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 2001

StateStateM a g a z i n e

AN ANCIENT

NATION ENTERS

A NEW

MILLENNIUM

EGYPT

6 Mission of the Month: EgyptAn ancient nation enters a new millennium.

12 ‘Crisis’ in CairoCrisis management training boosts post readiness.

18 Office of the Month: Florida Regional Support CenterFt. Lauderdale center provides bargain services.

21 Managing Human ResourcesFlorida workshop tackles thorny issues.

24 Donors HonoredSecretary welcomes donors to Diplomatic Reception Rooms.

26 Building Leadership SkillsSeven employees complete USDA’s executive program.

28 Staying TunedFlorida-area retirees strive to stay in touch.

29 Distance LearningFSI expands course offerings beyond the traditional classroom.

30 After the FallHealth practitioner gets plenty of practice.

34 Emergency Visitation TravelBenefit helps long-distance caregivers.

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 2001No. 447

C O L U M N S

2 From the Secretary

5 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

36 People Like You

37 Appointments

38 Personnel Actions

39 Obituaries

On the CoverSunset in Cairo.

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Susan Kalma, health practitioner at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv,before her fall.

Felucca (sailboat) sailing down the Nile in Aswan.

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FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

Our AmbassadorsPlay a Crucial Role

President Bush’s first group of new ambassadorsrecently completed the Foreign Service Institute’straining program. Although they and theirspouses were an experienced group—two sena-

tors, a governor, former ambassadors, State Departmentofficials and successful business executives—they allfound the FSI briefings helpful and expressed gratitudefor the chance to attend the course. We all recognize thatFSI’s programs in management or language training, aswell as conferences and crisis-gaming, are why the insti-tute is one of the U.S. government’s most valuableresources.

On the last day of the FSI course, I spoke to the ambas-sadors and told them to take seriously their role as thePresident’s personal representatives. At the same time, Iencouraged them to have great fun in their new assign-ments. Fortunately, the two are not mutually exclusive.

To emphasize the breadth of their responsibility, Idescribed my own schedule that day—four foreign min-isters had been in for meetings, while on the previousday there had been five. I mentioned to them that in yearspast such visitors might have wanted to discuss ideologyor strategy or arms sales. But these foreign ministers hadsat there across from me all wanting to talk about thesame subject—economics. They wanted to know how toattract business, jobs, trade and investment.

Something similar had happened a few weeks earlieron my Balkans trip. At a meeting of regional foreign min-isters, I spoke first, followed by the other ministers. Eachseemed to be saying the same thing—words stronglyendorsing democracy, open markets and trade.

What I heard was so uplifting that I asked for another“intervention,” as remarks in such meetings are called. Ireminded my counterparts that only 10 years ago, whenI chaired the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they were all on my tar-get list—every single one of their countries—all of themin the old Eastern Bloc.

The point I was making to the new ambassadors withthese stories was that so much has changed in virtuallyevery corner of the globe—and all for the better. Neverhave the fundamental ideas underlying American for-eign policy been more welcome.

2 State Magazine

My final point about this new world of ideas had to dowith being corrected recently on something I had beensaying. I received an e-mail from someone who tookissue with my statement that diplomacy is our nation’sfirst line of defense. My cyber correspondent correctlysaid there is nothing “Maginot-Line” or fortress-likeabout our advocacy of these new ideas; our foreign poli-cy and our diplomats are not a first line of defense butrather a first line of offense. That more accurately reflectsthe claim that democratic institutions and free marketscan liberate the minds and spirits of human beings every-where, a case for democracy we are making to the world.

Part of this effort means having qualified ambassadorswho understand the crucial role they play in our mission.Just as important is making sure diplomatic efforts getthe support and back-up they need. FSI’s preparatoryand refresher programs are perfect examples of such ableassistance.

I have routinely emphasized the importance of gettingthe financial resources the Department needs to providethe necessary support structure. I have been testifyingbefore Congress about our immediate priorities: people,embassies and information technology. Some specificsinclude: $134.5 million to recruit, hire and train sufficientpersonnel; $1.3 billion for embassy construction, refurbish-ment and security; and $210 million for universal access tothe Internet and modernized classified networks.

Reorganization is another priority. For example, Statehas a chief financial officer who has no control over theforeign operations portion of the budget, two thirds ofthe entire budget. So we are establishing an assistant sec-retary for Resources and Management. This person willoversee the full budget and financial planning for theDepartment as a whole.

No better example of the important nature of our workexists than the support our new ambassadors have gottenfrom the Department prior to their assignments. I knowthey will also receive the support from all of you in thefield once they arrive. That’s why I felt so good aboutwishing them well. I knew some great professionals anddedicated Americans would soon be welcoming themwarmly and giving them the best of advice and help. ■

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Peacemakers, Not ‘Troops’In your April column, you noted

the impact of language. Why, then,be pleased at the designation ofdiplomats as “troops”?

Troops perform military missions,fight battles and wars and increasing-ly keep the peace with the threat of

force. Diplomatsare peacemakerswho work to re-solve issues andprevent differ-ences fromcareering intoviolence be-tween states.The wordsyou quotedfrom Pres-

ident Bush recog-nized the distinction: “You resolve

a crisis before a shot is fired.”Borrowing a phrase used to de-

scribe the members of a different or-ganization with a very different mis-sion blurs important distinctions. Ifthe American public doesn’t under-stand what its Foreign Service does,it may be because we haven’t yetdefined our mission for ourselves aswell as for the public.

With all due respect to SecretaryPowell, let me suggest that my for-mer colleagues in the ForeignService be called peacemakers ratherthan “troops.”

Nick MeleRetired FSOBellingham, Wash.

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

Let’s Accent Preventive Role I appreciated the insert on the

inside back cover of your April issuedeclaring that “Diplomacy Is Ame-rica’s First Line of Defense.”

It’s a compelling idea, especiallywith the experience and reputationof our current Secretary. My onlyquestion is why isn’t diplomacy’spreventative function emphasized?The most important reason why weare the first line of defense is that wehelp to prevent conflict. We are oftenthe first to know of threats to U.S.security because of our close interac-tion with relevant actors, long-termvision and understanding of com-plex situations around the globe.

Another line might be added: “Weinteract closely with friends and foesto foresee threats to U.S. security.”

David SearbyAssistant Cultural Affairs OfficerU.S. EmbassyMexico City

Diplomacy Is America’s FirstLine of Defense.Diplomacy Is America’s FirstLine of Defense.

From the EditorCrisis management training is modifying behavior at posts and giving

our employees skills they can use in handling crises, reducing personalrisks and encountering physical danger. This change is due in large meas-ure to the Foreign Service Institute’s aggressive CMT team, which has cir-cled the globe, conducting exercises at every post they could reach.

The Herculean crisis training effort began in Cairo nearly three years ago,following the embassy bombings in East Africa. The cycle began anew inEgypt in March. The exercises, for both U.S. and Foreign Service Nationalemployees, help protect employees’ safety and U.S. diplomatic facilities.

Egypt is also our Mission of the Month. The largest of our posts, Cairoforms a 42-agency U.S. team working closely with our strategic ally tobring prosperity and peace to the region.

Emergency medical evacuations are nothing new to the Foreign Service.What’s unusual about the one reported in this issue is that it happened tothe Foreign Service health practitioner in Tel Aviv. Seriously injured whilehiking in the Negev Desert, Susan Kalma provides a firsthand account ofher rescue and recovery. Perhaps her wisest decision was to take theregional medical officer along on the hike. In a companion article, KristinAllison from the Office of Medical Services describes official proceduresfor medical evacuations.

The Regional Support Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is a hub of activity,hosting conferences and meetings of every description in addition to pro-viding logistical and human resources support throughout the WesternHemisphere. Staff writer Paul Koscak visited the center recently and com-piled several articles. They include highlights of a human resources con-ference sponsored by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, a featureon the center itself and a meeting with some active retirees.

June 2001 3

I N T H E N E W S

4

Ambassador Luis Lauredo, left, U.S. Representative to the Organization ofAmerican States, and OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria escort President Bushto the Hall of the Americas to address ambassadors and representatives of west-ern hemisphere nations at the Summit of the Americas. The President praised thegrowth of democracy and encouraged member nations to expand free trade in theAmericas.

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April 26 was a day for kids, a day for learning whatmom, dad and others do when they leave the house eachday to put food on the table.

They learned about spies, about dogs that sniff minesand about child refugees. By day’s end, more than 300children learned that the State Department is where theUnited States is represented to the world and wherepeace is its most important product.

This year’s Take Your Child to Work Day began with aspecial welcome by Secretary of State Colin Powell. TheSecretary told the children that Department businessnever ends since embassies are scattered throughout theglobe.

“Right now, we are sitting here this morning at aboutnine o’clock,” he said. “Our embassy people in Beijing are12 hours in the other direction, and they are already end-

Kids Get Lesson inDiplomacy and Work

State Magazine

ing their day working with Chinese officialson matters that are important to us.”

Secretary Powell asked the children toobserve how people use the English lan-guage. “Look at how important it is to read,write, communicate and listen properly,”he said. “You can acquire all kinds of otherknowledge once you’ve mastered English.”

Before the young visitors headed off toall the planned activities, they were swornin by the Secretary as “honorary employeesfor the day.”

While he held their attention, it was themine-sniffing dog, Rosa, who drew themost interest. Demining dogs like Rosa aretrained to search out the hidden explosivesin a methodical, back-and-forth grid. Whena mine is located, the dog sits. The minesearch demonstration took place in a court-yard flower bed.

Other activities included a mock SecurityCouncil session, a sign-language demon-stration and a presentation on Departmentcareers.

The event, open to children ages 9–15,was coordinated by the Office of EmployeeRelations.

Photo by Ann Thomas

One of the most popular participants in this year’s Take Your Child toWork Day was Rosa, a mine-sniffing dog, who demonstrated how dogssave lives by locating deadly landmines.

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DIRECT FROM THE ACTING D.G.

FLO Puts Families First

am pleased to follow in UnderSecretary Marc Grossman’sfootsteps by introducing toyou another member of the

leadership team in the Bureau ofHuman Resources: Faye Barnes,director of the Family LiaisonOffice.

The McKinsey Study and theOverseas Presence Advisory Panelreport suggested that to win theWar for Talent, State would needto pay more attention to quality-of-life and family issues. Spouseemployment opportunities wereidentified as especially critical tosuccessful recruitment and reten-tion. Such issues have been FLO’sfocus since its founding in 1978.

Faye’s team has extensive over-seas experience and conducts acomprehensive program of advo-cacy and client services for spouse employment, educa-tion and youth support and crisis management. FLO alsomanages the Community Liaison Office program oftraining and guidance for more than 160 posts world-wide.

Faye’s division chiefs include Judy Ikels, deputy;Marjorie Bigelow, education and youth; Ginny Boncy,support services; Paula Riddle and Debra Thompson,employment; Catherine Salvaterra, CLO support; SarahGenton, publications; and Vanja Huth, expeditious natu-ralization.

A native of Canada, Faye became FLO director in June1998. She has worked in the science and the food indus-try and in public relations at the National Press Club, andshe volunteered her time during 20 years of livingabroad. Faye served eight years as CLO coordinator inBonn, Mexico City and London while accompanying herhusband, a Foreign Agricultural Service officer.

