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

September 2002

StateStateM a g a z i n e

Remembering and Rebuilding

7 Remembering Sept. 11Employees share their memories of that fateful day.Pentagon employees have a new sense of vigilance.

12 Post of the Month: WarsawEmployees keep returning to this America-friendly capital.

16 Office of the Month: Seattle Passport AgencyPuget Sound is just one of the views employees enjoy.

20 Security Incident ProgramThe goal is a culture of security awareness.

22 International Visitor ProgramPresident Hamid Karzai is an alumnus.

24 Evacuees Adjust to Uncertainty At least school was out when the notice came.

26 Interns at StateThey bring energy and expectations.

28 Model U.N. ProgramVolunteers learn from their students as well.

30 Pigskin DiplomacyFrankfurt finds sports a winner at team building.

31 DACOR Observes 50th Speaker series marks birthday.

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

September 2002No. 460

C O L U M N S

2 From the Secretary

6 Direct from the D.G.

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

32 Medical Report

34 People Like You

35 Education & Training

36 Obituaries

36 Personnel Actions

On the CoverThe U.S. Capitol, symbol of America’sindomitable spirit, stands vigil over

the Pentagon’s reconstruction.Photo by Stephen J. Boitano/

Associated Press, AP

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Fishing boats docked in PugetSound.

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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

October 2001

StateStateM a g a z i n e

Terror HitsHomeTerror HitsHome

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 ESeptember 2002StateStateM a g a z i n e

Remembering and Rebuilding

Polish aficionados of NativeAmerican culture pitch theirteepees during “AmericaDays” celebration in thenorthern town of Elk, Poland.

FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

Reflections on the Past Year

Alot has happened in the world and in the StateDepartment over the past 12 months. All of youcan take great pride in the way the Department

rallied after the September attacks to meet the challengesof the war on terrorism.

None of us can reflect on the past year without feelingthe loss of our fellow Americans and people from some80 countries—nearly 3,000 souls who perished on thattragic day. Nor can any of us forget the two members ofour State Department family, Barbara Green and herdaughter Kristen Wormsley, who died at the hands of ter-rorists last March in Islamabad.

Rarely have the men and women of American diplo-macy been asked to do more across a wider range ofissues under more demanding, difficult and often dan-gerous circumstances. Sept. 11 added urgency to effortsthat were already under way to adapt the business ofdiplomacy to a 21st century world—from doing every-thing we can to ensure the safety of our personnel, tochanging how we work with other federal agencies andhow we recruit, train, equip and lead our employees.

Even as you forged ahead with these institutionalimperatives, you worked with impressive dedication,creativity and effectiveness to advance America’s valuesand interests around the globe. On the anti-terrorismfront, you helped President Bush assemble and maintainthe coalition that destroyed al Qaeda bases inAfghanistan and liberated the Afghan people from theTaliban’s tyranny. Beyond Afghanistan, you secured thecooperation of countries on every continent, making itharder by the day for terrorists to move about, communi-cate, finance their operations and plot.

The President marshaled worldwide support for thecampaign against terrorism not only because of yourextraordinary work after the attacks but also because ofyour hard work before Sept. 11. Your efforts, day in andday out, over months and years, to build up our rela-

2 State Magazine

tionships abroad produced dividends when we neededthem most.

Together with our partners in Europe, Asia and theWestern Hemisphere, you have helped strengthen long-standing alliances to deal with terrorism and other 21stcentury threats. And the very process of organizing theglobal coalition against terrorism has opened additionalopportunities you have helped America seize. You haveplowed new ground with Russia and China and a host ofnations in Central and South Asia.

Sept. 11 brought home not only the need to eradicate ter-rorism root and branch but also the need to shape a worldwhere terrorism cannot thrive. The President’s broader for-eign policy agenda of helping to end conflicts and promoteeconomic and political liberty around the world hasbecome more important than ever. For a world in whichever larger numbers of people enjoy democracy, prosperityand peace is a world where terrorism does not flourish.

The continuing spread of freedom and market eco-nomics means that we can look forward to a day in thiscentury when the majority of the people on this planetwill have risen out of misery onto the path of develop-ment to greet the future with hope.

As together we proceed with our compelling diplo-matic mission, we are led by a President who recognizesthe importance of the contributions of the men andwomen of the State Department, and I am confident thatwe can count on the strong support of the United StatesCongress. They understand that a second-to-none diplo-matic capability is as necessary as having the world’sfinest military and intelligence organizations.

Whether the challenge we face is fighting terrorism orstemming HIV/AIDS, promoting democracy or encour-aging sustainable development, your work will remainvital in the months and years ahead.

Thank you for serving America on the front lines offreedom. ■

ETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hue IsBeautiful But NotAncientI enjoyed your

article on Hue in the April edi-tion. I lived in that beautiful, althoughwar-ravaged, city from March 1968 toJune 1969. That was after the Tetattack, and it was very difficult anddangerous to visit the splendid sitesyou mentioned.

You made the same mistake, how-ever, that many correspondents didwho covered Vietnam during the1960s and 1970s by calling Hue an“ancient” capital. Actually, ournation’s capital is older, and you cer-tainly wouldn’t call it “ancient.” Huewas founded in 1802 as the capital ofCochin China (the entire area of whatis now Vietnam, Laos and Cam-bodia), whereas the site where thecity of Washington is now locatedwas designated by George Wash-ington as the capital of the newlyfounded republic in 1790. The capitalfinally moved from Philadelphia toWashington in 1800.

Hue remained the capital until 1945,when it was succeeded by Saigon.

Like others, you took the Frenchword “ancien” and translated it (anatural mistake) into English asancient, whereas “ancien” in Frenchmeans “former.”

But thanks anyway for a veryheartwarming article.

Howard G. NeubergRetired FSOGaithersburg, Md.

LU 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

April 2002

StateStateM a g a z i n e

Waging Waron

Land Mines

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.

Times Are Changing

After two decades in informationmanagement at State, I am encour-aged by Secretary Powell’s forwardleaning, technology leadership. Inhis June column, “Cyber-Tools for a21st Century State Department,” hesaid “technology is moving forward,and we must move forward with it,changing the way we do business.”

Unfortunately, the diplomaticcorps has been slow to undertakesuch maneuvers. British historianJohn Keegan, in his 1999 book, TheFirst World War, observed thatEuropean diplomats working toresolve the crisis preceding WWIwere “bound to the wheel of thewritten note” and largely ignoredthe potential of the telephone andradio.

Former Secretary Dean Acheson,commenting on the years beforeWWII, said American diplomacy

largely ignored technological ad-vances and performed “in a way thatthe times had completely outdated.”

Recent reports have describedU.S. national security agencies asbogged down, stuck in Cold Warsecrecy and 20th century computersystems.

The times are changing and it’s upto us to use cyber tools to help pre-clude such crises today.

Daniel P. SheerinInformation Resource Management

Corrections

Balaji Doraiswamy, whose obitu-ary appeared in the June issue, was aretired Foreign Service officer whoserved as a consular officer in AbuDhabi and as a general services offi-cer in Mogadishu, Kathmandu,Riyadh and Colombo.

From the EditorIn this issue, we remember Sept. 11 in the words of readers at home

and overseas. Even now, a year later, we are still in shock—shocked thatwhat we had become accustomed to happening in some distant landhad happened on our own shores. As one reader put it, we felt protect-ed by two oceans and our military might. But it was only, he rightfullynoted, an illusion.

The possible clash of two armies, both with nuclear arms, broughthundreds of our readers home from India and Pakistan. Being evacuat-ed is a way of life for those in the Foreign Service, however, and mosttook this one in stride, intern Matt Ryan discovered.

Each summer, a small army of interns descends on the StateDepartment from college campuses across the country, infusing theDepartment at home and its posts abroad with youthful energy andenthusiasm that is encouraging. Intern Jeanne Dorado reports in thisissue on their activities and expectations.

Humor is essential to happiness, experts tell us, and a daily dose ofcomic strips is pretty common American fare. Thanks to the creativejuices of four State employees, Mort Walker’s long-running Beetle Baileycartoon script has a new character—Specialist Chip Gizmo. You’ll meetChip, if you haven’t already, in this issue.

September 2002 3

I N T H E N E W S

Smart ID Cards Are Coming Soon

The Bureau of Diplomatic Security has begun replacing

existing building pass identification cards and outdatedaccess control technology with state-of-the-art Smart IDCards and Smart ID Card readers.

New Smart ID Cards will be issued to approximately20,000 Department employees and contractors, accordingto the bureau’s Office of Domestic Operations, which isphasing in the new technology. The bureau has completedthe first phase—research, evaluation and testing—and hasentered the “re-badging” phase. During that phase,employees will be issued their own Smart ID Cards.Turnstile card readers will be replaced, starting first in theHarry S Truman Building and followed by the annexes.

Employees will complete a simple form by hand oronline by visiting the Department’s Intranet athttps://bcsecure.irm.state.gov/badging. These formswill then be submitted to the badging office. Once theinformation and clearance levels have been verified, thedata will be entered into a database. Next, employees willvisit the designated photo-taking station location nearestto them at a prescheduled time, enter a Personal Identi-fication Number and have their photos taken.

Employees will be issued their new Smart ID Cardsindividually. The sooner employees complete and submittheir forms, the sooner they will be scheduled to have theirphotos taken and PINs issued. Old building pass identifi-cation cards will be collected at a date to be determined.

4 State Magazine

Employees at annexesoutside of the NationalCapital Region will beissued cards at the sametime that readers areinstalled at their facilities.Employees overseas mayapply and receive theirSmart ID Cards from theID unit upon their returnfor home leave, TDY orreassignment back tothe United States. Em-ployees retiring beforeOctober 2002 need notobtain a Smart ID Card.

DS officials believethe new technologywill improve the overallsecurity level at the Department and streamline adminis-trative functions by taking advantage of the many com-puter applications possible with the use of SmartCard-based identification systems. The bureau will issueupdates on the status of the project periodically.Questions or comments should be directed to Lolie Kullat (202) 663-3354.

—By Jonathon Myers

The results are in. The Overseas Briefing Center andthe Foreign Service Youth Foundation have announcedthe winners of the 2002 Kid Vid Contest that featuresyouthful portraits of life overseas.

