StateStateM A G A Z I N E

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

JANUARY 2005

Departmental AwardsCeremony 2004

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly,except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department ofState, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postagepaid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations.Send changes of address to State Magazine, HR/ER/SMG, SA-1,Room H-236, Washington, DC 20522-0108. You may alsoe-mail address changes to statemagazine@state.gov.

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Deadlines: Jan. 15 for March issue.Feb. 15 for April issue.

StateStatePaul Koscak

ACTING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dave KreckeWRITER/EDITOR

Bill PalmerWRITER/EDITOR

Tara BoyleWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Teddy B. TaylorEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Larry Baer

Anna Borg

Kelly Clements

Pam Holliday

Joe Johnson

Pat Patierno

MAGAZINE

Astronaut Lands at StateIN OUR NEXT ISSUE:

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Astronaut Lee Morin, anchored to a mobile foot restraint onthe international space station, now jockeys a desk asdeputy assistant secretary for science and technology.

2 From the Secretary

3 Letters to the Editor

4 In the News

7 Direct from the D.G.

36 Safety Scene

37 People Like You

38 Appointments

39 Obituaries

40 Personnel Actions

ON THE COVERSecretary Powell congratulates DebbieVaughn, one of the honorees at theannual awards ceremony. Photo byAnn Thomas

34LOCUSTS IN MAURITANIA

CONTENTS JANUARY 2005

NUMBER 486

Desert locusts descend on the embassy compound inNouakchott, devouring everything green.

8 POST OF THE MONTH: MUSCATThe United States and Oman: excellent relations for more than two centuries.

14 AWARDS CEREMONYThe Department recognizes award-winning performance.

24 FSN OF THE YEAR PROFILESTop Foreign Service National employees advance Department’s goals.

31 SINGAPORE’S CORPORATE COMMUNITY DAYThe embassy rallies corporations to undertake community projects.

32 WATCH OFFICER EXCHANGE WITH RUSSIAU.S. and Russian officials trade places to demonstrate nuclear trust.

34 LOCUSTS IN MAURITANIABlown by Saharan winds, insects devastate the nation’s fragile vegetation.

34LOCUSTS IN MAURITANIA

2 STATE MAGAZINE

I have enjoyed the opportunity afforded by State Magazine to share my thoughtswith you in this space over these past four years. I leave the Department of Stateextremely proud of our achievements and optimistic about your future.

I will never truly be able to convey to each of you just how honored I feel to haveserved as your Secretary. This has been a transformative time for our country andfor the Department. We have served together at the dawn of a new era and helpedto lay the foundation for many successes yet to come. Consider what we haveaccomplished:

We have waged a war against terrorism, liberated 50 million people inAfghanistan and Iraq, and are strongly supporting those countries as they breakground on their paths to freedom and democracy.

We have helped to establish the best relations in our nation’s history with China,India and Japan—together nearly half of the world’s population.

We have reinvented USAID, sharpened the organization’s mission in strategicconsonance with our own, and doubled the amount of foreign assistance it pro-vides. In addition, we have pledged $5 billion in new assistance through theMillennium Challenge Account, a program that is nothing shy of a revolution inour thinking about international development.

We have set in motion the largest international health initiative ever undertakenby any country to fight a single disease: President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDSRelief. The United States now spends more money to stem the spread of HIV/AIDSthan all other nations combined. We are committed to ending this scourge—thegreatest weapon of mass destruction affecting humankind today.

We have transformed the State Department, hiring 1,100 new employees underthe Diplomatic Readiness Initiative and replacing eight to 10 embassies every yearwith superb new facilities. At the same time, our IT modernization plan, leadershiptraining and new congressional office are ensuring that our State Department fam-ily has the tools and the training it needs to succeed for many years to come.

In so many areas, our record of achievement is clear. Yes, there are still challengeson the horizon for our nation, and unforeseen crises will undoubtedly catch us bysurprise in the future. But whatever the circumstances, I know America will suc-ceed. After four years serving alongside all of you, witnessing your passion, courage,hard work and dedication, I have the utmost confidence that America’s diplomacyis in the best of hands.

One final thought: From the very beginning, I have always spoken about takingthe principles of leadership to heart and putting them into practice every single day.So, as all of you continue on with your careers, always remember to take care of yourpeople. That is the most important thing you can do.

I will forever think of myself as a member of the State Department family, just asI will always consider myself a soldier. Alma joins me in thanking each and everyone of you, and your families, for your service to our country and for the warmthyou have extended to us. Good luck and Godspeed. ■

To All of My Troops

FROM THE SECRETARYSECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL

3JANUARY 2005

A Sheep with a StoryThe article on Art in Embassies in

November brought back a happymemory. My late husband, WilliamCrook, served as American ambassa-dor to Australia in 1968–69.

During our tenure, John Walker, thedistinguished director and chief cura-tor of the National Gallery, visited

Canberra. Weentertainedhim and hiswife, whobecame illand was hos-pitalized inthe city forsome time.We wered e l i g h t e dthat Mr.W a l k e ragreed to

make our residence his home for theduration of her treatment, duringwhich time we enjoyed not only hisurbane company but his erudition inthe art world.

As he prepared to leave, my husbandasked if there was any piece ofAmerican art in the embassy weshould attempt to purchase for ourown collection. “Just one,” he repliedwithout hesitation. “The BernardLanglais collage in the library.” Thatwonderful piece from the Maine artist,now deceased, hangs now in our own

library, often admired and muchloved. Because it is a wood picket andshingle representation of a rather drollsheep mounted on barn siding, mostguests assume it was done by anAustralian. It is fun to tell the realstory.

Eleanor CrookSan Marcos, Texas

More Art HistoryI enjoyed reading Ms Ash’s article in

the November issue. I had the privilegeof knowing Nancy Kefauver after thesenator died, mainly through my latedear friend, Carol Harford. WhenNancy was chosen to head up the ARTin Embassies program, she first turnedto Carol, a USIA cultural affairs officerworking at the White House on a simi-lar program. The two formed a power-ful duo to make the program an imme-diate success, cajoling and armwrestling art owners to lend their worksof art for display in embassies aroundthe world. It was apparent that Carol’sknowledge of embassies and theirworkings played a large role in the pro-gram’s early success. After Mrs.Kefauver’s death, Carol was recruited byKay Shouse to help make Wolf Trap oneof Washington’s great cultural centers.

Robert A. BishtonRetired FSO Albany, GA

A Jesuit Convent?In the November issue’s article on

Santo Domingo, I was shocked to readthe caption for the photo of thePantéon Nacional. It stated the build-ing had once been a Jesuit convent!This may have been an editorial com-ment about what life in a Jesuit com-munity was like in the 18th century.But if so, it was surprisingly differentfrom the tone of most of your articles.

Edmund AuchterSarasota, Florida

China Larger Than U.S.I would like to point out a small but

important error that occurred in yourOctober issue. In the article onGuangzhou, the land mass of China islisted as 3,705,400 square miles—slightly smaller than the U.S. In fact,China is larger than the U.S. by slight-ly more than 100,000 square miles.This makes China the third largestcountry in territorial size, with the U.S.holding the fourth position.

Mark G. HambleyAmerican Embassy London

Allen I. Weinstein’s name was mis-spelled in a letter to the editor in theNovember issue.

FROM THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

You’d think it was a cultural exchange program theway we swap visitors between the U.S. and Russiannuclear risk reduction centers. In many ways it is.Understanding is the key to reducing nuclear war. Here’sone example of how two former adversaries still keepthe balance of power balanced.

Oman’s ties to the United States predate the Civil Warand today that desert nation on the southeast tip of theArabian peninsula is a staunch ally in the global war onterror. This month’s post of the month spotlights anation that stands out among its neighbors. Omanis live

in an open society where religions coexist and womenpopulate the university and enjoy government careers.

Even an army of Orkin men couldn’t stop this inva-sion. Mauritania and other North African nations arebattling the bugs again in one of the worst locust inva-sions in 20 years. These clouds of voracious pests live toeat and leave no leftovers.

Correction

4 STATE MAGAZINE

I N T H E N E W S

James Mollen, a U.S. diplomat working with the IraqiMinistry of Education, was killed Nov. 24 while in his car justoutside Baghdad’s heavily protected Green Zone. A politicalappointee who joined the Department in 2002, Mr. Mollenwas alone and died instantly when a gunman in anothervehicle shot him in the head, according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton, N.Y.

Secretary Powell said Mr. Mollen reflected “the greatestAmerican virtues: courage, commitment, charity and anabiding faith in the promise of a better tomorrow.”

The Secretary vowed the Department and the Americanpeople would continue Mr. Mollen’s efforts to improve Iraqieducation.

“His State Department colleagues and the American peo-ple will not waiver in their commitment to building a peace-ful and prosperous Iraq,” said Secretary Powell. “We willstand resolute against the forces that took Jim’s life and wewill prevail.”

An Islamic web site carried a statement the following dayin which a group linked to terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawiclaimed responsibility for the murder. Mr. Mollen is the sec-ond Department employee to die in Iraq in less than twomonths. On Oct. 23, Diplomatic Security agent Edward Seitzdied when a rocket slammed into the trailer he lived in nearthe Baghdad International Airport. Also that month, fourDiplomatic Security contractors perished when a suicidebomber detonated a bomb that tore through a bazaar insidethe Green Zone.

Mr. Mollen, 48, worked in the 2000 campaign for PresidentBush and first went to Iraq in 2002 working for the Coalition

Provisional Authority. His goal with the Iraqi Ministry ofEducation was to rebuild Iraq’s 20 major universities andmore than 40 technical institutes, research centers and col-leges. One of his projects involved linking the country’s stu-dents and faculties with their American counterpartsthrough online videoconferencing. He also designed amedical technology program and programs for business andexecutive management.

Mr. Mollen was anavid volunteer andcharity supporter,making several tripsto the DominicanRepublic to assistorphaned children,according to hisbrother Tim. “Hedidn’t want recogni-tion, he wanted chil-dren to have homes.”

Tim Mollen notedthat his brother vol-unteered to work 16 months in war-torn Baghdad and alsomade “regular unguarded trips outside the safety of the heav-ily fortified Green Zone to visit elementary schools, universi-ties and Iraqi government ministries.”

A native of Binghamton, Mr. Mollen was single and had nochildren. His parents and four brothers survive him. Beforejoining the Bush administration, Mr. Mollen worked for theCoca-Cola Company in Atlanta as a computer systems analyst.

Employee Gunned Down in Baghdad

Jim Mollen plays with orphans in theDominican Republic.