FLO serves clients from the Department and all U.S.government agencies sending employees on assignmentsabroad. FLO’s liaison role extends to more than a dozenfederal agencies, through individual contacts and partic-ipation in an Interagency Roundtable. In FY 2000, FLOprocessed 17,000 client interactions and reached morethan 3,000 individuals through briefings.

Faye Barnes

Under Faye’s leadership, FLOhas moved to larger offices, gainednew staff and responsibilities, andis expanding employment supportfor spouses seeking work in thelocal economy with a new pilotprogram in Mexico.

In the past two years, FLO suc-cessfully advocated raising allow-ances paid to evacuees, creatingthe Casualty Assistance Office, increasing attention to eldercareand childcare issues and FLO’sassuming responsibility for theExpeditious Naturalization portfo-lio for foreign-born spouses.

The 2001 FLO agenda includes:■ Expanding employment oppor-tunities for spouses inside andoutside missions by piloting a pri-vate-sector spouse employmentproject in Mexico and expanding

the Professional Associate Program to enable familymembers to fill mid-level hard-to-fill positions; Developing a soon-to-be-tested, redesigned FamilyMember Employment Report that features an elec-tronic jobs bulletin board component; Supporting legislation allowing former PIT employeesenrolled in a U.S. government retirement program tobuy back retirement credit, which is currently disal-lowed by the 1989 FERS law;Strengthening the CLO corps through more profes-sional training, online support and publishing a CLO101 primer;Counseling on education choices, special needs, homeschooling, and boarding school options; Supporting employees and family members duringcrises such as evacuations or personal crises, such asdivorces.The Foreign Service is more than a job. It is a commit-ent to a way of life. To be successful, the employee’s

amily also must be committed to the mobile lifestyle,equiring repeated adjustments with each move. There is lot of talk about winning the War for Talent. Today, aarge portion of the victory will depend on how we treatamily members.

Faye and her FLO team lead in this effort. ■

June 2001 5

EGYPT:AN ANCIENT NATION

ENTERS A NEW MILLENNIUM

Temple of Amun and BerberMosque Minaret, Siwa Oasis.

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FA market in the Siwa Oasis.

By James Cohen and Suzanne McGuire

or centuries, Egyptians have

called their land “Umm Al Dunya,” an

Arabic expression mean-

ing Mother of the Universe. Visitors to the U.S.Embassy

in the Arab Republic of Egypt learn quickly that the U.S.

government takes this nickname seriously. There are 42

U.S. agencies represented and a combined workforce of

more than 2,000 people, making this the largest U.S.

Mission in the world and a place where both the challenges and

the rewards seem monumental.

The Missions of the MissionSince resuming full diplomatic relations in April 1974

(they were suspended for nearly seven years after the 1967Arab-Israeli War), the United States and Egypt haveexpanded their relationship in complexity, importance andscope. The U.S. presence in Egypt has kept pace. The land-mark 1979 Peace Agreement between Egypt and Israel sig-naled the beginning of coordinated efforts by Egypt andthe United States to bring peace and stability to the region.The October 2000 Summit convened by President HosniMubarak at Sharm-el-Sheikh symbolized Egypt’s lead-ing role. That historic event was made possible, in part,because 140 embassy employees—U.S. and Egyptian—rushed to the port on the Gulf of Aqaba on two days’notice to ready the site for the Summit’s participants.

Contributing to the Middle East peace process is onlyone of the mission’s goals. The Egypt-Israel Peace Agree-ment was the catalyst that created the embassy’s Office ofMilitary Cooperation and increased military ties betweenEgypt and the United States. Today, more than 400 em-ployees administer $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military assis-tance to Egypt.

U.S. ships pass through the Suez Canal and countlessaircraft transit Egyptian installations. Egypt’s increasedability to participate in coalition warfare and its willing-ness to send peacekeepers to UN undertakings helpmake Egypt a critical military ally. The embassy’s eco-nomic and political sections and the Office of the DefenseAttaché work closely to maintain this special relation-ship, an integral component of overall U.S. military andsecurity strategy.

U.S. assistance has helped to build Egypt’s infrastruc-ture for communications, water distribution and electric

June 2001 7

FSN Amany N. Riad, left,familiarizes new arrivalMichael Brown with servicesof the Community LiaisonOffice.

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power. Millions of Egyp-tians enjoy a higher quali-ty of life because USAID-sponsored projects haverehabilitated and re-open-ed the Suez Canal, quad-rupled Egypt’s electriccapacity and built morethan 2,000 schools. USAIDcelebrates its 25th anni-versary in Egypt this year.

The embassy alsoworks with the Egyptiangovernment on economicand commercial fronts.Egypt is the secondlargest U.S. trade partnerin the region (after SaudiArabia). Statistics illus-trate the benefits to bothcountries. While U.S.exports to the MiddleEast and North Africaregion declined from 1999to 2000, exports to Egyptrose 10 percent, from $3 billion to $3.3 billion.

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Halma Sampson works the visa line in Cairo.

Don’t Forget Alexandria!Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city

and the third largest city on the African con-tinent, stretches along 20 kilometers of azureMediterranean coastline. The U.S. ConsulateGeneral there was closed in 1993, butAlexandria remains a vital and vibrant partof U.S. activity in Egypt.

Today, the United States is officially repre-sented in this historic seaside city by theAmerican Center in Alexandria. Staffed by afull-time public affairs officer and 10 Egyptianemployees, the center houses a 7,600-volumelibrary and hosts a full range of workshops,lectures, films and distinguished speakers.The Department of Commerce’s ForeignCommercial Service maintains a permanentoffice at the center. USAID is housed in a sep-arate building. Most imports to Egypt comethrough the port of Alexandria, and the cityremains the center for Egypt’s cotton industry,textile manufacturing and oil, chemical andpaper production.

Diplomacy on a Large ScaleTalk about the size of the U.S. Embassy in

Cairo has almost become a cliché. As ofFebruary 2001, excluding subcontractors

Gay Lee Potere,director of theCommunity LiaisonOffice, spearheadeda wellness survey ofU.S. and localnational employees.

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and temporary duty employees, 534 direct-hire Americans and 1,469 FSNs report to workeach day at three major compounds and anumber of smaller ones. The embassy com-pound, located in downtown Cairo, is asimposing as it is functional. The larger of thecompound’s two towers, known by its inhab-itants as Cairo I, opened its doors in 1988 andserves as the chancery. The smaller of the tow-ers, Cairo II, opened in 1994 and houses theconsular section, much of the administrativesection and the public affairs section.

The mission is the United States’ principaloutpost in the region. On average, Cairoreceives one cabinet-level visitor and often twoor three congressional delegations monthly, notto mention frequent Presidential and Secretaryof State visits. High-level U.S. government vis-itors often use Cairo as a springboard to travelto other countries in the region. The embassyalso serves as the regional base for such varied

Pavilion director Sheila O’Toole cuts the ribbonopening the USA Pavilion at the Cairo InternationalFair, the 26th consecutive year of U.S. presence.Assisting her is Bobette Orr, commercial counselor.

June 2001 9

Lab technicians KristyMcVey, foreground, andSalwa Abdel Meguid workin the Medical Unit.

Participants in the NEA Junior Officers’Conference in the main assembly hall of the Arab League.

Photo by Carl Goodman

agencies as the Drug Enforce-ment Administration, theLibrary of Congress and theNaval Assistance MedicalResearch Unit. Cairo’s con-sular section is at the forefrontof the consular best practicesinitiative. Most recently, anoffsite appointment and infor-mation system has helped freeup time for both officers andFSNs to handle an increasing-ly challenging visa workload.The section also engages inextensive outreach, with regu-lar consular visits to Alex-andria to provide U.S. citizenservices and opportunities forvoter registration at communi-ty events.

The embassy’s extensivefacilities make it a logicallocation for regional confer-ences. Recently, junior officersthroughout the Middle Eastcame to Cairo to attend the

sident, Alexandrians ended up watching the drama in Florida instead. Publicfrom left, joins FSNs Omneya Serry, reference librarian; Nadia Nassef, ad-bassy, cultural affairs assistant.

first-ever NEA Junior Offi-cers’ Conference. High-levelspeakers from Washington,D.C. and the region spenttwo days with the juniorofficers discussing policyand administrative mattersthat will affect their careersin the coming decades. Theparticipants also had theopportunity to tour the ArabLeague and meet with itssecretary general.

Managing a mission thislarge poses unique chal-lenges. To coordinate the ex-change of information amongthe many agencies at post,the embassy has created athematic “cluster” system for interagency networking.Diplomacy, democracy andgovernance, counter-terror-ism, consular and econom-ic/commercial interagencycluster groups meet regular-ly to discuss the latest devel-opments, make policy recommendations and plan jointactivities to coordinate action.

Keeping morale high is a priority at all posts. Cairo facesthe additional challenge of looking after the welfare of somany people from such a variety of institutional back-grounds. In addition to an outstanding Community LiaisonOffice and an embassy employees’ association, a group ofvolunteers recently established an innovative Health andWellness Committee. The committee surveyed health andwellness needs, inviting Egyptian and U.S. employees aliketo comment on the wellness and morale issues that affectthem the most. Responses varied widely in scope. The com-mittee is drafting a plan to help all employees create ahealthier lifestyle and work environment.

Beyond 9 to 5As a travel destination, Egypt requires little advertis-

ing. Embassy employees never lack for interesting andexotic destinations to spend evenings and weekends. Onthe well-beaten path are the Sphinx and pyramids atGiza, the wondrous temples in Aswan and Luxor and theValley of the Kings.

Off the beaten path but less than two hours from Cairoare Roman, Islamic and early Christian historical sites.Dimeh is an ancient Roman desert settlement of stoneand mud brick buildings that have endured two millen-nia in the desert sun. A vast burial ground of goldenmummies recently was discovered outside the desertoasis village of Baharia to the west of Cairo. St.Katherine’s monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai, the oldest

Invited to toast America’s new PreAffairs Officer Juliet Wurr, second ministrative assistant; and Laila Ab

continuously inhabited monastery in Christianity, is onlyfive hours from Cairo.

For a taste of modern Cairo, there’s the “city of thedead,” a vibrant and endless network of mausolea, whereresidents shop and pause at the tomb of Pasha MohammedAli’s children. Ending the day with a relaxing felucca (sail-boat) ride on the Nile or enjoying friends at a local cafémake the Cairo experience complete.

Egypt is a complex and fascinating country. On a dailybasis employees of the U.S.Embassy in Cairo andthe American Centerin Alexandria wit-ness firsthand thisancient civiliza-tion as it movesforward into itsseventh mil-lennium. ■

James Cohen isthe staff aide tothe ambassador.

SuzanneMcGuire editsThe Niler,the embassy’sweeklynewsletter. Sculpture in the courtyard of the Egyptian Museum.

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June 2001 11

In Cairo, the ‘Crisis’

Is Under ControlTRA IN ING PROGRAM C IRCLES THE GLOBE

aUpfc

enR

Text and photos by Carl Goodman

ain is rare in Cairo. Only the Nile Rivermakes life possible in this desert-bound

urban oasis of an estimated 16 millionpeople in North Africa.

On this March morning, the previousevening’s rain has collected in shallow

nd deep wells on the streets between my hotel and the.S. Embassy. The walk is but a few short blocks, but theavement is slippery and my footing uncertain. The traf-

ic and noise are deafening. Once inside the embassyompound, the noise abates and I feel safe and secure.

