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 2003

StateStateM a g a z i n e

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

Mauritania:Trading on ItsPast and Future

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly,except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Departmentof State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postagepaid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations.POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to State Magazine,HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108.State Magazine is published to facilitate communication betweenmanagement and employees at home and abroad and toacquaint employees with developments that may affect opera-tions or personnel. The magazine is also available to personsinterested in working for the Department of State and to thegeneral public.

State Magazine is available by subscription through theSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,Washington, DC 20402 (telephone [202] 512-1800) or on the web athttp://bookstore.gpo.gov.

For details on submitting articles to State Magazine, request our guidelines, “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail atstatemagazine@state.gov; download them from our web site at www.state.gov; or send your request in writing to StateMagazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236, Washington, DC20522-0108. The magazine’s phone number is (202) 663-1700.

Deadlines: Sept. 15 for November issue.Oct. 15 for December issue.

StateStateMagazine

Carl GoodmanEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Paul KoscakWRITER/EDITOR

Dave KreckeWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

Lauren K. FreseINTERN

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Florence FultzCHAIR

Jo Ellen PowellEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Sylvia BazalaCynthia Bunton

Bill HaughBill Hudson

Jim LawrenceJim Trommatter

Throwing a Party at StateIn Our Next Issue:

The Diplomatic Reception Roomserves up food, beverages andambience.

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8 Post of the Month: MauritaniaSince independence, the country has turned westward.

12 Office of the Month: Motor PoolExecutive and shuttle services “drive” diplomacy.

15 GraffitiEven the citizens of ancient Rome practiced the art.

16 On Assignment in IraqArmed with lights, cameras and goodwill, crew tacklestask.

20 SARSAn uninvited visitor modifies behavior at China post.

23 Interning at StateYou can’t beat the White House as a news “beat.”

24 On the MoveDespatch agents continue centuries-old tradition.

28 Preparing for the WorstTabletop exercise attempts to manage mayhem.

29 Manila and MuslimsEmbassy hosts Muslim leaders during summit.

30 English VictoryMarines help language students celebrate in Burma.

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 2003No. 471

C O L U M N S

D E P A R T M E N T S

On the CoverSand and silhouettes of the

Western Sahara in Mauritania.

Photo courtesy of ImageBank

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Burmese English languagestudents celebrate the endof the school year.

A view of buildings atSaddam's palacegrounds in Basrah.

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2 From the Secretary

7 From the Acting D.G.

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

32 Safety Scene

33 Education and Training

34 People Like You

36 State of the Arts

37 Appointments

38 Personnel Actions

39 Obituaries

As we mark two highly successful years of our Diplomatic Readiness Initiative,we must recognize the far-reaching implications it holds not only for recruitmentwithin the State Department, but for our ability to promote freedom, growth andsecurity across the globe.

DRI has a simple but daunting goal: to attract, train and keep the best peoplethat this nation has to offer. Just a few short years ago, the Department was under-staffed, underfunded and, even at the best of times, unappreciated. Barely 8,000people took the Foreign Service Exam in 2000—an all-time low. Those who passedthe exam had the privilege of waiting two years for an offer. Advertising andrecruiting budgets were nonexistent and our web site needed a makeover.

We launched DRI in September 2001. More than 20,000 Americans took theForeign Service Exam last April, an all-time high. We have hired more junior offi-cers in the past 18 months than we did between 1992 and 1997. We finished hiringfor fiscal year 2003 in June. And our recruitment web site is getting tens of thou-sands of visits each month.

None of this would have happened without the determination of our people inHuman Resources, Diplomatic Security, Medical Services and the Foreign ServiceInstitute. They all came together to break down bureaucratic barriers and carry thewater for DRI. I grin when I hear stories about how their good work has led tal-ented people to choose careers at State over other professions.

April Wells, a Pickering Fellow who worked in the Bureau of InternationalOrganization Affairs this summer, is a good example. After graduating fromHoward University last year, she passed up offers from Wall Street to enter theworld of diplomacy. Why?

“The State Department had the most attractive offer to further my professionaldevelopment and allow me to effect change in the international arena,” Ms. Wellssaid, “but I would have never known the true closeness of the fit had it not beenfor the men and women here acting as ambassadors for the Department, even asthey acted as ambassadors for this country.”

For every April Wells we attract, for all the heavy lifting involved with gettingDRI off the ground these past two years, we still have more work to do. Whetherit is dealing with regional security issues or borderless threats like terrorism,weapons of mass destruction or trafficking in drugs and people, we need a world-class diplomatic force that is ready and able to answer the call.

Diplomacy will play a key role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq.Equally important is our “Secure Borders, Open Doors” initiative, tasking us tomonitor who is coming into our country, while making sure America remains anopen society.

Under President Bush’s Millennium Challenge Account, we will be chargedwith helping poor countries find ways to govern justly, invest in their people andencourage economic freedom. Going forward, we must help America leadon everything—from promoting peace in the Middle East to stemming infectiousdisease.

Indeed, DRI represents the largest expansion of the Department in decades. It isalso about preparing State for future success in meeting the complex challenges ofthe 21st century. ■

2 State Magazine

FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

Ramping UpFor Our Future

If there can be any joy in Washington summers, it’sworking with interns. Here at the magazine, wheredeadlines can be drudgery and drills repetitive, theirpresence is rejuvenating. They accept assignmentswith enthusiasm and welcome feedback. When theyreceive well-earned bylines, they rejoice. The collec-tive experience over several summers has been moreenriching as their calls and e-mails arrive, sharing tri-als and triumphs. After all, it’s what families do.

She’s not an intern but a former television produc-er-turned State Department public affairs specialiston assignment in Iraq—armed only with lights andcameras and goodwill from American and Britishtroops. Documenting reconstruction efforts in thewar-torn country is no easy task, as readers will learnon page 16.

The sands of time have polished the stones andstories of Mauritania, this month’s post. Breakingfrom the past, many villagers are moving to the citysearching for an easier life than what the storieddesert has to offer. For more, see page 8.

Driving diplomacy in the Washington, D.C., area isa team of motor pool employees that dispatches sen-ior officials to meetings at the White House and onCapitol Hill and shuttles rank-and-file employeesdaily among the dozens of annexes in the Districtand Virginia. For details, see our Office of the Monthon page 12.

September 2003 3

Old State RevisitedI’m writing about your article in

the June issue on “Old State.” Thepiece does not mention that in thefinal weeks of the lastAdministration, the wing of theState Department constructed in1939 was named in honorof former SecretaryGeorge C. Marshall.

This was a fitting ges-ture. It recognizes hismany contributions toAmerican diplomacy andacknowledges that theWar Department original-ly had constructed thebuilding for its use. For itwas here that he devotedthe largest share of hisservice to the country.

I would hope theDepartment would find theplace appropriately to indicate pub-licly the name of the wing of thebuilding.

Thomas R. PickeringRetired FSOAlexandria, Va.

New State RevisitedAl Toner’s letter in the June issue

errs in referring to the originalbuilding on 21st Street as NewState. The “old” building originallyhoused the War Department, whichmoved in 1947 to what is now

the EisenhowerBuilding—for-merly the OldExecutive OfficeBuilding—nearthe White House.

New Statewas, in fact, theexpanded build-ing (since namedfor Harry STruman) thatopened in 1961.I reported toduty in New

State the follow-ing year. The article on the nextpage, “The State of Old State,” con-firms this chronology.

Gil SheinbaumRetired FSOVienna, Va.

Thanks andCongratulations

Many thanks for forwardingthose recent issues. After some fiveyears, I am delighted to be back onyour mailing list. I had assumed theDepartment had stopped sendingthe magazine to retirees.

I enjoyed going through thoseissues, even if there are too fewnames I recognized in the articlesand too many in the obituaries.

The magazine is vastly differentfrom the last time I saw it. It’s muchmore "with it," easier to read and nolonger drab. Congratulations.

Dennis GoodmanRetired FSOHanover Center, N.H.(Editor’s note: The writer is unrelatedto the editor.)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

From the Editor

CorrectionIn the Appointments section of theJuly/August issue, we incorrectlyidentified the wife of AmbassadorGregory W. Engle. Her name isMaureen.

4 State Magazine

I N T H E N E W S

The cleanup continues at State Annex 32, the formermail facility in Northern Virginia contaminated byanthrax two years ago. Workers in protective suits havegutted the structure to its steel framework and will soonbegin fumigating the building. Even the mail-handlingequipment is being scrapped.

“Spores can hide in the equipment,” said Janice Burke,a policy analyst in the Bureau of Administration. “Andfumigation can damage equipment.”

More than 400 tons of equipment and material consid-ered “infectious waste” have been removed from thefacility. In addition to the machinery, air-conditioningducts, lighting, drywall and other furnishings were treat-ed and destroyed. Before being discarded, the refuse waseither steam sterilized, incinerated or cleaned with ethyl-ene oxide and recycled.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, working with sev-eral federal agencies and an environmental committee, isfumigating the facility with vaporized hydrogen perox-ide. The committee, which ensures quality control, willdetermine when the building is safe to reoccupy.

Ms. Burke stated that the decision is expected sometimein early 2004.

Tim Gouger, the Corps’ project manager, marvels athow so much is being accomplished, considering thenumber of agencies involved and the scientific minds atwork.

“It’s highly collaborative,” he said. “There are so manyideas. All the education taking place. It takes time. Butit’s amazing how so many people are coming together.”

Air monitors within SA-32, outside the building and atnearby businesses will measure the hydrogen peroxidelevels during the fumigation. The agent “naturallydecomposes to water and oxygen,” said Bill Eaton, assis-tant secretary of the Bureau of Administration.Surprisingly, the fumigation drew little neighborhoodinterest. Two town-hall-style public meetings, he said,“were sparsely attended, even through we sent invita-tions to over 480 households in the nearby community.”

SA-32, an unclassified mail and pouch facility for bothdomestic and overseas deliveries, employed about70 people.

Pouch Facility to Reopen Next YearSA-32’s stark framework is all that remains before fumigation begins.

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I N T H E N E W S

Credit Union AwardsScholarships to 13

The State Department Federal Credit Union hasannounced the winners of its 27th annual scholarshipcompetition. This year, $20,000 in scholarships wasdivided among 13 recipients. They are:

Angelia BarnesStrayer University

Laura ByrneCatholic University School of Law

Marcus CaldwellVirginia Union University

Tasha CampbellCornell University

Angela CurtisCollege of Southern Maryland

Michelle DavisUniversity of Maryland University College

Tristan EnglerUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraLaw and Society

Heather GlennUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore

Michelle LeeStrayer University

Lori PiersonNorthern Virginia Community College

Maria RiveraTrinity College

Cara StaleyThe University of Akron School of Law

Sherry WrightBowie State University

The Credit Union has awarded more than $140,000 inscholarships since 1976. To qualify, students must beCredit Union members who have completed a mini-mum of 12 credit hours at an accredited college or uni-versity. The competition is open to both graduates andundergraduates with a minimal grade point average of2.5 and demonstrated financial need.

In February, scholarship applications are availableby mail, online at www.sdfcu.org and at the CreditUnion’s five branches. All applications and transcriptsare due by mid-April.

Associates of the American Foreign ServiceWorldwide will hold their 43rd annual benefitfundraiser for community projects in Washington,D.C., and their scholarship fund. Used books, art,stamps, coins and collectibles will be for sale onthe weekends of Oct. 18/19 and 25/26 from 10a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Harry S Truman Building,which is accessible from the C Street entrance.Admission is free and books are half price on thelast day. Visa and MasterCard accepted. For moreinformation or to make a donation, please visithttp://www.aafsw.org/activities/bookroom.htm orcall (202) 223-5796.

BookFair 2003

6 State Magazine

I N T H E N E W S

The Overseas Briefing Center and the Foreign ServiceYouth Foundation have announced the winners of the2003 KID VID Contest.

First-place winners were Philip “P.J.” Nice and MicahKagler for their lively production on Montevideo,Uruguay. Their engaging video captures an appealingview of life in the South American city.

Second-place winner was Britta Coley, 11, for her pro-duction of life in Frankfurt, Germany. Her innovativevideo highlights many of the special features of thisEuropean city.

Third-place winners were Iain Addleton, 12; CameronAddleton, 10; and Parker Wilhelm, 10, for their entryfrom Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Their enthusiastic narra-tive and footage portrayed an inviting life for youngpeople in this faraway land.

