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

June 2000

StateStateM a g a z i n e

Town HallSpotlights SecurityTown HallSpotlights Security

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StateStateMagazine

Carl GoodmanEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dave KreckeWRITER/EDITOR

Kathleen GoldyniaART DIRECTOR

Isaias Alba IVEDITORIAL ASSISTANT

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

James WilliamsCHAIRMAN

Sally LightEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Janice BurkeFrank CoulterCheryl Hess

Stevenson McIlvaineWayne OshimaMichael Scanlin

StateContents

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

StateMagazine

June 2000No. 436

C O L U M N S

2 From the Secretary

7 Direct From the D.G.

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

22 Safety Report

28 State of the Arts

29 People Like You

30 Education & Training

31 Personnel Actions

32 Obituaries

On the CoverSecretary Albright focuses

on security.Photo by Michael Gross

16 4 Secretary Holds Town Hall MeetingWe all have a stake in security, Secretary tells employees.

6 Ceremony Honors Bombing VictimsTree planting in Arlington creates a living memorial.

8 Post of the Month: BahrainIt’s a land of immortality.

11 Bureau of the Month: Near Eastern AffairsThere are many contrasts and contests.

15 Charging Into the 21st CenturyConsular fees are being collected via credit card.

16 Class of 1950 Celebrates Golden AnniversaryEvent marks 50 years of friendship.

20 LifeCare Debuts at StateNew resource referral service expands options.

23 Some Ice, PleaseIt’s an obsession for Americans.

25 The American Presence PostIt’s a new approach to promoting U.S. commercial interests.

Members of the Class of 1950 withtheir wives at the war-damagedcathedral in Frankfurt, Germany,before taking their assignments as “Resident Officers.”

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Embassy staff and family enjoy a cool desert night in Bahrain.

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8

FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY MADELEINE ALBRIGHT

2 State Magazine

Digital Diplomacyin the Information Age

Every now and again, a memo crosses my deskthat puts a smile on my face. In a recent world-wide survey of our missions, most ambassadorsfound that our public diplomacy has kept pace

with the Information Age, taking advantage of innova-tions in technology and providing us with valuable newforeign policy tools.

As today’s State Department grapples with the oppor-tunities and uncertainties of an online world, we knowthat the Internet will play an important role in 21st cen-tury diplomacy. That is why we have moved aggressive-ly into information technology, creating award-winningweb sites, online databases, electronic journals and theWashington File.

We have also made great progress on our five-yearplan to build a secure, global communications network.This will provide us with access to the information super-highway and allow us to network more effectively withother government agencies, international institutions,host governments, nongovernmental organizations andthe general public.

As one force driving globalization, the Internet hasgiven rise to exciting new opportunities. Just considerthat when President Clinton took office, the World WideWeb barely existed. Today, America’s single largestInternet provider delivers more mail each day than theU.S. Postal Service.

As a result, the Internet is helping us do things that wereonce scarcely imaginable. Today, a student in Asia can accessthe entire catalog of the Library of Congress or receive livevideo feeds from the Space Shuttle. An activist in Africa canlink up with organizations protecting the environment orjoin a worldwide campaign to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Of course, the capacity to convey information rapidlycreates new dangers as well. Pornography, propagandaand vicious lies may be transmitted more broadly. Andcyber-crime is a rising threat. While we must wrestle withthese challenges, the way forward is not to reject the newtechnology, censor legitimate information or try torestrict the Internet’s growth. Instead, we should use ourinfluence and power to guide the technological forcesthat are bringing us closer together.

Just as the world’s scientists used American know-howto create the Internet, we must draw on our values and

the strength of our democratic institutions to shape theinternational environment in which technology operates.That means supporting policies that allow the new digi-tal economy to flourish while protecting citizens’ rightsand freedoms. It means cooperating with foreign govern-ments to pursue criminals who abuse the web.

We must also use the Internet to promote our core for-eign policy objectives. And we are already deploying infor-mation technology to strengthen our security, to promotedemocracy and human rights and to expand our trade.

Here in Washington, the Nuclear Risk Reduction Centeruses advanced technology to reduce the risks posed byweapons of mass destruction. The Bureau of DiplomaticSecurity uses the web for its Heroes Program, to offerrewards, disseminate information abroad and bring inter-national terrorists and criminals before the bar of justice.

At our missions overseas, we are expanding e-commerce by facilitating business-to-business contacts.This is increasingly important to American prosperity inlight of projections that by the year 2006 half of theAmerican labor force will work in industries that pro-duce or consume information technology products.

And yet, for all the wealth and attention the “dotcom”industry has generated, we cannot forget that while 95percent of American schools are now online, half of theworld’s people have never made a phone call. Informationis the new currency of the global economy and the key toinformation is education. That is why we are using theInternet to promote economic development for the poorestcountries, to expand micro-credit programs, to supportdistance learning and to share web-based medicine.

Access to information also leads to personal and politicalempowerment, and the Internet has become a powerfulnew tool for promoting freedom. Our annual human rightsreport is now posted for the citizens of all nations to access.Our embassies are using the web to train journalists, edu-cate voters and strengthen the institutions of civil society.

Simply put, information technology can and shouldenhance our diplomacy. We have a long way to go, but weare now taking confident steps in the right direction. Wemust always remember, however, that technology simplygives us new tools. While these tools may someday revo-lutionize the way we do business, what matters most isthe quality and creativity of the people who use them. �

June 2000 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

On FSNs: Apoplexy andApplause

I write to informyou and your editori-al staff that FSNscan read.

Those FSNslucky enough toread, however,could only havebeen offendedby the patron-

izing tone ofSarah Donaldson’s arti-

cle, “The Changing Role ofFSNs,” in your April issue.

What should have been a celebra-tion of the success the Department ishaving filling previously ForeignService officer positions with FSNswas instead spoiled by the implica-tion of relief that the whole thinghadn’t been a complete disaster.

To give you some idea of how anFSN might feel when reading thisarticle, try substituting throughoutthe word American for FSN. Thesesorts of attitudes—that the Depart-ment is somehow taking a risk withthis program, that the greatest expec-tation we can have of FSNs is medi-ocrity (and that anything beyond thisis a bonus) is both insulting and fly-ing in the face of reality.

Matthew DumbrellFSN Economic SpecialistU.S. Embassy, Canberra

I read with interest SarahDonaldson’s article on the changingroles of FSNs in the April issue.Having been an FSN in New Zealandfor 28 years, I applaud the wisdom inState’s recognition of FSNs who areholding jobs traditionally held byForeign Service members.

I disagree, however, with thoseofficers concerned about FSNs lack-ing network contacts within theDepartment and field. For 13 years Idirected the USIS American Center in

Auckland and developed close work-ing relationships with the media andleaders from academia, trade unionsand government. FSNs have a built-in understanding of local social andbusiness cultures and the opportuni-ty to develop productive relation-ships on behalf of the U.S. govern-ment. As a result, they are able topave the way for each successiveForeign Service officer who comesthrough as well as the ambassadorand visiting U.S. officials.

I hope the Department doesn’t limitopportunities for FSNs to technical,financial or personnel positions.

Vivienne A. HutchisonRetired FSN, Sebastopol, Calif.

A Capital OffenseIn your post feature on Abuja in

the April issue, you referred to

From the EditorReaders are a publication’s greatest assets. State Magazine’s are

no exception.To reach and retain readers, publications must change. State Magazine

is no exception. Recently, State Magazine has changed dramatically from black and

white to full color and expanded its coverage from a focus on the ForeignService to include coverage of Foreign Service and Civil Service employ-ees, Foreign Service National employees and retirees. In all, we’re talkingabout some 50,000 potential readers. That’s quite an audience to reach.

A two-person editorial staff needs your help to cover a Department asfar-flung and as far-reaching as the State Department. To extend ourreach, we rely heavily on our readers, both overseas and in Washington,for articles. We are glad to work with readers who wish to write for themagazine. Some general guidelines are already available upon requestand on our web site listed on the inside front cover.

We especially encourage and welcome articles both by and about ourForeign Service National employees, who outnumber all of our otheremployees. And we welcome reflections on life after State from ourretirees, who number in the thousands.

Our audiences may always exceed our reach but they will neverexceed our goal.

Posts are increasingly puttin

g

local talent to use.

By Sarah Donaldson

It’s a trend at U.S. Embassies around the world. Jobs

traditionally held by members of the Foreign

Service are increasingly being carried out by

Foreign Service Nationals.

In the past 10 years, State has responded to budget cuts

by exercising both a trimming and an expansion of its

workforce—eliminating certain American positions at its

posts around the world, while opening up new Foreign

Service National positions to replace them. It’s dramati-

cally transformed the role of FSNs at embassies overseas.

The decisions, made by individual bureaus and posts,

are often budget-driven.

It costs at least $150,000 to send an American abroad,

“and that’s without salary,” according to Bob West, chief

of the Office of Overseas Employment’s Human Resource

Management Division in the Bureau of Personnel.

But there are often other reasons, too, for bureaus and

posts to reexamine their staffing plans and to rely more

on FSNs.

In early 1995, Herb Schulz, then executive director of

the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, decided to

convert several positions in the region. He not only

hoped to save money, he also wanted to reap the benefits

of continuity, specialization and experience to increase

the posts’ efficiency and effectiveness.

Mary Martinez, regional personnel officer in Canberra at

the time, was the implementing force behind the 1998 con-

version of her job to an FSN regional personnel officer posi-

tion. Working with the bureau, she developed a job posting

that immediately drew a large group of highly qualified can-

didates. Malcolm Eastley was ultimately selected, and Ms.

Martinez proudly reports that “he’s doing a brillia

nt job.”

Mr. Schulz carried the influence of this first initiative to

two other posts: Melbourne and Singapore, where he cur-

rently serves as deputy chief of mission. In the summer of

1998, the Melbourne consulate replaced an administrative

officer position with an FSN position. Singapore followed

suit last May, assigning longtime embassy personnel

employee Pheng Liew to a position vacated by an outgoing

American personnel officer.

20State M

agazine

The Changing Roles of FSNs

FSN personnelists at the U.S.

Embassy in Costa Rica include,

from left, Marlon Avellan,

Sara M. de Herrera and

Ana Silvia Fernandez.

Sydney as being the political capitalof Australia prior to Canberra. Infact, Melbourne was the originalAustralian capital prior to the moveto Canberra in the 1920s.

Brian TaylorBureau of Diplomatic Security

Share the GlamourI’m glad to hear the Department is

hiring 32 more diplomatic couriers,as reported in your February/Marchissue. Maybe they could be parceledout to posts to meet and assist theircolleagues in their glamorous andexciting work and information man-agement specialists could devotemore time to their own jobs.

Michael GallaherInformation Management SpecialistCairo, Egypt

We all have a stake in safeguarding our nation’ssecrets, Secretary Madeleine K. Albright told apacked crowd of employees May 3 during aTown Hall meeting in the Dean AchesonAuditorium.

“It’s not ‘us’ or ‘them’, only ‘we’,” said the Secretary,whose remarks came on the heels of a missing laptopcomputer containing sensitive information and the dis-covery of a secret listening device, or bug, on the seventhfloor of Main State.

Touching first on resources and the difficulty of shap-ing the foreign policy environment of the 21st centurywith inadequate funding, the Secretary then moved on tothe issue of the day: security.

Upon her arrival at State in January 1997, she madesecurity a top priority and brought in David Carpenter,

4 State Magazine

I N T H E N E W S

the first career law enforcement officer ever to lead theBureau of Diplomatic Security. Since then, she said, theDepartment has made real progress. As evidence, shecited the development of a global risk management plan,enhanced perimeter security, the hiring of more guards,the adoption of a rigorous escort policy and the launchingof a new surveillance detection program at most posts.