Safety and security cannot be taken for granted, how-ver, even within an embassy compound. During theext two days that message comes through as U.S. and

U.S. team assembles for exercises in crisis management.

nagement workshop are, from left, FSNs Reham Soliman, political and andria; Nadia Nassef, administrative assistant, public affairs, Alexandria;ltural affairs specialist, Cairo.

Hany Hamroush, scientificaffairs specialist, makes apoint during crisis manage-ment training for ForeignService National employees in Cairo.

Foreign Service National employees alike simulate crisesand their responses to them as part of a rigorous crisismanagement exercise conducted by the Foreign ServiceInstitute.

The bombings in August 1998 of the U.S. Embassies inNairobi and Dar es Salaam, so-called“soft embassy targets” few wouldhave expected terrorists to attack, cat-apulted security to the top of the listof the Department’s priorities anddrove home the lesson that “highthreat” embassies aren’t the only onesthat need to be prepared for crises.

At the controls in this earthquakescenario is Reno Harnish, deputychief of mission, who describes thescene in the exercise as very “plausi-ble,” considering the tremors thatrocked Egypt in 1992. On his left isGentry Smith, assistant regionalsecurity officer, who outlines theparameters of the Emergency ActionCommittee, or EAC, and refers to theEmergency Action Plan from time totime for the benefit of the controllerand participants.

Mr. Harnish challenges the EAC,composed of representatives fromthroughout the mission—militaryand civilian—to “think creatively.”The discussions, he says, “shouldflow freely and be our best think-ing.” The discussions are robust,

Participating in crisis maeconomic assistant, Alexand Magda Barsoum, cu

with give-and-take among mili-tary and civilian members as wellas interagency participants. Manyof them were involved in plan-ning for Y2K, the computer glitchthat threatened to wreak havocworldwide.

A veteran diplomat, Mr. Har-nish reminds his team, assembledin the part of the embassy com-pound known as Cairo I, that insuch a scenario the U.S. Mission isonly one of many elements inEgypt working on the problem. It’sessential, he said, that the embassygather information from Egyptiansources as well.

He also stresses the importanceof providing information to theU.S. community. An estimated16,000 Americans live in Egypt,and the ambassador is chargedwith taking care of the “officialcommunity,” those associatedwith the embassy, and other

Americans throughout the country.To maintain credibility, he says, there can be no “dou-

ble standard” as to what information is provided. Eventhough the ambassador cannot order private U.S. citizensresiding in the country to leave during a crisis, he is

June 2001 13

Trainer Murray Lewis, center,briefs Deputy Chief of MissionReno Harnish on the crisis management exercises as FSI’sPatricia Schmid observes.

responsible for informing them of the possible conse-quences of remaining.

The exercise emphasizes taking care of “your people,”U.S. and Foreign Service National employees alike.Recognizing that employees’ immediate concern in such acrisis is the safety and welfare of their families, the com-mittee agrees that all but the most critical employeesshould be released to locate and help their loved ones.

As the situation goes from bad to worse, only a corecrew remains at the embassy to maintain security, moni-tor events and communicate with the Operations Center.

Within a few days, the Foreign Service Institute willcable the post and encourage embassy management toreconvene the EAC and use the EAC’s observations tocritique the overall exercise in a “Lessons Learned” cableto the Department.

The exercises are conducted on a “no fault” basis,according to trainer Murray Lewis, and no formal evalu-ation report “scores” the post’s performance. The “nofault” environment encourages participants to examineproblems rationally. “Time may be more critical toresponding to the emergency at hand,” Mr. Lewis said,“than seeking a textbook solution.”

Statistics reenforce Mr. Lewis’s message. TheDepartment released a report on global terrorism in Mayshowing 206 acts of violence against U.S. citizens or prop-erty in 2000. The attacks claimed 43 lives, including 17sailors aboard the USS Cole.

14 State Magazine

The Crisis Management Training Program operated at alow level before the East Africa bombings, according toAmbassador Aurelia E. Brazeal, dean of the Leadershipand Management School, whose portfolio at FSI includesCMT. The program was reinvigorated, she noted, whenCongress approved a security supplemental for theDepartment after the East African attacks. Funds were ear-marked specifically for crisis management training. Sincethen, training has been in full swing. In fiscal years 1999and 2000, for example, the crisis management staff at FSIconducted more than 200 separate exercises overseas.

The March exercises in Cairo marked the beginning ofa new training cycle.

“We’ve circled the globe and started over again,”observed Nedra Overall, who coordinates crisis manage-ment training at FSI.

The exercises have changed over the years. Before1998, for example, they did not include training forForeign Service National employees. The Nairobi andDar es Salaam tragedies demonstrated dramatically thatFSNs are as much at risk as Americans and are vital linksto local government authorities in the aftermath of a cri-sis. Now, most posts include host country employees.

The benefits from including local national employeesare many. For one thing, they serve as institutional mem-ory, knowing details about a host country and post thatare useful in a crisis. They augment the staffing at postswhere there are few officers. They are often the ones

Crisis Management Training Continuum

celle Wahba, center, public affairs officer, reviews strategies with team.

responsible for carrying out decisions. Moreover, theirinclusion in the training fosters a “team atmosphere.”

It is obvious from the interaction among participantsthat what is readily available is a wealth of experiencewith crises in almost every embassy community—fromearthquakes and bombings to air crashes, rocket andgrenade attacks, arson, kidnap-ping, fires and floods. SomeForeign Service National employ-ees recall a hotel fire and an aircrash involving American casual-ties. They are grim reminders thatcrises can strike anywhere at anytime.

All posts have an EmergencyAction Plan and an EmergencyAction Committee. Mr. Lewisencourages embassies to make theunclassified portion of the planavailable to all mission employees.

Mr. Lewis, who has more than30 years’ experience in counter-terrorism, calls the training “inter-active theater.” The employees arethe actors. Scenarios are post-specific and are based on a combi-nation of fact and fiction, withparticipants being asked to sus-pend disbelief.

Mar

“We’re not trying to predict the future,” Mr. Lewis said.His audience knows full well that while today’s exer-

cise may be simulated, tomorrow’s crisis could be the realthing. ■

The author is editor of State Magazine.

Crisis management training is serious business.It’s so serious that most employees mustupdate their crisis-management skills during

each stage of their careers.

Basic-level training provides the essential Departmentdoctrine or crisis management fundamentals. This usu-ally explains the Emergency Planning Handbook, theEmergency Action Plan and Emergency Action Com-mittee. In addition, participants are expected to

■ Understand key crisis definitions ■ Understand the functions of committee members

and their accountability■ Understand how to prepare for a crisis and know

the role of the post, Operations Center, regional andfunctional bureaus, and task force

Mid-level training targets supervisory personnelwith several overseas assignments. This level expectsbasic knowledge of crisis management fundamentalsand key definitions and provides students with work-ing skills to build intuitive responses during a crisis.

Among the expectations are to

■ Identify critical skills for the members of theEmergency Action Committee

■ Build and maintain effective teams■ Understand how to identify resources ■ Understand the embassy’s leadership role■ Understand how to plan and assign duties■ Understand the media’s role in crisis management

Senior-level training provides personnel in top man-agement positions the opportunity to use a full rangeof crisis management leadership skills to

■ Build and maintain effective teams■ Delegate and provide guidance to subordinates■ Delegate according to ability, not position■ Provide leadership to the U.S. community

For a full description of the crisis management train-ing continuum and associated FSI courses, visit theIntranet at http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/lms/cmt.

—Patricia Schmid

June 2001 15

The 4 Components of Crisis Management

Training■ Classroom Instruction

■ Crisis Management Exercises

■ Task Force Exercises with the Operations Center

■ Special Capabilities Exercises

Lead trainer John Haralson observescrisis management class at FSI.Lead trainer John Haralson observescrisis management class at FSI.

Crisis management exercise at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

Task force exercises with the Operations Center.

Evacuees depart USSBoxer in exercise atCamp Pendleton, Calif.

In mock exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C.,“Ambassador” Douglas Hartwick, right,meets the “press” as Marine Maj. Gen.Ronald Richard, commander of the 2ndMarine Div., observes.

Marine helicopters dothe heavy lifting duringevacuation exercise inKuwait.

Office of the Month:

Regional Center Provides Bargain

Services

Story and photos by Staff Writer Paul Koscak

rom the street, it’s just a drab office building in oneof Ft. Lauderdale’s older business districts.

If it wasn’t for the sign out front or maybe theabundance of rooftop antennas, the Department’s

Florida Regional Center could pass for just anotherindustrial warehouse so common to the area.

The Department bought the building, a formerBellSouth telephone exchange, because it was built towithstand hurricanes. In the stairwell leading to the

F

director’s office is the framed, tattered American flag thatwas flying over the first Florida Regional Center when itwas destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

And that’s where the comparison ends.Managed by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere

Affairs, the center is a service hub for 50 posts through-out Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada. Haiti,Barbados and Trinidad—posts too small to justify main-taining a resident human resources specialist but largeenough to require employee support—rely on the centerfor personnel and emergency services. Larger posts,such as those in Mexico and Brazil, benefit from telecom-

June 2001 19

munications, security and courier support as well asother services.

Throughout the center’s two-story building are spe-cialists handling everything from telephone repair tomedical evacuations, essentially any service a post needsto stay in business but at a fraction of what it costs to hirea full-time employee. In many ways, the center is theregion’s mini-Truman Building, and with nearly 100employees, contractors and military staff, it’s the largestand busiest of the Department’s regional centers, accord-ing to Director Cliff Tighe.

“It can cost up to $250,000 per year to keep an employ-ee overseas,” he said. “But to base them here, theDepartment pays only travel. It isn’t practical to have anofficer assigned to a post.”

The arrangement allows one officer to servicemultiple posts, usually through scheduled vis-its or by request. Training, dispute resolution,pay and benefits—all the standard personnelservices—keep the center’s support staff busyand on the road.

“Seventy-five percent of our staff travel,” Mr.Tighe said. “About a third of their time is travel.Some spend one out of two weeks traveling.”

The center coordinates health services, partic-ularly for employees with unexpected medicalconditions, said Donna Thompson, the center’snurse. She coordinated 125 medical evacuationslast year. Requests for a doctor, she said, usual-ly begin with a call from the post nurse. That’swhen Ms. Thompson makes arrangements foreither a coach or charter flight to Miami,depending on the employee’s condition.

“Nobody wants to have surgery in develop-ing nations,” she said.

From air conditioners to security guards tocomputers and supplies, the posts depend on

the center’s procurement office when purchasing a widearray of products and services, including multi-million-dollar building projects. Lately, most of the spending isfor computers. “Ninety percent of the time we deal withcomputers,” said Leslie Rush, who processes orders.

And protecting those computers from hackers is part ofwhat the center’s security engineering office does. Theoffice, boasting a contingent of Navy Seabees, not onlyevaluates the security of buildings and grounds butinstalls and maintains security systems. In fact, the engi-neers can handle everything from installing computer net-works to maintaining and upgrading the myriad combi-nation locks found on nearly all Department doors,according to James Frank, director of security engineering.

Like its civilian counterpart, the center’s Marine Corpscompany headquarters provides personnel services toMarine guard detachments stationed throughout the re-gion, said Lt. Col. Jeff Bolander, the company’s commander.

In addition to providing the traditional pay and assign-ment support, the regional headquarters ensures that theMarines receive continual training in anti-terrorism, mar-tial arts and other protective services.