The Kome family received first place. The videographersinclude Anne, 14; Martha, 10; Emanuel, 7; and Irene, 5,whose collaborative effort showed an extraordinary por-trait of Libreville, Gabon.

Second place went to Ramon Taylor, 15, who impressedthe judges with his clever and creative footage of Dakar,Senegal.

Third-place winners were sisters Jaquelyn Wintersteen,14, and Jennifer, 10; and James Scholl, 11. An enthusiasticnarrative accompanied their footage of Budapest, Hungary.

The annual contest is open to all family members, ages10 to 18, stationed overseas. Entries include informationon housing, schooling, shopping and recreation at thepost from a young person’s perspective to help familieswho are bidding for or have been assigned to the country

Kid Vid Winners Named

featured. Contest prizes are mailed to the top three win-ners, and all entries become a permanent addition to theOverseas Briefing Center’s video library.

We’re booked!—BookFair 2002Associates of the American Foreign Service

Worldwide invite you to their 42nd annual benefitfundraiser. Used books, art and collectibles will be onsale in the Exhibit Hall, accessible from the C Streetentrance. The event runs Oct. 19 and 20 and Oct. 26through 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds go tolocal community projects and the AAFSW scholarshipfund. For more information or to make a donation,please visit them online at www.aafsw.org/activi-ties/bookroom.htm.

I N T H E N E W S

The open season for the federal government’s new long-term care insurance program continues through December.

About 20 million people are eligible to apply for theinsurance, according to the federal Office of PersonnelManagement. More than 860,000 persons, OPM said,have expressed interest in the program, the first signifi-cant expansion of federal benefits since the 1980s, whenthe Thrift Savings Plan was established.

Open Season Continues for Long- Term Care Insurance

rhu

During open season, federal employees may enroll in avariety of options to cover services ranging from nursinghome care, home health care and assisted living facilitiesto adult day care, caregiver and respite care.

Those eligible to enroll in the program include federalemployees and members of the uniformed services,annuitants, spouses of employees and annuitants, chil-dren 18 and older, parents, parents-in-law and steppar-ents of employees.

You may enroll online at www.ltcfeds.com. To receivean information kit and application, call toll-free 1-800-582-3337 (voice) or 1-800-843-3557 (TDD).

Applications are not available in the Department.

State Reassembles Afghan Law Code

ele Greenstein with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Lawcement oversaw the Afghan code project. “The quick U.S. action to reassem-e Afghan legal codes was an important tangible step toward reestablishingle of law in Afghanistan,” she said. “This will have a real impact.”

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The State Department recently provided comprehen-sive sets of Afghanistan’s pre-1978 criminal, civil andcommercial codes to Afghan judges, prosecutors andlegal professionals in response to an Afghan govern-ment request. There were no complete copies left inthe country after years of Soviet and Taliban rule.

State first became aware of the need after a professorand Afghan scholar at New York University, BarnettRubin, contacted the Department to see if U.S. fundingmight be available. Already, Qadir Amiryar, anAfghan-American professor at The George Wash-ington University, was working with several non-governmental organizations to assemble the texts.Seeing the value of the undertaking, the Bureau ofInternational Narcotics and Law Enforcement agreedto fund the project.

Dr. Amiryar and the NGOs assembled the codespiecemeal from Afghanistan, the United StatesInstitute of Peace, The George Washington Univer-sity and the Library of Congress, with assistancefrom the Center of Afghanistan Studies at theUniversity of Nebraska-Omaha.

The American Bar Association Asia Law Initiativeand the International Resources Group won the con-tract to reproduce and disseminate the codes. TheU.S. Embassy in Kabul oversaw the distribution incoordination with the Afghan Interim Authority andthe Ministry of Justice.

The documents, many of them more than 40 yearsold, were scanned on computers in Washington, D.C.The ABA and IRG hand carried the actual film for the

MichEnfoble tthe r

printing to Islamabad, where 1,000 versions were printedin Pashtu and Dari and 200 in English. The Ministry ofJustice received the codes on June 7, 2002.

September 2002 5

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

Looking Ahead

With September, theunofficial beginning ofthe New Year hasarrived. Children are

trading in swimsuits for schoolbooks.Many of you are settling in to newassignments, some already decidingwhere to hang pictures in new quar-ters, others still dreaming of the daywhen your ship will come in and youcan use your own plates and furniture.

Those of you who started newassignments this summer should befinishing up your work plans or workrequirements by now (those of youcontinuing in your current assign-ments, of course, should have donethese months ago). I have certainlydone mine, and while it may be breaking with tradition,I have decided to share them with all 46,000 of you.

You may recall that this time last year I promised tofocus my efforts on three large projects: the DiplomaticReadiness Initiative, improving training and professionaldevelopment, and completing the Domestic StaffingModel as part of a broader workforce planning effort. Forthe coming year, I plan to concentrate on three addition-al issues.

The first of these is to improve the staffing of hardshipposts. In June, the General Accounting Office publishedhard statistics confirming that these posts suffer fromlengthy staffing gaps and officers in positions wellbeyond their level of experience. The largest part of thisstaffing issue is accounted for by the dearth of mid-levelofficers. This deficit will continue to decline as ourDiplomatic Readiness Initiative progresses.

There is, however, a service discipline angle to staffinghardship posts. The GAO report states that half of theForeign Service bears nearly three-quarters of the bur-den of service at differential posts, with the other halfbearing about one-quarter. I do not intend to allow thisdisparity to continue. Those of you bidding for onwardassignments this fall—and who have not served at ahardship post in some time—or ever—should be awarethat we will be strictly enforcing the existing Fair Sharebidding rules.

6 State Magazine

My second priority is to reengineerCivil Service hiring, just as we havedone for the Foreign Service. It is notuncommon for Civil Service jobs toremain vacant for six months or more.This problem is particularly acutewhen we search for candidates outsidethe Department. Delays in hiring fromoutside encourage offices to limit theircandidate pool to “within the cafete-ria.” While promoting from withinunder merit principles is important,we must balance that with the necessi-ty of bringing new talent from outside.That way, we won’t have to turn outthe lights once the Baby Boomers startretiring in droves.

We have hired the NationalAcademy of Public Administration to examine our CivilService hiring procedures from top to bottom. The acad-emy will advise us on how best to reduce our CivilService vacancy rates and to hire people more quickly.While we have already taken some important steps, suchas the expansion of the Career Entry Program and thecreation of the professional Pre-Assignment Centers, thisis a vital issue that demands a serious commitment ofmy time.

The last of my three major goals is to reinvigorate theBoard of the Foreign Service. Established in the ForeignService Act, the interagency body is charged with advis-ing the Secretary on Foreign Service personnel issues andhelping coordinate policies among agencies operatingabroad. As technology has simplified interagency com-munications, the board has fallen into disuse. But thereis an array of human resource issues—from spousalemployment to locality pay—that can benefit from betterinteragency collaboration under strong State Departmentleadership.

Of course, my work requirements contain many otheritems as well, from implementing the new Student LoanRepayment Pilot Program to improving minority hiringto better workforce planning as a part of the President’smanagement agenda. I may have to add additional goalsas the year progresses. But I hope all this sounds like areasonable agenda to you. ■

‘How could this happen?’Remembering Sept. 11

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By Carl Goodman

Current and former State Department employeesremember well Sept. 11. They recall the tragicevents of that fateful day as something you wouldexpect to happen elsewhere, somewhere faraway—never at home.

But it did happen at home, and we will never be thesame. We lost “our sense of invulnerability,” as one respon-

dent put it. It was mostly illusion anyway, he said, with ourmilitary might and two oceans having lulled us into a falsesense of security.

For this article, we surveyed about 50 employeesworldwide by e-mail and telephone, asking how theyremember Sept. 11 and whether the events of that dayhave changed their lives in some way. Approximately 30

September 2002 7

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people, or 60 percent of those con-tacted, responded to our request.Most retirees in our sample had wit-nessed violence overseas but weresurprised and saddened to see itstateside.

A number of employees spoke of arenewed appreciation of family andfriends. Since Sept. 11, Sara Earl, atraffic manager with the BaltimoreDespatch Agency, said she says good-bye each day when leaving for workand remembers to tell those impor-tant to her that she loves them.

Sherrand Manigault, who works inthe travel office at the Foreign ServiceInstitute in Arlington, Va., lostfriends on that tragic day. As a result,she has taken an inventory of her life,realizing how important it is to letsomeone you love know it. “To-morrow is not promised to any ofus,” she wrote.

Louise Veenstra, a Foreign Service National employee atthe U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, ex-pressed sympathy for her American colleagues so far fromhome when they would have preferred to be in their owncountry surrounded by family and friends. “Sept. 11 mademe realize how small the world really is,” she said. “We’reused to isolation in Australia, but this horrible eventreminded me it could happen anywhere.”

Kim Harrington, who arrived in Amman, Jordan, onSept. 11 on a nine-month Fulbright grant, said manyJordanians approached her in the days after the attacks tooffer their condolences.

Abdoulaye Idi Moussa, a Foreign Service Nationalemployee at the U.S. Embassy in Niamey, said he under-stood that terror must be confronted but feared anotherworld war breaking out. “Niger is a peaceful Moslemcountry and its people observe the values of toleranceand respect and love for others.” He said he was proudof his country’s decision to support the counterterror-ism operations.

Parents with children in day care were understandablyconcerned about their children’s safety. Ron Peterson, anemployee in the Bureau of Information ResourceManagement, dashed from his office to be with hisdaughter at a nearby location to which kids enrolled inDiplotots had been evacuated. He knew the plan and wasgrateful for his child’s safety.

Margaret Dickson in Consular Affairs, who wasn’tfamiliar with the evacuation plan, panicked initiallywhen she found the child care center closed. Minutes lat-er, however, she spotted her daughter being evacuatedwith others to the predetermined site. Unfortunately, sheand her daughter live near the courthouse in Alexandria,Va., where suspected terrorists are on trial. Reportersswarm the area daily—a constant reminder of Sept. 11.

The North Tower of the Wbefore its collapse.Photo by David Karp/Assoc

8 State Magazine

Retiree Charles Chesteen, wholives near Charlottesville, Va., haddriven to Washington, D.C., that dayfor a dental appointment. He foundhis dentist’s office closed, but themaintenance man let him in and theywatched events unfold on television.He had seen demonstrations, carsburned and the U.S. flag trampledwhile serving overseas, but nothingas grave as this. “How could thishappen?” he asked.

