state magazine, june 2006

M A G A Z I N E

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

J U N E 2 0 0 6

Jamaica’sJewel

CONTENTSSTATE MAGAZINE + JUNE 2006 + NUMBER 502

TransformingPerceptionsThe U.S. Mission in Côte d’Ivoire uses a new embassy and a newattitude to forge new frontiers on the front lines of diplomacy.

Health DiplomacyThe Department’s Avian Influenza Action Group is full ofcan-do people achieving must-do results.

Office of the Month:Russian AffairsThe professionals in this three-unit office manage a criticaland complicated relationship.

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30 *ON THE COVEROne of Jamaica's National Heritage Trustsites, Kingston's Devon House, was builtby Jamaica's first black millionaire and isa fine example of 19th-century Jamaican-Georgian architecture.Photo by Corbis

Post of the Month:KingstonOut of Many, One People

COLUMNS2 EDITOR’S NOTES

3 READERS’ FEEDBACK

4 IN THE NEWS

37 EDUCATION & TRAINING

38 SAFETY SCENE

40 PEOPLE LIKE YOU

42 APPOINTMENTS

42 RETIREMENTS

43 OBITUARIES

44 PARTING SHOTS

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10 Young at ArtChildren’s talent binds Embassy Oslo communitytogether.

18 The Art of Science DiplomacyScience has the power to inform decisions and serve as acore instrument of diplomacy.

28 Books and BeachesEmbassy volunteers promote literacy throughoutthe Bahamas.

34 Shining KnightHealth and foreign policy intersect in the Office ofInternational Health Affairs.

MAGAZINE STAFF

Rob WileyEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bill PalmerWRITER/EDITOR

Jennifer LelandWRITER/EDITOR

David L. JohnstonART DIRECTOR

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Teddy B. TaylorEXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Larry Baer

Kelly Clements

Pam Holliday

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is pub-lished monthly, except bimonthly in Julyand August, by the U.S. Department ofState, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC.Periodicals postage paid at Washington,D.C., and at additional mailing locations.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

State Magazine is available by subscriptionthrough the U.S. Government PrintingOffice by telephone at (202) 512-1800 oron the web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

SUBMISSIONS

For details on submitting articles to StateMagazine, request our guidelines,“Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail [email protected]; download themfrom our web site at www.state.gov;or send your request in writing toState Magazine, 2401 E Street, N.W.,HR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236,Washington, DC 20522-0108.

The submission deadline for the Septem-ber 2006 issue is June 15. The deadline forthe October 2006 issue is July 15.

The Department displays a few of itsmany diplomatic faces in this month’s StateMagazine.

As Americans watch with growingunease the spread across the globe of a par-ticularly virulent strain of avian influenzathat might spawn a human influenza pan-demic, the Department has taken a leadinginternational role in what could be themost important health initiative of thedecade. The Department put together theAvian Influenza ActionGroup to coordinatethe overall internation-al response to avian anda possible pandemicinfluenza.

The new groupensures that State hasthe necessary staff,expertise and intera-gency reach to tacklethe huge job and topractice health diplo-macy on a global scale.

Meanwhile, the pro-fessionals in the Officeof International HealthAffairs work on the broader global healthpicture. With a diverse team of Civil Serviceemployees, Foreign Service officers and sci-entific fellows, this group promotes globalhealth to improve U.S. security and globaleconomic health. The eclectic staff concen-trates on infectious diseases, bioterrorismand environmental health.

The Berlin Wall may be history and theCold War relegated to the academic world,but Russia remains a major world powerand is a growing global economic player.U.S. interests still require an intense bilater-al relationship with Russia, and the RussianAffairs Office is charged with managingthis critical and complicated relationship.While the Soviet Union and its system aredead and buried, the new Russia doesn’thesitate to follow its own course when itsinterests diverge from U.S. interests. As one

senior officer in the office says, there’s nevera dull day.

Science and diplomacy may seemstrange bedfellows, but Under Secretary forDemocracy and Global Affairs Dr. PaulaDobriansky makes a strong case in The Artof Science Diplomacy that science andtechnology can improve the lives of peoplearound the world and build bridgesbetween the U.S. and foreign societies. Thatsounds like a solid definition of diplomacy

at work.Reaching deep into

the spirit of trans-formation diplomacy,the diplomats at theU.S. Mission in Côted’Ivoire took advan-tage of a new embassycomplex to changeloca l percept ions ,highl ight commonground and fostermutual understanding.Working with the pro-fessionals at OverseasBuildings Operations,the embassy turned its

spacious atrium into a vast gallery featur-ing local art and artists alongside othercultural items.

The ambassador also invited traditionalchiefs to perform ceremonies asking theirancestors to bless and protect the newembassy. And the embassy staff took diplo-macy outside the capital and corridors ofpower by spending many hours in remotevillages across the government-controlledsouth.

They give local people a real Americanimage to ponder. �

E D I T O R ’ S N O T E S

The Rich Varietyof U.S. Diplomacy

2 S TAT E M A G A Z I N E J U N E 2 0 0 6

Rob WileyEditor-in-Chief

A Refreshing ChangeI noted immediately that something was

different (April issue). The cover was awork of art! Congratulations on a refresh-ing change. The graphics onthe Work/Life article were myfavorite. You have set the barhigh for continuing boldchanges in your next issue.Keep up the great work!

Robert E. MillerFinancial Management OfficerU.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam,Tanzania

Margaret SkinnerNormally, an obituary is the

final goodbye. But in the case of the one inthe February issue for Miss MargaretSkinner, more beyond that “she worked as asecretary for the Department from 1951 to1986” is needed.

In the 1960s, Miss Skinner was a mostvalued aide to me as deputy chief ofmission in Malawi in the fast-moving daysof political and economic developmentafter the country gained its independence.

No demand was so complex or urgent thatit wasn’t met by her graciously and mostcompetently.

When ordered to Mauritius to open thepost at its independ-ence, I felt mostfortunate that theDepartment agreed toassign her there as well.Her common sense insolving the difficultproblems inherent at anew post and her earlygood working relationswith members of thelocal community consid-erably moved us aheadin those early days.

William B. HusseyRetired Foreign Service officerLaguna Woods, Calif.

CorrectionThe photo in the middle of page 13 in

the April issue should have identified themilitary personnel carrying a casket as U.S.Army soldiers, not airmen.

Mailing AddressState Magazine2401 E Street, NWHR/ER/SMG, SA-1, Room H-236Washington, DC 20522-0108

[email protected]

Phone(202) 663-1700

Letters should not exceed 250 wordsand should include the writer’sname, address and daytime phonenumber. All letters become theproperty of State Magazine. Letterswill be edited for length, accuracyand clarity. Only signed letters willbe considered. Names may be with-held upon request.

I send you greetings and admiration for theformat and content of State Magazine’s April issue,“500 Issues and Counting.” I especially enjoyed thearticle on Costa Rica.

Twice I have served in the State Department: firstin 1954 as special assistant in the office of SecretaryDulles and much later, in 1976, during theAmerican Bicentennial as ambassador to Sweden.

We all know how much a noncareer ambassadorleans on the career staff, without whom he couldnot function. This sensitive relationship seemsalways to be reflected sympathetically, but truth-fully, in State Magazine. I thank you for your tactand understanding treatment of noncareerambassadors.

David S. SmithWest Palm Beach, Fla.

Let Us Hear from You

R E A D E R S ’ F E E D B A C K

3J U N E 2 0 0 6 S TAT E M A G A Z I N E

NoncareerAmbassadors

The Bureau of Overseas BuildingsOperations has renamed its FacilitiesManager of the Year award the David E.Foy Memorial Award for Excellence inFacilities Management. Mr. Foy, a facilitiesmanager at the U.S. Consulate in Karachi,Pakistan, was killed March 2 by a suicidebomber who rammed his car into Mr.Foy’s vehicle. (See “3 Days in Karachi,”May issue, p. 24.)

Mr. Foy, who was 51, was a devotedfamily man who left a wife and fourdaughters. They attended the AmericanForeign Service Association MemorialPlaque Ceremony May 5 presided over bySecretary Condoleezza Rice, where Davidand three other fallen colleagues werehonored.

On April 25, Congressman G.K.Butterfield, representing Mr. Foy’s homestate of North Carolina, paid tribute tohim on the floor of Congress.

)(NEWS

PLUS >>> Beijing IT Training a Hit + So We Will Never Forget + Green toGo + Senate Confirms Veteran Ambassador as New DG + Sanaa SocialClub Races for Yemeni Women + Security and Prosperity Partnership

Secretary Rice speaks at the AFSAMemorial Plaque Ceremony honoringDavid Foy and three colleagues who losttheir lives overseas in the line of duty.

>>>4 S TAT E M A G A Z I N E J U N E 2 0 0 6

DAVID FOY HONORS CONTINUE


One of the first U.S. soldiers to discover and liberate a Naziconcentration camp spoke at the State Department recently,telling employees about the horrors he and his fellow soldiersfound when they came upon the Ohrdruf camp in 1945. RetiredU.S. Army Colonel Willis B. Scudder, 90, was the keynote speakerat the Department’s Holocaust Days of Remembrance event onApril 24 at the Harry S Truman building.

As Scudder and the 4th Armored Divisionapproached the camp that day, they saw manypeople walking the roads, including families andyoungsters by themselves, said Scudder. Whenthey came up a gravel road, which was lined by afence, they could almost immediately detect anodor. They found the gates of the camp open, andwent in.

“On our right were bodies—about 50 or so.They had been shot in the head,” said Scudder.“People who were members of the camp were inrags and pajama-like concoctions. They didn’tknow who we were, and we didn’t know who theywere. They wanted to touch us; they wanted to kissus. We didn’t know what to do.”

“We next went to a shack. Inside there werebodies. They were stacked perfectly, stacked likecordwood. There were a couple hundred of them.

“We went to the barracks. The stench there wasalmost unbearable. On the floor, there werebodies. Living bodies, if you like,” said Scudder. “Ata field, we saw where the bodies had been burned.”

As Scudder spoke, he became emotional several times andbriefly had to stop talking.

Years later, Scudder returned to the camp. He questionedseveral of the townspeople, but everyone said they wereunaware that there had been a concentration camp in the area.

Ambassador Edward O’Donnell, U.S. Special Envoy forHolocaust Issues, also spoke at the event.

“An important part of the War on Terror is the struggleagainst intolerance and hatred,” said O’Donnell. To fight againstanti-Semitism and to pass this fight on to our sons and daugh-ters, it is important to attend events like this, he said.

More than 50 people attended the observance, which wasorganized by the Office of Civil Rights.

SO WE WILLNEVER FORGET

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Willis B. Scudder, left, describes what he saw as he lib-erated a Nazi concentration camp in 1945. Ambassador Edward O’Donnell, U.S.Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, right, also spoke at the Holocaust Days ofRemembrance event.

In early February, Fred Febo, a computerinstructor from the Foreign ServiceInstitute’s Information ManagementTraining unit in the School of AppliedInformation Technology traveled to the U.S.Embassy in Beijing, China, to support therollout of Microsoft Office 2003 to theembassy staff.

Doug Towns, a member of theInformation Management staff in Beijing,worked closely with Mr. Febo and the man-agement of SAIT and IMT in designingcustomized “just-in-time” training whenand where it was needed. The training was

funded locally and open to all Departmentpersonnel at post.

The response was overwhelming. Mr.Febo’s visit was extended three times tomeet the demand. In the end, more than 300students completed the training.Participants came from three Chinesediplomatic posts: Beijing, Guangzhou andShanghai.

Applications taught included introducto-ry and intermediate levels of the entireMicrosoft Office 2003 Suite: Word,PowerPoint, Access, Excel and Outlook. Twoadditional weeklong classes—one in Word

and one in Excel—were offered to helpoffice management specialists obtain inter-nationally recognized certification asMicrosoft Office Specialists.

Woody Miller, the information manage-ment officer in Beijing, said bringing FSI’sinstructor to post rather than sendingemployees back to Washington for trainingresulted in a hundred-fold increase in thenumber of people benefiting. In addition,since the training was customized forBeijing, examples used in class incorporatedreal-world, day-to-day issues faced by staffmembers in their jobs. A local outsidevendor could not have provided this type ofknowledge.

