence from July 1973 to December 1974, totaling about 700,000 documents. Secretary Powell said the cooperative effort will make “the historical record of American foreign policy” accessible to millions of people at home and abroad. The Department’s records are the second most heavily used category of records after genealogical resources, according to the Archives.

DIGITAL

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PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): MICHAEL GROSS; (OPPOSITE PAGE): RALPH BLESSING

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Open Season for TSP
The current open season for the Thrift Savings Plan continues through June 30. During this period, you may open a TSP account and begin making contributions or change the amount of your contributions to an existing account. You may allocate ongoing contributions at any time by completing Form TSP-50, Investment Allocation, and sending the form directly to the National Finance Center in New Orleans. You may also redistribute all or any portion of your existing account balance among the five investment funds by completing Form TSP-50 or by using the Thriftline, an interactive voice response system for the Thrift Savings Plan. The number, (504) 255-8777, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from a touch-tone phone, but it is not a tollfree number and you must have a Personal Identification Number, or PIN, to use either the phone system or the plan’s web site, www.tsp.gov. For more information, see the “Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan for Federal Employees,” available from your Human Resources office.

STUDENTS SPEND DAY AS AMBASSADORS
A group of fresh recruits recently joined the Foreign Service. Their career trajectories were extraordinary— they all made ambassador in a single day. Twenty students from the District’s Miner Elementary, the Department’s partner school, participated in a Junior Ambassador program created especially for them on Job Shadow Day, March 18. Employees from the Bureaus of Educational and Cultural Affairs and International Information Programs tutor these students once a week during the school year. Ambassadors Bridgewater and Oguin join Miner students P a m e l a in the Treaty Room. B r i d g e w a t e r, deputy assistant secretary for African Affairs, officiated at the swearing-in ceremony in the Treaty Room. The students raised their right hands and pledged to learn everything they could about the countries they represented and to share what they learned with their classmates. Ambassador Bridgewater declared them Junior Ambassadors for the day and then spoke about the importance of diplomacy and the work diplomats do. Cyrille S. Oguin, ambassador to the United States from Benin, talked about his own country and the importance of education. The Junior Ambassadors visited the bureaus’ offices in Southwest Washington, where they were briefed on the day’s activities. Afterward, the ambassadors received their country assignments by drawing names from a hat. More than 30 Department employees volunteered to brief the new ambassadors on their countries of birth or countries where they had served as Foreign Service officers. The ambassadors and their aides spent an hour and a half globetrotting to places like Azerbaijan, Panama, Senegal, Canada, China and Mexico, to name a few. The Junior Ambassadors acquired a number of souvenirs from their travels—postcards from China, hats and stuffed camels from Kazakhstan and wasabi peanuts from Japan—donated by their briefers. The Mexican table was a popular stop for snacks. After having pizza for lunch, they watched an animated film about a West African folktale. While the Miner students’ careers as ambassadors were short-lived, the ECA and IIP tutors trust that some will become diplomats—as early as 2015.
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Georgetown Holds First Health Fair
The U.S. Embassy in Georgetown held its first health fair in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Guyana. The fair, which attracted nearly 200 participants, coincided with the World AIDS Day observance. Guyana, with one of the highest HIV rates in the Caribbean region (second only to Haiti), is one of the countries benefiting from the U.S. initiative for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The U.S. AIDS Emergency Relief Fund will also benefit Guyana residents. Since September 2002, the CDC has been helping the country expand and strengthen its HIV/AIDS response. U.N. statistics suggest most newly infected persons globally with HIV are in the 15-24 age group. Of the 160,000 males and females in the 15-24 age group in Guyana, with a population 763,000, an estimated 4,300 females and 3,600 males are infected with HIV/AIDS. Ambassador Roland Bullen, left, and USAID HIV/AIDS techThe post’s first health fair involved 25 participating local organizanical adviser Bill Slater watch as Peace Corps volunteer Hope Wall checks the blood pressure of Dr. L. Ramsammy, tions: hospitals, laboratories, departments of the Ministry of Health Guyana minister of health. and a mobile dental clinic run by the Rotary Club of Georgetown. Participants received free medical information and screening tests. Each registrant received a health promotion “passport” to record health information gathered at the various booths.

Embassy Cracks Third Abduction Case in 18 Months
A four-year-old boy abducted by his father from Miles, Texas, was returned to his mother nine months later thanks to a curious Minnesota tourist and two officials at the U.S. Embassy in Belize. While visiting the resort town of San Pedro, a woman noticed a boy and a man at a hotel bar. The setting seemed odd to the tourist and she struck up a conversation with them. Returning to Minnesota, she found Jacob and David Clenney on a missing children web site. When Mr. Clenney escaped from Texas with his son Jacob, he forged the child’s passport application before fleeing to a country he considered beyond the reach of American justice. The tourist alerted authorities and soon the U.S. Attorney in Dallas asked the embassy to help find the child and apprehend the kidnapper. Thad Osterhout, the regional security officer, investigated.
Thad Osterhout, regional security officer at the U.S. Embassy in Belize, with Jacob Clenney before the child returned to the United States.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): U.S. EMBASSY IN GEORGETOWN; (LEFT): U.S. EMBASSY IN BELIZE

Traveling to San Pedro, he had little difficulty locating Mr. Clenney and even spoke to Jacob. He then obtained an expulsion order from the Belize attorney general and arranged for federal agents to escort Mr. Clenney back to Texas, where he’s in custody. Meanwhile, Robin Hasse, the embassy’s consular chief, arranged for a social worker to care for the child until his mother arrived to take custody. Jacob’s case marked the third abduction involving the embassy in the past 18 months in Belize, which supports the Hague Convention.

DIRECT FROM THE D.G.
AMBASSADOR W. ROBERT PEARSON

The 2004 Employee Satisfaction and Commitment Survey
In 2002, the Bureau of Human Resources developed a survey designed to measure employee satisfaction and commitment. The idea was to conduct the survey biannually and to use the results to help us learn what employees think about their jobs and do a better job of making the Department a better place to serve the national interest. We recently completed the second edition of the survey, and I would like to describe what the data—and the narrative responses— tell us about how we are doing. First, let’s look at some of the numbers. This year, 4,040 Department employees responded to the survey, a slight increase from 3,967 in 2002. One positive development was that a significantly greater proportion of respondents this year identified themselves as Civil Service employees (1,483, or 36.7 percent, compared to 946, or 23.8 percent, in 2002). The percentage of employees who rated their morale as outstanding or good rose more than 7 points, from 60.4 percent in 2002 to 67.8 percent in 2004, and the percentage of those who found working for the Department a positive or satisfying experience also rose almost 3 points, from 72.8 percent in 2002 to 75.7 percent this year. The primary motivation for working for the Department remained unchanged: to serve the American people (62.2 percent both this year and in 2002); to experience other cultures (60 percent this year, 67.2 percent in 2002); and to have a secure job with benefits (63.4 percent this year, 61.7 percent in 2002). Generally speaking, then, employees continued to be motivated by public service and by job security, including pay, allowances and benefits. A majority of respondents, however, said the Department could do a better job using employee talent, increasing flexibility to adapt to new foreign policy challenges and streamlining the bureaucratic process. A significant number of respondents regarded the Department as too bureaucratic (76 percent) and hierarchical (67.4 percent). Respondents also tended to believe that the Foreign Service and the Civil Service lack a common organizational culture (71 percent) but thought that the discrepancy could be minimized through better teamwork (60 percent), supervision and leadership (61.1 percent). Although approximately 60 percent of respondents described relations with their supervisors as respectful, supportive and friendly, the fact that 37 percent of respondents stated that inadequate performance by managers was due to inadequate training in leadership and management suggests that employees are beginning to put a premium on such training as a way to improve those skills. The narrative comments in the 2004 survey also tell us that we need to do more to improve the quality and quantity of family member employment opportunities; bring overseas pay for Foreign Service employees into line with the pay for employees based in Washington; and continue our efforts to minimize the cultural divides that can separate our Civil Service and Foreign Service employees and our Foreign Service specialists and generalists. These comments may not surprise any of us, but the issues they raise are not easy to resolve. In the Bureau of Human Resources, we are working hard to improve employee employment opportunities overseas. We have registered some successes in recent years through new programs such as the Spouse Network Assistance Program that uses local employment advisers to help spouses find jobs on the local economy. And we all have an obligation to fight the false images that divide us into categories as we work to honor the Secretary’s concept of “one team, one mission.” Our people are confirming the value of that idea every day as they work together at home and abroad to a common end. Once we have completed our analysis, we will post the results on the bureau’s intranet page. We also conducted a survey of junior officers earlier this year. Nearly 1,000 replied, and we will be looking carefully at that data to see what it tells us about some of our newest employees. ■
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PROFILES IN SERVICE

Diplomat Postpones Paris
HE TRADED A DREAM JOB TO HELP REBUILD A NATION BY DAVID STAPLES

Leslie Ordeman, center, presides over a governor’s ceremony.