The Secretary said she had recently asked AssistantSecretary Carpenter to conduct, with help from thedefense and intelligence communities, a top-to-bottomreview of the Department’s security practices. (Mr.Carpenter is currently her senior adviser on security whilethe Department seeks congressional authority to establishan under secretary for Security, Counter-terrorism andLaw Enforcement Affairs.) She told her audience thatsome of these reforms have met with resistance.

We All Have aStake in Security,Secretary TellsEmployees

Photo by Michael Gross

“Today, I want to make it clear that I am asking for, andexpect, your full support.”

A culture within the Department that resists paying fullattention to security responsibilities is unacceptable, theSecretary said. Security cannot interfere with job perform-ance because, she said, “security is a core component ofthe job of each and every person in this room and thoselistening outside” regardless of your job. “If you are notprofessional about security, you are a failure,” she said.

Secretary Albright commented that much-publicizedsecurity violations have damaged the credibility and rep-utation of the Department and everyone who works atState. And, she added, they have raised questions withinCongress and the public about our commitment to secu-rity. The Secretary said every personnel review shouldinclude an evaluation of how well security-relatedresponsibilities are fulfilled and that every employeewho handles or safeguards classified or sensitive infor-mation should attend an annual security briefing.

Where you serve should not influence the precautionsyou take, she observed, because “the imperatives of day-to-day security do not change—whether you live inBethesda or Beijing.”

She encouraged employees to follow written proce-dures by citing a personal observation. When she travels,the Secretary observed that the pilots follow a writtenmanual before every take-off. “They don’t want to godown, and we don’t want to go down either.”

“We have been put on notice,” one employee concluded. Itwas a view shared by many attending the town hall meeting.

Before opening the floor for questions, SecretaryAlbright said, “We all have a stake in safeguarding theinterests of our nation and in seeing that within ourDepartment there exists a climate and culture whichensures that security is a top priority for every employee,every day.”

Earlier, she had invoked Jefferson’s admonition: “Theprice of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

June 2000 5

Five Key Elements of Security 1. Security is a core component of the job of each and

every State Department employee. I don’t care how skilledyou are as a diplomat, how brilliant you may be in meetingsor how creative you may be as an administrator; if you arenot professional about security, you are a failure.

Every personnel review should include an evaluation of howwell security-related responsibilities are fulfilled. And everyemployee who handles or safeguards classified or sensitiveinformation must attend the Department’s annual securitybriefings. Getting security right requires not just a short burstof attention. It demands a permanent commitment.

2. If you see a violation, do not look the other way. Correctit, report it and ensure it does not happen again. The vastmajority of State Department employees already take theirsecurity duties very seriously. I can’t emphasize thisenough. It is the few who neglect or who are casual abouttheir duties who create problems for all of us. So this is onearea where we must each be our neighbor’s keeper.

3. Forget that the Cold War ended. Spy novelists may behaving trouble thinking up plots, but our nation still has ene-mies; our secrets still need protecting; and the threats we faceare more varied and less predictable than ever.

4. Don’t let where you serve affect the precautions youtake. It may seem less necessary to go the extra mile forsecurity here in the Department than in a sensitive overseaspost, but it is not. The imperatives of day-to-day security donot change whether you live in Bethesda or Beijing.

5. Don’t rely on memory alone. Develop and follow pro-cedures. Airline pilots run through a written checklist ofsafety measures before each flight. We should do thesame before going home.

Call for Open Forum Chairperson Nominees The Department is seeking nominations for the position of Open Forum chairperson for the 2000–2001 term. All

U.S. citizen employees of the Department of State and the Agency for International Development with secret clear-ances are eligible to serve in this full-time paid position.

The Open Forum speaker program explores new and alternative views, giving members of the foreign affairscommunity a forum for engaging in constructive dialogue on policy issues.

The Open Forum chairperson coordinates the speaker program and serves directly under the Secretary of State. In addi-tion, the Open Forum monitors a confidential dissent channel that offers Foreign and Civil Service employees a venue forexpressing dissenting opinions. The chairperson ensures that employees’ careers are not jeopardized by their dissent.

Employees interested in seeking the position of chairperson should submit a memorandum or cable nominatingthemselves to: S/OF, Secretary’s Open Forum, Room 3835 Main State, Attention: Ms. Corazon Sandoval Foley, byJuly 14. They should also enclose a statement of candidacy that should not exceed one page. These documents maybe e-mailed to c.foley@state.gov or faxed to 202-647-4040. The chairperson will be chosen in a department-wideelection and will begin serving in September 2000.

I N T H E N E W S

6 State Magazine

Transportation Fringe BenefitsTo encourage federal employees to use mass transit, the President

issued an executive order in April mandating that federal agenciesprovide transportation fringe benefits of up to $65 per month. Thebenefit will not be taxed.

Effective Oct. 1, federal agencies are required to provide “transitpasses” (that is, Metrocheks) to eligible employees who use masstransportation to commute to and from work and whose duty sta-tion is within the National Capital Region.

No cash will be involved. The Department will purchase transit pass-es and will distribute them to eligible employees who apply for the ben-efit. The benefit is nontaxable and will not be reported on employees’Wage and Tax Statements.

Employees outside the National Capital Region will be eligible toapply for a “transportation fringe benefit” through voluntary pre-taxpayroll deductions. Amounts deducted from employees’ paychecksfor commuting costs of mass transportation will be excluded from tax-able wages up to $65 per month. For more information, contactCorinne Thornton in the Office of Employee Relations, (202) 261-8172or via unclassified e-mail.

Memorial in Arlington Honors All Killed in 1998 Bombings Undeterred by a steady May downpour, family

members of those lost and survivors gathered atArlington National Cemetery with colleagues fromState and other federal agencies to dedicate a perma-nent memorial to all who gave their lives in theAugust 1998 terrorist bombings of the U.S. Embassiesin Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, AssistantSecretary for African Affairs Susan Rice and DirectorGeneral of the Foreign Service and Director ofPersonnel Edward “Skip” Gnehm were joined by theTanzanian and Kenyan chargés d’affaires at the dedica-tion ceremony. The Secretary unveiled the stone mark-er, and Chargé d’Affaires Alex Massinda of theEmbassy of the United Republic of Tanzania andChargé d’Affaires Mustafa Kang’e of the Embassy ofthe Republic of Kenya assisted in planting a tulippoplar as a living memorial.

“Through this memorial, we honor each victim,”Secretary Albright said, “African and American, gov-ernment official and student, soldier and civilian, par-ent and child. It is fitting that we do so in this hallowedplace,” she added, “where past heroes of freedom areremembered, and that we do so together. For the terror-ists sought to divide us, but in truth they have only strengthened the partnership among our three nations.”

The Secretary noted that a sculpture created from the shards of the destroyed embassy building now stands in Tanzania’sNational Art Museum and that a Peace Park has been established in Nairobi where the embassy once stood. “Today,” she said,“we dedicate this memorial as a place where each can come alone or together, on special occasions or in private moments, toremember with sorrow and pride.”

At Arlington National Cemetery, from left are: Judith Busera Madahana and daughterChelsea; Livingstone Madahana, voucher examiner in the U.S. Embassy, Nairobi;Beverly Wiley, post management officer, Africa Bureau; and Michelle Stefanick,former financial management officer in Nairobi. Mr. Madahana, blinded in thebombing, is being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

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Ann

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omas

Photo courtesy of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

toward reaching that goal. During my tenureI have listened carefully to your suggestionsfor making the Department a better place towork. I’m proud of what we have accom-plished together, and I want to encourage allof you to take full advantage of the manyopportunities our system offers for careeradvancement.

One of my goals has been to bring a senseof professionalism back to the ranks of thecareer Civil Service and Foreign Service andto give greater recognition to the contribu-

tions of our Foreign Service National employees. In coop-eration with Ambassador Ruth Davis and her dedicatedstaff at the Foreign Service Institute, we have succeededin making our personnel system more responsive to thetraining needs of our workforce. I am also proud of ournew language incentive initiatives and the programs wehave introduced to develop the next generation of theSenior Executive Service. The willingness of AFSA andAFGE to support our many pilot programs including theAEP exam, 360 degree reviews, MSI stretches and PDconversions has also demonstrated an openness to inno-vation and partnership that is impressive and heartening.

I don’t think there is a better place to work than theDepartment of State if personal growth, discovery andadventure are to your liking. We must never forget thatwe are public servants, entrusted by the American peoplewith the responsibility to represent their interests abroad,and we must never let the American people forget thatour diplomats are America’s first lines of defense.

The importance of our work is crystallized in thisquote about WWI from John Keegan: “(It) was a tragicand unnecessary conflict. Unnecessary because the trainof events that led to its outbreak might have been brokenat any point during the five weeks of crisis that precededthe first clash of arms, had prudence or common good-will found a voice.” The voice he refers to is ours—thevoice of diplomacy.

Countless conflicts have been prevented in the pastand many in the future will be avoided because experi-enced diplomats with the language and area skills andthe communications, security and logistical backup wereable to appeal to the “prudence and common goodwill”of our friends and our adversaries. All of you, friends andcolleagues, have my admiration and esteem. It has trulybeen a privilege serving you. �

June 2000 7

Summer is here and I know that manyof our Foreign Service colleagues arealready scheduling their packouts,making travel arrangements, won-

dering how they’ll ship their pets and howthe kids will adjust to their new schools.After three fascinating and challengingyears as director general, I, too, will be join-ing this summer’s seasonal migration.

I can honestly say that this assignment hasbeen unlike anything I have done in myForeign Service career. Yes, there has beenthat day now and then when I would gladly haveexchanged portfolios with any of you, but then therewere all those other days—days when I felt we were real-ly making a positive difference in people’s lives.

As I prepare to move on, I would like to express mydeep appreciation to the Secretary for asking me to serveas director general. I also want to extend a very specialthanks to the dedicated Foreign Service and Civil Serviceemployees of the Bureau of Personnel who have sup-ported my efforts to improve our system and who haveproposed and implemented so many excellent sugges-tions of their own.

During my tour, I have been privileged to meet withmany of you overseas and in Washington and to see first-hand the truly heroic jobs you are doing in representingAmerica to the world. At every post visited, I’veobserved dedicated men and women accomplishingmuch and justly proud of what they are doing—despitelimited resources and a burgeoning workload. Andeverywhere, I saw families sharing experiences and hard-ships and contributing in the workplace.

The courage and resourcefulness of those who experi-enced the bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam was astriking tribute to all for which we stand. I wish that moreAmericans could appreciate as much as we do the effortsof those brave colleagues and the many others workingdiligently to establish peace in the Balkans, the MiddleEast and Africa, who staff bare-bones missions in thenewly independent states and who leave their familiesbehind to serve unaccompanied tours in Beirut, Algiers,Monrovia or Pristina.

We all have an obligation to make the State Departmentinto the kind of organization we would like to see leadingAmerica’s foreign policy into the 21st century. Last year’smerger with ACDA and USIA was a significant step

DIRECT FROM THE D.G.EDWARD W. “SKIP” GNEHM JR.

Moving On withDeep Appreciation

By Ian F. Dunn

Since its days as Dilmun back in 2300 BC, Bahrainhas been an oasis on the Persian Gulf, attractingtravelers to its enchanted shores for millenniawith its peaceful way of life and plentiful freshwater. Sumerian poems in the Gilgamesh epic

describe Dilmun as a land of immortals and an eternalparadise for sages and heroes. Approximately 172,000burial mounds, some 5,000 years old, are scattered acrossthe landscape in silent tribute to Dilmun, one of the old-est civilizations on the Gulf.