“There is no way we could have trainedthe number of people we did without thisprogram,” said Doug Towns.

Comments from participants on the classevaluations were overwhelmingly positive.

Taking It On the Road:Beijing IT Training a Hit


The U.S. Senate has con-firmed Ambassador George M.Staples as the new DirectorGeneral of the Foreign Serviceand Director of the Bureau ofHuman Resources.

Ambassador Staples hasbeen a career member of theForeign Service for 25 yearsand was most recently politicaladvisor to the Supreme AlliedCommander Europe at NATOin Belgium. Before his NATOassignment, ambassadorStaples served as ambassadorto Rwanda, Cameroon andEquatorial Guinea. He alsoserved as deputy chief ofmission in Bahrain andZimbabwe, senior watch officerin the Operations Center and

senior Turkey desk officer inthe Bureau of European Affairsduring the first Gulf War. Hisother overseas assignmentsinclude the Bahamas, Uruguayand El Salvador.

Before joining theDepartment, he served as anofficer in the Air Force and amanager in private industry.He speaks French, Spanishand Turkish.

Ambassador Staples wasborn in Knoxville, Tenn. Hereceived his B.A. in politicalscience from the University ofSouthern California and anM.A. in business from CentralMichigan University.

He and his wife Jo Ann haveone daughter, Catherine.

The Department of State achieved“Green” for both status and progress onthe President’s Management AgendaFederal Real Property Initiative. SecretaryCondoleezza Rice announced theachievement during an April 11 tourof the Bureau of Overseas BuildingsOperation with Under Secretary forManagement Henrietta Fore.

The Office of Management and Budgetawarded Green status to OBO two quar-ters ahead of its published schedule. TheDepartment achieved the coveted statusby demonstrating its ability to dispose ofsurplus assets, maintain assets in the rightcondition and operate at the right cost.This meant preparing a comprehensiveAsset Management Plan, a three-yearrolling timeline of initiatives, numerousperformance measures and a sharedDepartment-U. S. Agency for Inter-nation-al Development real property inventory.

The Department is one of two govern-ment agencies to achieve Green for thisInitiative.

Project Planning Division Director Alex Kurien introduces General Charles E. Williams asUnder Secretary Henrietta Fore and OMB Acting Director Clay Johnson look on at thePresident's Management Agenda Achievement Award and Recognition Reception.

SENATE CONFIRMSVETERAN AMBASSADORAS NEW DG

Green to Go


A U.S. Embassy in Sanaa social club organ-ized a charity run/walk March 16 that raisedmore than $400 for a local organization thathelps rural women and families escapedomestic abuse.

Some 75 runners and walkers from theembassy and the Sanaa diplomatic communityvolunteered to participate, generating enoughcontributions to outfit the Ibb Women’sAssociation with a television, VCR and video-tapes to train women in basic professionalskills. Armed with these skills, the women will be more able to liveon their own.

Association Director Mona Ali said women living in rural areashave difficulty finding help when they most need it.

“When I founded this organization, there was nothing to helpwomen who were getting divorced,” she said, adding that some ofthe most difficult cases were women who tried to leave a relation-

ship that was abusive for them or their children. For these families,the association provides referrals, home visits and training.

The embassy hopes its modest donation of equipment, resourcesand cash will allow Ali’s group to assist more women and familiesin rural Yemen who might not even know such resources exist, saidAmbassador Thomas Krajeski.

“We respect the good work that the Ibb Women’s Association isdoing to assist rural women with domestic problems,” he said.

Participants either ran five kilometers or walked two miles.

Sanaa SocialClub Racesfor YemeniWomen

Bureau of Western Hemisphere AffairsAssistant Secretary Tom Shannon presentsletters of appreciation from PresidentGeorge W. Bush to Department staff whocontributed to the development and imple-mentation of the Security and ProsperityPartnership of North America. From left:Robin Mathewman, Sigrid Emrich,Antoinette Condo, Eugene Aaron, SteveRoyster, Assistant Secretary Shannon,Maurice Parker, Evelyn Wheeler, TerryBreese, Mitchell Optican, and RobertSorenson. Not included: Shaun Donnelly,Tony Wayne, Linda Jewell, Roberta Jacobson,Under Secretary Paula Dobriansky andRoger Noriega.

Security andProsperityPartnership

Properly channeled, changesand challenges often lead tonew and improved ways ofdoing the job. That’s been thecase for the U.S. Mission in

Côte d’Ivoire, which last year faced anunstable political situation and a move to anew Embassy labeled by the Ivoirian press“The Bunker.”

The embassy could have easily retreatedinto its secure new compound and tried toride out the war and the criticism. But thatwasn’t the vision held by a veteran ambas-sador who knew difficult situations fromservice in both Congos.

Embracing the spirit of Secretary Rice’svision of transformational diplomacy,Ambassador Aubrey Hooks realized the

American diplomatic corps in Côted’Ivoire needed to transform the way itreached out to Ivoirian audiences. He real-ized that if the embassy wanted to changethe way Ivoirians looked at us, we had tochange the way we engaged them. Embassystaff worked closely with designers fromOverseas Buildings Operations to create anaesthetically pleasing and inviting environ-ment, one that embraces both cultural andsocial diplomacy.

Bless and ProtectIn keeping with this objective, the

embassy invited traditional chiefs to comeand perform a traditional libation ceremo-ny that asked the Ebrie ancestors in theland around Abidjan’s famous lagoons for

their blessing and protection of the newbuilding.

“Definitely, if despite the presence ofMarines, and all the sophisticated surveil-lance equipment, the Americans need theprotection of our ancestors, it is becausethe Ambassador has understood that thetwo protections are worth more than justone. Excellency, you can sleep well at night,the ancestors of Ebrie watch over you,”assured the popular L’Inter newspaper,which echoed praise and appreciation forthe ceremony across the Ivoirian press.

The libation ceremony, however, repre-sented just the christening of the groundon which the ambassador envisioned aspectacular venue for cultural exchangesand celebrations. The embassy also made


Transforming Perceptions

Ambassador Aubrey Hooks, standing, is crowned honorary chief of theWestern Ivoirian village of Aboisso during a ceremony with the King of theSanwi people, Nana Amon Ndouffou V. Ambassador Hooks was christened“Kakou Andoh” at the ceremony.

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FORGING NEW FRONTIERS ON THE FRONT LINES OF DIPLOMACY BY BRETT BRUEN

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plans to display its new role as a cultural palace during a gala thatfilled the grand atrium with the sounds of top Ivoirian musicalartists and with fashion and art shows that paid homage to theAmerican and Ivoirian cultures.

Notables from business, culture, politics and government,including the Ivorian president and first lady, attended, and theevent was the talk of the town for months. In a single stroke,public perceptions of the embassy changed from visions ofsecrecy and security to openness, elegance and cultural richness.

The success of the gala encouraged the Public Affairs Section toseek more ways to utilize the embassy as a space for culturalexhibits and performances. Creative ideas flourished, includingnoontime concerts, conferences, education fairs, receptions andfilm screenings.

Cultural Evolution The evolution of the embassy into a thriving cultural center

was exemplified by the transformation of its spacious and lumi-nous atrium into a vast art gallery. The collection draws visualand intellectual connections between Côte d’Ivoire traditions andAmerican art forms. Throughout the building, the collectionexhibits both contemporary and traditional expression whilehighlighting the vision, skill and accomplishments of the artistsand artisans.

The art program seeks to engage mission personnel and visitors,highlighting common ground and fostering mutual understand-ing. Rotating expositions displayed Ivoirian art and historicalIvoirian musical instruments and showed Ivoirians and Americansalike the strong influences that exist between the two cultures.

The opening ceremonies, or vernissages, launching each showdrew a veritable Who’s Who of Ivoirian society, ministers andambassadors. An invitation to these events became one of thehottest tickets in the country.

The transformation isn’t limited to the confines of the embassy.At the heart of this aggressive and proactive diplomacy lies aneffort to go farther and build deeper connections that willstrengthen the ties and bilateral relations between the two coun-

tries. Ambassador Hooks, often accompanied by other missionpersonnel, spends many weekends well away from Abidjan, inremote villages across the government-controlled south.

The Americans are warmly embraced by small villages whose onlyprevious contact with the United States has been from afar. TheIvoirian media noted the significance of this person-to-persondiplomacy. One publication said the ambassador “breaks with thetraditional diplomacy of velvet salons, which is based on a lot of pro-tocol, and he goes into a new arena that touches the social realities.”

The ambassador also signaled U.S. interest in the Ivoirianpeace process with a three-day overland trek from Abidjan to therebel capital of Bouake in the northern part of the country. Pro-government and opposition proponents both welcomed the visit,the first of its kind that was not linked to the United Nations.

The Ivoirians took particular note of the time and nature of thevoyage. Coverage from all sides noted that this hands-on, directinvolvement added credibility to the U.S. belief in the power oftransformational diplomacy.

The ambassador’s trip built on the success of a weeklongHIV/AIDS caravan, led by the public affairs section, throughoutthe country on the occasion of World AIDS Day. Events at citiesand villages across the country drew thousands. A program with400 faithful at the Grand Mosque in Yamoussoukro marked thefirst time that AIDS was publicly discussed at the holy site.

For the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, transformational diplomacymeans reaching out beyond traditional practices and venues.Taking its activities outside the capital and corridors of powerearns dividends and allows embassy professionals to personallyconnect with local people who too often know Americans onlyfrom a distance and through fictional portrayals on radio, televi-sion and film.

These personal and profound connections with Ivoirians fromall segments of society make a huge difference in the effectivenessof U.S. diplomacy. �

The author is the information officer at the U.S. Embassy inAbidjan.


Left: Bottom: Fulbright Scholar Dr. Christine Cynn, center, and Cultural Affairs Specialist Angele Gnako, right, discuss ways to promote exchange programswith Ivoirian leaders during a daylong celebration of the Fulbright Program. Right: Deputy Political/Economic Counselor Andrea Lewis examines musicalinstruments during the second vernissage of the embassy’s Art in the Atrium program.

On a bright January afternoon in Oslo,Norway, the ambassador’s residence rang withlaughter as newly arrived Ambassador BenWhitney and his wife, Mary, welcomed 32artists, ages 2 to 14, to a reception in honor ofan exhibit of their work titled What I LikeAbout Norway.

The Whitneys had proposed the idea for theexhibit during discussions with the communi-ty liaison office prior to their arrival in Norwayon Jan. 9.

“As Ben and I were selecting paintings to befeatured in the residence as part of the ART inEmbassies Program, I realized that the periodbefore the new works arrived offered us anopportunity to host an exhibit rather thanleave the walls bare,” Mrs. Whitney explained.“Ben and I had also been talking about ourinterest in hosting events that would involvethe mission community. The idea for the chil-dren’s art exhibit was a product of thisbrainstorming process and was a way for us to PH

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CHILDREN’S TALENT BINDS EMBASSY COMMUNITY TOGETHER BY LAURA PAGEAU

YOUNG AT ART

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A young artist with his father, Commander David Edwards, assistant naval attaché in the Defense Attaché Office, enjoys the day at the ambassador’s resi-dence. Also shown are Ann Stevens, spouse of Captain Jim Stevens, defense and naval attaché; and Ambassador Ben Whitney.

demonstrate just how special theembassy’s children are to us.”

The CLO took the lead on the project,gathering the necessary art materials andorganizing a workshop in the embassycafeteria led by Christine Hield, a profes-sional artist and spouse of LieutenantRonald Gorby from the Defense AttachéOffice. After a brainstorming session, thechildren quickly got to work on theirpieces. Many children produced multipleworks of art.

The pieces were mounted using framesloaned from embassy offices and thesupply room. The CLO wrote a catalog,prepared nametags and customized certifi-cates for the artists.

ICONS AND TRADITIONSMany of the children’s works focused on

skiing and other activities commonly asso-ciated with Norway. Some used iconicimages such as Edvard Munch’s The Screamas the basis for their work or illustratedlesser-known traditions such as theNorwegian custom of ringing in the NewYear with extensive private fireworks dis-plays. Other pieces focused on theNorwegian outdoors and elements uniqueto Norwegian culture and cuisine.

Mrs. Whitney said she “takes pride inshowcasing the works of the talentedembassy children. The works of art havebeen a focal point in our home and thestart of some lovely conversations whileentertaining.”