Who would voluntarily trade the sophistication and culture of a coveted Paris assignment for a dusty circus tent and Turkish toilet in Iraq? Not to mention a monster workday that chops a novice diplomat’s compensation to about the minimum wage. Leslie Ordeman, for one. Fresh out of diplomacy school, he’s the political adviser for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq’s Qadisiyah Governorate, about 112 miles south of Baghdad. Among his unexpected diplomatic tools are a 9mm pistol, ceramic-plated vest and Kevlar helmet. Mr. Ordeman joined the Foreign Service with military and Middle East experience. In 1992 he trained members of Kuwait’s armed forces in weapons and tactics and spent time in Yemen, Tunis and Egypt. Just as he was about to become a political officer in Paris, a cable asking for Iraq volunteers caught his attention.

“I had to accept it,” he recalled. “They wanted people with experience in the military and in the region. I knew that the State Department was having trouble filling these slots.” Mr. Ordeman grew up in Colorado and lived in New York City for 10 years. Before joining the Foreign Service he worked on a Columbia University research project documenting the city’s Muslim population. In Iraq, Mr. Ordeman works with the provincial council, a body of 40 Iraqis representing the governorate. He assisted with the governor and deputy governor’s election and reviews ministry budgets. Much of his work involves building the council’s credibility. “It is really a win-win-win situation: The council gains legitimacy and the people of Diwaniyah get better sewage systems, drinking water, bridges and schools,” he said. “At first it was difficult. They didn’t fully under-

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ORDEMAN FAMILY

Leslie Ordeman, seated, second from left, assists at a council meeting.

stand their function as representatives in government.” As the council gains more resources and responsibilities, Iraqis will look less to the Coalition Provisional Authority and shoulder more of the burden themselves, he added. Since Mr. Ordeman arrived last December, residents have been doing just that. Up to that point, members didn’t know each other. They didn’t meet. There was no office space and the council had no idea what its role would be. “Now they work together, meet twice a week, and they have half of a provincial building dedicated for their work and ready for their next meeting. They’ve received $500,000 and have identified 17 projects to fund.”

EMPLOYEE PROFILE
Name: Leslie Ordeman Age: 34 Position: Political Adviser, Qadisiyah Governorate Grade: FS-4 Education: Master’s in international affairs, Columbia University Previous assignment: Studying French at FSI Reason for serving in Iraq: “Since I had the experience and skills the Secretary was looking for in Iraq, I thought I could help.”

He said his original living conditions would probably be considered somewhere between sub-par and unlivable. “Fortunately, when one works 15 hours a day, seven days a week, there is little time to think about it.” At first he worked out of a big, circus-like tent with plywood walls. He shared a dormitory room with two others and a bathroom sign that read, “Do Not Use the Water to Brush Your Teeth.” Now, Ordeman lives in relative luxury. “We have a prefabricated dining facility where food is actually cooked on-site and I have a trailer with a shower and a toilet that I have to share with only one person. The tent is gone and our offices are now in the dormitory.” What a difference a year makes. His office has two security teams. One is made up of American and Chilean contractors. They guard the buildings and protect the governorate coordinator and deputy. The second team is made up of soldiers from the Dominican Republic. “This is the group I usually travel with,” he said. Colleagues told Mr. Ordeman, who completed his first year with the State Department in March, that his time in Iraq is worth 20 years’ experience in more traditional assignments. He arrived in Iraq in December. “How often does someone get to help formulate election rules for a gubernatorial race, or set up a governing body? It’s a privilege. Thanks to this experience I’ll feel more comfortable assuming responsibility in the future,” he said. ■ The author is a public affairs officer in the Office of Iraq Reconstruction.

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Fireworks light the night sky during a celebration in Colombo.

PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS

POST OF THE MONTH

It’s not easy to describe Sri Lanka. Tourism ads proclaim it “a land like no other.” Is it the pearl of the Indian Ocean or the teardrop off India’s coast? Is it delightful Serendib, an unexpected gift, or the Ceylon of sapphire and tea fame? Is it Sri Lanka, home of the terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or beneficiary of billions of donor dollars for its commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict? As with many contradictions about Sri Lanka, these are all true.

COLOMBO
BY TERESA MANLOWE
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Above: Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead and NGO Director K.S. Lankathilake open a USAID housing reconstruction project to build 100 homes in Deniyaya province. Below: Fishing cooperative members in Puttalam, north of Colombo, listen as USAID donates fishing boats to a war-affected Muslim community that is helping its members regain lost livelihoods as peace takes hold in the country.

income and education levels in the nation. The capital is a lovely city with shady residential streets, busy commercial districts and a swath of green bordering the sea. Buildings are painted rainbow colors and the traffic congestion could be worse. Elephants and oxcarts are common. The roads, however, especially outside Colombo, need repair, as does much of the nation’s infrastructure. Now that peace has come, water and power projects are getting plenty of attention from donors, but progress

What’s been billed as “the best place in South Asia to live” is also the site of a brutal 20-year war that left approximately 64,000 dead. The country that spawned the word “serendipity” is also the home of some of the world’s most devastating suicide bomb attacks. The migration of people into and around the island has created today’s multilayered patchwork of Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Parsees, Dutch Burghers, Veddahs, expatriates and, increasingly, tourists. Sri Lanka leads the region with strong development ratings in literacy, life expectancy, low infant mortality and per capita income. The population of Colombo, the capital, has the highest

is slow. The U.S. Embassy and American Center sit on the coast looking toward the Republic of Maldives, 400 miles to the west. The embassy is responsible for that

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PHOTOGRAPHS: USAID

island nation as well, requiring officers to travel there frequently. While providing relief from the tropical heat, salty sea breezes degrade facilities and keep the maintenance staff busy. Buddhist and Hindu temples sit next to mosques and churches. New stores, restaurants and coffee shops have opened with no sign of the curfews and wartime roadblocks. Shopping remains a favorite pastime of the local and expatriate population. After years of conflict, a ceasefire agreement signed in February 2002 brought peace between the Tiger terrorists and the government. Six rounds of peace negotiations were concluded before talks were suspended in 2003. Now, pending a final peace settlement, the Tamil Eelam exercises de facto control in parts of the North and East. During the war, much of the island was offlimits to residents and foreigners. After the ceasefire, many visited those areas for the first time in 20 years. In late 2001, a new Sri Lankan government emerged—one committed to resolving the conflict in a peaceful manner and promising to pursue major economic reforms. In response, the U.S. government increased its level of bilateral engagement, seeing a unique opportunity for early involvement in the resolution of a seemingly intractable situation. If Sri Lanka could settle its conflict peacefully, it could be a model for the region and the world. As the nation debated the political structure of a united island, the embassy hosted an expert in federalism and representatives from former warring parties in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Guatemala and El Salvador. The embassy is working with Japan, Norway and the European Union to lead the international community’s support for peace. At a June 2003 conference in Tokyo, donors pledged $4.5 billion to Sri Lankan rehabilitation and reconstruction. USAID supports the peace efforts with assistance to the government’s Peace Secretariat, civil society and community groups active in promoting peace. To strengthen the population’s commitment to peace, the agency has funded 126 projects that address the destruction of jobs and infrastructure and violent conflict between ethnic communities. Successful projects include a Peace Village Sinhalese and Tamils are building where members of both communities can live side by side. Thanks to combined U.S. and local health ministry funds, with land donated by a mosque and labor by residents, a new clinic now serves internally displaced Muslims, local Sinhalese and Tamils.