A small island-state tucked along Saudi Arabia’s east-ern coastline, Bahrain has been known for centuries forthe friendly welcome its people extend to visitors fromaround the world. It is a devout Islamic country that hascomfortably embraced a number of Western practices.

The bustling island community offers a study in con-trasts: wooden dhows ply the Gulf waters against thebackdrop of a large, modern port and U.S. Navy vessels;the muezzin’s call to prayer echoes through a city boast-ing a world-class telecommunications infrastructure;and shoppers roam the quaint back alleys of theManama or Muharraq souks not far from the modern,Westernized Seef Mall.

Because of its strategic location, Bahrain has been sub-ject to foreign rule throughout its long history. In ancienttimes the island was part of the Phoenician trade empire.Later, it came under Assyrian influence. In more recenttimes the country was controlled by the Portuguese in the16th century, by the Persians in the 17th and 18th cen-turies and by the British until Bahrain declared its inde-pendence, in 1971.

The Al Khalifa ruling family has governed Bahrain since1783 when Ahmed the Conqueror drove out the remaining

8 State Magazine

BahrainBahrain

Land of Immortality

The U.S. Embassy,Manama, Bahrain.

Persian garrison on the islands. The current emir,Shaikh Hamad Al Khalifa, ascended to powerupon the recent death of his father, Shaikh Isa AlKhalifa, who had ruled since 1961. In somerespects, Bahrain is a family-run enterprise. Theruling family occupies many ministerial posi-tions, led by the emir’s son, the crown prince andhis uncle, the prime minister. There is no legisla-ture, but a consultative council considers andvotes on some issues.

Bahrain evokes comparison with Singaporeor Hong Kong. It is a small island-state that hasdeveloped a modern economy on the strengthof its geo-strategic location, educated citizensand warm openness to foreigners. Bereft of sig-nificant natural resources and with a nativepopulation of only about 400,000, Bahrain’seconomy for centuries was based on its positionas a regional trading post between the west andIndia. Travelers were drawn to the freshwatersprings that gave Bahrain—Arabic for “twoseas”—its name. Pearling, fishing, date farmingand traditional crafts such as pottery and basketweaving were the primary economic staples.Prior to the discovery of oil, Bahrain was therichest country in the Gulf on the strength of itspearling industry, which was devastated by thelarge-scale introduction of cultivated pearls inthe 1930s. Natural Bahraini pearls are still val-ued for their quality.

Bahrain’s economic fortunes—and those ofthe world—changed on June 2, 1932, when thefirst oil discovered in the region was found inBahrain. The discovery of the Bahrain Field bythe Standard Oil Co. of California led tooil exploration in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait

and Qatar. In the decades that followed, Bahrain’seconomy became more dependent on petroleumand its by-products. Bahrain’s oil reserves are verysmall, however, and the country’s prudent eco-nomic planners have diversified into the alu-minum, banking and telecommunications sectors.

Bahrain is actually an archipelago of 33 islands—only three of which are inhabited—with a totalland mass approximately 3.5 times that ofWashington, D.C. The majority of the land isdesert. The landscape is so harsh and desolate, infact, that in the 1970s the government deemed itmore feasible to accommodate the growing pop-ulation by expanding onto reclaimed land at thenorthern end of the main island rather than tam-ing lands to the south.

To the uninitiated, the weather can be literallybreathtaking in the summer. The humidity leveltends to be particularly high from July toSeptember, driving the “discomfort index” toalmost unbearable levels. Under these condi-tions, eyeglasses steam up instantly—a sure sign

that one should have stayed inside. Merely walking tothe car can be an ordeal. The winters are relatively mildand quite enjoyable. What rain Bahrain does receive—about four inches annually—arrives in late winter.

Despite Bahrain’s relatively small size, few expatriatescomplain of “island fever” because of the cultural andsocial activities available. The bustling discotheques andquality restaurants, famous throughout the region, attractvisitors from neighboring countries. The Bahrain NationalMuseum presents the country’s history through a won-derful collection of artifacts and displays. The Bait AlQuran Museum holds an unrivaled collection of Quranicitems and literature. Bahrain also offers the tourist andresident alike a wildlife park, a variety of historic forts,mosques, resort facilities and an array of shopping areas.

In spite of the heat, Bahrain offers a wonderful way oflife for the American community of approximately 3,000,about half of whom are associated with the U.S. military.Most Americans live in housing compounds that includepools, tennis courts, recreation rooms and exercise facili-ties. Western-style shopping malls, grocery stores andcinemas coexist with traditional Arabic bazaars andfarmers’ markets. Roads are well maintained and markedin English. Traffic jams are rare.

Most dependent children attend the Department ofDefense Dependent Schools, affiliated with the BahrainSchool, which offers an American curriculum and theInternational Baccalaureate program. Fully two-thirdsof the school’s 900 students (and growing) in grades K-12 are non-Americans from about 45 countries. Thereare several Bahraini schools as well as British, Frenchand Japanese international schools. Child care facilitiesare available.

June 2000 9

A local rug merchant displayshis wares in Manama.

Photo by Ian Dunn

The Bahrainis themselves, however, are probably thecountry’s greatest attraction. They are warm, friendly,humble and hospitable to strangers, characteristics culti-vated over centuries as a regional trading post. They arealso very generous with their time and possessions. It isnot unusual for a rug or jewelry vendor to take a newcustomer out for lunch. Tea, coffee and sweets are rou-tinely offered to visitors.

Bahrain’s history as a way station between East and Westhas led to a diverse offering of cuisines. Local fare includes(a local type of grouper), a dessert called umm ali and the

10 State Magazine

ubiquitous, made from chicken, beef or lamb.Indian, Mediterranean and Chinese foods arewidely available.

The United States has always enjoyed warmrelations with Bahrain. The American MissionHospital, founded in 1902, was the first mod-ern medical facility in the region. The U.S.Navy recently celebrated the 50th anniversaryof its presence in Bahrain. The U.S. NavalCentral Command and the Fifth Fleet areheadquartered in Bahrain, and the administra-tive support unit is undergoing a burst of con-struction to expand its facilities. The ambassa-dor and his staff enjoy easy access to all levelsof the government and excellent rapport withall segments of Bahraini society. �

The author is economic officer in the U.S.Embassy, Manama, Bahrain.

The Bab al Bahrain, gateway to the Manama souk.

Embassy Cultural Assistant Hanna Al-Saeed and Political/ProtocolAssistant Ali Salman marry in Bahraini ceremony.

Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph Mussomeli and his wife Sharon with Isaacand Alexis before the Manama skyline, modern and ancient.

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By Adam Ereli

From Marakesh to Mashad, across the south-ern shores of the Mediterranean to the oil-laden sands of Iraq and Iran, and from theCaspian Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the MiddleEast stretches across some of the most con-

tested territory in the world. It is home to Arabs, Iranians,Israelis, Kurds, Berbers and dozens of smaller groups. Itharbors some of the world’s most valuable resources andits most intractable conflicts. It lies at the intersection ofEurope, Africa and Asia, incorporating elements of allthree. Still, it remains culturally unique.

Few areas of the world combine such political andstrategic importance with the chronic instability of theNear East. For over four decades, successive U.S.Administrations have set a peaceful resolution of theArab-Israeli conflict and secure access to the energyresources of the Persian Gulf among their top foreign pol-icy objectives. Advancing vital U.S. political and econom-ic interests in the Middle East is complicated by a legacyof ethnic conflicts, border disputes, economic dislocations,ecological disruptions and human rights abuses—all ofwhich have contributed to terrorism and violence.

It is within that context that the Bureau of Near EasternAffairs manages an extensive portfolio of security, political,economic, commercial and nonproliferation initiatives in aregion that relies heavily on U.S. diplomatic leadership.Exercising this leadership requires a delicate combinationof crisis management, the shaping of policies and programsto deal with underlying core issues and reinforcing newtendencies in broadening political participation.

NEA is a leadership bureau. Bureau employees—bothin the field and in Washington—are intimately engagedin the formulation and execution of U.S. foreign policyinitiatives that include facilitating the Middle East peaceprocess, countering the threat from Saddam Hussein,ensuring stability in the oil-rich Gulf, fighting terrorism,selling American products and promoting democraticvalues and religious tolerance.

NEA works closely with the President’s Special MiddleEast Coordinator on the full range of issues included inthe Middle East peace negotiations involving Israel, thePalestinians, Lebanon and Syria. The bureau leads themultilateral steering groups associated with the peaceprocess, regional economic institutions and thePalestinian donor coordination process. NEA staff leaddiscussions of regional issues with Russian, EuropeanUnion and Japanese partners, galvanizing support for

Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Bureau of the Month:Prayers at Jerusalem’sWestern Wall.

Photo by David Staples

U.S.-Iraq policies with all United NationsSecurity Council members as well as withArab friends. The bureau also takes thelead in interagency deliberations on Iranand Libya policies.

Furthering the Middle East peaceprocess continues to dominate America’sdiplomatic agenda, just as it has for everyU.S. Administration since PresidentTruman’s. The rationale for vigorous U.S.engagement in peace process diplomacyremains the same: the U.S. commitment tothe security of the state of Israel and therecognition of the risks of broader regionalinstability if the process were to falter. Withmore than 20 years of Israeli peace withEgypt and more than five years of peacewith Jordan to build on, U.S. emphasis con-tinues to be on assisting the Israelis andPalestinians to implement existing agree-ments and conclude an agreement on permanent statusissues. While the risk of a superpower conflict stemmingfrom Arab-Israeli tensions my have receded, the underly-ing justification for U.S. engagement has not.

U.S. engagement in the Near East is also critical to limit-ing opportunities for the growth of radical regimes and fur-ther proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in analready heavily militarized region with a number of fragilegovernments. America seeks regional stability in thePersian Gulf as a vehicle for bolstering close partnerships

with the Gulf Cooperation Council states and safeguardingworld access to the substantial energy resources from thatarea. NEA countries account for more than 75 percent ofproven world oil reserves. Since Saddam Hussein’s inva-sion of Kuwait in 1990, the bureau has coordinated closelywith the Defense Department on an enhanced forwardpresence for U.S. military assets, and regional diplomacy isheavily oriented toward ensuring that those assets supportour overall security priorities.

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U.S. Navy helicopter prepares to land atthe U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.

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Ambassador Dennis Ross, specialMiddle East coordinator, is greet-ed by Israeli Minister for RegionalCooperation Shimon Peres inJanuary 1999.

Photo courtesy of David Staples

June 2000 13

Countering the threat that Iraq underSaddam Hussein poses to regional stabili-ty and to worldwide nonproliferationpolicies is a critical priority. NEA has man-aged this threat using diplomacy backedby the credible use of force, pending achange of regime in Baghdad. Thisincludes mobilizing a wide array of diplo-matic resources in Washington, the UnitedNations in New York and posts aroundthe world to rally support for the U.S. con-tainment and regime change effort. TheGulf States are not like NATO—every newdeployment or coalition operationrequires extensive diplomatic coordina-tion at senior levels. Efforts also includecloser engagement with Iraqis, both insideand outside the country, who seek Iraq’sreintegration into the family of nations.