The UltimateSACRIFICE

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5JANUARY 2005

I N T H E N E W S

Having just arrived in Algiers for his first overseas assign-ment, Ron Hawkins departed on May 18 for Bejaia in easternAlgeria to participate in the International Colloquium on theTeaching of Languages held at the University ofBejaia. With him were two American English teachers.This was one of the first visits by U.S. Embassy staff tothis university in the Kabylie region, where terrorismonce held a tight grip. The trip was part of an embassyeffort to reengage with Algerians outside the capital.

Students and faculty members eager to talk with anative English speaker greeted the Americans enthusi-astically. One faculty member had a vast knowledge ofAmerican geography—down to tiny towns in WestVirginia—although he had never visited the UnitedStates. Another professor wished to discuss Americanauthors. She greatly admired Edgar Allan Poe andMark Twain. She completed her master’s degree inAmerican literature in Wales and hopes to go to theUnited States. A student sheepishly asked Mr.Hawkins to send him a letter in English and be his penpal. They all chose not to discuss American foreignpolicy, but they certainly wanted to talk aboutAmerica and to speak English.

Embassy Algiers is transitioning to more normalliving conditions after the terrible 1990s when tens of thou-sands of Algerians were victims of terrorism. This is why

Algeria is now a strong partner with the United States in thewar against terrorism. As things improve, the missionbelieves reconnecting with the Algerian public is very impor-

tant. If Bejaia was any indicator, the time is right to get outand tell America’s story.

Time Is Right to Engage Algerians—in English

Public Diplomacy Officer Ron Hawkins, right, chats over lunch with Algerianstudents and professors.

When an MK Airlines 747 cargo aircraftcrashed on takeoff from Halifax, Nova Scotia,International Airport in the early hours ofOct. 14, the explosion and fire were so intensethat little was left of the aircraft. Even the cock-pit voice recorder was destroyed. Amazingly,however, seven diplomatic pouch bags boundfor Bishkek survived. Royal Canadian MountedPolice searching the wreckage came across thepouches, secured them and turned them over toConsul General Leonard Hill. Although the con-tents were battered and soaked, the bags them-selves were largely intact.

Hardy PouchesSurvive Air Crash,Explosion, Fire

6 STATE MAGAZINE

I N T H E N E W S

U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand Charles J. Swindells hasinitiated a new scholarship that will support New Zealand’spush for high-tech entrepreneurs and contribute to bilateralrelations.

The Fulbright-Platinum Triangle scholarship, conceived incooperation with Fulbright New Zealand, will have three ele-ments: a two-year master’s degree in any high-tech field, aninternship with a U.S. business and a guaranteed positionupon return to New Zealand as well as priority introductionto venture capital firms. The first four-year test program hasalready been funded through a public-private effort thatincludes U.S. and Kiwi private sector contributors as well asthe government of New Zealand.

Ambassador Swindells sees the scholarship program as away to develop the high-tech sector and create wealth that

can then financefurther businessexpansion. “I thinkboth we and thegovernment ofNew Zealand seethis as an oppor-tunity to worktogether to showhow private phi-lanthropy andpublic monies canaccomplish moretogether thaneither can alone.”

At the launching of the program on Sept. 8, PrimeMinister Helen Clark praised the Ambassador’s vision indesigning the scholarship and his work in advancing thebilateral relationship.

The first recipients of the Platinum Triangle scholarshipwill be announced in June 2005.

FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPTO AID NEW ZEALANDHIGH-TECH SECTOR

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and U.S.Ambassador Charles Swindells celebrate thelaunching of the new scholarship.

Members of the Nomads Adventure Clubpose for a photo during a climb.

When Romeo Ballesteros and his wife Alma were post-ed to the U.S. embassy in Manila two years ago, they wereanxious to know what life would be like in thePhilippines. Their goal, says Romeo, was to find activitiesthat they could do as a family.

The Ballesteros got their wish about a year after theirarrival in Manila, when they were introduced to mem-bers of a mountaineering club. Soon they had joined thegroup, known as the Nomads Adventure Club, and wereparticipating in their first climb.

The new activity proved to be daunting. “It was hardbecause of the tropical weather and the never-endingrain,” said Romeo. Adding to the challenge was a surpris-ing twist: the group’s environmentally friendly mandate.On each climb, the mountaineers would bring black plas-

tic bags that they filled with trash as they hiked themountain. They also planted trees to help reverse soilerosion.

The Ballesteros quickly embraced the cleanup effortsand spread the word about the club to their colleagues.Since then, a number of embassy and USAID employeeshave joined the club, looking to get some exercise andhelp the environment. They’ve already had a majorimpact—on one hike in July, they planted several hun-dred trees as they climbed the Mount Mayon volcano. Ontheir descent, they collected 20 bags of trash.

For the Ballesteros, the club has been an ideal way tosee the Philippines and help preserve its environment. “Ifell in love with the group, because I love MotherNature,” said Romeo.

Enviro-Hikers Climb and Clean Mountains

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7JANUARY 2005

First of all, I would like toextend my best wishes to youand your family for a healthy,prosperous and productive2005. The new year is a goodopportunity to review theaccomplishments of the pastyear and to look ahead to the

challenges of the coming year.We have been very fortunate, with the active support of

the President, the leadership of the Secretary and the back-ing of Congress, to add nearly 5,000 employees to ourForeign and Civil Service in the last four years. This is thelargest growth in our Department in a similar period sinceWorld War II. In fact, one-third of the Foreign Service isnew. Our challenge now is to apply that new capacity: to takepotential energy, as it were, and turn it into kinetic energy.How to shape, develop and train our new colleagues to meettomorrow’s needs is a central focus for me.

Our responsibilities in the world continue to expand intwo broad categories: the traditional functions of foreignaffairs and the new international challenges of the 21st cen-tury. Requirements for language fluency, crisis managementand effective management of complicated programs arecoming our way.

To meet our new responsibilities we created a Departmentreadiness reserve. All those with relevant skills make up ouractive reserve, which we will continually develop. For exam-ple, more than 90 percent of our Foreign Service employeeshave served in at least two geographic bureaus and can speakmore than one language. Many of our Civil Service col-leagues also have language and area skills. By honing talentswe already have, preserving skills already developed andusing them to meet changing priorities, we enhance the flex-ibility and effectiveness of the entire Department. Plans areunder way to engage our retired colleagues and others tostrengthen our ability to act.

The Department’s new skills database, Employee Profile+,or EP+, provides a richer picture of our employees’ talentsbefore and during their service at the Department. Thisdatabase allows our Civil Service and Foreign Service col-leagues to make better use of their talents and keeps us ontrack with the most advanced personnel innovations. Byquickly matching needs to skills, the Department can betterrespond to new priorities as well as improve training andpersonnel service.

Last winter, the Secretary asked me to create an office tohandle civilian recovery efforts in failed states. In April, weset up the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction andStabilization. By presidential authority, the Department isnow responsible for managing the civilian response for crisesin failed, failing and post-conflict states. In organizing theDepartment’s and other agencies’ resources the office per-forms four functions: it monitors potential crises, plansoptions, organizes personnel to respond and ensures thatcrisis plans are carried out. This exciting new tool will enableus to work better with both national and international enti-ties with greater skill and influence.

To further develop our new assets, we’ve proposed a newcareer development plan that requires Foreign Service gen-eralists to broaden their careers—speak more languages,serve in crisis situations, receive training in crisis manage-ment and deploy more quickly and with other people whencrises occur. The plan builds on past experience and futureopportunities. We’re also working on a similar strategy forForeign Service specialists.

None of these efforts will succeed, however, withoutgreater family support. That’s why we launched a globalemployment drive reaching out to multinational corpora-tions to hire spouses already in place overseas or on theirway. Forty companies participated in the Nov. 19 kickoff and50 professional spouses are already part of the program.Opportunities include contract positions with NorthropGrumman in several African countries as well as Johnson &Johnson. We’re offering this service to nongovernmentalorganizations as well.

Right now, we’re working with more than 50 defense con-tractors to develop telework opportunities. Spouses have atremendous interest in this concept. The idea is that work isportable and can follow the person, not the other wayaround. With our network of local employment coordina-tors who are committed to creating more jobs through theStrategic Networking Assistance Program, or SNAP, we’rewell on our way to a robust global employment effort.

This is the five-point strategy my colleagues and I havetaken in the last year to create a new capacity from within:nurture our own talents, provide better training, cooperatemore directly with national and international players,respond more quickly with more expertise and build thatexpertise for the future.

With your advice, help and support, I’m confident as welook ahead together at the new year. ■

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

Growth, Career Development,Readiness Highlight 2004

8 STATE MAGAZINE

An ancient fort along the shore ofthe Gulf of Oman overlooks thecity of Muscat.

9JANUARY 2005

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

By Richard Baltimore

Muscat

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Open-Minded Omanis Joiningthe Modern World

10 STATE MAGAZINE

On a cool spring evening in April 1840, the Sultana, amagnificent Omani sailing vessel, glided into New York har-bor. On board was the first Arab ambassador ever to residein the United States and gifts from Sultan Sayyid Said binSultan for President Martin Van Buren.

Although Oman lies thousands of miles away, perched onthe easternmost corner of the Arabian peninsula, theSultanate and the United States have enjoyed two centuriesof excellent relations. As far back as 1799, the Boston brigRambler became the first American ship to enter Muscatharbor. In 1833, the two countries signed a treaty of com-merce and amity.

Oman has historically been a seafaring nation. It export-ed copper to ancient Mesopotamia, provided rare andmuch-coveted frankincense gum to Europe and dispatchedits merchant fleet to ports in China, India, Malaysia, East

Above: Fishermen landing their catch at dawn. Below: Public affairs staff Said Al-Harthy, left, and Tanya Anderson at an exhibit.

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A T A G L A N C E

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2003

Country name: Oman

Capital: Muscat

Government: Monarchy

Independence: 1650 (after expulsion of thePortuguese)

Population: 2.9 million

Religions: Ibadhi Muslim, Sunni Muslim, Shi’aMuslim and Hindu

Languages: Arabic, English, Baluchi and Urdu

Total area: 82,031 square miles

Approximate size: Slightly smaller thanKansas

Currency: Omani rial (OMR)

Per capita income: $13,100

Export commodities: Petroleum, fish, metaland textiles

Export partners: South Korea, China, Japanand Thailand

Internet service providers: 1

Africa and the Arabian Gulf. Oman’s overseas holdingsincluded Zanzibar, parts of east Africa and a coastal portionof what is now Pakistan. Even today, one does not have tolook far to be reminded of its multicultural heritage. Someof the music and dancing performed at Omani weddingsechoes the stirring rhythms of Africa.