AT A G L A N C E

Country name: Sri Lanka Capital: Colombo Government: Republic Independence: Feb. 4, 1948 (from the United Kingdom) Constitution: Adopted Aug. 16, 1978 Population: 19.7 million Religions: Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim Land mass: 40,768 square miles Approximate size: Slightly larger than West Virginia Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) Exports: textiles, apparel, tea, diamonds Export partners: United States, United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force and police force
SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2003

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A contractor briefs Dean Thompson, head of the economics section, about training the Sri Lankan Army in humanitarian demining.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN COLOMBO

The embassy also coordinates the U.S. humanitarian demining efforts, bringing in teams of people, dogs and equipment to demine and train the army to detect and remove mines and unexploded ordnance left from the war in the North and East. Various religious, ethnic, familial and socioeconomic groups make Sri Lanka a complex society. The LTTE, a designated foreign terrorist organization, keeps everyone guessing about its ultimate intentions. The group professes to be committed to a peaceful resolution, but Muslims in the LTTE-controlled North and East are concerned about their rights and security. The “upcountry Tamils,” who arrived from India in the 19th century, are predominantly tea estate workers. Monks in this mostly Buddhist country have become an increasingly influential political force, with some contending successfully in recent parliamentary elections. A former radical group, the JVP, responsible for much violence in

preceding decades, also participated in the elections as a legitimate political party. Tensions between the leaders of the two major parties, governing as president and prime minister, erupted late in 2003 and culminated in the president’s dissolution of Parliament. Relatively peaceful elections were held April 2 as embassy staff joined domestic and international representatives as monitors. Results portend a significant change in both the style and substance of governance. A new coalition must be established and the new government will face the continuing challenge of bringing peace and economic development to the country. A trade-based nation outside strategic shipping lanes, Sri Lanka is ideally situated to serve trade and transport needs in the region and between Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The government aspires to become a gateway to India and a hub for the region. The United States

is working with Sri Lanka to make Colombo the first container-securityinitiative port in South Asia. Sri Lanka is a founding member of the World Trade Organization and has a reputation as a consensus builder and honest broker in regional and multinational forums. It had gained enough attention and support for its open, refor m-or iented policies to prompt the U.S. government to conclude a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and to contemplate a Free Trade Agreement. The IPC team in a trishaw, from left, James Keller, Bruce Begnell and Michael Haag. in professional clothes, surrounded by tourists in resort Other U.S. agencies, including the Departments of wear. The booming tourist industry has made Maldives Agriculture, Treasury and Labor and USAID, are active the wealthiest country per capita in South Asia and it in the economic field. will soon lose its status in the U.N. as a Least Developed American firms have recognized Sri Lanka’s emerCountry. gence as a growing market and a gateway to India. A Bilateral relations focus on human rights and small but growing U.S. business community is becomdemocracy, economic growth, trade, military ing more active through the American Chamber of exchanges and customs cooperation. Economic growth Commerce. The business community works closely has prompted calls to reform the political system. The with the embassy for policy and advocacy support. embassy supports the efforts of a new Human Rights Sri Lanka also hosts the International Broadcasting Commission and engages the government on issues Bureau. Located on a 410-acre coconut plantation related to its impending graduation from least develmore than two hours north of the capital, the bureau oped status. broadcasts in some 20 languages to the Middle East, The United States sponsors a trade and catalog Asia and East African countries, including Afghanistan, show—the nation’s only annual commercial event— Iraq, Iran, China, Tibet, Burma and Vietnam. To mainand provides consular services to Maldivians. tain their expansive facility, staff must contend with The meeting of cultures, stunning natural beauty, an cobras, falling coconuts and corrosive sea air. exciting neighborhood and fluid politics make Sri The Republic of Maldives is a coral atoll nation of Lanka and Maldives a fascinating assignment. ■ approximately 1,000 islands, surrounded by azure seas. Officers commute by boat from one of the resort The author is an economic/commercial officer in islands to the capital island, Male, home to most govColombo. ernment and commercial offices. It’s fun being dressed

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OFFICE OF THE MONTH

Office of Near East and South Asia International Information Programs
Delivering America’s Message from Marrakesh to Bangladesh

Members of the staff meet with FSNs visiting from the Near East and South Asia to discuss events and trends within the regions.

A young Middle Eastern man reads articles in Arabic about the United States in hi magazine. Eager to learn more about American notions of democracy, he attends a lecture on the topic delivered at his university by an American expert. Leaving, he takes a publication in Arabic that explains the role U.S. government branches, interest groups and private citizens play in developing U.S. policy for the Middle East. His newly gained understanding of the United States, in all likelihood, reflects the work of the Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs. IIP’s mission is to “promote U.S. policy and American values by engaging, informing and influencing interna-

tional publics.” The bureau does this through an array of products and services developed in coordination with field officers to reach foreign decision makers, the foreign press and broader foreign audiences. IIP’s geographic and thematic offices work cooperatively to accomplish its mission with digital videoconferences, print materials and electronic media in English, Arabic, Persian and other foreign languages and by sponsoring American experts on speaking tours of the region. The bureau’s Office of Near East and South Asian Affairs takes the lead in developing information products and programs concerned with these regions. It works with other Department elements as well as with

STORY BY WILLIAM ARMBRUSTER
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PHOTOS BY JOHN WICART

the Department of Defense, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Coalition Provisional Authority to explain U.S. government initiatives in the two regions. The products help all Department employees explain U.S. policies to foreign audiences. hi magazine, and its associated web site, www.himag.com, seeks to establish an interactive dialogue with young Arab readers as part of the Department’s broader agenda of developing civil society and engaging younger foreign audiences. Developed by IIP in July 2003, the magazine is a public-private project that covers many facets of American society, including music, sports, technology, careers, science and lifestyle. hi is sold at newsstands in 19 Arab countries and is also available in London and Paris. Negotiations are under way to increase the number of markets. hi’s popular, interactive web site attracted nearly 11,000 visitors in March, five times the number who visited the site in January. Readers ask questions on different aspects of life in the United States and answers appear in subsequent issues of the magazine. “I want to thank all those involved in producing hi magazine,” one reader wrote. “I would like to applaud the recent changes made in the last issue, which brought the magazine one step nearer to the needs of the Arab reader. It was a pleasure to note that the changes made emanated from the requests of your own readers. This means that the magazine respects its readers.” IIP uses traditional and modern means to reach its foreign audiences, keeping abreast of the Internet as it becomes more widely accessible. In addition to receiving hard copies of information products, foreign audiences can visit IIP web sites and subscribe to a number of different listservs that allow them to receive the information they seek instantaneously. The principal IIP web site is usinfo.state.gov. The team maintains a variety of region-specific web sites. The Washington File is a key IIP product, an official compendium of U.S. policy-related documents and statements that serves as an electronic record of U.S. policy and a valuable information resource for foreign audiences and Department employees alike. The Washington File is sent electronically to field officers who, based on local conditions, may wish to print and distribute it manually or electronically to their key contacts. The content of IIP’s Middle East and North Africa web site ranges from major policy addresses on the two

regions by President Bush and Secretary Powell to staffwritten articles covering political, economic, cultural and social issues. The office’s writers travel inside the United States and beyond to gather information and conduct interviews for articles covering important events and projects sponsored by the U.S. government. IIP/NEA-SA translates U.S. policy statements and other materials into Arabic and Persian for target audiences. Timely translations are critical to ensuring widespread dissemination of the message. The office’s language experts translate key documents into Arabic and Persian. These documents are immediately available to foreign audiences via electronic media. IIP’s Persian web site has become the number one link in Google’s

Amina ElBishlawi, one of six Arabic translator-editors, translates an article using a split English and Arabic computer screen.

Persian language search engine for the generic term “Middle East Peace” and nearly 600 non-U.S. web sites have linked to this IIP site. In the absence of an official U.S. presence in Iran, the IIP Persian web site serves as a virtual embassy and cultural center for hundreds of thousands of Iranians with access to the Internet. One young Iranian reader wrote to the Persian web managers, “Your site is really useful for improving the relationship between Iranian people and [the] U.S. government. I sent your site address to most of my friends.” Who could ask for better evidence of IIP’s success in bridging this political and cultural divide?

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Above: Siham Wehbi, one of the three Arabic web editors, reviews articles for the Arabic web site, http://usinfo.state.gov/arabic/. Below: Raphael Calis is the editorial adviser for hi, a monthly cultural magazine targeted to readers age 18-35.