Two additional entries received a special award andprize money. Ramon Taylor, 16, a winner in 2002, sub-mitted the most technically sophisticated video. Hisfootage of Dakar and its people offers a compelling viewof Senegal.

Olivia Underwood, 10, and Owen Underwood, 8, ofSeoul, Korea, submitted the most creative entry.Honorable mentions went to Jennifer Fedenisn, 10,

Singapore; Scott A. Goodin, 11, Almaty; Sofie Mueller,13, Minsk; Lorilee C. Navadel, 11, Antananarivo;Carolina Backer, Athens; Rebecca Moser, 10, andDaphne Martschenko, 10, Kiev; and Megan Murphy, 10,and Zachary Peterson, 10, Rabat.

This year the Foreign Service Youth Foundationdonated $1,000 to be divided among the top award win-ners and has also invited them to attend the annualFSYF Award Ceremony in August.

The contest is open to all family members, ages 10 to18, who are assigned to an embassy or consulate.Contestants are asked to submit videos reflecting typicaldaily life for youths at their posts. Entries include infor-mation on the housing, schooling, shopping and recre-ation available from the youths’ perspective. The videoscan be group projects or single-person productions. Allentries become a permanent addition to the OverseasBriefing Center’s video library.

Details of the 2004 contest will be announced in thecoming months. Students from ages 10 to 18 may workon their videos as early as this summer. To learn moreabout the contest and other youth awards, contact FSYFat fsyf@fsyf.org or the Overseas Briefing Center atJohnstonM5@state.gov.

2003 KID VID Contest Winners Announced

September 2003 7

FROM THE ACTING D.G.

Editor’s note: The Office of Medical Services provided thismonth’s column.

We’ve all seen the thrilling scenes on televi-sion. The ambulance arrives with its lightsflashing and siren wailing. Fifteen peopleare waiting at the door to bring the

patient inside, initiate emergency treatment, deal withthe emotional fallout and call in the appropriate spe-cialists.

When was the last time you saw that sort of action inOuagadougou? After all, this is the Foreign Service.While the setting is different, the mission is the same—keeping Foreign Service employees and their familieshealthy. The practices of the Office of Medical Servicesare adapted to this unique global environment.

MED wants to maintain a healthy work force beforeproblems occur. It starts with the medical clearanceprocess. Some find the process a laborious, bureaucraticprocedure designed to keep people from exotic loca-tions. Others consider it a response to a litigious culture.Some simply dislike the medical clearance process, andas we age and acquire medical ailments, the processseems even more onerous.

MED, however, views the clearance process as a wayto keep its clients healthy and out of harm’s way. Wematch people to posts with adequate facilities for theirhealth care needs. The overall goal remains the same:keeping families healthy and safe while they serveabroad.

MED recently refocused its clearance process. Besidesa post clearance, we also want to ensure that ForeignService employees and their families receive appropri-ate preventive medical care. This includes mammo-grams, colonoscopies and cholesterol and blood pres-sure measurements. We also screen for irksomeintestinal parasites. In addition, regional medical tech-nologists routinely inspect embassy cafeterias and con-duct classes on food safety.

While these preventive measures may not be madefor television, they provide vitally important informa-tion about the health of our clients. Patients with prob-lems that cannot be managed locally must be sent else-where for care. Last year, MED managed more than1,400 medical evacuations worldwide.

Following the medical clearance, MED’s attentionshifts to preventive measures such as immunizationsand malaria prophylaxis. The office provides 17 differ-ent immunizations, ranging from routine childhood

immunizations like polio and tetanus to the more eso-teric like smallpox and Japanese encephalitis.Distributing vaccines worldwide and keeping themproperly refrigerated is a major challenge.

There are 184 embassy medical units providing healthcare overseas. Direct-hire MED professionals staff manyof these while locally hired nurses staff others. Ourmedical providers constantly assess local medicalresources to determine which medical problems can behandled at post and what is available in an emergency.

MED’s health providers must be prepared to handle awide variety of medical problems—from ear infectionsto malaria—and handle them 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek. Many medical problems are unique to the over-seas environment. Needless to say, continuing medicaleducation for health providers is a big part of MED’smission.

The threat of terrorism has greatly changed the med-ical landscape. We now stockpile at all posts antibioticsto treat anthrax, gas masks and chemical weapon anti-dote auto-injectors. Shortly before the Iraq war, seventeams of MED professionals—more than 45 percent ofall the physicians and health practitioners in the entireForeign Service—gave smallpox immunizations at 30posts in Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the MiddleEast.

In early March, the SARS epidemic broke out in EastAsia, putting at risk consular officers who deal withlarge numbers of visa applicants and families with chil-dren in international schools. MED established a SARStask force. Voluntary departure was recommended forposts in China, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan.Specially designed face masks and alcohol gel handwash were provided to medical and consular personnel.The measures paid off. No U.S. Embassy staff wereinfected.

Meanwhile, routine business continues in the Officeof Medical Services. New medical officers are hired,consultations continue with the Office of Safety, Healthand Environmental Management on problems with pes-ticide exposure in South America and serious air pollu-tion caused by peat fires in Russia, an incident of mush-room poisoning occurs in Central Asia and denguefever breaks out in India.

Taking care of its clients is a unique experience for the150 State Department physicians, health practitionersand medical technologists and the 350 locally hiredhealth care staff around the world. We are proud ofwhat we do. ■

Toward a Healthy Foreign Service

A weathered fisherman nearNouakchott prepares his nets.

Mauritania

September 2003 9

are so bright and close in the desert sky that youwant to reach out and touch them. Waves from theAtlantic crash against the shore. Between dun-colored streets and arched windowed mosquesand shops are pink bougainvillea vines and blueMoroccan doors. Freshly baked baguettes androasted lamb mingle with the smells of jasmineand frangipani.

Except for the scholar of rare Islamic manu-scripts, fan of the Paris-Dakar road rally or adven-turous tourist, Mauritania has only recently beendiscovered. In Mauritania’s interior of untouchedbeauty, travelers explore ancient Islamic towns,oases, rock paintings and tall, shifting dunes. Onehistoric town, Chinguetti, is the seventh holy cityof Islam and a World Heritage site. Its mosque andother notable architecture date to the 13th centuryand its collection of Koranic and scientific manu-

scripts includesimportant Arab worksfrom the 9th century.

The small capital,Nouakchott, has fewpaved roads. Cars getstuck easily in the

sand and fully loaded sports utility vehicles viewith donkey carts, free-ranging goats and theoccasional camel. Cyber cafés and satellite dishesdot the city landscape, and new villas and restau-rants are springing up everywhere.

In recent years, Mauritania has opened its econ-omy to foreign trade and investment, offeringopportunities for American business. Withencouragement from the World Bank and otherinternational institutions, the government has lib-eralized the foreign exchange system, launchedbank reforms and privatized several state-ownedindustries, such as telecommunications and airtransport. Foreign aid, however, continues to playa crucial role in development.

One of the first nations in Africa to be includedin the initiative to forgive heavily indebted poorcountries, Mauritania nevertheless has some of the

P O S T O F T H E M O N T H

B y D i j a n a Vr b a n a n d S a r a S t r y k e r + P h o t o s b y M i c h e l l e D o n n e l l y

Lawrence of Arabia would feel right athome here. The sand dunes and desert windsof Mauritania take you back a millenniumto the era of the desert trade routes. The stars

world’s richest fishing grounds and substantialreserves of iron ore. The promise of offshore oilmay provide a new source of revenue.

The country of goat herds and camel caravanshas rapidly transformed as more and more peopleabandon the traditional nomadic lifestyle fortowns. The younger generation clearly prefers theamenities of modern life. Persistent drought overthe past three decades has caused much of thismass migration, sending about one-third of thepopulation to the capital. City services have beenunable to keep pacewith the influx.

Despite their pover-ty, Mauritanians arerenowned for theirgenerosity. After theterrorist attacks ofSeptember 11, localemployees of the mis-sion donated a day’spay to help the vic-tims’ families. Sec-retary Powell’s thank-you letter is displayedproudly in theembassy cafeteria. Theemployees show simi-lar consideration totheir colleagues intimes of need.

Known for theirbountiful hospitality,Mauritanians dine ondates with cream, sal-ads, couscous, chickenand meshoui (roastedgoat). The food isplaced on a white clothspread over the carpet under the ancestral tent.The tent may be pitched in the garden or on therooftop. To entertain and relax, residents retreat totheir ancestral villages.

An Islamic lifestyle is visible. Alcohol is off lim-its. While women tend to dress modestly and tra-ditionally in a headscarf or colorful moulafa, theywork, drive cars and are increasingly active in pol-itics and business. While allowed by law andwidespread, polygamy is becoming less popularamong the younger generation, as are other tradi-

tional practices. Divorced women have becomebrides of choice within the Beidane community.

For centuries, Mauritania’s economy consistedof a trading system among nomadic tribes herdingcamels, sheep and goats, but also relied on theslave trade. The rigid caste system still hauntsMauritanian society. Slavery was officially abol-ished in 1980, but residual dependency still existsbetween former masters and slaves.

In the 19th century, Mauritania came under thesphere of French colonial influence and was sub-

sumed in French WestAfrica. It remained acolony until 1960.

Since independence,Mauritania has twicebeen involved incross-border conflicts.From 1975 to 1978, thecountry fought to con-trol part of theWestern Sahara, a con-flict that remainsunsettled despite theefforts of U.N. media-tors. In 1989, tensionsbetween Moor andAfrican populations inMauritania and Sen-egal displaced tens ofthousands of peopleand ruptured relationsbetween the two coun-tries until 1992. Socialand political tensionslinger from thatconflict.

The U.S. Embassy inNouakchott dates

from 1961—one year after Mauritania declaredindependence from French colonial rule. Theembassy’s American staff is small but has almostdoubled in the past two years. A multi-ethnic localstaff of 180 supports them.

The mission has an active Peace Corps program.Four American staff members coordinate theefforts of 60 to 90 volunteers in a number of sec-tors—from agro-forestry and the environment tosmall-enterprise development, education andhealth. Most volunteers live in rural areas with few

10 State Magazine

Top Left: Management Officer Sara Stryker, left, with assistantAngela Thandrayen, seated, and receptionist Yamousso Sylla.Top Right: Anna Fall, left, payroll supervisor, with assistant Aliou Sy.Bottom: Chauffeur Djibril Ousmane digs a vehicle out of the sand.

September 2003 11

amenities. A record number of volunteers, howev-er, have elected to extend.

Mauritania supports the United States in its waragainst terrorism and U.S. efforts to bring peace tothe Middle East. The country maintains full rela-tions with Israel and has had an ambassador in TelAviv since 1999. In West Africa, Mauritania isinvolved in the Pan-Sahel Initiative to strengthenborder controls and regional cooperation. Theembassy assists the government with counterter-rorism training and actively promotes humanrights, democracy, good governance and the pro-tection of ancient Islamic manuscripts and sites.

Other areas of cooperation include HIV/AIDSprevention and education, especially for youngwomen, and construction of schools, health clinicsand wells. Mauritania looks to offshore oil pro-duction, expected to start in 2005, to hasten itsdevelopment.

In the north, demining operations are under wayto reduce injuries to civilians from landmines leftover from the Western Sahara conflict. The U.S.Coast Guard has trained Mauritanian marine sur-veillance teams to protect the country’s rich fishingresources. Two Fulbright scholars meanwhile arestudying traditions of the clans, social cohesionand music of Mauritania.

Beautiful, unspoiled beaches are within easyreach of downtown for swimming, running, walk-ing or even horseback riding. Children can enjoyamusements at the Racing Club, ride or skate at theChinese stadium or play volleyball or swim at theembassy compound. Also within the compound isthe small American school, with just over 40 stu-dents. While international in character, the schoolfollows a typical U.S. curriculum from pre-K tograde eight.

Along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean to thenorth is the Banc d’Arguin, a national park withone the world’s largest varieties of migratory birds,sea turtles, dolphins and various species of fish.Attractive silver-encrusted chests, jewelry, camelsaddles and colorfully decorated tents are readilyavailable.

Mauritania is redolent with the scent of mint tea,the contrast of sun and shadow through archedwindows and the serenity of a desert evening. ■

Ms. Vrban was the community liaison officer and Ms.Stryker was the management officer.