Two mountaintop fortresses flank either side of Muscat’ssemicircular harbor. In between, the former houses andoffices of maritime merchants, the ancient souk and theShi’a quarter lie nestled along the graceful curve of thewaterfront, exuding the charm and beauty of years longpast. The U.S. Embassy, once housed in a traditional build-ing in the old city, is now a beautifully designed edifice withMoorish arches at a seaside location farther north, on a nar-row strip of land sandwiched between majestic mountainsand the dazzling blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Severalmiles away, beneath the golden dome of the Grand Mosque,lies the world’s largest carpet, the labor of 200 Iranianweavers who spent two years working around the clock inthree shifts to produce the 22-ton piece of art with 1.5 bil-lion knots.

Almost all 200 members of the embassy have takenadvantage of the wide variety of activities available inOman. Community Liaison Officer Linda Ammonsarranged overnight desert safaris to a tent camp in theWahiba sands, complete with camel rides and sand skiing.Former CLO Alison Griffiths organized a turtle-watchingtrip to Ras el Hadd, the easternmost point of Arabia. DeputyChief of Mission Bill Stewart and Defense Attache MarkAvery luxuriated in the breathtaking scenery of the westernHajar Mountains, home to a microclimate where walnuts,almonds, grapes, oranges, pomegranates and cherries aregrown.

Ambassador Baltimore traveled to the 13th centuryarcheological site of Qalhat, where he joined an underwaterarcheological expedition to explore seabed anomalies forancient ruins and lost secrets. Consular officer NicholasGriffiths and Marine security guards learned how to scubadive and appreciate the beautiful reefs and marine life nearMuscat and along the Strait of Hormuz. Embassy familieshave photographed some of Oman’s stunning wadis, townsand villages, mountains, castles and forts. A fortunate fewhave probed some of the hundreds of archeological sites,including Ubar, the fabled “Lost City of the Sands.” Othershave sailed, watched whales and dolphins, attended camelraces or just enjoyed traditional Omani hospitality featuringa strong boiled coffee called “qahwa,” a sweet snack called“halwa” and dates.

Of course, there is always the souk, where you can huntfor fine specimens of Omani traditional silverwork, includ-ing Bedouin jewelry and the Omani curved dagger, the“khanjar.” Those with enough time to journey 1,500 miles tothe south can bear witness to the only section of the Arabianpeninsula subject to annual monsoon rains from India. Therains transform brown wadis and mountains into a blaze ofverdant green, accented by the incongruous presence ofcamels and cattle grazing together.

12 STATE MAGAZINE

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Children crowd a slide at aplayground in Muscat.

13JANUARY 2005

The embassy’s energies are focused on strengthening cul-tural, educational and commercial ties. Oman has five“American Corners,” freestanding computer/library refer-ence centers. The Omani government has embraced theambassador’s request to participate in the 2005 SmithsonianFolklife Festival on the Washington Mall, making Oman thefirst Arab state ever to do so. (The gifts that the Sultanacarried in 1840 were among the first of the Smithsonian’sholdings.)

The highlight of the embassy’s participation in last year’sMuscat Festival was a children’s “art tent,” a hit with Omanichildren and their parents who drew, painted and sculptedtogether. Thanks to the Ambassador’s Fund for CulturalPreservation, the sole Omani who knew how to produceindigo dye from plant to finished product has gained twoapprentices and had his methodology documented for pos-terity. The embassy has hosted former Supremes signer MaryWilson and several groups of jazz ambassadors.

With strong embassy backing, local businessmen havelaunched the successful Muscat American Business Council.The embassy has forged new scientific and educational linkswith U.S. institutions and helped set up a marine researchsymposium where U.S. and Omani scientists crafted a planfor cooperative research.

Oman is a strong ally in the global war on terror. Muscatsigned a trade and investment agreement with the UnitedStates in July 2004 and hopes to enter into a free trade agree-ment, a crucial step in fulfilling the President’s vision of aneventual Middle East free trade area. As a modest oil and gasexporter, the Sultanate also wants to develop a strongtourism base.

Oman is making a rapid transition into the modern worldunder the visionary leadership of Sultan Qaboos. Oman hadfewer than six miles of paved roads and only three schools aslate as 1970, when the Sultan came to power. It now boasts amodern infrastructure. Even more important, the Sultanatehas invested in all its people. Different religions coexist freelyand peacefully in Oman, the only country in the Islamicworld with a majority that is neither Shi’a nor Sunni butIbadhi, a branch known for moderation. The governmentincludes four women of cabinet rank. Half of its primary uni-versity’s students are female, as is a third of the civil service.

Omanis, like Americans, see themselves as tolerant andopen-minded. They are eager to interact with people from allparts of the globe. This is the best aspect of living here. Asone visiting high-level U.S. official noted, “When it comes tohospitality, Oman is a superpower.” ■

The author is U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.

Top: Ambassador Baltimore visits Omani children at Muscat’sAssociation of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs beforean embassy donation ceremony. Upper middle: Vivian Lesh, administra-tive counselor, is flanked by two Omani women during a visit to a localschool. Lower middle: The ambassador on the southern coast of Omannear Salalah. Bottom: Displaying the renowned Omani affection for chil-dren, a Bedouin tribesman takes guests on a boat ride near the ancientseafaring town of Sur.

D E P A R T M EA W A R D SC E R E M O N Y2 0 0 4

15JANUARY 2005

Recognizing the PeopleWho Get the Job DoneStory by Dave Krecke

Photographs by Mark Stewartand Ann Thomas

They came from every corner of the globe and fromdomestic assignments as well—specialists, generalists andForeign Service National employees from every occupation-al specialty and from almost every rank. More than 30awardees gathered with their families and colleagues in thestately Benjamin Franklin Room to be recognized for theiroutstanding service, often delivered under stressful, evendangerous, circumstances.

While the U.S. Army String Quartet played in the back-ground, awardees received their white boutonnieres and seatassignments and guests took their places for the standing-room-only event.

W. Robert Pearson, director general of the Foreign Serviceand director of Human Resources, welcomed attendees, andan Armed Forces color guard presented the colors.

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After expressing the Department’s appreciation to the mil-itary units, the director general thanked the award recipientsfor their “outstanding contributions to American diploma-cy” and the private donors for generously sponsoring theDepartment’s most prestigious awards.

He recognized Mrs. Joyce Hunt and her son Bryan. Mrs.Hunt is the widow of Leamon R. Hunt, who gave his life pro-moting peace and diplomacy. The Department has namedone of its highest awards for Mr. Hunt.

Ambassador Pearson introduced Mrs. Katharine Frasure,wife of Robert C. Frasure, who died on a peace mission inBosnia. “Bob Frasure was a dear friend and one of the giantsof his Foreign Service generation,” the director general said.

“It is an honor to present the award, in his name, that repre-sents the highest ideals of service for which he stood.”

The director general also recognized Grace Watson, sisterof the late Barbara Watson, former assistant secretary forConsular Affairs, for whom the Department has named itsdistinguished consular award. He introduced Paul ReplogleSewell, grandson of the late Luther Replogle, and Paul’s wifeGwenn Gebhard. Luther Replogle was U.S. Ambassador toIceland and founded the managerial award that bears hisname.

Before inviting Grant Green, under secretary forManagement, to present the awards, Ambassador Pearsonexplained that Secretary Powell had been called to the White

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House for an important meeting but hoped to return to theceremony before it concluded.

Mr. Green said the honorees demonstrated their commit-ment to the Department and to public service in many ways,proving that “our greatest diplomatic asset is our people.” Hesingled out the Foreign Service National Employees of theYear for special recognition, calling them “the glue that holdsour posts together.”

After the last award was presented, Secretary Powellappeared at the podium and made brief remarks. “I want toextend my congratulations,” he told the awardees, “and mythanks for what you do for the nation and for the world. I amproud to be your Secretary and to be recognizing the peoplewho get the job done. You represent the team effort. You arethe leaders.”

Recognizing the role family members play in supportingemployees at work and making sacrifices when loved onesserve at unaccompanied posts far away, the Secretary intro-duced Jane Hendrickson. The poised high school senior hadjust accepted an award for her mother Anne Derse, whocould not attend the event because she is serving as econom-ic minister-counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Jane’sdad Edwin Hendrickson is a political officer at the embassyworking on the Iraqi elections. “If Jane had not told us shethought this was important work and that it was OK for usto go to Baghdad, we would not be here,” Anne Derse said.

The ceremony ended with a group photo of the awardeesand Secretary Powell beneath the portrait of BenjaminFranklin.

Left: The Secretary speaks to award recipients, their families and col-leagues. Below: More than 30 award-winning employees gather withSecretary Powell beneath the portrait of the nation’s greatest 18th cen-tury diplomat, Benjamin Franklin.

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The Chief Financial Officer’sAward for Distinction in PublicFinanceBetty Ng, the financial manager inthe Bureau of Consular Affairs,earned the award for her outstandingperformance in the face of enormouschallenges and change and for herextraordinary financial managementof the Department’s border security

program as it underwent explosive growth.

The Director General’s Award forExcellence in Human ResourceManagementJanice S. Clements, a career develop-ment counselor in the Bureau ofHuman Resources and a co-recipientof this year’s award, was recognizedfor her leadership, compassion andprofessionalism in helping to developsuccessful careers for junior officers

and specialists. She has been invaluable to the Department’sefforts and the Human Resources Bureau’s efforts to devel-op a highly skilled work force ready to meet the challengesof diplomacy, policymaking and program management inthe 21st century.

The Director General’s Award for Excellence in HumanResource ManagementThe group award co-recipients are, from left, Ellen M.Flanagan and Gloria J. Junge from the Bureau of HumanResources and Debbie M. Vaughn from FSI. The other co-recipients, Betty Ann Frankfather, retired, and Cathie P.Roberts, from the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, were unable toattend the ceremony. They were recognized for their courageand outstanding individual and collective leadership andtheir commitment to managing human resources programsin a dangerous security environment. The group membersapplied creativity, innovation and hard work to paving theway for the successful opening of the U.S. Embassy inBaghdad.

The Director General’s Award forExcellence in Human ResourceManagement for 2002 Bessy T. Bray, an administrative offi-cer in the Bureau of Nonproliferation,earned the award for her sustainedsuperior performance as a regionalhuman resources officer whileassigned to the U.S. Embassy inBangkok. She provided critical lead-

ership to projects that streamlined HR operations. Herdevotion to duty and sustained commitment to excellencehelped Bangkok’s HR section improve its operations.

Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of African AffairsVeronica Martins, the lone economic-commercial specialist at the U.S.Embassy in Cape Verde, wasrecognized for her outstanding per-formance in advancing the goals ofthe Africa Growth and OpportunityAct, in improving aviation coopera-

tion and facilitating Cape Verde’s accession to the WorldTrade Organization. In each of these areas, Ms. Martinspromoted understanding of American foreign policy, assist-ed American officers and supported embassy goals andobjectives.

Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of East Asian and PacificAffairsAhn Chan Mo, information assistantat the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, earnedthe award for single-handedly revolu-tionizing U.S. Embassy Seoul’s out-reach and communications effortswith young Koreans, by creating,

launching and implementing our entire Internet outreachplan in Korea.

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Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of European and EurasianAffairsTaimi Alas, an economic assistant atthe U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia,was recognized for her outstandingwork addressing Estonia’s HIV/AIDSepidemic and her especially success-ful liaison with host country officials

and nongovernmental organizations. Her service wasinstrumental in convincing the Estonian government to rec-ognize the country’s HIV/AIDS problem, in getting interna-tional donors to work together and in persuading them toaward a $10 million Global Fund grant to deal with Estonia’sHIV crisis.

Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of Near Eastern AffairsIbrahim Dalalsheh, the political spe-cialist at the U.S. Consulate Generalin Jerusalem, earned the award for hisunceasing efforts to create and main-tain open channels of communica-tion between the U.S. governmentand the Palestinian political leader-

ship, for his insightful analysis and his active advocacy forU.S. foreign policy and goals, which served U.S. interestsexceedingly well during the troubling three-plus years of theAl-Aqsa Intifada.

Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of Western HemisphereAffairsHervé Saint-Jean, motor pool super-visor at the U.S. Embassy in Port auPrince, Haiti, was recognized for hispersonal courage and exceptional ini-tiative in supporting embassy col-leagues during a period of tumul-

tuous unrest and danger in Haiti during the spring of 2004.

Foreign Service National Employeeof the YearBureau of South Asian AffairsPoonam Jain, the senior consularassistant for American citizen servicesat the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi,earned the honor of Department-wide FSN of the Year for her sustainedoutstanding service to the Americancommunity in India. Through an

impressive range of high-level contacts and a willingness towork long hours when necessary, she consistently developednew solutions to assist and protect Americans in need.

The Award for Excellence in LaborDiplomacyThis award is given as a joint award bythe Departments of Labor and State inrecognition of the heightened impor-tance of labor issues and advocacy onbehalf of worker rights in today’s diplo-macy.Jan Erik Hall, former labor officer atthe U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City,

was recognized for exercising a fine combination of policyknowledge and diplomatic skills that won substantialimprovements in worker rights in Guatemala. In doing so,he personified the best traditions of American diplomacyand the values of fairness and decency on which our nationwas founded.

The Baker-Wilkins Jr. Award forOutstanding Deputy Chief ofMission This award is granted annually to thedeputy chief of mission who bestdemonstrates proficiency, creativityand overall capacity to serve effectivelyboth as DCM and as chargé d’affairesin the ambassador’s absence. Theaward is named in honor of former

Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former U.S.Ambassador to the Netherlands, C. Howard Wilkins Jr., whofunds the award annually.John Ross Beyrle, deputy chief of mission at the U.S.Embassy in Moscow, has demonstrated exceptional leader-ship in policy advocacy, interagency coordination, improvedsecurity practices and concern for U.S. mission communitywelfare. On issues ranging from HIV/AIDS in Russia to mis-sion security to support for entry-level employees, he con-sistently achieved the best outcomes for both U. S. policyand mission personnel.

Warren Christopher Award forOutstanding Achievement inGlobal AffairsEstablished in 1997, this award recog-nizes sustained excellence and initia-tive in the substantive policy areas ofoceans, the environment and science;democracy, human rights and labor;population, migration and refugees;and international narcotics and crime.

Hazel M. Reitz earned this award for her lifelong commit-ment and innovative problem solving, which led to concreteimprovements in the conditions and prospects for refugeesand the most vulnerable populations caught in the midst ofhumanitarian crises. Through her leadership, the ability ofthe international community to respond quickly and effec-tively to emerging humanitarian catastrophes greatlyimproved.

The Charles E. Cobb Jr. Award for Initiative and Successin Trade Development

There are two annual winners.

Thomas J. Miller, U.S. Ambassador toGreece, earned the ambassadorialaward for his energetic and innova-tive support to business, includinghis successful pursuit of U.S. businessand employment opportunities dur-ing the 2004 Olympic Games inAthens. He worked effectively withlocal business organizations to createa fair and open business environment

in which U.S. companies can compete and win.

Teresa L. Manlowe, economic-commercial officer at the U.S.Embassy in Colombo, was recog-nized for her tenacious pursuit of alevel playing field for U.S. companiesin South Asia and her successfulefforts at building Sri Lankan govern-ment support for U.S. trade andstronger intellectual property rightsenforcement.

The Director General’s Awardfor Impact and Originalityin ReportingThis award recognizes high stan-dards in interpretive and analyticalDepartment reporting and is intendedto encourage excellence in all types ofreporting from the field.Benjamin V. Wohlauer, political-economic officer at the U.S. Embassy

in Rangoon, is recognized for his consistently outstandingreporting on the complex scene in Burma, reporting thatprovided Washington decisionmakers with excellent, timelyanalysis that significantly influenced U.S. policy. His analyt-ical reports coherently presented to Washington policymak-ers options that broke new ground by examining Burma’seconomic future.

Diplomatic Security Employee ofthe Year Bill A. Miller earned the award for hisexemplary service as regional securitycoordinator for the CoalitionProvisional Authority in Iraq andregional security officer for the U.S.Embassy in Baghdad. He developedsecurity programs for thousands ofpeople to conduct diplomacy under

constant insurgent and terrorist threats and attacks. His per-formance throughout this extraordinary period inAmerican and Iraqi history is a credit to the Bureau ofDiplomatic Security and to the Department of State.

The James Clement Dunn Awardfor ExcellenceThis award was established in 1980 torecognize exemplary performance atthe mid-career level. It’s made possibleby an endowment from the VincentAstor Foundation and is named, at therequest of the donor, in memory ofAmbassador James Clement Dunn.Lee A. Brudvig, economic counselor

at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, was recognized for hisleadership in reinvigorating a mission-wide effort to expandthe U.S. economic partnership with India and in bringingtogether the American and Indian governments as well asthe business communities to create a new bilateral frame-work for expanding trade and investment.

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The Equal EmploymentOpportunity Award This award recognizes outstandingcontributions toward improvingemployment opportunities for minori-ties and women and significantachievements in using affirmativeaction to employ and advance quali-fied minorities and women.Anita Cary, a program analyst in the

Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, earned the awardfor her commitment to diversity, her compassionate serviceto others and her exemplary leadership in the bureau.

The Robert C. Frasure MemorialAwardEstablished in 1996 in honor of the lateAmbassador Frasure, former deputyassistant secretary in the Bureau ofEuropean Affairs and special envoy forthe former Yugoslavia, this award hon-ors a Department employee who bestexemplifies Ambassador Frasure’scommitment to peace and the allevia-

tion of human suffering caused by war or civil injustice.Richard M. Miles, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, was recog-nized for his critical role in promoting peaceful and produc-tive solutions to multiple crises in Georgia at a time filledwith opportunity for democratic gains and risk for wide-spread violence and regional conflict. His diplomatic skill inengaging the principal Georgian leaders ensured restraintduring crucial moments, avoiding needless bloodshed. Hisleadership in promoting political solutions to bitter conflictswas decisive in marshalling effective U.S. support forGeorgia’s peaceful transition before and after the “RoseRevolution.”

The Cordell Hull Award forEconomic Achievement by SeniorOfficersThe inaugural award is granted toAnne E. Derse, economic minister-counselor at the U.S. Embassy inBaghdad, recognizing her vision,intellect, creativity and interpersonalskills as a senior economic officerover the past three years in Baghdad,

Washington and Brussels. She has been an outstandingleader as the first economic minister-counselor at theembassy in Baghdad, as chief of staff to the under secretaryfor Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs and as eco-nomic minister at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

The Leamon R. Hunt Award forAdministrative ExcellenceEstablished in 1981, this award foradministrative achievement recognizesoutstanding contributions to adminis-trative operations. The award wasrenamed the Leamon R. Hunt awardfor administrative excellence in memo-ry of Mr. Hunt, who was killed by ter-rorists in Rome on Feb. 15, 1984. Mr.

Hunt joined the Foreign Service in 1948 and served with dis-tinction throughout his extraordinary career.Lawrence G. Richter, management officer at the U.S.Embassy in Yerevan, earned the award for his proven skill,judgment and dedication to his work. His brilliant handlingof the challenges surrounding the construction of and tran-sition to the new embassy in 2005 and his cost-effectivesolutions will save millions of dollars in construction costsand will allow USAID personnel to move with the rest of themission. Combining high energy with vision, creativity andleadership, he ensured the security of the mission whileimproving customer service and saving significant money.

The Swanee Hunt Award forAdvancing Women’s Role in PolicyFormulationVijitha Eyango, senior education-gender adviser in the U.S. Agency forInternational Development’s Bureaufor Asia and the Near East, is recog-nized for her tireless efforts to broad-en women’s economic opportunitiesand political participation, particu-

larly in Iraq and Afghanistan. After years of repression,women there are undereducated, unskilled and without thetools they need to assume their rightful, productive role insociety. Her extraordinary contribution has helped many ofthese women play a vital part in the reconstruction anddemocratization of their two countries.

The Innovation in the Use ofTechnology AwardChristopher C. Stitt, security officerin the Bureau of Diplomatic Security,is recognized for his outstanding abil-ity to apply existing technology andbest practices that greatly enhance theeffectiveness of the entire emergencyaction plan and materially improvethe safety and security of our overseas

missions.

The Linguist of the Year AwardAlan E. Eyre, political officer at theU.S. Consulate General in Dubai,earned the award for his exemplaryachievements in using his extraordi-nary command of Persian languagesin sensitive posts and for his contri-butions to U.S. policy.

The Frank E. Loy Award forEnvironmental DiplomacyEstablished in 2001, this award recog-nizes outstanding achievement ininternational environmental affairs.Lynette J. Poulton, former environ-ment-science-technology-health offi-cer at the U.S. Mission in Geneva,was recognized for her unparalleledcommand of the issues, creativity,

initiative and sustained dedication to advancing U.S. envi-ronmental interests through a wide range of contentiousinternational negotiations in Geneva and New York. Sheseamlessly integrated the Department’s environmental pri-orities into broader diplomatic efforts related to trade andeconomic affairs.