Col. Bolander said Marines who volunteer for Depart-ment assignments must pass psychological screeningsand—with the exception of the most senior ranks—mustbe single.

“They can have social relationships, but they can’t bemarried,” he said.

Perhaps the most traveled staff is the center’s 13 couri-ers. The couriers use a classified vault in Miami whenmaking deliveries throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Compensating travelers is a never-ending task handledby the center’s information management center. Pre-paring travel orders, processing vouchers and ensuringthere’s enough money to cover expenses are part of theservices it provides to more than 30 traveling specialists,

Seabee Cliff Greer calibratescommunication equipment.

Budget Analyst Nellie Woodard ensures travelers are compensated.

Center Director Cliff Tighe andAdministrativeAssistant Pat Feelyreview procedures.

said Budget Analyst Nellie Woodard. A 35-yearDepartment veteran, she retires this month.

While the focus is definitely South of the Border, thecenter couldn’t function without keeping its own facilityin order. Maintaining the grounds and the center’s infra-structure, such as the building’s electrical, air condition-ing and plumbing systems, is Chuck O’Meara’s responsi-

Specialists Service Posts

20 State Magazine

bility. He also oversees a pilot program that harnessessolar energy for domestic hot water and outdoor lighting.

“This is the showcase for other facilities,” he said of thesolar project.

With most of its staff traveling, the center is working tomake each trip more productive. An assessment, for exam-ple, will soon be under way to determine the needs of eachpost, said Bill Francisco, the center’s deputy director.

“We can set up goals for each visit,” he said. “Withouta plan we’re just putting out fires.”

Another innovation is to assign a post with substantialresources to service a smaller post in a bordering nation.Panama would service Costa Rica and Santo Domingo,Haiti, for example. The reshuffling would eliminate thecenter’s three roving human resources officers’ visits tothose posts but would increase the number of visits to theremaining posts from four to six, Mr. Francisco said.

The center even has a few staff who never seem to gethome. These are the five roving employees who are com-puter and administrative specialists. These nomadicworkers wander from post to post filling vacancies creat-ed by employees who, for one reason or another, are tem-porarily away. When they do manage to get back toFlorida, they’re given training for career advancement.

“They’re an important part of what we do,” Mr.Francisco noted. ■

the Old-Fashioned Way

By Paul Koscak

L ike many of the roving experts who work out of the Ft. Lauderdale Regional Center, BettyFrankfather saves the Department loads of moneyby living out of a suitcase.

As one of three traveling human resources officers, Ms.Frankfather services posts throughout Latin America, theCaribbean and Canada on a wide range of issues.

It’s no job for homebodies.More than 75 percent of her time is spent away from

Florida. April’s schedule was especially grueling: leavehome on Sunday, return Saturday and then leave onSunday again, spending less than a day per week at home.

“I don’t have a cat. I don’t have plants,” she confessed.But she does have extensive experience dealing with

local compensation, career planning and job classification,saving posts the expense of a human resources officer.

What makes the job particularly tough is applyingthose skills in a region of diverse labor laws and roller-coaster economies. Inflation in some countries, she said,can make this year’s compensation seem like pikers’ paythe next.

Posts are usually given two-weeks’ notice before thecenter’s roving personnel specialists drop by. That gives

the post’s administrative officer time to draw up a list ofissues that need attention. Tasks can be anything fromupgrading a driver’s job to confidential meetings withemployees to mentoring a junior officer.

In many instances, Ms. Frankfather evaluates a situa-tion and draws up a local personnel policy for clearance.But in all cases, decisions must comply with local laborlaws, said Ms. Frankfather, who joined the Department in1979 as a secretary and advanced through the ranks toher current job.

That’s what makes the job so unique, explainsStephanie Gillespie, another human resources officerwho spends about a week every three months at each ofher six assigned posts. Some countries, she said, such asBelize and Uruguay, allow for generous time off the jobfor a birth or funeral, while others, such as Honduras andJamaica, have either no retirement plans such as SocialSecurity or such dysfunctional systems that workerswould never collect a cent after years of contributions.

“It makes it difficult to establish benefits,” said Ms.Gillespie, who also joined the Department in 1979. “Whatwe may try to do is offer life insurance with an annuity”in nations with poor retirement systems.

“We’re references to run things by,” Ms. Frankfather saidof their roles as she packed her suitcase for another post.

June 2001 21

Classifying jobs was one topic that dominated theMarch workshop, the first in several years, which drewas many Foreign Service Nationals as Civil Service andForeign Service employees. An effective, credible job clas-sification system is a basic building block of good humanresources management, according to Bob West, chief ofthe Bureau of Human Resources management division inthe Office of Overseas Employment.

“We really need a new evaluation system,” he said. Hecompared the way jobs are classified to “a ’53 Chevypickup: It will get you there, but it’s hard to operate andmaintain and it’s slow. It beats walking, but it doesn’tmeet our needs.”

With the workplace becoming more complex and newtechnology changing the way some jobs are performed, anew classification system would allow the Department tooffer competitive salaries to employees, he said.

Positions such as aircraft mechanics or computer net-work installers are typical of the jobs that need regularreview. “Here you need to capture the complexity of thejob to offer the proper compensation,” said ChristopherWilks, who classifies jobs for the bureau.

Those challenges became realistic during a break-out ses-sion on compensation and benefits requiring participantsto hammer out salary adjustments at an overseas post.

“We need to tell Foreign Service National employees:‘This is how your salary will be changing over the nextfew years’ ”, said Joe Furgal, the human resources man-ager who moderated the session.

The scenario was particularly challenging because par-ticipants wrestled with not only the host nation’s laborlaws but the interagency policies of the Peace Corps,Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency forInternational Development.

As for realism, there was one rule: “There’s no moneycoming from Washington, D.C.,” Furgal said.

Classification weighs heavily in determining a competi-tive salary. But what happens when inflation isn’t undercontrol? In Suriname, for instance, a dollar was exchangedfor 495 guilders in 1998. Today, it fetches 2,500 guilders.

Participants listen andreact to Bob West fromthe Office of OverseasEmployment.

Workshop Tackles Thorny IssuesStory and photos by Paul Koscak

Keeping posts as competitive employerscan be daunting. Offering employeesretirement benefits where a national sys-tem doesn’t exist can be tricky. And keep-ing employees and managers motivated

and focused can be the most challenging task of all.Those and other issues surfaced recently at a rare gath-

ering of human resource specialists in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.,sponsored by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

The solution to a stable paycheck, said Marilyn Tsie-A-Foeng, a former high school teacher, commerce andindustry official and now a Foreign Service Nationalemployee in Paramaribo, is to offer split compensation—60 percent American currency and 40 percent local. “The60 percent is stable,” she said.

Providing Foreign Service Nationals with a pension is apriority issue, particularly when the host country has nonational pension system or the system is so dysfunctionalit’s worthless, said Robert Morris, who directs the Office ofOverseas Employment in the Bureau of Human Resources.

“We are focusing our efforts at the moment on coun-tries where social security systems take our money butgive zero return,” he said. “We try to provide a replace-ment benefit for the host country’s pension.”

Some plans provide for a Department contributiononly, so the employee receives an added benefit. Since theemployee can’t touch the funds until retirement, he said,the money belongs to the U.S. government and uponwithdrawal would be subject to normal taxes.

Underscoring all the issues confronting human resourcespecialists is successful management, according to BrianMajewski, a human resources officer from Ottawa, whogave a passionate presentation on decisionmaking.

Management, he said, is based a lot on technique, suchas strong personal negotiating skills. But below the veneerof personality is character. “You can have technique, but ifthere are no values, you’re just a manipulator,” he said.“What you are is more than what you say and do.”

It’s more important, he said, to manage events and del-egate so there’s more time for planning. Most people aredriven by urgent events, “things that must be done now,”or things that are not important but urgent.

“For instance, the phone rings and when you pick it upyou find it’s a total waste of time,” Mr. Majewski said.

He said those who delegate can spend more time plan-ning, a critical part of leadership. “Leadership is setting adirection,” he said. “Management is accomplishing thelogistics to go in that direction. You can’t manage time,but you can manage the decisions you make.”

Wayne Logsdon, the WHA’s deputy executive director,said delegation is about empowerment, the ability toentrust subordinates with tasks they are better experi-enced to perform.

“Isn’t it great when you have a supervisor that lets youdo your job?” he said. “Let them succeed or fail.” ■

Pressing a point, Monica Rivera of Chile, left,engages Maria Teresa Barrios of Argentina andothers during a breakout session.

Brian Majewski of Ottawa and Ivonne deGalo of El Salvador tally up salary figures.

When It Comes to Hiring,Local Talent Wins Out

Laura Paolillo

Angel Garcia

Monica Rivera

Marilyn TsieMarilyn Tsie

Monica Rivera

Angel Garcia

Laura Paolillo

Story and photos by Paul Koscak

The Bureau of Western HemisphereAffairs maintains posts of all sizesthroughout Latin America, the

Caribbean and Canada, and one thing thatseems to stand out is an abundance ofForeign Service National employees.

Take Laura Paolillo. She’s one of the near-ly 100 FSNs working at the U.S. Embassy inMontevideo, but she’s only one of two peo-ple managing human resources at theembassy, which also employs about 40Americans. With so few people handlingworkplace issues, Ms. Paolillo stays busy.

Although Ms. Paolillo has been with theDepartment less than two years, she brings lotsof experience to the job after a dozen years inpersonnel at a public utility company.

With such limited staff, it’s not surprising shegets involved in nearly all facets of humanresources—from job classification and compen-sation to recruitment and performance evalua-tions. Orientation for new hires, both localnationals and Americans, and mediation arealso her responsibility, she said. She’s oneof the first people American staff encounterwhen arriving at the embassy.

“I advise Americans on Spanish classes,health services and the schools,” she said.

Recruiting FSNs isn’t too hard right now,Ms. Paolillo said, because Uruguay’s unem-ployment rate is high. In fact, high-levelpositions are advertised in newspapers.

“It’s so easy to get qualified people,” sheadded.

Angel Garcia is one of 180 FSNs workingat the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, whereForeign Service Nationals make up morethan half of the embassy staff.

A human resources specialist, Mr. Garcia han-dles job classification and compensation andsupervises four assistants. Like Uruguay,Venezuela is experiencing high unemploymentand inflation. The latter makes it difficult tokeep salaries competitive.

One of his challenges is finding applicantswith good English skills, particularly for high-level jobs. “We need bilingual people, butmany of them are getting hired by the multi-national companies,” he said.

Mr. Garcia, who has worked for theDepartment for three years, recently com-pleted a handbook for Foreign ServiceNationals. The manual contains everythingfrom the latest changes in labor laws totraining and discipline policy.

“The United States and Venezuela havea great relationship,” he said. “America isone of our top oil buyers.”

Unlike her contemporaries in Venezuelaand Uruguay, Monica Rivera is a seasonedDepartment veteran at the U.S. Embassy

in Santiago, which employs 170 nation-als and about 80 Americans.

Ms. Rivera joined the Department in1978 as a receptionist and advancedthrough the ranks to her present posi-tion as a human resources supervisor,handling everything from job classifica-tion and salary to benefits.

Since Chile’s economy is now stable,she said, salary adjustments are done byschedule. “Each year, everyone gets anadjustment,” Ms. Rivera said. “Beforethat, we never knew.”