A T A G L A N C E

Country name: Mauritania

Government type: Republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Independence: Nov. 28, 1960(from France)

Constitution: July 12, 1991

Population: 2.8 million

Religion: Islam

Land mass: approximately 400,000square miles, mostly desert

Approximate size: New Mexicoand Texas combined

Languages: Arabic and Frenchare official languages

Currency: ouguiya (MRO)

Education: Illiteracy runs 57 percentand is highest among women

Per capita income: $1,800

Natural resources: Rich fishinggrounds, substantial reserves ofiron ore and potential offshore oil

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2002

Story and Photos by Paul Koscak

It starts with a call and ends with a car and driver.That about sums up what the Bureau of Administration’s motor pool does each

day to make diplomacy happen throughout the Washington area. Among its 21 employees are 10 executive drivers and four drivers assigned to the

State’s top leadership. There are three dispatchers and two shuttle operators. Eachday, the motor pool’s executive service makes up to 70 trips in the Washington area.They’re mostly short but frequent 15-minute jaunts shuttling ranking employees—deputy assistant secretaries or higher—to meetings, events, the airport or just aboutany official destination.

“We mostly drop off and pick up,” said Vincent Jackson, a 19-year veteran driv-er who was preparing to bring Paula Dobriansky, under secretary for Global Affairs,and a few staff to the White House.

12 State Magazine

Motor Pool Keeps the Wheels of Diplomacy Turning

O F F I C E O F T H E M O N T H

car&driver

Driver Vincent Jackson with a 2003Cadillac DeVille, used primarily bythe Deputy Secretary.

September 2003 13

Mr. Jackson checked the vehicle’s paperwork andthen stepped just outside his office into the Harry STruman Building’s basement parking garage. He locatedthe assigned car—a shiny black Crown Victoria—andmaneuvered it from its parking space next to the revolv-ing glass security door. He wasn’t the only driver wait-ing for passengers. His vehicle led a four-car line, allwith drivers ready to go.

It’s a scenario repeated throughout the day.The motor pool is about as “behind the scenes” as it

gets. Its offices are nearly hidden. Inside, there’s a dis-patch area, more like a communications center wheretransportation requests arrive by phone and dispatchersmatch the request with vehicles and drivers, posting thematches on an overhead board. For ambiance, framedphotographs of 1960s-era muscle cars—Pontiac GTOs,Chevelle Super Sports, Chrysler Road Runners—festoonthe walls.

There’s a driver’s lounge in the next room and a smalloffice for Chantay Newman, who supervises the wholeoperation.

“The 10 sedans are Ford Crown Victorias andMercury Grand Marquis,” she said. “We also have a 13-passenger van, a two-ton pickup and an SUV. The twoCadillacs are for the Secretary, deputy secretary and U.S.ambassador to the U.N.”

The service isn’t free. The motor pool charges $35 perhour for a car and driver, $45 per hour with overtime,Ms. Newman said.

While the executive service caters to the brass, thatdoesn’t mean your average working stiff at the StateDepartment or Agency for International Development iswithout wheels if official business requires a cross-towntrip. That’s where the UDI program—You Drive It—comes in. Just call ahead, preferably a day, and a vehiclewill be provided. Best of all, there’s no charge, Ms.Newman explained.

The executive service sedans are just part of theDepartment’s 60 vehicles that support State activities; ofthese, 70 percent are fueled by natural gas. All are leasedthrough either a local dealer or the General ServicesAdministration, Ms. Newman said. Maintenance is alsocontracted with local dealers and monitored by the driv-ers. The arrangement allows a turnover every two years,keeping the fleetnew and updated.Drivers must alsoensure that vehiclesare clean inside andout.

The pool’s cadreof drivers has excep-tional experience.Most have been pro-fessional drivers fordecades. TheodoreBrown has therecord—44 years.

Above: Shuttle Supervisor Eric Bryant once drove aGreyhound bus. Right: Dispatcher John Davis, left,checks the schedule with Motor Pool SupervisorChantay Newman.

But it takes more than longevity to drive for the StateDepartment. Drivers need to guard against the unex-pected. They take a four-day defensive driving course—the same instruction provided to law enforcement offi-cers—every three years. They learn to observe thesuspicious and evade danger. They learn how to detectbombs and devise escape routes.

“The survival rate is just 13 percent if someone wantsto take you out,” said 10-year veteran driver KennyClark.

Leroy Parham is assigned to U.N. Ambassador JohnNegroponte. When the ambassador isn’t in New York,Mr. Parham is whisking him to the expected Washingtonlocations—the White House, Capitol Hill or the requi-site lunch meetings. But what the 13-year veteran driverremembers most about his career is his assignment toformer Secretary Madeleine Albright.

Mr. Parham would pick up the workaholic formerSecretary at her Georgetown residence at 7:30 a.m. andbring her back usually around 10:30 p.m. Once herecalled returning her at 1:30 a.m. Throughout the day,he shuttled Ms. Albright as needed. “About 50 percentof the job was waiting,” he said.

14 State Magazine

Below: Shuttle service to Virginia is just part of motor pool operations.Right: Dispatchers Charles Hawkins, foreground, and Herman Wilderprocess transportation requests.

The pool’s cadre of drivers has exceptional experience. Most have been pro-fessional drivers for decades. Theodore Brown has the record—44 years.

loop. The constant circuit can be a challenge, but he saidit beats driving the public.

“Here you’re dealing with people who have some-thing in common, as opposed to driving anyone whocan simply pay the fare,” said Mr. Bryant, who’s beendriving professionally for 12 years, one year with theState Department. “I’ve seen everything.”

The combined executive and shuttle service opera-tions keep the motor pool busy. Last year they moved817,295 passengers on 39,132 trips.

Aside from passenger services, the motor pool pro-vides nearly 500 vehicles in the Washington region.Most are attached to specific activities such as security.There are two vehicles in New York City and 14 inMiami, according to Barry Shipil, the new fleet manage-ment division chief. ■

The most visible part of the motor pool is the fleet of15 shuttle buses linking the State annexes. Unlike theexecutive service drivers, the Department contracts itsshuttle operations, which operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.Most routes are less than 30 minutes. The longest, to theWarrenton, Va., computer center, takes an hour.

Eric Bryant, who supervises the shuttle drivers, oncedrove for Greyhound. Now he’s doing the Rosslyn, Va.,

September 2003 15

Story and Photos by Valeria Brunori

Down through the ages, common citizens have scrib-bled graffiti in common and uncommon places—even onancient frescoes. The graffiti, unfiltered by literary or offi-cial conventions, represent the free expression of ideas,wishes and opinions.

Inscribed on the frescoes of theRoman cryptoporticus, beneath the U.S.Embassy in Rome, are graffiti spanningcenturies. Considering that the graffitiwere never the object of specificresearch, the embassy’s Fine Arts Officeinvited the Swedish Institute forClassical Studies of Rome to study andanalyze the graffiti.

By May 2002, the documentation wasunder way by Anna Blennow, a doctor-al student in Latin at the University ofGothenburg. Photographs and draw-ings revealed images, single words, let-ters and symbols. She divided the graf-fiti into three different periods, based onestimated dates of the frescoes.

The earliest graffiti date from the 3rdcentury. A monogrammic cross, the Chi-Rho symbol, with a connected wordabove it and the name Aureus belong tothis period. These graffiti date toapproximately the 4th century. Also amenorah, the Hebrew candelabra,might possibly be dated to the lateantique period.

The second period corresponds to themedieval and early renaissance reuse ofthe cryptoporticus. The most impressive graffito fromthis period is apparently a large incised representation ofa ship dated to the 12th or 13th century. Several figures,some with long swords, are standing upon it.Representations of ships were very common in ancientand medieval times as symbols of prosperity or of lifeafter death.

The third phase was based more on the nature of thegraffiti than on the identification of a different period.This group of graffiti consists mainly of names and sig-natures of visitors, dated to approximately the 16th or17th centuries. The names are often accompanied by thedate of the visit, introduced using the typical formula “Adi” (“on the day of...”).

The research on the graffiti suggests previouslyunknown aspects about the use of the cryptoporticusduring various centuries and the persons who workedand lived in this vicinity.

In the late antique period, the Gardens of Sallust werestill in use. Cairus Sallustius Crispus purchased theproperty in 44 B.C. after Julius Caesar’s assassination. At

that time, persons adhering to differentreligions peacefully coexisted on thesite. It is likely the domestic staff of thehuge residence, which was returned toimperial ownership in 14 A.D., used thecryptoporticus as an underground pas-sageway, where they could freelyexpress their religious opinions and feel-ings.

After the Visigothic invasion of 410A.D., this monument suffered somekind of damage, causing the floor levelto rise and possibly the windows to besealed. At that time, the cryptoporticusprobably was known and explored, aswere many Roman monuments. Thearea was accessible by common personswho left signs and drawings.

Gradually, the cryptoporticus becamea storage room for broken statuary, anattractive grotto full of abandoned treas-ures. It was located underneath a smallbuilding visible in several maps fromthe 17th and 18th centuries. This build-ing was used since the 17th century as agallery for statues, and at the beginningof the 19th century, became the so-calledMuseum of Statues.

During this period, only a few cultivated visitors wereallowed to visit the museum displaying remarkablepieces from the famous Ludovisi collection. The under-ground storage room was usually included in the visit aswell. By then, the frescoes had faded and visitors usedthe surfaces as a bulletin board to inscribe their names orscribble writings.

The study generated scholarly interest and prompteda rare meeting on graffiti last March in Rome—a forumorganized and funded by the Swedish Institute forClassical Studies and the U.S. Embassy. The study ofgraffiti is shedding light on the culture of the past. ■

The author is fine arts curator for the U.S. Embassy in Rome.

SPEAK TO THE COMMON CITIZEN

Top: A menorah.Above: A monogrammic cross.

16 State Magazine

Our vehicle was flagrantly Western.The shiny new Suburban in glossy desert taupe hadmetallic duct tape affixed to each panel of glass in thesideways V that designated coalition forces. But we hadreason to worry. I had asked our military contacts forroad maps. None were to be had. Same for flak jackets,helmets and gas masks.

We were lucky to have a four-wheel drive. The rentalagencies in Kuwait City had already leased their trucksto hordes of journalists. After numerous phone calls andhallway negotiations, I received a set of keys. I locatedsome flak jackets and helmets through a trail of phonecalls dubbed “drug deals.” The cargo hold filled upquickly with sleeping bags, fresh fruit, bottled waterand Meals-Ready-to-Eat. I also found some large plasticjerry cans for the extra fuel we would require as a safetymeasure.

Just getting inside Iraq was half the battle. The StateDepartment sent me to videotape projects ranging fromfood aid and bridge building to water treatment plants.Two freelance videographers joined me. Although thewar had been declared officially over May 1, reports ofsporadic attacks continued. We had no weapons and nomaps. We did have a satellite phone and a few numberson speed dial. We would have preferred our own mili-tary convoy, but none was available. One British officerwished us well and labeled our mission “OperationCertain Death.”

With No Weapons or Maps,Just Lights and Cameras

On Assignmentin Iraq

Story and photosby Kristen Hickman

I realized then that the friendships forged during warmix humor with a good dose of concern. I got to knownearly all the public affairs officers among the U.S. andBritish forces at the coalition press information center inKuwait City. They were a good-humored lot and natu-rally protective.

Luckily for us, a British colonel offered to let us followhis Land Rover back to Basra. He assured us that south-ern Iraq was much safer than we imagined and that wewould have no problems navigating city to city. I left myfreelance photographers in the cool cabin of theSuburban and joined the colonel, his driver and media

adviser. The only air-conditioning for the next couple ofhours would be wind with sand and dirt.

The roadside was a graveyard of abandoned cars anddead animals. Near Basra, we left the highway anddrove through mounds of garbage. The stench wasinescapable. Soon, Basra International Airport was insight. British forces had lined up a row of destroyedIraqi tanks as trophies. The British had set up a canteen.It looked like we just missed a buffet. The lunch crewwas emptying the trash bins and wiping down thecounters. The chefs offered some Spam and doughywhite rolls with a pear on the side. We were also offeredsome watery fruit drinks and coffee. Even the Brits lateradmitted how awful it was.

For the fighting forces, the war had two names.Americans rallied behind Operation Iraqi Freedom—aname that declared the mission to liberate the Iraqi peo-ple. The Brits fought the same war under OperationTELIC. The computer-generated name came with noobvious meaning until someone cleverly said it was anacronym for “Tell Everyone Leave Is Cancelled.” Theamount of postwar work meant several regimentswould be staying to ensure security within the cities,provide medical care for the injured and restore powerand water.