Achieving change in Iranian practicesthat violate international norms remains akey goal. The bureau seeks to convince Iranto alter its practices on terrorism and toabandon its search for weapons of massdestruction and the means of delivering them. At the sametime, the bureau works to rally consensus among friendsand allies to deny WMD capabilities or the financialresources that might enable Iran to buy these capabilities.NEA will continue its advocacy of government-to-govern-ment dialogue with Iran while facilitating people-to-peopleexchanges to foster an environment for such a dialogue.

North Africa has suffered economic dislocation andpolitical tension as its countries make the difficult transi-tion toward more open, democratic governance. U.S.policies aim to bolster the efforts of moderate, construc-tive governments in Morocco and Tunisia and reinforcechange in Algeria. The bureau has begun an initiative inNorth Africa that gives new coherence to this approachand in FY 2000 will inaugurate a cutting-edge program tosupport private sector trade—not a traditional aid pro-gram—that will enhance investment opportunities and

build civil institutions. The importanceof this effort to long-term stability andU.S. business far exceeds its costs.

The bureau’s economic and democracyprograms are mutually reinforcing asNEA faces the challenge of addressingcritical global issues and proving that U.S.support for democracy is substantial.Ambassadors and officers in the field arealso actively engaged in helping to sellAmerican products, which createsAmerican jobs. While the bureau seeks toenhance private sector development and abetter investment climate to address rootcauses of societal instability, it is alsodeveloping civil society in a region thatoften lacks institutions for peaceful transi-tion of leadership, freedom of expressionor respect for women’s rights. Morebroadly, the bureau has been encouragingthe region to address environmentalissues such as limited water resources andenvironmental degradation through theMiddle East peace process multilateralworking groups. NEA also supports a

Photo courtesy of Randolph Fleitman

NEA Peace Process and Regional Affairs office members enjoy a picnic andcherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial. From left are Eric Carlson, LeeLitzenberger, Jane Zimmerman, Robert Krantz and Randolph Fleitman.

Daniel Kurtzer, center, U.S. Ambassador tothe Arab Republic of Egypt, and Mrs. Kurtzervisit a U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment education project in Port Said.

comprehensive relationship with the regional societies andcultures through an array of exchange, cultural, informa-tion and other public diplomacy programs.

Change is coming to the Middle East in the area of lead-ership as well. In the last year and a half, a new generationhas assumed the thrones in Jordan and Morocco. In Iran,more than 60 percent of the population is under the age of24. The force of this demographic was clearly felt in the par-liamentary elections of February, when the people votedoverwhelmingly for policies of internal reform and greateropenness to the outside world. NEA is keenly aware thatthese changes will have important implications for our poli-cies and our relationships with the states of the region.

The legacy of strong, vigorous U.S. leadership in theMiddle East has entailed substantial commitments of for-eign assistance resources over the past several decades.With more than $5 billion in annual security and econom-ic assistance traditionally earmarked for Israel and Egypt,the region receives some 40 percent of America’s world-wide foreign assistance budget. Less frequently men-tioned is the fact that supporting all of our remainingMiddle East foreign assistance absorbs a tiny percentageof the worldwide total—less than 3 percent. Furthermore,the U.S. diplomatic complement—in a region whereambassadors and their staffs remain the primary inter-locutors across the full gamut of diplomatic and commer-cial issues—is the second smallest of any regional bureau.

NEA has a domestic staff of 132 talented Civil Serviceand Foreign Service employees working with 19 overseasposts. With relatively few people to accomplish so much,the bureau understandably devotes significant attention todeveloping its personnel. NEA staff has earned a well-deserved reputation for doing what it takes to get the jobdone. Whether putting together a ministerial meeting ofthe Multilateral Steering Group in Moscow or hosting the

recent round of Middle East peace talks in Shepherdstown,W.Va., NEA’s people show leadership, energy and creativ-ity in tackling the task at hand.

The challenges of working hard on important politicalissues are certainly not the only attractions drawingemployees and their families to repeat assignments inNEA. Crucible of the three great monotheistic religions,the region fascinates people interested in experiencing itshistoric and cultural richness. NEA posts offer diverseopportunities for exploring, from the Roman ruins ofMeknes, Morocco, and the centuries-old spice, rug andjewelry souks of Damascus, Syria, to the modern shop-ping centers of Dubai and the world-class scuba diving ofSharm El-Sheik, Egypt. For employees with children, sev-eral NEA posts such as Amman, Cairo, Rabat and TelAviv have outstanding American high schools whosegraduates enter the best universities in the United States.

Many in the bureau invest two years in learning Arabicand remain in NEA for most of their careers. In additionto the traditional language-designated consular, econom-ic, political and public diplomacy jobs, NEA offers someArabic-designated administrative and office manage-ment specialist positions as well. Arabic study and othershared experiences in this exotic region contribute to thefeeling of family in the “mother bureau.” The bureau ismaking a special effort to attract Arab-Americans, CivilService employees for hard-to-fill Foreign Service posi-tions and other new recruits to increase diversity andbring varied viewpoints to its work. �

The author is director of public affairs for the NEA Bureau.Margaret Schmidt, deputy director of NEA public affairs, andDavid Staples, public affairs specialist, also contributed tothis article.

14 State Magazine

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Iraq Desk Officer David Schwartz, left, and Iraq Officer David Bame, second from right, with Kurdistan Democratic party militia, standing next to an Iraqi tankdestroyed in battle against the Kurds of Northern Iraq.

June 2000 15

By Ralph Hamilton

Whether you’re vacationing in Acapulco orCancun, such a trip would likely require themagic of plastic, the credit card. Oddly enoughthese ubiquitous plastic plates represent best

practices for consular operations throughout Mexico.Consular customers now can say “charge it” for theirconsular fees at the U.S. Embassy, at each of the nine con-sulates and at all 10 consular agencies.

What began as a pilot program in 1996 is now availableat more than 40 locations throughout the world, half ofthem in Mexico. The Treasury Department approvedConsular Affairs’ test program to determine whether con-sular fees could be collected via credit card. The firstpoint of sale terminal was installed in London. That suc-cessful pilot deployment was followed by installations inFrankfurt and Montreal. Progress was slow and technicaldifficulties and obstacles delayed widespread expansionof the program for several years.

It was not until June 1999 that the program got a shotin the arm. With the strong support of consular managersin Mexico City and the hard work of the FinancialManagement Center at the post, the embassy had its firstterminal up and running in the passport section. That

was only the beginning. Once the first terminal was run-ning smoothly, the mission installed approximately twomore each month until, within a year, the program wasextended not only to all the consulates in Mexico, but tothe far-flung consular agencies. This last move was insome ways the most innovative. Consular managementwas convinced that extending the program to the con-sular agencies was a must. Lower collections at the con-sular agencies would be more than offset by better cus-tomer service to a clientele most likely traveling withlittle cash after heeding the call not to leave home with-out a credit card. At the same time, consular agentswould benefit from less cash on hand.

Mexico’s Financial Management Office has eveninstalled a terminal at the embassy’s cashier window toaccept employee payment for those pesky telephonebills, overweight shipping costs and other miscella-neous bills.

Credit card payment has the tangible benefit of improvedfee accountability and internal controls. Just as important,but definitely intangible, is the priceless smile on a cus-tomer’s face when asked, “Will that be cash or charge?” �

The author, financial management officer in Mexico City, willassume his new assignment as FMO in Dhaka in August.

Charging Into the 21st Century

By Dave Krecke

The year 2000 may mean a new millennium formany Americans, but it’s the golden anniversaryfor members of the Foreign Service’s basic train-ing class of 1950.

A close-knit group of 27 young men and their families,they were dispatched to West Germany as “ResidentOfficers” to spearhead the transition from U.S. military tocivilian occupation. All had served in World War II asmilitary officers in various branches and theaters of serv-ice. Two in the group—downed pilots captured by theGermans—had even endured lengthy stretches as pris-oners of war. Theirs may be the only entering ForeignService class in which all officers were sent to a singlecountry on the same mission.

The group affectionately recalls the shipboard pokergames that began on the voyage to Bremerhaven. Menslept below decks while their spouses and childrenstayed above. The game continues to this day whenevercard-playing class members gather for reunions. And

16 State Magazine

The Class of 1950The Class of 1950

Fifty Yearsof

Friendship

The swearing-in ceremony for the27 members of the ForeignService Class of 1950.

Photo courtesy of Harry Odell

gather they do, every New Year’s Eve since the 1950s andfor special occasions in between.

After a brief period of training in Frankfurt, the officersfanned out to assignments as representatives of the U.S.High Commission in communities throughout theAmerican Sector, encouraging citizens of the war-tornnation to adopt democratic practices at the local level.They worked with schools and community organiza-tions, showed re-education films, selected promisingGermans for familiarization trips to the United States andset up town hall meetings where German citizens—forthe first time in their lives—could question the decisionsof government officials. The program’s ambitious goalwas to create a new German political system, one inwhich the state would be accountable to its citizens.

Always visible as the only Americans in most of theircommunities, the officers and their families were expect-ed to serve as role models, teaching democracy throughtheir own examples. So important was thisaspect of the program that no bachelors weresupposed to be sent to Germany. So, while mar-ried members of the class were playing pokeron the troopship, a handful of their colleagueswere getting married to fulfill what they under-stood to be the program’s final requirement.These men flew with their new brides toEurope, joining the group in Frankfurt. For thehappily married members of this cohort, theyear 2000 is also the year they celebrate theirgolden wedding anniversaries.

June 2000 17

The class of 1950 and their families don life jacketsin an emergency drill aboard the troopship HenryGibbins en route to Bremerhaven.

Robert J. BarnardEmerson M. BrownCharles T. ButlerWilliam A. ChapinJonathon “Jock” DeanRobert W. DeanAdolph “Spike” DubsWarrick E. ElrodRichard T. FooseEmmett B. FordJohn D. GoughThomas F. HoctorWalter E. JenkinsFrancis Xavier Lambert

Earl LubenskyKenneth W. MartindaleHarry I. OdellRobert L. OuversonFrederick H. SackstederStanley D. SchiffTalcott W. SeelyeJohn P. ShawMatthew D. SmithThomas C. StaveLee T. StullMalcolm ThompsonArthur T. Tienken

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The Korean War broke out a few months afterthe group arrived in Germany. Fearing theSoviets might take advantage of the thinlydeployed U.S. troops in the west by invading theallied sectors from the east, the United States dra-matically increased its military presence there.Some in the group facilitated the arrival of thesetroops in their communities, locating quarterswhere GIs could be billeted and creating a wel-come environment among local residents.Fortunately, there was no invasion.

Many remember Germany’s high unemploy-ment rate at the time, a condition worsened bythe presence of thousands of ethnic-Germanrefugees fleeing neighboring lands no longer inGerman territory. Tensions ran high as local resi-dents, already suffering under austere postwardeprivation, were required to open their homesto refugee families. Using funds U.S. High CommissionerJohn McCloy had raised from wealthy American donors,several officers supported orphanages, youth centers andother worthy causes in their towns.

In 1990, the class celebrated its 40th anniversary inDinkelsbühl in the southern German state of Bavaria.When the reunion was over, many returned with theirwives for the first time to their previous stations. Thetowns they remembered as struggling, almost poverty-

stricken places when they had seen them last had beentransformed in the intervening years into thriving, pros-perous communities with no evidence of war damage.

Mayors and local officials welcomed the visitorswarmly. One class member, who had served in the townof Buchen in what is now the state of Baden-Württemberg, made a special effort to visit the orphan-age run by a Catholic priest, his closest German friend.

18 State Magazine

A view of the war damage in Kassel,still evident in 1950 when this photowas taken.