The Thomas MorrisonInformation Management Award James E. Vanderpool, an informationmanagement officer at the U.S.Embassy in Cairo who served on atemporary duty assignment inBaghdad, earned the award for hissustained exemplary performance.His broad knowledge of informationresource management, his technical

mastery and his managerial talent were demonstrated in hiswork in Iraq and made him invaluable to the Department.

The Edward R. Murrow Award forExcellence in Public DiplomacyThis award recognizes exceptional con-tributions in the field of public diplo-macy and the special qualities thatreflect the integrity, courage, sensitivity,vision and dedication to excellenceEdward R. Murrow exemplified.Duncan H. MacInnes, former deputyspokesman in the Bureau of Public

Affairs, is recognized for his outstanding leadership andexceptional judgment in designing, coordinating and carry-ing out U.S. public diplomacy in the Middle East duringperiods of unusual stress before, during and after U.S. mili-tary action in Iraq.

The Arnold L. Raphel MemorialAward Named in honor of the lateAmbassador Arnold L. Raphel, thisaward recognizes the special qualitieshe brought to the Foreign Service andhis extra efforts to promote and developthe people around him.William A. Eaton, assistant secretaryof the Bureau of Administration,

earned the award for his commitment and belief in theimportance of mentoring and for his tireless dedication toothers. He has used his position to promote mentoringworldwide and to establish it as a core Department value.

The Luther I. Replogle Award forManagement ImprovementAndrea J. Nelson, former manage-ment counselor at the U.S. Embassyin Athens, is recognized for her inge-nuity, dedication and exceptional skillin meeting the extraordinary man-agement challenges presented by theembassy in Athens and the 2004Olympic Games.

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The Herbert Salzman Awardfor Excellence in InternationalEconomic PerformanceThis award recognizes outstandingcontributions in advancing U.S. inter-national relations and objectives ineconomics. The award is funded by thefamily of the late Herbert Salzman,former U.S. Ambassador to the U.S.Mission to the Organization for

Cooperation and Economic Development.David J. Ranz, former economic counselor at the U.S.Consulate General in Jerusalem, earned the award for hisvital work in pursuing structural reform of the PalestinianAuthority with active on-the-ground diplomacy involvinginternational and Palestinian officials. The award also recog-nizes his timely and insightful reporting and excellent poli-cy recommendations.

The Rockwell Anthony SchnabelAward for Advancing U.S.– EURelationsThis new award is made possible byRockwell Anthony Schnabel, the cur-rent U.S. Ambassador to the EuropeanUnion. The award recognizes out-standing efforts in advancing U.S. pol-icy through cooperation with the E.U.Charles P. Ries, former principal

deputy assistant secretary for European and EurasianAffairs, is the inaugural recipient. The award recognizes hissupport and dedication to U.S.-European relations, includ-ing his efforts to help launch the New Transatlantic Agenda,which triggered a far-reaching, highly productive policyreview of the U.S.-E.U. relationship and, above all, throughhis inspired management, ensuring that America’s ties withan enlarged union of 25 states are more beneficial to theUnited States than ever.

Civil Service Secretary of the YearJudith M. Bridges, a secretary in theBureau of Economic and BusinessAffairs, is recognized for her extraor-dinary contribution to advancing ofU.S. transportation policy goals, par-ticularly her critical role in the speedyratification of the MontrealConvention by the United States andher work to forge closer international

cooperation on aviation security. Her leadership, achieve-ments and can-do approach exemplify the Department’stradition of professionalism and dedication.

Foreign Service OfficeManagement Specialist of the YearSandra L. McInturff, an office man-agement specialist at the U.S.Embassy in Kabul, earned the awardfor her critical role in advancing U.S.policy in Afghanistan and establish-ing the U.S. Mission in Kabul underextremely dangerous circumstances.Her selfless dedication to service,

relentless energy and extraordinary achievements through-out highly challenging assignments—Kabul being only themost recent—reflect the highest ideals and traditions of theForeign Service.

The Barbara M. Watson Award for Consular Excellence

There are two recipients.

Mary D. Draper, consular sectionchief at the U.S. Consulate Generalin Jerusalem, is recognized for hersustained exemplary performance,leadership and management whileproviding consular services andprotecting U.S. citizens during atumultuous period in Jerusalem.

Beth A. Payne, former consul at theU.S. Embassy in Baghdad, earned theaward for her outstanding work as theonly U.S. consular officer stationed inBaghdad. Her proven commitment tothe American citizen community inBaghdad, following Operation IraqiFreedom, demonstrates the higheststandards of excellence in the con-sular service.

23JANUARY 2005

Every year, each of the six regional bureausnominates one Foreign Service Nationalemployee as FSN of the Year. A panel thenselects a Department-wide FSN of the Yearfrom among those six finalists. This year, thathonor goes to Poonam Jain.

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FSNs of the Year, from left, Ahn Chan Mo, Taimi Alas, Veronica Martins, Poonam Jain and Hervé Saint-Jean, pause for a photo with Director General W. RobertPearson after the awards ceremony. Ibrahim Dalalsheh, FSN of the Year for the Near East, was unable to attend the ceremony.

FSNs of the Yearfor 2004

By Dave Krecke

25JANUARY 2005

The voice on the phone was desperate: “Please find myson in Varanasi before he kills himself.”

Poonam Jain, the senior Foreign Service National employ-ee in the New Delhi consular section’s American CitizenServices division, listened intently as the father in Californiaexplained that his son had just called from Varanasi to say hewas about to end his life. Could Ms. Jain try to save him?

Poonam promised the father she would try her best, butadded that she was about 600 miles away in New Delhi andVaranasi was a teeming city of more than four million. Sheneeded more information. Did he have a hotel or restaurantname, anything that would help her locate his son? No, camethe reply. Poonam asked if the man was using a cell phone.

He said he was and recovered the number of the pay phonein Varanasi from his own cell phone’s memory.

In minutes, Ms. Jain was calling the chief police inspectorin Varanasi, pleading with him to send a team to the phone’slocation and save the young American. The police officersaid he would. Not long afterward the inspector called back:“The team is at the phone and we’ve confirmed that the manwas here, but he is nowhere in sight.”

“Please keep looking,” Poonam told the officer and hungup. A few minutes later, her phone rang. It was the boy’sfather. “My son just called from the Varanasi airport to sayhe has a gun and intends to shoot himself. Please stop him.”

Poonam called the chief inspector once more to say thatthe tall 20-year-old American was now at the airport. In amatter of minutes, Varanasi police found the young man,disarmed him and placed him under medical care Ms. Jainarranged until his father arrived to accompany him safelyback to California. He is now recovering in the care of hisfamily.

Poonam Jain doesn’t save an American life every day, butover the past 14 years she has provided protection and wel-fare to countless U.S. citizens traveling and living in north-ern India. The nominating cable calls it “difficult and com-plex work.” Spiritual centers draw religious pilgrims to theregion, but they also attract disturbed Americans. The lackof psychiatric facilities and the distance from these centers

to New Delhi often make it difficult to provide adequate carefor those who need it. But Poonam’s imaginative approachto problem solving, her tenacity in seeking solutions and hersuperb network of contacts throughout the region combineto resolve even the most intractable problems.

“I took this job because I like to help people,” she says.“You have to have that kind of mentality to succeed in thiswork.”

Poonam’s husband Sanjay is an information technologyprofessional who visits the United States frequently. Theylive in New Delhi with their seven-year-old son Saman.

Poonam Jain, right, reconnects with Virginia Fredericks, now working atthe Foreign Service Institute. The two were good friends when Ms.Fredericks and her husband were stationed in New Delhi in the 1990s.

Poonam JainSenior Consular Assistant for American Citizen ServicesU.S. Embassy, New Delhi

“I took this job because I liketo help people.”

Ibrahim Jibril Dalalsheh, senior political specialist at theConsulate General in Jerusalem, is this year’s FSN of the Yearfor the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. He had planned tocome to Washington with his wife to accept the award, butdecided that he could not leave his home and work at thishighly sensitive time for Palestinians, as they prepare for apost-Arafat era.

Ibrahim told us he is proud to be working for the U.S.Consulate General and feels that his efforts in opening chan-nels of communication between the U.S. government and thePalestinian leadership are serving our shared goal of pursu-

ing a peaceful resolution to the conflict and helping thePalestinians establish an independent state that will live inpeace with its neighbor, Israel.

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Secretary Powell greets political specialist Ibrahim Dalalsheh in Jerusalem.

Ibrahim Jibril DalalshehSenior Political SpecialistU.S. Consulate General, Jerusalem

“His efforts in opening channels ofcommunication.. are serving ourshared goals of pursuing a peace-ful resolution to the conflict...”

27JANUARY 2005

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs chose HervéSaint-Jean, motor pool supervisor at the embassy in Port auPrince, Foreign Service National Employee of the Year. Heearned the award for his “personal courage and exceptionalinitiative in support of his Port au Prince colleagues in a peri-od of tumultuous unrest and danger during the spring of2004.”

At the height of the political unrest surrounding the ousterof President Aristide, armed thugs and hooligans mannedroadblocks and roamed the streets of the Haitian capital.Water, fuel and electricity were in short supply. A platoon of55 Marines arrived at the post to secure the scaled-downembassy and the ambassador’s residence.

Throughout this chaotic and dangerous period, Mr. Saint-Jean provided daily transportation for the remaining

American staff and supported the local guard force, theMarines, 24 Diplomatic Security agents and other civilianand military personnel on temporary duty. He arrangedtransportation and helped scores of American embassyemployees, their families and other U.S. citizens safely departHaiti.

With no water or electricity in the city, Hervé Saint-Jeankept diesel fuel deliveries flowing to the 93 residents to keepgenerators and appliances running. His actions saved thou-sands of dollars’ worth of government and personal prop-erty.

Working closely with the regional security office and lead-ing by example, he persuaded his 30-driver staff to stay onthe job despite the danger. According to the nominatingcable, “when tempers flared or spirits wavered,” Mr. Saint-Jean strapped on “body armor and jumped behind the wheelhimself.” A model manager, he never asked others to takerisks he wasn’t willing to take himself. There was no loss oflife or serious injury to any member of the embassy commu-nity throughout the turmoil. Mr. Saint-Jean deserves muchof the credit for that fortunate outcome.