We were in luck. We arrived just as electricity wasrestored to Basra. Two civilian engineers recruited by

the British military came over to work with local engi-neers. We joined them for a trip to the power plant to seehow things were going. Soon we were looking overblueprints and listening to plans to restore power toneighboring cities. Our tour through the plant createdquite a bit of excitement. Within half an hour, some twodozen co-workers appeared in the control room wherewe were filming. A young Iraqi engineer approachedme to explain how the turbines worked and the capaci-ty of the plant. The station manager proudly explainedthat the power plant was the only public facility sparedfrom looting, thanks to loyal employees.

As day shifted to twilight, the engineers and their mil-itary escort prepared to leave us for the airport. Weasked for directions to reach our campground for thenight. One soldier pointed to a paved road next to adamaged wall and told us to keep going straight eventhrough the roundabouts and eventually we’d get there.I hoped he was right. We had no advance booking. Wehad no interpreter. We had no clear sense of where wewere. We had only one objective: to find Saddam’sPalace.

The drive took longer than expected. With no distinc-tive landmarks, no signposts and no maps, we relied onthe limited directions the British provided. We were toldto keep going straight past several roundabouts and wewould find Saddam’s Palace. We weren’t so sure. Eachroundabout presented multiple routes to explore.Motorists ignored traffic lights. Most of them didn’twork anyway.

We all knew the importance of reaching the palacebefore dark. Despite the night patrols by British forces,Westerners without weapons had little protection. Eventhe Iraqis admitted the Baathists owned the night.Eventually, we came upon a serpentine barrier of con-crete leading up to an imposing gothic stone entrance. Itlooked presidential, but it appeared abandoned. Darkgreen fabric stretched across the iron gates. No one wasin sight. I approached the gate with my official badge.

September 2003 17

The author with children and teens on outskirts of Nasiriyah. A burned out vehicle on the road from Talil Air Base to Nasiriyah.

A more cautious person would have put on a flak jacketand helmet first. As I got closer, I saw a soldier peeringout through a gap in the green cloth. It was Saddam’sPalace all right, but we had the wrong entrance.

Armed with additional directions, we backtrackedand took a turn down the first road that gave us a viewof the river. At the river, another right turn gave us aview of a stone entrance identical to the one we sawbefore. We were relieved to know that we would be safefor the night. We just had to get through the gate. Inoticed men and women strolling along the promenadebordering the river. I was struck by how relaxed theyseemed.

We slowed down as we approached the gates to allowthe sea of people to part. The guard asked to see our cre-dentials and then motioned us inside. Once inside thegates, we felt a certain sense of triumph. It was short-lived. The guards wanted confirmation that we werecleared to stay for the night. The British colonel hadassured me that a State Department credential wouldopen doors. He just didn’t say how far I’d get. Now itseemed we needed a reservation.

Luckily, a British crew hired by the DefenseDepartment recognized us as they entered the palacegrounds. They offered to find the public affairs officerand bring him back to the gate to help us. When theyreturned, I recognized the young man who emergedfrom the Land Rover. We had met earlier in Kuwait City.Within minutes, we were on a quick tour of the groundsand taken to the building where we would be staying.

Our lodging for the night was the building set asidefor journalists. It also doubled as the mess hall for theDesert Rats—the name earned by the British Army’s 7thArmored Brigade during World War II. While the DesertRats lined up for dinner, we scouted out potential sleepspace. Many of the larger news organizations had takenentire rooms and posted their logos to ward off intrud-ers. Other rooms seemed fair game. Additional stairs ledto various anterooms and rooftop balconies. After mini-mal reconnaissance, the choice became very clear: mar-ble or concrete, fresh air or stifling heat. Either way, itwas unlikely we would get much sleep.

About midnight, I found sleeping on the rooftop ter-race futile. I hadn’t anticipated the periodic mortar fire.I counted at least seven blasts. None close. All was notcalm. By then, the breeze that had enticed me to the roofwas strong enough to keep me awake. Back inside, Ifound a window on the second floor and made anotherattempt at sleep. It was no use.

By 6:30 a.m., I was loading my gear back into theSuburban and looking around for my colleagues.Saddam’s Palace camp had already come to life. Thejoggers ran the loop around the compound. The smell offrying bacon filled the air. A soldier shaved at an out-doors wash stand.

I had planned to leave Basra and drive west toNasiriyah to check on repairs to the water treatmentfacilities. I was told the highway between the two cities

was safe and well patrolled by both British andAmerican troops. Still, without a military escort and nomaps, I was looking for a safer alternative than goingalone. I spotted an employee of the U.S. Agency forInternational Development. It turned out that his con-voy was going to Nasiriyah. It took several hours beforethe convoy was ready to leave. Despite the delay, we stillcounted ourselves lucky to have an escort.

Near Nasiriyah, we broke away from the convoy anddrove into town determined to get some footage beforesundown forced our return to camp.

When the war began, clean drinking water became abig concern. The danger of disease, particularly cholera,made clean drinking water a priority. The lack of electric-ity made it impossible to maintain water pressure. Homeshad no running water. People had resorted to diggingholes in the ground to break into water pipes. The result-ing damage made repairs an ongoing challenge.

The daylight hours left for filming limited the dis-tance we could explore. We had basic directions to theclosest water project site. We made it there after a fewwrong turns and some backtracking. What we discov-ered was a water distribution point rather than a watertreatment facility. A couple of soldiers with water hoseshelped young children fill tin cans and buckets. Despiteour best efforts, the day had turned into an exploratoryfield trip rather than a filming opportunity. Filmingwould have to wait until the next day. We had to findour way to the American base and a place to sleep forthe night.

Talil Air Base houses all branches of the U.S. military.I felt confident that American hospitality would easilysurpass the British. First though, I needed to find the AirForce. I barged into a tent asking for help. I quicklylearned that I was in the Army sector. The officer I cor-nered for help guided us to the Air Force sector. We wereone step closer to a place to sleep for the night. I negoti-ated for some hot tea and cookies while the soldiers onduty tried to track down the public affairs officer.

My British co-workers were prepared to renouncetheir citizenship based on the hospitality we received inBasra. In addition to delays getting inside Saddam’sPalace the night before, the British quartermaster told usthat we couldn’t eat at the soldiers’ mess. We dinedinstead on MREs I had brought as emergency rations.The scenario puzzled us. We represented the U.S.government. Why didn’t the British want to feed us?

At Talil, I felt sure they would have treated us to din-ner if they had had a cook at camp. Instead, we were onour own with another round of MREs. The covert com-parison of military hospitality appeared to be a toss-upuntil our escort took us to tent city. That’s when thecompetition clearly had a front-runner. The Americansrallied with comfortable camp cots, private tents and theoption to shower.

The advantage to waking up at first light is the privi-lege of having the shower tent all to yourself. The down-side is the lack of warm water. I filled up two liter bot-

18 State Magazine

September 2003 19

tles of water from a metal drum and walked to the backof the three-stall shower tent. Several minutes later Iemerged feeling refreshed and triumphant over thedesert dirt and humidity.

All the while, my crew slept. What none of us realizedwas that the time zone in Nasiriyah was different fromBasra. Our military escort was waiting. We were alreadyan hour late for a very busy day. I burst into the men’stent to wake them, then huddled with the military offi-cer outside to get a readout on what was ahead. Our daywould focus on water issues.

Our first stop was a military installation in the townof Nasiriyah where U.S. forces had converted a commu-nity college into an operations center. The public affairsofficer and I left the crew behind with the car and ven-tured into the compound. A few soldiers lounged in thesalvaged desks scattered near the front entrance. Wewalked through the courtyard into a dim hallway.Already the camp was in action. Officers with access tocomputers had systems up and running. Different com-pany commanders were briefing their soldiers.

Once we sorted out the departure time for our convoy,we headed back to the entrance with cups of tea for ourBritish crew. In the war zone, the smallest of gesturesrequires some ingenuity and strategy. In our reconnais-sance of the compound, we salvaged several plasticwater bottles and fashioned makeshift mugs by cuttingoff their tops. Then we guarded the kettle from otherusers to make sure no one depleted our hot water sup-ply. The Brits rewarded our efforts with hardy thanksand eagerly accepted the tea as a wake-up gift.

By then, the novelty of the American car had drawn acrowd. About 15 to 20 men and boys gathered. Most ofthem had something to sell. Many wanted to exchange

Iraqi dinars for U.S. dollars. Others had head scarves,medals, coins, cigarettes and even toothpaste for sale. Iasked one teenager if he studied English. He pulled outa book with phrases in Arabic and English to show whathe had learned. He taught me a few phrases too.

We left the friendly crowd behind and joined a convoyto Nasiriyah’s municipal building. The municipal build-ing serves as a gathering point for community leaders,U.S. forces and nongovernmental organizations.Electricity, water, medicine, cooking fuel, sewage andmuch more provide plenty of challenges for the post-

war community. Various groups huddled in the officesoff the courtyard discussing the immediate needs andsources available to meet the needs.

Colored construction paper tacked above doorsdenoted each room’s purpose. Inside the water andsewage room, we found Maj. Robert Carr talking withlocal Iraqi leaders about detecting pipeline breaks. Hisrole includes overseeing the repair of the water pipesand the proper chlorination of the water at the watertreatment facility.

We followed him from there to the main water treat-ment facility for Nasiriyah. The 20-minute drive gave usa better sense of the size of the city. The closer we got tothe remote location, the more children we saw on theside of the roads waving and cheering.

The local staff had managed to restore service to 90percent capacity.

The major described the impact of their work: “Wateris life. Without a safe water source, people will resort tounsuitable sources such as open ditches.” ■

The author, a former television producer, is a public affairsspecialist in the Bureau of Public Affairs.

Left: A woman shops at a market in Umm Qasr. Above: A Basrah butcher and his helpers.

20 State Magazine

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An Uninvited Visitor

By Dr. John E. Hall

As a first-tour regional medical officer in Beijing, I wasenjoying a rewarding medical experience for about 20months. Living in a fascinating part of the world, I was pro-viding medical care and consultations to our mission and tothe many official visitors we entertain in China. Then severeacute respiratory syndrome, also known as SARS, paid anunexpected and unwelcome visit.

I went to work on a Monday in late January, expecting myusual busy day but with no idea of the flood of e-mail mes-sages, phone calls and consultations waiting for me. Reportsof a mysterious “atypical pneumonia” had hit the newspa-pers in Guangzhou in southern China’s Guangdongprovince. There were 306 cases reported and 6 to 10 deaths.The disease was spreading like wildfire. I tried to gather asmuch information as possible about this deadly flu-likethreat.

For two days Iissued warningsand suggestions tothe official U.S.community, recom-mending that peo-ple avoid crowds,eat, exercise, stayhealthy and go tothe local health unitif they became ill.

Chinese newspa-pers reported a runon white vinegar–rumored to be an effective antidote to SARS when drunkafter boiling. There were other reports, such as breathing inthe fumes of soy sauce poured over hot rocks would staveoff the disease. The inevitable price gouging, as much as aten-fold rise in the prices of these otherwise cheap com-modities, followed.

Three days later, all was quiet. For a time, I thought maybeSARS was a small blip on the medical radar screen andwhatever it was had disappeared. After all, it was flu seasonand the Asian flu starts here.

Business continued as usual. Then in mid-March, a newoutbreak hit Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Germanyand Toronto. The Centers for Disease Control andPrevention and the World Health Organization issued warn-ings. Then SARS hit really big. We were near the epicenterand learned about the numbers of health care workersinfected. We began to hear of deaths and respiratory dis-tress. Amoy Garden, an apartment complex in Hong Kong,suffered 267 cases, reportedly spread by leaky sewer pipes.Yet, there were no reports of the incidence of the diseasefrom the major Chinese population centers of Beijing,Shanghai, Chengdu or Shenyang. Why? Who knew? Flightswithin China and a Singapore Airlines flight were suspectedof spreading SARS. Did flight crews spread the disease?

Travel bans were announced. Then warnings. An author-ized departure was issued from the U.S. Mission in Hanoi.

September 2003 21

UPDATEThe World HealthOrganization lifted itstravel advisory onHong Kong June 23 andon Beijing June 24.

22 State Magazine

Hong Kong and Guangzhou issued authorized depar-tures as well. Town meetings were held at all posts in theU.S. Mission to China. A SARS task force convened andmet daily. Rumor control was one of the committee’sprime concerns.

A few days later the ambassador asked if he shouldorder authorized departures for the entire mission. Isupported the move. We didn’t know how widespreadthe disease was, its mode of transmission or an effectivetreatment. Where would we hospitalize people who

became ill? Could we medevac them? Where would wesend them? What treatment would they receive?