The exhibit and reception received ravereviews from the young artists and theirproud parents.

“I was absolutely amazed at the talent ofour mission’s kids,” said MicheleLedgerwood, a parent of one of the artists.“I don’t know why this surprised me. Ithink that, as an embassy community, wetend to focus on the creative, academic orprofessional talents of our adults most ofthe time, and we do not get to witness theprowess of the children in the same way.

“Some drawings were creative, someshowed a very keen artistic eye evenamongst the toddlers, and some showed asophisticated sense of humor. I wasimpressed. I feel that, collectively, the draw-ings summed up this country better thanany book or cultural analysis could.”

Maria Silver, head of the ConsularSection, said the exhibit was a special treatfor her 4- and 2-year-olds.

“The setting wowed the kids, the artdazzled the eyes, and the Whitneys’ hospi-

tality exemplified the best of Americanfamilies,” she said.

Fourteen-year-old Kristen Pageau, acontributing artist, appreciated that theembassy community dedicated so muchtime to the children’s work by displaying itin a professional manner.

“The event was really fun and I thinkeveryone really enjoyed it,” she said.

FAMILY TOURSThe three Whitney sons gave several of

the artists a special tour of the living quar-ters and attic of the historic residence, Villa

Otium, which was built in 1911 and is listedas one of the prominent State Departmenthistoric buildings.

“My kids were still talking about that fordays afterwards,” said Colonel RichardHarris of the Office of DefenseCooperation.

Ambassador Whitney said, “Art providesa wonderful avenue for the children ofembassy employees to capture the excite-

ment and wonder of living overseas.Projects such as this one are very importantin meeting our goal of building a strong andfamily-friendly embassy community.”

Another parent, Major Doug Schuetzfrom the Office of Defense Cooperation,called the Children’s Art Exhibit a won-derful idea.

“It was an exciting project for the chil-dren and they truly enjoyed seeing theirartwork displayed at the ambassador’s resi-dence,” Major Schuetz said. “Theambassador and his family really made thechildren feel important and special.”

The embassy community thanksAmbassador and Mrs. Whitney for theirgenerous spirit in opening their home to themission’s children to display their artwork.It was a unique opportunity for the childrenand will be a long-lasting memory. �

The author is the community liaison officecoordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo,Norway.


Ambassador Whitney, left, speaks to one of the young artists. Also shown are, from left: MicheleLedgerwood with her spouse, Birger Bergesen from the Defense Attaché Office; and Denise Harris,mother of the artist.

‘‘‘‘

I feel that, collectively, the drawingssummed up this country better thanany book or cultural analysis could.

A rivulet trickles down intoa clear blue-green pool.

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Kingston


By Jennifer J. Schaming-Ronan

Out of Many, One People

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


So goes one refrain of the country’snational anthem. On this colorful andcomplex Caribbean island of 2.64 millionpeople, these lyrics reflect a spirit inherentin Jamaica’s national motto: “Out of Many,One People.”

Independent since 1962, Jamaica con-tinues to build on this fundamentalprinciple. The country enjoys strong dem-ocratic traditions, high literacy rates, avibrant media and a free-market economy,but major challenges include corruptionand high rates of poverty and crime.

Pirates and PlantationsThe island’s first residents, a branch of

Amerindian Tainos called Arawaks,arrived from South America’s Orinocoregion between 650 and 850 A.D. andnamed the island Xaymaca, “land of woodand water.” In 1494, ChristopherColumbus claimed Jamaica for Spain. TheBritish seized the island in 1655 andfounded a settlement named King’s Town,which soon became the economic andsocial center of the fledgling colony.

Known as Kingston today, the city isnestled on the central coast between the

verdant Blue Mountain peaks and thesparkling Caribbean Sea. Its deepwaternatural harbor is the world’s seventhlargest and continues to attract a diversityof trade, commerce and visitors.

In the 1600s, the island’s naturalresources became highly desired com-modities. The British colonistsencouraged ruthless, marauding seafarersknown as buccaneers or pirates to attacknearby Spanish and French Caribbeaninterests. The pirates found a home nearKing’s Town in Port Royal, which came tobe known as “the wickedest city on earth”for the decadent and lavish lifestyles of itslawless inhabitants.

Residents included Blackbeard and thefamed Captain Henry Morgan, whosecapture of key outposts on behalf ofBritain eventually earned him the gover-norship of Jamaica. Much of Port Royaland 3,000 of its denizens, however, per-ished when a massive earthquake and tidalwave swallowed it in 1692.

African slaves were imported by boththe Spanish and British from the 1500s tothe 1800s. From the seventeenth centuryon, more than 430 sugar estates producing

77,000 tons of sugar annually operated onthe island. Sugar was a highly profitableindustry to Britain, but plantation life wascharacterized by unimaginable cruelty.

Beginning in the 1500s, slaves escapedto freedom in the nation’s mountainousinterior. They were called “cimarron,”meaning untamed in Spanish. These“Maroons” founded their own settlementsand eventually launched a series of rebel-lions, which ended in 1793 with a peacetreaty guaranteeing full freedom and theirown land. More slave uprisings pressuredthe British to grant emancipation in 1838,freeing some 300,000 Jamaican slaves ageneration before the EmancipationProclamation abolished slavery in theUnited States in 1863.

The latter half of the 1800s and early1900s witnessed a decline in the sugarindustry, rising unemployment, and white-minority-led government and businessinstitutions. A disastrous earthquake andfire in 1907 caused great financial losses.

Increasing resentment and a heightenedsense of nationalism provided a platformfor the rise of two major political partiesthat dominate Jamaican political life

“Teach us true respect for all, stir responseto duty’s call… Jamaica land we love.”

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AT A GLANCE

Country nameJamaica

CapitalKingston

GovernmentConstitutional parliamentarydemocracy

IndependenceAugust 6, 1962 (from theUnited Kingdom)

LanguagesEnglish and patois English

Population2.64 million

Total area10,991 square kilometers

Approximate sizeSlightly smaller than Connecticut

CurrencyJamaican dollar (JMD)

Per capita income$4,200

Unemployment rate11.5 percent

Population below poverty line19.1 percent

ImportsFood and consumer goods,industrial supplies and fuel

ExportsAlumina, bauxite, sugar, bananasand rum

Export partnersUnited States (17.4 percent),Canada (14.8 percent) and France(13 percent)

today. Norman Washington Manley’sPeople’s National Party and WilliamAlexander Bustamante’s Jamaica LaborParty fought for political supremacy in theyears leading up to 1962, when Jamaicabecame the first of Britain’s West Indiancolonies to gain full independence.

The road since independence has provenrocky for Jamaicans, a diverse population ofAfricans, Chinese, Indians and Lebanese,among others. Differing viewpoints and awide array of social problems continue toplague this nation’s path toward peace andprogress.

U.S. Mission: Committed to ChangeThe bustling capital city of Kingston,

home to the U.S. Mission, is a study in con-trasts. American fast-food chains coexistwith makeshift roadside stalls selling localdishes such as rice and peas, ackee and salt-fish. Radio stations blare Jamaican dancehallmusic as well as U.S. light rock favoritesfrom Kenny Rogers and Air Supply. Themedia, which includes The Gleaner, theoldest daily paper in the Western hemi-sphere, provides a forum for a vibrantexchange of opinions. It is commonplace tohear caustic criticisms of American foreignpolicy and immigration practices duringdrive-time radio talk shows.

Despite often-divergent views, Jamaicaand the United States enjoy good relations.The United States is Jamaica’s largest tradingpartner and U.S. tourism dollars and remit-tances total some $3 billion each year.

Unemployment, however, hovers around13 percent and the island carries an officialdebt load of 137 percent of gross domesticproduct, limiting capital investment inhealth, education and the environment. In2004, Hurricane Ivan’s severe damage tem-porarily interrupted growth.

Jamaica is a major transshipment pointfor South American cocaine and is theCaribbean’s largest marijuana producer andexporter. The country has one of the highestper-capita murder rates in the world andKingston is considered a critical crimethreat post. Depressed economic conditionsand the drug trade contribute to civil unrestand criminal activity, including significantvisa fraud, illegal migration and traffickingin persons, and combined with a formidableHIV/AIDS presence, are factors thatadversely affect U.S. strategic interests.

The U.S. Embassy is a mid-sized mission,with representatives from several agencies,

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook 2006


including State, the U.S. Agency forInternational Development, theDepartment of Homeland Security, theU.S. Marshals Service and the U.S.Southern Command. The Peace Corps hasbeen present since Jamaica’s independence.

Homeland security is center stage interms of the U.S. Mission’s work, givenJamaica’s close proximity to the UnitedStates. Embassy Kingston assists the gov-ernment of Jamaica in conductingtraining exercises and provides resourcesto improve border security, combat theillicit drug trade and bolster counterter-rorism measures.

The consular section has a heavy andgrowing workload from Jamaica and theCayman Islands, which is part of the con-sular district. Section officers workshoulder-to-shoulder with staff from theon-site fraud prevention unit and theassistant regional security officer investi-gator to combat the document fraud andother types of fraud encountered each day.

U.S. visa policy represents a significantpublic affairs issue, and the section’s offi-cers combat misperceptions throughmedia interviews and a newspapercolumn. The U.S. Marshals, cooperatingwith Jamaican authorities, have successful-ly found and arrested more than 80 U.S.fugitives from justice since 2000 and havelocated numerous Jamaican fugitivesliving in the United States for deportation.

The American citizen services unitassists the more than 15,000 Americanswho live in the consular district and themillions of American tourists who visit theislands each year. Consular agents inMontego Bay and George Town, GrandCayman, allow officers to provide directservices to this diverse constituency.

Key mission offices work with localauthorities to combat Jamaica’s illicit drugtrade. The narcotics affairs section sup-ports the Jamaican Defence Force’sOperation Buccaneer by providing dona-tions, including cots, field stoves and bush

cutters for the eradication of marijuanafields. The military liaison office providesequipment and training to the JDF toenhance its mobility and security in theconduct of counterdrug operations.Among other duties, the tactical analysisteam supports the ambassador’s counter-narcotics program in Jamaica.

Mission agencies cooperate on keyendeavors to boost Jamaica’s economy,democracy and educational and healthservices. USAID leveraged a public-privatepartnership with the local AmericanChamber of Commerce to enable the con-struction of a model police station andcommunity services facility in the inner-city Grants Pen community which aims tobuild positive relationships between com-munity members and police officers.USAID coordinated the Hurricane Ivanrehabilitation program, helping to repairand restore crucial economic and physicalinfrastructure. Peace Corps volunteerswork on several capacity-building projects

Below: Embassy officers relax in the crystal blue waters of Port Antonio.Bottom: Employees pose with reggae superstar and Grammy awardwinter Damian Marley, center, during his visit to the consular section.He is the youngest son of reggae legend Bob Marley. Right: Wavesbreak against a deserted Morant Point. Opposite page: A woman grillingjerk chicken leans away from the smoke as she opens the hood.

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Jamaica’s Indelible Cultural Footprint


related to youth development, environmental awareness, commu-nity environmental health, HIV/AIDS prevention, informationand communication technology and income generation.

The embassy’s office of public affairs awarded a grant throughthe Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/AIDS that funded the tour of alocal troupe’s musical drama. The musical advocated HIV/AIDSprevention and promotion of healthy lifestyles and tolerance. Itreached over 10,000 students at 70 schools.

A new embassy compound is scheduled for occupation this falland will feature a single, secure site for all U.S. government oper-ations. The Colin Powell Residential Plaza opened to residents lastOctober. Its 34 state-of-the-art high-rise apartments providestunning views of the Blue Mountains and Caribbean Sea.

The community liaison office coordinates outings and family-friendly events such as the flashlight Easter egg hunt, weekendvolleyball and swimming with the dolphins, all of which allowmission personnel to “walk good” in this diverse and vibrant landof wood and water. �

The author is a vice consul at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston. Shewas assisted by Paul Bonnick, John Gregg, Mark Powell andRosalee Strudwick.

Reggae: Reggae comes from “ska” and “mento,” musicalforms indigenous to Jamaica. Reggae greats such as BobMarley, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh helped bring reggae tothe world. Their humble upbringings help account forreggae’s social messages, which are a hallmark of the style.