When congratulated for winning his bureau’s FSN of theYear Award, Mr. Saint-Jean modestly responded, “I was justdoing the job I was paid to do.” He has the highest praise forFranz Newbold, his assistant, and for the embassy’s adminis-trative team: Peter Wessel, the general services officer, andPaul Folmsbee, the administrative chief. “They treat employ-ees with respect and trust,” Hervé says. “I wish they’d stay in

Haiti forever.” He began working at the embassy in 2002 as adriver and was promoted a year later to motor pool supervi-sor. No stranger to dispatching vehicles, Hervé owns two tap-taps—25-seat, brilliantly painted buses—he leases to driverswho carry passengers throughout Port au Prince. He recent-ly sold a small grocery store he owned in the city after it wasrobbed.

Mr. Saint-Jean lived for 17 years in New York City, earningan associate degree in electrical engineering and driving acab. He says he’s more familiar with the streets of Brooklynthan those of Port au Prince. His two sons, Charles, 13, andPatrice, 10, live with Hervé’s former wife in Brooklyn.

Hervé Saint-Jean stands in front of his Washington hotel on a sunnyNovember day.

Hervé Saint-JeanMotor Pool SupervisorU.S. Embassy, Port au Prince

“I was just doing the job I waspaid to do.”

Chan Mo (Ahn is his family name) is a modern Korean,completely conversant in online communication in one ofthe world’s most Internet-savvy nations. An informationassistant in the public affairs section of the U.S. Embassy inSeoul, he is credited with revolutionizing the embassy’s out-reach to young Koreans. He has organized programs usinglive streaming video to engage Internet news organizations indialogue on critical bilateral issues.

In a nation where many claim the Internet elected the cur-rent president, Chan Mo has established a broad network ofcontacts in the Internet media. These contacts have provenvaluable in giving U.S. views a fair hearing in a media envi-ronment not always sympathetic to American policies. LastFebruary, for example, Chan Mo organized an interview forAmbassador Thomas Hubbard with Media Daum, the newsarm of Korea’s largest Internet portal, with 35 million regis-tered users. The program’s format gave average Koreans anopportunity to pose questions directly to the ambassador.When the program ended, Daum received more than 2,000messages on its bulletin board, spurring a lively online dis-cussion of U.S.-Korean relations.

In early 1998, Chan Mo was working in the clothes divi-sion of industrial giant Samsung. It was the height of theAsian economic crisis and he was using the Internet to devel-op new markets and to explore regulations that might sug-

gest new trade opportunities. In the course of his research, hevisited the U.S. Embassy’s web site. Chan Mo didn’t findinformation useful to Samsung, but he did encounter anintriguing job offer posted by the embassy’s public affairssection. He applied for the job along with 350 other aspirantsand won the competition for the job.

“The job is challenging,” he says. “I feel honored to behere.”

Chan Mo and his wife Jiyeon live in Seoul with their two-year-old daughter Mirie.

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Ahn Chan Mo, holding glasses, participatesin a conference on bilateral issues.

Ahn Chan MoInformation AssistantU.S. Embassy, Seoul

“He has revolutionized theembassy’s outreach toyoung Koreans.”

Taimi Alas, the Foreign Service National Employee of theYear from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, is anenergetic economic assistant in the embassy in Tallinn,Estonia. She earned the award for tirelessly encouraging theEstonian government to recognize the country’s burgeoningHIV/AIDS crisis, for persuading donor nations to focus onthe problem and for getting them to award the Baltic nation$10 million in Global Fund money to address the HIV crisis.

For a long time, Estonian officials denied that their smallcountry—about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire,with a population of about 1.4 million—even had anHIV/AIDS problem. In 2001, when she learned that Estonia’srising HIV infection rate among intravenous drug users inthe economically depressed border region was one of thehighest in Europe, Ms. Alas raised the issue with her contactsin the Ministry of Social Affairs.But no one seemed concerned.

Convinced that ignoring theproblem would only heighten thecrisis, she began arranging discus-sions on HIV for the new ambas-sador, who campaigned enthusi-astically in the media and in offi-cial meetings to raise Estonianawareness of the need to containthe spread of HIV/AIDS.Meanwhile, Ms. Alas developed astrategy to engage her contacts atthe ministry and persuade themto work with nongovernmentalorganizations and with the inter-national donor community.

In 2003, with coordination onthe issue still lagging,Ambassador Joseph DeThomas,with Ms. Alas’s help, formed aninternational HIV/AIDS donorgroup. Ms. Alas ably led the groupat the working level and created adatabase of international HIVefforts in Estonia. All members ofthe international group consultwith her regularly in coordinating their HIV projects.

Thanks in large measure to Ms. Alas’s persistent efforts, theEstonian government now recognizes the threat HIV/AIDSposes to the nation. The government has passed a supple-mental budget increasing funds for prevention and treat-ment programs in schools, prisons and within the intra-

venous drug and homosexual communities. The ministry ofsocial affairs is working closely with donor nations to attackthe HIV problem.

Taimi Alas started working with the embassy as a transla-tor and protocol assistant in 1992, not long after U.S. rela-tions were established with newly independent Estonia. Shebecame a political-economic assistant two years later and, in

1999, took the economic assistant position. She continues towrite economic reports, but it was her environment, scienceand technology portfolio that drew her to the issue of AIDS.

She and her husband Jüri have two teen-age daughters. Intheir free time, the family enjoys visiting their cottage on theGulf of Finland.

29JANUARY 2005

Sigrid Anderson from USAID, left, Taimi Alas, Gina Dallabetta from Family Health International, andAmbassador Aldona Wos discuss HIV/AIDS prevention projects in the ambassador’s office in Tallinn.

Taimi AlasEconomic-Commercial AssistantU.S. Embassy, Tallinn

“Her work is evidence that oneperson can effect massive changeon a national area.”

Veronica Martins, the economic-commercial specialist atthe U.S. Embassy in Praia, Cape Verde, is the Bureau ofAfrican Affairs’ choice for Foreign Service NationalEmployee of the Year. She earned the honor for her work pro-moting the goals of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Actand for assisting Cape Verde’s accession to the World TradeOrganization.

A veteran of 12 years of U.S. government service, Ms.Martins helped the Cape Verdean government learn what ithad to do to qualify to export under the new trade act. Oncethe island nation qualified, its exports of finished textilesincreased dramatically, from $500,000 in 2002 to $3 millionin 2003. She played a critical role in generating that increaseand in creating the estimated 600 jobs that came with it.

Once products began moving to the United States, Ms.Martins served as an agile troubleshooter, moving informa-

tion back and forth between the United States and CapeVerdean exporters whose shipments were being detained inU.S. ports. She intervened with customs officials to clearshipments in a matter of hours. Without her promptresponse, the exporters could have lost their U.S. contracts.

The regional USAID office called on Ms. Martins to helpset up an Africa Growth and Opportunity Act InformationCenter in the National Export Promotion Agency. The centeris now up and running.

The WTO accession issue was a new area for Ms. Martins,but she handled it skillfully and with enthusiasm. She helpedthe U.S. technical assistance team settle in and arrangedinformation meetings with senior Cape Verdean officials,including the minister of economy.

Ms. Martins has been instrumental in moving bothnations’ economic agendas forward over the past year. Sheunderstands American and Cape Verdean ways and effective-ly bridges the differences. “I enjoy my job,” she says, “becauseit involves helping both countries.”

Ms. Martins’ great-grandfather came to Cape Verde fromGoa, the former Portuguese colony on the west coast ofsouthern India. A diligent student in high school, she earneda USAID scholarship to study geology at the University ofArizona and, four years later, was selected outstanding seniorin the college of earth sciences in 1982. While she enjoyedworking outside on fieldwork, there weren’t many jobs forgeologists in Cape Verde. So she took a position with aSwedish donor organization. About 10 years after earning herdegree, Veronica decided she liked people more than rocks.

When the American ambassador asked if she would like towork part time to help establish a commercial section in theembassy, she said yes. Six months later, he asked her to jointhe embassy team.

Veronica and her husband Pedro, an architect, have twosons, Kunta, 15, and Iany, 10. “They are the best things in mylife,” she says. The family lives in a beautiful home designedby Pedro not far from the ocean. ■

The author is writer-editor for State Magazine.

Veronica MartinsEconomic-Commercial SpecialistU.S. Embassy, Praia

“I enjoy my job because itinvolves helping both countries.”

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30 STATE MAGAZINE

Veronica Martins describes the challenges of commercial work in CapeVerde during her Washington visit. (photo by Dave Krecke) PH

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Is it possible to do good, do well and have fun at the sametime?

The U.S. Embassy in Singapore put these questions to thetest by sponsoring Corporate Community Day in conjunc-tion with the local American Chamber of Commerce.

“Corporate Community Day is the day we encourage allU.S. companies to undertake a community project,” saidAmbassador Frank Lavin. “There are over 1,500 U.S. compa-nies in Singapore. Even more telling, 10 percent of theSingapore work force is employed by an American company.This presents an opportunity and a challenge. It gives us enor-mous reach in Singapore, but how do we harness it? We con-sidered everything from summer jobs and school internshipsto factory tours and company galas.”

In the end, the embassy and AmCham settled on corporatecitizenship and decided that corporate-sponsored charityprograms would be the most effective place to start. AlthoughSingapore is a prosperous country, some people are not welloff or have needs that American companies can help meet.

But many U.S. companies have community programs athome that might not translate well overseas. Executives don’talways know how philanthropy works in a foreign culture orhow to match up with the right local organization.

The companies met the challenge. In the first year, six par-ticipated in a variety of charity projects. For the secondCorporate Community Day this fall, 16 companies, includingSingaporean and third-country companies, joined in. Some600 volunteers assisted almost 1,700 beneficiaries. The volun-teers—American and Singaporean—distributed food to the

poor and elderly, entertained special-needs children, visitedthe sick and cleaned up a litter-strewn stretch of shore in anature preserve, among other activities.

These events don’t happen without advance planning. Theembassy and AmCham beat the drum for nine months topromote participation. By setting the date early, they had lotsof time to publicize the event. The AmCham launched it witha press conference. Participating companies invited membersof Parliament, local dignitaries and the press to help in spe-cific activities. Press coverage was extensive and positive.

Afterward, the ambassador invited volunteers and benefici-aries to a reception at his residence. People with AIDS orsevere mental disabilities may not get out much, so it was adelight to host them. Ambassador Lavin challenged everyoneto make next year’s Corporate Community Day even bigger,better and brighter.