News from China was anything but transparent.Despite local reports that hundreds in Beijing had con-tracted SARS, official word admitted to only 20 cases inthe city. Other cities, including UlaanBataar inMongolia, reported new cases. When WHO pressuredthe Chinese government to release accurate data on thenumber of cases, Chinese officials promised to respondin a month.

Then, suddenly, everything changed. High-level offi-cials in the Ministry of Health were fired for covering upnews of the epidemic. New statistics were released indi-cating 370 cases in Beijing, a figure that grew to 3,000 ina few weeks and to 5,000 soon afterward. Deaths beganto be reported and mortality rates were variously report-ed as 3.5 percent, then 6 percent and later as high as 15percent for some age groups.

China is a Communist country. The government hasthe power to enforce rules and to quarantine or isolatelarge groups—in this case, 30,000 or more. Cities andtowns barricaded themselves against outsiders. Beforeentering housing compounds, cars were doused with

Clorox. Whole neighborhoods reeked of bleach.Everyone wore masks.

Beijing, a city of 15 million, became a ghost town.Streets were empty. The Great Wall, the Forbidden City,bars, restaurants, the city’s health clubs and swimmingpools closed. Large groups of workers and laborers dis-appeared into the countryside, defying governmentorders. Hotel occupancy fell to three or four percent.Huge numbers of flights were cancelled.

The SARS task force worked diligently to be open andinformative. It stalked rumors andissued administrative notices. The com-mittee met with groups large and small,with FSNs and Americans alike. Weknew SARS was all around us, but howcould we avoid it?

Basic questions remained unanswered.What was the origin of SARS? How wasit spread? What was the best treatment?Many diseases have been with us sincebiblical times—leprosy, tuberculosis,malaria, smallpox and others. Yet thiswas a new, never before described dis-ease. Available information was spottyand not firmly grounded in scientific evi-dence. No one could say whether thiswas a seasonal or a year-round disease.Scientists suspected SARS was spread bydroplets from contagious carriers, butthey couldn’t identify a symptomatic car-rier state. WHO and CDC sent manyexperts to Chinese cities and to the coun-tryside to gather case information andother epidemiological data. They issueddaily reports and we waited each day

and hoped for a medical breakthrough. With most diseases, tests determine the diagnosis. So

far, there is no quick, definitive test for SARS. Diagnosisis based on the presence of a cluster of symptoms andsigns but mostly on the physician’s judgment. Sometests were developed, but they take 10 to 30 days. Whatis needed is a test that will indicate whether the patienthas SARS as soon as the person enters the medical facil-ity. Not knowing is often the worst part.

Six months after this emerging disease first hit China,SARS has spread worldwide. Members of the U.S.Mission in China have learned to live in its midst and, sofar, no one in the American community has contractedthe disease. We have modified our behavior. The med-ical unit is geared to evaluate fever patients differentlyand we think we know how to protect ourselves in theclinic if we have a likely exposure.

Nevertheless, SARS, an unwelcome and unwantedvisitor, may be here to stay. It has certainly changed ourlives in Beijing. ■

The author is the regional medical officer for China andMongolia.

A masked fortune teller cautiously waits for customers at the height of the SARS scare.

September 2003 23

By Alicia Langley Edwards

When I made the decision to move to Washington tobegin work on a master’s degree in international affairsat George Washington University, I wondered whatopportunities there would be for me to use my interestin foreign policy, my bachelor’s degree in journalismand public relations and my three years of experienceworking as a writer, editor and web site manager at anABC television affiliate.

I had taken the written portion of the Foreign ServiceExam shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, and became deeplyinterested in public diplomacy. I decided to apply for aState Department internship. I was hired as an intern inthe spring of 2003 to work in the Bureau of InternationalInformation Programs. I was assigned to the WhiteHouse as a correspondent for the Washington File, whichpublishes policy statements, official texts and bylinearticles prepared by IIP to the U.S. government,embassies and consulates.

I had never been inside the White House, so learningthat I would have a desk and a phone in the press base-ment was pretty exciting. It was certainly a thrill to tellformer co-workers at WFTS and my family in NewtonFalls, Ohio, that I was going to be a member of the WhiteHouse press corps, and they might even catch a glimpseof the back of my head on television during AriFleischer’s midday briefings.

My job was to attend the informal morning gaggleand then the briefing, the “lights, camera, action” ver-sion the cable networks broadcast. I would return to my

laptop and file a White House report on newsworthyforeign policy statements for my boss to edit. On bignews days, especially during the weeks leading up tothe war in Iraq, I would write bylined articles for theFile. My stories appeared translated online in Arabic,French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese.

I learned how important it is to prepare official textsand statements carefully and how little room there is forinterpretation or editorial comments. AlthoughWashington File writers are journalists, they rely heavily onexact quotations from government officials and have lit-tle use for speculation or unconfirmed leaks. I neverasked a question at the White House briefings because Iwas not there to challenge the Administration as the oth-er reporters were expected to do. My job was to reportwhat was said.

Although my internship ended last May, I began workin August as a co-op in Public Affairs while I completemy graduate studies at George Washington University.In the meantime, I passed the Foreign Service oral

assessment and planto begin my career asa public diplomacyofficer after receivingmy master’s degree inthe spring of 2004. ■

The author works in theBureau of PublicAffairs Office ofPress Outreach. Author at the White House podium.

Former Intern DrawsWhite House Beat Ph

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24 State Magazine

They’re the small army of U.S. and locally employedstaff who literally move the Foreign Service from port toport and from post to post.

For those who spend a career lugging householdgoods from one corner of the world to the next, theDepartment’s despatchers are an experienced cadre ofprofessionals. But the majority of employees, whosetravel consists mainly of riding the Metro each day, maybe surprised to learn that moving everything from cof-fee tables, to cars, to fine art is done by State transporta-tion managers. They even handle the mail. In fact, theDepartment has been in the moving business more thantwo centuries.

In 1794, the State Department—then just a few desksin a small Manhattan house—asked the Collectors ofPorts in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore foradvice on sending the Department’s mail to foreignports.

Then in 1830, the Department started its owndespatch agency in New York City and hired WilliamTaylor for $500 a year as its first despatch agent. TheNew York hub, now in Iselin, N.J., is State’s oldest trans-portation office. The early agents usually worked for thePost Office or shipping companies, viewing despatch asa collateral job. Interestingly, the title despatch agentwasn’t used until 1842, even though these first cargohaulers were performing despatch work.

Today’s network of transportation offices, staffed bynearly 250 employees, evolved more recently.

A Baltimore office opened in the late 1950s to handlean increase in household goods and cars. Miami openedin 1969 to service Western Hemisphere posts. In 1975,

Despatch Agents ContinueCenturies-Old Tradition

Story by Sally Freeman Gadsden

Photos by Paul Koscak

Top: Sidney Roche sees that hazardous materials comply with shippingregulations. Above: Carmella Joyner handles air cargo.

September 2003 25

the European Logistical Support Office began in a hotelin Antwerp, Belgium, to support moves to Europe,Africa and the Middle East. Today, the office occupiesthe 12th floor of a building overlooking the secondlargest port in Europe.

In 1990, the Seattle office opened to move suppliesand household goods to East Asian and Pacific posts.Last year, a logistics center was opened in Brownsville,Texas, by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs tomanage pouch and freight shipments to Mexico andCuba. Last year the despatch agencies moved 51,302tons of freight.

But not all shipments are household goods. Despatchis evolving. It’s as much an organization of suppliers asshippers, one poised to support contingencies anddeployments.

When the U.S. Embassy reopened in Kabul, heavyequipment, medical supplies and generators wereshipped quickly in a Russian-leased aircraft. Despatcheven stores tents, office and medical equipment, toolsand vehicles in Frankfurt and Antwerp for emergenciesworldwide.

Moving into the electronic age, the warehouse mer-chandise is offered through an online catalog. Post pro-curement officers can shop for packing paper, vacuumcleaners, freezers or—the latest feature—a full line ofAmerican beer, wine and liquor.

Aside from bedroom sets and washing machines,despatch stocks such specialty items as tires for armoredBMWs. It also contracts through the military commis-sary system to ship food to designated posts.

Despatch is now working to improve operations bybringing service closer to the customer. South Africa, forexample, will soon have a despatch agent on staff at theU.S. Embassy in Pretoria, and cities such as Riga andBremen will have their own mini hubs. Even the organ-ization is evolving. Some despatch operations are nowmanaged by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairsrather than the Bureau of Administration. ■

The author is a logistics management specialist.

Sebastian “Sibby” Roca is the New York despatch office’s liaison atJohn F. Kennedy International Airport.

26 State Magazine

Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the NewYork Despatch Agency—the Department’s oldest—isthat it’s not in New York.

The agency thrives in a quiet, tree-lined suburbanoffice park in Iselin, N.J., an upscale town 30 minuteswest of Staten Island. But it’s still the New York office.

“We were in Manhattan until 1980,” Robert Caggiano,the office’s export chief, recalled. “It was difficult to getpeople to work there. Now we’re closer to the NewJersey ports—Port Elizabeth and Port Newark.”

Without a loading dock or seaport in sight, this officeof 16 people moves 80 percent of the Department’s sup-plies, according to Despatch Agent Lewis Wolkofsky.Pens, furniture, computers, paint, roofing—everythingit takes to keep an embassy productive most likely wasshipped through the New York office.

It’s staffed by logistics specialists who oversee everypart of a shipment. They prepare freight rates, bills oflading to clear customs or authorize special handling forsuch hazardous materials as aerosols and paints. Theyexpedite, plan and keep things moving. The actualhands-on stuff—loading, unloading, packaging anddelivery—is done by a legion of contractors, most at alarge warehouse in nearby Linden, N.J., which contractswith its own office and furniture suppliers.

The agency also negotiates for the best sea and airshipping rates. Contracts are renegotiated every three tofive years so the Department is charged competitively.That’s an easy task right now because the shippingindustry has been stagnant for nearly a decade.Shipping rates are actually down compared to 10 yearsago, Mr. Wolkofsky said. “Ships are going out half emp-ty. It’s a buyer’s market.”

Despatching not only means moving cargo, but mov-ing it economically. It’s all in the timing and developing

New York Agency IsDepartment’s Office Depot

Story and Photos by Paul Koscak

Carmella Martino processes receipts to pay vendors.

September 2003 27

a sense for traffic flow, Mr. Caggiano claims. Since overseas shipments are packed in containers, for exam-ple, knowing what shipments can be set aside whilemore pressing cargo is prepared means shipping moretonnage at once. Understanding the supply cycles of anembassy allows shipments to be grouped together. Thatsaves money, too, he added.

Encouraging customers to avoid shipments duringthe fall and winter, the office’s busiest time, is anothermoney-saving measure. The office aims to consolidateall containers in 20 days or less. Maintaining the 20-dayguideline ensures goods arrive in a reasonable time.“Sometimes the actual shipment can take up to 30 days,not counting our 20-day consolidation policy,” Mr.Caggiano said.

For unique shipments, particularly valuables, arrivalsrequiring protocol or special handling, there’s Sebastian“Sibby” Roca. He’s the Department’s liaison officer atJohn F. Kennedy International Airport, the New Yorkagency’s one-man office poised for anything, anytime.While the office maintains a regular business day, Mr.Roca said he’s “always on call.”

The job, he explained, is simply to ensure that ship-ments smoothly move through one of the busiest air-ports in the nation. With 37 years of experience, he’s

become a fixture at JFK with trusted contacts through-out the airport.

Every day, Mr. Roca stops by the airline cargo officesto check for New York bound shipments. He processedtwo paintings worth nearly $2 million destined for anambassador’s residence. One arrival of assorted art-works addressed to the National Gallery of Art, he said,was worth about $25 million.

“I’ll stand by the plane or the warehouse to ensure theshipment isn’t lost,” he said.

Another time, he processed exotic animals destinedfor Washington’s National Zoo as well as bald eagles, agift to President Reagan. Mr. Roca ensured that all thedocuments and permits were in order before the ani-mals were carefully checked by the Departments of Fishand Wildlife and Agriculture

“I enjoy working with other government agencies,”he said.

He helped organize a news conference for TerryAnderson, the AP reporter held hostage seven years inLebanon by Hezbollah terrorists. Mr. Roca found asecure site at JFK and completed all the security clear-ances needed for the conference.

Even the dead receive Mr. Roca’s special attention.“I handle human remains,” he said. “When a body

comes through JFK I make arrangements [for inspec-tion] with customs, agriculture and health officials. I’llmake arrangements with the funeral home for pickup.”