In contrast to some other LatinAmerican nations, Chile also has its own

pension system, she added.WHA is streamlining much of the human

resource work performed by Foreign ServiceNationals. All hiring, for example, is nowdone locally. Traditionally, a post needed per-mission to create a job. It then needed anotherauthorization to recruit and fill the position.

“The embassy just advises us whenthey’ve filled the position,” said SharonHardy, a human resources officer in thebureau.

Another shortcut, she said, wouldallow an embassy to immediately putnew hires to work in jobs not requiringa security clearance while the worker’sclearance is being processed.

“This would allow them to do mean-ingful work,” she said.

While these measures will certainlymake work a little less stressful, onething’s for certain: without the expertise,support and dedication of the Depart-ment’s FSNs, a lot of work wouldn’t getdone at all.

June 2001 23

igure of Daniel Webster, a gift of Jo., and William Gleiber of St. Louis,

Donors ReceiveWarm Welcome

In one of the first large officialreceptions of the year, Secretaryof State and Mrs. Powell hon-ored donors to the DiplomaticReception Rooms, an event thatattracted some 350 guests.

Secretary Powell told his guests on theMarch 30 occasion that the roomshad become his “favorite in thewhole building, and I am forevershowing up here unexpectedly.”Thanking the donors for theirgenerosity, he said that “theserooms serve the advancement ofour national interests and ourideals. They capture our histo-ry, they capture our culture,they capture the spirit ofAmerica.”

During the year 2000, donorscontributed more than $480,000to the Reception Rooms.Major financial contributorswere:

Helen Harting Abell ofLouisville, Ky.; Hugh TrumbullAdams of New York City;Goerlich Family Foundation(Mr. and Mrs. Edward H.Alexander) of Toledo, Ohio;Marshall B. Coyne, Wash-ington, D.C.; Edmond de

Bronze standing fof Washington, D.C

24 State Magazine

Rothschild Foundation, New YorkCity; Mr. and Mrs. Clement E.Conger (John Jay Hopkins Found-ation), Arlington, Va.; Mr. and Mrs.Norman Kinsey, Shreveport, La.;Masco Corp. (Richard Manoogian),Taylor, Mich.; John McShainCharities, Inc., Philadelphia; Mrs.

D. Williams Parker, Thomasville,Ga.; Arnold and Marie Schwartz

Fund (in honor of Secretary of StateAlbright), New York City; and theWilliams Family Foundation of GeorgiaInc., Thomasville, Ga.

Gifts of furnishings and new acquisi-tions were on view. Among the gifts was a classical ormolu-mounted figured

mahogany lighthouse clock, circa 1815, bySimon Willard & Sons, Roxbury, Mass.,

donated by Mrs. Thomas MellonEvans of New York City.

Mr. and Mrs. Hermen Greenberg ofWashington, D.C., donated a textile ofthe Great Seal of the United Statesmade in China, circa 1900. The styleof the eagle is known as the BoxerRebellion Eagle.

On display in the ThomasJefferson State Reception Roomwas an 1827 painting, Still Lifewith Watermelon, by JamesPeale, loaned by Mr. and Mrs.

hn GleiberMo.

Classical ormolu-mounted mahoganylighthouse clock,circa 1815, bySimon Willard &Sons, donated byMrs. Thomas M.Evans of New York.

Richard A. Smith Jr. ofRome, Italy.

John S. Gleiber ofWashington, D.C., andWilliam L. Gleiber ofSt. Louis, Mo., con-tributed to a bronzestanding figure ofDaniel Webster madeby Thomas Ball in1853. The statue is atthe Foreign ServiceInstitute in Arlington,Va. The DiplomaticRooms EndowmentFund donated thefunds to acquire a fed-eral carved and inlaidmahogany card table,circa 1810, attributedto the workshop ofDuncan Phyfe, of NewYork City.

Recent acquisitionsthrough purchase in-

Alma PoMcKowGail F. SDiplomaintroducLilburn MillwoohonorinQuincy

cluded a dinner platefrom the china servicepurchased by Sec-retary of State JamesMadison, which laterwas used by Presidentand Dolley Madison atthe White House; atraveling desk ownedby John QuincyAdams, which he usedwhile on diplomaticassignments; and aclassical card tableowned by Henry Claywhile serving asSecretary of State.

Funds donated tothe Diplomatic Re-ception Rooms areused to conserve thecollection, preservethe rooms and selectacquisitions to en-hance the collection. ■

June 2001 25

well, left, greets Suzannen of Berryville, Va., whileerfaty, director of thetic Reception Rooms,es Secretary Powell to

and Nancy Talley ofd, Va., at a reception g donors in the John Adams State Drawing Room.

Phot

o by

Mic

hael

Gro

ss

26 State Magazine

Leaders are doers. The most important part of the pro-gram calls for students to shadow top-level directors onthe job.

Bernice Sturdavant from the Bureau of InformationResource Management spent three days accompanyingWade Henderson, director of the Leadership Conferenceon Civil Rights, through the halls of Congress. Ms. Sturd-avant listened as the civil rights leader expressed his viewson election reform to a Senate committee and pushed theDemocratic position on President Bush’s tax plan.

“By the end of the day I was tired out but exhilaratedbecause I had seen firsthand our democracy at work,”Ms. Sturdavant said.

Another assignment, an “experimental learning project”throughout the course, required a team of eight to examine“a problem or issue facing an organization.” Max Aguilar’sexperiment was developing a database for America’s

7 FinishLeaders’Course

By Claire Votaw

Building leadership skills might be easier thanexpected.

Seven Department employees just proved it.During four one-week sessions they, along with 140

other government colleagues, completed the ExecutivePotential Program, a Department of AgricultureGraduate School course aimed at sharpening peopleskills while shaping future leaders.

It begins with a personal assessment by peers, supervi-sors and subordinates to gauge a candidate’s leadershippotential as well as a Myers-Briggs test, which evaluatespersonality and attitudes.

The evaluation identifies personal weaknesses andstrengths, providing the framework for a leadershipdevelopment plan that a student follows throughout theyear-long course at Hagerstown, Md.

The course offers students exposureto leaders, either through formal meet-ings or shadowing opportunities.Students are required to interview atleast five senior executives in govern-ment or private industry. The meetings,or “executive interviews,” as they’recalled, provide valuable insights andnetworking opportunities.

The students interviewed such seniorofficials as Secretary of State ColinPowell, Ambassador Thomas Mc-Donald, Assistant Secretary forConsular Affairs Mary Ryan and Ambassador Kenton Keith. Seniorexecutives from the National Trans-portation Safety Board; the PeaceCorps; the Departments of Education,Energy and Transportation; and theNational Academy of Public Ad-ministration also participated in theprogram.

Executive Potential Program participants discuss course outcomes, from left, Dehab Ghebreab,Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; Claire Votaw, Bureau of Information ResourceManagement; Max Aguilar, Office of the Inspector General; Lee Rainer, Bureau of Administration;Bernice Sturdavant, IRM; Robert House, IRM; and Bobby Pickett, ECA.

June 2001 27

Promise. The Office of the Inspector General employeeworked with others to determine why the youth organiza-tion is more successful in some communities than others.

Dehab Ghebreab’s development plan took her toAfrica. The course requires a “developmental assign-ment” designed to meet the goals outlined in each stu-dent’s development plan. The Education and CulturalAffairs employee formed a peace organization with 16African women. During the three-day workshop, thegroup received training in organizational skills, ratified aconstitution and developed a strategic plan.

“I was deeply touched by the emotions that flowedduring the workshop,” Ms. Ghebreab said. “Most ofthese women work for human rights organizations andare not afraid to speak out despite concerns about theirsafety.”

Another employee, student Lee Rainer of the Bureau ofAdministration, worked with the Department ofTransportation’s inspector general on the Firestone tirecase. The work involved examining how the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office ofDefects Investigation identifies vehicle safety problems.He also assessed the office’s efficiency and the way itissues consumer alerts and safety recalls.

The findings were eventually presented to SenatorJohn McCain.

Robert House from Information Resource Man-agement and Bobby Pickett from Education and Cultural

Affairs were the other Department employees who com-pleted the course.

While the course is enriching for the students, it alsobenefits the Department. The experimental learning proj-ect, for example, offers offices short on staff needed man-power to solve problems, assess business practices, eval-uate customer satisfaction or study work processes.

Since development assignments last from 60 to 90 days,bureaus can offer students projects that, while important,usually never get done because of staffing shortages. Boththe student and Department gain: the student gains foreignpolicy experience and the Department gains some gratishelp, since the students’ salaries are picked up by their ownagencies, according to Laura Sells, Department coordinatorfor the Executive Potential Program.

The program is open to GS 13–15 employees who havedemonstrated exceptional leadership potential and seeksenior management positions. Applications are submit-ted through bureau training offices and can be obtainedthrough Department notices. Applications submitted inlate fall are screened for the spring 2002 class.

For more information or for bureaus interested in offer-ing team projects or individual development assign-ments, call Laura Sells at (202) 663-2144. ■

The author, a program manager with the Bureau ofInformation Resource Management, is a graduate of theExecutive Potential Program.

Dehab Ghebreab, far right, visits a World Bank computer center in Zimbabwe.

RetireesStrive toStay Tuned

From left, retirees Al Perlman, Frank Divine, Irwin Rubenstein andGeorge Barnard.

Story and photo by Paul Koscak

What began in 1962 with a small band of Departmentretirees thinking it would be great every now and

then to gather for coffee is now a vibrant advocacy organ-ization almost 900 members strong. In fact, the ForeignService Retirees Association of Florida is the largest andmost active group of former State Department employees.

“It started as a social organization,” said Irwin Ruben-stein, the association’s chairman, who lives in Plantationand was the counsel general in Mexico and later the U.S.-Mexico border affairs coordinator when he retired in 1993.“The newer leadership thought we could do a little more.”

That’s exactly what happened.The group, which exists to promote “a better under-

standing of U.S. foreign policy,” has a constitution, boardof directors and speaker’s bureau.

“We try to speak out on issues,” said vice chairman FordCooper, the former deputy chief of mission in Helsinkibefore retiring in 1996, who now lives in Punta Gorda.

He emphasized that retirees are “very selective” whentaking a policy position, avoiding partisan issues. Theassociation, however, rallied against being shut out ofDepartment buildings without an escort when tightersecurity measures were imposed last summer—a “slap inthe face,” Mr. Cooper charged. And it protested theappointment of a Civil Service employee to fill theForeign Service deputy chief of mission position at theU.S. Embassy in Lima. The retirees also want stepped-uprecruiting of Foreign Service officers.

Secretary Colin L. Powell modified the escort policy inFebruary, giving retirees unescorted access to the base-ment, the first two floors and library of the Harry STruman Building.

Through an active speaker’s bureau, the associationhas made retired Department experts a hot commodity ashigh school and college classroom guests and civic clubkeynote speakers. “There’s more demand than availabil-ity,” said Al Perlman, who manages the bureau.

The association also draws a variety of outside expertsand personalities to keynote its meetings. Everyone fromnewspaper editors to hospice directors to Marc

28 State Magazine

Grossman, the new under secretary for Political Affairs,have been featured guests, said Mr. Rubenstein, who con-tinually seeks new speakers. “We’re looking to get a con-gressman, and we’ve invited Secretary Powell to ourNovember banquet,” he said.

The association’s latest project, being developed by Mr.Perlman and Mr. Cooper, is a university elder hostel in St.Petersburg featuring prominent policymakers. “We hopeto do two or three hostels in February,” Mr. Perlman said.