Rastafarians: Emerging from Jamaican working classes inthe early 1930s, the Rastafari religion accepts Ethiopia’sformer Emperor Haile Selassie I as Jah (God incarnate),who will lead the world’s peoples of African origin to apromised land. Jamaican-born Marcus Garvey, the famousblack leader who initiated the “Back to Africa” movement,helped give prominence to the religion through his teach-ings. Rastafarians encourage pride in black history andculture, and believe in overcoming material desires insearch of spiritual enlightenment. One million peopleworldwide currently practice the religion’s tenets.

Roots: “Jerk” marinade, Red Stripe beer and Appleton rumall originate here. “Anansi” tales, in which a crafty spider’sadventures carry moral messages about how intelligencecan help one triumph over authority, are staples of locallife. The patois poems of the celebrated Miss Lou examinerural life and the impact of Jamaican migration to foreigncountries. Jamaica’s Little Theater Movement is theCaribbean’s oldest theatrical group.

Rich and Famous: The nation is home to severalOlympians, including the gold medal-winning female trackand field stars of the 2004 Olympics in Athens and therenowned “Cool Runnings” bobsled team. Jamaica boaststhe renowned Reggae Boyz and Reggae Girlz soccer teamsand is one of the venues hosting the 2007 Cricket WorldCup. Numerous celebrities visit and have homes on theisland. Island in the Sun, Dr. No and Cocktail were filmed onlocation in Jamaica and author Ian Fleming’s “Goldeneye”estate near Ocho Rios is the locale that inspired the creationof gentleman spy James Bond.

Real Patois:

“Every mikklemek a muckle”

“Cooyah”

“Long run,short ketch”

“Soon come”

“Ev’ryting crisand curry”

“Walk good”

A penny saved is apenny earned.

Imagine that.

You can run, but youcan’t hide.

I will be back soon/some-thing will happen soon.

All is well.

Go well, farewell.

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DiplomacyScienceTHE ART OF

Joining Under Secretary Dr. Paula Dobriansky at the National Academy of Sciences for the May launch of the Iraqi Virtual Science Library were, from left,Under Secretary of Defense Kenneth J. Krieg; Dr. E. William Colglazer, executive officer of the National Academy of Sciences; and Iraqi Ambassador to theUnited States Samir Shakir Mahmud Al-Sumaydi.

BY DR. PAULA J. DOBRIANSKY

Science and technology have enormouspotential to improve the lives of peoplearound the world, build bridges between theUnited States and foreign societies andimprove awareness of American society andvalues. Many commentators focus on therole of culture in fostering mutual under-standing and showcasing Americanstrengths. Science also offers these opportu-nities. Diplomats should remember thatscience has the power to inform decisionsand serve as a core instrument of diplomacy.

America leads the world in science andtechnology. They are critical to American“soft power,” the ability to win worldwiderespect and support through our ideas andaccomplishments. When Americansdevelop lifesaving vaccines, share spectacu-lar images from the Hubble telescope oruse technology to clean polluted rivers, theappeal of America grows. These accom-plishments remind people worldwide ofwhat they respect about America: our can-do spirit, our ability to solve problems andour drive to make the world a better place.

The global science community embracesprinciples Americans cherish: transparen-cy, accountability, the objective evaluationof evidence and broad participation.Scientists test their views and openly sharetheir data and results with the world. Adecentralized network of scientists debates,critiques and retests those views in a globalmarketplace of ideas. Participation isbroad, meritocratic and open.Cooperation, on small research projects ormassive initiatives like the Human Genomeproject, is routine and a cornerstone ofsuccess. These ideals are the basis of goodscience. They are also the basis of goodgovernance.

America’s commitment to technologicalprogress demonstrates our commitment tohelp others empower themselves. All coun-tries need scientific research andtechnological innovation to stay on thecutting edge of innovation and industry.Rich and poor countries alike need scienceand technology to increase agriculturalyields, stop devastating diseases and ensuresustainable access to water and energy.

In July 2005, Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice signed off on a strategyto more fully engage science and technolo-gy communities, reach out to youth andwomen through science and math educa-tion and increase collaborative science and

technology activities and exchanges in theMuslim world. In so doing, the Secretaryrecognized the promise of this approach toadvance American national interests andpromote the freedom, dignity and empow-erment of others. This empowerment giveshope to those who lack it and serves as anatural enemy of extremism.

How It WorksScience, technology and engineering

facilitate diplomacy because they opendoors for the United States, embody power-ful ideals and create opportunities for all. Inan era when security and counterterrorismare priorities in many bilateral relation-ships, science and technology cooperationcan build broader partnerships. Othercountries keenly want to collaborate with

the United States and feel they can reap tan-gible benefits for their people.

American scientific, technological andengineering prowess makes a positive con-tribution to the lives of people around theworld. After the December 2004 tsunami,the United States helped launch a $16.6million initiative to support the develop-ment of an Indian Ocean TsunamiWarning System. It could save thousandsof lives.

Another example is the Iraqi VirtualScience Library, created by the U.S.Departments of State and Defense in part-nership with the U.S. National Academy ofSciences, leading scientific professionalsocieties and commercial publishers. Thelibrary will give Iraqis access to thousandsof articles on cutting-edge science and

engineering research, enhance Iraqi scienceand technology capacities critical to thatcountry’s future and reconnect Iraqi scien-tists with the international sciencecommunity.

This kind of collaboration facilitatesdiplomacy. The goodwill generated byworking with foreign officials on scienceand technology opens the door for dis-cussing more contentious matters such ashuman rights and the role of women insociety. Success in one area can yieldsuccess in others.

The Department’s Office of Science andTechnology Cooperation manages bilateralagreements with 29 governments on behalfof the U.S. government. These agreements,on matters such as taxation and intellectu-al property rights, provide a framework for

U.S. federal agencies to collaborate interna-tionally on a wide range of importantscience and technology issues. In theMuslim world, an area of high priority forU.S. foreign policy, the United States hasalready entered into agreements withTurkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan,Tunisia and Algeria.

During a visit to Egypt in November, Isaw exactly the sort of cooperation theseagreements are designed to support. Usingequipment provided by the Ohio-basedfirm Fakespace, Egyptian engineers devel-oped three-dimensional imagingtechnology. With a team from VirginiaTech, the Egyptians will develop applica-tions of the technology in such fields asmedicine, engineering and socioeconomicanalysis.


>>

>>

Science and technology remain among the

most admired aspects of American society.

Science and technology remain amongthe most admired aspects of Americansociety around the world. Recent pollsindicate that in Morocco, Saudi Arabia,Jordan and Lebanon, people viewAmerican science and technology morefavorably than other aspects of our society.Young people under 30 find Americantechnology particularly appealing.

These reactions create a more favorableatmosphere in which to explain otherAmerican policies and interests. Theycreate opportunities to promote engage-ment, exchange, education andempowerment. They are a foundation ofinternational exchange of ideas, scientists,data and students. Science education pro-vides opportunities for upward mobilityfor boys and girls worldwide, giving themthe tools to think critically and under-stand the world around them. Science andtechnology also empower individuals tofind solutions to pressing problems anddevelop their economies.

The Benefits to AmericaScience and technology cooperation

helps Americans. International projectsgive American scientists and researchersaccess to places, people and ideas that arecritical to success. International collabora-tion gives our scientists access tocutting-edge research conducted by othercountries and allows us to bring togetherthe best minds to solve global problems. Itallows us to study foreign issues, such as

avian influenza, which could becomeproblems at home.

As President George W. Bush stated,“Science and technology have never beenmore essential to the defense of the nationand the health of our economy.”

To remain at the forefront of scientificand technological achievement, Americamust cooperate globally. Historically,global leadership in science and technol-ogy is transitory, and leaders mustexpend considerable effort to maintaintheir position.

As Secretary Rice stated, “Today,dynamic advancements in science andtechnology are transforming the world—making it possible for more and morepeople to compete equally across all fieldsof human endeavor. America must remainat the forefront of this new world.”

Our economy benefits from collabora-tive efforts. Science and technology aremajor drivers of innovation in the UnitedStates and an important source of exports.Economists estimate that the increase inAmerican productivity growth that began

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Poland Minister of Foreign Affairs Stefan Meller joined Under Secretary for Democracy and GlobalAffairs Dr. Paula Dobriansky at the Blair House in Washington, D.C., in February to sign the U.S.-PolandScience and Technology Cooperation Agreement.

help give America its edge. collaboration with foreign partners

Immigrants, foreign students andAmerican excellence is homegrown.

Not all the innovation behind>>

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The Iraqi Virtual Science Library, anon-line library that will provide Iraqi sci-entists, engineers, physicians, researchersand students with access to more than17,000 journals and millions of articleson science and engineering, waslaunched May 3 by Under Secretary ofState for Democracy and Global AffairsPaula Dobriansky and Under Secretaryof Defense for Acquisitions, Technologyand Logistics Kenneth J. Krieg.

“This is a groundbreaking event,”said Dobriansky. “The Iraqi VirtualScience Library is an investment in thefuture of Iraq and the Iraqi people.Vibrant scientific, engineering andhigher education communities areessential if Iraq is to assume its rightfulrole in the global economy.”

The library was created to counterthe deterioration of scientific, technicaland educational infrastructure thatoccurred over the last 30 years ofSaddam Hussein’s rule.

The library is a public-private part-nership involving government agencies,publishers, companies such as SunMicrosystems and the Civilian Research& Development Foundation. The

departments of State and Defense andCRDF made generous contributionsand the National Academy of Sciencesworked with the publishers whogranted access to their journals.

News of the library rapidly spreadthroughout the Middle East. Iraq’s mostwatched television channel, Al Iraqiya,and the region’s second largest channel,Al-Arabiya, ran reports, as did Iraq’sthree leading daily newspapers andmany regional Arabic and English web-sites.

Iraqi Ambassador Samir ShakirMahmud Al-Sumaydi expressed hisdeep appreciation: “This library is soimportant. It sends a message of hope,support and solidarity to scientists,engineers and teachers who literally risktheir lives every day to teach at our uni-versities. It is knowledge for the benefitof the people.”

The author is a PresidentialManagement Fellow and Foreign Affairsofficer with the Office of Science andTechnology Cooperation in the Bureauof Oceans and InternationalEnvironmental and Scientific Affairs.

VIRTUAL SCIENCE LIBRARYAN INVESTMENT IN IRAQISBY TAMARA L. SCOTT

in the mid-1990s is entirely due to technolo-gy investments.

Not all the innovation behind Americanexcellence is homegrown. Immigrants,foreign students and collaboration withforeign partners help give America its edge.As a recent report by the National Academyof Sciences makes clear, American leadershipin science and technology depends on build-ing our own capacities through high-qualityscience and math education and on makingthe United States the most attractive settingin the world to study, perform research andcommercialize technological innovation. Todo this, we need to develop, recruit and retainthe best and brightest minds from around theworld. We must continue to improve visaprocessing for international students andscholars and consider additional measures tofacilitate flows of students and scientists.

Significantly, we are making progress in theeffort to strike the right balance between pro-tecting America and facilitating travel. InJanuary 2006, Secretary Rice and Secretary ofHomeland Security Michael Chertofflaunched “Secure Borders and Open Doors inthe Information Age,” which eases visa pro-cessing, creates travel documents for the 21stcentury and uses technology to screen visitorsmore effectively—all while maintainingborder security.

Of course, there are legitimate reasons toprotect our science and technology.Enemies want weapons of mass destruction.Terrorists want access to sophisticatedencryption. Spies want industrial secrets.Competitors want to evade patent andcopyright protections. We must continue todeny their access, through export controls,intelligence, law enforcement and interna-tional treaties and partnerships. We mustprotect American interests without prevent-ing critical international collaboration.

What can diplomats do to support theseefforts? They can advocate an enhancedrole for science and technology in interna-tional relations, remember the appeal ofAmerican science and technology forforeign populations and recognize thepotential of science, technology and engi-neering to promote the freedom anddignity of peoples around the world.

I urge you to join me in practicing the artof science diplomacy. �

The author is Under Secretary of State forDemocracy and Global Affairs.


America?Coming to

nfluenza in birdsis often a mild disease, leaving flocks with nomore than a few ruffled feathers. However,when the H5N1 strain of the virus surfacedin Hong Kong in 1997, it quickly proved tobe a different matter altogether.