But Mr. Roca goes beyond cold logistics. He books alounge in the terminal for the arriving family to ensurethey’re comfortable.

When a Diplomatic Security agent died of a heartattack in South America, Mr. Roca arranged for a policeescort to the funeral home and a private ceremony nextto the airplane when the body arrived.

Mr. Roca also handles huge equipment, such as gen-erators or electrostatic machines used by theDepartment of Energy.

It all adds up. In fact, since 2000, Mr. Roca has han-dled almost 1,000 shipments each year. ■

During his career, Mr. Roca has shared his expertise with hiscounterparts, working details in Rome, Antwerp and Tel Aviv.

Robert Gomes ensures that overseas shipping documents are in order.

28 State Magazine

By Kathryn M. Shippe

State Department officials continue to plan for terror-ist attacks by talking through possible scenarios. Whatlooks like just another group of people sitting around atable in a conference room is actually a brainstormingsession where the Department’s top management issearching for answers to some pretty grim scenarios.

William A. “Bill” Eaton, assistant secretary for theAdministration, hosted the tabletop exercises, as they’recalled, to give expected key players an opportunity toresolve any number of crises resulting from a terroristattack.

Participants at the semiannual exercise includedGrant Green, under secretary for Management; FrancisX. Taylor, assistant secretary for Diplomatic Security;Ruth A. Davis, then director general of the ForeignService and director of Human Resources; and BruceMorrison, acting chief information officer. Other seniorofficials also participated.

While terrorism isn’t something we like to thinkabout, senior managers acknowledge that employeesare concerned for their safety. To protect them, theymust plan for the worst.

Here’s an example of the sort of mayhem faced dur-ing the last exercise.

One scenario involved reports of multiple explosionsin Washington, D.C. Smoke was seen coming from theunderground parking garage at the Department ofJustice. An unconfirmed explosion on the ConstitutionAvenue side of the Justice Department was reported.Then, reports were received of an explosion near theDepartment of Transportation’s Metro entrance.

Then, more attacks.

An explosion rocks the Harry S Truman Building, fol-lowed by a small plane crash into a building on 23rdStreet. Another explosion in the underground parkinggarage ignites gas tanks. And if that’s not enough for anevening newscast, a suicide bomber detonates a bomb atthe D Street pedestrian entrance to State.

The tabletop managers get busy. Responders mustmake split-second decisions, while trying to discern factfrom fiction. Focusing on specific events helps managersbecome more adept at sorting out facts and devisingsolutions. There are never any right or wrong answers.But discussing possible responses can reduce confusion,panic and injury.

Getting information to employees begins immediate-ly—telling them what’s known, what they should do,where they should go and what steps are being taken tosecure Main State and the annexes. Participants dis-cussed ways to secure the building and options for stay-ing in place or evacuating. They also discussed ways towork closely with local authorities.

The group devised plans for moving employees tosafer areas within Main State and eventually from thebuilding. They established a medical triage, a commandcenter for emergency responders and their vehicles, apress section and an area for evacuated employees.

The tabletop exercise complements what is alreadybeing done by other sections of the Department.Bureaus and offices have been updating emergencyaction and contingency plans, and the Departmentestablished an Emergency Action Committee, chairedby the under secretary for Management. ■

The author is an emergency planner in the Bureau ofAdministration.

Preparing for the Worst

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September 2003 29

By Ralph W. Falzone and Stephen I. Ruken

The U.S. Embassy in Manila hosted a group of FilipinoMuslim leaders for a breakfast meeting and consul-tation in the Muslim community tradition.

The leaders were in Manila last April attending thePhilippines’ first Muslim Summit on Unity, Peace andDevelopment. While there, they mingled with embassyofficials over coffee in the renovated courtyard of thechancery. Later, Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone metwith the 24 political and opinion leaders in theembassy’s new executive conference room.

The forum focusedon the needs and con-cerns of the people ofthe southern region ofthe Philippines, espe-cially Moro the FilipinoMuslims. The Morocommunity is a majorpartner in U.S. eco-nomic developmentprograms. PhilippineMuslims number app-roximately five to sixmillion, or about 7 per-cent of the country’spopulation. The major-ity live in Mindanaoand the Sulu archipela-go. Participants in-cluded elected officialsand individuals from the national administration, theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, local gov-ernments, the Moro National Liberation Front, civil soci-ety and academia.

Ambassador Ricciardone recounted his own experi-ences in Muslim countries and highlighted the sharedvalues inherent in both Western and Islamic countries.Officers from the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment briefed the group on U.S. projects toimprove livelihood, infrastructure, education, healthand renewable energy in the conflict-affected areas ofthe region. The region receives more than half of the $78million USAID provides to the Philippines. Communityleaders discussed their concerns with the ambassadorand other mission officers during an open forum. Someexpressed appreciation for U.S. contributions and urgedrenewed U.S. engagement in education. Others ques-tioned U.S. plans for joint military exercises inMindanao with the armed forces of the Philippines.Although some called for the United States to “right his-torical wrongs” toward the Moro people in Mindanao,

most welcomed the U.S. role in promoting stability anddevelopment in Mindanao.

Held soon after the end of major hostilities in Iraq, themeeting reflected divisions and misinformation withinFilipino society about the historical and contemporaryU.S. role in Muslim affairs. The open forum demonstrat-ed the embassy’s commitment to hosting communitiesoutside Manila. The event followed an Iftar dinner dur-ing Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, at theambassador’s residence.

In addition, seven young Muslim leaders fromMindanao participated in the International Visitors

Programs this year.Discussions focusedon the role of religionin the United States,leadership develop-ment, foreign policyand human rights. AMuslim interfaith dia-logue leader, TahaBasman, who receivedthe distinguished 2003Aquino Fellowshipfor Public Service, willtravel to the UnitedStates soon onan individual IVP.The embassy’s smallgrants program alsofunds the PhilippinesAlumni Foundation’s

peace dialogues in four cities in the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao.

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s statevisit to Washington last May boosted U.S. engagement inthe Muslim south. President Bush pledged diplomaticand financial support to a renewed peace processbetween the Philippine government and the Moro IslamicLiberation Front, an insurgent group in Mindanao. ThePresident announced $30 million in supplemental fund-ing for the region. Meanwhile, Secretary Powell andPhilippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople signed a letterof agreement to support law enforcement training forpolice and prosecutors in the Autonomous Region with$1 million from the United States. In addition, USAIDAdministrator Andrew Natsios and Secretary Oplesigned a memorandum of intent to provide up to $33 mil-lion to complete and sustain ongoing assistance to formercombatants and their communities. ■

The authors work in the political section of the U.S. Embassyin Manila.

MANILA MEETS WITH MUSLIM LEADERS

Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, back center, meets with Muslim leaders.

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At the American Center in Burma last April, amotivated group of American teachers and Idecided on an old-fashioned field day forsome 400 Burmese students to celebrate com-

pleting their English classes. While we were unsurewhether high school graduates and working adultscould appreciate a day of relay races and recreation, itturned out to be a home run.

There were a few obstacles to handle, such as findinga place to hold the event. The current military govern-ment’s ban against public gatherings of more than fivepeople complicated our search. So when the AmericanClub offered its grounds, we were thrilled.

We organized 15 activities, including jump rope, athree-legged race, freeze tag, an egg-carrying relay and games involvinga giant parachute.

We then summoned up all thecharm we could muster and enticedadult American volunteers, includ-ing our public affairs officer, toguide each station. Five Marinesalso came to our rescue.

The weather in South East Asia goes from being hotand wet to hotter and dry. As April is the hottest monthof the year, we decided to hold the event at 7 a.m. toavoid heat casualties.

Once our energetic Burmese students had beenprepped on the field day’s rules, nearly all managed tofind shorts or pants for the day, a variation from thesarong, called a longyi, that Burmese women and menwear daily.

When the big day commenced, our classes rotatedfrom activity to activity each time the whistle blew. Ourfield day carried on in the intense heat with high energy,smiles and plenty of sweat.

We finished with lots of water and fresh fruit, restingin the shade of the giant trees thatgrace this city. The Marines seemedlike movie stars as the students, partic-ularly impressed that one Marine wasfemale, lined up for photographs. Theevent was a true success. ■

The author is an English teaching fellowfor the U.S. State Department.

Students walked awaywith real images of

how Americanscan be playful andgood-natured, evenmuscular Marines.

Story and photo by Gillian Grant

Marines Help Students Celebrate

September 2003 31

It’s Hollywood Squares and SecureThe Department’s new Secret-High (Secure) Video

and Data Collaboration system sounds like anothercomplicated IT system, but the only hard part is thename itself. Let’s just refer to it as secure videoconfer-encing or SVDC for short.

How can this new system make your work easier andmore productive? It can help you hold a last-minuteclassified or unclassified meeting with colleagues in dif-ferent locations. It will let you make a presentation to anoverseas post when your travel money is limited. And itcan help if you are crashing on a presentation or nextyear’s budget and need to interact with co-workers indifferent locations.

This new system—incorporating interactive video,audio and data sharing—makes it feel like everyone is inthe same room. The technology also allows several par-ticipants to be viewed on the screen at once. There aremany viewing modes available, including one voice-activated image, two side-by-side images and multipleimages—Hollywood Squares style.

The video conferencing equipment uses theDepartment’s ClassNet network to connect users. Thesystem also allows you to hold videoconferences withselect Defense Department sites. Encrypted phone linesare also planned. The system can currently connect up to12 participants at once in approved conference rooms at

domestic and overseas sites. A list of approved confer-ence rooms is at http://t.state.sgov.gov/video/ht/how-to_class.html.

To request a secure conference facility, call (202) 647-8889 or send an e-mail to securevnoc@state.gov onOpenNet or securevnoc@state.sgov.gov on ClassNet.

The operators are available around the clock to assistyou. For further information about the secure system,contact Charles Irons at (202) 647-7876 or by e-mail atironscr@state.gov.

Secretary Powell, top right, checks out secure system.

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32 State Magazine

Safety Scene

By Daniel L. Harman

There’s the sickening crunch of metal—followed bydevastation and guilt.

It’s not uncommon for drivers of vehicle accidents,especially those that kill or maim, to experience a rangeof emotions—feelings that last long after the accident.

The Department operates a motor vehicle fleet ofapproximately 5,400 vehicles. Without it, State’s abilityto function would be severely impaired. This fleet oper-ates in conditions of tremendous variability, from driv-ing conditions similar to those in the United States toalmost nonexistent roadways. This variability demandsthat drivers of the Department’s government-ownedvehicles, including American and locally employedstaff, practice safe driving techniques.

Historically, the Department’s motor vehicle fatalityrate has been about five times the U.S. rate. Throughoutthe 1990s, State averaged 4.2 fatalities per year. Since fis-cal year 2001, however, the number of fatalities has near-ly tripled to an average of 11.3 fatalities per year.

What is contributing to the excessive number of fatal-ities? While there is much we do not know, what we doknow is that nearly two-thirds of the fatalities sinceFY01 involved incidental operators. These are employ-ees who drive motor pool vehicles, but not as their pri-

Safe DrivingIs a Skill,Not an Art

mary duty. They include runners, mail clerks, guards,maintenance and warehouse staff, and Foreign Servicepersonnel. Frequently, they do not have the same levelof training and experience as professional drivers. Manyposts fail to realize that all drivers of government-owned vehicles require the same level of training andformal evaluation of driving skills as the professionals.

Who are the victims of the Department’s motor vehi-cle operations? Pedestrians and unrestrained vehicleoccupants. Pedestrians account for nearly 50 percent ofall fatalities involving State vehicles. Poor lighting, darkclothing, pedestrian lack of road hazard awareness anddriver failure to adjust driving to account for pedestri-ans are the main factors for increased pedestrian deaths.Failure to use seat belts in department vehicles accountsfor more than 90 percent of fatalities. The obvious wayto prevent occupant fatality or serious injury is to com-ply with the Department’s mandatory seat belt use.

Identifying the causes and types of motor vehicle acci-dents involving Department vehicles is a crucial step inreducing accident frequency and severity. The primarycauses of accidents are excessive speed, poor decisionmaking, inattention to hazardous situations, failure toscan the roadway ahead and fatigue. By understandingthe causes and types of accidents, driver training canfocus on the primary problems.

The Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Safetyis working on several initiatives to reduce excessivefatality and injury rate. In 2002, for example, SHEMbegan a DefensiveDriving Train-The-Trainer program.To date, 65 employ-ees have complet-ed the course andare now initiatingd r i v e r - t r a i n i n gprograms at post.When SHEM con-ducts trainingoverseas, it encour-ages posts to trainall drivers.

Two publica-tions, Motor Vehicle Safety Management Program andOverseas Driving, are excellent resources for motor vehi-cle safety information. They are available athttp://obo.state.gov/opssaf-shem/index.html. Hardcopies are also available upon request. Please contactSHEM directly at (703) 516-1934 if you have specificquestions. ■

The author is an industrial hygienist in the Office of Safety,Health and Environmental Management.

Historically, theDepartment’smotor vehiclefatality ratehas been aboutfive timesthe U.S. rate.

September 2003 33

Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on allthe courses available at FSI, visit the FSI Schedule of Courses on the Departmentof State’s OpenNet at http://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov. FY03/04 dates are now availablein the online catalog. See Department Notices for announcements of new coursesand new course dates and periodic announcements of external training opportuni-ties sponsored by FSI.

Security SOS: Security Overseas Seminar (MQ911) 14,27 3,17 2 DASOS: Advanced Security Overseas Seminar (MQ912) 21 25 1 DTDY SOS: Security Overseas Seminar (MQ913) 14,27 3,17 1 D

Foreign Service Life SkillsRegulations, Allowances & Finances (MQ104) 27 3 DEnglish Teaching Seminar (MQ107) 24 2 DMaking Presentations: Design to

Delivery (MQ111) 18 3 DProtocol & U.S. Representation Abroad (MQ116) 25 22 1 DTransition to Washington for

Foreign-Born Spouses (MQ302) 18 0.5DPost Options for Employment and Training (MQ703) 30 1 DTargeting the Job Market (MQ704) 12 3 DLong Distance Relationships (MQ801) 15 0.5DCommunicating Across Cultures (MQ802) 21 1 DRealities of Foreign Service Life (MQ803) 1 1 DRaising the Bilingual Child (MQ851) 5 2.5HEmergency Medical Care and

Trauma Workshop (MQ915) 8 1 D

Career Transition CenterJob Search Program (RV102) 6 8 WFinancial and Estate Planning (RV103) 2 1 DAnnuities & Benefits and Social Security (RV104) 1 1 D

School of Language StudiesIncreased language enrollments due to the Secretary’s Diplomatic ReadinessInitiative have required FSI's School of Language Studies to change class sched-ules. Classes are being run in double sessions. The morning session may begin asearly as 7:30 a.m. and the afternoon session may end as late as 5:30 p.m.

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, LES and EFMs are eligible. FasTrac offers more than3,000 courses on numerous topics. Training is conducted online through theInternet and the Department’s Open Net. Students may complete courses forinclusion on their official FSI transcript or take a course module they need to "getthe job done." Course lengths vary from two to eight hours and knowledge pre-assessments may shorten learning plans. To view the complete FasTrac catalog,visit the FasTrac web site at http://fsi.state.gov/fastrac. For additional information,please contact the Distance Learning Coordinator at the Office of the Registrar,(703) 302-7497.

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

Transition Center Oct Nov Length Transition Center Oct Nov Length

George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center

The Department’s Mandatory Leadership andManagement Training RequirementsThe Secretary of State has mandated leadership training from mid through seniorgrade levels for Foreign Service officers and Civil Service employees to ensure thatthey have the necessary preparation for increasing levels of responsibility. FSI’sLeadership and Management School offers the required courses to meet thesemandatory training requirements, and other courses for all FS and GS employees.

Mandatory CoursesFS 3/GS 13: Basic Leadership Skills (PK245)FS 2/GS 14: Intermediate Leadership Skills (PT207)FS 1/GS 15: Advanced Leadership Skills (PT210)Newly promoted FS-OC/SES: Senior Executive Threshold Seminar (PT133)EEO Diversity Awareness for Managers and Supervisors (PT107)

Some Nonmandatory Recommendations for all FS andGS employees:Employee Relations Seminar (PK246)Managing People Problems (PT121)Teambuilding (PT129)Performance Management Seminar (PT205)Creative Problem Solving Workshop (PT212)Managing Conflict Productively (PT214)Influence by Design (PT224)Valuing Diversity in the Workplace (PT225)Productively Managing Stress (PT251)Managing Up (PT252)

For more information, contact FSI’s Leadership and Management School(703) 302-6743, FSILMS InfoBox @state.gov orhttp://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms/default.asp

&Education Training

By Carl Goodman

John Hotchner will tell you, ever somodestly, that he has been collectingstamps since he was five—a hobby heinherited from his father, a

founding staff member of the Voice ofAmerica. Unlike his father, however, hehas not been content just to collect. Hesearches for those priceless treasures likethe stamp with the color running or a flyimprinted on it (see example above).

The soft-spoken Mr. Hotchner, a for-mer member of the Foreign Service him-self before converting to the Civil Service,is also busy writing a weekly column forLinn’s Stamp News, editing two philatelicperiodicals, and exhibiting and judging national andinternational philatelic exhibits.

The senior Bureau of Consular Affairs employee isalso a member of the Council of Philatelists that advises

the Smithsonian’s National PostalMuseum and the Postmaster General’sCitizens Stamp Advisory Committee—whose 15 members choose subjects anddevelop and approve the art for U.S.stamps from among approximately 50,000entries annually from the American pub-lic. The panel is not just stamp collectors,he stresses, but also includes a cast offolks—like actor Karl Malden and sportsbroadcaster “Digger” Phelps.

He is past president of the AmericanPhilatelic Society—a 50,000-memberumbrella organization covering stamp-collecting activities domestically.

The native New Yorker, who began hiscareer as a passport adjudicator, estimates

his stamp collection in the “tens of thousands.” His spe-cial interests include collecting stamp production mis-takes from the United States and other countries andmail that has been delayed in the postal system. ■

34 State Magazine

People Like You

Sleuth on the Trailof the Flawed Stamp

Stam

ps fr

om J

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Hotc

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“Sleuth” John Hotchner

September 2003 35

Wednesday at noon in SA-15, Room 3201. If you’reinterested in starting a club, contact Kelly Griffith,vice president of membership, OBO Esprit de Corps,at GriffithK2@state.gov.

By Leslie Holland

Public speaking is an art—and most people avoidit like the plague. Employees’ ability to demonstratesolid communication skills, however, is vital to theirsuccess and their organization’s.

It’s easy to admire public speakers like SecretaryPowell or marvel at an adept meeting facilitator. Youjust assume their skills come naturally. They don’t.You can rest assured that they have worked hardover many years to develop and refine their skills.

Employees interested in polishing their publicspeaking skills may wish to join an organizationsuch as Toastmasters, which is well known for itsformula of developing speech skills in an inviting,enlightened and supportive atmosphere.

Two Toastmaster clubs are currently active in theDepartment. The Overseas Buildings OperationsEsprit de Corps Toastmasters Club, which recentlyreceived its charter, meets every Thursday at noonin SA-6, in the 10th floor conference room. The Stateof Speaking Toastmasters Club meets every

STAND AND DELIVER

Charles E. Williams, center foreground, director of OverseasBuildings Operations, presented the OBO Esprit de CorpsToastmasters Club with its charter last March.

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Sometimes, going thedistance isn’t easy. Justask Sandra Ross.

The administrativeassistant at the ForeignService Institute recentlyearned her master certi-fication in the MicrosoftMaster Office Certifica-tion program throughthe School of AppliedI n f o r m a t i o nTechnology’s distancelearning program.

She completed sevenexams to earn certification that’s recognized globallyas a standard for validating expertise with the suite ofMicrosoft Office business productivity programs.

Ms. Ross, the first Civil Service office managementspecialist to complete the course through the school’sdistance learning program, said she would neverhave been able to take the time off from work toattend the classes necessary to earn her certification.

She said the school’s distance learning programwas “invaluable” and offered her the same “high-quality training” she would have received in theclassroom.

The distance learning courses cover materials forboth the information technology professional andend-user. They are available to all Departmentemployees without charge. More than 500 coursetitles covering 21 different information technologyprofessional certifications are available. An onlineregistration form and list of courses is available athttp://fsi.state.gov/fsi/sait/dl.asp.

Students can have the courses on all or any combi-nation of media types. The school highly recom-mends the Internet courses because they are interac-tive and have hyperlinks to additional coursematerials as well as discussion groups and chatrooms. The initial online tour gives you the option ofa mentor who is available around the clock.

For more information about the distance learningprogram, check the Intranet site above or or send ane-mail to the Opennet Mailbox: SAIT DistanceLearning.

Sandra Ross

> > > Going the Distance By Janette Corsbie

At the KeyBoard,Age Doesn’t Seemto MatterBy John Bentel

The Foreign Affairs Recreation Association and theState of the Arts Cultural Series recently presented avariety of outstanding performances by pianists youngand old. The annual recital of students from the StateDepartment and Georgetown University included per-formers ranging in age from 8 to 84.

Callan Yanoff, 8, opened the concert with RainbowColors and Mumbo-Jumbo and was followed by herbrother Logan, 10, who performed Hide and Seek andGinger Snaps. This is the third consecutive year theyhave participated in the recital.

John Griffen, a consultant and beginning student,offered a well-constructed Bach Minuet in G as well as aMozart selection. Jonathan J. Rhodes, a Senate aide, per-formed Eckstein’s Once Upon a Midnight while formerSenator Charles H. Percy included among his threeselections the ever-popular America, to which the audi-ence sang along.

On a more intermediate level, pianist Raquel Ware, amental health counselor, played Beethoven’s Bagatelle.Stacey Tsai performed Mozart’s Rondo. Jo Lozovina, a

State Department employee, gave a musical interpreta-tion of Bach’s Prelude, C Major. Juliet Jarvis, fromGeorgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, per-formed Handel’s Passacaglia.

Carol Ann Johnson, a tax attorney, played challengingcompositions by Mompou and Mignone. StanliMontgomery, a senior at Georgetown University, offeredselections by Bach, Satire and Nazareth. Kinisha LatoyaForbes, sociology major, performed technically difficultworks by Gibbons, Nazareth and Scriabine.

Louise Wong, Georgetown freshman, performed arange of pieces from Bach to Moskowski. Her renditionof the Fugue by Joa Yu Yen was especially well received.

Wayne Dorsey, a State employee and regular on therecital circuit, performed several popular pieces. Theaudience also enjoyed the talents of pianist Li-Ly Chang,violinist Zino Bogachek and cellist Timothy Butler. Thetrio played with Antonin Dvorak’s Trio in E minor, op.90(Dumky) for violin, cello and piano as their centerpiece.

Pianists made room for the New York GuitarQuartet—combining the talents of Leon Bernardino, J.Andrew Dickenson, J. Scott Maverick and Paul MartinWu. The quartet’s selections included Renaissancemusic, Cuban rhythms, as well as Billy Joel’s A New YorkState of Mind. The group often arranges pieces to suittheir individual talents. �

The author is a computer specialist in the ExecutiveSecretariat.

36 State Magazine

STATE OF THE ARTS

Sept. 24 Dancer Debra Joy performing tango,ballroom and Latin dances; Exhibit Hall

Oct. 8 Pianist Carlos Rodriguez

Oct. 22 Ragtime Bob Darch Memorial Concertwith Sue Keller and Alan Mandel

Nov. 5 Cellist Nathaniel Chaitkin andPianist Marie-France Lefebvre

Nov. 19 Concert Pianist Hyo-Sook Lee

Dec. 17 Christmas program with Venus d Minor

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

Pianist Carlos Rodriguez

September 2003 37

U.S. Ambassador to the Republicof Malawi. Steven A. Browning ofTexas, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Republicof Malawi. He was Diplomat inResidence at the University ofSouthern California and theUniversity of California at Davis

for the 2002/2003 academic year and dean of theForeign Service Institute’s School of Professional andArea Studies from 1998 to 2002. Mr. Browning was exec-utive director of the Bureau of African Affairs from 1996to 1998 and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassyin Dar es Salaam from 1993 to 1996. He has also servedin the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Egypt and Sri Lanka.He and his wife Susan, former community liaison officerin Kenya and publications coordinator in the FamilyLiaison Office, have two children.

U.S. Ambassador to the Co-oper-ative Republic of Guyana.Roland W. Bullen of Virginia, acareer member of the SeniorForeign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Co-operativeRepublic of Guyana. He wasdeputy executive director of theBureau of Western Hemisphere

Affairs from 2001 to 2003 and deputy chief of mission inBridgetown from 1998 to 2001. Born in Grenada, WestIndies, Mr. Bullen joined the Foreign Service in 1977 andserved in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Liberia,Belize, Costa Rica and Venezuela. He is married to HildaCox-Bullen and has two sons from a previous marriage.