In another move to stay involved, the associationdonated $1,000 to aid Foreign Service National employ-ees after an earthquake devastated El Salvador andanother $1,000 to the Senior Living Foundation, ahumanitarian organization for Department retirees.

Still, in many ways, the organization preserves its rootsas a social club, holding luncheons throughout theSunshine State four times a year as well as an annual ban-quet. Since its members live in more than 100 Floridacities, association activities are purposely planned in dif-ferent regions of the state.

For instance, the group recently organized a trip toSplendid China, an Orlando theme park owned andoperated by the People’s Republic of China. “The direc-tor of the political department from the Chinese Embassyflew in to talk to us,” Mr. Cooper said. “We were given atour and an acrobatic show.”

In April, the group held a luncheon at Miami Beach’sRamada Plaza Marco Polo Resort, featuring retiredambassador Cresencio Arcos, complete with an open barhosted by the State Department Federal Credit Union.

In September, the retirees are planning a luncheon andtrip to the Kennedy Space Center.

The heaviest concentration of members lives inSarasota, followed by the Tampa-St. Petersburg region,Orlando and the East Coast.

“Many of our members are still active,” Mr. Rubensteinadded. “They’re into businesses, teaching, real estate.”

Ironically, he credits computers and the Internet—toolsjust being introduced to the workplace as many membersretired—for the association’s cohesiveness.

“Most of us keep in touch through e-mail,” Mr. Ruben-stein said about the messages he occasionally calls cables. ■

June 2001 29

Distance Learning Is Closer Than You Think

Phot

o by

Bob

Kai

ser

ore traditional training outside the classroom than ever before.

By Thomas J. McMahon

Advances in technology make it easy for the ForeignService Institute to help employees sharpen theirlanguage, professional and technical skills by offer-

ing more courses outside the classroom. All you need is acomputer and you’re in business.

FSI’s School of Language Studies, for instance, launchedan innovative self-study Russian advanced readingcourse. Similar offerings are planned for French, Por-tuguese and Spanish.

FSI is also expanding its distance learning through part-nerships with other institutions.

For those who can’t fit classes into their schedules, FSIoffers another program called Out and About, a multimediacourse that focuses on difficult-to-learn languages. The firstOut and About—Moscow Out and About—debuted at theU.S. Embassy in Moscow last January. Other targeted postsare Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, Cairo and Tokyo.

The school has also sponsored training for nearly 100employees and family members through the University ofMaryland’s elementary and intermediate online Spanishcourses. Students can then take the FSI Spanish test andhave their scores added to their personnel record. ForFSNs looking to improve their English, FSI offers animaginative selection of online writing labs. More ses-sions are available for the growing number of FSNs,thanks to a pair of universityinstructors in New York.

To enhance its computer train-ing, FSI unveiled its SmartForcecourses in 1999. The instruction isavailable 24 hours a day onOpenNet, the Internet, CD-ROMor through a commercial vendor.More than 600 employees now usethis program.

For work-specific electroniccourses, check out http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/vfsi/menu/logon.asp. For consular correspondencecourses as well as a fire safetymodule, go to http://www.fsi-web.fsi.state.gov.

With more than 900 courses inmanagement, leadership, profes-sional skills and information tech-nology, FSI’s FasTrac programoffers even more career-growth Computers allow FSI to offer m

opportunity. Students simply log on to the web site, picktheir courses and work independently. Posts and bureausnominate individuals for this pilot program. More than500 students worldwide are enrolled in FasTrac programs.

So, what’s ahead?Consular Management at a Small Post will soon

become a computer-based training program, available onCD-ROM.

FSI’s Leadership and Management School is looking atcommercial interactive technologies to support crisis man-agement training overseas. The school also intends to addmore general leadership and management training to itsdistance-learning portfolio. Distance-learning courses, sim-ilar to the eight-week FAST (familiarization and short-termtraining) classroom offerings, are also planned.

The Korean language section is developing a stand-alone, multimedia, task-based course in Korean.Designed for self-study, this course uses technology toenhance listening, comprehension, speaking and pronun-ciation skills.

Although the distance-learning revolution is still in itsearly stages, FSI is gearing up to meet the growingdemand. One thing, however, is clear: FSI’s distance-learning program will profoundly change the work andwork force in the next ten years. ■

The author manages information resources at the ForeignService Institute.

After the Fall:

A Practitioner GetsPlenty of Practice

Hikers negotiate the Negev’s rocks,near where theauthor fell and was seriously injured.

After the Fall:

A Practitioner GetsPlenty of Practice

By Susan KalmaPhotos by Alex Veit

ccidents test our resourcefulness and team-work. Little did the staff of the U.S. Embassy

in Tel Aviv suspect that the new ForeignService health practitioner would injure

herself seriously in a fall during a hike inthe Negev Desert, putting the post’s

emergency medical system to the test.Reading instructions on how to

survive a jump from a building intoa dumpster must have helped. Myfirst thought after losing my bal-ance, ricocheting off a narrow ledgeand finding myself airborne againwas, “How did this happen?” Mysecond was, “How can I land mostauspiciously?” My friend Karensays she saw me curl into a ball onthe way down. The next thing Iknew, I was on my back in mud,shivering uncontrollably.

My right shoulder had taken thebrunt of the blow. In seconds,

“Susan of the Negev” restsher hike, shortly before her

A

30 State Magazine

regional medical officer Dr. Jason Trego was at my side,having somehow negotiated the 10-meter drop in betterform. Reassuring me and checking for damage, he asked,”Do you feel any burning pain in your neck?” I did—abad sign. My bloody, muddy, heavy camera bag becamea block to stabilize my head, and hikers peeled off theirjackets to cover me.

The trip guide, Gunnery Sgt. Ken Thomas, and thethree other Marine hikers hit their cell phones to call forhelp. No luck. From deep in the gully, signals couldn’t get

out. They climbed back out andfrom a clear spot higher up reachedthe embassy. The Marine on dutycontacted the local guard, whosebest friend was in charge of theIsraeli Army’s medical rescueteams. He immediately dispatcheda team to the rescue.

Shaking, it seemed, two incheswith every shiver, I lay in the mudin the gully. Although I was not insevere pain, my right shoulder, myleft hand, both legs and the back ofmy head were bleeding. Tammie,our gunny’s wife, was at my side,

unsuspectingly duringfall.

as the rescue helicopter begins her flight to safety from the Negev to

reassuringly let-ting me squeezeher hand.

There was noway for me tomeasure time inthat dark cleft.But what a reliefit was when thefaint sound ofchopper putt-putting reachedus. Marinesguided the heli-copter in, sig-

naling with a mirror. In a swirl of sand and gravel, it hov-ered over us, then hopped to a suitable spot to unload itscargo of khaki-clad angels of mercy. With efficient com-passion, they hooked me up to an electrocardiograph andintravenous line. Then they signaled for the giant greenpolliwog and, with the help of the regional medical offi-cer and the Marines, lifted my cold, shaking body onto ametal scoop stretcher.

Flying sand prevented me from watching until, mov-ing for once against gravity, I could view my slow ascenton a cable no thicker than a pencil to the hovering chop-per’s side door. Onboard, with my head at one open doorand my feet at the other, the “angels” continued theirmonitoring and briefed me. We would stop first to pickup needed supplies and then fly on to BeershevaHospital in about 20 minutes.

That hospital visit wasrough, as X-ray after X-raysought to reveal damage. Dr.Trego intervened to remind theradiologist that the neck iscomposed of seven vertebrae,not just the three that had beenCAT-scanned. The right collar-bone itself was in seven piecesand the shoulder joint was sep-arated 15 degrees. Fortunately,there was no neurologicaldamage. Jean Bowskill, myBritish registered nurse col-league, arranged my transferback to Tel Aviv with a manicambulance driver who seemedaddicted to sudden stops.

As I lolled in the luxury ofthat hospital for two days,awaiting surgery and eatingcream of wheat and cucum-bers, Jean and Dr. Tregoarranged a medevac flight andschemed to find someone tocover my position, even if itmeant changing their own hol-

The author’s companions watchBeersheva Hospital.

Author Susan Kalma almost onboard the rescue helicopter after being hoisted from acrevice in the Negev.

iday plans. Georges McCormick, the regional medicalofficer in Cairo, flew in to cover for a few days aroundNew Year’s. The ambassador and administrative officerpaid welcome visits to the hospital in Tel Aviv, and oneof our communicators volunteered to fly with me toWashington.

Meanwhile, the Office of Medical Services’ foreign pro-grams team in Washington found a hospital bed andslipped me into the busy holiday schedule of their con-sultant orthopedist. Dr. Cedric Dumont and Susan P.Smith visited me, and the foreign programs staff calledfrequently. As natural healing, coupled with physicaltherapy, brought daily progress, I began focusing myattention on returning to Tel Aviv. Back there, our healthunit receptionist continued to help patients find othercaregivers and kept me informed of new challenges withher calls.

When I returned to Israel, an embassy driver met myplane and assisted with my luggage. Marines and thecommunity liaison officer brought flowers, friendsshopped or assisted with cleaning chores, and graduallyI resumed my normal life. After countless hours of phys-iotherapy with a skilled Israeli professional and dailypractice at home, I have nearly reached 100 percentrecovery of function. Glorying in my ambassadoriallybestowed name, “Susan of the Negev,” I’m grateful forhow lucky I have been and for the teamwork of myfriends and colleagues around the world. ■

The author is the Foreign Service health practitioner at theU.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

June 2001 31

The Ins and Outs ofMedical Evacuations

By Kristin Allison

Evacuating an employee or family memberfrom an overseas post to a place where medicalor dental care can be safely delivered is one ofthe most important services provided by theOffice of Medical Services.

The Department’s medical professionals understandthat all medical evacuations are stressful because of theseverity of the illness, the separation from family orbecause the diagnosis may be uncertain. In the rare eventof a serious medical emergency such as a car crash, theemotional toll is great on the patient, the family and theentire embassy community. For those going through theexperience for the first time, there is no such thing as aroutine medevac.

32 State Magazine

Foreign Service families should ask their post’s regionalmedical personnel for the latest in travel regulations andbenefits if and when medical evacuation is needed.

Here are frequently asked questions about medicalevacuations:

What is a medevac?The Department may authorize a medical evacuation if

a medically cleared employee or eligible family memberposted abroad requires medical or dental care that cannotbe adequately given at a post and cannot be postponed.The Department or employee’s agency pays for travel tothe nearest facility where suitable care is available. Inmost cases, this location will be one of the medevac cen-ters designated by the Office of Medical Services:London, Pretoria, Singapore, Miami, Bangkok, HongKong, and Nairobi.

Who recommends amedevac and when?

The regional medicalofficer or regional ForeignService health practition-er recommends a mede-vac after considering thecondition of the patient,the availability of care atthe post and the urgencyof the need for treatment.They decide whethercommercial air or airambulance will be used.Most medevacs are sched-uled in advance and in-volve outpatient appoint-ments. These patientstravel by commercial air.Air ambulance evacua-tions are rare and are usedwhen the patient requiresintensive in-flight medicalattention.

Elective medical ordental treatment shouldbe scheduled with otherofficial travel. Since den-tal evacuations are limit-ed in scope, employees

should schedule den-tal care during homeleave or other officialtravel. For problemsthat cannot be man-aged at a post, thepatient may choose tostay with family in theUnited States whenthe dental treatment isextensive and time-consuming, since onlyone to three days ofper diem are author-ized for dentevacs.