Peter Bridges, who moved toCrested Butte, Colo., when he retiredfrom the Foreign Service, said that hehad served in Italy when the RedBrigade attacks were at their heightand the Italians remained calm. “Ihoped Americans would do thesame.” He had also experienced ter-rorism in Somalia and Panama.Undaunted, Mr. Bridges and his wife

left five days later for Italy—a trip they had plannedmonths before.

Retiree Charles Ledger of Greenup, Ky., near Ashland,was at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw working as a con-tractor on a security upgrade when news came of theattacks. He was devastated and saddened. “I thought thiscould never happen,” said the former employee withOverseas Buildings Operations.

Clyde Adams of Tucson, Ariz., who served in Yemen,Sudan and Ethiopia before retiring in 1979, experiencedshock and horror. He had had many discussions about theKoran with Muslim co-workers, and it bothered him thatsuch actions were done in the name of Allah. In his 78 years,only two other events had left him equally shocked—PearlHarbor and President Kennedy’s assassination.

On the morning of Sept. 11, retiree Larry Graul ofMaltaponi, Va., near Richmond, was trying desperatelyto reach his daughter, who worked in the World TradeCenter. She was running late that morning because shehad walked their dog a bit longer than usual. When shereached her subway stop in the basement of the tradecenter, transit police wouldn’t let anyone go upstairs. Soshe began walking—some 55 blocks to 47th Street, whereher husband worked. Neither her husband nor her par-ents knew of her whereabouts. Finally, after a very long21/2 hours, she reached her husband’s office, and he con-tacted her parents.

“Now they have a baby,” exclaimed Mr. Graul, whoretired in 1991. His grandchild’s birth is part of what hecalled “a little boom of babies” in New York right now.“We are very thankful,” he said, for the newest familymember and the most positive thing for them and othersof that otherwise tragic and terrifying day. ■

The author is editor of State Magazine. Summer internsJeanne Dorado and Matthew Ryan contributed to this article.

orld Trade Center

ated Press, AP

Pentagon Attack Instills Heightened Vigilance asEmployees Look Out for the Out-of-Place

Wooden trusses support the remains of one office.

By Paul Koscak

Photos Courtesy of Department of Defense

Security is a state of mindat the Pentagon.

If anything, the Sept. 11 ter-rorists jolted many into a cul-ture of healthy suspicion.Anything that stands out fromthe routine, or seems odd orout of place receives morethan a passing glance now,Pentagon staffers contend.

Not that you have to lookhard to recognize all the out-ward security measures inresponse to the attack.

Visitors to America’s topmilitary citadel immediatelyspot armed military policemanning key entrances,

screening every badge andrandomly asking to inspectboxes, containers and hand-bags. Humvees—some mount-ed with machine guns—lurkunder camouflaged canopiesalong the roadways andsprawling parking lots thatring the famous five-sidedstructure. Inside, the militarypolice patrol the building’svast corridors, supportingthe Defense ProtectiveService officers who havealways been part of thePentagon’s fabric.

But for those who take allthe heightened security per-sonally, it simply adds up tonew ways of looking at oldthings.

What’s mentioned most isthe renewed air traffic sinceReagan National Airport

September 2002 9

Blackened walls recall the fire's fury.

Some workplaces escapedthe worst of the blast.

fully reopened. Some aircraft nowfly just hundreds of feet above thering hit by the terrorist-controlledairliner.

“Before, it was neat watching allthe planes,” remarked Air ForceCapt. David Englin, a public affairsofficer for the Secretary of the AirForce. “Now it’s like ‘is that airplanegoing in the right direction?’” Low-flying aircraft, particularly the tur-boprop commuters or loud, low-flying jets performing funeral fly-overs at neighboring ArlingtonNational Cemetery, draw the mostattention, he said. “You take a sec-ond look,” Capt. Englin added.

“I walk to the Metro and noticethe cars driving by,” says TomAdams, a program officer in theBureau of Political-Military Affairs,who served in the Air Force’sPentagon command post. “I find

10 State Magazine

myself looking at faces on the esca-lator or in the elevator. I can’tattribute that to anything else butlast September.”

Mr. Adams’ heightened sensitivi-ty to security no doubt was rein-forced by a recent trip to Manila.During the ride from the airport tothe hotel the shuttle driver reportedcheckpoints along the way. Nearlyall hotel staff carried cell phones, hesaid, and security guards searchedshoppers entering a nearby mall.Patrons were searched yet againbefore entering individual stores.

“We have to carry on,” Mr. Adamssaid. “We can’t let it defeat us.

For Steve Schlairzer, politicalofficer and foreign policy adviser tothe chief of naval operations, vigi-lance has been a way of lifethroughout his State Departmentcareer. Having lived in Pakistanwhen the embassy was attacked in1979, the political officer said he’sconditioned to look out for poten-tial attackers and car bombs.

Mr. Schlairzer’s Pentagon officeescaped with only minor smokeand water damage. By contrast, theNavy Command Center wasdestroyed, taking the lives of 150employees.

Still, for someone who’s no stranger to internationalstrife, the attack had its effect.

“After Sept. 11, I became more aware of people on thestreet or the Metro,” Mr. Schlairzer said.

Prior to her Pentagon assignment, Air Force Senior MasterSgt. Wendy Frable lived on air bases in Turkey and Italy, soher outlook toward security is similar to Mr. Schlaizer’s. “InTurkey, you avoided crowds and looked for anything suspi-cious,” she said. “You were always watchful.”

Those experiences made the supervisor in the Air Forcepublic affairs office aware of her surroundings wellbefore Sept. 11. What did alter her outlook is the renewedair traffic.

“The planes do make you jumpy,” she said. “Before itwas just part of the scene.”

Pamela Frazier, foreign policy adviser to the Air Forcechief of staff, has even more reason to keep a sharp eye out

for anything out of the ordinary. For her, the Pentagon’sadded security culture is underscored by the intelligencebriefings her boss, Gen. John Jumper, receives.

“I’m privy to what the chief gets every day as well asthe CIA,” said Ms. Frazier, the Department’s first CivilService employee to become a political adviser, a job tra-ditionally filled by the Foreign Service. Such classifiedinformation, coupled with the lessons learned from theterrorist attack, strengthened her security awareness.

“I take personal precautions,” said the 27-year veteranwho served as the senior adviser to the assistant secre-tary for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs beforebeing appointed to the Pentagon. “At home I have thingsstockpiled.” ■

The author, a writer-editor for State Magazine, is an AirForce reservist currently on duty at the Pentagon.

Workers plan concrete floor as the new wing risesfrom the rubble.

WPost of the Month:

ARSAWStory by Wyn Hornbuckle and John GrondelskiPhotos by Wojtek Mandal

Not so long ago, Warsaw was one of those drab, gray cities frequently encountered behind the Iron

Curtain. Overcrowded buses and trams belched their emissions onto dimly lit streets already smoky

from coal. Long lines queued up in front of little shops with little to choose from.

12 State Magazine

The baroque Wilanow Palace, oneof Warsaw’s most popular touristattractions, houses an excellentposter museum.

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izable as a symbol of the struggle for freedom, still flies over Gdansk ost a generation ago.

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Many Foreign Serviceofficers cut their diplo-matic teeth on tours inWarsaw. For today’s gen-eration of officers or spe-cialists considering bid-ding on the Polishcapital, it’s not your par-ents’ Warsaw.

A shiny new subwaylinks many residenceswith the embassy.Shopping in Warsaw hasgone from mom-and-pop groceries to super-markets and malls,including major retailers.

The capital of a coun-try still in transition,Warsaw is a differentialpost (5 percent). Sothere’s only one subwayline. Ten years ago there were no traffic jams during rushhour, either.

Poland’s changing face is one reason why so many offi-cers repeat tours here. Ambassador Christopher Hill,who served in Poland as an economics officer from 1983to 1985, observed, “Coming back to Poland is like seeinga movie that was in black and white and now is in color.This doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. But we cansee things changing rapidly and for the better.”

Warsaw is one of the busiest posts in the Bureau ofEuropean and Eurasian Affairs. A new NATO member,Poland sees itself a men-tor to states joining in thenext expansion round.Poland hopes to join theEuropean Union in 2004.The U.S. Mission wants toenhance U.S.-Polish mili-tary and anti-terrorismcooperation. NATO mem-bership has raised thechallenges of moderniz-ing Poland’s armedforces; the country’s deci-sion to purchase a NATOmission-capable multi-role fighter looms large asan issue in 2002.

John Armstrong, a polit-ical officer doing a repeatWarsaw tour, considersPoland an ideal post forofficers in his cone.“Warsaw is a unique placefor the activist politicalofficer,” Mr. Armstrong

FSNs Iwona Kosowska, holding candle,behind her, place candles in the snow n11 ceremony marking the three-month

The “Solidarity” logo, instantly recognharbor, where the struggle began alm

said. “While living con-ditions are not asextreme as points fur-ther east, Poland retainsmuch of the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of‘The Wild East’ in itspolitics. This is greatstuff for the officer wholikes a challenge, but hasa family.”

In Europe, only Lon-don processes more non-immigrant visas thanWarsaw—110,000 lastyear. (If Warsaw andKrakow were combined,Poland would lead EURin visas.) Consul GeneralMichael Kirby, who justarrived, is another Polish“recidivist,” having be-

gun his career 20 years ago in Krakow. He summed uphis reasons for coming back succinctly: “Great job, I lovethe Poles and it’s a nice place to live.”

Feeling at home in Poland isn’t so unusual. The Poleshave a saying, “Gosc w dom, Bog w dom” (a guest in thehome is God at home), and last year the Polish govern-ment played enthusiastic host during President Bush’sstate visit. “People keep coming back, not just for Warsawbut for the Poles,” Ambassador Hill noted. “There is a nat-ural affinity between Americans and Poles, two peopleswho share many of the same values.”

nd Magdalena Kalinowska Duda,ear the chancery gate during the Dec.nniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Michael Kirby, consul general, heads one of the busiest consular sections in Europe.

The banks of flowers and candles that appeared infront of the embassy just hours after the terrorist attacksSept. 11 confirmed the ambassador’s remarks.