U.S. Ambassador to the People’sDemocratic Republic of Algeria.Richard W. Erdman of Maryland,a career member of the SeniorForeign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the People’sDemocratic Republic of Algeria.He served as senior Middle Eastadviser to the U.S. Delegation to

the 2002 United Nations General Assembly. From 2000to 2002, he directed the Office of Jordan, Lebanon andSyria Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Hewas special envoy and head of the U.S. Delegation to theIsrael-Lebanon Monitoring Group, an ambassadorial-

level position involving negotiations among Syria,Lebanon and Israel. Mr. Erdman headed the politicalsection at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv from 1995 to 1998and was deputy head of the International BorderMonitoring Mission in Serbia and deputy director forEastern Europe from 1993 to 1994. He was deputy direc-tor for Northern Europe from 1991 to 1993. Mr. Erdmanhas also served in Lisbon, Belgrade, Nicosia and Izmir.From 1967 to 1969, he was a Peace Corps volunteer inTurkey. He and his wife Sibyl have two children.

U.S. Ambassador to the Republicof Haiti. James B. Foley of NewYork, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofCounselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofHaiti. He was the deputy perma-nent representative of the UnitedStates to the United Nations andother international organizations

in Geneva from 2000 to 2003 and deputy spokesman ofthe Department and principal deputy assistant secretaryfor Public Affairs from 1997 to 2000. As a PearsonFellow, Mr. Foley was a special assistant to U.S. SenatorPaul D. Coverdell of Georgia from 1996 to 1997. He wasdeputy director of the Private Office at NATO inBrussels from 1993 to 1996 and special assistant to thedeputy secretary of State from 1989 to 1993. He alsoserved abroad in Algiers and Manila. He is married toKate Suryan.

U.S. Ambassador to theDemocratic Socialist Republic ofSri Lanka and concurrently to theRepublic of Maldives. JeffreyLunstead of the District ofColumbia, a career member of thesenior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the Dem-ocratic Socialist Republic of Sri

Lanka and concurrently to the Republic of Maldives. Heheaded the political sections of the U.S. Embassies inDhaka and Kuala Lumpur and also served in Madrasand Lahore. Mr. Lunstead directed the Office ofPakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh Affairs from 1999to 2001 and the Office of Environmental Policy from2002 to 2003. After Sept. 11, he was Afghanistan coordi-nator in the Bureau of South Asian Affairs. Earlier, hewas chief of the South Asia division in the Bureau ofIntelligence and Research and Sudan desk officer. Heand his wife Deborah have two daughters.

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

38 State Magazine

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

U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia.Pamela J.H. Slutz of Texas, acareer member of the SeniorForeign Service, class ofCounselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to Mongolia. Shewas deputy director of theAmerican Institute in Taiwan from2001 to 2003 and headed the polit-ical section of the U.S. Embassy in

Jakarta from 1999 to 2001. Ms. Slutz directed the Officeof Regional and Security Policy in the Bureau of EastAsian and Pacific Affairs from 1997 to 1999 and wasdeputy director of the Office of Chinese and MongolianAffairs from 1995 to 1997. She has also served inShanghai, in an earlier assignment to Jakarta and inKinshasa. Ms. Slutz is married to Ronald J. Deutch, arecently retired Foreign Service officer.

U.S. Ambassador to the People’sRepublic of Bangladesh. HarryK. Thomas Jr. of New York, acareer member of the SeniorForeign Service, class ofCounselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the People’sRepublic of Bangladesh. He was amember of the 45th SeniorSeminar from 2002 to 2003 and

director for South Asia at the National Security Councilfrom 2001 to 2002. Before that, he was a senior watchofficer, deputy director and director of the OperationsCenter. Mr. Thomas was a special assistant to the undersecretary for Political Affairs and staff assistant to theassistant secretary for African Affairs. He has served inNew Delhi, Harare, Kaduna and Lima. He and his wifeEricka have one daughter.

Civil Service Retirements

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Aikin, Barry J.Andersen, Walter KorfitzAnderson, Charlotte E.Battle, Barbara WoodlandBoyer, Neil A.Bunting, Vernice YvonneBurke, Michael L.Carlson Jr., Parry J.Carrera, Nicholas J.Case, Nancy C.Cruce, John A.Dickey, Judith A.Dixon, Ira BruceEisenhart, Larry J.Firehock, Raymond B.Fuller, Harrell KennanGalloway, Gerald E.Gibson, Hope ElliotteGoldring, Lenora M.

Golovskoy, Val S.Hoffmann, H. Jochen Jones, Carol A.Kennedy, Donald W.Lawler Jr., Daniel J.Lynch, Chauncey R.Mandley Jr., Thomas E.Mims, PearlRatcliff, Ralph OrmanRoss, Genie M.Sapountzis, Panagiotis S.Segars, Elizabeth NanSenn, JosephineSmith, Josephine R.Telkins, Patricia WeaverVecellio, Karen D.Warner, Pamela D.Welch, Jan L.

Foreign Service Retirements

Ben-Aida, SuzanneBielinski Jr., StanleyBristol, George F.Carroll-Klinger, Lin Chumley, Lana C.Cuadrado III, Joseph F.Davidow, JeffreyDollar, Carolyn J.Gaskill, William G.L.Gelner, MichaelHaddock, Richard D.Harmon, William R.Hoffmann, Doris C.Huff, Barbara L.Huseman Jr., Charles P.

Johnson, Cassius C.Johnson, Judith RodesKahn, Rosalie B.Keller, RicheleKenny, Mary T.Klein, Jacques PaulLarson, Dale H.Leach, Steven G.Lebl, Leslie S.Mason, Robert A.McCaffrey, Michael T.Menyhert, Louis S.Miller, John R.Nagy Jr., Tibor P.Newell, Roberta LynnNuernberger, Robert J.

Parkerson, Phillip T.Robinson, Susan A.Robinson, Yolanda Maria MarSalazar, Maximiliano A.Seibold, Robert H.Selbin, Susan M.Siekert, Paul RichardSmith, ThomasSteinhoff, Lena R.Stevens, MarkStevenson, Lloyd C.Taylor, Betty C.Toner, William EdwardVeler, Annette L.Voorhees, Jacqueline V.

September 2003 39

O B I T U A R I E S

Earl W. Bellinger, 76, a retiredForeign Service officer, died May 5in Taradeau, France. He served inAfrica and Europe. He retired in1988 after serving at the U.S.Embassy in Brussels.

Robert O. Blucker, 75, a retiredForeign Service officer, died ofthroat cancer April 3 in LittleRock, Ark. Mr. Blucker, a chemicalengineer, served as a consular andeconomic officer in Buenos Aires,Lagos, Tripoli, Bonn, East Berlinand three times in West Berlin, thelast as consul general. In 1979, Mr.Blucker was transferred to Tehran.

Six days after he arrived, he was taken hostage whenradicals stormed the embassy. Mr. Blucker retired to SanAntonio, Texas, in 1984 and later moved to Little Rock.

James Grant Burke, 60, a retired Foreign Service officer,died May 8 in Washington, D.C. Mr. Burke served inAustralia, Bermuda, India and West Africa. While inWashington, D.C., he worked for the Bureau ofIntelligence and Research, the Taskforce on Cyprus andPresident Nixon’s Commission on the United Nations.After retiring in 1996, Mr. Burke continued to serve inthe Office of Legislative Affairs.

William J. Calkins, 50, a former member of the ForeignService and Civil Service, died June 1 in Alexandria, Va.,from injuries received in a car accident in June 2002. Mr.Calkins served in East Africa and then transferred to theCivil Service after suffering a gunshot wound to thehead. He worked as a Diplomatic Security field officer inPhiladelphia.

Betty Lou Smiley Daymont, 82, a retired Foreign Servicespecialist, died March 31 in Bowie, Md. Ms. Daymontjoined the Foreign Service in 1945 and served in Cairo,Panama, Manila, Rome, Frankfurt, Milan, Brussels,Taipei, Conakry, Douala and Paris. She also served asthe secretary for the U.S. Diplomatic CourierAssociation for many years.

William J. Fox, a retired Foreign Service officer, died May28 in Carbondale, Ill. Mr. Fox served during World WarII in the European theater and was a prisoner of war inGermany. After the war, he joined the Foreign Serviceand spent 40 years with assignments in Paris, Brussels,New Delhi, Tel Aviv, Bangkok, Frankfurt and Rome.

Carolyn Hillier, 66, a Civil Serviceemployee, died May 25 at InovaFairfax Hospital in Falls Church,Va., from complications related toa hip fracture. An expert in surveyresearch, she joined the U.S.Information Agency in 1968 as ananalyst in the office of research. Inthe late 1970s, Ms. Hillier shiftedto the agency’s office of technolo-

gy, where she developed strategies for applying infor-mation technology to advance U.S. public diplomacyabroad. From 1994 to 1998, she was an adviser to theagency’s senior technology steering committee. WhenUSIA merged with the Department of State in 1999,she became a senior architect in the Bureau ofInformation Resource Management, a position she helduntil her death.

Richard O. Lankford, 55, a careerForeign Service officer, died sud-denly April 18 in Paris. At the timeof his death, he was thespokesperson and director ofpress and information at the U.S.Embassy. He joined the ForeignService in 1984. His public affairsassignments took him to Kinshasa,Algiers, Maseru, Tel Aviv, Quito,

Almaty, Bratislava and Paris. His wife Barbara, aForeign Service specialist, is deputy human resourcesofficer at the embassy.

Everett Kinne Melby, 88, diedMarch 30 in Brooklyn, N.Y., fromcongestive heart failure. He joinedthe Foreign Service in 1942 andserved in Bern, Athens,Georgetown, Frankfurt, Port-auPrince and Quebec. In Wash-ington, D.C., he worked in theBureaus of European and EurasianAffairs and Intelligence and

Research. He retired in 1974.

40 State Magazine

John W. Mowinckel, 82, a retiredForeign Service officer, died May7 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Afterserving with the Office ofStrategic Services (now theCentral Intelligence Agency) dur-ing World War II, he entered theForeign Service. He served inRome, Kinshasa and Vienna.

Harold M. Muroaka, 74, a retired Foreign Service commu-nications specialist, died May 3 in Coconut Creek, Fla.He served in East and West Germany, Norway, Pakistan,Paraguay, Brazil, France, Ecuador, Kuwait, Thailand,Egypt and Belgium. Mr. Muroaka retired in 1994.

Bernard F. Piatek, 86, a retiredForeign Service officer, died Feb.11 of pneumonia in Myrtle Beach,S.C. After serving in the Armyduring World War II, he worked inthe War Department in Paris.Mr. Piatek joined the ForeignService in 1947 and served inParis, Tel Aviv, Madrid, PhnomPenh, Tegulcigalpa, New Delhi,

Pretoria, Liberia, Ottawa and Washington, D.C. Heretired in 1976.

Mary Ann Schenk, 72, a retiredForeign Service nurse, died May11. She joined the StateDepartment in 1976 after her hus-band’s death and served for 14years in Sri Lanka, Yugoslavia,Egypt, Thailand and Washington,D.C. She retired in 1991.

George A. Smith, 61, a retiredForeign Service communicationsspecialist, died of cancer June 12in Missoula, Mont. After highschool, he joined the U.S. Navy,then the Department and servedin Morocco, Pakistan, Zaire,Greece, Thailand, USNATO inBrussels, Greece for a second tour,Iraq, Nepal and Chad. Mr. Smith

retired in 1993 to his ranch in Montana.

O B I T U A R I E S

Questions concerning deaths in service should bedirected to the Employee Services Center, theDepartment’s contact office for all deaths in service:Harry S Truman Building, Room 1252, Department ofState, Washington, DC 20520-1252; (202) 647-3432;fax: (202) 647-1429; e-mail: EmployeeServicesCenter@state.gov.

Questions concerning the deaths of retired ForeignService employees should be directed to the Office ofRetirement at (202) 261-8960, Retirement@state.gov.

Questions concerning the deaths of retired CivilService employees should be directed to the Office ofPersonnel Management at (202) 606-0500, or throughtheir website at http://www.opm.gov.

In the Event of Death

Department of State, USABureau of Human ResourcesWashington, DC 20520

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SARS experience offersmedical lessons and more.

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