IIP products appear regularly in foreign newspapers and posts often report their use in overseas radio and television broadcasts. One brazen Pakistani journalist reprinted a full article in his country’s largest Englishlanguage daily under his own byline. The office plays a critical role in supporting the Department’s efforts in Iraq. Working with the policy and public diplomacy staffs of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, IIP has created specialized materials for the Arabic and Persian web sites on U.S. initiatives in Iraq requested by the Coalition Provisional Authority. The articles convey positive U.S. developments in Iraq based on the CPA’s four key priority areas: essential services, governance, economy and security. Other resource materials have been developed for field officers. IIP works with other Department elements to determine how best to convey to foreign audiences the U.S. government’s transfer of authority in Iraq. The staff manages several sections of USINFO on topics such as the new Iraq, Iraq update, rebuilding Afghanistan, the Middle East vision for the future,

response to terrorism and Middle East free trade. These sites (see box) feature photo galleries that complement staff articles or provide a visual information library. One of the office’s newest and most visited sites is “The New Iraq: Progress and Accomplishments,” offered in English, Arabic and Persian. Launched in September 2003, the site highlights recent progress in Iraq in the CPA’s four major categories. Materials for these “factoids” come from several government sources, including the White House, the Department, USAID, the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Department of Defense. Not all of the office’s products are electronic. IIP’s book translation programs, pamphlets and fact sheets deliver information about the United States, its society, values and policies in the most portable, long-lasting format: the hard copy printed page. Working with embassies in Cairo and Amman, the office funds the translation into Arabic of American books dealing with topics such as democracy building, conflict resolution, bilateral U.S. relations and, increasingly, titles of interest to the young, successor generation. The most recent, specialized publication focuses on the fundamentals of democracy for use in Iraq outreach programs. Still, the most effective and engaging diplomacy is conducted face-to-face. IIP manages a U.S. speakerspecialist program that sends U.S. experts in a variety of priority fields to discuss critical issues with foreign audiences. The process is a collaborative effort involving U.S. embassies and IIP geographic and thematic specialists. These programs offer firsthand opportunities for U.S. experts and their foreign counterparts to exchange ideas on topics of mutual interest. In December 2003, Margaret Badran, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for MuslimChristian Understanding, traveled to western India to discuss contemporary issues and challenges facing Muslim women. To packed audiences of Muslim and

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non-Muslim intellectuals, think-tank members and professionals from all walks of life, she articulated the hopes and aspirations of modern Muslim women and worked to overcome misconceptions about gender issues in Islam. Thanks to Ms. Badran’s presentations, several prominent Indian print and television media circulated her views to the wider Muslim community in India, furthering U.S. efforts to encourage gender equality around the world and build bridges with Indian Muslims. Increasingly, digital videoconferences allow speakers to engage their audiences from afar. The Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs is at the forefront of government efforts to convey U.S. policies, initiatives and values to foreign audiences. The office is charged with developing ways to ensure that these messages are appropriately and broadly disseminated in the Near East and South Asia. It is a daunting but rewarding task for the 20 professionals in this diverse office. ■ The author is the deputy director of the office of Near East and South Asia in the Bureau of International Information Programs.

Mohammed Rahawi edits an article translated into Arabic.

MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE
For more information on the Bureau of International Information Program’s Office of Near East and South Asian Affairs and its many products, visit the following IIP web sites: usinfo.state.gov www.himagazine.com The New Iraq: Progress and Accomplishments: http://usinfo.state.gov/mena/middle_east_north_africa/new_iraq.html Iraq Update http://usinfo.state.gov/mena/middle_east_north_africa/iraq.html Rebuilding Afghanistan http://usinfo.state.gov/sa/rebuilding_afghanistan.html Middle East Vision for the Future http://usinfo.state.gov/mena/middle_east_north_africa/me_vision.html Response to Terrorism http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/ Middle East Free Trade http://usinfo.state.gov/mena/middle_east_north_africa/us_me_free_trade.html List of Publications in English http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs

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Lone Star Search
DEPARTMENT LOOKS TO TEXAS FOR MINORITY RECRUITS STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL KOSCAK
It seems obvious. What better place to search than the Southwest and the University of Texas if you’re interested in luring Hispanics to the State Department? For sheer numbers, it can’t be beat. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at the Austin campus. To tap that talent, Oliver Garza, a former U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua, is connecting the region’s Hispanic community with the university as a diplomat-in-residence. Mr. Garza is one of 17 diplomats who promote the State Department to minority populations, particularly on campuses. Although quantity may be what’s obvious, there’s another reason Mr. Garza finds Texas appealing: the top 10 percent of the state’s students can gain automatic admission to the University of Texas at Austin, considered the flagship school of the Texas university system. “The University of Texas has the best-qualified Hispanics,” he said. “They’re well-prepared kids.” And in addition to meeting some of the Lone Star State’s brightest students, Mr. Garza praises the university’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs for providing valuable guidance to those considering a diplomatic career. “The LBJ School prepares students for the oral presentations, just like Harvard, Princeton and Yale.” Mr. Garza recruited at the LBJ School and at the university’s
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Oliver Garza, diplomat-in-residence at the University of Texas in Austin, discusses State Department careers with potential applicants.

School of Physical Science during two recent job fairs. The Department competed with such industry giants as Microsoft and

IBM. Like a billboard, the recruiting table backdrop with the official seal drew both the curious and the knowledgeable.

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Mr. Garza answered questions about the Department’s mission, its role in fostering peace and career opportunities. Other visitors simply stuffed the Department’s brochures, handouts and pens into shopping bags already crammed with the literature and trinkets of potential employers. “I’d need to think about it more,” one hesitant student remarked when asked if she might sign up for the Foreign Service exam. Dimas Turcios, a senior majoring in math, said he’d like an internship. He prefers a Civil Service position in mathematical modeling that wouldn’t require him to live overseas. Senior Steve Ou, a computer science major, wasn’t sold. “I want to live in one place and have a normal life.” Undeterred, Mr. Garza said recruiting is about long-term relationships, making connections with community leaders and getting referrals. Sometimes, he even brings an intern to help make the pitch. “Students can relate to their peers easier.” For those unfamiliar with the State Department, Mr. Garza shares this anecdote: “The one thing I can say is ‘I work for Colin Powell.’ He’s the trigger. I might have to explain

other things further, but now they know what I’m talking about.” The diplomats-in-residence program gives ambassadors and other seasoned employees an opportunity to teach, network and recruit throughout a geographic region using the college or university as a hub. Under the arrangement, the Department pays the diplomat’s salary, benefits and travel expenses. The university provides an office to work from. Mr. Garza also lectures in San Antonio, his hometown, and at St. Mary’s University and the University of Texas in San Antonio. A department employee since 1971, Mr. Garza recruits extensively throughout Texas, visiting many heavily Hispanic cities such as Houston, Laredo, Brownsville and Edinburg. He uses his own Hispanic background and fluency in Spanish to connect with potential recruits. “They see that I can go back and forth from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English when I speak—just like they do,” he said. “You can see the reaction and their immediate connection.” Mr. Garza admits Hispanics could be more aggressive in their verbal skills. Many who pass the Foreign Service exam do poorly during the interviews, he said.

“They’re passive by nature. That’s where they tend to fall back.” Other hurdles are citizenship and family ties, noted Harby Issa, a human resource specialist and diplomat-in-residence recruiter, as he planned a recruiting trip to Chicago to visit the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers. “The number of Hispanics applying has increased,” he said. “You find qualified applicants, but many are not citizens,” he said. “Many are also reluctant to leave home.” The word Hispanic, now a common part of the lexicon, has an interesting legacy. Coined by a federal panel during the 1970s, it was first officially used during the 1980 census to better describe America’s Spanish-heritage population, which defies any racial or ethnic definition. Hispanics are people of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, according to the 2001 U.S. Census Report. The term, nevertheless, can spark controversy among these very populations, who see their nationalities being absorbed into a homogenous group. Still, the word itself is older than America. The Romans called Spain’s Iberian Peninsula Hispania. The Department spent nearly $2 million in salaries, marketing and advertising recruiting Hispanics last year. Considering Hispanics make up just over 12 percent of the U.S. population and only 57 percent older than 25 have a high school diploma, the effort paid off well: In 2003, almost 5 percent of new Foreign Service officers and 9 percent of all new Foreign Service specialists were Hispanic. s The author is a writer/editor for State Magazine.

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Plato, left, and Aristotle from The School of Athens by Raphael.