Good feelings between Poles and Americans havesown fertile ground for cultural and academic exchanges.Tania Chomiak-Salvi, cultural affairs officer who attend-ed grade school in Poland while her mother was aFulbrighter, said, “The projects we do in public diploma-cy are noticed and they resonate.”

The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw makes living there easy.Gone are the cramped apartments in Stalinist-era apart-ment blocks. Most employees live in comfortable housesin some of Warsaw’s more fashionable enclaves such asUrsynow and Wilanow. The post’s administrative sectionis proactive and responsive. Ernesto Escoto, housing offi-

Above: Young Polish baseball players displaytheir talent during “America Days” in Elk, atown in northeastern Poland. Below: Americanand FSN employees enjoy the Poland vs. U.S.A.World Cup soccer game together in the “SaltyDawg” Marine bar. Despite losing to Poland 3 to1, the U.S. team advanced to the next round.

Ambassador Christopher Hill presents a group award to FSNs for theirlong and distinguished service.

cer, described the post’s housing philosophy: “It’s agroup effort by all the admin staff to make Warsaw a bet-ter place to live and work.”

The recently completed American School in poshKonstancin offers an excellent academic program forgrades K-12, with students from more than 40 countriesand a brand-new campus. Several excellent preschoolsalso operate in Warsaw.

There’s something for everyone at this post. If you arethe athletic type, there is an embassy soccer team, achancery weight room, many local parks for jogging orbiking and lakes for sailing and windsurfing. For skiers,Zakopane is an easy train ride away.

For cultural types, Warsaw has two opera houses, sever-al theaters, numerous museums and glorious churches onalmost every corner. The June Mozart Festival keeps theAmerican Community Association busy reserving tickets.

With 134 U.S. employees, Warsaw is neither too big nortoo small. “We’re proud that Warsaw, even as a fairlylarge embassy, has such a close-knit community,”Ambassador Hill said. After close of business on Friday,you’re likely to find him with the U.S. community at the“Salty Dawg,” as the Marine bar is known.

Warsaw is ideally situated for travel around Polandand Europe, with medieval Krakow and seaside Gdanskjust a few hours away. Budapest, Vienna and Prague areeasy train or plane trips.

Her posting to Warsaw was a homecoming for Tania Chomiak-Salvi,who attended school in Poland as a child.

Poland’s 1,000 years of history can be found on everystreet corner, from 17th century Wilanow Palace to theneoclassical Water Palace at Lazienki to the dour SocialistRealist facades of the city center, where former mega-bureaucracies now house private sector offices, restau-rants and shops. A few steps from the embassy, a stonemonument marks the spot where in 1944 the PolishHome Army assassinated Gestapo General FranzKutscher, “The Executioner” of Warsaw. Close by is asmall flower box marking where Nazis executed 100Poles in retaliation the next day.

The capital of one of Europe’s major powers in the1600s, within a century Warsaw was an administrativetown for a country effaced from the map. Poland rosebriefly between the two world wars as a republic, whenWarsaw was known as “Paris of the East.” Leveled by theGermans in 1944, Warsaw was painstakingly rebuilt vir-tually brick by brick. Part of its historic reconstructionhas been a project to build the Museum of the History ofPolish Jews. The museum will recount centuries of histo-ry when Warsaw was a center of Jewish culture.

Walking in Royal Lazienki Park, you are surroundedby ghosts of the Polish past. Women cloaked in fur walkarm in arm among yellow willows, neoclassical statuesand peacocks. They speak in hushed tones, barely audi-ble above the crunch of autumn leaves or winter snow. Inthe summer, the park offers free concerts in tribute toPolish pianist and composer Frederic Chopin.

U.S. officers and specialists keep returning to Warsaw.Some reconnect with or even form family ties here.Others just want to be a part of history in the making, asWarsaw becomes a new star in the changing universe ofEurope. ■

Mr. Grondelski is chief of American Citizen Services inWarsaw and Mr. Hornbuckle is a public diplomacy officer inthe Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Both authorswere vice consuls in Warsaw when they wrote this article.

September 2002 15

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16 State Magazine

Office of the Month:

SeattlePassportAgency

By Trip Atkins

hen it comes to panoramas enjoyed by the

Department’s 259 posts in exotic locales

around the world, few can match the Seattle

Passport Agency’s. W

September 2002 17

18 State Magazine

Stacie Turner, left, with Cynthia Yokoyama, who experienced an earthquake her first day on the job.

The author, left, with TeresaBobotek, director of theSeattle Passport Agency, andFlorence Fultz, director of fieldoperations for Consular Affairs.

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Commanding a view ofPuget Sound and theOlympic Mountains from itsperch in Seattle’s FederalBuilding, the agency is one ofthe Bureau of ConsularAffairs’ 14 regional passportagencies and two nationalpassport centers that providepassport services domestical-ly to some 7 million U.S. citi-zens a year.

Using the new, secure pho-todigitized passport, theSeattle agency’s 47 CivilService and 13 contractemployees processed a record400,000-plus passports inFY2001 for Alaska, Colorado,Idaho, Minnesota, Montana,Nebraska, North and SouthDakota, Oregon, Washingtonand Wyoming.

Needless to say, the diversi-ty represented by this 11-stateregion challenges the office inits efforts to provide fast,

An arch from the Burke Building, built in 1885, frames the entrance to thecurrent facility.

so

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y Ca

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an

accurate service to its far-flung customers. Relyingon a network of morethan 700 acceptance facili-ties (post offices and localgovernment offices) toaccept applications, morethan 95 percent of theagency’s work is receivedvia mail. Many customerslive in remote areas—sometimes many milesfrom the nearest accept-ance facility—and maildelays are common. Evenso, that doesn’t keep theagency from providingroutine and emergencypassport services to cus-tomers from the AleutianIslands and interiorAlaska to the major metropolitan areas of Seattle,Minneapolis and Denver.

Like consular offices anywhere in the world, the agencydeals daily with a heavy workload and numerous urgent,emergency cases. Reflecting nationwide trends, the SeattlePassport Agency’s volume of work almost doubled in thepast 10 years, rising from some 250,000 per year in the ear-ly 1990s to the current level of 400,000 cases. The high-techeconomic boom and rapidly increasing population in somestates in the region accelerated the increase. The recent eco-nomic downturn and the drop in international travel sinceSept. 11 have slowed the pace somewhat. While workinghard to “get the work out the door,” agency employees fre-quently show their resourcefulness and creativity by craft-ing solutions to emergency and even “life or death” situa-tions. Whether coordinating with post offices to deliver anurgently needed passport for pickup at an airport by a trav-eler or working closely with congressional offices, overseasposts or state vital records authorities to document a par-ticularly complex case, agency staff solve thorny customerservice problems on a daily basis.

Service in Seattle offers the attractions of life in a vibrantinternational city surrounded by natural beauty as well asthe opportunity to represent the Department to domesticconstituents across a vast region. Agency employees trav-el routinely throughout the region to train and recruit localacceptance agents and to meet with local official contacts.They also participate in Department recruiting efforts andsupport visits by senior Department officials.

The agency has expanded its partnership with countyand municipal governments in recent years to increase thenumber of acceptance facilities in underserved areas. Forexample, there are now some 30 facilities in the metroSeattle area providing passport services, up from just twofive years ago. The combination of these new facilities withthe installation of an automated appointment system forthe agency’s public counter has reduced walk-in traffic by

Michele Barnes, left, joins fellow superviWheeler, Vicki Munoz and Michael Lane f

more than 50 percent andgreatly increased cus-tomer satisfaction.

Service in Seattle hasposed some unusual chal-lenges in recent years.Last February, a new con-tract employee celebratedher first day on the job byseeking shelter under atable with her colleagueson the 33rd floor of theFederal Building as amajor earthquake shookthe city. Many agencyemployees faced the com-plete disruption of theirnormal commutes as wellas the shock of witnessingviolent demonstrationsfirsthand during 1999’s

WTO demonstrations only blocks from the office. Whatever the disturbance, natural or man-made, the

agency’s diverse mix of employees wouldn’t trade theview for any other. ■

The author is deputy director of the Seattle Passport Agency.

ory passport specialists Wendyr a weekly staff meeting.

September 2002 19

Getting to a Culture

of Security

Story and Photos by Matthew Ryan

Danger lurks within the State Department. Itsneaks into offices and lulls employees into com-placency. At a moment’s notice, classified materi-

al becomes compromised. In a post-9/11 world, wherethe enemy’s methods and identities are unknown, Stateemployees must be on constant guard. A culture of secu-rity awareness should be their shield.

Despite State’s efforts, too many employees fail to safe-guard classified materials. It may happen from a lapse injudgment, such as begin-ning a cable on an unclassi-fied system and laterincluding classified materi-al. There is also simple care-lessness, such as leaving anoffice safe open.

New technologies alsopose problems. Some postsare using a classified cablesystem, which producespaperless e-cables. Yetemployees can still get intotrouble if they print out thecable and leave it out in theopen.

Cynthia Dearing, chief ofthe conduct, suitability anddiscipline division of theOffice of Employee Re-lations in the Bureau ofHuman Resources, says,“It’s a bit baffling that afterall the emphasis on security,the many meetings and Safes left unsecured invite problems

20 State Magazine

training sessions, that people are still committing infrac-tions. Posts need to have measures in place to addresssecurity breaches and to prevent them.”

Attentiveness to security issues waxes after an egre-gious incident such as the missing laptop in 2000. It grabseveryone’s attention and results in heightened securityawareness across the board. But after a period of time,attention starts to wane and incidents increase until thereis a new crisis.

The missing laptop, containing highly classified infor-mation, was never recovered. As a result, State revised its

Security Incident Program inOctober 2000, strengtheningthe penalties for security vio-lations.

The Bureau of DiplomaticSecurity was responsible forimplementing the revisedSecurity Incident Program thatclassifies security incidents aseither violations or infractions.

The Security IncidentProgram identifies incidentsas infractions where, in DS’sjudgment, no actual or possi-ble compromise of classifiedinformation occurred. Anemployee is responsible for aninfraction, for example, byleaving a security containerwith classified informationunlocked and unattended in acontrolled access area. In otherwords, if the area is a securedlocation with little or no possi-bility of compromise, then the.

s invite unauthorized inspection.

incident would be adjudicated asan infraction.