The virus killed domestic fowl, and itbegan to infect people, as well. Though thevirus is not easily transmitted to humans,more than 200 people have been infectedworldwide since 2003. More than half ofthose have died, according to the WorldHealth Organization.

Millions of domestic birds have beenslaughtered in an attempt to contain thevirus, which has spread through migratoryfowl and illegal imports to some 50 countrieson three continents, more than half of thosesince the beginning of 2006. From China toCameroon, the costly struggle to keep thevirus in check continues.

Reaching out to help these nations in theirefforts and to plan for the internationalaspects of a possible human influenza pan-

demic could be the Department’s mostimportant health diplomacy initiative of thedecade. It is a huge job, and State’s brand-new Avian Influenza Action Group(G/AIAG), in concert with regional and func-tional bureaus and interagency partners, isleading the way.

Pandemic PlanningInfluenza pandemics are nothing new on

the international scene. Influenza pandemicsin 1957 and 1968 sickened many but resultedin relatively few fatalities.

However, the 1918 influenza pandemic—called the “Spanish flu,” although someresearch indicates it may have started inKansas—is estimated to have killed morethan 40 million people worldwide. If thecurrent avian influenza virus afflicting Asia,Africa, the Middle East and Europe evolvesinto a strain that could be transmitted fromhuman to human, pandemic influenza couldresult. Depending on the virulence of thevirus, many millions could die globally, and


IBY VIVIAN KELLER

STATE’S AVIAN INFLUENZAACTION GROUP:CAN-DO PEOPLE

ACHIEVINGMUST-DO RESULTS

damage to the world economy could runinto hundreds of billions of dollars.

The United States has been planningaggressively to deal with that possibility.In September 2005, President George W.Bush announced at the United NationsGeneral Assembly the formation of theInternational Partnership on Avian andPandemic Influenza. On November 1,2005, the President unveiled his NationalStrategy for Pandemic Influenza, whichrests on three pillars: preparedness and

communication, prevention and surveil-lance, and response and containment.The National Strategy charges federaldepartments and agencies with address-ing the full range of issues related to apossible pandemic, from vaccines toborder security to transportation.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Ricehas spoken out on the urgency of theavian influenza issue on many occasions.Deputy Secretary Robert B. Zoellick hasclosely monitored development of the

international response aspects of theNational Strategy.

A central component of the NationalStrategy is to help nations that might befirst affected by a human-to-humaninfluenza to contain and control thevirus, thus preventing its spread to othernations. Accordingly, State is in charge ofcoordinating the U.S. role in theInternational Partnership and the inter-national efforts of the U.S. agenciesinvolved, which include the U. S. Agencyfor International Development and theDepartments of Health and HumanServices, Agriculture and Defense.

To lead this effort, Secretary Rice desig-nated Under Secretary for Democracyand Global Affairs Dr. Paula Dobriansky,who initially directed State’s involvementwith avian influenza through the Bureauof Oceans and InternationalEnvironmental and Scientific Affairs’Office of International Health Affairs.Given the rapidly expanding avianinfluenza portfolio, however, she subse-quently established the separate AvianInfluenza Action Group to ensure thatState had the necessary staff, expertise andinteragency reach to carry out the job.

She chose 25-year Foreign Serviceveteran Ambassador John E. Lange tolead the group and to serve as State’sSpecial Representative on Avian andPandemic Influenza.

“State is coordinating a significantrange of international activity across the


Although G/AIAG is charged withcoordinating the overall internationalresponse to avian and pandemic influen-za, other State bureaus and offices areresponsible for an enormous range ofrelated duties, both international anddomestic. All of these activities, however,feed back into G/AIAG to ensureDepartmental coordination. Below is abrief synopsis of their efforts.

The Under Secretary for Democracyand Global Affairs oversees all interna-tional activities related to avian andpandemic influenza, in coordinationwith the White House. The UnderSecretary actively promotes the avian

influenza agenda through high-levelengagement with foreign governmentsand international organizations. TheUnder Secretary also chairs the intera-gency Avian Influenza Group, whichprovides policy direction for the U.S.government’s international efforts.

The Bureau of Oceans andInternational Environmental andScientific Affairs, in close coordinationwith G, R, PA, IIP and G/AIAG, leads aDepartment Working Group on PublicAffairs and Public Diplomacy. Thegroup integrates and expands State’sdomestic and international strategies forcommunicating information about

avian and pandemic influenza, includingrisks, prevention and containment. TheOES Executive Office provides adminis-trative support for G/AIAG.

The regional bureau country desks(African Affairs, East Asian and PacificAffairs, European and Eurasian Affairs,Near Eastern Affairs, South CentralAsian Affairs and Western HemisphereAffairs) track the path of avian influen-za through their desks and workactively with missions to provide adviceand support to governments of coun-tries where H5N1 has infected domesticbirds or humans. The bureaus areinstrumental in disseminating informa-

STATE’S AI TEAMS BY VIVIAN KELLER

Chairin Ma’Roef, right, explains the process of Immunofluorescence analysisas Ambassador Lange views influenza viruses in the U.S. Naval MedicalResearch Unit No. 2 Viral Isolation Laboratory in Jakarta.

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tion from missions about outbreaksand in promoting bilateral and regionalinitiatives aimed at preventing thefurther spread of the disease. They alsoserve as co-chairs for G/AIAG’s intera-gency regional avian influenzanetworks.

Soon after President Bush’sSeptember 2005 speech announcing theInternational Partnership on Avian andPandemic Influenza, the Bureau ofEconomic and Business Affairs estab-lished a task force to examine thepotential economic policy implicationsof a pandemic. EB also leads an intera-gency group to anticipate and evaluatethe threat a serious pandemic couldpose for critical sectors of the global

economy and the danger that somecountries would suffer economicdamage that could lead to internalinstability. EB also works with otherbureaus to coordinate outreach to U.S.businesses abroad to help them main-tain their overseas operations.

The Under Secretary for Managementhas an Avian Influenza Coordinator whois responsible for orchestrating State’sinternal response to avian influenza bycovering medical, personnel andfunding issues, among others. TheOffice of Management Policy has beencoordinating the preparation of State’sagency-specific plan.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs hasbeen urging private American citizens

traveling or residing abroad to preparefor an influenza pandemic. The messagehas two parts: (1) Although State will doeverything possible to assist Americansabroad in the event of a pandemic, itscapabilities could be severely limited byfactors beyond its control, such asborder closures and quarantine require-ments; and (2) State has no authority toprovide medical treatment, includingantiviral medication, to privateAmerican citizens. Consular Affairs hasalso generated an Avian Influenza FactSheet and other outreach materials.

Since January, posts around the worldhave held more than 50 town hall orother public meetings for American citi-zens abroad and have actively employed

Ambassador Lange (left) and USDA Acting Under Secretary forMarketing and Regulatory Programs Dr. Charles Lambert examineday-old chicks at a private poultry farm near Danang, Vietnam.Ambassador Lange and Dr. Lambert were in Danang as co-leadersof the U.S. delegation to the Asia Pacific Economic CooperationMinisterial Meeting on Avian and Influenza Pandemics in May.

their warden systems to share informa-tion about outbreaks of avian influenzaamong birds as well as confirmedhuman cases. Consular Affairs is also anactive participant in State planningaimed at identifying ways to maintaincontinuity of operations both domesti-cally and overseas in the event of apandemic.

The Office of Medical Services isresponsible for protecting all overseasU.S. government employees and theirfamilies under the Chief of Missionfrom the threat of pandemic influenza.Medical Services also advises the UnderSecretary for Management’s AvianInfluenza Coordinator. Medical Servicesworks closely with Health and HumanServices/Centers for Disease Control, theUN’s World Health Organization and

Food and Agriculture Organization, andthe Department of Agriculture toprovide up-to-date information aboutthe virus and the best strategies for pre-vention and treatment. In March 2005,Medical Services established an AvianInfluenza Working Group made up ofrepresentatives from CA, DS, S/CMS, M,HR, OES, G/AIAG, the regional bureausand other agencies from the foreignaffairs community. The AIWG meetsweekly and is a forum for informationsharing, discussion, debate and planningto protect State Department staff.Medical Services has procured antiviralmedication, personal protective equip-ment, antibiotics and pneumoniavaccine for global distribution to alloverseas health units. Additionally, theoffice is producing an educational DVD

for worldwide distribution directed atemployees and their family members onhow to lessen transmission and how toprovide care for those who become sick.

The Bureau of Human Resources hasbeen planning how to keep State’s vitalservices running during a possible pan-demic, when medical requirements maykeep some employees from coming towork. The bureau’s Emergency ActionTeam personnel and State’s MissionCritical Team employees are beingencouraged to sign telecommutingagreements and establish remote accessto e-mail. Human Resources is alsoexamining a range of travel policyissues, including how home leave, restand relaxation and other travel may beaffected by decisions to evacuate postsor shelter in place. The bureau notes


government,” Under SecretaryDobriansky said. “We needed a technical-ly sophisticated team that could bededicated exclusively to this criticalendeavor.”

No Stranger to CrisisAmbassador Lange is no stranger to

crisis. He gained firsthand experiencedealing with catastrophe as chargé d’af-faires in Dar es Salaam at the time of theembassy bombing in 1998.

“In circumstances like those,” saysLange, “you don’t consult ParagraphThree, Section B, of the emergencymanual to figure out what to do. You act.But your actions are going to be predicat-ed on the plans that you have made and

internalized in advance. Fighting theavian influenza virus abroad and planningfor a pandemic are potentially crucial toour national welfare and security.”

G/AIAG is a dedicated team that isexpected to expand to more than 20 withthe addition of detailees from otherfederal departments. The group worksdirectly with foreign governments, theUN’s Food and Agriculture Organizationand World Health Organization and otherkey international groups. It also workswith the International Partnership, whichat its first meeting last October attractedrepresentatives from more than 80 nationsand nine international organizations.

At the second InternationalPartnership meeting scheduled June 6–7

in Vienna, participants plan to bringfurther momentum to their originalmandate: generating the necessary high-level political will and commitment tofight avian influenza effectively aroundthe world.

They will also review pledges made atan international donors’ conference heldlast January in Beijing. At that time, theU.S. government pledged $334 million tofight avian and pandemic influenzaaround the world, the largest amountpledged by any one nation.

In addition to working with theInternational Partnership, G/AIAGstaffers are responsible for ensuring thatthe international action items containedin the Implementation Plan for theNational Strategy are completed. Theywill coordinate efforts with sister depart-ments that handle animal health, humanhealth, security, border and nationalemergency issues, such as HHS, USAID,USDA, DOD, and the Departments of theInterior and Homeland Security. TheG/AIAG team also coordinates reportingon interagency budgets for assistanceabroad and, with guidance from OES, isimplementing an interagency communi-cations strategy on U.S. internationalengagement.

The lifeblood of G/AIAG is its systemof regional interagency networks onavian influenza, which it maintains withState’s regional bureaus. The networksinclude crucial U.S. government

Millions of birds have been destroyedglobally in an attempt to contain theavian influenza virus.

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that overseas, chiefs ofmission may use exist-ing authorities to grantexcused absence toemployees in incre-ments of five days ifMedical Services deter-mines certain medicalconditions exist.Approval of domesticabsence is the provinceof the Director General,in consultation withMedical Services.

In keeping with its mandate of pro-viding a safe and secure environment forthe conduct of U.S. diplomacy, theBureau of Diplomatic Security isworking to ensure that posts’ securityremains strong during a possible pan-

demic and that possibleredeployments of DSstaff for pandemic-related securityemergencies runsmoothly. DiplomaticSecurity’s OverseasSecurity AdvisoryCouncil— with a con-stituency of more than2,700 U.S. companies,educational institutionsand religious and non-governmental

organizations—helps provide theprivate sector with the tools necessary tocope with security and health-relatedissues abroad. Domestically, through itsOffice of Foreign Missions, DiplomaticSecurity is charged with providing guid-

ance to foreign diplomatic missions andto federal, state, tribal and local authori-ties on the inviolability of diplomaticpersonnel posted in the United States.The bureau also serves as a clearing-house for security-related informationfor state and local governments

The Office of Crisis ManagementSupport in the Executive Secretariat’sOperations Center focuses on contin-gency planning for the protection andpreparedness of official and privateAmericans abroad in the event of a pan-demic. The office provides guidance tooverseas posts on developing “tripwires”to guide their actions at various stages ofavian influenza’s progress. The office hasalso prepared contingency plans forstaffing one or more influenza taskforces as necessary.


providers of health and developmentassistance expertise and technical capaci-ty—such as USAID, HHS, USDA andDOD—as well as staff from missionsabroad.