Nine embassy staffers volunteered on CorporateCommunity Day. Most served at the national CommunicableDisease Center. They prepared a nutritious soup from scratchand distributed it to HIV/AIDS patients in the clinic or madehome deliveries to outpatients. “Spending time with thepatients, either helping them to eat their lunch or just sittingand chatting for a while, was truly ‘soup for the soul,’ ” onevolunteer said. “There was no doubt in my heart when I leftthe center that I was far richer for having spent a few hoursthere helping out.” ■

The author is the community liaison officer at the U.S.Embassy in Singapore.

31JANUARY 2005

Steps to a SuccessfulCorporate Community Day

1. Get the American business community involvedfrom the start. Create a steering group of com-pany executives and AmCham board members.

2. Plan well ahead—six to nine months. Holdmonthly or bimonthly planning meetings.

3. Develop a publicity strategy for both the bigpicture and individual activities.

4. Invite local dignitaries and press to companyevents. Invite a reporter to ride with the ambas-sador on a tour of the activities.

5. Recognize contributions and spread the word.Have a party; award embassy certificates hon-oring good corporate citizenship; describe theprogram to host-country officials, otherembassies, nonparticipating companies andvisitors.

EMBASSY SPURS U.S. COMPANIESTO SERVE COMMUNITY By Leah Keene

Children enjoy balloon sculpting withUnited Technologies volunteers.

32 STATE MAGAZINE

Exchange ProgramBridges Nuclear Divide

By Elizabeth K. Thompson

On the second day of my visit to Moscow, I stood ata shooting range, hands clasping a Russian Makarovhandgun. “Na boy….Ogon!” came the order.(“Action.…Fire!”). Twelve bullets and quite a bit ofadrenaline later, I had a tattered paper target to bringhome with me as a souvenir of my trip to Russia.

From left, Col. Topol’tsev, Elizabeth Thompson,Alden Greene and Capt. Gorbunov prepare aSTART treaty notification.

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This unexpected visit to a shooting range was one of sev-eral cultural outings I participated in as part of an exchangeprogram between the U.S. and Russian Nuclear RiskReduction Centers. The two offices were created in 1987 toincrease government-to-government communications andreduce the threat of nuclear war.

Last year, Verification and Compliance Assistant SecretaryPaula DeSutter and Deputy Assistant Secretary Karin Lookfirst proposed the idea of a personnel exchange between theRussian and U.S. centers as a way to augment trust betweenthe two nations.

Such trust has been critically important as the number ofarms control treaties has grown over the years. Today, theU.S. center has direct satellite links with Russia, Belarus,Kazakhstan and Ukraine. It works with counterparts in morethan 50 nations, translating and transmitting updates aboutinternational security agreements and arms control treaties.

In March, the Department hosted two Russian military offi-cials in the first half of its exchange. Rebecca Lutz, a staff offi-cer in the U.S. center, introduced Capt. Vladimir ViktorovichAkimov and Col. Vadim Viktorovich Topol’tsev to our watch,the 24-hour office where all treaty notifications are processed.After learning about our operations and observing the office inaction, they visited the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, theU.S. agency responsible for actually inspecting facilities anditems restricted by arms control treaties.

Because no VIP visit is complete without a cultural pro-gram, they also toured the Pentagon, Mount Vernon and thediplomatic rooms of the State Department before headinghome to prepare for our visit.

A month later, I arrived in Moscow with watch officerAlden Greene. As civilian visitors, we received quite a bit ofattention among our Russian counterparts. Our two pri-mary hosts, Col. Topol’tsev and Capt. Nikolay GeorgievichGorbunov, introduced us to many of their colleagues, whoexplained their jobs and practiced their self-taught English.After observing the operations, Alden and I were even per-mitted to prepare a notification to send to our colleaguesback home.

Given that our hosts were military, most of our culturalexcursions followed suit. We visited several military muse-ums and memorials and, of course, had a hands-on sessionat the shooting range.

After returning home, we shared what we had learnedwith our colleagues. Upon hearing about our cultural excur-sions, their first question was always, “So, did you hit the tar-get?” Given the trust, cooperation and goodwill fostered bythis first exchange, I must say we certainly did. ■

Elizabeth K. Thompson, a former watch officer with theNuclear Risk Reduction Center, is a consular officer at theU.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Elizabeth Thompson and Alden Greene chat with military officialsNefedov, left, and Aleksey, right, during their tour of the Russian NuclearRisk Reduction Center. Col. Topol’tsev, second from right, observes.

The locusts have no king, yet go they forthall of them by bands.

The Bible, Proverbs 30:27

They will come forth, with humbled eyes from (their) graves,as if they were locusts spread abroad.

The Koran, Chapter 54, Verse 7

AN EMBASSY IN THE PATHOF VORACIOUS LOCUSTS

BY JOSEPH LeBARON

35JANUARY 2005

These pictures show an ancient storyof invasion and destruction far moreeffectively than mere words can.

The 250 of us—Americans,Mauritanians and half a dozen othernationalities—who work at the U.S.Embassy in Nouakchott watched inearly October with a mixture of awe,fascination and grim resignation asmillions upon millions of locustsdescended on Mauritania’s capital, car-ried in from the east by a strongSaharan wind.

The desert locusts stayed for five longdays and nights, eating constantly,turning our seven-acre compound ofleafy trees and flowering bushes into athicket of sticks and twigs reminiscentof Washington in the depths of winter.

We got an inkling of how peoplemust feel watching floodwaters sweepaway their possessions or fires consumetheir homes. There’s so little you can doto stop nature’s destructive forces. Whatefforts we could mount were led bygeneral services chief Michael Lampel,who worked valiantly with his team toprotect what they could.

The infestation here is the worst inmore than 20 years. We Americans nodoubt will suffer the least from the

return of this timeless scourge. It’s theMauritanians who will bear the burden,as the crops they rely on for survival aredestroyed and as the pasture that feedstheir camels, cattle, goats and sheep dis-appears.

An international response already isunder way to confront the crisis, whichspreads beyond Mauritania to other

countries of North Africa, the Saharaand the Sahel—from Morocco andAlgeria to Senegal, Mali, Niger andBurkina Faso. The United States isactively involved. An international teamof 20 experts, including U.S. Agency forInternational Development disasterspecialist Laura Glaeser, is evaluatingdamage and needs for Mauritania.

Additional teams are busy elsewhere inthe region.

The affected states will get the helpthey need to survive this extraordinarynatural disaster. The wheels of interna-tional relief sometimes seem to turnslowly, but they turn finely. Equipmentand pesticides to fight the locusts arearriving and food relief will come.

Locust specialists project that theinfestation could continue for at leastanother year and even intensify, resem-bling a plague. Whether Biblical orKoranic, such a plague will test the met-tle of us all. ■

The author is the U.S. Ambassador toMauritania.

Before and after photos of a tree in the ambassador’s yard.

Opposite page: After they’ve devoured the leaves, the locusts go to work on the bark. Above: Locusts swarm to their next meal.

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By Rudy Marrazzo

The Environmental Protection Agency recently tested thewater aboard 158 randomly selected passenger airplanes atU.S. airports and the results were not good. ForDepartment employees who frequently fly on both domes-tic and international aircraft, some caution might be inorder.

Water in 20 aircraft contained coliform bacteria and twoshowed evidence of E.coli. When the contaminated waterwas retested, eight aircraft still didn’t measure up to theEPA’s drinking water standards, which the Department usesat its overseas posts. The water, used in galley and lavatorysinks, is stored in tanks on the aircraft.

The EPA regulates water supplied to airports and drink-ing water once it’s aboard the aircraft. Of the 158 samples,87.4 percent met the EPA standards for coliform bacteria.However, 12.6 percent did not.

According to the Air Transport Association, about 90percent of its members’ aircraft can travel internationallyand may take on water from contaminated sources. In the

U.S., water loaded aboard aircraft comes from public watersystems regulated by state and federal authorities. Watermay also be delivered to the aircraft through a hose from awater tanker.

In light of the test results, the EPA is working harder tosee that all airlines are taking steps to ensure pure water byemphasizing prevention. This includes monitoring, flush-ing and disinfecting aircraft water systems.

The EPA cautioned that passengers with suppressedimmune systems or those concerned about their healthshould request bottled or canned beverages while flying andavoid drinking tea or coffee not made with bottled water.While boiling water for one minute will remove pathogensand other bacteria, the water used for making tea or coffeeaboard an airplane may not be heated sufficiently to guar-antee that all pathogens are killed.

Employees can learn more about these tests as well asnew findings by visiting www.epa.gov/airlinewater. ■

Rudy Marrazzo is an environmental engineer in OverseasBuildings Operations.

S A F E T Y S C E N E

THINKBEFOREYOUDRINKAT 30,000FEET

37JANUARY 2005

P E O P L E L I K E Y O U

Izaak Walton was right. Anglersare made, not born.

To become an angler, I haveengaged an experienced youngerbrother. I took my first lesson afterretiring from the federal govern-ment and relocating fromNorthern Virginia to SoutheasternTennessee. Before retiring, at 61, Itold colleagues I planned to learnhow to fish. The remark, I recall,stimulated more silence thandiscourse.

I didn’t have any particularspecies in mind. It just so happensthat my brother Donnie lives inNorth Georgia near the Blue RidgeWildlife Management Area, wherestreams are stocked with rainbowand brown trout. The native brooktrout are still to be found, but instreams less accessible and closelymonitored by wildlife officials.

So here I am on a gorgeous sum-mer day in the Georgia mountainstaking my first fishing lesson. Myenthusiasm is high, but the streamsare low—the lowest in years,according to my brother, who hasfished here since 1985. I spendmost of the afternoon casting fromthe bank. I try my brother’s new fly rod and like it. I am con-tent, however, using a rod and reel with corn kernels for bait.The trout are difficult to see. They hide under rocks and inthe shade of overhanging branches. When they do dart, theyare shadows.

My outfit—boots, blue jeans, T-shirt and baseball cap—iscomplemented by a borrowed fishing vest and shoulderpouch. The rod and reel are my brother’s, too. We are usedto sharing.

And on this particular day, while the fish aren’t biting, weshare streams and stories. Most are about our growing up ona mountain several hours north, of Huck Finn days catchingcrayfish along creek banks, of relationships begun andended, of aspirations achieved and abandoned. Fishing is, asWalton wrote, a contemplative recreation. The number onerule, I learn, is to avoid talk of work. It’s a lesson I need towork on.

And work I will. Undaunted by failing to catch a singlefish on my first outing, I already have scheduled my nextfishing lesson. In due course, I will purchase my own equip-ment and apparel. I plan to keep it simple. It’s unlikely L.L.Bean will be offering me one of its outdoor magazine coversanytime soon. ■

The author, who retired in June, is former editor of StateMagazine. He can be contacted at cwgoodman@comcast.net.