Violations occur when anemployee’s failure to safeguardclassified materials could result in the actual or possible compro-mise of the information. Forexample, if an employee trans-mits a classified document overan unclassified fax machine, it would be considered a viola-tion. Mishandling Top Secret,Special Access Program andSensitive Compartmented Infor-mation are automatic violations.

Regional security officers over-seas or unit security officersstateside are responsible forreceiving reports of security inci-dents and for conducting anynecessary investigation to deter-mine the individual(s) responsi-ble for the incident. They areresponsible for counseling em-ployees, heightening security awareness and helpingemployees establish better security practices, such as aclean desk policy. The security officers are also respon-sible for forwarding security incident reports to theappropriate office in DS. The bureau adjudicates theincident as an infraction or violation.

Depending on the nature of the incident, DS and HRmay take a variety of actions. When a security incident isadjudicated as a violation, DS can send a letter of warn-ing, place an employee’s clearance on probationary statusor even revoke a security clearance. DS also forwards areport of the violation to HR for appropriate action, rang-ing from a letter of admonishment to written reprimand,suspension or separation for cause.

Infractions are less grave. DS sends letters of warningto the employee after the first and second infractions, butdoes not notify HR until an employee’s third infractionwithin a three-year period. DS notifies employees in writ-ing prior to forwarding security incident cases to HR, andemployees have the right to appeal the adjudication of asecurity infraction or violation to DS.

DS tracks employees’ security histories based on a for-mula that assigns “points” for security incidents.Violations within the past 10 years count as 10 points andthose between 10 and 20 years ago count as 5 points.Infractions within the past 5 years also count as 5 points,but are only 2 points if they occurred between 5 and 10years ago. Violations become zero points after 20 yearsand infractions are zero after 10 years, but both remain inan employee’s record permanently.

HR reviews the security history of all officers beingconsidered for critical assignments, performance pay,Presidential pay awards and senior promotions. Foremployees with 30 or more points, the promotion or

Unattended Secret document

award is put on hold until after the individual has com-pleted intensive remedial training.

The remedial training is a two- to three-day course con-ducted jointly by DS and HR. There have been three reme-dial training sessions since October 2000. Of those who par-ticipated, not a single person has had a subsequent incident.

DS also offers specialized training; function-specifictraining; comprehensive initial security briefings for allcleared employees; and refresher training. The bureauoperates an electronic helpdesk and maintains a securityinformation web site.

While security incidents will never completely disap-pear, the fluctuations should be minor and the pressureto decrease them constant. “The purpose of discipline isto change behavior,” according to John Campbell, deputyassistant secretary of Human Resources. “State is tryingto capture individuals’ attention and get them to changetheir behavior by getting them to apply much greaterimportance to good security practices,” he said.

“You never get there; you are always getting there,”Mr. Campbell reiterated.

The Department has pushed a clean desk policy,requiring that desks be clear and contents locked in a safeat all times. “Each time employees leave their offices,they should ask themselves if they have secured all clas-sified materials,” Mr. Campbell said. “Not just in theevening, but all day.”

For more details on the Security Incident Program, see12 FAM 550 on HR’s Intranet at http://isp.ds.state.gov/apb%20site/NEW%20rules.html. ■

The author, a graduate student at the University ofKentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and InternationalCommerce, was an intern at State Magazine.

September 2002 21

International Visitors Foster Understanding

“You welcomed

a stranger

and sent home

a friend. ”Madhura Chatrapathy,

International Visitor from India

By Sana Abed-Kotob

he Departmentof State’s Inter-national Visitor

program bringsnearly 4,500 for-eign nationals tothe United States

each year. Begun in 1940and formalized under theSmith-Mundt Act in 1948,the program promotesmutual understandingbetween the people of theUnited States and othercountries by sponsoringmid-level professionalsfrom abroad on three- tofour-week study tours ofthe United States.

The visitors, many ontheir first trips to the coun-try, get an up-close view of

T

22 State Magazine

U.S. culture and values inmeetings with profession-al colleagues and ordinaryU.S. citizens. As they learnabout the United States,they also share informa-tion about their own cul-tures with the people theymeet.

In the post-Sept. 11United States, the Inter-national Visitor program iseager to strengthen thesebonds with the people ofthe Middle East and SouthAsia. That horrific daymade it clear that stereo-types and misunder-standings abound and thatthe program must redou-ble its efforts to introducepeople from those regionsto the American peopleand vice versa.

ar mut

i

History has shown that many alumniof the program go on to assume posi-tions of responsibility in their homecountries. The insights they gain fromtheir trips inform the decisions theseleaders make about the United Statesand usually have a positive impact onU.S. interests.

When Hamid Karzai was sworn in aschairman of Afghanistan’s interim gov-ernment, those involved with the IV pro-gram looked on approvingly, recallingthat he had been selected as anInternational Visitor in 1987. The lessonshe learned and the collegial associationshe developed during that visit will serveMr. Karzai and the United States well.Abdul Salam Majali became prime min-ister of Jordan in 1993. He participated inthe IV program more than once, begin-ning with his first visit in 1957.

Mr. Karzai and Mr. Majali are just twoof the more than 200 participants in the program who havebecome chiefs of state in their countries. Over the 60 yearsof the program, embassy staff have recognized potentialwhen selecting candidates for the program.

The IV program pays off for the U.S. taxpayer. In themost visible cases, visitors have gone on to noteworthyachievements. Former Prime Minister Majali, for exam-ple, was a signatory to the1994 Treaty of Peace betweenIsrael and Jordan. Lookingback on his IV experience, Mr.Majali said, “By respect andadmiration [we pay back] theUnited States of America andthe people of the United States[who hold] the banner of free-dom and democracy.”

Many IV alumni have risento cabinet-level positions intheir countries. Of the currentmembers of India’s cabinet, atleast nine, including the primeminister, were InternationalVisitors during their careers.Seven IV alumni were recentlysworn in as ministers inJordan. The most seniorwoman in the interim Afghangovernment, Dr. Sima Samar,participated in IV projects in1989 and 1997.

Of course, not all IV suc-cess stories involve promi-nent people. Some programshave a profound personalimpact on the lives of visitors

Christopher King, Depofficer, left, with OmaInternational Vistor froGround Zero. Mr. Haloattorney and presidenhuman rights organiza

Dr. Raja Aghzadi, a Moroccan physcancer foundation for poor womenInternational Visitor trip.

who never aspire to high office. AMoroccan visited the United States inSeptember 2000 eager to learn aboutthe activities of U.S. nongovernmentalorganizations helping women withbreast cancer. Dr. Raja Aghzadi‘s visitwith an NGO in California was adream come true. For years, she hadwanted to create a Moroccan associa-tion dedicated to helping poor ruralwomen prevent breast cancer or, ifalready stricken, receive needed sur-gery. Shortly after Dr. Aghzadireturned to her country, she founded“Coeur de Femmes” (Heart ofWomen) and launched a successfulrural campaign to fight breast cancer.She credited her IV experience withdirectly influencing her work.

Mutual understanding—the goal ofthe IV program—is even more criticaltoday. As political analysts reflect on

the reasons for anti-American actions, the program istouching the hearts and minds of people who deeplymisunderstand the United States. Last March, a groupof 12 university student leaders from the Near East andNorth Africa concluded their IV program with an emo-tional expression of condolences to the American peopleand a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the

Sept. 11 attacks. As this groupof mostly first-time visitors tothe United States recountedtheir experiences, they spokeof the new respect they hadfor Americans, for their gen-erosity, hospitality and con-sideration for others. One ofthe young Arabs said hehoped “to be able to improvethe image of the UnitedStates” in his country.

Based on the proven suc-cess of citizen-to-citizen inter-action in eliminating stereo-types and prejudices, theInternational Visitor programis rising to the challenge,reaching out and strengthen-ing the international networkof mutual understanding.Today, that challenge seemsgreater than ever. ■

The author is a program officerin the office of InternationalVisitors in the Bureau ofEducational and CulturalAffairs.

rtment programHaloui, an

Morocco, ati is a criminal law of a Moroccantion.

Phot

o by

Chr

isto

pher

Kin

g.

cian, established a breast when she returned from her

September 2002 23

EVACUEES ADJUSTTO UNCERTAINTY

Story and Photos by Matthew Ryan

Editor’s note: Since this article was written, the Departmenthas terminated the authorized departure for India and employ-ees and families have returned to their posts.

Evacuations are always burdensome and disruptive,but the recent evacuation from India was easier thanit might have been. Summer had just begun andschool was letting out. The escalating tensions with

Pakistan had been brewing for some time, making fami-lies aware early on that an evacuation was possible.

24 State Magazine

Genie Wray, left, and her husband Garnelle Dent left India reluctantly and loo

Nevertheless, evacuations are more stressful and hecticthan moving. Evacuees don’t move to a permanent loca-tion, so they must decide which belongings to pack andwhich to leave behind. Since the evacuation’s length isunknown, families need to consider seasonal changes attheir safe havens and bring proper clothing. And thenthere’s the paperwork and worries about possibly find-ing a school for kids and jobs for family members.

The State Department’s Family Liaison Office helpedease the transition for recent evacuees from India by pro-viding resources on everything from summer day campsto completing forms. But this was no vacation. While most

Foreign Service officersreported to work every dayat temporary locations, manyfelt like they were in limbo.

Among them was evacueeCarla Barbiero, director ofthe Office of SocialDevelopment at the U.S.Agency for InternationalDevelopment. When sheasked if the U.S. govern-ment had established crite-ria for returning to India, theanswer was: “The criteriaare very fluid and are underdiscussion.” When the StateDepartment extended theauthorized evacuation untilJuly 29, 2002, most evacueesexpected it, but feared a sec-ond extension.

Feelings about the evacua-tion varied. Rebecca McDuff,an information resource offi-k forward to returning.

emporary duty in the United States when the evacuation was announced a longer stay.

Marco Di Capua worked with Department colleagues and spent timewith his family.

cer stationed in New Delhi, is a trav-eling librarian. The uncertainty of itall is troubling to her. She hadplanned a late summer vacation, butif the evacuation crosses two 30-dayperiods, she may be unable to vaca-tion. Ms. McDuff was on temporaryduty in Washington, D.C., for twoweeks when the evacuation began.She had made no preparations to beaway from post beyond her tempo-rary duty. Luckily, she had staff at herhome she could rely on to care for herhome and pay her bills.