Network meetings are invaluable fordetermining joint responses to avianinfluenza outbreaks as they occur and forkeeping track of what kind of aid is goingwhere. The idea is to avoid duplication ofeffort and ensure the best possible use oflimited aid dollars and expertise.

A World of PartnersSpeed and agility are the networks’

greatest strengths. When news of Africa’sfirst avian influenza cases, in Nigeria,broke late on a Friday afternoon, G/AIAGInternational Health Adviser Jeffrey Lutz,as co-chair of the Africa network, calledthe Centers for Disease Control andPrevention in Atlanta right away. BySaturday morning, he not only had con-firmation of the reports from CDC’s fieldoffice, but was also talking to CDC andUSAID about the composition anddeployment of a U.S. government team toNigeria.

“It’s gratifying to have such can-dopeople in our network,” says Lutz. “Youneed can-do people to achieve must-doresults.”

Lutz co-chairs his avian influenzanetwork with Alexander King, a JeffersonScience Fellow in the Bureau of AfricanAffairs who is a professor and head of the

School of Materials Engineering atPurdue University. Their partnership isemblematic of the avian influenza world,where individuals from very differentwalks of life and experience find them-selves collaborating in what isincreasingly becoming an all-handsmatter—something that holds truewithin State as well as in the interagencyand global arenas.

As a matter of course, G/AIAG collab-orates closely with State’s regionalbureaus, Management, the Office ofMedical Services, the Bureau of ConsularAffairs, the Bureau of Economic andBusiness Affairs, the ExecutiveSecretariat’s Operations Center and manyothers (see sidebar).

Keying in on their different areas ofconcern, all agencies are united in theirdetermination to ensure that plans are in

place for coping with a possible pandem-ic. For example, Consular Affairs isurging American citizens overseas toprepare, and M/MED is developing plansto support embassy staff in the event ofan outbreak. Economic and BusinessAffairs wants to help businesses plan forthe worst.

“We cannot know where or when apandemic will happen, but we know thateventually one will occur,” says Dr. DanielA. Singer, a physician on detail from HHSwho plays a leading role in the group’sinternational outreach. “It would be irre-sponsible not to do everything we can tolimit its toll on the United States and theentire world.” �

The author is a foreign service officer cur-rently serving in the Avian InfluenzaAction Group.

The virus has spread through migra-tory fowl and illegal imports to some50 countries on three continents.

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EMBASSY VOLUNTEERS PROMOTE LITERACY THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMASBY KATHERINE STEWART-GIBSON AND KAREN WIEBELHAUS

Books and BeachesEmbassy Nassau Economic Officer Jeff Rotering smiled as he tried in

vain to mimic the slang and dialect spoken by Anansi, a mischievousspider found in many Caribbean folk tales. But his audience of Bahamianelementary school students didn’t seem to mind. Mr. Rotering was partic-ipating in the embassy’s weekly volunteer reading program, part of aneffort to promote literacy in The Bahamas.

Each week during the school year, 10 to12 embassy volunteers visit WoodcockPrimary School, located near the embassyin downtown Nassau, to read books to andwith the children during their designatedreading period. The program was launchedby Ambassador John Rood—a frequentreader—in January 2005. Since then,dozens of Bahamian and Americanemployees have participated, representingnearly all the embassy’s sections.

The volunteers select the bookthey would like to read to their class-room. Many use the “Children’s Book ofthe Month” identified by the BahamianMinistry of Education. Others bring abook from home. Ambassador Rood,for example, is fond of Alice inWonderland—no tough dialects there.Some volunteers get the stu-dents to participate byletting them take turnsreading out loud.

This school year, the embassy beganrecruiting celebrity readers to join in theweekly sessions. Prominent Bahamianswho have participated so far include anOlympic silver medal track athlete, theminister of education and a legendarycalypso singer.

Ambassador Rood makes school readingsessions an integral part of his trips to areasoutside of Nassau. He has visited 10 differ-

ent Family Island schools, often readingthe story of Martin Luther King Jr.

and the civil rights march onWashington. He also makes apersonal donation of children’sbooks to each school he visits.

When First Lady Laura Bushlearned of the embassy’s reading program,she sent each of the participating schools a

letter congratulating it for promot-ing literacy and encouragingstudents to keep reading. The

ambassador presented the letters

to the schools’ principals during a recep-tion at his residence.

The principal at Woodcock PrimarySchool says that since the volunteerprogram began, she has seen a dramaticincrease in her students’ enthusiasm forreading. Many came back from theirsummer break last year excitedly askingwhen the readers would be returning.

The ambassador’s program has beenwarmly received by the Bahamian commu-nity, and local businesses and organizationsare now considering adopting their ownschools for similar programs. The embassyprogram supports the mission goal of pro-moting education and reinforces America’sinterest in building a prosperous future andcloser relations with a close neighbor. �

Katherine Stewart-Gibson is a public affairsspecialist and Karen Wiebelhaus is assistantgeneral services officer at the U.S. Embassyin Nassau.


Opposite page: Locally employed staff member Kasimu Ellis interacts with Woodcock Primary School students. Above: Ambassador John Rood reads tostudents at Woodcock Primary School.


The Soviet Union may be dead and the Cold War over, but oneof America’s most important and intense bilateral relationships isstill with Russia. The country remains a major power, with polit-ical influence and growing economic interests around the world.It’s no surprise, then, that U.S.-Russian relations span the globe.The Office of Russian Affairs in the Bureau of European andEurasian Affairs manages this critical relationship.

This task is not always easy. Washington’s and Moscow’s inter-ests coincide on a number of issues, but not all. When these

interests diverge, Russia does not shy away from pursuing its owncourse. Given the many ways in which American and Russianinterests intersect, however, engagement is America’s only viableoption.

The Office of Russian Affairs is composed of three units:Political, Economic and Bilateral.

Hot-Button IssuesThe Political Unit covers Russian external and internal politics.“It’s a daunting task,” noted Senior Political Officer John

Armstrong. “Political deals with a horde of hot-button issues: theprocess of internal Russian democratization, flash points likeChechnya and the North Caucasus, U.S.-Russian relations, andMoscow’s ties to the world, from Ukraine and Georgia to the

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE MANAGES ACRITICAL AND COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIPBY JOHN M. GRONDELSKI

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

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Russian Affairs staff members (from left): Kim Tuminaro, intern Rhiannon Applegate, Director Mary Warlick, Amy Holman, Marquita Johnson, Damian Leader,Sumona Guha, John Armstrong, Erik Johnson, John Grondelski and Roslyn Blanchard.


European Union, Iran, Hamas and China. There’s never a dull dayon this job.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s March visit to theUnited States indicates the wide range of U.S.-Russian interests.The agenda for the visit included discussions on democracy inRussia and Russia’s relations with its neighbors; Mideast peace;the Balkans; Iran; Iraq; and Afghanistan.

The Economic UnitBeyond that, the United States and Russia have bilateral eco-

nomic interests, such as negotiations on Russia’s membership inthe World Trade Organization, energy relations, intellectualproperty rights protection and other broad trade and invest-ment issues.

Mary Warlick, Russian Affairs office director, is optimisticabout the untapped potential in U.S.-Russian economic relations.

“The U.S. is committed to support Russia’s integration with theglobal economic community,” she said. “Its accession to the WTOwill be an important step in that process.”

Bilateral IssuesThe Bilateral Unit manages a wide range of consular, adminis-

trative and management issues. This includes handling thesometimes-maddening process of obtaining Russian visas, whichAmericans still need when they enter Russia.

“Unfortunately,” said Russian Affairs Deputy Director DamianLeader, “some U.S. government officials forget that. You just can’tget on a plane and fly off to Moscow.”

Government personnel traveling to Russia on official busi-ness should submit visa applications to the Russian Affairsoffice at least 12 workingdays before a trip.

“Our bilateral agreementgives the Russian Embassy10 working days to processofficial visa requests,” notedLeader.

Because U.S.-Russian inter-ests span such a broad scope,the office frequently mustserve as referee for offices andbureaus—and even otherfederal agencies—that arecompeting to have theirpoints raised in a bilateralmeeting. Sending out a brief-ing checklist from RussianAffairs is akin to bringing anappropriations bill to the floorof Congress. Unfortunately,the principal’s time will notallow for everything every-body wants to have raised.

“If anything,” said EconomicO f f i ce r Su m o n a Gu h a ,“Russian Affairs is a greatplace to learn the art of nego-tiation.”

Russia and the G8Russia’s G8 presidency this year casts a special spotlight on the

country and, by extension, the Russian Affairs office. For the G8summit in St. Petersburg from July 15 to 17, Russia has proposedan active agenda focused on education, infectious diseases andenergy security. While other organizations have the lead in theDepartment on G8 issues, the three economists in Russian Affairsare making a contribution as well.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to have a number ofDepartment and National Security Council principals actively

Robert McCutcheon, former political officer on the Russia desk, left, and Russian architect Eugene Izvarin tourPetrodvorets Park in St. Petersburg, Russia.

At a GlanceOffice nameOffice of Russian Affairs

SymbolEUR/RUS

Office DirectorMary B. Warlick

Staff size14

Office LocationHarry S Truman Building

interested in Russia, as well asfor us to help them learn aboutRussia,” noted SeniorEconomist Amy Holman.“We’ve also seen increasinginterest from the private sectorin the G8 process and Russiagenerally.”

A Country in TransformationWhile Russia’s democratic

evolution may not be occurringas fast as some might like,there’s no denying Russia haschanged.

As Secretary CondoleezzaRice said on CBS’ “Face theNation” on Feb. 12, “Obviously,we are very concerned, particu-larly about some of theelements of democratization inRussia that seem to be going inthe wrong direction. This is notthe Soviet Union; let’s not over-state the case. I was a Sovietspecialist. I can tell you thatRussia bears almost no resem-blance to the Soviet Union.”

Among the many differencesbetween the Soviet Union andRussia is the dramatic increasein contacts between individualsin America and Russia.Exchanges in all fields aregrowing. American adoptions of


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Russia desk officer Kim Tuminaroand husband John enjoy a warmmoment outside Moscow’s Cathedralof St. Basil.

This is not theSoviet Union;

let’s not overstate thecase. I was a Soviet spe-cialist. I can tell you thatRussia bears almost noresemblance tothe Soviet Union.

‘‘ ‘‘

Russian children are increasing.Cooperation on counterterror-ism and natural disasters isrising, as well.

However you regard it,Russia is still undergoing a sig-nificant transformation. It isreemerging on the world stagewith new interests and ambi-tions that can coincide butsometimes differ from U.S.objectives. Determining howbest to craft a strategy of bal-anced, ongoing and honestengagement is the daily chal-lenge of Russian Affairs. �

The author is a political officeron the Russia desk.


Above: Secretary of State CondoleezzaRice with the Russian Federation’sminister of Foreign Affairs SergeiLavrov in March. Left: Former deskofficer Robert McCutcheon and afriend visit a Russian observatory.

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ShiningKnight

HEALTH DIPLOMACY FOR THE 21ST CENTURYBY VIVIAN KELLER

When it comes to health, most of usthink white coats, not blue suits. But as thetravel, migration and demographic trendsof the 21st century bring the world’s pop-ulations into ever-closer proximity,international health issues move steadilyhigher on today’s State Departmentagenda. The Office of International HealthAffairs, located in the Bureau of Oceansand International Environmental andScientific Affairs, represents the pointwhere health and foreign policy intersect.Its mission: Enhance U.S. security andglobal economic growth through promot-ing global health.

Disease, whether spread naturally ordeliberately through bioterrorism, notonly endangers U.S. citizens and U.S.armed forces at home and abroad—it canalso magnify national and regional insta-bility. Disease can decimate populations,damage markets and erode public confi-dence in governments that respondineffectively to crises. Working with otherU.S. government agencies, internationalorganizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and foreigngovernments, IHA promotes policymakingthat mitigates the effects of disease out-breaks and potential worldwide spreading.