Photo by Earl Lubensky

European Youth Week in Fritzlar, the American Sector of Germany, an activity sponsoredby a resident officer of the class of 1950 as part of the effort to bring European youngpeople together in the postwar period.

Photo by Earl Lubensky

Did this brief, two-year pro-gram have a major impact on the democratization ofGermany? Different membersof the class give differentanswers. Some confess that bythe early 1950s the Germanswere already well on their wayto establishing a democraticstate, largely on their own.Others say that one of the mostimportant roles they playedwas identifying promisingGerman democrats who wouldlead the country in the future.

Whatever the answer to thatquestion, two things are abun-dantly clear. The United Statesgained from this savvy group—“present,” in Secretary of StateDean Acheson’s words, “at thecreation”—representatives whodistinguished themselves in

government service in Germany and other regions of theworld for more than a generation. And a full house willstill beat three-of-a-kind in what surely is one of theworld’s longest, continuously running poker games.

Happy Golden Anniversary, class of 1950! �

(For a more detailed account of the work of the class of1950, read classmate Talcott W. Seelye’s two-part article“Resident Officer in Germany” in the July and August1953 issues of the Foreign Service Journal, available in theState Department Ralph Bunche Library.)

June 2000 19

He learned that his friend had died years before but washeartened to meet the young priest who was carrying onhis good work in that same children’s home, populatedin 1990 by German, Turkish and North African-born chil-dren. On that nostalgic visit, his wife happened to meetthe chancellor of the University of Munich, himself anative of Buchen. Her face lit up when the chancellorfondly remembered the “American family” that hadlived in his hometown and the English conversationclasses the resident officer and his wife had conductedwhen the chancellor was a gymnasium student.

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Art Tienken, left, Matt Smith and Bob Deanpractice low-stakes, high-fun poker duringtheir golden anniversary game.

Director General of the Foreign ServiceEdward “Skip” Gnehm hosts the classof 1950 and their wives at the StateDepartment on May 4.

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By Sydnee Tyson

Remember the Ghostbusters’ motto: “Who ya gonnacall?” Fortunately, most of us don’t have to worryabout finding help for spectral infestation. We faceother kinds of challenges and dilemmas in ourdaily work and family lives, though, and that iswhen we need to know who to call for help.

What do you do, for example, whenyour child care provider says she’smoving? Where do you turn to findhot meals on wheels for a house-bound, elderly aunt in Pittsburgh?What are your options as a parentwhen the quality of your children’sschools are at issue?

The Department has now madeavailable a new resource to all perma-nent American employees, CivilService and Foreign Service, to helpfind solutions and services when theyneed help balancing their daily lives.

LifeCare.com, a leading provider ofinformation, counseling and referralservice on dependent care and otherpersonal issues, has begun offeringhelp on a 24-hour, 7-days-a-weekbasis to all eligible employees at State.Access to their service, calledLifeCare, is easy and even availablefor those serving overseas. Employeesseeking expert guidance on child careissues—finding a child care center inany U.S. locality; a summer camp forthree weeks in July in Wisconsin or Arizona; or emer-gency backup care when the regular care provider is sud-denly unavailable—can contact LifeCare by toll-freephone, by e-mail or via their web site, http://www.life-care.net.

LifeCare’s experienced counselors will help employeesunderstand what programs or services exist to help themmeet their personal and professional obligations. Thecounselors can provide educational materials on a widevariety of issues, from prenatal planning to finding goodschools to locating adequate care for an elderly parent.

The service’s web site has information on various topicsto help people manage their lives. The site offers a data-base on programs and providers in communities aroundthe country, useful for those interested in doing their ownresearch. If employees prefer, LifeCare will research careproviders in the locality where they need the help (any-where in the United States) and will refer them to centersthat meet their individual needs, fit their pocketbooksand have current vacancies.

Workers at the Department of Justicewho have been using this service formore than a year report that LifeCare issaving them 15 to 30 hours of telephoneresearch for each problem solved.

This employee assistance programwill not replace the Department’sEmployee Consultation Service, theFamily Liaison Office, the OverseasBriefing Center or the Office of Over-seas Schools. These offices will contin-ue to support employees assignedoverseas and those working in theDepartment. LifeCare is, however, anew way to get information quickly.LifeCare can be a resource for informa-tion on international adoption, testingand assessment of special needs chil-dren, tutoring and enrichment pro-grams, academic planning strategiesfor college-bound students, nursinghomes, long-term care insurance, sup-port groups in an employee’s homecommunity, legal and financial con-cerns of the elderly and much more.

Using LifeCare will be up to eachemployee. It will be voluntary and confidential. While theDepartment will track the total number of calls and thetopics of greatest concern to employees, there will be noreports to the Department of individual requests for help.

All prospective users need to understand how thecompany protects the data it collects whenever someoneasks for assistance. LifeCare obligates all of its counselorsto follow the same ethical rules governing confidentialitythat health care providers follow when they learn sensi-tive private information about individuals. In some cases,the counselors may refer a client to a State Department

20 State Magazine

LifeCareNew Resource Referral Service Debuts at State

office for direct assistance, but the decision to contact theDepartment resource rests with the individual. While it isimportant for counselors to know a client’s history ofcontact with LifeCare, this information may not beshared. The company, which has many years of experi-ence with other federal agencies, complies with allPrivacy Act requirements for the protection of records. Itdoes not share any individual’s information with theDepartment and will destroy all data collected onDepartment employees once the contract ends.

Employees who choose to use the service should keepin mind that there are always some security aspects to themethods of communication with LifeCare. Phone callsare fast and easy to make, though possibly more expen-sive and easily monitored abroad. E-mail is also easy andgenerally accessible from any computer at work or athome that has Internet access.

E-mail should never be regarded as private communi-cation, however, and employees should remember thatDepartment systems administrators can and do review e-mail messages. Abroad, outsiders also may monitor e-mail from private computers. Computer experts in theDepartment say a good rule of thumb is to avoid puttinganything in an e-mail that you would not want to see onthe front page of the newspaper. Accessing LifeCare serv-ices via their web site is easy from the United States (byfollowing the directions in the box at right) but may notbe as easy from an overseas location, depending on thecountry’s infrastructure. While the web site offers someintegrated security features, it should not be regarded ascompletely protected.

In all cases, employees will have to make individualchoices based on their needs and requirements. TheDepartment recommends that employees who wish touse LifeCare overseas first consult with the regional secu-rity officer for advice on the relative security of the threemethods of communication.

June 2000 21

Using LifeCare Services

There are three ways an eligible employee can accessLifeCare services:� Telephone: •(800) 873-4636 •(800) 873-1322 (TDD)LifeCare specialists are available 24 hours a day to

assist you. When you call, you will be asked to identifyyourself as a State Department employee by providingyour name and the month and day of your birth.� e-mail: lifecarespecialist@dcclifecare.comA LifeCare specialist will respond to your question on

the next business day.� LifeCare Net: Online version of LifeCare services

From Work:1. On a Rich Internet Access (RIA) network terminal,

enter the URL: http://www.life-care.net2. Follow the login instructions as indicated

Outside Work:1. Enter the URL: http://www.life-care.net2. A pop-up window will appear. Enter the Username

and Password as indicated below.username: “state” (all lowercase)password: “department” (all lowercase)(Note: The username and password are case sensitive.)

3. Click “OK” and follow the login instructions as indicated.

If you are having trouble accessing or using the site,please call the LifeCare.Net help desk at (888) 604-9565.

This new resource referral service is being announced indi-vidually to each eligible employee in a special mailing thatexplains how to contact LifeCare. Permanent employees ofthe Department, full-time or part-time, who do not receive aletter announcing the service by the end of July should e-mailDependent Care Coordinator Sydnee Tyson in the Bureau ofPersonnel, Office of Employee Relations tysonsl@state.gov.The service is not available to part-time/intermittent/tempo-rary workers, to contractors or to Foreign Service Nationalemployees at this time. The pilot program will run from May2000 to September 2001 to help the Department determinewhether it can deliver what it promises.

Now we know who we’re gonna call: LifeCare. �

The author is the dependent care coordinator in the Work/LifePrograms division of the Office of Employee Relations.

Author, right, confers withLifeCare representative.

Photo by Carl Goodman

22 State Magazine

By Rudy Marrazzo

Thanks to the Department’s state-of-the-art asbestoscontrol program, the risk of asbestos exposure andpossible adverse health effects among Stateemployees and their family members in domesticand overseas properties is minimal.

The mere mention of the word asbestos conjures upimages of cancer-causing fibers invisible to the nakedeye. Do some Department properties and residencescontain asbestos? Is somebody surveying these proper-ties to ensure your safety? Are potential exposure riskconditions under control? The answer to all of thesequestions is yes.

The program dedicated to asbestos control is theAsbestos Risk Management Program or ARMP. In 1982,State began developing a strategy to assess the possibledanger of asbestos to employees and their family mem-bers. There was no federal mandate to implement sucha program, but the assistant secretary forAdministration, nevertheless, considered it a seriousissue requiring a comprehensive control program.Department officials, with help from theEnvironmental Protection Agency, the JohnsHopkins School of Public Health and the DefenseDepartment, designed an inspection and abate-ment approach for properties where asbestos wasmost expected to exist. As asbestos control tech-nologies advanced in the ensuing years, theDepartment adopted a policy that if materialscontaining asbestos are left in good condition,protected from damage and safely removedwhen necessary, the risk to personnel is minimal.

The essence of the Department’s ARMP is tosurvey properties to determine if asbestos is pres-ent; if there is a risk for fiber release, to act imme-diately to remove or contain it. If there is no imme-diate fiber release risk, the plan suggests in-placemanagement to ensure that the material is not dis-turbed unless absolutely necessary (as with reno-vations). If the asbestos must be disturbed, appro-priate control measures must be taken to protectworkers, employees and the environment fromexposure. Asbestos must be removed before reno-vation work begins.

Asbestos can be found around boilers, furnaces, pipesand ductwork for heating systems. The only way to knowwhether asbestos is present is to have the material tested ina laboratory. The older the property, the more likelyasbestos will be present. Asbestos can be found in vinylfloor coverings, acoustical ceiling tiles and exterior sidingand roofing. From these findings, a property-specificasbestos management plan indicates what immediateremedial measures are necessary. The plan specifies thelocation of all asbestos to be managed in place and outlinesan operation and maintenance program. Key elements ofthe plan include informing workers and building occu-pants of the location of the asbestos and explaining how toavoid disturbing the material. Constant surveillanceensures the material remains in good condition, and prop-er work practices minimize fiber release during activitiesthat could disturb the asbestos. Custodial and mainte-nance staff who work around the material must be trainedin asbestos care and management.

Because asbestos can be safely managed in place andimproper removal creates a much greater hazard, theDepartment does not undertake removal of the material

Asbestos Existsbut it’s under control

Continued on page 24

A “negative pressure” room sealed inplastic sheeting to contain possibleasbestos fibers.

June 2000 23

By Holidae VigJennings

On an exhaust-ingly hot andhumid day, Isat at a cafe inBudapest and

ordered iced tea—“lots of ice,please.” My drink arrivedwith one swirling half-melt-ed ice cube atop my tea withsliced lemon.

“lce?” I politely appealed tomy waiter. I received a look ofbewilderment. “We have noservice of ice, madam,” thewaiter sheepishly reported.The warm liquid slid downmy parched throat as Ileisurely gazed at the touristsstrolling down this walkingstreet in Budapest. I ordered asecond round and wondered,“What is this obsession I havewith ice?”

It is an American obses-sion, ours and ours alone:Americans want ice.