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The Greek poet Homer gave us the word and concept for mentoring. In his classic work, the Odyssey, when Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War, he entrusted his household to Mentor, who also taught and oversaw the Ithaca king’s son, Telemachus. Father and son were eventually reunited and in time the word mentor became synonymous with trusted adviser, friend, teacher and sage. History offers many examples of productive mentoring relationships: Socrates mentored Plato; Haydn mentored Beethoven and Freud mentored Jung. At its most basic level, mentoring is a fundamental form of human development where one person invests time, energy and personal know-how to assist another’s growth and development. Mentoring is alive and well at the State Department, according to the following articles by those involved in shaping the Department’s future. —Editor

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Mentors Keep Colleagues on Track
By Deborah Graze and Anna Borg
Leadership begins with building pairs mentors and protégés are assigned multiple protégés. trust, according to Secretary Powell, throughout the year. Generalists are Sometimes, the mentor isn’t a good and “we cannot hope to earn the assigned a class mentor, usually an match. When that happens, a new trust of this nation or the world ambassador stationed in match is arranged. without building trust within our Washington, D.C., after completing Ambassador Maura Harty, assisown walls. Trust is generated when their initial training. This practice tant secretary for Consular Affairs, you look after the welfare of your will soon be a standard for entering said, “I think it’s important to colleagues.” specialists as well. remember that mentoring is almost That’s what mentoring is all about. The State Department’s future depends on supporting this concept. “Whenever you see the opportunity to mentor,” advises the Secretary, “do so.” Mentoring can provide a positive introduction to the State Department for new employees, help acclimate them to a new career and, for Foreign Service colleagues, to a new lifestyle. Professional development mentoring continues throughout a career. Bill Murad, a new Foreign Service officer, said, “I have had many mentors during my short tenure and three really Cheryl Bodek, a junior officer in Manila, briefs third-country consuls on American Citizens Services in the Philippines. stand out. One encouraged my interest in the Foreign Every new Foreign Service always a win-win scenario. I help Service; one stimulated interest and employee who seeks a mentor gets newer colleagues by advising or eagerness to serve in my chosen one. Bernadette Cole’s coordinating simply listening to them when they career track; and one was assigned office takes into account the proneed to talk through a problem or a as my formal mentor from A-100.” tégé’s personal situation and profeschallenge. To be trusted in that way The Bureau of Human Resources sional goals. Mentors come from all is a privilege.” manages the Department’s formal ranks, career tracks and specializaIf you’re interested in becoming a mentoring program. Foreign tions. In FY 2003, 98 percent of the mentor or building a professional Service generalists and specialists new Foreign Service specialists and development program, you can can request mentors through their 75 percent of the A-100 officers choose from a variety of sources. orientation programs at FSI. The requested and were assigned menGet ideas from existing programs. Civil Service mentoring program tors. Some mentors volunteer and For example, visit the new
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PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE); U.S. EMBASSY IN MANILA; (OPPOSITE PAGE): U.S. EMBASSY IN TUNISIA

“Mentoring and Professional Development” link in the “What’s Hot” section of the Department’s Intranet home page. The Leadership and Management School web site offers a reading list, courses and a link for confidential advice. The Center for Administrative Innovation, also on the Department’s Intranet web site, is a good source, too. Ambassador Nancy Powell, who won the 2003 Arnold Raphel Award for the mentoring program in Pakistan, said, “Mentoring for Team Pakistan comes with some challenges brought on by the one-year assignments and unaccompanied tours, but is seen by the front office as a vital part of every supervisor’s responsibilities.” Manila’s mentoring program for entry-level officers blossomed into regular one-on-one coaching, allowing entry-level staff to take on more responsibility. The most successful effort was an institutionalized and transparent rotation system for 25 entry-level officers on

Ambassador William J. “Bill” Hudson, center, has a “round table” discussion with junior officers in Tunis.

consular tours to work for about six months in a section of their choice. As one wrote, “Manila’s JO rotation was a fantastic opportunity to try out my cone.” Another said, “The consular work here is demanding,

but I think the rotation system has really boosted morale.” Kali Jones, a first-tour Foreign Service officer in Ho Chi Minh City, said, “The front office believes that junior officers do important work.

More on Mentoring
To volunteer as a mentor for new Foreign Service personnel in Washington, contact Bernadette Cole at (202) 647-4047or via e-mail at [email protected]. To start a mentor and professional development program at your post, explore what other posts have done and review some basic information on entry-level assignments, tenuring and evaluations. A packet is available under “What’s Hot” on the Department’s Intranet site at http://intranet.state.gov/. Other useful sites include: http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/cda/EL_Prof_Dev.html http://website.wha.state.gov/Leadership/Mentoring.htm The Leadership and Management School at FSI offers training in mentoring of new employees as part of the Deputy Chief of Mission seminar, the leadership and management seminars and a new course on coaching and mentoring. Check out the FSI/LMS web site for details at http://fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms/default.asp . For more resources, visit the Department’s Website under the Center for Administrative Innovation at http://irmcstbcntsq.irm.state.gov/acai/. For a broader range of materials, visit www.govleaders.org.

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Above: Bernadette Cole, who coordinates mentoring for the Foreign Service, discusses the program with a group of new specialists. Below: Ambassador Nancy Powell, fourth from left, and Deputy Chief of Mission Bill Monroe, left, mentor new employees Kimberly Jones, Rachel Doherty and Rusty Barber.

They have always included us in the work that goes on here. Don’t wait until you’re a deputy chief of mission or chief of mission to mentor. Share your experience and insights with interns, newcomers and colleagues in the section you manage. Post managers can promote mid-level mentoring by mentoring mid-level colleagues and encouraging them to mentor entrylevel staff. “Everyone can be a mentor regardless of rank, cone or specialization. Mentoring is a wonderful way to be a leader and develop leadership skills,” according to Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, dean of the Leadership and Management School. Under the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative, mentoring got a head start. After candidates passed the Foreign Service oral
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PHOTOGRAPHS: (ABOVE): MARK STEWART; (BELOW): U.S. EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD

exam and before they entered their initial training, recruiting staff answered their questions and were available to discuss the hiring process and careers in the Foreign Service. The mentoring helped retain candidates who might otherwise have quit. Christiana Foreman had a mentor from a previous class. The person acted as her sponsor and intro-

duced her to FSI, where she is a student. Prior to beginning orientation, each new A-100 class member receives a welcome letter from the sponsoring mentor class. “I’ve heard wonderful things about mentoring. I know from my own experience that it really helped allay my fears and uncertainties about embarking on this adventure of a lifetime,” Ms. Foreman said.

Bill Murad, a new junior officer, said, “So far, everyone I have met in a senior role in the Foreign Service has been willing to mentor and help. This is how communication should work in the State Department hierarchy and it’s proof that the people in the upper ranks care deeply about how new employees are faring.” Successful mentoring and professional development programs are in every region, from Quito to Manila and in Washington, D.C. Senior Foreign Service and Civil Service colleagues in their bureaus are assisting some of the 35 firsttour junior officers currently serving in Washington. Human Resources also sponsors a monthly roundtable for junior officers. Beth Payne, consular affairs officer, said, “I was fortunate to have informal mentors throughout my career. I’ve always encouraged new junior officers to find a project they can accomplish in one year that will demonstrate their writing and leadership skills. A mentor can help a junior officer brainstorm about such a project. Projects also grant relief for JOs in a visa mill and provide opportunities to go out into the community.” One new chief of mission commented: “Through my two protégés, I have had the opportunity to ask probing questions and get insightful answers about the motivations and attitudes of the new generation entering the Foreign Service. As I prepare to run a mission composed largely of just such colleagues, this informal sounding board is proving invaluable.” Ambassador Nancy Powell noted, “I am constantly reminded how much my mentors, especially Ambassador Arnie Raphel, meant to my development both as a

Foreign Service officer and a person. I hope that I can play the same role for those now joining our ranks. It’s a tremendous responsibility to help shape those that follow, but also great fun.” To be an effective mentor, you must commit time and energy to

fare and keep the lines of communication open. Most of all, keep in mind the role of a mentor is to teach, listen and advise. Give your protégé a sense of the big picture. Both mentor and protégé must have realistic expectations. Invest the needed time and

“

Don’t wait until you’re a deputy chief

of mission or chief of mission to mentor. Share your experience and insights with interns, newcomers and colleagues in the section you manage. Post managers can promote mid-level mentoring by mentoring mid-level colleagues and encouraging them to mentor entry-level staff.

the relationship. It’s not enough just to invite your protégé to call any time. Mentors need to initiate contact periodically. Nalini Rhea, an office management specialist in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and mentor to six new office management specialists, suggests the following time line: • Orientation/training period: with protégé, review post report, embassy makeup, help draft letters to post, go over shipment list; • Three weeks after arrival at post: check in via e-mail; • Six weeks: encourage review of work requirements; • Six months: listen to the enthusiasm and the confidence; • EER season: offer help as a reality check with EERs; • Holidays and vacations: send greetings, check on general wel-

make the effort to communicate and stay in touch. Marc Grossman, under secretary for Political Affairs, said: “I’ve benefited a lot from mentors throughout my career and I’ve tried to pay this back with mentoring others. I don’t do nearly enough. I hope everyone will take the time to mentor and help others. It makes us all a stronger, better team.” Mentoring is the legacy the generation that won the Cold War passes to the generation of diplomats fighting the global war on terrorism. Ms. Graze and Ms. Borg are Foreign Service officers working in the Bureau of Human Resources on the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative and Entry-Level Career Development Program, respectively.