In doing so, the office often plays theshining knight to America’s overseas part-ners and domestic interests.

“Helping other countries on healthissues is always a win-win,” says ActingDeputy Assistant Secretary andInternational Health Affairs Director JackCroddy. “If we increase other governments’capacity for preventing infectious diseases,we not only help make the world a betterplace, but we also protect ourselves. Itdoesn’t get much better than that.”

Established in 2001 as the Office ofEmerging Infectious Diseases, IHA has blos-somed into a multidisciplinary team thatincludes Civil Service employees, ForeignService officers and scientific fellows.The office also welcomes PresidentialManagement Fellows on rotation anddetailed employees from other agencies andmakes extensive use of college interns. Staffexpertise is concentrated in three key areas:infectious diseases, bioterrorism/biodefense,and environmental health.

Infectious DiseasesThe infectious diseases component

focuses on such illnesses as polio, cholera,Ebola and dysentery. Working with other

Department offices, government agenciesand international organizations, stafferssupport programs designed to bring thesediseases under control or, in the best ofpossible worlds, eliminate them.

In the area of polio eradication, IHA hassuccessfully convened experts from thetechnical agencies and policy advisers todiscuss diplomatic initiatives to supportthe global campaign to eliminate polioworldwide. Through advocacy and diplo-matic support of the global polioeradication initiative, the office was instru-mental in helping to raise millions ofdollars last year alone from other donors.The much-needed level of financialsupport ensured that polio campaigns inAfrica and Asia could proceed as planned.

International Health Affairs does notcover several other prominent diseasesbecause, as former Deputy Director HaroldFoster says, “IHA keeps giving birth to ele-phants” that generate workloads largeenough to merit their own spin offs. Forexample, in 2003 the ever-growingHIV/AIDS portfolio was moved from IHAto the secretary’s office, where it is nowhandled by the Office of the U.S. GlobalAIDS Coordinator.

Three years later, IHA’s newest “ele-phant” is a disease that, like HIV/AIDS,

garners unwelcome headlines: avianinfluenza. As the virus spread through Asia,Europe, Africa and the Middle East, anever-expanding workload led to the forma-tion of an independent Avian InfluenzaAction Group in March 2006. Headed byAmbassador John E. Lange, the groupoperates out of State’s SA-22 facility.

BioterrorismAlthough avian influenza has taken

center stage in the media, the twin threats ofbioterrorism and environmental health stillloom large for health experts worldwide.

“With the transboundary nature ofdisease and of terrorism,” says IHA’s bioter-rorism team leader Marc Ostfield,“bioterrorism represents a truly globalissue that requires international coopera-tion and engagement for prevention andresponse.”

Ostfield’s team leads State’s work on thatmission by bringing together a range ofU.S. government and international part-ners that collaborate on effective strategiesfor combating bioterrorism, strengtheningbiodefense and improving global healthsecurity. Its ongoing work includes estab-lishing the G-8 Bioterrorism ExpertsGroup, providing support for the GlobalHealth Security Action Group and plan-


Above: Part of the IHA team discusses publicity options. From left, health adviser John Blodgett;office management specialist Venessa Holley; policy adviser Dr. Joseph Kowalski; policy adviserKatherine Bliss; IHA director Jack Croddy; and program analyst Quinn Brown Henderson. Oppositepage: With the world headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization in the background, IHAdirector Jack Croddy meets with policy adviser Katherine Bliss, left, and program analyst for interna-tional health affairs Quinn Brown Henderson.

ning U.S. and international bioterrorismexercises.

The bioterrorism team has also ledState’s involvement in developing presiden-tial directives to defend U.S. agricultureand the country’s food supply. The team

encourages individual initiative. Forexample, during a February Asia PacificEconomic Cooperation meeting, policy

adviser Natalia Comella introduced anoriginal strategy for helping to protectAPEC economies’ food supplies againstdeliberate terrorist contamination.

Environmental HealthInternational Health Affairs also deals

on a daily basis with issues that normallydon’t make headlines. According to WorldHealth Organization estimates, unsafewater and urban air pollution aloneaccount for 4.5 percent of all deaths glob-ally, making environmental health acrucial focus for IHA.

Katherine Bliss handles the office’s envi-ronmental health issues, focusing onmultilateral and bilateral action topromote policies and programs thatimprove access to safe drinking water atthe household and community levels. Shesupports international partnerships thatraise the political profile of environmentalhealth issues. She also coordinates intera-gency dialogues on the links between

animal disease and public health. Thesedialogues ensure broader cooperationamong international health, environment,wildlife and agriculture interests.

The prevalence of environmental issuesmakes Bliss’ job particularly challenging.New and potentially lethal diseases causeinternational outcries and create a sense ofcrisis, but people throughout the worldconfront contaminated air and water on adaily basis. These are genuine crises, too,Bliss says—particularly for children, whoare overwhelmingly affected.

“Our children are our future, and weneed to protect them,” says Bliss. “Ideally, byworking together internationally we canhelp make environmental health a priorityin terms of policy and action, and make thehealth problems associated with environ-mental conditions a relic of the past.” �

The author is a Foreign Service officercurrently serving in the Avian InfluenzaAction Group. PH

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Policy adviser Dr. Joseph Kowalski, left, runs through a PowerPoint presentation for IHA director Jack Croddy. Dr. Kowalski is on assignment at the StateDepartment through an American Association for the Advancement of Science fellowship funded by the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

By working together

internationally,

we can help make

environmental

health a priority in

policy and action.

Student Records OnlineNeed your class schedule or an unoffi-

cial transcript of training taken throughFSI? Visit the FSI Registrar’s Office webpage on the Department of State OpenNetat http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg.

Mandatory Leadership Training Leadership training is mandatory for

Foreign Service and Civil Service employ-ees at the FS-03/GS-13 levels and above toensure that they have the necessary prepa-ration for increasing levels of responsi-bility. FSI’s Leadership and ManagementSchool offers the required courses to meetthese mandatory training requirements,and other leadership courses for all FS andGS employees.

FasTrac Distance Learning:Learn at Your Own Pace,When and Where You Want!

All State Department employees, FSNsand EFMs are eligible. With your FasTracpassword, you may access the entireFasTrac catalog of more than 3,000courses, from home or office (Intranet orInternet). Courses cover numerous topics,such as project management, computerskills and grammar and writing skills, as

Senior Policy SeminarsFSI’s Leadership and Management

School offers professional developmentand policy seminars for senior-level execu-tives of the Department and the foreignaffairs/national security community.

For more information, contact FSI’sLeadership and Management School at(703) 302-6743, [email protected] orhttp://fsiweb.fsi.state.gov/fsi/lms.

well as soft skills such as leadership. Toview the FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTracweb site at http://fsi.state.gov/fastrac.

FSI Distance Learning ProgramAn extensive menu of FSI-developed

distance learning courses is also availableto eligible participants on the FSI learningmanagement system. See (U) State 009772dated January 14, 2005, or the FSI webpage (Distance Learning) for information.

Dates for FSI Transition Center Courses are shown below. For information on all the coursesavailable at FSI, visit the Schedule of Courses on the Department of State’s OpenNet athttp://fsi.state.gov. See Department Notices for announcements of new courses and newcourse dates and periodic announcements of external training opportunities sponsored by FSI.For additional information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (703) 302-7144/7137.

Security July August Length

MQ911 SOS: Security Overseas Seminar 10, 17, 31 14, 28 2 D

MQ912 ASOS: Advanced Security Overseas Seminar 5, 24 8 1 D

MQ914 YSOS: Youth Security Overseas Seminar 11, 18, 24 1, 8, 15 1 D

Foreign Service Life Skills July August Length

MQ110 Deputy Chief of Mission Spouse 17 7 3 D

MQ115 Explaining America 8 1 D

MQ116 Protocol and U.S. Representation Abroad 15 19 1 D

MQ250 Young Diplomats Day 10, 17, 31 14 1 D

MQ703 Post Options for Employment and Training 17 1 D

MQ704 Targeting the Job Market 31 2.5 D

MQ802 Communicating Across Cultures 12 1 D

MQ803 Realities of Foreign Service Life 29 1 D

MQ915 Emergency Medical Care and Trauma Workshop 9 1 D

Career Transition Center July August Length

RV101 Retirement Planning Seminar 25 4 D

RV102 Job Search Program 31 8 W

RV103 Financial Management and Estate Planning 27 1 D

RV104 Annuities, Benefits and Social Security 26 1 D

Length: H = Hours, D = Days, W = Weeks

FS-3/GS-13PK245 Basic Leadership Skills

FS-2/GS-14PT207 Intermediate Leadership Skills

FS-1/GS-15PT210 Advanced Leadership Skills

Managers and SupervisorsPT107 EEO Diversity Awareness for

Managers and Supervisors

Newly promoted FS-OC/SESPT133 Senior Executive Threshold

Seminar

*Mandatory Courses

EDUCATION+TRAINING

37J U N E 2 0 0 6 S TAT E M A G A Z I N E 37J U N E 2 0 0 6 S TAT E M A G A Z I N E

S A F E T Y S C E N E


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Are you planning to move your home or office soon? Are youconcerned about the twinges and mild pain you may be experienc-ing in your back? Even if you are planning to hire professionalmovers, you may still need to pack and carry plenty. If you haveever moved, you know that packing and lifting heavy items canwreak havoc on your back.

Fortunately, most back pain and injury can be prevented byunderstanding how the back functions and how to lift safely.

The back consists of 33 vertebrae and six groups of muscles. Thevertebrae make up the spinal column, which bears the weight ofthe body and houses the spinal cord. Between each vertebra arespongy pads, called discs, that act as cushions. Healthy discs areelastic and springy. Nerves or nerve roots from the spinal cordpass through small openings through the vertebrae. When the

discs lose elasticity, they collapse and the nerve roots get com-pressed.

The spine has three natural curves: the neck or cervical spine,the trunk or thoracic spine and the lower back region or lumbarspine. The muscles and associated tendons support the back,move the spine and play an important role in bending backward,forward and sideways. Strong back and abdominal musclessupport the back and help maintain the curvatures of the spine.When these curves are in alignment, the weight of the body andwhat we carry is distributed evenly among the vertebrae, renderingus less vulnerable to strain and injury.

Regular exercise and proper body weight will help maintaingood posture, keep your muscles strong and your back in goodcondition for work.

USE YOUR LEGS AND SAVE YOUR BACK BY REGINA McCLELLANDMOVING DAY

Doctor Takes the Walk of LifeConrad Schmitt, a regional medical officer-psychiatrist in

Frankfurt, Germany, started exercising late in life. At 56, herealized how out of shape he was.

“I was battling both hypertension and high cholesterol,”he says. “I decided it was time to take the bull by the hornsand make some changes.”

Dr. Schmitt joined the “Healthier Feds Challenge” in thefall of 2003 and has earned the Bronze, Silver and GoldPresidential Awards.

For approximately four months in 2003 he was on theAtkins diet and then moved on to a general healthy, nutri-tious diet. In the 21 months he was stationed in Ghana, hewalked more than 2,000 miles.

“What started out as 15 minutes on the treadmill hasgrown, with the help of a pedometer, to an almost dailyritual of walking about an hour per day to a distance ofabout four and one half miles,” he says. “The exercise hasbeen a tremendous benefit and now is one of the mostenjoyable parts of the day.”

Dr Schmitt reports that his waist size has dropped from42 to 38 during these 2 1/2 years. He hopes to keepwalking and encourages anyone else who wants to start:“The longest journey begins with a single step.”

Are you, or do you know of, a Healthy Hero in theDepartment of State? Someone who has made significantprogress toward becoming healthier and is willing to sharethe experience? If so, please contact The Healthier Stateprogram through [email protected].


Since moving can give your back a workout, follow the guid-ance below on proper bending, lifting and carrying techniques.

• To prepare for the move, get rid of things you no longerneed. This purging means less to move.

• Obtain sturdy boxes that won’t collapse under the weight ofthe contents. If possible, use boxes with cutouts for handles.

• Wear sturdy shoes with low heels and nonslip soles to avoidslipping.

• Don’t bother with back belts. Even though some profession-als use them, they are not protective. Proper lifting andcarrying techniques will protect you.