Beth Anne Moskov, who headsup the infectious disease division ofUSAID, is a single mom with a four-year-old son. She had no plans toleave India this summer. Her homein New Delhi is on the embassycompound, a two-minute walkfrom work.

“Finding a place to live and daycare for Nicholas in Washington,D.C., was difficult and expensive. It’shad a negative impact on him. He is not used to all-daychild care,” Ms. Moskov said. “He misses his friends androutine.” Day care was not Ms. Moskov’s only out-of-pocket expense. She had to rent a car because of her longcommute and hectic schedule.

The evacuation from India was a first for Genie Wray, a29-year veteran of the Foreign Service and office manage-ment specialist in the public affairs office. She and her hus-band of three years, State employee Garnelle Dent, did notwant to leave. They’ve been stationed in New Delhi fornine months and have an apartment and a maid, who isnow taking care of their dog. Ms. Wray and Mr. Dent opt-ed to air freight many personal items stateside before leav-ing India. “I remember when the Beirut staff were evacu-ated from Lebanon. They were never able to return andcollect their belongings. They lost everything.”

The biggest challenge for Ms. Wray and her husbandwas to ensure that Mr. Dent found a job when he reachedthe United States. “Most family members come here notknowing if they’ll get paid,” Mr. Dent said. “Familymembers must take leave without pay, unless they findemployment themselves.” Mr. Dent took a week of vaca-tion when he first arrived, avoiding an immediate loss inpay. He called the Family Liaison Office upon arrival andthey were able to place him in Consular Affairs.

Marco Di Capua, a counselor for science, technology,environment and health affairs, had been in India for 18months of a three-year tour with his wife Anne anddaughter Kathleen. The Di Capuas made the most oftheir evacuation experience. Mr. Di Capua renewed tieswith Washington colleagues, while their daughter, arecent high school graduate, visited universities. Theirunexpected trip to Washington, D.C., yielded a special

Rebecca McDuff was on tand was not prepared for

bonus when they were reunited with their eldest daugh-ter Emily, a summer intern in the nation’s capital.

Mr. Di Capua offered all future Foreign Service officerssome sound advice about being prepared for evacua-tions. “Ensure that your personal papers are in order atall times. Make one copy of each credit card statement sothat you’re ready to restart whenever.” ■

The author, a graduate student at the University ofKentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and InternationalCommerce, was an intern at State Magazine.

September 2002 25

I n t e r n s

Story and Photos by Jeanne Dorado

What do a trip to Italy, classified briefings and a“photo op” with the Secretary of State have incommon? Interns, that’s what.

From Moscow to Washington, D.C., the Department’ssmall army of interns experiences office camaraderie,what it’s like to protect U.S. citizens from nuclear prolif-eration and the ins and outs of a federal bureaucracy,among other things.

From the outside, an intern might be seen as a “lattemanager” or “filing technician.” But insiders know differ-ently. “I’m doing significantly more interesting work thanI thought I’d be doing,” said Rebekah Robinson, whoworked on nonproliferation issues in Washington, D.C.

David Butler, also in Washington, but from the Bureau ofEconomic and Business Affairs, had interned at variousplaces outside of the Department. He agreed: “Other super-visors rarely expect interns to do sufficient work.” Nothingcould be further from the truth for Department interns.

26 State Magazine

Washington area interns await opening remarks by Ambassador Ruth Davis intern summit.

Matthew Steinberg, an intern at the U.S. Embassy inSarajevo, met with local government and private sectorofficials. In the process, he’s gained valuable experiencein information gathering, diplomacy and, just as impor-tant, self-confidence. Mr. Steinberg and others agreedthat interning with the Department was a good decision.Where else could an undergraduate acquire such valu-able real-life experiences?

If you are overseas, for example, there are land minedebriefings and terrorism drills. In Washington, D.C.,there’s the unbearable heat, humidity and high cost of liv-ing—especially difficult for those with unpaid internships.Yet students continue to apply. They pack their belongingsinto a couple of bags and fly off to begin a life of publicservice away from home.

So what drives young twenty-somethings to give up aCancun vacation with friends or laid-back summer for anintense and serious internship at State? It could be they

want a good challenge and enjoy performingsignificant work. From the fast-paced environ-ment to one-on-one sessions with mentors andsupervisors, interns take everything in stride.

“Most important of all, I was able to interactwith a wide variety of people,” wrote Irene Lee.As a Diplomatic Security intern she enjoyed thecamaraderie of her office in Washington, D.C.,as well as her trip to Italy for a routine securityinspection.

Derek Wright, posted in Vienna, described hiswork environment as serious and concentratedbut fun and interesting at the same time. Mr.Wright, as other interns, believes his experiencewith State could not have been found elsewhere.He wrote from Vienna: “I could not have askedfor much else besides what I was given. Thechance to visit all of the State Department andother government departments was the greatestreward of the summer.”

What does the ideal intern program looklike?

“It’s not just cocktail parties and cables toWashington,” said Katie Tobin, also at the U.S.

during the

a t S t a t e

Embassy in Vienna. Interns attend lectures, workshops,tours and staff meetings, while savoring the friendly inter-national atmosphere.

This summer’s crop of interns tackled the formidableguidebook, the multi-page application and deadlines.Only this round was complicated by the anthrax scarethat temporarily halted the Department’s mail. After theDepartment offered the position and the intern accepted,there was more paperwork and the hunt for housing,funding and airfare.

Overseas, embassy officials met the interns at airports,gave them welcome packets about their cities, assignedthem sponsors, conducted one-on-one briefings with repre-sentatives from human resources and introduced them totheir supervisors.

In Washington, where the numbers were greater,interns moved through orientation en masse. At times itwas stressful, especially for newcomers to the nation’s

capital. Once underthe wings of theirsupervisors and co-workers, the dazedinterns joined theirteams. Scott Mollet’ssupervisor at theForeign Service Insti-tute in Arlington, Va.,encouraged him totake classes and getthe most out of histime as an intern.

“If you show thatyou’re dedicated, you’llget something out ofyour internship,” Mr.Butler, in Washington,agreed. He wanted toprove what he could doand encounter numer-ous opportunities foremployment and fu-ture advancement.

State Department interns, from left, DavidButler, Christiaan Adams, the author and Lisa Hodes volunteer as escorts forthe Washington area intern summit.

In summary, Mr.Steinberg in Sarajevosaid that the Depart-ment’s program “willlikely benefit theranks of the ForeignService in the comingyears.” After testingout the waters duringtheir internships,many pursue careersin the Department orother federal agenciesconcerned with for-eign affairs. Eventhose who go in otherdirections leave theirinternships with a bet-ter understanding ofhow U.S. foreign poli-cy is shaped.

Compensation is abig issue with mostinterns. Until recent-ly, fewer than 5 percent have been compensated. Manyparticipants in the program suggest that all interns bepaid a stipend or hourly wage. They claim that otherwisequalified candidates cannot afford to spend an entiresummer working full-time as unpaid interns. Last year,Director General Ruth Davis argued vigorously forgreater funding for the program and succeeded in gettingthe resources to pay 20 percent of this year’s 1,080 internsbased on need.

Although a career with State may not be in every intern’sfuture, those who aspire can look to Condoleezza Rice as arole model. Last year, the President’s national securityadviser shared her experiences as a Department intern. Shespoke again this year on Aug. 6. ■

The author is a communications and Spanish major at Santa Clara University in California who interned with StateMagazine this summer.

State hosts a summit for Washingtonarea interns.

September 2002 27

Volunteers and StudentsBenefit From

Model U.N. Program

Story by Bea CampPhotos by Ann Thomas

Cardozo High School, an inner city school, com-mands a sweeping view of Washington, D.C. Its sis-ter, Eastern High School, near RFK Stadium, is anequally imposing brick structure. State Department

employees get inside knowledge of the students andteachers in these schools and others as volunteers withthe Model United Nations program.

The 45 volunteers from more than a dozen bureaus arenot experts in U.N. issues or organization. As Eastern

High history teacher Reynaud Smith observed, “Theirmost important contribution is giving the kids a chanceto see a bigger world.” Although the students live in themiddle of the nation’s capital, few know much outside oftheir own neighborhood, the teacher said.

As participants in the Model U.N. program, the stu-dents visit the State Department, travel to New York tosee the U.N. firsthand and get the chance to participate ina conference in another country.

Reynaud Smith, an Eastern High School historyteacher and faculty sponsor of the school’s ModelU.N. program, and Department volunteer MargeryBenson, far right, accompany students to the mockU.N. Security Council meeting in the Harry STruman Building last spring.

September 2002 29

Bill Amoroso, center in suit,a Department volunteer,confers with student partici-pants during the mock UNSecurity Council meeting.

Five public high schools in Washington, D.C., partici-pate in the Model U.N. program. Volunteers can select atime that best fits their work schedule. The program takestwo hours per week for a 12-week period, with addition-al opportunities to help out during special programs atthe Department.

Bill Grant, a Foreign Service officer in the Bureau ofInternational Organizations, said the Department makesit convenient to volunteer by providing transportation toand from the school and briefings on that day’s lesson enroute. “We apply our experience during the lesson. Thereis no extensive preparation needed,” Mr. Grant said.

For Karen Volker, a senior adviser in the Bureau ofEuropean and Eurasian Affairs, the program helped hercontinue past involvement in the community. While an eco-nomic officer serving in Budapest, she taught at an inner-city school and convinced colleagues to help out, too. AtAnacostia High School, she thinks the Model U.N. programhelped students see that “people do care what happens tothem and gives them more hope for a brighter future.”

Volunteer Margery Benson, who works in the Office ofInternational Visitors in the Bureau of Educational andCultural Affairs, compares the sense of discovery she seesin foreign visitors to the same phenomenon among the 11thgraders at Eastern High School. “It’s fun to see young peo-ple discover the rest of the world, to understand how inter-twined we are on this planet.” She also found her volunteerwork helps her stay current with youth trends.

Ivan Weinstein, a colleague of Ms. Benson’s, volunteersat Bell Multicultural High School in Adams-Morgan, whereimmigrants outnumber U.S.-born students. The program,he said, forms “a bridge between the white-collar world of

the downtown government agencies and the neighbor-hoods where the majority of the city’s residents live.”