Crushed, blocked, cubed,shaved or slushed, we haveice. We buy ice by the bag orblock, 24 hours a day. Ice isdispensed automaticallyfrom our refrigerator doors,crushed or cubed. Hotels andmotels have an unlimitedsupply of ice. From their public icemachines, we fill the hotel-providedbuckets—and sometimes our coolerchests (in case we need more later)—with ice. We determine theamount of ice we want at the self-serve counters at fast-food and buffet-style restaurants. We want ice

with our tea, our soda pop, ourliquor and our water. We order ice tocool our coffee or our soup.Sometimes we just want ice—byitself—to chew, suck and swallow.

European hotels will eventuallydeliver a requested ice-filled bucketvia room service, at room serviceprices. How can they charge for

frozen water that runsfrom the tap? How canit be a vacation in theheat of summer withoutice? These obsessivethoughts about ice areexclusively NorthAmerican. I’ve traveledto many of the world’s“hot” spots: theCaribbean, LatinAmerica, Europe andthe former SovietUnion. Ice doesn’t meanthe same to the resi-dents of those places.

On this trip toBudapest, thankfully,my husband and Iwere staying in anapartment six storiesabove the Danube. Theriver below shimmeredthe reflections of thesurrounding city. Theinspiring views of thisrestored masterpiececalled Budapest sum-moned this visitor toexplore, and when Ireturned to the apart-ment, I could make myown ice.

One day, my hus-band and I spent hourson what we call “thepoor man’s sight-seeingtour,” a day on the

trams, buses and metro. We jumpedfrom cable car to cable car admiringthe city’s rich history. Around 9 in theevening, the summer day had dark-ened and the streets were quiet.

Our last stop was for dinner, at anindoor-outdoor cafe around the cor-ner from the apartment. This cafe

Waiter, Waiter, PleaseBring Us Some Ice!

24 State Magazine

was as relaxing as the evening waswarm. Friends and businessmengathered around patio tables, styl-ishly decorated with candles and tallwrought iron centerpieces that sec-onded as napkin holders. The menu,written in Hungarian, German and(somewhat) English, was as invitingas the jazz sounds played by the gui-tarist in the back corner of the room—not a gypsy or a troubadour— justa musician of talent and passion.

My husband asked the waiter for“two iced teas and one extra cup ofice.” We won the first round, pour-ing our tea into the much smallercup filled with ice. Mixing the warmtea again and again over the frozencubes, the tea eventually chilled.Pouring the tea back into the largerglasses, we split the ice remains. Weordered a sample of menu offeringsand asked for a second round of icedtea. Our waiter left with our order.

A few minutes later, a serious-looking headwaiter approached ourtable. “I’m sorry, sir. We don’t haveice.” Well, ice was being served fromthe bar but we could see that thesmall cubes were already melting asthey dropped into each glass. Onecube per drink appeared to be thestandard fare, and we Americanscould put a damper on the evening’ssupply. We apologized for ourrequest. We were sorry they didn’tunderstand our fixation with ice.When I looked back at the bar, theattractive, dark-haired woman bar-tender smiled her apology.

My husband had the solution:Walk around the corner to our apart-ment, gather some large American-size ice cubes from our freezer, putthem in an American ziplock bagand bring them to our table.

In my husband’s absence, theheadwaiter once again apologized ashe delivered our slender glasses oftea. I reported that my husband wasbringing ice from our nearby home.“OK.” His surprised tone soundedas if he were saying, “Are youcrazy?” Back at the bar, the head-waiter reported my husband’s quest.With the sound of gentle laughter,the bartender glanced at me and weshared this amusing episode, all ofus savoring the spirit of difference.

The ice arrived in a ziplock bag,clutched in my husband’s hand,unnoticed by the other patrons. Theteas had waited. He slid the ice intothe small empty glass centered onour table. Pouring, stirring and mix-ing, my husband produced ourthirst-quenching iced teas. The left-over ice was good-naturedly kept inthe bartender’s fridge.

The evening melted with wondroustastes, smells and sounds of this so for-eign place, enjoyed with the comfortsof our American iced tea. When weleft, our ice remained behind as atoken to remember us by—a memorythat surely lasted longer than ourhuge ice cubes in the ziplock bag.

Ice is as American as apple pie. Whycan’t they understand that I’m anxiouswithout my daily 32-ounce, 89-cent,crushed-ice dose of Americana? I’m an American in Europe in the sum-mertime. �

The author, a former Foreign Serviceofficer now teaching high schoolEnglish and journalism in California,wrote the article after spending thesummer in Budapest with her husband,Robert C. Jennings, a Foreign Serviceofficer currently posted in Frankfurt.

Thrift Savings Plan Open SeasonThe Thrift Savings Plan open season, May 15 to July 31, is your chance to

start or change contributions to your TSP account. You can also change theway your future payroll contributions are invested in the three TSP funds:the Government Securities Investment (G) Fund; the Fixed Income IndexInvestment (F) Fund; or the Common Stock Index Investment (C) Fund.

For more information, visit the TSP home page at: http://www.tsp.gov.

unless it’s absolutely necessary—and then only under the strictestcontrols, as mandated byDepartment policy and federal law.

You may have seen sections ofyour workplace encased in plasticsheeting with ominous asbestossigns and wondered what was goingon. The signs warn that the carefullycontrolled process to containasbestos fibers is under way. Whilethe plastic acts as a physical barrier,the enclosed area is under negativepressure through use of fan-filtersystems to keep the fibers contained.Should a leak occur, this negativepressure ensures that the air willflow into (rather than out of) theenclosure, thus containing any fiberswithin the space. Inside the enclo-sure, the use of wet removal meth-ods and other procedures greatlyreduce airborne fibers and ensurethe safety and health of the build-ing’s occupants.

Injuries occur when one inhalesthe microscopic asbestos fibers inthe air. The more you inhale, thegreater the risk. Mesothelioma(chest lining tumor), lung cancerand asbestosis (an emphysema-likecondition) are diseases caused byasbestos. But these diseases occurprimarily in people exposed togreater concentrations of asbestosdust than the ordinary personwould encounter in a lifetime.Airborne measurements of homesand commercial buildings withasbestos in them typically revealfiber levels little different fromthose in urban outdoor air, whichcontains asbestos dust from autobrake linings, building demolitionsand other sources.

Rest assured, there is an effectiveand efficient asbestos control programin place in the Department, managedby knowledgeable, concerned profes-sionals vigilant in providing a safeand healthful work place. �

The author is a consultant with theOffice of Safety, Health andEnvironmental Management.

Asbestos Continued from page 22

June 2000 25

The American Presence Post:A Commercial EnterpriseBy Wayne Bush

Shortly after becoming ambas-sador to France in 1997, FelixRohatyn sought to realign theembassy’s resources to reflect

changing social, political and eco-nomic realities.

The former New York investmentbanker identified regionalizationand globalization as current forces ininternational affairs. Instead ofworking through national capitals,European regions are linking them-selves directly to the global econo-my. The ambassador found thesetrends well under way in France.Seeking maximum commercial andeconomic advantage, major U.S.firms are increasingly bypassingParis and heading directly for theprovinces. For example, Toulouse,the heart of Europe’s aerospaceindustry, hosts U.S. businesses sup-plying up to 30 percent of the com-ponents for Airbus aircraft.

France’s second largest city, Lyon,has become a regional center for bothhigh-tech and biotech, with morethan 100 U.S. firms. Lyon anchors aneconomic region extending fromBarcelona to Geneva north intoGermany and south across the Alpsto Turin in northern Italy. Moreover,the introduction of the singleEuropean currency (the Euro) in2000, accompanied by the prospect ofincreasing cross-border capital flowsand rising productivity throughoutthe Euro zone, promises to acceleratethe process of globalization and inte-gration in France and Europe.

“These days, we hear a great dealabout the impact of globalization onbusiness structure. We hear relativelylittle about the impact of globaliza-tion on our diplomatic structure,” theambassador told a recent gatheringof U.S. and European business lead-

ers. “We are operating in anew Europe, with a structureessentially designed for thediplomatic, political and eco-nomic needs of the Cold Warera. The classical ‘bigembassy’ structure is todayakin to concentrating onmainframe computers in theage of the Internet and the PC.”

American companies haveresponded to globalizationby setting out to increasetheir market share world-wide and have succeeded increating a uniquely entrepre-neurial culture in the vastmajority of American enter-prises. The ambassador chal-lenged his staff to apply sim-ilar principles to increase theAmerican presence through-out French regions withexisting resources.

By putting Foreign Serviceofficers in direct contact withregional leaders—especiallythe politically powerfulFrench mayors—and mediathroughout the country, theUnited States would stand abetter chance of getting itsviews across. It also wouldbring the U.S. Mission closerto its customers—U.S. citizens andbusinesses throughout the country.

The timing of the ambassador’schallenge coincided with aDepartment initiative (one of the rec-ommendations of the OverseasPresence Advisory Panel) to seekways to reestablish a limited U.S.presence in areas where Americaninterests are vital but narrow.

The France country team settled onLyon as the site for the first of whatwould become known as AmericanPresence Posts or APPs. APPs wouldfocus tightly on public diplomacy and

outreach, promoting U.S. economicand commercial interests and provid-ing limited U.S. citizens consular serv-ices, forgoing traditional political andeconomic reporting. The APP teamquickly concluded that the key ele-ment would be simplicity. Making thenew post affordable would meaneliminating costly classified and pro-prietary communications systems.The APP would rely instead onadvances in communications technol-ogy—commercial e-mail, Internetaccess and video teleconferencing—to

Courtyard of theLyon City Hall.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Consulate, Lyon

maximize effectiveness at a fraction ofthe cost of a traditional post.

The core APP staff would be anAmerican officer and locallyengaged program/office and con-sular assistants. A former U.S.Information Service Foreign ServiceNational employee already stationedin Lyon would fill one of the posi-tions. The post would occupy care-fully chosen commercial office spaceupgraded to meet stringent StateDepartment security standards.Administratively, the APP would

resemble a small commercial enter-prise, procuring needed supplies andservices locally with a purchase card.Larger administrative functionswould be performed by the embassy.

Providing resources for the APPmeant restructuring in Paris to offsetcosts and positions. For example, aneconomics officer position wasmoved from Paris to Lyon, and aspeechwriter position in Paris wasabolished to fund the new FSN posi-tions in Lyon. Savings from a newtelephone service contract, among

other reductions, were applied torecurring costs for utilities, phonesand supplies for Lyon. Residentialrent saved by moving the officer outof Paris was enough to pay for near-ly all of the office and residential rentin Lyon, where costs are lower.

For 12 months, the embassyworked closely with the Departmentto shepherd the APP pilot projectthrough the State and congressionalapproval process. When SecretaryAlbright inaugurated the Lyon APP inDecember 1998, she and the new postwere welcomed with enthusiasm byMayor Raymond Barre (the formerprime minister of France), the peopleof Lyon and by American companiesin the area. APP Lyon quickly begangenerating return on the Depart-ment’s investment by helping tolaunch a biotechnology partnershipbetween Lyon and San Diego, receiv-ing prized media coverage of U.S.views on agriculture-related tradeissues (a hot-button issue for Frenchconsumers) and providing conven-ient consular services to U.S. citizens.

Observers soon recognized thevalue of the experimental post.Business Week reported in December1999 that the APP initiative is “win-ning praise even from traditionalState Department critics such asSenator Jesse Helms.” The initiativehas strong backing from the

26 State Magazine

Ken Cohen, left, chairman of San Diego-based SynbioticsCorp., shows the firm’s new European headquarters to themayor of Lyon, Mr. Barre, third from righ; U.S. Consul StuartDwyer, rear; and local politicians and businessmen.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Consulate, Lyon

Paris Personnel Officer Mary Regan confers viavideo-teleconference with Rennes AmericanPresence Post Chief Maureen Cormack andConsular/Cultural Assistant Marion Salvanet.