• Place the box on a low table rather than on the floor whenfilling it to avoid repeated stooping and bending.

• Don’t overload boxes. Filled boxes should not exceed 35 to55 pounds. Don’t lift over your head boxes that weigh morethan 35 pounds. As a frame of reference, boxes of officecopier paper typically weigh in this range and have theweight clearly written on the box.

• Use packing materials to prevent the load from shifting inthe box during lifting and carrying, not just to protectfragile items.

• Know where you are going and where the load will be placedbefore you lift. Make sure there’s enough room in theimmediate area of the item to be moved and a clear path toits destination. Are there stairs?

• Keep your back straight and bend your knees to lift withyour legs rather than your back.

• Lift light objects from the floor by leaning over the object,slightly bending one knee and extending the other legbehind you. Hold on to a nearby chair or table for supportas you reach down to the object.

• Lift boxes the size of a laundry basket by getting close to theobject. Then, bending at the knees rather than at the waist,lift the box using your leg muscles.

• Face your body toward the object to be lifted and use slow,smooth movements. Do not twist the body during lifting.

• Luggage requires a different technique. Stand beside thesuitcase. Bending at the knees, grasp the handle andstraighten up as you raise the luggage. Preferably, getluggage with wheels to reduce the need for lifting andcarrying.

• Don’t lift boxes that are too heavy for you or objects weigh-ing more than 55 pounds. Get assistance from anotherperson or use a hand truck. Leave the piano to profession-al movers.

• Carry the load close to your body, between shoulder andwaist level.

• Stack boxes no higher than shoulder height.• Pace yourself. Don’t overdo it. Take frequent short breaks

and listen to your body. If your back hurts, stop the activi-ties that aggravate it.

Moving can be emotionally draining as well as physicallydemanding. Following this guidance will help the move gosmoothly and help you avoid the pain and suffering of a backinjury. Enjoy your new location! �

The author is a safety specialist with the Division of Safety, Healthand Environmental Management.

The 2,000-mile man: Dr. Conrad Schmitt now walks more than fourmiles a day.

HEALTHY HERO

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


FROM THE SKI SLOPESTO THE FIREHOUSETO THE GREEN ZONE

BY MEREDITH HIEMSTRA

A Man for All SeasonsFrank Jones believes in giving back to the

community. He has found a way to do so bycombining his love for skiing with his lovefor helping people.

Mr. Jones joined the Department in 1994as an information management specialist.He grew up in Connecticut with a love forthe mountains and started skiing at ayoung age. He earned money with a paperroute to fund his hobby. When he was 16,he got a part-time job pumping gas at hisuncle’s station and continued his pursuit ofthe perfect ski run.

He started giving back to the communi-ty by becoming a member of the National

Ski Patrol while serving at the U.S. Embassyin Seoul.

“It takes about four months of classroomtraining and two months of ‘on the hill’training to become a ski patroller,” he says.“You are trained in cardiopulmonary resus-citation, basic life support, ski skills andtoboggan handling.”

Mr. Jones spent every winter weekendpatrolling at Yeoung Peong, Korea’s largestski area. The patrol is unusual in that mostof its members are in the U.S. military.American patrollers partnered with Koreanpatrollers to assist injured skiers andpromote ski safety.


“The language barrier was probably the hardest obstacle toovercome,” he says.

Naturally, Mr. Jones wanted to continue patrolling when hetransferred from Seoul to D.C. in 2003. He contacted the Wisp skiarea in Garrett County, Md., which welcomed him. Driving thethree hours to Wisp, he patrolled every weekend for three winters.

Patrolling motivated Mr. Jones to sharpen his emergencymedical skills. He attended the six-month University ofMaryland Emergency Medical Technician course and joined theBowie Volunteer Fire Department as an emergency medicaltechnician. He lived less than a mile from the firehouse, so whenan urgent call came in, he would throw on his gear and be off.He even spent his Thursday nights at the firehouse and ranambulance calls in Prince George’s County. On many Fridays, hewould go straight to work after running ambulance callsthroughout the night.

He has never been paid a day working as a ski patroller or EMT.Last year alone, he volunteered more than 1,000 hours. Over the

past several years, Mr. Jones has helped hundreds ofpeople both on the ski slopes and in Bowie.

“If, at the end of the day, I can make a difference inone person’s life, I consider it a great day,” he says.

“Having the skills to help another person is a wonderful feeling.”Last September, Mr. Jones volunteered to serve at the U.S.

Embassy in Baghdad, where he works in the InformationPrograms Center. His colleagues are glad to have someone withmedical skills in the office. He’s also a great guy to have aroundfor his positive outlook on life and constant jokes. He can fre-quently be found on stage Wednesday nights in the Green Zoneperforming karaoke.

Frank is married to Lita Jones, who retired from the Army inJanuary. They and their three dogs will be moving to Ljubljana,Slovenia, in October, where he will be the information manage-ment officer. He’ll be just 30 minutes from the slopes, so he plansto contact the European division of the National Ski Patrol andcontinue patrolling. �

The author is an information management specialist at the U.S.Embassy in Baghdad.

Opposite page: Frank Jones participates in a toboggan-handling drill on the skislopes. Above: Frank Jones, wearing his emergency medical technician hat, poseswith an ambulance in Prince George’s County.

‘‘ ‘‘

If, at the endof the day,I can make adifference inone person’slife, I considerit a great day.

+ If you would like to know more about theNational Ski Patrol, visit www.NSP.org and clickon “How to Join.” Not only is it an opportunityto hone your emergency care skills, but it’s also agreat opportunity to improve your skiing orsnowboarding technique and meet new people.

To become a volunteer emergency medicaltechnician or firefighter, contact your local firedepartment or volunteer rescue squad.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

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


U.S. Representative on theCouncil of the International CivilAviation OrganizationDonald T. Bliss of Maryland, an attorney,is the new U.S. Representative on theCouncil of the International Civil AviationOrganization. Since 1977, he has beenengaged in the practice of transportationlaw in the Washington office of O’Melveny& Myers. From 1999 to 2001, he served aschair of the American Bar Association’sAir and Space Law Forum. He is marriedand has two sons.

U.S. Ambassador to BangladeshPatricia A. Butenis of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Minister-Counselor, is the newU.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republicof Bangladesh. Prior to this assignment,she was deputy chief of mission inIslamabad. Her other overseas assignmentsinclude Karachi, San Salvador, New Delhi,Bogotá and Warsaw.

U.S. Ambassador to OmanGary A. Grappo of Virginia, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service,class of Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman.Previously, he was deputy chief of missionin Riyadh. His other overseas assignmentsinclude Managua, Lisbon, Amman and aprevious tour in Muscat as DCM. He ismarried and has three children.

U.S. Ambassador to theAsia-Pacific EconomicCooperation ForumMichael W. Michalak of Michigan, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service, classof Minister-Counselor, has been accordedthe rank of Ambassador to the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation Forum, where hehas served as U.S. Senior Official since 2005.Previously, he was deputy chief of missionin Tokyo. His other overseas assignmentsinclude Sydney, Islamabad and Beijing. Heis married and has three daughters.

U.S. Representative to theUnited Nations for U.N.Management and ReformMark D. Wallace of Florida, an attorney, isthe new U.S. Representative to the UnitedNations for U.N. Management and Reform.In private practice, he specialized in com-mercial and civil litigation. He also workedin the departments of Justice andHomeland Security. He was deputy cam-paign manager for Bush-Cheney ‘04 andwas active in the 2000 campaign.

U.S. Ambassador to theRepublic of CongoRobert Weisberg of Maryland, a careermember of the Senior Foreign Service, classof Minister-Counselor, is the new U.S.Ambassador to the Republic of Congo.Previously, he was deputy chief of missionin Helsinki. His other overseas postingsinclude Mumbai, Moscow, Milan, Geneva,Bishkek, Oslo, Warsaw, Caracas and Jakarta,where he oversaw the opening of the U.S.Embassy in East Timor. He is married andhas one son.

retirements*Allison, Kristin LabarreBreuer, Marvin L.Cardone, Anthony F.Cassman, Joel F.Clayton, Rachel D.Cleverley, J. MichaelDibble, Philo L.Evans, Charles W.Hovanec, Susan CraisJackson, Mark HansleyJeffries, Maxine

Lima, Robert JoelLimbert, John W.Milroy, MichaelSantoro, Eugene CharlesSteinmetz, Ingeborg B.Straub, W. DavidWilliams, Morris L.Zabriskie, Peggy SueZapp, TerranceZimmerman, Lillian

Foreign Service >>>Abdulmalik, April B.Alphin Jr., Thomas H.Briggs, Zelma WhiteCarroll III, Alfred Q.Clauselle, Richard L.Cobb, EssieDal Porto, Leroy G.Dean Jr., Daniel J.Dehart, Odell

Fisher, Joel L.Gustafson, Carole A.Harris, Thelma MartinHughes, Corinne L.Knarich, Gilbert P.Larson, Vincent HughesLee II, Edward L.Middleton-Kidwell,

Barbara

Mitchell, Dennis ClaytonNowak, Elisabeth M.Patierno, Donald F.Pianka, Kathleen A.Pool, RosanneRoberts Jr., Kenneth EarlSandlin Jr., James W.Tufo, Sara Jane

Civil Service >>>


O B I T U A R I E S

<<< Thomas W. Ainsworth, 84, aretired Foreign Service officer, died April 1in Chambersburg, Pa. He served in theNavy in the Pacific in World War II beforejoining the Department. His overseas post-ings included Fukuoka, Kobe, Osaka andTokyo, Japan; Saigon; and Hong Kong.

<<< Jerry Calhoun, 58, a personnelsecurity specialist with the Bureau ofDiplomatic Security, died April 18 of aheart attack in Camp Springs, Md. Heserved in the Army in Vietnam. Heenjoyed church, cooking and coachingsoftball.

<<< Lillian S. Davies, 87, widow ofForeign Service officer Archie Davies, diedJan. 12 in Fairfax, Va., after an extendedillness. She accompanied her husband onoverseas postings with the U.S.Information Agency to Egypt, Greece,Turkey and Bangladesh before his retire-ment in 1974. She was active in her churchand community.

<<< David B. Durtschi, a ForeignService construction engineer, died Oct. 13of complications of a brain tumor inWashington, D.C. He joined theDepartment in 1996 and served overseason embassy construction projects inNairobi, Kampala and Abidjan. Prior tothat, he accompanied his wife, JeriLockman, to postings in Lilongwe andJakarta.

Richard Baker Phillips, 91, a retired Foreign Service officer,died July 29 in Grand Junction, Colo. He served in the militaryin World War II. His overseas postings with the U.S. InformationAgency included Sao Paulo, Guatemala City, Madrid and MexicoCity. After his retirement in 1974, he enjoyed tutoring Spanish-speaking immigrant children in English and hosting overseasvisitors.

<<< Anthony “Tony” Starcevic, 94, aretired Foreign Service officer, died March12 of cancer in Glendale, Calif. He joinedthe Department in 1944 and served over-seas in Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico,Panama, Poland and Spain. He retired in1971. He was known for his culinary skillsand also enjoyed archaeology, geology, lit-erature and numismatics.

<<< Helen Cole Stewart, 92, a retiredForeign Service officer, died March 10 ofnatural causes in Bradenton, Fla. Shejoined the Department in 1947. Italy washer favorite country and she served inRome and Naples. She also served inBelgrade, Bonn, Morocco, Turkey, SaudiArabia, Pakistan and France. She retiredin 1973.

Eugene Stanley Szopa, 80, a retired Foreign Service officer,died April 15 of pneumonia in Rockport, Maine. He served withthe Navy in World War II. His overseas postings includedJerusalem, Amsterdam, Tehran, Palermo, Munich, Warsaw,Mozambique and Singapore. After retiring, he worked as theadministrator of the Smithsonian’s Resident Associates Program.

In the Event of a DeathQuestions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Office ofCasualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302. Inquiries concerning deaths of retiredemployees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.

P A R T I N G S H O T S


PAGE04 PAGE10 PAGE30 PAGE40

Bioterrorismrepresents a trulyglobal issue that

requires internationalcooperation andengagement forprevention and

response.

Marc Ostfield“Shining Knight”Page 35

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