”

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Program Matches Civil Service Employees with Civil and Foreign Service Mentors
By Susan Porter Beffel
employees have been fortunate enough to benefit from either a one-time boost or informal mentoring with its long-term relationship built on mutual trust, respect and sharing of ideas and experience. The Civil Service mentoring program is a structured approach that matches Civil Service and Foreign Service volunteers with Civil Service protégés from entry level to GS 14. Piloted in the Bureau of Consular Affairs in 2002, the program’s 180 participants graduated in May. This year, nearly 300 volunteer mentors have just completed their orientation at the Foreign Service Institute. Mentors and Mentor Janice Burke, center, engages protégés Monique Dorsey, left, protégés meet up Jacqueline Hill and Nathalie Stevens. to four hours per Good supervisors everywhere month and attend four group make time to mentor their employforums. Protégés are required to ees, sharing insights about organiwrite an action plan for the year. zational structure, function and Twice a year, supervisors review the values—what is rewarded and punprogram. Those outside ished—and helping employees Washington attend the initial traindevelop the skills for success. Many ing and return for one evaluation “Mentoring is something we can all do,” according to Director General W. Robert Pearson, “and anyone who’s been a mentor or protégé can vouch for how rewarding the relationship is.” Why devote time to mentoring? Those who come after us are the Department’s future and their professional development only makes the Department stronger. session and conduct most of their individual sessions online or by phone. In rapidly changing workplaces, mentors can pass on the skills required to deal with change. This becomes critical as the babyboomers begin to retire or employees change jobs, and even careers, several times in their lifetimes. Mentoring helps pair them with the right people, the right skills and the right work environment. While structured mentoring programs require more commitment and oversight, there are benefits. In addition, in our high-tech culture, it gets people away from their desks and computers and instills social skills such as teamwork and navigating the system—skills best learned through interaction. Does it work? Here are what some protégés had to say: “It helps you to focus on your goals and have someone encourage you to achieve them.” “My mentor asked me to conduct informational interviews. Those contacts are essential to my professional growth and development.” “I have developed specific skills in international negotiation and my mentor has exposed me to an area of the Department I find exciting and challenging. My horizons have expanded.”

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ANN THOMAS

Above: Mentors Celine Neves, center, and Bob Franks mentor protégé Ellyn Hagy. Below: The author speaks at the mid-year forum.

“I’ve learned a lot more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses and my aspirations.” How do mentors feel about the program? “I’m clarifying some of my own experiences and opinions as I express them in a mentoring situation.” “I got positive feedback and sincere appreciation for even the

smallest suggestion. Actions, processes and insights I consider instinctive and routine were received as novel and innovative.” “I increased my listening and management skills.” “It helped me to better understand the challenges some people encounter and how willing some are to improve themselves.” What do supervisors think about the program? “I observed increased confidence in the protégé’s ability to plan and execute work and work as a team player.” “The protégé became more focused and analyzed her professional options.”

“The protégé has been taking initiative in new areas, and I would recommend the program to others to encourage better performance.” “I observed an increased responsiveness and eagerness to understand and appreciate others’ perspectives.” “The Department of State supports mentoring because mentoring helps the protégés—providing opportunities to build both competence and character,” observed Under Secretary for Management Grant Green at the 2004 kickoff. “It also helps the mentors develop their leadership skills, including coaching and articulating their own role in the organization.” For more information on the Civil Service Mentoring Program, visit http://hrweb.hr.state.gov/ csp/cs_mentoring.html. s The author coordinates the Civil Service Mentoring Program in the Bureau of Human Resources.
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A Farewell to Arms
New Directions in Arms Control By Stephen G. Rademaker

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PHOTOGRAPHS: KENNETH WARD

The atomic age brought on the Cold War and tension between the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact members and Western forces led by the United States. Containing the nuclear genie meant lots of hard-nosed negotiations and treaties. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles reflected those grim times when he told the United Nations General Assembly “…there is no problem which compares with this central, universal problem of saving the human race from extinction.” With the Cold War and the Soviet Above: Ambassador Donald Mahley, right, senior representative to Libya, with Matuq Muhammad Matuq, head of Libya’s nuclear and scientific training programs, sign documents. Union gone, new ways to keep arms Opposite page: Destroyed chemical weapons in southern Libya. growth in check are emerging. Instead of Hague, Geneva and Vienna to handle an array of confrontation, high-level summits are built on partnerforums, and we now have an ambassador to the ships, cooperation and mutual interests. With nuclear Chemical Weapons Convention. The bureau is working confrontation between the United States and Russia to bring other arms control-related organizations, such extremely remote, the Arms Control Bureau is abanas the Conference on Disarmament and the United doning familiar Cold War tactics such as the AntiNations First Committee, more in step with the securiBallistic Missile Treaty, a step made possible with the ty challenges we face. new, more cooperative partnership we’re establishing Arms control has three goals: to make war or conflict with Russia. less likely; to make war or conflict less destructive, if it In this new era, the U.S.-Russia relationship will be an does occur; and to reduce the costs of armaments. This important, but not all-consuming, part of our arms year, I worked with John Bolton, under secretary for control agenda. Arms control treaties can still have their Arms Control and International Security, in our ongoplace in our bilateral relationship. For example, by 2012 ing dialogues with China, India and Pakistan. Drawing the Moscow Treaty will reduce nuclear forces on both on experience developed in the Organization for sides by about two-thirds. But we are seeking to replace Security Cooperation in Europe, the bureau is working a treaty-based relationship with one more typical of with regional security organizations and interested friendly countries, one based on shared objectives, states to prevent conflict and promote regional coopercooperation, openness and predictability. This new ation and stability in Africa, Latin America, the foundation was embodied in the Joint Declaration on Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The bureau’s previous the New Strategic Relationship, signed in May 2002 by European focus has been replaced with interaction and Presidents Bush and Putin. It has allowed us to pursue cooperation with virtually every regional bureau in the cooperative projects in the area of missile defense— Department. cooperation prohibited under the ABM Treaty—and to While the bureau’s priorities and geographic focus begin making openness on missile defense and offensive have changed, the work force hasn’t. The bureau was nuclear weapons a normal part of our relationship created in 1999 when the Arms Control and rather than something that needs to be negotiated. Our Disarmament Agency merged with the Department. goal is to build a relationship like the one we have with The agency was built on a strong foundation of Civil friendly nuclear powers such as Britain and France. This Service personnel and military officers with technical will take time and effort. and scientific skills to support detailed arms control New threats have emerged in the 21st century, in parnegotiations. As the bureau’s priorities change, we need ticular, terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass to complement our traditional work force with persondestruction and their delivery systems. These are global nel who have more diverse diplomatic experience and challenges. We have made it a high priority to seek comgeographic knowledge. s pliance with existing agreements such as the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions and to improve The author is assistant secretary for Arms Control. enforcement. The bureau now maintains offices in The

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NEW DIPLOMATIC SECURITY IS MORE ACTIVE AND INVOLVED
By Darlene Kirk
Whether it’s nabbing criminals, hunting down terrorists or safeguarding American diplomats, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security continues to evolve in a changing world—particularly during the past four years— while improving the way it does business. Its 1,420 special agents, along with the bureau’s cadre of diplomatic couriers, security engineers, technicians, civil servants, Foreign Service officers and contract employees, as well as Marines and Navy Seabees— all 32,500 staff—work toward one goal: providing a safe and secure environment to conduct foreign policy. And the bureau doesn’t do it all alone. More than ever, DS shares its resources with numerous local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to accomplish its mission. Diplomatic Security’s major role is investigating visa and passport fraud. Last year the bureau’s investigations surged by 144 percent and arrests were up by 81 percent from 2002. In the past six months, DS agents made 262 passport and 29 visa fraud arrests while working with the Justice Department to toughen sentencing. That’s because visa and passport fraud is usually part of a larger crime, such as trafficking in women, children and narcotics; terrorism; child molestation and parental kidnapping. Working with the U.S. Marshals, DS arrested more than 100 fugitives overseas and returned them to face justice. Those returned included a pedophile on the lam for 13 years, a former state senator who stole thousands of dollars and two thugs wanted for drug trafficking, sexual assaults and murder. The bureau is expediting security clearances. New measures include electronic processing and granting reciprocal clearances to employees already holding clearances from other agencies. Employees can now monitor their clearance applications online and get guidance on obtaining new and renewed clearances at www.state.gov/m/ds and http://deweb state.gov/pss. Overseas, the bureau’s regional security officers advise the ambassador on security and, along with the Marine Security Guards and other local security forces, protect employees. DS engineers and technicians support the regional security officers with information management and infrastructure. In Afghanistan, they provided reliable electricity, security cameras and a 12-foot protective barrier at the 130-acre presidential palace when agents occupied the compound. The bureau also shares security information with more than 2,300 American companies and organizations doing business abroad. Throughout the Department the bureau’s office of investigations and counterintelligence protects State Department communications from being tapped by foreign intelligence organizations. Although Secretary Colin Powell’s protective detail is perhaps the bureau’s most visible function, DS agents also protected 124 dignitaries last year. Among them were the Dalai Lama, Yasser Arafat and U.N. Secretary Gen. Kofi Annan. DS con-

Paul Davies, Diplomatic Security special agent, keeps watch during a protective detail.