Photo courtesy of U.S Embassy, Paris

June 2000 27

By Stuart Dwyer

Sitting at the confluence of the Rhone and Saonerivers, Lyon’s strategic location was first appreci-ated by Caesar’s lieutenant Mantius Plancus, whofounded the colony of Lugdunum in 43 BC. Over

two millennia the fortunes of the city have ebbed andflowed. Lyon’s role as a commercial center took off in the14th century with the help of a generation of bankersseeking shelter from the disputes riving the Italian city-states. By the 16th century Lyon had become the center ofEuropean banking, with exchange rates between

Lyon: City on the MoveEuropean currencies established at the city’s commercialfairs. The period also saw construction of what someobservers say is the finest collection of Renaissance archi-tecture outside of Florence.

Accounting for over 10 percent of French GDP, theRhone-Alps region has established itself as a driving forceacross industry sectors. And its fledgling cross-bordereconomic and political ties with northern Italy, Cataloniaand Switzerland are helping to position it as an importantpivot for doing business in southern Europe. U.S. busi-nesses as diverse as Hewlett-Packard, Scotts lawn care,solar manufacturer Matrix and Sunbeam have made theregion home for key European operations. With a dense

fabric of small and medium-sized businesses,the climate offers strong potential for smallerU.S. firms as well. Little wonder that U.S. com-panies account for the bulk of foreign invest-ment and some 40,000 jobs in the region. U.S.exports to Rhone-Alps amount to some $2 bil-lion annually.

But for all that glitters here, the culinarycognoscenti still know Lyon for its stars of theMichelin variety. Home to master chefs PaulBocuse and Pierre Orsi and a short ride awayfrom three-star restaurants Troisgros of Roanneand Blanc in Bourg-en-Bresse, Lyon probablyhas more fine restaurants per capita than any-place on the planet. Accompanied by winesfrom the nearby Beaujolais—known locally asLyon’s third river—it’s easy to understand whya tour in Lyon is easy to digest.

The author is consul in the U.S. Consulate, Lyon.

Administration and Congress, whichhave approved the creation of fourmore APPs in France. APPs have nowbeen opened in Toulouse and Rennes,to be followed by Bordeaux and Lilleby the end of the year.

In staffing the new APPs, the U.S.Embassy in Paris has drawn talentfrom throughout the foreign affairsagencies. A Foreign CommercialService officer heads the APP inToulouse, and a former USIS officer isassigned to Rennes, home to France’slargest circulation daily, Ouest France.All agree that entrepreneurship is thefundamental ingredient of a success-ful American Presence Post. The sole

American officer must be motivated,creative, self-directed and constantlyalert to opportunities to advance thepost’s objectives.

“Maybe the most important poten-tial benefit of the APPs will be theopportunity to create a cadre of whatmight be called ‘diplomatic entrepre-neurs,’” Ambassador Rohatyn said.“These officers, at an early stage intheir careers, will be dealing with theCEOs of American companies intheir area; with mayors and prefects;with local organizations and clubs.They will be learning importantmanagement skills, dealing withissues of public diplomacy and

explaining the American position ininterviews and speeches—all in a world where support for theUnited States. is very often based onpublic opinion.”

The Overseas Presence AdvisoryPanel endorsed the APP concept,stating, “The institutions that per-formed so admirably throughout the20th century are ill-designed for the21st. America will be ill-servedunless its overseas posts are trans-formed to meet today’s demandsand those of the future.” �

The author is the administrative coun-selor in the U.S. Embassy in Paris.

President Clinton greets the crowd atPlace des Terreaux during the 1996G-7 summit in Lyon.

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By John Bentel

The State of the Arts Cultural Series and theForeign Affairs Recreation Association began thenew year with classical guitarist ChristopherDunn, whose performance included pieces from

the late 1500s to the 20th century. Mr. Dunn’s playing ofFantasie, by John Dowland, and Introduction and Capriceop.2, by Giulio Regondi, exhibited great sensitivity. Heclosed his performance with compositions by AugustinBarrios Mangore and received a standing ovation.

To celebrate 10 years of noontime performances, for-mer Senator Charles Percy of Illinois was special guest.Mr. Percy shared personal stories of how the violinbrought his parents together and of his own love of music.

To showcase young talent, violinist Rebecca Azhdam,10, took center stage and accompanied by her sister Bitaplayed Paginini’s Sonata passionately. In a show ofDepartment talent, Frank Foster limbered up his voiceand the audience with Butterfly Kisses, and Bill Carlsonplayed a lively Joplin rag, The Chrysanthemum. The

audience tapped their feet and swayed to the rhythm ofthe beat.

To observe Black History Month, special guest LoloSarnoff, director and founder of Arts for the Aging,described her organization’s work with the elderly—forwhom music is both stimulating and enhancing. Silky-voiced Nancy Paris Hines, back by popular demand forher third appearance, sang a jazz selection and show-cased three senior citizens in native African attire. Sheconcluded her program by singing I Came Here To Sing theBlues, composed by friend John Heigh of Waldorf, Md.

The Alley Cats, a popular men’s a cappella singinggroup from Yale University, opened their concert withSally in our Alley, their theme song. The 17-man group,following a tradition begun in 1943, offered a high levelof humor and energy to a captivated audience. Theirrepertoire ranged from barbershop and traditional bal-lads to show tunes and popular songs by Cole Porter, theKing Singers, Duke Ellington and the Drifters. The audi-ence demanded an encore and got it.

The author is a computer specialist in the Executive Secretariat.

28 State Magazine

� June 21: The Manny Bobenreith Sextet

� June 28: The City Dance Ensemble with Ludovic Jolivet,East Auditorium

� July 12: Washington Tango Trio

� July 26: Czech Orchestra with conductor James Brooksand violinist Jorge Saade-Schaff

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all performances are onWednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in the Dean Acheson Auditorium.They are free to State employees.

Series Offers Mixed Fare of Classical and Popular Music

STATE OF THE ARTS

Upcoming Performances

Dancer Ludovic Jolivet

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June 2000 29

People Like YouPeople Like You

On the Run Year In and Year OutWashington, D.C. annual Cherry Blossom Festival is over, thecherry blossoms gone and the annual race run, but next year’sten-mile Cherry Blossom race is already on the mind of runnerAlice Smith, a budget analyst with the Bureau of DiplomaticSecurity, who finished this year’s race in just under two hours.She first participated in 1998. She started running at age 10 in hernative Burma, where she also competed in badminton, tennis,volleyball and mountain hiking tournaments. Since coming to theUnited States, she has taken up long-distance running, and theannual ten-mile race for charity is the highlight of her yearlongtraining. To stay in shape, she runs two miles every other daynear her Arlington, Va., home. What keeps her running? “There’sa great feeling of satisfaction and confidence.” That’s what.

Most mornings, Sherri Kraham shows up forwork at the Iraq Desk in the Bureau of NearEastern Affairs. But at least one Monday amonth, she joins State Department and othervolunteers preparing and serving breakfast from6 to 8 a.m. at Miriam’s Kitchen, a food programlocated in the Western Presbyterian Church at2401 Virginia Ave., near Main State.

Powered entirely by volunteers, the programserves a warm breakfast to more than 180homeless men and women each weekdaymorning year-round. Miriam’s offers art andcreative writing workshops and dailyAlcoholics Anonymous meetings. There’s also alibrary, a resume clinic, and tax, podiatry andlegal assistance.

According to the most recent statistics,between 55 and 65 percent of Miriam’s Kitchenclients sleep on the streets (as opposed to in shel-ters), and the majority struggle with either seri-ous mental health issues, substance abuse orboth. And, over the course of a year, around16,000 District residents experience homeless-ness, one of the highest rates in the country.

To volunteer at Miriam’s or to find out aboutother volunteer opportunities in the area,please contact Sherri Kraham at krahamsg@state.gov.

Serving breakfast at Miriam’s Kitchen are David Zweifel, left, retired Foreign Serviceofficer; Jean Hummon, wife of a retired FSO; Sherri Kraham, Iraq Desk officer; andJim Kelley, executive director, Bureau of Population, Refugee and Migration Affairs.

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Alice Smith preparesfor lunch-time jog.

Helping Out at Miriam’s Kitchen

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Courses: National Foreign Affairs Training Center

&Education Training

Program July Aug. Length Program July Aug. Length

30 State Magazine

Language Field Schools, L-950 7 44 WArabic, Chinese, Japanese, KoreanF.A.S.T. Language Classes, L-200 10 — 7 WAlbanian, Amharic, Arabic (Egyptian), Arabic, (Modern Standard), Armenian,Azerbaijani, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese(Cantonese), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch/Flemish, Estonian, Finnish, Greek,Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Latvian,Lithuanian, Malay, Mongolian, Nepali/Nepalese, Norwegian, Pilipino/Tagalog, Polish,Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Swahili/Kiswahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish,Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, VietnameseRefresher, L-201, Russian 10 — 6 W

Area StudiesAdvanced-During full-time Language Trng.—Weekly 3 HIntensive China AR 250 10 2 WAfrica, Sub-Sahara AR 210, East Asia AR 220, Europe AR 291, Inter-AmericanStudies AR 239, Near East/North Africa AR 240, South Asia AR 260, Southeast AsiaAR 270, Successor States-Soviet Union AR 281 21 2 WBalkans Module AR 293, Caucasus/

Central Asia Module AR 282 24 2 DCaspian Sea Energy Module AR 283 25 1 DEurope Union Module AR 292 28 2 D

Administrative TrainingManaging Customer Service PA 123 28 — 1 DProperty Mgt. for Custodial Officers PA 135 25 — 2 DCustomer Service PA 143 — 31 2 DCFMS-System Overview & Orientation PA 150— 15, 17 2 DCFMS-Budget Execution PA 151 — 29 2 DCFMS-Requisition Documents PA 153 — 21 2 DCFMS-Miscellaneous Obligations PA 154 — 25 2 DCFMS-Travel Orders PA 155 — 23 2 DContracting Officers Rep. Update PA 173 — 28 1 DContracting Officers Rep. (Pre-Award) PA 174 — 14 3 DContracting Officers Rep. (Post-Award) PA 175— 17 2 DPurchasing Card Tng. PA 197 — 17 1 DBudget & Financial Mgt. PA 211 17 — 7 WWorking with ICASS PA 214 18 15 4 DAppropriation Law PA 215 18 — 4 DAccounting, Vouchering & Certificat. PA 216 24 — 1 WSupervision A Cashier PA 217 31 — 1 WGeneral Services Operation PA 221 24 28 10 WBasic Admin Mgt. PA 224 17 21 1 WFSN Classification and Comp. PA 232 31 — 2 W Post Personnel Mgt. PA 236 10 — 2 WOverseas Admin. Mgt. PA 243 10 14 2 WICASS Executive Seminar PA 245 — 2, 30 1 D

Correspondence Courses: How to Be a Certifying Officer PA 291, How to Be aContracting Officer Rep. PA 130, How to Write a Statement of Work PA 134, Intro. toSimplified Acquisitions & Req. Overseas PA 222, Mgt. Controls Workbook PA 164, Tng.for Overseas Cashier Supervisor PA 294, Tng. for Overseas Cashier PA 293, Tng. forOverseas Voucher Examiners PA 200, Overseas Cashier (CD-ROM Version) PA 295.