Volunteer Beth Ingalls, a program analyst in theBureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement,enjoys sharing with her students, whose world is mostlyconfined to their immediate neighborhoods, the opportu-nities the Foreign Service offers. Volunteering also letsher “step outside of my world and hear the concerns andideas of the younger generation.”

Sharen Sheehan, who works with programs designedto attract foreign students to the United States, connectsthe parallel task of encouraging U.S. students to reach outto the rest of the world: “We had the challenge of helpingstudents relate their own values to the discussion on thefuture of Afghanistan,” she said. At Anacostia HighSchool, a student role-playing a delegate from Cameroonwas concerned about children. Through the Model U.N.program she was able to articulate her concerns, convinceothers and draft a mock resolution to help the children inAfghanistan.

Model U.N. skills are the same ones students need tosucceed in school and beyond: organizing what they wantto say, showing respect for others, communicating effec-tively and demonstrating a passion for what they believe.Regardless of their expertise, State Department volunteerscan help bring out these hidden talents in students whoseenvironment may lack encouragement and stimulation.

For more information about the Model U.N. program,contact Ray Wiblin in IO/EX, wiblinr@state.gov. ■

The author is a team leader in the Bureau of Educational andCultural Affairs.

Pigskin Diplomacy

Gains Yardage in Frankfurt

By David Farrar and Thomas Schaller

American football may not be Europe’s numberone sport, but it is gaining yardage on soccer inFrankfurt.

The U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt and theFrankfurt Galaxy, a National Football League Europeteam, produced the second annual salute to U.S.-Germanarmed forces. The event attracted more than 30,000 fans.

With support from NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue inNew York, the consulate general played the matchmakerbetween the NFL and the U.S. military in the southwest

30 State Magazine

Soldiers parade during pre-game ceremony.

Germany consular district—home to three major U.S. mil-itary commands and 78,000 service members and families.

Accompanied by NFL players Jerome Bettis of thePittsburgh Steelers and Eddie George of the TennesseeTitans, Commissioner Tagliabue twice visited U.S. troopsin and around Frankfurt to generate excitement for thegame. While there, he also visited wounded Afghanistanveterans at Landstuhl military hospital and donated$100,000 worth of equipment to the USO in Europe toestablish flag football leagues on the bases.

At the April 27 game in Frankfurt, the U.S. ArmyEurope provided helicopter displays for the pre-game

festivities. At a tailgate party, theFrankfurt American-German BusinessClub raised $5,000 to bring children ofvictims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks toGermany for university studies.

Following the German and U.S. nation-al anthems, three U.S. and three Germangenerals headed for the coin toss, flankedby a U.S. Air Force honor cordon and U.S.European Command joint services colorguard. General Carlton Fulford, thedeputy at U.S. European Command,tossed and the Galaxy won—a good signfor the hometown fans.

One of six NFL Europe teams, theGalaxy plays a 10-game schedule. Theannual Galaxy tributes to the armedforces are now good luck for the team.They have won both games. ■

Mr. Farrar is the public information officerand Mr. Schaller an information specialistin Frankfurt.

DACOR Looks Forwardto Its Second 50 Years

By Deborah L. Emmert

Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, or DACOR,will mark 50 years of steadfast support for the ForeignService and the Department of State on Nov. 22.

Retired Foreign Service officers established the organi-zation in 1952 to foster better understanding of U.S. for-eign policy, lobby for better benefits for retirees and theirfamilies and encourage collegiality. In 1965, DACORestablished its Educational and Welfare Foundation toprovide scholarships for deserving Foreign Service chil-dren and aid impoverished retirees.

In 1972, Virginia Murray Bacon bequeathed her 1825Federal-style mansion in Foggy Bottom to DACOR.Today, DACOR Bacon House offers unique reception,dining, library and guest room facilities to its 3,000 mem-bers and a memorable setting to organizations wishing tohost elegant events. Members attend lectures on foreignaffairs and cultural topics, musical performances andreceptions at the historic house.

DACOR marked its golden anniversary with a specialspeaker series. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist spoke

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, right, who addressed Dacorians at arecent reception in his honor, is joined by DACOR President Alan Lukens,center, and Marshall Smith, a direct descendent of Chief Justice JohnMarshall, who lived for a period in DACOR Bacon House.

on April 19 at BaconHouse, once the resi-dence of Chief JusticeJohn Marshall andlater Chief JusticeMelvin W. Fuller.Former Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger, a“Dacorian” himself, delivered remarks at a reception inhis honor on June 14. Receptions featuring other speakersare planned.

DACOR devotes major resources to educational pro-grams promoting wider and better understanding of U.S.

foreign policy and the professionals who formulate thatpolicy. The organization sponsors quarterly seminars forgraduate students of international affairs at universitiesin the Washington, D.C., area and annually awards about$170,000 to U.S. students pursuing degrees in interna-tional affairs.

DACOR welcomes potential members and visitors toDACOR Bacon House at 1801 F St., NW; call (202) 682-0500 or visit its web site at www.dacorbacon.org. ■

The author was the program coordinator of the DACORBacon House Foundation.

Marc Grossman, under secretary for Political Affairs, addresses 95 newlycommissioned officers at a reception honoring the 106th A-100 class.DACOR President Alan Lukens is at right.

DACOR Bacon House at 1801 F Street,NW, in Washington, D.C.

September 2002 31

MALARIA:An Old But Preventable Scourge

Medical Report

32 State Magazine

By Dr. Joe Bryan

Malaria afflicted prehistoric mankind and itstill infects an estimated 300 to 500 millionpeople a year, as many as one million fatal-ly. There are proven methods of protection

against this persistent tropical disease and drugs to sup-press it. Yet, of the 26 cases of malaria reported inAmerican Foreign Service employees or family membersin 2001, 24 either were not taking an antimalarial drug orwere taking it irregularly.

Infected female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit thefour species of malaria that infect humans: Plasmodiumfalciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale. Of these, P.falciparum is the most dangerous because it replicatesrapidly in the red blood cells and can cause anemia, jaun-dice, kidney failure, coma and death. Deaths from malar-ia are preventable by avoiding infection and getting ear-ly diagnosis and treatment.

Malaria is more common after periods of rain and warmtemperature because Anopheles mosquitoes lay their eggsin water. (“Neato Mosquito,” an interesting CD producedby the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teacheschildren about mosquitoes and is available from the PublicHealth Foundation atwww.phf.org.)

An adult femalemosquito becomes in-fected with malariawhen she takes a bloodmeal from someonecarrying mature sexualforms of malaria. Inabout a week, infec-tious sporozoites in themosquito’s salivaryglands infect the nextperson she bites. Aftera period in the humanliver, infectious formsinvade red blood cells,where the malaria par- Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and

Anopheles taking blood mon human arm

asite divides into new parasites that burst the cell andinfect additional red blood cells. Fever, chills, sweats andweakness often accompany the bursting of the parasitesfrom red blood cells.

The primary method of preventing malaria is to avoidbeing bitten by an Anopheles mosquito. Anopheles mos-quitoes prefer to bite between dusk and dawn. Duringthose hours, specialists advise wearing clothing with longsleeves, long pants and socks. Clothing should be treatedwith a chemical called permethrin. This insecticide pre-vents bites and is safe, though it should not be applieddirectly to the skin. The third personal protective measureto prevent bites is to apply an effective insect repellent toexposed skin. DEET is one of the most effective repellents.A concentration of 30 to 35 percent is optimal, especiallywhen the insecticide is in a base that allows applicationevery 12 hours. DEET can be absorbed through the skin, sohigh concentrations should not be applied to damaged ordiseased skin. Lower concentrations of DEET (10 percent)can be applied to children, but DEET is not recommendedfor children under two (see the www.cdc.gov/travel website for information about repellents).

There are other measures to protect against malaria.Housing should be away from low-lying, wet areas where

mosquitoes breed. Win-dows and doors shouldbe screened. Air condi-tioning should be used,if possible, or bed netstreated with permethrin.

Antimalarial drugsoffer secondary preven-tion after a person hasbeen infected. Severalare available. Thesedrugs are generally welltolerated. But all drugshave side effects, so it isimportant to work withhealth care providers ifyou suffer from a seri-ous side effect. Prevention.

eal

Chloroquine has prevented and treated malaria formore than 40 years and is still the drug of choice inCentral America, the Caribbean and parts of the MiddleEast. P. falciparum is commonly resistant to chloroquinein South America, Africa and Asia. The combination ofchloroquine and proguanil (Paludrine®) likewise is gen-erally ineffective now in most of Africa. Mefloquine wasdeveloped because of this resistance to chloroquine.

The number of cases of malaria in Department employeeshas greatly diminished with the use of mefloquine, whichthe Food and Drug Administration approved in 1989 andgenerally recommended in 1991 (see chart). With the lowdose used for suppression, most people report no signifi-cant side effects with mefloquine. Some have vivid dreams,mild dizziness or other neurologic symptoms. Rarely, psy-chosis develops, especially with large doses used to treatmalaria or in persons using other drugs.

Persons who are intolerant of mefloquine should consid-er doxycycline. This once-a-day antibiotic is also effectivein preventing leptospirosis and rickettsial disease (ticktyphus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever). Sun sensitivi-ty, vaginal yeast infections and gastrointestinal symptomsare doxycycline’s most common side effects. Using sun-screens of at least SPF 15, treating the yeast infections, tak-ing doxycycline with food and not reclining for two hoursafter taking the medication usually remedy these problems.

A newer antimalarial drug combines proguanil, longfavored by some Europeans for malaria prevention, withatovaquone, a drug that fights several protozoa parasites.This combination was licensed in the United States in2000 for prevention of P. falciparum only and must betaken daily. The drug is relatively well tolerated, withgastrointestinal disturbances, skin rash and mouth ulcerscommonly reported side effects. For protection against P.

falciparum you need to continue using the drug for onlyseven days after leaving a malaria-infested area, versusthe 28 days required with chloroquine, mefloquine ordoxycycline. Primaquine can also be taken daily to pre-vent malaria. Furthermore, primaquine destroys hypno-zoites or sleeper stages of P. vivax or P. ovale in the liverthat may cause malaria months or even years later.

Pregnant women and persons with no spleen shouldtake special precautions to avoid malaria. The malariasuppressants chloroquine, chloroquine plus proguanil,and mefloquine appear to be safe in pregnancy.Doxycycline and atovaquone should not be used duringpregnancy. Persons concerned about antimalarial drugsshould talk to their health care provider.