PHOTOGRAPHS: (LEFT): DARLENE KIRK; (OPPOSITE PAGE): WALTER ASTRADA

tinues to protect Afghan tions. Among the 18,824 President Hamid Karzai, officials from 71 counbut it’s training more tries trained during than 150 Afghans to do Secretary Powell’s tenure the job. are the Indonesian emerThrough its Office of gency workers and Foreign Missions, DS crime-scene investigators protects Americans from who responded to the foreign diplomats living 2003 Marriott bombing in the United States who Foreign police officers receive instruction at the bureau’s traning center in in Jakarta and the Albuquerque, N.M. abuse their diplomatic Colombian antioffers rewards for information leadimmunity. It also negotiated with the kidnapping police units who this year ing to the capture of terrorists or preTransportation Safety Adminirescued two American hostages. vention of international terrorism stration to secure special airportAt home, DS protects more than against American citizens or properscreening courtesies for high-level 100 facilities, including the Harry S ty. The Rewards for Justice program foreign visitors. Truman Building and Department paid out an unprecedented $30 milLast year, the bureau’s diplomatic annexes throughout the country. It lion for information leading to Uday couriers delivered more than 3.5 milprovides chemical and biological and Qusay Hussein. It also helped in lion pounds of classified material and training and maintains a canine unit nabbing international terrorist Ramzi 2 million pounds of controlled mateto detect explosives and 750 uniYousef, convicted in the 1993 bombrial on 3,600 trips. Couriers use miliformed officers who patrol and coning of the World Trade Center. tary and commercial flights to deliver duct investigations. Secretary Powell authorized a reward their pouches to some of the most The bureau is currently completing of up to $25 million for information remote and hostile areas of the world. security measures for the U.S. leading to the capture of Osama bin One trip can involve as many as 20 Embassy in Baghdad and is training Laden and other key al Qaeda leaders. stops in two weeks. staff assigned to Iraq on living safely The bureau’s office of antiterrorDS is aggressively working to proin high-threat environments. Part of ism assistance provides countertect the Department against terrorist the curriculum includes evasive drivterrorism training for foreign civilian attacks. Since the beginning of ing and firearms training. s law enforcers. Courses include inciSecretary Powell’s tenure, DS and dent response; executive developOverseas Buildings Operations have The author is a public affairs officer ment; nuclear, chemical and biologiimproved security at overseas misassigned to the Bureau of Diplomatic cal weapons; and post-blast investigasions, schools and residences. DS also Security.

Security Culture Must Change
While terrorism, drug trafficking and passport fraud are keeping Diplomatic Security agents and their supporting specialists busier than ever, the future is far from certain. Hiring gaps throughout the past several decades have created an unbalanced bureau dominated by a three-generation work force often at odds in its perceptions and expectations of the Department’s security force. At a three-day conference in Washington, D.C., Francis Taylor, assistant secretary for Diplomatic Security, told more than 350 senior bureau managers it’s time to forge a common vision and not forget that DS staff are part of the Foreign Service and subject to random moves as Department needs dictate. Some agents, he said, perceive their positions as specialists and balk when reassigned to new jobs and locations. The bureau spends more than $1 billion each year on its 32,500 employees and contractors to ensure the safety of Department employees throughout the world.—Aria Lu

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PAIN
By Anne Saloom

FREE

Making Medical Clearances Easier

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MEDICAL REPORT
The Office of Medical Services, which processes 25,000 clearances yearly, has some tips to make issuing your medical clearance easier. All new Foreign Service applicants and eligible family members must complete a pre-employment physical examination. The Office of Medical Services’ exam clinic at SA-1 can conduct these exams. An employee may choose a private physician or, if already overseas, a post health unit. Applicants should contact their parent agency’s human resources staff about scheduling and funding a pre-employment clearance exam. Employees assigned to Iraq on Department-funded “invitational” orders or traveling to Afghanistan for more than 60 days must have either a physical examination or medical clearance update. Those traveling to Iraq on Coalition Provisional Authority orders, or any other agency’s orders, are required to have either a medical clearance exam or a medical clearance update for temporary duty assignments of 14 or more consecutive days. Most employees assigned to Iraq must get to post quickly and need a speedy turnaround of their medical clearance. This is not a problem. Call the examination clinic at (202) 6631779 and schedule an appointment. Again, employees may also go to their own health care provider or an overseas health unit. Begin the medical clearance update process early—about six months before home leave. This departs from previous advice, which required exams to be scheduled no earlier than 90 days before an employee’s departure date. Discuss your current medical clearance with your health unit staff or, if you’re posted in the United States or at a mission with no health unit, contact the medical clearances section, your regional medical officer or a Foreign Service health practitioner. Decide whether you want a full physical exam or simply the medical clearance update. Again, overseas health units, the Medical Services’ exam clinic or your own health care provider may complete your physical exam. When Medical Services changed the clearance process to focus on health promotion, the office developed the Medical Clearance Update Form or MCU DS-3057. This form gives employees and eligible family members a chance to have their health status reviewed at the same time their medical clearance is determined. It permits diagnostic screening tests such as pap smears, mammograms, PSAs or colonoscopies, and any tests normally required as part of a full physical examination. The medical clearance update process is voluntary. It may be used for those with a worldwide-available Class 1 or limited Class 2 medical clearance. Anyone who has a limited (non-Class 1) medical clearance must document current and chronic health problems, including treatment plan of care and recommended follow-up. The MCU cannot be used for pre-employment or separation clearances. Complete and sign the two-page DS-3057. Document all health maintenance tests— pap smear results, specialty consultations, test results and comments on exercise and diet. Health unit pro-viders at post can review the MCU with you and advise if you need addi- The Medical Clearances staff assemble in their new tional diagnostic Rosslyn quarters. tests before you can be cleared. Medical Services recommends that all health promotion and maintenance screening appropriate to the employee’s age be performed. Medical Services pays for these tests when they are completed as part of the medical clearance update. If these health maintenance tests are not completed, the employee or family member may still receive a medical clearance. The clearances section is now located in State Annex 15A at 1800 North Kent St., Arlington, Va. (the second stop on the Department’s Rosslyn shuttle). The new phone number is (703) 875-5411 and the fax number is (703) 875-5414. The OpenNet e-mail address is Medical Clearances Washington. Where there is no health unit, the completed MCU should be faxed to (703) 875-4850, Medical Records Section, or mailed to Medical Records, Office of Medical Services, 2401 E St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20522. Please do not send duplicate copies. Medical clearances are valid for two years or the tour of duty, whichever is longer. Clearances for assignments to Iraq or Afghanistan are exceptions. Direct transfers do not require medical clearance unless the person has a limited Class 2 medical clearance. In such cases, post approval, based on an updated MCU (including treatment plan of care) is necessary. As always, no medical clearance is needed for domestic tours. If you need more help, contact Medical Clearances. s The author is a Foreign Service health practitioner and chief of Medical Clearances.