Editor’s note: Not long after he wrote this, Carl reported bye-mail that he had gone out again and caught four trout—three rainbows and one brook—averaging 10 inches in lengthand weighing about a half pound each. He says they were deli-cious with fresh corn, tomatoes, rice and slaw. Of the foursteps—catching, cleaning, cooking and consuming—he says hemost enjoys the first and last.

I Fish, Therefore I AmA DAY IN THE MOUNTAINS FISHING AND REMINISCING BY CARL GOODMAN

Carl Goodman casts out into the stream, but the trout proved elusive that day.

38 STATE MAGAZINE

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

U.S. Ambassador to the IslamicRepublic of Pakistan. Ryan C.Crocker of Washington, a careermember of the Senior ForeignService, class of Career Ambassador, isthe new U.S. Ambassador to theIslamic Republic of Pakistan. Prior tohis appointment, he was internationalaffairs adviser at the National WarCollege and in 2003 was the first

director of governance for the Coalition ProvisionalAuthority in Baghdad. He was deputy assistant secretary forNear Eastern Affairs from 2001 to 2003 and before thatserved as ambassador to Syria (1998 to 2001), Kuwait (1994to 1998) and Lebanon (1990 to 1993). Since joining theDepartment in 1971, he has also served in Iran, Qatar, Iraqand Egypt. Mr. Crocker served at the embassy in Beirut dur-ing the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and during thebombings of the embassy and the Marine barracks in 1983.He is married to Christine Barnes.

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofZimbabwe. Christopher William Dellof New Jersey, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofZimbabwe. He was ambassador toAngola from 2001 to 2004. Prior tothat, he was chief of mission of theU.S. Office in Pristina. He served as

deputy chief of mission in Sofia and Maputo. His other over-seas postings include Lisbon, Oporto and Matamoros.

U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.Christopher J. LaFleur of New York, acareer member of the Senior ForeignService, class of Minister-Counselor,is the new U.S. Ambassador toMalaysia. Prior to this appointment,he was the Cyrus Vance Fellow inDiplomatic Studies at the Council onForeign Relations. In 2003, he wasspecial envoy for Northeast Asia

Security Consultations. Before that, he was principal deputyassistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, deputychief of mission in Tokyo and deputy director of theAmerican Institute in Taiwan. His other overseas postingsinclude Paris and Sapporo. He is married to Keiko Miyazawaand they have two daughters.

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofMadagascar. James D. McGee ofFlorida, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofCounselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofMadagascar. From 2002 to 2004 hewas ambassador to Swaziland. Hisother overseas postings includeAbidjan, Kingston, Bridgetown,

Bombay, The Hague, Lahore and Lagos. He served in the AirForce during the Vietnam War and earned threeDistinguished Flying Crosses. He is married to Shirley J.McGee.

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofIndonesia. B. Lynn Pascoe ofVirginia, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class of CareerMinister, is the new U.S. Ambassadorto the Republic of Indonesia. Mostrecently, he was deputy assistant sec-retary in the Bureau of European andEurasian Affairs. Earlier, he wasambassador to Malaysia and special

negotiator for regional conflicts in the former Soviet Union.Other overseas postings include Taipei, where he served asdirector of the American Institute in Taiwan, Beijing (twice),Moscow, Hong Kong and Bangkok. He and his wife Dianehave two daughters.

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic ofAlbania. Marcie B. Ries of the Districtof Columbia, a career member of theSenior Foreign Service, class ofMinister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic ofAlbania. Until recently, she was chiefof mission of the U.S. Office inPristina and prior to that director ofthe Office of United Nations Political

Affairs. Her other overseas assignments include London,Ankara, Santo Domingo and the U.S. Mission to theEuropean Union in Brussels. She is married to ForeignService officer Charles Ries, U.S. Ambassador to Greece. Theyhave two children.

Annemarie Brooks, 68, a Civil Serviceemployee, died Oct. 12 in Arlington,Va., of pulmonary fibrosis. She joinedthe Department in 1984 and servedoverseas as a Foreign Service specialistin Belgium, France, Togo, Yemen andEthiopia. While assigned to Brussels,Ms. Brooks edited the Brussels Weekly,a newsletter circulated to 1,000Americans. At the time of her death,

she was a special self-help coordinator in the Bureau ofAfrican Affairs.

Jack M. Forcey, 78, a retired Foreign Service officer, died ofcomplications from a series of strokes on June 2, 2001, inMarin County, California. He served in the Army duringWorld War II and joined the Department in 1951. His over-seas postings included Costa Rica, Ghana, Egypt, Brazil,Cambodia, the Philippines, South Vietnam, Guatemala andSaudi Arabia. The Jack M. Forcey Chair in Political Sciencewas created in 2003 at his alma mater, the University ofCalifornia at Berkeley, as a tribute to his life of service and hisdedication to the institution.

Frank W. Garcia, 78, a retired Civil Service employee, diedSept. 22 in Tamarac, Fla., of congestive heart failure. He man-aged television productions for the U.S. Information Agencyand was an active member of the Society of Motion Pictureand Television Engineers. Mr. Garcia served in the Army dur-ing and after World War II. He retired in 1986 to Florida,where he indulged his passion for sailing.

William Kaslaitis, 83, a retired Civil Service employee, diedApril 19 in Pompton Plains, N.J. He was a broadcaster for theVoice of America and was involved in international radio andtelevision work from 1947 until he retired in 1982. He con-tinued television broadcasting after retiring from VOA andwas known in the Lehigh Valley, Pa., as “Bill Kastle.”

Neal Lawrence, 96, a former ForeignService officer, died Nov. 2 in Fujimi,Japan. He served in the Navy in WorldWar II. After joining the Department,he served on Gen. MacArthur’s staff inTokyo. He was the first Americandiplomat to visit Hiroshima andNagasaki officially after the nucleardevastation. He also served inSingapore, Malaya and Taiwan. After

leaving the Department, Mr. Lawrence became a Benedictinemonk and returned to Japan, where he taught at TokyoUniversity and other institutions. He wrote Tanka poetry andpublished four books and many poems in magazines.

Suzanne Dunning Manfull, 85, widowof retired Foreign Service officerMelvin L. Manfull, died Oct. 29 inWashington, D.C. She accompaniedher husband to overseas postings inParis, Saigon, London, Brussels,Bangui and Monrovia. She wasknown for her volunteer work andher love of orchids and gardens.

Harold T. McCabe, 86, a retired State Department employ-ee, died Oct. 6 in Reno, Nev. He served in the Coast Guardduring World War II. He retired from the Department in1978 after more than 30 years of service. He settled in Renoand enjoyed traveling with his wife.

Susan Reed McQueen, 71, a retired Civil Service employee,died Oct. 24 of complications from pulmonary disease andpneumonia in Baltimore, Md. As chief of the Department’sinterior design and furnishing branch, she traveled to 87countries. After retiring in 1988, she and her husband spentseveral years cruising waterways from Delaware to theBahamas on their boat.

Paul H. Nitze, 97, retired diplomat and missile treaty nego-tiator, died Oct. 19 of pneumonia in Washington, D.C. Heheaded the Department’s policy planning staff during theTruman administration, where he authored a study on theSoviet threat that became a cornerstone of U.S. policy. Heheld senior Defense Department positions in the Kennedyand Johnson administrations and played a key role in nego-tiating the Antiballistic Missile Treaty for President Nixon.Under President Reagan, he negotiated an agreement thateliminated intermediate-range missiles from Europe. Heretired to the School of Advanced International Studies ofJohns Hopkins University—a school named for himin 1989.

Julie C. Norberg, 86, a retired Foreign Service officer, died ofa stroke Oct. 11 in Springfield, Va. She was a financial offi-cer who had overseas postings to Greece and Afghanistan.She worked for the Red Cross during World War II. She wasa volunteer at the Department’s annual book fair.

Lyle R. Piepenburg, 88, a retired Foreign Service officer, diedof a heart attack Oct. 25 in Evanston, Ill. He joined theDepartment in 1941 and served overseas in Rome, Lisbon,Algeria, Paris, Athens, Thessalonika, Nicosia (during thecivil war) and Niamey. He moved to Illinois after retiringin 1967.

39JANUARY 2005

O B I T U A R I E S

40 STATE MAGAZINE

O B I T U A R I E S

Norman E. Warner, 83, a retiredForeign Service officer, died Oct. 30in Gaithersburg, Md., of complica-tions from pulmonary and heart dis-ease. He served in the Army duringWorld War II and joined the ForeignService in 1946. His overseas postingsincluded Belgium, the DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Honduras, theCongo and Haiti. After retiring in

1974, he pursued interests in history and nature and per-formed community volunteer work.

Dewey R. Watkins Jr., a retired Foreign Service officer, diedAug. 11 in Silver Spring, Md. After joining the Department,he traveled extensively throughout Latin America andEurope and was posted to Mexico City. Previously, he hadworked as an accountant with the Veterans Administrationand Civil Service Commission.

PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Berrutti, Annabella ZupoCarlson, Stuart L.Davidson, Betty J.Feaster, Ernest H.Fowler, Ardella D.Gallmon, Georgia A.Hocker, Charles H.Holland, Linda A.Howard, AnnetteJackson, Doretha M.Johnson, Christine AnnJones, Charlotte F.Jones, Merrill E.Leimanis, John J.Lyles, Mildred J.McCreight, Robert E.Novak, Fayeann

O’Brien, Paul T.Parton, Min JinPhillips, Phyllis L.Piansay, Rolando B.Ponce, Antoinette M.Richardson, Lynette G.Shaloff, StanleySheahan, Cornelia MarieSlafkosky, Veronica A.Thurston, RoseVogt, Jerry A.Wallace, FlorellaWhitney, Thelma J.Williams, Janice C.Yermal, David F.Zafar, Mohammed M.

Bernier, Lanny RogerBoyett, Mark C.Cohn, Irene P.Decampli, Craig P.Felt, John P.Galer, Anne MariaGatto, Donald J.Giampietro, Carl J.

Holland, John E.Holmes, James H.Kansas, Patricia JaneLyons, Kenneth J.Marwitz, Antoinette S.Mason, Nancy M.McBride, Joseph NealMcKennan, John B.

McLeese, William VincentMills II, Arthur H.Mudd-Krijgelmans, JudithPorter, Gary LeeSchrenk, Virginia M.Szczesniak, Walter M.Tyson, Gregory J.Walton, Sharon F.

FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENTS CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENTS

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