May I be mede-vac’d to the UnitedStates to see my ownphysician?

If the patient’s medical condition is stable enough fortravel to the United States, the Department may author-ize “cost-construct” travel. The ticket to the medevac siteis paid by the Department and the patient pays the dif-ference between the cost of travel to that site and to theactual destination. Per diem will be paid at the medevaccenter rate or the actual destination rate, whichever islower. Some medevacs authorize full cost travel to theUnited States. For example, pregnant women are author-ized travel to any city in the United States for delivery.Most patients with cancer, psychiatric conditions andsubstance abuse problems are flown to Washington,D.C., so the Office of Medical Services can oversee thecare and monitor the patient’s recovery.

What should I do if I or a family member needs amedevac?

Provide the medical unit staff with a credit card num-ber and expiration date to allow staff at the medevac siteto reserve a hotel. Give them information about yourhealth insurance plan. They will notify the medevac siteto make the necessary medical appointments. The healthunit will advise you about travel orders. Arrange for atravel advance before departing your post. Take a validcredit card, all applicable medical records, travel ordersand the post-issued Authorization for Hospitalizationform to the regional medevac site.

In the case of an emergency medevac, where time islimited, it may be impossible to get a travel advance.Health unit staff coordinate all aspects of emergencymedevacs, whether by commercial air or air ambulance.Even in an emergency medevac, the basics are the same:credit card, insurance carrier, medical records and orders.

May my family come with me on a medevac?It depends on the patient’s clinical need for assistance

during travel. Three days’ per diem will be paid for non-medical or medical attendants, if necessary. Minor chil-dren patients are authorized one parent attendant for theduration of their medevac. Other children may travelwith a medevac’d parent if arrangements cannot be made

for the child’s care atpost. The principalofficer must certifythat child care isunavailable.

Who pays the med-ical bills when I amon medevac?

Outpatient bills arethe responsibility ofthe patient and thepatient’s insurancecompany. While theDepartment pays in-patient bills initiallybecause hospitals over-seas do not acceptAmerican insurance,the U.S. government

remains a secondary payer and requires patients to sub-mit their bills to their insurance provider. Patients areobligated to reimburse their agencies for the amount ofthe hospital bill covered by their insurance.

Who oversees my care at the medevac site, and whodecides when I can return to post?

The regional medical officer, Foreign Service healthpractitioner or medevac coordinator. The patient’s physi-cian at the medevac site will inform the Department’smedical professionals and the medevac coordinator willtell you when to return to post.

Does per diem decrease after the first 30 days of amedevac?

No, full per diem is paid for the duration of the medevac.

When does the medevac end?When the medical professional supervising your

medevac decides you are well enough to return. If itbecomes clear during the medevac that you have a con-dition that exceeds the medical care available at yourassigned post, the medical professional will not clear youto return to post. If treatment will improve your condi-tion sufficiently to allow a return to post, then per diemwill continue until treatment is completed and you arecleared to return.

Are all pregnant women encouraged to deliver in theUnited States, no matter where they are posted?

Yes. The Office of Medical Services supports the med-ical evacuation of all pregnant women to the city of theirchoice in the United States approximately six weeksbefore estimated delivery date. Per diem is paid for up to90 days, or approximately six weeks before delivery andsix weeks after delivery.

Questions should be directed to your regional medicalofficer or Foreign Service health practitioner. ■

The author is a Foreign Service health practitioner and deputychief of foreign programs in the Office of Medical Services.

June 2001 33

Tunis human resources officer Barbara Ensslin with her mother Ruth Beecher.

Eldercare Supports Long-distance Caregivers

“

Enss

lin fa

mily

pho

to

By Sydnee Tyson

hey say bad things come in threes,” writes PoliticalOfficer Richard Hawkins, now serving in Abidjan,along with his wife, Patricia, a public affairs officer.

“Pat’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, myinfirm parents were about to move from a cluttered farmto a three-room, assisted-living apartment, and we werefacing substantial personal travel expense to perform ourback-home duties.”

Thanks to the Department’s new eldercare EmergencyVisitation Travel (EVT) benefit, however, Mr. Hawkinsnoted that they were able to go to the assistance of theirparents “with no irreparable dents in our budget.”

The Hawkinses were among the first Departmentemployees serving overseas to use the new support pro-gram in caring for their parents. In the first 12 weeks fol-lowing implementation last January, more than 80employees received eldercare EVT. Most travelers neededto help a parent devise a better living situation following aserious decline in health, while some assessed the qualityof care a parent was receiving from a facility. Regardless ofthe family details, employees say they appreciate a travelbenefit that acknowleges that more American families arecaring for aging parents than ever before because moreAmericans are living longer than ever before.

Woody Staeben, a consular officer serving inGuadalajara, visited his mother in northern Wisconsin tohelp speed her recovery from injuries suffered in a seri-ous car accident and to encourage her to reconsider herhousing situation before the next severe winter. He says,“I believe that my presence helped turn her around. AndI know my father appreciated the help.” He also said hewas glad to be able to support his siblings, who live near-by and were bearing more of the care-giving burden.

“As you can imagine, I heard plenty from both siblingsabout how much they had to do in terms of parent carewhile I got out of it. This alone was well worth the trip,

For more information on LifeCare and eldercare EVT from State’s OpenNet Web site, go to:

1-Domestic Links 2-select Human Resources, M/HR3-select “HR Office Index”4-select “ER”5-select “Work/Life Programs”6-select “Dependent Care”7-select “Eldercare”8-print “LifeCare Fact Sheet” and other eldercare

informationSee HR/ER Web site.

T

34 State Magazine

and for once there were no complaints about how theirtax dollars are spent,” Mr. Staeben added.

Sometimes LifeCare, the Department’s resource andreferral service, can help an employee reach out to a far-away parent who needs more help. When BarbaraEnsslin, human resources officer in Tunis, learned thather mother had suffered serious injury in a fall, sheturned to LifeCare for information and referral todependent care services that could help her mother in Ft.Lauderdale, Fla. Ms. Ensslin reports that LifeCareresponded to her request within one work day, providinga summary of care providers near her mother’s home andguidance on choosing services. With a couple of phonecalls and some e-mails, she hired home health care thatenabled her mother to get help with her activities of dailyliving and remain in her own home.

She says her mother is pleased with her new caregiver.Other family members later marveled at how she wasable to identify and hire exactly the right kind of help forher mother from her distant overseas post, saying thateven though they lived nearer, getting the needed infor-mation would have been a struggle.

It will remain difficult to plan ahead for helping parentswhose health may decline suddenly and unpredictably.But now there are more care options with LifeCare andeldercare EVT. Employees can use LifeCare to research theissues to be faced—housing, health care directives andwills—assuring good medical care and other services forelderly parents who remain at home and, in a crisis, to getquick referral to care programs and providers in any U.S.locality. In the most worrying situations, employees havetwo EVT trips available during their careers that can meanimmediate relief for a parent who needs support. ■

The author manages the Eldercare program.

In a solemn ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Athens Station Chief Richard Welch, members of the embassy communitydedicated a plaque honoring Mr. Welch, four other embassy employees killed and dozens injured since 1975 by members of the “17 November” ter-rorist organization. No member of the group has ever been arrested for any of the murders.

A NationRemembers…

Russian FSN Sentenced in Visa Fraud Case

Igor Galitskiy, a Russian Foreign Service Nationalemployed by the Foreign Agriculture Service at theU.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg, was sen-tenced in U.S. District Court in Chicago to 10 months’imprisonment. Federal Judge Harry Leinenweber alsoordered Mr. Galitskiy to forfeit $4,600 and to pay a$600 special assessment. Following the completion ofhis sentence, he was referred to the Immigration andNaturalization Service for deportation proceedings.

A federal jury found Mr. Galitskiy guilty on sixcounts of visa fraud, conspiracy and false statementslast September. The same jury also found two co-defendants guilty for their role in the conspiracy. Thetwo were sentenced earlier to five and six months,respectively, and ordered deported from the UnitedStates following the completion of their sentences.Charges against three other individuals were dropped

in exchange for their cooperation and testimony at trial.Diplomatic Security agents arrested Mr. Galitskiy

and his two co-defendants in Chicago last May afterthey attempted to enter the United States at O’HareInternational Airport. Mr. Galitskiy was charged withconspiring with several individuals to fraudulentlyobtain U.S. nonimmigrant visas in St. Petersburg. Hesubmitted their visas to the consulate via the referralsystem, stating in an official memorandum that hehad established the bona fides of the applicants andtheir companies in order for them to attend a USDA-sponsored trade show in Chicago.

Diplomatic Security, which conducted its investiga-tion in cooperation with Consular Affairs, revealed thatnone of the companies existed and that the individualshad lied about their employment for purposes ofobtaining the visas. All of the individuals arrested werefound to have paid anywhere from $3,500 to $5,500 fortheir visas. The investigation began when DS discov-ered several Russian organized crime figures had earli-er obtained visas through Mr. Galitskiy and had com-mitted a series of financial crimes in Colorado.

June 2001 35

People Like YouPeople Like You

Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer

Phot

o by

Jam

es C

ohen

Please Remove YourHat And Leave It, Too!

When Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer arrived in Cairoin January 1998, he learned that his predecessor,Ambassador Ned Walker, had a small collection of base-ball hats. A lifelong baseball fan, he liked the idea somuch he decided to start one of his own.

What was once a “small” collection of baseball hatsmay now qualify in the Guinness Book of Records as theworld’s largest ambassador’s cap collection. The morethan 200 caps that adorn his office and residence repre-sent ships that have passed through the Suez Canal, mostU.S. businesses in Cairo, agencies represented at postand, more important, the New York Yankees.

“Now people feel guilty if they don’t send me a hat orbring one to a courtesy call,” the ambassador said, seatedin his office surrounded by caps. “They bring a sense ofinformality and Americana to the office and serve as areally nice conversation piece.”

When the ambassador leaves this summer, his hat col-lection will follow and so will the conversations.

36 State Magazine

Phot

o by

Car

l Goo

dman

FSN Narguis Andrawes

Her Credentials Are Sought AfterOfficially, Narguis Andrawes is the secretary for the

assistant information officer in the public affairs sectionin Cairo and backup for the embassy’s web site manager.

But Ms. Andrawes’ talents extend beyond her normaloffice duties. During her decade with the U.S. Embassy,she has created her own trademark by designing and cre-ating special press credential badges for the many officialvisits her section assists at the Department of State’slargest embassy.

To create her special badges, she draws on the treasuresof her own country, using photos of Egyptian art or scenery,and superimposes the credential language on them. ForSecretary Powell’s first visit in March, for example, sheused a photo of a statue of a great pharaoh-general from Egypt’s past. While Ms. Andrawes’ creationsare useful for controlling access to press events, they’re alsoattractive souvenirs for journalists who cover the events.

And it’s not uncommon for non-journalist members ofan official party to stop by the press center seeking a sou-venir credential.