PHOTOGRAPHS: (OPPOSITE PAGE): CORBIS; (ABOVE): SUSIE SUMMERS

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PEOPLE LIKE YOU

He Calls the Shots Diplomatically
Most Saturdays and Sundays, Jon Martinson, the general services officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lomé, Togo, West Africa, tests his diplomatic skills as a referee on the dusty, grassless football (soccer to U.S. fans) fields in and around the capital. A U.S. Soccer Federation-certified referee, Jon was eager to referee when he arrived at post in August 2002. A chance conversation with Joel Lawson-Body, an embassy motor pool driver, paired him with the president of the Federation of Togolese Football. With a copy of the International Football Federation’s French language rulebook in hand,
Jon Martinson presents uniforms to David Kossivi Reinhardt, president of the Togolese Football Federation. A referee association in Chantilly, Va., donated the uniforms.

Jon agreed to attend weekly referee training sessions. In doing so, he expanded his contacts with Togolese officials and significantly improved his French football terminology. During the fall of 2002, the retired Air Force officer began refereeing Division 2 and 3 Togolese Football League games and numerous “friendlies” for club teams. Fortunately, the federation’s rules are applied world-

wide, so there was no difficulty in applying them. Mandatory hand signals and passable French overcame any issue when handing out “yellow” and “red” cards for fouls and serious penalties. And running the 8-10 kilometers per match in the African heat helped keep Jon in shape. During the past 20 months, he has refereed more than 150 games in Togo. That’s because Togolese refer-

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PHOTOGRAPHS: JON MARTINSON

ees have difficulty obtaining proper equipment and uniforms. Jon responded by contacting his referee association in Chantilly, Va., for help. Alan Liotta, the association’s president, liked the idea and two young member referees, Alex Cunningham and Christopher Liotta, collected uniforms and money for the Togolese association. Thanks to their efforts, in March

Jon Martinson, center, referee-general services officer, stands between linesmen Justin Azeza, left, and Kouami Adraki before a soccer game in Lomé.

2004, Jon donated more than two dozen sets of uniforms and $300 to the Togolese Referee Association in the name of the Chantilly Youth Association Referees.

This fall, the military officerturned-diplomat moves to London, where he plans to continue his refereeing and where the language barrier should be less daunting. s
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O U R

T O W N

Welcome to Tombstone
By Rob Hallen
In 1996, while I was stationed in New Delhi, colleagues asked me where I planned to retire. “Tombstone, Ariz.,” elicited strange looks and such comments as “I thought that was only a TV or movie town, not a real place.” the OK Corral. It also attracts retirees and visitors from the colder climates up north. Seems like a new home appears every day. Tombstone is on the high desert, at 4,650 ft. above sea level, and the climate is much milder than in Tucson or Phoenix. The population is about 3,000 and the next town is 25 miles away. With coveredboard sidewalks and false-fronted buildings, the town looks pretty much as it did more than 100 years ago. Why did I choose Tombstone for my retirement home? Well, I first came to this area in 1958 when the Army stationed me at Fort Huachuca, 25 miles away. After my discharge, I returned to my home in Southern California. Ten years later I decided there must be a healthier, safer place to live so I moved to southeastern Arizona. It has been my home ever since, even during the 18 years I spent in the Foreign Service. My wife and I live on a fiveacre hilltop three miles from town. We have a 360-degree view of the mountains some 30 miles away. When I was asked what my other choices as a retirement location were, I answered, “I don’t have any other choices. I have traveled in 48 states and 106 countries and there is no other place I would rather be.” You can reach the author at [email protected]. s Editor’s note: Our Town is an occasional feature about retirees and their choice of retirement spots. If you’d like to contribute, please write or e-mail [email protected].
PHOTOGRAPH: CORBIS

Well, it is definitely a real place. Silver was discovered here in the 1870s and for a while it was the largest town west of the Mississippi. The deeper the mines went, however, the more underground water was encountered until the mines were flooded and eventually closed. Most of the population moved away, but “the town too tough to die” survived. Until 1929, it was the seat of Cochise County. Today, Tombstone is a thriving town for tourists looking for Western lore, especially the legendary gunfight at

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O B I T U A R I E S
Lawrence F. Bowlding Jr., 43, a Civil Service employee, died from a severe heart attack on Nov. 8, 2003, at Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, Md. He joined the Department as a 16-year-old part-time student employee in the mailroom of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental Scientific Affairs. He became a full-time employee in 1979 and was an intelligence operations specialist in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the time of his death. Mr. Bowlding and his wife Antoinette were licensed as ministers in the Beyond the Veil Worship Center in 2001. He was appointed to the church’s pastoral staff two years later and served as assistant pastor and minister to men. Leroy F. “Bud” Day, 88, a retired Foreign Service officer, died March 15 in Sarasota, Fla., after a long illness. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Mr. Day joined the Department in 1947 and was posted to Bonn, Accra, Paris and Lagos, where he headed the administrative section. He retired in 1972 to Mt. Airy, Md. His son Terrance M. Day is a retired Foreign Service officer. Angelina “Angie” Garcia, 63, a retired Civil Service employee and former director of the U.S. Information Agency’s office of personnel, died March 14 of metastatic breast cancer in Melbourne, Fla. She entered government service as a GS-4 clerkstenographer in USIA’s motion picture division and quickly rose to higher-level administrative positions. In 1977, she was appointed personnel director of the agency, a position she held until her retirement in 1986. Donald Wesley Goff, 66, a retired Foreign Service officer, died March 19 at home in Panama City, Fla. He had 39 years of combined federal service, 21 years in the U.S. Air Force and another 18 with the Department. Mr. Goff ’s Foreign Service assignments included Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany, Panama, Zaire and South Africa. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 1994, he moved to his birthplace and worked in the Florida Department of Corrections for another six years. Eva C. Manderino, 85, a retired Foreign Service employee, died April 6 of ovarian cancer at the home of her niece in Boston. She joined the U.S. Information Agency in 1954 as an administrative secretary and served in Kuala Lumpur, Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), Brussels, Colombo, Nicosia and Seoul. She earned a special commendation for “heroic courage and patriotism” during the 1960 rioting in the Belgian Congo. As a regional post management officer in Beirut, she traveled throughout the Middle East for USIA. She was executive officer at her last post in Bogotá in 1975. Warren W. “Bill” McCurdy, 67, a retired Foreign Service officer, died March 8 in Escondido, Calif., of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. He joined the U.S. Information Agency in 1966 and worked as a writereditor for embassy-sponsored magazines in Mexico City, Vienna, New Delhi and Tunis. He retired in 1991. During his long battle with the disease, Mr. McCurdy participated in Alzheimer’s research and was the subject of a chapter in Lisa Snyder’s book, Speaking Our Minds: Personal Reflections from Individuals with Alzheimer’s.

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O B I T U A R I E S
Bernice Marie Quander Miles, 86, a retired Civil Service employee, died March 8 in Washington, D.C. A Bureau of Consular Affairs employee, Mrs. Miles responded to passport inquiries from other government agencies, congressional offices, travel agencies, private citizens and embassies and consulates in Washington, D.C. She retired in 1976 after some 34 years with the federal government. A proud member of the historic Quander family, one of the country’s oldest documented African-American families, Mrs. Miles could trace her family’s arrival in Charles County, Md., to 1684. Patrick D. O’Boyle, 54, a retired Diplomatic Security special agent, died Jan. 7 of heart failure at his home in Michigan City, Ind. Before joining the Department, Mr. O’Boyle served as an officer in the Marine Corps from 1972 to 1988. His service with Diplomatic Security included assignments to Yugoslavia, Germany, Kuwait, Lebanon, Haiti, Panama, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand and Washington, D.C.

IN THE EVENT OF DEATH
Questions concerning deaths in service should be directed to the Employee Services Center, the Department’s contact office for all deaths in service: Harry S Truman Building, Room 1252, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-1252; (202) 6473432; fax: (202) 647-1429; e-mail: EmployeeServices [email protected]. Questions concerning the deaths of retired Foreign Service employees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960, [email protected]. Questions concerning the deaths of retired Civil Service employees should be directed to the Office of Personnel Management at (202) 606-0500, or through their web site at http://www.opm.gov.

PERSONNEL ACTIONS
FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENTS
Arriaga, Robert D. Burkhart, Robert L. Montgomery, William Dale West, Audrey M.

CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENTS
Aleshire, Marilyn E. Burruss, Julia Mae Carlin, Robert L. Dahl, Alan F. Daly, Patrick Joseph Dobson, Richard B. Duff, Kenneth T. Frank, Bruce L. Goss, Charles F. Hatchett, Adrienne B. Hopkins, Gwendolyn A. Moore, Marguerite Mount, Gay William Nasri, Fares Z. Nicholson, Sandra L. Paz, Maria Teresa Thomas, Geraldine Tingle, Lydia W. Weiss, Anne E.

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