Avoiding mosquito bites and regular use of an effectiveantimalarial drug are key. Travelers should visit the healthclinic nurses in State Annex 1 or at the Foreign ServiceInstitute to obtain up-to-date information and antimalarialmedications. If fever, chills, headache or gastrointestinalsymptoms develop, they should seek medical advice.Even after leaving malaria-infested areas, these symptomsmay be caused by malaria. More than 1,200 cases of malar-ia are diagnosed annually in the United States and report-ed to the Public Health Service. P. falciparum usuallyoccurs within one month of exposure but P. vivax and P.ovale may occur a year or more after travel to areas wheremalaria is present. Patients should always tell their doctorwhere they have traveled. ■

The author is a physician and the travel and tropical medicinespecialist in the Office of Medical Services. Use of brandnames in this article is only for identification purposes anddoes not imply endorsement of the product by the Departmentof State.

September 2002 33

People Like YouPeople Like You

Techies Name Cartoon Character

Mort Walker, creator of the Beetle Bailey comic strip, displays his newest character, Specialist Chip Gizmo, with Secretary Colin L. Powell and Earl Hemminger. With them, from left, areFernando Burbano, chief information officer of the Bureau ofInformation Resource Management; Kenneth Hill; and Robert King. Below: Specialist Chip Gizmo.

Mort Walker, creator of the Beetle Bailey comic strip, displays his newest character, Specialist Chip Gizmo, with Secretary Colin L. Powell and Earl Hemminger. With them, from left, areFernando Burbano, chief information officer of the Bureau ofInformation Resource Management; Kenneth Hill; and Robert King. Below: Specialist Chip Gizmo.

Phot

o by

Mic

hael

Gro

ss

Specialist Chip Gizmo is the newest charac-ter in the Beetle Bailey comic strip, thanksto a team of information technology spe-

cialists in the Department’s Bureau ofInformation Resource Management. Theteam—Earl Hemminger, Melinda Isachsen,Robert King and Kenneth Hill—prevailedover 84,000 other submissions in naming the new IT character in Mort Walker’s long-running strip.

“It was Melinda who read about the con-test and Bob who came up with the lastname,” said Mr. Hemminger, who proposedthe computer-related first name, Chip. “Chipalso needed a rank to reflect his expertiseand Ken suggested ‘specialist.’ Melinda putall the suggestions together and createdSpecialist Chip Gizmo.”

Specialist Chip Gizmo made his debut on July4, bringing modern gadgetry to Camp Swampyand helping General Halftrack, Beetle Baileyand the other enlisted sort out the glitches intheir gizmos.

34 State Magazine

Beetle Bailey began as a college cutup on Sept. 4,1950. Today more than 1,800 newspapers print the

comic strip, making it the third most widely dis-tributed comic feature of all time. The strip willmaintain its 50s-era feel, however, despite ChipGizmo’s presence. The clash of civilizations willcreate comic situations as search engines, spamand mice invade Camp Swampy.

Chip is a nerdy yet lovable techno-geek withunkempt hair, overly stuffed pockets and thick

glasses. He has wires and antennae pro-truding from his uniform and headphonesand palm computer to help him home in

on computer viruses and network jams.When Mr. Walker and the winners met

with Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, thecartoonist presented them with original car-

toon artwork and two round trip tickets onNorthwest Airlines to anywhere in the conti-

nental United States. They’re still waiting for spe-cialist Chip Gizmo to design the software pro-gram that will evenly divide two tickets amongtheir team of four. —Matthew Ryan

National Foreign Affairs Training Center

&Education Training

=

TRANSITION CENTERDates for FSI Transition Center courses are shown below. For information on all thecourses available at FSI, visit the FSI Schedule of Courses on the Department ofState’s Intranet at www.fsiweb.gov. FY 2003/2004 dates are now available in theonline catalog. See the Department Notices for announcements of new courses andnew course dates and periodic announcements of external training opportunitiessponsored by FSI.

Security SOS: Security Overseas Seminar (MQ911) 7, 21 18 2DASOS: Advanced Security Overseas

Seminar (MQ912) 29 26 1DTDY Security Overseas Seminar (MQ913) 7, 21 18 1D

Foreign Service Life SkillsMaking Presentations: Design to Delivery (MQ111) 19 3DProtocol & U.S. Representation Abroad (MQ116) 26 23 1DWelcome Back Workshop (MQ300) 19 1DTransition to Washington for

Foreign-Born Spouses (MQ302) 19 .5DPost Options for Employment and

Training (MQ703) 24 1DTargeting the Job Market (MQ704) 22 2D

Course Oct. Nov. Length

+Mathcounts StudCompete Nationa

State Department schools worldwide participat-ed in the 2002 Mathcounts National Com-petition in Chicago June 14. Hosted by CNAInsurance, the event followed local and state

competitions held in all 50 states, the District ofColumbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands,Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Department of Defense andState Department schools.

Founded by the CNA Foundation, the National Societyof Professional Engineers and the National Council ofTeachers of Mathematics, Mathcounts is a national coach-ing and competition program for middle school students

Long-Distance Relationships (MQ801) 16 .5DCommunicating Across Cultures (MQ802) 15 1DRealities of Foreign Service Life (MQ803) 2 1DDual Culture Marriages (MQ850) 20 2.5HRaising the Bilingual Child (MQ851) 6 2.5HEmergency Medical Care and Trauma

Workshop (MQ915) 16 1DRegulations, Allowances & Finances 28 3D

FasTrac Distance Learning Program.Learn at Your Own Pace, When and Where You Want.FSI is accepting applications for the FasTrac distance learning program. All StateDepartment employees, FSNs and EFMs are eligible. FasTrac offers more than 1,400courses covering numerous subjects. Training is conducted online through theInternet and the Department’s Intranet. Students may complete courses for inclusionon their official FSI transcript or take the course module they need to “get the jobdone.” Course length varies from two to eight hours each and testing out of whatyou already know may shorten learning plans. To view the complete FasTrac cata-log, visit the FasTrac web site at http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/courses/distlern/fastrac/default.asp. For additional information, please contact the FasTrac Coordinator at theOffice of the Registrar, (703) 302-7144.

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

Course Oct. Nov. Length

September 2002 35

that promotes interest in math by making math achieve-ment challenging, exciting and prestigious. This year,more than 500,000 students took part in the Mathcountsprogram.

The finalists were asked to solve hundreds of equa-tions quickly and accurately before television camerasand cheering students, coaches and parents.

Seventh-graders Sei Young Pyo and Joanne Yuan Chuaand eighth-grader Sang-Won Lee from the InternationalSchool in Manila and eighth-grader Javier Marcos from theAmerican Institute of Monterrey represented the Depart-ment’s overseas schools. Their coach was Tony Varga.

ents lly

O B I T U A R I E S

Naomi Duncan Cash, 74, widow of Foreign Service officerFrank E. Cash, died on April 17 in Waynesboro, Va.During her husband’s Foreign Service career she accom-panied her family on tours to Germany, Turkey and theArmy War College in Carlisle, Pa.

James B. Magnor, 67, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedof cancer April 20 in Jupiter, Fla. He served in Manila,Asuncion, Ankara, Tegucigalpa, Pusan and Beirut. Heretired in 1994 after serving as counselor for narcoticsaffairs in Islamabad. Mr. Magnor was an artist whoshowed his works in Washington, Tegucigalpa and theArt in Embassies program in Ankara.

William Dean Markham, 62, a retiredForeign Service communications spe-cialist, died June 7 in Albuquerque,N.M., from neurofibrosarcoma. Hejoined the Foreign Service in 1976and served in Nairobi, Brussels,Cairo and Washington. He retired in1990. At age 18 he joined the AirForce and served as a communica-tions specialist for eight years.

William James Orr Jr., 57, a ForeignService officer, died June 5 fromesophageal cancer in Washington,D.C. He entered the ForeignService in 1987 and served inLeningrad, Washington, Minsk andRome. He was on active duty at thetime of his death.

Russell Lowell Riley, 91, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedJuly 12 in Orange, Calif. He joined the Department of Statein 1948 as assistant administrator of the International

36 State Magazine

Foreign Service Retirements

PERSONNE

Berstein, Rose SusanBohlen, Avis T.Couch, Mark T.Crocker, Christine B.Daugherty, Craig H.

Levis, AngelinaLozada, Raymond E.Nagel, James C.Nesberg, Rosil A.

Sutter, Eleanor B.Wiedemann, Kent Woods, Michael Jo

Information Administration and was the first director ofthe International Education Exchange Service. In 1958, Mr.Riley was assigned as consul general in Valetta, Malta, aposition he later held in Johannesburg, South Africa, and St.John’s, Newfoundland. He also served as chargé d’affaires and deputy chief of mission in Monrovia, Liberia.Mr. Riley was a U.S. Army officer in World War II and wasamong the Third Army troops who relieved the surround-ed 101st Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge.

Mary Stellmacher, 82, wife of retiredForeign Service Officer EdwardStellmacher, died in Tucson, Ariz.,June 21 of pancreatic cancer. Sheaccompanied her husband onassignments to Cali, GuatemalaCity, Juarez, Piedras Negras,Munich, Manila and Hermosillo.

Mary Jane Threadgill, 78, a retired Foreign Service secre-tary, died of natural causes at her home in Stockton,Calif., on June 18. She joined the Department in 1967 andserved in Vietnam, Laos, Pakistan, Ghana, India andEgypt. She retired in 1986.

Thomas Franklin Wilson, 74, a retiredForeign Service officer, died on June25 at the University of NorthCarolina Hospital in Chapel Hill.He joined the Foreign Service in1957 and served in Bordeaux,Kingston, Saigon, Nassau, Port-au-Prince, Taipei and Halifax. In 1979he was appointed consul general inHalifax. He retired in 1985. Mr.

Wilson served in the U.S. Army in both World War II andthe Korean War.

L ACTIONS

M.seph

Civil Service RetirementsAckerman, Mary E.Awad, William AminColeman, Mariam J.Drain Jr., Donald J.Irons, Alden H.James, Mary F.

Jarquin, VidalKeating, Terry MichaelLandis, Carol S.Niehaus, Marjorie A.Sparks, Nora C.