A P P O I N T M E N T S

Deputy Secretary of State. Richard L. Armitage ofVirginia is the new deputy secretary of State. Beforeassuming his position, Mr. Armitage was president ofArmitage Associates, a private consulting firm. As coor-dinator for emergency humanitarian assistance, he heldthe rank of ambassador during the administration ofPresident George H.W. Bush. He was presidential specialnegotiator for the Philippines Military Bases Agreement;special mediator for water in the Middle East; specialemissary to Jordan’s King Hussein during the 1991 GulfWar; assistant secretary of Defense for InternationalSecurity Affairs and deputy assistant secretary of Defensefor East Asia and Pacific Affairs. He was administrativeassistant to then-Sen. Robert J. Dole. A Navy Seal and agraduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Mr. Armitageserved three tours in Vietnam.

U.S. Ambassador to Canada.Paul Cellucci of Massachusetts isthe new U.S. Ambassador toCanada. He was governor ofMassachusetts from 1997 to 2001.Elected lieutenant governor in1990 on the ticket with WilliamWeld, Mr. Cellucci assumed theoffice of governor when Mr. Weldresigned in 1997. He was elected to

the office in 1998. He entered public service in 1970 whenhe was elected to the Hudson Charter Commission.Later, he won a seat on the Hudson Board of Selectmen,where he served for six years. In 1976, Mr. Cellucci waselected to the first of four terms in the MassachusettsHouse of Representatives. In 1984, he was elected to thestate Senate from Middlesex and Worcester district andserved three terms. His private sector experienceincludes 30 years of work with his family’s auto dealer-ship and 17 years in private law practice, eventuallyserving as a partner in the Hudson firm of Kittredge,Cellucci and Moreira, P.C. Mr. Cellucci and his wife havetwo daughters.

Under Secretary for Global Af-fairs. Paula Dobriansky of Virginiais the new under secretary for GlobalAffairs. Prior to her appointment,Ms. Dobriansky was vice presidentand director of the Washingtonoffice of the Council on ForeignRelations. She served as associatedirector of the Bureau of Programsin the U.S. Information Agency from

1990 to 1993 and as deputy assistant secretary for HumanRights and Humanitarian Affairs from 1987 to 1990. She

also served in the National Security Council’s Office ofEuropean and Soviet Affairs from 1980 to 1987.

Under Secretary for Mana-gement. Grant S. Green, Jr., ofWashington state was recentlysworn in as under secretary formanagement. Mr. Green was chair-man and president of GMDSolutions, Inc., a global marketingand consulting firm. He previouslyserved as assistant secretary ofDefense for Force Management and

Personnel, as special assistant to President RonaldReagan for National Security Affairs and as executivesecretary of the National Security Council. He is a 22-yearveteran of the U.S. Army. Mr. Green was born in Seattleand is married with three children.

Under Secretary for PoliticalAffairs. Marc Grossman of Virginiais the new under secretary forPolitical Affairs. A career memberof the Senior Foreign Service, Classof Career Minister, Mr. Grossmanwas previously director general ofthe Foreign Service and director ofHuman Resources. He served asassistant secretary for European

Affairs from 1997 to 2000 and as ambassador to Turkeyfrom 1994 to 1997. He was principal deputy assistant sec-retary for Political-Military Affairs and deputy chief ofmission in Turkey. Mr. Grossman also served at NATOand in Islamabad. His wife Mildred is a Foreign Serviceofficer. They have one daughter.

Legal Adviser. William H. TaftIV of Virginia is the new legaladviser. Previously, Mr. Taft was alitigation partner with the FriedFrank law firm in Washington, D.C.Before joining Fried Frank, he wasU.S. permanent representative toNATO from 1989 to 1992 anddeputy secretary of Defense from1984 to 1989. Mr. Taft was acting

secretary of Defense from January to March 1989. From1981 to 1984, he served as general counsel for theDepartment of Defense. Before his service in the DefenseDepartment, he practiced law and held various positionswith the Federal Trade Commission, the Office ofManagement and Budget and the Department of Health,Education and Welfare, where he was general counsel.

June 2001 37

38 State Magazine

Civil Service Retirements

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Adams, Frank R.Bunn, Charles P.Crenshaw, Carole Hall, Robert B.Ikegami, Russell M.Kartman, Charles

Klekas, John LouisMarquis, Alphonso

GeorgeMazer, Ronald M.McNaughton, Betty

Louise

Muth, John J.Parris, Mark RobertSady, Edward L.Samuel, Edward BryanSatcher, SylvesterScarlett, Barbara A.

Suddath, Joseph M.Sullivan, DanielVan Heuven, Ruth M.Villegoureix-Ritaud,

Patrick

Foreign Service Retirements Durham, J.W.Elben, John C.Gilsenan, John T.Holland-Walker,

Evelyn I.

Lyman, Helen C.McHugh, Nena E.Riggs, Floyd A.Ulmer, Sandra Y.

Claims of Prejudiced Evaluations Lack SupportA Foreign Service employee appealed his pending separation from

the Foreign Service to the Grievance Board, alleging that theaction resulted from prejudicial information in his personnel file.

The employee asserted that his supervisors had created an intol-erable working environment, had sought to deny him promotionand had willfully sought to punish him through his evaluationreports in retaliation for his objections to their waste, fraud, mis-management and falsification of government records.

The appeal was denied.The Department said the employee had not shown that his evalu-

ations were falsely prejudicial or that there were any proceduralerrors in the selection or performance boards’ actions. TheDepartment also noted that the grievant had previously experienceddifficulties in working with supervisors and that the PerformanceStandards Board had cited as reasons for his separation a lack ofinterpersonal skills and an inability to get along with colleagues andsupervisors.

In its decision, the Grievance Board said the employee had basedhis grievance almost entirely on the proposition that he was a victimof supervisors who engaged in misconduct that he resisted orexposed, resulting in retaliation against him by a variety of means,including his EERs. The board noted, however, that the grievant hadfailed to support his charges of mismanagement, fraud and abuse.

The board agreed with the grievant that there was little doubt thatthere was a strained relationship between the grievant and hissupervisor. But the board said “the fact that a supervisor-subordi-nate relationship was strained or contentious does not establish apresumption that an evaluation prepared by the supervisor is per seinaccurate or falsely prejudicial.”

The board said that the grievant had not substantiated claims ofhis superiors’ wrongdoing, and he did not prove that the commentsin his evaluation reports were inaccurate or falsely prejudicial. Theboard said the employee had presented no corroborative testimonyfrom any third party to support his claims. Under the circumstances,the board concluded that the grievance lacked merit.

Foreign Service GrievanceBoard Summary

In this issue, State Magazine continues pub-lishing summaries of selected Foreign ServiceGrievance Board decisions. Our aim is to helpemployees better understand the importantrole the board plays in resolving disputesbetween employees and the Department, aswell as to highlight examples of board deci-sions that might be of particular benefit toemployees and supervisors.

Reported cases will provide general informa-tion about matters that can be grieved, reme-dies available through the grievance processand significant board precedent. As a principleof good management, disputes and grievancesshould be resolved through discussion amongthe parties or mediation at the lowest possiblelevel. An employee whose grievance has beendenied by the agency or has not been resolvedwithin the 90-day statutory period for agencyreview, however, may appeal to the ForeignService Grievance Board.

Further information on the grievanceprocess is available in 3 FAM 4400-4470 and atthe grievance staff (HR/G) home page on theDepartment’s OpenNet at https://hrweb.hr.state.gov/grievance/index.html.

O B I T U A R I E S

Madison (Mac) M. Adams Jr., 69, aretired Foreign Service officer, diedMarch 24 in Spencer, N.C. Hejoined the Foreign Service in 1957and served in Costa Rica, Liberia,Mexico, Ecuador, Chile andAustralia. He retired in 1987.

Paul J. Hoylen, 89, a retiredForeign Service officer, died ofpneumonia April 8 in Deming,N.M. He served in posts in Europeand South America before retiringin 1971. During World War II, Mr.Deming served with the U.S. Armyin North Africa and Italy.

Lawrence John Kennon, 76, aretired Foreign Service officer, diedlast December in Oakland, Calif.,after a long illness. He joined theState Department as a mail clerk in1946 and the Foreign Service in1956. His posts included Canada,the Netherlands, Israel, Pakistanand India. Mr. Kennon was dutyofficer at the U.S. Embassy in TelAviv in 1967 when the Mideast

war broke out, and he was airlifted in 1979 from a burn-ing U.S. Embassy in Pakistan besieged by militants sym-pathetic to the Iranian revolution. He retired in 1984. Mr.Kennon was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.

Frank T. Lyons, 76, husband ofretired Foreign Service personnelofficer Lynn Hacking Lyons, diedJan. 30 of pneumonia after quadru-ple bypass surgery. Mr. Lyons tooka leave of absence from his job onthe surveys and investigations staffof the House Appropriations Com-mittee to join his wife on her assign-ments to Ouagadougou and Riyadh.

Douglas Miller, 73, a retired ForeignService employee, died March 9 inLanham, Md. Mr. Miller joined the Foreign Service in 1956 andwas stationed in the Philippines,Vietnam, India, Burma and Mex-ico. He retired in 1988. He servedin the Marine Corps during WorldWar II.

Mary Stewart Pollock, 79, a retired Foreign Service secretary,died April 9 in Elmira, N.Y. She joined the Foreign Servicein 1951 and was stationed in Japan, France, Iceland, Egypt,Yugoslavia and Belgium. She retired in 1981.

Alice Mundt, 78, a retired Foreign Service secretary, diedMarch 25 in Muskegon, Mich. She joined the StateDepartment in 1953 and entered the Foreign Service in1954. She served in Naples, Toronto, West Berlin, Rio deJaneiro, Moscow, Paris, Yaounde and Cairo.

James W. Reeves, 65, a formerForeign Service officer, died Jan. 13in Sturgis, Mich., of complicationsfrom brain cancer. He joined theForeign Service in 1961 and servedin Madrid, Mexicali, Nairobi andColombo. He left the ForeignService in 1973.

Francis R. Starrs, 78, a retiredForeign Service officer, died inWalnut Creek, Calif., March 9 aftera long illness. He joined theForeign Service in 1954 and servedin Martinique, France, Spain,Guatemala, Mexico, the UnitedKingdom and Washington, D.C.

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40 State Magazine

The staff of the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon held a memo-rial service in honor of Mrs. Than Hlaing (Daw Yin Hla),who taught Burmese at the Foreign Service Institute formore than 30 years and died unexpectedly in the UnitedStates in the summer of 1999.

Family, former students and friends gathered to dedi-cate a marker to the revered teacher. The marker, situatedon the shores of Rangoon’s Inlay Lake among a grove offragrant jasmine bushes near the chargé’s residence, paystribute to Daw Hlaing’s contribution to a generation ofU.S. Foreign Service employees.

“Her untimely death was a deep loss for her familyand her many friends, but we are comforted knowingthat she passed away happy and fulfilled,” remarkedChargé Priscilla Clapp.

“One could not help but love this lady and throughher, the country and people she represented,” notedPublic Affairs Officer Ron Post.

Rose Hlaing told the gathering how proud her motherwas to have brought so much of Burma into the hearts ofthose who knew her.

Embassy in Rangoon Honors a Great Teacher

The 1st annual Foreign Affairs Day will be celebrated Sept. 10, 2001. Retired Civil Service and Foreign Serviceemployees are invited to participate. To register for the event, please complete and return the form below:

Foreign Affairs DayHR/EX – Room H1103, SA-1U.S. Department of StateWashington, DC 20037

Please call 202-663-3600, if you have any questions.

NAME

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE NUMBER ( )

1st Annual Foreign Affairs Day Sept. 10, 2001