Consular TrainingAutomation for Consular Mgrs. PC 116 10, 24 7, 21 1 WAdvanced Consular Course PC 532 24 — 3 WAnti-Fraud Programs PC 541 17 — 1 W

Continuous Enrollment: Congen Rosslyn Consular PC 530, Consular Orient. PC105, Overseas Citizen Services PC 535, Passport & Nationality PC 536, ImmigrantVisas PC 537, Non-Immigrant Visas PC 538, Consular Review & Automation PC 540

Correspondence Courses: Immigration Law and Visa Operation PC 102, NationalityLaw and Consular Procedures PC 103, Overseas Citizens’ Services PC 104 (6 Days),Passport Examiners’ Correspondence Course PC 110

Curriculum and Staff DevelopmentBasic Facilit. & Delivery Workshop PD 513 — 2, 23 3 D

Orientation TrainingIntro. to Working in an Embassy PN 113 6 31 2 D

Executive Programs TrainingDeputy Chiefs of Mission PT 102 9 — 1 WEEO/Div. Aware. for Mgrs. and Sup. PT 107 6, 13, 17 3, 10, 17 2 D

20, 27 24, 31Coaching PT 211 — 1 1 D

Management Development TrainingEmployee Relations PK 246 — 10 2 DManaging Change PT 206 — 3 1 DPerformance Mgt. Seminar PT 205 — 7 3 DSupervisory Studies Seminar PK 245 — 14 1 W

Public Diplomacy TrainingPublic Diplomacy Tradecraft PY 100 10 — 3 WManag. Staff & Res. for Pub. Aff.

Campgn. PY 101 20 — 1 DSpeechwriting and Present. Skills PY 102 26 — 1 DRole of Spkspers./How Media Works PY 103 27 — 1 DDealing with Electronic Media PY 104 28 — 1 DAdmin. Pub. Dipl. Operations Overseas PY 105 18 — 2 DPub. Dipl. and Information Tech. PY 106 13 — 1 DPub. Dipl. Prog., Products and Services PY 107 14 — 2 DCultural Training PY 108 24 — 2 DPublic Diplomacy Theory and Practice PY 109 10 — 3 DAn Evolving America PY 110 21 — 1 DAdmin. Pub. Dip. Grants & Coop Agrmts. PY 202 31 — 1 DFSN PD Information/Media PY 207 — 26 3 W

Office Management TrainingFS Sec. Office Mgmt. Specialist PK 102 17 — 3 WSenior Secretarial Seminar PK 111 19 — 3 DProofreading PK 143 6 — 2 DDrafting Correspondence PK 159 24 — 1 WTravel Regulations and Vouchers PK 205 — 1 2 DBetter Office English/Oral PK 226 10 — 2 WEffective Speaking & Listening PK 240 — 7 2 W

June 2000 31

Prof. Sem. for FS Office Mgt. Specialist PK 302 — 7 2 WOffice Mgt. 2000 PK 330 — 21 2 W

Political TrainingINL Orientation PP 218 17 — 1 WLabor Officer Skills PL 103 10 — 3 WLabor Rights PL 104 14 — 1 DMultilateral Diplomacy PP 211 — 2 3 DPolitical Tradecraft PP 202 3 — 3 WPolitical-Military Affairs PP 505 17 — 3 D

Economic & Commercial TrainingResource Reporting Officer Training PE 103 10 — 2 WEconomic Tradecraft PE 124 3 — 2 WCommercial Tradecraft PE 125 17 — 1 WPetroleum & Gas Industry PE 127 31 — 1 WAviation Policy & Negotiation PE 130 17 — 3 DTrade Dispute PE 134 31 — 2 DTrade & Project Finance PE 135 19 — 3 DCoal & Power Technology PE 137 24 — 1 WPolitical/Economic Tradecraft PG 140 24 — 3 WEconomic Issues PE 285 10 — 3 WSenior Communication Course PE 290 6 — 2 D

Overseas Briefing CenterSOS: Security Overseas Seminar MQ 911 10, 24 7, 28 2 DAdv. Security Overseas Seminar MQ 912 18 1, 15 1 D

TDY Security Overseas Seminar MQ 913 10, 24 7, 28 1 DYouth Security Overseas Seminar MQ 914 11, 18, 25 1, 8, 15, 29 1 DRegulations/Allowances/Finances MQ 104 — 1 3 DDCM/Principal Off., Role of Spouse MQ 110 17 — 3 DExplaining America MQ 115 — 12 1 DYoung Diplomats Day MQ 250 10, 24 7 1 DCommunicating Across Cultures MQ 802 29 — 1 DRealities of Foreign Service Life MQ 803 21 — 1 DPromoting U.S. Wines MQ 856 19 — 1 D

Career Transition CenterRetirement Planning Seminar RV 101 24 — 1 WJob Search Program RV 102 31 — 9 WFinancial & Estate Planning RV 103 26 — 1 WAnnuities and Benefits & Social Security RV 104 25 — 1 D

Information Management TrainingMicrosoft Project PS 180 10, 31 21 3 DPC/Windows NT 4.0 Fundamentals PS 201 17, 31 15, 28 2 DAccess 97 Intro. PS 250 12, 17 2, 21 2 DAccess 97 Intermediate PS 251 26 9 2 DExcel 97 Intro. PS 270 10, 19 9, 30 2 DExcel 97 Intermediate PS 271 19, 27 — 2 DInternet Concepts PS 218 11, 25 8, 25 1 DInternet Concepts PS 318 13, 27 10 1 DPowerPoint 97 Intro. PS 240 10, 17, 26 7, 28 2 DPowerPoint 97 Intermediate PS 241 10 10 2 DWord 97 for Windows, Intro. PS 232 19 2, 16, 30 2 DWord 98 for Windows, Intermediate PS 233 24 23 2 DCableXpress Client PS 284 10, 12, 17, 20 8, 16 22, 30 1 D

25, 27CableXpress Administration PS 285 24, 31 14, 28 4 DInform. Res. Mgt. Orien. for IM Specialist PS 380 12 — 3 DCLOUT Administration PS 291 — 7 2 DMS Outlook PS 298 14, 24 18 1 DCA Systems for IMS PS 310 31 14, 28 1 WIRM Specific Orientation PS 380 12 — 3 DALMA O’View—PC/Windows PS 501 10, 24 7, 21 1 DALMA O’View—Word PS 502 11, 25 8, 22 1.5 DALMA O’View—Client Network PS 503 12, 26 9, 23 0.5 DALMA O’View—Excel PS 505 13, 27 10, 24 1 DALMA O’View—PowerPoint PS 506 14, 28 11, 25 1 D

Length: H =Hours, D = Days, W = WeeksFor additional information, please consult the course catalog or contact the Office ofthe Registrar at (703) 302-7144 or consult the FSI web site at www.fsiweb.gov.

Program July Aug. Length Program July Aug. Length

Civil Service Retirements Foreign Service Retirements

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Campbell, Daniel S., Information ManagementCustomer Center

Davis, Laura G., Diplomatic Courier ServicesDe Lacy-Egan, Teresa, Health Care ServicesHouck, Frank S., Multilateral Nuclear AffairsKe, Sinclair Hsueh Hang, Press OutreachOsberg, Gloria T., Travel Advance SectionPhillips, William M., Facilities Security DivisionSlager, James Robert, Design and Construction

DivisionYoung, Phyllis A., Press Relations

Manalo, Kathleen Helen, LondonMaratos, Daniel C., Near East, South Asia DivisionMills Jr., William B., HavanaPaolini-Huff, Deborah M., Executive DirectorPlotkin, Lawrence I., Eur. Public DiplomacySegal, Jack David, Natl. Security CouncilSvengsouk, Thavanh, DakarTopka, Jeanne E., Ottawa, OntarioWinter, Andrew Jan, Administrative Affairs,

New York

Bolton, W. A. Peter, Applications BranchDavidson, William Craig, Miscellaneous (Noc)Edwards, Anne Hepburn, Senior Level DivisionGonzalez, Antonio J., Miscellaneous (Noc)Harrington-Aydin, Noel A., Vancouver, B.C.Johnston Jr., Warren E., Multi-Media Production

DivisionKimble,Melinda L., Dep. Asst. Sec. Intl. Finance

& DevelopmentLeibengood, Paul C., European Region

Computer trainingat FSI.

32 State Magazine

Harold G. McConeghey, 79, a retiredForeign Service officer, died of con-gestive heart failure on Nov. 11 inAlexandria, Va. Mr. McConeghey’sfirst Foreign Service assignmentwas in Chungking, China, duringWorld War II. He joined the U.S.Information Service in 1946 andserved in Beijing, Taipei, Canberra,Manila, Rangoon and Washington,

D.C. He retired from his last assignment in Belgrade in 1976.

J. Marshall Pifer, 84, a retiredForeign Service officer, died on Dec.2 in Reston, Va. Mr. Pifer served inAthens, Ankara, London andWashington, D.C. He served in theArmy during World War II.Following his retirement from theForeign Service, he was a real estateentrepreneur in Northern Virginia.

Neil M. Ruge, 86, a retired ForeignService officer, died on March 14 inChico, Calif. Mr. Ruge joined theForeign Service in 1947 and servedin Rome, Rabat, London, Cardiff,Bonn, Guatemala City andWashington, D.C., until his retire-ment in 1968. Mr. Ruge served inthe Army in the European Theaterduring World War II, completinghis active duty as a major in 1946.

William G. Smallwood, 65, a retired Foreign Service offi-cer, died of pancreatic cancer on Feb. 26 in Lakewood,Wash. Mr. Smallwood served in Vienna, Kabul, Riyadh,Luxembourg, Warsaw, The Hague, Ankara, Rome andWashington, D.C. After retiring in 1984, he served for fiveyears as a consultant for the Bureau of African Affairs.

Howard V. Bennett, 87, a retiredForeign Service officer, died on Dec.5 in Toms River, N.J. Mr. Bennettjoined the Foreign Service in 1955and served in Bonn, Pretoria, Accraand Washington, D.C. He retired in1970. Mr. Bennett was a Navy vet-eran of World War II.

Jacob Canter, 88, a retired ForeignService officer, died on Jan. 31 inBethesda, Md. Mr. Canter joinedthe Foreign Service in 1946 andserved in Managua, Bogota,Caracas, Havana, Mexico City,Madrid and Washington, D.C.Before World War II, he was anassistant professor of foreign lan-guages at the U.S. Naval Academy.He served as a lieutenant com-

mander in the Navy during the war. From 1969 until hisretirement in 1971, Mr. Canter occupied the Edward R.Murrow Chair as visiting professor of public diplomacy atTufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Sigrid Grant, 61, a Foreign Service specialist, died onJan. 10 in Berlin, Germany. Ms. Grant joined the ForeignService in 1995 as a secretary and served in assignmentsin Seoul, Berlin and Washington, D.C. She accompaniedher husband, retired Foreign Service officer Daniel Grant,on postings to Port-au-Prince, Paris and Jakarta.

Julius L. Katz, 73, a retired ForeignService officer, died of cancer onJan. 27 in Washington, D.C.Ambassador Katz joined the StateDepartment in 1950. In 1968, hejoined the Bureau of Economic andBusiness Affairs and later becameassistant secretary. He retired in1979 and was appointed deputyU.S. Trade Representative in 1989where he served as chief negotiator

of the North American Free Trade Agreement. He ledU.S.-U.S.S.R trade negotiations and coordinated theUruguay Round negotiations.

O B I T U A R I E S

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